Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 120

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois > Part 120

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Mrs. Turner now resides with her sister. Mrs. Moore.

In community interests Mr. Moore was active and influential, withholding his support from no movement or measure that he believed would contribute to general progress. lle served as justice of the peace in Quincy for twelve years, always took an active interest in polities and was fearless in espousing his honest convietions. He voted for the men whom he regarded as best qualified for office and the welfare of his community was dear to his heart. For sixteen years he held member- ship in the Roman Catholic church. but later united with the Episcopal church. of which his wife was also a member. Mrs. Turner is a member of the Christian church. Mr. Moore was very fond of travel and spent nine months in visiting points of interest in England. Ire- land. Scotland and France. while at another time he went to Australia. He was very deep- ly interested in the questions of the day. keep- ing well informed on the subjects affecting state and national welfare. He had a very wide acquaintance in Adams county. He dis- played in his life many sterling character- isties. which gained him the confidence and good will of all. and at his death he left many warm friends. He was known as a worthy pioneer resident and deserves mention among the honored early settlers of the county.

Mrs. Moore's residence is located at the cor- ner of Twenty-fourth and Locust streets in the northeastern portion of the city. It is a beau- tiful brick structure and Mrs. Moore is living there with her sister. Mrs. Turner. She also owns other property in the vicinity and was left in comfortable finaneial circumstances by her husband. Her entire life has been passed in Adams county and she is familiar with its history from pioneer days down to the present. having witnessed its growth and development.

CILARLES H. LAUTER.

Charles H. Lanter, a member of the J. B. Sehott Saddlery Company of Quincy, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, February 16. 1861. his parents being Philip and Louise (Fuchs) Lau- ter. The father, emigrating from Trier, Ger- many, in 1847, located in St. Louis and was married there to Miss Fuehs, a native of Berlin. Germany, who came to this country with her brother. Her mother died in Berlin at the ad- vanced age of ninety-two years. After residing for a number of years in St. Louis Mr. Lauter came with his family to Quincy in 1863 and

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was employed as bookkeeper by the firm of S. J. Lesem, Brother & Company for seventeen years or until 1882, when he returned to St. Louis. Hle is now. at the age of seventy-seven years, occupying the position of bookkeeper for F. Burkart Company. In his family were nine children, of whom three died in infancy. Of the others Charles II. is the only one living in Quiney. He has a sister residing in Ken- tueky and two sisters and two brothers in St. Louis.

Charles HI. Lanter, having acquired his more specifically literary education in the public schools, afterward pursued a course of study in a business college, and on leaving that insti- tution at the age of seventeen years he entered the Ricker Bank, where he remained for a year and a half. In 1877 he became bookkeeper for the Hirsch Hide Company, with whom he eon- tinued for five years, from 1879 until 1884, after which he went to St. Louis, where he made his home for three years, while traveling on the road as representative of the F. Bnrkart Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of harness and saddlery goods, upholstering and furnishing supplies. In 1887 he returned to Quincy and became interested in the JJ. B. Schott Saddlery Company, being employed first as correspondent. The following year he he- came a partner in the firm and at present has supervision of the office and looks after the cor- respondence.

In 1888 Mr. Lauter was married to Miss Julia Schott, a danghter of J. B. Schott, of this eity, and they became the parents of three chil- dren, but John Louis died at the age of one year. The others are Carl, born in 1889, now a high school student; and Margaret, born in 1893, attending the pubile schools.

In his political views Mr. Lanter is indepen- dent with republican sympathies, but has no political ambitions and is content to do his pub- lie duty as a private citizen. Much of his life having been passed in this city he has a wide acquaintance socially and in business cireles, and the regard which he received in the former is equalled by the respect which he commands in the latter.

DON JOSEPHI RAPP.

Don Joseph Rapp, who is now postoffice in- spector for the state of Maine, with headquar- ters in Boston, where he makes his home, is well known in Quincy, having resided here for a number of years, during which time he made many friends and also gained the respect and

good will of those with whom he was associated in business. He was born in Geneseo, Illinois, October 20, 1876, and is a son of John and Mary C. (Ilartzell) Rapp, the former born in War- rensburg, Ohio, September 27, 1840, and the latter in Moline, Illinois, June 9, 1844 The father was a soklier in the late Civil war. Ile was a school teacher of this state in early man- hood and later engaged in merchandising in Mo- line, Illinois. The family lived in Dodge City. Kansas, for several years.

Mrs. Rapp is a daughter of Michael and Nancy (Stauffer) Hartzell, who were married near Blairsville, Pennsylvania, May 5, 1836, and a few weeks later came west, settling on the pres- ent site of Rock Island, Illinois. There were many Indians in this region at that time and one chief offered Mr. Hartzell four ponies for his "squaw." Their daughter Maggie was the first white child born in what is now Rock Isl- and. In their family were thirteen children, eleven of whom reached years of maturity. One of these is Bishop Hartzell, an eminent divine of the Methodist Episcopal church, who is now in Africa. By occupation Michael Ilartzell was a carpenter, cabinet-maker and architect, and for more than half a century followed those pur- snits, after which he retired from active busi- ness life. He made his home in Moline up to the time of his death, which occurred when he had reached the venerable age of ninety years. On the 5th of May, 1886, he and his wife celebrated their golden wedding and on that happy occa- sion were the recipients of many valable pres- ents, given them by their many friends and rela- tives who were present. Mrs. Hartzell was dressed in the style in vogue fifty years before at the time of her marriage, and although nearly seventy years of age had scarcely a gray hair. Her husband was likewise remarkably well pre- served at the age of seventy-six years. Mrs. Hartzell now resides with her daughter. Mrs. Rapp, and at the age of eighty-nine years is still very active. Her mother, Mrs. Margaret Stauf- fer, lived to be ninety-six. She reared a family of fifteen children, all of whom reached manhood and womanhood.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rapp were born three chil- dren, the eklest being Don Joseph, whose name introduces this sketch. Arthur II. married Cora Glassa and resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he is secretary and treasurer of the Mon- arch Governor Works. Florence E. is the wife of Charles D. Miller, of Lancaster, Missouri, where he is engaged in the insurance business.

Don Joseph Rapp, reared in Illinois and ac- quiring his preliminary education in the public schools, came to Quiney in 1895 to attend the Gem City Business College, and being pleased with the city he sent for his mother and sister

D. J. RAPP

MR. AND MRS. MICHAEL HARTZELL

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to join him here in 1897. Following his gradna- tion he seenred a position as postal clerk in the Quiney postoffice and in a short time his efficien- ey, promptness and reliability won him promo- tion. In 1903 the government made him an offer of his present position, which he accepted and removed to Boston, Massachusetts, where he makes his home and business headquarters, but he travels the greater part of the time, inspeet- ing the postoffices all over the state of Maine. lle was in ill health when appointed to this po- sition but has greatly benefited by the change, in faet his health has been completely restored. He was well known in Quincy and was account- ed one of the popular and prominent young men of the eity.

Mr. Rapp was married here to Miss Cora Mil- ler. a native of Quiney and a daughter of B. II. Miller, who is one of the oldest druggists and a leading resident here. Mr. Rapp's mother also resides in Quincy. having a large and attractive residenee at No. 1120 North Fifth street, where she and her mother now reside. Mrs. Rapp has made many friends since coming to Quiney and now has a very wide and favorable acquaintance.

RUFUS W. PUTNAM.

Rufus W. Putnam is one of the oldest native sons of Adams county, his birth having oe- eurred September 11, 1833, on the farm in Ellington township which is still his home. Through a long period he was actively con- nected with agricultural pursuits but is now living a retired life, enjoying the fruits of former toil.

Ile is a deseendent of Thomas Dudley and Simon Bradsteel, colonial governors of Massa- chusetts, who came to this country with Win- throp in 1630. Ile traees his aneestry back to Nicholas and Margaret (Goodspeed) Putnam, residents of England. Their son. John Put- nam, married Priscilla Thomas and came to America from Aston, Abbots county, Bucking- ham, near Aylesbury, England, in 1634, and settled in Salem, Massachusetts, but afterward removed to Danvers with his three sons, Thom- as, Nathaniel and John. The last named was born at Aston, Abbots, in 1630, and was mar- ried September 3, 1652. to Rebecca Prince, by whom he had ten children. Of this number Eleazar Putnam was born in Danvers, Massa- chusetts, in 1665, and first married Hannah Boardman. His second wife bore the name of Elizabeth. Henry Putnam, the son of Eleazar and Hannah (Boardman) Putnam, was born August 14, 1712, and by his wife Hannah he

had seven sons. He and his seven sons took part in the battle on the retreat of the British from Lexington and Concord. and he and five out of the seven were killed at Menotomy, West Cambridge, now Arlington, April 19, 1775. Ilis son Henry Putnam was born in Dan- vers, Massachusetts, in 1737, and was married in 1762, to Sarah Putnam. Their son was first lieutenant in Captain JJ. Page's company and was severely wounded at the time his father was killed. He remained at his brother-in- law's house in Medford, where his wife joined him, and upon the morning of the 17th of June, she drove him to the foot of Bunker Hill and he did good service on that and other occa- sions, serving throughout the war, rising to the rank of captain. Ilis son, Allen Putnam, the grandfather of our subjeet, was born October 25, 1762, and died in July or Angust, 1805. He was married April 20, 1785, to Anna Porter, a daughter of Amos Porter. She was born at Chelsea, Massachusetts, December 6, 1776, and died at Danvers, in 1808. Allen Putnam, like his grandfather and father, was also a sol- dier in the Continental army during the Revo- lutionary war, serving for six months at the age of eighteen years. He enlisted July 25, 1780, and was discharged December 7, 1780.

Henry Putnam, the father of our subjeet, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1795, and when twelve years of age went to Ohio with his father, the family home being established in Washington county in 1788. This was the first family to locate in that part of the state. Henry Putnam remained a resident of Ohio until 1828, when he came to Illinois, making his way to the mines of Galena. Later he came to Adams eounty and after a brief sojourn in Quincy he took up his abode upon the farm which is now owned and ocenpied by Rufus W. Putnam. Here he and Isaac Sawin built the first log cabin in Ellington township. Mr. Putnam had two hundred and eighty acres of land, which was wild and unimproved when it came into his possession, but in the course of time he cleared and cultivated this and developed an excellent farm property. There he continued farming until 1842, when his death occurred. and his son Rufus was thus left an orphan at the age of nine years, as the mother had died five years before this time. She bore the maiden name of Martha McDonald.

After the death of his father Rufus W. Put- nam went to live with John W. Sterne, a pio- neer resident of Ellington township, with whom he remained until sixteen years of age. when he returned to the old homestead which his father had cleared and which has since been his place of abode. He at once began its further development and improvement and

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carried forward his work in accordance with modern ideas, utilizing improved machinery as it was introduced and also the modern farm methods which were evolved.

As a companion and helpmate for life's jour- ney Mr. Putnam chose Miss Melissa Simmons, a native of this county and a daughter of Enos Simmons. an old settler. They have three chil- dren who are yet living: William H., whose farm of eighty acres adjoins his father's land ; Fanny L. and Edith E.

Mr. Putnam's farm comprises two hundred aeres on sections 8 and 17, Ellington township. Ile is now, however, practically living a retired life, renting his land to his son, who carries on general farming, raising hay and grain. lle also has twenty-five cows and fifty hogs. He has fifty acres of timber land upon his farm and his home is pleasantly located five miles northeast of the city limits of Quincy. In its meat and thrifty appearance it indicates the practical and progressive spirit of the owner, who has long been ranked with the leading agrienlturists of the county.

Mr. Putnam votes with the republican party, which he has supported since its organization, and he has served as commissioner but has never been active in search of public office. On the contrary he has preferred to give his un- divided attention to his business affairs. He belongs to the Presbyterian church. and his life, honorable and straightforward in all his dealings and relations, has ever been in har- mony with his professions.

CILARLES E. FOWINKLE.

Charles E. Fowinkle, a photographer of Quiney, was born at Bunker Hill, Indiana, Feb- ruary 21, 1875, his parents being William and Ilannah (Spangler) Fowinkle. The father, who throughout his active business career car- ried on agricultural pursuits, is now living a retired life in Peru, Indiana-his native city. Ilis mother is also a native of Miami county, Indiana, and they have always remained resi- dents of that state. The family, however, is of German lineage and the ancestors in the fath- erland resided near Berlin, Germany. The ma- ternal grandfather, John Spangler, died in Feb- rnary, 1904, at the venerable age of ninety- one years, having spent his entire life in Pepe Creek township, Miami county, Indiana.

In the public schools of Peru, Indiana, Charles E. Fowinkle acquired his education, and at the age of fifteen he left home. entering upon his business career as a photographie ar- tist, in which line of endeavor he has since con-

tinned. He located in Chicago and in 1902 came to Quiney, where he is now conducting a well equipped photographie studio at No. 607 Hampshire street, being accounted one of the foremost representatives of the art in this city. Ile has virtually built up the business since coming to Quincy. and in the practice of the art he uses the latest approved appliances and facilities that will produce the best result. A liberal patronage is accorded him and his efforts and study keep him in touch with the most advanced ideas of the profession. He be- longs to the National Association of Photog- raphers, and has produced work that ranks him with the leading representatives of his art in his adopted city and state.

HARRY O. CHANNON.

Ilarry O. Channon, who throughout his busi- ness career has given his attention to electric en- gineering and is now superintendent of the elec- trie department for the Quincy Gas & Electric Company, was born in this city, August 25, 1869, a son of W. Il. and Sarah A. ( Taylor) Channon. Ilis father, coming to Quincy from Philadelphia, figured very prominently in industrial eireles here for many years as a manufacturer of stoves and is still financially interested in the Channon- Emery Stove Company, although not active in its management. lle is now living retired, hav- ing acquired a handsome competence. Unto him and his wife were born three children.

The eldest, Harry O. Channon, attended the public schools until he had completed the high school course in Quiney by graduation with the class of 1888. He afterward entered the Univer- sity of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated in 1893, having made a specialty of the study of electrical engineering. Following his return to Quiney he connected himself with the Empire Light & Power Company, which was later absorbed by the Quiney Gas & Electric Company. His connection with the former covered three years and he was superintendent and secretary of that company. He afterward became con- neeted with the Quincy Gas & Electric Company, with which he continued until June, 1902, when he went to Alton. Illinois, and was there superin- tendent of the Gas & Electric Light Company for a year and a half. Returning to Quincy he as- sumed his present position as superintendent of the electric light department of the Quincy Gas & Electric Company, which position he now holds. He has devoted all his time and attention to the study of electric engineering and his trained ef- fieiency enables him to fill a responsible position.

Mr. Channon was married, June 20, 1895, to Miss Lydia M. Collins, a daughter of B. T. Col-

H. O. CHANNON

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lins, of Quincy, whose father was one of the early settlers of Adams county, where he is now living retired. His wife also survives. Into Mr. and Mrs. Channon have been born five children. of whom four are living: W. Il., born March 13. 1897; Franees Elizabeth. June 2, 1898; II. O., December 16, 1900: and James Allen, born Au- gust 27, 1903. One daughter. Dorothy, died at the age of two years and nine months.

Mr. Channon is a member of the First Baptist church and in his political affiliations is a repub- lican, but aside from casting his ballot in sup- port of the party in which he believes, he takes no active interest in polities, concentrating his en- ergies upon the profession he has chosen as a life work and in which, being well trained, he has already made a creditable record.

PHILO ELLSWORTH THOMPSON.

Philo E. Thompson, deceased, was for many years one of the honored and highly esteemed citizens of Payson township. His early home, however, was in the east, for he was born in Ellington, Tolland county, Connecticut, Jan- ary 26, 1811, his parents being Samuel and Mary (Ellsworth) Thompson, also natives of Connectient and large property holders in El- lington. In their family were eight children. of whom Philo was the eldest, but only three of the number are living at the present time, these being Joseph Abbott Thompson, who re- sides at the old homestead in Connecticut ; Mrs. Daniel Kimball, of Ellington, and Mrs. Dr. H. L. Whitman. of Des Moines, lowa. Philo Thompson's paternal grandparents were Sam- nel and Elizabeth Thompson, who settled on the place now ocenpied by Joseph Abbott Thompson. His great-grandmother, Margaret Thompson, was of Scotch-lrish lineage and cmigrated to America about the year 1718. her husband having died after their plans were made for coming to New England. She, with ber seven sons and two daughters, fulfilled a promise she made to her dying husband, to come as they had planned. His mother was a descendant in the maternal line of Rev John Mckinstry. the first preacher in Ellington, Connecticut, and on the paternal side was re- paying partienlar attention to mathematies and iated to Governor Ellsworth, of that state.

During his boyhood and youth Mr. Thomp- son attended the schools of his native town, penmanship, becoming very proficient in the latter braneh. After completing his eduea- tion he taught school for several terms and then for a few years remained with his father

upon the home farm until the western fever seized him. It was in the early spring of 1836 that he first came to Adams county. Illinois, locating in Payson, but in the following June he returned to Connectient, and it was not until the next year that he located permanently here. He purchased a tract of land in Payson township, and after working for a time with an unele he began farming on his own account, continuing to make his home in Payson throughout the remainder of his life. As time passed he prospered in his undertakings and accumulated considerable property.

Mr. Thompson was married on the 13th of September. 1838. in his own house which he had built in the village of Payson, the lady of his choice being Miss Ellen Campbell Wallace, who had come west with friends a year pre- viously. She was the ninth in order of birth in a family of thirteen children born to Moses and Anna (Campbell) Wallace, who were of Scotch deseent and natives of Pennsylvania. When Mrs. Thompson was twelve years of age she ac- companied her parents on their removal to Southport, New York, where she completed her school work. Her father died in 1843 and her mother passed away in 1864. Mr. Wallace was a gentleman of great piety and an elder in the Presbyterian church in the places where he re- sided for over thirty years, being energetic and influential in promoting good works. His home was always open to visiting ministers. Joseph Wallace, the grandfather of Mrs. Thompson, emigrated to America previous to the Revolutionary war and served in the con- tinental ariny until independence was achieved.

Into Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were born right children, of whom six are still living. David W., the eldest, now residing in Chicago, married Isabella Faxon and they have three danghters. Mary (. is the wife of Joseph P. Elliott, of Payson. Ellen lives in the old home. Anna C. married Daniel Robbins and died in 1904, leaving five children, one son and four daughters. Samuel married Laura Wheelock and died in 1889. Henry W. married May Wisdom, who died in 1891, leaving four chil- dren, three sons and one daughter. but one died in 1897. George L. married Helen Bur- ney. of Chicago, and they have three daugh- ters. Their home is now in Los Angeles, Cali- fornia. Jennie first married George Robbins. who died in 1884, leaving one son, and in Jan- ary, 1903, she married Henry F. Scarborough. who has one son by a former marriage.

Mr. Thompson died on the 15th of April. 1893, from injuries received by a fall while riding a young horse, and his death was deeply deplored not only by his immediate family but by many friends as well. Ile was a man of

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niet, modest tastes, temperate, industrious and frugal in his habits, and never used in- toxicants or tobacco in any form. When a young man he served as captain of a militia company in Conectient but was never a mem- her of any secret society. Hle was always op- posed to slavery and in polities was first a whig and later a republican. Religiously he was a member of the Congregational church and was a generous hearted Christian. His motto was "Live and let live." and no one in actual need of help over appealed to him in vain. Ilis wife departed this life in 1895.

HENRY P. WALTON.

Henry P. Walton, whose generous, kindly spirit and sympathetic nature has prompted active, tireless and effective effort in behalf of the amelioration of conditions effecting unfortunate classes of humanity and also of the hardships which men work upon the animal creation, is now serving his eleventh year as president of the Humane Society of Quincy. Ile is likewise connected with the administration of municipal affairs as superintendent of streets. which office he has held for ten years.

Mr. Walton was born in Massachusetts, April 25, 1832, and is a son of Jonathan and Eliza (Locke) Walton, natives of the old Bay state. He belongs to a family noted for courage and patriotism and is justly proud of the fact that ten members of the Walton family served in the Revolutionary war. The first representative of the family in America, the Rev. William Walton, emigrated hither from Exeter, England, as early as 1632 and settled in Reading, Massachusetts. Previous to that, however, members of the Locke family had sought a home in New England, hav- ing made a settlement in Arlington, Massachu- setts, in 1628. The Locke homestead, which is the oldest house in Arlington, having been built in 1636, is still owned by this family, its an- cient roof having sheltered six generations of the Lockes. Our subject's great-grandfather Locke was a soldier of the war of the Revolution, as was also the grandfather, Benjamin Walton, who lived to the advanced age of one hundred and three years.

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Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 120

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228