USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 30
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 30
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 30
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William was married in this county to Nancy McLin, born in Morgan county, where she was reared and educated. She has lost her parents, the mother dying in Morgan county, at the age of forty, the father in Cass county, aged sixty years, having always been a farmer by occupation.
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Mr. and Mrs. Coleman are the parents of five children, yet living; four are deceased; those living are: Ellen M., wife of Perry Davis, a farmer of Virginia; Charles E., at home helping ou the farmn; Edgar, John and Arthur, all at home on the farm.
Mrs. Coleman is a member of the Methi- odist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Coleman is a sound Republican. He has been very active in local politics, and once run for County Com- missioner, running ahcad of his ticket several hundred votes. He and his wife are good, hard- working people and are justly entitled to the success they have attained.
IDNEY J. HOOD, of the firm of Al- lard & Hood, publishers and editors of The Evening Star and The Star of the West of Beardstown, was born in Spring Grecn, Sauk county, Wisconsin, October 10, 1864. He was reared and educated at that place and acquired a knowledge of the carpenter and mason trades, but later went into the newspaper business. His father, Captain Thomas R. Hood, came from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin when a small child with his par- ents, Moses and Sarah Hood, natives of Penn- sylvania, but who died in Wisconsin. Thomas R. Hood grew up as a farmer and carpenter, and when the war broke out he en- listed in the Sixthi Wisconsin Regiment Light Artillery as a volunteer and served three and one half years, and was honorably discharged as Captain of his company. He had led his men through the battles of Corinth, Shiloh and other active engagements, and was innch' beloved by the members of his company. He had married Eliza A. Seiders, daughter o Joseph and Elizabeth (Keifer) Seiders. They had come West at a very early day, settling
in Sauk county on Government land, and the same on which Joseph Seiders and wife lived and where Mr. Seiders died, a very old inall, in the spring of 1888. His wife, who is yet living, at the age of eighty, is yet very active and interested in her surroundings. She and her husband were members of the United Brethren Church.
Our subject is the second of three children, and since his thirteenth year he lias supported. himself. At the age of seventeen years he began work at his native home at Spring Green on a paper known as the Weekly Home News. He has always regarded these early days in Spring Green as the palmy days of his life as well as of his newspaper work. lu 1889 he came to Arenzville, Cass county, Illinois, and started the Arenzville Argus, and at the same time the Chapin Boomerang, and ran the papers for about sixteen months, when lie sold out and came to Beardstown, wherc lie has since lived. For some time, also, he was a worker on the Laramie (Wyoming) Sen- tinel, Bill Nye's old "first love." The first issue of the Daily Star took place March 7, 1892; present firm was started February 24, 1892. Both the daily and weekly papers are very prosperous. Mr. Hood is a very ener- getic man, and being a practical printer under- stands thoroughly the management of a news- paper.
Mr. Hood is still unmarried. He is an ardent Republican.
AD ALLARD, the present Postmaster of Beardstown, and editor and proprietor of the Star of the West, was born in Virginia, Illinois, August 31, 1854. His father was Dr. L. S. Allard, one of the pioneer physicians and druggists of Cass county, and
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was one of the most forcihle political writers of Central Illinois. He started and conducted for many years the Cass County Courier and was an active worker in politics. He served his country in the war of the Rebellion, enter- ing it as a Captain and coming out a Colonel; also in the Mexican war as a Lieutenant. He is a Republican and is now a resident of Hot Springs, Arkansas. His mother was a Miss Sarah F. Payne, of Lexington, Kentucky, and is yet living. The complete history of Beards- town could not he given without a brief men- tion of the paper known as the Weekly Star of the West, a strong Republican paper, and the Evening Star, which is neutral. The ener- getic editor and proprietor, whose name heads this article, is entitled to the credit of making a success of a daily in so small a city and a weekly paper which is read by an intelligent public throughout a wide territory. The daily Star is but one year old, but has already won the confidence of the people. The Weekly Star has had an existence since 1888, and is now one of the leading Republican sheets of the West. It has just moved into elegant new quarters on Main street, with editorial and counting room on the ground floor. The editor liandles cvery subject ahly and without fear or favor; he is a practical newspaper man, a strong and forcible writer; and his life from the time he was fourteen has been spent in newspaper work. He began work in his father's office in Virginia, Illinois, from whom in 1872 lie leased it. Young Allard ran this paper for some time and then took a partner named Mat. Summers, chang- ing the name of the paper to the Virginia Gazette. His health failing he went to Ar- kansas and took charge of the Fort Smith New Era, then the property of the United States Marshal of Western Arkansas and the Indian Territory, which was the oldest and
first Republican paper of the State. Two years after he went to Hot Springs, where for six years hie ran a paper called the Daily News. There he lost his wife and soon after closed ont his interests and went to Kansas thence he returned to Cass county, where he has made some grand strides forward, not only as a newpsaper man but as a local politician. His mode of handling the tariff question has at- tracted attention, and at the late State Con- vention, at which he was a delegate, lie was one of the committee selected to draft the platform, which was accepted without a change or objection. He is the present treasurer of the Illinois Republican Press As- sociation, and is a leading member of the K.of P., Beardstown Lodge, No. 207. It is worthy of remark that he is a newspaper man who neither drinks, smokes nor chews.
He was first married to Libbie Peak, who died at Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was married a second time May 20, 1890, to Miss Annie Jockisch, a well known young lady of Beardstown, who was reared and educated in this city, and is especially skilled in music. Her father is William Jockisch, a retired farmer and one of the directors of the Fourth National Bank. Beardstown society would not he complete without them.
OSEPH BRIAR, one of the old settlers of Hickory precinct, Cass county, Illi- nois, was horn in Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- vania, February 3, 1823, son of James Briar, a native of Ireland. His grandparents were born in Ireland, of Scotch ancestry, and spent their entire lives in their native land. James Briar was reared and inarricd in Ireland and came to America about 1815. He first lived in New York city and afterward in Phila-
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delphia, Baltimore and Pittsburg. He was a contractor on Government works, and while in New York city was engaged in building liglithouses in New York harbor. Subse- quently he was one of the contractors on the building of the State prison at Allegliany. In the fall of 1836 he came to Illinois. He spent the winter at Beardstown, during which time he looked around for a location suitable for a home, and in the spring entered a tract of Government land in the Sangamon river bottoms. As there were no improvements on his land, he rented an improved farnı east of Virginia, and a part of the family settled on that farm while the rest took up their abode on the land he had entered, and at once began its improvement. He resided on this place until his death, February 22, 1844. The maiden name of his wife was Mary Davis. She was born in Ireland, and died on the home farm. They reared nine children.
Joseph Briar was thirteen years old when he came to Illinois with his parents. There were no railroads in this State at that time, and their removal was made via the Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois rivers, landing at Beardstown November 19. Beardstown was then a small place, but was the market and depot for supplies for many miles around. Central Illinois was sparsely settled and much of the land still owned by the Govern- ment, while in the northern part the surveys were yet incomplete. Deer, wild turkeys, prairie chickens, and other game abounded. He resided with his parents till attaining his majority, when he settled on the farm he now owns and occupies. This place is located on section 4, township 18, range 10, and includes 1223 acres of the best of Sangamon river bottom land. He has erected a nice set of frame buildings and enjoys all the comforts of a pleasant liome.
In 1847 Mr. Briar married Mary A. Harris, a native of England, who came with her parents to Cass county when she was a girl. She died in 1853, and the following year he married Eliza Smith, a native of New York State. There are two children living by the first marriage: Martha J. and Emily D. Of the seven children born by his present wife, four are living: Joseph, Harry, Frank and Annie. Lillie, Bertie and Effie are deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Briar are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
ENRY C. KORTE, general farmer of section 4, township 17, range 11, was born in Knrhessen, Germany, January 2, 1840. He grew up at home, and in 1855 came to this country with his parents and three children. They set sail from Bremen, Hanover, on a sailing vessel, landing after an eight weeks' voyage on the vessel Oldenburg in Baltimore, and from there by railroad to Springfield, Illinois, and from there by wagon to Beardstown, Cass county. The father, Conrad, started a blacksmith shop, that being the trade he learned in Germany and carried it on for twenty years, dying at the age of seventy-six. He was a good worthy citizen and a member of the Lutheran Church. He was a Democrat in politics. His wife survived him about ten years and died at the age of seventy-two. She was also a Lutheran. Her maiden name was Christina Meyer. Henry, a sister, Mrs. Sophia Krohe, and a half sister, Mrs. Catherine Fisclier, are the surviving meinbers of the family.
Mr. Henry Korte began here as a poor mnan and worked as a farm laborer, beginning for himself in 1863, having been in the county since 1856. He purchased his first
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land in 1889. He has a fine farm in the sec- tion where he lives.
He was married in this connty to Wilhel- mina Krohe, born, reared and_educated in Cass county, near the farin where she now lives. She is the daughter of August and Christine (Jokisch) Krohe, natives of Ger- many who had come to America when young and single, and were married in Cass county, where they made their home, the mother dy- ing in 1889, aged over seventy. Mr. Krohe is still living in this county and is eighty years old. He and his family were always Lutherans and Mr. Krohe continues in the faith of his youth.
Mrs. Korte is one of seven children, being the third, and has been a good and faithful wife and mother. She has borne her hus- band four children: Albert H., married Mary Hessler of this county, and they live on Mr. Henry Korte's farm; Arthur G., single and a farmer on his own account, living at home; Edward, at home assisting his father; and Amelia, at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Korte, with their family, are Lutherans, and Mr. Korte and his sons are all Democrats. They are worthy good people.
*0
ENRY W. MEYER, a successful farm- er and stock raiser of section 7, town- ship 18, range 11, was born near Arenz- ville, this county, in 1853, December 26. He is the younger of the children, Fred and Catherine Meyer, the latter now deceased and the former yet living (see biography). Henry is the only one of the family who was born in the county. He was reared and educated in his native county. He has a farm of 133 acres, all well stocked. He has farmed it on his own account for thir-
teen years. He has spent liis entire life in this county, as a farmer on his father's homestead. He also has sixty acres in another part of the county, of which part is under the plow.
He was married in this county, near where he now lives, to Minnie Kloker, of Cass county, born March 6, 1858. She was reared and educated in her native county, where she spent the remainder of her short life, dying at her home at the age of thirty-four, June 28, 1891. She was a good wife and mother, and her loss was deeply felt not only by her sorrowing family, but by all who knew her. She had been a member of the Lutheran Church since early girlhood. She was the mother of four children: Irvin E., Fred W., Lewis W., Rudolph J .; and they are all deceased excepting the youngest. Be- sides, the parents have adopted a girl, named Nora M. Mr. Meyer has reason to be proud of his children and his record here in the county, where he has always been a good, true citizen, a faithful member of the Lu- theran Church and a staunch Republican.
ENRY J. SCHROEDER, one of the old and well known contractors and builders of Beardstown, was born in the kingdom of Hanover, Germany, in 1833. His father, Fred Schroeder, had always been a farmer, and he died when about 74 years of age, at Beardstown, and his wife died some time later, aged seventy-eight. The family came to the United States in 1844, and came straight to Beardstown upon landing in New Orleans. They came by the usual route up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, and from there up the Illinois river to their destina- tion. Henry was a boy of eleven when he
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came to this city, and has since made it his hoine. He grew up, learning the trade of carpenter, and worked as journeyman for a time, and later was with his father-in-law, Henry Molilman, in his substantial planing mill for some years. It was the first busi- ness of the kind in the city, and the firm was successful in doing work for a large territory and for all the lumber yards of the city. The railroads that came into the city inter- fered with the business, and Mr. Schroeder sold out his interest and launched into the flour-mill business; but a change in the mak- ing of flour came about, and to change from buhr to roller process required large outlays: 80 Mr. Schroeder traded his mill off for a farm and went back to liis trade as a carpen- ter and a contractor. He has since followed his trade,and has built many of the houses and public buildings of Beardstown. Among some of the buildings that he lias constructed are the Park house, leading hotel of the city, opera house and many oth- ers that all bear testimony to the skill of the contractor and bnilder. He has dealt ex- tensively in real estate, and has an interest in the Mohlman and Schroeder block, one of the best in the city. He also owns one of the argest and best two-and-one-half-story brick houses in the city. He has been a leading worker in local matters and a truly good citi- zen. For many years he has been a Demo- crat in politics, and his party once made him Alderman of the city. He has retired, to a certain extent, from active business and now enjoys the fruit of his labors. His sons succeed him: so there is no necessity for him to exert himself in regard to his business interests.
Mr. Schroeder was the first child that his parents had. He was followed by fonr sis- ters, but no brothers. The family were
Lutherans, as are inost of the German fami- lies, and were noted for their tlirift and hon- esty. He has only one sister living, Jeanie Walch, of Leavenworthı, Kansas.
He was married in Beardstown, to Miss Anna Mohlman, born in one of the Rhine provinces, Germany, in 1841, a daughter of Henry Mohlman, and when young she came to this country with her parents, and has since resided here. She is an intelligent woman, a good, kind wife, mother and neigh- bor. Mr. and Mrs. Schroeder have seven children, namely: Edward, a contractor of Beardstown, married to Mrs. Annic Balse- mier; Dilla, wife of Charles Heinzes, of Beardstown; Henry G., a trimmer by trade, with Mr. Henry Keil, a hardware merchant of this city, and married to Miss Mene Wip- ker; George, at home, a carpenter; Rlioda, Walter and Edith: the last three named are all at home. Mr. Schroeder has a married daughter, Sarah, wife of Charles Kreke, a furniture dealer of this city. She is a child by a former marriage to Miss Dora Chris- tiana, now deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Schroeder are members of the Fourth Street Lutheran Church, and are liberal supporters of the same, of which Mr. Schroeder used to be a Trustee.
NDREW SCHAAD, who for many years lias been identified with the agri- cultural interests of Cass county, Illi- nois, and who is a resident of Hickory pre- cinct, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, January 4, 1836.
John Schaad, his father, was a son of John Schaad, and both passed their lives and died in Germany, the former in 1852. Grand- father Schaad was all his life engaged in agri-
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cultural pursuits. His son, John, became a civil engineer, and was engaged in surveying for canals, railroads and turnpikes. His wife, nee Katherine Hamel, was born in the same locality as her husband, she being the daugh- ter of Christian Hamel. She came to Amer- ica in 1853, the year following Mr. Schaad's death, and spent her last years in Cass county, Illinois. She reared four children: Thomas, Charles, Andrew and Mary. Thomas and Charles both married and reared families, and spent their last years in Cass county. Mary is the wife of Henry Walter, and lives in Arenzville.
The subject of onr sketch attended school in Hesse-Darmstadt until 1853, when he accompanied other members of the family to America. They set sail from Havre de Grace September 15, 1853, on the sailing vessel Farera, and landed at New Orleans after a voyage of forty-five days. There was cholera on board the vessel, which rendered the voyage an unpleasant one. From New Orleans they came north by river to Beardstown. Andrew and his brothers rented land and farmed to- gether, being successful in their operations. Subsequently Andrew and Charles bought a tract of land on sections 6 and 7, township 18, range 10, and farmed together a few years. The former has been a resident of what is now Hickory precinct since 1858, and is now the owner of 320 acres of land, 177 acres of which are the finest tillable land, located on sections 6, 7, and 8, township 18, range 10. He has erected a nice set of frame buildings, and is comfortably situated to enjoy life.
In 1866 Mr. Schaad married Miss Miza Tay- lor, a native of Scotland, and a daughter of Neill Taylor. He and his wife are the parents of three children. Robert, Kate and Mand.
Politically Mr. Schaad is a stancli Repub- lican. He is a member of the County Cen-
tral Committee, Highway Committee in Dis- trict No. 2, and has served as a member of his District School Board for thirteen years. Both he and his wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
AVID D. WILSON, a popular and suc- cessful business man of Virginia, Cass county, Illinois, dates his birth in Old- ham, Lancashire, England, November 23, 1841. His father, James Wilson, was born in the same shire, his parents having passed their lives in England. James Wilson and his brother, Thomas, and three sisters, were the only members of the family who came to America. Thomas settled in Cass county in 1841, and has since made his home here.
James Wilson was reared and married in Oldham, and was there employed in a cotton factory till 1842, in the spring of which year he sailed for America, embarking at Liver- pool and landing at New Orleans. He came up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers into Illinois, and located in Cass county. He subsequently moved to Jacksonville, and five years later to Springfield, his death occurring at the latter place in 1850. His wife was, before her marriage, Miss Amelia Taylor, and she, too, was a native of Lancashire. Her death occurred in Cass connty a few months after their arrival in this county.
After the death of his father, David D. was taken in charge by a family in Sangamon county, and with them he lived until he was fourteen. From that time he cared for him- self. He found employment with his bro- ther-in-law till 1860, and at that time com- menced to learn the trade of carpenter. His employer soon emigrated to Iowa, and in 1861 young Wilson turned his attention to the trade
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of printer, at which he worked in the office of the Jacksonville Journal.
In 1862 he enlisted in the One Hundred and First Illinois Regiment Volunteer Infan- try, and was in the State service one month. When the regiment was mustered in, he was rejected on account of a crippled hand. In 1864 lie enlisted in Company B, One Hun- dred and Thirty-third Regimnent Illinois Volunteer Infantry, this time being accepted. He served till the term of his enlistment ex- pired, when he was honorably discharged. He then went to Nashville, Tennessee, ex- pecting to work at his trade, but was taken sick and soon afterward returned to Illinois. After his recovery he farmed in Morgan county one year. Then he worked at his trade in Jacksonville for a time. In 1875 he came to Virginia, being employed in the office of the Gazette from March till July of that year. Next we find him engaged in the grocery business, which lie still continues, and in which he has been eminently successful. He began with a small stock of goods, his natural business ability secured bim a good trade, and he is now ranked with the success- ful business inen of the town.
Mr. Wilson is a man of family. He was married, in 1866, to Martha Taylor, a native of Morgan county, Illinois, and their union has been blessed by the birth of four children: Mamie, Ella G., Herbert S. and Mabel.
He and his wife are members of the Chris- tian Church. Politically he is a Republican, favoring prohibition.
EORGE KUHL was born in Hesse- Darmstadt, Germany, in 1807. His parents, Christian and Elizabeth (Ganz) Kuhl, were very old when they died, the father
at the age of eighty-three, the mother at the age of eighty-five and one-half years. They were members of the Lutheran Church. When George was yet a young man he em- barked for America in the ship Baltimore in 1833. After a voyage of eight weeks le landed in Baltimore and went from there to Richmond, Virginia, and followed his trade of baker. He soon left that city, however, and came to Beardstown, Illinois. He was the first of his family to venture across the ocean, but was later joined by his parents and other brothers and sisters. He is the eldest of a large family that comes of good German stock. His youngest brother is a Lutheran clergyman of Carthage, Illinois, and he and George Kuhl are all that are left of the family.
When Mr. Kuhl came to Beardstown in 1835 he had but twenty-five cents in his pocket. The city was then very small, and the country was new. He began his business career in Beardstown as a baker. He soon gained a footing and found a sale for his wares, both in the little town and on the boats that were on the river. He made money and after twelve years established a large grocery store. Later he made it a general store, and added to it all the time un- til he became a large pork packer and grain dealer. Those were the times to make money, and during the war times he was one of the largest dealers on the Illinois river. He had two large grain houses that were destroyed by fire, and he lost some $4,000 in a paper mill. This made no difference to Mr. Kuhl's business enterprise. In spite of liis losses he has made a large amount of money, and he now enjoys it in a beautiful home that he erected, that cost him some $15,000 when completed. It is furnished with every mod- ern improvement. He has always had the
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best interests of the city at heart, and has done everything he conld toward building it up. He has been a hard worker, and is the best kind of a citizen, and one that has a good deal of influence with all classes not only in the city but all over the county. He has been a leader in all tending to inprove the city. He was one of the originators, and is one of the principal supporters of the Ger- man Churchi, and has contributed liberally to its support. His party (Republican) has rewarded his faithful services by making him Alderman of the city. He is a very temper- ate man and one that scorns anything mean or low. He has now retired from business, and is taking a merited rest, but he still takes a strong and deep interest in all that occurs in the city's history.
He was married for the first time to Chris- tanna Belger, who was born in Saxony and came to this country when young in 1836. She died at Beardstown when abont thirty years of age. She left four children, one of whom is dead. Mrs. Lizzie Rearick died after her marriage. The thrce living ones are: William P., who is in the grocery business, married Mary Shepherd; George S., a dry- goods merchant, married Julia Buck; Philip, a successful dry-goods merchant of Beards- "town, married Mamie L. Arenz. Mr. Kuhl was married for the second time in this city to Mary E. Hemminghouse, nee Mashmeier. She was a German by birth and came to the United States with her parents in 1834. Landing in New York city they came by water route to Beardstown. Ten days after their arrival her father died, and her mother died some six inonths later. Mrs. Mary Kuhl was first married in her native country to the Rev. William Hemminghouse. He had charge of a German Lutheran mission; after some ten years lie became a Methodist,
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