USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume II > Part 59
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The Wulfemeyer family immigrated to the United States in 1853, settling in St. Louis, where Gerhardt W. Wulfemeyer followed the occupation of a carpenter until enlisting for service in the Union army during the Civil war, and when he had completed his term re- turned to that city and again took up that oc- cupation. In 1885 Mr. Wulfemeyer purchased a farm on the present site of West Granite City, Illinois, of which he was the owner until 1892, at which time the tract was taken in charge by real estate men and platted for West Granite City. He and his wife had the fol- lowing children: Emma, Lena and Herman H. All of the children were given good pub- lic school educations in St. Louis, and when he was fifteen years of age, having decided to become a druggist, Herman H. Wulfemeyer entered the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. On completing his studies there he entered the employ of Dr. E. Staehr, with whom he con- tinued for three years, and he also spent one year with Henry Diers, then returning to Illi- nois and becoming assistant to William H. Hoffmann, a druggist of Venice. He contin- ued working for Mr. Hoffmann until 1879, at which time he bought Mr. Hoffmann's inter- ests and since that time has conducted the es- tablishment alone. His store is modern in ev- ery respect, is equipped with all the latest con- veniences and appurtenances and carries a
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complete stock of drugs, medicines, toilet ar- ticles, rubber goods, perfumes, candies, cigars and stationery, and caters to the best trade in Venice. The city has changed and grown re- markably since he first came here, but Mr. Wulfemeyer has kept pace with the changes, enlarging his establishment and his stock as the trade demanded, and he now has one of the first-class stores of this flourishing com- munity.
In 1887 Mr. Wulfemeyer was married to Miss Maria Staats, an estimable young lady of St. Louis, who was born in 1859, the only daughter of George and Henrietta (Koch) Staats, the former of whom, a well-known cabinet maker of St. Louis, died at the age of eighty-one years. Mr. and Mrs. Wulfemeyer have had three children: Elenora, George and Herman H. The children were educated in the public schools of St. Louis, the sons com- pleting their educations in Smith's Academy in that city, and they have manifested the same spirit of industry that has characterized their parents' lives. Elenora is now employed in a millinery business in St. Louis ; George is em- ployed by the Hancock Life Insurance Com- pany in that city; and Herman H., Jr., is studying to become a pharmacist and is assist- ing his father in the store.
Mr. and Mrs. Wulfemeyer are members of St. John's German Evangelical church of St. Louis, and are interested in religious and char- itable work. In his political affiliations Mr. Wulfemeyer reserves the right to vote for the man whom he deems best fitted for the office, irrespective of political lines. He takes an in- terest in everything pertaining to the welfare of his adopted city, and has associated himself with all movements which have tended to ad- vance the development of its resources. He is widely known, as are all the members of his family, and is very popular with all with whom he is acquainted.
J. F. WILLIAM SONNTAG. Many of Madi- son county's more prosperous and progressive citizens were born in countries far across the seas, prominent among the number being J. F. William Sonntag, who is extensively and suc- cessfully engaged in the real estate and insur- ance business at Alton. A native of Saxony, he was born July 28, 1848, in the city of Meer- . ane, where the birth of his father, J. F. Wil- liam Sonntag, Sr., occurred in 1801. His an- cestors, so far as known, were of pure Saxon blood and followed the weaver's trade.
J. F. William Sonntag, Sr., following in the footsteps of his forefathers, was engaged as a
weaver during his active life and died in Sax- ony in 1868, at the age of sixty-seven years. He married Charlotte Daut, who was born at Elsterberg, Saxony. She passed to the life be- yond in 1854, leaving six children, namely : Louisa, Julius, Frank L., Emeile, Augusta and J. F. William. Frank L., the second son, and J. F. William, the youngest child, were the only members of the family to leave the Fa- therland.
Throughout the days of his boyhood and youth J. F. William Sonntag attended school regularly and took special pleasure in cultivat- ing his artistic talent, in drawing standing sec- ond in his class. Completing his early studies, he began learning the art of weaving on the hand loom, serving an apprenticeship of two years. In 1866, with the zeal and ambition of sturdy youth, he immigrated to the United States, a land rich in hope and promise for a poor man. Locating first in Alton, he found employment in a woolen mill, not, however, as a weaver, but as general utility man. He was soon given charge of a loom, which he oper- ated until Christmas, 1866, when he accepted a position in a woolen mill at Carlinville, Illi- nois, where he staid nearly a year. Coming back then to Alton, Mr. Sonntag resumed his position in the mill in which he first worked, and a few months later was made foreman of the department, an especial honor, as at that time he was not yet twenty years of age, and had been in this country less than two years. Being granted a vacation five years later, Mr. Sonntag visited his old home and friends in Saxony, spending five months, and on return- ing to Alton assumed his former position in the mill. Soon afterwards papers were drawn admitting him to partnership with Mr. F. K. Nichols, the proprietor of the plant, but the death of Mr. Nichols put a stop to the pro- ceedings. The following year Mr. Sonntag was superintendent of the mill, and then, in July, 1879, at the earnest solicitation of Mr. F. Rudershausen, a prominent real estate and in- surance man, formed a partnership with him and engaged in business under the firm name of Rudershausen & Company, which was later changed to Rudershausen & Sonntag. On the death of the senior member of the firm in 1893, Mr. Sonntag succeeded to the ownership of the entire business. He has since admitted to partnership his son Fred W. Sonntag, the firm name being William Sonntag & Son, and this enterprising firm is carrying on an exten- sive real estate business and represents several of the leading insurance companies and vari-
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ous steamship lines. The firm likewise deals in Foreign Exchange and during the Boxer war, when the banks refused to assume the risk, telegraphed money to China.
Mr. Sonntag married, in 1873, Minnie Lau, who was born in Alton, Illinois, a daughter of Henry and Christine ( Thomas) Lau, natives of Nassau, Germany. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sonntag, one of whom, a youth of much promise, died at the age of fourteen years, and three are now living, namely : Flora, Fred W. and Arthur H. Fred W. Sonntag, who was educated in the public schools of Alton and is now in partnership with his father, married Cicelia Farner. Ar- thur was graduated from the State University, at Champaign, Illinois, and is now in the em- ploy of the General Electric Company, at Schenectady, New York.
Mr. Sonntag and his family are members of the German Evangelical church and contribute liberally towards its support. Fraternally Mr. Sonntag belongs to Piasa lodge, No. 27, A. F. & A. M .; to Western Star, No. 1; and to the Alton Turnverein.
ROBERT DEMPSTER. Numbered among those who have contributed careers of skill and in- dustry and civic character to Madison county, Mr. Robert Dempster, of Venice, has for the past twenty years been identified with the great glucose industry of that vicinity. He is chemist and engineer of the plant, and his en- tire active life has been devoted to the prac- tical work of this line of manufacturing.
A native of Durham county, England, and residing opposite Newcastle on Tyne, he was born in 1852, and belongs to a Scotch family whose record goes through many generations of honorable activity. His parents, James and Susan (Allen) Dempster, were both natives of Scotland. An ancestor in the direct line was Thomas Dempster, 1579-1625, a noted scholar of Aberdeenshire, whose achievements were of such importance that they find record in the Encyclopedia Brittanica. Members of the family in successive generations were promi- nent as educators, and the name itself is said to originate from the Scotch word Demas, meaning judge. Besides Robert the other chil- dren of his parents were: John Henry, Wil- liam, Mary, Sarah, Jane, Liza Ann, Agnes, Martha and Margaret. Their mother's (Susan Allen Dempster) father immigrated to Amer- ica sometime in the '30s, and later several of her children joined their grandfather and other members of the Allen family in America.
Among these was Mary, who died of cholera at Buffalo, New York.
When Robert Dempster was twelve years old he immigrated to America, and from New York went to the home of an aunt at Newberg on the Hudson, and from there to Buffalo, where he joined an uncle, Allen, and lived in that city for twelve years. Here he finished his education, and then entered the glucose business conducted by his uncle, where he learned all the practical details and technic of this manufacturing. As a practical man in the business his services were required in the es- tablishment of other plants. From Buffalo he went to Geneva, Illinois, where he built a plant and remained to supervise it four years. From there lie was sent to San Francisco, but the company abandoned its plans to locate a fac- tory there. His next field was Ontario, Can- ada, where he was engaged in the glucose busi- ness. As a practical chemist he was led into the brewing and malting business in 1885, but after six years this proved distasteful and he withdrew. In 1891 he located at Venice, where he has since been connected with glucose man- ufacturing.
On January 14, 1885, in Canada, Mr. Dempster was united in marriage with Miss Nellie Jenking. She also represents an old and prominent family, including a number of noted ancestors. She was born in Walker- ville, Canada, in 1861, a daughter of Horatio Nelson and Sarah E. (Nelson) Jenking. Her father was one of twenty-two children, and, stating the fact in the form of an old catch problem in arithmetic, each of the twenty-one sons had one sister. Sarah E. Nelson, the mother, was a daughter of Robert Nelson, a native of Cornwall, England, and of the same family as Admiral Nelson, the hero of Trafal- gar. Horatio Nelson Jenking was a son of Shadrach and Margaret (Maisonville) Jenk- ing, the latter being of French descent. Shad- raclı Jenking, who was a boat builder, was at one time engaged in constructing a boat in the harbor at Erie, Pennsylvania. While his wife was visiting him there she gave birth to twin boys, who were British subjects born on American soil. On this account it was sug- gested that one of the boys he named for a noted Englishman and the other for a noted American. Hence one received the name Nel- son after the British admiral, and the other was named Thomas Jefferson. Shadrach Tenking built the first boat operated between Detroit and Windsor, and among other vessels
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S. P. Greenwood,
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constructed by him were the Argo and the Es- sex. When Horatio Nelson Jenking, one of the twins just mentioned, grew up and selected a wife he married Sarah E. Nelson, a descend- ant of the heroic sea-fighter for whom he had been named. The children of this couple were: Charles, Frank, James, John, Herbert, Ida and Nellie, the last named being Mrs. Dempster. She was educated in the schools of Walkerville and Windsor, Ontario, and during her residence at Walkerville met and married Mr. Dempster. .
Of the eleven children born to the home of Mr. Dempster and wife three died in infancy, the others being: Pearl, Susan, Robert, Wil- liam, Charles, Nellie, Sarah and Benjamin. These have all been educated in the Venice schools and are well known members of the younger social circles of the town. Pearl, the oldest daughter, after leaving the Venice schools was graduated from the East St. Louis high school, and then began a career in educational work which has been characterized by efficient service and merited promotions. Her first term was in the Sherfy school of Upper Alton, she was then for three years connected with the public schools of her home town, and she is now one of the instructors in the schools of Cairo, Illinois.
Mr. Dempster in religion holds to the good old Scotch Presbyterian faith, while his wife is an Episcopalian. Since he was a boy he has given unaltering allegiance to the Republican party while on American soil. In Buffalo, while he was growing up, an old friend, of stanch Democratic tendencies, undertook to train his beliefs in the politics, and for that purpose took him to some of the rallies and public speakings, where he had opportunity to hear both sides. To the disappointment of his old adviser he decided firmly in favor of the opposite faith, and has never yet had cause to . regret this decision. Fraternally he is a Knight Templar Mason, an order in which the Demp- sters have been members as far back as there is any record. Mrs. Dempster and the daugh- ter Pearl are affiliated with the Order of the Eastern Star.
EDWIN PAYSON GREENWOOD. In the death at Edwardsville, October 21, 191I, of Edwin Payson Greenwood that community lost one of its most honored. useful and beloved citi- zens. He was of that type which is all too rare, and when found is universally accorded that estimation which real worth and not alone worldly prestige commands.
Mr. Greenwood was a banker, one of the Vol. II-20
leading members of that line in southern Illi- nois. His experience in that direction cov- ered a period of forty years, and in his personality he united the courtly, affable gen- tleman of the old school with the quick percep- tions and keen aggressiveness of the modern man of finance. He was methodical in his ways, careful and conscientious in the execu- tion of his responsibilities and invariably courteous with all those with whom he came in contact.
· The important post that he occupied in handling the affairs of a banking house whose resources exceeded the million mark caused him to watch closely the current of financial affairs, but he never became so deeply en- grossed as to forget the deference that pa- trons of the institution had come to expect, nor did the trend of outside affairs ever warp his judgment. He steered his course solely by the light of honesty, did right at all times, no matter whether the issue was large or small, and strictly obeyed the dictates of his con- science.
The widow whose tiny estate of a few meager dollars required administration re- ceived from him the same business-like atten- tion as the man of affairs who wanted to ne- gotiate a proposition of fifty or a hundred thousand dollars. People of Edwardsville came to lean upon Edwin P. Greenwood all unconsciously, and many perhaps did not real- ize to what an extent until he had been called away. They valued his friendship, they re- spected his judgment, and they commanded both freely at all times. In consequence when the sudden news of his death came it struck home to the community as of a personal loss.
Those who knew Mr. Greenwood best real- ize that it was in his home life that the truest characteristics of the man were evidenced. He valued his home above all else, and was happier there than any other circumstances could produce. His life was ordered in such a way as to make that home not a secondary matter, as is too frequently the case with busy men of affairs, but first and foremost at all times. In it he found complete contentment. His library was a carefully chosen one and he loved to read. He was fond of the com- pany of his friends and welcomed them to his home. When he was not at the bank he was to be found at home, a preference to which he remained steadfast through a long and useful life.
Edwin P. Greenwood was a member of an old New England family. He was born at
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Cambridge, Massachusetts, September 13, 1844, a son of Stephen P. and Abigail ( Bow- ker) Greenwood. The family settled at Alton in 1859, where the father was a prominent business man. He died in 1892, and his wife in 1891. Mr. Greenwood was educated in public and private schools in his native home and at Boston, and on coming to Alton be- came a clerk in a shoe store. This was fol- lowed by varied experiences in commercial lines. On coming to Edwardsville in 1870 his first work was as deputy circuit clerk of Madison county, attached to the circuit court.
On July 1, 1872. he entered the banking house of West and Prickett, which had been established four years before with a capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars, and he remained with this institution until the time of his death. Following the death of E. M. West in 1887, the bank continued under the name of William R. Prickett & Company, un- til 1896, when it became a state institution under the name of the Bank of Edwardsville, its present designation. Mr. Greenwood at that time became a stockholder and was made cashier. In 1890 Mr. Prickett retired and the Madison County State Bank was merged with the Bank of Edwardsville, the capital being placed at fifty thousand dollars. Since that time the capital has been increased to one hundred thousand dollars and a surplus of ninety thousand dollars created. Throughout these changes and this ever increasing growth the familiar figure and kindly face of Mr. Greenwood remained at the cashier's window and he came to be regarded as one of the bul- warks of the institution.
In his social contacts Mr. Greenwood affili- ated with several of the important organiza- tions of the city. He was a member of Ed- wardsville Lodge, No. 99, A. F. and A. M., and of Edwardsville Chapter, No. 46, R. A. M. In the latter body he was treasurer for many years. He also affiliated with Caracta- cus Lodge, No. 72. Knights of Pythias. He was appointed a notary public by the governor of Illinois in 1881 and held a commission as such to the time of his death. He was secre- tary of the Board of Education for fifteen years, and a member of the Commercial Club for many years.
On January 1, 1869, Mr. Greenwood laid the foundation of an ideally happy married life by his union with Miss Abbie L. Harris. Mrs. Greenwood was born in Alton, Madison county, a daughter of Benjamin B. Harris and his wife, who was Margaret Barron, of
Middletown, Delaware. The father was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and was a Madison county pioneer, having arrived with- in its boundaries in 1840. Three children were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Greenwood : William Wade, of Seattle, Wash- ington; Paul Harris, a resident of Mexico City, Mexico; and Jennie Louise, who died in infancy.
In the resolutions of respect adopted by the Madison County Bankers' Association of which Mr. Greenwood was a member, com- ment is made upon his domestic life and his personal traits in the following wise :
"Not only was Mr. Greenwood essentially a home-loving man, but he was methodical in all that he did. He occupied the same plot of ground for thirty-five years, and his neighbors were his closest and dearest friends. Mr. Greenwood was a man of high character, ster- ling worth and the strictest integrity ; his per- sonal life was without a blemish. As a neigh- bor, friend and citizen, as well as in the posi- tion he has so long filled and so well, his loss will be deeply felt and will leave a void which time, the great leveler, can only partially fill.
"It is peculiarly fitting in view of the fact that Mr. Greenwood has been identfied with the banking interests of Madison county longer than any man now living within its bor- ders, and the further fact that he has seen during his career as a banker the number of banks in the county increase from five to twenty-seven, and with an opportunity to note the corresponding growth in population and wealth of the county to which these institu- tions and those in control of them have in such a large measure contributed, that we should by appropriate action make note of the great loss that has been sustained by his fam- ily, his friends and the commonwealth."
CARL F. YEAKEL. Possessing excellent busi- ness ability, tact and judgment. Carl F. Yea- kel, of Alton, is meeting with well-merited success as a real estate, loan and insurance agent, having built up an extensive and lucra- tive patronage in this section of Madison county. He was born April 6, 1871, in Alton. of German ancestry. His father, George Yea- kel. and his grandfather. Philip Yeakel, were both natives of Germany.
Reared in the Fatherland. Philip Yeakel at- tended school in his youthful days, after which he served an apprenticeship at the brewer's trade, which he followed in Germany until 1836. In that year, accompanied by his wife and children, he immigrated to America. Lo-
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cating in Alton, Illinois, he established the Bluff City Brewery, which he conducted until his death, in 1854, at the age of fifty-one years. His wife survived him. She reared three sons, Philip, Fred and George, and two daughters, one of whom, Mary, married first Colonel Kuhn and second a Mr. Haas.
But two years old when his parents brought him to Alton, George Yeakel was educated in the public schools and when young began as- sisting his father in the brewery. He became familiar with the details of the business, to which he succeeded on the death of his father, and which he conducted successfully until his own death, in 1872, when but thirty-eight years of age. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Rustemeier, was born in Ger- many. Her father, Anton Rustemeier, resided in that part of Germany until 1840, when he came with his family to Madison county, Illi- nois, settling near East Alton, where he bought land and was engaged in farming the re- mainder of his life, his death being caused, in 1851, by cholera. Mr. Rustemeier's widow survived him two years and died in 1853, leav- ing five children. Mrs. George Yeakel was but twelve years old when she came with her par- ents to Illinois and her home has since been in Madison county. To her and her husband five children were born, as follows: George, Emma, Leonora, Lillie and Carl F.
At the age of fifteen years, having acquired a good education in the city schools, Carl F. Yeakel began clerking, and he remained in that capacity for four years. Embarking in the oil business, he continued in it for five years and in the ensuing six years was ·en- gaged in the grocery business, being located at the corner of Second and Market streets. Mr. Yeakel has since carried on a substantial busi- ness as a real estate dealer, insurance agent and in negotiating loans, being one of the best known men in that line of industry.
On April 4, 1902, Mr. Yeakel married Ida Maude Tureff, who was born in Detroit, Michigan, a daughter of John C. and Nellie (Sanborn) Tureff. Mr. and Mrs. Yeakel are the parents of five children, namely: Fred, Frank, John Stanley, Carl and George. Mr. Yeakel is a member and secretary of the Alton Building and Loan Association, and is a mem- ber of Robin Hood Camp, Modern Woodmen of America.
HERMAN G. HOELSCHER. In the eighty- sixth year of his life, over sixty of which have been spent in Madison county, Herman G. Hoelscher, of Venice, is one of the citizens
whose long life has gone into the practical work of progress and to the promotion of the wel- fare of his community through honorable re- lations with all his fellow men. While for himself his years of fruitful effort are now of past record, his usefulness is continued through his children and grandchildren, a number of whom represent his name and char- acter in this portion of Madison county.
One of the oldest of the German settlers of this county, Herman G. Hoelscher was born at Furthumostenbrueck, Germany, February 7, 1826, a son of Rembert and Elzbeth (Schue- ter) Hoelscher. Other children in this family were Dietrich, who was for thirty-seven years a school teacher at St. Charles, Missouri, Wil- liam and Elzbeth. After spending his youth in the fatherland, where he was prepared for the practical duties of life, Herman G. Hoelscher, at the age of twenty-three, immigrated to the republic, the opportunities of which were al- ready well known to him by report. Arriving in St. Louis he found work as a farm hand at Peters Station in Madison county. Two years of this experience gave him assurance for a start of his own, which he took by renting the old Russell farm near the site of South Gran- ite, and he farmed the land now covered by the stamping works, this locality then being known as Kinderhook, from the Kinder family.
At first he was his own housekeeper, but on January 29, 1850, he married Miss Charlotte Bartels. This was the beginning of an unusu- ally long and happy companionship. Fifty years later, in the presence of children and grandchildren, they celebrated a golden wed- ding. For a number of years longer they con- tinued their journey side by side, until on the 19th of September, 19II, the good wife and mother was taken by death. She was laid to rest in St. John's German cemetery of Name- oki, Rev. Plassmann, her pastor, speaking the farewell. She was born in Baden, Germany, May 6, 1834. daughter of Friedrich and Caro- line (Moller) Bartels, the others in the family being Heinrich, George and August. At the age of eighteen, with some companions, she came to America, landing in New York and thence going to Virginia, and from there to Stallings station in Madison county, where she was engaged in working for the old settler, William Stallings, until her marriage.
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