History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 52

Author: Hoffman, U. J. (Urias John), b. 1855
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

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JOSEPH J. JOY.

Joseph J. Joy, a practicioner at the La Salle county bar, was born October 24, 1875, in Ot- tawa, a son of John and Elizabeth (Murray) Joy, early settlers of this county, where they have resided since 1852. The son at the usual age entered the public schools and continued his studies. through successive grades until he com- pleted a course in the township high school by graduation with the class of June, 1892. His experiences in youth were those of most boys, peddling newspapers before and after school hours, collecting bills, and other similar work. He learned stenography under the direction of

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Official Reporter Hull and was afterward em- ployed as a stenographer by Judge Johnson from 1896 until 1899. In the latter year he became secretary of the committee on mines of the state senate, of which committee Senator Gardner was chairman. In June, 1899, he be- came assistant secretary of the state railroad and warehouse commission and remained in that po- sition until removed under the Yates adminis- tration. Subsequently he was employed as stenographer by a large law firm in Chicago from January until June, 1902, when he resigned to become private secretary to United States Mar- shal John C. Ames, acting in that capacity until January, 1903, when he resigned to take care of Judge Johnson's private law practice when the latter became president of the Ottawa Bank- ing & Trust Company. In the meantime, after private preliminary reading, Mr. Joy had entered the Chicago Law School, from which he was graduated in 1903. He has since practiced in Ottawa and has been very successful, having an unusual amount of trial work. He has won for himself very favorable criticism for the care- ful and systematic methods which he has fol- lowed. He possesses perseverance and indom- itable energy, prepares his cases with great thoroughness and, with a · realization that ad- vancement in his profession depends upon merit, he has carefully qualified himself for his chosen field of labor and has gained success because he deserves it.

Mr. Joy was married June 6, 1905, to Miss Nellie A. Quaid, of Springfield, Illinois. He is the present owner of the land upon which once stood the old Fox River House, one of the his- toric places of Ottawa. His fraternal relations are with the Knights of Columbus, the Knights of the Globe and the Ancient Order of Hiber- nians and he belongs to St. Columba's church of the Roman Catholic faith.

EDMUND GOODMAN.

Edmund Goodman, who is engaged in general contract work and building as a member of the firm of Goodman & Elliott, was born in Engel- holm, Sweden, in 1868, a son of Goodman Nel- son. His mother is Petronella Pearson and after her husband's death, which occurred in Sweden in 1894, she came to the United States in 1898 and now makes her home in La Salle. In the family were seven children.

Edmund Goodman spent the first eighteen years of his life in his native country and there learned the carpenter's trade. Crossing the At-

lantic in 1886, he worked for a year at his trade in Chicago, Illinois, and in the winter of 1887- 88 came to La Salle, where he followed his trade as a journeyman until 1894. He then embarked in business for himself, doing general contract work of all kinds as well as in the line of building. In 1903 he formed a partnership with F. B. Elliott and the firm of Goodman & Elliott has since had a continuous existence and enjoys a very gratifying measure of success. Many important contracts have been awarded them and they have been closely associated with building operations, many of the substantial structures of the city standing as monuments of their skill and enterprise.

In 1893 Mr. Goodman was married, in An- dover, Henry county, Illinois, to Miss Emma L. S. Godt, of Aarhus, Denmark, and they have three sons, all born in La Salle: Ralph E., Albert N. and Walter F.

Mr. Goodman is a member of the Woodmen camp and of the Elks lodge. He has made his own way in the world and though he has not attained wealth he has gained a comfortable competence and at the same time has won an honored name. A noted lecturer and traveler in summing up his impressions of Sweden said : "It is the home of the honest man" and in in- vestigating the lives of many of the Swedish- American citizens we are impressed with the truth of this assertion. Mr. Goodman's record stands in exemplication of the fact, for he bears an unassailable reputation for business integ- rity as well as for industry and diligence.

GEORGE HAYWARD.

Among the men who have made creditable records in business circles in La Salle county and who have now passed from this life George Hayward was numbered, his death having oc- curred here on the Ist of March, 1906. He was born in Ottawa, April 19, 1843, his parents being Charles and Julia A. (Mason) Hayward, who were early residents of La Salle county. He was reared and educated in the public schools of this city and devoted his attention largely to general agricultural pursuits, his farm being located about two miles northeast of Ot- tawa. It is known as the Dayton place and is still owned by the family but is now leased.

Mr. Hayward was married in Ottawa to Miss Lettie Strickland, who was born in the state of New York and came to La Salle county in 1857 with her parents, Rial and Rosanna (Wheeler) Strickland, who located in Freedom

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township, La Salle county, and after residing there for nine months took up their abode in Ottawa. Both are now deceased, the father having passed away in 1895. He had long survived his wife, who departed this life in 1864. Mr. Strickland was a prominent and influential citizen of Ottawa and at one time was vice pres- ident of one of the banks of the city. He was also interested in merchandising under the firm style of Fisk, Strickland & Wing and later be- came vice president of the Ottawa Savings Bank. He lived a quiet life, seeking notoriety in no way, prefering to give his attention to his business rather than to seeking prominence in political circles or public affairs. He maintained, however, an unassailable reputation in business circles and his sound judgment, conservative methods and enterprise constituted the basis upon which he builded a desirable prosperity. In his family were two sons. De Alton Strickland died in Detroit, Michigan, in 1870. He, too, was born in Jefferson county, New York, and had acted as head clerk in his father's store in Ottawa. La Motte, who had been bookkeeper in the store at Ottawa, died in Los Angeles, California, in 1876. Unto Mr. and Mrs. George Hayward have been born three children: Edith, who is the wife of George Gleim, an attorney of Ottawa; Mabel, who is a graduate of the State University of Illinois, at Urbana; and De Alton, who is now a student in the State University, at Urbana.

Politically Mr. Hayward was a republican, al- ways voting for the men and ineasures of the party yet was never an active politician in the sense of office seeking although as every true American citizen should do, he kept well in- formed on the questions and issues of the day. Fraternally he was connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. His entire life was passed in this county and investigation into his history will show that many of his salient char- acteristics were most commendable and that he was worthy of the esteem that was uniformly accorded him. Mrs. Hayward still makes her home in Ottawa and is a member of the Con- gregational church.

ELI STRAWN.

Eli Strawn was an early resident of La Salle county and a business man who carried on farm- ing and stock-raising. He was prominent and influential in his community, and through the exercise of his business ability, his strong de- termination and his unfaltering perseverance he became very successful and in the course of

years was known as one of the large landowners of his section of the state. In all of his busi- ness transactions he was thoroughly reliable, his integrity standing as an unquestioned fact in his career. His birth occurred in Perry county, Ohio, on the 27th of March, 1817. He was reared to farm life and was largely self-educated, attending only the common schools and in after years constantly broadening his knowledge through reading, observation and experience. His father came to Bureau county, Illinois, in 1830, and summoned the family to join him. Eli, then only thirteen years old, drove a four- horse team all the way from Ohio and helped his mother in the care of his younger brothers and sisters. They settled near Hennepin, where his father eventually secured several thousand acres of land.

On January 1, 1838, Mr. Strawn married Miss Eleanor Broaddus, who was born in Virginia and came to Illinois in 1835, settling near Lacon. Seven children graced this marriage. Louise died in infancy. The oldest son, Christopher C., has practiced law successfully for many years in Pontiac and for more than thirty years has been attorney for the Illinois Central Railroad and also for the Chicago & Alton. The youngest son, Stephen A. D., died at the age of twenty-seven years. Franklin and Henry L. are in business in Kansas. Martha, the widow of A. C. Barry, resides in Chicago. Mrs. Nancy Thompson lived in Lacon until her death in 1901. Mrs. Strawn died in 1861. In 1864 Mr. Strawn took for his second wife Mrs. Mary Hartshorn Dean, widow of Francis A. Dean, of La Salle. She was born in Hamilton, Madison county, New York, and at the age of fourteen returned to her native vil- lage, where she attended a Ladies Academy for two years. By her first marriage she had had one son, Francis A .. now a banker in Holdrege, Ne- braska, and at one time a state senator. By their second marriage Mr. and Mrs. Strawn had one child. Myra H., who was educated at Smith College, the University of Chicago, the Univer- sity of Geneva, Switzerland, and afterward be- came correspondent for Harper's Weekly in the orient.

After his first marriage Mr. Strawn removed to a farm three miles west of Ottawa and with characteristic energy transformed the wild land into richly productive fields. In the course of a few years, having made extensive and judicious investments in real estate, he became the owner of about twelve hundred acres of land in Bu- reau and La Salle counties. He helped all of his children by giving each of them a farm and was in other ways very generous with his family. In 1870 he removed to Buckley, Illi- nois, where he purchased large landholdings and

El Strawn

Mary C.D. Strewn

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also engaged in the grain business. He also bought a large tract of land in Livingston county, which he sold some years afterward. In Au- gust, 1886, he returned-to Ottawa, where he died January 6, 1887.

In his political views Mr. Strawn was a dem- ocrat, firm in his advocacy of the principles of the party. But he belonged to the Douglas fac- tion and used his influence to prosecute vigor- ously all war measures. He served as supervisor of Ottawa township from 1859 till 1864 and during this time gave material aid to many sol- diers' families. In later years he was well known in the eastern part of the state as an earnest sup- porter of the temperance cause. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist church. His life was in harmony with his professions and' was actuated by high principles and manly purposes. Men who knew him trusted him and wherever he was known he won friends. His was a useful and active life, covering the Psalm- ist's allotted span of three score years and ten, and altogether his career was a successful one, crowned with prosperity and with the respect of those who knew him. Soon after his demise Mrs. Strawn removed to Chicago, where she and her daughter Myra now make their home.

JOSEPH FUTTERER.

Among the adopted sons of Ottawa represent- ing our German-American citizenship, none are more worthy of representation in this volume than Joseph Futterer, who has made a creditable record in both business and political circles and is now enjoying a well earned rest, living a life of ease and pleasure, for his former labors brought to him a very gratifying competence. He has a wide and favorable acquaintance in Ottawa and La Salle county and it is therefore with pleasure that we present the record of his life to our readers.

A native of Germany, he was born in Baden Baden in 1852 and remained a resident of that country to the age of thirteen years, when in 1865 he came to the United States in company with his parents, Joseph and Rosa Futterer. They bade adieu to friends and native country and sailed for America, hoping to enjoy better business opportunities in the new world. In 1868 they took up their abode in Monroe county, Wisconsin, and on the old homestead farm there, not far from the village of Sparta, the mother is still living. The father, however, passed away when in his sixtieth year. In their family were five children, Joseph Futterer, however, being

the only son. His educational privileges em- braced thorough training in both the German and English tongues and he was thus well quali- fied for life's practical and responsible duties. In his minority he aided in the labors of the home farm, working in the fields through the summer months, while in the winter seasons he continued his education. He was a young man of twenty-one years when in 1873 he left Wis- consin and came to Ottawa, where he has since resided, covering a period of a third of a cen- tury. His business interests have been of a varied character and all have been carefully managed, success resulting from his industry, en- terprise and perseverance. He is now in posses- sion of a handsome competence which is attribu- table entirely to his own labors.

In 1877 occurred the marriage of Joseph Fut- terer and Miss Theresa Schaeffer, of Ottawa, and unto them were born nine children, of whom five are yet living, namely : Fred, Charles, Alice, John and Ernest. In his fraternal relations Mr. Futterer is connected with the Knights of Pythias, with the German Benevolent Society and other organizations, the beneficent principles of which find exemplification in his life. He is perhaps better known, however, in connection with his public service in office. Since locating in La Salle county he has been recognized as one of the strong and stalwart leaders of the democ- racy here and in 1892 he was elected to the office of supervisor, which position he filled for two years and was then re-elected. After an interval he was again chosen to the office in 1898, thus serving for a third term. His duties were discharged with promptness and fidelity, being characterized by the same progressive spirit that has been manifest in all of his private business affairs. He has become known in Ot- tawa as a man of genuine worth, of strong native intelligence and keen discernment and as the architect of his own fortunes has builded wisely and well.

VICTOR J. PELTIER.

Among the industrial enterprises which have contributed to Ottawa's business growth and development is that of which Victor J. Peltier is the founder and principal owner, for the Novelty Glass Works are numbered among the leading productive industries of the city with a volume of business that is at once gratifying to the stockholders and at the same time a source of revenue to many workmen. The life history of Mr. Peltier is another proof of the fact that

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the circumstance of birth or nationality has little or nothing to do with a man's prominence and success in America, where advancement must depend upon individual effort and worth. The success of Mr. Peltier in all his undertakings has been so marked that his methods are of interest to the commercial world. He has based his business principles and actions upon strict ad- herence to the rules that govern industry, econ- omy and unswerving integrity. His enterprise and progressive spirit have made him a typical American in every sense of the word and he well deserves mention in this history. By con- stant exertion associated with good judgment he has raised himself to the prominent position which he now holds, having the friendship of many and the respect of all who know him.

A native of France, Victor J. Peltier was born in the province of Lorraine, now a part of Ger- many, about seventy-three years ago. His par- ents were Joseph and Baraba (Kresly) Peltier, the former a native of Lorraine and the latter of Alsace. The son pursued his education in the schools of his native country, where he learned the glass blower's trade, which pursuit had been followed by his father, and on the completion of his apprenticeship he was employed as a jour- neyman, chiefly in the city of Lyons, France. The opportunities of the new world attracted him and he resolved to try his fortune in America. Accordingly in 1859 he engaged passage on the Aerial, bound for New York and after land- ing in that city worked at his trade there for about two decades. The year 1882 witnessed his arrival in Ottawa and for three years there- after he was connected with the bottling works. Then with the capital that he had saved from his earnings he established business on his own ac- count in connection with his son, founding the Novelty Glass Works. He has indeed been the architect of his own fortunes and has builded wisely and well. While in the east he displayed such knowledge of his business that he soon controlled a factory and had an extensive trade. He had accumulated a fortune of about fifty thousand dollars but lost it through the dis- honorable dealings of a partner. He then went to Pittsburg, where he was employed in the glass factories and subsequently he was located at Keota, Iowa, where he was manager of the Variety Glass Factory. Coming to Ottawa in 1882, he secured a position as a glass blower, but his ability soon became recognized and he was made manager of the Ottawa Flint Glass & Bot- tle Company, a position which he filled with credit and capability until the works were closed. He then began business on his own account,

having a small furnace which he built in his own yard. He first made table ware and later took up the manufacture of opalescent glass. If he had not been a thorough master of his trade he would not have been successful and in addition to his skill his unfaltering honesty and industry were soon recognized. In the plant all kinds of colored and opalescent glass are now manufac- tured, for from a small beginning he has de- veloped an extensive and important industry, having a large plant thoroughly equipped with all the machinery and accessories needful for the successful carrying on of the business. The product of the house is now very large and the output goes to all parts of the United States and to Europe as well. The company manufactures beautiful lamp shades and electric light shades and various other articles, in addition to the large output of glass for churches, residences and public buildings. Mr. Peltier, who is now presi- dent of the company, has made a life study of the trade and when a young man spent his time in tests and experiments. He has continually broadened his knowledge concerning the busi- ness and, since starting out seventeen years ago, each year has shown an increase in the amount of glass produced, while yearly additions to the plant have been made. The company has agen- cies in New York and New Orleans and a large amount of their goods go to California, Seattle and other points on the Pacific coast. The glass they make is used in public buildings and churches mainly and yet a large quantity is man- ufactured for residences. It is also used in sleeping cars and in fact the Pullman Palace Car Company is one of the largest purchasers of the Novelty Glass Company. The glass is produced in a thousand different shades, tints and colors, which is selected by artists and from samples and manufactured to suit the trade. This glass cuts with less loss than any opalescent glass on the market and is sold altogether by samples. Mr. Peltier's sons, Sellers H. and Joseph A. Pel- tier, are associated with him in business and, like him, have a practical knowledge of the trade. The factory is now in charge of Sellers H. Peltier, who has comprehensive knowledge of the business in its practical operations and the sons, like their father, have shown excellent abil- ity in the management of the office part of the business. In the factory they use their own pro- cesses and have many automatic mechanical de- vices. They make their own pots and in a season of ten months they turn out a product valued at seventy-five thousand dollars.

Mr. Peltier was married in 1862 to Miss Mary Peltier, a daughter of Frances Peltier, who,

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though of the same name, was not a relative. Her family came from Germany to America in 1859 and her parents both died in New York city. Mr. and Mrs. Peltier have lost three chil- dren, one of whom, Peter V., was associated with his father in business and died December 12, 1893. Those still living are: Louise, the wife of Theodore Zellers, of Ottawa; Mary, the wife of Fred Heiser, of this city; Joseph E., who is connected with his father in business; Emma, who is acting as kookkeeper; Sellers, who is superintendent of the factory ; and Kate, at home. The family residence is a fine brick structure on the picturesque "ridge", Fourth street, standing in the midst of ample grounds. Here amid most comfortable surroundings and with his family about him, Mr. Peltier is spending the evening of life. Although well advanced in years he possesses the vigor and energy of a man much younger and in spirit and interests seems yet in his prime. He has always given his political al- legiance to the republican party since becoming a naturalized American citizen and he and his family are communicants of St. Francis German Catholic church, while Mr. Peltier belongs to the Chosen Friends Benevolent Insurance As- sociation. The real founders of a town or city are the promoters of its business interests and in this connection Mr. Peltier has had much to do with the progress and commercial improve- ment of Ottawa. He certainly deserves much credit and praise for what he has accomplished, having since establishing his home in this city developed a business of very extensive propor- tions. Moreover his business methods are such as neither seek nor require disguise and at the same time his means and influence have been used unsparingly in advancing measures and movements for the general good in the flourishing and beautiful city of his adoption.

JOHN PEARCE.

John Pearce, president of the La Bastie Glass Company, one of the leading productive indus- tries of Ottawa and thus closely associated with a business the value of which is uniformly ac- knowledged as a force in the commercial devel- opment and prosperity of the city, is a native of England. He crossed the Atlantic to America in 1869, locating first in Brooklyn, New York, where he was identified with glass-making for a number of years. About 1880 he and his son Joseph came from Brooklyn to Ottawa with E. De La Chapelle & Company to take charge of the industry of which he is now the head. He

has since been a factor in the business life of this city through the operation of a plant which is today one of the chief productive resources of the county.

The La Bastie Glass Company was organized in 1903 to succeed E. & J. De La Chapelle & Company, its present officers being: John Pearce, president; John De La Chapelle, vice president; and Joseph Pearce, treasurer. They are engaged in the manufacture of the La Bas- tie patented lamp chimney. The plant is located on First and Chestnut streets in Ottawa, where the original plant was built about 1885. It was de- stroyed, however, by fire in 1900. and the present plant is much larger and is thoroughly equipped in an up-to-date manner with all appliances and machinery necessary for the successful con- duct of the business. Employment is furnished to three hundred and fifty people, which includes night and day shifts. The output of the plant is about five carloads per week, notwithstanding the fact that this high grade chimney is corre- spondingly high priced but the general public has come to recognize the fact that the price is indicative of the superior quality of the product. Their chimneys will stand an unusual amount of rough usage, which is due to the fact that the finest class of sand is easily obtainable as a nat- ural product at Ottawa and that the glass indus- try is thus encouraged and stimulated here. Each chimney of the sixty-five or seventy sizes manu- factured at the La Bastie plant bears the com- pany's trademark. This stamp is of rubber dampened in hydrochloric acid and is applied to the completed chimney as a finishing touch just before packing in individual pasteboard boxes. The La Bastie patent, the exclusive property of this company, is a particular process of heating, re-heating and plunging the chimney into a tal- low oil bath. After a brief bath the chimneys are placed in boiling water and then washed in soap and water, after which they are wiped thoroughly with towels and pumice stone, when they are ready for stamping and packing for shipment. This is the only plant of the kind in the world using this process and producing a tempered lamp chimney of great resistance. The product is sold all over this country through jobbers and many carloads are shipped abroad. The output is now very extensive and the busi- ness has long since reached profitable propor- tions. Messrs. John and Joseph Pearce devote their personal attention to the business, which is one of the most important industries of

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History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 52

Author: Hoffman, U. J. (Urias John), b. 1855 Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1286

Author: Hoffman, U. J. (Urias John), b. 1855
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1286