USA > Illinois > Cook County > History of Cook County, Illinois : being a general survey of Cook County history, including a condensed history of Chicago and special account of districts outside the city limits : from the earliest settlement to the present time, volume I > Part 82
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Joseph Triner, manufacturing chemist, importer and exporter, was born in 1861 in Kacerov, county of Kralovic, near the beautiful city of Pilsen in Bohemia. He received his education in the schools of Slane. With his parents, Matthew and Anna Triner, he came to the United States in 1879, directly to Chicago, and was engaged in different occupations, until in 1890 when he established his present business on a very small scale. This business was a great success from the very start, due to Mr. Triner's business ability and untiring personal management, and to his popularity, especially among his countrymen. The wide circle of his friends is growing steadily and embraces all nationalities, because he gives everybody "a square deal." His first factory was on Ashland avenue, near West Eighteenth street, but very soon it proved to be too small for the rapid growth of the business and Mr. Triner had to build a large, perfectly modern factory, which is a model of cleanliness in both the offices and laboratories. It is situated on South Ashland avenue and Hastings street, and all departments are under the management
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of experienced professional men. The best known preparations manufactured there are Triner's American Elixir of Bitter Wine, and Triner's Angelica Bitter Tonic, both of which received the Gold Medal, the highest award in the recent Alaskan-Yukon-Pacific Exposition at Seattle, Wash.
Mr. Triner employs quite a number of intelligent traveling men and city salesmen. His family life is very happy. He was married in 1884 to Miss Catherine Wecker, daughter of John and Catherine Wecker, of Chicago, and lives in his residence at 1018 South Ash- land boulevard. The family consists of four daughters and one son. His eldest son, Leo, died six years ago, after an operation for appendicitis, being fifteen years old. With the family lives Mrs. Anna Triner, mother of Joseph Triner, her husband having died several years ago.
Joseph Triner is a member of the Chicago Association of Com- merce, the Illinois Athletic club, the Knights Templars, a Thirty- second degree Mason, and belongs to several Bohemian benevolent and national societies. He always takes an active part in all public questions.
Mr. Triner greatly enjoys traveling during his vacation and he has visited all parts of the United States and Europe.
Being in good health and full of energy he certainly has a brilliant career before him.
Hipolit Uczciwek, confectioner, and dealer in religious articles, school supplies and fancy stationery, at 1244 Noble street, was born in Poland, August 13, 1861, and is a son of Frank and Domicela Uczciwek. He was reared to manhood in his native land and was educated under the instruction of his father who was a teacher by profession. Early in his adult life he learned the confectionery business, and in 1886 crossed the Atlantic to the United States. He located in Chicago and here he has since resided. Upon his arrival here he was employed in various candy factories until 1896, when he embarked in that business for himself on Noble street. His busi- ness has grown steadily and is now large and lucrative. He is well and favorably known and enjoys and merits the confidence of the community. He is a member of the Holy Trinity Polish Roman Catholic church, Polish National Alliance, and in politics is in- dependent. In August, 1888, he married Julia, daughter of Peter and Catherine Kuznicka, of Poland, and they have eight children: Marie E., Frank A., Alexander A., Joseph, Louise, Florence, Irene and John.
William Arthur Vawter, president of the Baker-Vawter company, was born at Lafayette, Ind., May 22, 1858, and is a son of Achilles and Elizabeth (Richardson) Vawter. He was educated in the schools of Indiana and on September 24, 1881, married at Plain- field Alice R. Hadley and to them were born the following children : Cora C., William A. and George H. He learned the trade of
Vol. 1-48.
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compositor at Indianapolis in the office of Wright, Baker & Com- pany and in due time became foreman of their composing room. In 1881 he embarked in the mercantile business at Plainfield, Ind., and later at Danville, continuing until 1886. In the latter year he came to Chicago and became a partner in the printing establishment of Baker, Vawter & Co. Two years later the firm was incorporated under the name of Baker-Vawter company. After two or three years they abandoned the printing business and took up their present line of loose leaf, binding and filing devices and supplies and originators of complete business systems. Their business is now large and important. Mr. Vawter is president and director of the Metal Sectional Furniture company and vice-president and director of the Commercial Life Insurance Company. He is a member of the Union League, Chicago Athletic, Evanston, Evanston University and Glenview Golf clubs.
John George Wachowski, a successful physician and surgeon at 1259 West Fifty-first street, was born in Chicago on July 9, 1880, and is a son of Frank and Mary (Iciek) Wachowski, both of whom were natives of Prussia-Poland. They came to the United States in 1871 and settled in Chicago where the father followed his trade- that of cabinet making-until 1905, when he retired from active business. He and wife were the parents of two children as fol- lows: Helen, wife of Frank Kwasniewski and John George.
The latter was reared in his native city and was educated at St. Adalbert's Parochial school, St. Patrick's academy, St. Ignatius college, North Western University School of Pharmacy, North Western Medical college and College of Physicians and Surgeons, graduating from the latter institution on May 22, 1902. He im- mediately began the practice of his profession and has already attained a high degree of success. His skill in his profession has been signally recognized. He is medical examiner for the Polish Roman Catholic union, Catholic Order of Foresters. Polish National Alliance, Greek Catholic union and Columbian Knights. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Polish Turners and the Chi- cago Medical society. He is a Republican and takes an active in- terest in the success of his party. In the Fall of 1908 he was the candidate of his party for representative to the Legislature, but was defeated by a small majority. On June 10, 1903, he married Martha, daughter of John and Frances (Staniszewski) Czaja, Polish pioneers of the West Side, and has two children-Adeline and Eugene.
Albert Wachowski, proprietor of the large savings bank at 3032 West Twenty-second street, Chicago, was born in the province of Posen, German Poland, on March 15, 1858, and is a son of Francis and Jozefa Kwapiszewski-Wachowski. The mother died in Poland, but the father came to the United States in 1889 and located in Chicago, where he died in 1902 at the age of 90 years. He and wife
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reared a family of twelve children, as follows : Mikolaus (who died November 11, 1908, in Poland), Michael, Albert, Valentine, John, Joseph, Martin, Peter, Vincent (deceased), Paul, Jadwiga, wife of Mr. Wendt, and Constancia, wife of Andrew Staszewski. Constancia still lives in Poland.
Albert of this family immigrated to the United States in 1878 and located in Chicago where he has since resided. In the old country he had learned the business of cabinet making and this he first followed after coming to this country, but later conducted a grocery, and still later was a contractor and builder. He was also connected with the wholesale grocery business for a time. Since 1892 he was active in building and loan associations. He organized and incorporated five building and loan associations, which are at present in a very prosperous and healthy condition. They are as follows: The Casimir Pulaski Building and Loan association of the 10th Ward, King John 3rd Sobieski No. 1 Building and Loan association of West Hammond, Prince Vytauto Lithuanian Build- ing and Loan association, Vincent Barzynski Loan and Savings association and the Albert Wachowski Loan and Savings company. In 1906, he bought many acres of land on the Southwest Side, be- tween Fortieth and Forty-eighth avenue, Twenty-sixth and Thirty- first street and made "Krakow" subdivision as a new settlement for the Polish people. He also organized a new parish and built the Polish Roman Catholic church of "Good Shepherd," of which Rev. Alexander Yung took charge. Since June 1, 1909, he has been engaged in his present business, and for the past twenty years has been engaged in the real estate business.
His career in this city has been one of activity, honesty and suc- cess. He has .become identified with many of the most useful and important societies and organizations of the city. He is a member of St. Casimir Polish Roman Catholic church, Polish National Alliance, Polish Catholic Union, Kurpinski Singing society, and in politics is a Republican. In February, 1884, he married Con- stancia, daughter of John and Frances Korzeniewski, of Chicago, and they have eight children, as follows : Jeannette, Veronica, Leon, Marie, Stanley, Eugene, Casimir and Thaddeus.
Joseph T. Wachowski, attorney-at-law, with offices at 1624 W .. Forty-seventh street, Chicago, and at Broadway and Seventh avenue, Gary, Ind., was born in Gnesen, province of Posen, German Poland, March 15, 1867, and is a son of Francis and Josepha (Kwapiczewski) Wachowski. The mother died in Poland, but the father came to the United States in 1889 and located in Chicago where he died in 1902 at the great age of 90 years. He and wife were the parents of eleven children, as follows: Michael, Albert, Walenty, John, Joseph T., Martin, Peter, Vincent, Paul, Judwija, now Mrs. Wendt, and Constantia.
Of this family, Joseph T. was reared in Chicago after the age
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of eight years and was educated in the public schools, Metropolitan Business college and the Illinois College of Law, graduating from the latter institution in 1892 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He was admitted to the bar the same year and ever since has been actively engaged in the practice of his profession. He has had an office in Gary since the foundation of the city in 1905. His suc- cess shows his fitness for this most learned profession. He is a member of the Polish Catholic church, Polish National Alliance, Polish Turners and the Republican party. He is interested and active in public affairs. In 1895 he married Veronica Bogucki, of Milwaukee.
Thomas R. Warner was born December 25, 1861, at Ottawa, Ill., a son of Roger Warner who served in the Civil war and rose to the rank of first lieutenant of Company K, Fifty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry. While on a steamboat in the Mississippi river the vessel was set on fire and in endeavoring to escape from the burning vessel he was drowned and his body was never recovered. Thomas R. Warner is the youngest of four children, three sons and one daughter. He was reared to manhood in his native city where he received his primary education in the public schools. He sub- sequently took a course in the commercial college at Onarga, Ill., which he completed in 1881. He came to Chicago that same year and began building and selling houses, the first venture being the erection of a house on what is now Aldine avenue, between Halsted and Evanston avenue. Later he entered into a general contracting business at which he has ever since continued with a more than average degree of success. Under the aggressive management of Mr. Warner his business outgrew the capacity of one man to handle and it was then incorporated as the Warner Construction company in 1899. School houses, police stations, pumping stations, private residences, life-saving stations, engine houses, public bath-houses, factories, the new town hall at Halsted and Addison, and various other State, city and private buildings have been erected by this corporation. Mr. Warner is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Carpenters' and Builders' association. He married Miss Susan Murray, daughter of Dennis and Ann Murray, farmers of Dunton Station, Ill., and to this marriage have been born two chil- dren : Thomas LeRoy Warner and Myrtle Warner.
Dr. John C. Webster was born at Hopkinton, Mass., on April 9, 1843, and is a son of John C. and Rebecca G. (Russell) Webster. The family was first represented in the Colonies in 1635, when John Webster came from Ipswich, England, and settled at Ipswich, Mass. There are many descendants of the emigrant John and they are scattered throughout the United States, probably the majority being residents of New England. Dr. John C. is of the eighth generation from John, the emigrant. His father, John C., was a clergyman, holding a pastorate at Hopkinton for twenty-seven years.
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He was a distinguished Congregational churchman, and his father was also a clergyman of the same denomination. In 1865 Rev. John C. Webster came West and located at Wheaton, Ill., and be- came professor of logic and belles lettres in Wheaton college. There he lived and labored until a few years before his death, which occurred August 13, 1884. He was a very aggressive and public- spirited man, and contributed many articles for newspapers and magazines on all subjects then before the public, such as anti- slavery, temperance, etc. Before coming West he had become well known throughout New England for the range, pith and correct- ness of his views on all public questions.
Dr. John C. was educated at Hopkinton, Mass., finishing at Dartmouth college where he graduated in 1864. Soon thereafter he enlisted in the First Battalion, Heavy Artillery, Massachusetts Volunteers, and served with credit for one year. After returning from the army he continued his medical studies which had been commenced before his enlistment. He was graduated March 13, 1867, from the medical department of Harvard university, and immediately came to Chicago and began practicing at the corner of Lake and Leavitt streets. In 1870 he moved to Jackson boulevard and there he has since lived and practiced. He is thus one of the oldest practicing physicians west of Ashland boulevard. His prac- tice is general and very satisfactory. In 1884 -he wrote a history of the Dartmouth College Class of '64 with biographical sketches of each classmate. He was one of the founders of Chicago Dart- mouth Alumni association in 1876. He is a member of the Illinois State Medical society, the Chicago Medical society, the Theraupetic club, and is a member of many societies, clubs and associations, both professional and otherwise. He is active in all movements to im- prove the condition of the community in which he lives. In politics he is a Republican. On March 15, 1869, he married Elizabeth Doland, of Manchester, N. H., and the following children were born to them: Mabel Dana ( Mrs. Herbert W. Allen). Anna Russell (died August 10, 1903) ; Gerald Howe; Harry Damon; Rebecca Elizabeth. The family resides at 2311 Jackson boulevard.
Willis J. Wells, president of the Binner-Wells company, design- ers, engravers and printers, was born at Geneva, Ill., October 17, 1857, a son of Charles B. and Marietta (Pierce) Wells. Charles B. Wells was one of the pioneers of Illinois, having located at Dundee, Kane county, in 1840. He practiced law many years, was elected and served as circuit clerk and recorder of Kane county, and during the Civil war served the Union cause as major and com- missary of a division.
Willis J. Wells is descended from Scotch-Irish ancestry. He at- tended the public schools of Geneva when a boy, and in 1872 came to Chicago and began his business career as an errand boy for the old printing house of Culver, Page, Hoyne & company. From 1882
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to 1885 he was with L. H. Evarts & Company, of Philadelphia, in the publishing business, but in the latter year returned to Chicago and until 1894 was a member of the firm of Pettibone, Wells & Company, and then Rogers & Wells, engravers and printers. In 1903 he organized the present Binner-Wells company, engravers and printers, one of the best known firms in its line in the city and of which Mr. Wells is president. For fifteen years he was a mem- ber of the First Regiment Infantry, Illinois National Guard, and during the war with Spain served as battalion adjutant in the cam- paign in Cuba. He is a member of the Society of Santiago, the Military Order of Foreign Wars, the Loyal Legion, the Masonic Fraternity and the Chicago Athletic association. September 7, 1881, Mr. Wells married Miss Kate Patten and they are the parents of three children: Gladys, Marjorie and Douglas.
Felix J. Wengierski, general broker at 3137 South Morgan street, was born in Zempelburg, West Prussia, German Poland, June 10, 1874, and is a son of Joseph and Tekla (Szlezerski) Wengierski. The father was a carpenter by trade and came to the United States soon after the Civil war and visited all parts of the country study- ing its resources and characteristics. For a while he was in the em- ploy of Jay Gould on the Erie railway system. He was married in the early fifties and he and wife reared a family of four sons- Frank, John, Felix J., all of Chicago, and Theodore of DesMoines. Both parents died in Poland.
Felix J. was reared in his native land until the age of 16 years and was educated at the common schools. He arrived in this . country in May, 1890, and on the tenth of that month located in Chicago and here has ever since resided. Upon his arrival here he attended the public schools, a private college, and thus generally continued his education and improved his knowledge of the Eng- lish as well as the Polish languages and the ways of the Americans. He first found employment in a grocery and later in a stained glass establishment. Then for five years he worked as a clerk for the Chicago Title & Trust company. Since 1897 he has been engaged in the general brokerage business at his present location. He has been more than ordinarily successful and has built up a large and permanent business and clientage. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church, Polish American Alliance, Maccabees, Modern Woodmen and in politics is a Republican. On June 27, 1899, he married a daughter of Albert and Anna Neunert, of Chicago, and they have two children-Gregory and Margaret.
Frederick Wente, a son of Henry and Catherine (Rust) Wente, was born on the old Wente farm in Palatine township, Cook county, Ill., February 20, 1860. His parents located there in 1847, at a time when the country was sparsely settled and when wild game could be killed from the cabin doorway. They were of that honest, thrifty type of Germans who aided the colonies in their struggle for in-
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dependence from Great Britain, who contributed to the preservation of the Union when Civil war threatened the destruction of the nation, and who, in peace, were law abiding, industrious and re- spected. Although Mr. Wente has long since passed away he was of that contributory element that laid the foundation of prosperity now enjoyed by the present generation. Henry Wente died in 1881, after having lived on the farm he first secured for a period of thirty-four years. His widow is yet living and resides with the subject of this sketch on the old homestead. They were the parents of eleven children.
Frederick Wente has always made his home where he was born. In youth he attended the district schools when his services were not demanded in helping on the farm. On November 19, 1891, he was united in marriage with Miss Bertha Hunerberg, and to their union have been born six children as follows: George, Edwin, Martha, Elmer, Walter and Albert. Walter is the only one dead. Mr. Wente is recognized as one of the substantial, enterprising farmers of Cook county. In politics he is a consistent Democrat ; in religion he affiliates with the German Evangelical Lutheran church.
Albert Gallatin Wheeler, capitalist, was born in New York City, April 27, 1854. He is the son of Bethuel Church and Julia Catherine (Lawrence) Wheeler, and is descended from Ephraim Wheeler who came from England in 1635 and settled at Plymouth, Mass. His first American ancestor on the maternal side was William Lawrence, who settled at Flushing, N. Y., in 1645 and was the progenitor of the famous Lawrence family of Long Island.
Mr. Wheeler was educated at the public schools of New York City, and entered the New York college in 1868. Entering the commission business he had at the extraordinary early age of 18 accumulated sufficient capital to purchase an interest in the produce transportation business on the Hudson river. This business fur- nished an outlet to his genius for transportation and he was soon prominent in the lighterage transportation in New York harbor.
The numerous and complex problems incident to the abnormally rapid growth of our large cities naturally attracted his attention, and to him, more perhaps, than to any other man in this country, is due the marvelous success with which the difficulties attending them have been gradually surmounted. The splendid underground electric traction systems which have so much enhanced the comfort and convenience of the citizens of New York and Washington owe their efficiency, if not their very existence, to his efforts.
But it is especially in Chicago, where the traction problem long seemed well-nigh insoluble, that Mr. Wheeler's services were pre- eminently notable. While present in that city on a business trip, the sad state of the city's freight transportation facilities appealed to him with that irresistible fascination which great difficulties always seem
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`to exercise over genius. To the overcoming of the difficulties he set all his great energy and talent, and soon evolved a traction sys- tem greater than any ever before attempted in this or any other country.
His plan was for a network of tunnels connecting the shipping departments of the large mercantile houses with the freight yards of the railroad companies. Securing a franchise from the city he organized the Illinois Telephone and Telegraph company, and ob- tained for the company the right to establish a system of "sounds, signals and intelligence, by electricity or otherwise," and to run conduits under all the streets and alleys and under the Chicago river and its branches. "Intelligence" was taken to cover news- papers and mail matter and it was argued by Mr. Wheeler, that a tunnel which would accommodate cars large enough to handle such matter could also carry merchandise. These cars, he decided, should be large enough to take in the largest box or package that could be put through the doors of a railroad freight car. They should also be of such a size and weight that they could enter any mercan- tile building and be raised by elevators to any floor. By the latter plan he wished to save the shippers the expense which might be entailed in altering their buildings to accommodate heavier or larger cars. Transportation experts were unanimously of the opinion that the whole scheme was impracticable. But neither the magnitude of the scheme nor the adverse opinion of the experts were sufficient to turn the edge of Mr. Wheeler's determination. He argued, trenchantly, that the amount of business handled by a transporta- tion company did not depend on the size of their cars, but on the frequency and speed with which they were kept moving. Cars of the size which he had planned had many advantages, and tunnels larger than would accommodate such cars were, obviously, un- necessary.
To obtain the financial backing for his scheme was comparatively an easy task, and, in July, 1903, additional grants were secured from the city, authorizing the company to carry freights and merchandise and legalizing the tunnels. A new company, the Illinois Tunnel company, was formed with a capital of $30,000,000 to take over all the rights, property and franchises of the Illinois Telephone and Telegraph company. This company was in turn absorbed in the Chicago Subway company, capitalized at $50,000,000, and the plans were enlarged to include over sixty miles of tunnels. The con- struction was carried out under the supervision of George W. Jackson, engineer, and in September, 1908, the tunnels were opened for service. It is worthy of mention that the unanimous opinion of the experts was set completely at naught and the genius and fore- sight of Mr. Wheeler were amply vindicated.
The franchise obtained from the city of Chicago included, as already stated, the right to establish a system of "sounds and
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signals." The hustling methods of modern business, as Mr. Wheeler saw, necessitated the transaction of a large mass of busi- ness by telephone and consequently in the hearing and liable to the interruption of outside parties. These disadvantages Mr. Wheeler determined to overcome. Carefully examining many devices claimed to be capable of eliminating these faults in telephony, he finally discovered a system of ingenious mechanical contrivances that could do the work of manual operators. The Automatic Electric com- pany was incorporated in 1901 to manufacture and market these devices. This company within seven years has increased its capital stock to $5,000,000 to take care of its rapidly growing business, and has installed the automatic system in over one hundred cities in the United States and Canada and today is doing business the world over.
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