USA > Illinois > Cook County > Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 8th ed. > Part 88
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In 1855 he removed to Wheaton, and there spent six years, conducting a hotel, until he was burned out in 1861, losing a valuable property which cost him five thousand dollars, and he also lost five hundred dollars in money. He then re- turned to the farm. In 1876 he moved into Chi- cago, for the purpose of affording his children greater educational advantages. Three years later he sold his farm and invested in city real estate. He has a farm of one hundred twenty acres in White County, Indiana, and eleven lots on St. Louis Avenue, between Van Buren Street and Colorado Avenue, in Chicago.
June 10, 1845, Mr. Kinne married Miss Eveline A. Kinney, born March 31, 1827, in the town of Ira, Oswego County, New York, a daughter of Asa and Betsy (Miller) Kinney, of Scotch-Irish descent. They had ten children, seven of whom are living, namely: Asa Winfield, of Blooming- ton, Illinois; Leland D., who resides at the corner of Park and Fortieth Avenues, Chicago; Morris B., who lives at No. 896 West Harrison Street, Chicago; Humphrey H., who lives on St. Louis Avenue; Minnie, wife of William Barret, of No. 448 Colorado Avenue; Isaac B., of No. 52 Shake- speare Avenue; and Mina.
In early life Mr. Kinne was a Whig, and since the organization of the Republican party he has been one of its firm supporters, though he has not been bound by its action at all times. When he was about twenty-one years of age, he was elected constable, and served seven years. He is
606
A. D. RICHEY.
a member of the Masonic Order, of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the Tippecanoe Club. He now lives in ease and retirement at
No. 254 St. Louis Avenue, Chicago. He has earned and enjoys the respect and esteem of many friends and acquaintances. .
ALFRED. D. RICHEY.
A LFRED DAY RICHEY was born De- cember 13, 1866, in Marseilles, La Salle County, Illinois, and is a son of Henry Chapin and Susan Adelia (Day) Richey. Henry C. Richey is a son of William Welch Richey who is still living in Ontario, Washington, at the age of eighty-three years. William W. Richey for- merly lived in Noblesville, Indiana, where he had a home for many years. He was married four times and was the father of three children, Henry C. being one of the two children of his third marriage. He was for many years a merchant, and later was engaged in agriculture.
Henry C. Richey has lived in the State of Illinois most of his life. He was a member of Company C, Seventy-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War, and was at one time taken a prisoner and exchanged. He was in early life a bridge builder, later a merchant and then a coal miner. For ten years he has been engaged in agriculture. His wife died in 1867, leaving three children, namely: Friedel Lincoln, who is a credit man in the wholesale house of Marshall Field & Company; Gertrude Adelia, now Mrs. Henry T. Reed, a resident of Roseland, Louisiana; and Alfred D., the subject of this sketch.
Alfred Day Richey lived in Marseilles, Illinois, until he was six years old, and then spent five years in Braceville, Peoria and Henry, Illinois. In 1877 he went to Archer, Alachua County, Florida, where he remained two years and then returned to Braceville and resided in that place nine years. He attended school until he was twelve years of age and was employed in the office of the Braceville Coal Company eight
years, beginning as office boy and rising to a better position. He then went to Iowa with his father to assist him in conducting a farm, and remained there one year, after which he re- moved to Chicago.
In 1887 he was employed by the Fidelity and Casualty Accident Insurance Company, and re- mained with it six months, soliciting through the central part of Illinois. He was next em- ployed in the Freight Claim department of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad.
April 7, 1897, he married Mrs. Carrie N. Miller, of Aurora, Illinois. She is a daughter of James and Anna Eliza (Graves) Freeman, the former a boot and shoe dealer in Aurora for forty years. He died in 1896 and his widow still resides there. He was a native of Nantigo, England, and his wife is a native of New York, daughter of Daniel T. Graves, who was a pioneer Baptist minister of Aurora. Mr. Freeman was ten years old when he came with his parents to Aurora, which was then only a small village.
Mrs. Richey is a member of the Baptist Church of Irving Park. Mr. Richey is connected with the Royal Arcanum, being a member of Irving Park Council No. 891. He is also a mem- ber of the Irving Park Club, of which he was secretary in 1895 and 1896. In politics he sup- ports the Republican party. He is a member of the Irving Park Cycling Club, of which he was president during the first three years of its exist- ence. He has been a collector for four years. He is a public-spirited and progressive citizen, and is connected with many movements of reform. He is an intelligent and well-read man, and is it- terested in the affairs of the day.
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
MICHAEL WINANDY
(From Photo by W. J. ROOT)
MICHAEL WINANDY.
607
MICHAEL WINANDY.
M ICHAEL WINANDY, contractor, builder and gardener, living in what was formerly known as West Ridge, is one of the most prominent business men of that community. He was born December 16, 1849, in Merscheid, and was reared from the age of three years at Esch- dorf, Luxemburg, Germany. He is a son of Valentine and Elizabeth Winandy, both of whom died in that country, and where their sons were reared to farm life.
In May, 1869, the subject of this notice set out for America, in company with his brother, John. About two years later, two more of the brothers, Jean and Joseph, came to join them, but the last- named returned to his native country and did not become a citizen of this. John is a resident of Rosehill, and Jean lives near by.
Michael Winandy acquired the trade of cabinet- inaker before coming to this country, and took employment in this line as soon as he arrived in Chicago, whither lie came direct from Europe. He continued this through the summer, and in the mean time attended a night school, by which means he was considerably benefited. He had received a fair education in his native language, and needed only to gain some knowledge of the English tongue to fit him for an active business life here.
In 1870 he joined his brother in renting land in Lake View, then a suburb of Chicago, and be- gan market-gardening. Immediately after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, he began taking
building contracts in the city, in which he con- tinued two years. He then resumed gardening, and at the same time continued building opera- tions. He erected most of the greenhouses in Lake View, a region thickly dotted with that class of structures. His industry and good management have been rewarded with success, and he now tills about eight acres of land, nearly half of which is under glass, and is a very ex- tensive producer of vegetables for the market. He has one boiler which supplies steam for heat- ing about an acre of space.
In 1877 he was married to Miss Mary Borst, who was born in .Port Washington, Wisconsin. She is a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Weis) Borst, natives of Germany. Of the eight chil- dren born to this union, six are living, namely: Mary, Regina, Susie, Frederick, Michael and Peter, all residing with their parents. Valentine died when four months old, and Albert at the age of eight years. The family is associated with Saint Henry's Roman Catholic Church, and con- tributes its share to the social enjoyment of the community. Mr. Winandy is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters. and takes a com- mendable interest in the general welfare of the community, and the country generally. He acts with the Democratic party, which represents his political principles. During all the years in which the incorporated village of West Ridge existed as a separate municipality, he acted as its treasurer.
608
CAPT. C. VON LUKOWITZ.
CAPT. CHARLES VON LUKOWITZ.
) APT. CHARLES VON LUKOWITZ, a distinguished officer of both the German and American armies, is now a retired resi- dent of Chicago, with which city's commercial interests he was honorably connected for seven- teen years. He was born August 20, 1826, in Koenigsberg, East Prussia, and, as the name shows, is descended from noble ancestry. At the time of his birth his father, Peter Paul Aloisyns Von Lukowitz, was a colonel, commanding the First Regiment of German Infantry, which is the oldest regiment in the German army, having been organized in 1619, before the landing of the Puritan Pilgrims on the shores of Massachusetts. His mother was Antoinette Panlina, née Thiel.
Ernest Adolph Hngo Charles Von Lukowitz, the subject of this sketch, attended the public schools of his native land from his fifth to his twelfth year, and then entered the military academy, where he continued until his seven- teenth year. After a successful examination he was commissioned, August 20, 1843, a second lieutenant in the Fourth Regiment of German Lancers.
February 11, 1847, he was married to Miss Johanna Borchert, a daughter of Christian and Caroline (Stande) Borchert, of Koenigsberg, in East Prussia. Mrs. Von Lukowitz was born September 8, 1828, in Koenigsberg, in East Prussia. On the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding, Captain and Mrs. Von Lukowitz cele- brated the happy occasion in the parlors of the Chicago Avenue Church, in the presence of their three children and sixteen grandchildren (nine
boys and seven girls) and a concourse of one hun- dred and fifty friends. One great-grandchild, too young to appreciate the festivities, will here- after read this record with pride and gratification.
Appreciating the fact that the old world offered few opportunities for advancement, Lieutenant Von Lukowitz resigned his commission in the army in 1850 and set out for America, accom- panied by his bride. They crossed the ocean in a sailing-vessel from Liverpool to New York, called the "Rebecca," and landed in New York in the early part of June of that year. After re- maining about five years in New York City, Mr. Von Lukowitz went to Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, where Mrs. Constantine, his youngest daughter, was born, and where the be- ginning of the Civil War found him. He at once offered his services to his adopted country, and became a member of Company F, Sixth Pennsyl- vania Volunteer Infantry, a three-months regi- ment. This company was one of the first five to reach Washington, and was attacked by rioters in Baltimore. Mr. Von Lukowitz re-enlisted at the close of his first term, for three years or during the war, and became a member of Company B, Seventy-second Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Baxter. The term of this or- ganization expired soon after the battle of Gettys- burg, and the subject of this biography was trans- ferred to the One Hundred and Eighty-third Regiment, known as the Fourth Union League Regiment, both this and the Seventy-second hav- ing been recruited in the city of Philadelphia.
Captain Von Lukowitz was one of those who
609
NICHOLAS BRITZ.
fought at Appomattox, and saw Gen. Robert E. Lee's flag of truce come into General Grant's headquarters. He was mustered out as a second lieutenant, having been promoted by Governor Curtin, of Pennsylvania, for bravery in the field. He assisted in planting the colors of his regiment on the South Side railroad, the last one in the possession of the rebels. In all, Lieutenant Von Lukowitz took part in seventeen engagements.
After the war he returned to Pottsville, and about a week before the 4th of March, 1869, wrote a personal letter to General Grant, asking for a position in the regular army. This letter was answered in the same manner, and he called upon the President March 8, in response thereto. About April 10, he was given the executive ap- pointment of first-class clerk in the Second Auditor's office of the Treasury Department, and continued twelve years in this service, after pass- ing successfully through three competitive ex- aminations, attaining the rank of fourth-class clerk, with a salary of eighteen hundred dollars per year, serving two terms under President Grant and one under Rutherford B. Hayes.
In 1880 he resigned his position and came to Chicago, and September 10 of that year entered
the credit department of Marshall Field & Com- pany. He served this employer seventeen years, and was honorably discharged with a pension of two-thirds of his salary, January 8, 1897. He is the only living pensioner of this firm, and the only office man who was ever pensioned by it. He is also a pensioner of the general Government. receiving twelve dollars per month in recognition of his long and faithful services in the army.
Captain Von Lukowitz is a Lutheran in re- ligious faith, and has sustained the principles of the Republican party since becoming a citizen of the United States. He is a member of Lyon Post No. 9, Grand Army of the Republic, of Washington, District of Columbia, and a gentle- man honored and respected in civil life, as he is in military circles of Europe and America. His children are: Annie, now the widow of James Thompson, the mother of four children, of whom two are married; Eli, the father of seven living children; and Antoinette, Mrs. A. W. Constantine, mother of five children. Eight grandchildren of Captain and Mrs. Von Lukowitz are deceased, and a great-granddaughter and great-grandson make proud and glad the ancestors of whom this record is written.
NICHOLAS BRITZ.
ICHOLAS BRITZ, a retired farmer resid- ing at No. 815 Dover Avenue, has spent most of his time in Cook County, the family having located here in 1852. He was born Oc- tober 20, 1842, in Luxemburg, Germany, and came to this country when ten years old, with
his parents, Henry and Katherine Britz. Their passage across the ocean was attended with some thrilling experiences. The ship on which they sailed was wrecked in a violent storm, and a num-
ber of lives were lost. Mr. Britz and family lost all their effects, except the clothing they wore. Their lives were saved, with some others, by an English sailing-vessel, which took them back to Europe. The ship that brought them on the second trip encountered severe storms, but finally reached harbor in safety. Their hardships did not end with the sea voyage, for they saw hard times after their arrival in Cook County.
They located at Rosehill, and were obliged to
610
JACOB SICKINGER.
accept any employment that offered, as they were left, by their misfortunes, in poor circumstances. Wages were low, and on account of their lack of knowledge of the language of the country, they were at a disadvantage. But they persevered, and at the end of three years, Mr. Britz pur- chased fourteen acres of land, where the son, Nicholas, now lives, and engaged in gardening for several years. He is still living, at the age of eighty-four years, in good health and spirits. His faithful wife died October 10, 1884. Nicholas, whose name heads this article, is the eldest of their children and the only son. All were born in Germany except the youngest. Anna, tlie eldest daughter, is the wife of Nicholas Treff, residing at South Evanston. Maggie married William Bergemeir, of Ashland; and Katherine is Mrs. Christian Muno (see sketch in this volume), of Ridge Avenue, Evanston.
Nicholas Britz received little education in the schools of this country, as he was early obliged to assist in the support of the family, but he is
possessed of native intelligence and is able to transact business in a creditable and able manner. He assisted in the cultivation of the farm from the time of its purchase, and has been many years its sole manager.
October 12, 1869, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Welter, a native of Germany. They have four sons and one daughter, namely; Peter, Nicholas, Katherine, Henry and Edward, and all are enjoying good educational advantages. A11 are connected with Saint Henry's Roman Catholic Church.
For many years Mr. Britz followed gardening with satisfactory results, but the rapid advance- ment in value of the land for building purposes caused him to sell much of it at a handsome price. He is now living a retired life in his pleasant home, enjoying the fruits of his former industry. He is a quiet, unassuming man, who has never sought notoriety, and enjoys the respect and con- fidence of the community in which he makes his home.
JACOB SICKINGER.
ACOB SICKINGER, who resides at No. few miles farther west. At the beginning his 902 Devon Avenue, is a native of Chicago and a member of a pioneer family. He was born February 27, 1846, in the then suburb of Ravenswood, now a part of the city of Clicago. His parents were Sebastian and Mary Sickinger, natives of Germany, who emigrated to the United States in1 1843 and settled in Cook County at once.
Soon after his arrival, Sebastian Sickinger bouglit thirty acres of timber land, near the present site of Summerdale, and began to clear and improve it. On this ground he reared his family and carried on farming operations until his death. He subsequently purchased ten acres a
means were limited, and this part of the country was mostly in a primitive condition. As a con- sequence of these circumstances, the family en- dured the numerous trials and hardships incident to pioneer life. There were six children, all, save the eldest, born in Cook County. Their names are as follows: Katherine, born in Ger- many, now the widow of John Simler, residing at Washington Heights; John, who lives on the old homestead in Summerdale; Jacob, whose name heads this notice; the fourth died, unnamed, in infancy; Lawrence, a resident of Niles Center; and Maggie, wife of Michael Barthlme. Mary Sick- inger, mother of this family, was accidentally
611
SEBASTIAN KEİL.
drowned in a well in 1855, and the father died May 7, 1887. They were frugal, industrious people, and faithful members of Saint Henry's Roman Catholic Church.
Jacob Sickinger secured a limited education in the early schools of the county, and was reared to farming and gardening, which have been his life work. By industry and the assistance of his frugal wife, he has won success in it. October 7, 1870, he was married to Miss Anna Eager, who was born in Germany December 9, 1849, a daughter of Albert and Josephine Eager. Both her parents died in Germany, when Mrs. Sickinger was only sixteen years old, and she left her native land and came direct to Cook County, where she had rel- atives living. She supported herself by her own labor until her marriage. Her first two children are now deceased, the second passing away in in- fancy. The others still reside with their parents,
and the names of all in order of birthi are: Casper, Emma, Joseph, Augustine and Anna Sickinger. The family is in communion with Saint Henry's Roman Catholic Church, and the son is a m11ein- ber of the Catholic Order of Foresters.
Mr. Sickinger is still occupied with gardening, cultivating about four acres of land, growing vegetables for the city market. He remembers well when most of the land upon which Summer- dale, Ravenswood and Rosehill are built was almost entirely covered with timber or stumps of trees, and the few dwellings occupied by the set- tlers were built of logs. He has not only wit- nessed the marvelous growth of this part of the city, but has contributed his share to its develop- ment and upbuilding. He is a Republican in politics, but not an office-seeker; is public-spirited and ever ready to encourage any undertaking cal- culated to serve the general welfare.
SEBASTIAN KEIL.
EBASTIAN KEIL was an early settler of Chicago, where lie located in 1857. He was born in the Rhine Province of Prussia, Ger- many, near the city of Trier, in 1824, and wased- ucated in his native land. For several years he was the superintendent of au asylum in Trier, and his wife also occupied a position in the same institution. They were there married, the bride being Miss Elizabeth Laux, also a native of the same locality.
The family, consisting of the parents and three children, came to the United States in 1856, and remained the first winter with friends in Windsor, Connecticut. The following spring they came to Chicago and took up quarters on Indiana Ave- · nue, at the corner of Twenty-sixth Street, and lived there until 1863, when Mr. Keil was elected superintendent of Saint Boniface Cemetery. He
removed to the locality of the cemetery and as- sumed the duties of that office, which he held nearly twenty-four years. He then retired from active business, and on the 9th of August, 1893, he passed from earthly scenes. His wife is still living at the age of eighty years.
John Keil, their eldest son, died April 11, 1887, leaving a wife and twochildren. Katharine, the second child, is the wife of Peter Williams, resid- ing at No. 254 North Clark Street, Chicago. Mr. Keil was a life-long Democrat in political principles and associations, and was a faithful member of the Roman Catholic Church.
Jacob, the youngest child of Sebastian Keil, was born July 29, 1854, and was educated in the public schools of Chicago. After attaining his majority lie secured employment in a meat market at Rogers Park, and within a few years succeeded
612
F. J. WENDT.
his father in charge of Saint Boniface Cemetery, where he continued twelve years. . He then built the restaurant now occupied by August Biewers, on North Clark Street, which he conducted eight years. He is now engaged in the manufacture of a compound for cleaning steam boilers.
April 29, 1879, he was married to Miss Mary Mann, daughter of Nicholas Mann, an early resi- dent of the locality. Six of their seven children are living, the third, named Elizabeth, being now
deceased. The others are: Nicholas, Sebastian, Katharine, Mathias, Molly and Peter.
Mr. Keil is independent in politics, but his worth and integrity have been recognized by his appointment as building inspector for the Twen- ty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Wards, which position he filled two years. He is an active and efficient member of Saint Matthew's Roman Catholic Church, and of the Catholic Order of Foresters.
FREDERICK J. WENDT.
REDERICK JOHN WENDT, of Ravens- wood, is a well-known early resident of that part of Chicago. Mr. Wendt is a native of North Germany, where he was born September 21, 1841. His father, William Wendt, was a shepherd by occupation, and Frederick in early life followed the same business. The father died when his son was but nine years of age, leaving the mother with four children, of whom Freder- ick was the eldest. One of the younger brothers survived the father but a short time. The only daughter of the family is still a resident of Ger- many, and the only surviving brother of the sub- ject of this sketch is Charles Wendt, a resident of Summerdale, in this city. The mother, who has now attained an advanced age, lives with her son in Ravenswood.
In 1868 Mr. Wendt emigrated to America. His first year in this country was spent in Ozau- kee County, Wisconsin. There he was engaged with a man named Membler, a prominent con- tractor and builder. In April, 1869, he came to what is now Ravenswood, and engaged in work for the Ravenswood Land Company.
In November of the same year he was married to Miss Minnie Nave, a native of Holstein, Ger- many, and the following winter was passed in
Chicago. Ravenswood was not identified with the city until a number of years later. In the spring of 1870 Mr. Wendt returned and continued in the service of the company above mentioned for about two years, when he was engaged by Mr. Daniel Downing, of the Sunny Side Hotel, with whom he continued until 1875. While in the service of Mr. Downing he assisted in laying out and beautifying Sunny Side Park, and with his own hands planted many of the trees with which that elegant park abounds. It is an interesting fact that when the site of the park was purchased by Mr. Downing not a tree was growing upon it. Many of the larger ones had attained a large growth when set out, and one thousand dollars, or one hundred dollars each, were paid by Mr. Downing for ten of the largest trees and the trans- planting of the same.
Mr. Downing erected for Mr. Wendt his first residence, which is still standing, and is one of the landmarks of Ravenswood, and there the three oldest children of Mr. and Mrs. Wendt were born. In 1875 Mr. Wendt was engaged as janitor of the Ravenswood school building, and on July 23d of that year removed his family into the building, the lower part of which he has occupied as a resi- dence to the present time-having served contin-
613
A. P. GLINES.
uously as janitor for the long period of twenty- two years. Here the youngest child of the family, Rosa, was born. The children in the order of their birth are: Anna, who is now the wife of Clarence Gilberg, Gustave, William and Rosa.
When Mr. Wendt first became a resident of what is now known as Ravenswood, much of the land was devoted to the nursery industry, and the many acres of nursery and evergreen trees pre- sented a most beautiful appearance. These have now given place to elegant homes with beautiful lawns, paved streets and stately business blocks- a transformation so complete that no evidence re- mains that Ravenswood was a rural district but a
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