USA > Illinois > Clay County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 32
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 32
USA > Illinois > Marion County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 32
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He takes great pride in his military life rity and kind heartedness.
and relates his battery was nearer the en- emy's works than any other battery of the siege, which occupied forty-two days. He was Chief of Artillery on the staff of Gen- eral Lauman, Gen. Crocker Gresham, Logan, and was Chief of Staff of General Ranson at Natchez.
He was also in the southwestern cam- paign and the battles subsequent to that. He was mustered out at Memphis, Tennessee, December 31, 1864. After the close of the war Doctor Rodgers located in Patoka, where he has practiced his profession ever since.
Doctor Rodgers was united in marriage on November 3, 1848, with Mary K. Chiell, daughter of Casper Chiell. He has four children living, also fourteen grandchildren,
and seven great-grandchildren. Mrs. Rod- gers was called from her earthly labors at the age of seventy-two years.
In politics our subject is a loyal Repub- lican, and he has ever taken a great interest in public affairs, having made his influence felt for the good of his community in many ways and served in a most able manner as postmaster and also Mayor of Patoka; in fact, he might be called the father of this town. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and has been commander of the local post. In his fraternal relations he is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the lodge at Jacksonville, Illinois. No man in this part of Marion county is better or more favorably known than he, known for his professional skill, his public spirit, his integ-
ADAM H. BACHMANN.
The United States can boast of no better or more law-abiding class of citizens than the great number of German people who have found homes within her borders. Though holding dear and sacred the beloved mother country, they are none the less de- voted to the fair country of their adoption. Among this class is the subject of this sketch, who for a number of years has been one of the foremost citizens of Marion county, Illinois, where he has labored not only for his own advancement, but also for the good of the community, his efforts hav-
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ing been amply repaid with abundant finan- cial success and the esteem of his fellow men.
Adam H. Bachmann, the well known and popular president of the Salem National Bank, was born in Saxony, Germany, No- vember 28, 1845, the son of George Bach- mann, a man of sterling qualities, who was also a native of Germany, and who died there in 1860. The mother of the subject was known in her maidenhood as Mocklin Sputh, also of the Fatherland, who was called to her rest in 1866. Of the six chil- dren born to the elder Bachmann, there are living the following in 1908: Mrs. Lizzie Sputh and Ernest Bachmann, both of Ger- many, and the subject of this sketch. These children received every care and attention possible by their parents who were people of industry and uprightness.
Adam H. Bachmann left Germany in March, 1866, landing in America the fol- lowing April, having barely attained his ma- jority. He had received eight years of schooling in his native land, receiving a fairly good education for he was an am- bitious lad and diligently applied himself to his school-books and this careful founda- tion has since been greatly strengthened and built up through his contact with the world and his habits of home reading, so that Mr. Bachmann's conversation is at once learned, interesting and instructive. Our subject lo- cated at Lebanon, Illinois, shortly after coming to the New World, where he worked as a cabinet maker. In the spring of 1868, he came to Salem, this state, and
engaged in the furniture business with which he has since been identified, and which was a successful venture from the first and by reason of the subject's careful attention to duty, his natural ability as a far- sighted and cautious business man, coupled with his kind and courteous treatment of customers, his trade has gradually grown all these years, his place of business being generally known as one of the safest, most reliable as well as up-to-date furniture estab- lishments in this locality. After building the business up to its present high state of effi- ciency, Mr. Bachmann turned it over to his two sons, Frank and Charley, both very able and progressive young men, who are con- ducting a modern and well stocked store, being numbered among the leading young business men of the county, to whom the fu- ture holds unbounded success and honor, since they are not only young men of sound business principles, but also of the finest personal traits.
Mr. Bachmann was united in marriage November 15, 1868, to Mary Alkire, the representative of a highly respected and influ- ential family of Lebanon, Illinois, who was born in Pennsylvania. Eleven children have been born to the subject and wife, seven of whom are living at the time of this writing. 1908, named in order of their birth, as fol- lows : Mrs. Lizzie Kolb, of Lebanon, Illinois ; Frank, of Salem, this county; Mrs. Amy Stonecipher, also of Salem; Maud, living at home: Charley, Adam H., Jr., and Paulina, all live with their parents in Salem.
Mr. Bachmann deserves much credit for
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the well defined success he has attained since casting his lot among Americans, partly be- cause he has been the architect of his own fortunes, beginning his business career ab- solutely empty-handed, and with no one to encourage or assist in any way, and partly because he has made his competency by hon- est, straight-forward business methods that no one can question. When he first landed on our shores he had a capital of only three cents and today he is the wealthiest man in Marion county. He had the insight, the rare sagacity and perceptive instinct to grasp situations as they arose and the splen- did business acumen to turn seeming ob- stacles into ultimate sucess. Such men are born leaders in the financial world and they are not any too frequently met with.
Mr. Bachmann is president of the Salem National Bank, president of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank at St. Peter, Illinois; besides being an extensive land owner, hav- ing nine large farms in Marion county. They are all very valuable, well drained, se- curely fenced, the soil being highly produc- tive and the buildings on each modern and convenient. Besides these he has much other real estate. Also owns about as much prop- erty in East St. Louis as he has here. Mr. Bachmann has large property interests at Mattoon and Oakland, this state. His large real estate holdings and financial loans oc- cupy the major part of his time and atten- tion, however, he finds time to assist in for- warding any movement for the betterment of his community. In fact, he is a pioneer in the development and progress of Marion
county. He came to Salem, when there was only one brick house here, but he had the sagacity to note the possibilities in the place and soon decided to cast his lot here with the result that he has benefited not only himself, but also the entire community, more, perhaps, than any other man has done or is likely to do in the years to come. In other words, the wonderful things that the future held seemed to be within Mr. Bach- mann's horoscope, and he began on the ground floor, developing with the country, which is wonderfully rich in resources and possibilities. While Mr. Bachmann has been too busy to devote much time to polit- ical matters, never having entertained an ambition for political preferment, he has ever assisted in any way he could the de- velopment of the community whether polit- ical, educational, moral or civic. and he did much in making the city a clean and de- sirable place in which to live, principally while ably serving it as Alderman. In his fraternal relations our subject is a Mason.
The Bachmann residence, which is one of the finest, most modern, substantial and beautiful in Salem, is elegantly furnished and a place where the many friends and ad- mirers of this popular family delight to gather, being presided over with rare grace and dignity by the subject's wife who is a charming hostess, congenial and talented.
Mr. Bachmann is a pleasant man to meet, jovial, and at all times agreeable, never pompous or phlegmatic. His is a well rounded character, in which the different in- terests of life are given their due proportion
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of attention. One line of thought or work to the exclusion of all others produces an abnormal development and makes the in- dividual narrow in his views of life. Mr. Bachmann has never followed such a course for while giving his chief attention to his business, as do the majority of men, he finds time and opportunity to take an in- terest in matters pertaining to the progress and growth of his county, state and nation, and to mingle with his friends, enlarging the circle of his acquaintance and broaden- ing his mind through the interchange of thought with others.
E. LOUIS BLEDSOE.
The names of those men who have dis- tinguished themselves through the posses- sion of those qualities which daily contrib- ute to the success of private life and to the public stability and who have enjoyed the respect and confidence of those about them, should not be permitted to perish. Such a one is the subject of this review, one of the leading lumber dealers in Marion county.
E. L. Bledsoe, president of the Bledsoe Lumber Company, of Salem, was born in Bradford, Indiana, in 1858. His father was William J. Bledsoe, a native of Tennessee, who came to Indiana when a young man. He was a United Brethren minister. Wil- liam J. Bledsoe was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil war, having been a member of the Thirty-seventh Iowa Volun-
teer Infantry. He died in a hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, from illness contracted while in line of duty. Two sons, William J., Jr., and James W., were also in the army, having enlisted in Company H, Twenty- fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. They fought side by side in twenty-seven battles. Both re-enlisted after their time was up and served until the close of the war. James W. was wounded twice. Both' were with Sherman on his famous march to the sea. They are both living. The father died May 5, 1867.
The mother of the subject was Martha Ridgeway, a native of Chillicothe, Ohio, who married the subject's father in Franks- ville, Indiana. She was a woman of many fine traits and was called to her rest in 1883 while living at Rock Island, Illinois. The following children were born to this union : James W., of Rock Island; William J. Jr., also of Rock Island; George B. died at Rock Island in 1906; J. P., of Davenport, Iowa; E. L., our subject; Frank A., of Rock Is- land; Mark S., of St. Louis; Mattie J., who is a physician located at Chickasha, Okla- homa. Our subject was taken to Iowa by his parents when about three years old. The family located at Washington, but most of the subject's boyhood was spent in Mar- shall. He received only a common school education, his course of study being inter- rupted by reason of the fact that his father frequently moved from town to town in car- rying on his ministerial work, but he is a well educated man, nevertheless, having gained it first handed from the world.
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Mr. Bledsoe has been twice married, first in 1876 to Minnie Dizotell, of Eldon, Iowa, the ceremony having been performed in that city. She was born in Canada. Her father was of French lineage and her mother was Irish. After bearing the subject one child, she was called to her rest in 1901 at St. Louis, Missouri. The child born to this union is Truman C. Bledsoe, manager of the Bledsoe-McCreery Lumber Company, of St. Louis. He married Stella Farrell, of that city, and they are the parents of two children, Barbara Louis, and Truman C., Jr. The subject was married in 1903, his second wife being Lillie Mattox, of Terre Haute, Indiana. One son has blessed this union, Maurice William, who was born on September 2, 1904.
The following history of Mr. Bledsoe's railroad career, which forms the lengthiest and one of the most important chapters in his life history, is based on a sketch which the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway system issued in book form, containing a history of the road's representative em- ployes, which article shows the high regard this company had for Mr. Bledsoe.
When only a lad of fifteen our subject began working as a water boy for Howell's corps of engineers in 1870. A survey was then being made from Washington, Iowa, to Princeton, Missouri, the line being an ex- tension of the Chicago and Southwestern Railway, which was later absorbed by the "Rock Island System." The lad was famil- iarly known as "Squire," which soubriquet has clung to him through life. He worked
his way to more important positions in this corps, having remained with them until the survey was completed and the corps was disbanded at Princeton. Our subject thẹn returned to Eldon, Iowa, to which point his mother had moved during his absence. In the fall of 1872 he determined to become a brakeman, to which idea his mother strong- ly protested, arguing that such a life was too hazardous for her son to undertake, but the son began his career as head brakeman on a very cold night the following winter, his duties being partly to watch for dangers ahead and to watch the lights on the ca- boose. The rear cars had broken loose on this particular occasion and were running down grade as if about to crash into the section of the train ahead. There were no air brakes on freight trains at that time, and the old square draw bar was danger- ous and hard to handle. It was up grade and down grade from Eldon to Washing- ton, but the boy stuck faithfully at his post and all came out well, and from that night of somewhat exciting initiation to the last one on which he pulled the brakes, he proved loyal to his trust, having laid off only about ten days during his entire service. Mr. Bledsoe was a model young man and soon all who formed his acquaintance learned to admire him, and up to this writing. 1908, not a drop of intoxicating liquor has ever touched his lips or a profane word ever passed them, and up to the time of the death of his first wife he had never used tobacco, but since that time he has been accustomed to smoke, having been greatly shocked at
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her demise from which he has never fully pany. He remained with that company for regained his former vivacity. His word four years, during the latter part of which he was inspector of all the company's cars entering St. Louis. He had the distinction of placing in the union station at St. Louis the first Pullman vestibuled train, it being under his personal inspection. He subse- quently resigned this position to accept an offer from the Huttig Sash & Door Com- pany, of St. Louis, and in 1900 he was trav- eling representative of this firm in southern Illinois. He remained with this firm for eighteen years, during which time he ren- dered them services of the most efficient type and was the cause of their business rapidly increasing. And during his long services with the above mentioned companies he was held in the highest esteem by his employers who placed in him implicit confidence and had unqualified faith in his ability and in- tegrity. has always been as good as his note and he has been all his life an exemplary character, which is the result of careful teachings by a Christian mother. He has always been a modest and retiring man, unassuming and never in the least pompous or found seek- ing notoriety, according to the friends who know him best. He has always been cool and calculating and this fact has doubtless saved him accidents while in the railway service, however, death stared him in the face twice during his service on the road; once when he was assisting the fireman in taking coal at Perlee, Iowa, he was caught between the cob and the apron of the schute, but the engineer, Frank Hudler, prevented the accident. At Washington, Iowa, while making a coupling he was pressed into a very close place by the giving way of a draw bar, but the rear car received the impact and Mr. Bledsoe came to Salem, this county, in 1904 and organized lumber companies here and at Sparta, Illinois, known as the Bledsoe Company, retail yards, wholesale; the Bledsoe-McCreery Lumber Company, being interested in all of them, and by reason of his knowledge of this line of business and his reputation for square dealing, coupled with his courteous manners, he has built up a very extensive business throughout this local- ity which is constantly growing. In his fra- ternal relations our subject is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He also belongs to a lumber dealers' association, the Con- catentated Order of Hoo-Hoo, and both Mr. and Mrs. Bledsoe are members of the rebounded away preventing an accident. In due time Mr. Bledsoe was promoted for his faithful service and wore the badge of con- ductor. When he resigned it was after nine years of freight runs on the first Iowa di- vision of the southwestern branch of the Rock Island System, his resignation taking place in 1881, which was tendered for the purpose of retiring permanently from rail- road life, but he was induced to accept a po- sition on the St. Louis division of the Chi- cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, with which he remained for three years, and then resigned to accept a position as sleeping car conductor for the Pullman Palace Car Com-
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Christian church, and they are among the popular and highly respected residents of Salem.
SILAS CLOUD.
Among the venerable and highly re- spected citizens of Denver township, Rich- land county, Illinois, who deserve special mention in a work of this character, is Silas Cloud, for his life has been one of consecu- tive and honest endeavor, resulting in good both to himself and family and those of his community, which he has seen develop through all its stages.
Silas Cloud was born in Clinton county, Ohio, January 7, 1833, the son of Henry and Anna (Laymon) Cloud, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of North Car- olina. They were married in Ohio, settling on a farm in Clinton county soon after- ward, where they remained until the death of the subject's father, which occurred in 1835, when Silas was two years old. Henry Cloud was not fifty years old when he died. He is buried in the old Masonic cemetery at Lynchburg, Ohio. His widow remained on the farm in Clinton county until about 1850. The subject was then seventeen years of age. Mrs. Henry Cloud was re- married, her second husband being Chris- tian M. Foster, who was also a native of North Carolina. They both remained in Clinton county the remainder of their lives, the subject's mother dying first in 1880, when nearly seventy years of age. She is
buried in the same cemetery with her first husband. Her second husband survived her about three years. No children were born to them. The subject's father and mother were the parents of seven children, all boys but one, all of whom grew to ma- turity, Silas being the sixth child in order of birth.
Silas Cloud's early education was ob- tained in the common schools of Clinton county, Ohio, having first attended a select school and later a free school in the days when pupils sat on rude benches, which were usually too high for the feet to touch the floor. He did not get much education until after he became of age, then he fitted himself for a teacher which profession he followed with much success for a period of twenty-eight years. The subject remained at home with his mother until his marriage on October 26, 1860, to Mary E. Montgom- ery in Clinton county, Ohio, in which place she was born, November 11, 1839, the daughter of William and Mary Ann (Ex- tel) Montgomery, both natives of New Jer- sey, the father of Irish descent. Mrs. Cloud's parents were married in New Jer- and moved to Ohio, buying a farm in Clin- ton county, upon which they lived the re- mainder of their lives, Mr. Montgomery dying in 1867, at the age of seventy years, and Mrs. Montgomery survived until 1884, dying at the age of eighty-one years. Both are buried in the Masonic cemetery at Lynchburg, Ohio. They were the parents of twelve children, ten of whom grew to maturity, two having died in infancy, the
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subject's wife was the eighth child in order of birth. Mrs. Cloud attended the common schools in Ohio. When she and the subject were married they rented a farm in Clinton county, Ohio, where they lived a few years, the subject farming during the summer months and teaching school in the winter. In September, 1863, they moved to Illinois, settling in Richland county, where they bought a sixty acre farm of unimproved land in Denver township, forty acres being on the prairie and twenty acres in timber. He at once erected a log house and other similar buildings, making rapid and exten- sive improvements and later buying an ad- joining farm of forty acres. They finally owned a substantial frame dwelling. Mr. Cloud taught school during the winter months in Richland county. In 1873 they sold their principal farm and moved to the eighty acres upon which they have since re- sided. It is now well improved and nearly all under cultivation. Mr. Cloud at one time owned one hundred acres of good land in Denver township, but he has since sold twenty acres of timber land, now owning eighty acres of improved land. He has never lived out of Denver township since coming to Richland county in 1863. Al- though both Mr. and Mrs. Cloud have seen may years of hardship and privation during their lives, their old age is comfortable and happy. They have always worked hard and have been successful. Mr. Cloud's record as a farmer is worthy of praise, but that of school teacher is especially worthy of commendation, for it covers a long
stretch of time, twenty-eight years in Ohio and Illinois, and twenty-six years without missing a year. After he had taught two years he attended college in Lebanon, Ohio, for two years. He intended teaching for thirty years, but thought it advisable to give it up on account of trouble with his eyes. He won a wide reputation as an able edu- cator and his services were in great demand.
To Mr. and Mrs. Cloud six children have been born, three of whom grew to maturity, only two of them now living. They are: Ida, deceased; John L., living; William Henry, deceased; Thomas W., deceased ; Albert, deceased; Wylie L., living. John is single and is living at home with his par- ents. Wylie, who is also single, is engaged in the laundry business in Chicago where he has lived for eight years.
In his fraternal relations Mr. Cloud be- longs to the Lynchburg lodge, No. 151, In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, at Lynch- burg, Ohio, where he joined in 1855, in which order he has passed through all the chairs in the subordinate lodge. He has also been a member of various other secret orders, such as the Illinois Grange, and the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association. In politics he is a Republican, and once ran for the office of County Treasurer on the Farm- ers' Mutual Benefit Association ticket in his county. He has been treasurer of the Com- mission of Highways for sixteen years in Denver township, which position he has very faithfully filled. He now holds the office of School Trustee, and he has been president of the School Board for nearly
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RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
thirty years. Mr. and Mrs. Cloud are Stevenson township, May 14, 1852. John members of the Methodist church at Marion W. Larimer's father was Smith Larimer, a native of Ohio who came to Marion county, this state, about 1846. He devoted his life very largely to agricultural pur- suits. He was elected Treasurer and As- sessor of Marion county, serving twelve years with great satisfaction to his constitu- ents. He moved to Salem in 1858. He was a loyal Democrat and was elected to office on this ticket. The offices of Treasurer and Assessor were conducted as one at that time. Smith Larimer died in Salem in 1887, at the age of seventy-six years, after a use- ful and very active life. Robert Larimer, grandfather of the subject, was a native of Ireland who emigrated to America when a boy, devoting his life to the farm. He lived to be an old man. chapel in Denver township. Mr. Cloud has been active in church work and in the duties of the same for many years, having been a member of the church for thirty years. He has been steward and recording steward for twenty-five years, having never missed but one meeting during that time. He has been superintendent of the Sunday school for the past fifteen years. He is now one of the trustees of Marion chapel, also trustee of the parsonage of the circuit. Mr. Cloud has now reached the age of seventy-six years, ad he has always been blessed with good health, now being hale and hearty for one of his age. His good life companion is now sixty-nine years old and she has not enjoyed her usual splendid health for the past few years. They are a fine old couple and ad- mired by all Denver township and sur- rounding country for their lives of whole- some influence and their kindness of heart, and for the great good they have accom- plished in material, educational and re- ligious work.
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