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 121

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 121

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

1863. Their family consists of one son and a daughter. Mr. S. is a stockholder in, and di- rector of the Northwestern Railroad.

William Steiger, Springfield, Illinois; born near Freiburg, Baden, Germany, May 25, 1816, and emigrated to this State in the spring of 1852, and located at Springfield; being in limited cir- cumstances, he worked by the day and month for John Busher. a butcher. In 1854 he embark- ed in business for himself, in a small way; and continued till 1868, when he retired from busi- ness; his two sons then took hold, and have made it one of the leading business firms of this branch in the city, having four markets where they cut their meat. They use in their business eighteen hundred head of cattle, eighteen hun- dred head of sheep, fifteen hundred head of hogs, besides their calves and lambs. They also do a jobbing business in dried beef, hams, etc. William Steiger married Miss Julia A. Schneider, of Germany; she was born February 16, 1816. There was a family of eight children, seven of whom are living. Mr. Steiger landed in this country without anything, and had to borrow money to bring him to Springfield; but by industry and economy has secured a fine property.

Henry Stork, steam laundry works, Spring- field, Illinois, was born in this city on April 25, 1861; is the son of George and Ma- linda Stork, natives of Germany. Mr. Henry Stork received his education in the ward schools of Springfield, which he pursued till he was fif- teen years old, when he began to learn the trade of blacksmithing with Drake & Palmer, Spring- field, Capitol Boiler Works. After working one year and a half he was given charge of a forge, and continued with this firm till February 19, 1881. Mr. Stork took charge of the Springfield Steam Laundry Works, February 21, 1881, as proprietor. The works were established 1863, and is the leading establishment of the kind in Springfield, and has a large trade, turning out, in fine laundry style, six hundred shirts per week. Mr. Stork was married in Springfield to Katy Malters, daughter of Mrs. Mary Malters, native of Germany. Mrs. Malters had three children, of whom two are living, Caroline, who was born in St. Louis, and Katy, a native of Springfield. Mrs. Stork is a member of the German Lutheran Church. Mr. Stork is a member of the English Lutheran Church.

James C. Sutton, contractor and builder, resi- dence 516 East Jefferson street, has been a citizen of Springfield since 1841. He was born in Sum- merset county, New Jersey, August 22, 1813.

After partially learning the carpenter trade there, he came to Illinois, April, 1839, and completed it with a cousin in Jacksonville, Morgan county, remaining there about eighteen months. Soon after coming to Springfield, he entered into part- nership with a brother-in-law, Samuel Simpson, and began building by contract; and as no money was to be had for work, they made some novel trades. On one occasion they received as pay a lot of rolls from the carding machine; on another a $25 clock and one hundred head of geese. The clock Mr. Sutton still owns. It is a good time-keeper, and has never had but one dollar expended on it. Mr. Sutton's first shop was an old school house, which stood a few feet east and on the opposite side of Washington street from the Chenery Hotel. He has erected many important business klocks and other build- ings in and about Springfield. It is a sufficient testimonial of his mechanical skill and business integrity to note that such representative citi- zens as Col. John Williams, Hon. Milton Ilay, and others, have employed him to do all their building for more than forty years. He and his brother, G. A. Sutton, were partners in the busi- ness many years, and were contractors for some of the work on the old State House. In those days they employed from twenty-five to thirty mechanics. Mr. Sutton is gradually retiring from active labor, having made a competence by industry, and only takes small jobs, or superin- tends work for others November 23, 1843, Mr. Sutton married Miss Clementine Simpson, in Springfield. She was also a native of New Jer- sey, and came to Sangamon county in the fall of 1839. Her father, John P. Simpson, settled in Fancy Creek township, near the present site of Williamsville. Mr. and Mrs. Sutton are the parents of three sons and two daughters, all living. Stephen P., the eldest son, is in the building business; James S., the second in age, is elerking in a grocery; and George E. attend- ing the High School. Maggie is now Mrs. G. S. Pennington, and resides in Pittsfield, Pike county; Mary Ella resides with her parents in the homestead, which they have occupied since 1852. During the civil war, Mr. Sutton was for a time Assistant Quartermaster, under Col. John Williams. He was for many years a member of the Board of Water Commissioners; superin- tended the construction of the sewer system of the city. In early life he was a Democrat in politics, but has been a Republican since the birth of that party. He is a stockholder and one of the directors of the First National Bank of Springfield.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Charles P. Swigert, Auditor of Public Ac- counts for Illinois, was born in Baden, Germany, in November, 1843, was brought by parents to the United States at the age of nine years. The family settled in Kankakee county, Illinois, in 1854, and he there attended the district school in winters and worked on the farm in summers until seventeen years old. At the age of twelve years he became self-supporting, starting out as an ox driver at four dollars per month, which was increased the next year to six dollars, and the third year to eight dollars per month. Dur- ing that time he assisted in breaking over four hundred acres of raw prairie with ox teams. In August, 1861, Mr. Swigert entered the United States Army as a member of Company H., Forty-second Illinois Infantry. On the 9th of May, 1862, during the siege of Corinth, he was struek with a six-pound solid shot which carried away his right arm from the shoulder to the elbow, leaving the hand dangling by a strip of skin. No aid was at hand, and he grasping the wound firmly with his left hand, thus saving his life by preventing hemorrhage, walked three quarters of a mile to the rear, was then put in an ambulance, and while on the way to the hos- pital was run away with for a mile over a cor- duroy road during which he lay on the bottom of the vehicle still staying the life-current with his remaining hand. After spending three weeks at the field hospital he was sent to Jeffer- son Barracks, Missouri, thence to Quincy, Illi- nois, from which place he was discharged in December, 1862. Mr. Swigert was one of the twenty sharp-shooters of Captain Hottenstein's company who ran the blockade of the Island No. 10 on the "Carondelet," on the Friday night previous to the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and spiked the enemy's guns for a distance of twenty- two miles leaving the river clear down to Memphis, then preparing the way for the cap- ture of 7000 Rebel prisoners and the large quan- tity of supplies on that island immediately fol- lowing. Upon retiring from the army Mr. Swigert spent a year in Bryant & Stratton's Business College as a student; then taught two terms of school in Kankakee county, and in May, 1865, entered the postal service as carrier in the west division of Chicago, remaining until Oeto- ber, 1866, when he became Deputy County Clerk in Kankakee county, till September, 1867; spent the school years of 1867-8, and 1868-9 in the Illinois Soldiers' College at Fulton; and in the fall of 1869 was elected Treasurer of Kanka- kee county, and re-elected on the Republican ticket five times successfully, serving until he 84 --

resigned to qualify for his present office, Novem- ber 24, 1880, to which he was appointed by the Governor to fill the vacaney caused by resigna- tion of Senator T. B. Needles. He was elected in November for the term of four years, com- mencing January 10, 1881. In December, 1869, Mr. Swigert married Lavina L. Bigelow, in Kan- kakee county, born in the State of Vermont. They have a family of four sons. Mr. S., is the son of Philip Swigert and Caroline Lewen- der. His mother died in 1869, father is a resi- dent of Kankakee county.

W. S. Thomas, M. D., Springfield, Illinois, was born in Franklin county, Ohio, April 22, 1821. His father was a botanic physician, and the son was brought up in the sanie school. He has made it his study for life. When twenty- one years old he attended lectures, and graduated in 1845. In 1851, he came to Illinois, and located in Pike county, where he followed his profession until 1865, when he came to Springfield; has fol- lowed his profession ever since. He married Miss Anna Courson, of Muskingum county, Ohio. The doctor thoroughly understands this business, gathering herbs and plants from all parts of the country, and shipping all over the United States and Europe.

Thomas J. Thompson, Justice of the Peace, was born in Philadelphia, where his parents set- tled soon after their marriage. His father. John Thompson, was born near Belfast, Ireland, and was of English ancestry, while his mother, Mar- garet Coleman, born in Belfast, was descended from Scottish Covenanters. Their religion was as their ancestry, one Episcopalian and the other Presbyterian. The subject of this sketch was taken by his parents when a child to Ohio, and he received his early education at the public schools of Dayton (at which place he was in- jured on the play-grounds and crippled for life,) and Springfield, in that State Passing from the High School at the latter place to Wittenberg College, at the same place, he finally completed his collegiate education at Williams College, with the class of 1874. The succeeding year he passed as principal of the Williamstown Aca- demy, at the town where Williams College is situated. The next three years he spent in the study of law with S. A. Bowman, one of the leading lawyers of Ohio, thence he came to this city, in the winter of 1879, and was engaged as private secretary for Hon. Bluford Wilson, of this city. In the spring he was admitted to practice in the courts of Illinois, and since that time has been engaged in the practice of the law and in short-hand reporting. At the spring

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

elections of 1881, he was elected a Justice of the Peace on the Citizens' and Democratic tickets, by a very complimentary vote. On entering upon the duties of his office he at once took a stand for reform in relation to the fees charged in such courts, and in consequence of that and an impartial discharge of his duties, is now en- joying a fair compensation. Mr. Thompson is now twenty-eight years of age, and expects, at the close of his present term of office, to return to the practice of law. He is, like most persons of Irish parentage, a Democrat in politics, and was Secretary of the Democratic State Central Committee during the late campaign, and will, no doubt, be on hand for a similar work again, as with him it is a work of love.

Louis II. Ticknor, County Clerk of Sangamon county, has been in public life from fifteen years of age. He is a native of Morgan county, Illi- nois, born in 1843. His father, Barton P. Tick- nor, was born, reared, and married Hannah Smith, in. Brown county, New York, came to Illinois, and settled in Morgan county, in an early day; engaging in farming. Louis' mother died in his infancy, too early for him to retain any remembrance of her. He was educated in the public schools, and obtained a situation in the Circuit Clerk's office of Morgan county, at the age of fifteen. April 16, 1861. he left the office to enlist in Company B, Tenth Illinois In- fantry, the first company registered in the State. Having completed his term of enlistment, he re- tired from the service at the end of four months, suffering from ill health. In the spring of 1862, he entered the Paymaster's office, St. Louis, as Clerk; left there in the fall of 1863, and came to Springfield, and soon after became deputy in the County Clerk's office, retaining that position until December, 1873. In November, 1874, he was elected Sheriff of Sangamon county for two years, on the Republican ticket, by a liberal ma- jority, and in the autumn of 1877 was chosen to his present office by the same party.

Mr. Ticknor was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Deyo, in February, 1867. She was born near Fairfax Court House, Virginia. The fruit of their union is one son, Fred, born Au- gust 0, 1868.

Justus Townsend, Springfield, Illinois, was born in Ulster county, New York, July 17, 1828, son of Joseph and Nancy (Tompkins) Townsend, natives of New York; was reared on a farm and attended school in the winter. When seventeen years of age he went to the Academy at Liberty, and also one term at Albany. Afterwards, was engaged in Ellenville, New York, in a drug

store, prosecuting his studies in the meantime. Soon after, he attended a practical course of lec- tures at the old Crosby Street Medical College. In 1851, went to Berkshire Medical College, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and graduated in 1852. In January, 1853, commenced practice in Sulli- van county, New York, where he remained two years; then to Sioux City, Iowa; from Sioux City, he went to Dakota, in 1861, and while there was elected Territorial Auditor of Dakota, where he remained until the war broke out; then to the Indian Territories, where he was Acting Assist- ant Surgeon, and had charge of the surgical de- partment at Fort Randall. In 1864, came to Springfield, where he has been engaged in the practice of his profession since. In 1869, he married Mrs. Clara Brown, a native of Sangamon county, and former wife of John H. Brown. There were two sons and one daughter from for- mer marriage, one son and one daughter still living. The Doctor is a member of three differ- ent medical societies, viz: The State, the San- gamon County, and the Central Illinois Medical Society. He is also physician of the St. John's Hospital.

Frank W. Tracy, President of First National Bank of Springfield, is widely known as one of Illinois' ablest business men, and most esteemed citizens. His physical and mental organism is of the finest American type, embodying the at- tributes of a sterling manhood-strong bodily powers, a clear, forcible intellect, great social qualities, and high moral integrity. This rare combination of elements has won for their pos- sessor the implicit confidence of the commercial public, and the firm friendship of resident citi- zens and visiting statesmen and people of note, many of whose monied interests he'has been the faithful custodian. Mr. Tracy was born in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, July 31, 1834. His father, J. P. Tracy, who was purchasing agent of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and a man of superior business qualifications, furnished his son with the most liberal educational advantages of that city. Frank was graduated from Balti- more College in the class of 1851, and soon after moved with his father's family to Mason county, Illinois, where the senior Tracy engaged in farming. Frank entered the employ of Mr. Henry Foster, a dry goods merchant of Beardstown, Illinois, remaining four years in the store. In 1856, he became jbook-keeper for Messrs. Nolte & McClure of that place, in which position he rendered complete satisfaction and formed many lasting friendships. In 1863, Mr. Tracy came to Springfield and entered one of the city banks as

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

teller. The following year he and several other gentlemen perfected the organization of the First National Bank of Springfield, and he was chosen its cashier. The financial flood-tide then fairly setting in throughout the country, resulting from the civil war, the geographical location of Springfield and its growing prosperity as the capital and political center of the greatest agri- cultural State of the Union, all contributed to usher the young bank upon an era of marked success, which is noted in the history of the banking interests in another chapter of this work. Fifteen years of uninterrupted faithful services as cashier, during which many millions of dol- lars of government and private funds has passed through his hands, were terminated by the elec- tion of Mr. Tracy in 1879 as President of the bank. Aside from his duties as a banker, Mr. Tracy has been active in developing the interests and resources of the State, as director of a num- ber of manufacturing and mining corporations, which have proven public benefactions. As a member of the Board of Education of the city, he has for years been a zealons friend and advocate of liberal education. He officiated as a director of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, during which he did efficient work in solving the transportation problem in this State. On October 23, 1855, Mr. Tracy united in marriage with Miss Sarah Jones, of Cass county. They have reared a family of two sons and two daugh- ters. The eldest son is now assistant cashier of the bank, and is a young man of bright qualities and great promise.

Albert H. Trapp, M. D., Springfield, Illinois, was born in Germany, June 30, 1813; the son of John Frederick and Eva Maria (Martine) Trapp; father was a prominent lawyer and a man of influence. Albert H., attended school in his boyhood, also commenced reading medicine. Having some unpleasantness in Germany, he went to Switzerland, where he graduated in the Surick University. In 1836, he came to the United States and located in St. Clair county, Illinois, where he immediately commenced the practice of medicine, and remained there twenty- one years; then came to Springfield, where he has been ever since. In 1854, he was elected to the legislature from St. Clair county. He mar- ried Miss Minnie Michael, who was born in Ger- many, October 25, 1823; there are three living children, Augusta, born February 21, 1848; Fred erick, born April 9, 1851; William, born October 23, 1854. The Doctor is a member of the School Board which position he has held nearly twenty years; takes a great interest in the education

of the young, and was raised in the Lutheran Church.

Charlton C. Troxell, of the firm of Troxell & Dubois, dealers in farm implements, buggies, phætons, spring wagons, farm and garden seeds, hides and pelts, corner of Jefferson and Fourth streets, is the son of William Troxell and Louise C. Staley, who were both natives of Washing- ton county, Maryland. Three children, Charl- ton C., Mansfield S., and Laura L., were born of their marriage. Mrs. Troxell was born in Octo- ber, 1836, and died in October, 1874. Her hus- band died in November, 1877. He established this business in Springfield in 1865, and con- ducted it until his death, when for a short time it was continued by his son, in company with W. Staley, then was bought by the present firm. The subject of this sketch has been continuously in the agricultural implement trade since, save a month or so spent in the grocery business. The firm keeps a large stock of the best patterns of farm machinery, buggies, phætons, and spring wagons, and also seeds for the farm and garden. The concern does an extensive and prosperous business.

William Troxell settled in Springfield, Illi- nois, in 1861, and previous to engaging in the . sale of farming tools, carried on a shoe and har- ness store.

Joseph Trutter, grocer and butcher, corner First and Jefferson streets, began business as a butcher in Springfield in 1866. In 1874, he com- menced ereeting the brick building he now occu- pies, sixty by forty feet in size, opened a grocery and meat market in it the following year, and has conducted both branches of business to the present time. He keeps in stock quite a com- plete line of groceries, and has a trade in the two departments of more than $20,000 a year. Mr. Trutter is a German by nativity, born in January, 1841; came to the United States when twelve years of age; spent ten years at Long Branch, New Jersey, as a laborer on a farm. He then joined his father in the butcher business in Springfield, Illinois. Mr. Trutter, senior, also emigrated in 1853, and settled in Springfield in 1857, residing there until his decease, in Feb- ruary, 1879. In April, 1866, Joseph married Miss Ellen Sauer, born in Switzerland, but brought up from a small child in Sangamon county. Their family consists of two boys and three girls. Mr. Trutter is a member of the St. Vincent Benevolent Society, and he and family belong to the Catholic Church.

Edward R. Ulrich, grain merchant, corner of Adams and Tenth streets, is extensively en-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

gaged in this branch of merchandising, both in Springfield and at several other railroad points. He embarked in the grain traffic five years ago, and has steadily increased the volume of busi- ness until he shipped, in 1880, two thousand cars of the dfferent cereals, chiefly over the Wabash and Springfield & Northwestern rail- roads, finding a market in Toledo and Baltimore. For twenty years previous to engaging in this, he had devoted his attention to buying, feeding and shipping live stock, mainly cattle. Mr. Ulrich is a New Yorker by nativity, born in Duchess county, in 1829. His father, Augustus L. Ulrich, was a woolen manufacturer in that county. He died in 1841, and the same year Edward came with his mother to Sangamon county, Illinois, and settled in Springfield, which has been his home since. He was for a time employed as an errand boy and sub-clerk in a general store ; later was identified with the lumber business for a time, and also carried on farming, which still receives a liberal share of his attention in the management of a large farm west of the city. In March, 1853, he married Maria V. Vredenburgh, a New Jersey lady by birth, and daughter of a pioneer mer- chant in Springfield. They have seven sur- viving children-four sons and three daugh- ters.

John B. Vasconcellos, of the firm of Vascon- cellos & Goveia, grocers, 1135 North Sixth street, was born in Jacksonville, Illinois, in May, 1853; started in life as a jockey boy before he was eight years of age, and has been entirely self-dependent ever since. He followed that pursuit till 1869, visiting seventeen States, while thus employed. Leaving that he obtained em- ployment as a laborer on a construction train of the Chicago, Burlington and Quiney Railroad; later he became a brakeman, and in November, 1875, was made conductor, which position he held till November, 1880, then resigned to em- bark in the grocery business. His parents were Manuel Vasconcellos and Ida Nunes, natives of Maderia Island, and born in 1812 and 1814 re- spectively. They came to the United States and settled in Jacksonville, Illinois, thirty-three years ago, being the first Portuguese to immigrate. Mrs. Vasconcellos was the mother of twelve children, nine now alive Six of the seven sons were at one time engaged in railroading; Joseph, the second son, was accidentally killed in Springfield May 1, 1881, while performing his duties as yard-master, for the Wabash Railroad, after having been eighteen years in that com- pany's employ. The subject of this sketch mar-

ried Estella Stringham, a native of Ohio, in September, 1879.

M. R. Goveia, was born in Springfield, in November, 1855; is the son of Manuel Goveia, who settled in this city in 1849, immediately after emigrating from Maderia Island, his birth place. Ile is a painter by trade, married Mary DeFrates, also of foreign birth. The subject of this sketch has been identified with the grocery business since 1872, as clerk until 1875, when he located in that portion of the city where he and his partner are now doing business. They have a fine local trade.

John Vetter, grocer, 111 North Fifth street, started in business at that point in September, 1878. He keeps in stock a complete variety of family groceries, staple and fancy, of $4,000 value, and has a trade of $20,000 a year. Mr. Vetter is a native of Germany, born in Hessen, and is twenty-five years old He emigrated to the United States in 1873; worked the first nine months on a farm in St. Clair county, Illinois, then came to Springfield. His first wages were $2 a month, which was soon imcreased as his worth was demonstrated. By incessant industry and rigid economy he saved $800 with which to commence the grocery business in 1878. His trade is quite extensive both in city and country and rapidly increasing. Mr. Vetter obtained a good German education in his native land.

J. S. Vrodenburg, deceased, was born in Som- erset county, New Jersey, March 11, 1809. He entered a large dry goods house in New York City, when a boy, and remained until he was twenty-one years of age. He then married Miss Ann Doremus, danghter of Francis Dore- mus, of New York City; the same year came West and bought land in this county, and soon after returned for his family, and located here permanently in 1832. The old homestead is at present owned by his son Peter. He remained on the farm until 1841, when he came to Spring- field and engaged in merchandising on the north side of the Square, and was known as No. 4. In 1852 he sold out and returned to the farm until 1856, when he again came to the city and engaged in the lumber business which he continued until his deathı. The business is now owned and con- trolled by his son, Peter. Mr. Vredenburg was a member of the City Council two years, and in 1865 was elected to the office of Mayor; was senior elder in the Presbyterian Church; he died March 9, 1879, leaving a widow who followed him in October, 1880. They left a family of eight child- ren, Mariah D., (now Mrs. E. R. Ulrich, of Spring- field) Francis and Peter of this city; Thomas D.,

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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 121

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