USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume II > Part 21
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114
HARRY E. STARR. Conspicuous in the ranks of prominent business men of Russell town- ship, Madison county, stands Harry E. Starr. Possessed of fine commercial ability, supple- mented by the exercise of sound judgment and indomitable energy, Harry E. Starr has not only won success for himself but has aided materially in the growth and prosperity of this section of the state. In addition to being an extensive agriculturist he is also interested in the creamery business and is secretary of the Farmers Bank at Bethalto.
Harry E. Starr was born at Godfrey, Illi- nois, on the 24th of November, 1859, and he is a son of Frank and Kate (Johnson) Starr, both of whom were born and reared in the New England states and the former of whom is deceased. The father was engaged in the great basic industry of agriculture during the greater part of his active business career and he was summoned to the life eternal in the year 1875, at which time the subject of this review was a youth of sixteen years of age. The mother, who has attained to the age of eighty
724
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
years maintains her home at Upper Alton. Mr. and Mrs. Starr were the parents of eight chil- dren, six of whom are living at the present time and of whom the subject of this article was the third in order of birth. Mr. Starr was reared to the sturdy discipline of the old home farm, in the work and management of which he early became associated with his fa- ther, and his preliminary educational training consisted of such advantages as were afforded in the district schools of the locality and period. After his father's death he assumed the re- sponsibility of running the farm for his mother and he continued to be so engaged until the time of his marriage, in 1887. After that im- portant event he became interested in the creamery business and he has continued to clevote a portion of his time to that line of en- terprise to the present day. He and his fam- ily are now residing in Bethalto. In 1904 Mr. Starr became interested in the Farmers Bank at Bethalto, being secretary of that substantial monetary institution. This bank was incorpo- rated under the laws of the state of Illinois in 1904, with a capital stock of twenty-five thou- sand dollars and it is officered as follows: C. B. Munday, president ; Jarvis Richards, vice- president ; and Edward Starkey, cashier. The board of directors includes the officers together with William Mc Williams, George A. Kline, John Neunaber and H. E. Starr.
At Brighton, in the year 1887, was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. Starr to Miss Eliza- beth M. Prevot, who was born in Jersey county, Illinois, on the 15th of April 1865, and who is a daughter of August M. Prevot, long a representative citizen of Brighton. Mrs. Starr received a good common-school educa- tion in her youth and she is a woman of most gracious personality, being deeply admired and beloved by all with whom she has come in contact. To this union have been born seven children, concerning whom the following brief record is here entered,-Ethel M. is the wife of Edward Starkey, of Bethalto; Lester E. married Miss Tillie Heddesheimer and they reside at Wood River; and Wayne, Earl L., Lloyd, Harry and James all remain at the par- ental home.
In politics Mr. Starr endorses the cause of the Republican party and he has ever mani- fested a deep and sincere interest in community affairs. For a period of nine years he was a member of the board of school directors and for four years held membership on the town board. In their religious faith the Starr fam- ily are consistent members of the Methodist
Episcopal church, in the various departments of whose work they are most zealous factors. Mr. Starr is a man of genial, affable disposi- tion and he is everywhere accorded the unal- loyed confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens.
CHRISTOPHER THEODOROFF, M. D., physi- cian and surgeon at Granite City, is one of the most scholarly representatives of his profes- sion in Madison county, and has had a re- markably active and versatile career.
lle is a native of Bulgaria, where he was born on March 15, 1875. During his youth he attended the common schools and gymnasia of his native land, and afterwards served three years in the national army, and was then em- ployed by his government for three years in the department of education. He was a stu- dent in the University of Leipsic, Germany, for a time, and in 1899 immigrated to the United States. Here he became a student in the state normal at Fredonia, New York, and was later graduated with the degree of A. B. from the New York State University. In 1904 he was appointed assistant commissioner of the Bulgarian art exhibit at the St. Louis Fair.
At the conclusion of his work at St. Louis he entered the medical department of Wash- ington University, and was graduated M. D. in March, 1909. Since opening his office in Granite City he has acquired a large practice, and is one of the highly esteemed citizens of this place. In the line of his profession he is a member of the Madison County and State Medical Societies, the East Side and Tri-Cities Medical Associations, and the American Medi- cal Association.
JAMES DUNCAN, a leader in Alton's manu facturing affairs, is proprietor of the Duncan Foundry & Machine Works, and it is safe to say has no peer in his particular field. As one intimately concerned in a line of industry which has important bearing upon the progress and stable prosperity of the community he occupies a representative position in business circles and it is eminently fitting that he be accorded rec- ognition in this volume devoted to the builders and present day pillars of Madison county. He is of Scotch descent, his father, the late Gilbert B. Duncan, having been a Scotchman who set- tled here in the '50s. He was an iron moulder by trade and a member of the old firm of Bruner & Duncan, so that his son, James Dun- can, the immediate subject, is following in the paternal footsteps. The widow of Gilbert B. Duncan is still living, an admirable and justly honored lady who makes her home with her
C. theodor
725
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
children at their handsome residence on Lib- erty street. There are four sons and two daughters, the former being as follows : James, of this review; John, who married Helen W. . Wade, daughter of E. P. Wade, a resident of Pittsburg; George, who married a daughter of Albert Wade : and William.
Mr. Duncan has paid Madison county the highest compliment within his power by elect- ing to remain permanently within its delightful borders. He was born in Alton and began his business career as a member of the firm of Bruner & Duncan, machinists and foundry- men, their plant being on Piasa street. The steadiness of his Scotch forbears was with him and he rose from one position to another, now being proprietor of the business. This has since developed into one of the important en- terprises among Alton's industries and is now the Duncan Foundry & Machine Works. His two brothers are associated with him in the business. Mr. Duncan is also president of the Litchfield & Madison Railroad and vice-presi- dent of the Alton Water Company.
THE WEST BROTHERS. Among the men whose lives of honesty and industry entitle them to a place on the Centennial record of Madison county are John and William West, who carry on a prosperous stock raising and general farming business. Their father, James West, was a native of Ireland, who immigrated to this country to enjoy the increased oppor- tunities of a new country. With his wife, Sarah A. (Gordan) West, and eight children, he came to Madison county and settled on Valley View farm, which they rented for sev- eral years. Their children, James (who died in 1873), Nancy, John, Elizabeth, Robert, Wil- liam, Andrew G., and Alexander received their education in the Columbia district school and in the public schools of Edwardsville. In 1874, while still on Valley View farm. James West undertook to haul a load of wheat to Edwards- ville for a friend, and was the victim of an untoward accident. His team ran away and he was so severely injured that he died from the effects a few days later.
.
Wisely deciding that the country was the best place in the world to raise a family, Mrs. West purchased one hundred and ten acres of land north of Edwardsville, upon which she moved with her children. There they lived, her sons assuming superintendency of the farm. Nancy was afterwards married to Sam- uel Cobine, a native of Ireland and prominent among the farmers of Madison county. She became the mother of seven sons,-Samuel,
Robert, Joseph, Alexander, Sidney and two who died in infancy. Their mother passed away in 1900. Robert West chose as his wife Miss Martha Morrison, and they have become the parents of six children,-Nellie, Elizabeth, Mildred, one that died in infancy, Leslie and Morris. They make their home in Strath- more, Canada. Andrew G. West lives in Ft. Russell township on the Robert West farm, which he purchased in April, 1909. Alexander West married Miss Martha Sloan, and is the father of two children, Clyde and Harold West. He and his family live in Hamel town- ship.
The mother of the West family was called to her reward on June 13, 1897, and was laid to rest in beautiful Woodlawn cemetery beside her husband. Mr. and Mrs. West were hon- oured members of the Presbyterian church, in whose good works they were never found un- willing to lend a hand. Their sons John and William still remain on the old farm, their sis- ter Elizabeth acting as their housekeeper and home maker.
Politically the West family have always been of strong Republican partisanship, being firmly convinced that in the adoption of the measures advocated by that party lies the greatest bene- fit to the community.
BENJAMIN H. RICHARDS, president of the Richards Brick Company, is the head of one of Madison county's important industries. His enterprise and business capacity have di- rected the industry from its inception, and the output of his plant has for a number of years enjoyed a staple reputation in outside markets.
Mr. Richards was born in St. Louis, August 12, 1843, a son of Benjamin Sr. At the age of five years he lost his father, and his mother died when he was seven years old. His school- ing was ended at the age of fourteen, when he began working for his brother William, a brick contractor, and remained with him four years. He was then in the employ of Anthony Ittner, one of the leading business men of St. Louis, until 1864, when he came to Edwardsville, and since that time has been engaged in con- tracting. In 1890 he established the brick plant which he has. since built up to such importance among Edwardsville's industries. In 1905 the business was incorporated as the Richards Brick Company, with capital stock of twenty- five thousand dollars. Mr. Richards is presi- dent and his son, B. H. Jr., is secretary and manager. The capacity of the plant is forty thousand bricks a day, and a large part of the product is sought by the St. Louis markets and
726
IIISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
more distant centers. Many of the fine brick residences of this town have been built by him, and these include the residences of Dr. Pogue, Mrs. W. F. L. Hadley, C. H. Travous, the . Palace Store and many other buildings of note.
A public-spirited citizen, Mr. Richards served in the city council ten years, was a mem- ber of the school board five years and was school trustee for Edwardsville township. He has been a member of the Masonic order since 1865, and is affiliated with Edwardsville Lodge, No. 99, A. F. & A. M., and with Edwardsville Chapter, No. 146, R. A. M. He is a Democrat in his political affiliations.
In 1866 he married Miss Jane Hoxey Stice, daughter of William Stice. She died in 1906, having been the mother of three children : Rus- sell H., Benjamin H. Jr., and Fanny G., who is deceased.
JAMES H. ALDOUS became head miller of the Sparks mills at Alton on May 1, 1882, and during the subsequent thirty years has been in active charge of the complicated processes of this immense plant. In 1882 the daily output of the Sparks mills was three hundred and fifty barrels. Since then these mills have become one of the largest plants of the kind in the country, and the Alton mills have a capacity of two thousand one hundred barrels per day while the branch plant at Terre Haute has a capacity of nine hundred barrels. After the Sparks Milling Company bought the Terre Haute Kidder mill Mr. Aldous remodeled it and brought it up to the standard of the Alton property.
As head miller and superintendent of the Sparks Milling Company Mr. Aldous has long been considered an expert among the flour manufacturers of the country. He was one of the first to adopt the various bleaching pro- cesses. Before professional meetings in vari- ous parts of the country he has delivered ad -. dresses on these and other processes, and during the recent suit of the government against the millers, based largely on the bleach- ing methods, he gave expert testimony on the subject.
Mr. Aldous was born in Beccles, England, October 26. 1854, a son of George and Ann Aldous. They immigrated to the United States in 1868, settling first at Batavia. New York, where the father had charge of a flour mill. He afterwards lived in Illinois and Kan- sas for brief periods, but finally located in Erie county, New York, and became a cement manufacturer. His wife died at Seneca, Kan- sas, December 7, 1882. Their six children
were: George Jr., Charles, Edward, James H., Alfred, Annie. All of the sons became prac- tical millers.
James H. Aldous arrived at New York in September, 1870, and having learned the car- penter's trade in England was first employed at it in Dansville, New York. He also learned the milling business from his father and was second miller at Batavia for a time. He had charge of the Union Mills at Bloomington four years, in 1880 went to St. Louis, and soon afterward came to Alton and became second miller in the Alton City Mills.
A carpenter by trade, he acquired a practical knowledge of architecture and millwrighting. He had charge of the work of remodeling when the Sparks mills were rebuilt, and on the technical, mechanical side the success of the Sparks mills may be said to be largely the product of Mr. Aldous's genius.
Mr. Aldous was married at Alton, October 23, 1884, to Miss Mary Blanche Crowe, a daughter of Joseph and Esther Crowe. Her father, who died in 1894 was a successful busi- ness man and public-spirited citizen of this place. Joseph Crowe Aldous, the only child, attended the Alton public schools, graduated at the Manual Training School of St. Louis in 1907, was clerk and bookkeeper for the Al- ton Savings Bank until February 1, 1911, and has since been a member of a real estate firm in St. Louis, though still residing with his par- ents in Alton. Mr. Aldous in politics is a Republican. An enthusiastic hunter and fish- erman, he is a member of the Cy Morris Hunt- ing & Fishing Club and is owner of a motor yacht for his excursions on the river.
FRANK TROECKLER. Among the most prom- inent and influential of the citizens of Madison county stands Frank Troeckler, the eminent banker, farmer and insurance man. He is president of the First National Bank of Madi- son county, since its organization in 1905, and it is largely due to his discrimination and well directed administrative dealing that the insti- tution has become one of the most substantial and popular banking houses in the county, al- though of comparatively short existence. He is one of the best known mutual insurance men in the state. He is president of the Ed- wardsville Township Mutual Fire Insurance Company, since its organization in 1892; he is president of East St. Louis District Mutual Cyclone Insurance Company, since its organi- zation in 1900; in the period bounded by the dates 1903-1907 he was vice-president of the State Association of Mutual Insurance Com-
727
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
panies ; from 1907 to 1909 he was president of the State Association of Mutual Insurance Companies of Illinois; and from 1907 until IgII he was vice-president of the National Association of America for the State of Illi- nois. He was sent as state delegate from Illi- nois to the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies held in Chicago in 1904, at Denver in 1907 and at Des Moines in 1908. He was recently appointed a member of the executive committee of the Illinois State As- sociation of Mutual Insurance Companies from 19II until 1913.
Mr. Troeckler is one of the most active men in the county, taking an intelligent and help- ful part in the many-sided life of the commu- nity. In view of the fact that he is held in general confidence and esteem it is but right and natural that in him should be vested the responsibilities of public office and he has held several township trusts with credit to him- self and honor to his constituents. He was first elected supervisor from Chouteau town- ship in 1888 and for fourteen consecutive years received reelection. For three terms he was chairman of the board of supervisors and served on all the committees during that time. He was the last chairman of the committee on Equalization and the first chairman of the Board of Review. He was elected foreman of the grand jury in 1906 and was elected tax collector in the years 1908, 1909, 1910 and IgII. He is the stalwart champion of the best education possible and was first elected school director in 1887, and. since that year has been reelected every time his term expired, quite without opposition. He has thus served for twenty-four years on the school board and his present term will not expire until 1914. Since his first election a quarter of a century ago he has acted as clerk of the board. He has held the vice presidency of the Society of School Officers of Madison County since its organiza- tion in 1907.
Mr. Troeckler takes a most enlightened in- terest in matters agricultural and since 1894 has served as a member of the executive com- mittee of the Madison County Farmers' Insti- tute. For many years he has served as either president or vice-president of the institute. As a valiant churchman he takes a great inter- est in the affairs of the fraternal organizations having the sanction of the Catholic church. Since 1907 he has been supreme trustee of the Catholic Knights of Illinois ; ever since its or- ganization in 1897 he has held the office of sec- retary of the Catholic Knights of Illinois;
since its inception in 1905 he has been trustee of Council No. 1143, Knights of Columbus, since its organization in 1902 he has been treasurer of the Madison County Federation of Catholic Societies; and he is trustee of St. Elizabeth's church in Mitchell.
Mr. Troeckler is a German by birth and he has done more for America and for his county in particular than many native born citizens. He manifests those fine traits which have made Germany possibly our most admirable source of immigration and has distinctly made his mark in Chouteau township. He was born October 26, 1854, in Oestereiden, Westfahlen, Germany, and is the son of Frank Troeckler and his wife, Elizabeth, whose maiden name was Gudermann. Mr. Troeckler and his wife were both educated and married in the Father- land and there became the parents of three children-Frank, Michael and Tracy. The father died and his widow married Henry Sponear, a German farmer. In 1868 Mrs. Sponear, her husband and three children im- migrated to the United States. On the 10th of May of that year they located at Alton, Illi- nois, subsequently removing to Fosterburg township, where they resided for four years. In 1872 they went to Chouteau township, where they spent the remainder of their lives, she dying in 1884 and he in' 1900. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Sponear were born three children, all of whom are deceased.
Thus the boyhood of Frank Troeckler was spent in Germany, in whose excellent schools he was a student until his thirteenth year. He then came with his mother and stepfather to the United States and lived in Fosterburg and Chouteau townships. When the family be- came established on the farm in Chouteau township Frank no longer attended school, but became regularly employed in farm life, and ever showed a willing inclination to assist his father in every way possible.
In 1876 Mr. Troeckler married, his chosen lady being Caroline Greve, daughter of Henry Greve, and three children were born to them- Lena. Frank and Mary, Lena being the only one of the three still living. In 1882 the first Mrs. Troeckler died and the following year he was united to Bernadena Ressmann, a daugh- ter of Joseph and Bernadena (Rath) Ress- mann. To this union were born the following children : Elizabeth M. is a prominent teacher of Madison county, the splendid students she produces being her best and most eloquent testimonial. The second child, Frank J., died in infancy. Tracy is head bookkeeper in a
728
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
general store in Madison county, Illinois. Dora died in 1898. Bernadena is also a teacher of ability, having been an instructor for three years at the Atkins school on Chou- teau Island. Joseph A. is at home on the farm. Michael C. is in business college in Granite City ; and Harry G., the youngest, is a student in the Granite City high school. The entire family are communicants of the St. Elizabeth's Catholic church in Mitchell. In politics the subject is a true Democrat and has ever been willing to do anything fair and legitimate to advance the interests of the party in whose causes he believes. He is a Christian gentle- man and a valuable member of society. Ile is preeminently versatile in his ability, success- fully pursuing the calling of a banker, insur- ance man and farmer, his eighty acre farm in this township, three-quarters of a mile east of Mitchell, bearing evidence of the excellence of his agricultural methods. Here he resides, maintaining a hospitable abode and enjoying the esteem of his fellow men.
HERBERT L. CULP. In proportion to its pop- ulation, mayhap, no other river county of 11- linois can boast of so large a number of prosperous and progressive agriculturists as Madison county. Prominent among the men who are contributing largely towards the de- velopment of its farming interests is Herbert L. Culp, of Fosterburg township, whose fine farm consists of one hundred and fifty acres of choice land, on which he has made improve- ments of value, in addition to his other sub- stantial buildings having erected in the fall of 1909 a new and conveniently-arranged resi- dence. A native of Madison county, he was born in Wood River township May 8, 1872, a son of John S. and Mary (Moore) Culp of whom a brief sketch appears elsewhere in this volume.
Herbert L. Culp grew to manhood on the parental homestead, acquiring his early educa- tion in the rural schools of his native district, while on the home farm he had a practical drilling in the various branches of agriculture. Finding the occupation congenial, Mr. Culp has since, with the exception of the few years between 1899 and 1906, when he was engaged in teaming at East Alton, been actively em- ployed in tilling the soil. Since purchasing his present property in Fosterburg township, he has not only placed it in a good state of cul- ture, but has also conducted his father's farm on shares, carrying on an extensive and highly profitable business. During the time Mr. Culp has continually added to the value of his prop-
erty, his well improved farm, with its substan- tial buildings, giving ample evidence to the most casual observer of his skill and ability as a practical farmer and rural householder.
Mr. Culp married, in 1890, Hattie Green- wood, who was born in Madison county, Illinois, a daughter of P. S. and Sarah (Crawford) Greenwood, who are now resi- (lents of Dallas, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Culp are the parents of three children, namely : Randall, born November 25, 1890; Edna, born September 30, 1897; and Lester, born October 5. 1900. Fraternally Mr. Culp is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Bethalto, and of Wilder Camp, No. 1, Encamp- ment, at Alton; and of Fosterburg Lodge, Modern Woodmen of America. Politically he is a straightforward Republican, and though not an office seeker has served most acceptably for several years as school director.
JOHN E. HILLSKOTTER, county judge of Madison county, was first elected to this office in 1902. A good lawyer, an efficient adminis- trator of official duties, and popular through- out the county, he has retained his office by re- election through the approval of a large ma- jority of citizens. He has also served two years as judge of probate and held the office of city attorney of Edwardsville up to the time of his election as judge.
Judge Hillskotter was born in East Farm- ington, Polk county, Wisconsin, January 12, 1873. His parents were Herman and Sophia ( Langhorst) Hillskotter, both natives of Ger- many, who came to this country in quest of its greater opportunity and for a time resided in Madison county. They eventually removed to St. Louis. The father is now deceased, and the mother is living in the state of Wisconsin.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.