USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Peoria > Peoria city and county, Illinois; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 53
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GEORGE F. SIMMONS
PUULIS LIZ NY
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Illinois state convention, and the following year was elected secretary of the body, holding that office for three years, until 1899, when he was elected presi- dent of the state association. At Cincinnati in 1808 he was elected first vice president of the Laundrymen's National Association, and was made national president at Buffalo, in 1900.
George FF. Simmons, while intensely interested in the development of the de- tails of his chosen occupation, does not allow it to engross his entire time. He takes an active part in local politics and is known as a public-spirited and enter- prising citizen of Peoria. Ile is consistently republican in his politics, and served three terms in the city council as alderman from the fourth ward. He was after- ward appointed commissioner of public works in l'eoria, and left behind him a record unequaled in this city, for quick and efficient work. At the present time, he is looked upon as a promising man in local politics, and his name is often men- tioned in connection with the office of mayor. Ile is a Knights Templar Mason, is prominent in the Knights of Pythias and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, in which he has held a national office.
In October, 1888, George F. Simmons married Miss Anna Rohl, of Duluth, Minnesota, and they have one child, George E. Simmons, eighteen years of age. Mr. Simmons' career is an example of the intelligent application of modern business principles to the management of a large and growing commercial enter- prise. It shows the results of a thorough knowledge of the details of the busi- ness, and an active personal supervision of its various branches. Mr. Simmons has always been intensely interested in his work, and this interest has had its reward in his growing prosperity and prominence.
FRANK BAKER.
Perhaps no prominent representative of railway interests in Peoria started in life along this line of activity at an earlier age than did Frank Baker, now general agent for the "Erie Despatch Erie Railroad" with offices in the Chamber of Commerce building on South Washington street. He was but eleven years of age when he became a train boy and with the exception of a single year spent in the steamboat business on the Illinois river he has since been a representative of railway interests. His ambition, his energy and his trustworthiness constitute the secret of his rise and his success.
Mr. Baker was born in Henry, Marshall county, Illinois, August 7. 1853. and was but seven years of age when his father .: who was a merchant tailor. removed to Peoria. He remained at home with his parents until eleven years of age and then accepted a position as train boy which was followed by a year's service in the office of one of the Illinois river steamboats and the Peoria & St. Louis Packet Company. On the Ist of Angust, 1872, at the age of eighteen he was appointed agent for the Great Western Despatch, at that time the leading fast freight line of the Erie railroad and on the Ist of April, 1897, he was promoted to his present position as general agent for the road at Peoria. He has reached this place of responsibility and prominence through loyalty to the in- terests of the corporation and through his energy as displayed in the conduct of the interests entrusted to his care. Ile is largely conversant with railway in- terests and the multitudinous duties involved therein, and the years have de- veloped his executive ability and power of perception until he is today ready and alert in handling the intricate questions which come to him for solution.
In 1872 Mr. Baker became a member of the Peoria Board of Trade and has since been prominent in this connection. He was elected its president, January 9. 1899, and the Peoria Herald-Transcript in commenting upon the election.
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said: "Mr. Baker is an old member of the board of trade and the honor is just and well merited, for there is no harder worker and no more popular man in the board of trade building. This is the first time that any of the fast freight lines have been recognized and honored by the election of one of their number to this exalted and most notable position."
Frank Baker is probably the best known man in Peoria. One of his sons, Cloyd B. Baker has followed in his father's footsteps and is now general agent for the "Erie Despatch Erie Railroad" in Portland, Oregon. His other .son, Rieman, is sales manager for an automobile company at Jackson, Michigan. Mr. Baker has served for one term as police and fire commissioner of Peoria under Mayor John Warner and as work house commissioner under Mayor W. F. Bryan. He is a prominent member of Peoria "Ajax" Council of the Royal Arcanum of which he is a past regent and secretary. He is now treasurer of the Royal League and is a past exalted ruler of the Peoria Lodge of Elks. Mr. Baker is also active in the Transportation Club of Peoria and is a prominent member of the Creve Coeur Club, well known socially in Peoria. He has many genial and admirable qualities which have gained him a host of friends and it is characteristic of him that he holds friendship inviolable. The same loyal spirit is manifest in his duties of citizenship and it was this element of fidelity that constituted one of the strong forces in bringing him to his present responsible connection with railway interests.
CHARLES F. OECHSLE.
Charles F. Oechsle, who is engaged in the boot and shoe business under the firm name of Charles F. Oechsle & Company at 408 Main street, Peoria, is the proprietor of one of the leading and most exclusive shops of the kind in the city. He was born in this city on the Ist of January, 1865, and is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Oechsle, natives of Wurtemberg, Germany. The father, who was a cabinet-maker, emigrated to the United States in the early '40s, and located in Peoria, where for many years he successfully followed his trade.
Nearly the entire life of Charles F. Oechsle has been passed in this city, in the graded and high schools of which he pursued his education until he had attained the age of fifteen years. Feeling that he had sufficient knowledge to begin his business career he entered the boot and shoe store of Johnston & Skin- ner in 1880, continuing to be identified with that shop for a year. At the end of that time they sent him to their other store at Wellington, Kansas, but four years later he returned to Peoria and took a position with Pettingill & Company, wholesale boot and shoe dealers and manufacturers. He remained in their em- ploy for four years also, severing his connection with them at the end of that time to take a position with the firm of Charles Qualman, retail dealers in boots and shoes. Four years later he resigned his position with them and entered the service of the firm of J. C. Wynd, with whom he was identified for about thir- teen years. In 1904, Mr. Oechsle became associated with Mr. Wynd in estab- lishing a shoe store at 408 Main street, this city, that they operated until 1908 under the firm name of Wynd & Oechsle. In the latter year Mr. Wynd with- drew from the company and Mr. Oechsle has ever since been conducting the business alone. This was originally an exclusive ladies' and children's shop, but in I911 the business was enlarged by the addition of a men's department. Mr. Oechsle keeps a large and carefully assorted stock of shoes, the quality of which is fully commensurate with the price, while the policy he pursues in the con- duct of his enterprise is such as to win him the confidence of all who accord him their patronage. He is meeting with success in the development of his business and is now well established, with a constantly increasing trade. The personnel
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of this establishment is exceptionally high, and Mr. Oechsle is very ably sup- ported in his sales department by the efficient services of Miss Nellie Kumwell. Peoria was the scene of the marriage of Mr. Oechsle on the 19th of July, 1902, to Miss Emma Howeler, a daughter of Frederick Howeler, one of the pioneer residents of this city, who passed away in Igos. He was one of the first shoemakers and dealers of the town, continuing to be identified with this business during the entire period of his active life. The development of Mr. Oechsle's business career has been marked by the orderly and permanent prog- ression characteristic of the efficiency and enterprise he has at all times evidenced in his undertakings.
DAVID SMITH.
David Smith is a Peoria capitalist, whose real-estate holdings, the result of judicious investment, place him in his present comfortable financial position. His record stands as incontrovertible proof of the fact that sound business prin- ciples, combined with unfaltering enterprise, intelligently directed, will win suc- cess. Illinois numbers him among her native sons, his entire life-and he is now in the seventy-sixth year of his age-having been passed in this state, while for a quarter of a century he has been a resident of Peoria. He was born in McLean county, December 31, 1836, his parents being John and Anna ( Havens) Smith, the former born in Randolph county, North Carolina, December 11, 1804, and the latter in Newark, Ohio, April 13, 1808. They had a family of eight children. Dr. Lee Smith, the oldest of the family, was the nestor of the Mc- Lean County Medical Association and practiced medicine in Bloomington, this state, for over fifty years, where he passed away still in the midst of an active career and in the harness in October, 1911, in his seventy-ninth year. Irene married S. II. Lewis and resides in Prescott, Wisconsin. Christina is the wife of Adam Gray and also makes her home in Prescott. Jesse and David, the sub- ject of this sketch, are twins. Isaac died in 1869, at the age of twenty-six years. John and Mary both died in childhood. John Smith, the father, left his native state and came with his father, whose name was David, and the family to Illi- nois, settling in McLean county in 1830. On March 30, 1831, he married Anna Havens, at Havens Grove, in McLean county, and in the spring of 1832, they settled at the east side of Havens Grove, on which place in 1837 was located and platted the village of Hudson. In the public schools of this place David Smith, who was so named in honor of his grandfather, acquired his early education. More liberal opportunities, however, were accorded him as he advanced in years. He attended the Illinois Wesleyan University at Bloomington, with which he still retained his connection after his graduation and in 1887 was a trustee of the college. The Smith family acquired great prominence in Hudson, where the father remained until his death on the 27th of April, 1882. His wife survived him until 1896 and passed away in that year at Prescott, Wisconsin, but the family burying ground is in Hudson.
David Smith came to Peoria in 1887 to take the position of manager of the central Illinois agency of the New York Life Insurance Company, and in that connection gained enviable prominence and success. On the 18th of July, 1889, in Peoria, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Jennett Russell, a member of one of the oldest pioneer families of the state. The Russells have been in this country since 1630, in which year Rev. John Russell came to America, and settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His son John had been born three years earlier in 1627, in England, but came to this country with his parents. He grad- uated from Harvard College in 1643, and died December 10, 1692. The next in the line was Reverend Samuel Russell, born in Hadley, Massachusetts in 1660, and following in the footsteps of his father, he was graduated from Harvard in
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1681. He settled in Branford, Connecticut, where he died in 1731, having been forty-four years in the ministry. He had the honor and distinction of being associated with nine other clergymen in the foundation of Yale College. His son was Colonel John Russell, born January 24, 1686. He was a graduate of the college which his father had helped to found, leaving Yale in 1707, in which vear he married. He died in 1757. The fourth John Russell of this line was born September 13, 1710. He was married in 1732 to Mary Barker, and their second son, John Russell, was born October 11, 1736. He married Mary Linds- ley in 1762, and their eldest son, Ruel Russell was born October 30, 1762, mar- ried Ann Barker and died in Monticello, New York, in November, 1815. His son, William Russell, eight of the line, was the first of the family to come to Peoria. He was born in Branford, Connecticut in 1797 on the 15th of Sep- tember, and came to this city in 1835, where he bought a farm on the West Bluff, about a mile west of the present site of the city hall. He went to Connecticut for two years, but returned at the expiration of that time to Peoria, where he died. His wife was Miss Susan Black, whom he married September 15, 1840, and they were the parents of two children. John W. and Mary Jennett, the wife of the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Smith is justly proud of her long lineage. and in her character carries on the worthy traditions of her honorable ancestry. Her father, William Russell died March 18, 1864, leaving a large estate to his two children. Her brother John W. Russell, has been twice married, and has four children. His son, George Major Russell is at present engaged in the farm implement business at Garden Grove, Iowa.
For many years prior to his retirement from active business life, David Smith had become well known in Peoria as a financier, and capitalist. He had a sound business judgment which enabled him to make many judicious invest- ments, and his wealth has increased by degrees, until he is now in control of large real-estate interests and has acquired a substantial fortune. He has well earned the rest which he is taking from the strife and turmoil of active affairs, and is living out the evening of his life, an honored, prosperous and worthy man.
WALTER WYATT, M. D.
Dr. Walter Wyatt, who dates his residence in Peoria from 1890, has been a practicing oculist of the city for the past nine years, his offices being at No. 120 South Adams street. His birth occurred at Cutler, Indiana, on the 9th of No- vember. 1864, his parents being Isaac and Matilda Wyatt. The father, who worked as a bridge builder throughout his active business career. was an old settler of Cutler, Indiana, where his demise occurred in 1899, when he had at- tained the age of sixty years. He had long survived his wife, who passed away in 1874 at the age of thirty-four years. The remains of both were interred at Bald Hill cemetery.
Walter Wyatt received his early education in the public schools of his native town and subsequently entered the Indiana State Normal School at Terre Haute, while later his studies were continued in the Indiana University at Bloomington, which institution he left in 1887. During the next three years he followed the profession of teaching at Patton, Indiana, and in 1890 came to Peoria, Illinois, here becoming the proprietor of an optical store and conducting the same suc- cessfully until 1904. In 1903 he was graduated from the Illinois Medical Col- lege, at Chicago, winning the degree of M. D. In the intervening period of nine years he has won and maintained an enviable reputation as an oculist of Peoria, meeting with a gratifying and well merited measure of success in this branch of the profession. He is one of the trustees and a member of the medical staff of
DR. WALTER WYATT
THE NEW YORE PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATION! .
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the Deaconess Home and Hospital of Peoria and also acts as a director of the Farmers' Loan & Homestead Association.
On the 7th of October, 1891, in Peoria, Dr. Wyatt was united in marriage to Miss Jessie Eury, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Eury, of Delphi, Indi- ana. Our subject and his wife have four children, as follows: Walter Eury. who is a student at the Western Military Academy of Alton, Illinois; Martha Adeline and Lloyd, both of whom are attending the Franklin school ; and Mabel. The family home, which Dr. Wyatt built in 1904, is at No. 309 North University aventte.
Dr. Wyatt has attained the Knight Templar degree in Masonry and also be- longs to the Mystic Shrine. He is likewise a member of the Creve Coeur Club and in the line of his profession is connected with the Peoria Medical Society. the Illinois State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. Ilis acquaintance is wide, and he has a host of friends whose high regard he has gained through his professional ability, his deference for the opinions of others. his genial manner and unfailing courtesy.
CHARLES W. TRAEGER.
Charles W. Traeger for more than twenty years has been successfully iden- tified with the building interests of Peoria in the capacity of architect and super- intendent of construction. He was born at Liverpool, Medina county, Ohio, on the 15th of January, 1853, and is a son of John G. Traeger, a native of Prussia who emigrated to the United States in 1849, settling first in New York, whence he moved to Ohio. The family remained residents of Ohio until 1857 and in August of that year they removed to Illinois, locating in Peoria on the 23d of August of that year. They first lived in what was then known as Plumstown in the present vicinity of Green street. They remained there for about a year. and at the end of that time they removed to the corner of Hamilton and Wash- ington streets, where they were living at the time of the big storm when the Illi- nois river overflowed its banks and flooded the lower portions of the town drown- ing several people. The father was then deputy United States marshal, in which capacity he served for twenty-five years.
The early education of Charles W. Traeger was obtained in the old Third Ward school, but this was later supplemented by a night course in one of the local business colleges. At the age of sixteen years he began fitting himself for the heavier duties of life by becoming an apprentice to I. G. Reynolds, who at that time, 1869, was the only millwright in Peoria. He remained with him for two and a half years and then entered the service of Valentine Jobst, where he completed his equipment in drafting and carpentry work. Two years later he went to work in the car shops of the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad Company where he was employed all through the panic of 1873, being identified with this company until about 1875. He then withdrew from their service and became a car builder in the shops of the Rock Island Railroad Company, but he only remained with them for about five months. After leaving their employ he again turned his attention to millwright work, which he followed at various points until the gold excitement in Leadville, Colorado in 1878. In common with many others he crossed the plains to the mining districts of Colorado, where for three years he engaged in prospecting, with very good success. With three others he staked a claim and sunk a shaft one thousand feet and they also tun- neled into the side of the mountain. They had two mines here known as the "Peoria Boy" and "The Hartford," both of which contained rich veins and yielded them good returns. Mr. Traeger later continued his journey westward to New Mexico, and while there he was accidentally shot, but was not seriously wounded.
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He returned home shortly after but only remained for a brief period, going back to Leadville in 1881. From there he subsequently went to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he found employment as bridge builder on the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, which was then in course of construction. In June, 1882, he returned to Peoria to be married and has ever since continued to reside here. Since he has identified himself with the building interests, Mr. Traeger has been architect and draftsman as well as superintendent of construction on a number of important public buildings and private residences in Peoria and vicinity. He was the architect for the Sand Hill Lutheran church, and draftsman for the first green house in Tazewell county constructed in Glen Oak Park, the Groveland church, and the Middletown churches, also engine houses No. I and No. 8, the C. G. Johnson blocks, the plant of the Brass Foundry Company and the residences of William McLean, John Connor and Charles Gelling. He has been very suc- cessful, the quality and style of his work being such as to have ranked him among the leading men in his line in the city.
On the 27th of July, 1882, Mr. Traeger was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Sauer of Peoria and a daughter of Andrew Sauer, who was drowned on his way to this country from Germany: Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Traeger, as follows : Albert, aged twenty-eight years, who is married ; Minnie, who is at home ; Pearl, also at home; William R., who is twenty . years of age; and Lilly, who has just passed the eighteenth anniversary of her birth. All were given the advantages of a common-school education and are now self-supporting.
The family hold membership in the Evangelical church and fraternally Mr. Traeger is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America and he is identified with the F. M. C., in which he holds the office of grand ruler of the state. He is widely known in the business circles of the city and has many friends of long years standing.
DAVID JOHN DAVIS.
David John Davis, the superintendent of the Peoria County Farm and Hos- pital, located five miles west of Peoria at Maxwell Station, was born in Youngs- town, Ohio, in 1855. He is a son of David and Mary Davis, natives of Wales, where the father worked in the mines. In 1857 the family came to Peoria county, settling in Limestone township, the father being employed in the mines at Bartonville.
The greater part of the life of David John Davis has been passed in the town- ship, where he now resides, and to whose country schools he is indebted for his education. The family lived on a little farm, in the cultivation of which he was engaged from early childhood when not attending school during the agri- cultural seasons. In the winter months on Saturdays and holidays he worked in the mines with his father, thus being taught in early boyhood the value of thrift and industry, which qualities he has always practiced. At various times in his life he has worked in the mines but he has also engaged in farming, these two occupations having occupied the greater part of his time. Eighteen years ago he was appointed superintendent of the county farm, but upon the expira- tion of his term of service of seven years he went to Washington. He located in Bremerton, that state, where he was employed in a lumber and planing mill, but he subsequently returned to Peoria county. While in Bremerton, Washing- ton, he filled the office of mayor for two years and also was elected a member of the house of representatives from Kitsap county, Washington, for two terms. Mr. Davis has been reappointed to his old post on the county farm, where he has served with efficiency, discharging his duties in a highly satisfactory manner to
HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY 483
the board of county supervisors, to whom he is indebted for his position. He is an energetic man of practical ideas and is thoroughly trustworthy and depend- able, fulfilling his responsibilities with a fine sense of conscientious obligation.
In 1881, Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Della Matthews, a daugh- ter of Richard Matthews, and to them have been born three sons, as follows : Edgar J. and Herbert C., who are both living in Alaska ; and Ralph E., who is a resident of Oakland, California.
In politics, Mr. Davis is a republican, but although he takes an active interest in all local affairs he has never held any office save the one he is filling. He is widely known in Limestone township, where he is now residing, and number among its citizens many friends.
WILLIAM C. WHITE.
The banking institutions of a city are a fair index of its commercial character and financial strength, through the successive stages of its history. They are the centers around which all the movements of trade gravitate, and by which they are regulated. Since the earliest times in her history, Peoria has been peculiarly fortunate in respect to her banks. As a rule her institutions have been founded upon strict business integrity and commercial honor. Their policies have been policies of honesty and fair dealing, and their histories have been histories of flourishing progress, founded upon the solid base of financial integrity. But the honesty, loyalty and financial solidity of any institution is directly dependent upon the personal qualities of the men who compose them. The officials of a bank make its policy, direct its business, regulate its course, and are the compelling force behind its failure or success.
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