History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 27

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698

USA > Illinois > Madison County > History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches > Part 27

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Next cultivating mulberry trees with a view of raising silk worms. The building erected for housing his silk worms. which-by the way-had hatched long before the necessary food was ready for their voracious maws, was converted into a tavern and became in time the most popular resort in Highland. The " Herre" (gentlemen of wealth and educa- tion, hal their casino at the tavern) and here it was, where amateur tragedians performed the classic " William Tell," "Cabale and Liebe," etc., as related in the " Highland sketch. " Blattner was accumulating wealth and now en- gazed in manufacturing gunpowder. He was persuaded into the business by John Loehrer, a practical powder- miller. Blattner maade powder but once, but said he: It was the best powder ever made in Illinois, and the agricul- tural and mechanical association of Elwardsville awarded me a diploma, having a beautiful " ox " engraved npon it. Lohrer died and Blattner gave up the bu-iness, which had caused him the loss of fully $3.00), the savings of many years of toil.

The accounts published of the growing and prosperous settlement,-by interested parties, Mr. Eggen continues were overdrawu, and this becoming known in Europe, proved injurious to the colony. No arrivals, with probably the ex- ception of the Staffelbach family, took place until 1840 - when some persons arrived, among whom the families Bardill, Mareut, Ruedi, Branger and Florin, followed iu 1841 by a number of families from Baden and Wirtemberg, among whom the Trautners, Hotz, Speugel, Bader, Bender, Zopf, Hammer, Plocher and others. These immigrants, says Mr. Eggen, were an industrious and frugal people, who, with but few exceptions, knew how to adapt themselves to the trying circumstances then existing, and how to work their way out of want into plenty. The very fact of the ex- tremely low prices of provisions and stock worked in their favor to get started in opening farms. This settlement ex- tended through Townships 3-5, 4-5 and 3-6, and is the oldest and most important of the European settlements in the county. The names of the colonists who settled in 3- 5 and 4-5 have been mentioned; in 3-6 we find Theodor Miller, now no more, who represented Madison county in the legislature of 1870 to 1872. Jacob Leder came in 1837. Samuel Frey, Valentine Frey and Henry Frey arrived in 1840. They too are successful farmers; in fact it is dificult to tell, who has not been a successful farmer among those, who arrived at an early day. Peter F'rutiger, J. A. Kirri, Henry Ritter and Rudolf Baer arrived in 1844. Henry Laengle, "mine host " of a splendid hotel at St. Jacob, came to Madison county in 1846, settled first at Ilighland, then tried the state of Texas, returned to Madi- son county and located at St. Jacob. John Schmidt arrived in 1847, Jacob Willi in 1849.

Another German colony, or at least the nucleus of one, may be observed in the Marine settlement as early as 1833. Hon. G. Koerner makes mention of Dr. Gerke, the founder of this colony as follows: "He was an uocommonly well- informed and liberal-minded philanthropist. He possessed, theoretically, at least, even a thorough knowledge of agri- culture. He became widely known by a work published by

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

him in 1833. It (this work) treats of all phases of life in America, and was, in many respects, an instructive compila- tion of the contents of the best works, published on the sub- ject. He was the father of the talented printer, Philip Gerke of St. Louis, etc." Koerner. The work of Dr. Gerke contains a vast amount of original matter, and is by no means a mere compilation. The writer of this sketch does not hesitate to express his admiration of the author of the work. In fact it is but just to say, that H. C. Gerke, LL D., was one of the most distinguished foreigners that ever made their home in this county. He was a North German, born at Hanover in 1765. His first effort at Emigration was made in 1790. It failed on account of insufficiency of funds, - but the idea of making the United States his home was never given up. He made the institutions of the United States, the social life, the pursuits of its people, the subject of the most searching studies, and was comparatively no stranger when he reached the shores of the United States in 1831. He spent the best part of two years in examining personally into American life, in the cities and on the frontier alike. His observations are laid down in a volume called by him : " Der Nordamerikanische Rathgeber." (N. A. Guide and Adviser). This work of Mr. Gerke is probably the best on the subject published prior to 1840. Mr. Gerke was a close ob- server and accurate chronicler ; he saw everything, and made mention thereof at the proper place. He understood the laws of the land as thoroughly as any American jurisprudent . and the system of government, from the local authorities of a village up to the federal affairs. He knew the magnitude of the American commerce, and how it was managed. He eorresponded with the publishing houses of Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore ; he was posted to per- fection on the inland trade, means of transportation and costs. He came to Illinois late in 1831, and pronounces the state the best for agricultural purposes between the Mis- sissippi and the Atlantic Ocean. He takes notes of the price of land and the price of products, and accounts for their lowness very properly. He even says that farm products would still be lower, for says he, all produce the same, and every youth, as soon as he is twenty one years old, sets up in farming. Thus constantly increasing productions, with- out improving the means of transportation to markets. Not satisfied with knowing the value of farm products, he goes into A. R. Skidmore's cabinet-maker shop at Edwardsville to ascertain the prices of all articles of furniture, and learns that a "good workman in this trade earns 81 00 a day and found,"-while painters get but 65 cents. J. W. Chenoweth tells him, that he makes common chopping axes for $2 50, and broad axes for $5.00, ploughs 25 cents per Ib., shoes horses new for $1.50, resets old shoes for 50 cents, and irons wagons at 15 cents per pound. He pays his journeymen from $20.00 to $80 00 per month, "finds " them, or allows them to work on shares in profits. J. C. Bruner, the hatter must tell him, that hats of first quality, all beaver, are worth $14.00, of sceond quality $10 00, of third quality $8.00, of fourth quality $6.50 and fifth quality $4.50 ; and that his journeymen's wages for making the same ready for coloring are $2.00, $1.75, $1.50, $1.25, or $1.00 caeh, etc., etc.

The doctor studied the difference in the productive power of bottom and prairie lands with great attention, for he had years ago, quit the law and directed his attention to agricul- ture with great success, for, says he, what I lost during the Napoleonie wars and other misfortunes, I have all recovered by agriculture, the noblest pursuit men can follow. (He was an honorary member of the State Agricultural bureau of Great Britain). Not being satisfied with his observations as to the component parts of the bottom and prairie lands, he took a sample of each to Europe, and had a most careful chemical analysis made there of them by Professor Dr. G. Schmeisser, Hamburg, in 1833. Before returning to Europe the Dr bought a large tract of land in the Marine settle- ment, where his son, William H. Gerke, remained. The contents of the work of Mr. Gerke are manifold and com- prehensive. He seemed to have seen everything ; he at- tended church in the stately cathedrals of New York and Baltimore, and Sunday-school in a log cabin in Madison county. He was not pleased with the subjects taught in the latter, and emphatically objects to the following questions asked there, to wit: "Who is the devil? What is the devil's character ? Why was Jesus tempted by the devil ? Where did the devil take Jesus ? What did the devil say to him ? And what did Jesus say to the devil? The Dr. speaks very intelligently about all the different denomina- tions of Protestants in the United States; he had found time to study their history, organizations and dogmas. He turns his attention to the schools next, eulogizes the public school system of the eastern states and expresses a hope to see it introduced in Illinois. He has sat on the rough bench of the log-school-house of Illinois, has spent days in seminaries and colleges, and is conversant with the system and the workings of the national military school at West-Point, where he spent several days on his return to New York. He measures the distance between the tires of an American farm wagon in Illinois, finding it to be 60} inches exactly, and then goes east to inform himself on the tariff; speaks of Henry Clay's new tariff bill as intelligently as a professional could, and denounces the sixteen amendments to the consti- tution proposed by the South Carolina nullifiers. The doc- tor returns to Europe in order to arrange his business there for a permanent settlement in America, whose land and peo- ple he has studied and learned to love. He published a beautiful poem about the land of his longings in a Hamburg paper. He returned to Madison county in 1834, and located in Heron's Grove, Looking Glass Prairie, where he died in 1842. Gerke was 66 years of age, at the time of his first journey through the United States, a man of uncommon vigor and great determination, His countrymen in Madison county have never had a better or more prominent represeu- tative among them than the doctor was.

Dr. A. F. Beck, a native of Canton Berne, in Switzerland, arrived in 1834 and located permanently in the Marine settlement, on what is now known as the Brockhaus farm, where he remained until death called him hence-in 1844. Two sons of the doctor-Alfred and Alexander-are citizens of Highland. A. Ruf and F. Starhli, also men of wealth, had come with Dr. Beek, but they were dissatisfied with

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

the general aspects of matters in the settlement. The com- munications which they had received at home, had led them to expect much more than reality granted, hence they concluded to return to their native Switzerland. The Marine settlement received most valuable additions in the persons of the Waage, Schmidt, Voight families as early as 1836 or 1837. E. L Voight died in 1862. C. C. Waage in 1866. Andreas Schmidt, Erasmus Schmidt, Julius Voight, surviving sons of the families mentioned above, have been successful in their pursuits. Henry C. Heuer removed his family to the settlement about the year 1844. His surviv- ing son, Henry A. is held in high respect by all. Henry Lentwiler, George Accola, Henry Imbs ( dead since 1864), August Iberg, Samnel Iberg and William May arrived about the same time. Four or five years later we find John Eik- mann, Valentin Ottwein, Frederick Wenz and his brothers Jacob, and Louis, Philip and George Volk, Christian Schoeck and others. John Neudecker and H. H. Elbring came a few years later. John Neudecker has been a very successful business man. H. H. Elbring stands high in the estimation of all. A few milesnorth of Marine is another German set- tlement in what is called the Handsbarger neighborhood, the founders of which were Sylv. Utiger, Gustav. Kaufmann, Gottlieb Messerli, the Daibers, Huerlanders and others. Utigei was a Swiss. Several sons survived him, the oldest of whom, R bert D. Utiger, represented his township for years in the board of supervisors. George Schmitt, from Alsace, France, came in 1845, settled in Alhambra, where he died in 1873. John Wetzel, reared in the celebrated " Latin settlement in Shiloh Valley, St. Clair county, came into the above colony abont the year 1849.

The German settlement, south of the town of Troy, with its thrifty foreign born population, also belongs to the earlier period of the European settlements. Ilere are found John Liebler, a resident since 1840, John Widieus, Andrew Langenwalter, Andreas Fehmel, the Schmidts, Loycts, Schwarz, and others. Who does not remember the kind- hearted, benevolent old Mr. Bertram, who died but a few years ago. Among the foreign born population of Troy, we mention Andrew Mills, Esq., a highly respected native of the Emerald Isle. Andrew Mills came to the county about the year 1841. Ilis fellow-citizens have time and again honored him with official positions, in all of which Mr. Mills has proved himself worthy of the confidence of the peo- ple. And as justice of the peace, who could command peace as emphatically as the old Squire ? Frederick Gerfen has lived in Troy since 1851 ; he is a skillful mechanic and successful dealer. Gustav Vetter, the proprietor of the Troy City Mills, came there about 20 years ago. His sterling quali_ ties as a citizen have repeatedly secured to him the highest political position in the village. Charles Schott, M. D., a learned and skillful physician, has made Troy his home since 1870.

Collinsville, city as well as township, has also a numerous population of foreign birth ; a few French, some Irish and Bohemians and many Germans.

Among the earliest German farmers of the township we find William Peters, on section nine, who settled there iu

1838 ; Fred. Kochler located on section one, in 1843; Gott- lieb Meyer, on twenty-second, in 1846. William Blume, II. Binme, Winter, the Wittes and others, laid the foundations of the prosperous Pleasant Ridge settlement; J. and H. Wendler located on section thirty-five, in 1847, and another Wendler opened a blacksmith shop in Collinsville in the same year; C. A. Ambrosius, Charles Kreider, Fisher Heinecke, came a few years later. C. W. Krome, for many years a justice of the peace, came to the county in 1850, from Louisville, Kentucky, where he had resided since his arrival from Germany. Ilon. W. H. Krome, member of our State Senate from 1874 to 1878, is the only surviving son of the Squire. C. H. Pahst, the merchant, is an old resi- dent of Collinsville, and so are J. C. Kalbfleisch and John Kuhlenbeek. H. H. Kuhlenbeck, a brother of John, was clerk of the Madison county circuit court, from 1868 to 1872; he also hailed from Collinsville, and is now a resident of Colorado. The manufactories of Collinsville, flouring mills, distilleries, coal mines, zinc works, etc., etc., were to some extent started by naturalized citizens, among whom was Dr. Octavius Lumaghi, a distinguished Italian. Augustus Finke, for several years city attorney and justice of the peace, is of foreign birth. Captain AA. Neustadt, attorney- at-law, is an Austrian by birth. He is one of the most ac- tive men among the leaders of the Republican party.

A large number of Bohemians have of late settled in this and adjacent townships, and Captain Neustadt, one of them, has kindly volunteered to give us the following sketch :

THE BOHEMIANS

numbering about five hundred in this county are truc descen- dants of the ancient Czeks, a robust and industrious people, whose highest ambition is, to have and own their home and fire- side. Tired of military despotism, and an overbearing and oppressive aristocracy, they converted their scanty means into money and emigrated to this country, where the insti- tutions and the laws do not smile on the rich and frown on the poor. They did not expect to find rivers of nectar, and the soil covered with manna, but a land where they may enjoy the fruits of their labor. They arrived and were not disappointed. They were naturalized and became citizens as soon as the laws of the state would permit them to do so, and when in the late war their dear adopted fatherland was in danger, 22 of their small number immediately took up arms in defense of the glorious stars and stripes. One became Captain and one 1st Lt.

The majority of the Bohemians of Madison county consists of well to do farmers, the balance of tradesmen, mechanics and laborers.

Martin Smola, Wenzl Smola, Paul Smola, Mathias Scheibal, Jos. Berka, Joseph Kalina, Joseph Czerny and Blazius Bulka came to this county in 1851 ; in 1852 they were followed by Franc Kubat, Joseph Rossipal, Joseph Engel, John Drozda, Simon Marsthalck, Mathias Schwetz, Joseph Sedlaozek, John Foerster, and Joseph Zahradnik; in 1853 by Martin Kraus, Mathias Czerny, John Peshta, Albert Janeczek, John Primas, William Primas, Prokop Habada, Jakob Mottel, Mathias Ragek, John Krieger, Joseph Blaha,

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and John Bullan ; in 1854 and 1855 A. Neustadt, Wenzl Skala, Joseph Krakora, Joseph Dworak, John Duban, Wenzl Scheibal, John Stiparck, Wenzl Bandhauer, Mathias Wozteth, Mathias Kratz, Mathias Sashck, Franz Lishka, Peter Stodola, John Petrashek, John Topina, John Czihak, Franz Kessel, Albert Kneisel, Wenzl Tischler, Joseph Wacek and Mathias Zahruba.

The center part of the county, the "Goshen " of Ame- rica, had attracted a number of foreigners, even during the pioneer period, as stated heretofore. The naturalization records of the county introduce John Murray, a former sub- ject of his majesty, the king of England, defender of the faith, etc., as the first European naturalized in Madison county. Mr. Murray, a Scotchman of education and wealth, made this part of Madison county his home in 1820. His atten- tion had been called to the resources of Illinois by Birbeek's publications. Mr. Murray, together with his family, jour- neyed from Virginia to Illinois during the fall of 1820, and arrived at Shawneetown, in "ague time." He left the town at once, " plodded his weary way to Goshen," and made his home near William Otwell's farm on the road leading from "Edwardsville to Isom Gillham's bridge on Cahokia Creek"-where he found his countrymen, George and Samuel Davidson. Mr. Murray brought some capital with him, and at the suggestion of Mr. Davidson invested a part of it in founding a brewery in 1821, on his farm. This in- stitution was operated for several years, but did not prove to be profitable, and was in consequence abandoned. Farm- ing was next resorted to. In 1827 Mr. Murray resolved to revisit Europe, but was taken sick before he reached the sea. He died in New Orleans; his family remained in Edwards- ville until 1834, when they removed to Upper Alton. Mrs. Murray is now in her eighty-third year, enjoying physical and mental health to a rare degree. She is the pride and joy of her only surviving son, C. A. Murray of Alton, who is carrying his threescore as lightly and elegantly as ever a mortal did before him. C. A. Murray was sheriff of Madi- son county from 1852 to 1854.

The family of Robert Gordon arrived from Ireland in April, 1822, and made Edwardsville their home. Joseph Gordon, a son of Robert, was ordained pastor in the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church in 1842, and entered with great zeal upon the functions of missionary in Southern Illinois. Ile removed to Vandalia in 1848. Rev. Gordon was a good and very energetic man. His labors in advo- cating temperance and abstinence have made him famous throughout Illinois. Over 7,000 people signed the pledge at his solicitation. He was nicknamed "Irish Pony " during that period. He died but recently-June 10th, 1882-at Vandalia. A sister of Rev. Gordon was married to Mat- thew Gillespie, late of Edwardsville.

Samuel Burgess, Hugh Kerr, Robert Kelsey, Samuel Morrison, James Pullen, James Paterson, natives of Great Britain, came to the county about ten or twelve years later than the Gordon family. Martin Feehan, an Irishman preceded them ; William Galt, a Scotchman, arrived in 1845. David Morris, also a Scotchman, preceded him, having settled in 1842, in township 5-7.

F. T. Krafft came to the United States in 1833, and made the Shiloh settlement in St. Clair county his home. From there he came to Edwardsville, and engaged in mercantile business with great apparent success. He also interested himself in the political questions of the day, and became a man of considerable influence. He was very popular with both native and foreign-born citizens, and was elected sheriff of Madison county in 1850. He met with great reverses in the latter part of his life, and died, comparatively speaking, iu poverty.

F. A. Wolf also " graduated" in the Lateiner settlement at Shiloh, and to this day he assures us that the days, months and years, spent at the bachelor's roost on the Engelmann farm, formed the happiest period of his life. Latin farm- ing, however, was not exactly profitable, as F. A. Wolf soon observed, and so he engaged in distilling. He came to Ed- wardsville in the year 1840, engaging in farming and fruit- growing, and his vineyards were the most extensive and productive ones in the county. Three of his sons, F. W., A. P., and Otto, reside in our midst, and, are engaged in operating their extensive coal mines on the " rura paterna ;" a fourth one, Theodor, doctor philosophie, an out and out " Lateiner," is professor of chemistry at the state unversity of Delaware. Mauy of our readers will also remember that valiant old Napoleonic warrior, Phil. Fix, as a member of the Wolf family. A number of immigrants from Alsace, France, among them the well known Gerber family, made Edwardsville their home at an early day.

The Bickelhaupt family, and the Ritters came to Ed- wardsville from St. Clair county, where they had at first located. Henry Ritter was one of the most energetic men of his time in our midst. He was a public-spirited man. Ritter opened the first coal mine in the vicinity, and of course managed it so as to pay him well. An amusing in- cident of his mining period may be related here. His miners, knowing what price coal commanded in those days, went on a strike for higher wages. Ritter granted them im- mediately. Two hours later a second strike was announced, and a higher price ; this time, it is said, eight cents per bushel was demanded and allowed. In the afternoon of the same day the miners made a third strike again, demand- ing ten or twelve cents per bushel. Mr. Ritter went to the shaft to deliver the following message: "The hoisting ap- paratus of these mines will be removed within fifteen min- utes ; and all miners remaining in the pit longer than fifteen minutes, must provide their own means of getting up and out." This settled matters, and no further strikes occurred. Ritter was successful in all his pursuits; he was a most diligent business man, sober and sagacious. He died quite young, in 1870.

Frederick Bohm has been residing in township four- eight, ever since 1839 ; his farm in section nine, is one of the best in the vicinity of Edwardsville. His neighbor, Henry Brockmeier, is also an old settler. C. W. Fangen- roth, from Berlin, Prussia, came to Madison county in 1843. Fangenroth is an enthusiastic agriculturist, and one of the most zealous members of the farmers' club. His articles on scientific and practical farming are highly appreciated.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

Henry Engelhart, on the Springfield road, settled there in 1841, and is now an honored patriarch among his neighbors. Squire D. C. Scheer came a year later. His possessions in section fourteen, township five-eight, represent a model farm. In the southern part of the township we find the ex- cellent farm of C. P. Smith, who arrived here in 1847, quite a youth. His father, a most prudent man and skillful mechanic, had the satisfaction of seeing his ouly son becom- ing the architect of his own good fortune. C. P. Smith operated a saw-mill on his lands for years, and combinations and surrounding circumstances being very favorable, suc- ceeded in amassing a large fortune; he is probably the wealthiest German farmer in the county, owning several farms in the most desirable parts of the county.

Conrad Leseman and Caspar Miller, both deceased, belong to the earliest settlers smong the Germans. J. G. Lautner arrived in 1839; he too is dead-in 1874. The Stullken brothers and J. B Kleine, sr., also belong to the earlier German immigration, and their most successful ones. Peter Schnei- der, Louis Hill, Frederick Weiss, and Louis Klingemanu, came somewhat later. Fred. Gaertner came to the United States in 1850. He became a resident of this county in 1858, is a successful merchant, and owns now a large and most desirable farm on the Springfield road. Gottlieb Stahlhut, Leonhard Eberhard and others belong to a later period. Henry Camman, John and Mathias Buchta, and Ernst Erbe, are the pioneer Germans in five-seven.

The foreign-born population of the old " Goshen " district has never assumed the character of separate colonies, and the process of Americanizing has been more rapid there than elsewhere. Marriages between natives and foreigners have been of common occurrence ever since the first arrivals of the latter. The Germans alone have maintained some of the characteristic features of their nationality to a greater extent. There is a large number of German churches and schools in the townships mentioned, and it is owing to the zealous and untiring labors of the German clergymen and parochial teachers that the German language has been pre- served for almost two generations. Three or four efforts have been made to establish a German newspaper at Ed- wardsville, but all failed. There seems to be no field for such an undertaking in this land of Goshen. Some German societies, " Vereine," however, were organized at Edwards- ville ; the first or oldest of them, the "Turn Verein," has existed since 1858. The founders of this society were G. A. Wolf-brother of F. A., mentioned above, a most amiable and highly educated gentleman, who died in 1869. J. Hammel, now of Lebanon, C. W. Fangenroth, W. Thurnan, John Schlindwein, Alexander Ritter, Fritz Hansinger, Emil Stoll, Alois Knaus, William Brackhaus, J. Brinkman, Jacoh Bayer, Martin Ruprecht, George Hoehn, Bernhard Stier, Wm. Bender, Charles Weigel, G. Girnt, and John F. Wielandy ; the latter was subsequently Judge of the Probate Court of Coles County, Mo., and is now a member of the St. Louis bar. The present Mayor of the city of Edwardsville, Alonzo Keller, is a native of Switzerland. Ilis administra- tion since 1877, has been a great success ; the streets and sidewalks of the city have been greatly and permanently

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History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 27

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co. Number of Pages: 698

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698