USA > Illinois > Will County > Past and present of Will County, Illinois, V. 2 > Part 47
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PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY.
was reared to farm life, early becoming familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. Since 1873 he has been engaged in business as a contractor and builder with head- quarters at Elmhurst and has met with gratifying success. He holds membership in the German Lutheran church, of which he is an active worker, and in which he has long served in official capac- ity. He has always voted the republican ticket and has been a member of the village board of Elmhurst. Ile married Maria Hoeppner, who was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, and is now living at the age of fifty-three years. She was brought to the United States by her parents when about five years of age, the family home being established on a farm in DuPage county. She, too, holds membership in the German Lutheran church. By her marriage she has become the mother of nine children : Ernest W .; Paul, deceased ; Emil, cash- ier of the Citizens State Bank at Elmhurst ; Emma, the wife of Theodore Hied, an artisan of Elmhurst : Edwin, who is with his father in busi- ness; Emmerich, assistant cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Elmhurst; Ewald, who is with the Corn Exchange National Bank of Chicago : Ellen and Edna, at home.
While spending his boyhood days in his parents' home in Elmhurst Ernest W. Balgeman was a student in the common and high schools of that village and afterward learned carpentering. In 1899 he went to Fulda, Minnesota, where he en- gaged in contracting and in the real estate busi- ness, there remaining until 1903, when he removed to Chicago Heights, where he continued to operate in real estate, handling Minnesota farm lands. In 1904, in connection with William Koelling, he or- ganized the Crete State Bank, of which he became president. He also engages in the real estate busi- ness and in the summer of 1906 he bought thirty- two acres of land adjoining Crete on the south. Ile then laid out a subdivision to the town, which he called the Enterprise subdivision of Crete. These lots are now being sold and the district is being well improved in a most satisfactory man- ner. Mr. Balgeman is also a member of the de- partment store of H. F. Ruhe & Company, of ('rete, and is the owner of the building in which the business is carried on. He is now vice presi- dent of and holds the controlling interest in the Citizens State Bank of Elmhurst and is also the
owner of farm lands in Minnesota. He thus has many and varied investments in business enter- prises and shows a keen disposition for successful management.
On the 29th of Jannary, 1900, Mr. Balgeman was married to Miss Fredericka Thurnan, who was born at Eagle Lake, in Washington township, in 1877, and is a daughter of an early settler of that locality. Mr. and Mrs. Balgeman attend the German Lutheran church. In politics he is an ardent republican, with firm faith in the principles of the party, yet has never sought or desired po- litical preferment. The consensus of public opin- ion regarding him is altogether favorable and the high regard in which he is uniformly held comes as a tribute to his business and personal worth.
LOUIS GUILDENSOPF.
Louis Guildensopf is one of the extensive agri- culturists of Will county, operating four hun- dred acres of land in Peotone township, where he owns two hundred and eighty acres. He is a native son of Will county, born in Green Garden township, February 17, 1861, and comes of German parentage. His father, John M. Guildensopf, was a native of Saxony, Germany, whence he emigrated to America and for a time engaged in farming in Green Garden township. Disposing of his prop- erty there he then came to Peotone township and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of wild prairie land, on which he made all of the improve- ments, and there engaged in farming until his death. which occurred twenty-nine years ago, when he was forty-four years of age. He was an enter- prising and progressive farmer, numbered among Will county's highly respected pioneer settlers. The mother, who bore the maiden name of Philip- ina Phiel, was also born in the fatherland and first wedded Peter Sheer, by whom she had five chil- dren. After losing her first husband she was mar- ried to Mr. Guildensopf. Her death occurred in Peotone several years ago.
Louis Guildensopf, whose name introduces this review, is the only surviving member of his father's family. He was reared to the occupation of farm- ing, and when a youth of sixteen years lost his father, after which he went to Germany, where he
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made his home with his grandparents. He came into possession of one hundred and sixty acres of land from his father's estate, and, returning to America, located on his farm, where he has since been engaged in general agricultural pursuits. He has since added one hundred and twenty acres to his original holdings, so that he now owns two hundred and eighty acres in Peotone township, and he likewise leases land, operating altogether a farmi of four hundred acres constituting him one of the most extensive farmers of Will county. lle is meeting with very gratifying success in his under- takings, and in his work follows the most pro- gressive and practical methods, so that his finan- cial resources are materially enhanced each year.
On the 13th of July, 1885, occurred the mar- riage of Mr. Guildensopf and Miss Ellen Cunning- ham, who was born in this county. a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Cunningham, both of whom are now deceased. Their five living children are Mamie, Agnes, John, Lizzie and Mildred, all of whom are still under the parental roof, while Helen, the fourth in order of birth is deceased.
Mr. Guildensopf gives his political support to the principles of democracy but has never held office, preferring to give his time and attention to his private business affairs. He is not identified with any church organization but his wife and family are communicants of the Catholic church. Mr. Guildensopf and his family are highly es- teemed in the community where they reside, and he is accounted one of the leading representatives of agricultural interests in Peotone township.
HENRY C. OHLENDORF.
Hemy C. Ohlendorf, a worthy representative of the German-American element in the citizenship of Will county, was born in 1864 on the old family homestead, which was the property of his father. Christof Ohlendorf, a native of Germany, who, in his seventy-fifth year. is now living retired from business eares in the home of his son Henry. He came to the United States in 1856. first settling on section 34, Crete township. His parents were Henry and Sophia Ohlendorf, who came at the same time and brought with them their seven children : Henry, now deceased : William, who is
living in Crete township on the old homestead ; Conrad, deceased ; Christof, father of our subject ; August, who has also passed away ; Sophia, wife of Henry Behrens, of Crete township; and Christina, the deceased wife of Conrad Oldendorf, a farmer of Indiana.
Christof Ohlendorf, the father of our subject, worked at farm labor for his father in Crete town- ship for some time before going into business for himself. He attended the district schools and. after taking up farm work on his own account, became a successful agriculturist, a life of indus- try and activity bringing to him a well merited reward for his labors. He now owns three hun- dred acres of land, from which he derives a good income. In politics he has always been a repub- lican but has never cared for public office. He married Wilhelmina Seegers, who was also a native of Germany and who is now living at the age of fifty-eight years. She came to the United States with her parents Christof and Charlotte Seegers, who located in Crete, but both are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Christof Ohlendorf had the follow- ing children : Henry C .; August, who is living in Crete township : Bertha, who is the wife of Wil- liam Guritz, of Washington township; Mathilda, the wife of Lonis Guritz, a brother of William Guritz, living just across the line in Indiana.
In his boyhood days Henry C. Ohlendorf at- tended the district schools and thus prepared for life's practical and responsible duties. He was early trained to the work of field and meadow and has always remained upon the home farm, which he is still conducting. The fields are now highly cultivated and everything about the place indicates his careful, practical and progressive supervision. Ile is systematic in all his farm work and his methods of tilling the soil for his crops are such as to class him with the enterprising business men of the township.
In December, 1889, Mr. Ohlendorf was married to Miss Mathilda Klemme, who was born in Crete township, August 8. 1867. daughter of Christian and Sophia Klemme, who came from Germany at an early day and took up their abode in Crete township when the county was sparsely settled. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ohlendorf has been blessed with seven children, all of whom were born on the old homestead: Henry, born in 1891 ; Min- nie, born in 1893 ; Emma, born in 1895 : Blandena,
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PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY.
born in 1892; Maxine, born in 1899: Mathilda, horn m 1901 : and Mildred, born in 1906.
The parents are faithful and worthy members of the Evangelical Association. Mr. Ohlendorf is a republican, interested in the success and growth of the party and well informed at all times upon political issues and questions of the day. He has served as township collector for two years, and in the discharge of his duties is very prompt and faithful. He has spent his entire life in Crete township and is well known as one of the progres- sive young farmers.
FRANK P. DENNIS.
Among the enterprising and prosperous farmers and stock-raisers of Will county is numbered Frank P. Dennis, who owns and operates a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Peotone town- ship, all of which has been acquired through his own well directed labors. In addition to his agri- cultural pursuits he is also engaged in raising Poland China hogs and high grade poultry.
worthy Christian people who had many friends, so that their deaths were deeply regretted when they were called from this life. In the family of this honored couple were six children : William R., a resident farmer of Caruthersville, Indiana ; Louisa, the wife of George Carr, a resident of Brooks, Indiana ; Sylvester, who makes his home at Mason, Tennessee; Frank P., of this review; John D., who resides at Goodland, Indiana; and Anthony F., who died at the age of thirty-five years, while his widow is a resident of Peotone.
Frank P. Dennis, the fourth in order of birth in his father's family, was but two years of age when the family home was established in Illinois, so that he was practically reared in this state, while he acquired his education in the common schools of Will county. From his early youth he displayed considerable mechanical ingenuity, and at the age of nineteen years began running a threshing ma- chine, operating this in addition to carrying on farm work. For the past twenty-five years he has been engaged more or less in the operation of farm machinery and today has a complete threshing outfit, this being owned by a company of farmers. In 1882 Mr. Dennis purchased his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Peotone township. He has made many improvements upon the place and has one of the best tracts of land and set of farm buildings in the township. He is also en- gaged in raising stock, making a specialty of Poland China hogs, having a number of fine reg- istered animals, which have taken first prize at the town fair. He also raises fancy poultry, hav- ing principally Barred Plymouth Rock and Orp- ington chickens, which have taken first and second prizes. At the Kankakee County Fair his Ply- mouth Rock chickens took third prize in an exhibit of six hundred birds. In all his work he keeps abreast with the progress of the age and is a leader among the agriculturists and stock-raisers of Peotone township.
Mr. Dennis was born at Elmira, New York, September 17, 1854, a son of Jonathan and Mahala Jane (Decker) Dennis, the former born in New Jersey, while the latter was born in the Empire state. Both are now deceased, having passed away in Peotone, the former March 5, 1902, when he had reached the venerable age of eighty-three years, while the latter died in 1893, at the age of sixty- five. The father was a blacksmith by trade, and in 1856 came westward to Illinois, settling in Joliet, where he worked at his trade. He later invested in eighty acres of land near that city and upon disposing of that property removed to Peotone township, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he operated until 1888, when, his labors having brought to him a comfortable competence, he removed to the village of Peotone, Choosing a companion and helpmate for life's journey, Mr. Dennis was married, March 6, 1883, to Miss Martha Jane Patterson, who was born in Will township, this county, a daughter of Rob- ert and Margaret (Neal) Patterson: The father was born in Scotland, whence he came to this country when a young man of twenty years. He was numbered among the carly settlers of Will where he lived retired throughont his remaining days, his death there occurring. In his early life he held membership in the Presbyterian church, of which his wife was also a devoted member, but in later years ho transferred his membership to the Methodist Episcopal church, in the faith of which he died. He was a democrat and held some township offices. He and his wife werecounty, following farming in Will township, where
JONATHAN DENNIS.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY.
he served as supervisor for many years. His death occurred in Merrill, Plymouth county, Iowa, when he had reached the age of seventy-eight years. The mother was born in Ireland, and is living at the age of seventy-nine. She makes her home among her children. Their family numbers six children, all of whom still survive, namely: Robert, who resides at Worthington, Minnesota; Emma, the wife of Ben Hawkins, of Hull, Iowa; Delila, the widow of Alfred Dubridge, of Momence, Illinois; Martha J., now Mrs. Dennis; Lucinda, the wife of Levi Hawkins, a resident of Reading, Minne- sota; and Effie, the wife of Frank Crouch, of Hinton, Iowa.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Dennis have been born two sons. George attended the mechanical department at Armour Institute, in Chicago, and is now a young man of twenty-two years, making his home with his parents. Percy, the younger son, also with his parents, pursued a course in stenography and telegraphy at Janesville, Wisconsin.
Like his father, Mr. Dennis gives his political support to the men and measures of democracy but has never been active in the local ranks of the party, for his private business interests have fully claimed his time and attention. He has been iden- tified with the Modern Woodmen of America for the past sixteen years. He is enterprising and pro- gressive and owes his success entirely to his close application and excellent business ability. Having spent practically his entire life in Will county he deserves prominent mention among its best citizens.
FREDERICK G. CLOIDT.
Frederick G. Cloidt, who is engaged in the grain business at Beecher and also deals in live stock, is numbered among the men of enterprise whose efforts are an element in the business prosperity and growth of the village. He is also serving as treasurer of the village and is accounted one of its leading men. His birth occurred in Kankakee county, Illinois, in 1871. His father, James Cloidt, was born in Germany and is now living in Kanka- kee county at the age of seventy-three years. He came to the United States when eighteen years of age and worked for a year in Pennsylvania coal mines for fifty cents a day. He spent three years
in the mines and in 1857 came to the middle west, purchasing eighty acres of land in Yellowhead township, Kankakee county. In 1875 he left the farm after adding two hundred acres more to the place. He then removed to Beecher and in con- nection with Charles Beseke entered the grain trade, in which he met with immediate success. After three years he bought out his partner and conducted the business alone until 1897, when his son Frederick succeeded him. The father then removed to Sollitt, where he also owned an ele- vator. This he sold in 1902 and he is now living retired in Kankakee county, having in former years acquired a handsome competence whichi makes rest from further labor possible. He is the owner of four hundred and sixty-seven acres of land, of which one hundred and sixty-seven is situated a mile across the Indiana line.
Mr. Cloidt is a man of energy and indomitable perseverance and the secret of his success lies en- tirely in his earnest labor, for he had not a dol- lar when he landed on American soil. In politics he is independent. He married Louisa Klein, also a native of Germany and now living at the age of sixty-eight years. She came to the United States in 1857 and soon afterward was married. The following children graced this union: Frederick, of this review ; Frank, of Grant Park, who is book- keeper in a large store; Louise, the wife of J. B. Berg, who lives across the line in Indiana; Mary, the wife of Peter Engelland, one of the proprietors of a department store at Grant Park; Teresa, the «leceased wife of Jesse Bright, a banker at Flora, Indiana ; and Lizzie, at home.
Frederick G. Cloidt, reared upon the home farm, attended the district schools and also pursued his education in Beecher. He worked for his father, who had three elevators, one at Beecher, another at Sollitt and a third at Martinton. He was thus associated with the grain trade until he became his father's successor. He has since continued in this line and handles a large amount of gram at Beecher, carrying on a prosperous business. He is also a stockholder in the First National Bank of this place and a stockholder of the Eagle Lake Tile Works. He likewise deals in cattle and hogs and is connected with other business enterprises, his keen discrimination and sound judgment proving important factors in their successful conduct. Whatever he undertakes he carries forward to suc-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY.
cessful completion, working toward the highest degree of perfection attainable, and in his business has gained gratifying prosperity.
Mr. Cloidt was married in 1896 to Miss Mamie Helen Bathfuhr, who was born at Grant Park, Illinois, in 1811, and is a daughter of Albert and IIelen Bathfuhr, a furniture dealer, cabinet-maker and undertaker. Mr. and Mrs. Cloidt are now parents of a son and two daughters: Joseph, Katherine and Mary. They are members of the German Lutheran church and Mr. Cloidt holds membership relations with the Masons, the Modern Woodmen and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In politics he is independent. He has served as a member of the village board for nine years and at the present time is village treasurer. In community affairs he takes an active and help- ful part and his labors have been directly bene- ficial and far-reaching. He has made for himself an honored place in business circles and his name carries weight on.commercial paper.
JAAMES O. GORMAN.
The late James O. Gorman, of Joliet, who passed away March 5. 1905, deserves mention among the most prominent of the city's merchants and representative residents, for during his life time he made for himself a place among the men of business enterprise in the great west. His force of character, sterling integrity and control of cir- cumstances gained him marked success and at all times his life was manly, his actions sincere, his manner unaffected and his example well worthy of emulation.
Mr. Gorman was born in Wexford, Ireland, Sep- tomber 21, 1848, and coming to America with his parents when a year old, was partially reared in the state of New York. His father, James Gor- man, Sr., on crossing the Atlantic, settled in the Empire state, where he engaged in business as a stationary engineer. In 1852 he brought his family to Joliet. Ilis wife hore the maiden name of Ann Furlong and was also a native of Wex- ford, Ireland, In their family were seven chil- dren.
Of this number James O. Gorman was a youth of four years when the family came to Illinois and
in the Eastern avenue school in Joliet he acquired his education. From early life he manifested in- dustry and laudable ambition and made the best use of his opportunities. In 1867 he bought a newspaper stand, which he conducted for a num- ber of years, when the business was destroyed by fire. In the meantime he dealt not only in the papers and periodicals of the day but had also ex- tended the field of his operations until he became a wholesale and retail dealer in fruit. He was one of the oldest merchants and one of the oldest and best buyers on South Water street. The business was established more than thirty-eight years ago and was successfully continned with comparatively few losses until 1826, when the fire occurred. He then received permission from the city aldermen and fire commissioners to occupy a small frame shack while erecting what became known as the Centennial block the same year. Immediately after the destruction of his store by the flames he resumed business, continuing his operations with little interruption. Thus he retrieved his lost possessions and in the course of years developed a trade which constantly grew in volume and im- portance until it was represented by a large figure. In 1882 he erected the Gorman building ; in 1893 built a fine stone residence ; and built a brick block of two stores on Sonth Chicago street in 1903.
Mr. Gorman was married in Joliet to Miss Nora Misener, who was born in this city and died about a year and a half after her marriage, On the 21st of October, 1884, he was again married al Fort Wayne, Indiana, his second union being with Miss Nettie Kimball, who was born in Woburn, Massa- chusetts, and came west with her parents, Samuel W. and Eliza (Drew) Kimball. The father, a native of Wells, Maine, removed westward to Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the '50s. Ile was a house builder by trade and afterward engaged in teach- ing music, possessing superior ability as an expon- ent of that art. He died December 18, 1888, and his wife passed away in 1900. She was born in Dover, New Hampshire, but they were married in Wells, Maine, removing to Fort Wayne, Indiana, in November of the same year.
Mr. Gorman continued actively in business up to the time of his death. He was the oldest out- of-town buyer known on South Water street, Chi- cago, and the news of his death was received with genuine regret by many of the commission mer-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY.
chants in that busy mart who had grown to respect and honor him. He was a splendid type of a fine business man, making his own way upward from a humble position as newsboy to that of one of Joliet's most prominent and enterprising mer- chants. At his death Mrs. Gorman organized a stock company for the continuance of the business, She is president of the company, with I. X. Kachelhoffer as buyer and Charles Cassidy as sec- retary and manager. The house handles fruit, vegetables, oysters and fish, carrying both imported and domestie wares, and the trade is largely whole- sale. In addition to this business Mr. Gorman was interested in mines in Colorado.
In manner he was pleasant and genial and very approachable, not hedging himself about with a reserve such as many men do who have become wealthy. When we stop to consider that he started out in life a poor boy with no capital what- ever, his success seems most marvelous, yet it was the outcome of his own efforts. The spirit of self- help is the source of all genuine worth in the individual. Steadily pursuing his way, undeterred by the obstacles and difficulties in his path, he achieved a prosperity of which even he did not dream at the outset of his career. Steady applica- tion, careful study of business methods and plans to be followed, close attention to details, combined with untiring energy directed by a superior mind -these were the traits of character which brought him success and made him one of the foremost merchants of Joliet.
NOBLE JONES.
Noble Jones, who makes his home in Mokena but operates on the board of trade in Chicago, has advanced from a comparatively humble position in the business world to one of considerable promi- nence, his name being well known in connection with the grain market of the metropolis. His business record is such as any man might be proud to possess, for it has been marked by steady ad- vancement and has gained for him the respeet of his contemporaries and the admiration of the general public. He seems to possess remarkable sagacity and keen discrimination in making his in-
vestments and as the years have passed by his suc- cess has increased.
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