History of St. Clair County, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 69

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Brink, McDonough
Number of Pages: 530

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 69

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Franz Baur's mill was erected in 1876, at a cost of $50,000, and has the latest improved machinery ; six run of stone, with a ca- pacity of 450 barrels of flour a day. It is kept constantly busy, and manufactures an average of 300 barrels of flour per day, which is shipped chiefly to St. Louis, Mo., and Providence, Rhode Island. Jacob Theobald, Clerk.

BUSINESS OF MILLSTADT.

Hotels; " Planters' House," by Val. Brenfleck ; "City Hall," .

by Joseph Carl; John Darr; Peter Kalbfleisch has a Hotel in pro- gress of erection.

General Merchants; Henry Imbgeus; Henry Plate, Philip Balz, Christian Hess, Joseph Marxer, Nicholas Theobald, Charles Young, Hermann Brueggenjuergen, William Tennius.

Boots and Shoes; Henry Hahn.

Drugs; Eugene Kring, Alfred Kring.

Cigar Makers; Francis Wilkens, No. 81, established 1862, makes from 75 to 80,000 cigars annually, for which a home market is found ; Wm. Tennis.

Wagon Makers; One of the leading industries is represented by

Henry Hinton ; George Altschuk; William Sieber; William Brauser; John M. Diesel; Fred. Hartmann.

Tinsmith and Stove Store; George Nolte.

Blacksmiths; Daniel Schmahlenberger; George Oldendorph ; Adam Herbert; Phillip Mueller; Frederick Mueller ; Cornelius Markle; Jacob Muskopf.

Physicians; Adolph Schlernitzauer ; A. Berkebile Vogel.

Postmaster ; John Dehn.

Shoemakers; Henry Petre; John Dehn.

Harness and Saddlery ; Peter F. Breidecker; Louis Theobald. Twelve saloons flourish here.

SECRET SOCIETIES.

Treu Bund, No. 267, organized Jan. 10, 1875, with twenty charter members. Meets every Wednesday evening.

I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 567. Instituted April, 1875. Meetings every Tuesday evening.

In addition to these there is a local Union Aid Society, organized Sept. 23d, 1866, with seventy members, which meets semi-monthly on Saturday evenings.

ROACH TOWN

is a small collection of houses in the S. ¿ of the N. E. } of section 12, clustered about Roach's Mill. This mill was built in 1864. It is a frame building, one story with basement. Has one run of burrs. In 1867 a saw mill was attached to the grist mill. Owners are Samuel P. Roach & Son. This mill occupies the site improved by the erection of a mill by the grandfather of the present pro- prietor more than sixty years ago. Samuel and Matthew Roach also aided in perpetuating the reputation of the Roach's as mill owners and builders, by erecting one on Forbes' Creek, which was washed away the same year.

Crime :- A most atrocious murder was committed in this precinct March 19th, 1872, by whom or why are matters yet to be deter- mined. Stelzenriede, his son and his son's wife, and two children were all killed the same night. The coroner's inquest developed the fact that their heads had been pounded as though by a billet of wood and their throats cut.

This precinct furnished three soldiers to the Black Hawk war, Joshua W. Hughes, who was 1st lieutenant of a rifle company, C. T. Askins, and Gregory.

There are churches, here and there, throughout the precinct, among them a Presbyterian, not heretofore referred to on section 28, T. 1 N. R. 9 W. For additional history of schools, churches, &c., see appropriate chapters in this work.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

DR. JOHN SALTENBERGER.

Tars gentleman, who is now practicing medicine near Millstadt, is a native of Nassau, and was born at Naunstadt am Usingen, April 1st, 1838. His parents were John William Saltenberger and Elizabeth Miller. He was the third of seven children. In the year 1847 his father emigrated with the family to America. Land- ing at New Orleans, they came up the Mississippi to St. Louis, and after living in that city about a month, came to St. Clair county, where his father bought a farm of ninety-nine acres, a mile and a half south of Millstadt, where he lived till his death on the 18th of May, 1877. Dr. Saltenberger was about nine years old when the family left Germany. In the year 1858, at the age of twenty, he began the study of medicine with Dr. Peter Brower, at Millstadt. He afterward pursued the study of Latin under Dr. Gander of Waterloo, Monroe county, and was under his instruction at the time of the breaking out of the war of the rebellion. He went to St. Louis, and in April, 1861, enlisted in Co. H, of the 4th Missouri regiment. He took part in the capture of Camp Jackson, St. Louis ; was afterward stationed at Bird's Point, Mo. ; then at Cai- ro; and then returned to St. Louis, where he remained till the ex- piration of his term of service, with the exception of making an expedition to central Missouri.

After his three months' military experience he resumed his Latin studies. In the fall of 1861 he entered the St. Louis Medical Col- lege, and after attending three courses of lectures, graduated in March, 1864. He first located at Bethalto, Madison county, but three months afterward removed to Ogle's Station, St. Clair coun- ty. February, 1865, he enlisted as private in the 149th Illinois regiment. He acted as hospital steward at Charleston, Tennessee, and then accompanied his regiment to Dalton, Georgia. For three days he had charge of the smallpox hospital at that place, and was then detailed to the brigade hospital as hospital steward. He was afterward hospital steward for six months and a half at Atlanta, and toward the close of the year 1866 rejoined his regiment at Dal- ton, Georgia. He was mustered out at Camp Butler, Springfield. After returning from the army he practiced his profession for six weeks at Vincennes, Indiana, and then was located three months at Freelandsville in the same state. He returned to St. Clair county in the summer of 1866. While visiting St. Louis he was attacked with the cholera, and after recovering, settled at Fayetteville, in this county, where he remained (with the exception of one year, during which he practiced at a place five miles from that town) till 1872, when he moved to Washington county, Illinois. In the fall of 1875 he returned to the old homestead to live with his father, who had been left alone by his brother's death, and has since been

engaged in the practice of medicine aud surgery, and is also em- ployed in farming.

He was married on the 11th of November, 1872, to Anna Louisa Sumnicht, who was born at Pottsdam, Prussia, on the 10th of April, 1853. He owns the old homestead farm on which he has erected a substantial and handsome residence, a view of which appears among our illustrations. The doctor has always been a republican in poli- tics.

GEORGE JACOB LINDAUER.

GEORGE JACOB LINDAUER, one of the representative farmers about Millstadt, is a native of Gruppenbah, Wurttemburg, Ger- many, and was born March 21st, 1835. His father was George Lindauer, and his mother's name before marriage was Christina Glumm. The subject of this sketch was the third of a family of nine children, of whoin eight are now living. His father was a farmer, and owned land in Germany. Mr. Lindauer was raised in his native town of Gruppenhah, and, as is the custom in Ger- many, attended school from the time he was six till he was fourteen years old. After leaving school he worked at home on the farm. In 1852 the whole family emigrated to America. After a voyage across the Atlantic, which lasted fifty-two days, they landed at New Orleans in the beginning of the year 1853. From New Orleans they came up the Mississippi to Cairo, where they found the river frozen by the extreme cold weather; and from that place they made the journey hy wagon to St. Clair county, which they designed making their residence. His father settled in the High Prairie, four miles south-east of Millstadt, and died in 1863. His mother is still living on the old homestead farm.

When he came to America Mr. Lindauer was about eighteen years old. He was living at home, working on the farm till Octo- ber, 1863, when he married Katherina Lindauer, daughter of Frederick Lindauer. Her mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Lepper. Mrs. Lindauer was born in the town of Millstadt. The same year that he was married he went to farming, half a mile west of Millstadt, where he has since lived and been engaged in carrying on agricultural operations. He owns one hundred and twenty acres of land. A picture of his farm and residence may be seen on another page. The names of his four children are Louis, Frederick, Carolina and Katherina. He has been one of the enterprising farmers of that part of the county, and has car- ried on agriculture with intelligence and success. He is known as an industrious and hard-working man, and has paid close atten- tion to his farin and his business affairs. He possesses good busi -

256

TARM PROPERTY OF GEORGE JACOB.LINDEUER, Esp.(Sec.8,T. I.S.R.9)CENTREVILLE PR. ST.CLAIR CO.IL.

1881 SP.KALBFLEISCH.

MILLSTADT HOTEL PETER KALB FLEISCH, ESQ. PROPRIETOR, MILLSTADT, ST CLAIR CO.ILL.

257

HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

ness qualifications, and is one of the progressive citizens of that portion of St. Clair county. He has taken no specially active part in politics, nor has ever cared to be a candidate for public office. He has generally acted with the democratic party, and believes that the principles of that organization are best fitted to secure the perpetuation of American institutions. His name is worthy of mention in this work as a representative of that numerous and industrious class of citizens of foreign birth, who have made their home in . St. Clair county; have assisted in the development of its agricultural resources, and have secured for themselves the reputa- tion of good citizens and useful members of the community.

PETER KALBFLEISCH

Is a native of Millstadt, and was born on the 17th of April, 1846. His father, Peter John Kalbfleisch, was born in Darmstadt, Ger- many, and when a young man came to America, and was among the early German settlers of St. Clair county. He was a carpenter by trade. In the year 1837 he was employed in building the rail- road from the bluff to East St. Louis. This was the first railroad constructed in the state. He helped to drive the piles across the lake at the foot of the bluff, where the water was then eighteen feet deep. He married Anna Elizabeth Barbara Oldendorf, also a native of Darmstadt. Mr. Kalbfleisch's father settled at Millstadt where for some time he carried on the carpentering business, and then bought a farm, half a mile south-east of the town, on which he lived till he died. The subject of this sketch was the third of a family of five children, of whom four are now living. He was raised in the town of Millstadt. He was married in December, 1866, to Mary Keller, who was born on a farm near Millstadt, and was the daughter of John Leonard Keller.

After his marriage Mr. Kalbfleisch went to farming for himself, and was so engaged till 1874, when he met with a serious injury, a rifle being accidentally discharged in his hands, the ball passing through one of his legs, and carrying away pieces of the bone. This disabled him from labor for two years, and he expend- ed a large amount of money for surgical advice. The effects of this wound rendered him incapable of active work on the farm, and he accordingly moved to Millstadt. In 1881 he erected a large brick building to be used for hotel purposes. This building is the largest structure in the town, outside of the mills, and a view of it appears among our illustrations. He has had nine children. The names of the five now living are Louis, Ida, Peter, Edward, and Anna. He has taken no active part in politics, or in public affairs, but has given his attention to his business.

G. VALENTINE BRENFLECK

HAS lived at Millstadt since 1848. He was born at Ilmspan, Baden, July 6th, 1823. His parents were Antoine and Marianna Brenfleck. He went to school from the age of six to fourteen, and was then apprenticed to the milling business. In 1846, at the age of twenty- three, he emigrated to America. In 1846 and 1847 he was in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri, remain- ing a short time in each state, his principal object being to see the country. He worked at his trade for a short time in St. Louis and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. In 1848 he married Barbara Funsch, who was born in Bavaria in 1824, and came to America in 1846. The same year in which he was married he settled at Millstadt. In 1849 he erected a brewery at that place. He was engaged at differ-

ent business enterprises, and at one time owned two hundred and twenty-five acres of land. He also carried on a brewery at Water- loo. The payment of security debts deprived him of a great part of his property. He now carries on a hotel at Millstadt, and is the owner of Union Park, adjoining the town. Four of his ten children are living. His son, Valentine Brenfleck, is farming near Mt. Vernon, Jefferson county. His three daughters are named Lena, Sophie Barbara, and Carolina Katarina. He has always been a democrat.

CHARLES T .- ASKINS,

WHO is now the oldest settler in Centerville precinct, was born in Grayson county, Kentucky, May 27th, 1810. His grandfather, Edward Askins, settled in Virginia, and was one of the army that accompanied General Braddock on his expedition to Western Pennsylvania, and was present at Braddock's defeat. Philemon .Askins, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Virginia. He had a brother by the name of John Askins, who served in the revolutionary war, and was considered one of the stoutest men in the American army. Mr. Askins' mother's name was Philenor Stayton. She was born in Maryland. Mr. Askins' parents, at an early date, moved to Kentucky, and first settled at Louisville, where they lived for a number of years, and then moved to Gray- son county. There were twelve children in all, of whom nine were born at Louisville, and three in Grayson county. Charles T. Asking was the tenth child, there being two younger than himself.

In the fall of 1819 Mr. Askins' father and mother came to Illi- nois, to look at the country and visit a daughter who had married John Bloom, and settled in Illinois in 1802. This John Bloom made the eighteenth entry of public lands in Illinois. The land which he entered was the one-half of section three, of town- ship one south, range nine west. Part of this identical land is now owned by Mr. Askins. Liking the country, Mr. Askins' parents sent back for the younger children, who reached Illinois in Feb., 1820. They lived part of the time on the tract of land north of Millstadt (sec. three, township one south, range nine west), and part of the time near Venice, in Madison county. Philemon As- kins died in St. Clair county in 1831: his wife had died previously in 1826.

Mr. Askins was in his tenth year when he came to this state, in February, 1820. The school facilities in those days were extremely limited. He had gone to school a little in Kentucky, but after he came to St. Clair county, there were for several years no schools in his neighborhood. He went to school for a while at Venice, and also at Jacksonville. The first school he attended in St. Clair county was in the year 1828. The teacher's name was Gallop. He lived at home till his father's death, and then continued to live on the old homestead, and engaged in farming on his own account. He was married on the 10th of January, 1854, to Mrs. Jane M. Drew, who was born in Gallatin county, Illinois. Her maiden name was Russell. He has since been occupied in farming on the same tract of land on which the family settled on coming to the county. He has had six children, whose names are as follows: Louisa, wife of George W. Vance, who resides in the State of Virginia ; John W. Askins, who died at the age of twenty-two ; Charles T. Askins, George Askins, Nancy Askins and May Askins.

He has always been a democrat in politics. He cast his first vote for president for Andrew Jackson, and has been a staunch sup- porter of democratic principles from that time to the present; and has voted for every subsequent democratic candidate for president, with the exception of Greeley in 1872.

258

HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

He formerly held a commission as captain in the militia, in the old days when the whole male population of the county between the ages of eighteen and forty-five were required to muster three times a year. He served in the last campaign of the Black Hawk war in 1832, as a member of Capt. John Tate's Independent Com- pany of Riflemen. He took part in all the marches of that cam- paign. Mr. Askins was the democratic candidate for representative in the legislature, against G. A. Koerner, Jr., and was only defeated by twenty votes. For the last twenty years he has been a director in the county fair association.

HENRY HUBER.

ONE of the citizens of St. Clair county of German birth who have become successful business men is Henry Huber, a resident of Millstadt, who for a number of years carried on business in that town. He is a native of Rheinfalz, Bavaria, and was born at Elm- stein on the 4th of October, 1834. His father, Charles Philip Huber, at one time carried on an extensive business at Elinstein. A short distance from that town he bought a property which had formerly been used as an iron works, and established a saw mill, an oil mill, and a flouring mill, all under one roof, and propelled by water power. Here he carried on business for some time, but sub- sequently lost a considerable part of his property by the payment of security debts for other people.

Mr. Henry Huber was the youngest of a family of seven- teen children. His mother died when he was four years old. When he was six years old he went to live with an older sister, who had married and had gone to live at Kaiserslautern, Bavaria, and that town was subsequently Mr. Huber's home till he was nineteen (19) years old. He went to school till he was thirteen. At the age of fifteen he began to learn the tailor's trade, at which he served an apprenticeship of two years. The idea of emigrating to America, where two of his sisters had previously gone, had occu- pied his mind for several years. In 1853 all the unmarried mem- bers of the family, two sisters and two brothers beside himself, five in all, sailed for the United States. His father had died in Germany previous to this date. Landing at New Orleans, from that city they ascended the Mississippi river to St. Louis, and thence came to St. Clair county, reaching Millstadt, where his sister lived, on the 29th of November, 1853.

Mr. Huber was then nineteen. His first occupation was as clerk in the store of his brother-in-law, F. M. Fass. He remained in this store one year and nine months, when he was taken sick, and after recovering from an illness which lasted about four months, he entered the store of Jacob Miller, with whom he remained four years. He became thoroughly acquainted with the business, was industrious and attentive to customers, and in 1859, at which time Miller disposed of his business to Joseph McKee, there was an understanding that Mr. Huber should become Mr. Mckee's partner. This partnership lasted about one year, when Mr. McKee became anxious to quit the business, and Mr. Huber bought out his interest. From that time till 1865 he carried on the mercantile business at Millstadt, on his own account. He paid close attention to his busi- ness, and managed it with enterprise and success. The period during which he conducted the store covered the war of the rebellion, when the rise in values and activity in business circles gave favor- able opportunities to shrewd and enterprising business men. From 1860 to 1865 he acted as postmaster at Millstadt. Since the latter year he has been employed in no active business, but has lived in a comfortable and leisurely retirement at Millstadt. In 1866 he

revisited Europe, leaving this country in April and returning in November. He reviewed the scenes of his early childhood days in the fatherland, and spent several months of pleasure in the midst of old acquaintances and associates.

His marriage occurred on the 5th of August, 1860, to Miss Sophie E. Krieger, who was born in St. Clair county, three miles west of Millstadt, on the 2d of February, 1843. She was the daughter of George Philip Krieger. Her mother's maiden name was Mary Justina Stemmler. From the time he could take any active participation in politics he was a member of the republican party. On coming to the United States his sympathies inclined, him to side with the free-soil party, in its contest against slavery and when he became capable of exercising the right of suffrage he cast his first vote for president for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and thus assisted in the election of the first republican president of the United States. Ile has, however, been no politician, and has con- fined his efforts to the support of the measures and candidates of the republican party. While proprietor of the store he carried on business on business principles, and was straightforward, honest, and energetic. His name is here presented as one of the successful business men of the county.

W. J. McBRIDE (DECEASED).

W. J. McBRIDE was born in Loudon county, Virginia, on the 15th of March, 1808. His father was John McBride. His mother's name before marriage was Sarah Watkins. He was the third of a family of seven children. When he was five years old the family moved from Loudon to Hampshire county, Virginia, where two years afterward his father died. Our subject passed most of his useful days in Hampshire county. He obtained an average common-school education. He came to Illinois in 1829. His mother and the rest of the family also came to this state and settled at Belleville. Mr. McBride came to Centerville township, April 5, 1831 ; he married Dovey Harrison, danghter of Thomas Harrison. Her father was born in Georgia, December 13, 1779, moved to Illinois in 1804, and settled in section six of township one south, range eight west, and about the year 1815 moved to section one of township one south, range nine west. Mrs. McBride was born April 30, 1814. In the year 1826 Thomas Harrison moved to Belleville where he bought an ox-mill which had been started by Wilkinson & Ringold which he ran for some time, and then in 1831 started the first steam mill ever built in Belleville. Ile was subsequently prominently connected with the milling and manufacturing interests of Belleville. He died at Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the 27th of August, 1867. Mrs. McBride's mother, whose maiden name was Margaret Gilbreth, was born in one of the Carolinas on the 10th of July, 1782.

Mr. McBride lived some years after his marriage in Belleville and then settled on the farm in section one of township one south, range nine west, on which he lived till his death. He began life without any means except his own energy and industry, and succeeded in acquiring a competence. He was a man of good business qualifications. At the time of his death he owned three hundred and sixty-three acres of land. In early life he was a member of the Whig party and afterward became a Democrat. He became connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1830, of which he was a member for the remainder of his life. His time was devoted to his farm and his business affairs, and he was never a candidate for any public office. Of his seven children, four are now living. John McBride resides at Des Moines, Iowa.

&GEORGE ALTSCHUH.MFRS CARRIAGES - ETC.

D.C.SCHMAHLENBERGER PLOWS - WAGONS -

RESIDENCE & PROPERTY OF D. C.SCHMAHLENBERGER ESQ. WAGON MANUFACTORY &C. OF D. C. SCHMAHLENBERGER & GEO. ALTSCHUH, MILLSTADT, ILL.

CHRISTIAN FISHER SODA WATER FACTORY.

RESIDENCE & SODA WATER FACTORY OF CHRISTIAN FISCHER, ESQ.MILLSTADT,(CENTREVILLEPR ST.CLAIR CO./ LL.

259

HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

Margaret Olive is the wife of J. C. Wilderman of this county. Thomas H. McBride is engaged in the practice of medicine at Joliet. William E. McBride, the youngest child, and the only son now living in the county, was born on the old homestead farm on the 1st of August, 1849. He graduated from McKendree college in 1871. He was married September 1, 1875, to Jennie L. Thatcher, who was burn at Marion, Williamson County, and gra- duated from McKendree college in 1872. Her father, the Rev. John Thatcher, now deceased, was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

D. C. SCHMAHLENBERGER.

D. C. SCHMAHLENBERGER, a picture of whose residence and blacksmith establishment in Millstadt shown on another page, is a native of Centerville township, and was born October 6th, 1850. His grandfather John Schmahlenberger, emigrated to America in 1833, and settled in St. Clair county in the year 1834. He was among the early German settl 'rs of the county, and entered land in section twenty-one of township one south, range nine west, a mile and a half south of Millstadt, where Dr. John Saltenberger now lives. Jacoh J. Schmahlenberger, the father of the gentleman whose names heads this sketch, was born in Germany, and was about ten years old, when he came to America, and abouteleven, when his father settled in this county. When twenty-four years of age, he mar- ried Sophia Weckler, also a native of Germany. Her father had settled five miles south-west of Millstadt. After his marriage, he went to farming in section thirty-two of township one south, range nine west, where he has since resided. He owns two hundred and thirty acres of land. He has had five children, all sons: Daniel C., Jacob, William, August, and Frederick.

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History of St. Clair County, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 69

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : Brink, McDonough Number of Pages: 530

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Brink, McDonough
Number of Pages: 530