USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume II > Part 59
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the kingdom, and one of the streets in Kai- serslautern is named "Der Abendberg."
Henry Abend had gradually become imbued with a yearning for the advantages of repub- lican institutions, and as political conditions in his native land were then in a state of dis- turbance, with many others of equal promi- nence and like convictions, he soon became ob- noxious to the government, and, resigning his office, prepared for emigration to America. In the spring of 1833 he embarked for this country with his wife and seven children. After a voyage of fifty-nine days the family landed in New York. Their journey, via canal from Albany to Cleveland, by canal and lake, and across the State of Ohio to Portsmouth, occupied thirty days more. On the way down the Ohio and up the Mississippi, the family group was exposed to cholera, from which, on their arrival at St. Louis, the father and two of the children died.
Edward Abend attended the schools of his native land, and continued his studies in those of his adopted country. His mother, who was formerly Margaret Lavalle, with her five sur- viving children, moved from St. Louis to Shi- loh, St. Clair County, and thence to Belleville, where she spent the remainder of her life. In Belleville, Edward became a pupil in the sub- scription schools of that period, where he made good progress, his first teacher being Prof. George Bunsen, the founder of the public schools of St. Clair County. He was an apt and diligent student and attained considerable proficiency in certain branches, especially in mathematics. Later he pursued a course in McKendree College, which he left with a fair practical education. On leaving college he was engaged for some time in managing a farm belonging to his mother, near Belleville. While thus occupied he determined to become a lawyer, and accordingly soon entered the offices of Lyman and George Trumbull. In 1842 he was admitted to the bar and opened an office. His management of his mother's affairs, however, had enhanced his property interests to such an extent that she continued to intrust them to his care. This task diverted him from legal pursuits into business ventures, and, in 1850, he abandoned the practice of law.
In 1852, Mr. Abend made a visit to Germany and there met several capitalists, who subse- quently furnished him with large amounts of
money, which, as their agent, he invested in American securities and lands. From the time of his return from this visit, Mr. Abend's ca- reer has been an open book to the people of Belleville and St. Clair County, and he was pre-eminently identified with every move- ment tending toward the material, intellectual and moral advancement of this section of the State. He was the chief promoter, in the pio- neer period, of the St. Louis Turnpike, and the other toll roads running from Belleville, and constructed the first street railroad in the city, of which he was the first President. He also held the same relation to the Belleville Water Company. He was foremost among the organ- izers of the Belleville Gas and Coke Company in 1856, of which he was President at the time of his decease. In 1860 he was prominent in the organization of the St. Clair Savings and Insurance Company, which was changed, under a legislative enactment of 1869, to the Belleville Savings Bank. Over this institution, which is one of the most stable and successful in the State, he presided from its incep- tion. His associates in its original directorate were John Scheel, Simon Reuss, William Kel- lermann and Ferdinand Braun, all of whom preceded their honored chief to the grave. Of the 140 men who then subscribed to the stock, ten only were living at the time Mr. Abend reached his eightieth year. Of the original subscribers, but three still hold stock. At the outset the capital was $13,200, which has in- creased, with the surplus, to nearly $450,- 000, the resources amounting now to $2,500,000. At the time of his death, Mr. Abend was also at the head of the Belleville Brick Company, of which his sons, Edward and Ernest, are at present managers.
Mr. Abend's first wife was Caroline Wes- termann, to whom he was married in 1852, and who died in 1854. The second wife, who survives him, was formerly Anna Hilgard, who was born in St. Clair County and is a daugh- ter of Theodore Hilgard, Jr. Politically, Mr. Abend was a stanch Democrat until 1854, when he acted with the Free-soil party. He sup- ported Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and was a Republican until 1872, when he favored the Liberals, and subsequently returned to the De- mocracy. He was a member of the State Leg- islature in 1840, and served four terms as Mayor of Belleville. Besides his widow and
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
the two sons above mentioned, the survivors in his immediate family are two daughters- Mrs. Lina E. Day, widow of John A. Day, and Mrs. Samuel Brunaugh, of Chicago; and four grandchildren-Helene J. Day, Alice Day, Hal- lett E. Abend and Adele Brunaugh.
Mr. Abend was virtually a resident of Belle- ville for seventy-one years. On every public utility of the city, and many of the important industries, he left the impress of his vigorous mind and sound judgment. He was known to all. To many struggling under heavy bur- dens, he was opportunely helpful. Of kindly countenance and gentle in demeanor, he was nevertheless firm and prompt in action. A man of broad capacity, diligent, faithful, upright, generous, he everywhere inspired profound re- spect and cordial regard By scores of his neighbors and friends, who were wont to seek his advice and counsel, his death is lamented as would be the loss of one of their own kindred, and the entire community will honor his memory while civic virtue endures.
ABT, Paul William, one of the financial and social pillars of society in East St. Louis, St. Clair County, who has attained his present con- spicuous standing through the force of his own innate qualities, was born in Esslingen, Ger- many, April 25, 1845. He is a son of Wilhelm and Caroline (Class) Abt, who were natives of Germany. Wilhelm' Abt, who was born in Ulm, in that country, where he passed the most of his active life, was a merchant by oc- cupation. He was a man of good business qualities and excellent traits of character.
Paul W. Abt attended the public schools of his native place for the customary legal pe- riod, utilizing the opportunities for mental de- velopment therein afforded with diligence and close application. After the conclusion of his youthful studies, he determined to follow a business career, and became an apprentice in merchandising. In 1864, intent on seeking a broader and more promising field for the exer- cise of his abilities, he left the fatherland and came to the United States, where, until 1873, he was successively employed in Cin- cinnati, Chicago, Omaha and St. Louis. In the year named he established himself in the wholesale liquor business in East St. Louis, which he conducted with substantial results for about fourteen years, when he disposed of
his interests in this line. On June 1, 1887, Mr. Abt was appointed Cashier of the East St. Louis Bank, acting in that capacity until June 1, 1890. On that date he founded the First National Bank of East St. Louis, of which, for a period of fourteen years, he served as Pres- ident, discharging its responsible duties with signal efficiency and fidelity. Mr. Abt is now President of the Provident Association in East St. Louis, and has been a member of the Board of Education since 1897.
On December 3, 1874, Paul W. Abt was united in marriage, in East St. Louis, Illinois, with Ottilie Ida Buettner, a daughter of Dr. Ferdinand Buettner, of St. Louis, Missouri, and they have become the parents of four chil- dren, namely: Ernst, born in 1876; Martha, in 1878; Paul, in 1880, and Ferdinand, in 1890. In politics, the attitude of Mr. Abt is inde- pendent, and in exercising the elective fran- chise, he uses his best judgment as to meas- ures and candidates. Religiously, he is con- nected with the German Evangelical Church. In fraternal circles, he is affiliated with the A. F: & A. M .; K. of P .; I. O. O. F .; B. P. O. E. and M. W. A. His relationship with the First National Bank of East St. Louis still continues, his services to that institution being rendered in the capacity of Vice-President. He is regard- ed as one of the soundest and most conserva- tive financiers in Southern Illinois, and is a very public spirited and useful member of the community in which he lives.
"ADAMS, Capt. Lyman (deceased), formerly a resident of Lebanon, was born at Hartford, Conn., in February, 1779. He was connected with the celebrated Adams family of New Eng- land. His father was a Presbyterian minister. At the age of eleven Captain Adams left home and went on board a ship and became a sailor. He followed a sea-faring life for many years, and became captain of a vessel. He was em- ployed in the merchant trade. After quitting the sea he settled in Baltimore, and, for a number of years, was Recorder in the police court of that city. During the war of 1812-14, he commanded a company of militia, raised for the defense of Baltimore, and was present at the battle of Bladensburg. From Baltimore he went to Louisville, Ky., and was there em- ployed in the merchandising and rectifying business. He left Louisville in the year 1829,
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
came to Illinois and settled at Lebanon. He opened a dry goods store, and also a hotel. He carried on this hotel, which was called the "Mermaid," for some years. The travel at that time through Lebanon was quite heavy; the town being situated on the main line be- tween Cincinnati and St. Louis. His house was well known from Vincennes to St. Louis, and many eminent men were entertained with- in its walls. At the time Charles Dickens made his journey from St. Louis to the Look- ing Glass prairie, he stopped over night at this hotel. Benton, and many other public men were frequent guests. With many of the prom- inent politicians of that day, especially those of the Democratic school, Captain Adams was well acquainted. He was himself an active politician, and a strong supporter of the Dem- ocratic faith. He served as Postmaster at Lebanon for many years, was, for a long time, Justice of the Peace, and also acted as Notary Public. He was a man of good business habits, was popular in the community, and was well known throughout the country. He died on the second day of July, 1851.
"His last wife, whom he married in Louisville, Ky., was Matilda Glover. She was a native of Kentucky. Her mother, Mrs. Prudence Glover, who formerly resided in Lebanon, is now living in Cincinnati, and was one hundred and one years old on the 21st of June, 1881. Captain Adams had eleven children, all by his last marriage. Of these, three are now living. The oldest, Cecelia, is the wife of Dr. Adolph Berger, of Lebanon. The two sons, Albert and Chester Adams, live at Moberly, Mo., the for- mer a farmer and the latter a physician and druggist." (Brink's History, 1881.)
ADAMS, L. C., agent and station master at East St. Louis, Ill., was born in Jerseyville, this State, in 1863, and is a son of Charles N. and Nancy (Bell) Adams, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively. Charles N. Adams arrivea in Illinois as early as 1832, and en- gaged in farming for the balance of his active life. His son attended the public schools of Jerseyville, and as a means of livelihood learned telegraphy, which he followed for a number of years in the place mentioned. In 1886 he came to East St. Louis as ticket agent at the Relay depot, and in 1897 was appointed joint agent and station master for twelve
railroad lines, having 110 trains daily. In 1893 Mr. Adams married Margaret Hanifan, of East St. Louis, and is the father of two children, Dora and Helen. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of Pythias, and the Tribe of Ben Hur.
ADLER, Andrew, was born in 1857, at St. Louis, Mo., and received his education in Belleville, this county. He was employed in a rolling mill for a number of years, but for the past twelve years has been conducting a saloon, and in connection with this, a hall which is used for lodge and union meetings.
In 1879, Mr. Adler was united in marriage to Mary Rapp, of Floraville, and the following children have been born to them: August, who served three years in the army; Henry, Joseph, Elsie, and George. Fraternally Mr. Adler is connected with the West Belleville Benevolent Society, of which he is the Vice- President; he is also Secretary of the Liquor Dealers' Protective Association, and has served as alderman for one term.
AFFLECK, James, the son of David and Ann Gillespie Affleck, was born at Dumfries, Scot- land, August 15, 1813. His father was a navigator, commander of a sailing vessel, and traded between Glasgow, Scotland, and Kings- ton, Jamaica. In 1814, David Affleck, with his wife and infant son, came to the United States, and located at Wilmington, N. C. After living there a short time, he removed to Tennessee and settled on Stone River, not far from where Murfreesboro is now located. Here he taught school for some years, and when the Illinois Territory was opened to settlement, he was one of the throng of homeseekers bound for the new West. He remained in St. Clair County, bought land, and lived there until his death. In about 1818 David Affleck died, supposedly killed by Indians; and his wife followed him a short time afterward, leaving two small chil- dren, James and Robert. The Probate Court appointed guardians for them, placing James in the care of James Tannehill, and Robert with a Mr. and Mrs. Jones. When James was eighteen years old, he was released from his contract with Tannehill, and followed the art and trade of a cabinetmaker up to his twenty- second year. When he became of age, and had a little money, he attended the school of
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Rev. John F. Brooks for some time. At first he was engaged at his old trade, then was a contractor until 1860. In the year named he entered the employ of the Harrison Machine Works, in which he was employed as a pat- tern maker until 1896.
On November 12, 1835, Mr. Affleck married Hester Ann, daughter of Wesley Coleman, an old settler of Belleville, and by her had five children-Charles, Mary (Mrs. Edwin Park, of Decatur), Jason, Amanda (Mrs. A. S. Wil- derman) and. James. Mrs. Wilderman is the member of the family still living. After the death of his first wife, which occurred in 1857, Mr. Affleck was married again in 1863, and through this union had five children-Cora (Mrs. Frank Stewart, of Carmi, now dead), Es- telle (Mrs. John A. Logan, of Carmi), Benja- min F. (now of Chicago), Edward G., and Su- sie (who died in 1903). Mr. Affleck was a member of the Presbyterian church for many years, a member of the Scotch-Irish Society of America, an honorary member of the Illinois State Historical Society, and wrote many rem- iniscent papers for that society. He was Al- derman and School Director in Belleville be- fore and during the free school law. He was deeply interested in the history of the State, having lived in Belleville since 1818, the year when Illinois was admitted as a State, and had met all its Governors from Shadrach Bond to Richard Yates, the second. Mr. Affleck liv- ing in the center of things, as he did at the Tannehill tavern in the early days, was kept informed of all that went on, and kept up this interest to the last of his life. As he said in 1900, "I have outlived every improvement that was in Belleville when I came here." He saw the whipping post and pillory, three court houses, five jails and two epidemics of cholera. When Governor Edwards was stricken down with cholera in July, 1833, and rapidly sinking, a messenger was sought among the terrified villagers to go at once to Edwardsville, twenty- five miles distant, for the Governor's brother, Dr. Benjamin Edwards. Mr. Affleck under- took the trip, on July 19 at sunset left Belle- ville on horseback, and returned with the Doc- tor early the next morning, after the Gov- ernor had died. Early in 1837 Mr. Affleck went to Scotland to see about an estate, and spent the summer with relatives there. During this
visit William IV. died and Queen Victoria was crowned.
Regarding his childhood days, Mr. Affleck writes: "The lessons of my younger days, ob- served in Tannehill's bar room, taught by ex- perts, I shall never forget. It was a terrible thrashing Tannehill gave me for stealing whisky for his wife. The old lady had an unquenchable thirst for liquor; so that it was necessary to keep the liquors locked in a small enclosure, with a small opening for passing the drinks to the customers outside. I was a small boy of nine or ten then. When Mrs. Tannehill's thirst could stand it no longer, she would poke me through that hole, and I would, after getting inside, draw a teapot full of whisky for her. Tannehill had forbid- den me and threatened to whip me if I did it any more; but with the old lady's coaxing and bribing, I still disregarded his injunction until I was caught in the act and punished with a severity I shall always remember. Still, it did not entirely cure me; for I filled the teapot for the old lady several times after- ward."
Mr. Affleck died at his home in southwest- ern Belleville, on April 24, 1902, and was buried in Green Mount Cemetery.
AHRING, Fred Arnold (deceased), formerly a well known and prosperous wholesale liquor dealer of East St. Louis, St. Clair County, and one of the most popular members of that com- munity, was born in St. Louis, Mo., October 17, 1860. He was a son of Henry Ahring and Katherine (Uhlemeyer) Ahring, natives of Germany, the former born in Buhr, Hanover, and the latter in Brockhagen, Westphalia. His paternal grandfather and great-grandfather were born in Buhr, Hanover. On the maternal side, his grandparents, Fred and Maria (Gro- seohan) Uhlemeyer, and his great-grandpar- ents, Gerhard and Margaret (Hannafort) Gro- seohan, were natives of Brockhagen, Westpha- lia. Mr. Ahring's parents settled in St. Louis at an early period, and lived there until they established the family home in East St. Louis.
Fred A. Ahring received his early educa- tion in the public schools of St. Louis, and sub- sequently attended a leading Commercial Col- lege, in that city. After his studies were fin- ished, he secured employment in a hardware
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
store in Arkansas, where he remained a short time, and then returned to St. Louis. For ten years he served in the capacity of man- ager of the Vogt liquor concern. He was Pres- ident of the wholesale liquor establishment of H. Albrecht & Company, and was also Presi- dent of the Illinois Hardware Store. At the time of his death Mr. Ahring was a Director of the State Savings & Loan Association of East St. Louis, and of the City Savings & Trust Company, of that city. The deceased had trav- eled widely in the United States, having vis- ited nearly every State in the Union.
On December 11, 1883, Mr. Ahring was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Frank, who was born in St. Louis, Mo., and bore him two sons, Harry and Arthur. Mrs. Ahring died June 22, 1888, and on April 24, 1895, Mr. Ah- ring was married to Emma G. Mertz, who was born in East St. Louis, was educated in the public schools of that city, and still survives. In religious convictions, the deceased was a Protestant. Politically, he was a Republican, and served as Alderman of the Fifth Ward of East St. Louis. In fraternal circles, he was identified with the I. O. R. M., B. P. O. E., K. of P., D. O. K. K. and the Mozart Singing Society. In the Knights of Pythias organiza- tion, he was a member of the Uniform Rank of the Sixth Regiment, in which he held the offices of Captain and Quartermaster, later be- ing promoted to the rank of Colonel and serv- ing on the staff of Major James R. Carnahan, which office he held at the time of his death. Mr. Ahring was a man of excellent business ability and strict integrity in all his dealings; genial and kindly in disposition, affectionate and considerate in the domestic circle, he left hosts of friends who sincerely lament his pass- ing away while still in the prime of manhood.
ALEXANDER, Mrs. Carrie Thomas, Belleville, Ill., Trustee of the University of Illinois, is a daughter of the late Col. John Thomas, who was a historical citizen of St. Clair County, and she was valedictorian of her class, graduating at Monticello Seminary in 1880. In 1900 Mrs. Alexander was a candidate for Trustee of the University of Illinois on the Republican ticket, and was elected by a decisive majority. After serving a regular term of six years, she re- ceived the compliment of a renomination in 1906, and was again elected by a normal vote.
Mrs. Alexander is a woman of decided busi- ness ability and, for two years after the death of her late husband, Henry A. Alexander, man- aged the street car lines and other property of which he was proprietor.
ALEXANDER, William M., was born in Shi- loh Valley in 1850, being a son of Benjamin M. and Margaret (Raney) Alexander. The for- mer was a native of the same place, born in 1820, and his mother was an Illinois woman. His paternal grandfather, William Alexander, was one of the early settlers and pioneer farm- ers of St. Clair County. His father was also born and reared on a farm and pursued that vocation throughout life.
William M. lived in Shiloh Valley until he was thirty years of age, when he removed to Missouri and reniained there eight years, going thence to Arkansas, where he resided for eight years. He then returned to St. Clair County, locating on a farm east of Lebanon, which is owned by his wife, and where he has resided for the past seven years. In 1877 he was united in marriage to Miss Helen Moore, who was born near Belleville, a daughter of Ris- don Moore, and four children have been born to them, viz .: Rush C., Maude, Louis M. and Florence.
ALLEN, F. J., identified with the National Livery & Undertaking Company of East St. Louis, is a native of Hamilton County, Ill., and was born in 1867. Mr. Allen was reared on the farm of his father, Josephus Allen, gaining his education in the country schools during the winter months. Later he conducted an inde- pendent farming enterprise in his native State, but, preferring the life of the towns, he en- gaged in the livery business in Jefferson for about ten years. Coming to East St. Louis in 1900, he was employed by Miner & Bratton, horse-dealers, until a short time ago, when he became identified with the National Livery & Undertaking Company, established by C. D. Millison on North Eighth Street. In 1883 Mr. Allen was united in marriage to Sarah J. Guill, of Hamilton County, Ill., and of the union four children have been born-Frank, Jasper, Liz- zie and Pearl.
ALSIP, S. H., who is engaged in the manu- facture of brick at Belleville, St. Clair County;
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
was born at McGregor, Iowa, in 1862. He came to Belleville in 1890, and in the year 1896 be- came superintendent of the Day Brick Yards. In the fall of 1902, with others, he formed a company under the name of the Standard Brick Company, of which he is Vice-President and general manager. The concern manufactures all kinds of dry press building brick. The ca- pacity of the plant is 12,000,000 bricks per year, and the force employed numbers fifty men. Dr. Starkel is President of the company, and William Smith is Secretary and Treasurer.
Mr. Alsip's wife was formerly Alice Cro- nin, who was educated in Chicago.
ALTHOFF, William, who is identified with the foundry business in Belleville, this county, was born in Germany, in 1848. He is a son of Henry Althoff, also a native of his father- land. Mr. Althoff came to the United States in 1867 and settled at Belleville, where he learned the machinist's trade. In 1881 he be- came connected with the St. Clair Industrial Works at East St. Louis, Ill.
In the following year he returned to Belle- ville, but his establishment was flooded out by water and he then worked with the Fairbank Sewing Machine Company one year. Mr. Alt- hoff started up the Eagle Foundry in 1883, dis- posing of the business in 1892. In 1904 he pur- chased stock in the St. Clair Foundry, and since that year has been serving as its Treasurer.
Mr. Althoff's wife was formerly Fredericka Hermann, and they are the parents of one child, Anna D.
ANDEL, Casimir .- Few men are more widely known in his section of the State, and none is more highly esteemed as the possessor of all those qualities which enter into the compo- sition of a thoroughly representative citizen of his community, than is Casimir Andel, of Belleville, St. Clair County, Ill., who has occu- pied the responsible position of Cashier of the First National Bank of Belleville since 1874. Mr. Andel is a native of Germany, where he was born at Woellstein, in the vicinity of "Bin- gen on the Rhine," November 15, 1840. His ' parents were also of German nativity, the birth of his father, Johann Andel, having oc- curred at Planig, and that of the mother, Kath- erine (Maus) Andel, at Badenheim. Johann
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