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 II > Part 75
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83
twice : First to Julia, daughter of Peter Stasch, of Chicago, by whom he had two children : Harry and Helen. His first wife died in 1901, and on May 20, 1903, he married Helen, daughter of Anton and Rosa (Mastak) Gutowski, natives of Russian Poland and pio- neers of Berlin, Wis. Mr. Jarzembowski is a member of both St. Stanislaus and Holy Trinity Polish Roman Catholic churches. He belongs to twenty-eight different societies and orders, among which are the following: Knights of Columbus, Foresters, Catholic Union, Polish National Alliance, Polish Association of America, Woodmen and St. Casimir's Young Men's society. He is a Democrat and has been the delegate of his party to nearly all city, county and state con- ventions since he became a voter.
Leon Zamorski, one of the leading Polish-American citizens of the 16th ward, was born in Posen, Poland, December 10, 1875, and is a son of Ludwig and Frances (Iwanonska) Zamorski. The parents came to the United States in 1885 and settled in Chicago and here they still reside. To them was born a family of eight children, as follows: Leon, Annie, wife of Ignatz Hajza; Rosie, wife of John Kaznecki; Nettie, Frances, wife of Mathew Gorzynski; Ben, Felix and Walter. Of this family Leon was reared in Chicago after the age of ten years. He was educated in St. Stanislaus Polish parochial school. He began his business career as a factory employe and later was advanced to the position of bookkeeper and still later occupied various important positions in business houses here. In July, 1903, he embarked on his own account in the retail liquor business at 1734 Wabansia avenue, and has continued the same ever since. He is a prominent member of St. Mary's of Angels Polish Roman Catholic church, Foresters, Polish Maternity and Polish Catholic Union, in the latter of which he is a director. He is a Democrat but is inde- pendent on local issues. On January 19, 1897, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Frank and Rosie Mika, and they have three children : Mamie, Irene and Elizabeth.
Rt. Rev. John Piechowski, Superior of St. Stanislaus college, is deserving of more than mere passing mention because of the great re- sults he has accomplished within a comparatively short time. He is a native of Stawiska, Prussian Poland, his birth occurring December 26, 1863. He received a classical education in the gymnasium at Ber- ent, Prussia, and his philosophical and theological training in the Gre- gorian college at Rome. Succeeding his graduation from the latter
738
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
in 1891, he was ordained to the priesthood the same year at Cracow, Austria, by Cardinal Bishop Puzyna then, as now, the only Polish Cardinal of his time. Father Piechowski came to the United States in 1892, and was at once made rector of St. Stanislaus college, Chi- cago, continuing as such for three years. He then founded St. Hyacinth's parish on Central Park avenue, Avondale, where he erected the church and was its pastor two years. Under the direc- tion of Archbishop Feehan he was then sent to St. Hedwig's parish to counteract the influence of the late Polish independent Bishop Kozlowski. He remained at St. Hedwig's until January, 1909, when he was appointed to his present position of Superior at St. Stanislaus college by the General of the Congregationalists Fathers at Rome, of which order he is a member. St. Stanislaus college is strictly Po- lish and its graduates are numbered among the great lawyers, physi- cians, clergymen and business men throughout the country. It is in a most flourishing and harmonious condition and at present has 180 students in attendance under the instruction of twelve teachers and professors. Upon his arrival at St. Hedwig's parish the membership consisted of but 150 families, but within a comparatively short time it numbered over 2,000 families. Father Piechowski erected the pres- ent magnificent church, one of the finest in the United States, at a cost of $180,000, installed the beautiful altar therein and provided a church organ at a cost of $8,000 which is so wonderfully toned that in a measure it resembles the human voice. Perhaps the greatest re- nown to come to Father Piechowski was in connection with his work at St. Hedwig's parish. He found it in a demoralized condition and with obstacles to surmount far greater than if it had been to found a new parish. He displayed administrative qualities of such a high order as to attract wide attention. From chaos he brought order ; from an impoverished condition he brought wealth, and from indif- ference he brought devotion and loyalty. That parish is now one of the strongest and most influential in the city and in connection with it are forty-seven societies. Father Piechowski is a member of the Polish Roman Catholic Union and the Catholic Order of Foresters.
Frank J. Palt, lawyer at 1500 American Trust building, also oper- ating a real estate and insurance agency at 3205 South Morgan street, was born August 27, 1880, in Silesia, Germany, a son of John and Josephine (Puzik) Palt, of Polish ancestry. The father, in the early sixties, came to America in order to avoid military duties, but later returned to his native country, married and in 1871 again came to this country, locating permanently in Chicago. For a time he was employed by the McCormick Reaper company, then by the Chi- cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad company, and subsequently, for many years, was engaged in the grocery business. He and wife were the parents of six children: Frank J., Charles (deceased ), Joseph N., John S., Mary (wife of John Goriwoda), and Emily (Mrs. Frank A. Przybylski). The father died in 1895 aged 50
739
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
years. Frank J. Palt was reared from infancy in the city of Chi- cago receiving his literary education in the public schools and the Northern Indiana Normal school at Valparaiso. He took up the study of the law and was graduated from that department of the Lake Forest university in 1893, and the same year was admitted to the Illinois State bar: Since that time he has been engaged in legal pursuits. In 1901 he was appointed assistant attorney of the law department of the sanitary district of Chicago, a position he yet occupies. In 1905, in addition to his legal work, he established a mortgage banking, real estate and insurance business at 3205 South Morgan street, which has been a success from inception. November 21, 1905, he married Hattie, daughter of Charles and Florence (Lamich) Rozek, residents of Chicago for the past twenty years, and to this union have been born two sons : Frank P. and Charles. Mr. Palt is numbered among the progressive and enterprising Polish- American citizens of Chicago. He is a member of the Roman Cath- olic church, the Polish National Alliance, the Modern Woodmen of America, and in politics is a Republican.
Wilder A. Pickard is of English descent and was born January 12, 1859. He is a son of William and Emma (Yerxa) Pickard whose ancestors located at Raleigh, Mass., at an early period in col- onial history, but moved to New Brunswick before the Revolution. In the fifties William Pickard moved to Dane county, Wis., and there engaged in grain shipping, continuing at Sun Prairie for many years. He owned large farming interests also and was an active member of the Baptist church. He was one of the most substantial and prominent citizens of that portion of the state. He died in 1891 and his widow in 1904.
Wilder A. was educated in the public schools of Dane county, and at the age of sixteen years began for himself. He came to Chicago and for five years worked for a subscription book establishment. For some time afterward he continued the book business, though in a different department. In 1889 he established in Chicago a manufac- turers' agency, representing and introducing lines of goods without representation in this city. He thus devised and developed plans and methods of interesting buyers in the adjoining states. In 1893, while thus engaged, he met a man and his wife at Edgerton, Wis., who were manufacturing hand-painted pottery which sold readily and almost exclusively to Marshall Field & Company, of Chicago. It immediate- ly occurred to Mr. Pickard that a splendid demand for hand-painted china to be sold to jewelers or other traders might be created in this country. In accordance with this idea he established at Edgerton, Wis., a small force of young women artists, the most of whom had had training at art institutes. He soon discovered that for the suc- cess of the enterprise there was demanded the inspiration of a large art center, and consequently he moved the institution to Chicago. For several years he was located in the heart of the city, but found
740
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
the old quarters inadequate and the conditions largely unsuitable. Thereupon he built in 1901 at Ravenswood a new building or studio, a model of its kind both from an architectural and a utilitarian stand- point. It is the most complete building of its kind in the world. In the sixteen years of its existence it has surpassed all other institutions of the kind. At this date six salesmen, each with five or six trunks loaded with samples, cover the United States and Canada, Mexico and other countries. Seventy-five artists who have made a life study of china painting are steadily employed. Too much can scarcely be said in praise of the sagacity and business judgment that saw, de- vised and developed this most interesting industry. Mr. Pickard is a member of the Edgewater Country club and the Edgewater Golf club and the North Shore Congregational church. He was married on December 26, 1894, to Minnie V. Flood of this city and they have the following children : William John, Henry Austin and Dorothy. The family resides in Buena Park.
George W. Walker was born November 6, 1862, and is a son of Zena and Julia A. (Lukins) Walker, natives of Philadelphia. The father, who was a large and successful mason contractor of that city, passed his entire life there, dying in 1869. George W. was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia, and afterward was bound out to learn the bakers' and confectioners' trade at Camden, N. J. In 1883 he came to Chicago and entered the employ of the Deering Harvester company; where he did janitor and other work for five years. He then established a teaming and express business at 956 Clybourn avenue and continued doing a general teaming busi- ness for four years. In 1893 he embarked in the real estate busi- ness with Samuel Brown in the Chicago Opera house block. Mr. Walker had charge of the branch office at the corner of North Clark and Wilson streets and remained as a salesman with Mr. Brown for six years. In 1899 he embarked in the real estate business for himself at 3209 North Clark street, where he is still located. He is doing a general business, principally buying and selling, but is also engaged in building residences in Ravenswood, Edgewater and Sheridan Park. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, Royal League and Knights of Pythias. In 1892 he married Elizabeth H. Hartman, of Naperville, and they have one son : Sidney V., 16 years old. The family resides at 2714 North Hermitage avenue.
Philip L. Marsh was born in Rockford, Ill., on February 27, 1875, and is a son of Frank M. and Elizabeth (Maxwell) Marsh, both of whom also were born in Rockford. The paternal grandparents came west at an early date from Milford, Conn., and took up a total of 1,800 acres of land from the government in the vicinity of Rock- ford. Frank M., the father, was engaged in the undertaking business and is one of the leading citizens of Rockford. For the last twenty years he has been coroner of that county. He and his brother have ever been prominent in the politics of that portion of the state.
741
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
Philip L. was educated in the public and high schools of Rockford. While yet in school he began to drive a laundry wagon and after his schooling days continued in the same business and after a few years bought out his former employers. For eight years he con- tinued in the laundry business at Rockford, but in 1901 came to Chicago, bought the Home Laundry at Ravenswood, which con- cern at that time had about $6,000 worth of machinery. Since he purchased the business it has grown enormously until he was forced to build a large two-story building and to place therein machinery worth about $45,000. He now employs sixty-five people and con- ducts the only laundry in Ravenswood. He is most liberal with his help, sharing with them on a percentage basis a considerable portion of the profits. He takes much interest in politics and in the progress of the community in all that tends to better conditions and surround- ings. He is a member of Ravenswood club, the Elks, and is a thirty-second degree Mason. On September 5, 1897, he married Louise Maxwell, of Rockford, and they have Philip and Mary Louise. The family resides at 1522 Perry avenue.
Jens B. Madsen was born in Prasto, Denmark, on January 11, 1867, and is a son of Hans and Marguerite (Petersen) Madsen, both of whom were also natives of Prasto, Denmark. There the father, a successful farmer, resided during the whole period of his life. He died in 1898 and his wife in 1886. Their son, Jens B., was educated in the common schools at Prasto, and at the age of sixteen years was apprenticed for four years to learn the cabinet- making business at Prasto. In 1890 he crossed the Atlantic and came to Chicago and entered the employ of the Halvorsen Cabinet shops, manufacturers of folding beds, and there he remained for a period of five years. Succeeding this service he was with the Union Show Case company for two years. In 1897 he opened a cabinet shop of his own at 143 North Hermitage avenue and began the man- ufacture of show cases, employing seven or eight men, and operat- ing under the firm name of J. B. Madsen & Company. During the last ten years the business has grown so enormously that he has been forced to employ about one hundred men. He is engaged in the manufacture of store and office fixtures, and his products find ready sale in all portions of the United States. Mr. Madsen is a member of the Maccabees. On August 20, 1906, he married Martha Haver- berg, of Chicago, and they have the following children : Marguerite, Ella, Emil and James. The family resides at 916 North Webster avenue.
Dr. Frank Branen was born August 5, 1867, and is a son of Wil- liam and Margaret (Briggs) Branen, the father being of Scotch descent and the mother of English, and born in Fayette county, Ohio. The father located in that county at an early date and engaged in farming and stock-raising. On more than one occasion he drove hogs all the way from Washington Courthouse to Baltimore, Md. Vol. II-44.
1
· 742
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
He died in September, 1893, and the mother in 1898, both well ad- vanced in years and having the respect of all who knew them.
Their son, Dr. Frank, was educated in the public schools and Washington Courthouse high school, and in early manhood taught school for a few years. He finally entered Hahnemann Medical col- lege, Philadelphia, and was graduated with credit therefrom in the class of 1891. Immediately thereafter he served one year as interne in the college hospital. In 1892 he came to Chicago and began prac- ticing at the corner of Madison and San Francisco streets. He was one of the first attending physicians of the Baptist hospital, and on the staff of the Garfield Park sanitarium. He was one of the phy- sicians and surgeons of the original staff of the college where he lectured for five years. He is a member of the Cook County Homeo- pathic society, the Illinois Homeopathic society, the American Insti- tute of Homeopathy, the Ashland club, the Masonic order, the Knights of Pythias. In 1884 he maried Lizzie N. Sanford, of Charles City, Iowa. The family resides at 961 West Monroe street.
Arthur W. Lovell was born April 15, 1861, and is a son of Darus W. and Jeanette R. (Brown) Lovell, of Hampshire county, Mass., whose ancestors came to the colonies in the Mayflower, and have become numerous and prominent in all portions of the country since that time. The father of subject was engaged in merchandising at Cummington, Mass., for thirty years, but retired from that occupa- tion in 1881. He came west and invested extensively in real estate in Chicago and Battle Creek, Mich. Though seventy-five years old he still looks after his real estate interests and takes as active an in- terest in the progress of humanity as ever. He is a strong Republi- can and in Massachusetts served in the Legislature, 1874-76. He was also mayor of the town of Cummington and otherwise promi- nent and useful in public affairs.
Arthur W., his son, was educated in the public schools and in of 1883. He came to Chicago the same year and engaged in the real estate business with offices in the Tacoma building and under the name of Lovell Real Estate agency. He began to do a general real estate business throughout the city and has continued thus occu- pied down to the present time with steadily expanding sphere of · labor and usefulness. At a later date he removed his offices to 180 Western avenue. He is a member of the Chicago Athletic club, is a Republican and is active in local politics. In June, 1893, he mar- ried Belle J. Jennings, of Chicago, and has one child, Jeanette, aged about two years. The family resides at 1012 Monroe street.
Charles F. Gormley was born at Lexington, Ky., on July 22, 1865, and is a son of James and Alice (Kearney) Gormley. The father, who was born in Ireland, came to the United States in the early fifties, located at Lexington and there engaged in the hotel business, continuing the same for eight years. The father died when Charles was but six years old, and the mother died when he was but twelve
743
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
years old. This unfortunate calamity threw him on his own re- sources at an early age. He was educated in parochial schools and in a Catholic college. He learned the carriage and piano painting trade and after three years spent in Cincinnati, from 1880 to 1883, he went to St. Louis where he followed his trade for one year. In 1885 he came to Chicago and for a while worked for the Tudor Buggy company and later for the C. P. Kimball Carriage company, continuing with the latter concern four years. He then began doing business for himself, contracting on a small scale but gradually widening his operations. He is now engaged in a general business of painting, decorating, hardwood finishing and general building con- tracting and employs fifty men during the busy seasons. He is one of the substantial and reliable citizens of the city. He is a Republi- can and is active and prominent in local politics and public affairs. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus. On April 16, 1891, he married Mary E. Curran, of Cincinnati, and they have James P., born March 12, 1892: Charles Auburn, born February 3, 1894, and Annie Marie, born May 26, 1896. The family resides at 1233 Jack- son boulevard.
Dr. Loren Wilder was born January 21, 1873, and is a son of Ed- son L. and Jane (Watson) Wilder. The mother was born near Ab- erdeen, Scotland, and came to the United States with her parents in 1871, locating in Livingston county, Illinois. Edson L. was born in Sandy Creek, N. Y. His ancestors date back to the time of the Mayflower in America. At the age of sixteen years he came west with his parents and located in Peoria county, Ill., later moving to Livingston county, where he engaged in farming near Cridley. Ten years ago he retired and moved to Pontiac, where he still resides in the enjoyment of good health. He is a Democrat and for many years was active in local politics. To him and wife were born four children: Loren, Edson A., George W. and Frances Jeanette.
Dr. Loren Wilder was educated in the public schools and at Eureka college. In 1897 he came to Chicago and entered Rush Medical college from which he was duly graduated with credit in the class of 1901. He has since been engaged in a general practice in this city. He served as interne in the Post Graduate hospital for one year ; was also interne in the Chicago Lying-in hospital. He was for four years surgeon for the Western Electric company. He is on the attending staff as surgeon of the Robert Burns hospital. He is a member of the Chicago and the Illinois Medical societies and of the American Medical association. He is a Mason and a Knight of Pythias. He is a Democrat and takes much interest in the success of his party. In 1906 he married Mina E. Cody, of Windsor, Canada. He resides at 793 West Van Buren street and his office is at 72 Madison street.
Lyman Edgar Cooley was born in Canandaigua, N. Y., on Decem- ber 5, 1850, and is a son of Albert B. and Aksah (Griswold) Cooley.
744
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
His ancestors came from England to the colonies in 1632 and located at Springfield, Mass., and there the family mainly resided until after the Revolution, when about the year 1790 Lyman, grandfather of Lyman E., located in western New York and there engaged in farming. His son, Albert B. father of Lyman, succeeded him on the farm and also engaged extensively in stock-raising. To Albert B. and wife eight children were born, all of whom are living at the present date, as follows: Morton E. is at the head of the engineering department of the University of Michigan; Ernest L. is a mechanical engineer on the Sanitary District of Chicago; two brothers reside in the West, and four of the children are living in the East. The father died in 1887 and the mother in 1891.
Lyman E. received his primary education in the public schools of Canandaigua. In 1872 he entered the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N. Y., and in two years completed the four years' course, the only case of the kind in the history of the institution. In the fall of 1874 he became professor of engineering in North- western University, and also taught mathematics and literature, con- tinuing until 1877. From 1875 to 1878 he was associate editor of the Engineering News, the first paper of the kind in this country. In 1878 he became assistant engineer of construction on the bridge at Glasgow, Mo .- an important feat in engineering. From 1878 to 1884 he was engaged by the government to perform important duties on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, and while thus en- gaged made valuable physical studies and surveys. In 1885 he re- turned to Chicago, became editor of the American Engineer, and took up his profession, that of civil engineering. It was now that his services and studies became highly important and valuable. While a member of the sub-committee of the Citizens' association, he pre- pared the report which was the initial step in the publicity resulting in the construction of the drainage canal. He helped to organize the drainage and water supply commission, of which he was chief assistant in 1886-7. From that time forward until 1897 Mr. Cooley was intimately connected with every step made toward the completion of the canal, as assistant engineer, chief, consulting en- gineer, trustee, special representative to the legislature, and expert committeeman. In 1888-91 he was consulting engineer to the State Board of Health, and as such investigated the water supply of the state. In 1896-7 he was a member of the commission that devised the wonderful intercepting sewer system of Chicago. In 1895-7 he was a member of the International Deep Waterways commission which considered the feasibility of a navigable route from the great lakes to the Atlantic. He was engaged in 1897-8 as consulting engineer by a group of ten contracting firms which contemplated building the Isthmian canal. He inspected both the Panama and Nicaragua routes until operations were stopped by the war in Cuba, after which the project was assumed by the govern-
745
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
ment. At the same time he was advising engineer of the Erie canal extension, where an expenditure of $9,000.000 was contemplated for improvement ; he was appointed by the New York State commis- sion to investigate the expenditure of the money. From 1899 to 1904 he served as consulting engineer for the Union Water Works company, of Denver, which built the highest masonry dam in the world-225 feet. In 1900 he was a member of the United States Postal service movement to investigate the use of the pneumatic tube mail service. From 1900 to 1905 he served as engineer on the immense dam across the Mississippi river at Keokuk, Iowa-a structure 35 feet high and 7,000 feet long. During this period, also, he was engaged in similar capacities on numerous water, drainage, flood and other projects throughout the western states. In 1904-7 he reported on the flood situation at Grand Rapids, Mich., and in 1905 reported on the same conditions and on the location of the barge canal at Rochester, N. Y. About this time he was called in consultation by Omaha and Racine to aid in improving the water systems of those cities and in estimating their values. Since 1906 he has been retained by the state of Illinois on the Great Lakes and Gulf Deep Waterway project, promoted the legislation on the sub- ject, and wrote the state report concerning that proposed improve- ment. Much of his time for the last three years has been spent in the furtherance of this vast enterprise. He has written extensively for papers, magazines and books on the various subjects embraced in his profession, and in addition has lectured and spoken on special topics before the various western universities. He has practiced his profession in twenty-one different states and in five foreign countries. He is the author of two very important books on the deep waterway proposition. He was president of the Western Society of Engineers in 1890-1, is a member of the American Society of Civil Engi- neers, member of the National Geographical Engineering Society ; Chicago Academy of Sciences, Chicago Press club, Owl club, etc. In 1874 he married Lucina McMillan, of New York, and has two living children : Charles A., a resident of Toledo, Ohio, and Re- becca L., now Mrs. C. M. Graham, of Maryville, Mo. Mr. Cooley resides at Evanston, Ill.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.