USA > Illinois > Madison County > History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches > Part 104
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HELVETIA SCHUETZEN VEREIN-SHARPSHOOTERS,-1861.
Henry Hermann first presiding officer. This society is still in existence. Its rolls contain the names of 139 members, many of whom, however, have fired off their last cartridge, and now are awaiting the often mentioned horn of Gabriel to recall them to action. This society has done much to make Highland as attractive as it is now. A beautiful park, donated by Joseph and Solomon Koepfli to the society in trust, has been embellished at great expense, and has ever since 1863 been the favorite place of resort. Thousands have gathered there from almost every state of the Union to participate in the festivities by this society. List of names :-
HTv. Hermann.
Aug. Flecklies. John Faes-Ier.
J. Obeding.
(ieo. Ruegger.
Jno. Buchter.
C'has. Feickert.
M. Streiff.
Dr. R. Ilalter. Jac. Zimermann. P. Jacober.
Fritz Pagan, sr.
C. F. Kuhnen.
S. Kleiner.
B. A. Suppiger.
C. Schott.
A. Ott.
David Suppiger.
IIy. Riedlinger.
F. Schneider.
Jacob Weber, sr.
R. Baumann.
Dom. Wiget. C. Baer.
Martin Schott. Chas. Bosshard.
(en. Steinegger.
F. Kaemp/T.
IF. Streiff.
J. U. Kurth.
S. T. Mason.
J. Kammı.
Peter Voegeli.
J. F. Cooper.
O Schlegel.
Nic Voegeli.
Fly. Laengli.
Tho. Mengi.
Fr. Ileger.
J. II. Willimann. Tim. Grnaz. J. Spoeni.
Rud. Widmer.
Jae. Krutz.
B. Ilurlimann.
Sam. Blattner.
Ang. J. Pagan.
Dr. A. Felder.
Rud. Blattner.
B. Suppiger, sr.
John Menz.
Const. Rilliet.
F. Rychner.
Celestine Brossard.
Ad. Bandelier, Jr.
.A. Iloeufli.
.J. Hermann.
Louis Kinne.
Val. Krenzer.
Moritz Huegy.
Mich. Kaempff.
F. C. Ryhiner.
C'on. Meyer.
L. Englehorn.
F. Unger. J. F. Ackermann.
Bern. Durer. A. Bruckner.
J. Bachmann.
Jos. Koepfli.
Jno. Suppiger.
Ily. Mueller.
X. Suter. S. Koepfli.
J. F. Wachsmuth.
Rud. Duckhard.
J. Am-Ier.
An. Hammer.
Rob. Suppiger. M. Hofer.
J. G. Dumbeek.
Seb. Ilafter.
J. Grossenbacher.
John Ehrhard.
Jul. Lani.
J. Fischbach.
.J. C. Garbald.
B. E. Hoffmann.
J. P. Fries.
W'in. Schaeffer.
Ad. Bandelier, sr.
C'aspar Kamm.
Jacob Buehlmann.
J. Amsler.
D. Wild.
Rad. Bruner.
D. Weber.
J. Weber, Jr.
Aug. Iberg.
F. Senn.
Ily. Weinheimer.
1. Senn.
Ily. Gleyre.
F. Hegner.
Val. Kreuzer.
HIGHLAND TURN VEREIN-ORGANIZED MAY 1866.
This society has enjoyed the greatest popularity ever be- stowed upon an organization of the kind in the town. Do- nations have poured in from all sides, enabling the " Verein" .
to ereet a publie hall of fine architecture, large enough to comfortably seat 700 persons. The musical organizations of the day, theatrical troups, amateur or professional, poli- tieal meetings find accommodations in the building. We ap- pend an alphabetical list of the members-87-is added :
Adelmann Theo.,
Kinne Louis.
Ammann Jos. ('.,
Knoebel J. B.,
Appel Jac. M., Kubnen Chas. F., Lentwiller Sam,
Appel Louis,
Appel Louis J.,
Laon Dave,
Appel William,
Baer Erwin,
Bandelier Ad. Eug.,
Bandelier Ad. F.,
Mason Leroy,
Menz Jacob,
Blattner John,
Blattner Louis,
Boeschenstein C'has. sr.,
Boeschenstein Chas, jr.,
Boe-chenstein Edward
Bollmann Henry,
Bosshard Chas ,
Briner J. J.,
Buehlmann Jacob,
Raith Edw. J.,
Chipron P. C.,
Roth Geo.,
Christian Jacob,
Ruegger Adolph,
Debrunner Albert,
Ruegger Arnold,
Dumbeck George,
Ryhiner F. ('.,
Ernest Louis,
Schott C'hr.,
Freuler Fritz,
Schott M. J.,
Grantzow Louis,
Schott Otto,
Gruaz Tim.,
Siedler Robt.,
Gubler Frank,
Gnggenbuehler John,
Spindler J. J.,
Guggenbuehler Xavier,
Stamm M.,
Haller Ernost,
Stamm Adolph,
Hellmuth P. F.,
Stoecklin Arnold,
Hermann Emil,
Snppiger Chas. B.,
llermann John,
Suppiger David,
Hermann Robert,
Sul piger Leo.,
Hoerner Jno. S, ,
Suppiger Otto,
Iloffinann B. E.,
Todd Joseph,
Kamm Robt.,
Weber Dom.,
Kamın William,
Weber Fred. E.,
Keith James .A.,
Weber John,
Kempff Fritz,
Willi Jol.n,
Kinne Fritz,
Wildhaber Henry,
Kinne Emil,
Wiggenhanser John,
Zimmermann Jacob.
HARMONIE SINGING CLUB-ORGANIZED, DEC. 8, 1867.
First president, F. Kaeser.
Charter members : Jacob Weber, Samuel Weber, -Vogt, Jacob Morath, Fritz Kaeser, John Kaeser, Alfred Bosshard, Erwin Bosshard, Mi. Butikofer.
Additional members :- Jacob Menz, Fritz Frenler. Gott- lieb Huber, Jacob Frenler, Fritz Siegrist, JJ. J. Briner, John Moser, Christian Koch, Henry Hediger, and Casper Blum. Jacob Simons has been musical director since 1876.
Lovers of vocal music, after all the best ean be produced, must be delighted to hear this elub. The writer was fortu- nate enough to listen to some of their most beautiful pieces at a recent day, and takes pleasure to make mention of it in these pages.
HIGHLAND LODGE 583 A. F. AND A. MASONS-CHARTERED OCTOBER 6, 1868.
On the 11th of September, 1867, Jerome Gorin, Grand Master of Masons of the state of Illinois, granted a dispen- sation to Curtis Blakeman, Robert Ilalter, John B. Knoc- bel, G. Rutz, H. E. Todd, Robert Suppiger, H. M. Thorp,
Machtlen Jac.,
Manhart Louis,
Beck Athos,
Mever Ilenry,
Mill .r Jas. Il.,
Mueller Adolph,
Mueller Gustave,
Nohe J. T.,
Oshler Arthur,
Osthoff' Albert,
Pabst Selmar,
Schuepbach Ad.,
J. Mueller.
J. Bircher.
C. Bircher.
J. Riche.
Nie. Rohr.
Jac. Menz.
Wend Heger.
J. N Hoerner.
Jas. Keith.
Jno. Wettstein.
L. Ruhr.
C. Hoffmann.
F. Gleyre.
C'has. Lambelet.
Hy. Wirz.
Dr. J. Wirth.
F. B. Suppiger.
Arnold Freitag.
And. Wehrly.
Ily. Riniker.
S. Leutwiler, Jr.
Wmn. Schaeffer.
Jas. F. Law.
W'm. Zeller.
Xavier Suppiger.
Jno. Guggenbuehler. C. Suppiger.
Il. Metzger.
Ad. Ruegger.
L. Appel. M. Fellhauer. Peter Streif.
II. Blattner.
John Kraenchi.
Macchitlen (. L.,
434
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
and Henry Laengle to meet and work with John Beveus of Marine Lodge 355 as Worshipful Master. On the 6th day of October, 1868, a charter was granted to Highland Lodge No. 583, with the above and Otto Brodtbeck, Louis Kinne, and Louis Appel as charter members. The first officers were Robert Suppiger, W. M., H. M. Thorp, S. W., Louis Kinne, J. W., Curtis Bleakeman, Treasurer. Galens Rutz, Secretary, Otto Brodtbeck, S. D., Louis Appel, J. D., and HI. E. Todd, Tyler, who were installed and the lodge constituted by S. V. Crossman as proxy of the M. W. Grand Master, November 19, 1868.
The present officers are : Edwin J. Raith, W. M., John Guggenbuehler, S. W., Ernst Hoefle, J. W., L. E. Kinne, Treasurer, Robert Suppiger, Secretary, J. C. Ammann, S. D, H. M. Mason, J. D, Albert Debrunner, Tyler.
The present membership is 40. Since the granting of the dispensation the lodge has had 66 applicants, 49 of which were accepted, five of which have not received the master's degree. By death the lodge has lost five members, to wit : Curtis Blakeman, April 26, 1875, Robert Halter, October 4, 1877, G. W. Iferrin, January 29, 1879, P. D. Mervin, April 18, 1881, and W. J. Collins, October 7, 1831.
Druids. Highland Lodge 44, V. A. O. D., organized Sep- tember 19, 1871.
Charter members: Martin Hahn, Frank 'Lorenze, Arthur Ochler, Charle; Boeschenstein, Frank Weiss, and Fritz Kunz. The lodge has now eighteen members in good standing, officers as follows: J. J. Briner, E. E., Henry Hebrank, Martin Hahn, and Daniel Grossenbacher.
Odd Fellows. Highland Lodge, No. 651, I. O. O. F., in- stituted, February 1, 1878.
The charter members were : James N. Jarvis, J. B. Purviance, Charles Boeschenstein, Arnold Stoecklin, and Jacob Buehlmann.
This lodge has now 24 members in good standing. The present officers are : Ernest Hoefle, N. G., Jacob Maecht- leu, V. G., Charles Boeschenstein, Secretary, and Arnold Stoecklin, Treasurer.
Knights of Honor. Highland Lodge, No. 1605, K. of H. was instituted May 15, 1879, with 29 charter members, to wit : Arnold Stoeckliu, Charles Boeschenstein, H. E. Todd, James H. Miller, Robert Hagnauer, Charles Bosshard, Fritz Kunz, Frank Weiss, Jacob Maechtlen, James A. Keith, Jacob Zimmermann, Dr. J. Wirth, L. L. Maechtlen, E. J. Raith, W. J. Collins, T. J. Richardson, Louis Grantzow, Emil Chipron, Adolph Mueller, J. V. Roseberry, Fred Harnist, J. C. Ammann, S Pabst, Jacob Menz, Henry Rini- ker, E. B. Huegy, F. B. Suppiger, H. Meyer, and P. C. Chipron.
The lodge hast lost one member, W. J. Collins, by death, October 7, 1881.
It is now composed of 49 members, officers as follows : F. B. Suppiger, S. P. Dictator, Robert Suppiger, Dictator, C. L. Maechtlen, V. D, J. H. Miller, A. D., H. E. Todd, Guide, Emil Chipron, Chaplain, E. J. Laith, Reporter, S. Pabst, F. R., A. Mueller, Treasurer, H. J. Wildhaber, Guardian, and P. C. Chipron, Sentinel.
The Highland Agricultural society foundel January,
1869, by A. E. Bandelier, Jacob Eggen, John Balsiger and others, has developed great activity. In later years agri- cultural and mechanical expositions were introduced, and have proved a decided success.
The Gruetli Oerin a society organized with a view of mu- tual assistance in need or disease, as well as for the purpose of mental culture, was founded in 1871 by Charles Boesch- enstein, F. Kunz, and Jacob Weber.
Highland is now, 1882, one of the most enterprising and prosperous towns of the county. The commercial interests are represented by the Banking House of F. Ryhiner & Co., and the mercantile houses of C. Kinne & Co., J. J. Spindler, Lorenz Winter, Ammann Wildi, J. H. Wil- limann, C. F. Kuhnen, George Roth, P. C. Chipron, Thorp, Kinne & Suppiger, L. Grantzow, August Majonier, A. H. Junod, Robert Suppiger and others ; the leading tradesmen and mechanics are M. Stamm, J. J. Briner, Arnold Stoeck- lin, Charles Suppiger, Henry Hediger, Wiggenhauser and Streif, M. Kempf, O. Schlegel, John Riffel, Jacob Freuler, A. Marxer, J. Mueller, Louis Knoebel, Stephen Schwarz, Henry Müeller, Joseph Speckart, Caspar Kamm, Otto Spel- lerberg, Charles Tuffli, etc. Professionals : T. J Richardson, John Blattner, Law : Dr. A. Felder, Dr. J. B. Knoebel, Dr. G. Rutz, Dr. J. Wirth, Dr. Walliser, Dr. P. E. Hellmuth. Physician, Surgeon and Dentist. Timothy Gruaz, Notary, Financial Land and Insurance Agency ; Alexander Beck, Insurance, Charles Boeschenstein, Notary and Justice of the Peace.
Hotel accommodations, as comfortable as may be desired, by Albert Orthoff, Jacob Zimmermann, Peter Giesler, Casi- mir Hoffmann, J. G. Dumbeck, Mueller Wick and others. Highland counts a number of retired farmers among its inhabitants, who of late are being jocularly named " Zinsli Buere."
The public buildings of the town, Churches, Hospital, and School-houses, have been mentioned elsewhere.
An effective volunteer fire brigade, with complete appara- tus, have in all cases fought the fire fiend with success.
The publishing houses of J. S. Hoerner and C. Boeschen- stein, are mentioned in the article on the Press.
As stated above, the town, and in a measure the township, are essentially a Swiss colony, but mention should also be made of other nationalities identified with the growth and subsequent developments of both.
Soon after the laying out of the town of Highland, the Swiss colonists were reinforced hy a numerous immigration from the grand duchy of Baden. In 1840, the families of Bender, Meyer, Hammer and Bader arrived. Seventy-two persons arrived in 1841, among whom were Hotz, Federer, Rall, Trautner, Fellhauer, Essenpreis, Weber, Kustermann, Holzinger, Voegele, Schwarz, Frey, Schaefer, Bellm, Barth, Koch, Winter, Woll, Ehrhardt, Hirsch, Weidner, Knopf, Metzger, Hoffmann, and Zopf. Calentin Krenzer, a Bavarian had preceded those parties a few years. Most of these fami- lies settled east, or northeast of Highland, in a semi-circle, extending not more than six or seven miles from Highland.
They all had to become " pioneers," for their means were insufficient to buy improvements. Their privations were
435
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
numerous, and many not used to the tropical heat of the American summer, nor the terrible cold of our winter bliz- zards, would exclaim-" Oh, had we remained in the father- land ?" Their frngality and diligence enabled them to over- come all privations, and their toil; were richly rewarded. Fields of plenty appeared in the course of a few years throughout the settlement, which in time had become as prosperous as any other in the blessed county of Madison. These people were all devont Catholics, and in 1844 they were able, with the assistance of their Swiss friends, Solomon Koepfli, Dr. Caspar Koepfli, and Jace b Durer, and others, to erect their first church edifice. The first permanent priest of this congregation was Rev. Father P. Limacher, 1850.
1
The ccclesiastical chapter gives a succinct and accurate account of the wonderful development of this church, and of the noble works of priests and members.
We next turn to what is called the " French- Settlement" in the township. It is of more recent date. Swiss colonists from the French Cantons, among them A. E. Bandelier, John Balsiger, Constant Rillict, and F. Vulliet, had domi- ciled among their conntrymen as early as 1848. Wielandy, Pury, and others, had done likewise, without forming a dis- tinet French settlement. In 1856, however, steps were taken to colonize the French speaking immigrants in the eastern part of the township.
This French settlement, located south of the town of Sebastopol, was then started by L. Tremblay, a resident of Clinton county. He was well acquainted with the village life in the agricultural parts of France, and succeeded in selling his lands in Madison county to these new comers in small tracts, frequently containing only five acres, or even less. The northeast forty of the northwest quarter of section 24 has thus been divided into nine tracts, all highly cultivated now. It looks more like a small village than a number of " farms." John B. De Fountain erected a wind mill in 1858. It grinds corn and saws lumber. The churches built here are mentioned in another chapter. L Tremblay was a native of France, but had arrived many years prior to the foundation of his settlement. He died last year (1881), leaving a widow and four children, three of whom reside in the settlement, the fourth having removed to Bond county.
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SEBASTOPOL.
The town of Sebastopol, the centre of attraction for the neighborhood, was laid out by Timothy Grnaz in 1860. Mr. Gruaz had opened a store in the settlement in 1858, and erected the store building, now occupied by John C. Steiner, in 1859. The name of the town originated in a humorons conversation between T. Gruaz and Norris Ramsay, who, as the nestor of the settlement, was asked by the former to name the projected town. Ramsay declined doing so, when Gruaz cautioned him, saying : Mr. Ramsay, you had better give my town a name, and do it soon, for these Frenehmen around here will presently invent some long ontlandish and jaw-breaking name, Sebastopol, for instance, if you don't name it. The store at the time was full of French custom-
ers, laughing at the conversation and the odd name suggested. On the next day, Mr. Ramsay came around to the store, as was his wont, and entered it with the question : " Well, and how is Seba topol to-day ?" The name was established. The village is now composed of about a dozen houses, has a general store, owned by J. C. Steiner, two blacksmith shops, John C. Luchsinger and Elisha Demoulin ; cartwright, Rudolf Kaufmann ; one shoemaker shop, August Keiser. The town has never had a post-office, but by courtesy of the post- master of Highland is daily supplied with a mail, carefully packed up in a U. S. mail bag, and conveyed to Steiner's store by his freight team.
The retrospect of less than 70 years, during which the township has become what it is at the present day, gives satisfaction. Sixty-seven years ago not an acre of the 23,000 acres in the township was in private hands; now every acre is made useful. Sixty years ago there was neither a public place of worship nor a school house in the township, and now there is a score of them. The population, less than 500 in 1840, has increased to 3,300 in 1882
Official statistics of 1881 give the following figures in re- lation to productions : 162,420 bushels of corn, 228,450 of wheat, 35,223 of oats, 23,235 of fruit, 52,400 gallons of wine, 1,557 tons of hay, other field products in proportion. Dairy products were valued at over $10,000, and the receipts from the sale of fattened cattle and hogs amounted to over $30,000.
The lands, 18,220 acres, of which, under the plow, repre- sent a cash value of $900,000, the town property is worth $325,000, and the personal property amounts to a value of at least $400,000, aggregating $1,625,000. The taxes of 1881, for all purposes, amounted to $13,834.48, of which $40.15 remained unpaid.
The township, a political corporation since the adoption of township organization, April, 1876, was represented in the county board nntil 1882 by H. M. Thorp, whose sterling qualities soon secured him a most prominent position in the board, although his party, the Republican, was largely in the minority there.
At present, 1882, Helvetia township is officered as follows : Louis Latzer, Supervisor ; Lewis Feutz, Clerk ; IF E. Todd, Assessor; Robert Hagnaner, Collector; Christian Hotz, Christian Koch, and Christian Baumann, Highway Commis- sioners ; David Suppiger, Lewis Latzer, and William Hag- nauer, Trustees of Public Schools ; "Robert Suppiger, School Treasurer; and Charles Boeschenstein, and John Buchter, Justices of the Peace.
Several of the citizens of Helvetia have filled county offices, among whom mention is to be made of the late E. M. Morgan, associate justice from 1857 to 1861, succeeded by Constant Rillict in 1861. The late Garrett ('rownover, member of the House of Representatives, 1860 to 1862; Hon. Henry Weinheimer, ditto, 1872 to 1874; the late George Ruegger, sheriff, 1864 to 1866; B E. Hoffmann, county clerk, 1869 to 1877, and Adolph Ruegger, oldest son of G. Ruegger, county treasurer since 1877.
.
BIOGRAPHIES.
TIMOTIIY GRUAZ.
FEW men have passel more active lives than Timothy Gruaz; fewer yet have accomplished more. Belonging to the class of thinkers, he mapped out for himself an inde- pendent course in life-distinctively his own. A fair share of success has fallen to his lot ; that it has not characterized all his ambition is partly due to the fact of his physical disability. He was born in Lyons, France, June 8th, 1831, of Swiss parents. Ilis father, John Francis, was a merchant. His mother was Mary Anna Lerck. In 1833, when Timothy was a lad of seven, his parents returned to the land of their nativity, locating in Lausanne. Here the subject of this sketch enjoyed rare opportunities for the acquisition of knowledge under the direction of such master teachers as La Harpe, Monnard and Vinet. His parents were Wesleyan Methodists in faith, their minister being the eminent mi-sion- ary, Rev. Cook. Those of this belief were subjected by the Swiss authorities to persecution, which caused many to seek a home in free America. Of this number were the Gruazes ; they came to Highland in 1849. In 1856, Mrs. Gruaz died here. In 1868, John Francis Gruaz returned to his native land where he died January 13, 1881, having attained the good old age of eighty-four years. Timothy Gruaz' first labor in this country was as teacher in the household of Captain Ledugerber, near Shiloh, St Clair county, then of Adolph Bandelier ; then as assistant in the store of Huegy & Bandelier. On the 1st of July, 1854, these parties opened a bank in Highland and installed him as book-keeper, teller and cashier, at a salary of $8 per month. This salary looked large at the time in comparison with the $4 per month he had formerly earned and out of which he saved sufficient to purchase a couple of cows which he gave his father. Being of a speculative turn he commenced laying the foundations of his successful business career by buying the present village site of Sebastopol and laying out the town. In com- pany with Huegy & Bandelier he prosecuted merchandising here for three years, when ill health compelled abandonment of such pursuits. In 1862 he bought the Highland Bote, of which he remained proprietor and editor for six years. In 1868 he visited Europe, traveling extensively over the Con- tinent. Upon his return he enlisted his energies in real estate and insurance, a business he has since prosecuted. A traveler from ta-te he has passed much time abroad. IIis letters to the St. Louis papers and the local press have attracted much attention by their force and vigor. Par- ticularly is this true of his letters from Mexico, a country whose customs are happily set forth by his ready pen. Politi- cally, Mr. Gruaz is a Democrat. He was married June 8th, 1872, to Josephine Ruegger, nee Durer, widow of George Ruegger.
CHARLES BOESCHENSTEIN, JR ,
EDITOR and publisher of the Highlund Herald, was born October 27, 1862, in the town of Highland, Madison county, Illinois. It was here, in the common schools, that he received his early education. However, he attended Smith Academy for a time, and when the Highland Herald was about to collapse, he then discontinued his studies to take charge of the Herald, in August, 1881. Politically he is an ardent De- mocrat, and his paper wields a large influence in the ranks of this party. His father, Charles Boeschenstein, Sr., was born on the 9th of March, 1829, at Stein Am Rheim. canton Schaffhausen, Switzerland, immigrated to America in 1848, and arrived at New Orleans in February, 1849. After working about in South St. Louis, which was then known as " Wiebush," he came to Highland in 1850, where he has lived ever since. After arriving at the latter place, he made his living by working on farms and putting his hand to work at almost anything. For years he carried the mail between Highland and Trenton, on the O. & M. rail- road, and between Highland and St. Louis. In 1857 he was married to Rosette Heder. Of this union there were eight children, four of whom are dead. Of those living Charles is the oldest. In 1861 he was elected constable, and in 1865 justice of the peace, which office, together with the office of notary public, he still holds. He is a charter member of the Odd Fellows, Knights of Honor, Druids and Good Templars (the latter lodge is disbanded), and of Gruethi, Turner and Singing Societies. He was for years a member of the board of education, and as such was seere- tary of the board. He has always taken a great interest in educational matters and public enterprises. During the war he was a staunch Unionist, and a leader of the liberal league; in 1872 he joined the Greeley movement and is now a Democrat.
C. P. CHIPRON.
PROMINENT among the energetic, pushing business men of Highland is C. P. Chipron, who was born in Paris, France, March 30, 1834. Ilis father was a commission merchant in that city. In 1848 he came to America, his objective point being St. Louis. After remaining here a year he moved to Highland, where he died, September 23d, 1880. The subject of this sketch, familiarly known as Paul, had the advantages of the best schools in his native city, and early manifested a genius for invention. He followed farming near Highland until 1867, when he commenced operating in agricultural machinery. This was a field of labor much more congenial to his tastes, and one too which afforded him opportunities to excreise his peculiar talents to
436
INIAENGLES HOTEL.
LAENGLE'S HOTEL - HENRY LAENGLE PROPRIETOR, ST. JACOBS, ILLINOIS.
RESIDENCE & OFFICE OF TIMOTHY GRUAZ, NOTARY PUBLIC & FINANCIAL AGENT, HIGHLAND, ILL.
437
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
their highest degree. In 1868 he erected the machine shops with which he has since been connected. Whilst a farmer in 1860, he invented an improvement in self-rakers which he disposed of to D. M. Osborn & Co., and which has been largely used since. The second patent issued to him was for a corn sheller, bearing date February 11, 1868. This sheller has taken premiums wherever exhibited, notably at the Illinois State and the St. Louis Fairs. The award of these premiums where competition was great-entering into generous rivalry with many makes-was certainly very gratifying to Mr. Chipron and his hosts of friends.
Self-binders arrested his attention, forced as he was in selling agricultural machinery to handle them largely, and an improvement made by him seems destined to be univer- sally adopted. It is saying only what is richly deserved when Mr. Chipron is declared to be one of the best and most expert machine men in the State.
He was married to Mrs. Alice Wielandy, March 2, 1858. By this union there have been born six children, two of whom are now teachers in good positions. Politically he is a pronounced Republican, taking an active part in every cam- paign and contributing largely to his party's success. He is especially proud of the fact that his first ballot was cast for Abraham Lincoln for President. He has held the position of Chief of the Fire Department, city of Highland, and under his charge the efficiency of the department was materially enhanced. In business circles he is recognized as being energetic, zealous and successful. His mechanical ingenuity finds full exercise in the prosecution of his business.
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