USA > Illinois > DuPage County > History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical) > Part 38
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The water obtained, on analysis, proved to be almost chemically pure.
It rises thirty-eight feet above the surface, and has a temperature of sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit, flowing about one hundred gal- lons per minute.
The village has about two hundred and fifty residents, the majority of whom are German.
This is the largest village in the town of Addison, and the most important station be- tween Chicago and Elgin.
The location is high, and an abundance of good water is found at a depth of about twenty feet.
The dairy interests of Bensenville and vi- cinity are by far the most important. Over three hundred thousand gallons of milk are shipped annually to Chicago, and double that amount is manufactured into butter and cheese. During 1881, 150,000 pounds of butter and nearly 400,000 pounds of cheese were made here.
Bensenville is the home office of the Ad- dison Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company.
This company was incorporated on the 3d
of March, 1855, for a term of twenty-five years, Diedrich Struckmann, Henry Roter- mund, Frederick Schmidt, John E. Kiessling and John H. Franzen being the charter mem- bers.
The first officers were: William Roter- mund, President; Benjamin F. Filmore, Sec- retary; Henry Rotermund, Treasurer ; Dr. A. W. Heise, D. Struckmann, Frederick Schmidt and H. Rotermund, Directors.
In March, 1879, the charter was extended thirty years, or to 1909.
Since the establishment of the company, business has increased steadily from year to year, all losses have been promptly paid, and the affairs managed satisfactorily to the mem- bers.
There are now in force 2,022 policies, insuring $2,338,352 of property.
The present assets are over $125,000.
A general meeting of the members occurs annually, on the second Saturday in January.
The quarterly meeting of Directors is held on the second Saturday in January, April, July and October.
The officers for the current year (1882) are: Henry Bosenberg, President; Herman H. Korthauer, Secretary; Barney L. Franzen, Treasurer; H. Bosenberg, B. L. Franzen, Henry L. Glos, L. Wolf, Phillip Bohlander, John Longguth and Henry Kolze, Directors.
The first church in Addison Township was organized in 1837 by Rev. E. Benberger. For three years, the services were held in a small log house on Louis Schmidt's farm.
In 1840, Rev. F. A. Hoffmann assumed charge; there being no house provided for the pastor, he was obliged to live with the members, moving weekly from house to house. During 1840, a frame building was erected near the present site of the Evangelical Lu- theran Church, where services were held un- til 1847.
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ADDISON TOWNSHIP.
In 1847, Rev. Hoffmann severed his connec- tion with the church, and Rev. Ernest Brauer, a Lutheran minister, was installed, with the understanding that the services were to be conducted as formerly to suit both fac- tions of the congregations, one portion of which was Lutheran and the other Reformed Lutheran.
About six months after, it became evident that the union services could not be contin- ued; accordingly, a division took place, the Lutherans retaining possession of the church, and the Reformed Lutherans, twenty-one in number, organizing under the name of the Evangelical St. Johanne's Society.
The names of the first members were Henry Hoppenstadt, Fred Federke, Barney H. Landmeier, J. H. Schoppe, J. G. Landmeier, Fred Heine, H. Kolze, Fred Volberding, G. Eitermann, W. Niemeyer, John H. Franzen, J. H Korthauer, H. Kirchhop, Christian Dunter- mann, J. B. Schoppe, H. Volberding, John Franzen, H. Hartman, J. H. Duehna, G. H. Frazen, F. Dierking.
A church was built in the winter of 1849- | 50, in Section 12. The first pastor of the new congregation was Rev. Wucherer, who died one year after taking charge. He was succeeded by Rev. Ulrich Moecklin, who re- mained until his death, which occurred in 1868. Rev. Peter Lehmann then assumed charge. and was their pastor until 1880. Under his pastorate, a handsome church, a parsonage, schoolhouse and a dwelling for the school teacher was built, eighteen acres of land purchased, besides expending a large sum in beautifying the church grounds and cemetery.
Rev. Mr. Lehmann resigned in 1880, and was succeeded by Rev. Bower, who is the present pastor. The church is in a flourishing condition, having over 400 members.
The following is a list of the business and professional men:
C. A. Franzen, lumber, grain, coal, flour and feed.
P. J. Tiedemann, dry goods, groceries, crockery, etc.
Christian Hiebenthal, Postmaster, grocer- ies, boots and shoes.
Hermann H. Korthauer (Notary Public), stoves, agricultural implements and general hardware.
Henry Ernsting, merchant tailor.
Herman Fiebrandt, tinner, also dealer in hardware, etc.
Louis Markmann, hotel.
Christian Koch, hotel.
Louis Schroeder, blacksmith.
Charles Martin, blacksmith.
Charles Sandhagen, wheelwright.
Henry Wellner, furniture, burial cases.
Frank Ort, harness, saddles, etc.
Christian Bauche, mason.
Henry Schmidt and Louis Biermann, manufacturers of tow.
August Seuf, butcher.
Frank Hornbostle, butcher.
William Struckmeyer, butter and cheese.
Gustaf Gutche, shoemaker.
Frederick H. Bates, M. D., physician and surgeon.
A. D. Swenson, V. S., veterinary surgeon.
The town of Addison occupies the extreme northeastern corner of Du Page County. Its surface is generally quite level, but its drain- age good, as its elevation is sufficient to make it so. Its soil is of the best quality, produc- ing corn, oats and other cereals in great abun- dance. But the dairy business is getting to be its chief agricultural interest. The ex- tensive groves of this town have been, and are still, of great value to the farmers, affording abundance of lumber for fencing, as well as a large supply of fuel. They have also
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
served a valuable purpose in modulating the extremes of summer and winter, and have proved a substantial inducement to settlers.
There are now five school districts in the town, in each of which good schoolhouses
have been built, which, together with the lit. erary institutions of the village of Addison. place the town high in the scale of scholastic education. The school census shows the num- ber of persons between the ages, of six and twenty-five in the town to be 525. 1 = -
PARTII.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
PART II.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
NAPERVILLE TOWNSHIP.
FRANCIS P. ABBOTT, farmer, P. O. Na- perville, is a native of Ireland, born in the year 1832, and received but a limited schooling. In 1851, he came to the United States, and in October of that year to Du Page County, Ill., and worked on a farm by the month for two years and four months for one man, and then some six years he lived with his mother and sister, and worked at odd jobs. He then rented a place, and began farming on his own account, renting some eight years. He then bonght a place of his own, and in 1868 came to his present place, which contains 100 acres located three and one-half miles northwest of Naperville. March 29, 1864, he married Miss Tamar Simpson, a native of New York. She came to Du Page County with her parents. By the marriage there are two children-Arthur E. and Nora M. He is Republican in politics.
MARTIN BROWN, merchant, Naperville, is a native of Lancaster County, Penn., born Au- gust 3. 1831, and is the third in a family of five children born to David and Mary (Fry) Brown, natives of Lancaster County. Penn .; their parents were also born in Lancaster County ; David and Mary were married in Lancaster County, where she died in 1838, leaving five chil- dren, all of whom are now living, and grown up.
About 1839, David married Elizabeth Clinson, a native of Lancaster County. He was a black- smith by trade, but during the last nine years of residence in Pennsylvania he followed farm- ing. In 1844, he came, with his family, in company with thirteen other families, to Naper- ville, Ill., the company being induced to settle in this neighborhood by Bishop Seibert, of Lan- caster County, who had traveled as missionary in this vicinity. The party bought land here, and Mr. Brown farmed until about 1867, when he sold his place. In 1865, he engaged in mer- cantile business with his son, Martin, and was connected in mercantile business in all about five years, and lived retired thereafter until his death, November, 1875. Mrs. B. is living here in Naperville. Five children, all of whom are living. He served as Road Commissioner in Naperville Township; also Assessor. Was a member of the Evangelical Church. Our sub- ject lived at home until the spring of 1851, when he went to Chicago and engaged as clerk in the general goods business, wholesale and retail, where he remained two years. He then determined to go to California, and went via New York and Nicaragua route, arriving at San Francisco March 24, 1853. Remained a little over two years, engaged in mining, and
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BIOGRAPHICAL:
had fair success. Returned to Naperville, and worked on the farm for four years. He had sent money home, which was invested in land, and had to wait until he improved it in order to realize upon it, which he did, and in 1860 engaged as clerk for Mr. Yount, and continued about two years. He then, with his father, bought out the business of Mr. Yount, and continued about two years, when Mr. Brown, Sr., withdrew and Mr. E. Holler became a partner, and continued five years, Mr. M. Brown being the sole proprietor since. In 1856, he married Miss Catharine C. Rickert, a native of Pennsylvania, who died in October, 1869, leaving three children-Emma, Lincoln and Mary. In 1871, he married Miss Mary A. Barr, a native of Pennsylvania, who has borne two children-Clarence and Irvin. Has been connected with the Evangelical Church since 1843.
B. B. BOECKER, grain and coal dealer, Naperville, is a native of Prussia, born in 1840, and lived in his native land about twenty years ; received a fair education, including a high school course. At the age of sixteen, he began clerking, and at nineteen he went into the army and served as volunteer one and vicinity of Naperville, where a friend lived, and worked several years on a farm. He then went to Germany and married Miss Annie Ohn ; returned to Naperville and farmed two years. He then sold his farm and engaged in the lumber business and hay press ; con- tinned nine years ; sold out and bought his present business ; has served as Alderman and Mayor, and is now the Supervisor of Lisle Township. He deals in grain and coal, and is doing a very thriving business. He has three children -Theodore, Adolphine and Arnold. He is a Democrat.
year. In 1860, he came to the United States . in the hardware business two years. He after-
D. C. BUTLER, clerk, with W. Scott & Co., Naperville, was born in Burlington, Vt., in 1825, sou of Roswell and Ruth (Worden) But-
ler, natives of Vermont, in which State they were married. Roswell Butler was engaged in the lumber business and conducted a farm. He was also interested in a paper-mill and a flour- mill ; he died about the year 1830 ; his wife came West about 1849 or 1850, and lived in Naperville with her sister, Mrs: H. L. Peaslee, until her death, which occurred about the year 1868. The subject of this sketch received a common school education, and afterward took an academic course. In May, 1838, he came to Naperville with his brother-in-law, Mr. H. L. Peaslee, and assisted in the latter's store till 1840, when he returned to Vermont and at- tended school two years. He then moved to Chicago, where he clerked in a grocery store two years ; thence to Naperville, and again. en- gaged with Mr. Peaslee, remaining with him until he sold out his business, about the year 1853, and continuing on five years longer in the same store in the employ of Mr. Peaslee's suc- cessor. In 1858, he formed a partnership with H. L. Peaslee, and conducted a general store for a year. In 1861, he engaged as Sutler in the Eighth Illinois Cavalry, but afterward sold his business at Washington, D. C., to Col. Bev- eridge, and returned to Naperville and engaged
ward engaged as clerk for Robert Naper for two years, and for two years longer with Na- per's successors, then as book-keeper for the Chicago Ale and Malt Company four years. He then returned to Naperville, clerked two years in grocery business for L. G. Kent, and then engaged with W. Scott & Co., with which firm he has since been employed. In 1851, he married Freedom Herrick, a native of Vermont, who came to Naperville with her mother about the year 1849. Mr. Butler has been School Trustee two terms, and was President of the Board of Naperville for the year 1862.
DR. J. A. BELL, of the firm of Drs. Bell & Nauman, Naperville, is a native of Morgan | County, Ohio, born March 19, 1838 ; came to
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NAPERVILLE TOWNSHIP.
Illinois with his parents about the year 1853, and settled in Knox County. He received his education at Hedding Seminary, of Abingdon, Knox County, and began reading medicine in 1858 with Dr. Andrew McFarland, Superintend- ent of the Insane Asylum of Jasksonville, Ill., under whose -tuition he remained until 1861. In that year, he enlisted in the Tenth Illinois Infantry ; was detailed as Assistant Surgeon in the general hospital at Cairo ; served in that capacity and on detached duty until December, 1861; then served in the field until August, 1862, when he resigned his position and re- turned to Jacksonville ; thence he went to Cambridge, Ill., where he practiced his profes- sion until 1866, and in 1868 came to Naperville, where he has since been engaged in the practice of medicine ; since he came to Naperville, he has taken the degree of M. D. at the Hahne- mann Homeopathie Medieal College of Chicago. In 1861, he married Miss Elizabeth Eagle, a native of England, who came to the United States with her parents, and settled in the vi- cinity of Jacksonville, Ill. From this union two children have been born. The Doctor is a member of the Illinois State ' Institute of Homœopathy.
BISHOP BARTHOLOMEW, farmer, P. O. Warrensville, is a native of Whitehall, Wash- ington County, N. Y., and was born in the year 1817 ; he was raised on the farm, and received a common school education. In 1837, he came West ; he went on the Erie Canal to Buffalo, to Detroit by the lakes, and, in company with sev- eral others, drove by team to Lake Michigan, thence to Chicago by boat ; he had $75 when he landed in Chicago, and felt that he would not give his $75 for the town. He footed it to Naperville, and stopped with Mr. Z. Jones, who was formerly neighbor with him East. In 1838, he married Elmina Jones, daughter of Mr. Z. Jones. She died about 1848. After his marriage, he farmed on shares a number of years, and then bought a place adjoining his
present place, but afterward traded for his present place, where he has lived for the past twenty-eight years. In 1850, he married Miss Asenath MeFerren, a native of Vermont ; they were married in New York, and came here to Du Page County. They have two children- Henry and Nettie. By the first marriage there were three children-Susan, Darius and Emma. Ile owns 200 acres of land located on river, three miles of Naperville. He is a Republican.
AMOS BUTZ, farmer, P. O. Naperville, is a native of Lehigh County. Penn .. born in the year 1811, was raised on the farm and received a common-school education. At the age of twenty-two, he married Esther Wenner, a native of Lehigh County, Penn. He lived at home until he was twenty-seven years of age, and then bought a place of his own, which he farmed until 1845 ; he then came West by team to Illinois, and stopped about a month at Naper- ville, where he bought his present place, and. except three years' residence in Naperville, has lived here since. He owns 116 acres, located one and a half miles northwest of Naperville. He is a Republican, and has served as School Director in his district for some ten or twelve years. By the marriage there have been six children, five of whom are living-Abigail, George, Owen W., Aaron, Eva Louise, Anna Eliza. He is a member of the Evangelical As- sociation since 1835.
PHILIP BECKMANN, harness, hides and leather, Naperville, is a native of Bavaria, born in 1836, and received a common-school educa- tion up to the age of thirteen ; then apprenticed to his trade, and served three years. and came to America and stopped nearly two years in Cleveland ; thence to Chicago, where he worked for about five years. In 1859, he came to Naperville, worked as jour until April, 1864, for Martin Ward, when he bought him out, and continued to the present time. He married Miss Elizabeth Pfeiffer in Chicago, in 1858, a native of Germany. They have eight children
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BIOGRAPHICAL:
-Pauline, Carl, Mattie, Ellen, Libbie, Lula, Bernice and Philip, Jr. Is a Republican.
ANTONI BAPST, retired blacksmith, Na- perville, was born September 25,1817, in Alsace, Germany ; is a son of Joseph and Ursal Bapst. He came to this county in 1846, and worked at the blacksmith's trade at Naperville, which he began at the age of sixteen. In 1862. he abandoned the business and moved on his present farm of cighty acres, near the village, in Naperville Township. He was for a few years engaged in a grocery store in Naperville ; was married in 1849 to Caroline Cooney, who blessed him with nine children, viz. : Mary, Fannie, Joseph, Antoni, Carrie, Frank, Louisa, Annie and Helen. He and wife are the arti- ficers of their own fortune, having started their married life with $20. They are members of the Catholic Church.
HON. HIRAM H. CODY, P. O. Naperville, is a native of Vernon Center, Oneida Co., N. Y. He was born June 11, 1824, and is the son of Hiram Cody and Huldah, née Hitchcock. His paternal grandparents, Samuel Cody and Su- sannah, née Carroll, were among the pioneers of Oneida County. The former was a soldier in the Revolutionary army ; the latter. with pardonable pride, traced her lineage to Charles Carroll, of Carrollton. His maternal grand- parents, David Hitchcock and Mercy, née Gil- bert, formerly of Connecticut, but during many years residents of Hamilton, Madison Co., N. Y., were universally respected for their many virtnes. Hiram's parents took a deep interest in his early eduaction, and intended to give him the advantage of a thorough course of study in Hamilton College, five miles from their home. Their design was that he should enter the legal profession, and in all his instruction, both at school and under private tuition, this purpose was kept in view, and, being well known to him, made a very deep impression upon his hopes and aspirations for the future. A sad disap- pointment, however, awaited him. His father,
who was engaged in mercantile business, was by a sudden reverse of fortune compelled to re- sume the occupation of his early life, that of shoemaking. Hiram, the eldest of the five children, then about sixteen years of age, was expecting to enter an advanced class in college the following year, instead, however, he volun- tarily left his school and assisted his father in the support of the family, pursuing his studies afterward to some extent under private instruc- tion. This circumstance, though it seemed a great calamity, and the destroyer of his highest hopes and aspirations proved to him a blessing in disguise, by inducing his removal to the West and settlement in Illinois. In 1843, with his father's family, he removed to Lisbon, Ken- dall Co., Ill., and one year later the family set- tled at Bloomingdale, Du Page County. In 1847. Mr. Cody removed to Naperville, having been'elected Clerk of the County Commissoners' Court of Du Page County. Two years later, upon the adoption of the constitution of 1848, he was nominated by acclamation, and in 1849 elected the first County Clerk of said county, and during the six years he held the office he applied himself to the study of law, and finally, was admitted to the bar, after which he retired from public life and devoted him- self to his profession. Politically, his views were Democratic, but during the war of the re- bellion his earnest efforts and eloquent appeals in behalf of the Union cause will ever be re- membered by his fellow-citizens, and it was to these that Du Page County was largely indebt- ed for her brilliant record made during the war. In 1861, in a convention assembled without distinction of party, he was nominated and af- terward ahnost unanimously elected County Judge of Du Page County. In 1869, he was elected a delegate to the Constitutional Con- vention, and was one of its most useful mem- bers, being elected by votes irrespective of party. He acted with a small number of inde- pendents who in the convention really held the
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NAPERVILLE TOWNSHIP.
balance of power, which they so used that party spirit was more nearly banished from that as- sembly than from any deliberative legislative body that ever convened in Illinois. He was the chairman of the important committee on Revision and Adjustment. In 1874, he was elected to succeed the Hon. S. Wilcox as Judge of the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Illinois (com- posed of the counties of Kane, Du Page and Kendall) by the largest majority ever given in the circuit, every town in his own county giv- ing him a majority, and in the three south towns, which have been his home since 1847, out of a total vote of 1,021 he received 1,007. During his official term as Circuit Judge, the Appellate Court was organized and the State redistricted, the counties of Lake, McHenry, De Kalb and Boone being combined with Kane, Du Page and Kendall, forming what is now known as the Twelfth Judicial District. At the end of his term, the Republicans of the new circuit held a convention and nominated a party ticket for the three Judges then to be elected, which resulted in the retirement of Judge Cody from the bench, though he was largely sup- ported as an independent candidate by those who were opposed to making political nominations for judicial offices. Although the district had a Republican majority of about 12,000, and was well organized, the Judge lacked but about 2,000 votes of being successful against the regular party nomination. Immediately after the election in 1879, he commenced the practice of his profession in Chicago, having formed a copartnership with Messrs. E. H. and N. E. Gary, the firm being as Gary, Cody & Gary, and having an extended and rapidly growing practice. In the fall of 1880, Judge Cody was nominated by the Democrats first for the office of State Senator for the Fourteenth Senatorial District, and soon after for Representative in Congress for the First Congressional District, both of which nominations he declined. As a Judge, he was peculiarly free from prejudices,
and his thorough investigation of the law, his clear perceptions and his careful, deliberate and correct opinions made for him a most en- viable reputation at home or abroad. During his whole term as County Judge, no appeal was ever taken from his decisions, and of the ap- peals taken during his term as Circuit Judge over 81 per cent were affirmed by the Supreme Court. Judge Cody was married, December 31, 1846, to Miss Philomela E. Sedgwick, daughter of Parker Sedgwick, M. D., formerly of Lowell, Oneida Co., N. Y., but since 1843 a resident of Du Page County, Ill., where he is widely known as an eminent and successful physician. Mrs. Cody is a lady of intelligence and refinement, esteemed for her earnest piety and her true womanly qualities ; a devoted wife and foud mother. They have from early life both been members of the Congregational Church.
HARLOW CROSIER, farmer, P. O. Naper- ville, Ill., is a native of Berkshire County, Mass., born in the year 1812; was raised on the farm and received a common-school edu- cation. At the age of twenty, he apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, and the next year be- gan drawing wages. In 1837, he went to Ohio and clerked in a tavern in Mentor, and in 1839 he married Miss Mary S. Nowlen, a native of New York, and soon after the marriage came to Naperville, III., and the next year began farming near the village, and about two years later came to his present place, where he has lived since. During his residence here, he has worked alternately between farming and build- ing, he having built most of the buildings in this vicinity. By the marriage there were six children, of whom five are living. Mr. Crosier is a Republican in politics. He owns eighty- six acres, located on the railroad, three miles west of Naperville.
NATHANIEL CRAMPTON, farmer, P. O. Naperville, was born in Connecticut in 1815 ; was raised on the farm, received a very limited
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BIOGRAPHICAL:
education,'and at the age of twelve years moved to Benson, Vt., with his parents. On attaining his majority, he came West, and stopped with Robert Strong, who lives in Will County, Ill., near the Du Page County line. Here he re- mained for a time, assisting in the ereetion of a barn ; then went to St. Charles and took a claim, which he sold next season ; then came to this county. Here he bought for $400 a elaim of 160 acres, located four miles west of Naperville, on the Naperville & Oswego road, where he lived until 1878, when he retired from farm life and moved to Naperville, where he has since resided. On the farm is a fine grove, which Mr. Crampton set out about the year 1870. In 1839, he married Luey Dudley, a native of Connecticut. They have had five children, three of whom are living, viz .: Mil- ton, Rosetta and May. Mr. Crampton is a zealous member of the Congregational Church ; has hekl the office of Supervisor for his town- ship and President of the Du Page County Agricultural Society.
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