USA > Illinois > Kane County > Commemorative portrait and biographical record of Kane and Kendall Counties, Ill. : containing full page portraits and biographicalsketches of prominent and representative citizens of Kane and Kendall Counties, together with portraits and biographies of the presidents of the United States > Part 51
USA > Illinois > Kendall County > Commemorative portrait and biographical record of Kane and Kendall Counties, Ill. : containing full page portraits and biographicalsketches of prominent and representative citizens of Kane and Kendall Counties, together with portraits and biographies of the presidents of the United States > Part 51
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).
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S ALEM EVERETT WELD, M. D., is a native of Elgin, a veteran of the Civil War, and a learned physician. He enlisted in the army August 12, 1862, a member of Company I, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteers, and shouldered his musket. He was detailed into the hospital on account of his valuable services as nurse for the sick and wounded, and so acceptable was his aid here that he was made regiment hospital stew-
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ard, and for about two years served as hospital steward of the Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, in the field, and was credited by the med- ical director of the corps with having the best regulated hospital in the Army of the Tennessee. His services here were a profitable school to him in his studies to become a physician, and when he commenced a regular course of reading, with a view of attending lectures, he was already better prepared for practice than many who have just taken their college degree, and know little else than the theories of the books. He was born in Elgin, August 3, 1841, a son of Francis and Har- riet (Mann) Weld, who became settlers in that place in 1837. The father was from Massachu- setts, and the mother from New Hampshire. The young man passed through the excellent Elgin scholastic institutions, and commenced teaching school and reading medicine, and was thus en- gaged when he joined the army. After the war he attended the Eclectic Medical College, Cincinnati, from which institution he was graduated. He then commenced the practice in St. Charles, Kane County, where he remained two years, during which time he served as county coroner, and then came to Elgin and made bis permanent location. He is a comrade of the G. A. R. Veteran Post, a K. T. in Bethel Commandery, and has served on the library board; served one term as alderman of the then Fourth Ward. When he came to Elgin he opened a drug store, and he is one of the city's successful and prosperous business men.
B ERNARD HAGELOW is one of that dis- tinctive class of German citizens who came to America at a time when the political troubles of that country gave to this land some of the best citizens of that cmpirc-strong and fearless patriots who loved liberty far better than the tyranny of Fatherland. Bernard Hage- low was born in Hohenzollern, Wurtemberg, Feb- ruary 13, 1830, his parents, Jacob and Margaret (Goeggal) Hagelow, being prominent and thrifty people of the locality, the father proprietor of a paper manufactory. The son grew up trained to the same business, and came to America in
1849, first stopping in New York, and was em- ployed at his trade both in the State of New York and Canada.
Coming west he located for a time in Bloom- ington, Ill., and in 1864 removed to Elgin, and built a paper factory in South Elgin, where he soon had a flourishing trade, and commanded a large paying business. He made the first paper roofing in the State, and introduced other impor- tant improvements. In the great Chicago fire of 1871 he met heavy looses, but his heaviest blow was in 1874, when his Elgin factory was totally destroyed by fire, literally stripping him of his property and leaving him heavily in debt. Under these circumstances both resolution and faith in himself were required to commence the weary climbing of the ladder of life again, with this heavy burden on his shoulders. He was not only equal to but above circumstances. He at once commenced the business of beer bottling, and prospering in this he was enabled to add to it the business of wholesale dealer in beer. He paid his old debts, and has accumulated another com- fortable competency.
Mr. Hagelow was married at Niagara Falls to Mary Barbara Schlegel, and to them have been born four daughters: Louisa, now the wife of John Balle; Mary Amelia, who became Mrs. Henry Heideman; Violet, married to Albert Fehrmann; and Rosa, married to Albert Heidc- man, all being residents of Elgin. Mr. Hagelow has served on the board of education; is a Sir Knight in Bethel Commandery, F. & A. M., and one of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is president of the Liquor Dealers' Protective Asso- ciation of the Fourteenth Senatorial District.
P HILIP FREILER was born in Hartford, Conn., April 3, 1860. His father was a native of Austria, and came to America in 1854, when twenty years of age. He was married in Hartford, Conn., and subsequently re- sided in New York City, where he kept hotel, and during the war was a recruiting agent. In 1866 he removed with his family to Chicago, where he embarked in business, establishing, also, branch
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houses in Minneapolis and Elgin. He died in 1884.
Philip Freiler when sixteen years of age, com- menced business with his brother-in-law, in Chi- cago. In May, 1883, he came to Elgin, having succeeded to his father's business in that place. He was married in that city in July, 1883, to Lizzie Erlich, daughter of Joseph Erlich, of Pil- sen, Austria, who lived in New York City, but has revisited his native country once every year since 1870, which he still continues to do, now residing with Mr. Freiler, in Elgin. They have one child, Florence. Mr. Freiler, in the summer of 1887, erected the finest and most elaborate frame dwelling in Kane County, on Upper Douglas Avenue, same costing upward of $15,000. His only brother, M. J., is in business in Minneapolis.
C OLONEL WILLIAM SMAILES is of En- glish birth, of the sturdy Yorkshiremen, born May 14, 1843, and is the son of William and Mary (Witty) Smailes, who emigrated from their native England to America, in 1852, and located in Elgin, where their children were reared. In 1862 William was a student in Elgin Academy, and at home, on the streets and in the papers he heard of the dreadful war which by that time was raging fiercely, and like many another American boy he offered himself to his country, volunteering in Company A, Thirty-sixth Illinois Infantry; he was faithfully at the post of duty nn- til the war was over, being mustered out with his command in November, 1865. He was wounded at the battle of Resaca, Ga., and is now, conse- quently, drawing a pension. He learned the busi- ness of merchant tailor in his father's establish- ment, and under his care and training, and has carried it on very prosperously to the present time.
He is regarded as a modest man of merit, strong as one of Elgin's business men in social and pub- lic life. He has reared a family who are welcome associates with the best people of the place.
Col. Smailes was married in Quincy, Ill., to Emma Lane, daughter of James Lane, a na- tive of Lancashire, England, now of Pittsfield, Ill., and they are the parents of two sons and one daughter: Anna Mary (a young and accomplished
teacher in the Elgin High School), Fred James and Guy Garfield. Col. Smailes was one of the active and efficient organizers of the Third Regi- Inent, Illinois National Guards, and, having served as captain, was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. He is an active member of the G. A. R. post; is a Sir Knight in Bethel Commandry, No. 36, K. T., and is now Eminent Commander of that body.
H D. HEMMENS, editor and proprietor of the Daily and Weekly Courier, Elgin, was born in Elgin, December 20, 1858, and is the son of Joseph and Sarah (Pollard) Hemmens, who came west from Oneida County, N. Y., to Chicago, in 1854, and in 1856 changed their residence, to Elgin, where they have made their permanent home. They are the parents of two children-Harold D. and Walter P.
H. D. Hemmens attended the Elgin schools, graduating from the high school. In 1877 he en- tered the office of the Daily Bluff City as report- er, then in turn doing the local work on the Daily Leader and Daily News. Afterward he was engaged at newspaper work in Chicago and New York City ; in the latter place he became financial editor of the New York Morning Journal. He returned to Elgin to start in company with that remarkably brilliant young newspaper writer, W. S. Doherty, a daily and weekly paper. They purchased the office outfit and issued the initial paper in Febru- ary, 1884. The gifted Doherty lived but two years after they commenced their paper, and since then Mr. Hemmens has been sole editor and proprietor, and his newspaper has an influence and reputation second to none in the county.
ASPAR SCHMIDT, a native of Dolgesheim, by Oppenheim, Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, was born December 25 (a royal Christ- mas present), 1833, and is a son of Cas- par and Christina (Grube) Schmidt, the former of whom was by trade a weaver. Young Caspar was apprenticed to the cooper's trade in his native town, and worked at the same until he was a com- petent journeyman. He labored hard, and saved
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money, and in 1854 he was possessed of means enough to sail for the New World. Landing in New York he worked the next three years at his trade. Again he worked hard, and economized, and in 1857 he immigrated to the West, and set- tled in Elgin. Here he built a shop, set to work on his own account, and has since carried on a prosperous business.
Mr. Schmidt married Elizabeth Becher, a na- tive of Oberfranken, Bavaria, and in their fam- ily are six sons and one daughter: George, Charles, Henry, John (all skilled workmen, in the employ of the Elgin Co-operative Butter Tub Factory), Louis and Eddie (employed in Cook's Publishing House), and Lizzie.
Mr. Schmidt was for three years alderman in Elgin City council. He is at present supervisor. He was one of the prime movers in the establish- ment of the Elgin Co-operative Butter Tub Fac- tory, and has been, since its organization, its president. He is the representative head of one of Elgin's highly respectable, frugal and indus- trious families, and has won his way in life far above the average poor boy.
T HOMAS DEXTER BOWRON, a native of Peru, Clinton Co., N. Y., was born April 22, 1831, the son of William and Phœbe (Smith) Bowron, whose ancestors were English, from near London. William, who was a carpenter, died when his son Thomas Dexter was but seven years of age. After the death of his father the lad went to the home of his uncle, Cyrus Savage, who re- sided in Champlain, N. Y. In this home he spent his boyhood, and received the advantages of a rudimentary education at those seasons of the year when attending the common schools did not materially interfere with the farm work. When he had reached the age of eighteen years he quitted his adopted home, and went out in the world to make or mar his future, a struggle where so many succeed not over well, and where so many others succeed not at all.
The business of railroad work was then just beginning to attract the attention of the strong and active young men of the country. A fortunate cir-
cumstance turned the young man's attention in this way, and he sought and obtained employment as fireman on the Ogdensburg Railroad, and, for- tunately, while thus learning what was to be his permanent life employment, he spent a portion of his time in the shops, where the machinery of the locomotive engine he was destined in after years to be the responsible master of is made and placed together. He was thus engaged about two years, and he then was offered the position of locomotive engineer on the Plattsburg & Montreal Railroad. Before he was twenty-one years of age, he had mastered the knowledge of the engine enough to run and operate it in the work of the road, where not only knowledge of the business is so peremp- torily required, but where he who holds the lever must be a man who can be trusted to the utmost at all times. He continued in this position, a part of the time working on other roads in the East, until 1855, when in response to the demand for expe- rienced railroad men to work on the important new railroad just then being built in this portion of the country, he was put in charge of an engine on the Michigan Southern Railroad.
January 6, 1857, he came to Illinois, and com- menced work as engineer on the Chicago, Burling- ton & Quincy Railroad, and in this position he has labored continuously since, a period of thirty years, a long life of work in any one position, indeed, but a marked case when the peculiar and different cir- cumstances that are a part of the railroad engi- neer's vocation are taken into consideration. The simplest statement of the facts are the strong- est possible words that can be used in describing the man's attention to and discharge of every duty devolving upon him.
Thomas Dexter Bowron and Miss Ellen Mears were united in the solemn bonds of matrimony in Bangor, Franklin Co., N. Y. Mrs. Bowron is the daughter of David and Charity (Fisk) Mears; both were descendants of families of Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Bowron have had four children, as follows: William H., now in the same employ as that of his father, and on the same railroad; Emma J., wife of E. O. Flaugher, a commercial trav- eler; Addie L. and Clara E., at home with their parents, and bright and promising pupils in the
JA Bouron
PHOTO BY D. C. PRATT.
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high school. The perfect life in this world is to have filled best one's place here, no matter what that position may be. Duty well performed is man's highest mission, and its rewards are sure to come as jewels more precious than ever decked the royal brow. Mr. Bowron is among the oldest members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive En- gineers. He has represented that body in both State and National meetings. He is recognized as one of Aurora's public-spirited citizens, encour- aging liberally all public and private movements that may add to the general weal. The family attend worship at the Congregational Church.
W ILLIAM OUTHOUSE. This family name is among the first mentioned in the his- tory of the pioneers of Campton Town- ship where William was born, August 14, 1842. He is the son of James and Elizabeth (Reed) Outhouse, who came from New Brunswick, Canada, and arrived in Kane County in 1834, making their land claim in Campton Township. When they came they might have counted the families in the county on their fingers. Thus while William Outhouse is entitled to be ranked as an old settler, yet his father's family was here two years before he was born, a family composed of intelligent, industrious farmers, who were much respected by their fellow pioneers.
When Mr. Outhouse reached the age of twenty- two years, and the Civil War was raging over the land, he enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-first Regiment, Illinois Volunteers, and after his term of service he returned to his farm pursuits in Campton Township. He was a suc- cessful farmer, at the same time liberal and enter- prising. In 1883 he left his farm and located in Elgin, where for some little time he engaged in teaming. By and by the firm of Outhouse & Stew- art being formed, they entered into the manufacture of marble, and they now have an extensive and prosperous establishment.
William Outhouse and Hannah A. Kelley were united in wedlock. Her family were pioneers of Kane County, from Canada. Mr. and Mrs. Out- house have a family of three sons and one daugh-
ter: David and James (twins), Frank W. and Lizzie. Mr. Outhouse is a comrade in the G. A. R. Post, Elgin. He retains his farm of 240 acres in the rich township of Campton.
E DWIN FRANCIS REEVES, at the present time a resident of Elgin, Ill., was born in Williamson, Wayne Co., N. Y., Feb- ruary 11, 1822, the son of Steplien, who way the son of Paul, who was the son of Stephen Reeves, of Long Island, a descendant of a family from Sheffield (England) who were among the first English settlers on Long Island. The grandfather of Edwin Francis was a millwright, the father a miller, and he (E. F.) was kept in the mills most of the time until sixteen years of age, when he left home and was soon employed by a distant relative to work at the building business, chiefly mason work, at which he continued until the spring of 1843, working through the year, except during winters when he attended the Marion Academy. In that spring he started for the West, arriving at Chicago in July, following, and soon thereafter proceeded to Milwaukee, whence he tramped through the country back to Chicago, where lie worked at the mason trade until the spring of 1848.
Then leaving Chicago on account of ill health, he went to St Louis, but having no better health there he came to Elgin, and here carried on the same trade until the spring of 1861, at which time he proceeded across the continent, arriving at Sacramento August 13, 1861. In June, 1863, he sailed from San Francisco for Nicaragua, thence to Cuba, where he stopped at Havana, and there took steamer for New York, being held in quaran- tine during the great riot in that city. He then returned to Elgin, and in the summer of 1864 was one of many who prospected the Wind River Range of mountains for gold. In September and October of the same year he built ten flat-boats on the head waters of the Yellow Stone River for 120 men, who floated down the Yellowstone eight hundred miles, and twelve hundred miles down the Missouri River to Yankton, Dakota Territory. Returning from there to Elgin he was here engaged in con- tracting and building until the great fire of Chicago,
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when he became one of the leading contractors and builders in the rebuilding of the burned city, in which work he was largely engaged until 1875. He then felt justified in retiring from active com- petition in contract work, considering the financial outlook, and apprehending uncertain results. Dur- ing the year 1876 his attention was diverted to the study of finance from a Greenback party stand- point, and was elected mayor of Elgin on that issue. although he was not a politician.
In 1848 Mr. Reeves married Catherine, daugh- ter of Jacob Johnson, of Blackberry Township, Kane Co., Ill., by whom he had two sons and two daughters: Francis Lyman, of Omaha, Neb .: Jay Edwin, of Chicago; Ida Paulina, wife of E. N. Dangerfield, of Elgin, and Jenny C., wife of Cyrl A. Hurssell, of Chicago. Catherine, his first wife, dying in 1854, Mr. Reeves, in 1856, married Sarah A. Hodges, by whom he has two sons-Dr. W. C. Reeves, of Omaha, Neb., and Charles S. Reeves, now of Tacoma, Washington Territory.
HARLES A. MANN. Among many of Kane County's rising young farmers is this gen- tleman, who was born in Sweden in 1846. His parents, Jonas and Carrie (Jacobson) Mann, came to America in 1854. Mrs. Mann passed away in Lewistown, Mifflin Co., Penn. Mr. Mann remained in Kane County until 1867, when he removed to Minnesota, where he still resides,
Charles A. Mann was married in 1878 to Henri- etta Fuller, daughter of Almon and Emily Fuller. They have no children, but Mrs. Mann has one son, Willie, by a former marriage. Mr. Mann is a Sir Knight in the Masonic fraternity; a member of the Episcopal Church of Elgin. He is an enterprising young farmer, of whom all speak well.
Almon Fuller was born in Madison County. N. Y., September 24, 1811, and when twenty-three years of age came to Illinois. In St. Charles, Kane County. he met and married Emily Tanner, a daughter of William and Betsey Tanner. In 1840 they settled on their present farm. where they have since resided. The following named children were born to them: Edwin J., William,
Henrietta (now Mrs. Charles A. Mann) and George W. Some fifteen years ago she became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She is well known in her township, as one who loves her children, and her neighbors and friends. She comes of eastern people, and her great-grandfather, who was a resident of Long Island, lost his property by selling it for continental money.
A LBERT MILLER. This gentleman is quite prominent among the rising young business men of Dundee. He was born in the Kingdom of Wurtemberg, Southern Germany, November 14, 1850.
Alouis Miller, his father, was born and reared on a farm, but, being a man of firm principles and uprightness of purpose, he rose above the position of a farm lad, and later in life was honored by being appointed to the important position of superintendent of the city hospital at Waldsee, which position he held from 1849 until his death, August 28, 1860. He was a noble, upright man, commanding in appearance, and esteemed by all who knew him. Elizabeth (Schmidt) Miller, the mother of Albert, a gentle, Christian woman, passed from earth December 4, 1860, her death being the result of a fall received when Albert was an infant. She was the mother of four children: August, George, Josephine (now Mrs. B. Eggler, residing in Germany) and Albert, the youngest. George Schmidt, the maternal grandfather, was prominent in his native land, and for nearly a lifetime held a position similar to that of town supervisor in this country.
When Albert Miller was twenty years of age he resolved to come to America, and accordingly received permission from the German government to absent himself and visit any foreign land for a year. He came to Cincinnati, and from there pro- ceeded to Elgin, where for some months he worked in the watch factory. In the fall of 1870 he returned to his native land to report for military duty, and thereby not forfeit the bond which he was compelled to give ere he first came away. Having satisfied the requirements of the conscrip- tion, he returned to America, and in 1871 came to
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Dundee, where he arrived August 22. His edu- cation has been good, it having reached beyond the common branches; and he had also learned of his brother-in-law, B. Eggler, the trade of watch- maker and jeweler, at which he worked one year each at Stuttgart, Wurtemberg, and Kempten, Bavaria.
Upon coming to Dundee Mr. Miller began in a small way the business which has since devel- oped into the present large and yet growing one, conducted in one of the most pleasant stores in Kane County. Politically he is a Republican, and in 1879 he was appointed postmaster of Dundee, which incumbency he filled until 1886, with credit to himself and satisfaction of all, it being an uni- versal opinion that the office was kept in a model manner, all being treated courteously and atten- tively. Since his retirement from the postoffice he has given his undivided attention to his trade and business. He is a well-read man, having a selected library, and is steadily rising in the esteem of all. In 1864 he met with a fearful acci- dent, causing a compound fracture of the left leg, which, until a year ago, always caused him much pain and trouble.
H J. BAUMANN. This gentleman takes just rank among the rising young business men of Dundee, where he was born June 27, 1859. When fifteen years old he became an apprentice to the firm of Cleveland & Test, to learn the business of a druggist. Two years later the firm dissolved partnership, E. F. Cleveland continuing the business alone, and finding the apprentice faithful and industrious, retained him in work. Four years later Mr. Baumann pur- chased an interest in the business, the firm name then becoming Cleveland & Baumann, and thus remained some two years, when he purchased the remainder of the stock, and for five years has been sole proprietor and manager. His business has stead- ily increased, as a natural result of his strict integrity and intelligent, business principles, and he deserves all the confidence which his friends re- pose in him. He is a full registered pharmacist, and is a member of the Illinois Pharmaceutical As- sociation.
In 1881 Mr. Baumann was married to Elizabeth Bartels, daughter of Charles and Frederika (Koch) Bartels, and they have one child, Edward B. Her parents came from Germany to America in 1859, settled in Dundee, and in 1867 removed to West Point, Neb., where they still reside. Al- though but a young man Mr. Baumann has for two years held the position of village trustee in the years 1884 and 1885.
Mr. Baumann's father came to America in 1852, remaining two years in the State of New York, where he met and in 1852 married Louise Mackh, a native of Wiedenburg. She was born September 27. 1834, and when only a young girl came all alone to America, where she had neither friends nor acquaintances. She met and married Mr. Baumann in Port Jervis, N. Y., and they proceeded together to Kane County, Ill., where they settled in 1854, and have since been residents of the village of Dundee. The father, who was a butcher, at once opened a market, which he contin- ued until failing health compelled him to change his business. He then started a boarding house, which soon grew to such proportions that he established a regular hotel business, which he still continues. His wedded life has blessed him with six children (four of whom still live): L. C., Frank (deceased), H. J., Anna M. (now Mrs. Kittner), Amelia (deceased) and Albert C. Those living all reside in Dundee.
S IMON PRESTON BROWN, M. D., is one of the direct descendants of Peter Brown, who was in the company of Miles Standish as they came to America. He is a son of Manly Holmes Brown, a farmer, a native of Ver- mont, and Hannah (Martin) Brown. They were married in 1830, came from the old native State to Illinois, and settled on a farm in Du Page County, where the father died in 1846; the mother died in February, 1885.
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