USA > Illinois > Cook County > Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1899 > Part 65
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Samuel Clausen was but two years old when he was carried by his parents across the Atlantic.
He first attended school in Hartford, and after the removal of the family to Chicago spent some years in the common schools of that city. His adventurous spirit then led him to the prairies of northwestern Iowa, where he assisted in herding cattle two years. He then returned to Chicago and during the next twelve months was employed by J. S. Ford, Johnson & Company, furniture dealers.
By this time his father had embarked in the dairy business and was able to give the son em- ployment. When the latter had reached the age of twenty years he was admitted as a partner, and this arrangement continued until 1893. In
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FREDERICK SCHULTZ.
that year the son entered the same line of busi- ness on his own account, and three years later, as has been before stated, bought out his father's business, and also his real estate. Samuel Clau- sen is at present conducting a constantly increas- ing business, and not only supplies a large retail trade with milk and cream, but also sells at wholesale to other dealers. He has four wagons, one of which is used in handling the wholesale department of his business. Coming as he does from a country that is proud of its dairies, it is no wonder that he takes pride in procuring for his customers the purest and freshest of products; and in this he has been invariably successful, as
is shown by his growing patronage among the best people of his portion of the city.
In 'October, 1893, the subject of this sketch was married to Miss Alice Wallace, who was born in Pennsylvania and is a daughter of Robert and Isabel (Heatly) Wallace, both natives of Scotland. Mrs. Clausen came to Chicago in 1892. She and her husband are the parents of two sons, Lawrence N. and R. Wallace Clausen. Mr. Clausen is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the National Union. He was president of the Chicago Milk Dealers Association three years, and is still a member of that organization.
FREDERICK SCHULTZ.
REDERICK SCHULTZ, one of Cook Coun- ty's self-made men, the well-known quarry- man of Lyons, was born in Saltzwedel, Prussia, November 28, 1835, and is a son of . August Schultz. He was left fatherless at the age of eleven years, to fight the battle of life with- out that guiding hand which is always the com- pass of a young man's character in later life. He was not daunted by the fact that he was thrown on his own resources, but began bravely and unflinchingly. He was first employed on a farm and later at any honest work that he could find. He was his mother's right hand helper un- til he reached his majority, when, in 1857, he came to America. He located in Lyons, Cook County, where he was employed in lime and stone quarries until 1861. June 24 of that year he en- listed in Company H, Fourth Illinois Cavalry, for three years. Owing to excessive losses in battle, and other causes, the regiment was reduced to three companies, and he was honorably dis- charged, July 5, 1862.
He returned to Lyons and resumed work in
the quarries. In 1870 he embarked in business for himself, having purchased his former em- ployer's quarry, which he has since successfully operated. He has taken out millions of cords of stone for use in building, lime, macadamizing, and other purposes. In 1868 Mr. Schultz was married to Emelie, daughter of George Vorass, of Proviso Township. She became the mother of six children: Ida (now deceased), Edward H., George (deceased), Fred C. (who served in Company H, Second Illinois Regiment, during the war with Spain), Emil A. and William G.
Mr. Schultz and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church of Riverside. He has been a trustee of Lyons Village most of the time since 1888, and highway commissioner since 1890. Since the year 1891 he has acted in the capacity of school director. He is an advocate of the principles and interests of the Republican party and uses his influence in favor of the party at all opportunities. Mr. Schultz is a refined, social gentleman, with an education in the ways of the world and its people.
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
Johns , Shortall
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J. G. SHORTALL.
JOHN G. SHORTALL.
OHN G. SHORTALL has been prominently connected with the history of Chicago for almost forty years. Especially has he been a leader in benevolent work and an influential patron of those arts which tend to elevate man- kind. Literature has found in him a friend, and along these various lines the efforts of Mr. Short- all have greatly promoted the best interests of this western metropolis. 1
Mr. Shortall was born in Dublin, Ireland, Sep- tember 20, 1838, and is a son of John and Char- lotte (Towson) Shortall. When the son was be- tween two and three years old, his parents emi- grated with their family to America, joining an elder branch long settled in New York. The only brother of our subject, Pierce S. Shortall, served continuously throughout the entire War of the Rebellion, as a member of a regiment of New York volunteers, until killed at the battle of Averasboro, North Carolina, in April, 1865.
After the death of his parents the subject of this sketch was employed by the late Horace Greeley, and the two or three years, 1852, 1853 and 1854, passed in the editorial rooms of the New York Tribune proved to be a period of ed- ucation that he feels he could in 110 way have dispensed with, for he was there brought in con- tact with the men who molded public opinion in those days, and the master minds of the age were often there present. In the summer of 1854, following the advice of Mr. Greeley, he came to the West, locating first in Galena, where he was engaged for a short time with the Illinois Central Railroad Company in the completion of the construction and survey work between Scales Mound and Galena. Going thence to Chicago,
in the late autumn of 1854, he was engaged for a few months upon the Chicago Tribune, and then withdrew to enter the office of J. Mason Parker, and incidentally the study of real-estate law and titles, which profession he has followed to the present time. At the time Mr. Shortall entered the office, Mr. Parker was engaged in the work of preparing the real-estate abstract books afterwards known as the Shortall & Hoard Abstracts, and which are now the prop- erty of the Title Guarantee and Trust Company, of which Mr. Shortall is a Director. Upon the completion of the books in 1856, he leased them and began the business of making abstracts and examining titles of real estate, which was then assuming great importance. He was among the first to reduce the details of that business down to the perfect and simple system of to-day, so that security in transferring real estate could be guaranteed. In October, 1871, the Great Fire swept over the city, and the county records were entirely destroyed. The volume of the abstract business had largely increased. At that time there were three abstract firms in Chicago, each of which saved a large part of its valuable records. It was soon found that while the most valuable portion of the abstract records were saved, not one set was entirely complete; and as it seemed very probable that difficulties and involvements would in consequence arise, the three firms decided that the public interests would be best served by a consolidation of all the evidences of title extant. This was done. Moneyed men relied upon the accuracy of the books and the skill and integrity of the owners, and, thus confident, loaned the hundreds of millions of dollars necessary to the
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J. G. SHORTALL.
rebuilding of the city. Mr. Shortall continued with his associates in the conduct of the business until 1873, when the property was leased to Messrs. Handy & Company, and Mr. Shortall retired from active participation in it, though still retaining his holdings and interest.
On the 5th of September, 1861, Mr. Shortall married Miss Mary Dunham Staples. They be- came the parents of one son, John L. Mrs. Shortall died in August, 1880. There are two grandchildren, Katherine and Helen.
Although he retired from private business, Mr. Shortall has been none the less active, for he has devoted his time and energies untiringly to matters pertaining to the welfare of the city, be- lieving a man's duty to his fellow-citizens to be continuous. For twenty-five years he has been devoted to the welfare of his townsmen, doing all in his power to aid in the promotion of the city's welfare, and imbued with an exalted pride in its progress. He is a constant patron of the fine arts, and was one of the Directors of the old Philhar- monic Society, and afterwards was President of the Beethoven Society, during almost its entire existence. He is also one of the honorary mem- bers of the Amateur Musical Club of this city. A writer of intelligence and force, he has made valuable contributions to papers and periodicals. His keen appreciation of the thoughts of master minds through all ages has led him to do much for literature. As a member of many organiza- tions, he has sought through them to influence public opinion in high and honorable channels. In 1880 he was appointed by the School Board one of the appraisers of the school property, and in 1886 was appointed Appraiser of School Lands by Mayor Harrison. In the appraisement of 1880, the application of the rental value to ma- terially aid in determining the value of realty was, it is believed, first introduced and applied as a system. It has since become almost universal. In 1883 Mr. Shortall was appointed a Director of the Chicago Public Library, served three terms as President, and conducted negotiations on be- half of the board which resulted in securing Dearborn Park as the site of the public library building and in the successful adjustment of all
opposing claims. Under his administration the plans of the superb new library building were se- lected under large competition, and the necessary appropriation of moneys made by the city. He was originally made a Director by Mayor Harrison and re-appointed by Mayors Harrison, Cregier and Washburn, successively, and still serves in that position. In politics he is independent. He has been connected with various reform movements in the city government, and the Municipal Re- form Club, which did such valuable service, and the Citizens' Association attest in their records his service and labors.
Of the Masonic fraternity, Mr. Shortall is an old, though no longer an active, member. In re- ligious belief he is an Episcopalian and formerly was a member of Trinity and Grace Episcopal Churches; but since the withdrawal of Professor Swing from the Presbyterian Church, and his organization of the "Central Church," he has been a regular attendant on its services.
Along few lines of work, however, has the name of Mr. Shortall become so widely known as through his connection with the Illinois Hu- mane Society. In 1869, one of its original or- ganizers, he became one of its Directors, and in May, 1877, was chosen President of that most commendable organization, to which position he has ever since been annually elected. He has earned the recognition and gratitude of the benevolent people of the city and State, for it is largely through his instrumentality, his business ability and legal acumen, as well as his industry and devotion, that the success of what is now one of the strongest forces of our social system was assured. Its beneficial results cannot be over- estimated. It was through his efforts that the society joined the protection of children to its work. Mr. Shortall called the American and Canadian societies for the prevention of cruelty together in 1877, and the American Humane As- sociation was thereupon organized in Cleveland, Ohio, in that year. In 1884 Mr. Shortall was elected its President, and again in 1892 and 1893. He is also an honorary member of the Pennsyl- vania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. During the World's Columbian Ex-
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J. A. MALTBY.
position, Mr. Shortall, as the Chairman of the Men's Committee on Moral and Social Reform of the Auxiliary Congresses, assisted in the noted work of that committee, and organized and con- ducted the Humane Congress in October, 1893, which was so successful. He also arranged the Humane exhibit of the American Humane As- sociation in the Liberal Arts Building, for which it obtained a reward, medal and diploma. Of social organizations not above mentioned, Mr. Shortall is a member of the Chicago Club, the Chicago Literary Club and the Algonquin Club
of Boston. If asked what is the controlling ele- ment in the life of Mr. Shortall, his many friends would undoubtedly respond,“ A sense of justice and kindness." A warm and sympathetic heart, which reaches out in charity and love to the worthy helpless, the suffering and the needy, has made his name synonymous with good works, yet it is but just to him to say that he does not seek the admiration of the public, and, were it pos- sible to do so, his works would be concealed from all save himself.
JASPER A. MALTBY.
EN. JASPER ADALMORN MALTBY, Jasper A., Elizabeth, Henry A., Matilda and one of the distinguished officers of the great Civil War, was born November 4, 1832, in Ashtabula, Ohio, and died December 12, 1867, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The Maltby family comes from England. The great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch settled in Ohio, being one of three brothers who came from England, the others settling, respectively, in New York and Baltimore. The Ohio and New York brothers left many descendants. David Maltby, a grand- son of one of these, was the father of Gen. Jasper A. Maltby.
David Maltby was an able attorney, and also a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church and an ardent churchman. He was a man of considerable local prominence in Ohio. He finally removed with a younger son to Texas, and died in Corpus Christi, in that State, at the age of seventy-eight years. His wife, Lucy Marsh, was a daughter of Dr. "Marsh, a prominent physician of Ohio. She died at Plymouth, in that State, and left three sons and two daughters, namely:
William. The last-named died in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he had been a noted editor, and was at one time publisher for the Emperor Maxi- milian. He was the author of a sketch entitled "Poor Carlotta," which was publislied immedi- ately after the death of the unfortunate Maxi- milian, and was received with much favor and widely copied. He was a Captain of Confederate artillery in the Civil War, and was captured dur- ing General Banks' expedition up the Red River. He was paroled, and a year later returned to Texas. His brother, Henry A., also a prominent newspaper man, now resides in Brownsville, that State. Elizabeth Maltby married Albert Barber, and is the mother of two sons, one of whom is a teacher in a college at Oberlin, Ohio. Matilda Maltby married Allen Barber, a brother of her sister's husband, and is now deceased, having left five children.
David Maltby and Sarepta Marsh, a sister of the wife of the former, were among the founders of Oberlin College, in which the latter taught many
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J. A. MALTBY.
years. Mrs. Lucy (Marsh) Maltby was also a teacher, as was her husband. She was a woman of rare character, and was highly reverenced by all who knew her, especially by her husband's family.
Jasper A. Maltby enlisted in the Mexican War at the age of sixteen years, and served gallantly, receiving a wound at the battle of Chapultepec. He came to Chicago in 1850, and a year later went to Galena, where he at once assumed promi- nence through his energy, ability and sterling character. Soon after taking up his residence there, he perfected the telescope sight for the rifle, which made his name famous. He was an ex- tensive dealer there in sporting goods.
He was associated with Gen. John E. Smith, now a resident of Chicago, in raising the famous " Washburne Lead Mine Regiment" for the Union army, which became the Forty-fifth Illi- nois, and within a short time after the fall of Fort Sumter it was in the field. Mr. Smith was elected Colonel of the regiment, and Mr. Maltby Lieutenant-Colonel, on the organization at Camp Douglas, in Chicago. The first action was at Fort Henry. At Fort Donelson, Colonel Maltby received a bad wound, and was carried to the hospital in the same ambulance with General Logan, who was struck about the same time. Immediately after the battle of Pittsburg Land- ing, Colonel Maltby was able to rejoin his regi- ment, which, as a part of Logan's division, participated in the marches, engagements and siege which led to the fall of Vicksburg.
Col. John E. Smith having been promoted for gallant conduct in battle, he was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Maltby, who led the charge at Fort Hill on the bloody 25th of June, 1863, receiving three wounds before gaining the coveted position. This was accomplished with great loss, and temporary breastworks were immediately thrown up to hold the ground. While Colonel Maltby was personally adjusting a heavy piece of timber for the protection of his sharpshooters, it was struck by a cannon ball. The shot passed close to his person, and the timber was shivered, hurling splinters in every direction. Three of these penetrated his body, making six wounds
which he suffered in that costly, but victorious, action. For his fearless and effective bravery, Generals Sherman and Logan sent a recommen- dation from the field that he be made a Brigadier- General, and President Lincoln forwarded his commission as such at once.
When the final entry was made into Vicksburg, the Forty-fifth Illinois led the way, with General Maltby's horse and trappings at its head. The General was also at the head of his regiment, but rode in an ambulance. The fight at Fort Hill was hand-to-hand, and the colors of the Forty-fifth were literally torn to tatters. General Maltby was mustered out January 16, 1866, and was soon thereafter made Military Mayor of Vicks- burg. He never recovered from his wounds, and died from their effects December 12, 1867, while still administering the office of Mayor. He was also operating a plantation, and kept a com- mission store in Vicksburg. He was held in the highest regard by the people of the conquered city, and was the idol of the colored people.
General Maltby was married at Galena, March 25, 1852, to Miss Malvina A. James, who sur- vives him, and now resides in Chicago. Besides his widow, he left a son, Henry Maltby, a journal- ist. Mrs. Maltby is a daughter of David James, a Sergeant under General Scott, who fought at Lundy's Lane in the War of 1812. Her mother, Catherine Jamieson, was the daughter of an Irish- man who was a famous distiller. He owned the ground in Canada where Tecumseh was killed. David James was a native of North Carolina, and his wife of Canada.
Many of the most noted military men of the war testified to General Maltby's great courage and moral worth, and the following extract from the Vicksburg Republican shows the estimation in which he was held by his erstwhile enemies:
"With an unfeigned regret, we announce the death of Gen. J. A. Maltby, the recently ap- pointed Mayor of this city. No northern man who has cast his fortunes with our people has commanded more respect from our citizens than General Maltby. As an officer of the United States army, he was humane to our people; as a citizen of Mississippi, he was kind in his social
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life and impartial in his official action. We sin- cerely sympathize with his bereaved family, and we believe they have the sympathy of the entire community.
"He met us upon the field of battle in aid of a
cause which he felt sacred, but, like a true soldier, he recognized the valor and honor of his enemy, and, when Peace spread her white wings over the land, all animosity was sheathed with his sword. Peace to the gallant soldier."
ALBERT B. CAPRON.
OL. ALBERT BANFIELD CAPRON, a member of the Chicago Board of Trade and a brave soldier of the Civil War, was born at Laurel, Prince George's County, Maryland, June 12, 1844. His father was Gen. Horace Capron, who went to Maryland when a young man and erected the Laurel Cotton Mills, whose product, the famous Laurel Cotton, was shipped to all parts of the world. His mother was Louise Snowden daughter of General Snowden, whose grandfather received a patent from the king for twenty thousand acres. His estate joined that of Charles Carroll, of Carrollton. Louise Snow- den was born July 3, 1811, and married Horace Capron June 5, 1834. She was a devout church- woman, and built the Episcopal Church of Laurel, which she gave to the people. Her life was full of kind deeds. She died March 27, 1849, mourned by the entire community. She left five children. Ad- aline, Horace, junior, Albert Banfield, Elizabeth Snowden, and Osmond Tiffany (the eldest child, Nicholas Snowden, died in infancy). The planta- tion on which their childhood was passed was known as the "Model Farm of Maryland," it being a pet scheme of General Capron to see to what a state of perfection that soil could be brought.
The genealogy of the family points to Ban- field Capron as the progenitor of those bearing the name in America. He was born in England, but was of French-Huguenot descent, and derived his Christian name from Lord Banfield of Eng- land. He came to America near the close of the seventeenth century and settled in Attleboro, Massachusetts, where he became the possessor of large estates. He was a man of marked ability,
both mental and physical, having great muscular development and wonderful powers of endurance. He lived to the age of ninety-two years, dying in 1752. He was twice married. His first wife was a Miss Callender, of Rehoboth, Massa- chusetts, daughter of a former neighbor in Eng- land. The second wife was Sarah Daggett. He was the father of twelve children. Jonathan, sixth child of Banfield Capron, married Rebecca Morse, and was the ancestor of the subject of this biog- raphy. His son, Jonathan, junior, married Alice Alden, a great-granddaughter of John Alden, of the Plymouth Colony. Elisha, another son of Jonathan Capron, married Abigail Makepeace, and they had nine children. The eldest son, Dr. Seth Capron, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Massachusetts, September 23, 1762, and married Eunice, daughter of Dr. Bezaleel Mann, of Attleboro, Massachusetts, a man of prominence as a physician and educator. Dr. Seth Capron served in the War of the Revolution. He enlisted March 31, 1781, and was first at- tached to General La Fayette's corps of light in- fantry. In 1782 he was transferred, and served until the close of the war as aide-de-camp on Gen- eral Washington's staff. He was a personal friend of General Washington, and commanded the barge which conveyed him to Elizabethtown Point, after he had taken leave of his army at New York at the close of the war. Immediately on returning home Dr. Setlı Capron began the study of medicine with Dr. Bezaleel Mann, an eminent physician of that period. I11 1806 he settled in Whitesboro, Oneida County, New York, where he practiced his profession.
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A. B. CAPRON.
Doctor Capron was a man of great enterprise and industry, and was possessed of large resources and fertility of commercial ideas. His name is identified with the history of the manufactures of the State of New York. He was the originator of the enterprise which, in 1807, resulted in the establishment of the "Oneida Factory," the first cotton-mill erected in the State of New York, followed shortly by the "Capron Factory," of New Hartford. In 1809 he organized a com11- pany and established the "Oriskany Woolen Factory," the first woolen factory ever erected in the United States. Another enterprise of which he was the originator was the importation from Spain of the first Merino sheep ever introduced into Oneida County.
In 1825 he removed to Orange County, and with his son, Capt. Seth Capron, established the beautiful manufacturing town of Walden, on the Walkill, where he died September 8, 1835. Dr. Seth Capron had six children. Gen. Hor- ace Capron, father of Albert B. Capron, was the fourth son. He was born August 31, 1804, in Attleboro, Massachusetts, and died at the Na- tional Capital on Washington's birthday, 1885. His death was caused by exposure at the dedica- tion of the Washington Monument the day before, on which occasion he and the orator of the day, Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, were among the few survivors of those who officiated at the laying of the corner-stone, forty years before, when he commanded the cavalry which took part in the ceremony.
General Capron was connected with the army many years before the outbreak of the Civil War. For seven years he was stationed in Texas, hav- ing charge of the Indians under the War Depart- ment. After the removal of these Government wards to the Indian Territory he came to his farm in Alden, Mc Henry County, Illinois, to which, a few years previously, he had moved his family and valuable stock from Maryland. He married Miss Margaret Baker, of New York City, and now settled down to the agricultural pursuits of which he was so fond. His beautiful farm of a thousand acres was conducted on principles so superior to anything then dreamed of in this part
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