USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume II > Part 51
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Samuel L. Dorsey began life in 1814, near Louisville, Kentucky. He spent his entire early life in the Blue Grass state and when he reached his majority he mounted his horse and without any baggage except a small bundle he left his southern home and galloped forth to carve out a career for himself. Arriving in Moro township, Madison county, Illinois, he entered a piece of government land, the date being 1834. Here he was united in mar- riage to Miss Eliza Ann Snowden, and be- came the father of two children, Frank C. and Caroline Dorsey. He was later married to Miss Letitia Smith and the five children born to this union were as follows :- Ruth, Matilda, May, Lee S., and Smith. By his last mar- riage, with Miss Margaret Smith, he has be- . come the father of two sons, Harvey E. and Clarence Dorsey. Beginning life on his farm with no capital but his horse and those quali- ties of mind which, coupled with his indus- trious perseverance, compassed his success, Samuel Dorsey prospered and increased his holdings so that at one time he was the owner of nine hundred acres of land. He remained on his estate until he was summoned to eternal rest in 1893.
Harvey E. Dorsey's birth occurred on the 26th of September, 1874. on the homestead which his father had entered and improved. As soon as he was old enough the lad at- tended the country schools and was one of the first students in the district to complete the curriculum that had been prescribed by the county superintendent. After terminating his preliminary training he entered Shurtleff Col- ' lege at Alton, Illinois, where he studied one winter and then spent the following winter mastering a business course at Eureka College, Illinois. Thus equipped for the vocation which he intended to make his own-that of farming-he returned to the paternal roof, where he was accustomed to work,-for all of
his summers during the years of his educa- tional training had been spent upon his father's farm. In 1893 his father's death left him responsible for the management of the farm and so taking up the reins he has been at the head of the undertaking ever since. He owns one hundred and fifty-seven acres of most arable land in sections 29 and 32, Moro town- ship, the land that was entered by his father so many years ago and which has never since . gone out of the family. Although Mr. Dor- sey does some general farming, he has made a specialty of raising fine Holstein cattle and owns other valuable stock besides.
On the 10th day of June, 1897, Mr. Dorsey was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Green, the daughter of Ephraim Green, who, as well is his wife, was a native of Eng- land. Mrs. Harvey E. Dorsey was for one year a student at Shurtleff College, and following that preparation was for several years a teacher in the public schools of Madi- son county. She is a refined and cultured woman, possessed of a graciousness of de- meanor which has attracted many friends. She is at present concentrating her talents upon the training of her five children, -- Har- old, Maurice, Eugene, Dorothy and Edward. The three older boys are attending school where their father received his early education, but little Dorothy and Edward have not yet commenced to attend school.
Mr. and Mrs. Dorsey are both devoted members of the Presbyterian church at Moro and are always active in their support of any enterprise launched by the church. In his political views Mr. Dorsey has never attached himself to any party, as he believes that the fitness of the man for the office is more to be considered than partisan supremacy. There is no man in the county who is more deeply in- terested in its development than Mr. Dorsey and he may always be relied upon to lend his aid in any cause which tends towards the bet- terment of the community at large.
ANDREW WEDER. The farmers are the one indispensible class, and upon their industry, progressiveness and sound character does the whole superstructure of society depend. Happy is the nation which can point to the tillers of its soil. and say "These are the most upright, the most intelligent, the most indus- trious of my sons." Like the nation, so must the county turn to the men who gather its har- vests and guard its pastures, and it is with as- surance of satisfaction that Madison county turns to her farmers and finds among their
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numbers Andrew Weder, who has prospered both as a general farmer and as a stockman. He was born in Marine township in 1865, the son of Andrew and Henrietta W. (Deck) Weder. Andrew Weder, Sr., was a farmer, a native of Saritz, Switzerland. Besides An- drew Jr., the family consisted of David, Au- gust, and Henrietta, and they made their home on the two hundred and forty acre farm that their parents' industry and foresight had been able to secure. The parents were mem- bers of the German church at Marine, and their interest in education led them to send all of the children to the Giger district school. The children assisted in the many duties of the large farm and learned there many of the les- sons that had made their father's success pos- sible. Andrew Weder, Sr. died when Andrew, Jr. was a child of eight, and the mother later became Mrs. William Grimm, and by her sec- ond marriage had two children Mary E. and Anna B., half sisters to the subject of this brief personal review.
In 1889 Andrew Weder, Jr. laid the founda- tion for a home of his own by his marriage in that year to Miss Elizabeth Antenen, who was born in Highland, Illinois, in 1864. She was the daughter of Benedict and Mary (Webber) Antenen, native born Switzerlanders who im- migrated to the United States in May 1864, their daughter Elizabeth being born in October of that year. The Antenen family settled in Saline township where the father was a farmer. Besides Elizabeth who became Mrs. Andrew Weder, the family contained John, Jacob, Alexander (of whom mention is made on other pages of this history), Sophia, and Mary Antenen, who was taken to the life here- after when a child of eight. All the Antenen children went to school at the Giger district school, and like their parents, attended the German Lutheran Church of Highland.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Weder began their wedded life in Saline township on a rented farm, where they remained five years before renting another farm in Leef township. After four years their steady industrious life received its reward for they were able to pur- chase a fertile one hundred and fifty acre farm in Leef township. There were no im- provements on the land when they came into its possession, but it is now one of the most attractive holdings in the county, and bears every evidence of the time and money spent on its improvement. Shade
trees were planted, and they set out some choice varieties of fruit trees. Their new 30 by 32 addition to
the barn is only one of their recent changes. Their home, standing back from the road is half a mile north of Saline, with a beautiful view of the surrounding country and is re- garded as one of the finest country residences in Leef township. Mr. Weder, besides his general farming has quite a reputation for his stock. He has raised some very fine Holstein cows, and has bred horses and mules. In the last few years, Mr. Weder has added to his original holdings until his farm now embraces two hundred and forty acres of fertile Illinois land.
To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Weder have been born three children two sons and a daugh- ter ; August, Joseph and Stella Frieda. In 1911 August married Miss Ella Leef. A11 of the children were sent to the Purcell school and to Grand Fork and also to the parochial school, this enabling them to speak two lan- guages with equal ease.
Mr. Weder's business and private record has been esteemed so highly that he has been chosen to fill the public office of school direc- tor, and he served in that capacity for four years. Later he was elected to fill the office of school trustec, and he is still working for the general welfare in that capacity. Politic- ally, Mr. Weder is one of the stalwarts in the Republican party, and one of the wise coun- sellors of that party on local issues. He and his wife are prominent in the good works of the German Evangelical church, Mrs. Weder being one of the most active members of the Ladies Missionary Society of the church, and together they can be relied to come to the front whenever any movement for the better- ment of present conditions is advanced.
THOMAS W. L. BELK. Having accom- plished a satisfactory work as an agricultur- ist, acquiring a handsome competency, Thomas W. L. Belk, the representative of a worthy pioneer family of Madison county, is now liv- ing retired from active pursuits in Alton, en- joying to the utmost the well-merited reward of his earlier years of judicious toil. A native of Maryland, he was born January 23, 1833, in the city of Baltimore, a son of Henry Belk.
One of a family of four sons, Henry Belk was born February 3, 1782, in the village of Heck, Yorkshire, England, where his parents were life-long residents. In 1833, accompan- ied by his wife and children, he immigrated to America, locating in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was for seven years employed in the dairy business. Coming to Madison county, Illinois, in 1837, he selected as his
Ger Kalbfleisch
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
place of residence the little village of Alton, which was then the shipping point for this part of the state. Renting land, he was engaged in market gardening for three years, after which he bought land in Fort Russell township, where he carried on general farming and stock-raising most successfully, residing there until his death, at the venerable age of ninety- five years. He married Frances Walton, who was born in London, England, October 15, 1789, and died in Madison county, Illinois, February 26, 1864. She became the mother of ten children, namely: Mary, William, Emma, Elizabeth, George, Henry, Frances, Charles, Thomas W. L. and Sarah, the last three having been of American birth.
Thomas W. L. Belk was but four years old when, in 1837, his parents brought him to Madison county, Illinois. He grew to man- hood amid pioneer scenes, deer, panther, wild turkeys, prairie chickens and other kinds of wild game being plentiful during his boyhood days and helping to fill the family larder. There were neither railroads nor canals in the state, and such conveniences as telephones, rural free delivery and automobiles were un- dreamed of in those primitive times. Begin- ning as a young lad to assist his father on the farm, Thomas remained at home until nearly grown, when he engaged in teaming with five pairs of oxen, hauling logs to the mill, being thus employed for five years. Returning home at the end of that time, he lived on the farm for awhile, but realizing that he had not sowed his wild oats he subsequently put in three solid years in having a jolly good time. Mr. Belk then married and settled down to a pastoral life, engaging in farming in Wood river town- ship. Meeting with eminent success as a farmer and stock raiser, he continued actively engaged in his peaceful and profitable occupa- tion until 1898, when he removed to Alton, where he has since lived retired from business cares and responsibilities.
Mr. Belk married, in 1859, Eliza J. Mont- gomery, who was born in Wood River town- ship, Madison county, Illinois, a daughter of William Montgomery and granddaughter of John Montgomery, a soldier in the Revolution- ary army. Born and reared in Kentucky, Wil- liam Montgomery became one of the early pioneers of Madison county, Illinois, coming here from his Kentucky home as early as 1809. He lived for a awhile in Fort Russell town- ship, but afterwards secured a tract of govern- ment land in Wood River township, on which he began farming and stock-growing. He
was very fortunate in his undertakings, and as his money accumulated he invested in other land, buying extensive tracts and becom- ing one of the largest individual landholders in the state. He deeded to each of his eleven children four hundred acres of land, and after his death five thousand acres were sold from his estate. He married Sarah Rattan, who was born in Kentucky, a daughter of Thomas Rattan, who came from Kentucky to what is now Madison county, Illinois, in 1804, but af- terwards settled permanently in Greene county, Illinois.
Mrs. Belk died April 8, 1910, leaving six children, namely: May E., Lillian, R. E. Lee, Alice, Edward and Charles A. May E. mar- ried George Worden and has three children, Grace, Elizabeth and Harry Belk. Lillian is the wife of Fred Sloper, and has two children, Maurice and Lilly Mae. R. E. Lee married Ida Bell. Alice is the wife of J. H. Hart, Ed- ward married Cora Synar. Charles A. mar- ried Daisy Humphrey, and they have one son, Thomas Alton. One daughter, Emma, mar- ried Frank Kuhn, and died in her twentieth year, leaving one son, Charles E. Kuhn, who was reared by his grandparents.
GEORGE KALBFLEISCH, director and assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Ed- wardsville, has been actively identified with the public and business life of the county for a number of years, and holds high place in popular confidence and esteem. He was born in Perry county, Missouri, on January 7, 1842, and is a son of Conrad and Rosina Barbara (Furch) Kalbfleisch, who were married in New York city in the year 1835 and traveled by stage and canal to Missouri to make a home for themselves in a new and untried country. In 1851 the family removed to Col- linsville in this county, where the father was for many years a tailor and merchant.
The youth of George Kalbfleisch was passed in Collinsville and he attended the German Lutheran Evangelical school in that place until his confirmation in 1855, when his parents sent him to Concordia College in St. Louis, where he pursued his studies until 1857. Having finished his education, he learned the tinner's trade and worked at it for ten years, in 1865 opening a tin shop in O'Fallon, St. Clair county, Illinois. On New Year's day, 1867, Mr. Kalbfleisch, in association with his brother and father, opened a general store on the corner of Main and Clinton streets, Col- linsville, and the subject continued thus en- gaged until January, 1883, when he sold out
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to his brother, J. C. Kalbfleisch. He took an active interest in public affairs in Collinsville, and served creditably in several offices. In 1883 he was made deputy county treasurer under Mr. Ben R. Hite, and he held the same office under Mr. Joseph H. Wycliffe, a Repub- lican elected in 1886. In 1890 Mr. Kalbfleisch was elected county treasurer by a large vote. Since 1895, when his term as treasurer ex- pired, he has been engaged in the banking business. His career as a public official was one in which he might justly take pride, en- dorsed as it was by prominent officials of the county on his retirement. The following brief clipping taken from the columns of a local paper at that time is indicative of the pleasing manner in which Mr. Kalbfleisch conducted his office during the years of his service : "The county board met Wednesday pursuant to the adjournment on Monday. The finance committee reported on the monthly and quar- terly statements of County Treasurer George Kalbfleisch, and found them correct, The statement shows special deposits of $4.138.40 and a balance on hand of $11,042.13. The re- port of the committee was approved and the county clerk was instructed to issue an order on George Kalbfleisch to turn over to George WV. McCormick, the present county treasurer, all funds due the county as shown by his re- port. The committee in concluding their re- port paid tribute to the outgoing official, say- ing : "That the business of the county was never better managed; that his system and methods have resulted in there being less property in the county upon which the taxes are uncollected and uncollectible than at any previous period, and his reports have always been accurate and his balances promptly paid, and that it is with pleasure that the committee can say: 'Well done, good and faithful ser- vant.' This expression on the part of the com- mittee was adopted by a rising vote."
As previously mentioned, Mr. Kalbfleisch has been engaged in banking since his retire- ment from public office, and is now assistant cashier and a director of the First National Bank of Edwardsville, an office which he as- sumed in 1903. It is in no small measure due to his discrimination and well directed ad- ministrative dealing that this institution has become a popular and substantial banking house. Mr. Kalbfleisch has served for some time as treasurer of the Home Building & Loan Association.
As a citizen Mr. Kalbfleisch has consistently supported all enterprises and movements to
build up Edwardsville and to maintain its im- portance as a residence and business center. He has been a member of the Lutheran church since 1860, and has served the church in an official capacity for many years.
In 1870 Mr. Kalbfleisch was united in mar- riage with Isabella Griffith, daughter of Jo- seph W. and Sarah ( Anderson) Griffith, of Collinsville. They have one son, W. H. Kalb- fleisch.
GUY L. MCKINNEY, M. D. This is an age of progress and America is the exponent of the spirit of the age. In the beginning of the nineteenth century our country was in its infancy and history shows no parallel for its growth and achievements. No other country has made greater advancement in the line of science, and in the steady growth and develop- ment which has characterized the age the sci- ence of medicine has kept pace with the gen- eral progress. In that profession Dr. Guy L. McKinney stands as a promising young repre- sentative, his professional identification with Highland dating from the year 1905, in which period he has succeeded in winning the con- fidence of his fellow townsmen, both as a man and a physician. He was born in New Doug- las, on October 6, 1883, the son of B. H. and S. C. (Nance) Mckinney, natives of Ken- tucky. He received his preliminary educa- tional discipline in the schools of New Doug- las and while still very young came to a de- cision as to his future life work. Accordingly he became a student in the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons at the age of sev- enteen years and he received his well-earned degree from that institution in 1905. He first hung out his professional shingle in the town which was dear to him with all the happiest associations of life and has ever since re- mained here. He is interested in all those or- ganizations designed for the advancement and unification of the profession, holding mem- bership in the Madison County and State Med- ical Societies, and the American Medical As- sociation. Fraternally he is a prominent and popular member of the Modern Woodmen of America and holds the office of camp phy- sician. He subscribes to the articles of faith of the Democratic party and supports the measures promulgated by it, but he is not at all active in public matters. He and his wife belong to the Christian church.
Dr. Mckinney was married shortly after receiving his degree, the young woman to be- come his wife being Miss Ola Regal, of St. Louis, Missouri, daughter of John F. Regal,
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their union being celebrated June 28, 1905. Mrs. McKinney is a graduate of the High School of St. Louis.
ADOLPH WETZEL. One of the most pros- perous and influential farmers of Alhambra township, Madison county, making a specialty of high-grade stock, is the gentleman whose name forms the caption 'of this review. Adolph Wetzel was born in Alhambra town- ship, November 3, 1878, a son of Frank and Lena (Gehrig) Wetzel, both natives of this township. The ancestors of this worthy cou- ple were German, immigrating to America at an early day in this country's history, finally settling in Illinois, where Mr. Wetzel followed agricultural pursuits all his life. They were the parents of five children, and were especi- ally anxious that their children should have a good education, than which, they averred, there was no better heritage. The entire family were devout members of the German Evan- gelical church. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wetzel were: John, of Alhambra town- ship; Hilda, who died at the age of one year ; Leonard; Arnold, at home; and Adolph, the subject of this sketch.
Adolph Wetzel received good school ad- vantages, as did his brothers, supplementing his common school training by a course in the State Agricultural College at Champaign, he having been the choice of the board of direct- ors of the Farmers' Institute from his county for the scholarship given to one student in each county who, through strict application and superior credits, receives that honor. Our subject remained on the parental homestead, however, assisting his father, until his mar- riage in 1903, when they moved on a farm of eighty-two acres owned by the senior Wetzel, one mile east of Alhambra. Through the good management of not only Mr. Wetzel, but also his good wife, they were in the course of four years' time enabled to purchase this farm, where. they still reside. As suggested earlier in this sketch, Mr. Wetzel is a breeder of high-grade stock, owning some of the pur- est and finest Shropshire sheep in the county. He also makes a specialty of fine Poland-China hogs, constantly maintaining a goodly bunch on his farm. He was awarded the first prizes on his sheep, also on his Poland China hogs, at the Madison County Fair held at Highland in Sep- tember, 1911. Mr. Wetzel had a fine exhibit of both sheep and hogs at the fair.
In politics Mr. Wetzel leans toward the Democratic party, but is broad-minded in his views, keeping continually in view the needs
of the people rather than the success of any one party, thus voting for the man who he be- lieves will best serve the interests of the com- munity. Mr. and Mrs. Wetzel are honored members of the German Evangelical church, in which church Mr. Wetzel was raised.
On the IIth day of February, 1903, Mr. Adolph Wetzel was united in the holy bands of matrimony with Miss Emma Landolt, who was born in Leef township, Madison county, on the 3d of August, 1881. She was one of the daughters of Fred and Margaret (Hitz) Lan- dolt, his father being a native of Illinois, and the mother having been born in Switzerland, whence she had immigrated to the United States when she was five years old. Mr. Lan- dolt "followed the plow" all his life, and now lives practically retired from active business life on his farm. Mr. and Mrs. Landolt had nine children, of whom one son died in in- fancy. The remainder are here chronicled : Maggie (deceased), Katie, Julia, Anna. Eva. Emil, Charlie and Emma, the latter the wife of our subject. Mrs. Wetzel received her edu- cation at the Rockwell school, and has grown into an intellectual, warm-hearted and es- teemed woman who has been a helpmeet to Mr. Wetzel in all that the term implies. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Wetzel has been glad- dened by the advent into their midst of one bright little daughter, Onita Mildred Wetzel, born July 13, 1906.
The latch string is always out at their home for the esteemed friend, passing neighbor or weary stranger, and Mr. and Mrs. Wetzel, justly take their place among the hospitable, popular and highly respected citizens of Al- hambra township.
HERMANN EDMUND WOLF, who has been closely associated with the business life of Ed- wardsville for nearly forty years, is treasurer of the Palace Store Company and secretary of the Home Building & Loan Association.
He was born at Philadelphia, August 25, 1850. His parents were Hermann and Doris (Nestle) Wolf, the former coming to the United States in 1843 and the latter in 1847. The family later returned to Germany, where Hermann E. was reared and educated. In 1872 the latter determined to make his home in America. He lived at Philadelphia eighteen months and in 1873 came west and has since been one of the enterprising citizens of Ed- wardsville. At the establishment of the Pal- ace Store he became treasurer of the com- pany, and has been secretary of the Home
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Building & Loan Association for the past twelve years.
Mr. Wolf affiliates with the Modern Wood- men of America and is a member of the Ger- man Lutheran church. In 1878 he was mar- ried to Miss Minnie Deach, daughter of Wil- liam Deach, of Edwardsville. She and her only child are now deceased. At his second marriage in 1882 Mr. Wolf was united with Miss Mary H. Hendlon, who is a native of this county. They have three children living : Percy H., Carl H. and Doris E.
CYRUS S. STAHL, for many years engaged in the pedagogical field, is now one of the farmers of Moro township. It is a difficult matter to determine which of the professions is most worthy, which is of the greatest ben- cfit to mankind, which calls forth the highest capabilities and efforts, but all will agree that the man who has devoted nearly a quarter of a century to educating others to fill their places in the world has served his fellow men as well as his country. Such is the record of Mr. Stahl, for years one of the most progressive educators in Madison county-the scene of all his pedagogical efforts. His experiences have been wide and varied, and his observa- tions of human nature have taught him to be lenient with the failings of others, to be sym- pathetic with their discouragements and to be helpful to all whom he can reach.
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