USA > Illinois > Cass County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Cass County, Volume II > Part 47
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BRECH, John C .- The well known resident of Virginia Precinct whose name constitutes the caption hereot, is considered one of the foremost farmers in township 18, range 10 N., Cass County. Having lived in this county all his life, he has here built up an enviable reputation as an enter- prising and prosperous agriculturist, and as an honorable and worthy citizen of the community in which he has filled responsible local offices for a long period. Mr. Brech was born in Beards- town, Ill., September 2, 1860. He is a son of Charles C. and Catherine ( Ulrich) Brech.
Charles C. Brech came from Westbaden, Ger- many, in 1854, and went to work on a farm near Beardstown, and Catherine Ulrich, a native of the same city, came to the United States in the following year, and located also at Beardstown. where they were married. In 1868 they moved to Arenzville, which was their home until 1872, when Mr. Brech bought ninety-six acres in sec- tion 30. township 18, range 10, land that was partly improved. On this place Mr. Brech com-
pleted the improvements, and carried on farm- ing until he died, passing away in 1891. His first wite died in 1863, and Mr. Brech had taken for his second wife Carolina Tribswasser, who was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, and was brought to Cass County when two years old. The children of the first marriage were: Carrie and Philip, both deceased ; Emma, Mrs. James A. Gleason, of Springfield, Ill. ; John C. ; and Lucy, deceased, who was Mrs. William Spengler. By the father's last marriage, the children were: Elizabeth, deceased, who was Mrs. Frank Baff ; Tina, now Mrs. Charles Kruse, of Iowa; and Lena, now Mrs. Henry Schall, of Morgan County, Ill .:
John C. Brech attended the district schools in his youth, and always resided at home with his father. On August 2, 1887, he was married to Hannah Rosina Bierhaus, who was born in Bluff Springs Precinct, Cass .County, September 18, 1860, and is a daughter of Henry and Anna Clara (Pholey) Bierhaus, natives of Germany. Henry Bierhaus came by way of New Orleans to St. Louis, where he studied bookkeeping, but after a short time proceeded on to Beardstown, Ill. His wife, when a young lady. came with a friend to the same point and they were mar- ried there and settled near Bluff Springs, where they remained two years. In 1863 they bought their farm in township 18, range 10, and Mr. Bierhaus kept adding to it. He retired and moved, in 1SSS, to Beardstown, and in 1901 to Los Angeles, Cal., dying there January 5, 1903. His body was cremated. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Bierhaus were: Hannah Rosina ; Elizabeth (Mrs. William Cramer), of Tacoma, Wash .; Henry, of Cass County, Ill. ; Anna, of Los Angeles, Cal. ; Edgar, of township 18, range 11, Cass County, Ill. ; Milton, and Louise, now Mrs. D. P. Proctor, of Los Angeles, Cal.
After his marriage Mr. Brech rented land one mile from the home place for a year, and then purchased a 40-acre farm adjoining the home- stead. There he lived until 1896, when he moved into the paternal dwelling, where he has since continued to reside. Ile is the owner of 128 acres of land with two residences, one of them being a very picturesque cottage, which he has substituted for the home that was destroyed by fire July 31, 1913. He is engaged in raising grain.
Mr. and Mrs. Brech have three children : Myrtle, who is Mrs. Albert Buxton, of Cass County, Ill. ; and Royal C. and Zella Louise. who are at home. The mother of this family is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian elmirch. In politics Mr. Brech is a Republi- can, and has rondered efficient service in sev- eral important local capacities. From 1899 mtil the present he has acted as highway commis- sioner ; has held the office of county commis- sioner, and has served on the school board, and. in fact, so highly do his fellow citizens appre- ciate his services that they have kept him in public office almost continually since he was twenty-one years old. He is a member of the MI. W. A., of Virginia, Ill.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
BREEDEN, H. A., is of the close corporation of Uptnor, MeIntire & Breeden, which has a capital stock of $25.000, and is one of the substantial concerns of Virginia. The honse was founded by Salzenstein Bros., but the present company bonght the store on September 11, 1911, when the present name was adopted. and these officers were selected on March 23. 1912: J. W. McIn- tire. president : Hngh A. Breeden. secretary and treasurer ; and Clem Uptnor, vice-president. The company conduct a department store, han- dling everything in the line of ladies' and men's furnishings and shoes. The store is located on the east side of the square. Virginia. in the Robertson building, and is solely under the man- agement of the three whose names appear in the company's title.
H. A. Breeden was born at Barry, Pike County. Ill., September 17, 1880, a son of Alonzo and Mary (Bargain) Breeden. Reared in Pike County and educated there and at the Gem City Business College. Quincy. Ill., he made the most of his opportunities. Before completing his edn- cational training he worked for a time at Barry, Ill., and then went to Minneapolis, Minn., as a clerk in a clothing store, and subsequently spent three years at Kansas City, Mo. Following this he came to Virginia, Ill., and for nine months was in the employ of the Warner Randolph Co .. of that city. prior to entering the employ of Salzenstein Bros. For seven years he worked for this house as a clerk, and then, with his present associates, incorporated the corporation of Untnor, MeIntire & Breeden.
On April 3, 1911, Mr. Breeden married Rose Widmayer, a daughter of E. P. and Mary (Ream) Widmayer. Mr. Breeden belongs to the Royal Arcanum. The Methodist church holds the membership of his wife and his fam- ily, and profits from his generosity. A business man of more than ordinary ability, he has con- served his energies, and forged to the front un- til he is justly regarded as one of the lead- ing factors of Virginia.
BRIGGS, John C., who is an old resident of Cass County. Ill .. and one of its most popular citizens. has officiated continuously as a justice of the peace in Beardstown since his election to this office in. 1902. During his entire incum- bency he has performed his duties with ability. impartiality and efficiency and is considered a thoroughly competent magistrate. He has a large acquaintance among all classes of people in Beardstown. and the number of his friends is limited only by the extent of his aquaint- ance.
John C. Briggs is a native of Springfield, Ill., where his birth took place Jannary 9, 184S. His parents were James and Snsan (Clements) Briggs. the former born in the vicinity of Zanes- ville. Ohio. and the latter being of Kentucky nativity, born in Lincoln County. Their mar- riage took place in Springfield. Ill .. where James Briggs was engaged in the blacksmithing trade until 1851, when he moved to Logan County, Ill., and applied himself to special trade work.
He also owned a farm, on which he died in March, 1859, his widow passing away in 1904. Their children were as follows: William H. and George W., deceased : Samnel, of Dallas, Tex. : John C .: Snsan (Mrs. E. Harrold), of Arkansas City, Kans. ; Mary M., widow of Thomas Weller. of Ottawa. Kans .; Emma J. (Mrs. Kinney), of Lawrence, Kans .; and Jo- seph, of Lenora, Okla.
U'ntil his marriage, John C. Briggs lived at home. attending the district schools of the neighborhood in his youth, and being a student in Lincoln University for one year. In March, 1864. Mr. Briggs enlisted in Company B. Thirty- . second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served through the Atlanta campaign, sharing in Sher- man's great march to the sea, taking part in many skirmishes, and finally marching in the Grand Review at Washington, D. C. He was transferred to service on the plains in July, 1865, was mnstered ont at Leavenworth, Kans., and was honorably discharged September 19, 1865.
On Angnst 19, 1870, he was wedded to Kate De Haven, born in Booneville, Mo., a danghter of Capt. David and Jennie De Haven, the father being captain of a Mississippi River steamer. The children of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Briggs were as follows : Jennie A. (Mrs. John Pritch- att ) : Susie E. (Mrs. J. M. Brown) ; Mary A. (Mrs. George B. Fritz) ; and John C., all of Beardstown. Ill. : Kate (Mrs. Samnel Hakes), of Pekin. Ill .; Elnora M. (Mrs. G. H. Bell), of Beardstown, Ill .; and Ralph A., at home. The mother of this family died April 13, 1909. After his marriage. Mr. Briggs lived on a farm in Logan County. Ill .. whence he went to Cincin- nati. Ohio, returning shortly to Illinois and lo- cating in Lincoln, where he was employed six months in the railroad roundhonse. Later he went again to Logan County, and two years afterwards to Marion County, Kans., where he carried on farming six years. In 1SS2 he set- tled in Beardstown. working in different ca- pacities. for the B. & O. and C. B. & Q. Rail- road Companies nntil 1SS9. At that time he was employed by the Metropolitan Life Insur- ance Company of New York, with which he re- mained four years. In 1902 he was elected a justice of the peace, which position he has since held. Mr. Briggs is a member of the Christian church. Politically he acts with the Democratic party.
BROCKER, John .- The drug store of John Brocker at Beardstown is a model of its kind. and its name stands for purity of drugs and uprightness of business methods. Mr. Brocker was born at Beardstown April 17. 1870. a son of Frederick and Catherine ( Harmmely) Brocker, the former horn in Lippedemott. Germany. March 7. 1825. and the latter in Hesse-Darm- stadt, Germany. June 14. 1835. The father came to the United States in 1844, and to Beardstown that same year. He was a butcher and pork packer for many years.
John Brocker was educated in the schools
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
of Beardstown, and learned his profession in that city. He worked for different druggists for seventeen years, and then started in busi- ness in 1902. In 1909 Mr. Brocker bought out his partner, and has since continued alone. He owns his business and the building in which it is located. This was the first drug store to be established at Beardstown. A Democrat, Mr. Brocker served during 1909 and 1910 as city treasurer. He is a Knight of Pythias and an Elk, and enjoys his fraternal connections. He was reared in the faith of the Lutheran church, but is not connected with any religious denomi- nation.
On December 28, 1895, Mr. Brocker was mar- ried, in Cass County, to Josephine Kenworthy, born in Lacine, Kas., January 14, 1873. Her parents died when she was very young, and she came to live with her grandparents who resided in the vicinity of Arenzville. John Brocker has two brothers and a sister at Beardstown. Mr. Brocker is noted for his industry and social qualities, and he stands exceptionally well in his community, where as boy and man he has worked and carried on business enterprises.
BROCKER, William, for a number of years a skilled carpenter of Cass County, but now living retired at Beardstown, is one of the men who has helped, in his own ways, to make this city what it is today, a busy, industrial center. He was born in Germany, March 19, 1837. a son of Samuel and Sophia (Hofer) Brocker. These parents came to the United States on a sailing vessel via New Orleans, and from thence up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, arriving in 1849. There the father and three daughters died of cholera. The mother, with the five living chil- dren, went on to Watertown, Wis., where she died in 1850, and the children were thus left orphans. The eldest, Fred, went to Beards- town, where the others joined him in 1851, and they tried to keep house together, but in a short time William was bound out to learn the car- penter trade. He continued with the same party for six years, and then, at the age of twenty- one years, began working at his trade by the day. After several years he entered the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, and after working as a carpenter for several years took charge of the pattern shop, thus con- tinuing for twenty years, when, in 1904. he retired.
On October 13, 1863. he married Dorothy Cratz, born in the southern part of Germany, a daughter of George and Catherine (Getta) Cratz, who were early settlers of Beardstown. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Brocker have been: Frank, who is at home; Sophia, who is Mrs. William Duffelmeier, of Beardstown : Cath- erine, who, is at home: William, who is of Beardstown; Minnie, who died July 4, 190S. was the wife of Oscar Finning, and left a daughter. Lurenna, whom Mr. Brocker is rear- ing ; Amelia, who is at home: and Samuel, who is of Beardstown. Mr. Brocker is an excellent example of the self-made man, for he certainly
had no assistance after his arrival in this coun- try, and his educational advantages, which were scanty, were confined to those afforded by his native land. The Lutheran church holds his membership. In politics he is a Republican.
BROCKHOUSE, Albert Frederick .- The present high standard of agricultural conditions in Cass County may be accredited in large part to the activities of the younger generation, whose pro- gressive ideas, modern methods and tireless en- thusiam have contributed largely to the material welfare of farming interests here. Prominent among the men of this class is found Albert Frederick Brockhouse, whose fine farm is lo- cated in the vicinity of Virginia, Ill., upon which he is carrying on successful and extensive farm- ing and stock raising operations. Mr. Brock- house was born at Chapin, Ill., July 2S, 1SS4, and is a son of William and Catherine (Bark- house) Brockhouse. William Brockhouse was born at Chapin, Ill., whence his parents, natives of Germany, had come in young married life. He married Catherine Barkhouse, of German and English parentage, and also a native of Chapin, and both passed away in April, 1892. They were the parents of three children : Albert Frederick ; and J. D. and Clara, both of Chapin, Ill.
Albert F. Brockhouse was a lad of eight years when he lost his parents, and at that time he went to live at the home of his uncle, Dick Brockhouse, near Chapin. His education was secured in the district schools of Chapin and in Cass County, and he was reared a farmer, re- maining with his uncle and aunt until 190S, in which year he purchased 150 acres of land in township 17, range 10. He has labored assidu- ously in placing his land under a high state of cultivation and now has an attractive and valu- able farm on which he raises large crops. His buildings are of substantial character and his machinery and equipment of the most up-to-date kind, and in all respects the property reflects the good management. thrift and business abil- ity of its owner. In addition to general farming, Mr. Brockhouse engages in raising red and black hogs, and his ventures along both lines have been uniformly successful.
Mr. Brockhouse is unmarried. He is a Demo- crat in his political inclinations, and his fra- ternal connection is with the Modern Woodmen of America, his lodge being at Virginia.
BROEKER, John .- The drug store of John Broeker at Beardstown is a model of its kind, and its name stands for purity of drugs and up- rightness of business methods. Mr. Broeker was born at Beardstown, April 17, 1870, a son of Frederick and Catherine (Hamel) Broeker, the former born in Lippe Detmolt, Germany, March 7. 1825. and the latter in Hesse Darmstadt, Ger- many, June 14, 1835. The father came to the United States in 1844, and to Beardstown that same year. He was a butcher and pork packer for many years, later on in life becoming a lather. so continuing until his death in 189S.
John Broeker was educated in the schools of
17
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
Beardstown, and learned his profession in that city. He worked for different druggists for seventeen years, and then started in business in 1902, in partnership with L. F. Cronhardt. This association continued for seven years, and then Mr. Broeker bought ont his partner, and has since continued alone. He owns his busi- ness and the building in which it is conducted. This was the first drug store to be established at Beardstown. A Democrat, Mr. Broeker served during 1909 and 1910 as city treasurer. He is a Knight of Pythias and an Elk. He was reared in the faith of the Lutheran church.
*
On December 28, 1895, Mr. Broeker was married at Lincoln, Ill., to Josephine Kenworthy, born in Lacygne, Kas., January 14, 1873. Her parents died when she was very young, and she came to live with her grandparents who resided in the vicinity of Arenzville. John Broeker has two brothers and one sister and all live at Beardstown. Mr. Broeker is noted for his in- dustry and social qualities, and he stands ex- ceptionally well in his community, where as boy and man he has worked and carried on busi- ness enterprises.
BUCK, Charles, who died September 18, 1914, was an honored veteran of the Civil war and one of the successful agriculturalists of Cass County. He was born at Buffalo, N. Y., July 25, 1839, a son of Angustus and Eliza (Alexander) Bnck. He was born in New York in 1811, a son of Frederick Buck, of Saxony, Germany. She was born March 13. 1811, and died in 1851, a daughter of John and Olive (Bolson) Alexander, natives of Connecticut and of the Mohawk Val- ley, N. Y., respectively. Augustns Bnck, after marriage in New York state in 1834, located at Buffalo, N. Y., and later removed to Roches- ter. He was a woodworker by trade, and in the fall of 1854 came to Cass Connty, buying 320 acres in township 18, range 9, Chandlerville Pre- cinct, and moved on the place. It was covered with brush and timber and it was hard work to clear it, but Angustus Buck commenced at once and gradually placed it under cultivation, and continued to improve it until his death in the fall of 1873. His children were as follows : Alexander, who is on the old farm; Lucinda, who died in infancy ; Alonzo, who is in Pekin, Ill. ; Charles ; Eugene and Edgar, both of whom died while in service during the Civil war ; and Eliza, who became MIrs. Charles Roberts, and died in Kansas. After the death of his first wife, Augustus Buck married Mrs. Rachel Hussy. The eldest son of Mr. Buck, Alexander, was taken when three years old by his maternal grandparents to Clarendon, Orleans County, N. Y., and there grew to manhood. He became a maker of musical instruments, and in 1857 came to Galesburg, Ill., where he was engaged in his line of work for two years. He then re- turned to Orleans County, N. Y., and in 1863 went to Cleveland, Ohio, and continued in that city until 1912, engaged in tuning organs and pianos. He then joined his brother Charles in Cass County, and lived with him until the lat-
ter's death. He was married in 1867, at Cleve- land, to Orphia C. Ticknor, of New York, who died September 25, 1912, leaving no issue. An- other brother, Alonzo Buck, is a painting con- tractor of Pekin, Ill. He enlisted from Illinois in the Fourteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry and served tonr years in the Civil war. He has three sons and two danghters.
Charles Buck remained with his parents until the death of his mother, when he was taken to the home of his grandfather Alexander. On Angust 22, 1862, he enlisted for service in the Civil war in the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth New York Volunteer Infantry, and was stationed for eighteen months at Baltimore, Md. In the spring of 1863 he participated in the battle of the Wilderness, and was with the Army of the Potomac until the surrender of General Lee, which he witnessed. He also took part in the memorable grand review of the victorions troops at Washington. Following this, on June 5, 1865, he was honorably discharged and went to Or- leans County, N. Y., where he spent a few months, then came to visit his father in Cass County, Ill., spending a year with him. Going then to Cleveland, Ohio, he began work in an organ factory and remained for years. In the meanwhile the father died and in 1876 he located on 280 acres of his father's farm, which he bonght from the heirs. In the fall of 1SS7 he rented ont the farm, and returned to Cleveland, where he worked as a carpenter and painter until October, 1903, when he came back to his farm and continued to operate it. He had about fifty-five acres nnder cultivation, sold eighty acres, and the balance is in timber and pastur- age.
On May- 7, 18GS, Mr. Buck was married at Cleveland, Ohio, to Louisa Kngler, born in Ger- many. October 20, 1843, a daughter of George and Dorothy C. (Bernhart) Kngler, who came to the United States in 184S. Mr. and Mrs. Buck had one daughter, Iva Eugenia, who was born January 25, 1869, and died April 1, 1893. Mr. Buck voted with the Republican party. He was well known over the county and had many friends.
BUCK, Walter E .- It is worthy of note that some of the ancestral names prominently men- tioned in the course of this and other interest- ing narratives pertaining to the lives of present residents of Cass County, Ill., are suggestive in relation to the early settlement of the connty.
Among such instances is that of Walter El- nier Buck, one of the leading educators of this section, and elected connty superintendent in 1914. Mr. Buck was born at Beardstown, Ill., December 28, 18S3, and is a son of Martin V. and Nancy A. (Driskill) Buck and a grandson of Thomas Buck, an early settler and the founder of a fine family.
Martin V. Buck was a native of Cass County, Ill., where his birth took place September 2, 1839. His father, Thomas Buck, came to Illi- nois from North Carolina about the year 1830, and settled on a tract of farming land in the
John HP Phelps and Family
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
vicinity of Hagener Station, where he applied himself successfully to agricultural pursuits. Julia Hardy (the maiden name of his wife) was a native of North Carolina. Martin Buck grew to manhood on this farm and followed a farmer's life for a number of years. About 1SSO le moved to Beardstown, and entered the employ of the C. B. & Q. R. R. Company, tor which he worked as a flagman and in other ca- pacities, remaining with the company nearly twenty-five years. Martin V. Buck married Nancy A. Driskill, a daughter of John and Mary (Ruby) Driskill. Mrs. Buck died February 18, 1909, and Mr. Buck survived her until April 9, 1912. To Mr. and Mrs. Buck were born ten children, as follows: Edmund, deceased ; The- resa, Marcus and Alice, who live at Beards- town ; Charles, Oscar, Oswald and Oley, all de- ceased ; and Harry and Walter E., who live in Beardstown.
Walter E. Buck attended the public schools of his neighborhood during his youth, and after- wards took a high school course, graduating with the class of 1901. He subsequently be- came a pupil in the State Normal School, and still later, matriculated in the University of Illinois, teaching a portion of the time in the meanwhile in Cass County. Since completing his collegiate tuition he has continued in the line of educational effort, accepting a principal- ship in the Central School, Beardstown, in 1909, where he was occupied until 1914, when he was elected county superintendent of schools. Mr. Buck is a member of the First Methodist Epis- copal church, Beardstown, a member of the offi- cial board and very active and highly efficient in church work. He has held various church and Sunday school offices, and is a member of the Bible class. In fraternal life Mr. Buck is identified with the I. O. O. F., having passed all the chairs and is a member of the Grand Lodge, and is also affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. Personally he is held in much esteem, great respect being shown for his scholastic attainments and warm regard for his estimable traits of character.
CALDWELL, Charles (deceased), was a native of Mt. Savage, Md., where he was born July 10, 1836. His parents. Patrick and Mary ( Reynolds) Caldwell, were natives of Ireland, who emigrated to the United States in early youth and located in the state of Maryland, where they later were joined in wedlock. Shortly afterward they moved to Cass County, Ill., and entered a tract of goverment land three miles east of Shiloh, where both spent the remainder of their lives.
Charles Caldwell went to the neighborhood district schools in boyhood and continued to make his home with his father and mother until the time of his marriage. December 10, 1860. On this date he took for his wife Caflierine Heaton, who was born October 18, 1844, in Man- chester. England, a daughter of John and Mary Jane (Fullerton) Heaton. John Heaton was born at Wiggin, England, January 1, 1810, and was a soldier in the British army. The mother
of Mrs. Caldwell was born in the Tower of Lon- don, England, a daughter of Gen. Joseph and Martha (Glenn) Fullerton. He was a general in the British army and was given a farm and pen- sion for life in Canada. In 1850 the Heaton family located on a farm ten miles east of Beardstown, Ill., moving later to the town of Virginia, where the father passed away June 22, 1900. the mother having preceded him to the grave November 30, 1896. Their children were as follows : Noble, of Alberta, Canada ; Edward, James, Mary J. (Mrs. Ben Williams), all de- ceased ; William, of Spangle, Wash. ; Charles, who died in Washington in 1913; Alice (Mrs. Ed. Savage) ; Susan (Mrs. Reuben Lancaster), of Virginia, Ill .: Martha (Mrs. R. H. Payne), of Kansas City, Mo .; Thomas, of Jacksonville, Ill. ; and Catherine.
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