USA > Illinois > Kane County > History of Kane County, Ill. Volume II > Part 40
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Frank H. Leimbrook was reared in St. Louis county, Missouri, and during the greater part of his manhood followed merchandising in St. Charles. that state. He served as a soldier of the Civil war for three years, was under General Lyons at Wilson's Creek, was in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and in many other hotly contested engagements, continuing throughout the term of his enlistment as a private whose loyalty to duty was never questioned. After the war he carried on merchandising in St. Charles until 1888, but is now living retired, making his home with his daughter in Dodge City, Kansas. In early manhood he wedded Catharine Risk, a daughter of J. H. and Elsie (Sudbrock) Risk. Her father was a native of Missouri and a farmer by occupation, who spent his entire life in St. Charles county, where he passed away at an advanced age. His wife lived to be about fifty-six years of age. They were the parents of four daughters and one son: Carrie, the wife of Rev. J. M. Rhode, of Baldwin, Missouri; Minnie, the wife of Rev. H. H. Hackman, of Nebraska; Joseph H. Risk, of St. Louis, Missouri ; and Lizzie, the wife of S. J. Kleinschmidt, of Higginsville, Missouri. Of this family Mrs. Leimbrook died in 1898 when about fifty-two years of age. She was a member of the Methodist church, to which her husband still belongs. He has always been a stanch republican and fraternally is a Master Mason, while he also belongs to Dodge City Post. G. A. R. Unto him and his wife were born four children: Alfred H., of Aurora; Oscar H., of Hig-
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ginsville, Missouri: Ella the wife of Frank Crouch, of Dodge City, Kansas; and Howard H., who resides in Minneola, Kansas.
Alfred H. Leimbrook, whose name introduces this review, was reared in St. Charles, Missouri, and acquired a common-school education here, after which he entered the Wesleyan University at Warrentown and was graduated with the class of 1887. He afterward began traveling as representative of the agricultural implement business and for several years remained upon the road, his territory covering several different states. He was first with the Altman-Miller Company, of Akron, Ohio, and later with the Warder-Bushnell & Glessner Company, of Springfield, Ohio, acting as general agent for that house from 1896 until 1903. At the organization of the International Har- vester Company, which took over the business of many agricultural implement houses in the country, Mr. Leimbrook became general agent and has so con- tinued to the present time. He established headquarters in Aurora in Feb- ruary, 1905, and has since remained here. His long connection with the agri- cultural implement business well qualifies him for the position of administra- tive director which he now fills. He displays excellent executive ability, keen foresight and the unfaltering energy which enables him to overcome all difficulties and obstacles and work his way steadily upward.
On the 26th of December, 1896, Mr. Leimbrook was married to Miss Clodien Albert, a daughter of Sebastian and Rose (Miles) Albert, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. They have three children : Marie, Irvin and Lillie. The parents are devoted and faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church and the hospitality of many of Aurora's best homes is extended to them, for they have made many warm friends in the city since locating here. Mr. Leimbrook is a member of Jerusalem Temple, No. 90, A. F. & A. M .; of Aurora Chapter, No. 22, R. A. M .: the Orient Consistory, of Des Moines. Iowa; Aurora Commandery, No. 22, K. T .; and Tebala Temple of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. His political endorsement is given to the republican party but the honors and emoluments of office have had no attraction for hin, as he has preferred to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, in which he has met with signal and gratifying success.
CHARLES J. JOHNSON.
Charles J. Johnson, a well known farmer and ditch constructor of Camp- ton township, was born in Jonkoping, Sweden, November 27. 1859, the son of Magnus and Marie (Hanson) Johnson. He is one of seven children, of whom Malcomb S. is a farmer residing in Oklahoma; Mary C. is the wife of Andrew Johnson, a farmer, also residing in Oklahoma; Peter G., is a farmer residing in Campton township: AAlma .A., is the wife of Robert Shulta, a resident of Chicago; Oscar M., resides at Lily Lake, this county, where he is engaged in farming; and Albert N., resides with his brother. Charles J., of this review.
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Charles J. Johnson was reared in Sweden, where he attended the district school until he was fifteen years of age, at which time he discontinued his studies in order to take up the active duties of farm life. He remained with his father for the next four years, but the profits of the business did not justify his spending his time and energies in this way and, resolutely deter- mining to better his condition in life, he borrowed the money to pay the price of his passage to America. In company with his brother, Malcomb, he came directly to Campton township and secured employment as a farm hand. He remained here for six years and then went to Chicago, where he secured em- ployment in a wholesale liquor house, a position which he occupied for ten years, in the meantime saving as much of his earnings as was possible pre- paratory to bettering his condition in life. He is now the manager of his mother's farm in this township, which, under his control is yielding a sub- stantial and lucrative income. The mother makes her home with him and, surrounded by friends and comrades of their native land, they feel well pleased with the country of their adoption and ever hopeful that the progress they have already made will be realized in a fuller measure with the passage of the years.
CHARLES M. VANDERVOLGAN.
Charles M. Vandervolgan, owning and operating one hundred and fifty acres of rich and productive land in St. Charles township, was born in Root, Montgomery county, New York, May 6, 1838, his parents being Cornelius and Eliza (Champlain) Vandervolgan, also natives of Montgomery county, New York. The father, whose birth occurred in 1795, was a farmer by occupation and came to Illinois in 1855, settling near Warrenville, DuPage county. His demise occurred in 1860, and his remains were interred at Wheaton, Illinois. His wife, who was born in 1816, passed away in 1897, and also lies buried at Wheaton.
The record of the brothers and sisters of our subject is as follows : Sarah, who was born in New York in 1836, passed away in 1853 and was buried in the Empire state. Adreanna, a native of New York, married John Brook, a minister of the gospel, and died in 1880 at Tampico, Whiteside county, Illinois, her remains being interred there. Hallam C., who was born in New York, passed away in Bloomingdale, Illinois, in 1857 and lies buried at Wheaton, Illinois. Jay, whose birth occurred in New York in 1840, car- ries on agricultural pursuits in Batavia, Illinois. Mary, born in New York in 1846, died in Illinois in 1865 and was buried at Wheaton. John, who was born in New York in 1846, enlisted in the Fifty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry at the age of seventeen years and died while in the service at Ma- rietta, Georgia, being buried at that place. Emma, whose birth occurred in New York in 1848, became the wife of Ben Howarth, a retired agriculturist, who passed away in March, 1908, at Batavia, where he was buried. His widow still resides at Batavia. Harriet, who was born in New York in 1850,
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married David Smith, a farmer of Sugar Grove. Mr. Smith was a soldier in the Civil war and lost a hand while in the service. Amenzo W., born in New York in 1852. married Miss Belle Frydendall, of Batavia, Illinois. He en- gaged in well drilling throughout his active business career, and died in March, 1902, at Batavia, where he was buried.
Charles M. Vandervolgan attended school in his native state and also in Illinois, having resided in this state since the year 1855. For over thirty years he was engaged in well drilling, meeting with a well-merited measure of success in that line of activity. For seven years before purchasing his present farm he owned a tract of land east of Warrenville, and for the past seven years has resided on his present property, comprising one hundred and fifty acres of valuable land, located two and a half miles west of St. Charles on the old plank road. The farm is valued at $20,000, being improved with good barns and outbuildings and all the accessories and conveniences of a model property of the twentieth century. Mr. Vandervolgan also owns some houses and lots in St. Charles, the value of his real-estate holdings being es- timated at about $10,000. He is widely recognized as one of the most prosperous and enterprising residents of the county and, moreover. has ever maintained an enviable reputation for business integrity and reliability.
On the 16th of August, 1863, in DuPage county, Illinois. Mr. Vander- volgan was united in marriage with Miss Helena Macauley, who was born in Albany, New York, August 8, 1847. They have one son, Frank K., whose birth occurred in DuPage county, Illinois. December 5, 1864, and who at- tended the high school in Batavia. He married Miss Hattie Clark, of Maple Park, and now resides in St. Charles, where he follows the plumbing business.
In his political views Mr. Vandervolgan is a stanch republican, and at all times he is ready to lend his aid and cooperation to any movement calcu- lated to benefit this section of the country or advance its wonderful development.
JOHN FREDERICK SCHNEIDER.
Belonging to one of the very earliest of the pioneer families of Kane county and inheriting from his vigorous and aggressive ancestry a love of conquest, incident and adventure. John F. Schneider, of Aurora township, has had a career of unusual interest and variety. He saw this part of the country in its state of primitive nature and helped to prune away its luxuriance of growth and blaze the way for the approaching host of occupation and devel- opment : and he sees it now in its state of high advancement and improvement. rich in the products of systematic industry and glowing with the promise of a still more glorious future. He also saw other parts of the country in their untamed condition and lent a hand to bring them also under subjection and fruitful cultivation.
Mr. Schneider was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 22, 1828, and is a son of John Peter and Christina ( Wohrer) Schneider, natives
JOHN F. SCHNEIDER
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of Germany, where the father was born in April, 1801. The number of chil- dren born to the parents was five, Mr. Schneider's brothers and sisters being ; Henry L., who was born in 1836 on the homestead now occupied by his brother John, and who now lives in Tipton, Iowa ; Mary Ann, born in 1838, now the wife of Elias Hughes and a resident of Elburn in Kane county ; Charles, born in 1842 and now also a resident of Elburn, and Caroline, born in 1845 and now the wife of Charles Angell, of Aurora.
In 1832, when he was but four years old, John F. Schneider, the first born of the family, came with his parents to Naperville, Illinois, and one year later to Bristol, in Kendall county. In 1834 the father preempted a claim of three hundred acres of government land in Aurora township. Kane county, on a part of which the village of North Aurora has since been built. Ilere he settled his family and proceeded to break up and reduce to subjection the wild land that had so long been waiting for the persuasive hand of systematic cultivation. Ten years later the little log schoolhouse, that served the com- munity for nearly two generations as its only seat of learning, was built on this land, and in it John F. Schneider and the other children of the family and the neighborhood for miles around obtained what education they were able to secure in an academic way.
In 1862 Mr. Schneider aided his father, who was a farmer, millwright and carpenter, to build a mill at what is now North Aurora on the Fox river. For a long time this was the largest and busiest mill on the river, being patron- ized by farmers and others throughout a very large extent of the surrounding country. The Schneiders operated it twelve years with profit to themselves and great benefit to the community. The mill has fallen in the march of progress and improvement and disappeared from the face of the earth, but the little old schoolhouse is still standing, a suggestive monument of the enterprise and breadth of view of the pioneers, although it has dropped from its high estate and is now used as a wagon shed on the Schneider farm.
It has been noted that Mr. Schneider, the immediate subject of this sketch, inherited from his parentage an adventurous disposition. In 1852, in company with George Regan, he determined to join the argonauts then flock- ing to California in search of gold. Having fitted up a prairie schooner, as the big wagons of the transcontinental voyagers were called, these two coura- geous and determined men set out to cross the trackless wilds and brave the countless perils that lay between them and their hopes. With their moving household drawn by one yoke of oxen, two yoke of steers and two yoke of cows, they joined a caravan of gold-seekers, and after a journey of many weeks and much adventure reached Salt Lake City. Here they exchanged their oxen for two span of mules, with which they continued their journey to Spanish camp in Nevada, where they arrived in October, after nearly six months of weary wandering in the wilderness, during the greater part of which they were in a party of twenty-five persons with about ten teams.
Mr. Schneider remained on the Pacific slope five years, then returned in 1857 to his former home, making the trip by way of the isthmus of Panama and the city of New York, but the longing for the mines and the taste for wild western life which it had ministered to, abode with him, and in
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1879 he again started on a prospecting tour and passed one year in the Black Hills of South Dakota. He left his family behind him, however, and soon found that there was more enjoyment in domestic comfort than in expatria- tion from all he held dear, whatever the promise of speedy reward for en- durance and privation. So he once more returned to Illinois and here he has passed the remainder of his days to this time.
On November 17, 1858, he married Miss Charlotte Denham, a daughter of Robert and Jane ( Plucknett) Denham, natives of the Isle of Wight, Eng- land, where Mrs. Schneider was born on June 1, 1840, and where her father came into the world on February 14, 1816, and her mother on March 6, 1818. The mother came with her parents to Illinois when she was quite young and the family located near Batavia, Dupage county, where the future Mrs. Den- ham met Mr. Denham, their parents being neighboring farmers. The brothers and sisters of Mrs. Schneider, who was the second child of her parents, were Jolm, who was born March 6, 1838, and lives in Abilene, Kansas; George, who was born February 16, 1844, and lives in Lincoln, Nebraska; Robert, who was born December 23, 1846, and lives at Turret. Colorado: Elizabeth J., who was born August 31, 1847, and lives in Elgin, Illinois, with her husband, Josiah Harris: Mary A., who was born January 27, 1852, and became the wife of A. Horton, now deceased; Martha, wife of Emory Linn, who was born January 15, 1854, and died some years ago; Ella, wife of Edwin Jones, born May 15, 1859, and now living in Lawrence, Nebraska, and William, the sixth child in order of birth, who came into the world April 14, 1850, and has passed away.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Schneider number nine: George W., who was born September 24, 1859, and is now farming in Aurora township: Emma Louise, who was born June 24, 1862, and died in September, 1903 ; Celia Ann, who was born June 9, 1865, and died June 20, 1873; William Henry, who was born February 14, 1867, and died March 29, 1868; Eva Jane, the wife of Irwin Winter, who lives in Aurora township; Nellie Ange- line, who was born October 17, 1871, and is now a stenographer in the First National Bank of Los Angeles, California: Isaac Edwin, who was born July 14. 1874, and is a professor of music at Fort Smith, Arkansas; Fanny Estelle, who was born April 6, 1877. and died April 5. 1883, and Harry Jason, who was born October 19, 1878, and died May 8, 1880.
In recent years, to lessen his cares and the burden of his toil and respon- sibility, Mr. Schneider has sold the greater part of the original homestead to his son, George, who has erected on his part of the farm some of the finest farm buildings in the county. The father still retains about seventy acres of fine land adjoining the village of North Aurora, where he and his wife are enjoying the fruits of their well-spent lives in a serene, cheerful and dignified old age, surrounded with the evidences of their industry and enter- prise, attended by their dutiful children and grandchildren, and firmly established in the good will and veneration of the people of the whole town- ship. Two of their daughters, Eva and Nellie, are graduates of the Aurora high school and also of a higher institution located at Valparaiso, Indiana. Their son, Isaac Edwin, is also a graduate of the Northern Indiana School of
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Music at the same place. They have four grandchildren : Emeline. the daughter of their son, George, and Victor, Sidney and Eveline, the children of their daughter, Mrs. Irwin Winter. Mr. Schneider has been a republican from the foundation of the party, and his wife has been a member of the Congregational church at Batavia for forty years.
PETER PETIT.
Peter Petit, president of the North Aurora Creamery Company of North Aurora, Illinois, was born August 14, 1862, in the city of Aurora, unto the marriage of Michael and Catharine (De Villie) Petit, the former a native of Luxemburg, Germany, and the latter of Belgium. The paternal grandfather, Peter Petit, always wrote his name Pety, for it was originally French and that spelling indicated the French pronunciation. He married Catharine Moli- tor, and died in 1856, at the age of fifty-six years.
The family numbered seven children, including Michael Petit, who through his entire life followed the occupation of farming. He came to America in the summer of 1851, and established his home in what was known as "the big wood" in Aurora township. He was at that time seventeen years of age and had made the voyage to the United States in company with his parents, who purchased sixty acres of land and improved a farm there. Michael Petit remained at home until after his father's death. He was mar- ried in 1860, and then took charge of his father's farm. At that time he began buying land, adding to the original tract until it comprised ninety-five acres. He lived upon the farm from 1851 until 1894, after which he put aside the active and arduous work of the fields and took up his abode in Aurora, where both he and his wife are now living retired. They are members of the Cath- olic church and Mr. Petit gives his political support to the democratic party. Mrs. Petit was a daughter of Nicholas DeVille, a native of Luxemburg, Bel- gium, who on coming to America in 1854 settled at or near Osceola, Wiscon- sin, and about fourteen miles from Fond du Lac. Mrs. DeVille died very suddenly there in 1869, while Mr. De Ville passed away a number of years later at an old age. Their family numbered seven daughters.
Peter Petit, whose name introduces this record, has spent his entire life in Kane county, where he was reared as a farmer boy. He attended both the district and parochial schools and continued to assist his father in the work of the fields until twenty-four years of age, when he began farming on his own account. He now owns the old homestead, which comprises one hundred acres of rich and productive land, and it is still his place of residence. Throughout the greater part of his life he has paid considerable attention to dairying and in 1894 he became superintendent for the North Aurora Cream- ery Company which was organized that year, and of which he has since been manager. This company has conducted an extensive business under the direc- tion of Mr. Petit, and the enterprise has proven not only valuable to the stockholders but also a concern of importance to the farming community as
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well. On the Ist of April. 1908, the Kee & Chapell Dairy Company of Chicago bought out the North Aurora Creamery Company and continued the business here. The creamery uses daily seventeen thousand pounds of milk, and in the control of the business Mr. Petit displays keen discernment and excellent executive ability.
On the 10th of February. 1885. occurred the marriage of Mr. Petit and Miss Susan Lies. a daughter of John and Anna (Neu) Lies. There are three children of this marriage: Michael J., John F., and Catharine T. Both par- ents are members of the Catholic church and Mr. Petit belongs to the Knights of Columbus. the Catholic Order of Foresters and the Western Catholic Union. Politically he is a democrat, and has served as school trustee of Aurora township ; but the honors and emoluments of office have had no attrac- tion for him, as he has found that his business affairs have made constant demand upon his time and attention.
LLEWELLYN SMITH RICHMOND.
Llewellyn Smith Richmond, who for the past twenty-three years has resided on his present farm which is pleasantly located on the St. Charles and Sycamore road, is a native of this county, having been born in Campton township, September 25, 1847, the son of Almon D. and Annie ( Smith) Rich- mond. Both parents were natives of Vermont, the father having been born in Grafton, December 24, 1814. He came to Illinois in 1844 and located in Campton township, where he purchased land and engaged in farming. Here he remained until the time of his death. He was a consistent and faithful member of the Methodist church. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Smith were born five children, three sons and two daughters, namely: Llewellyn, of this review ; Luthera. Elizabeth and Ernest, all of whom reside in Campton township; and Elsie, the wife of Edgar Bartlett, who also resides in Campton township.
Llewellyn Smith Richmond attended the district school in what is known as the "red schoolhouse" until he was twenty-one years of age, at which time he discontinued his studies to engage in the practical work of farming on his father's place. He broadened his education by a trip through the eastern states and later made a trip to Nebraska, where he purchased a farm, but he only remained there a short time when he returned to Illinois and purchased his present place, where he has since continued to reside. He formerly owned extensive dairy interests, but these he has disposed of and is now engaged in the buying and selling of stock. The farm yields generous returns, not only in hay and grain, but in a variety of small fruits, for which there is always a ready market at good prices. Mr. Richmond also makes a specialty of pure blooded Plymouth Rock and White Wyandotte chickens, upon which he is considered an authority.
In 1883 was celebrated the marriage of Llewellyn Smith Richmond and Miss Ella Flower, who was born in Pennsylvania. Unto this union have been born five children, two sons and three daughters: Pearl. Frank, Helen, Albert
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and Maud. They all reside at home with their parents. As a stanch repub- lican Mr. Richmond takes quite an interest in political affairs, and has held the office of commissioner of highways, the duties of which he most capably discharged.
JOHN LOSER.
The history of a community or city in succeeding generations centers about a few names which stand prominently forth on its annals because they who have borne the names have been the active factors in public progress as exemplified by fidelity and industry in office and by unfaltering energy and progressiveness in business circles. Such has been the record of John Loser, whose life constitutes one of the valuable assets in Aurora's development and upbuilding. He is among those adopted sons of America that the fatherland has furnished to the new world. His birth occurred in Luxemburg, Germany. June 24, 1846.
His father, Peter Loser, was a native of that country and in the year 1864 he brought his family to the United States, continuing his journey from the seaboard across the country to Aurora. Here he followed the stone- mason's trade, which he had learned in his native country and which had there provided him with the means of livelihood. For a number of years prior to his death, however, he lived retired, having accumulated a capital that enabled him to supply the necessities and comforts of life for his family without fur- ther recourse to industrial interests. He was a good citizen and a loyal chan- pion of all that he deemed would prove of benefit to his community. After a residence of about forty years in Aurora he passed away in 1904. His wife, Angeline Wengler Loser, was also a native of Germany.
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