USA > Illinois > Will County > Past and present of Will County, Illinois, V. 2 > Part 32
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Allen B. Hodge, reared to farm life, early be- came familiar with the work of plowing, planting and harvesting, and in his youth he acquired a good education in the district schools, also spend- ing one term as a student in a high school. It was his intention to continue his education there but events shaped his course otherwise, for the Civil war was inaugurated, and at the age of eighteen years he enlisted in what afterward became known as the Joliet Battery, then Company 1 of the Second Illinois Artillery. He served in this or- ganization until the close of the war and was mustered out at Springfield, June 14, 1865. He participated in the following general engagements : Island No. 10; Corinth, Mississippi ; Perryville, Kentucky; Chickamauga ; and many others. He was also on the march to the sea and was present at the grand review in Washington, where the victorious army passed through the streets of the capital city amid cheering thousands who wit- nessed the procession. He was wounded at Black- land. Mississippi, June 4, 1862, with a fragment of shell which shattered his hip, laming him for life.
When he returned home his parents were dead and most of his friends gone, so that Mr. Ilodge did not continue in the old neignoorhood but in 1866 came to Will county, Illinois, and after three months spent in Plainfield, removed to Wil- ton township, where he worked at the carpenter's trade until 1890. He then came to l'eotone, where he has been employed in furniture stores. Ile was also assistant jailer under Sheriff Francis for four years and has been deputy postmaster for about two years under J. C. Adams, of Peotone.
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In 1826 Mr. Hodge was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Brereton, who was born in the town of Lockport, in 1855, and is a daughter of James and Martha Brereton, pioneer residents of Will connty, who came from England at an early day. The father was manager of Colonel Dyer's farm while the colonel was absent in the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Hodge have become the parents of two sons and a daughter, namely: Joseph Newton, who is a fireman on the Lake Shore Railroad, makes his home in Joliet. He served as a member of Company B. Third Regi- ment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry in the Porto Rico campaign. Raymond Herbert is first ser- geant of Company M, United States Infantry, sta- tioned at Honolulu. He was likewise a member of Company B, Third Regiment of Illinois Volun- teer Infantry in the Porto Rico campaign. Ida. Elizabeth is is the wife of James Kruger, who is engaged in the bridge works at Peotone.
The parents are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church and Mr. Hodge belongs to William Webb post, No. 65℃, G. A. R., of which he has been commander. In politics he has been a stalwart republican and in the office which he is now filling he is discharging his duties in a prompt and cap- able manner.
EDWARD W. STEINHART.
Edward W. Steinhart is a member of the firm of Steinhart & Whitmore, conducting a hardware, plumbing, implement and vehicle business in Wil- mington, and is also president of the Steinhart- Jensen Automobile Company, of Joliet. He has made steady progress in his business eareer. ad- vaneing from a humble position to one of aflu- ence, and is today controlling important commer- cial and industrial interests.
He was born in Jackson, Ohio, January 17, 1869. but in his boyhood days was brought to lllinois and pursued his education in the schools of La Salle county, while spending his childhood and youth in the home of his parents, Charles G. and Margaret (Kesler) Steinhart, both of whom were natives of Germany. They were married in that country in 1852, and in 1854 crossed the Atlantic to the new world, settling first near Jack-
son, Ohio. The father was a band leader there. At the time of the Civil war he enlisted as a mem- ber of the Seventh Regiment Ohio Cavalry and was with that command until the close of hostili- ties save for the period of his imprisonment. He was captured twice and was incarcerated in Libby prison, coming ont of the service with impaired health, owing to the hardships which he suffered during that time. While at the front he captured a sword which he brought home with him. His political allegiance was given to the republican party. He did not long survive the close of the war, passing away in 1871, at the age of forty- four years, while his wife died in 1898, at the age of seventy years. In their family were four sons and two daughters: Louise, who is the wife of Adam Gahan, a resident of Eldorado, Kansas; George W., who resides in Wilmington; Charles G., also a resident of this city; Andrew N., who makes his home in Ransom, La Salle county ; Ed- ward W., of this review : and Margaret, the wife of W. H. Whitmore, who is engaged in business with Mr. Steinhart.
Edward W. Steinhart left home in 1882, when only thirteen years of age, and began carning his own living as an employe of the Santa Fe Rail- road Company. He became eventually a brakes- man, conductor and engineer and also learned and practiced telegraphy, being station agent at Lor- enzo, Illinois, from 1891 until 1894. In the mean- time he carefully saved his earnings and embarked in merchandising at Lorenzo, where he carried on business until 1896, when he removed to Wilming- ton. Here he established a hardware store and the following year admitted W. H. Whitmore to a partnership. This is one of the enterprising business firms of the town and they are now en- joying a good trade, dealing in hardware, imple- ments, vehicles and harness, and also doing a plumbing and heating business. Within a short time their trade had reached profitable proportions and has steadily grown. In 1905 Mr. Steinhart organized the Steinhart-Jensen Automobile Com- pany, of Joliet, in which he is associated with W. H. Whitmore as treasurer and C. F. Jensen as secretary. This has also become a paying invest- ment.
On the 12th of September. 1887, Mr. Steinhart was married to Miss Mary Garvin, who was born in Ransom, La Salle county, Illinois, September 9,
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1870, and is a daughter of Michael Garvin, Their children are Jennie, Willard, Clarence and Earl.
Mr. Steinhart is a member of Wilmington lodge, No. 208, A. F. & A. M., of which he is a past master, and he belongs to Wilmington chapter, No. 142, R. A. M., and Blaney commandery, K. T., of Morris, Illinois. He likewise affiliates with Wilmington lodge, No. 615, K. P., and the Joliet lodge of Elks, No. 615. In politics he is indepen- dent. Strong and steadfast purpose has ever been one of his salient characteristics and has been an important element in his success until he rose from the ranks of the many and stands among the successful few. His business is now large and profitable and his example may well serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement to others.
ABEL S. McCOWAN.
Abel S. McCowan, a farmer living in Channa- hon township, owns and cultivates one hundred and seventy-six acres of land on section 5. He also buys and ships stock and his business inter- ests are carefully directed, while his farm is a well improved tract of land. He was born May 13, 1852, in the house which is still his home, and is the eldest of eight children whose parents were John and Sarah ( Haynes) McCowan. His pa- ternal grandfather was Peter McCowan, who came to this country from Dunblane, Scotland, and first settled in the east, being employed as fore- man in a cotton mill at Fall River, Massachusetts, for he was a weaver by trade. Before coming west he married Arabella Tarrant and in 1835 they re- moved to Will county, Illinois. From the govern- ment he secured a tract of land which has since become the birthplace of three generations of the McCowan family.
The father of our subject was born in the state of New York. December 2, 1826, and is a worthy representative of one of the old and prominent pioneer families of this county, whither he came with his parents in 1835. Few settlements have been made on the prairies here and little had been done to develop the natural resources of the coun- ty. The family home was established on seetion 5, Channahon township, and after attaining his ma-
jority John McCowan engaged in farming on his own account on the old home place, where he car- ried on business successfully and continuously until 1874, when he removed to Joliet, where he still resides, now living a retired life. His wife, who was born in Pennsylvania, January 14, 1837, died in Joliet, July 3, 1897. The surviving mem- bers of their family are Mrs. Nettie E. Brockway. now living in Joliet; Mrs. Julia Stage, of Blue Island, Illinois; Mrs. L. Foster, John F., Grant, Harold and Donald, all of Joliet.
Abel S. McCowan was reared in his father's home and early became familiar with the tasks of plowing, planting and harvesting. In the winter seasons he attended the public schools and in the summer months aided in the work of the farm. He taught two terms of school in Troy township, Will county, and in Au Sable township, Grundy county.
On attaining his majority, in fact on the very day on which he celebrated his twenty-first birth- day, he was married to Miss Antoinette Buell, a daughter of George W. and Sarah J. (Schermer- horn) Buell. They were the parents of eight chil- dren, of whom four are yet living : Mrs. McCowan; Mrs. Emma H. Lewis, of Chicago ; Rolland E. Bnell, of Chicago; and George O. Buell, of Los Angeles, California. Mrs. McCowan's father was born October 4, 1826, in the state of New York, and her mother, a native of that state, was born November 15, 1831. They came to the west in 1835 with their respective families and settled in Channahon township. After their marriage they took up their abode on a farm on section 6 of the same township and there Mr. Buell carried on general agricultural pursuits for a considerable period or until 1873, when he removed to the vil- lage of Channahon, where he resided until 1894. In that year he took up his residence in Chicago, where he is now located.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. McCowan have been born two sons. Floyd B., who was born March 24, 1876, and lives in Channahon township, married Miss Laura Neilsen and they have one child, Flossie E. Fred J., born June 24, 1883, is at home. Mr. McCowan owns one Inindred and seventy-six acres of cultivable and richly pro- ductive land on section 5, Channahon township. He has good buildings upon it and the latest im- proved machinery and all the equipments of the
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place are such as facilitate the work of the farm. He buys and ships much stock and as he is an excellent judge of farm animals he is enabled to make judicious purchases and profitable sales. Mr. McCowan belongs to the Woodmen camp, to the Knights of Pythias fraternity and the Court of Honor, and he has always supported the re- publican party. He is a man of genial nature, of kindly disposition and social qualities, and is there- fore popular with a large circle of warm friends.
AMOS M. SMITH.
Amos M. Smith is an enterprising and progres- sive farmer and stock-raiser, owning and operat- ing a well improved farm of one hundred and forty-five acres on section 16, Plainfield township, while for several years he was engaged in the dairy business, selling his products in Plainfield, but he has since disposed of that interest and now gives his entire time and attention to his farming and stock-raising pursuits.
Mr. Smith was born in Plainfield township, three and a half miles from the village of Plain- field, in 1858, a son of George Y. and Magdalena (Ream) Smith. The father was born in Penn- sylvania, but removed with his parents to Greens- burg, Ohio, while the year 1851 witnessed his arrival in Will county, at which time he located on an unimproved farm in Plainfield township, the place being occupied at the present time by his son, George B. Smith. The father was a wagon-maker by trade, following that pursuit in the east, but after coming to Illinois he never worked at his trade. He was a supporter of repub- lican principles in his early life but later gave his political allegiance to the prohibition party, thus indicating his views on the temperance question. His wife died on the homestead farm in the spring of 1889, when she had reached the age of seventy- one years, for her birth had occurred in 1818, in Ohio, where she was also reared and married.
Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. George Y. Smith ere their removal from Ohio to this state, while during their residence in Illi- nois four more children were added to the house- hold. Six sons and one daughter still survive, while four of the number have passed away. The
family record is as follows: Sarah is the wife of Isaac Henry, a resident of Plainfield township, Will county. John R. lives in a pleasant home at No. 113 Park avenue, Joliet. W. B. Smith makes his home in Aurora. Mrs. Mary Ferner died on the old homestead in the spring of 1885. Andrew died at Kankakee, Illinois, in 1890. Conrad E. is a resident of Plainfield. George B., who resides on the old homestead farm in Plainfield township, was born November 14, 1852, and wedded Miss Emma Bucks, a native of Illinois, by whom he has two living children, Victor and Paul, both at home, while Laura died in 1899, and Joy died in 1896, at the age of three years. Adam K. Smith is a resident of Belle Plaine, Iowa. Simon, the next member of the family, died when a little lad of seven or eight years. Amos M., whose name introduces this sketch is the next in order of birth. Levi died in Ohio. After losing his first wife Mr. Smith married a second time, subsequent to which he removed to Sedalia, Missouri, and his death there occurred in 1893, when he had reached the age of eighty years.
Amos M. Smith was reared in Will county, where he acquired a good common-school educa- tion. On starting out in life on his own responsi- bility, he engaged in farming in Plainfield town- ship for one year and in Lockport township for two years, after which he carried on the hardware and implement business at Manhattan for two years. During the following three years he fol- lowed farming in Plainfield township and in Lock- port township for two years, and then again turned his attention to the hardware and imple- ment business at Benson, Illinois, for two years. In 1893 he invested his money in his present farm of one hundred and forty-five acres, situated on section 16, Plainfield township, and he has con- tinued its operation to the present time. In addi- tion to raising the cereals best adapted to soil and climate he likewise raises stock. For six years he was engaged in the dairy business, dis- posing of his products in Plainfield, but he has abandoned that pursuit and now gives his atten- tion strictly to his farming and stock-raising in- terests.
In February, 1881, occurred the marriage of Mr. Smith and Miss Carrie B. Zinser, who was born in Tazewell county, Illinois, a daughter of Solomon Zinser, one of the early settlers of this
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state. Unto our subject and his wife have been born four children: Clayton T., who has a posi- tion with the Rock Island Railroad Company in Chicago ; Olive L., who is the wife of John G. An- derson, a resident farmer of Kendall county, by whom she has a little daughter, Eileen, one year old; Mildred A., who is still with her parents : and Ralph, who at the age of seventeen years is attending school.
Mr. Smith is a republican with strong prohibi- tion tendencies. He is a member of the Grange and is identified with the Evangelicai church. The Smith family is an old and honored one in Will county, having been founded here fifty-five years ago, and the sons, who now represent the agri- cultural interests of Plainfield township, fully sus- tain the reputation which was borne by their father.
HENRY E. MEIER.
Henry E. Meier, a farmer residing in the vil- lage of Crete, was born in Crete township, June 13, 18:1. His father, John O. Meier, a native of Ilesso-Cassel. Germany, was born January 17, 1824, his parents being Conrad and Sophia (Schweer) Meier, both of whom were natives of Germany. Conrad Meier was a miller by trade and both he and his wife died in their native country, aged respectively fifty-five and eighty- two years. The family numbered four children. all of whom are now deceased.
John O. Meier was the only one who came to the United States. Ile attended school until four- teen years of age and in the meantime worked in his father's mill. On leaving school he started out in life on his own account and at the age of twenty years he came to the United States as a passenger on the sailing vessel, Westphalia, from Bremerhaven. The voyage consumed forty- three days and after landing at New York city he proceeded by steamer up the Hudson to Albany, by rail to Buffalo and thence around the Great Lakes to Chicago. He began working at farm labor in Cook county on a farm now included within the corporation limits of the city. On the 18th of October, 1848, he was married in Chicago to Miss Anna Rinne, a native of Germany, who
became acquainted with Mr. Meier while they were crossing the Atlantic. She died in Crete township, April 22, 1869. Eleven children were born unto them but only four are now living: J. W., a resident of Minnesota : W. II., who lives upon the old homestead; Mrs. Sophia Wassmann and Mrs. Mary Piepenbrink, of Crete township. On the 23d of December, 1869, Mr. Meier was married to Miss Engel Scheiwe, a native of Hesse-Cassel, born November 28, 1832. She died in 1889. They became the parents of two children, but. Henry E. is the only one now living.
The father and his family were members of the Lutheran church, in the work of which they took an active part, contributing liberally to its support, while John O. Meier served as a trustee for thirty years. In polities he was a republican, active in the work of the party and prominent in local affairs. He held all of the township of- fiees, being supervisor for twenty years, and his service was recognized as most capable and ef- ficient. He was also a good farmer, who won sue- ress in his undertakings and left an estate which comprised three hundred and eighty aeres of land in Will county and considerable town property. His first purchase constituted eighty acres, which he secured from the government and on which he located in 1848. For many years thereafter he was energetically engaged in the cultivation and development of his land and as the years passed by he won a goodly measure of prosperity. He retired to the village in 1885. spending his remain- ing days in the enjoyment of a well earned rest and passing away on the 3d of October, 1901.
Henry E. Meier pursued his education in the public schools to the age of fourteen years, after which he attended successively Concordia College at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Concordia College at Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Concordia College at Springfield, Illinois, thus preparing for the minis- try. He later abandoned the idea of entering the priesthood and for one year was with his brother William H. on the farm. He spent three years in the county clerk's office at Joliet, after which he attended the Metropolitan Business College of Chi- cago for six months. He was next employed as bookkeeper for the Crete Manufacturing Company for three years, was with the Loekwood & Striek- land Company of Chicago for the same length of time, and with Palmer, Fuller & Company, of
JOHN O. MEIER.
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Chicago, for a similar period. While in the employ of these concerns he resided in Crete, but after his father's death returned to the farm, where he owned one hundred and ten acres of land, but has since sold forty acres to the railroad company. He now has a tract of seventy acres besides a good home in the village of Crete. His time and ener- gies are given to the further development and improvement of his farm, from which he derives a good income.
On the 22d of September, 1895, Mr. Meier was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ruhe, a daugh- ter of Louis Ruhe, who is living in Crete. They have two children, Henry J. L. and Marie. The parents are both consistent and faithful members of the Lutheran church, in which Mr. Meier is serving as deacon. He neither seeks nor desires public office but gives unfaltering support to the republican party, being in hearty sympathy with its principles.
PHILIPP DRECHSLER.
Philipp Drechsler was for many years actively identified with agricultural interests in Will county, but since 1903 has lived retired in a com- fortable home in Peotone, where he is surrounded by many friends, and his earnest toil in former years now supplies him with all the comforts of life, so that he is enabled to spend the evening of his days in honorable retirement. He is a native of Bavaria, Germany, born October 20, 1833, and is a son of Andrew and Margaret (Spriesel) Drechsler, the former a shoemaker by trade. Phil- ipp Drechsler lost his father when a little lad of six years, after which his mother was married to a Mr. Lindermeyer, her death occurring when the son was but nine years old. His step-father was married a second time and Philipp Drechsler made his home with his step-father and step- mother until after he had attained the age of eighteen years, during which time he was given good educational advantages.
Mr. Drechsler, having heard favorable reports concerning the business advantages to be enjoyed in the new world, accordingly decided to try his fortune in America, and on the 5th of July, 1853, took passage on an old-time sailing vessel, which,
after a voyage of thirty-three days, reached the harbor of New York. Mr. Drechsler had no money upon his arrival in that city, so that immediate employment was rendered a necessity. He possessed a stout heart and courageous spirit, however, and immediately set to work to secure employment, by which he earned the money to pay his way to Illi- nois, where lived some friends. In 1854 he went to Lombard, Du Page county, and the following year continued his journey to Monee, Will county, where he was employed during the succeeding four years at farm labor by the month. Having saved some money he was subsequently justified in en- gaging in business on his own account, and for one year operated rented laud in Monee township. He then drove to Kankakee county and settled on a farm in Manteno township, operating land there for eight years. In 1868 he purchased a tract of eighty acres in Will township, this being wild prai- rie at that time. He at once set to work to break the land and prepare the fields for the plow, and in due course of time planted his crops, which yielded rich harvests. He made all of the im- provements upon the place and continued to make his home thereon until 1903, when he purchased residence property in Peotone, and, having rebuilt and remodeled the house, now has a very com- fortable home, in which he expects to spend the evening of his days in well earned ease. He came to Will county during its pioneer epoch and dur- ing his residence here, which covers a period of more than a half century, he has witnessed the mauy wonderful changes that have been made as the work of progress and improvement has been carried on along agricultural lines, and he has borne his full share in the work that has today placed Will county in the front ranks of this great state of Illinois.
On the 18th of March, 1859, occurred the mar- riage of Mr. Drechsler and Miss Sophia Libke, who was born in Hanover, Germany, March 20. 1840. She came to America when thirteen years of age, living with an uncle, Henry Libke, who was one of the early settlers of Monee. Unto our subject and his wife have been born eight children, namely: Mary, the wife of H. R. Meyer, a resi- dent farmer of Manteno township, Kankakee county ; John, who is married and makes his home in Chicago: Amanda, the wife of Emil Deising, also of that city: Caroline, the wife of Louis
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Meyer. of Chicago; Minnie, who died at the age of two years ; Hattie, the wife of Ed Helt, of Chi- cago; Edwin, who wedded Ida Behrens and lives on his father's farm; and Emma, who is a young lady at home.
Mr. Drechsler was reared in the faith of the German Lutheran church, but since coming to American has held membership with the Evangel- ical Association, in the work of which he takes a very active and helpful part, having served as trustee of the church at Peotone for many years, while for more than forty years he has acted as superintendent of the Sunday school, and his wife is a teacher in the latter organization. They are consistent Christian people and live in harmony with their professions. Mr. Drechsler is strictly temperate in his habits, has always supported the republican party, and while making his home on the farm served for fifteen years as school director. He has always been a hard working man and the rest which he is now permitted to enjoy comes as the merited reward of his former years of toil and industry. He and his estimable wife are num- bered among the worthy pioneer people of Will county and can recall many incidents of the early days in this section of the state. They have a wide acquaintance in Peotone and Will township and the hospitality of their pleasant home is greatly enjoyed by their many friends.
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