USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume II > Part 48
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The year 1854, the one in which Mr. Helm- kamp commenced his service on the police force, was memorable also as being the year of his marriage with Miss Eliza Steinman, a native of Germany, born March 19, 1824. The union was solemnized on the 9th day of July and by this marriage Mr. and Mrs. Helmkamp became the parents of five chil- dren, two of which number-one son and one daughter-died in infancy in St. Louis. The names of the three who are living today (19II) are: Emma, who has never married and is her father's housekeeper ; Mena, widow of Frank C. Dalhaus; and Edward . H., who is married to Louise Knocke. Mrs. Helm- kamp died March 19, 1905.
In the year 1871 the citizens of Moro township elected Herman H. Helmkamp to the office of justice of the peace and for a period of forty years he has continued to be re-elected to this high office. At present he has two more years of his term to serve. In 1902 he was elected to the position of super- visor of the township of Moro, and was in- cumbent of that office until 1908. He has also served as assessor for three years. Judge Helmkamp enjoys the well-earned approba- tion of the residents of Moro township and of Madison county at large, for his acquaint- ance is very extensive.
EDWARD C. FERGUSON, M. D., is one of the leading physicians and surgeons of the county.
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He began practicing in his native city of Ed- wardsville in 1896 and has been uniformly successful throughout.
lle was born at Edwardsville, December 22, 1872. His parents were Vincent and Ann (Reynolds) Ferguson. His father, who died here in 1906, was a native of Pennsylvania and came with his family to Edwardsville in 1835, so that he resided in this county sev- enty years. Throughout his active career he was an accountant and was employed in this capacity in various firms. His widow is still living.
After completing his preparatory education in the Edwardsville high school, Dr. Ferguson began reading medicine with Dr. E. W. Fie- genbaum, and then entered Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia. From this noted in- stitution he was graduated in 1896 and then returned to commence active practice. He is a member and vice president of the Madison County Medical Society, and has membership in the State Medical and the American Medi- cal Associations. He is also medical director of the Knights of Columbus.
His marriage to Miss Etta Schwarz oc- curred in September, 1909. Her father, Charles Schwarz, has been a resident of this county many years. Dr. Ferguson and wife reside in one of the comfortable homes on Kansas street.
FREDERICK W. SANDER, a prosperous farmer and stockman in Alhambra township, is an enterprising German who came to Amer- ica and gradually succeeded in establishing for himself a reputation as a good citizen and an efficient industrial worker. This is the country where a man sinks or swims, accord- ing to his own abilities-in proportion to his own efforts-and by reason of his own indi- viduality. Mr. Sander has prospered be- cause he was worthy of success, and he is respected because he merits esteem.
On the 10th day of May, 1851, Frederick IV. Sander began life on a little German farm, where his father and mother lived for many years and where they both died. Father San- der was twice married; his first wife was Charlotte Dohmann, who bore five children,- Minnie and Sophia, who died in infancy, Li- sette. Charlotte and Frederika. While the children were all young their mother's demise occurred and later Father Sander married Sophia Hasemann. The second Mrs. San- der became the mother of four children,- F. W., Henry E., Sophia and Mamie.
Frederick W. Sander spent the first twenty
years of his life at home with his parents ; until he was sixteen years old he attended school, and the ensuing four years he assisted his father with the duties of cultivating the home farm. Two of the Sander girls came to America and settled in Alhambra township ; they wrote home glowing descriptions of the wonderful new country and the opportunities seemed so alluring to Frederick W. that he sought permission to come to the United States; his sisters added their solicitations, and the father finally consented to the youth's departure. On the 2nd day of September, 1871, he left the parental roof, bade farewell to his native land, took passage on a vessel bound for New York, landed at that port, thence came to St. Louis, Missouri, and from that city he came to Highland, Illinois. At that time the railroad did not extend to Al- hambra, so, alighting from the train at High- land, he walked the twelve miles from that town to Alhambra township, where his sisters lived. He forthwith succeeded in gaining em- ployment with his cousin, Rudolph Sander, a farmer in the township, and for the ensuing three years and a half Mr. Frederick San- der remained with his cousin. He then worked for Levi Harnsberger, father of Dr. Harnsberger, of Alhambra. In 1879 he moved from Alhambra township to Olive township, where he farmed for a short time, then determined to change his occupation. He purchased a fine, large threshing outfit and for twenty years he was known for miles around as a good thresher. He threshed thou- sands of bushels of wheat and grain per an- num. In 1909 he moved back to Alhambra, purchasing a sixty-eight acre tract of land in West Alhambra, where he is engaged in general farming and in stock raising.
In the year 1875 Mr. Sander was married to Miss Sadie Sander, who was born in Ger- many and when a young girl came with her parents, Rudolph and Sophia (Suhre) Sander, to Alhambra township. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Sander, a son and a daughter. The son died in infancy, and the daughter, Maria, is married to Will- iam Figge, a farmer of Alhambra. Mr. and Mrs. Figge have six children-three sons and three daughters,-Frederick, Walter, William, Clara, Lulu and Verna. The wedded life of Mr. and Mrs. Sander was brief, as in the spring of 1879 the young wife and mother died and Mr. Sander shortly after took his little girl and moved to Olive township, as mentioned above. In 1894 Mr. Sander mar-
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ried Miss Minnie Suhre, born in 1872 in Olive township. She is a daughter of Herman and Charlotta (Sander) Suhre, for many years respected citizens of Madison county and hon- ored members of the German Evangelical church. In 1891 Mr. Suhre died and six years later his widow was summoned to the life eternal. Of their family of children three died in infancy and Frederick and William did not live to arrive at maturity. The names of those still living are,-Sophia, Henry, Lena and Minnie. Mr. and Mrs. Suhre gave their children the best educational advantages that they could procure, sending them to the dis- trict school at Hazel Dell and they were in- structed in both German and English. To Mr. Sander's union with his second wife six children were born,-Martha (died in in- fancy), Minnie (deceased), Alma, Otto, Fred- die and Anna. The Sander children attended the Hazel Dell school and also the public school of Alhambra township after the re- moval of the family back to Alhambra. Mr. and Mrs. Sander are members of the Ger- man Evangelical church, and their two eldest children have been confirmed in the same faith.
In politics Mr. Sander is a Republican and during his residence in Olive township his business principles were such that he gained the confidence of the community in which he resided and was elected to the following of- fices,-assessor, collector and school director. The position of assessor he held for four years, that of collector for five years, and his service as school director was characterized by its efficiency. Since coming back to Alham- bra he has been elected to the town board of that place, in which capacity he is now serv- ing. While a firm believer in the principles laid down by the Republican platform, Mr. Sander is liberal in his views, believing that the man who will best serve the people is more to be upheld than the supremacy of party ; hence Mr. Sander carefully considers the fitness of the man for the office he is to fill and places his votes accordingly.
JOHN M. LEVORA, president of the Home Ice & Supply Company of Edwardsville, be- gan earning his own way when he was twelve years old and at a comparatively early age has attained an independent position in busi- ness affairs. The company of which he is president and which owes its success largely to him is capitalized at ten thousand dollars, and has an excellent plant, manufacturing thirty tons of ice daily, and three wagons distribute
the output to a large trade. The company was organized in November, 1910, and its other officers are: William Tomasek, vice president; W. W. Levora, secretary; F. W. Langreder, Jr., treasurer; Charles Garner, manager.
Mr. Levora was born at Edwardsville, No- vember 16, 1881. His parents, Joseph H. and Josephine (Kasper) Levora, were natives of Bohemia and came to America in 1850. The father died in Edwardsville in 1891.
After a brief attendance at the parochial schools, at the age of twelve he began work in a coal mine. For two years he was em- ployed by H. Bickelhaupt, then attended pub- lic schools a short time, after which for three years he was a clerk in the Palace Store. He was also employed with the Edwardsville Water Company and in various lines for sev- eral years. In 1904 he formed a partnership with George W. Mueller in the retail ice business. In September, 1907, he bought out his partner, and added the retail coal busi- ness, and in 1908 began retailing oil and gas- oline as part of his business. In 1910 the present company was organized. He is an enterprising, hard-working and public-spirited citizen, and has won a place of esteem in the community. He was elected city treasurer in 1907. In politics he is a Democrat, and is a member of St. Boniface Catholic church and of the social order of Knights of Columbus. For some time he was financial secretary of branch No. 820 of the United Mine Workers.
In October, 1903, Mr. Levora married Miss Mamie Hurlbrink, of Poag, this county. They have two children : Edna M. and Harild Joseph.
JOHN HOMN. There is probably no one in Madison county who has had more varied ex- periences than Mr. Homn, although he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits his en- tire life. A man who has traveled as exten- sively as he has must of necessity be a broad- minded citizen, and Mr. Homn is no excep- tion. He has become identified with the agri- cultural progress of Madison county, which he honors by his residence.
The birth of Mr. Homn occurred in Prus- sia, November 12, 1853. He is a son of George and Alma (Osterkamp) Homn, both natives of the German Fatherland, where they passed their youthful days; there they were married and became the parents of five chil- dren, remaining in the land of their birth until 1869. In November of that year they severed the ties which bound them to the old home,
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embarked for America and arrived at Alton, Illinois, shortly before Christmas. The fol- lowing spring they moved to West Prairie, where Father Homn entered the employ of Charles Cratchmeyer of that place, and at the expiration of twelve months he secured a farm on Liberty Prairie-Fred Stalhut's place-and commenced working in the new country on his own responsibility. After four years spent on this place he moved to Macoupin county, locating near Staunton, where he remained un- til his demise occurred ten years later ; his wife died in Kansas in 1893.
The first fifteen years of the life of John Homn were passed in his German home, where he obtained his educational training. Ile then accompanied his parents to the United States, and was with them through the changes of lo- cation mentioned above; after his father's death he resided in various places before he finally settled down. His first move, on being left without home ties, was to Bunker Hill; later he spent five years near Edwardsville, and then eight years on a farm in Hamel town- ship. After these changes from point to point in the state of Illinois, he next went to Kan- sas, of whose agricultural possibilities he had formed a high estimate, but after three years spent in that state he returned to Illinois ; moved back to Hamel, remaining there two years on this, his second residence in the town- ship; thence to Liberty Prairie once more, and from there he came to Moro township, where he took up his residence in 1901. He is pros- pering and is the proprietor of two hundred and thirty-five acres of land in the township.
While Mr. Homn was living under the pa- rental roof he was united in marriage to Miss Annie Herren, daughter of Harry Herren, of Fort Russell township; ten children were born to this union, all of which number are living today: George, Tillie (wife of George Susse), Herman, Alma (now Mrs. Herman Duebbelde of Bunker Hill), Hannah (wife of Herman Neunaber), John, Lydia, Henry, Harry and William.
Mr. Homn and all his family are members of the German Lutheran church at Bethalto, where they are active in assisting in the vari- ous enterprises organized by the church. In political sympathies Mr. Homn is a stanch Democrat, desirous of the supremacy of the party to which he gives his allegiance, though he personally has never evinced any desire for public office. He finds his time fully occupied by his farm duties, his religious activities, his family obligations and the demands of the so-
cial life in the community, where he is held in the highest esteem.
J. F. LANDOLT, now retired from active life, but formerly the owner of a prosperous butcher business, comes from that finest of stock, the Swiss, for he was born at Naffles, Glarus county, Switzerland, November 20, 1839. He was the son of J. F. and Katherina (Schwitter) Landolt, the former of whom was born in the little European republic in 1811. The Landolt family was a large one but a number of the children died in the old coun- try. The others, for the most part, received their educations in Swiss schools. It was in 1854 that the elder Landolt became convinced that the United States held more opportunity for himself and family than Switzerland, and arrangements were made to try a hazard of new fortunes beyond the sea. Accordingly, on the ninth of October in that year, the father and mother and six children, Katherina, Anna, Ogotha, Lena, Melzhear and J. F., the subject of this review, embarked in a small sailing ves- sel named the "Texas." The vessel sailed from Havre, France, and was bound for New Orleans, Louisiana. The voyage consumed sixty-one days, over two months, a very long time surely it seems to us who can make the voyage in less than a week. After four days at sea, cholera broke out aboard ship, and seventy-two persons were ultimately victims of the plague. All of them had to be buried at sea, and it became the terrible sight of the remaining passengers to see one after another of the dead, wrapped in a winding sheet, and weighted with stones, cast to eternal rest in the deep. Death became a common sight, whole families perishing from the dread disease. Few more horrible experiences could be imagined. The accommodations were of the poorest, the sheets of the berths were in requisition for the dead; the captain was a hard-hearted man; the sailors were fright- ened; and the ship's physician, a cowardly fellow, was afraid to look at the patients. It was a horrible experience, for added to all this, their crossing was marked by severe storms, and the small vessel pitched and tossed as if in agony for the suffering on board. Among the victims were the captain's wife, Mrs. Landolt, who died October 16, on which day her daughter Lena Augusta died, another daughter having died the day before; so that when the sorrowful landing was made, only the father and the four other children saw the shores of the land that was to have meant so much to the happiness of the Swiss family.
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From New Orleans the father took the family. up to St. Louis where they were met by the father's brother, Anton Landolt, who had come to the United States ten years before, and was a prosperous farmer in Madison county. From this brother was obtained a one hundred and thirty acre farm, and it was thus with debt at the very start that the little family set out to show what Swiss courage and industry can do against odds.
In time Mr. Landolt married again, Miss Phena Prander becoming his wife. He con- tinued to work and improve his farm, later selling at an advance and purchasing three hundred acres of arable land in Clinton county, Illinois. He died there on September II, 1869.
J. F. Landolt, Jr., was united in marriage on April 16, 1866, to Miss Katherina Kuster- mann, who was born in Madison county, Illi- nois, in 1848. She was the daughter of Frank and Ursula (Gall) Kustermann, the former of whom was a native of Germany and the latter was born in Switzerland. Besides Katherina, the Kustermann family contained Margareta, Marie, Sophia, Emma, Rosa, Arnold, Ambrose, Frank, Stephen and Anton Kustermann. They were all born and raised in Saline township, and attended the public schools. After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Landolt, the young couple began their wedded life in the town of Saline, where the husband established himself in the butcher business and built a home, which has ever since been their residence. In- dustry, honesty and a talent for wise manage- ment was theirs, so that it is no wonder that success has crowned their efforts. In time seven children were born to bless their home. All of them were sent to the Saline schools. Two children died in infancy. Joseph died at the age of twenty-six, the others marrying and settling in the following manner: Kathe- rina became the wife of John A. Aklaus, a prosperous farmer in Leef township. They and their four children, Bertha, Ida, Elsie and Elmer Aklaus, make their home in Saline. Mary was united in marriage with Fred Fri- day of Edwardsville. Fred married Miss Louise Wittman, and they and their children, Herbert, Harold and Oliver Friday, live in Alhambra where Mr. Landolt is the proprie- tor of a meat market. John married Miss Anna Saxon of St. Louis, and their only child is named John. John Landolt is a traveling salesman and he makes his home in the city of St. Louis.
Since 1867, Mr. and Mrs. Landolt have
made their home in Grant Fork, where they have witnessed a great many changes as the years flew by. When they first came, Grant Fork could only boast of two residences. The Landolts built the third. Today their pleasant home is the scene of a cordial hospitality. Both Mr. Landolt and his wife are members of the Catholic church of Grant Fork, in the good works of which church they are both ac- tive and liberal supporters. Politically, Mr. Landolt is a stanch Republican, and a firm supporter of the men and measures of that party.
JAMES E. KELSEY. A man of marked abil- ity and business sagacity, broad minded and enterprising, James E. Kelsey has met with unquestioned success in his various transac- tions, and is now one of the extensive land- holders of Madison county and an honored and prominent resident of Alton. A son of the late Robert Kelsey, he was born in Fort Russell township, Madison county, of English ancestry.
His paternal grandfather, a native of Eng- land, immigrated to America with his wife and children about 1830, locating in Illinois, where he lived and labored until his death, which oc- curred a few years later in Adams county, near Quincy. To him and his wife four chil- dren were born and reared, Robert, Richard, Edward and Hannah.
Born in England September 4, 1824, Robert Kelsey was but six years old when he crossed the ocean with his parents. Having been the oldest child of the parental household, after the death of his father, he had to assist in the support of the family, and for a while worked as a farm-laborer. Subsequently find- ing employment in Alton, Illinois, he remained in the city thirteen years, in the meantime by dint of industry and wise economy, he saved considerable money, which he invested in land, buying one hundred acres near Bethalto. A small house stood on the place when it came into his possession, and a few acres were un- der cultivation the remainder being covered with timber. He was exceedingly prosperous in his agricultural operations, from time to time buying additional land, and he continued his residence in Bethalto until his death, De- cember 23, 1901. He married Mary Hand- sacker, who was born in England, November II, 1818, and died in Madison county, Illi- nois, January 18, 1884. Six children were born of their union, namely: Annie, who be- came the wife of John Cooper and died in early womanhood, leaving one son, Harry
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Cooper ; James E. ; and four who died in child- hood.
Educated in the public schools of Bethalto and Alton, James E. Kelsey began as a boy to assist in the general work of the home farm, later becoming associated with his father in its management. On leaving the home- stead Mr. Kelsey settled at Bethalto, where he lived from 1895 until September, 1910. Com- ing then to Alton, he purchased his present palatial residence, which, with the ample grounds surrounding it, forms as nearly as possible an ideal country home in the city. He has accumulated much wealth, owning about a thousand acres of good land in Madison county, and having in addition extensive hold- ings in the state of Arkansas. Mr. Kelsey is financial and executive ability is widely known, and he has been elected to various positions of responsibility. He is first vice-president of the First Trust and Savings Bank of Alton; vice-president of the Davis Piano Company ; and president of the Alton Feed Company. Fraternally he is a member of Bethalto Lodge, No. 735, I. O. O. F.
On October 29, 1889, Mr. Kelsey was united in marriage with M. Jennie Uzzell, who was born in Madison county, Illinois, a daughter of George Carr Uzzell. Her paternal grand- father, who was born in the South, of French ancestry, was an early pioneer of Madison county, Illinois. Buying land near St. Jacob, he improved a farm from its original wilder- ness, and was there engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death. His wife, Mary, was born in Holland, of Holland stock. George Carr Uzzell was born on the home farm at Saint Jacob, in 1835, and when young learned the trade of a stone cutter, and subsequently became very skilful as an engraver of marble monuments. He lived in Bond county, Illi- nois, for a while, but returned to Madison county, and died, at the age of seventy-four years, in Bethalto. He married Mary Bilyeu, who was bom in Bond county, Illinois, a daughter of Thomas Cake and Ann (Brown) Bilyeu, both of whom were born in Bond county, lived for a few years in Christian county, Illinois, and both spent their last days in Madison county, Mr. Bilyeu passing away at the age of sixty-two years and Mrs. Bilyeu when eighty-five years old. Mrs. Mary (Bil- yeu) Uzzell survived her husband and is now living, at the age of seventy-one years. She reared six children, namely : M. Jennie (now Mrs. Kelsey), John, Carrie, Charles, Albert and Florence. Mr. and Mrs. Kelsey are the
parents of three children, namely: Mary Edna, Gertrude E. and Robert George.
CAPTAIN NATHANIEL J. EATON, who spent the last years of his life in Alton, where he died in March, 1883, was for many years actively connected with the river traffic of the Mississippi, and began his life in the middle west as an officer of the United States army.
Captain Eaton was a son of the illustrious General William Eaton, who won a place in national history by his military and diplomatic services during the early years of the republic. Born in Woodstock, Connecticut, in 1764, at the age of sixteen he entered the Revolution- ary army and remained until the close of the struggle for independence. In 1790, on his graduation from Dartmouth College, he joined the regular army and was commissioned cap- tain in 1792.
His most notable services were performed during the troubles between the United States and the Barbary states of the Mediterranean. Sent in 1797 as diplomatic agent to Tunis, he succeeded in terminating the outrages inflicted by the corsairs on American ships. This mis- sion completed, he returned in 1803, but the following years was again sent to the Bar- bary coast. Our country was then at war with Tripoli, and at the same time two claimants were contesting for the throne of that nation. General Eaton, finding that the rightful ruler had taken refuge in Egypt, went to him, and, having raised a force of five hundred men, sixty of whom were Americans, the remainder being natives of Egypt, marched back over the Libyan desert. With the assistance of the American fleet, the allies captured the seaport of Derne. In this engagement General Eaton was wounded. A desultory warfare followed, until on June 11, 1804, a general engagement occurred in which the usurping Bey was de- feated. General Eaton then prepared to march on Tripoli and install the victorious sovereign and release the American prisoners there, but just then news came that peace had been concluded by the American consul at Algiers. This was the end of the war with the pirates of the Mediterranean, and soon afterward General Eaton returned to the United States.
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