Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1899, Part 38

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 910

USA > Illinois > Cook County > Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1899 > Part 38

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The firm was known as Maas & Manz, and was first located at the corner of Clark and Washing- ton Streets, and was two years later moved to Dearborn and Madison. While here, Mr. Manz became the sole proprietor of the business, by purchasing the interest of his partner, and was a very heavy loser in the great fire of 1871, realiz- ing almost nothing of insurance. He had faith, however, in himself and the city, and very soon opened a shop on West Madison Street, near Union, whence he shortly removed to Clinton and Lake Streets. He subsequently occupied locations on La Salle, Madison and Dearborn Streets, and is now established at Nos. 183 to 187 Monroe Street. The business, in the mean time, has kept pace with the growth of the city and the improvements in the art of engraving. It is now conducted by an incorporated company,

known as J. Manz & Company, of which Mr. Manz is President, F. D. Montgomery Vice- President, and Alfred Bersbach Secretary and Treasurer. Every process of engraving adaptable to the printing-press is carried on, and about one hundred people are employed in the establish- ment.

The genial and benevolent character of Mr. Manz has naturally led to participation in the work of many social and charitable organiza- tions. Heis a member of the Sons of Hermann, Schweizer Maennerchor, Swiss Benevolent Socie- ty, Germania Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and Gauntlet Lodge, Knights of Pythias, also of the Royal League and National Union. In religious faith, he adheres to the Swiss Reformed Church, and has been a Democrat in political preference since 1876. His only visit to the home of his childhood was made in the summer of 1894, when he made a tour of interesting localities in Europe.

Mr. Manz has been twice married. January 6, 1859, he wedded Miss Carolina Kuoepfli, who died September 7, 1866. She was a native of Ossingen, Switzerland. Two of her children are living, namely: Caroline and William Manz. November 24, 1867, Mr. Manz married Johanna Hesse, who was born in Crivitz, Mecklenburg. Germany. Her children are Ida, Paul, Adolph and Helena Manz.

HUGO NEUBERGER.

UGO NEUBERGER. Germans as a class are a thrifty people, and when, after some years, those who have come from the Fa- therland return to pay their visits to old, loved scenes, their friends wonder at the wealth Fort- une has allowed them to so quickly acquire in our beloved country of such advantages; for here each man is equal in the eyes, not only of

God, but the law; here he may do as he pleases, so long as he does not commit a crime or trespass upon the rights of his neighbors. Politically, they are formidable too, for we can see in the election of Governor Altgeld what power is theirs when they unite upon a candidate.

A man of influence among his fellow-citizens was Hugo Neuberger, who was born at Camberg,

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HUGO NEUBERGER.

near Frankfort, Germany, on the 8th day of April, 1819. He came of a good family, one of his brothers afterward becoming Mayor of his native place, in which office he was continued for a period of twenty years. Hugo, being a younger son, and denied, according to the laws of the Old World, some of the rights and advantages of an elder child, like so many other enterprising young men, came to this country to seek his fortune (or, let us say, to make his fortune), in'boyhood. He settled very soon after his arrival in his life-long home, Chicago, which he grew to love with that strong attachment entertained by all the old set- tlers, who have seen its wonderful rise from a sandy lowland (not unlike a part of Holland) to its present growth as the metropolis of the Mis- sissippi Valley, and destined before long to be- come one of the most powerful cities of the globe.

He bought, after many exchanges (for he was a man of speculation, a typical American, always ready for a trade), the valuable piece of property now known as Nos. 284 and 286 North Clark Street, about the year 1860. Here he built a substantial frame house, used as a grocery and (according to the Old Country custom) a beer hall combined, with his residence adjoining. This was destroyed some years after his death, in the great fire of 1871. His widow rebuilt more substantially in brick a structure of three stories, now used as dwelling flats, having by self-denial and unusual good sense been able to keep the property and family together, and to see the latter properly brought up to become useful members of the community.

Mr. Neuberger had been a landscape-gardener in Germany; but it is needless to remark in those early days there was no demand for such services in this vicinity, although no doubt at this date, were he again to come among us as he did so many years ago, his able intelligence would be eagerly sought by the owners of some of our pal- atial residences, for we have already grown to number in our midst some of the finest homes to be found anywhere in the country. Accord- ingly, he turned his active mind to something that was practicable in those days, from which he had the satisfaction of knowing that he died in fair

circumstances, and future advances certainly con- spired to give to his family who survived him a success in life which at that time could not have been altogether foreseen.

He was a consistent Democrat, voting regularly but never seeking office. He was a Catholic in faith, although his family, like their mother, have altogether embraced the Lutheran tenets. As a citizen he was law-abiding and reliable and had many friends. He died in July, 1863, and was buried in the family lot in Graceland Cemetery. Had he lived to more mature years he would have been justly proud of his family, whom it was fated he should be taken from in middle life.

Mr. Neuberger married, May 25, 1854, Miss Magdalena Ludwig, of Detroit, Michigan, a daughter of Simon and Margaret (Knaben) Lud- wig, who emigrated from Baden, Germany. She was born in the City of Straits, July 18, 1835, removing to this city in early life, where she grew to know and love the subject of this sketch; and although widowed in early life, she has been faithful to his memory ever since, as she will die, filled with the trust of guiding aright the family of young people entrusted by God to her moth- erly charge. All of them have grown to be a comfort to her, respectable members of the com- munity, and some of them with descendants who call her "Grandma." It is owing to her watch- ful care during the past more than thirty years that her children grew up in honor, and that they could be kept together in a home, and with a property left them (of comparatively little value at the time) now grown to be of considerable worth.

Four children were the fruits of their happy, though short, wedded life. Louise, born April 3, 1855, married, April 5, 1883, Julian Vandeberge, of Chicago, an editor in good standing; they have two children, Madeline Marie and Julian. Ba- betta married, in 1892, David J. Lyons, of the merchant police force, who unfortunately died the following year, leaving 110 children. Magdalene is unmarried. Hugo George married, in 1887, Miss Emma L. Hunting, of Chicago, who died in 1892, leaving two children, Anna Louise and Florence Augusta. He has been for some years a

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E. F. PEUGEOT.

commercial traveler, but at present is employed on the merchant police.

We thus see that Mr. Neuberger established one of the representative German families of the city, whose members, as they grow more and more into harmony with American ideas, will

bring honor and fame to his name. Therefore it is eminently fitting that his history should be preserved herein, that those who shall follow in after years may gain a faint idea of the early life of this Chicago pioneer.

EDWARD F. PEUGEOT.

DWARD FREDERICK PEUGEOT, an early citizen of Chicago, and at one time a leading merchant and importer, was born in Buffalo, New York, September 8, 1836, and was the son of Peter Peugeot, a native of France. He was also a relative of Peugeot Brothers, the fa- mous bicycle manufacturers of Paris. Peter Peu- geot was a highly esteemed citizen of Buffalo, New York, to which city he removed from France in 1833. He was engaged several years in the hardware business, and as a manufacturer of ma- chinery, but, having amassed a competency, he retired from active business twenty years before his death, which occurred November 22, 1875, in the seventy-fourth year of his age, having been a resident of Buffalo forty-two years. His wife, De- siree, nee Sachet, also a native of France, survived him, and her death occurred in November, 1886. They were the parents of thirteen children, all but two of whom died before their father. Ellen J. became the wife of Judge W. M. Oliver, of Buffalo, and died at San Marcial, New Mexico, while there trying to restore her health. An- other daughter, Amelia, now deceased, became the wife of George P. Bird, now a wealthy mill- owner in Helena, Montana.

The other survivor was Edward, the subject of this sketch, who came to Chicago in 1857, when twenty-one years of age, and displayed great ability in building up the largest toy im- porting house in the West, which was known as Peugeot's Variety Store. During the time when his business was largest, he made annual visits

to France to select goods. He was the local rep- resentative of some of the largest and best known manufacturing companies in France. When Chi- cago was destroyed in 1871, he lost everything, and, on account of the failure of the local insur- ance companies, caused by the unparalleled mag- nitude of their losses, he realized nothing from that source. However, he went into business again after the fire, and to some extent retrieved his fortune.

On the 14th of March, 1861, Mr. Peugeot was married to Maria L. Flershem, daughter of Lem- uel H. Flershem, who is mentioned at length in this volume. Four children blessed the home of Mr. Peugeot, namely: Nina, now the wife of Conrad Mueller, real-estate dealer and Assistant Clerk of the Sheriff of New York County; she has one child, Edward Herman Mueller. Ione, the second daughter, resides with her motlier. Pierre and Leon are now in the employ of W. McGregor & Company, of Chicago. Mr. Peugeot died August 8, 1886, and subsequently his widow became the wife of William McGregor (see sketch elsewhere in this work).

Edward F. Peugeot was a man in whom those elements so essential to social popularity and business success were prominent, and he was al- ways the center of a large circle of admiring friends. He was a very enterprising merchant, possessing a high character and integrity, and left to his children, as a legacy, a good name and an excellent example of true manhood.

OF THE I "VERSITY OF ILL !! "

EK & Eng Lu. Chicos Ferdinand Link

FERDINAND LINK.

263

FERDINAND LINK.

ERDINAND LINK. "Der Gipfel des Ber- ges funkelt im abend Sonnenschein," sings the beautiful, irresistible Lorellei, seated upon the picturesque summits of those storied, castle-crowned highlands of the Rhine, whence she drew to herself all who came within the scope of her vision. It is proper now to write modestly of one born in the Fatherland, to whom the sound of "America" was, like the harmony of theold folk- song, an entrancing melody, full of bright proph- ecy, the hope of whose fulfillment he could not withstand.

Ferdinand Link was born on the Ist of No- vember, 1829, in Birkigt Herzogthum, Meinin- gen, Germany, his parents being Trougott and Rosina (Schmidt) Link, persons of respectable attainments, who lived and died in the Old Coun- try. At about his fourteenth year he had com- pleted the learning of the same trade as his father, a carriage-maker, after which, in accord- ance with the custom of his countrymen, he traveled to improve his knowledge of the craft, a phase of intelligent life very interestingly set forth by the great Goethe in his immortal "Wilhelm Meister."

Having acquired whatever seemed necessary to thoroughly fit his genius to his life-work, he re- solved to come to the United States of America; so, in 1848, at the age of nineteen, he set sail from Bremen upon a passage which took forty- nine days in crossing to Baltimore, where he disembarked on the 6th of July, 1848. Presently he found employment at his old trade with a Mr. Bishop, with whom he remained for a time in mutual good-will. Anon, desirous to see more of the New World, and getting on famously with

the new language, he set out for Richmond, Vir- ginia, via the Natural Bridge, up to Abington, where he continued his trade for a season, or un- til the Ist of November, 1850. Thence, at that time, he proceeded to Kingston Springs, and by way of the Mississippi River as far south as New Orleans, directly returning as far north as this city, which he reached the last week in Decem- ber, 1850, and where for more than forty years he has continued uninterruptedly to reside, pros- pered, honored, and full of dignified interests in our midst.

Mr. Link is a very modest man, but in his craft it remains true that in the younger days he was the peer of any in our city, which is amply evidenced by some handiwork, so superior and excellent, that it raises a well-defined doubt as to whether there was any other here who at that time could have done so skillfully. In the lan- guage of the country whence he came to our shore, he was a master mechanic, a "turner" of rare ability. Among the things which came like magic from his deft touch were the following, which recur readily to the mind: A finely carved turnout for Governor Wise, of Virginia; the first hearse ever used in our city which had glass sides, made for Undertaker Gavin, before which they used a rough conveyance with a pall thrown over the coffin; and the first public hack ever con- structed here or seen upon our pioneer streets. Surely this is quite sufficient to establish Mr. Link's right to be remembered as one of the best "turners" who ever lived with us, and certain- ly the man who did the first really fine kind of work in several valuable lines.

For eleven years he was foreman for Richard

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FERDINAND LINK.

Biel, a carriage manufacturer on the West Side, who has now gone to the "bourne whenice no traveler returns." While working at his trade, Mr. Link also began to turn his attention to that source of financial wealth which has made most of our rich men, and that was to real-estate in- vestments; for never in the history of the world has there been so much money made in so short a time out of building sites as right here in our little Cook County, Illinois. Foreseeing himself what would certainly come of it, he began to make good moves in this direction as fast as he could get money to buy with. On State Street, near Chestnut, which for the greater part has been the locality of his winning moves, he purchased a piece of land and proceeded, in 1858, to put up some houses for rent. The results were gratify- ing from the start.

In the winter of 1864, in reduced health (ad- vised by his physicians to do so if he wished to prolong his life), he took his family and went to California. The route, before the days of the steam horse, was from New York City, via the West Indies and the Carribean Sea, to Aspinwall and Panama, and then by another line of steamn- ers to San Francisco, in which last city he stopped for some time, his condition being much amelior- ated by the salubrious climate, and his interest deeply aroused by the quaint customs of that strange new country, whose hills were inade of gold. For a season he sojournéd at Los Angeles (at a period prior to this of the fin de siecle), Alame- da, Warm Springs, and returned home in March, 1867, via Nicaragua and Greytown. Mr. Link's love of travel is remarkable, and his keenly- observing eyes, with the note-book which he invariably keeps, make it intensely interesting after long years to revisit with him in memorized record those scenes of former delights.

On his return he invested in more real estate near the site of his former possessions, and put up houses upon the same; then came the fire of 1871, that inighty holocaust which cost so many their entire fortunes, and did inestimable damage for a time to all our citizens, until returning courage resulted in rebuilding better than was ever dreamed of before. Mr. Link lost by this fire

seven houses, which shows that he had already grown to be quite a landlord. Nothing daunted, with that admirable energy which was so charac- teristic of the age, he mortgaged his land to set to work and build again, this time including the construction of a grocery store near the corner of State and Chestnut Streets, which he personally conducted up to the year 1882, when he finally retired from business, well intrenched in his fort- unes, with hosts of friends his genial, honest and frank nature had won him, for he never made an enemy in his life.

That he might spend his closing years "under his own vine and fig tree," he bought a fine lot at Number 76 Walton Place, overlooking the lake at its foot (and which now has within plain view the celebrated Newberry Library, since construct- ed, one of the famous libraries of the world), where he erected a commodious home, wherein the years pass by (when he is not in other scenes) like a dream of the fabled days of old.

In 1852, tired of single blessedness, Mr. Link took to his heart a wife (one of the most congen- ial, entertaining, whole-souled women in our whole city), Miss Mary Laux being her maiden name. She was born, like himself, in Germany, in the town of Losheim, County of Merzig, Province of Trier, West Prussia, it being territory formerly belonging to the French, and quite adjacent to the famous Alsace-Lorraine country of later years' contest. Her father, Peter Laux (coming of an old French family), had been a second orderly for the great Napoleon. At the battle of Leipsig, his horse being shot under him, he caught the horse of the first orderly, who had himself been killed, which was so bewildered by the fray and smoke of battle, that when soldat Laux, being ig- norant of the way to his troop, gave the horse his head, he dashed away into the very enemy's lines, where, by a singular mistake, a French flag, which had been captured, was handed him, he being taken for one of their own German forces. Thereupon, he put spurs to his horse and started like lightning away for the opposite side among his friends. His horse was shot by the volley sent after him, and he himself badly wounded in the leg, sustaining, besides several flesh wounds,

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FERDINAND LINK.

a fracture of the leg bone. Crawling under a corn stack, he managed to escape apprehension, and in this way was left for three days before be- ing rescued by his own men and taken to hospital to have his painful wounds dressed. In the mean time, however, he had crawled to the River Katz- back to bathe himself, and had kept the old flag, which later came safely into Napoleon's hands. This episode stamps him as a man not only of strong vitality, to withstand such suffering and hardships, but also as a heroic soul, of no common mould.

Mr. Laux, in 1840, took his wife and family, including those who were married, to America; and at this juncture befel a very pathetic scene. As they were about to leave France forever, the vessel bringing from St. Helena the remains of his old general, Napoleon, was coming into port. He wept like a child, and exclaimed, "Why art thou not alive, that I might again forsake my friends and family to follow thee?" With Barbara, his wife, he landed upon Chicago soil on the twenty- fifth day of August, 1840. They have both passed to their eternal rewards, for few of the older settlers are longer left to greet us.

Mrs. Link was born the twenty-fifth day of March, 1833, so that she began her blissful wed- ded life at the early age of nineteen. One child has blessed their union, Ferdinand Engene Link, who was born September 10, 1852. He leartied his trade of druggist with Mr. Van Derburg, and . went into the employ of Tollman & King, whole- sale druggists, with whom he still remains, his services being rewarded with the responsible po- sition of manager. He was married, in 1875, to Miss Marion Langdon of this city, by whom he has three children, Ferdinand (third), Marion and John.

Politically the subject of this sketch is a Dem- ocrat, not an office-seeker, nor fanatic in his views; locally, he invariably selects the best man, in his candid judgment, for support.

Physically Mr. Link is not a large man, but so engaging in manner that he seems to rise at times to the stature of a giant, as he graphically depicts interesting experiences he has passed through in his varied life of many vicissitudes.

He is one of the most unassuming, genial men it is one's good fortune to run across, hospitable and full of good parts. As an instance of the po- etic feeling of his soul (a thing somewhat rare in our crowding, rushing city), at an advanced age, he bought a fine piano, and started in to learn music. He progressed with such amazing rapidity that, although he had but six months' lessons, he really plays very well, and some difficult pieces of classical music, too. It is one of the proudest recollections of his experience that he was per- mitted, on a foreign tour, to play for a few mo- ments upon the piano of Frederick the Great, in the castle at Potsdam, during which exceptionally honored occasion he very touchingly ran through the pathetic bars of "Sad Thoughts of Thee." One can readily picture this inspiring incident, of one returning from a new country, full of honor and wealth, to the home of his nativity, to view for a season the place that gave him birth. Ah, it is a strange world we live in, and strange in- deed are the changes whichi come to us all!

The incident above related occurred upon his memorable tour of the continent in 1892, when he felt he must visit again the old endeared scenes of his boyhood. Not alone those, but France, Bel- gium and England were traversed; and if anyone donbts the good use our friend made of his sight, let him sit for a while listening to the "log book," as it has been the writer's privilege, and donbt would vanish before the perfect light of enrapt- ured conviction. It is understood that he is plan- ning another trip abroad for the near future, for he is an indefatigable traveler.

In closing, we must not forget to say, that as his earthly life has been correct, and his surround- ings beautiful and uplifting, so he has had the wise foresight to see to it that his remains after death may be in a temporary earthly mansion suitable to his wishes. In the family lot at St. Boniface Cemetery, he has finished the construc- tion of a family tomb, which for exquisiteness of design and perfection of execution is unsurpassed. There is no finer owned or erected in this city's places of burial. The exterior facades are of that handsome, durable stone, rock-faced, known as Blue Bedford; while the interior rises grace-

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W. W. PHELPS.

fully and without that sense of oppression so fre- quent in low-constructed burial places, being com- posed of English Channel fire brick and elegant imported Italian marbles. In the center rises the catafalque, which will one day contain the last mortal remains of our dear friend and his beloved

spouse. Each one has his themes of delight. Can there be a more beautiful wish than to lie securely safe after one's earthly existence is over, surround- ed by the beauties which, like the hills, pass not away until the judgment day?

WILLIAM W. PHELPS.

ILLIAM WALLACE PHELPS, one of and regard for each other, that the two men the earliest and most conscientious of our business men, was born at Conesville, Schoharie County, New York, June 17, 1825. His parents were George and Mary (Chapman) Phelps.

Being of the generation of self-made men, he started out with a clear, straightforward mind, aided by a common-school instruction, to do his life work as the Creator foresaw it would come to pass.

First in Oneida, at nineteen years of age, and elsewhere in his native State, he waited upon customers as a clerk behind merchants' counters, and in 1847 went to Catskill, Greene County, New York, to clerk for Potter Palmer. It is needless to add, he did his humble early duties as faith- fully and ably as he bore the later more hon- orable and distinguished burdens which time demonstrated he was more than equal to carrying.

Henceforth he was fated to join forces with that truly royal man, Potter Palmer, the bare mention of whose name thrills the listener with intense admiration, and conjures up in his mind the rapid achievement of our unrivalled city; in all and through all of which none has been more modestly conspicuous and helpful than Mr. Pal- mer. Along with Mr. Palmer, Mr. Phelps was mainly to work out his destiny. It was fitting, for they were brothers-in-law; and so long, un- ruffled and intimate were their inutual relations

actually grew more and more in personal appear- ance alike. One glance at Mr. Phelps' face, as the artist left it for our delight, and the lineaments of his "dear friend Potter" suggest themselves. Together they removed, in 1851, to Lockport, New York, there engaging in business for about one year only, for in 1852 they started resolutely for the then Far West, resting their weary limbs by the head of the beautiful Lake Michigan, in which place fortune had decreed they should win honorable names and a goodly portion of the desires of this life. One has quite finished his labors and is at rest above all earthly value. Soon the other will go to his comrade's side, while this scene shall know their presence no more; but history is the better, and future genera- tions, though they may 1ealize it not, will be the happier and better that two such American noble- men were among us in our infancy.

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Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1899, Part 38

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co. Number of Pages: 910

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 910