USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > History of Macoupin County, Illinois : biographical and pictorial, Volume II > Part 56
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FRANZ J. WELTE
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
In December, 1888, Mr. Welte established a home for himself in America by his marriage to Miss Caroline Reutel, a daughter of August and Caroline (Stull) Reutel. She is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, whence her parents removed to Troy, Illinois, where she was living at the time of her marriage. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Reutel; Elizabeth, the wife of John Schlich- ting ; Caroline, now Mrs. Welte; August ; Henry ; Mary, the wife of Fred Pohen- stiel ; and William. Mr. and Mrs. Welte have one son, Franz August, who mar- ried Elnora Dorothy Rathke. While still a resident of Germany, Mr. Welte mar- ried Miss Frieda Gauter, who died in the fatherland, and they also had one son, Martin, who is now a resident of Carlinville, as is his second son, Franz August.
Mr. and Mrs. Welte are members of the Lutheran church, and he votes the republican ticket. He has never taken a very active part in political affairs, however, although he meets the requirements of good citizenship by casting a ballot at each election. He is an industrious, enterprising man, whose thrift has enabled him to acquire a comfortable competence that relieves him of any appre- hensions as to his last years.
CHARLES WILLIAM YORK.
Charles William York, who for the past five years has lived retired in Car- linville, devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits throughout his active business career and is still the owner of two hundred acres of valuable land on sections 9 and 16, Honey Point township. His birth occurred in that township on the Ist of September, 1866, his parents being William and Mary (Wallace) York, who were natives of Tennessee and Illinois respectively. Joel York, the paternal grandfather, was a native of Tennessee and a farmer by occupation. He became a pioneer settler of Macoupin county, Illinois, and lived to attain a ripe old age. He married a Miss Jackson and unto them were born five sons and one daughter, namely: William C., Joseph, Wesley, Nimrod, James and Rebecca. The maternal grandparents of our subject, George W. and Rhoda (Powell) Wallace, had the following children : Robert, Jesse, Rebecca, Mary, Elizabeth and Sarah.
William York, the father of Charles W. York, followed farming throughout his entire business career and at the time of his demise owned two hundred and seventy acres of land in Honey Point township. He passed away on the 3d of September, 1873, while his wife was called to her final rest on the 3Ist of August of the same year. Mr. York held various township offices and at one time acted as deputy sheriff. Both he and his wife were Baptists in religious faith. Unto them were born nine children, four sons and five daughters. Two of the number grew to maturity, namely: Charles W., of this review; and Dru- cilla, the deceased wife of Daniel M. Hutton. Those deceased are Walter, Lloyd, Floyd, Flora, Dora, Laura and one who died in infancy.
Charles William York was reared on his father's farm in Honey Point town- ship and attended the district schools in the acquirement of an education, also spending two winters at the Bunker Hill Academy. On attaining his majority Vol. IT-28
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he took up his abode on a farm of eighty acres which he had inherited from his father, devoting his attention to its further cultivation and improvement until November, 1906. By purchasing an additional tract of one hundred and twenty acres he extended the boundaries of his place to include two hundred acres of land, which still remains in his possession. Five years ago he put aside the active work of the fields and bought his present home in Carlinville, also owning block 7 in the northeast part of the town.
On the 20th of October, 1887, Mr. York was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary E. Nimmons, a native of North Litchfield township, Montgomery county, Illi- nois, and a daughter of John and Maria (Aiken) Nimmons, who were born in County Tyrone, Ireland. Charles and Ann (Veahey) Nimmons, the paternal grandparents of Mrs. York, came to America from the Emerald isle and passed away on the home place of their son John in Montgomery county, Illinois. They had four sons and one daughter, namely: John, Charles, William, Wilson and Ellen. The maternal grandparents, James and Mary (Dickson) Aiken, died in Ireland. Unto them were born six sons and two daughters. The par- ents of Mrs. York emigrated to America and took up their abode on a farm in North Litchfield township, Montgomery county, Illinois, where John Nimmons owned four hundred and ninety-five acres of land. He crossed the plains in 1849 and followed gold mining for about four years. After returning to this state he resumed his farming interests, residing on the old home place until called to his final rest in 1903, when seventy-two years of age. His wife still survives him. Unto them were born eleven children, nine of whom grew to maturity, as follows: Mary E., John J., William H., Charles W., Robert T., Joseph E., Mabel E., Frank and George. Mr. and Mrs. York have three chil- dren : Mabel Clara, Ernest C. and John Oren.
Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. York has supported the men and measures of the democracy, believing firmly in the principles of that party. He served as supervisor for two terms and held the office of town clerk for a similar period. In the county where his entire life has been spent he is well and favorably known, and a host of friends are not only willing but eager to testify to his sterling worth.
CORNELIUS B. CHRISTOPHER.
An enterprising agriculturist of Chesterfield township and public-spirited citizen is Cornelius B. Christopher, who was born three miles northeast of Jer- seyville, Jersey county, Illinois, on the 4th of January, 1861. The Christophers were one of the pioneer families of Pennsylvania, from which state the great- great-grandfather of our subject went to the front during the Revolution, later casting his ballot for George Washington for president of the United States. His son John was born in the Keystone state in 1802, and was reared to man- hood on the old homestead. For his wife he chose Jane Hollenscheid, who was of Dutch extraction, and they subsequently removed to Somerset county, Ohio. There Mr. Christopher acquired a large tract of timber land, which he cleared,
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
but later removed to Jersey county, Illinois, where he rented land for two years, then bought one hundred and sixty acres. Disposing of this in 1874 he retired to a small farm in the vicinity of Jerseyville, where he died in 1881. Nine chil- dren were born by this union : Jacob, now a resident of Mitchell, Kansas; Mary, the widow of Isaac R. Ely, of Jerseyville; John, the father of our subject, who passed away on the 28th of August, 1892; Catherine, the deceased wife of Rich- ard Fisher, of Greenfield; James, who is living in Waverly, Illinois; Helen, the widow of William Anderson, of Denver, Colorado; Sarah, who married Henry White of Jerseyville; Adam, who is a resident of the same place; and Edward, who lives in Butler, Kansas.
John Christopher, the father of our subject, resided at home until his mar- riage to Miss Mary Elizabeth Baird, a daughter of James and Rebecca (Ely) Baird of Jerseyville. Her parents moved from New Jersey about 1846, locating at Jerseyville, this state, where the father bought some land that he cultivated until his death in 1849. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Christopher set- tled on a farm he owned in the vicinity of Jerseyville. Cultivating this land for four years he disposed of it and in 1862 the family removed to Sangamon county, near Virden, where he bought three hundred and twenty acres. They resided upon this tract until 1870 and then sold again and returned to Jersey- ville, remaining there engaging in agricultural pursuits until 1876. In the latter year they came to Macoupin county, locating near Medora, where he farmed until 1886, and then removed to Carleton, Nebraska. There he passed away
on the 28th of August, 1892, having but recently celebrated the sixtieth anni- versary of his birth, which occurred on the 9th of August, 1832, in Preble county, Ohio. His wife died October 7, 1908. In their family were five children : James B., who is a farmer of Carleton, Nebraska; Cornelius B., our subject ; John Henry, who is an engineer living at Des Moines, Iowa; Adam, who died in infancy; and Walter E., a lawyer of Thompson, Montana, who is also a state senator from his district.
Cornelius B. Christopher was reared on a farm and obtained his education in the common schools of Illinois. He qualified himself for agricultural pur- suits under the supervision of his father, whom he assisted in the cultivation of the home farm until he was twenty-two years of age. After his marriage he began for himself, farming part of the old Carter homestead as a renter. This place was located in Chesterfield township, north of Medora, where he resided for three years, then removed to Brighton, Illinois, where he also farmed as a renter. In 1901 he purchased forty acres of the Arthur C. Hartwell place on section 17, Chesterfield township, and here he has ever since continuously resided. In connection with his own holdings Mr. Christopher cultivates two hundred acres of rented land. He is a man of progressive ideas and methods and has met with a goodly measure of success in his agricultural pursuits. He takes much pride in his homestead, which presents an extremely attractive ap- pearance to the passerby. The buildings, all substantially constructed and well kept, stand back a short distance from the road with a neat and carefully tended lawn in front.
On the 5th of December, 1882, Mr. Christopher was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Percival, a daughter of Carl and Mary Frances (Emery) Percival.
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
Her parents were from New Hampshire, whence they removed in 1856 to Ma- coupin county, locating in the vicinity of Brighton, where he passed away March 16, 1894. To Mr. and Mrs. Christopher two sons have been born: Earl Carl, who married Merle Ruyle, now farming near Carleton, Nebraska; and Irvin Lester, who married Verna Rhine and is now living at home with his father.
His political allegiance Mr. Christopher gives to the republican party, but he has never prominently figured in township governmental affairs. He takes a very active and helpful interest in all community matters, striving to uplift the standards of citizenship by giving his support and endorsement to every progressive movement inaugurated.
LOUIS SIMMERING.
The hardware interests of Mount Olive find a very capable representative in Louis Simmering, one of the town's enterprising business men and public- spirited citizens. He is a native of Germany, his birth havng occurred on Christ- mas day, 1848, and a son of Frank and Dinah (Deickmann) Simmering, natives of Hanover, Germany. The parents spent their entire lives in the land of their birth, where the father held a government position, being the tax collector in his district.
The boyhood and youth of Louis Simmering were spent in his native land, where he obtained his education and later learned the blacksmith's trade. In 1868 he took passage for the United States, landing in New York city with a capital of eight dollars. He came directly to Illinois, spending the first two months of his residence in the state in Montgomery county, whence he came to Mount Olive, where he has lived continuously for forty-three years. After locating here he went to work at his trade, which he followed as a journeyman for eight years, then established a shop of his own. He continued to operate this place until 1897, when he recognized the excellent opening afforded here for a hardware store, so withdrawing from the shop he opened a store in the building adjoining the one he now occupies. As he increased his stock to meet the demands of a rapidly growing patronage he was forced to seek more com- modious quarters so removed to his present stand, one door east of his old place, in 1903. Mr. Simmering has always been one of the progressive citizens, ever taking an active and helpful interest in all community affairs, and it is very largely due to his enthusiastic cooperation that it was found possible to organize the Mount Olive Cold Storage, Ice & Fuel Company in 1907. He was at that time appointed president of the company, and has ever since most efficiently served in this capacity.
In 1876 Mr. Simmering's plans for a home of his own had their consumma- tion in his marriage to Miss Catherine Schwing, a native of Canada of German extraction. Mrs. Simmering's parents were both natives of the fatherland, whence they emigrated to America and located in Canada, coming to Macoupin county in 1869. Eleven children were born to them, eight of whom survive: Mary, the wife of Fred Proel, of Chicago; Otto, who works for his father;
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
Hermina, the wife of William Haxhold, of St. Louis, Missouri; Emma, the wife of Fred Meyer, of Mount Olive; and Elmer, Frieda, Edwin and Esther, all of whom are at home.
They are all members of the Evangelical Lutheran church, of which Mr. Simmering is an elder. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party, and he has always taken an active part in all municipal affairs. He has served as township trustee, while for two terms he was mayor of Mount Olive, and he was at one time president of the council. Although he is a most active business man and has many demands made upon his time by his various personal interests, he has always found ample opportunity to meet all the requirements of good citizenship, by giving his aid to forwarding every progressive movement intro- duced in the community.
GEORGE LINCOLN TIPTON.
Among the self-educated men of affairs of Macoupin county, who availed themselves of the wonderful opportunities afforded in America to all who have the patience, industry and perseverance to seek them, must be mentioned George Lincoln Tipton, who became self-supporting at the age of twelve years.
He was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, on the 22d of June, 1857, and is a son of John P. and Jane (Moore) Tipton, the father a native of Tennessee and the mother of Illinois. His elementary education was acquired in the day sessions of the schools of Springfield, until he began his career as a bootblack and newsboy in 1869, following which he went to night school. He was an am- bitious and industrious youth and aspired to make something of himself. Early recognizing that in order to accomplish this it was necessary to know how to do something that afforded opportunities of promotion, he apprenticed himself to the printer's trade in 1870. His days were devoted to the mastery of the craft in the office of the Illinois State Register, while in the evenings he worked in a lunch room, where often times his duties were very taxing after the long arduous hours of the day. He made rapid advance and in 1875 undertook the publication of a paper for the Greenback party of Sangamon county. Three years later he became associated with Wilson Stuve and together they came to Girard where in 1879 they established the office of the Gazette. Before the end of the year Mr. Tipton had acquired his partner's interest in the paper of which he was sole proprietor until 1905, when he turned the management of the publication over to his son, Fred L. Tipton. Without question the fact of his having to make his own way from boyhood had much to do with the development of those qualities which made of Mr. Tipton the fine business man he has proven himself to be. He possesses the determination of purpose that ever goads him on to renewed effort despite the apparent likelihood of failure ; his confidence in his own powers bringing him the success he seeks. His paper flourished, and he became inter- ested in various other enterprises in the village. He established an electric light- ing plant, which he controlled for seven years, and then sold to the municipality. He was also financially interested in the John C. Beeby Furniture Company for
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
years, and he has been with the Mutual Protective League, a fraternal insurance company, since 1897, four years of which time he was a director, while he has been supreme treasurer since 1901.
In Girard on the 19th of December, 1883, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Tipton and Miss Alice M. Beeby, a daughter of John C. and Catherine (Howeston) Beeby, the father a native of England and the mother of Illinois. There are two children living, Fred L. Tipton and Howeston M.
The religious views of the family coincide with those of the Universalist church with which they are affiliated, Mr. Tipton being moderator at the pres- ent time. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, being a member of Girard Lodge, No. 171, A. F. & A. M., also of Girard Lodge, No. 132, R. A. M .; the Modern Woodmen of America; Knights of Pythias; Mutual Protective League, being supreme treasurer of the Supreme Council; and the Order of the Eastern Star. He maintains very pleasant connections with the press of the state through the medium of his membership in the Illinois Press Association. His political allegiance Mr. Tipton has ever given to the republican party, whose measures and candidates his paper always valiantly supported. He has been called to different positions of public trust, having served as justice of the peace for four years and supervisor of the township for two. In 1904 he was the successful candidate for circuit clerk, which position he retained for one term, being the first republican circuit clerk of Macoupin county. Under Joseph Pfeffer he was public guardian of Macoupin county and assistant state printer's expert under Governor Yates. His incumbency of any office has been marked by efficiency and a rigid and conscientious adherence to the policy and principles of the party he represented. Mr. Tipton is now living practically retired, enjoy- ing the ease and comfort made possible by the constant and unremitting labor of his younger years.
FRED LINCOLN TIPTON.
Fred Lincoln Tipton, manager of the Girard Gazette, was born in this village on the 2d of October, 1886, and is the son of George Lincoln Tipton, a native of Illinois.
His preliminary education was acquired in the public schools of Girard and after the completion of their course, he entered Lombard College, Galesburg, Illinois, being graduated with the class of 1905. Returning home he was made manager of the Girard Gazette, then owned by his father, who founded the paper twenty-six years previously. Mr. Tipton was only eighteen years of age when he undertook the responsibilities connected with the publication of this journal, being the youngest editor and proprietor of a paper in the United States. He has maintained the policy established by his father and is editing a clean, wholesome sheet, progressive as to ideas and upright as to principle.
Mr. Tipton was married in Springfield, Illinois, on the 2d of June, 1909, to Miss Golden May Gifford, also a native of the state, and a daughter of Amasa
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and Jane (Marsh) Gifford, the father originally from New York and the mother from New Jersey.
Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic lodge, being a deacon of the local organization and he is also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and the Eastern Star. While in college he joined the Phi Delta Theta and is a member of the Illinois Zeta chapter. He is a republican but has always been too deeply engrossed in his business to be an aspirant to public office. Mr. Tipton is an enterprising young man, possessing the ability and assurance to enable him to make a success of the work he has undertaken.
WILLIAM H. JENKINS.
One of the most extensive landowners and successful agriculturists of Ma- coupin county is William H. Jenkins, whose homestead is located in North Otter township. Born in Bullitt county, Kentucky, on the 8th of July, 1851, he is the eldest child born to Nicholas and Harcalana (Connell) Jenkins. The father was a native of Kentucky and the mother of Mississippi, but she was reared in the Blue Grass state and there she was also married. They had ten children, those beside our subject being: Isaac, Robert and Lucy, all of whom are deceased ; Annie, the wife of W. Lovell, of Morgan county ; Jane, who is deceased; Charles and Alice, who were twins, the former a resident of Carlinville, and the latter deceased; Lorraine, the wife of John Evans, of Arkansas; and Eliza, the de- ceased wife of John Fulmiller, of Sangamon county.
William H. Jenkins obtained his early education in the common schools after which he entered Blackburn University. When he attained his majority he en- gaged in agricultural pursuits on his own account, renting land from his father. Subsequent to his marriage he purchased sixty acres of land upon which he erected a residence and made other improvements, adding to his holdings at divers times until he owned one hundred and forty acres. Later he disposed of this property and purchased some land adjoining his wife's property, their joint holdings aggregating four hundred and twenty-four acres. Upon this land he has erected a brick residence and made other modern improvements, until it is now one of the most attractive. as well as valuable, properties in the township. His holdings are located on sections 29, 30 and 32 of North Otter township. and section 23 of South Otter township. Here he engages in general farming in connection with which he also raises stock.
On the 15th of July, 1875, Mr. Jenkins married Miss Charity Ellen Hayes, a daughter of Aaron and Sina (Chapman) Hayes. She is one of a family of five children, the others being: John, now deceased; Stewart, who is living in Ma- coupin county ; Jane, the wife of John W. Goode, of this county ; and Emma, the deceased wife of E. Parks, also of Macoupin county. To Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins have been born eleven children: Arthur, who died in infancy; Della, now the wife of Oliver Conlee, of this county; Osa, the wife of George Lomelino, of Macoupin county : Oscar, deceased; Ray, the wife of James Hamner ; Rhoda,
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the wife of Arthur Hammonds; Charles, deceased; twins who died in infancy; and two others who died in infancy.
Although believers in the Bible, Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins are not members of any church but give their support to the moral progress of the community. In politics Mr. Jenkins is a democrat but has never sought official honors, pre- ferring to give his undivided attention to his business interests and his home.
GRANVILLE GILES RENO.
One of Shipman township's well known citizens, who has long been success- fully identified with stock-raising and agricultural pursuits, is Granville Giles Reno. He was born on his father's homestead, a portion of which is now in- cluded in his own farm, on the 3d of February, 1855, and is a son of the late William S. and Martha (Haycraft) Reno.
The Reno family is of French extraction, the name originally having been spelled Renault, and numbers among its members some of America's famous citizens. A great uncle of our subject, Philip Reno, was a captain in the Rev- utionary war and was awarded a grant of one thousand acres of land for his services. This tract embraced the present site of the city of Peoria, Illinois. General Reno, who was killed at the battle of Antietam during the Civil war, was also a distant relative. William S. Reno, whose birth occurred in Bourbon county, Kentucky, on the 10th of November, 1810, was a son of Charles and Lucy (Smith) Reno. The father, who was a planter originally came from Hardin county, Kentucky, whence he removed to Bourbon, locating on a large estate where his son William S. was born and reared. When old enough to begin his business career, the latter operated a tannery and at one time he also owned a distillery. About 1844 he came to Illinois, locating in the vicinity of Medora, where he bought a farm that he cultivated during the remainder of his life. Before leaving the Blue Grass state he was united in marriage to Miss Haycraft, who was a native of Hardin county, that state, her birth having oc- curred on the 29th of September, 1815. Mrs. Reno was a daughter of the Rev James and Frances (Van Metre) Haycraft, who were the parents of nine chil- dren. In the paternal line the family was of English extraction, but the mother was of Dutch descent as the name would suggest. The Rev. James Haycraft removed from Kentucky with his family about 1832. Mr. and Mrs. Reno's family consisted of six children : Bluford, who passed away at Medora at the age of seventy-six years; Lucy, the deceased wife of Madison Darr; Samuel, who was living in Cherokee county, Kansas, when he died; Mary Elizabeth, the widow of William Forwood, of Springfield, Illinois; James William, who is living near Medora, Illinois ; and Granville G., our subject.
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