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 62
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Advocate one of the influential and leading republican newspapers of southern Illinois.
On the 30th of June, 1880, he was united in marriage to Miss Hattie P., daughter of John L. Sargent of Lebanon, Illinois. He is a member of the order of A. F. and A. M., chapter and com- mandery. He is high priest and presiding officer of the Belleville Chapter No. 106. Politically he has always voted the republican ticket. He is a man whose influence is felt in all enterprises calcu- lated to further the interests of Belleville and this county.
BENJAMIN J. WEST, JR.
BENJAMIN WEST, the great-grandfather of the subject of this short biographical sketch, was born in Maryland in the year 1743. Tilghman H. West, his oldest son, was born in Montgomery co. Maryland, September 20, 1773. When but six years of age, his father moved to Virginia, and settled in Botetourt county, near Fincastle, the county seat. In 1803 Tilghman H. West married Mary Mitchell. Having accumulated considerable property in Virginia, he determined to move westward, and in 1818 came with his family and slaves to Illinois, and settled in St. Clair county. Benjamin J. West, his son, married Louisa A. Mitchell, June 7th, 1836 settled in Belleville, the county seat, and engaged in the mer- cantile business in 1834, and continued business until 1879. Hav- ing accumulated a competency, he determined to retire from busi- siness. Benjamin J. West, Jr., was born on his father's farm, one mile south of Belleville, in July, 1846, where he remained until 1860. At the age of fourteen he entered McKendree College, re- maining two years. He then entered the St. Louis University, and remained until 1864. About this time the call was made by the President of the United States for one hundred-day volunteers. At the age of eighteen he enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty- second Regiment Ills. Volunteers in the company of Captain D. H. Porter, but was immediately transferred to the quartermaster's de- partment, and remained until his regiment was ordered from Ten- nessee to Chicago. Upon the arrival of the 142d Regiment in Chi- cago, Governor Yates called upon the troops to go to Missouri, as that state was threatened by invasion of Gen. Price's armies. Mr. West, with about two hundred of his regiment, although their term of service was over, volunteered to return to Missouri, and remained in that state until the confederate armies were driven out. Re- turning to his home, he engaged in the mercantile business. June 12, 1869, he was united in marriage to Miss Lora Kinney Gere, of Alton, Ills. In 1877 he was elected city register ; in '79 was elected, without solicitation, a member of the city council ; and in 1881 was elected, over the Convention nominee, mayor of the city.
WILLIAM KEMPFF
Is a native of Prussia, and was born Dec. 25, 1811. He served in his youth a regular apprenticeship to the drug trade, and success- fully passed a rigid examination in pharmaceutical science. In 1848 he emigrated to America, and came the same year to Belle- ville, and in March, 1849, formed a partnership with Dr. Birchel- mann in the drug business. The partnership continued until 1873 -or, until the death of Birchelmann. Since that time Dr. Kempff has continued alone in the business. He is now the oldest druggist, and has been longer in the business than any other druggist in Belleville. He started in the same building where he now is, and has continued at the same place for nearly thirty-three years.
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
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Facol Banesco
INVENTOR, mechanic, and one of the enterprising men of Belleville, was born in Cronberg, Germany, February 27th, 1824. His father was a man possesssing ample means; consequently, Mr. Brosius, in his youth, enjoyed all the advantages of a liberal education. He early exhibited a taste for mathematics and mechanism, and for the purpose of developing the latter he was sent to the schools where it was made a special study, and where he had opportunities of learn- ing mechanism practically. In 1849 he concluded to come to America. He landed in New York the same year, and came direct to Belleville. He tried farming for a short time; then, in connec- tion with Jacob Geiss, commenced the foundry and manufactory of all kinds of agricultural implements, in all of which they were very successful. During his connection with this business he contracted to build and do all the iron work on the new court-house, which was completed in 1862. In 1866 he started the oil works. The ma- chinery and works were built by him, and were of an entirely new and novel construction. He was the inventor of what is now known as the Water Clear Cold Pressed Castor Oil. The construction of the machinery and kind used was a secret, but in time the process was discovered, and now it is in general use throughout the country. While in the manufacturing of agricultural implements he also made a number of useful inventions, among which may be mentioned the "Atmospheric Radiator " for heating, which takes the foul air by means of suction, carrying it to the heater, where it is consumed. In 1879 he built the works for heating the city. He adopted the " Holly " system, heating with steam, which has proven to be all
that is claimed for it. It stood the test last winter, which was one of the longest occurring in many years, and of unusual severity. In the matter of heating and the adoption of the best method of con- veying the steam to different parts of the city so as to prevent rapid condensation, called forth the exercise of Mr. Brosius' inventive ge- nius. He came to the conclusion that air itself was the very best non- conductor of heat. He therefore constructed two boxes, placing the pipes in a box and enclosing the same box in another, leaving a space of one inch all around the inside box for the free circulation of the air. By the use of the two boxes, two air spaces are obtained; one between the pipe and the inner box, and the other between the inner and outer box, the two air rooms thereby insulating the heat as completely as possible. The insulating boxes are much cheaper, and save a large amount of money usually expended for asbestos and other material used for packing the pipes to prevent them from freezing. His system of Insulating Boxes has attracted much at- tention and called to the city a number of scientific men, who have made a thorough examination of the system, and universally pro- nounce it a valuable invention, and the best in use. It will no doubt go into general use wherever steam is used for heating cities, or where it is to be conveyed in pipes for any great distance. He is also the inventor of the "Electric Clock," which is placed in the tower of his private residence, and which, by the means of wires, is connected with the public clocks of the city. They all register the exact time of day and night. The clock and connections with others was constructed from his private means, which proves
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
him to be a public-spirited, as well as a useful citizen. In 1852 he was united in marriage with Miss Maria Annie Weingaertner, a native of Germany, but a resident of Belleville at the time of their marriage. This union has been blessed with twelve children-nine of whom are living-six sons and three daughters. John, the eldest son, was married on the 21st of April, 1881, to Miss Lizzie, the ac- complished daughter of August Teimann, of Belleville.
In his home Mr. Brosius is a true German gentleman, dispensing to all who gather around his hearthstone a genuine hospitality. In 1876 he erected a fine, large, palatial residence in the eastern part of the city, known as " Cron-thal," which is a credit to the city of Belleville. Mr. Brosius has been very successful in life, particularly since he has made Belleville his home, all of which has been the result of industry, energy, and the exercise of sound judgment, and good management of his business.
CURT HEINFELDEN.
AMONG the enterprising young German-American citizens of Belleville is Mr. Heinfelden. He is a native of Prussia, and was born October 3d, 1848. He comes from a family of soldiers and land owners. His grandfather held the rank of Colonel in the army. His father was also trained to arms, and retired from the service with the rank of first lieutenant. After his retirement he married and took charge of the lands and family estate, and super- intended their cultivation, and so continued until his death, which occurred in 1851, while the subject of this sketch was still in his infancy. After the death of his father Curt became an inmate of his grandfather's home, and by him was educated and prepared for entrance to the College at Liege, Belgium, where he remained three years. From 1865 to 1869 he visited the Gymnasiums of Cologne and Duren. In October, 1869, he entered the University at Bonn, where he proposed to prepare himself for the profession of law. In 1870, a short time after his entrance in the university, the Prussian- Franco war broke out, and in July of the same year he entered the service in the King's Hussar Reg't, which was garrisoned in Bonn. In a short time after his enlistment he became an officer, and at the close of the war he determined to remain in the army and abandon the study of law. In the fall of 1872 he was transferred from the Hussars to one of the new regiments of dragcons of Hurttenberg. He remained with the latter command until the close of 1874, when he resigned and quit the service and emigrated to the United States, landing in New York where he engaged in working for the New York Staats Zeitung, and the Belletristische Journal. He re- mained in New York until 1876, when he went to Philadelphia as Exposition correspondent for the German newspapers. From Phila. he went to Cincinnati and became assistant editor of the Volksfreund. He remained with the latter journal until May, 1877, when he went to Chicago and became a dramatic critic for the Illinois Staats Zeit- ung. In October of 1878 he left Chicago to accept a position on the editorial staff of the Anzeiger des Westens, of St. Louis, which position he held until the editorship of the Belleville Zeitung was offered him. He came to Belleville in October, 1879, and assumed editorial control of the Zeitung. On the 21st of June, 1880, he purchased Mr. Sebastian Feitsam's half interest in the paper, and from that time to the present has been half owner and editor-in- chief of the Zeitung, which is recognized as the leading German newspaper of Southern Illinois. Politically, Mr. Heinfelden has been a republican since he first landed in America. In the spring of 1880 he was elected Alderman of the 5th ward of Belleville. On the 9th of November, 1880, he was united in marriage to Miss Louisa W. Weber, eldest daughter of Herman G. Weber, an old and
prominent citizen of Belleville. Mr. Heinfelden posesses social qualities of a high order, and is a frank, out-spoken gentleman. Liberally educated and of considerable experience for one of his years, he brings to the profession of journalism a mind well stored with information, and being a fluent writer he has in a short time made the Zeitung the most popular German newspaper in Southern Illinois.
LUCIUS DON TURNER.
LUCIUS DON TURNER, the father of Don Turner, was born in Nelson county, Virginia, May 5th, 1803. On the paternal side, the family is of Scotch-Irish descent. Mr. Turner came west, to Illinois, in 1831, and settled in St. Clair county, and, soon after, married Miss Matilda V. Stuntz. She was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, in 1811. She is the youngest daughter of Captain John Stuntz, who was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, of Ger- man parents. He was a man of much prominence in his day, and held many important positions in the county, and was a member of the County Board for many years, and also represented this district in the Legislature. He received his title of Captain from having commanded a company in the Mexican war. Mr. Turner, after his marriage, engaged in farming, north of Belleville, and remained there one year, when he exchanged for a farm midway between Belleville and Freeburg, where he moved, cultivated his farm and continued to reside until 1857, where he abandoned farming and re- moved to Freeburg, of which place he is still a resident. By the marriage of Mr. Turner and Matilda V. Stuntz, there were seven children, six of whom are still living, two sons and four daughters. Don is the youngest of the family. He was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, October 5, 1849. He received a liberal education, first in the common schools of his neighborhood, where he prepared himself for entrance in Mckendree College, at Lebanon. He re- mained at Mckendree for three years, then entered Washington University, at St. Louis, where he remained one year. He had determined to study for the profession of law, and, during vaca- tions, read law in the office of G. & G. A. Kærner, of Belleville. After having read the text books, he entered the Law Department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, and remained there two years and graduated in the class of 1873. Upon motion, he was admitted to practice in the courts of Illinois in June, 1873. In 1875 he formed an arrange ment with the Messrs. Koruers by which he has an interest in the practice. That arrangement still continues. As a lawyer, Mr. Turner possesses the necessary quali- fications, which are, industry and a natural aptitude for the pro- fession. He prefers the real estate law practice to any other. Politically, he is a democrat at present, but was, originally, a re- publican. He is not a firm adherent of any political organization, but votes for principles, and men who are worthy, without regard to party ties or affiliations. In short, he is independent in politics. On the 14th of August, 1875, he was united in marriage to Miss Josephine Eckert, daughter of Leonard Eckert, of Waterloo, Mon- roe county, Illinois. She is of German parentage, through a na- tive of Monroe county. She was educated and graduated from the Normal School at Bloomington, Ill., several years prior to her marriage, and was employed as a teacher in the public schools of Belleville. This union has been blessed by four children, one son and three daughters. Mr. Turner is not a member of any church organization, nor does he subscribe to any of the formulated creeds or dogmas, yet, withal, he is not ready to condemn or rail against church or Christian organizations, until something equally as good is substituted.
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REINECKES MINE NO.1, AT REINECKE STATION, ON THE L. & N. R. R. ST. CLAIR CO. ILLINOIS.
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REINECKE'S MINE No 2. AT BELLEVILLE ON THE L. & N. R. R. ST. CLAIR CO. IL
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RESIDENCE OF C. REINECKE BELLEVILLE ILLINOIS
VIEWS OF RESIDENCE AND BUISINESS PROPERTY OF CONRAD REINECKE.
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
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Is one of the successful business men of Belleville. His history demonstrates that a man possessing industry, energy, and perse- verance can succeed despite the difficulties which frequently hedge around life's pathway.
He was born in Martzaum, Hesse Cassel, Germany, May 19, 1844. He is the third in a family of two sons and two daughters, children of Frederick and Mary Reinecke. The family emigrated to America in 1857, landing in New Orleans in June of that year, and from there came up the river direct to Belleville, where Fred- eriek, the father, found work in a distillery. He was a miller by trade, and followed that calling in Germany. He was a man who at one time was possessed of large means, but he made some unfor- tunate ventures and lost all of his savings excepting sufficient to bring him and the family to America. When he arrived here he was penniless. This loss was a serious blow to the family, as it com- pelled all the members of the family to become self-supporting at a very early age. He died in 1871. His wife survived him and died May 3d, 1879. The result was Conrad had but little oppor- tunity for receiving an education. He attended the public schools until his thirteenth year, when be hired out to a man by the name of Ward to work on a farm, for which he received seven dollars per month and board. He was faithful, and remained with Mr. Ward for six years. He then learned the blacksmith trade, and did work in that line for coal miners, which gave him some idea of the busi- ness. He then worked at the mines and became superintendent ; then went into partnership with his brother-in-law in the business, which latter undertaking was very unprofitable, as the concern failed, owing to the unwise action of his partner. Mr. Reinecke con- 29
cluded for the future to avoid partners, and start alone in the busi- ness. In 1872 he had but a small sum of money, but he invested it in coal and commenced buying and selling, and was exceedingly fortunate, and made money rapidly. At the end of six months he sunk a shaft of his own, and after he got it in working order he began going upward to prosperity. By his speculation in coal the first winter in St Louis he made $7000. He then with that money leased land, sunk a shaft, and when completed he was $6000 in debt. It was not a very encouraging outlook, but he knew just what he was doing, and never doubted his ability to soon pay off every dol- lar he owed, which he did in a short time after he commenced ope- rating his mine. He has now two of the best mines in the county, which are certain sources of wealth under such experienced man- agement as his. A fine view of the mine and also of his residence can be seen on another page of this work. On the 22d of October, 1864, he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Reeves, daughter of John and Eliza Reeves. She is a native of Staffordshire, England. Her parents emigrated to America and settled in St. Clair county, where both remained until their death. By this union there were seven children, three of whom are living. Their names are Caroline, Clara and Freddy Reinecke. Both he and his most excellent wife are believers in the Protestant religion He is a member of the beneficiary order of A. O. U. W. Politically he is a democrat, but his life has been too busy to take any further part than to express his sentiments and choice through the ballot.
He started in life with nothing to aid him but a strong, rugged frame, an industrious disposition, energy, and a determination to succeed, and gain for himself, an independence and compe-
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
tency. That he has succeeded in doing, and at the same time he has made for himself an honorable name which is the best heritage lie can leave to his posterity. In early life he learned that without correct principles as the basis upon which to build a business repu- tation no man could reap permanent success. He therefore made it a rule to meet every obligation promptly. If he made a bad bargain he did the best he could, and was careful in the future to steer clear of the same difficulty. His reputation, therefore, in the community is that of an honorable business-man, whose word is as good as his bond. In his home and abroad he is a courteous and . hospitable gentleman.
WILLIAM J. UNDERWOOD
WAS born in Abbeville county, South Carolina, in 1833. Moved to Alabama in 1851, read law and was admitted to the bar in 1855. Imbued with the political teachings of John C. Calhoun, he became an advocate of secession upon the election of Mr. Lincoln to the pre- sidency, and acted with the ultra wing of the southern party. Up- on the breaking out of the war, he promptly joined the confederate army as a private, and was stationed the first year of the war in the vicinity of Norfolk, Va., in the brigade of Gen. Mahone, the now famous Virginia Senator. He was afterwards transferred to Braggs army in Tennessee, and became captain of a volunteer company of cavalry. He served with that command until detailed for the se- cret and special service. At the close of the war he removed to Louisville, Ky., and engaged in commercial pursuits. In 1872, he removed to Belleville, and continued commercial business in St. Louis until 1876, when he returned to the profession of law and lo- cated permanently in Belleville. In 1879, he was elected city at- torney and re-elected in 1881, without opposition. In 1879, he be- came editor of the Belleville Democrat. He is a liberal and pro- gressive democrat, accepting the new era of political and national affairs in good faith, and is now much devoted to the state of his adoption. Mr. Underwood is a man of ability, being a versatile and vigorous writer.
ADAM GINTZ.
ONE of the enterprising business men of West Belleville is Adam Gintz, the proprietor of the Western Brewery Company. He was born in Rhenish Bavaria, July 10th, 1850. His father, Jacob Gintz, was a land-owner and farmer, and Adam's youth and boy- hood were therefore passed upon the farm. He is the fourth in a family of seven children. He attended school and also received private instruction from a Protestant minister. At the age of four- teen years he was regularly apprenticed to the cooper's trade, and served two years. At the end of that time he came to America in company with Peter Gintz, his uncle, who was then a resident of Belleville, but was on a visit to the home of his birth. He and Adam came direct to Belleville, and here the latter found work in the brewery of his uncle. He remained at work there for five years, then went to St. Louis and worked six months, when he came again to Belleville. In 1873 he, John Kloess, William Brandenberger and Valentine Steig purchased the Western Brewery. Some of the parties soon retired, and the firm became Kloess & Gintz, which continued until February, 1881, when Mr. Gintz became sole owner and proprietor of the Western Brewery Co. This brewery manufactures and ships from 15,000 to 20,000 barrels of beer annu- ally. It is the chief industry and manufactory of West Belle- ville.
In Nov. 1875, Mr. Gintz married Miss Rosa, daughter of Peter
and Catherine Gintz. She was born in Belleville. There are three children, two sons and one daugliter. Mr. Gintz is a member of Archimedes Lodge, No. 377, of A. F. and A. M. In the city where he has long resided, few men are more respected for their liberality, enterprise and worth as a man than Mr. Gintz. His business qualifications are of a high order, as is attested by his suc- cessful management of the brewery. It is with pleasure that we here have the opportunity of speaking for one of West Belleville's most useful and valuable citizens.
FRANZ F. METSCHAN.
THE present able and efficient manager of the " Stern," the lead- ing German democratic newspaper of southern Illinois, was born at Eiterfeld, Hessen Kapel, where his father practiced law. He visited the gymnasium at Eschwege and then at Herspeld, then came to America, landing in New York Sept. 20, 1840. He came west to Cincinnati, where he learned the printers trade in the office of the " Volksblatt," of which Stephen Molitor was publisher. He also worked in the office of the " Hochnzechter," Frederick Has- saureck, editor. In 1853 he and August Korsch established " Die Menschenrechte," (Rights of Men). When Rothacker took the complete control of the paper Mr. Metschan came to St. Louis and worked on different papers there and at Alton, Illinois, and in 1854 went to Chicago, where he became foreman in the office of the " Deutch Amerskaner," (German-American). From there he went to Milwaukee, and afterwards returned to Chicago and had charge of the office of the " Illinois Staats Zeitung," as foreman. Sometime after he returned to Milwaukee and was foreman of the Corsar, the first German Republican paper in that city, of which Bernhard Domschcke was editor. From there he went to Madison, Wis., then to Burlington, Iowa, where in partnership with Heinrich Bin- der he took charge of the " Burlington Freie Presse," in 1856. In 1857 he went to Peoria, Illinois, and organized and started the " Westliche Blaetter." He failed in the business and came back to St. Louis and worked in the offices of the " Revue del Ouest," a French Journal " Westliche Post," Wiebusch's job office, " Anzeiger des Westens," and then in the autumn of 1860 came to Belleville and was made foreman of the " Belleville Zeitung." When the war broke out he was one of the first to enlist under the first call for troops by Abraham Lincoln. He entered as a private in Co. A of the 9th Regiment Ill. Vols., and remained in the service for three months, when his time of service expired. He then returned home, and in August, 1861, re-enlisted in Co. " B" of the 12th Mo. Vols., and on the organization of the company was elected sergeant, and afterwards promoted to the first lientenancy of the company. He commanded the company during the Georgia campaign, and at the battle of Kenesaw mountain he was slightly wounded in the leg. He was mustered out of the service in Oct. 1861, after which he was engaged as clerk in the office of the Provost Marshal of the 1st Dist. of Mo., until after the close of the war, when he accepted the situation of foreman at the office of the " Anzeiger des Westens." He also started a job office. On the 23d of Sept., 1866, he married Miss Emilie Stauber, daughter of Rudolph Stauber, late teacher at Wetzicon, Canton Zurich, Switzerland. He came back to Belle- ville, and on the 29th of Oct., 1870, took charge of the " Stern des Westens " as foreman and continued in charge until it was sold to Messrs. Fietsam and Semmelroth. Soon after a stock company was formed, who started the " Stern," which has been published regular- ly up to the present time, of which Mr. Metschan has been, and still is business manager.
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