USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume II > Part 70
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Robert S. Hamilton attended the public schools and the Marissa Academy, after which he entered Monmouth College, whence he grad- uated in 1892. After teaching for a year or two in the Marissa. Academy, Mr. Hamilton
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studied law and was admitted to the bar of Illinois in 1895. In politics, he is a Republican. He was elected in 1902 as State Senator from St. Clair County, being the Forty-ninth Sena- torial District, and is its Representative in the Upper House. Mr. Hamilton has served with signal ability and fidelity to the best interests of his constituents, in the Forty-third and Forty-fourth General Assemblies. He was as- signed to the following committees in the For- ty-third General Assembly: Chairman of the Committee on Educational Institutions, "to visit educational institutions," and member of the Committees on Building and Loan Associa- tions, Education and Educational Institutions, Judiciary, Judicial Apportionment, Judicial De- partment and Practice, Labor and Manufac- tures, Mines and Mining and Railroads. In the Forty-fourth General Assembly he served as Chairman of the Committee on State Normal Schools, and was a member of the following committees: On Appropriations, Building and Loan Associations, Civil Service, Education, Judiciary, Judicial Department and Practice, Labor and Manufactures, Mines and Mining, Railroads and Warehouses and to visit State Charitable Institutions. At the election of No- vember, 1906, Mr. Hamilton was re-elected to the State Senate for a second term, receiving a plurality of 2,750 votes over his highest com- petitor.
Senator Hamilton has upheld the dignity of his office, reflecting credit both on himself and the people whom he has represented in St. Clair County-the Mother of Counties of the great State of Illinois.
HAMMER, Sol., of S. Hammer & Co., pro- prietors of "The Hub" Clothing Company, Col- linsville and Missouri Avenues, East St. Louis, was born at Czarnekau, Germany, April 26, 1858, a son of Samuel and Mary (Kerstine) Hammer, his father being a merchant. Both parents were natives of Czarnekau. They came to America in 1868, when their son, Sol., was about ten years old, settling in Franklin Coun- ty, Ill. Sol. Hammer was educated in Germany and at Memphis, Tenn., but began his business life as clerk in a general store at Tamara, Ill., when he was fifteen years of age, and en- gaged in business for himself at DuQuoin at twenty, after having clerked a year at Murphys- boro. In 1880, he removed his business to Murphysboro, and was in trade there, or trav-
eling for a wholesale clothing house for several years. He lived in St. Louis during 1898-99. In the latter year, with a partner, he opened a store at Collinsville and St. Louis Avenues, East St. Louis. The firm was Bernstein & Ham- mer, and the store was called "The Hub." The enterprise was moved to Collinsville and Mis- souri Avenues in 1900. In 1901, Mr. Hammer bought the interest in this business of Mr. H. Bernstein, and the firm has since flourished under the style of Hammer & Co. The business has been built up from a small store, carrying a stock of $7,000 to $8,000, to one of the largest clothing houses in Southern Illinois, carrying a stock of $100,000. Mr. Hammer's religious affiliations are Jewish, and he wor- ships at Dr. Harrison's Temple, St. Louis, Mo. In politics, he is independent. He is a Mason, a Woodmen and an Elk. He married March 18, 1901, Tessie Benjamin, a native of St. Louis, and they have a son named Stanley, and a daughter named Karleen.
HANENSTEIN, John, a successful meat mer- chant of O'Fallon, this county, and a resident of the town since April 2, 1904, is of European ancestry, and was born on the other side of the Atlantic in 1872. His education was received in the public schools of his native land, and he prepared for the future by learning the cabinet maker's trade, following the same for a time after arriving in America. After 10- cating in St. Charles, Mo., he turned his at- tention to the butchery business, and was so successful that he established himself in that line at O'Fallon. By doing his own butcher- ing he is independent of all other concerns of the kind, and his present prosperity would in- dicate a promising future. In 1894, Mr. Hanen- stein married Elizabeth Retter, of St. Louis, and has one daughter, Elizabeth.
HANS, John, one of the prominent and most successful farmers of Mascoutah Township, was born June 11, 1831, at Rheinpfalz, Germany, and obtained his education in the public schools of that place. His parents were Henry and Anne (Haner) Hans, both of whom were natives of Rheinpfalz, Germany. Mr. Hans emigrated to the United States in 1858, came to St. Clair County, and rented a farm situated in Shiloh Township. This he industriously worked for six years, when, in 1864, he purchased a tract of 150 acres in Mascoutah, which has since (for
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a period of forty-two years) remained his home- stead. During the years of his industrious life on this farm he has added to his estate by purchasing an additional 100 acres in Mas- coutah Township and 100 acres in Lebanon Township. In politics, Mr. Hans is a Repub- lican, and in his church affiliations, an adherent of the Evangelical Church. In November, 1854, he was united in marriage to Barbara Reiger, a native of Rheinpfalz, Germany, where she received her education. To Mr. and Mrs. Hans have been born four children: Barbara, Anna and Mary (who are living at home), and Eliza- beth (who died April 2, 1887, leaving two daughters).
HARDING, William, a pioneer coal miner and operator, now residing at East St. Louis, this county, was born in Somersetshire, England, October 29, 1829, and attended the public schools at that place. He is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Cox) Harding, who are also natives of that shire. His paternal grand- father was a Samuel Harding, an Englishman, and one of the very earliest Wesleyan Metho- dists who listened to the preaching of John Wesley. In August, 1850, when twenty-one years old, William Harding came to the United States and located in Lucerne County, Pa. There he worked in the coal mines until No- vember, 1856, in that year coming to St. Clair County, where he continued to be employed in the mines until 1860. In the latter year he became associated with Joseph Emery, of Belle- ville, and they operated seven different coal mines until 1891, when they disposed of their interests to the Consolidated Mine Company of St. Louis. They were both, however, retained as Superintendents, Mr. Harding having charge of the work connected with the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. Later he was transferred to the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, and then sent to Danville, Ill., where for five years he was with the Big Four and Wabash lines, re- tiring from active business February 1, 1898. A short time afterward he and his wife moved to South Dakota, remaining there until the spring of 1892, when they located at East St. Louis, and have since made that city their home. Mr. Harding owns considerable property here and resides at No. 539 North Thirteenth Street. In his church affiliations, he is a Free Methodist, and politically, is a strong sup- porter of the Prohibition party. He cast his
first presidential vote for Lincoln, and was a faithful Republican until the organization of the Prohibition party.
On July 13, 1851, at Pittstown, Pa., Mr. Hard- ing was married to Elizabeth Fear, who was born May 27, 1832, in Somersetshire, England, where she received her education. The follow- ing children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Harding: Sarah (Mrs. Smith) ; Joseph; Thomas, deceased; John; William Franklin; Samuel G .; James J., deceased; Frederick B .; Robert H .; Walter C., deceased, and Philip.
HARTMANN, B., proprietor of the Star Brew- ing Company, Belleville, St. Clair County, was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1841. In 1872 he acquired an interest in the Star Brewing Company and, with his brother, Hubert, con- ducted the business under the firm name of Hartmann Brothers. In 1887 Mr. Hartmann acquired the sole ownership, the concern be- ing incorporated as the Star Brewery Company. Under Mr. Hartmann's management the busi- ness of the brewery has been marked by stead- ily increasing prosperity. Mr. Hartmann and his wife (nee Anna Von Berg), have been blessed with eight children, viz: Hubert, Chris- tiana, Bernhard, Hans, Hermann, Anna, Louisa and Rolf.
HARTMANN, Frank, with his brother, Henry, the owner and proprietor of bowling alleys and a liquor establishment in O'Fallon, this county, was born in Missouri in 1873, a son of Charles and Josephine (Kessler) Hartman. The elder Hartmann came to America at an early day, and settled on a farm in Missouri, near Boon- ville. His sons removed to Belleville in 1890, where they engaged in coal mining near O'Fallon.
Frank Hartmann continued to work in the mines until 1900, when he invested his earnings in a retail liquor establishment, at Carbon (Alma), Ill., two miles west of O'Fallon, which he still conducts. Henry continued working in the mines until January 1, 1904, in which year the two brothers invested in the finest business block in O'Fallon, where they con- ducted a saloon, bowling alleys, billiard and pool room, until 1905, when a younger brother, John, bought part of Frank's interest and since then the place of business has been conducted by Henry and John. The balance of the build-
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
ing space is rented to a meat market and restaurant.
Frank Hartmann, brother of Henry and John, was born in 1873, and in his youth had the same advantages and environments as the younger brothers. His business career has also run in the same groove. He also is a Knight of Pythias, and has no political aspirations. In 1896 he was united in marriage with Katie Reaka, a native of St. Clair County, who is the mother of four sons and one daughter: Charley, Albert, Walter, Arthur and Clara.
Henry Hartmann is not connected with any particular political party. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Red Men. In 1902 he was united in marriage with Anna Wunders, of O'Fallon.
John Hartmann is a single young man and has no special political aspirations.
HARVEY, I. S., contractor and builder of East St Louis, this county, was born in Indiana in 1864, and there attended the public schools. He is a son of Isaac Harvey, a native of Scot- land, but who subsequently came to America and engaged in farming in Indiana. I. S. Har- vey followed railroad work for ten years, and in 1896, started a planing mill and engaged in building and contracting. In the spring of 1904 he erected a large two-story building, sixty by seventy-four feet, at the corner of Converse and Twentieth Streets, where he manufactures sashes, doors and blinds for use in contract work. He does all kinds of building and con- ducts a general contracting business.
Politically, Mr. Harvey is a Republican, and served his party as Alderman of the Second Ward for two years. In his social connections he is a member of the Masonic fraternity. In 1884 Mr. Harvey was married to Alice Martin, who was born in Kentucky, and they became the parents of the following children: Ella, Frank, Isaac and Roland.
HASSLER, George, was born in Belleville, Ill., December 2, 1856, a son of Jacob and Johanna (Moser) Hassler, natives respectively of Tyrol, near Switzerland, and France. His paternal grandparents were Joseph and Mary (Yaeger) Hassler, natives of Germany. George received his education in the public schools of Belle- ville, and when seventeen years of age was employed by Adolph Koch, under whom he learned the barber's trade, and in this employ-
ment he remained four years. Later, for one year, he was in the employ of George Blum, and on August 8, 1882, opened a barber shop at No. 114 West Main Street, where he has since remained. He has been engaged in this business longer than any other man in Belle- ville.
On January 11, 1880, Mr. Hassler was united in marriage to Barbara Igel, and four chil- dren have been born to them, namely: John, Clara, and Elanora. On June 20, 1899, he mar- ried, as his second wife, Emma Rosenthal, who was born in Belleville, and educated in the public schools of the town. One child, Otto, has been born of this union. In his religious affiliations, Mr. Hassler is a member of the Catholic Church.
HAUMESSER, Benjamin, an enterprising and prosperous grocer of East St. Louis, this county, residing at No. 2647 Bond Avenue, and well and favorably known throughout the city, is a native of Clinton County, Ill., where he was born November 14, 1868. Mr. Haumesser is a son of Benjamin and Wilhelmina (Beck) Haumesser, natives of Germany, the former be- ing born in Baden, and the latter, in Hessen. The paternal grandparents, George and Eliza- beth (Haumesser) Haumesser, were also na- tives of Baden, while the birthplace of the maternal grandparents, Conrad and Catherine (Beck) Beck, was in Hessen. All of these an- cestors were people of the sturdy Teutonic type, and were moral, upright, industrious and thrifty members of their several communities in the Fatherland.
In early youth Benjamin Haumesser attended the public schools of Carlyle, Ill., and assisted his father on the home farm. Until 1887 his life was spent under the paternal roof, but at the age of eighteen years he left the scenes of his childhood, and located in East St. Louis, where he secured a position as delivery boy in a grocery store. In this line of work he contin- ued for seven years, and in 1894 opened a shoe store, which he conducted until the following year. Then, his health having become im- paired to a considerable degree, he sold his stock and good will in the business, returning to work in the concern of his former employer in the grocery trade. In this connection he continued until February, 1901, when he suc- ceeded his employer as proprietor. In 1893 the business of Mr. Haumesser had developed to
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such an extent that he extended his operations by opening a branch store in Alta Sita, a suburb of East St. Louis, and from the outset, this undertaking proved to be a great success. He is now conducting two stores, the main con- cern at No. 316 East Broadway, East St. Louis, and the branch in Alta Sita. In both places he is meeting with most satisfactory results, and his business capacity, energy and honor- able methods of dealing are recognized by all.
On December 26, 1893, Benjamin Haumesser was united in marriage with Annie Arnold, who was born in East St. Louis, where she re- ceived a good public school education. One child, Arnold, has resulted from this union. In religious belief, Mr. Haumesser is an ad- herent of the Evangelical German Church. Po- litically, he is a steadfast supporter of the Re- publican party. At the election held in the spring of 1905, he was elected Alderman of the Second Ward of East St. Louis on the Citizens' ticket. Whether in domestic business or public matters, Mr. Haumesser is a credit to himself, his family, and to that stalwart German-Americanism which is so strong an ele- ment in the national life and prosperity. ยท
HAUSMANN, Joseph P., was born in St. Clair County in 1867, a son of Peter Hausmann, who came to the United States in 1846, at once locating in this county, where he has since followed the industry of farming. In 1898 Joseph P. came to Belleville and opened a grocery store, and now carries a full line of groceries, provisions and seeds. In 1892 Mr. Hausmann was married to Anna Berkel, a native of Georgetown, and they are the parents of the following four children: Stella, Edwin, Alfonso and Adalade.
HAY, John B .- Judge Hay is one of the fortu- nate men of Belleville. He is fortunate in hav- ing a substantial parentage, a goodly endow- ment of intellect and feeling, a liberal educa- tion acquired through the resourcefulness of his youth in attaching himself to one of the learned professions, and in passing his days in a community which needed his rugged strength of mind, his unfailing honesty and his broad professional equipment. The numer- ous positions of trust and responsibility which he has been called upon to fill are the best guarantee of his public spiritedness and ability, no less than of the good judgment and appre-
ciation of his fellow townsmen. The house in which Judge Hay was born in Belleville, Jan- uary 8, 1834, was situated upon the site of the present City Hall. There are few native sons of the town now living whose birth antedates his. His people on both sides were among the very early settlers of Illinois, and came to Belleville with almost the first arrivals. The establish- ment of the paternal family in the States is due to the spirit of adventure which animated the great-grandfather, Major John Hay, who was born in Canada, and eventually located in Detroit, Mich., where John Hay, the grand- father, was born and reared. John transferred the family ability and resourcefulness to the wilderness of St. Clair County, where he mar- ried a Miss Poupard, and where his son, An- drew Hay, the father of Judge Hay, was born. Andrew Hay installed a stock of general mer- chandise in a rude building in the embryo com- munity of Belleville, and for years his barrels and cracker boxes supported human agitators gathered to discuss the weighty political and social problems which disturbed the com- munity. He was the typical old-time store- keeper, the great essential in all pioneer lo- calities, and most intimately connected with all phases of early municipal life. Mr. Hay married Emily Morrison, who was born in Kas- kaskia, Ill., a daughter of William and (La- Porte) Morrison, the former a native of Mead- ville, Lancaster County, Pa., and the latter born in St. Genevieve, Mo.
The meager fortunes of the store-keeper made necessary the early launching of his children upon their wage-earning careers. John B. was no exception to the rule, and at the age of fourteen he began to work in a printing office, and not only learned the trade, but spent his leisure in reading law, which resulted in his admission to the bar in 1851. For six months he was editor of the "St. Clair County Tribune," but journalism proved not to his liking, and he turned his attention to a general practice of law. In 1856 he was a candidate for State's Attorney on the Fremont ticket, and in 1860, was elected District Attorney for the counties of St. Clair, Madison and Bond. He was a dele- gate to the convention at Decatur, in 1860, which declared for Abraham Lincoln and nom- inated the Elder Yates, for Governor; was re- elected District Attorney in 1864, and upon the expiration of his term in 1868, was sent to . Congress, succeeding himself from the same
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district in 1870. In 1872, and again in 1880, he was a candidate for Congress, but on both occa- sions was defeated by a small majority. In 1881 he was appointed by President Garfield Postmaster of the city of Belleville, serving one term, and five years later (1886) was elected to the office of County Judge of St. Clair County, and in 1901 was chosen Mayor of the city of Belleville. Before the expiration of the term he was again elected County Judge, his term to expire in 1907, and, in order to assume this larger responsibility, he resigned the mayoralty. In 1906 Judge Hay was re-elected for another four-years term.
The marriage of Judge Hay and Maria Hinckley was solemnized in Belleville, October 15, 1857. Of this union there are two sons, John and William Sherman. Judge Hay has led an eventful and unusually useful life, and now, when more than seventy-three years have passed over his head, he still seems at the zenith of his powers, which argues well for the preservative qualities of industry and mental activity. Deep and accurate knowledge of law, native shrewdness and ability, and unswerving integrity have made him an excellent and suc- cessful lawyer and an admirable Judge. High personal character, finely rounded convictions and a strong sense of duty, make him a valu- able citizen. That his career bridges the distance between the crude past and the re- sourceful and splendid present, is a matter of congratulation on the part of himself, the city of Belleville and St. Clair County.
HECKER, Arthur, one of the best known and most substantial farmers of St. Clair County, was born November 6, 1842, at Baden, Germany, son of Frederick and Josephine (Eisenhardt) Hecker, who were born at Baden and Manheim, Baden, Germany, respectively. The paternal grandparents were Joseph and Wilhelmina (Von Lueters) Hecker, the former a native of Baden, while the latter's birth occurred at Munich, Bavaria. On the maternal side the great-grandfather was Edmond Eisenhardt, who was born at Ladenborg, Germany, the grand- parents naving been Edmond and Margaret (Wideman) Eisenhardt, whose birth occurred at Baden, Germany. The father came to the United States and located near Summerfield, this county, where he purchased a residence and 400 acres of land located on Section 3.
Here he engaged in farming until his death, which occurred March 24, 1882.
Arthur Hecker was the eldest of nine chil- dren, and he, with two others, came to America with their father. His preliminary education was obtained in the public schools, supple- mented by a course at McKendree College. He left that institution on the 26th of May, 1861, going to Chicago and enlisting in the Twenty- fourth Illinois Infantry, which was commanded by his father, Colonel Frederick Hecker. After serving ten months, he was discharged on ac- count of disability, and returned to St. Clair County to take charge of the old homestead. After the death of his father he assumed con- trol of the entire property, which aggregates 238 acres, and continued farming until he was appointed Assistant Grain Inspector under Governor Tanner.
Arthur Hecker is a Republican in politics, and socially, is affiliated with the Masonic fra- ternity, Modern Woodmen of America, the G. A. R. and A. O. W. On October 4, 1864, he was married to Marie Eisenmayer, who was born in Mascou- tah and educated at the Methodist Episcopal Fe- male College, Jacksonville, Ill. Shortly after be- ing married he removed to Claremont, Richland County, this State, operating a flour mill there from 1864 to 1868. To Mr. and Mrs. Hecker have been born the following two children: Estella, who became the wife of Albert Berger, a prominent attorney of Kansas City, Kan., and Harold, who is a graduate of McKendree College (class of '05).
HECKER, Friedrich Karl Franz .- Although a concise biographical sketch of Colonel Fried- rich Hecker, a noted patriotic leader of two hemispheres, and for the last thirty years of his life a resident of Summerfield, St. Clair County, will be found in the first volume of this work ("Historical Encyclopedia of Illi- nois," page 228), the following reminiscence of a visit to Colonel Hecker at his home at Summerfield, by his fellow patriot, the late Col. Carl Schurz, as given in condensed form by the correspondent of a St. Louis (Mo.) paper, will, no doubt, have an interest for many readers in St. Clair County. After re- ferring to this story as the first mention by Colonel Schurz of his visit to the vicinity of St. Louis, the correspondent says:
"He (Schurz) had lately visited Mazzini and
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Kossuth as two of the men he thought great- est in the world. His first work in St. Louis was to hunt for the third. So he crossed the river and found Fred Hecker on his farm, near Belleville, Ill. Schurz was a fairly good judge of heroes, even in his youth, and he never changed his mind about Hecker's rank among them, though he did find out very soon a num- ber of things about Hecker which are better known still to many who knew him in St. Louis and Belleville than what Schurz knew of his greatness as an orator and a leader. These things Schurz tells with great candor for the first time they have been thus can- didly put into print.
"Schurz knew of Hecker's appearance only from engravings which had been scattered all over Germany and treasured by thousands as mementoes of the republican rising in South Germany in 1848. They represented. him to fit the popular imagination of the heroic. Schurz found him in a log cabin, in a gray woolen shirt, baggy trousers and carpet slip- pers, shaking with chills and fever and ex- ploding in successive outbreaks of wrath at the climate and the difficulties of work on the farm. Mrs. Hecker, who met the visitor at the door, showed herself in the dress of a farmer's wife, a woman of beauty and refine- ment. She warned the guest that, while her husband wished very much to see him, he might use peculiar language as a result of a habit he had when out of sorts. This ex- plained itself when, on rising from his chills and fever to greet his guest, Hecker said: 'Hello, here you are at last; but what brought you to this accursed country?'
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