USA > Illinois > Cook County > Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 8th ed. > Part 35
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Robert Hervey was educated in his native city, first at a grammar school and later at the Uni- versity of Glasgow. While at this institution he began the study of medicine, and the knowledge thus obtained was of great use to him in subse- quent legal practice. With this information he often surprised courts, as well as expert witnesses. At the age of seventeen years he went to Canada, intending to enter into mercantile business in connection with uncles who were residing there. By the advice of one of the latter, however, he de- cided to study law, and became a student of Hen- ry Sherwood, of Brockville, afterward the Attor- ney-General of Ontario. When this gentleman removed to Toronto, Mr. Hervey accompanied him to that city, where he was admitted to prac- tice in 1841. He then opened an office at Otta- wa, then called Bytown, the eastern terminus of the Rideatt Canal, which had recently been coin- pleted. He continued his legal business at Otta-
wa until 1852, when he came to Chicago, and has since been continuously in legal practice here.
He first opened an office in partnership with Buckner S. Morris and Joseph P. Clarkson, at the southeast corner of Lake and Clark Streets, in the same building where Judge Tliomas Drum- mond then held United States Court. Mr. Her- vey subsequently took James R. Hosmer into partnership for a time, and in May, 1858, became a partner of Elliott Anthony-since a distin- guished Judge of the Superior Court. Mr. A. T. Galt was afterward admitted to this firm, and for many years the firm of Hervey, Anthony & Galt was one of the best known in Chicago. Mr. Hervey's early partner, Joseph Clarkson, was a brother of Bishop Clarkson, who was then Rector of St. James' Church on the North Side, and afterward became Bishop of Nebraska.
Mr. Hervey has practiced in all courts, from Justices' up to the Supreme Court of the United States, to which latter he was admitted in 1873, and has been employed on some of the most im- portant criminal cases in Cook County. The first of these was in 1855, when he defended Patrick Cunningham, accused of killing a policeman. This case created a great sensation in Chicago, but Mr. Hervey secured a change of venne to Wau- kegan, where the minds of the jurors were less prejudiced than in Chicago, and his client was sentenced to the penitentiary for eight years for manslaughter. The adroit and skillful manage- ment of the defendant's attorney saved the latter from a death sentence and established the law- yer's reputation. Though he has defended some
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ROBERT HERVEY.
notorious criminals, none of his clients have ever been executed. He was attorney for some of the aldermen and Cook County Commissioners who were accused of "boodling," and all his clients were acquitted.
One of the most important cases taken up by the firm of Hervey & Anthony was the dissolu- tion of the consolidation of the Chicago & Galena Union Railroad Company with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company, a deal which was manipulated by the directors of the respect- ive roads to the dissatisfaction and alleged dis- advantage of the stockholders of the former road, who had not been consulted in the matter. The contest was finally settled by payment of dam- ages to the plaintiff stockholders of the Chicago & Galena Union.
For six years past Mr. Hervey has been afflict- ed with ill-health, which has confined him to his house and prevented his attendance at court or social gatherings. While his health permitted him to do so, he attended the Episcopal Church. Since 1865 he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity, having joined Blaney Lodge at that date. While a young man he joined the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows at Ottawa, and be- came the Noble Grand of Ottawa Lodge No. 11. His connection with this order was abandoned, however, on his coming to the United States, though he has often regretted this action. While a citizen of Canada he was quite an active politi- cian, and spent considerable of his time, energy and money in the effort to help shape local affairs. His uncle, who realized the futility of this course, exacted a promise from young Hervey on coming to Chicago, that he would not mingle in the pol- itics of the United States. This pledge has been faithfully observed, and he did not become a voter until 1887.
In 1852 lie became a member of St. Andrew's Society, an organization in which he has ever taken an active interest, and has probably done as much for its promotion as any single member. He has served as President of the society for six terms. The object of this association is to relieve the distress of the unfortunate among the coun- trymen and women of its members, and it has
come to be one of the leading charitable institu- tions of the city. In the winter of 1865, during which there was much suffering to be relieved among the poor and unfortunate, the funds of the society became exhausted, and, at the request of his friends, Mr. Hervey prepared and delivered a lecture on Robert Burns at the old Metropolitan Hall. The receipts of this lecture netted the society about $450. This address met such pop- ular approval that it was afterward several times repeated in other places. In 1883 the faculty of Wesleyan University at Bloomington, Illinois, invited him to deliver this lecture, together with an address to the graduating class of that institu- tion. This request was cheerfully complied with, and as a token of their appreciation of this effort the degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon him by the university. Another lecture on Walter Scott, which he delivered several years later at the same hall, also netted the society a handsome sum. In 1865 he helped organize the Caledonian Club, and was chosen its first Chief, a position which he filled several years.
Mr. Hervey was first married to Miss Maria Jones; daugliter of Dunham Jones, a farmer near Brockville, Canada, who removed thither from the United States during the Revolutionary War, on account of his loyalty to the British Crown. Mrs. Maria Hervey fell a victim to the cholera in 1854. In 1861 Mr. Hervey was again married, to Frances W. Smith, a native of Rochester, New York, and his present hielpinate. Her mother, who is now Mrs. T. B. Bishop, is a native of England, and resides in Chicago, aged over eighty years. Mr. Hervey has three children. Alexan- der is a farmer near Charleston, Missouri. Rob- ert is the manager of an extensive lumber com- pany at Tonawanda, New York; and Sophia is the wife of Sidney F. Jones, of Toronto, Ontario. For twenty-four years past Mr. Hervey has lived near the lake shore, on Twenty-fifth Street, hav- ing moved to that location a short time previous to the great Chicago Fire, and thereby avoided becoming one of its victims. In this pleasant lo- cation liis most recent years have been altogetlier spent, and here his friends always receive a hearty welcome.
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
AUGUST BECK
AUGUST BECK.
239
AUGUST BECK.
A UGUST BECK, for nearly forty years an active business man of Chicago, and one of the city's most popular German-American residents, passed away at his home in that city, on the morning of March1 5, 1897. Mr. Beck had not only a distinct and pleasing personality, but he had as well, in happily blended combination, a nicety and precision of mental adjustment that made him at all times, and under all circumstan- ces, the master of every business complication.
He was born August 8, 1830, at Steinbach, in the Grand Duchy of Hessen, and was descended from a family which has included among its mem- bers, in the last century, a number of men high in the political and official circles of Ger- many. His father, Frederick Wilhelm Beck, was born July 29, 1800, in Bersrad, Grand Duchy of Hessen, and was a school teacher, being employed previous to 1840 in Grosskarben, and thereafter,. until 1870, at Giessen, where he died in 1883. Here was celebrated in 1875 the golden wedding anniversary of himself and his estimable wife, in the presence of all their children. February 13, 1825, Mr. Beck was married to Miss Elizabeth Sang, who was born November 17, 1807, in Sauerbach, Hessen. She died in 1877, in her seventieth year.
August Beck was educated at the gymnasium of Giessen, and when eighteen years old entered the employ of a leaf tobacco house at Mannheim. Later he was with G. W. Gail & Company, of Giessen, manufacturers of tobacco, with whom he continued several years. I11 1854 he canie to the United States and entered the branch house of the same company at Baltimore.
He came to Chicago in 1855, and July 17 of that year he began business under the firm name of August Beck & Company, handling tobacco at wholesale and manufacturing cigars. The latter
part of the business, however, he soon abandoned. Ill 1857 he entered into a partnership with Mr. Carl Wirth,' under the style of Beck & Wirth. After the death of Mr. Wirth the concern was in- corporated in 1881, Mr. Beck becoming president. In this capacity he labored with untiring zeal to promote his business interests, in which he was eminently successful.
The disastrous conflagration of 1871 swept away almost his entire fortune of about one hundred thousand dollars. But he was not disheartened by this catastrophe. To him this was but an in- cident in his career, and the iron-like quality of the man asserted itself. On the ashes of his for- tune, he resolutely set about re-organizing his affairs. His integrity and probity of character had been thoroughly established in his fourteen years of ceaseless business activity, and the great confidence which he enjoyed in commercial circles is attested by the fact that on the day after the Great Fire he received from the well-known firm of C. F. Tag. & Son, of New York, a telegram authorizing him to draw upon them for seventy- five thousand dollars.
With everything gone but his good name, he established himself squarely on the principles of his high code of honor, scorning to take advan- tage of his creditors by forcing a liquidation of his indebtedness at a discount, as many did. He steadfastly refused to make any proposition of settlement on a compromise basis. For years he toiled early and late, with an eye single to one purpose-that of recovering from his losses; and in time he paid every creditor in full, with inter- est, declining every other settlement. He trav- eled extensively throughout the territory in which he sold goods, and thereby laid the solid foundation of the success of the present firm, largely upon personal acquaintance with jobbers
240
J. A. REIS.
and merchants of the retail trade. In 1892 le laid aside the active cares of his large business-his son-in-law, Otto C. Schneider, purchasing his interest. The latter insisted, however, upon Mr. Beck retaining the title of president in the cor- poration, which he did.
Mr. Beck traveled extensively abroad, and crossed the ocean ten times, to visit his beloved Fatherland. His love for the country of his na- tivity in no sense detracted from his loyalty to the land of his adoption. He was thoroughly Ameri- can in his views, and loved the institutions of this country, and he enjoyed thoroughly and to the fullest extent the liberties and advantages all en- joy in common in this favored land. His family connections in Germany are of the highest order. His eldest brother, William Beck, in Darmstadt, enjoys the distinction of being a Privy Councillor to the Grand Duke of Hessen. His brother-in- law, at Mayence, lias been a member of the Ger- man Reichstag, and his youngest brother, Charles Beck, whose place of residence is in Havana, Cuba, has the honor of representing - different countries as Consul to "The Pearl of the Antilles."
Mr. Beck was Consul of the Grand Duchy of Hessen at Chicago, from 1866 to 1871, and when he retired from that service was decorated by the Grand Duke with the "Ritterkreuz of the Order of Philip the Magnanimous." He was an hon- cred member of the Germania Club of Chicago,
and was a supporter of the Republican party in American politics, but was not a politician, al- ways declining to become a candidate for political preferment.
In 1857 he was married to Miss Louise Ger- lach, of Frankfort-on-the-Main. She died in 1893, leaving three children, namely: William C., Charles F., and Emily, the wife of Otto C. Schneider.
Mr. Beck's last continental trip was made in 1894, upon which occasion he visited Egypt and other remote lands. While on the African conti- nent his health became impaired, but he was greatly benefited by a sojourn of several weeks in the pure air of the mountains of Switzerland. Upon his return from this trip he lived a quiet life, at his comfortable home on La Salle Avenue, surrounded by his children and grandchildren, to whom he was devotedly attached. He was one of the most companionable of men, and his con- genial, sunny nature always made all who came into his presence feel at ease. He was well informed and a pleasing conversationalist. His leisure hours were whiled away at his favorite pastime, the intricate game of skat, at which he was considered an expert player. Said one who knew him well: "His loyalty to friends, the per- fect simplicity and frankness of his character, and the total absence of affectation and outward dis- play made him an exceptionally good friend to all who enjoyed his confidence."
JOSEPH A. REIS.
OSEPH ADAM REIS, of Rogers Park, is a carpenter and builder, also a florist, and was born in Monroe County, Illinois. On the maternal side he is descended from the oldest German family in the State. The Reis family was founded in this State by his father, Peter A.
Reis, who was born in Rhenish Bavaria about 1838, and came to this country when a small boy with his parents, Peter and Margaret Reis, lo- cating in Monroe County, where the parents died, and where Peter A. Reis still resides.
On the maternal side, Joseph A. Reis is de-
241
JOHN BERG.
scended from an old German family that was founded in this country in the early part of this century by his great-grandfather, Joseplı Platz, who came from Rhenish Bavaria, and settled near New Orleans, Louisiana. Joseph Platz, the ma- ternal grandfather of Mr. Reis, came to Illinois when a boy, with his mother and two half-brotli- ers, the family settling at Columbia, Monroe County.
On reaching manhood he became the owner of the first stone quarry and lime kilns in the State. He died in 1871, leaving a family of four daugh- ters, Deborah, the mother of Mr. Reis, being the second.
Peter A. and Barbara Reis have ten children, all of whom are living. Joseph A. is the only member of the family who lives in Cook County. He was educated in the public schools of Colum- bia, and learned the carpenter trade with his uncle,
spending his vacations working at the trade, and one year after graduating from school. After learning the trade he worked as a journeyman several years. For some years he was foreman for Mr. Kinney, of Evanston. In 1892 he en- gaged in the production of vegetables in green- houses, but two years ago turned the business into the growing of flowers for the city market. He is also engaged in contracting for building greenhouses.
September 16, 1884, he married Margaret Muno, a daughter of Henry and Margaret (Pink) Muno. They have seven children, namely: Mar- garet, Agnes, Clarence, Elizabeth, Arthur, Hen- rietta and Joseplı. All are members of Saint Henry's Church. Mr. Reis is a Democrat in politics, but has never sought office. He is an intelligent, reading man, and a useful member of society.
JOHN BERG.
OHN BERG, of Bowmanville, is one of the old residents of Chicago. He was born- in Germany, January 18, 1825, and is a son of Nicholas Berg. In 1840 he emigrated to the United States, being the only member of his fath- er's family who came to America. He spent a short time in Indiana before locating permanently in Chicago. Being without means or influential friends, he was obliged to accept any kind of em- ployment as a means of earning an honest living. By carefully saving his earnings he was enabled to buy a team and wagon, and for some years did an express business. For a few years he kept a buffet on Clark Street, in Lake View.
In 1871 he bought two acres of land in Bow- manville, and started a small grocery store, where his sons are now conducting the large business that has grown from that small beginning. About
two years later he added a saloon to his grocery business, and here continued to do a profitable trade until 1894, when he turned the business over to his sons, and has since been living in retirement.
His business career was characterized by indus- try, enterprise and fair dealing. In public affairs he has taken a considerable interest. In National and State elections he usually acts with the Re- publican party, while in local concerns he is found supporting the men best qualified for administra- tive positions. He served several years on the board of trustees of Jefferson Township, and a number of years as justice of the peace, and is at the present time a notary public.
Mr. Berg and his family are members of Saint Mathias' Roman Catholic Church. He has been twice married, his first wife dying without issue.
242
RICHARD RUSK.
April 21, 1854, he married Miss Mary Nernberg, a native of Germany. To this union nine chil- dren have been born, namely: Mary, wife of Peter Gort; Anna, now Mrs. August Goetz, of Bowmanville; Theresa, wife of Edward Munz, of West Pullman; Katharine, wife of John Sumnick, of Chicago; William, a grocer of Bowmanville,
who married Elizabeth Penning, by whom he has two children, Andrew and Peter (twins), both in business at Bowmanville. John Adam married Miss Alvina Singstock; and Susie, the youngest of the family, is the wife of Elmer Clark. Andrew Berg married Helen Miller, and Peter, his twin brother, married Miss Jennie Brown1.
RICHARD RUSK.
ICHARD RUSK has been a resident of Cook County for over a quarter of a century. He was born February 28, 1838, in County Armagh, Ireland, and is a son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Fair) Rusk, the former born in Scot- land and the latter in County Armagh, Ireland. Mrs. Rusk died in Ireland, June 20, 1859, the very day that Richard Rusk landed in the United States. After the death of his wife Alexander Rusk went to Australia and remained three years, returned to Ireland, and after spending three years there, came to America, bringing with him his three daughters. He located near Washington, District of Columbia, and bought twelve acres of land, part of General Lee's farm. After the heavy oak timber was cleared off the land, he planted it with peach trees, and spent most of the remainder of his life there. Mr. Rusk lived the last five years of his life in George- town, where he died about 1873. The family consisted of four sons and four daughters, namely : George, who died in Ireland; Richard, the sub- ject of this notice; William, now living in Wash- ington, District of Columbia; Samuel, of Cali- fornia; Margaret and Jane, twins, the former de- ceased, and the latter living in Washington; Lucy and Elizabeth.
Richard Rusk was educated in the national schools of Ireland. At the age of nineteen years, he began to learn the trades of carpenter and
wagon maker. He was apprenticed for the term of seven years, but after working five years and a-half with no pay, he became tired of it, and ran away to work for another man, who paid him four- pence a day, about fifty centsa week. He was an ambitious youth, and with even these small earn- ings he was able to save enough to buy himself clothing for two years and his passage to America.
In May, 1859, he sailed from Belfast, arriving two days later in Liverpool, and started the same night for America, in the sailing ship "White Star," having on board nine hundred and eighty emigrants. After an uneventful voyage of five weeks he landed in New York, and from there he went by way of Albany to Rutland, Vermont, to visit a cousin. He worked in Vermont at his trade two years, and then, in 1862, went to New York, and from there to Washington, where he worked at his trade in a Government shop one year. He was transferred to the field and em- ployed in repairing ambulances and buggies, which he continued until the close of the war, with the exception of two months when he was ill. He was in the employ of the Government at the time of the assassination of President Lin- colu, and attended his funeral.
After the war, Mr. Rusk opened a wagon shop at No. 22 West Washington Street, Chicago, and did a successful business. He next went to Rut- land, La Salle County, Illinois, and built a new
243
L. C. WEMPLE.
wagon shop and carried on a successful business nearly three years. In 1869 he came to Cook County and bought ten acres of land in sections 1 1 and 12, Jefferson Township, and engaged in garden- ing. He leased three hundred acres of the Jack- son farm and carried on farming also. He now owns thirty acres of the same land, and, besides the farm, owns a fine business block on Lincoln and Graceland Avenues, Chicago.
On Christmas day of 1864, in Washington, Mr. Rusk married Miss Margaret Wallace. Mr. and Mrs. Rusk had eight children, seven of whom are
now living. They are: Charles, who lives on Belmont Avenue; John; William; David; Anna, wife of John Flood; Mary, now Mrs. James Shea, of Rogers Park; and Margaret, wife of Arthur Bairstow.
Mr. Rusk has always shown great interest in the prosperity of his adopted country, and is a progressive citizen. He usually acts with the Republican party, but always supports the man he considers most fit for an office, whether local or national. The family is identified with the Episcopal Church.
LEONARD C. WEMPLE.
EONARD CARL WEMPLE, of Rogers Park, was born in the town of Fonda, Mont- gomery County, New York, February 9, 1836. He is the son of Jacob Van Alstine and Eleanor (Veeder) Wemple. His ancestors were Holland Dutch, and both families were founded in America before the Revolutionary War. Jacob Van Alstine, the great-great-grandfather of Leon- ard Wemple, served as a soldier in the War for Independence and was present at the surrender of Burgoyne.
In 1848, when the subject of this sketch was twelve years of age, the family came to Chicago. Jacob V. A. Wemple was a manufacturer of threshing machines, and obtained the third patent granted by the United States Government on a machine for threshing and separating the grain from the straw and chaff. He carried on the manufacture of machines in Chicago until 1859, when he failed in business. He then went to Winnebago County, in this State, and engaged in farming, on land previously purchased. Subse- quently he removed to a farm in Branch County, Michigan, where he died in 1873, and his good wife died seven years later. They had a family
of fourteen children, three of whom died in childhood. The following grew to maturity, and four are living at this writing: Caroline, John; Leonard C., the subject of this article; Maria Jane, deceased; Virginia Catherine, deceased; Lavina, deceased; Elizabeth, deceased, and Eu- gene. These are among the heirs of the cele- brated Trinity Church property of New York.
Leonard C. Wemple was fairly educated in private schools in Chicago. He was early trained in his father's shop, and became an ex- pert workman in both wood and iron, and has all his life followed that form of mechanics. For nearly half a century he has been a resident of Chicago, with the exception of some months which he spent in California, on two different oc- casions. No better testimonial of his ability as a workman, of his reliability and good habits call be formed than the fact that for the past fourteen years he has been in the employ of the William Deering Harvester Company, of Chicago, as a pattern-maker, a position which he still occupies.
March 23, 1864, Mr. Wemple married Miss Ruth, daughter of Philip G. and Anna (Austin) Whelden. She was born in Rensselaer County,
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H. C. HANSEN.
New York, and came to Illinois with her parents when a child, and was reared on a farm in Boone County. Her parents were natives of the Empire State, and had five children, namely: Charles G., Elizabeth, Ruth, Nathaniel G. and Isaiah. The mother died when Mrs. Wemple was five years of age. A few years later Mr. Whelden married Miriam Harriet Austin, sister of his first wife, and they became the parents of three children- Harriet Ann, Philip G. and Jabez. After coming to this State Mr. Whelden engaged in farming in
Boone County, until he retired from active busi- ness and became a resident of Rockford, where he died in June, 1895, his wife having been dead five years.
To Mr. and Mrs. Wemple were born three chil- dren, as follows: Willis Grant, an engineer on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway; Clarence Nelson, also in the employ of the same railroad company; and Ada Louise. Mr. Wemple is a Republican in political opinion, and is a regular attendant of the Methodist Church.
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