Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 8th ed., Part 101

Author: Calumet Book & Engraving Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Chicago : Calumet Book and Engraving Co.
Number of Pages: 930

USA > Illinois > Cook County > Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 8th ed. > Part 101

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After tarrying a few days in Chicago, in June, 1849, they decided to locate upon the sightly ridge in Calumet Township, now famous as the site of

Roseland. A quarter-section ofland between what are now One-Hundred-Third and One-Hundred- Eleventh Streets was purchased at five dollars per acre, and divided among the families constituting the colony. Mr. Kuyper secured sixteen acres as liis share, and subsequently bouglit other parcels of land, becoming the owner of seventy-two acres of land at one time. He sold fifty-two acres about 1876 to the Calumet & Chicago Canal & Dock Company at two hundred dollars per acre. He afterwards sold thirteen acres for fifteen thousand dollars, the property having advanced rapidly in value after the previous sale. This land lias all been subdivided and is now a part of the city of Chicago, most of it being improved. Mr. Kuy- per built his first house at the corner of Michigan Avenue and One-Hundred-Third Street, where for a number of years he was engaged in market- gardening. He is now the owner of a farm at St. John, Indiana.

He was married in 1840, in Holland, to Mary Dalenberg, who died April 16, 1865, aged forty- six years. Five of their children grew up, name- ly: Jacob, now deceased; Annie, Mrs. C. K. Madderom, of Roseland; Mary, Mrs. Nick Rog- geveen, of Chicago; Nellie, Mrs. John Brant, of Roseland; and Cornelius, gateman of the Illinois Central Railroad at Burnside. Mr. Kuyper has twenty-tliree living grandchildren and four great- grandchildren, seven grandchildren being now deceased.

Soon after coming here Mr. Kuyper helped to

708

JONAS HUEHN.

organize the Dutch Reformed Church at Rose- land, of which he has ever since been a member. Since becoming an American citizen he has sus- tained the Republican party by his voice and vote. He served six years as a County Con- stable, and for a like period as a member of the Hyde Park police force. For six years he was Road Commissioner, and has served twenty-three years as School "Director. Though he is over eighty years of age, Mr. Kuyper is still as active and sprightly as most young men, and bids fair to become a centenarian. He has seen marvelous changes in the appearance of Cook County. When he first arrived there was but one brick house in

Chicago-on Randolph Street; the prairies to the south of the city, in the midst of which he made his home, are now occupied by many populous suburbs.

Among the curiosities which he cherishes are two rare products of the United States mint-a three-dollar gold piece of 1855, and a gold quar- ter-dollar of 1875. For some years after he came here the only bridge across the Calumet River be- low Blue Island was a toll-bridge at Riverdale. Through Mr. Kuyper's influence the county was induced to build a public bridge at that place, thus relieving a large number of people of an unnecessary burden.

JONAS HUEHN.

ONAS HUEHN, one of the wealthy old set- tlers of Chicago, who enjoys a life of quiet at his home on the North Side, is a representative of the thrifty German element that has so largely contributed to the material growth and prosperity of the western metropolis. He was born January 8, 1827, in Eigenrieden, in Thüringen, Prussia, Germany, and is a son of Christian and Rebecca Huehn, natives of that country. Jonas Huehn was reared to the occupation of farming and worked at this in the Fatherland until he reached man's estate, and then he decided to seek his home and fortune in the New World.

He took passage at Hamburg in April, 1848, in a sailing-ship bound for America. After a voyage of sixty days the boat landed at Quebec, from which place Mr. Huehn made his way to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Though poor in purse he had plenty of determination to succeed and consequently was willing to engage in any honest labor he might be able to find. For one year he worked on a farm and then came to Chicago, but he soon returned to the country and found em- ployment again as a farm laborer, at Fox River, Illinois.

From there, in March, 1850, accompanied by a number of others, he started for California by

the overland route, then beset with so many dan- gers. Five months were spent in crossing the plains, and when they were in the vicinity of the Sweetwater River their horses were stolen, and in consequence they had to pack their goods for a few days. For two years he was occupied at mining, and when he returned at the end of that time had about five thousand dollars. He bought a farm of one hundred sixty-five acres in Niles Township, near Evanston, and still owns one hundred twenty-five acres of this.

After spending six months on his farm Mr. Huehn engaged in teaming in Chicago for three years and then spent two years in the cultivation of his farm. He then located in Chicago and built a store and dwelling house on the corner of Beethoven and Wells Streets. He opened a grocery store here in May, 1859, and successfully conducted it until 1868, when he sold it to Mr. John Hufmeyer. Mr. Huehn had bought a dock on the canal, at the foot of Oak Street, in 1865, and the following year, 1866, started to conduct a wood and coal yard, which, under his judicious management, became a large and profitable business. In 1871 his business career was interrupted by the great fire which swept away his coal and wood yards and also a number

709

CHARLES LINDERMANN.

of houses he had built on lots which he had from time to time purchased, thus causing him the loss of a handsome fortune. Of his twenty thousand dollars' insurance, he was able to collect only one hundred fifty dollars. Soon after the fire he built at No. 423 Wells Street and opened a gro- cery store and saloon, where he did a thriving business for six years. On land owned by him he built a number of small houses, which are rented.

Having acquired a competence, he retired from active business in 1878. He was a Republican in

political sentiment, but has never sought political preferment. September 23, 1852, he married Miss Anna Mary, daughter of Adam Hufmeyer a worthy pioneer of whom more extended men- tion is made on another page of this work. Mr. and Mrs. Huehn have two children-Gertrude Rebecca, wife of Theodore Hohenadel; and Fred- erick August. Mr. Huehn and family are mem- bers of Hartman's St. Paul's Lutheran Church, whose house of worship Mr. Huehn helped twice to build, and to the support of which he has lib- erally contributed.

CHARLES LINDERMANN ..

HARLES LINDERMANN, a pioneer of C Cook County, was born September 16, 1837, in North Germany, and is a son of Charles and Frederica Lindermann, who were natives of Germany. Charles Lindermann, junior, received his education in the schools of his native country, attending them until he was fourteen years of age. He was then employed to take care of a gentle- man's saddle horses.

In 1854 he sailed from Hamburg for the United States, and landed in New York City, whence he proceeded by rail to Chicago. The ship on which he sailed for America was a two-master, and the journey occupied ten weeks and three days. Mr. Lindermann found employment with a farmer, and remained with him until the fol- lowing spring, when he worked for various farmers in Jefferson Township, the first year re- ceiving but six dollars per month.

Four years after Mr. Lindermann's arrival in the United States, his parents and one brother, Andrew, followed hin. At about this time he bought ten acres of land from the Northwestern University, situated in Niles Township, where he engaged in gardening. Later he bought eight

acres from Mr. Calvin DeWolf, and still later, ten acres from Mr. McDonald. Mr. Lindermann married, and lived in a log house built by him- self, his life in the woods thus being passed in true pioneer style. He cleared his land and culti- vated it twelve years, growing trees, and conduct- ing a small nursery and garden for the Chicago market. At the end of that time he removed to the city and leased two acres from Mr. W. B. Ogden, and again engaged in the nursery trade, this time on Diversey Street, and subsequently he bought two and one-half acres on the corner of Halsted and Diversey Streets.

For seven years Mr. Lindermann was super- intendent of the Rosehill and Evanston gravel road, attending to it in connection with his own interests. In 1879 he became interested in real estate, in addition to his regular business, and has frequently acted as the agent of parties in buying or selling property. He bought a small tract of land on Lincoln Avenue, which he sub- divided, and subsequently purchased five acres from Mr. W. B. Ogden, on Belmont and Shef- field Avenues. This he also subdivided and sold. Later he purchased five acres between Baxter

710

HENRY BEST.

Street and Seminary Avenue from Mr. Altgeld, which he sold in the same manner, being success- ful in all three transactions.

Mr. Lindermann has always taken a great in- terest in public affairs, though he is not a politi- cian, and supports the Republican principles and policy. He spent some time on the special police force in Lake View. He is president of the John A. Logan Building and Loan Association, which office he has held for eight years. He was at one time a member of the Sharpshooters.

Inl 1857 he married Miss Caroline Turner, a daughter of Frederick Turner, and a native of Prussia. They had seven children, of whom the

following are living: Charles J., who is interested in real estate and insurance; Carrie, wife of Theo- dore Rieck, of Chicago; Mary, the widow of Mr. Dieckman; and George H., who is engaged in the livery business in this city. All have emulated the example of their father, and like him, they have a reputation for fair and honest dealing with their fellow-citizens. Mrs. Lindermann died, · December 13, 1891, in California, where she was spending the winter with her husband.

The father of Mr. Lindermann died about one year after arriving in Chicago, but his mother is still living, at the venerable age of eighty-eight years.

HENRY BEST.

ENRY BEST, of the undertaking and livery firm of Best Brothers, Wrightwood Avenue, was born August 6, 1842, on Rush Street, North Chicago, and is the eldest of five children, born to Henry and Helen (Bordiker) Best. The former was born in Prussia in 1804, and learned the trade of blacksmith in his fa- ther's shop. In 1836 he immigrated to the United States, first locating in Albany, New York, where he worked at his trade until 1842. In that year he came by way of the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes to Chicago, where he secured work on the Illinois & Michigan Canal.

Though he was a poor man when he arrived in America, he was industrious and economical, and after working one year in Chicago, was able to purchase a team and wagon, with which he es- tablished a teaming business, being engaged principally in conveying new settlers to their destinations. He also frequently accompanied parties of English sportsmen, who visited Illinois for the purpose of hunting on the prairies, and

for his services received two dollars per day for himself and team, being frequently away from home for several weeks at a time. He was the first settler in what was called the Buffalo settle- ment, and laid claim to a small tract of land at what is now Rush Street and Bellevue Place, which he bought from the Canal Company when it came into the market. He continued teaming for some years, and also hauled lumber for a lum- ber company.

He invested liis savings in eight acres of land in Lake View Township, where his sons now reside, and at one time owned one hundred sixty acres at Barrington. He died in 1892, at the age of eighty-eight years. His wife preceded him one year, passing away at the age of seventy- three years. They were both members of the Evangelical Church. Their children, all resi- dents of Chicago, are as follows: Henry, Jacob, Mary (Mrs. Michael .Kunkel), Catharine (Mrs. H. E. Muehlke), and John. For some years be- fore his death, Mr. Best was a conspicuous figure

711

PETER JUNG.

at the annual meetings of the German Old Set- tlers' Society, and received a number of gold medals for being the oldest settler present.

Henry Best, Junior, received his education in the public schools of Chicago, and followed the teaming business for many years, remaining with his father until after his marriage. In 1885, in company with his brother John, he established a livery at No. 1412 Wrightwood Avenue, adding an undertaking department two years later, and now the company does a thriving business in each line. Mr. Best has contributed to the success of the Republican party in his locality, and was for three years road commissioner in Lake View Township, but has never consented to hold any other office. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and he and his family are connected with the Evangelical Church.

. In 1873, he was married to Miss Anna Wahl, a

native of Darmstadt, Germany, and five children have blessed their union: Tillie, Ida, Anna, Clara and Harry. John Best, youngest son .of Henry and Helen Best, was born in Chicago, October 3, 1856. He received his primary education in the common schools of his native city, and attended Naperville College, at Naperville, Illinois, four years. At the age of eighteen years, he entered the grocery store of James Hickson, on Madison Street, as a clerk. After serving one year in this capacity, he opened a grocery on his own account, at No. 1406 Wrightwood Avenue. He continued this business successfully eight years, when he sold out and made a visit to California. In 1885, he engaged in the livery business with his brother, Henry, as related above. In May, 1887, he married Miss Lillie Nienstedt, who was born in Wisconsin, of German parents. Both he and his wife are members of the Evangelical Church.

PETER JUNG.

ETER JUNG has been identified with the business interests of Chicago since 1865. He was born December 13, 1838, on the River Rhine, in the Province of Trier, Germany, and is a son of Peter and Maria Jung, natives of the same place.

Peter Jung was the first of the family to emi -* grate to the New World. He sailed from Ham- burg, November 1, 1865, on a steamship, arriving in Chicago the last of the same month. Seven months later his brother Mathias came, and the same year his parents and two sisters followed. Peter Jung, Senior, was a carpenter by trade, and served three years as a soldier. He had four children, namely: Peter, the subject of this sketch; Mathias; Lena, the wife of Mathias Johannes, of Lake View; and Barbara, the widow of Mathias Klein. The father of this family died

in the year 1880, at the age of seventy-five years, and the mother, aged eighty-six years, is still living.

Peter Jung, Junior, received his education in the public schools, attending them until the age of thirteen years, when he left to learn the trade of carpenter with his father. At the age of twenty-three years he voluntarily enlisted in the army, where he served three years. He was oc- cupied at his trade with his father until he came to America, and after landing in Chicago, he soon found employment at building. He re- mained with one employer seven years, then in the Fifteenth Ward, now the Twenty-first Ward. At the end of that time he began contracting for buildings on his own account, and was careful and thrifty, so that he was able to invest in two lots on Engenie Street. On these lots he built

712

ALBERT KRAETZER.

houses which were destroyed by the fire of 1871. He is still engaged in contracting and building, in which he has been very prosperous.

Mr. Jung is a Democrat in politics, but has never sought office. He is a member of St. Vin- cent de Paul's Society, being treasurer of that or- ganization. He is a member of the German Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and is a mem- ber of the pioneer committee.

July 17, 1872, he married Margaret Seger, daughter of Joseph and Margaret Seger, old set- tlers of Chicago. She was born in Chicago,

January 31, 1854. Joseph Seger was born in Baden, and his wife in Trier, Germany. They were the parents of nine children, of whom the following six are living: Susanna, widow of Peter Joseph Hand; Christian, of Chicago; John; Mar- garet, now Mrs. Jung; Bernard; and Joseph. Mr. Seger died in 1879, aged seventy-five years, and his wife died in 1877. To Mr. and Mrs. Jung were born six children, of whom only two are living, namely: John C., and Marie Tillie. The family is well known in German circles, and is everywhere regarded with respect.

ALBERT KRAETZER.

LBERT KRAETZER, of the firm of Kraet- zer, Fischer & Company, was born May 13, 1864, at Bainbridge, Michigan, and is a son of Ferdinand and Marie (Wagner) Kraetzer. Ferdinand Kraetzer was a native of Eisleben, Saxony, Germany, the birthplace of Dr. Martin "Luther, and emigrated to the United States in 1854. He first settled in Two Rivers, Wiscon- sin, where he was employed at the trade of car- penter. He removed to Michigan later, and after spending fourteen years there he came to Chi- cago, where he has since lived. For a time he was foreman for the Chicago Forge & Bolt Com- pany. He spent five years in California, living in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Albert Kraetzer received his education in the public schools, which he attended until he was fifteen years of age. Later he attended Cook County Normal School for a short time, and then worked one year in the South Chicago postoffice. Mr. Kraetzer spent three years in the employ of Christopher Carr, a hardware merchant, and then one year as bookkeeper for the South Chicago

Wood-working Company. Later he became ship- ping clerk in the employ of Thad Dean & Com- pany, where he remained one year.

Mr. Kraetzer next bought a one-twelfth inter- est in the firm of Crandall, Rasch & Company, and later increased the interest to one-sixth. The firm thus became Rasch, Dornedden & Company, and two years later the name was changed to Kraetzer, Fischer & Company. The business at that time was conducted at the present address, Ninety-fifth Street at the foot of South Chicago Avenue. It includes the manufacture of sash and doors, and the planing-mill business. At first about fifteen men were employed, but later an addition of machinery, engines, and boilers required an increase of the force, and at present about seventy-five mnen are here employed. The firm has a local trade, and also a trade in all parts of the South Side, including Hyde Park, Wood- lawn, and other suburban points.

Mr. Kraetzer was married, October 20, 1889, to Mrs. Marie Reidhead, daughter of James Davidson. He built a comfortable residence at

713

GEORGE WITTBOLD.

No. 8935 Exchange Avenue, in 1892, and now resides there. He takes a commendable interest in political affairs, and favors the principles of the Republican party. He is a member of the Bowen Cycling Club, whose rooms are at No. 309

Ninety-first Street. He assisted in its organiza- tion, which occurred in March, 1896, and was its first secretary, and is now its presiding officer. He is a patriotic citizen, and is progressive in his ideas, being a friend to improvement and reform.

GEORGE WITTBOLD.

G EORGE WITTBOLD, a florist, who resides at No. 1708 North Halsted Street, has been engaged in his present business since 1862, and has been a resident of the city of Chicago since 1857. He was born on the 25th of April, 1833, in the city of Hanover, Germany, and is the son of Frederick and Elizabeth Witt- bold.

Frederick Wittbold was a florist, and after re- ceiving his education in the schools of his native city, George Wittbold learned the details of his father's occupation. The former was very suc- cessful in this line of work, which he followed all his life. George Wittbold spent five years in the king's garden and there learned many valu- able points in his trade. In 1857 he set sail for the United States from Bremen, in a steamship, and landed in New York. He came direct to Chicago, and upon arriving here, found employ- ment with Ebenezer Peck, taking charge of his greenhouses for three years, and then spent two years in the service of L. B. McCaig.

In 1862 Mr. Wittbold established himself in business on the corner of North Avenue and North Clark Street, where he continued to pros- per for many years. In 1867 he bought four acres of land on North Halsted Street, where he is now situated. Two years later he improved

this land and built two small greenhouses, where he cultivated flowers for the city market.

Mr. Wittbold has confined his attention to palms and ferns for the past ten years, cultivating such varieties as can be successfully grown indoors, and in winter he has a large decorating trade. His plants are sent to most of the different states of this country, and to Canada. About two acres of his land are covered with glass, and he steadily em- ploys a force of sixteen men. He has a sales- room at No. 512 North Clark Street, where he carries on a good retail trade, which has been es- tablished fifteen years. His is the oldest estab- lisliment of its kind in the city. Mr. Wittbold has always shown himself prudent and industri- ous, and has attended carefully to the details of his business, thus having little time for public affairs.

He was married in 1861 to Miss Emma Fricke, a native of Germany, who came to the United States when a child. She is a daughter of Henry C. Fricke, a sketch of whose life appears in these pages. Mr. and Mrs. Wittbold were the parents of eight children, namely: Henry, Fred, Gus- tav, Louis, Otto, Mary, Sophia and Helen. Four children died in infancy. Mr. Wittbold and his family are faithful members of the Lutheran Church. .

714

JOHN SCHOEN.

OHN SCHOEN, an enterprising business man of Chicago, was born January 12, 1843, in the Province of Schlesien, Germany. His parents, Joseph and Anna Mary ( Matchke) Schoen, were also natives of that province, the former having been born December 5, 1794, and the latter August 15, 1804.

About 1812 Joseph Schoen was engaged as a soldier in a war with Russia. He was taken prisoner by a party of Russian soldiers, but while his captors were intoxicated he escaped, muffling his horse's hoofs with straw to prevent arousing the soldiers. Returning to his home in Germany, he learned the trade of carpenter and also worked as a farmer. He was twice married before leav- ing the Fatherland. By the first marriage he had two children, neither of whom is living. Of the second family two sons survive: Anton, now living in retirement in Chicago; and John, whose name begins this article.

The family emigrated to America in 1854, sail- ing from Bremen to New York on the ship "Von Stein,"which was then making her third voyage. They were seven weeks on the Atlantic, arriving in New York August 10, and proceeding at once to Chicago, which city they reached a week later. Mr. Schoen brought with him one thousand four hundred dollars in gold, and did not engage ac- tively in business after reaching America.

John Schoen was a boy of eleven years when

the family located in Chicago. He was obliged to devote himself whenever possible to profitable employment, his first money being earned in dis- tributing handbills. His first business venture was the gathering of wild flowers which he made into bouquets and sold on the streets, thereby earning from three to five dollars a week. In winter he attended school, receiving part of his education in the old Franklin school and part in Saint Michael's parochial school. When he was unable to attend the day school he studied even- ings, thus showing his desire to improve every opportunity. At the age of thirteen years he be- gan an apprenticeship in the upholstering busi- ness at which he continued for seven years, gain- ing a thorough knowledge of the furniture busi- ness.

In 1859, in company with Patrick Walsh, he opened a small furniture store on State Street, be- tween Jackson and Van Buren Streets and two years later bought out his partner and removed his business to the corner of North Clark and Erie Streets. After one year at this location, he sold out and entered the employ of the Tobey Fur- niture Company, in the upholstering department of their establishment. Having built two build- ings on North Avenue, he opened a retail fur- niture store in one of them in 1870, and continued in business until the great fire of the next year. This conflagration destroyed all his property, but

715

PETER SIMON.

having six hundred dollars in cash, and good credit, he was able to rebuild at once, and again started in business, clearing four thousand dollars the first year.

A few years later he engaged in the wholesale upholstering business, first as a member of the firm of Seng, Schoen & Company, and afterward of the Hafner & Schoen Furniture Company. The establishment was on Canal Street, where they did a very large business, shipping goods to many foreign countries. At the same time Mr. Schoen also had an interest in the Zangerly Manu- facturing Company. In 1890 he gave up these connections, and embarked in the lumber busi- ness. He and his sons constituting the Columbia

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Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 8th ed., Part 101

Author: Calumet Book & Engraving Company, Chicago Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Chicago : Calumet Book and Engraving Co. Number of Pages: 930

Author: Calumet Book & Engraving Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Chicago : Calumet Book and Engraving Co.
Number of Pages: 930