History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 85

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

USA > Illinois > LaSalle County > History of La Salle County, Illinois > Part 85

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).

J. S. LOCK.

J. S. Lock, a farmer and stockman residing on section 22, Farm Ridge township, was born in La Salle county, December 24, 1857, his parents being Jacob and Angeline (Wampler) Lock, both of whom are now deceased. The father died about 1878, when sixty-one years of age, and his widow, long surviving him, passed away in March, 1906, at the age of seventy-six years. They came to La Salle in 1856 from Preble county, Ohio, and both were natives of that state. They located first in Vermillion township, La Salle county, and about thirty-five years ago removed to Farm Ridge township, where Mr. Lock carried on general agricultural pursuits, prospering as the years went by, until at the time of his death he owned about three hundred and fifty acres of land, which was rich and productive. In fact he was regarded as one of the leading farmers of his locality and more- over was a breeder of good stock, including cattle, horses and hogs. His political support was given to the democracy. In his family were two sons and a daughter: J. S., of this review ; W. W., a resident of Farm Ridge township; and Belle, who is residing upon the old homestead.

J. S. Lock was reared in this county, mainly in Farm Ridge township and to the public- school system is indebted for the educational privileges he enjoyed in his youth. When not busy with his text-books his time was largely given to the work of the fields, so that he early became familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. Ambitious to secure property of his own he has made judi- cious investments and now owns and operates an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 20, Farm Ridge township. Here he is raising and breeding good stock, having fine grades of horses, cattle and hogs and he finds this branch of his business quite profitable. He is an excellent judge of stock of all kinds and his careful management of his business interests has resulted beneficially.

Mr. Lock was married to Miss Mary Mullen, a daughter of Patrick Mullen, who is represented elsewhere in this work. Their children are now seven in number, six sons and a daughter, all of whom were born in Farm Ridge township, namely : William Henry, who is now working for

654

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

others; James Edward, Neal, Walter, Thomas, Jacob Earl and Mary Altha, all at home.

Socially Mr. Lock is a member of Hampton camp, M. W. A., of Grand Ridge, and he is a communicant of St. Columbia's church at Otta- wa. There have been no exciting events in his life yet his history is not without interest as is that of every man whose career is characterized by qualities of integrity and industry, who is loyal in citizenship and progressive in his rela- tion to all that pertains to general welfare and improvement.

P. J. FOLEY.

P. J. Foley has for ten years served as mayor of Seneca, which position he is filling at the pres- ent time and his long continued service is indi- cation of the trust reposed in him by his fel- low townsmen, who recognize in him the essential qualities of the competent and trustworthy of- ficial. He has given to the town a public-spirited and practical administration and while opposed to the useless expenditure of money he believes in progress and does not countenance economy to the extent of sacrificing the interests of the city. Concrete walks, macadamized streets, electric lights and other modern improvements indicate his progressive spirit and many evidences of his devotion to the welfare of the town may be found.

Mr. Foley was born in Marseilles, January 13, 1858, a son of Edward Foley, who removed to La Salle county about 1855, settling in Mar- seilles. He assisted in railroad work but was killed on the railroad in May, 1858, the family removing to Seneca about three years after the father's death.

P. J. Foley, whose name introduces this re- view, spent the greater part of his youth in Seneca and attended the common schools and aft- erward the Morris Normal School. After com- pleting his common-school education he taught for four years during which time he held a first- grade certificate, afterwards he attended the Mor- ris Normal School at Morris, Illinois. At the com- pletion of his normal course he was appointed principal of the Seneca north side school, holding the principalship for four years, and subsequent- ly taught for one year in Iroquois county, Illinois. In 1885 he was appointed postmaster of Seneca under President Cleveland and filled the position for four years. In 1889 he turned his attention to merchandising, opening a new stock of goods and building up an excellent trade. In 1893 he was once more appointed postmaster by President Cleveland and again served for the regulation

term of four years. Mr. Foley has always been an influential factor in public affairs in the town and in 1890 was elected president of the village in which capacity he served for two years, after which he entered the postoffice. In 1898 he was again elected president of the village board and has served continuously since. He retained his mercantile interests until 1903, when he sold his store and is now engaged in the real-estate and insurance business. He has done more toward building up and improving the town than any other resident here and without invidious distinc- tion may be termed the foremost citizen of Sen- eca. He has been instrumental in introducing many improvements, including the concrete walks and street paving, electric lights, water works and sewerage systems and his efforts have been most effective in advancing the general progress.

In 1897, in Minnesota, Mr. Foley was married to Miss Lizzie Mathews and unto them have been born six children, of whom four are living, Ed- ward, Henry, James and Sadie. They lost two, one who died in infancy, and Ellen Emily, who died at the age of two and a half years. Mr. and Mrs. Foley were both reared in the Catholic faith and are communicants of the church. Mr. Foley belongs to some benevolent and fraternal orders, including the Knights of Pythias, Modern Woodmen, Toilers lodges and other fraternal in- · surance orders. He has always been identified with the democracy and as a delegate to county and state conventions his opinions carry weight, while in local councils his support is often a de- cisive element which gives direction to the trend of public thought and action.

BENJAMIN D. BREWSTER.

The name of Brewster is so well known in La Salle county that the subject of this review needs no introduction to the readers of this vol- ume, and he of whom we write is a prominent and active factor in business circles, his intense and well directed energy proving strong elements in the successful conduct of industrial, commer- cial and financial affairs in Peru.

He was born in the city which is still his home, November 24, 1864, the son of Theron D. Brew- ster, the honored founder of Peru, who left the world better because he lived, having so exerted his talents and directed his energies that public progress was promoted, while the general good was materially advanced. A native of Con- necticut, he was born in Salisbury, Litchfield county, on the 29th of February, 1812, and was descended from Puritan ancestry. His parents

THE LEWIS PUB, CO CHI

Theron & Bacustory

657

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

were Daniel and Asenath (Canfield) Brewster, who were also natives of Connecticut. The mother died when her son Theron was a youth of sixteen years, and the father passed away in December, 1835. He was a successful agricul- turist and the son received his preliminary busi- ness training in the fields, but thinking to find other occupation more congenial, when he had completed his education in the academy at West- field, Connecticut, he determined to make his way to what was then the frontier. Accordingly in 1835 he came to Peru, where he accepted a clerical position but after six months was summoned home to his father's deathbed, and following his demise Theron D. Brewster gave his attention to the settlement of the estate until the fall of 1836. Returning to Peru, in 1837, he laid out Ninawa addition to the city and became a real-estate dealer and operator. In 1843 he embarked in mer- chandising, forming a partnership with Herman Baldwin that was continued for three years. On the expiration of that period he began dealing in grain and erected a large warehouse on the bank of the Illinois river, carrying on an extensive and remunerative business as a member of the firm of Brewster & Beebe. Five years were devoted to that pursuit, at the end of which time Mr. Brewster became a factor in commercial circles as a dry-goods merchant in partnership with E. Higgins. His business activities touched many lines of commercial and industrial interests and all felt the stimulus of unfaltering diligence, wise judgment and keen determination. In 1856 he became the president of the stock company which owned and sank the Peru coal shaft, the coal field being worked with good results for about seventeen years. In 1852 the firm of T. D. Brewster & Company was formed and bought out Messrs. Tuller, Pitts & Dodge, who had been manufacturing plows on a limited scale and had conducted a small machine shop. The Peru City Plow Factory was then established, with Mr. Brewster as manager and he continued as the executive head of the business until 1882, when, on account of advanced age, he retired. The business was then re-organized as a stock con- pany and is now conducted under the style of the Peru Plow & Wheel Company. All through the years Mr. Brewster had continued to deal more or less in real-estate and his last years were de- voted entirely to the management of his prop- erty interests. He managed with great ability the sale of property which he bought of the heirs of his uncle, Lyman Brewster, a pioneer of this county, who owned much of the land upon which Peru now stands. He was one of the or- ganizers of the First National Bank of Peru and

served as its president during its existence of twenty years. He was also largely instrumental in securing the extension to Peru of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad and was one of its first directors.

In early manhood Theron D. Brewster was married to Miss Phoebe Mann, a native of Pennsylvania, the wedding being celebrated in 1844. Five years later Mrs. Brewster passed away leaving a son and daughter, and later Mr. Brew- ster wedded Miss Margaret Jones, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Of this marriage two sons and two daughters are yet living. The old family home- stead, which is a substantial and imposing brick residence, two stories in height and surrounded by well kept grounds, is one of the time-honored old landmarks of Peru. It was erected in 184I by Mr. Brewster and has since been one of the notable homes of the city. He continued to occupy it until called to his final rest, March 2, 1897. In the meantime he had put forth effective labor for the city in matters of direct and important bearing upon its material prosperity and progress, upon its political status and its intellectual and moral development. Although not a member of the church, his religious views were largely in accord with the teachings of the Congregational de- nomination and he was generous in his contribu- tions to church and charitable work. When the republican party was formed he joined its ranks and continued one of its stalwart advocates and prior to its organization he was a whig. In 1838 he held the office of town trustee and for seventy years was a member of the board of education of Peru. He was the first mayor of the city, elected in 1851, again in 1852 and for a third term in 1854, and his administration of public affairs during a critical period in its history was attended with results entirely beneficial and pro- vocative of much good for Peru. As long as the city stands it will credit him with much of its early and substantial progress and its develop- ment along lines that work for good citizenship and for civic virtue and pride.

Benjamin D. Brewster, a son of the father's second marriage, began his education at the usual age in the city schools of Peru and afterward attended Bryant & Stratton Business College in Chicago, Illinois. He entered upon an active business career as a traveling salesman in the em- ploy of the Western Clock Manufacturing Com- pany, of La Salle, which he represented upon the road for three years. On the expiration of that period he went to New York city, where he spent two years in the employ of the Times Stamp Company, and in 1893 he came again to Peru. He has since been identified with the real-estate

658

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

and loan business, which was established by his father and in this direction has a large clientage, handling much valuable property and placing many large loans. He is also a stockholder and director in the Peru Plow & Wheel Company, which has had a very prosperous existence and is one of the leading productive industries of this part of the country. A branch house was estab- lished sometime ago in Council Bluffs, Iowa, known as the Peru Plow & Implement Company, of which Mr. Brewster is a director. He displays many of the strong business qualities that were characteristic of his father. He has the power to co-ordinate forces and produce results and in matters of business judgment is seldom at error.

HENRY SCHUESSLER.

Henry Schuessler, a pioneer in the line of in- dustrial activity, the value of which cannot be over-estimated, as it has introduced a new field of enterprise into the business life in this coun- try, is now closely associated with commercial and industrial interests in Peru in connection with the National Sheet Metal Company. He was born in Germany, in 1854, and acquired his education and learned the machinist's trade in his native land. He there began the manufacture of metal novelties. In seeking a new field of labor he came to America in 1891, locating first in New York, where he engaged in the same line of busi- ness until 1899. That year witnessed his arrival in Peru, where he became superintendent of the American Nickeloid Company. He was the first one to introduce into this country the methods used for the manufacture of metal novelties in Germany, and in 1901 he was instrumental in es- tablishing the National Sheet Metal Company. He had been the manufacturer of metal novelties in Berlin, Germany, and had sent large amounts of goods to America. Believing that he saw an excellent field for enterprise of this character in the new world, he crossed the Atlantic and time has demonstrated the wisdom of his views. The National Sheet Metal Company is the suc- cessor of the Peru Sheet Metal and Novelty Company, which was organized in 1902 for the purpose of plating sheet metal, particularly zinc and tin, and for the manufacture of metal novel- ties. The capital stock is sixty thousand dol- lars. The company has a large plant, the build- ing being seventy by eighty feet, a two-story solid brick structure with basement, bordering the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, while the Illinois river, navigable from St. Louis to Peru, is about two hundred feet south of the

building. The Illinois Central Railroad is also in close proximity, so that excellent shipping fa- cilities are secured. The basement and both floors of the building are used for the conduct of the business, the basement being utilized for storage purposes, while on the main floor is a buffing room, containing four patented buffing machine of one thousand pounds' capacity each. These machines do the work of polishing and finishing more satisfactorily and a hundred times faster than it can be done by hand and the ma- chines were invented by the superintendent and are a complete success. The plating room of the establishment is unsurpassed anywhere in the world, having a capacity of six thousand pounds per day, which can easily be increased at little expense to ten thousand pounds. There are dynamo, engine and boiler rooms, shipping rooms, chemical cooking room, casting and finishing rooms, a press and a die room. The entire build- ing is lighted by the company's own electric light plant and the company is also in possession of a private water supply as well as being connected with the city mains. The entire cost of the building and equipment is about forty-five thousand dollars. The output of the plant is now extensive and finds a ready sale on the market. The officers of the company are: Charles F. Neureuther, president ; George Soedler, vice president; Henry Ream, treasurer ; P. Brauns, secretary ; and Mr. Schuess- ler is the technical manager. The company em- ploys on an average of thirty hands, and the first year its output amounted to eighty thousand pounds, or equal to ten thousand dollars. This has been increased each year and the output for 1905 was over one hundred thousand dollars, or equal to one million pounds of plated metal. Mr. Schuessler gives his entire attention to the busi- ness and is a man of superior skill in the line of his chosen undertaking. There are only two of these factories in the United States, and he es- tablished both of these. He certainly deserves much credit for introducing into America the methods employed in this line of work in Ger- many, and in this respect he is a pioneer in the industrial activity of the new world.

In 1878 Mr. Schuessler was united in marriage to Miss Hermina Rochan, and unto them have been born four children, Josie, Harry, Irene and Louisa. Although a recent acquisition to in- dustrial circles in La Salle county, having made his home here for only seven years, Mr. Schuess- ler has almost from the beginning been accorded a position of prominence in business circles, for which he is well qualified by reason of his thor- ough understanding of the trade in all its tech- nical and practical workings and also by reason of his thorough reliability and enterprise in his

HENRY SCHUESSLER.

661

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

business affairs. He well merits the success which has come to him since he crossed the At- lantic and undoubtedly his labors will be crowned with still greater prosperity as the years go by.

FRITZ WORM.

Fritz Worm, president and treasurer of the German American Portland Cement Works lo- cated in La Salle, is thus closely associated with the productive and industrial interests of this city and his life record is another proof of the fact that it is the young men who are the leaders in business circles today, controlling enterprises, modern institutions, new business interests and carrying forward to successful completion what- ever they undertake. Mr. Worm is a native of Hamburg, Germany, and is the only one of his father's family who came to America. He ac- quired a good education in the schools of his na- tive country and in early life accepted a position with the Portland Cement Company, of Ham- burg, which sent him to America in 1899 to es- tablish business in this country. He first lo- cated in Chicago, but about a year later came to La Salle. There is American, German, Belgium and English capital to the amount of six hundred thousand dollars invested in this enterprise, of which Mr. Worm is now president and treasurer. He purchased over three hundred acres of land located east of the city of La Salle, and there es- tablished their present large plant, installed the latest improved machinery and now furnish em- ployment to about three hundred workmen. The product is high grade Portland cement called Owl cement and the capacity is now over one million barrels annually. The plant is operated day and night, there being two working shifts. This is one of the large industries of La Salle and is an important factor in the business activity and pros- perity of the city. Alfred Ersbe is secretary of the company and with Mr. Worm constitutes the executive head of the house, Mr. Worm acting as secretary of the company until 1901, when were entrusted to his care the additional duties of treasurer and he thus served until 1903, when he became vice president and treasurer. In 1904 he was chosen president and treasurer and is fill- ing these positions at the present time.

Mr. Worm had obtained a thorough, practical working knowledge of the business while in Ger- many and came to America with a thorough un- derstanding of the trade. He is one of the rising young business men of the times, being well educated and a master of his business in principle and detail. He is constantly seeking

new opportunities for the enlargement of the scope of activity in connection with this enter- prise and was wrought along modern lines, pro- ducing the most desired results.

In his political affiliation Mr. Worm is inde- pendent. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and also the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and holds membership in the Deer Park Country Club, of which he was at one time a di- rector. He is yet a young man and it does not require the gift of proprecy to realize what the future has in store for him, for he has already demonstrated his possibilities, has given proof of his laudable ambition and his recognition of opportunities. He is a splendid representative of that class of foreign-born citizens whom Amer- ica is continually attracting to her shores by reason of the possibilities that here exist and with the determination and enterprise which are char- · acteristic of people of his nationality he has made for himself a prominent position and an honored name in industrial circles in La Salle.

ELTON BRUMBACH.

Elton Brumbach, actively and successfully engaged in general farming and stock-raising in Rutland township, has one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 13, constituting a neat and well improved farm. His birth occurred upon this farm November 26, 1844. His father, Henry Brumbach, was born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, in the year 1800, while the grandfather, David Brumbach, was of German ancestry and became one of the early residents of the Old Dominion, where he spent the re- mainder of his life. Henry Brumbach resided in Virginia until eighteen years of age, when with his mother and the family he removed to Licking county, Ohio. There he was married in 1824 to Miss Elizabeth Pitzer, a native of Ohio, born in Licking county. The young couple began their domestic life there and remained residents of the Buckeye state for five years, when in 1829 they came to Illinois, making the trip overland with Green's company to La Salle county. Much of the land was still in possession of the government and in 1833 Mr. Brumbach entered a claim where his son Elton now resides, becoming the owner of three hundred acres. He went to the land office in Chicago in order to secure this property and found there a small village with comparatively few improvements. Several years passed before it was incorporated as a city and many people at that time believed that there were a number of other towns in the

662

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

state which would exceed it in population and importance as a commercial and industrial center. Elton Brumbach now has in -his possession the old original patent which was issued to his father and was signed by Martin Van Buren, then president of the United States. The father opened up and developed the farm, being one of the first settlers of his locality. Not a furrow had been turned in the fields, but soon the track of the shining plow was manifest and the labor of sowing the seed and cultivating the crops was carried on until rich harvests were garnered. He continued in business as an active farmer until his later years and continued to reside upon the old homestead property until his death, which occurred in 1885, when he was eighty- three years of age. He had survived his wife for some time, her death having occurred in 1869, and they were laid to rest in the Brumbach cemetery.

Elton Brumbach, whose name introduces this review, spent his youth under the parental roof and attended the common schools. He remained with his father until the latter's death and cared for him in his declining years. He was early trained to habits of industry, enterprise and economy and the lessons which he thus learned in youth have borne rich fruit in later years in his active business career. As he grew in years and strength he more and more largely relieved his father of the work of the farm and for many years has managed the old homestead.

As a companion and helpmate for life's jour- ney Mr. Brumbach chose Miss Cordelia S. Cates, to whom he was married in Rutland township on the 3d of January, 1867. She was born in Van Buren county, Michigan, but was reared in La Salle county and is a daughter of Sirruden S. Cates. Mr. and Mrs. Brumbach commenced their domestic life upon the farm which he still owns. He erected a large residence there, also good barns and other outbuildings. He fenced and tiled the place, dug a deep well and put in a wind pump. He has made many other per- manent and substantial improvements, trans- forming the farm into a model property and continued to reside thereon until 1901, when he purchased his residence in Marseilles and took up his abode in the town but continued to give his time and attention to his farming interests and kindred business. In connection with the development of his land he also raises and feeds stock and this proves an important source of income.

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.

History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 85

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