USA > Illinois > Cook County > Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 2nd ed. > Part 77
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soldier's record, for he bravely bore his part on many hotly contested fields. He was at Ft. Hen- ry, Ft. Donelson, Shiloh, in the advance on Corinth, and in other engagements. His services received merited recognition by his advancement from the ranks to the Second Lieutenancy, April 15, 1862. He was made First Lieutenant June 16, 1862, and in the month of March, 1864, he returned home on a veteran's furlough. While there he was married, on the Ioth of March, to Amy Gail Sinclair. Peace had not yet been re- stored, and his country still claimed his services, so he returned to his command, to again take up his duties on the field of battle or the line of march. During his furlough he acted as recruit- ing officer. Upon his return he joined his regi- ment at Kingston, Ga., and was at Atlanta, July 28, 1864-his last engagement. He resigned August 1, 1864, in front of Atlanta, Ga. Three years replete with mingled memories of pain and gladness-three years in the prime of vigorous young manhood, serving his country as did thousands of others-brought him larger and broader conceptions of life, and fitted him for its stern duties.
After the war, Mr. Van Horn engaged in the commission business with S. K. Linscott, but af- ter six months sold his interest to J. C. Sinclair, and went to the oil regions of Pennsylvania. He there spent eighteen months with varied success, after which he returned to Chicago to resume the
580
J. D. SHEA.
business of his youth-carpentering. The same energy marked this work as has characterized his entire life. As a contractor and builder he lias steadily worked in full sympathy with the spirit of the age, which recognizes Chicago as the child of destiny. In 1874, he removed to Rav- enswood and has since occupied liis present home.
Mrs. Van Horn, who is a noble helpmate to her husband, is a daughter of James and Lydia A. (Hicks) Sinclair, natives of New York. In 1835, they came to Chicago, and lived in a hum- ble home on Washington Street, where the store of Carson, Pirie & Co. now stands. As illustra- tive of the advancement of property, Mr. Sinclair sold this place for the insignificant sum of $2, 200 in 1850. He then purchased elsewhere a lot for $660, which is now worth $75,000. The home- stead, which was destroyed by fire in 1874, and has since been occupied by a business block, is
still owned by representatives of the family. The Sinclairs were of Scotch ancestry. Most inter- esting and entertaining are the stories of pioneer life as told by the aged mother, who is now an inmate of the Van Horn household, and who has seen the whole marvelous growth of Chicago.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Van Horn has been born a son, James Henry. He has been provided with the best educational privileges, having graduated from the Lake View High School, and front Dartmouth College in the Class of '93. He is now attending the Chicago Law School. Socially, Mr. Van Horn is connected with the Royal League, and with U. S. Grant Post No. 28, G. A. R. He cast his first Presidential vote for Abra- ham Lincoln, and has always been a stalwart Republican in politics. A well-spent life has won him che high esteem of all with whom he has been brought in contact.
JOHN D. SHEA.
OHN D. SHEA was made Chief of Detec- tives of Chicago by Carter H. Harrison, then Mayor of the city, and is now credit- ably filling that position. The record of his life is as follows: He is numbered among the native sons of Cook County, his birth having occurred in Palos, on the 7th of February, 1848. The family is of Irish origin, and the parents of our subject, Patrick and Bridget Shea, were born on tlie Emerald Isle. After coming to this country they lived upon a farm, where their son John was reared. In the public schools of the neighbor- hood he acquired a good English education.
Mr. Shea has long been connected with public office. The following year after he had attained liis majority he was elected Township Clerk. He remained upon the home farm, and aided his father in the operation and development of the land until twenty-five years of age, at which time
he was elected Assessor of his township. He faithfully discharged the duties of these positions, and thereby won the commendation of all con- cerned.
In July, 1873, Mr. Shea came to Chicago, and secured a position on the police force. He did service on Twelfth Street for three years, after which, for faithful and meritorious conduct, he was made detective by M. C. Hicky, and removed from the Central Station to the Twenty-second Street Station. There he remained until Austin Doyle was made Chief of Police, when the latter appointed Mr. Shea Chief of Detectives. When Mr. Cregier was made Mayor of the city, he was promoted to the rank of Captain, and placed in charge of tlie Thirty-fifth Street Station. When that gentleman was succeeded by Mayor Wash .. burn, our subject was placed back in the rank of detectives as Lieutenant, but a month later he
581
FREDERICK STUENKEL.
was again made Captain. In 1892, by the City Council, his salary was increased front $2,250 to $2,500, and in 1893 lie again received an in- crease in salary, now being pai:1 $3,000 per year. When Carter H. Harrison was elected Mayor, Mr. Shea was made Chief of Detectives, which position he yet fills.
Our subject married Miss Maggie Conway, and they reside in the city. In politics, he is a
Democrat, having supported the men and meas- ures of tliat party since attaining his majority. His entire life has been passed in Cook County, and those who have known him from boyhood are numbered among liis stanchest friends. He has a wide acquaintance and is well liked by all. The responsible position which he now fills finds in him a faithful incumbent, and one worthy the trust reposed in him.
FREDERICK STUENKEL.
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REDERICK STUENKEL, proprietor of an elevator at Arlington Heights, and dealer in grain, seeds, flour, salt, coal, etc., is a na- tive of Addison, DuPage County. He was born on the 7th of April, 1849, and is the eldest son of Frederick and Mary (Marquaret) Stuenkel. His father, a native of Hanover, Germany, crossed the Atlantic in an early day, and became one of the pioneer settlers of DuPage County in 1836. He settled in Addison Township, and now makes lıis home in Bensenville. He married Miss Mar- quaret, and unto them were born ten children, two sons and eiglit daughters, as follows: Fred- erick; William; Sophia, wife of August Wolken- hauer; Louise, wife of August Asche; Mary, wife of William Schmidt; Caroline, wife of Will- iam Struckmeyer; Augusta, now deceased; Dora, wife of William Gray; Anna, wife of William Hoelscher; and Matilda, wife of Ed Brust.
Mr. Stuenkel whose name heads this record acquired his primary education in the public and German schools of DuPage County, and later went to Ft. Wayne, Ind., where he attended col- lege for four years, being graduated from that in- stitution in 1869. Previous to this time he had worked upon his father's farm, and after leaving school he entered upon his business career as a partner of his uncle, Lewis Stuenkel, in Addison. They carried on a general store and did a good business. The partnership was continued until
1876, when Mr. Stuenkel bought out his uncle and continued alone until ISSI. In that year he sold out to Fred Treichler, the present proprietor, and came to Arlington Heights.
On the 25th of February, 1874, Mr. Stuenkel was united in marriage with Miss Augusta Krage, of Addison, DuPage County, a daughter of F. L. Krage. Unto them has been born a family of five children, three sons and two daughters, but Paul, the second child, is now deceased. The others, Edward, Paulina, Arthur and Laura, are still with their parents. The family has a pleas- ant home, and Mr. and Mrs. Stuenkel are num- bered among the prominent people of this com- munity.
On coming to Arlington Heights, our subject opened a cheese factory and creamery, which bus- iness he still carries on. He is also now engaged in dealing in grain, seeds, flour, salt and coal, and doe's a general elevator business. He began operations along this line in 1888, as a partner of E. P. Miller, whose interest he purchased after two years, becoming sole proprietor in 1890. He is a man of enterprise and thrift, and by able management and careful attention to all details he has succeeded in securing an excellent trade, and thereby has gained a comfortable conipe- tence. At the last election Mr. Stuenkel voted the Democratic ticket, but prior to that time was a Republican. He is a prominent and influential
582
H. R. DERING.
member of the Lutheran Church, has served as Chairman of its Board, and has also filled the office of Treasurer. He has never aspired to pub-
lic office, but has always worked for the best in- terests of Arlington Heights, and is recognized as a public-spirited and progressive citizen.
H. R. DERING.
R. DERING, Assistant General Passenger and Ticket Agent of the Pennsylvania Rail- road lines of Chicago, is a trusted employe of the company, and the responsible position which he occupies finds in him a faithful and cap- able incumbent. The Dering family is one which has long been established in America. It is of English origin, and its representatives braved the dangers of an ocean voyage in an early day to found a home in the New World in the early part of the eighteenth century. They located in North Carolina, and when the Revolutionary War broke out the grandfather of our subject, whose sympathies were all on the side of his native land, determined to strike a blow for its independence. He enlisted, was made a Captain, and became a member of the staff of Gen. Washington.
Representatives of the Dering family have al- ways lived in the South. The father of our sub- ject, F. A. Dering, was there born, and was reared as a Southern planter. He owned a number of slaves, but, becoming convinced that the practice of slavery was wrong, he gave them their freedom. When the Rebellion broke out, he was true to his country, for whose independence his father had fought, and strongly espoused the Union cause.
In Morgantown, Va., in 1848, occurred the birth of our subject. In the district schools he acquired his primary education, which was supplemented by a course in the Monongahela (Va.) Acad- emy. He then learned telegraphy, and became an operator on the commercial lines in his native State, where he served until 1871, when he en- tered the employ of what is now the Western UII- ion Telegraph Company. Later, he went to Pitts- burgh, Pa., where he secured a position as clerk
in the passenger office of the Pennsylvania Com- pany, and was thus employed until 1874, when he was made rate and division clerk in Columbus, Ohio. There he continued until 1879, and in the mean time was promoted to the position of General Passenger Agent of the J., M. & I. R. R.
During his residence in Columbus, Mr. Dering was married, in 1875, the lady of his choice being Miss S. M. Stewart, daughter of Edward Stewart, a well-known resident of Columbus. Two chil- dren have been born of their union, Charlotte and Emily, who are still with their parents. Mr. Dering and his wife are faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and take a warm interest in its growth and upbuilding.
On leaving Columbus in 1879, Mr. Dering was made General Passenger Agent of the J., M. & I. Railroad, of Louisville, Ky., where he continued until 1883, when, on a consolidation of that road with the Pennsylvania Lines west of Pittsburglı, he was transferred to Indianapolis, Ind., as Assistant General Passenger Agent. In 1890, he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, in the same capacity, and after two years was transferred to Chicago, on the 1st of February, 1893, as Assist- ant General Passenger Agent. He has now been with the Pennsylvania Lines for twenty-two years, and has won promotion continually. It is only faithful service that secures advancement with the large railroad corporations, and the fact that Mr. Dering has been given the responsible position which he now occupies indicates that the com- pany has the utmost confidence in him as a man of excellent business and executive ability, and places the utmost reliance on his honor and in- tegrity.
WILLIAM M. COULTER
Photo'd by W. J. Roor.
583
W. M. COULTER.
WILLIAM M. COULTER.
ILLIAM MITCHELL COULTER, one of the survivors of the war with Mexico, re- siding in Chicago, is a native of the Key- stone State. His birth occurred in Oliver Town- ship, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, November 17, 1823. He is a son of Irwin Coulter and Mary C. Mitchell. The latter was the daughter of an Irish gentleman named George Mitchell, who was born near Belfast, Ireland. He married a Scotch lady named Elizabeth Thompson, and they emi- grated to America previous to the Revolutionary War. Mr. Mitchell became one of the first set- tlers in Mifflin County, on the banks of the Juniata river. He cleared and improved a large farm, and became one of the most prominent citi- zens of that county.
Irwin Coulter, whose Christian name was given him to perpetuate the family name of his mother, was a native of Mifflin County. His father, David Coulter was born in the North of England, but became a loyal citizen of Pennsylvania dur- ing tlie colonial days. Soon after the beginning of the Revolutionary conflict, he enlisted under General Washington, and afterwards became the captain of his company. He was wounded while doing gallant service at the battle of the Brandy- wine. The rifle which he carried into that war and the sword which he wore in his official capac- ity are still preserved in the family. Irwin Coul- ter succeeded to the ownership of the Mitchell homestead, where his death occurred about 1830,- at the age of forty-nine years. Both the Coulter and Mitchell families were ardent adherents of the Presbyterian Church, and exhibited many ad- mirable characteristics, being firm in the support of principle and fearless in defense of their con- victions.
Willian M. Coulter passed his boyhood in his
native county and, at an early age began to take an active part in local political affairs. He was frequently chosen as a delegate to local and State conventions of the Democratic party, and helped to nominate several Governors of the common- wealth. When the United States Government called for volunteers to help prosecute the war with Mexico, he enlisted as a member of Company D, of the Eleventh United States Infantry. After being drilled for a time, with other recruits, near Corpus Christie on the coast of Texas, they were sent forward to join General Scott's army at Puebla, Mexico. As Scott's limited force did not permit him to leave any garrisons at places lie had vanquished, the recruits were forced to fight their way over the route previously pursued by the main army. One of their duties was to escort a pay train, loaded with many thousands of dollars in gold sent to pay Scott's army. The Mexicans having knowledge of this fact, made desperate efforts to capture the train, and the whole course of the journey was almost a con- tinuous battlefield. At the National Bridge, the enemy lay in ambushı, and made extraordinary ef- forts to destroy the little band of devoted Ameri- can troops. Several wagons, containing accoutre- ments and supplies of the soldiers, were thrown over a high precipice in the struggle and des- troyed, and Mr. Coulter narrowly missed accom- panying one of these wagons in its fall. The at- tack was repulsed, and a portion of the knapsacks and other paraphernalia was recovered next day. The train was turned over to General Scott at Puebla in June, 1847, without the loss of a dollar. after many days of struggle in its defense.
After joining the main army, Mr. Coulter par- ticipated in the battles of Contreras Mountain, Cherubusco, Chapultepec and the numerous fights
58.1
T. E. HILL.
about the gates of Mexico. It is a matter of his- tory that the American troops, in a strange land, far from their base of supplies, conquered im- mensely superior numbers throughout their march and triumphantly entered the city of Mexico on the 13th of September, 1847, having traversed . bers, even when accompanied by the advantage of position. The impression which this brief elt- counter made upon the mind of Mr. Coulter is one never to be effaced.
more than a thousand miles of distance, over mountain ranges and across lava beds and other regions supposed by the Mexicans to be impass- able. At the capture of Molino del Rey, where the Mexicans were engaged in casting cannon, most of his superior officers having been killed or disabled, Corporal Coulter took command of a company, and held possession of the foundry un- til Lieutenant U. S. Grant came up and received the swords of the captured Mexican officers, who refused to deliver them to a non-commissioned officer. For his gallantry on this and other oc- casions, he was made Second Sergeant and re- ceived honorable mention by Maj. John F. Hun- ter, commanding the Eleventh regiment. Mr. Coulter gives a very graphic description of a brief engagement on the 19th of August, where eight thousand mounted Mexican lancers rode down upon three brigades of American infantry, with the evident intention of overwhelming them. The lancers were quickly repulsed by the infan- try, formed in a hollow square, with fixed bayo- nets, who reserved their fire until the enemy canie within close range. So deadly were the volleys
that inet the onslaught that the lancers were thrown into confusion, and the survivors turned and fled. The Americans suffered but slight loss, and this incident illustrates the superiority of courage and discipline over mere strength of nuin-
In 1858, Mr. Coulter moved from Pennsylvania to Monroe County, Missouri, where he was en- gaged in agriculture for some years, and during his residence there served two terms in the Missouri Legislature. His business career reflects equal credit with his military record upon the character of Mr. Coulter. In 1876 he became a resident of Chicago, where he has since been dealing in real estate.
He was married in 1856, to Miss Lydia F. Cox, of McVeytown, Pennsylvania, and four of their five children still survive. Mr. Coulter is still iden- tified with the Presbyterian Church, in the faith of which he was reared. In early life, he was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Having inherited a powerful frame and iron con- stitution from his ancestors, Mr. Coulter is still the picture of robust manhood and strength, and is evidently prepared to continue his honorable busi- ness career and socially-useful life for many years to come.
THOMAS EDIE HILL.
HOMAS EDIE HILL was born in Sand- gate, Bennington County, Vt., February 29, 1832. He was reared on his father's farm, attending in the winter the district schools of that vicinity, and finishing his school instruction at the Cambridge Academy, at Cambridge, N. Y.
Possessing natural aptitude for teaching, Mr.
Hill entered upon that work, and taught his first school at Eagleville, East Salem, N. Y., receiv- ing therefor $10 per month; following which, at the age of nineteen, he taught the winter school in Londonderry, Vt., receiving $14 per month and "boarding 'round." Fitting himself in Bos- ton for teaching penmanship, he entered upon the
585
T. E. HILL.
work of conducting evening schools, teaching penmanship and forms, and followed that profes- sion during the fifteen succeeding years, the field of his teaching being in Vermont, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin and Illinois. He left this work in 1866, and has taught none since, except a school in parliamentary practice, which (being deeply impressed with the importance of such a school) he opened at the Chicago Athenæum in 1891, conducting the same for several months and closing with a public exhibition. This class was the first of its kind, up to the time when it was established.
Settling at Waukegan, Ill., in 1854 with his wife, formerly Miss Rebekalı J. Pierce, of Lon- donderry, Vt., by whom he had one child, Flor- ence G., at present Mrs. George M. Porteous, he remained there until 1866, when he located at Aurora, Ill., and began the publication of the Aurora Herald, from which he severed his con- nection a few years afterward. He continued his residence in that city for twelve years, during which time he founded and obtained a large cir- culation for the Herald. He also established the Suburban Chicago Purchasing Agency business, and as manager for a time of the Aurora Silver Plate factory, placed that institution upon a suc- cessful basis. While Mayor of Aurora, in 1876 and 1877, he introduced various improvements into the city, among them being the suppression of cows from running at large, the setting out of thousands of shade trees, the taking down of fences around dwellings, and the organizing of an im- provement society, which since that time has been largely instrumental in making that city the metropolis of the Fox River Valley.
Giving a liberal portion of the property which he had accumulated up to that time (1878) to his wife, she secured a separation from him by mutual consent, he taking up his residence in Chicago to give personal supervision to the management of "Hill's Manual of Social and Business Forms," which had been brought out by Moses Warren, a publisher of Chicago, in 1873, Mr. Hill assuming the publishing of it in 1879. Subsequently mar- rying Mrs. Ellen M. Whitcomb, at Shushan, N. Y .. he continued his residence in Chicago un-
til 1885, at which time he purchased a farm ad- joining the village of Prospect Park, DuPage County, Ill. In the succeeding year hie settled thereon, returning thus to the employment with which he had been familiar in his boyhood. His return to farming was voluntary and not of neces- sity, a phrenologist on one occasion, when exan- ining his head, having told him when he began his teaching that he would succeed in anything that he undertook.
With large natural love of the ornamental in landscape and building, he became the publisher and editor, in 1884, of the Chicago National Builder, in which he gave to the world many beautiful designs of buildings and ornamental grounds. Retiring from this publication after making it the best magazine of its class, he or- ganized a land syndicate at Prospect Park, en- abled several of the old farmers of that vicinity to sell their farms so well as to retire on a competency, changed the name of the village to Glen Ellyn, and secured the making of the charm- ing little Lake Glen Ellyn, the construction of an elegant hotel upon its borders, and the develop- ment of several springs near the lake, among them being the famous Glen Ellyn Apollo, the waters of which have large sale in Chicago.
Among Mr. Hill's literary works have been several books of large circulation, of which "Hill's Manual" has had a sale of about four hundred thousand copies at this writing, at an average price of $6 per copy; "Hill's Album of Biogra- phy," having a circulation of eighty thousand copies; "Hill's Guide to Chicago;" "Ways of Cruelty," an illustrated pamphlet used in great numbers by humane societies; "Right and Wrong Contrasted;" and "Money Found," the latter a popular book on the subject of finance.
This latest work is an original publication, which fully outlines the plan by which the Gov- ernment may assume the ownership of banks, and may operate then at all central points, guaran- teeing depositors against loss, preventing finan- cial panics, and the consequent depressions in busi- ness. Mr. Hill is the first person to put forth to the world a practical method by which Govern- mental banking may be established. At this
586
L. C. RUTH ..
writing, the book, "Money Found," is having an immensely large sale, with a fair probability of so educating the people as to cause then to de- mand Government ownership of banks in the very near future, thus revolutionizing the present in- secure system of banking, giving the profits per- taining to the handling of the people's money to the people; and at the same time securing relief from bank failures, and permanent financial pros- perity for all.
While Mr. Hill's efforts have been crowned with success for himself, his labors have been largely of a public character, and have resulted in great educational benefit to the people in all parts of the country. Though a quiet resident of Glen Ellyn, his works have had such large circu- lation as to make his name much more familiar to the inhabitants of New England, the Middle States and the Pacific Coast than it is to the peo- ple of DuPage County.
LINUS C. RUTH.
INUS C. RUTH, of Hinsdale, is a prominent member of the DuPage County Bar, and well deserves representation in this volume. He has the honor of being a native of Illinois, for he was born at Long Grove, Lake County, on the 18th of December, 1854. His parents were Irwin and Leah (Brown) Ruth, natives of Penn- sylvania. The family is of English origin, and was founded in America by George E. Ruth, the grandfather of our subject, who left England, his native land, and emigrated to America, locating in Northumberland County, Pa. The year 1836 witnessed his arrival in Illinois. He settled near Waukegan, then called Little Fort, where he died when past the age of sixty years. He reared a family of eight children. The maternal grand- fatlier, John Brown, was born in the Keystone State, and was for some years engaged in mer- chandising in Philadelphia. He came to the West in 1838, settling in Cedarville, Ill., where he died at the age of eighty-one years.
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