USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > History of Macoupin County, Illinois : biographical and pictorial, Volume II > Part 44
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It was while he was teaching in Carlinville that Mr. Riemeier met Miss Emma Balke, who became his wife on the 21st of October, 1883. Mrs. Rie- meier was born in Carlinville on the 10th of April, 1859, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Balke, natives of Germany. The parents were among the pio- neer settlers of Macoupin county, where they spent the remainder of their lives. The mother passed away in 1865, while still in her early womanhood, but the father was about fifty at the time of his demise. Two children were born of their union, Ferdinand, who died when about twenty-two; and Emma, now Mrs. Riemeier.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Riemeier there were born three daughters: Laura, Hulda and Selma. The eldest daughter, Laura, passed away on the 17th of January, 19II, at the age of twenty-five years. She was a very beautiful character, pos-
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sessing a bright mind and a kindly, helpful nature, and had been of almost in- valuable assistance to her father in his work. An excellent student, after com- pleting the course of the parochial school in St. Louis, she entered the Madison school in that city, from which she was graduated with honors in the class of 1899. Six years ago she undertook to teach the parochial school of Carlin- ville, with which she was connected up to the time of her demise, having met with most excellent success. Miss Riemeier was also a musician of more than average ability and for some years past had been the organist of St. Paul's. Hulda, the second daughter, is still at home and has taken her sister's place as organist of the church. Selma, the youngest member of the family, passed away at the age of three years.
Broad minded and liberal in his views, lenient in his judgments and chari- table in his criticism, Mr. Riemeier has greatly endeared himself to the people of Carlinville. He has always taken an active and helpful interest in all com- munity affairs, lending his aid wherever needed to lift the standard of thought and living, and cooperating in every way possible in promoting every move- ment tended to advance the spiritual, moral or intellectual welfare of the citizens.
FRED G. OELTJEN.
One of the influential citizens of Carlinville, who has been a prominent fac- tor in the political and business circles of the county is Fred G. Oeltjen. He is a native of Oldenburg, Germany, his birth having there occurred on the 6th of October, 1852, being a son of R. G. and Taletta (Rogge) Oeltjen. The parents emigrated to the United States with their family in 1867, locating on a farm in Carlinville, Macoupin county. The cultivation of this property en- gaged the energies of Mr. Oeltjen until twelve or fourteen years prior to his demise when he retired to Carlinville, where he was residing when he passed away in April, 1892, at the age of seventy-one. His wife survived until the 7th of October, 1900, her demise occurring at the age of eighty. Both were earnest members of the Lutheran church. To Mr. and Mrs. Oeltjen there were born seven children : Albert F., who is a resident of Chicago; Fred G., our subject; Reinhard E., who is living in Petersburg, Illinois; Gesine, the widow of Henry W. Frewert, of Petersburg; Emma, who married Gustav Kasten, of Carlinville; Meta, the wife of Benjamin Bulcar, of Monticello, Iowa; and Mary, the wife of Albert Loehr, of Carlinville.
Fred G. Oeltjen was a youth of fifteen years when he emigrated to the United States with his parents, since which he has always made his home in Carlinville. He acquired a very good common-school education in his native country, this being supplemented upon his arrival here by a course in Blackburn University, upon the completion of which he taught for a time. Later he en- tered public life and served for six or seven years as township clerk, while in 1894 he was the successful candidate for the office of county clerk. After the expiration of his term of office he opened a real estate and loan office, which he has ever since maintained. Mr. Oeltjen also devotes considerable time to
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literary pursuits, being a contributor to various newspapers, and a stockholder of the Mount Olive Teutonia, a German weekly paper. In 1883 he was awarded a prize of fifty dollars for the best humorous article in German dialect, sub- mitted in a contest.
On the 21st of May, 1906, Mr. Oeltjen was united in marriage to Mrs. Nora Gerhart, the widow of George Gerhart and a daughter of Thomas and Christina (Cowell) Jones. Mrs. Oeltjen was born in Carlinville, her father also being a native of Illinois, but her mother was born in England, the maternal grandparents being among the early settlers of Macoupin county. Mr. Jones passed away in Kansas in 1880, at the age of thirty-seven years, but the mother still survives and continues to make her home in Carlinville. Of the three chil- dren born unto Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Oeltjen is the eldest, the other two being Maggie, the wife of Charles Hankins; and Charles. To Mr. and Mrs. Oeltjen has been born one daughter, an interesting little maid of three years.
They attend the Lutheran church and politically Mr. Oeltjen is an ardent republican, being one of the leaders of his party in this county. He always takes an active part not only in all municipal and county affairs but in state and national campaigns. His business enterprises have proven very successful and in addition to several buildings and other pieces of property in the city he owns a fine sixty acre farm four miles east of Carlinville. Endowed with a pleasing personality and genial manner Mr. Oeltjen wins many friends, whose loyalty he has the faculty of retaining and is one of the most popular men not only in his immediate community but in the county, where he is held in high esteem.
ENOCH PERRINE.
Enoch Perrine, a prosperous farmer of Nilwood township and also head of a promising family, is a native of Montgomery county, Illinois, born October 10, 1864. He is a son of Enoch and Elizabeth (Reno) Perrine, the former of whom was born in New Jersey and the latter in Kentucky, being also a grand- son of Ezekiel Perrine, of New Jersey, and Thomas Reno, of Kentucky. The father came to Macoupin county with his family, in 1866, and located in Nil- wood township. He applied himself to agriculture and stock-raising for nearly forty years in this county, becoming one of its well known and highly respected citizens. Politically, he gave his support to the republican party but not through any desire to hold public office although he served with general acceptance as highway commissioner of the township. He died at the home place, in 1905. He was not identified with any religious denomination but his wife was an earnest member of the Church of the Brethren. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Perrine were three children: Enoch, of this review; James, who makes his home in Nilwood township; and Rose, who married R. Loveless, of Mont- gomery county.
At the age of two years, Enoch Perrine was brought by his parents to Macoupin county and his earliest recollections are connected with this section. He received his preliminary education in the district schools and continued at
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home, assisting his father in work upon the home farm, for one year after arriving at maturity. In 1888, he began farming on his own account in the eastern part of Nilwood township and five years later moved to Montgomery county where he continued in the same vocation. In 1905, he returned to Nil- wood township, where he has since made his home. He owes his success to habits of industry acquired in youth and maintained through maturer years. He is a wide-awake and enterprising man and has acquired a competence for himself and family. His farm is in an excellent state of cultivation, everything about the place indicating careful thought and good management.
On the Ist of March, 1888, Mr. Perrine was married in Nilwood township to Miss Winona Hall, a native of this township. She is a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Faulkner) Hall, the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in Illinois. Her grandfather upon the paternal side is Virgil Hall who is now living in Nilwood township. Mr. and Mrs. Perrine are the parents of seven children, namely: Virgil, Bertha, Coy, May, Mabel, Enoch and Maud Ellen, all of whom are living at home.
In political views Mr. Perrine is a democrat although he is very broad in his interpretation of party principles and often votes for candidates irrespective of political lines. He is a stanch adherent of education and has given his chil- dren every desirable advantage of training necessary for them to become honor- able and useful members of the community. His success has been gained through wisely directed energy and, as he aims to be governed by truth and justice in his relations with others, he has won the respect of all with whom he has busi- ness or social relations.
FERDINAND SCHAEFER.
'A representative citizen and business man of Carlinville is Ferdinand Schaefer, who was born in the province of Westphalia, Germany, on the 9th of July, 1863. His parents were William and Wilhelmina (Mueller) Schaefer, who spent their entire lives in the old country. The father, who was a brick manu- facturer in Bochum, Westphalia, passed away at the age of sixty-six years, but the mother survived for some time thereafter her demise occurring after she had passed the seventy-eighth anniversary of her birth. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer: Charles, William, Ferdinand, Anna, Wilhelmina, Fred- erick, Anthony, Louise and Marie. The parents were both communicants of the Roman Catholic church. The paternal grandfather, William Schaefer, was a jeweler, the mother's father, Charles Mueller, a merchant in Lemgo, Germany.
The first twenty-one years of his life Ferdinand Schaefer spent in his native country, where, after the completion of his early studies, he pursued a three- years college course. Having decided to adopt the trade of his paternal grand- father, he was then apprenticed to a watchmaker and jeweler. Upon the ex- piration of his period of service he decided to become a citizen of the United States, so crossing the Atlantic in April, 1884, he located in Carlinville. The first three years of his residence in this country he worked by the month as a
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farm hand, being entirely unfamiliar with either the language or customs of the country. Subsequent to his marriage in 1887 he rented a farm in Brushy Mound township toward the cultivation of which he directed his energies for five years. His agricultural pursuits proved successful and lucrative, and in 1891 he removed to Carlinville where he engaged in the jewelry business, opening his store on the 2Ist day of September. Mr. Schaefer possesses all of the thrift, energy and tenacity of purpose which characterize his countrymen and despite the many ob- stacles and disadvantages under which he worked during the early years of his residence in this country has met with success. He has a fine store, containing a large and well selected stock, and is enjoying an excellent patronage.
On the 19th of January, 1887, Mr. Schaefer was united in marriage to Miss Pauline Calkum, one of the eight children of Henry and Augusta (Noterman) Calkum, who spent their entire lives in Germany. Mrs. Schaefer is also a native of Westphalia, whence she emigrated to the United States in the spring of 1884. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer there have been born ten children : Ferdinand, The- resa, William, Bertha, Harriet, Josephine, Laura, John and two who died in in- fancy. Ferdinand, the eldest member of the family, is in the store with his father, while the three daughters, Theresa, Bertha and Harriet are teaching school.
Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer are communicants of the German Catholic church, in which they have reared their family. Fraternally he is identified with the Mod- ern Woodmen of America and politically he is a democrat. Mr. Schaefer is highly esteemed as both a business man and citizen, his success being recognized as the highly merited reward of unremitting energy and determination of pur- pose. He arrived in this country practically empty handed and without either influence or assistance has attained an enviable position in the business circles of Carlinville, where both he and his family are held in high esteem.
C. L. DAVIDSON.
Some men are born for a commercial life while others are inclined irresisti- bly to a professional career. Experience has demonstrated that it is highly im- portant for an individual to follow the pursuit in which he is most interested- the one to which his talents and inclination instinctively point-and it was for- tunate for C. L. Davidson, of Virden, that he yielded to his early inclination and became a dealer in horses, as he has proved unusually successful in that line. He is a native of Macoupin county, born in the town of Macoupin, November 21, 1859, a son of Isaac and Ann (Beeman) Davidson, both of whom were born in Illinois. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Davidson were nine children, three of whom died in infancy, the others being: Lewis, a resident of Hillsboro, Illi- nois; Sylvester, who is now living in Jersey county; C. L., of this review ; Ells- worth, who was killed in a feud between cattle and sheep men in New Mexico; Nettie, the wife of Henry Whitler, of Macoupin county ; and Arthur, who is liv- ing in Canada.
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Mr. Davidson of this sketch was educated in the public schools and even as a boy was especially interested in horses. He began his active business career as a stock dealer and has ever since continued buying, selling and trading horses. There are few men in Illinois who can claim better judgment as to the value of horses. He has been highly successful in his chosen vocation and ranks among the intelligent and reliable dealers of the state. He is also interested in farming and has owned land in Macoupin county, and is now the owner of seven hundred and fifty acres in Missouri.
On March 29, 1898, Mr. Davidson was married to Miss Hattie Evans, a daughter of William and Louisiana ( Noble) Evans, the former a native of Penn- sylvania and the latter of Mississippi. Mr. Evans was one of the pioneers of Illinois and his father built the third cabin that was erected where the city of Alton now stands. In his family were eight children, namely : Isabelle, who mar- ried Clifford Rowland, of Montgomery county; Henry, deceased; Martha, the wife of James Kidd, of Virden; Mary, who is now living in St. Louis and is the widow of Joseph Baird; Albert, of Montgomery county; William, deceased ; Benjamin, who makes his home at Virden; and Hattie, now Mrs. C. L. Davidson. Mr. and Mrs. Davidson are the parents of six children : Mildred, who was born January 20, 1899, and died August 30, 1903; Chester E., born December 13, 1900; Isabelle N., born December 22, 1902; George M., who was born April 29, 1905, and died April 5, 1906; Cynthia L., born February 5, 1907; and Clifford L., born January 30, 1910.
Mr. Davidson is a second cousin of Hon. William J. Bryan but notwith- standing his relationship to the noted democratic leader he is an earnest sup- porter of the principles and candidates of the republican party. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Neighbors. He is a man of large and varied experience and, beginning upon his own account, has developed a business that has brought him a comfortable competence. His affairs have at all times been conducted according to the strictest business ethics. Helpfulness toward others is one of his marked characteristics and many have been benefited by his generous spirit and kindly disposition. Such a man never lacks friends and it is highly to his credit that he posseses the confidence and regard of all with whom he has had business or social relations.
CHARLES S. AMBROSE, M. D.
A successful member of the medical fraternity of Macoupin county is Dr. Charles S. Ambrose, who seven years ago located in Mount Olive, where he has ever since engaged in general practice. He is a native of Topeka, Kansas, his birth having occurred on the 8th of September, 1877. His parents are John W. and Flora (Hawes) Ambrose, the father a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of Wisconsin. In his early manhood the father moved to Kansas and there he met the mother who as a child had come there with her parents. Agricultural pur- suits engaged the attention of Mr. Ambrose until ten years ago since which time he has been living retired. He and his wife now reside in Republic, Kansas, he
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having attained the age of sixty-six and she of sixty-two. Politically Mr. Am- brose is a republican but has never been an office seeker. Fraternally he is affil- iated with the Masonic order and the Knights of Pythias, while Mrs. Am- brose is a devout member of the United Brethren church. They are both influ- ential in their community, their efforts ever being exerted on the side of good.
Dr. Charles S. Ambrose spent his boyhood and youth on the Kansas farm where he was born, attending the common schools in the acquirement of prelim- inary education which was completed in the high school at Republic, where he was graduated in 1894. In the ensuing autumn he went to the State Normal school at Emporia, Kansas, remaining for one year. Returning home at the expiration of that period he accepted a clerkship in a mercantile establishment remaining until 1900. In the mean time having decided to adopt the profession of medicine for his life vocation he went to St. Louis, entering the office of Dr. Waldo Briggs, to do some preliminary studying. He subsequently entered the College of Physi- cians & Surgeons, St. Louis, from which institution he was graduated with the class of 1904. Immediately thereafter he came to Mount Olive, where he has ever since been located. A pleasing personality, keen judgment and excellent mental qualities have well endowed Dr. Ambrose for the profession he has chosen to adopt. He is meeting with most excellent success and during the seven years he has been engaged in professional work in Mount Olive has succeeded in building up an extensive practice.
In March, 1905, Dr. Ambrose was united in marriage to Miss Jessie Goodwin, a daughter of the Rev. W. C. Goodwin, a Methodist minister, of Moline, Kansas. To them were born two children, a son and a daughter : Carl and Eileen.
Dr. Ambrose is a member of the Masonic fraternity, being affiliated with Staunton Lodge, No. 177, A. F. & A. M .; Litchfield Chapter, No. 120, R. A. M .; and St. Omar Commandery, K. T., at Litchfield. He also belongs to the Bene- volent and Protective Order of Elks, being identified with Litchfield Lodge, No. 654, while he maintains relations with his fellow practitioners through the medium of his membership in the Macoupin County Medical society, the Illinois State and the American Medical associations. Mrs. Ambrose is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and the Order of the Eastern Star of Staunton. His political support he gives to the democratic party, but he has never prominently participated in political affairs, preferring to devote his entire attention to his professional duties, which are performed with a rare sense of conscientious obligation.
PROFESSOR CHARLES ROBERTSON.
A prominent and influential citizen of Carlinville, whose energies have always been devoted to educational, scholarly and literary pursuits is Professor Charles Robertson. His birth occurred here on the 12th of June, 1858, his parents being William A. and Nancy, commonly called Nannette, (Holliday) Robertson, the father a native of Virginia and the mother of Cincinnati. William A. Robertson was born in Liberty, Bedford county, Virginia, on the 27th of October, 1803, the eldest son of Dr. William Robertson, who was a practicing physician in Vir-
CHARLES ROBERTSON
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ginia, whence he removed to Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1803. From there he went to Lexington, Kentucky, but later settled in Harrodsburg, that state, where he engaged in the practice of his profession during the remainder of his life. He married a Miss Burton and to them were born the following children: William A., the father of our subject; Archie ; Robert ; Mary, the wife of Lawson Moore ; and Harriet, who became Mrs. Messick.
The preliminary education of William A. Robertson was obtained in the New London Academy in Virginia. Later he studied medicine with his father, fol- lowing which he took a course of lectures in a medical college at Lexington, Kentucky. Subsequent to his marriage he came to Illinois, settling in Edwards- ville in 1830, and from there he went to Alton, where he engaged in the prac- tice of medicine for a time, subsequently devoting his energies to farming. In 1835 he came to Carlinville and ten years later he embarked in the general mer- cantile business, which he carried on for some years. He had absolute confidence in the agricultural future of the state and invested his money in land, which he sold at a good advance. The proceeds realized from the transaction were used to purchase large tracts of cheap land, that he later disposed of at a good profit, thus keeping his money in constant circulation. This proved to be very lucrative and enabled him to acquire considerable wealth. Dr. Robertson was twice married, his first union being with Miss Ellen Clark, a native of Kentucky, whom he wedded in 1829. She passed away soon after they located in Carlinville, and on the 18th of October, 1844, Dr. Robertson was united in marriage to Miss Nancy H. Holli- day. Mrs. Robertson was born in the vicinity of Scottsville, Allen county, Ken- tucky, on the 14th of November, 1821, a daughter of the Rev. Charles and Sarah (Watkins) Holliday. Her father was educated for a Presbyterian minister but later in life he united with the Methodist denomination. He was one of the pioneer ministers of Macoupin county and was for some time located at Chester- field, Illinois, where he and his wife passed away. They were the parents of two children, the daughter Nannette, who became Mrs. Robertson ; and a son, George. Mr. Holliday had been previously married, however, and by that union there were born several children, among them being Mrs. Jane Cowden, Mrs. Alexander and Mrs. Newland. George Holliday, the son of the Rev. Charles, was at one time prominently identified with the public life of Macoupin county, being a member of the board of commissioners at the time the present courthouse was erected.
Unto Dr. and Mrs. Robertson there were born eight children, three of whom died in infancy. Those who attained maturity are as follows: Elizabeth, who was the wife of A. W. Edwards and died on the 12th of June, 1911 ; Ellen, the de- ceased wife of John Mayo Palmer ; William, also deceased; Annie, the wife of Senator F. W. Burton, of Carlinville ; and Charles, our subject.
Dr. Robertson withdrew from active business life in 1851, living retired from that time until his demise, which occurred in 1878, at the age of seventy-five years. He was a man of scholarly instincts and tastes and a lover of good litera- ture. His well stored mind, fine intellect and well trained habit of thought made him a most delightful companion, as he could intelligently converse on almost any subject. Although a firm believer in the Christian philosophy and its beneficial influence upon humanity, he was too liberal in his views to be conscientiously able
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to conform to the tenets of any church of his period. When first granted the right of franchise he supported the whig party, but in later life he cast his ballot - for such men and measures as he deemed adapted to best subserve the interests of the majority. He was one of the progressive and enterprising pioneers of the county, whose ideas and influence did much to mould the early history of the community in which he resided for so many years.
The hardships and privations of pioneer life in this section were practically over before the advent of Charles Robertson, whose boyhood and youth were passed amid the pleasant environment of a comfortable home. He entered the public schools of Carlinville at the usual age, remaining a student therein until his graduation, following which he pursued a course in Blackburn University. In 1880 he was called to the faculty of that institution, where for six years he taught botany and Greek. In the summer preceding the beginning of his duties he pur- sued a special course in botany at Harvard University, thus more ably qualifying himself to impart his knowledge on the subject to others. In 1888 he took a course in hymenoptera at the University of Illinois. Two years previously his alma mater had honored him by conferring upon him the degree of Master of Science. In 1897 he took the chair of biology in Blackburn University, which he retained for twelve years.
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