History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 106

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084

USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 106

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Horatio Bardwell Buck, M. D., is the youngest of a family of four sons and five daughters of Dr. Reuben and Alice (Jaynith) Buck, and was born in York county, Maine, on January 27, 1832. Dr. Reuben Buck sprang from Scotch ancestry, and was born near Boston, Massachusetts, in which city he was educated, and after graduation, married Miss Jaynith and settled in Acton, York county, Maine, where he passed a long and successful professional life, dying in his eighty-eighth year, having lost his wife ten years previously, at the age of seventy-six. Dr. H. B. Buck was educated in his native town, completing an academical

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

course; and early evincing a strong desire to enter his father's profession, was encouraged to bend every circumstance and effort to prepare himself for the calling he has and is filling with such distinguished ability. In 1851, he began studying medicine with his father and elder brother, then partners. During nearly four years of his reading he taught several winter terms of school, from choice rather than neces- sity. Having passed through the full curricu- lum of the medical department at Bowdoin Col- lege, Maine, and desiring a diploma from the best college in the country, the Doctor entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in the autumn of 1855, from which he received the degree of M. D., in 1856, together with a private letter of recommendation from Dr. Joseph Pan- coast, then a very eminent surgeon. Doctor Buck at once commenced practice in Philadel- phia, and continued successfully until the fall of 1862, when, responding to our country's call, he entered upon surgical duty under government contract at Columbia College Hospital. At the close of six months, the Doctor wishing to enter the army as a commissioned officer, passed a rigid examination before the Board at Washing- ton, and with a Surgeon's commission signed by President Lincoln, took charge of the regular artillery attached to the Second Army Corps, in March, 1863. He was with the Army of the Potomac in all the battles of that year's cam- paigns, and while in winter quarters, late in the winter of 1863-4, the Doctor made application for a position which would afford him more ex- tensive hospital experience. The request resulted in his being assigned Surgeon-in-Chief of the camp at Springfield, Illinois, the rendezvous of the troops of the State, where he arrived in February, 1864, and found the disabled soldiers in the care of eleven contract surgeons, and with no hospital buildings but ordinary barracks. Doctor Buck at once set about providing better accommodations for. the sick and wounded; drew plans and specifications for eight new hospital buildings, each one hundred and twenty-four by twenty-four feet in dimensions, which were ap- proved by the government and speedily erected. The buildings were modern in construction, with every provision for cleanliness and ventilation, the grounds and surroundings were decorated and beautified. The wisdom of the measure was demonstrated in the reduction of mortality more than fifty per cent. from its completion. Doctor Buck also had control of the Soldiers' Home of the city, and of the sick at the officers' headquarters. In June, 1865, the necessity for

medical service at the front being diminished, Doctor Buck was transferred, by order, to Mad- ison, Wisconsin, and, associated with Doctor Culbertson, of Ohio, spent six months in wind- ing up a large general hospital. This ended his official labors; and late in the autumn of 1865, he settled permanently in Springfield, and im- mediately engaged in a lucrative and annually increasing private medical practice, by which he has attained an enviable degree of eminence, with promise of an extended career of still greater achievements in the future. In 1867, Doctor Buck joined the Illinois State Medical Society, and has since successively filled several of its important official chairs; was its delegate to the American Medical Association, at Phila- delphia, in 1876. He is also a member of the Tri-State Medical Society, composed of Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and the cities of Cincinnati and St. Louis; was chosen its President for 1880. Through his zeal and labors, one of the largest and most interesting sessions of the society ever witnessed was held in Louisville, Kentucky, be- fore which the Doctor read an elaborate and carefully prepared paper on "The Science of Medicine," which evinced such erudition and literary merit that it elicited the highest cncon- iums of the profession and the press, and earned for its author a proud reputation as a writer of clearness, force and elegance. The Doctor served for years as Secretary of the Sangamon Medical Society, and is now its President. In March, 1863, he married Miss Lizzie, daughter of George K. Heller, a much respected and influential citi- zen of Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. Her mother was Sarah Nice, before marriage. Mrs. Buck is the third of their family of two sons and two daughters. The Doctor and wife are the parents of three daughters and a son alive, and one daughter, deceased.

James H. Barkley, furniture merchant, 219 South Fifth street, embarked in the business in Springfield as a member of the firm of Nutt & Barkley in 1868, on the north side of the square. In August, 1875, he bought his partner's interest, and has since been sole proprietor. May 1, 1881, he moved to his present building, one hundred and twenty by twenty-five feet, of which he oc- cupies three stories and the basement. The place is heavily stocked with the most popular styles of parlor and general household furniture, and furnishings, fine pictures and mouldings. the whole comprising an exhibit rarely met with in cities the size of Springfield. The annual sales amount to the snug sum of sixty thousand dol- lars and have largely increased during the past

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

year. Colonel Barkley was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, February 17, 1844; parents moved to Gibson county, Tennessee, soon after, remaining till James was ten years old; then passed a year in Memphis; removed thence to Jackson, Mississippi, where the subject of this sketch was chiefly educated. In 1857 the family came to Springfield, and settled on a farm three miles east of the city. James engaged in the pursuit of agriculture till he entered the army in 1862, as a member of Company G. of the one hundred and fourteenth Illinois Infantry. He served three years, the two last on Brigadier General R. P. Buckland's staff. Upon returning home, Mr. Barkley was employed three years as salesman in a house-furnishing establishment; carried on the grocery business a year in Chris- tian county; sold out at the end of that time and worked for his old employer till he started in the furniture trade. He has been for a number of years a member of the Springfield Zouaves, N. G., and July 16, 1877, was elected their Colonel, which office he now holds. Colonel Barkley married Ella DeCamp, a native of Springfield, on Christmas day, 1865. They have two children, Cora Bell, born in 1866, and Kennie Weber, aged four years; buried one son. Mr. B. is a member of K. of P., Capital Lodge, and A. F. and A. M., St. Paul Lodge, No. 500.

Captain George Barrell, Springfield, Illinois; was born in York county, Maine, April 21, 1809, son of George and Caroline Low Barrell. His father was a merchant, also Consul to Spain for a number of years; failing in health, he went to Barcelona, where he died. George was educated in Plymouth county, Massachusetts, and at the age of fourteen went to sea, which he followed thirty years; was in the fore-castle a number of years; the last eighteen years, he was in com- mand; his trade called him to all parts of the world. In August, 1855, he came to Spring- field, where he has resided ever since. In Jan- mary, 1839, he married Miss Anna Douglas, daughter of William W. Douglas, of Scotch descent; she was born in Connecticut, in 1821. They had seven children, five of whom are liv- ing: S. Francis Georgiana, now Mrs. Clinton M. Conkling; Carrie M., Nellie D., now Mrs. Joseph N. Carter, a representative in the present legis- lature, and Charlie E.

Edward P. Beach, State and local insurance agent, and dealer in real estate, southwest corner of Sixth and Monroe streets, succeeded James L. Hill, one of the pioneer insurance men of Spring- field, to the business in that office eight years ago. Mr. Beach represents the Howard Fire

Insurance Company, of New York, as General Agent for the State of Illinois; and is Local Agent for Sangamon county, of the Ætna and Phoenix, of Hartford, Connecticut; the Home, Howard, and Phoenix, of New York; the Liver- pool, London, Globe, and Norwich, of England, and the Western, of Canada, all leading fire companies; and is also agent for the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company. He does quite an extensive business, requiring from one to two active men besides himself; and has paid for the companies he represents, $140,000 in losses to the citizens of Springfield.

Edward is the only son of three surviving children of Richard H. Beach and Eliza H. Baldwin, both natives of New York City. They came to Illinois and settled in Springfield about 1835, where the subject of this sketch was born May 27, 1841. He graduated from the Illinois State University, at Springfield, in 1861, it being then a prosperous school under the control of the Lutheran Church. After leaving college, Mr. Beach was actively engaged in various fea- tures of mercantile life, until he started in the insurance business. Five years, from 1868, were spent in the drug traffic in Nebraska City, Ne- braska. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., the K. of P., and A. O. U. W., and was at one time Grand Recorder for the State of the latter. In 1865, he married Miss Julia E., eldest daughter of the late Henry P. Cone, of Springfield. They have had one son, now deceased. They are members of the First Presbyterian Church.

Mifflin E. Bell, Architect, of the firm of Bell & Hackney, corner of Monroe and Fifth streets, has been twelve years engaged in the business, the first two in Chicago, and ten in Springfield. He came to the latter city as draughtsman on the new State House, in 1869, and under the supervision of A. H. Piquenard, the architect, drew the plans of the entire superstructure, from the corner stone to the top of the dome. Mr. Piquenard died September 19, 1876, and from that time until the appropriations were ex- hausted, Mr. Bell acted as supervising architect of the construction, according to the design of his predecessor. He also superintended the building of the Bloomington court house, cost- ing about a quarter of a million dollars, accord- ing to the plans prepared by Mr. Piquenard, and is now building the Iowa State Capitol, the plans for which were made by Mr. Piquenard. This building will cost, when completed, $2,500,000. In the fall of 1877, Mr. Bell's plans for the Southern Illinois Penitentiary were adopted, and he is superintending its construction, one wing

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

and the center building of which is completed. The entire superstructure is to be of sandstone; will be eight hundred and thirty-one by two hundred feet in area, and cost about $850,000. He and his partner are the architects of the Passfield Block and the Central Block, erected in 1881, the two finest business blocks in Spring- field. They also furnished the plans for a school building in Chester, Illinois, which is to cost $17,000. Mr. Bell was born near the old battle ground on the Brandywine, in Chester county, Pennsylvania, and is thirty-three years of age; came with parents to Bloomington, Illinois, in 1853, where they still reside. His father, Chalk- ley Bell, is a Quaker farmer. The subject of this article married Adda Van Hoff, in 1871, in Springfield, in the same house in which she was born. They have two children of each sex.

Sigmund Benjamin, clothing merchant and dealer in gentlemen's furnishing goods, 102 South Sixth street, has been carrying on the business in Springfield since 1867 ; for about ten years on the north side of the square, and since October, 1878, in his present store. Ile keeps a large stock of clothing and gentlemens' fur- nishings, in which he does a heavy retail trade, amounting, in 1879, to about $36,000; in 1880, to $45,900, with an increase in 1881 that prom- ises sales of $50,000 for the year. Before com- ing to Springfield, Mr. Benjamin was located some years in Kansas City, Missouri, with a prominent firm in the same line of business. He was born in Germany, and is forty-one years old ; came to the United States at the age of eighteen; spent two years and a half in Peoria, Illinois, whence he went to Kansas City. He landed in Peoria without a dollar ; hence bis large business and fine residence property on North Sixth street, are the result of his individ- ual industry and enterprise. In 1869, he married Miss Mary Stern, of Springfield. They have two sons and a daughter. Mr Benjamin is a Master Mason, and a member of the Order of Benai Berith, Emes Lodge, No. 6; also of A. O. U. W., and has passed through all the chairs of Capital City Lodge, No. 38, of that order.

John Bressmer, dry goods merchant, in Cen- tral Block, southeast corner of Adams and Sixth streets, has been identified with the dry goods trade of Springfield thirty-three years, thirty years of the time in one store, opposite the ele- gant new building he now occupies, and into which his stock was moved from the old store across Sixth street in September, 1881. Three floors and basement of this beautiful building are used for Mr. Bressmer's extensive retail busi-

ness. The first story, 110x25 feet, is devoted to dry goods, notions and yarns; the second floor, comprising the entire block, 110x45 feet, is used for carpets, upholster goods and curtains; the third floor for work room and storage purposes; the basement to oil-cloths and mattings. The Central Block was erected and arranged with a special view to the purposes for which it is used, and is a model of its class. The stock of goods in every department of this house is large and varied, to suit the taste and purse of pur- chasers in every station of life. The carpet room is one of the finest and most ample in the West, and the stock of carpets, curtains and fancy trimmings it contains is rarely equalled anywhere. In this feature, Mr. B. has the heavi- est trade in this part of the State. John Bress- mer is a native of Germany, born in 1833. He crossed the Atlantic in 1848, and came via New Orleans to Illinois. Landing at Pekin, Tazewell county, he walked across the country to Spring- field, and being a stranger in the land, without money, he worked as a common laborer at what- ever offered, for three years. He began his mer- cantile career as a clerk in the store of Hurst & Taylor. About 1858, he became a member of the firm of Matheny & Co., and ten years later became sole proprietor, and has since conducted the business alone. By upright dealing and judi cious management he has steadily increased the volume of trade until it is one of the largest in Central Illinois. The house requires a force of seventeen people to discharge its business.

George M. Brinkerhoff, Secretary of the Springfield Iron Company; was born at Gettys- burg, Pennsylvania, August 20, 1839. He was graduated from Pennsylvania College at that place in the class of 1859, and immediately came to Springfield, Illinois, for the purpose of teaching in the Illinois State University, which position he held for two years. He commenced reading law while in college, and continued it while teaching; was admitted to the bar in Springfield, but never engaged in active prac- tice. During the late civil war he was disburs- ing clerk in the office of the Auditor of State and had entire charge of the war fund, its re- ceipts and disbursements. He was elected City Comptroller, held the office two or three years, at the end of which he became Superintendent of the Insurance Department of the Auditor's office, retaining that position until chosen Secre- tary for the Springfield Iron Company in 1871, since which time he has had the general super- vision of their vast business. From 1865, to the present time, Mr. Brinkerhoff has carried on

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

business as a private money and bond broker, having in that time made more than ten thou- sand loans. In politics Mr. Brinkerhoff has al- ways been a staunch Republican, and one of the party's most active members in Sangamon county for years. Ile united in marriage with Isabella G., daughter of E. B. Hawley, of Springfield, on August 4, 1862. Two sons and three daughters are the result of their union.

George N. Black, is a descendant from Puri- tan ancestry, and was born Maren 15, 1833, in Berkshire county, Massachusetts. His parents were William M. and Pepsis Black, nee Fuller. His educational opportunities were comprised in the common schools and academic course in his native State. From fourteen years of age he became self-supporting, and in October, 1850, came to Springfield, Illinois, and entered the employ of Colonel John Williams as clerk in his dry goods store, on a salary of $15 per month. Six years later young Black was received as a partner by his employer, the firm assuming the title of John Williams & Company. After a continuation of a quarter of a century, this part- nership was dissolved by the sale of their busi- ness to C. A. Gehrman, in September, 1880. In addition to his mercantile business Mr. Black has been prominently identified with most of the public enterprises which have inured to the growth and prosperity of Springfield and Sanga- mon county; and has zealously labored to ad- vance the best interests of the community. He was one of the company organized to build the Leland Hotel; was one of the original company that projected and constructed the Pana, Spring- field & Northwestern Railroad, of which he was made a Director and Secretary. This line is now a part of the O. & M. Railroad. He was also one of the prime movers in the Gilman, Clinton & Springfield Railroad, of which he was a one-tenth owner. This is now the Springfield branch of the Illinois Central Railroad. He was one of the original movers in the construc- tion of the Springfield & Northwestern Rail- road; was appointed Receiver of the same in 1875, and had charge of it four years. After the road was sold and the company re-organized, Mr. Black operated it as General Manager fif- teen months. He was cashier of the First National Bank of Springfield the first year of its existence; was one of the organizers and original stockholders of the Springfield City Railway Company, and acted as its Treasurer till the last two years, since which time he has been a Director and Vice President. He was one of the original movers in the formation of

the Illinois Watch Company, in which he put. $8,000 capital and considerable labor, and held the office of Treasurer about two years. He has been Secretary and Treasurer of the Barclay Coal Mining Company from its organization in 1873. Is a stockholder in the Springfield Iron Company; is also the Secretary and one of the Directors of the Company incorporated for the purpose of building the Springfield & St. Louis Railroad, projected as an air-line between the two cities. Mr. Black is one of the incorpo- rators of the Steam Supply and Electric Light Company, and a Director and Secretary of the organization.

In October, 1859, George N. Black and Louisa Iles Williams were united in marriage. She was born in Springfield, Illinois, December 22, 1840, and is the eldest child of Colonel John Williams. Only two of their four children sur- vive; namely, John W. and Annie Lulu Black. George, their younger son, was drowned while in bathing, on May 19, 1880, while attending Shattuck School, at Farebault, Minnesota.

Alfred Booth, grocer and commission mer- chant, No. 226 South Sixth street, has been en- gaged in the grocery business in Springfield as employe or proprietor since 1868. Over four years ago he opened his present store, moving from Adams street, where he had carried on business a few months. He keeps a general as- sortment of goods for the retail trade, and deals quite heavily in fruits, produce, and butter and eggs, both at wholesale and retail, and does a prosperous business in the several branches. He also established the Baltimore Oyster House, near his store on Sixth street, in September, 1880, and did a prosperous trade until the latter part of December, then sold out at a paying price. Previous to starting in business on his own ac- count, Mr. Booth clerked for Mr. George White, a few months; for Butler, Lane & Co., from the fall of 1868 until they sold out, in 1872; and then for J. W. Bunn & Co. Having received no financial aid, his present fine growing business is solely the result of his individual industry and enterprise. Mr. Booth is the youngest of three sons of William and Elizabeth ( Berriman) Booth, natives of England, and was born in Springfield, Illinois, in 1853, where his parents had settled on their arrival in this country, in 1850. His father was a practical machinist, and was joint proprietor of the Excelsior Foundry for some years. IIe died in 1860. His widow is a resident of the city.

Henry E. Bolte, of the firm of R. B. Zim- merman & Co., general and ornamental painters,

THOMAS FOUTCH.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

and dealers in wall papers, window shades, glass, and oils, 407 Adams street, has been a joint pro- prietor in the business since 1871, having for several years previously been an employe of the house, which is one of the oldest concerns in the city, established about forty-five years ago, and conducted by Zimmerman & Willard, and sub- sequently by Zimmerman alone, till the forma- tion of the present co-partnership. Mr. Bolte was born in Germany, in 1838; there learned the painter's trade; studied fresco painting in the art schools. After carrying on business some years, he immigrated to America, in 1866, and settled in Springfield, Illinois, which has since been his home. In 1863, he married Fred- ericke Schumacker, by whom he has one surviv- ing son, Henry L. Bolte. Mr. B. and wife be- long to the German Lutheran Church.

George W. Bolinger, dealer in stoves, tinware, crockery, and house furnishing goods, 210 and 212 Soutlı Fifth street, has been engaged sixteen years in that business, at that number. Three floors of the building, thirty-tive by seventy feet, are filled with his large stock of cooking and heating stoves, queen's and glassware, and general house furnishing goods, in which he con- ducts a large retail trade. He also manufactures tin, sheet iron, and copper-ware, and does job- bing, roofing, guttering, and cornice work, em- ploying an average of four mechanics. He has the exclusive local agency for the sale of the Omaha coal and the hot-blast Charter wood cook stoves. He does an annual business of $30,000. Mr. Bolinger is a native of Maryland, and is forty-one years old. Previous to coming to Illi- nois, he was carrying on a harness shop in Hagerstown, in that State, having learned that trade in early life. In 1860, he came to Spring- field, and continued in the same line three years here; then operated two years in dry goods, as a member of Herndon & Co., before embarking in the stove trade. He began in a modest way, in one room, and sold nothing but a few wood stoves. Each year his business has increased, demanding a larger and more varied stock, until it is now one of the most comprehensive in Cen- tral Illinois. Mr. Bolinger united in marriage with Margaret S. Staley, in Maryland. Their union has been blessed with three sons and one daughter. Mr. B. and family are members of the Second M. E. Church.

John S. Bradford was born June 9, 1815, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father was a native of Delaware, and died in Philadelphia in 1816. John S. learned the trade of a book- binder in his native city, and in 1835 started on

foot for the City of Mexico. IIe walked to Pittsburg, thence to Cincinnati by steamboat, from there to Dayton, Ohio, and Richmond, In- diana. At Richmond he was induced, in 1837, to join a corps of United States engineers who were then engaged in constructing what was called the National road. It was a wagon road, built at the expense of the United States gov- ernment. The road commenced at Cumberland, Maryland, crossed the Ohio river at Steuben- ville, passed through Columbus, Ohio, Rich- mond, Indianapolis and Terre Haute, Indiana, and ended at Vandalia. The corps of engineers disbanded at the latter point. The State Capital was then in transit from Vandalia to Springfield, and Mr. Bradford came here, arriving December 1840. In the spring of 1841 he bought the in- terest of Mr. Burchell in the book-bindery of Burchell & Johnson, and became one of the firm of Johnson & Bradford.

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History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 106

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company Number of Pages: 1084

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084