Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume II, Part 65

Author: Norton, Wilbur T., 1844- , ed; Flagg, Norman Gershom, 1867-, ed; Hoerner, John Simon, 1846- , ed
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago ; New York : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 868

USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume II > Part 65

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On June 25, 1908, Dr. Armbruster married Miss Lydia Reusch, of St. Louis. They have one son, Carl, who was born January 29, 1910.

WILLIAM W. EVERETT, M. D., holds dis- tinctive precedence as a physician and sur- geon of note at llighland, where he has main- tained his home and professional headquar- ters since 1892. His service has been prompted by a laudable ambition for advance- ment as well as by deep sympathy and hu- manitarian principles that urge him to put forth his best efforts in the alleviation of pain and suffering. He has gained recognition from the profession as one of its able rep- resentatives, and the trust reposed in him by the public is indicated by the liberal patronage awarded him.

Dr. Everett was born in Scott county, Illi- nois, the date of his nativity being the seven- teenth of January, 1856, and he is a son of Andrew J. and Sarah J. (Anthony ) Everett, the former of whom is deceased and the latter of whom is now residing at St. Louis, in 19II, she having attained to the venerable age of seventy-four years. The father was a farmer of prominence and influence during his active life in Scott county, this state, and for three years he was a gallant and faithful soldier in the Civil war, having served in Company F, Tenth Illinois Cavalry. Of the eleven chil- dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Ever- ett. five are living in 1911, the subject of this review having been the second in order of birth. One brother, Alfred E. Everett, is a prominent physician in St. Louis, Missouri ; and Joseph S. Everett is an electrician at Staunton, Illinois.

In the public schools of Scott county, Dr. Everett, of this notice, received his prelimi- nary educational training and subsequently he

attended school in St. Louis for a number of years. In 1876 he was matriculated as a stu- dent in St. Louis, and he was graduated, in the spring of 1877, at the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons of Keokuk, lowa, duly receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine. Immediately after graduation he located at Jamestown, Illinois, where he succeeded in building up a large and lucrative patronage and where he continued to reside for the en- suing fifteen years, at the expiration of which, in 1892, he came to Highland. Here he is a man of mark in all the relations of life and he is particularly noted for his splendid profes- sional work, being widely renowned as a skilled physician and surgeon. He is a valued member of the Madison County Medical So- ciety, the Illinois State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association.

Near Dudleyville, Bond county, Illinois, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Everett to Miss Flora B. Clement, who was born in Jacksonville, Illinois, and who was summoned to the life eternal on the fourteenth of Au- gust. 1910. She was a daughter of Edwin and Ellen ( Atherton) Clement, both natives of Vermont. Dr. and Mrs. Everett became the parents of nine children, five living, and concerning whom the following brief data are here incorporated,-Dr. Ernest A. was gradu- ated in the St. Louis University of Medicine as a member of the class of 1906 and he is now located at Sorento, Illinois ; Bertha and Grace are both graduates of the Highland high school; and Lucile and Marion are pupils in the Highland public schools.

In politics Dr. Everett is an ardent advo- cate of the principles promulgated by the Republican party and, while he has never manifested aught of ambition for the honors or emoluments of public office, he is keenly alive to all matters projected for progress and improvement. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America and at Highland he is a member of the organization known as the Sharp Shooters.

WILLIAM H. MARTIN, one of the proprie- tors of the Collinsville Ice & Coal Plant, came to Collinsville a number of years ago with only thirty-five cents in his pocket. Hard work and business energy were the kinds of capital that he put into his career, and being now one of the prosperous and influential men of his city he has proved the possibilities of success on this basis.

Mr. Martin was born in England, May 26, 1862. His parents were James and Louise

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Martin. His father came to the United States prior to 1862 and for a time was en- gaged in the operation of a copper mine in Michigan, but later returned to his native land and died there. The first eight years of his life William H. spent in England, where he had limited educational advantages. He then came to America and spent the remain- der of his boyhood with his brother James in the state of Colorado. When he was about eighteen he started out for himself. In the Dakota mines he worked for a time at good wages, being there for three years, after which he returned to Colorado, and after- wards traveled about the country. His wan- derings came to a close when he arrived in Collinsville, where, as already mentioned, he began his residence with only thirty-five cents. His first experiences here were in the coal mines. His progressiveness advanced him from the ranks of the wage worker to more independent lines of business, and he has be- come prominent in local affairs, and in busi- ness. In addition to his interests in the ice and coal plant, he is local agent for the Star Brewery. He owns his comfortable home at 921 Vandalia street.

In politics a Republican, he has served as treasurer of the Madison county executive committee. He is a member of the Traveling Men's Protective Association and of the United Commercial Travelers, and has fra- ternal membership with the Elks Lodge, No. 664, at East St. Louis, and the Eagles and the Red Men at Collinsville.

Mr. Martin was married in Collinsville to Miss Anna Feig, who was born in St. Clair county in 1862. They are the parents of three children : William G., a graduate of the Col- lege of Commerce in East St. Louis, is now chief clerk in the probate judge's office at Ed- wardsville; Lenora is a graduate of the Col- linsville public schools with the class of 1912; and Ruby was born in September, 1906.

ADOLPH MEYER is a man of unusual enter- prise and initiative and he has met with such marvelous good fortune in his various busi- ness projects that it would verily seem as though he possessed an "open sesame" to un- lock the doors to success. Self-made and self-educated in the most significant sense of the words, he has progressed steadily toward the goal of success until he is recognized as one of the foremost business men and citizens of Highland, where he has lived during his entire life time and where he is now secretary, treasurer and business manager of the Helve-

tia Milk Condensing Company, one of the im- portant business enterprises of Madison county.

At Highland, Illinois, on the first of Oc- tober, 1871, occurred the birth of Adolph Meyer, who is a son of Hugo and Anna (Hecker) Meyer, the former of whom was born in Switzerland and the latter in Prussia. The father came to America about the year 1845, and after locating at Highland, Illinois, he devoted his attention to the carpenter busi- ness until his demise, which occurred on the twenty-ninth of July, 1880. Mrs. Meyer was born on the first of October, 1831, and she is still living, having reached the venerable age of eighty years. Of the ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hugo Meyer four sons are liv- ing, in 1911, namely,-Fred and Edward both reside in the city of St. Louis, Missouri; Gott- lieb is a stock-dealer at Highland; and Adolph is the immediate subject of this review.

After completing the curriculum of the public schools of Highland, Adolph Meyer spent one year at the Carbondale Normal School, subsequently teaching for a period of four years at St. Morgan, Illinois, and two years at Highland. In May, 1893, he entered the employ of the Helvetia Milk Condensing Company, working for a time in the office and later working in the manufacturing depart- ment until 1899, when he was placed in charge of the first branch plant at Greenville, Illinois. In July, 1907, he returned to Highland, where he became business manager for the company and in February of the following year he was elected to the offices of secretary, treasurer and business manager, retaining those incum- bencies to the present time, in 1911. In addi- tion to his connection with Helvetia Milk Con- densing Company he is a stockholder in the State & Trust Bank at Highland, in which prominent monetary institution he is also a member of the board of directors. He is a man of fair and honorable business methods and as such holds a high place in the confi- dence and esteem of his fellow citizens.

On the thirtieth of November, 1899, was re- corded the marriage of Mr. Meyer to Miss Clara C. Bardill, a sister of Hon. J. G. Bar- dill. Mrs. Meyer was reared and educated at Grand Fork, Illinois, and she is a woman of attractive personality, being deeply beloved by all who have come within the sphere of her gracious influence. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have 'five children, whose names are here entered in respective order of birth, --- Helen F., Clara, Bertha, Adolph, Jr., and Hugo. While the

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Meyer family are not formally connected with any religious organization, they attend and give their support to the Allegemeine Christ- liche church.

Mr. Meyer's interest in political questions is deep and sincere and he gives an earnest support to Republican principles, believing that the platform of that party contains the best elements of good government. In a social way he is a valued and appreciative member of the Singers. He is genial and courteous, and the popularity that comes from these qualities, with the distinction that comes from his achievements, make him a man among many. A thorough business man, a true friend, a jolly fellow and a gentleman-such will describe the marked characteristics of Adolph Aleyer.

DR. G. H. R. SCHROEPPEL. There is per- haps no calling in life the success of which de- pends so much on a man's own abilities and efforts as in the case of a physician. In the first place only men with the right personality and temperament should ever attempt to be- come doctors. If a man has fully decided that he has the necessary personality, the next thing for him to do is to seek to know some- thing about every branch of medicine and all about some one branch. Dr. Schroeppel is a decided success in Collinsville, so it is safe to conclude that both requisites are fulfilled in his case.

He was born in Collinsville, Illinois, De- cember 27, 1868, the son of John A. and Louise (Finke) Schroeppel, both of whom were born in Germany, coming to America soon after their marriage. They brought up a family of eight children, of whom the Doc- tor was the youngest.

G. H. R. Schroeppel went to the public school in Collinsville as soon as he had reached was sixteen years of age, when he started to the school age. He stayed in school until he work in the furniture business, staying in that line of work until he was nineteen years old. At that time he made up his mind that he should like to become an embalmer and to that end he entered the School of Embalming in New York city in 1889. After he graduated from this school he came back to Madison county, and was one of the first to engage in embalming work in this county. After working at this business for two years he felt that in- stead of devoting his life to the care of the dead, that he would expend his energies in trying to cure the living. Surely this was a nobler ambition and one that he quickly

sought to bring to pass by entering the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons. In 1893 he was graduated from this college, re- ceiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then located in Maine, Illinois, where he prac- ticed for two years, at the end of which period he decided to come back to his native town and practice. He soon had a large number of patients who feel that there is no one else who could possibly do as much for them as Dr. Schroeppel. Since his first entry into the medical field he has lost no opportunity to in- vestigate every new theory and has himself given a great deal to the scientific world. He is a member of the County Medical Society, of the State Medical Association and of the American Medical Association.

In 1898 he married Minnie M. Becker, a na- tive of Collinsville, Illinois. To this union three children have been born, as follows: Harold, aged twelve; Beulah, aged six years, and little Maxine, only eighteen months old.

In politics the Doctor is a Republican, but he does not take any very active part in poli- tics, devoting his time to his professional work and his home. He has a comfortable brick residence at 317 Main street, where he is always glad to see his many friends as well as his patients. He is a member of the Luth- eran church, devoting as much time to his church work as his professional duties will permit. He feels, however, that a physician has larger opportunities than most of the pro- fessions to do good to the spiritual life at the same time that he is attending to the corporal life in the fulfillment of his daily duties. He has never regretted entering the profession, hard as the calls are on his time and his ener- gies. To him the life most worth living is the one which calls forth the best there is in a man and the one where he can be of the most use to his fellow man. It is true that the Doc- tor has made money by reason of his large practice, but he performs many services for which he receives no remuneration but the gratitude of a thankful heart.

M. D. TIBBETTS, M. D. Holding in high estimate the duties and responsibilities which his position involved, and more than ordi- narily successful as a medical practitioner, Dr. M. D. Tibbetts is well known and highly es- teemed in the city of Highland, where he has spent a number of years in the practice of his profession. He is an American of the highest type, and of purest blood as well, his lineage on both sides being traceable back for many generations on American soil. Dr. Tibbetts

G. H. B. Schroeppel

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was born June 1, 1857, at Manchester, Indi- · ana, and is a son of Charles F. and Betsy W. (Cook) Tibbetts, the former a cooper by occu- pation. He is the fifth in order of birth of his parents' children, the others being : James H. L., Philena, Mary J., Horace M., Norrie T., Flora S., Charles E., Zeph, Otis E. and Gertrude.

Dr. Tibbetts' early education was secured in the schools of Manchester, and later he be- came a student in the Madison county institu- tions. On deciding to enter the field of medi- cine, he went to Wesleyan University,. Bloom- ington, Illinois, and Valparaiso (Ind.) Col- lege, and spent three years in the Missouri Medical College, from which he was gradu- ated with honors. Dr. Tibbetts first began practicing at Chillicothe, Missouri, subse- quently was located at Pierron, Madison county, where he continued for three and one- half years, and on March 5, 1885, transferred his field of activities to Highland. Here his success was instantaneous and complete. Be- ing naturally endowed with a genial nature and agreeable manners, he made hosts of friends and the extent of his practice rapidly increased. The collective opinion of those to whom he has ministered in sickness and who know his kind and gentle ways in the sick room, his untiring efforts to alleviate suffer- ing and to combat disease, is the best tribute that can be paid to him. Dr. Tibbetts is largely self-educated, in that he worked his way through college. Having a sincere love for his profession, he has devoted all of his spare time to deep study, and no man in Madi- son county stands higher in the esteem of the members of his profession. He is a member of the local lodge of Masons and has attained to the thirty-second degree in Masonry. Po- litically a staunch Democrat, he has been act- ive in the ranks of his party, but has not entered the political field for personal prefer- ment.

In 1882 Dr. Tibbetts was married to Miss Sarah E. Ketcham, who was born at Alham- bra, Madison county, Illinois, in 1858, daugh- ter of William and Mary Ann Ketcham, and sister of Levi Ketcham. Dr. and Mrs. Tib- betts have had three children : Maud P., Burns Duane and Robert Keith. Maud P. attended the public and high schools of High- land and of the Lindenwood Ladies' Academy of St. Charles, Missouri, and is now residing with her parents. Burns Duane went to the public and high schools, graduated from the manual training school of the Washington Vol. II-22

University of St. Louis, and from Barnes Business College of that city, and is now in the employ of the Malvern Lumber Company of St. Louis. He married Miss Freda Schott, a daughter of Otto Schott, of Highland, and they have one child, Marguerite, aged five years. After graduating from the high school, Robert Keith Tibbetts took a course in me- chanical engineering at Champaign College, and is now connected with the International Harvesting Company, of Sterling, Illinois. He married Miss Mildred Bardill, daughter of the Hon. J. G. Bardill, of Highland, a state representative.

FRED BERNHARDT. One cannot think of Fred Bernhardt without being impressed with his cleanness and his methods of business and his own personal character are irreproachable. Collinsville has many business men of fine character and amongst these Mr. Bernhardt stands very high. He is possessed of business ability to a marked degree, having gained valu- able experience in the different enterprises with which he has been connected. He is a man bound to succeed in whatever he under- takes.

He was born in Jarvis township, February II, 1866. His father was Peter Bernhardt and his mother Mary Schwerdfarger before her marriage. They were both natives of Germany, and, coming here, were married in this country. They farmed in Jarvis township and raised a family of five children, of whom Fred is the third. Both Mr. and, Mrs. Bern- hardt are dead.

Fred was brought up on the farm and at- tended the district school. He remained at home, working on the farm and attending school, until he was nineteen years of age, when he went to St. Louis, Missouri, to learn to be a blacksmith. He worked at the trade for four years in St. Louis and then located at Troy, Illinois, where he worked at the black- smithing trade for two years. In 1898 he came to Collinsville, Illinois, where he and his brother formed a partnership and opened a blacksmith shop. They continued in this part- nership for about six years, the latter part of the time adding implements to their business. At the end of the six years Fred Bernhardt purchased his brother's share of the concern and sold to William F. Niehaus, the firm now being Bernhardt & Niehaus and is incorpor- ated under the laws of Illinois with a capital of ten thousand dollars.

In February, 1891, he was married to Anna Hess, a native of Troy. Five children have

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been born to this union, as follows: Pearl, aged eighteen, a graduate of the Collinsville township high school. The rest of the chil- dren are all in school, Josephine, aged sixteen years ; Irene, aged fourteen years ; Anna, aged twelve ; and Irvin, aged six, having just started to school.

Mr. Bernhardt is a member of the Evan- gelical church of Collinsville, where he is president of the board of trustees. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, in which he has insurance. In politics he is a Republican. He has various interests, being a stockholder and one of the directors of the State Bank of Collinsville. He owns a small farm in this township, on which is a fine resi- dence. He is the president of the incorpo .- rated firm of Bernhardt & Niehaus and is one of the township trustees, having held that of- fice for some time. He lias certainly made good since he came to Collinsville, with only fifty dollars in his pocket. He is now worth thousands, but not only has he made good from a financial standpoint, but he is a very influential man, one who does good with the money he has made and one who is ready to help any worthy object. Nor does he only give of his money, but of his time and of his energies. It is such men as he who have given to Collinsville the high standing it possesses in the county and in the state.

FRANCES R. DINZLER. Among the priceless possessions of the great and beautiful state of Illinois-of more value than its agricultural or industrial wealth, to which it points with a pardonable degree of pride-is its fair heri- tage of keen, bright, energetic boys and girls whose marked abilities are a prophecy of the future continued greatness and success of the state. Miss Frances R. Dinzler, well-known in Madison county, has emerged from the ranks of those whose prominence lies all in the future, and, young as she is, has already at- tained considerable distinction in the county which claims her as its own.

On the twenty-fifth of August, 1891. Fran- ces R. Dinzler made her first appearance in the world. Her eyes rested upon the peaceful sights and rural beauties of the fine old farm near Waterloo, Monroe county, Illinois-the scene of her nativity. Her parents are John and Elizabeth (Posten) Dinzler, both born in Illinois, the father prominent in Hamel town- ship, where he has resided many years. His is not the nature that is permitted to remain in obscurity, and he has been, on the other hand, most active in political and other public

life. He served for several terms as deputy sheriff of Hamel township, fulfilling the duties which devolved on this office to the utmost satisfaction of all concerned ; he was an official who knew no fear. He has long ago given up all active connection with farm life and for a time he and his wife were the proprietors of the Cottage Hotel in Hamel. John Dinzley's parents are Martin and Fransiska Dinzler, of Deitscheimreinfallsbeiren, Germany, whence they emigrated in 1844. They came to the United States and were the parents of six children, one of whom, Appollonia, died in in- fancy. The names of the living children are Philip, Vincent, Elizabeth, Henry and John (father of Frances R.). Mrs. John Dinzler is a daughter of Abram and Ellen (Fults) Posten and granddaughter of Abram Posten, a slave-owner of Farmington, Missouri. On one occasion Grandfather Posten had reason to leave home on business and left his son in charge of the plantation. The young man had always been very lenient with the negroes, and justly popular on that account ; they now took advantage of the absence of the old gen- tleman and for days engaged in a general, hi- larious good time, with the entire approval of the young master. Upon the return of Mr. Posten, Sr., he was very much incensed at the evident neglect of duty and, being high tem- pered, he whipped one of the slaves and then dealt the son a blow with the same whip. The young master was every whit as quick tempered as his father, and without saying one word, without pausing to gather together any of his belongings, he turned and forever left the parental roof. He went direct to Monroe county, Illinois, where, unaccustomed though he was to work, he sought and ob- tained employment with a farmer. By means of the strictest economy and the most careful saving Mr. Posten managed to accumulate enough money to invest in some cheap land ; this he cultivated and from time to time added more, so that at the date of his death he owned twelve hundred acres of valuable land. He married in Monroe county and reared a family of children-Nancy, James, Mary, Abram, Isaac, Jennie, Elizabeth, Rosetta and Clarinetta.

We are, however, digressing from the babe who so gladdened her mother's heart by her advent and who was christened Frances Rose Dinzler. Her growth and development were tenderly watched by her devoted parents. Her first school days were spent at Red Bud, Illinois, where she soon proved an interesting

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student ; and later she completed the grammar school course at Worden, Illinois. She grew up in the midst of the usual interests and amusements so dear to the heart of childhood, her especial delight being an array of dolls, on which she spent much thought and care- planning their costumes, making little dresses and hats to match. As she grew older she manifested that admirable spirit of independ- ence and self-reliance so frequently found among American boys and girls, and she de- sired to fit herself for some useful self-sup- porting position in life. To that end she went to St. Louis, Missouri, and there learned the millinery business with the well-known and popular house of Rosenthal Company. Speed- ily becoming proficient in her trade, she was sought by those who are ever desirous of ob- taining the best talent, and for seven succes- sive seasons she was employed by the Model Department Store of Edwardsville.

During her short but active life, Miss Dinz- ler has found time to cultivate her musical tal- ents, has studied both vocal and instrumental music at the St. Mary's Parochial school of East St. Louis and is now a sweet singer and a pianist of considerable technical and expres- sive ability. Perhaps the greatest joy Miss Dinzler ever knew was the companionship of her little sister, and the deepest sorrow which the whole family experienced was the death of the little one. Miss Dinzler is essentially feminine; she lives so as to express her own personality, to find her own deepest tastes and instincts and to give them expression. She has a host of friends, who love her not be- cause of her talents, although they are of a high order; not for her father's sake, though he is highly esteemed ; but for her own genial disposition and kindliness of heart, which have won for her the enviable reputation of being one of the popular young ladies in Madison county.

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Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume II, Part 65

Author: Norton, Wilbur T., 1844- , ed; Flagg, Norman Gershom, 1867-, ed; Hoerner, John Simon, 1846- , ed Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago ; New York : The Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 868

Author: Norton, Wilbur T., 1844- , ed; Flagg, Norman Gershom, 1867-, ed; Hoerner, John Simon, 1846- , ed
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago ; New York : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 868