USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > History of Macoupin County, Illinois : biographical and pictorial, Volume II > Part 32
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sides at Atwater and is the widow of William H. Banning; James, a hotelkeeper of Guymon, Oklahoma; Thomas, deceased; Jerry, a ranchman of Hansford, Texas; Grace, the wife of Clyde W. Dunn, a painter of Barnett; Peter, who died in infancy; and Katie, who married Walter Otis Norvell, a rural delivery mail carrier of Barnett.
Mr. O'Donnell of this sketch attended district school No. 100 of Honey Point township and later was a student for one year in a college at Bushnell. He as- sisted his father upon the home farm until after arriving at maturity and was then married, continuing for twelve years longer to cultivate land belonging to his father. Six years ago he moved to the farm where he has since resided. For ten years past he has engaged in the stock business and is one of the largest stockmen of Honey Point township, making a specialty of buying and selling cattle, hogs and sheep. He also feeds stock extensively and makes use of all the grain and hay he raises upon his farm for this purpose. He ships sixty or seventy cars of stock yearly, St. Louis being his principal market, although he occasionally sends a car- load to Chicago.
On the 29th of November, 1894, Mr. O'Donnell was married to Miss Sadie Harlan, a daughter of G. B. and Sarah E. (Cowden) Harlan. The mother was born near Greenfield, Illinois, and the father in Barren county, Kentucky. He is of English-Irish descent, his ancestors on the paternal side having come to Amer- ica from England. In 1840, at the age of ten years, he arrived with his parents in Macoupin county and the family located at Carlinville. His father, Rev. L. L. Harlan, was a Methodist preacher and became a noted circuit rider of this region. G. B. Harlan was married to Sarah E. Cowden when he was nineteen years of age and engaged in farming in Chesterville township. A few years later he pur- chased a general store at Kemper, Jersey county, which he conducted for a num- ber of years, subsequently moving to Chesterfield where he followed the same line of business until his death, August 18, 1884. At the time of the Civil war he enlisted in the Union army at Alton but was obliged to retire from active service on account of ill health. The mother of Mrs. O'Donnell died at Chesterfield, December 9, 1904. There were eleven children in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Harlan: Emma, who is the wife of Charles Lyon, a farmer of Kemper, Jersey county ; William, Walter and Elizabeth, all of whom died in infancy ; Mary, who married William Kemper, a painter of St. Louis; Fannie, the wife of Charles Sanders, who is engaged in the poultry business at Medora, Illinois; Alice, who became the wife of Charles Barton, a brick manufacturer of Greenfield, Illinois ; Frank M., a telegraph operator of Chestnut, Montana; Susan, who married Theodore Davis, a farmer of Barnett; Sadie, now Mrs. John D. O'Donnell; and Georgie, who married Charles Howey, a railway switchman of Beardstown, Illinois. There are four children in the family of Mr. and Mrs. O'Donnell, namely : Frank K., who was born May 29, 1895; Thelma Claire, born September 8, 1897; Dorothy Jane, born June 10, 1900; and Florence Louise, born Decem- ber 17, 1905.
In politics Mr. O'Donnell adheres to the democratic party and as a patriotic citizen he takes an active interest in public affairs. He is now serving in his sixth year as a member of the school board of Honey Point township and for two years was township collector, also serving for seven years as treasurer of
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the township. He is not connected with any religious denomination but his wife and his daughter Thelma are consistent members of the Christian church of Barnett. Fraternally he is identified with the lodge of Modern Woodmen of America at Barnett and is now filling the office of venerable counselor of that organization. He also holds membership in the Mutual Protective League of Barnett and Litchfield Lodge No. 654, B. P. O. E., his father having also been a member of the Elks. He is a man of unusual energy and perseverance and generally succeeds in any undertaking to which he gives his attention. He is careful and considerate in his management of affairs and is respected not only for his business ability but for his generous social qualities.
THOMAS A. JONES.
Thomas A. Jones, president of the village board of Brighton and vice-presi- dent of the Betsy Ann Picnic Association, was born in Brighton township, April 20, 1854, and has been a lifelong resident of this section. He is a son of William and Cassandra Jones, the former of whom was born in Wales, May 14, 1817, and the latter in Tennessee. The father was the eldest in a family of six children and came to America with his parents in 1831. They spent two years in Dutchess county, New York, and then arrived in Illinois, taking up their residence at Alton. William Jones settled in Macoupin county in 1833 and was prominent as one of the pioneers of this county. In 1849 he joined a party of gold seekers and crossed the plains to California, returning the next year with four thousand dollars, which he invested in one hundred and sixty acres of land in Brighton township. He was a man of good business judgment and acquired more than one thousand acres in this region. He was married in 1851 to Miss Cassandra E. Brown, who died in 1864, leaving one son, Thomas A., the subject of this review. In 1870 Mr. Jones was again married, the lady of his choice being Miss Margaret Force, who was born at Dresden, Muskingum county, Ohio, and to this union there were born three children, Susan M., Vale F. and William. Mr. Jones was an earnest adherent of the democratic party and for many years served as justice of the peace. He died in 1892 and will long be remembered as one of the most efficient factors in the upbuilding of Macoupin county.
Thomas A. Jones acquired his preliminary education in the district schools, but he was ambitious to study the higher branches, believing that with good men- tal training he could better perform his part in the world. Accordingly, he con- tinued his studies at Blackburn College and the Illinois State University at Urbana. Returning home, he applied himself to agriculture and stock-raising under his father and in 1875 associated with the latter in the purchase of one hundred and sixty acres adjoining the home farm. He purchased his father's interest in this land in 1876 and made his home there during the next nineteen years. In 1895 he removed to Brighton and for thirteen years was actively con- nected with the lumber business, disposing of his interest to the Brighton Lum- ber Company. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Brighton and was elected a member of the board of directors, a position which he
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has ever since filled. Upon the organization of the Betsy Ann Picnic Association he was made vice-president and has served continuously in that capacity to the present time. He is also chief of the volunteer fire department of Brighton and takes great interest in everything pertaining to the advancement of the town.
In 1875 Mr. Jones was married to Miss Clara P. Clark, who was born in Brighton and who became the mother of two children: Oliver C., who was killed in 1904 in a collision upon the Big Four Railway, being an employe of that road ; and Raymond C., who is now serving as cashier of the First National Bank of Golden, Illinois. The mother of these children died in 1896 and in 1898 Mr. Jones was married at Brighton to Miss Belle Weld, who was born in New Hamp- shire.
In political faith Mr. Jones adheres to the democratic party. He served for several years as member of the school board and as highway commissioner while a resident of the township. With the exception of one year he has served as president of the village board at Brighton since 1898. He is a member of Hib- bard Lodge, No. 249, A. F. & A. M., and he and his wife are both charter mem- bers of the Order of the Eastern Star. He is also connected with Brighton Camp, No. 1688, M. W. A. He is not connected with any religious denomina'- tion, but is a liberal contributor to the Presbyterian church, in which his wife holds membership. He has been connected with the business interests of Ma- coupin county for over forty-five years and on account of his many admirable traits of character is recognized as one of its most useful citizens. Strictly honor- able in all his dealings, he merits the confidence in which he is held and deserves prominent mention in a work devoted to the history of a section where the family of which he is a member has been known for over three-quarters of a century.
FRANK J. ABERLE.
There is no project instituted for the advancement and upbuilding of Mount Olive which does not find a stanch advocate in Frank J. Aberle, one of the promi- nent citizens of this community. He is one of Illinois' native sons, his birth having occurred in O'Fallon, on the 16th of May, 1869. His parents, Joseph and , Elizabeth Aberle, were natives of Germany, and Louisiana respectively, and after their marriage they lived for some years at O'Fallon and at Freeburg, Illinois and then, in 1875, removed to Belleville. In 1887 they took up their abode in Mount Olive, where the father was killed in the mines in 1901. The mother still survives and is yet residing at Mount Olive.
Frank J. Aberle spent the period of his boyhood and youth in the home of his parents and acquired his education in the public schools of Belleville. As early as his fourteenth year he laid aside his text-books and entered the ranks of the wage-earners, becoming a clerk and helper in a grocery store in Belleville, where he was employed for about four years. He then went to Staunton and there accepted a position in the mines, being thus engaged at that place and also at Mount Olive for several years. In 1893 he severed his connection with min- ing interests and became a bartender in the saloon which he now owns. One
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year after accepting this position, he opened a bar of his own and for seventeen years has been connected with that line of activity in Mount Olive. Possessing excellent business ability and keen discrimination, he has prospered in such meas- ure during the intervening years that financially he ranks today among the sub- stantial and influential men of Mount Olive. His interests extend into other channels, also, and he is now secretary of the Mount Olive Ice, Cold Storage & Fuel Company and a stockholder in the Wire Reinforced Harness Manufacturing Company.
It was on the 19th of March, 1891, that Mr. Aberle was united in marriage to Miss Mamie Mitchell, of Mount Olive, and unto them have been born four children, as follows: Gertrude, residing at home, who graduated from the Mount Olive High School with the class of 1909 and who is now engaged in teaching music; Amelia, who died at an early age; Lena, a freshman in high school, who bears the proud record of having never missed a day nor been tardy a minute since she started to school; and Philomene, a pupil in the graded schools.
Fraternally Mr. Aberle belongs to the German Lodge, U. O. T. B., No. 86, of Mount Olive, and for fourteen years has served as treasurer of the lodge. He is a republican in politics and is a conspicuous figure in the party ranks here. In 1901 he was elected to the office of village clerk and has since held that office continuously. Preeminently a public-spirited man, he is always foremost in any movement pertaining to the welfare and advancement of the community, and occupies a prominent place among the leading representatives of Mount Olive, whose efforts have been potent forces in the development of this locality.
WILLIAM KLOCKE.
The kingdom of Prussia, Germany, has furnished to the American republic thousands of its best citizens and there is scarcely a community of importance in the United States in which natives of Prussia may not be found. William Klocke, a prominent and influential farmer of Gillespie township, is a native of Prussia. He was born April 17, 1846, and is a son of John H. and Mary (Heyman) Klocke, both of whom were born in the old country. The father died in his native land and in 1866 the mother with two of her children, William and Elizabeth, went aboard a vessel at Bremen and crossed the ocean to the new world, landing in New Orleans after a voyage of fourteen weeks in a slow-going sailing vessel. The travelers completed the journey to St. Louis in a steamer, being nine days on the trip. Henry Klocke, a brother of our subject, had ar- rived in America in 1840 and established himself in St. Louis. The mother and daughter took up their residence in his home.
William Klocke was a musician in his younger days and for several years served as a member of his brother's band in Germany. After arriving in St. Louis he became a member of John Frey's band, which consisted of fourteen pieces and was constantly employed during the summer months. He continued with this band for two years, in the meantime becoming acquainted with the language
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and customs of the country in which he decided to spend the remainder of his life. After giving up music as a profession he found employment at various occupations in St. Louis until 1876 when he came to Macoupin county and rented land in Mount Olive township. After twenty years as an agriculturist and stock-raiser he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Gillespie township upon which he has since lived. He has prospered in his business and is assured of a good income as his farm is one of the most productive of its size in the township. When he arrived in America he had no money and was in debt to his brother sixty dollars for part of his passage across the ocean, but he is now one of the substantial and representative citizens of Macoupin county.
On December 24, 1871, Mr. Klocke was married to Miss Henrietta Temme, who was born in the same neighborhood as himself in Prussia. They are the parents of nine children, seven of whom survive. William H. is a farmer of Gillespie township. Henry William is living with his parents on the home place. Ida married William Klekamp, of Montgomery county, Illinois. Anna is the wife of Fred Soller, of St. Louis, Missouri. Edward and August are also living at home. Louis is in charge of the office of the Superior Coal Com- pany, of Gillespie.
Mr. Klocke was baptized when a child in the Evangelical Lutheran church and has never departed from the teachings which he learned at his mother's knee. His wife and children are also identified with the same religious denomination. He cast his first ballot after arriving 'under the stars and stripes in behalf of the republican party and has seen no reason to change his political affiliation. A patriotic and liberty-loving man, his influence has ever been exerted in behalf of the principles of truth and integrity and his record reflects credit upon his family and honor upon his chosen country. He may truly be designated as among the fortunate ones whose names are recorded in this work.
SAMUEL W. DAVID.
Close application and energy have constituted the basic elements in the suc- cess of Samuel W. David, who is well known in Carlinville through his opera- tions in the real estate and insurance field. His worth as a business man and citizen is widely acknowledged in this city where for twenty-seven years he has made his home. He was born in Jersey county, Illinois, near Brighton, Novem- ber 16, 1849, and is a representative of an old family of Welsh descent. Owen David, born in the little rock-ribbed country of Wales, settled at Duck Creek in Delaware in the latter part of the seventeenth or the early part of the eight- eenth century. One of his sons was Enoch David, who was married four times, his fourth wife being Elizabeth Harrison, the daughter of John Harri- son, who was a cousin of William Henry Harrison, president of the United States. Enoch David died in November, 1793, and was laid to rest at Wood- bridgetown, Pennsylvania, where twenty-one years before had been interred the remains of his wife Elizabeth, who died April 13, 1772. His children were:
S. W. DAVID
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Sarah, born May 28, 1765; Daniel George Whitfield, February 10, 1768; and Owen, February 16, 1772.
Of this family Daniel George Whitfield David was the grandfather of Samuel W. David, of this review. He settled near Smithfield, Pennsylvania, where he followed the occupation of farming. He married Elizabeth Wells on the 29th of December, 1789, in Pennsylvania, and both passed away in that state, the latter June 20, 1823, and the former May 8, 1861, at the advanced age of ninety- three years. They had a large family of thirteen children, namely: Rebecca, born October 25, 1790; Enoch, October 14, 1792; Rachael, March 14, 1794; Penelope, April 11, 1796; William, March 3, 1798; Ebenezer, April 15, 1800; Jesse, February 22, 1802; Naomi, February 20, 1804; Isaac G., February 10, 1806; Samuel W., October 4, 1807; Maria, February 9, 1810; Bennoe, April 3, 1812, and Joseph M., April 22, 1816.
Jesse David, the seventh in order of birth in this family, was always a farmer and in 1835 came to Illinois, settling in Jersey county, southwest of Brighton. There he took up government land and in 1850 removed to the vicinity of Bunker Hill, where he passed away April 11, 1852. His family was reared in that locality and there resided until 1864. In early manhood he had wedded Bar- bara Pentzer. Both were natives of Pennsylvania and Mrs. David was a daugh- ter of George Pentzer, a Pennsylvania farmer, who was of German descent. Her death occurred in Lincoln, Illinois, August 29, 1879. Both Mr. and Mrs. Jesse David were consistent Christian people, holding membership in the Pres- byterian church. In their family were the following children: Ashbel G., who died in Carlinville in December, 1910; Jacob P., of Clay county, Illinois; George O., who during the Civil war was lost on the boat called The Queen of the West ; Jane, the widow of Charles Winans, now of Lincoln, Illinois; Lewis D., of Cam- eron, Missouri ; William I., who passed away in early manhood ; and Samuel W., of this review.
The last named was reared on his father's farm about two miles east of Bunker Hill and in his youthful days attended successively the district schools, the Bunker Hill Academy and the high school of Lincoln, Illinois, from which he was graduated. He then took a trip through the west, spending two years, after which he returned to Lincoln, where he learned the tinner's trade, which he followed for a number of years. Subsequently he engaged in the hardware business on his own account at Sullivan, Illinois, for two years, and then re- turned to Lincoln and clerked in the hardware store in which he had learned his trade. His next removal took him to South Dakota and he spent two years near Blunt, where he took up government land. His residence in Carlinville dates from 1884, when he formed a partnership with his brother, A. G. David, for the publica- tion of the Carlinville Democrat. For seventeen years they conducted the paper with great success and then sold out to the present proprietors. Since that time Samuel W. David has engaged in the real-estate and insurance business and has secured a large clientage by his straightforward business methods and unfalter- ing persistency of purpose.
Mr. David married Miss Hannah C. Fruit, of Bunker Hill, a daughter of Franklin and Elizabeth Fruit. She was born at Jefferson City, Missouri, May 31, 1849. Her parents removed from Missouri and settled near Bunker Hill,
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Illinois, where both died when well advanced in years. They were the parents of four children, Eliza, Sarah, Hannah and Benjamin. Mr. and Mrs. David be- came the parents of five children, namely : Frank E., a printer of Chicago, who married Cora Adams; Jesse G., an engineer operating in Chicago; Alice, at home; Roy, a twin brother of Alice, who died in infancy ; and Ralph, residing in California. The mother of these children died in Carlinville, October 7, 1894, in the faith of the Baptist church, of which she was a devoted member.
Mr. David belongs to the Presbyterian church and also to Mount Nebo Lodge, No. 76, A. F. & A. M., and Macoupin Chapter, No. 87, R. A. M., of both of which he is secretary. Politically he is a republican but has never been an office seeker, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs and the obligations which good citizenship and social relations impose.
FREDERICK W. HARTKE.
Although he arrived in America from a foreign land with only a few dollars in his pocket, Frederick W. Hartke, of Cahokia township, is now one of the wealthy men of Macoupin county. This great change was wrought through his faith in himself, his indomitable perseverance and an energy that has never flagged. His example has inspired many others to persevere in the face of great difficulties and his record is one to which his descendants may always point with pride. He is a native of Prussia, Germany, born April 15, 1843, a son of William and Minnie (Fronneman) Hartke, both of whom spent their entire lives in the old country. The father was a farmer and died after reaching the age of sixty years.
The son, Frederick W., was reared at home and attended the public schools in his boyhood. In the fall of 1863, being then a stalwart young man of twenty, he started for America and landed at the port of New York, traveling directly from that place to St. Louis, in the vicinity of which was living a married sister. When he arrived in the United States the great Civil war was in progress, and although one of his principal reasons for leaving Germany was to avoid military duty, he was anxious to enlist in support of his chosen country. His sister and brother-in-law, however, insisted that he should not do so and paid for a sub- stitute to take his place in the ranks. He lived for a year at the home of his sister and during this time took advantage of the opportunity to attend night school in order to become thoroughly acquainted with the English language. Nearly all the able-bodied men of the neighborhood had gone to the front and Mr. Hartke and an old man who was obliged to stay at home did the butchering for the neighborhood. In 1864 and 1865 he drove a dray on the levee at St. Louis and saw thousands of Confederate prisoners landed from the river steam- ers under charge of Union soldiers. In 1866 he came to Macoupin county to as- sist a brother-in-law upon a farm near Mount Olive, who had been injured in a runaway accident, and he continued with him for about five years. The Wabash Railway was then being built through this part of the state and he secured em- ployment on the construction gang. Later he engaged for a year in a mercantile
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establishment at Mount Olive and then returned to St. Louis and for four years was identified with the grocery business in that city. Believing that conditions were more favorable in Macoupin county, he once more took up his residence in this section and from that time his fortune was assured. He observed that the Mount Olive Coal Company was sinking a shaft and having faith in the suc- cess of the enterprise, he purchased a town lot in a cornfield and erected a build- ing which is now occupied by the Keiser-Nemeyer Mercantile Company and car- ried forward a mercantile business in his own name for six or eight years. In 1883, having acquired the necessary capital, he purchased the old Andy Cook farm of two hundred and ninety acres, in Cahokia township, upon which he took up his permanent residence. Subsequently he purchased more land and became the owner of more than a section in the county, but during recent years has given a portion of the land to his children, retaining three hundred and seventy-five acres for his own use. He is also an extensive land owner in the "Panhandle" of Texas.
In 1876 Mr. Hartke was married to Miss Minnie Kruse, of Mount Olive township, and they are the parents of eleven children, nine of whom survive, namely: William H., Henry J. and Louis G., all of whom are engaged in farm- ing in Cahokia township ; and August, Charles, Sophia, Emma, Minnie and Hulda, all of whom are at home.
Politically Mr. Hartke is in thorough sympathy with the republican party and has been a prominent factor in its behalf in this county. He served for several years as a member of the central committee and also as secretary of the school board. He and his family are actively identified with the Evangelical Lutheran church to which he is a liberal contributor. Since arriving in Macoupin county he has witnessed many improvements and has performed his share in bringing about the important changes which have made this section one of the most de- sirable places of residence in the state. He has shown rare judgment in his affairs and by his promptness and efficiency has won the honor and esteem of all classes of people.
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