Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 2, Part 115

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 774

USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 2 > Part 115

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Logan Connty, Ill., and thence to Sangamon County, where he lived until the spring of 1880, when he purchased land in Christian County, where he and his family have since resided. He has been a farmer all his life. He was married in December, 1870, and he and his wife became parents of four sons and six daughters, all of whom are living, the fourth child being George F. The mother of these children died suddenly, July 12, 1902.

The early education of George F. Ostermeier was acquired in the country schools of Chris- tian County, and he later attended the North- ern Indiana Normal School and Business Col- lege, at Valparaiso. He had a natural taste for books and the best literature and made the most of his educational advantages. He lived on his father's farm until he reached his majority, then secured employment in the lum- ber department of the Deering Harvester Com- pany, Chicago, where he remained one year ; then became book-keeper and cashier for Joseph P. Wathier Company, retail jewelers, at 178 West Madison Street, Chicago, remaining there six years and acquiring valuable knowledge and experience for his later business career. In January, 1906, Mr. Ostermeier secured a posi- tion with the Illinois Traction System, at Springfield, where he remained until Angnst, 1909, when he formed a partnership with Charles A. Trunk, and on October 2nd of that year they opened a retail jewelry store at 518 East Monroe Street, where they conduct a. successful and growing business. Both are men of energy and ambition and look carefully after the details of their business and the wants of their customers. They are upright and honest in their dealings and have a good standing in the community. Mr. Ostermeier has not allied himself with any political party iu local affairs, choosing to vote for the man rather than the party, but in national issues generally follows the principles of the Demo- cratie party. He is a member of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Mr. Ostermeier was married, at Edinburg, Ill., September 12, 1900, to Elenore Fehring, born in Springfield, January 14, 1880, a daugh- ter of Henry and Elenore (Dahman) Fehring, who still reside on their farm in Christian County. Fonr children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Ostermeier, namely : Cecil Henry, born August 11, 1901; Gladys Viola, born December 23, 1903; Mildred Marie, born July 2, 1907; and Florence Louise, born March 19, 1911.

OTT, John (deceased), who was a resident of Springfield, Ill., for more than half a century, died at his home at 323 W. Carpenter Street, where he had lived since 1858, April 13, 1901, iu his seventy-first year. Mr. Ott was well kuown in the city, where he had a large num- ber of friends, as a man of sterling integrity and high character. He was employed by sev- eral business firms in Springfield, for whom

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

he performed faithful service. He was sin- cerely mourned iu social and church circles, where his loss was deeply felt. Mr. Ott was boru iu Wurtemburg, Germany, October 14, 1830, one of the eighteen children of John and Burkor (Mongall) Ott, both natives of Ger- many. The father and mother lived on a farm and both dled iu Germany, he iu 1850 and she in 1847. Of their iarge family six lived to old age.

John Ott, Jr., spent his boyhood on his fath- er's farm aud attended the public schools of his neighborhood. At the age of fifteen years he began learning the trade of cabinet-maker, working at it for some years in Germany and resuming it after settling in the United States. He emigrated to America In 1852, first landing at New Orleans, whence he came direct to Springfield, and was first employed by Williams & Link, with whom he remained fifteen years, then worked five years for Generai Barkley, after which he entered the empioy of Priest & Latham, furniture dealers. Mr. Ott was a skiiled workman, aiways performing his work in a satisfactory manner. He occupled the same house during the entire period of his residence in Springfield and up to the date of his death in 1901, and this is now the home of his widow, who also owns property adjoining this on the west. Mr. Ott was a devout Chris- tian and a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. In politics he was a stanch Democrat, aud was a man of kindly, genial nature, taking great deilght in the companionship of his chosen friends.

Mr. Ott was married, February 28, 1858, to Katherine Geisinger, daughter of Phllip and Efa Geisinger, the former born in 1802 and the iatter in 1807. Mrs. Ott was born in Badeu, Germany, August 12, 1837. The parents were both natives of Germany. They came to the United States in 1848, iauding at New Orleans, then proceeding directly to Springfield, Iii., where the father dled in 1855 and the mother in 1882. They had four daughters and one son, aii of whom are Ilving except the son, who died in February, 1858. One son and two daughters were born to Mr. Ott and his wife, namely : Mrs. Emma Erving, a widow, whose husband died in 1885, is a nurse in Kent, Iil .; John, a carpenter by trade; Elizabeth, wife of Eiweil Jacobs, a Lutheran minister. Mrs. Ott has ten grandchildren.

OWENS, John William, for many years a fruit and truck farmer now living at Springfield, Ili., was born at Bryant, Fulton County, Ill., De- cember 7, 1872, a son of Thomas J. and Vlna (Barton) Owens, the father born at Akron, Ohio, August 30, 1849, and the mother at Mun- cie, Ind., February 28, 1851. Thomas J. Owens was a miner and farmer by occupation in early life, and in 1860 moved to Memphis, Mo., where for some years he iived on a farm. In 1869 he engaged in coal mining at Bryant, remalning there twelve years, then moving to

Peoria, where he coutinued iu that occupatlou. He subsequently returned to Bryant, but later removed to Lewistowu and still later to Cau- ton, and iu 1898 to Norris, Ill. Que year iater he came to Springfield, where he has since iived. He and his wife were pareuts of twelve chil- dren, three of whom are now iiving: John W., Robert and Edwin.

Mr. Owens attended the district school, the Peoria schools and (one year) night school, and later took a course in the International Correspondence School, of Scranton, Pa., for Civil Service studies. He worked one year as clerk in a store at Farmington, Ill., at the same time attending night school there, then engaged in mining at Bryant for a time, then went to Lewiston in 1894 and, one year later, removed to St. Louis. In 1896 he located at St. David, and went from there to Canton, where he enlisted, May 1, 1898, in Company K, First Illinois Cavalry, being discharged March 1, 1899.

Mr. Owens was married in 1900, at Maples Mill, Ill., to Lulu C. Windsor, born at that place October 5, 1880, a daughter of James M. and Eila (Bordner) Windsor, the father, now deceased, born at Louisville, Ky., and the mother, born near Lewiston, Ill., but died at Maples Miii in 1883. Of the two children born to Mr. Windsor and wife Mrs. Owens was the younger and the other is now deceased.

After marriage Mr. Owens and wife went to Havana, Ill., where he operated a fruit and truck farm for ten years with excelleut suc- cess. He sold his interests there in 1910 and purchased a city residence at Springfield, and he is now engaged in mining in the viciuity. He is an industrious and reliable citizen and has many personai frends. He is a Methodist in religious belief and politicaily is an Inde- pendent. He beiongs to U. M. W. A. No. 2403. He and his wife have one child, Oscar J., born November 2, 1901. Their home is at 918 South Tenth Street.

In 1904 Mr. Owens was appointed on the police force at Canton, Ill., on which he served a considerable time. In 1910 he was a can- didate for Commissioner, receiving a goodly number of votes.

OWENS, Thomas J .- The valuable mines in Springfield and vicinity have attracted there some of the most reliable men of Sangaiuon County, who are spending their days developing the vast resources of this particularly favored region of the State. Among these is Thomas J. Owens, born at Akron, Ohio, August 30, 1849, son of Evan and Margaret ( Alexander) Owens, the former born in South Wales and the latter in Glasgow, Scotland. The father was a farmer and came to America in 1843, first settling in New York, where he worked on a farm three years. In 1846 he went to Akron, farming there until 1857. He is now reslding at Blilings, Mont. During the Civil War he served in the Fifty-third Missouri Voiunteer Infantry, en-

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listing in April, 1862, and participating in many important engagements. He was discharged in 1864. in politics he is a Republican and his church affiliations are with the Methodists. He belongs to the G. A. R. His children were as follows : Thomas J .; William, a miner at Fair- view ; Mattie, wife of William Miller, telegraph operator at Billings, Mont .; Maggie, wife of Joseph Moore, a farmer in Macon County, Mo .; Gilbert dled at the age of one year; Rosie, who died in a hotei fire at Clarence, Mo., in 1874; Ellzabeth dled at the age of four years; Rob- ert E. died at the age of three years; Ellen died at the age of two years; Edward was killed by a train, at Peoria, Ill., June 14, 1906; Mande, wife of Harry Spelluian, of Peoria.

Thomas J. Owens had but ilmlted educational advantages, which were confined to three terms In the school at Washington, Ind., night schooi. He worked for his father on a farm near Memphis, Scotiand County, Mo., for eleven years. He then began coal mining and found it so profitable that he has followed this iine of endeavor ever since. In 1900 he came to Spring- fieid.

On November 23, 1871, Mr. Owens was mar- ried to Fanny Barton, born In Muncie, Ind., January 9, 1853, danghter of John and Luanda (Bosweii) Barton, natives of Kokomo, Ind., and Kentucky. There were seven children in the Barton family : Annie, wife of Mahion Peters; Milile, wife of Patrick Campbeii; Mrs. Owens; Adaiine, wife of James Paddock; Barbara; Tei- don; Victoria, and John. Mr. and Mrs. Owens have had eleven children: John W., born Jau- uary 17, 1873, married Lula Windsor and is a miner; Robert B., born November 21, 1881, is engaged in the concrete business; Edward E., born May 21, 1885, is an engineer; the rest are deceased. Mr. Owens is a member of the N. M. W. A. and politically is a Repubii- can. He belongs to the Christlan Church. His home is at No. 827 East Mason Street. A man who has spent his ilfe in hard work, Mr. Owens has won and retains the confidence of all with whom he has been brought into contact, and is regarded as one of the reiiabie meu in the city.

PADDOCK, James H., Secretary of the Illinois State Senate, 1911, has been continnonsly iden- tificd with this legislative body for a period covering forty-six years and has occuppied his present position since 1877. He was born at Lockport, Wlli County, Iil., May 29, 1850, and Is a son of John W. and Helen Harvey (Tiffiny) Paddock, and a grandson of James Paddock.

It is not a difficult matter to trace the an- cestry of a family that has been as prominent In different sections as has the Paddock family. Away back in the Plymouth Records, the founder of this family in America, Robert Pad- dock, was favorably mentioned in 1634. It is claimed that lie came across the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower, when a minor, from Coun- ty Kent, Engiand, and that lie was a nephew of

William Bradford, who was the first Governor of Massachusetts. From and through Robert to Zachariah (1), to Zachariah (2), James H. Paddock traces his descent to Peter Paddock, who was his great-great-great-grandfather.

In 1740 Peter Paddock with three sons and their families, settled in Duchess County, New York, in what was known as the Oblong, a tract of iand claimed by both Connecticut and New York and which was finally awarded to the latter State. Other Paddocks settled in Vermont and Rhode Island.

Jonathan Paddock, the great-great-grand- father of the subject of this sketch, a son of Peter, was born the town of Yarmouth, Barnstabie County, Mass., in 1724. He was a prominent man in Duchess Connty both before and after the Revolutionary War, in which struggie he was Major of a regiment. His son, David Paddock, the great-grandfather of James H., subsequentiy moved to Kinderhook, N. Y., and in 1800 to Onondaga Connty, in the same State. In 1832 a large number of the family moved either to Joliet, Ill., or to Racine, Wis., where David Paddock died at the age of nine- ty-four years.

James Paddock, a son of David and grand- father of James H. Paddock, married Ann Mc- Claughrey, and died in the fall of 1854, at Kankakee, Ili. John W. Paddock, the father of James H., was born February 14, 1815, in Onon- daga County, N. Y., his grandfather David Paddock, having been a private in Captalu Waterbury's company and Coi. Ludington's regiment, was at the battie of Saratoga. Johu W. Paddock remained in New York after his father had moved to the West, in order to compiete his edncatlon. Later he stndled law and practiced in Wili, Dnpage, Kendall, Kan- kakee. Iroquois and Livingston Countles, Iil., from 1837 untii 1861. At the ontbreak of the Civil War he assisted materially in raising the Seventy-Sixth Illinois Voinnteer Infantry, and had a surplus of four companies over and above the necessary number, and these he took as a nucieus for the One Hundred Thirteenth Illi- nois Voinnteers, which was known as the Third Board of Trade Regiment. He served as Lleu- tenant Coionei of this regiment until his death, which occurred at Memphis, in August, 1863, from disease contracted during the siege of Vicksburg in the inalarlai regions on the Yazoo River. He was a brave man and his memory is preserved with those of other heroes of the Civil War.

John W. Paddock was married twice, first to a Miss Birch and they had two children: Ein- ma, who is now deceased; and Henry, who was First Lieutenant of his company in the Civil War and is now a resident of Ciio, Iowa. John W. Paddock was married second to Mrs. Helen Tiffiny, a widow, whose people, the Harveys and Ransoms, came from Massachusetts. Mrs. Paddock is now in her eighty-ninth year and resides at Kankakee, Ili. The foliowing chil- dren were born to the second marriage: Helen,

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY .

who died in infancy; John W. and James H., twins, the former of whom died in infancy ; Daniel H., who is deceased, was a prominent attorney of Kankakee, Ill .; Frances H., who is the wife of Duff Sherman, of Providence, R. I .; Lucia, who is the wife of W. W. Cobb, of Kankakee; J. W., who is an attorney at Kankakee, and Mary Ransom, a twin sister, who is the wife of George F. Lovell, who is connected with the paymaster's Department of the U. S. Army station at Chicago; Portio Sophia, who is unmarried; and Catherine Ann, who was drowned when about 22 years old.

James H. Paddock was educated in the pub- lic schools of Kankakee, Ill., to which place he was bronght in 1853, when three years of age. At the age of fifteen years he started as a page in the Illinois State Senate, from 1867 until 1877 was Assistant Postmaster; was made Secretary of the State Senate in 1877; served as Secretary of the Railroad and Warehouse Commission from 1889 to 1893, and as member of the Board of Livestock Commission from 1893 to 1901.

On October 9, 1873, Mr. Paddock was mar- ried to Miss Mary L. Crawford, of Kankakee, formerly of Portland, 'Me., a daughter of Franklin and Frances (Daniels) Crawford, and they have two children : Harry W. and Frances. Harry W. Paddock was born April 6, 1875, at Kankakee, and is now a Tax Attorney of the Chicago Telephone Company, Chicago, Ill. He married Jessie Gilbert and they have one daugh- ter, Mariana. Frances Paddock married George E. Keyes of Springfield, Ill., and they reside at Springfield, and have one son, George E., Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Paddock are members of the Episcopal Church. He has been a lifelong Republican and is a member of the patriotic order of the Loyal Legion, of the Union League Club, Chicago, of the Illinois County Club, and the Sangamo Club, Springfield, Ill.

PAGE, Alonzo, who has lived retired for the past twenty years, was long actively engaged in farming in Sangamon Connty and is honored as a veteran of the Civil War. He now lives at No. 555 West Mason Street, Springfield, and has many friends and acquaintances in the city. He was born in Ohio, July 5, 1838, a son of Archless and Urany (Holmes) Page, the father a native of New York and the mother of Pennsylvania. The parents were married in the latter State and then located in Virginia. Later they moved to Ohlo, lived there several years, and eventually came to Pontiac, Livings- ton County, Ill., the father purchasing 160 acres of land near there, upon which he lived until hls death in 1867. He was a soldier in the Civil War, in which struggle he also had six sons at the same time, namely : Alonzo and John, in Company E, Fiftieth Ohio Infantry ; Preston in the One Hundred Thirty-ninth Illinois; Lo- renzo and William, in the One Hundred Twenty- sixth Ohio; and Henry in the Seventleth Ohio. The father had one brother, Ezekiel Page.

In boyhood Alonzo Page attended the public schools in Ohio and worked on his father's farm, where he remained until he was twenty-two years of age, at which time he enlisted in Com- pany E, Fiftieth Ohio, under Capt. Guthrie, serv- ing three years. They marched from Covington to Perryville, Ky., where they encountered the first battle, which lasted one day. They went to Knoxville, Tenn., built a fort and remained there one month, then moved on to Kingston, Ga., where they camped a short time, whence they moved on to Atlanta, and there took part in their second battle, which lasted one day. They soon afterward participated in their third battle, which was at Franklin, Tenn. Their next serious engagement was the Battle of Nash- ville, which lasted one day, soon afterward went to the city of Washington, D. C., and thence were ordered to Wilmington, N. C., where they camped a short time, after which they went to Raleigh and later to Salisbury in the same State. Mr. Page was mustered out at Salisbury, June 28, 1865, went to Baltimore, Md., and then on to Cleveland and thence to Camp Dennison, Ohio, where he received his final discharge. He was wounded at the battle of Perryville, the first serions engagement in which he participated. He returned to Fincastle, Brown County, Ohio, after leaving the army. He is now an active member of Stephenson Post G. A. R. No. 30, of Springfield. In politics he is a Republican. He came to Sangamon County in 1882 and engaged iu farming, which was his occupation all his active life, but for the past twenty years has been retired. He well remembers Abraham Lin- coln, for whom he voted twice, and the noted Mr. Douglas once made a speech in the rear of the house where Mr. Page now lives.

Mr. Page was married in Ohio in June, 1861, to Miss Margaret Cox, daughter of Elzy and Delila Cox, who came to the United States in early life. By this marriage Mr. Page had four children, namely : Cornelius; Noah, of Spring- field; Urany, wife of Frank Miller, a painter living in Springfield; William M., a teamster. He also has seven grandchildren. Mr. Page was married (second) April 9, 1901, to Mrs. Mar- garet (Purnell) Morris, horn January 6, 1845, a daughter of John and Sally Ann Purnell, na- tives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Page's father came to Rochester, Ill., and died July 29, 1892, and her mother died January 16, 1892. By her first husband, Mrs. Page had eleven children, of whom three are living, namely : William E. Morris, of Sangamon Connty; Norah Willeto Courtney, wife of Andrew Courtney, a farmer; Margaret, wife of Brocksen Page, employed at the Il- linois Watch Factory. Mrs. Page had eight grandchildren, of whom five are now living. Mr. Page has one great-grandchild.

PAGE, John A., a veteran of the Civil War and a prominent citizen of Woodside Township, San- gamon County, was born in Woburn, Mass., March 14, 1841. son of John O. and Elizabeth (Finnegan) Page, the former born at London-

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derry, N. H., and the latter in Limerick, Ire- land. The father, who was a tanner and shoe manufacturer, moved from his native state to Massachusetts, where he carried on his two lines of work until his death, in 1880. He had five sons and three daughters, and one child survives besides John A., Oliver H., living in Montreal, Canada. The mother's parents died in Ireland and she came to America on a sailing vessel when a girl with a family, every member of which perished on the way over, leaving her a stranger in a strange land. John O. Page's father was a "Minute Man" in the Revolution.

The childhood of John A. Page was passed in his native State, where he received his educa- tion. In youth he worked in his father's tan- llery. As a boy he ran away to sea and was shipwrecked off the coast of Newfoundland. When he was seventeen years of age he went to Lawrence, Mass., where he spent three years. In 1861 he enlisted as a member of the State Militia of Massachusetts, and in the month of April of that year became a member of Com- pany I, Sixth Massachusetts, for three months, at the end of his term re-enlisting In the Fourth Massachusetts Battery, of which Ben Butler was Brigadier-General, as it was part of the New England Division. Mr. Page became Cor- poral and later Second Llentenant, finishing his term in March, 1864, when he resigned.

After the war Mr. Page came to Illinois, set- tling in Sumner Township, Kankakee County, where he purchased a farm and conducted it two years, then went to Chicago and became shipping clerk for Wall Brothers & Lighthall, of Ainsworth Station, now South Chicago. About 1867 he came to Braidwood and lived in that village about thirteen years, conducting a gro- cery and bakery business part of this time. He then moved to Springfield, where for twenty years he conducted a dairy business. Since about 1898 he has been engaged in farming and gardening, in which line of work he has been very successful. He lives at the place he first occupied on coming to Springfield and owns sixteen acres of fertile and well cultivated land in Woodside Township.

Mr. Page is member of Stephenson Post No. 30, G. A. R., of Springfield. He was elected School Director in 1880 and served one term. He is a devout member of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church and active In its support. He is well known in his community and popular with his many friends. He has established himself in the esteem and respect of all and has an excellent reputation.

Mr. Page was married (first) in Lawrence, Mass., in 1861, to Nellie Gray, a native of Massachusetts, who died in 1872, and to this nnion three daughters and one son were born. The son is deceased and of the daughters : An- nie, wife of Nick Rodenes, lives in Springfield ; Mrs. Nellie Snyders lives in Kansas City, and the third lives In Richmond, Va. Mr. Page was married (second) in September, 1874, in Joliet,

Ill., to Alice DeMars, who was born near Mon- treal, Canada, in 1841 and came with her par- ents to Kankakee, Ill. Her father was a farmer and spent his last days in Illinois, as did his wife. They were Canadian-French. Of the five children born to Mr. Page by his sec- ond marriage four are living : Edna, widow of Harry Walsh, lives in Springfield; Edgar, liv- ing in Bloomington, Ill .; Christopher, lives with his father; Grace, wife of James Ostenbury, living on a farm near Springfield. There are seventeen grandchildren and one great-grand- child in the family.

PAHNKE, Bernhard (deceased) .- Col. Roosevelt, in his late speech in Berlin, stated in effect that Germany had given to America much that was good, and that no country dominated by such virtnes as are taught in Germany, could fall to prosper. His views are heartily endorsed by all who have been brought into association with German-Americans, especially those who located In Springfield, where they are always found laboring for good government, excellent schools, and law and order. The late Bernhard Pahnke was one of the best examples of sturdy German manhood that has ever located in Sangamon County. He was born in Prussia, Germany, June 16, 1860, and although taken away in the prime of life, managed to accomplish much. His parents were natives of Germany, where they engaged in farming.

In 1885 Mr. Pahnke came to the United States and to St. Louis, and thence to Springfield, which remained his home until his demise, June 26, 1901. He remained with his parents while liv- ing in Germany, and with them farmed, but upon locating in Springfield embarked in a cement business, which occupied him nntil his death. He never joined any fraternal organizations or took part in public affairs, devoting himself to his family and business matters, although he voted with the Democratic party.

Mr. Pahnke was married in Cleveland, Ohio, to Minnie Hoffe, born in Prussia, Germany, October 20, 1866, a daughter of Charles and Lena Hoffe, also natives of Germany. The fol- lowing children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Pahnke: Charlle L., born Jannary 26, 1889 ; Gostava, born October 4, 1893; John, born Oc- tober 8, 1895; and Clara, born January 18, 1898. Mrs. Pahnke resides at No. 1520, East Adams Street, Springfield.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 2, Part 115

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913 Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 774

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 774