USA > Illinois > St Clair County > History of St. Clair County, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 61
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ELWOOD STOCK & POULTRY FARM, THEPROPERTY OF JOSEPH E. MILLER, SEC. 32, T.I. N. R.8 W, BELLEVILLE PRECINCT, 2 MILES S.W.OF BELLEVILLE,/ L.
C. A. MONK.
FARM MACHINERY.
Mc CORMICK
J.I.CASE. T.M.COS. ENGINES &
HARVESTING
MACHINES
SEPERATORS
17
THE AGRICULTURAL WAREHOUSE OF C . A. MONK, BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS. A FULL LINE OF IMPROVED FARM MACHINERY ALWAYS ON HAND.
..
MG
Kentin am Pula o M. D.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
ter of Dr. Calhoun, an old and prominent physician and settler of the northern part of St. Clair county. By this marriage there have been three children, one son and two daughters. Politically, Mr. Eckert has always been, from casting his first vote, a Republican. In 1874 he was appointed postmaster in Lebanon, Ill , and held the position for nearly two years when he resigned.
DR. FERDINAND RUBACH.
THE subject of the following biographical sketch is a native of the Province of Nassau, Germany. The date of his birth was November 29, 1837. His father, Augustus W. Rubach was edu- cated in the military schools and was an officer in the German army. He emigrated to America in 1841, and settled in Phila- delphia, where he remained two years, then came west to St. Clair County, Illinois, where he engaged in farming, and subse- quently in mercantile pursuits in Belleville. He died in 1871. He married Miss Wilhelmina Schenck, youngest daughter of Pre- sident Schenck of the Duchy of Nassau. She still survives her husband, and is a resident of Belleville, and an inmate of the home of her son, the subject of this sketch. By this union there were two children, both sons, who lived to the age of maturity. William R., the youngest son, was a soldier in the late war. He enlisted in the 12th Regiment, Mo. Vols., under the first call for troops. After the term of the first enlistment expired he volunteered for three years' service iu the same regiment, and was promoted to the rank of Adjutant of the regiment. He served through the war.
Ferdinand received his education in the Public Schools of Belleville and by private instruction At the age of eighteen he entered the office of Dr. A. Hammer of St. Louis, and commenced the study of medicine. After making suitable progress in his studies he entered the St. Louis Medical College, taking two full courses, and graduated from that institution in March, 1858, with the degree of M.D. In May following he went to Germany, and entered the Medical Department of the University of Würtzburg, and pursued his studies there for eighteen months. From Würtz- burg he went to Prague, Austria, and from there to Vienna, where he received special instruction from Professor Arlt. From the latter place he went to Berlin, where he studied the diseases of the eye, and their remedies, under the celebrated surgeon and special- ist, Professor Von Graefe. He then returned to Belleville, having been absent three years, which time was employed in receiving more thorough instruction in Materia Medica and Surgery, and fitting him for the general practice. He commenced the practice in Belleville and has continued here to the present time. Dr. Rubach's practice is large and his success as a practitioner all that could be desired. He belongs to the progressive School of Medicine, and readily adopts the new methods and discoveries that are constantly being made in the science of medicine. He is a member of the St. Clair County Medical Society. He was appointed U. S. Examin- ing Surgeon iu 1862, and still retains that position. He has been County Physician since 1866. On the 4th of February, 1864, he married Miss Sophia Maus, daughter of John Maus, deceased. By this marriage, there are four children, two sons and two daughters. Dr. Rubach possesses exceedingly agreeable social qualities, and is much respected by the citizens of Belleville, and also bears the reputation of being an honorable gentleman and good citizen.
HON. THOMAS QUICK.
THOMAS QUICK is a native of St. Clair County, and a representa- tive of one of the early families and pioneers of Illinois. His father, Aaron Quick, was a native of New Jersey, and was a soldier of the war of 1812, and was also in the Indian wars on the frontier. His father, Isaac Quick, paternal grandfather of the subject of this memoir, removed from New Jersey to the western part of Pennsyl- vania soon after the close of the last century. He remained there until 1806, when he came to the territory of Illinois, and settled in what is now St. Clair county. His son Aaron followed him in 1809.
Isaac Quick married Lucretia Runyon, who was born February 14, 1761. By this union Aaron was born October 19, 1778. On the 9th December, 1800, he married Lacy Preston, who was born December 1, 1780. She was a native of the western part of Virginia. Her parents were natives of Maryland. By the union of Aaron and Lacy Quick there were twelve children, ten of whom lived to maturity. Our subject is the youngest of the family. He was born in St. Clair County October 13, 1823. He was educated in the pioneer schools of Illinois, and from those rude schools entered M'Kendree College at Lebanon, Illinois. He remained in the latter institution for two and a half years, then adopted the profession of school teacher, and also read the standard text books upon law, under the direction of George Trumbull, an eminent lawyer of Belleville, and in 1846 was admitted to the practice. He was admitted to the bar of the United States Courts on motion of Abraham Lincoln, with whom Mr Quick was intimate, and both were strong personal friends. In 1847 he removed to Water- loo, Monroe County, Illinois, and continued his practice with varied success until 1855, when he returned to Belleville. While a resident of Monroe County, in 1850 he was elected to represent his district in the Legislature. After his return to Belleville he formed a law-partnership with Judge W. H. Underwood, which continned for a short time. In 1856, he and Hon. Jehu Baker, formed a partnership in the practice of law which continued until Mr. Quick was appointed Bank Examiner by Governor Bissell. He was reappointed by Govs. Yates and. Oglesby, and held that position until the law was abolished. In 1858 he purchased land in Washington County, where he farmed until 1874. In 1861 he was appointed one of the incorporators of the Illinois Agricultural College at Irvington, in Washington County. He worked faith- fully for the instititution, and spent much time and a great deal of his private means in his efforts to establish and build it up. He was a member of the first Board of Trustees of the Illinois Indus- trial University at Urbana, Illinois, and was active in its manage- ment during Gov. Oglesby's administration. He held the position until 1873. In that year he removed to Richview, in Washington County, Illinois, and from there went to East St. Louis, and in 1876 came back to Belleville, and here he has remained to the pre- sent. On the 1st of October, 1846, he married Miss Evilina S. Thrift, by whom he had six children, four sons and two daughters. Mrs. Quick died November 19, 1876. Orlando T., the eldest son, was a soldier during the late rebellion. He was a student at McKendree College when he enlisted in Co. "C." of the 72d Regt., Ill. Vol, and died in the service from disease contracted while in the line of his duty, the date of which was March 27, 1865. The youngest daughter named Eugenia Eloise, died in her eleventh year. Abram E., Judson Thrift, the latter a school teacher in this county. Edwin, another son, is a telegraph opera- tor in Chicago, for the Western Union Telegraph Company, and is also a student in the Chicago Law School. Burton is a resident
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
and school teacher in St. Clair County. On the 6th of February, 1881, Mr. Quick was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary E. Miles, nee Tyrrell, widow of Stephen W. Miles, jun. Politically, Mr. Quick was originally a democrat, but was opposed to slavery. During the Kansas-Nebraska difficulties he became a free soiler, and from that political position, he joined the republican party. He took a decided stand against the admission of slavery into the territories, and when that opposition culminated and crystalized into an organization he was found in its ranks, and heartily sup- ported the election of John C. Fremont to the Presidency. Since that time he has voted the republican ticket. During the war lie was a strong Union man, favorable to the most vigorous prosecu- tion of the war. He was then a member of the State Republican Central Committee. He has been a member of the Baptist Church since 1868, as was his deceased wife, and his present one. He is also an honored member of the ancient and honorable order of A. F. and A. M., and belongs to St. ClairLodge, Belleville, Illinois. Personally and socially, Mr. Quick is a man. of rare and social qualities. He has given much attention to self-culture, and has contributed considerably to newspapers and periodicals.
D. REUTCHLER.
TILIs gentleman, who is engaged in the mercantile and coal busi- ners at Reutchler's station, is a native of the state, and was born at Jacksonville, Morgan county, December tenth, 1837. His ances- tore emigrated at an early date to America from Wittenberg, Ger- many, and settled in Pennsylvania. The family is said to have been originally of the same stock as the Van Rensellaers of New York. The name was formerly spelled Reutschler. John Reutch- ler, the grandfather of D. Reutchler, was born in Pennsylvania
His father, Jacob Reutchler, lived in Union county, Pa., and in the fall of 1837 immigrated to Illinois, reaching Morgan county the last of October of that year-the journey, which was by wagon, occupied five weeks. They remained in Morgan county about three months ; the greater part of the winter was spent at Upper Alton ; and in the spring of 1838 they came to St. Clair county, and settled on section thirty-three of township one north, range seven west. When he came west, Jacob Reutchler was a man of considerable means. He had been engaged in farming and milling in Union county, Pa., and on leaving that locality sold his farm and mill for twenty-one thousand dollars, a much larger sum in those days than now He brought this amount with him to Illinois. He was un- fortunate in losing a loan of about fourteen thousand dollars, which he made to a man in Upper Alton. With the balance he purchased eight hundred acres of land, paying for the improved part twelve dollars and a half an acre. At the time he purchased this land the improvements on the place were among the best in that part of the county, the original scttlement having been made by James Mitch- ell in 1817.
Jacob Reutchler was a man of great energy and superior busi- ness qualifications. He gave his personal attention to farm- ing, but was also occupied largely in trading in stock, by which he accumulated considerable means. His trading expeditions mono- polized a great part of his time, made necessary a great amount of rough traveling over the country, and was the source of much hardship. He had a fair education, which had mostly been acquired by his own efforts, was a good judge of human nature, a successful trader and a capable business man. At the time of his death he owned nearly twenty-five hundred acres of valuable land, covering the site of Reutchler's station. He died on the 9th of January,
1853, from a congestive chill, supposed to have been brought on by exposure. His widow still lives on the old homestead, aud enjoys good health, though at the age of seventy-seven. Mrs. Reutchler has been a member of the Lutheran Church ever since her mar- riage, and her husband, while a resident of Pennsylvania, was also an active member of that denomination. She has warmly at heart the interests of the church, and has built with her own means the church at Reutchler's station, and in every other way has done all she could to forward the cause of Christianity. She raised a family of ten children, all of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. Five-three sons and two daughters-are now living.
Daniel Reutchler, whose name appears at the head of this sketch, was born about six weeks after the arrival of the family in Illinois, and was about six months old at the time his parents settled in St. Clair county. He was raised in that part of the county, and at- tended the common schools. In 1855 he went to Pennsylvania, and during the winter of 1855-6 went to school at the Union County Seminary and an academy in Juniata county. He subsequently, during the winter of 1860-1, attended a commercial college in Pitts- burg, Pa. He had his home ou the farm in St. Clair county, though at intervals he was in Ohio and elsewhere till 1864, when he re- moved to Belleville and purchased of his brother, J. B Reutchler, an interest in the agricultural works which were conducted for four- teen years under the firm name of D. & H. Reutchler. During this time the establishment was engaged in the manufacture of their well-known grain drills. Oa the seventh of January, 18.8, he met with a serious misfortune by breaking one of his limbs in two places. This accident, which was occasioned by his being caught in the fly-wheel of the engine at the coal-shaft, which had been opened up at Reutchler's, unfitted him for any physical exertion for about a year.
Since 1878, having disposed of his interest in the Agricultural Works, he has been engaged in the management of the old homne- stead farm, which is composed of over five hundred acres, and in operating the coal-shaft at Reutchler's, which was opened up at the time of the building of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Since 1874 he has also had charge of a store at that place, and since June of that year has filled the office of post-master. He is a gentleman of enterprize and energy. He has never filled any public position. He began his political course by voting for Stephen A. Douglas for President in 1860, but in 1864 supported Lincoln for the presidency, and has since acted with the republican- party, though in his political views he is liberal and independent.
CHARLES F. NOETLING
Is a native of Pennsylvania. William Noetling, his father, was of German birth, and emigrated to America in 1824. He settled in Philadelphia, where he practiced medicine. He afterwards re- moved to Juniata county, in the same state, and there married Eli- zabeth Zulauf, who was a Pennsylvanian by hirth. Dr. Noetling subsequently removed to Union county, and remained there nntil the division of that county and Snyder, whereby he became a resi- dent of the latter, and remained until his death in 1861. His wife still survives him. By the marriage of Dr. William aud Elizabeth Noetling there were three children, all sons. William, the eldest, is at present Professor of Mathematics in the State Normal School in Bloomsburg, Pa. John, the youngest, is a physician, located in Mifflinburg, Pa. Charles F., the second son, was born in Union connty, Pa., September 19, 1832. He received his education in the common schools and in the academy at New Berlin, and in the
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RESIDENCE OF JOHN MAULE. BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.
RESIDENCE OF PETER STAUDER. BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Union Seminary in Union county. It was the wish of his father that he should adopt the profession of medicine, and with that idea in view he read medicine in his father's office for several years, but it proved distasteful, and he abandoned the idea of becoming a physician, aud came west to Belleville in St. Clair county, Illinois, and here he was induced to take charge of the public schools as principal. Af- ter a term he was engaged to teach in the Belleville German and English High School, which was select and composed of the child- ren of prominent citizens, who desired that their children should be taught both languages, and have the advantages of an education superior to that obtained in the common schools. The profession of teaching like that of medicine was uncongenial, and he deter- mined to study law. In November, 1856, he entered the law-office of Wm. H. & J. H. Underwood, prominent and well-known attor- neys of Belleville, and commenced the study. In 1859, at the April term of the circuit court, he underwent an examination be- fore a committee, composed of Judge Underwood, George Trumbull, and Nathaniel Niles, and upon their unanimousrecommendation was admitted to the bar. On the 12th of June, 1860, he entered the office of Judge Underwood, and remained in his service for one year, when he formed a law partnership with his preceptor, which continued until September, 1875, or, until the death of Judge Un- derwood. On the 1st of November, 1875, he formed a partnership with R. A. Halbert, which still continues. The law firm of Under- wood & Noetling did a large and lucrative practice, and was during its existence one of the most successful law firms in southern Illi- nois. The firm of Noetling and Halbert still continued the prestige achieved in former years, and still occupy the conspicuous position at the bar of St. Clair county.
Few cases of any prominence are tried in the courts but what they are retained for one side or the other. Their success and large practice is the best evidence of their ability as lawyers. Mr. Noet . ling politically is a republican. He joined that organization in 1856, and from that time to the present has been a staunch sup- porter of republican principles.
In 1871, he was appointed a member of the State Board of Edu- cation, and for six years served with distinction in that body.
Notwithstanding, Mr. Noetling's life has been a busy one, his large law practice requiring much of his time, he has still found leisure to cultivate his mind, and add to his store of historical and literary information. He has also found time to make pleasure trips to different parts of the country. These journeys have embraced a vi- sit to nearly every state in the Union. In 1879, he was one of a large party of men engaged in different callings and professions, who went south and to Mexico on a tour of information and observation. The party was known as the " American Industrial Deputation," whose object was to some extent, to establish more friendly business relations between Mexico and the United States. Their observations and impressions were published at the time in the leading journals throughout the country, and did much to cor- rect false impressions, and give the people of the two countries a better knowledge of each other. On the 22d of December, 1858, he was united in marriage to Miss Julia M. Swyer, a native of Belleville. By this union there are three children, one son and two daughters. William F., the son, is preparing for the profession of law. He married Miss Anna Grant of Memphis, Tenn. Ella L., the eldest daughter, is the wife of Edward Swinford, now a resident of St. Louis. Bessie N., the youngest, is yet at home. Both Mr. and Mrs. Noetling, are members of the Presbyterian church. During Mr. Noetling's long residence in Belleville, and connection with the business interests of the town and county, he has proved himself a man entitled to the respect and confidence of the people. In his
manners he is open, frank and unassuming, and at home or abroad is a pleasant and agreeable gentleman.
CHARLES BECKER.
THE subject of the following biographical sketch was born in Rhenish Bavaria, Germany, June 21th, 1840. Urban Becker, his father, was by trade and profession an architect and builder, and carried ou a large business in his native country. He there mar- ried Mary Spross, by which union there were thirteen children. In 1851 he left Germany and emigrated to America, and came direct to Belleville, where he continued his trade of builder, and where he remained until his death in 1874. His wife, and mother of the subject of this sketch, survived him, and died in Belleville, March 25th, 1881. Charles was in his eleventh year when the family came to America. His education was obtained, mainly, in the schools of Belleville, in which he continued until his fifteenth year, when he went to the Harrison Machine Works in Belleville, and commenced learning the trade of moulder. He remained at the trade until he was twenty-one years of age, when the war broke out. He then laid down his tools and with patriotic devotion to the coun- try of his adoption he enlisted under the first call of the President for 300,000 men. He enlisted in company B, of the 12th Missouri Volunteers, and participated with the regiment in the battles and skirmishes until near the close of the battle of Pea Ridge, which commenced on the 6th of March, 1862. On the 8th, in the third day's fight, he was wounded in the right thigh, the ball shattering the limb so badly that in order to save his life it was necessary to amputate the leg above the knee while he yet lay on the field of battle. This desperate wound necessitated his discharge from the service, which was accordingly done on the 8th of March, 1862. He returned home, and theu went to school for a short time. He re- alized from the nature of his physical disability that he would for the future have to depend upon clerical labor for support He took a course in book-keeping, and afterwards returned to Harrison's Machine shops and clerked, and did such general work until he married. That event occurred January 23d, 1864, at which time he was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Fleischbein, a native boru lady of Belleville, and daughter of Jacob and Louisa Fleischbein, who came to this country as early as 1833. After his marriage, he moved to West Belleville, where he engaged in hotel keeping, in which he continued until 1866, when he received the nomination for the office of sheriff, and in the ensuing election was elected. He served two years, which, by the then existing law, rendered him in- eligible for a second term. He then went into the Belleville brew- ery, in connection with Mr. Ehrhardt, under the firm name of Ehrhardt & Becker. They continued the brewing business until 1872, when he was nominated and elected circuit clerk. In 1876 he was again nominated, and became his own successor, and con- tinued in office until the expiration of his term.
In all of the offices held by Mr. Becker his entire course was marked by close attention to business, a careful regard for the wants and wishes of others, an accomodating disposition, obliging man- ners, and a proficiency in his duties, which had the effect of making him exceedingly popular among the masses and those who came in direct contact with him. He is emphatically a republican, and has never gone back on that party. In 1872, when the great Liberal wave swept thousands of his countrymen from the republican into the liberal-democratic ranks he remained firm. He was nominated for county clerk on the republican ticket, and was the ouly repub- lican elected. In 1876 his personal popularity and worth asa man
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
and citizen received still more flattering proof. He was nominated for the second time for circuit clerk, and notwithstanding his party was defeated by 1183 majority, he was elected by 800 majority, which was 2000 in excess of his party's vote. This is the strongest evidence of his worth as a man, and his fidelity to public trusts. In the party he has been active, and has done much to sustain the or- ganization in St. Clair county. He has been chairman of the Re- publican Central Committee for some years, and under his vigorous, wise and judicious management, the party owes much of its success in this county
In his manners Mr. Becker is a plain, unassuming gentleman. In his home, as well as abroad, he is hospitable and kind. In the former his generous hospitality is most readily attested by the wri- ter of this article, who has been the recipient of it, and who wishes to bear testimony to this trait of character in him.
By his marriage with Miss Louisa Fleischbein there have been five children, four living, three sons and one daughter. Their names are Bertha, Casimer, Gustave and Arthur Carl Becker. Frederick died in his eighth year.
Mr. Becker is a member of the German societies in Belleville which are organized for social, musical and other purposes. He was president of the Philharmonic Society for five years.
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JAMES H. THOMAS.
THE present editor and proprietor of the Advocate, the oldest estab- lished journal of St. Clair county, is a native of Belleville, and was born Dec. 2, 1848. The Thomas family were originally from South Carolina. John Thomas, the great grandfather of James H., emi- grated to Illinois as early as 1807, and settled near Shiloh, in St. Clair county. His sons, among whom was James D., came several years later. James D. married Elizabeth Tozer, who was a native of Pennsylvania, but was a resident of this county at the time of her marriage. Her people came here about the same time as the younger Thomas. By this union there were four children, who reached the age of maturity, two of whom had families. One of these was Margaret, who was the wife of George E. Walker of Chicago, now deceased. John J. Thomas, the father of James H., is the sole survivor of the family. He was born near Shiloh, on what is now known as the " Glaser " farm, July 9, 1818. He there grew to manhood, and married Margaret Harrison, a native of this county, and daughter of James D. and Lucinda Harrison. On the paternal side the Harrisons were originally from North Carolina, and the maternal grandmother, whose name was Gooding, was a na- tive of Kentucky. On both sides the family were among the pio- neer settlers of St. Clair county. By the union of Jolin J. and Margaret Thomas there were eight children, three of whom are liv- ing ; the others died in infancy. The mother died February 5, 1877 The subject of this sketch is the eldest of the children, and received his early education in the public schools of Belleville. At the age of seventeen he entered McKendree College at Lebanon, and graduated therefrom in 1869. After his return from school he entered the law office of Judge W. H. Underwood, and commenced the study of law. He pursued his studies until 1871, when at the August term of the circuit court he was admitted to the bar. He commenced the practice in East St. Louis, and continued until 1873, when he abandoned the profession and engaged with his father in the drug business in Belleville, in which he continued until 1880, when he purchased the Advocate printing office, and from that time to the present has been engaged in the newspaper business. As a newspaper man Mr. Thomas has been successful. He has made the
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