USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume II > Part 97
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114
A fine new home has just been completed by Mr. Kahle, and this place, one of the most attractive country residences in the county, will be the home of the Kahle family, while the old home place will be kept by Mr. Kahle's daughter Clara and her husband. The suc- cess which Mr. Kahle has attained has been due to his thrift and foresight and has been of the sort which benefits the entire district.
JOSEPH A. BARNETT, circuit clerk of Madi- son county, has for many years been worth- ily identified with the best citizenship of the county and has contributed additional promi- nence to a name that has been known and re- spected in this locality since pioneer times.
The Barnetts were early settlers of Hamel township, where Joseph A. Barnett was born October 31, 1862. In the same township his father, Alfred P. Barnett, was born June 8, 1833. He was one of the most prosperous farmers and stock-raisers of the county, and had a fine estate of six hundred acres. In 1891 he moved to Edwardsville, where he lived until his death, on April 7, 1897. For many years he was one of the prominent Republi- cans of the county. Mary E. Kinder, who became his wife, was born in Edwardsville township, August 5, 1838, and also belonged to an old and prominent Madison county fam- ily, her father being William Kinder. Alfred P. Barnett and wife were parents of nine children, all of whom reached maturity and seven are yet living: Mrs. J. F. Blackburn, Joseph A., Mrs. S. M. Sterling, of Bonney, Texas; R. N. Carpenter; A. P., a farmer of this county; O. N., a traveling salesman ; George K., of Denver, Colorado.
Joseph A. Barnett was educated in the coun- try schools and the Edwardsville high school,
1117
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
and in 1891 graduated from the Chicago Vet- erinary College, after which he engaged in practice at Edwardsville for seventeen years. In 1907 he was chosen to serve out the unex- pired term of circuit clerk, and in 1908 was elected for the regular term of four years on the Republican ticket.
His fraternal associations are with the Knights of Pythias, the Elks, the Maccabees and the Mutual Protective League, and he is a member of the American Veterinary Medi- cal Association. His home is on Buchanan street in Edwardsville. He was married in 1899 to Miss Elizabeth White, a daughter of John H. White, of Edwardsville.
THOMAS W. SAUER, one of the leading citi- zens of Collinsville, is as popular as he is in- fluential. His maxim throughout his career has been to do that duty which lies nearest, not worrying as to what the next might be, and it is because of this simplicity of creed that Mr. Sauer has made so unmitigated a success of his life up to the present time. He has by no means reached the limit of his cap- abilities, and it is safe to predict that inas- much as he has heretofore made good, he will rise still higher in the business and social sphere.
Born in St. Clair county, Illinois, Decem- ber 7, 1876, Thomas W. Sauer is the son of John Sauer, of American birth, but German descent. His mother was Anna (Jude) Sauer, a native of Austria. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Sauer, of which number Thomas W. was the eighth born. The father was engaged as a farmer in St. Clair county for years and also contracted in carpenter work at the same time. Both the father and mother are still alive. The former is seventy- five years of age and the mother is seventy years old. They were an industrious and dili- gent family, and their children were early taught the value of work and made to assume certain responsibilities calculated to give them a sense of duty and reliability, which played important parts in their future lives. Thomas. was sent to the district school during the winter terms, his father requiring his assistance dur- ing the summer months upon the farm. When he was thirteen years old he began to attend the public schools of Collinsville, to which place his parents had removed, and while there he became interested in learning the carpen- ters' trade, working with his father and giving all his spare time to that work which he could take from his school duties. When he was
seventeen years old he left school and became employed at his trade, in which he was well advanced by that time. But soon after he was married and moved to his father's old farm, it being his idea to carry on that busi- ness at the old homestead. . One year of dis- couragement was sufficient to convince the young man that he was better suited to a me- chanical trade or business life than for farm- ing, and he gave up the farm and moved back to Collinsville, there engaging in business on his own responsibility as a saloon keeper. Here he again found himself handicapped in carrying on an independent business by his lack of thorough training, and to better that deficiency he took employment with his brother, an experienced carpenter, working as a journeyman carpenter for five years. He was diligent and skillful, and saved as much as he found possible from his wage, and at the end of five years had accumulated a small cap- ital of about $700. While not a large sum with which to establish a business, Mr. Sauer was endowed with the native pluck and am- bition which charcterized the family, and his combined assets served to make possible the foundation of the contracting business which has grown from a small affair to its present broad expanse. The first work Mr. Sauer did as an independent contractor and builder was to tear down some old dwelling houses, on the site of which he erected the Slam Laun- dry, the power house for the electric light company and a livery barn. From that time his success was assured, as he had demon- strated to Collinsville and vicinity in a most satisfactory manner that he was capable and careful as a builder and contractor. Many of the more pretentious and modern buildings in Collinsville today were erected by him, while in O'Fallon, a nearby town, he has been ac- tively connected with some of the biggest building operations carried on there. He built the hardware store of B. Joseph in O'Fallon, at a cost of about $8,000, and a high school in the same place, costing $25,000, and is also the builder of the Commercial Hotel of Col- linsville, a modern building erected at a cost of about $12,000.
In 1898, January 19th, Mr. Sauer was united in marriage with Miss Rosa Eschen- felder, a young lady of German descent, like himself, but born in St. Clair county. She was educated in the O'Fallon parochial school. She has been a devoted assistant to her hus- band in all the years in which she has shared
1118
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
his fortunes, aiding him by her sympathetic interest in all his undertakings. They have one son, Oliver J. Sauer, born May 21, 1899.
Mr. Sauer is a Democrat in politics, and although very much in sympathy with the party, has no desire for political honors or preferment for himself. He is a member of the Carpenter's and Joiners' Union No. 295, being a great believer in the efficiency of or- ganized labor. He is, however, strongly op- posed to the violence which is sometimes ac- credited to the unions, being in favor of the upholding of law and preserving order and peace in so far as is possible in times of stress. Mr. Sauer is greatly interested in the welfare of his county in general, and of Collinsville in particular, where his presence has ever been recognized as a force that counts for better- ment and for progress. He has a beautiful residence at No. 503 East Clay street, which he erected himself in 1904. It is a thoroughly up-to-date and modern home, equipped with every convenience, and a credit to the archi- tectural abilities of its owner and builder. Botlı Mr. and Mrs. Sauer have a host of friends in Collinsville and vicinity, where they have been known for so many years, and they are active and popular in the social life of the com- munity.
JOSEPH FRANCK. One of the enterprising young citizens of Peters Station is Joseph Franck, who has been engaged in the saloon business here for two years, his success being the logical outside of those simple, but effec- tive characteristics of industry, thrift and good management. Mr. Franck has been previously engaged in other lines-farming, railroading and the brick industry-and has proved effi- cient in all three. He was born in Glen Car- bon, on June 25, 1881, and is the son of Jos- eph and Mary (Benda) Franck, both natives of Bohemia. The father was a youth of six- teen years when he severed his associations with the Old World and crossed the Atlantic to America. He came direct to Glen Car- bon whither friends had preceded him, and was employed in the wagon-making business and in carpentering, which he followed until his death on March 16, 1910. The mother is still living and makes her home at Peters Station. She came to the United States and to Madison county before Glen Carbon came into existence, and her father became one of the farmers of the locality. Mr. Franck was one of six children born to his parents, all of the number being alive at the present time,
namely. Joseph, Anna, wife of Herman Straub, William, Elizabeth (wife of Peter Leffler), Edward and Frank.
When Joseph was a child but five years of age his parents removed to Peters Station, and there he attended school until the age of fifteen years. He then began his career as a wage-earner by becoming a helper of various farmers in the section and he continued in this wise for about three years. At the end of that period he became an employe of the St. Louis, Peoria & Northern Railroad, now the Illinois Central Railroad, and he continued with this corporation for two years and a half. He then returned to Glen Carbon and for three years was employed in a brick yard. He then took up his residence in Peters Sta- tion, and has been here for the past six years, two years in business for himself. He began life without any capital but youth, strength, good principles and a desire to succeed, and he is now to be numbered among the promi- nent citizens of Peters Station.
Mr. Franck laid the foundation of an in- dependent household by his marriage on Sep- tember II. 1904, to Lottie Strong, daughter of James Strong, of Collinsville. Mrs. Franck comes from Missouri, her ancestors having made their homes south of Dent county, that state.
Mr. Franck enjoys pleasant fraternal rela- tions with the Eagles at Collinsville, the Order of Owls at Edwardsville, and carries insurance in the Prudential. In his political convictions he is Democratic, and since his maiden vote has supported the men and measures of that party. He and his wife are communicants of St. Mary's Catholic church at Edwardsville.
CALEB BALL GONTERMAN. Agriculture, the principal occupation of mankind, has been dignified by men like the late Caleb Ball Gonterman, of Edwardsville, who de- voted their entire lives to its study and de- velopment, and pleasant to relate, it usually showers a substantial reward upon its devo- tees. This was especially true in the case of Mr. Gonterman, who, when his activities were ended, at the ripe age of seventy-seven, was possessed of five hundred acres of fine land in Pin Oak township, together with other land and valuable properties located in Ed- wardsville and elsewhere.
Caleb Ball Gonterman, familiarly called "Charley," son of Caleb Ball and Elizabeth (Miller) Gonterman, was born Sunday, Oc- tober 1. 1834, on a farm two miles north of
b. B. Sonterman Lydia Sonterman
1119
-
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
Troy, where he grew to manhood and re- mained until his marriage to Miss Lydia Bart- lett, December 22, 1858, with the exception of two years, 1855 and 1856, which he spent in Ohio. He received his early education in the District School, which, at that time, was practically limited to the three R's. He was very fond of mathematics and was a student all his life. Biography, history, and the sci- ence and affairs of government, were to him absorbing subjects, and his memory of mat- ters pertaining to these subjects was wonder- ful. Politically he was a Democrat, staunch, - but not radical, and progressive in that he was always willing to learn and anxious for improvement. His first vote was cast in 1856 for James Buchanan for President. In busi- ness he was industrious, untiring and always hopeful. When crops failed and others about him became discouraged, he, endowed by na- ture with unceasing energy, would rise up with renewed effort and greater activity to overcome the loss. He was connected with many of the noted families of early days, being a direct descendant of the Balls and Starks of Revolutionary fame.
Mr. Gonterman's great-grandfather, Henry Gonterman, married a Cass, and to their union were born three sons: Jacob, Peter and John. The family originally lived in New Jersey, but later removed to Kentucky.
The grandfather, Jacob Gonterman, was born March 27, 1767. Hannah Gonterman, his wife and the daughter of Jonothan Stark, was born January 6, 1771. Jonothan Stark married a Ball and had six children, namely Jonothan, Jesse, Joseph, Job, Hannah and Polly or Mary. Jacob Gonterman married Hannah and his brother, John Gonterman, married Hannah's cousin, who was also a Stark. The Stark family removed from Pennsylvania to Kentucky while Jacob Gon- terman was fighting in the Indian wars. Neither family were slave holders. Accord- ing to tradition, Jacob Gonterman also had cousins by the name of Ball. The Ball fam- ily, in America, originated from two brothers who came from England to America in the year 1650, one settled in Virginia and the other in New Jersey. The Virginia Ball, Colonel William, later became the great-grand- father of Mary Ball Washington, mother of George Washington, and the New Jersey Ball her great-great-uncle. From these two broth- ers grew two branches of the Ball family ; Caleb Ball, the once great financier of New York, belonged to the New Jersey branch.
The relationship of the Gontermans to Mary Ball has been handed down through the sev- eral generations, but to which branch of that great family belong the Balls who married the Gonterman and Stark has never been fully traced.
Jacob Gonterman married Hannah Stark in Kentucky and later removed with his fam- ily to Madison county, Illinois, settling on the northwest quarter of section 20 in Pin Oak township, which he tilled until his death in 1840. His wife died the preceding year. To Jacob and Hannah Gonterman were born four sons and six daughters, viz : Caleb Ball, Sarah P., John S., Jacob C., Caty Katurah, Elizabeth M. and Mary M. (twins), Hannah P., Lucinda Ann and William M. The last named died a bachelor, the others were mar- ried as follows: Caleb Ball to Elizabeth Miller ; Sarah P. to John Lindley; Jacob. C. to Elener McCoy; Caty Katurah to Daniel Luttrell; Elizabeth. M. to Josiah K. Gillham; Mary M. to Julius L. Barnsback; Hannah P. to Isham M. Gillham and Lucinda Ann to Ross Houck.
The eldest son, Caleb Ball, born August 20, 1797, was given the name "Ball" for Hannah Stark's mother -- "Caleb" being a name much used in the Ball family. The second son, John Stark, was named for Hannah Stark's father, and was born September 14, 1800. The third son, Jacob Cass, born August 20, 1802, was given the name "Cass" for Jacob Gonterman's mother.
The father, Caleb Ball Gonterman Sr., bet- ter known as Captain Gonterman, was reared to farm pursuits. He was born in Kentucky, August 20, 1797, and died in Pin Oak town- ship, Madison county, Illinois, September II, 1861, on the farm, northwest quarter of sec- tion 34, where he had lived during all his married life. His wife, Elizabeth Miller, was of German descent, her father being Michael Miller, an Illinois pioneer, who died, at an advanced age, at Waterloo, Illinois. Elizabeth Miller-Gonterman died June 28, 1849. To their union were born nine children, viz : Jacob M., Cecelia, Eliza J., Hannah P., Nancy, John S., William Ross, Caleb Ball and Samuel W., of which number Eliza J., of Fairfield, Illinois, alone survives. These children were married as follows: Jacob M. to Sarah Ann Carver; Cecelia to Oswell Nelville Geers; Eliza J. to Samuel Ray Whiteside; Hannah P. to John Hughes; Nancy to Volney Moore ; John S. to Mary Ann Purviance and Caleb Ball to Lydia Bartlett.
1120
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
In religion the Gontermans were staunch Baptists. Through the different generations, whether members of any church or not, all were inclined to that faith. On April 18, 1828, a little band of seven, consisting of Rev. Thomas Ray and wife, Jacob Gonterman and wife, Dr. Benjamin F. Edwards and wife and Eliza A. Adams met at the residence of Dr. Edwards and organized the First Baptist Church of Edwardsville.
Caleb Ball Gonterman, of this review, mar- ried Miss Lydia Bartlett, a member of an- other well known pioneer family, their union occurring on December 22, 1858. Mrs. Gon- terman was a native of Pin Oak, the same township in which her husband resided, May 16, 1837, being her natal day. Her parents were Jesse and Nancy Ann (Adams) Bart- lett, the former of whom was born in Madi- son county February 5, 1810. He died in Missouri January II, 1873, to which state he had removed three years previously. He was one of nine children in the family of Joseph and Patience (McCoy) Bartlett, who also came from Kentucky and located on the north- west quarter of section 21, Pin Oak town- ship, Madison county, Illinois, in 1809 and tilled the soil until their deaths at the age of eighty-eight and seventy-seven respectively. Joseph Bartlett was a native of Virginia, born in 1775; leaving that state he lived for a time in Knox county, Kentucky, from whence, in the year 1809, he removed to Madison county, Illinois. During the war of 1812-14 he built a block house near his home. which was in good condition as late as 1834. He was a lover of books and his habits were do- mestic. He was active politically and affiliated with the Whig party. Mr. Bartlett was the first treasurer of Madison county after its organization, and a justice of the peace for many years. He spent much time with his books and his mind was well filled with gen- eral information.
Mrs. Gonterman's mother was a native of Tennessee, who came with her parents, Dan- iel and Sarah (Ingram) Adams to Illinois in 1830. There were born to Mrs. Gonter- man's parents ten children, five sons and five daughters, of whom the eldest son, Joseph, and the five daughters are still living. Both the father and the grandfather of Mrs. Gon- terman served as soldiers in the Black Hawk war and won distinction for valorous service.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gonter- man located in Marine Prairie and there fol-
lowed farming until the fall of 1866, when he purchased 180 acres of the present home farm, which includes a portion of the old Bartlett homestead, and established the coun- try place known as "Walnut Hill" which is famed far and wide for its hospitality and agrarian perfection. Three children blessed their union, all of whom are now living. They are : Thomas E., of Granite City, Illinois, and Jessie O. and Laura A., who are at home with their mother. The son, Thomas E. Gonter- man, is one of the leading merchants of Gran- ite City, where he is the owner and pro- prietor of a large jewelry establishment. He married Rosette Pitts, daughter of John and Nancy (Brown) Pitts, of Mascoutah, Illi- nois, and they became the parents of four children, namely Cyrus B., Nigel C. L., Joseph Wilbur Pitts and Courtney John. On De- cember 22, 1908, Mr. and Mrs. Gonterman fittingly celebrated their golden wedding at Walnut Hill.
Industry and thrift were admirably paired in Mr. Gonterman's nature. He was a hard worker and saved and invested shrewdly. He never lost interest in the home farm, but dwelt there contentedly until his deatlı, which sad event occurred November 23, 1911. Mr. Gonterman possessed rare business ability and achieved great success as a farmer, in which vocation he was more or less active until his death. He was a citizen of great intrinsic worth. He served his home township in many official capacities but, beyond that, had no political ambition. His life was gentle and he was courteous, kindly and considerate-a man without enemies but possessing a multi- tude of devoted friends. He was universally esteemed and respected, and, because of his many excellent qualities which shone forth in his everyday life, he will be long remem- bered in the community where he lived and died.
C. H. SPILMAN. Among those of Edwards- ville who have been called away to solve the unending mystery of the ages, but who still live in their work through the latter's excellence, is C. H. Spilman, who was for sixty years a resident of this city. The master of several trades and of several professions, he is re- membered most generally for the years of service which he gave to architecture, his fav- orite calling. During a period of forty years the greater number of buildings erected in Edwardsville, whether of the most pretentious or the most humble, were of his designing. He
1121
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
entered into rest on Sunday, April 17, 1904, at the age of seventy-one years, one month and twenty-eight days.
Charles Harvey Spilman was born at Clarksville, Tennessee, February 20, 1833, at the home of his maternal grandfather, where his mother was making a visit. The family home was a large plantation in Mississippi, and it was there that he spent his boyhood's days. His father was Doctor James Fisher Spilman, whose father and grandfather came from Culpeper county, Virginia. His mother was before her marriage Margaret Carraway, and her family were from Cumberland county, North Carolina. One of the early members of the family on this continent was Captain John Spilman, who was the "head of a hun- dred" or commanding officer of the first com- pany of soldiery in Virginia after the land- ing of the Mayflower. Dr. J. F. Spilman was a veteran of the war of 1812. He moved to Illinois in 1841 and located in Edwardsville in 1844, that place being the family home ever since so far as the descendants were con- cerned. Dr. J. F. Spilman, after practicing in Edwardsville for many years, moved to Bunker Hill, a nearby community, where he met with a fatal accident at the advanced age of eighty-one.
Charles Harvey Spilman received but lit- tle education, except what he acquired for himself. He attended school at what was known as the Edwardsville Academy. He learned wagon and carriage making in the shop of Berry & Craig, mastering both wood and iron working thoroughly. In this shop he helped to build many of the wagons that were equipped for the cross-country trip to Cali- fornia when the gold rush began. After the firm which employed him quit business Mr. Spilman learned the builder's trade, studied draughting and architecture and rapidly de- veloped proficiency in this line. It was his father's wish that he follow his profession as physician and surgeon, and he studied this branch assiduously and was granted a diploma, practicing with his father until he enlisted in the Union army in the Civil war.
On February 15, 1865. C. H. Spilman en- listed, being mustered into service in the One Hundred and Fiftieth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry at Nashville, Tennessee, to which place he had paid his own expenses for the purpose of joining an Illinois regiment. He was at once appointed hospital steward of the regi- ment, being promoted on August 10th to as-
sistant surgeon, and serving in that capacity until mustered out. He took part in all the movements of the regiment and participated in a number of engagements and skirmishes. According to the official record he "was de- tailed as medical officer for five companies for the last six months, with headquarters at La Grange, Ga., and was constantly with his com- · mand, performing valuable and meritorious service." He was honorably discharged at Atlanta, Georgia, January 16, 1866, by reason of the ending of the war.
Returning to Edwardsville at the close of the war, he took up his chosen profession of architecture and followed it continually until the time of his death. Even after he was con- fined to his bed he directed the work of his assistant up to the last day of his life. His demise was largely attributable to injuries received in a fall when a scaffold gave way while he was inspecting a building.
While he designed many scores of resi- dences and business houses, his particular pleasure was in the construction of public buildings and milling plants. He constructed in Illinois, Missouri and Kansas some of the largest flouring mills in the west, there being nearly a dozen of these. He was one of the most conscientious of men in his calling and it was of such as he that it was said:
"In the elder days of art builders wrought with greatest care,
Each unseen and hidden part, for the gods see everywhere."
During his forty years of active designing none of his structures ever met with an acci- dent, never a truss gave way nor a pillar proved too weak. He possessed a wonderful brain for detail and foresaw with the eye of an expert all possible contingencies. He was frequently called as an expert, in court or out, to pass upon structural problems. In addi- tion he treasured as a part of his personal honor the integrity of all structures which were under his supervision and no one ever insisted more steadfastly on the employment of good materials in building.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.