Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 19th ed., Part 93

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 908

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Mr. Wilson's success is but one of the many triumphis which numbers of his countrymen have won in Chicago over adverse circumstances. Com- ing, poor, to a strange land, he has hewed out his own pathway to fortune by the force of his own moral and mental powers.

In 1884 he was united in marriage to Miss Christine Schmidt, a native of Denmark, who had come to this country about a year before her marriage. Their union has been blessed with two children, Anna Maria and John Andrew. In religious faith the family adheres to the Lutli- eran Church. Mr. Wilson is a stanchi Republi- can in political principle.

LIBRARY OF THE .IVERSITY OF ILLIN

627

PHILIPP STEINMUELLER

(From Photo by W. J. ROOT).

639

PHILIPP STEINMUELLER.

HILIPP STEINMUELLER, who is deputy factory inspector for the state of Illinois, is a pioneer of 1852, and a man of prominence. He was born September 10, 1832, in the village of Heuchelheim, near Giessen, Hessen-Darmsdat, Germany, and is a son of Philipp and Katharine Steinmueller, natives of the same locality.

Philipp Steinmueller, senior, was the father of five daughters and three sons, namely: Jacob, of No. 225 Dayton Street; Philipp; Katharine, wife of Jacob Kroeck, of No. 223 Dayton Street; Mary, who returned to Germany and died there; Elizabeth, deceased, widow of Louis Rinn; Anna Margarita, widow of Louis Kroeck and lives in Chicago; Louis, of No. 343 Hudson Avenue; and Anna, now Mrs. Bauman, of Decatur, Illinois. The father died in 1887, at the age of eiglity-six years and six montlis and the mother in 1883, at the age of seventy-seven years and six months.

Philipp Steinmueller, junior, of this notice after being educated in the public schools of his native village, worked with his father at the mason's trade until he emigrated. On April 27, 1852, he left his home and went to Meinz, on the Rhine, from there to Rotterdam, from which place he traveled to Hull and on to Liverpool, England. There he took passage for America, on the sailing ship "Argo," May 6, landing in New York June 17. Two days later he pur- chased tickets to Chicago. On reaching Buffalo he was refused passage further and he was forced to pay for his transportation the second time. He reached Chicago June 30. He had a relation living in Evanston and he walked to his home.

He found employment with Michael Weber, near Rose Hill. When he arrived in Chicago he had three cents in his possession and was four dollars in debt. He at first worked for six dollars per month, later being allowed nine dollars per month. In the fall of the year that he came to Chicago he worked for Page & Warner and carried mortar to build the first court house. Having a knowledge of plastering he was soon promoted to a better position and his wages in- creased. After working for wages a few years he began, in 1857, to conduct a business on his own account. He continued in this capacity until 1860. In 1862 he was employed in the postoffice until 1867. He resigned in 1868 and accepted a position on the Board of Public Works, which he occupied two years. In1 1869 he re- turned to the postoffice and remained one year. He subsequently purchased a business on the South Side and was burned out in 1871, when he lost his residence on Goethe Street. He erected a building on Lincoln Street, which he later sold, and started a catering establishment and grocery store on Sedgwick Street. In 1873 he sold this and entered the Recorder's office and was employed there during 1875 and 1876.

Mr. Steinmueller then purchased a grocery store and after six months again sold out. He spent two years in Texas, returning in 1878. He established a restaurant and catering establish- ment at No. 8 South Clark Street and six months later sold out and removed to No. 45 North Clark Street. He remained at this location until 1885. He retired for one year, when he resumed his former business at the corner of Wells Street

640

T. A. NOBLE, M. D.

and Chicago Avenue. He continued there until May 1, 1891. The summer of this year he visited Europe with his wife, returning for a short time to his native place and thoroughly enjoying the trip. On the election of Governor Tanner he was appointed to his present position, receiving his commission May 10, 1897. He has taken a lively interest in the affairs of the Re- publican party and at one time was supervisor of the North Town. He has also attended many state conventions.

Mr. Steinmueller is a member of Lessing

Lodge No. 557, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He is also connected with Corinthian Chapter No. 69, Royal Arch Masons. He was married September 13, 1875, to Miss Erstina Bernhart. They have no children. Mrs. Stein- mueller's niece, Miss Martha Grebe, has been a member of the household since she was seven years of age and receives the same kindly treat- ment that she would if their own daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Steinmueller are members of the con- gregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, located near their home.

THOMAS A. NOBLE, M. D.

HOMAS A. NOBLE, M. D., was born near Toronto, Canada, and reared in the village of Maple, Ontario. He received the common and high school education of his home. His father was a merchant, but the son early de- cided to enter upon the medical profession, and graduated from the Toronto University of Medi- cine with the class of 1888, receiving the medi- cal degree. Not satisfied, he determined to sup- plement this course with further studies in that celebrated institution, the medical department of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he completed the post-graduate course.

His first field of practice was as assistant to a physician at New Cumnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. The practice here was that in and about a large coal mining community, and cases in the mines afforded him an extensive surgical practice, in addition to his general practice. January 1, 1892, he located at Harvey, thinking only that he would remain during the World's Fair. A handsome practice at once came to him and by the close of the Fair his business had assumed such proportions that he felt the sacrifice would be too great if he removed to other regions. In

every respect his relations to the people of Harvey have been so pleasant and so many warm friends have been made that the ties of both busi- ness and friendship are constantly growing stronger.

Dr. Noble stands high in the esteem of those of the medical profession and is a member of the Association of Railway Surgeons. He is the local surgeon of both the Grand Trunk and the Illi- nois Central Railroads. While enjoying a wide and lucrative practice, the doctor is closely identi- fied with the people in many social and public respects, being interested in every move that tends to the advancement of the community. He is a Republican, though not identified with official position, preferring to refrain from acquir- ing a reputation as a politician.

He is a Free Mason, a Knight of Pythias, a member of the Royal Arcanum, Royal League, Home Forum Benefit Order and Fraternal Tri- bunes. No man stands higher in the estimation of the citizens, every one according him the palm of being a royal good fellow. A close student of his profession, he keeps abreast of modern investigation and medical thought, and while he

641

AUGUST STEINER.

is not given to display of knowledge, his diag- nosis of cases is generally accepted by his medi- cal brethren, with all of whom he is courteous and for whom he has but words of commenda-

tion. Dr. Noble has not as yet taken to him- self a permanent companion, but it is not for lack of mutual admiration between himself and the opposite sex.

AUGUST STEINER.

A UGUST STEINER. The world owes a great debt of gratitude to its few men whose application to the development of an idea, under the most adverse circumstances, has finally contributed to the material progress, thus adding to the sum of human happiness and enlarging the wealth of the world. Such a man is he whose life we are attempting to review. Naturally of a mechanical turn of mind, at an early age he be- gan to develop that faculty and served a regular training in the shops of his native country Wurtemberg, Germany, where he was born April 15, 1832.

In 1854 he came to America, settling in Thornton Station, now Homewood. He found employment in Scovell's Locomotive Works at Chicago, and for some years worked in similar shops through various western states and territo- ries. In 1859 he started at Homewood, a black- smith, wagon, and plow shop, and soon built up a large and lucrative business. His plows proved so satisfactory to the farmers that their manufact- ure grew to be an important industry, and they were widely and favorably known.

In 1880 he purchased the flouring mill at Homewood, which he overhauled, converting it into a modern roller-process mill, of seventy five barrel capacity. He continues to operate this property, but at the same time his inventive brain has been busy along other lines. A prac- tical farmer, he well knew the labor involved in the harvesting of the immense corn crop of this country and knew that no one inachine would

contribute so much to the saving of labor as one that would harvest the crop, dispensing with the slow and laborious process of hand husking. Accordingly, after repeated attempts and failures, he produced a small hand husking machine, which he had patented and which, intended to fasten to the side of a wagon, proved a success, but it went only part way. He was constantly experimenting, making, however, but slow prog- ress, to produce a horse-power machine. Finally, after years of trial and experiment, in- volving great expense and disappointment, in 1891 he succeeded in more nearly realizing his ambition, and knew that final success was in his grasp. The invention, however, demanded many changes and further improvement, and it was five years before he produced the machine that he knew would do the intended work.

In 1897 he placed several machines on the market and these were eagerly bought by large farmers, who had looked and hoped for years for a machine that would perform this tedious and laborious farm work. Credentials from these en- thusiastic farmers speak in no uncertain terms of the success achieved and testify to the value of the machine and the great boon that has been conferred upon the agriculturist. The machine takes up a row of corn, strips off the ear, which is then denuded of the husk and elevated to a wagon which is alongside. The stalks are left in the field and in much better condition for food for the stock than when the corn is hunsked by hand.

The machine has a capacity of twelve acres

642

C. M. BOBERG.

per day, and facilities for its manufacture on a large scale are completed and it will come into extensive use on the large corn growing farms of the West. Mr. Steiner has not been alone in ex- perimenting along this line. Many inventors have turned their genius in this direction and several large manufacturers of harvesting machin- ery have used sometimes questionable efforts to secure the principle used by Mr. Steiner, and have even infringed upon his patents in their anxiety to place a machine on the market. While the above mechanism is the crowning piece of Mr. Steiner's inventive faculties, he has pro- duced other valuable patents, one being the machine for tying wire used in bailing, boxing and so forth. This he sold to his profit, to the Washburn-Moen Company, who have put it into extensive use.

A careful investor and manager of business in-

terest, Mr. Steiner has accumulated a handsome property and owns valuable farm lands, some of which he operates. In many respects he stands as one of the influential and progressive citizens of Homewood. He is not an aspirant for public honor, though his friends have often sought his services in connection with direction of the schools, trustee of the township or highway commissioner.

In 1861 Mr. Steiner was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Knapwurst, also of German birth. Their family consisted of: August, junior, who died May 15, 1894, at the age of twenty-eight, Carl, Henry, Eliza and Minnie. Reared in the church of his fathers, the German Lutheran, Mr. Steiner has ever taken a warm and active interest in it, as well as in all those elements of social and religious development that tend to advancement of individual and public progress.

CHARLES M. BOBERG.

HARLES MAGNUS BOBERG, who is among the retired business men and the most prominent of his race in the city of Chicago, was born April 22, 1831, in Stockholm, Sweden. He is a son of Hendrich and Anua Louise (Ponsbach) Boberg.

Hendrich Boberg died in 1835, at the age of thirty-six years. His worthy wife and helpmate died June 14, 1878, having been born October 18, 1807. Her children were named: Hilda Louise, Emma Johanna Theresa, Charles Magnus, Anna Marie and Edward Henry. The last-named of these came to America during the Civil War. He enlisted and was killed in battle, fighting for the country in which he had lived such a short time, and of which he knew comparatively nothing. How many men of the present day would be will- ing to do as much?

Charles M. Boberg reached New York January 4, 1870, and began to work at his trades, those of carpenter and painter. In May, 1880, he re- moved to Chicago, subsequently again removing to northern Michigan, where he engaged in the lumber business. In 1886 he returned to Chi- cago and since that time has been practically retired. In 1887 he erected his present residence, at No. 1145 Sixty-sixth Street, living quietly and at peace with the world.

Mr. Boberg was married February 24, 1886, to Miss Anna Nelson, daughter of Nels and Anna (Hansen) Anderson. Mrs. Boberg was born November 22, 1841, in Skona, Sweden. Slie makes an admirable helpmate and is beloved by her worthy husband, who is one of the most highly honored of the citizens of that portion of the city and is a man with whom anyone may be

643

COL. C. E. SHELHAMER.

proud to be connected. He is a Republican as to his political views and is valuable to the party, as his influence is great among those who know him, being a man of stability and strength of

principle. He cherishes the faitli of the Lutheran Church, as does his wife, and he is a supporter of Swedish societies of that sect in the city of Chicago.

COL. CHARLES E. SHELHAMER.

OL. CHARLES EDMUND SHELHAMER is a highly respected citizen and a well-known and active worker in Grand Army circles. He had the blood that made a soldier during the perilous days of our Civil War. When a lad in years and with beardless face he volunteered his services in response to the country's call, and with the bravery of a man of mature years went forth in defense of his flag, to help uphold the honor of his land. He is a native of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and was born June 30, 1848. He passed his boyhood there, and at the age of seven years, in 1855, his parents removed to Chicago, which city was then a small prairie town with only a few thousand people. In the public schools he was instructed in the element- ary branches, which was all the education he was ever able to acquire. He was patriotic to a large degree and his boyish dream and ambition was to be a soldier.

In January, 1864, he enlisted in Company E, Seventy-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was taken to Camp Yates, where for six weeks he acted as assistant hospital steward and then joined his regiment in the field, then attached to the Second Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, and was subsequently transferred to the Fourth Army Corps, which was commanded by General Thomas, the "Rock of Chickamauga." Although entering the war at a comparatively late period, he participated in as many engagements as many others who saw three or more years of service. In all he participated in sixteen engagements,

and at Island No. 10 received his baptismal fire. At the time of the occurrence he was on a boat en route for the location of his regiment. Among other engagements in which he took part may be mentioned Jackson, Mississippi; Corintlı, Jeff Davis Plantation, Columbia, Spring Hill, and Franklin, Tennessee. In the last-named en- gagement he received a wound in the head and was reported missing, but turned up after thirty- six hours, in time to share in the decisive and bloody battle of Nashville. His regiment was subsequently sent to New Orleans and in the campaigning that followed he fought at Smith's Point, Spanish Fort, Fort Blakely and Mobile, and the many sharp encounters that were fought between the last-mentioned place and Mont- gomery, Alabama. His regiment was at the close of the war sent to Vicksburg, Mississippi, where it was mustered out of service. His ambi- tion to be a soldier had been thoroughly grati- fied and he had proven faithful at all times.

Upon his return to civil life he settled in Chicago, where for a number of years he car- ried on a grocery and market business. He has also been active in other lines of employ- ment. Mr. Shelhamer is a charter member of Gen. Silas Casey Post No. 555, Grand Army of the Republic, in the organization of which he took a11 active part. In the offices of the post he has creditably filled the positions of senior vice commander, adjutant and quartermaster. He is active in all Grand Army work, being a potent factor in pushing any enterprise calculated

644

F. J. O. TURN.

to bring the organization to the highest state of efficiency. In 1898 he was appointed colonel on the staff of State Commander General Shimpff.

He is a member in good standing in Myrtle Lodge No. 1, Knights of Pythias. He is a stanch Republican and takes an active part in local af- fairs. He was married in Chicago in 1871 to Miss Elizabeth Milligan, who is the inother of two children, Helen and Agnes, two charming young ladies of culture and pleasant personalities. Mrs. Shelhamer vies with her husband in further- ing the usefulness of the Grand Army organiza- tions. She is president of the Silas Casey Relief Corps, being one of its active charter members. Altogether she has served as president of this lodge four years and has also filled many minor offices of the corps, which now boasts sixty-seven mem- bers in good standing. The corps is among the best in the city, having made for itself under the administration of its cheerful workers a reputa- tion more than local. In this connection it may with appropriateness be stated that to Mrs. Adam Hutchinson belongs much of the honor of bringing of the corps to its present state of perfection. Her husband was a gallant soldier in the Civil War and is one of the seventeen men who tunneled beneath the walls of Libby Prison and escaped.

Mr. Shellamer is a son of Abraham W. and Margaret (Eyre) Shelhamer, natives of Pennsyl- vania, the former of French and the latter of English descent. His father was a member of the same regiment and company as himself, and they enlisted at the same time. His father be- came hospital steward at Camp Yates and later was sent to Vicksburg, Mississippi, where he died in one of the hospitals of that town, an hour or two after hearing of his son's wound, received at Franklin. He was a flouring mill operator at Kankakee, Illinois, and during much of the war period supplied flour on contract. Mrs. Shel- hamer is a daughter of Edward and Helen (Mccullough) Milligan, natives of Scotland and eminently worthy and respectable people. Upon coming to America they first settled in Geneva, New York, and in 1855 came to Chicago, where both died, she in 1856, while he survived his wife until 1892. Mr. Milligan had reached the age of eighty-three years at the time of his death. He was a man typical of the "Land of the This- tle," stanch in character, of rugged honesty and unyielding spirit.

Mrs. Shelhamer partakes of her father's char- acteristics. She is a pleasant and entertaining conversationalist, well informed and a model mis- tress in her home.

FREDERICK J. O. TURN.

C REDERICK JONAS OLOF TURN. Many of the most sturdy and influential of our younger citizens to-day boast either Scandin- avian birth or parentage. The Swedish-born of the citizens of Chicago help to make up the strongholds and do much for the promotion of the best interests of our people and the nation. They are a race who are dauntless and never-failing, and give up to nothing which can be conquered

by man. Quiet and firm, as a rule they create little whirl, but are decisive in their actions to the end. Frederick J. O. Turn was born May 3, 1873, in the city of Westervik, Sweden, and his parents were John and Christina Josephina (San) Turn.

Mr. Turn reached Chicago in April, 1893, and has followed the occupation of stone-cutter, being very competent at his chosen trade. He

645

M. A. ARNOLD.

was married in the year 1897, to Maria Johan- na Swenson. Mrs. Turn is a daughter of Olof and Johannah (Helsing) Swenson, and was born August 6, 1873, on a farm near the city of Kris- tinehamn, Sweden. Her father was a tiller of the soil, as was his father before him. Mr. and Mrs. Turn have one child, born June 10, 1898, and named Edna Holda Johanna.

Mr. Turn is still a young man and has not

resided in Chicago many years, but is fast becom- ing accustomed to the ways of our people and moves among them in such a manner that none could ascertain his nationality without the neces- sary information from his own lips. He promises to become one of the prominent and influential movers among our citizens, as he shows a remark- able interest in the welfare of all those about him.

MOSES A. ARNOLD.

M OSES ANTHONY ARNOLD, who is lic school eight months and studied under an among the prominent citizens of the officer's wife, later attending night school in Chicago. portion of Chicago in which he resides, is also well known among Free Masons. He was born June 23, 1849, in Bedford County, Tennes- see, and is a son of John and Marie (Blackwell) Arnold.

He was born in slavery and was owned first by Smith Arnold, and later was transferred to Wil- son Arnold. After four years with the last-men- tioned, he was taken by George Cunningham two years, later by James Sowell one year and then was owned by William McClain. After one year with Mr. McClain, the Civil War being in progress, he ran away and entered the Union lines at Duck River Station, Tennessee. He met a Union officer, Samuel Adams, who was first lieutenant of Company F, One Hundred Fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and went with him to Nashville, as body servant. This was in the fall of the year 1862, and in the fall of the next year he went with his brother in business at Nashville. His brother, John Quincy Adams Arnold, had engaged in business before that time, and Moses A. Arnold was with him until 1865. It was here that he received his first wages and education. In 1864 he attended pub-

In 1865 Mr. Arnold removed to Chicago and after a few days in this city went to Huntley, Illinois, where he worked for Sam Adams as a shepherd. He returned to Chicago and was em- ployed by John Adams, who had a market on Lake Street, corner of Clinton Street, from Octo- ber, 1865, until March, 1866. March 26, 1866, he went into the Sherman House as waiter and remained thus occupied until 1870. He then went back to Tennessee to look for his parents and, after finding them, placed them in a home and returned to Chicago. He was again em- ployed at the Sherman House and remained until the Grand Pacific Hotel was opened, May r, 1873, continuing there until May 1, 1895. He was laundryman twenty-two years at the Grand Pacific and for nine years carver. He is now special police and watchman at the colored peo- ple's Baptist Church, which is at the corner of Twenty-seventh and Dearborn Streets.

In 1887 Mr. Arnold built a residence at No. 6730 Champlain Avenue, where he has since lived. He was married May 24, 1874, to Miss Mary Lane. She was born at Kamy Springs,

646

AUGUST GUSTAFSON.

Marshall County, Tennessee, and her children are as follows: Marie Dehlah, who died at the age of thirteen years and five months; Emily; John and Eler Frank. The last-named died young. Mrs. Mary (Lane) Arnold had one child by her first marriage, which was to Harry G. Hudson (for further mention of whom see biography of Harry G. Hudson). Mrs. Arnold died June 20, 1893.

Mr. Arnold was married the second time, Jnne 10, 1894, to Mary Payne, who was born in March, 1859, in Nashville, Tennessee. Moses A. Ar- nold was made a Master Mason in Mt. Hebron Lodge No. 29, and is connected with St. Luke's Chapter No. 5. He has taken the thirty-third degree in - Masonry, and is connected with St. George Commandery No. 4, and the Arabic Mystic Shrine. In masonry he served as tyler eighteen months in the lodge of which he is a charter member and filled all the offices of the chapter. He was senior warden one year, treas- urer the same length of time, and master two years. In the commandery he has served in all offices except Generalissimo and Captain Gen- eral. In Scottish Rite masonry he was Hos- pitater in second and fourteenth degree.

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Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 19th ed., Part 93

Author: Publication date: 1900 Publisher: Chicago : La Salle Book Co. Number of Pages: 908

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 908