USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > Portrait and biographical record of Macoupin County, Illinois : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with biographies of all the governors of the state, and of the presidents of the United States > Part 95
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As a companion ou life's journey, Mr. Sievers chose Miss Louisa Miller, and their marriage was celebrated in Madison County, Ill. The lady was born in the same loeality as her husband in 1832. and alone she erossed the water to America in 1853. Her parents lived and died in Germany, her father passing away in middle life, but her mother reached an advanced age. Mrs. Sievers has proved a true belpmate to her husband, and his success in life is due in no small degree to her able assistance and encouragement. U'nto them has been born one son, August II., who is one of the leading and wide- awake business men of Staunton. He was for two years chief clerk of shaft No. 6, and later was as-
sociated in business with his uncle, R. Swenker. This partnership existed for about three years, when he became connected with the firm of Jones. Newman & Co., and to their business he devoted his energies nntil with his father he aided in estab- lishing one of the leading business houses in this place. The building which was erected in 1886, is situated on East Main Street. is two stories high with a basement and the dimensions are 48x60 feet. It is arranged as a double store, being divided into two rooms of equal size, one of which is occupied with groceries, the other being well filled with a good line of furnishing goods, boots and shoes and dry goods. When the father retired, she son formed a partnership with Mr. Schnaare, and he has a reputation of being one of the wide-awake and leading young business men of the place. lle married Minnie Voge, and they reside in Staunton, where they are widely and favorable known. In social circles they figure prominently, and their friends are many.
August Sievers, Sr., and his estimable wife are likewise held in high regard for their sterling worth. Their upright, lives have won them the confidence and good-will of all, and none are more worthy of a representation in this volume.
ILLIAM NIEMEYER. In Mt. Olive there reside a few men who have been the found- ers and builders of that thriving, enterpris- ing town and one of these is the subject of our sketch, who is a member of the well-known firm of Keiser-Niemeyer Mercantile Co. Ile is by birthi a German, a native of Holzfeld, Prussia, where he was born July 5, 1845. Ile comes of a long line of German ancestry and for four generations the family have occupied the homestead on which he first saw the light of day. The great-grandfather was a soldier in the Thirty Years' War. The grand- father, Jurgen Niemeyer, spent his entire life in Ilotzfeld as a farmer, dying at a ripe old age. Ile married a lady of that country and they are now sleeping side by side in the cemetery near their old home. They were followers of the faith advocated
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by Martin Luther. The father of our subject, F. William Niemeyer, was reared as a farmer and succeeded to the ownership of the old homestead, upon which he died at the age of forty-seven years. Hle married Miss C. M. Meddewag, who also came of a good German family and died in her native province at the age of thirty-eight. In politics the Niemeyers were always with the Conservative party, being loyal to the crown, and were members of the Lutheran Church. In their family were five children of whom our subject is the eklest one liv- ing. He was also the first to come to America, por did any others of the family cross the water until he returned on a visit to his old home in 1883, when he brought back with him his brother and sister, August and Minnie, who have since lived in Mt. Olive and are yet single. Another brother, Henry, is married and lives in the Father- land. The eldest son, also William, died in infancy.
When he had almost arrived at years of matur- ity. William Niemeyer bade adieu to family and friends and upon the sailing vessel .Stella," crossed the Atlantic, reaching New York after a voyage of fifty-six days. He then came to St. Louis where he arrived without means. As he had to have money to provide for his support he could not be very choice as to the occupation in which he en- gaged, and accepted a position as teamster in St. Louis. It was a low and rough class of people who were engaged in that work and he said it was one of the hardest experiences of his life. He had to bear the jeers and scoffs of a class who to-day would gladly do him honor. Ilowever, this work afforded him a means of sustenance and he labored on for a year that he might there get a start in life. On leaving St. Louis be came to Mt. Olive and worked upon the farm of John C. Nieman, proving himself a worthy and valuable employe. He remained in that service for three years and found in his employer a benefactor.
In the meantime, between Mr. Niemeyer and Mr. Nieman's daughter Sophia there sprang up an attachment, and on the 29th of April, 1869, their union of hearts was consummated by the union of hands. They have since lived and labored to- gether in perfect unity and are now enjoying a home which is a model of beauty and comfort.
This palatial residence was designed by a St. Louis architect and is built in the most modern style, being supplied with hot and cold water throughout, heated by furnace and supplied with everything which will add to the pleasure and happiness of the inmates. The home has also been brightened by the presence of their three interesting and intelligent children, Edward, Emil and Juliet. They also lost one child, William, who died in infancy. Mrs. Nie- meyer presides over her home with a grace and dignity which indicate a true lady, and her hospi- tality is extended to very many friends. Both Mr. and Mrs. Niemeyer are consistent members and active workers in the Lutheran Church and their social status is high.
When our subjeet left the employ of his father- in-law he became a clerk in the establishment of which he is now one of the proprietors. lle has been connected with the firm since 1873 and is re- garded as one of the leading business men of Mt. Olive. The firm controls several hundred thousand dollars worth of business annually and represents by far the largest portion of the entire business interests of the town. They also have many other interests elsewhere in the county and State and for push and enterprise they cannot be surpassed. Every branch of business is represented by them with the exception of drugs and lumber, and all this is the ontgrowth of a small general store. Almost everything which Mr. Niemeyer has deter- mined to turn to account as a money making ven- ture has proved successful and he has worked his way upward from an humble position to one of wealth. His good judgment has served him instead of capital with which to begin life and with his profits he has made judicious investments in real estate, having large landed property in Emmett County, Iowa, and in Arkansas. Studying the wants of his customers and earnestly desiring to please his patrons he has by fair dealings and gen- ial manner built up his fine trade. A warm hearted, generous man, he gives liberally of his means to all worthy interests, especially those calculated to promote the general welfare, and to the needy his aid is always cheerfully extended. By nature he is jovial and genial, full of life and merriment and is therefore a most pleasant companion. Few if
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any in the county can number more friends than Mr. Niemeyer. In politics he is a stanch Repub- lican but his business has so engrossed his attention that he has never found time to devote to political affairs.
MONTIOY DORSEY, a retired farmer residing in Bunker Hill, deserves represen- tation in this volume from the fact that he is one of the leading citizens of the county and also because he is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families. His father, Elias Dorsey, was born in Maryland as were also his grandpar- ents. Edward Dorsey, father of Elias, died when the son was quite young and the mother afterward re- moved to Kentucky, where she became the wife of John Williamson. She made her home in Jefferson County, that State until her death. Elias Dorsey, when quite young accompanied his widowed mother to Kentucky, settling upon a farm, where he made his home until after Mrs. Dorsey's second marriage, when at the age of seventeen years he enlisted in the War of 1812, under Col. Richard Booker, serving throughout the struggle. He with his regiment marched to New Orleans but arrived at that place just after Gen. Jackson had come off conqueror in the "tearless bartle." When the war was over he returned with his Colonel to Shelby County, Ky .. and married the daughter of his com - manding fficer. Miss Martha R. Booker, who was born and reared in that county. Her parents were both natives of Virginia, whence in an early day, they emigrated to Kentucky, where they spent the remainder of their lives. The Colonel was a brave man who faithfully served his country well,
After their marriage Elias Dorsey and his wife took up their residence on a farm in Jefferson County. Ky., but the lady died about 1835. Her husband was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Sally Williamson, a native of Baltimore, Md., and the widow of Commodore Williamson, of the United States Navy. Mr. Dorsey also survived his second wife and in 1866 came to Illinois, mak- ing his home with his daughter, Mrs. Edward Win- chester, of Bunker Hill, until his death, which
occurred March 2, 1872, at the age of seventy-six years. Ile was a hard working man and by his in- dustry and perseverance became quite wealthy, owning at one time several thousand acres of land, the greater part of which he bequeathed to his chil- dren before his death. ITis honesty and integrity was proverbial and the greatest confidence was manifested in Mr. Dorsey by all who knew him. His life is a grand example of what can be accom- plished through honest industry, perseverance and good management. He was outspoken in defense of the right ; neither fear nor favor could keep him silent. Ile was devoted to bis country and its cause and on one occasion when being asked why he did not accept a Government contract offered him he replied in his usual emphatic manner that if he should do so and act honestly as a patriot the profits would be too small for the trouble and he (lid not intend to defraud his country. This speech serves as an index to his whole life. In politics he was a Jackson Democrat. He was identified with no religious organization but believed in doing right for right's sake. One of nature's noblemen, no death in the community has been more sincerely mourned.
W. Montjoy Dorsey, whose name heads this sketch, was born on the old homestead in Jefferson County, Ky., October 11, 1823, and is the sixth in the family of thirteen children, numbering nine sons and four daughters, all of whom grew to ma- ture years, while eleven were married and six are yet living. Our subject was reared in the usual manner of farmer lads and attained his majority in his native county. Ile was yet a single man when he came to Bunker Ilill, and married Miss Hen- rietta C. Green, who was born in Sing Sing, West- chester County, N. Y., August 4, 1828. Her par- ents. Capt. Stephen and Letitia (Quick) Green, were also natives of Westchester County and be- longed to families of good standing in the Empire State. Samuel Green, the father of the Captain, was a relative of Gen. Green, of Revolutionary fame and the family was connected with the Society of Friends. The Quick family is of French origin. Samuel Green and his wife both lived to a very ad- vanced age, the former being quite old at the time of his death and the latter was in her ninety-ninth
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year. They died in the county of their nativity, where they. had lived during the Revolutionary War, and their old home is still standing. The families on both sides are very aristocratic in the true meaning of the word, their members being people of pure character and temperate habits, many of whom attained to positions of distinction. Stephen Green was one of a large family and in Westchester County, N. Y., was reared to manhood upon a farm. He followed the sea for many years and arose to the rank of Captain of a coasting ves- sel plying around the Atlantic Coast. On account of ill-health he was at length forced to abandon that pursuit and in 1836 emigrated with his family to Illinois, settling at what is now Shipman, but then not a building stood upon the site of the town. Capt. Green's home was one of the first white settlements made in that section and all around him stretched miles of unbroken prairie. lle entered his land from the Government, began to make improvements and developed a good farm upon which he made his home until his death. which occurred March 10, 1854. The county lost one of its best citizens who was revered for his uprightness and his sterling worth. He took no active part in publie life and though often so- licited by the Whig party to become a candidate for positions of honor and trust, he always declined, preferring to devote his entire attention to his busi- ness interests and the enjoyment of his home life. The death of his wife occurred in Shipman a few years prior to his decease, she being fifty-four years of age when called to her final rest.
Unto Captain and Mrs. Green were born thirteen children, of whom seven, three sons and four daughters are yet living, the eldest being eighty- four years of age. The family possess an unusual amount of vitality and are noted for longevity. Mrs. Dorsey was carefully reared by her worthy parents and is a refined and accomplished lady, possessed of many virtues and fine womanly quali- ties. She retains all the aristocratie characteristics of her people and like them is reserved and justly proud of her family record. By her marriage five children have been born but only two are now liv- ing. Lucy, the elder, is the wife of Joseph S. Hayes, a resident farmer of Dorchester Township;
and Howell M., who wedded Christina Stookey, resides in Gillespie, being also a farmer hy occupa tion. The children now deceased are Robert Hornsby. William Booker and Frances Cordelia. Mr. Dorsey, his wife and daughters are members of the Episcopal Church and in politics he is a stanch Democrat.
Our subject is one of the large landowners in Macoupin County, his possessions aggregating more than one thousand acres. Hle has won the greater part of his fortune since coming to this county in 1847. He first settled in Gillespie Township, living for a time with his brother and then removed to his own lands, which were en- tirely destitute of improvement when he became the owner. lle was an enterprising and successful farmer and as his financial resources were in- creased he judiciously increased the amount of his acreage. He continued to reside on his farm in Gillespie Township until March, 1867, when he re- moved to Bunker Hill, where he has sinee made his home. There is little of the land of which he is now proprietor but what is ander cultivation, lying in Dorchester, Staunton and Gillespie Townships, the most being in Gillespie Township, about two miles from the village of that name. Few men are more widely known than Mr. Dorsey and none more fa- vorably so. Ilis long residence in this community, covering a period of forty-four years, numbers him among the early settlers.
ACOB D. WAGNER, who resides on sec- tion 4, Gillespie Township, is one of the oldest native born citizens of Illinois. He was born within two and a half miles of Up- per Alton, in Madison County, October 29, 1814, and is a son of Peter Wagner, a native of Virginia, who there grew to manhood. For two and a half years he served in the War of 1812, and after he had fought through many hotly contested battles he was honorably discharged, having never re- ceived a wound. When still a single man he came to Illinois but afterward returned to his old home
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and married a Virginian lady, Miss Elizabeth Deck. Their wedding tour consisted of a trip to Illinois in 1813, and they began their domestic life near Alton, between the forks of the Wood River, where Mr. Wagner secured from the Spanish claim one hundred and sixty actes of land. On that farm our subject was born and the family resided until he was twenty years of age, when in 1834, parents and children came to Macoupin County, where the father entered one hundred and sixty acres of land, eighty of which was prairie and eighty a timber tract. This farm was situated not far from Prairie View, and there the parents spent the remainder of their lives, Mr. Wagner dying at the age of sixty-three years, his wife in the fifty- fourth year of her age. They had lived to see this section of this country improved and developed to a great extent. When they first came to Macoupin County, but two settlements had been made on the prairie for miles around them, those being the homes of John Hilyard and James Gray. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner were people of worth and ability, highly respected by all who knew them and when called to their final rest muny warm friends mourned their death.
The subject of this sketch is the eldest of thir- teen children, ten of whom grew to mature years, while five are yet living, three being residents of this county. Jacob was reared amid the wild scenes of frontier life and the occupation at which he la- bored during his boyhood he has followed through his mature years. The first land which he owned consisted of an eighty-acre tract, which he entered from the Government in Hilyard Township, near Plainview. He further completed his arrangements for a home by his marriage with Miss Lucinda Me- Donald, the wedding taking place in the vicinity of his childhood home. The lady was born in White County, Tenn., in 1816, and is a grand- daughter of John McDonald, who came to this country from Scotland as a soldier in the British Army during the Revolutionary War. He never returned to his native land, but made a settlement in this country and died, it is thought, in Tennes- sve. David McDonald, father of Mrs. Wagner, lived in Tennessee for many years and finally came to Illinois, settling in Madison County during its
pioneer days. Subsequently he came to Macoupin County and afterward he and his wife removed to Dent County, Mo., where they both passed away when well advanced in years. The mother of Mrs. Wagner, was in her maidenhood Miss Jane Miller, of Tennessee.
Our subject and his wife began their domestic life upon a farm in Hilyard Township, but after the birth of their first child they removed to Jef- ferson County, where he purchased forty acres of new land and began the development of the farm. They had lived at that place nine years when the death of Mrs. Wagner occurred, at the age of thir- ty-three. She was a member of the Christian Church, a most excellent lady, and at her death left five children, all of whom are yet living- Clarinda, wife of Ash Neily, of Carlinville Town- ship; Elizabeth, wife of Daniel Adams, a resident farmer of Colorado; Mary A., wife of William F. Lilly, who is engaged in farming at Harvell, Mont- gomery County, Ill .; William, who wedded Miss Mary Gillespie, and is living in Raymond, Ill .; John, who married Rosa Smith, and is a farmer of Gillespie Township Ten days after the death of his first wife Mr. Wagner left Jefferson County and returned to Macoupin County, where he has since resided. He was again married in Gillespie Town- ship, his second union being with Mrs. Giney Hud- allestun, nee Ramey, who was born in Craig County, Ky., September 20, 1817, and is a daughter of John and Sarah ( Martin) Ramey. In their native State, Kentucky, they were reared and married and re- sided upon a farm until Mr. Ramey's death at the age of fifty years. His widow afterward came to Il- linois, settling in Gillespie Township, Macoupin County, where she died in her seventy-ninth year. She and her husband were members of the old school Baptist Church. Giney Ramey was eigh- teen years of age when she came with her mother to Illinois and a few years later she became the wife of Joseph Huddlestun, who died in Gillespie Township in the prime of life, leaving live chil- dren, all of whom are now deceased except Newton, who resides in Raymond, Ill., upon a farm. Hle married Lucy Duhurst.
Mr. Wagner has resided upon his present farul since the day on which President Lincoln was a
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second time inaugurated. Ile owns one hundred and sixty-five acres of arable land in his home farm and eighty acres on section 7, of the same township. Everything about the place is kept in neat order and there are good buildings, amply sufficient for the shelter of his stock. He has led a busy and useful life and as a result has acquired a comfortable competence. Since casting his first Presidential vote for Van Buren, he has supported the Democratic party. He and his wife occupy a warm place in the hearts of many of the people who reside in this community and the high cs- teem which is accorded them is but their just due.
ENRY MILLER. One is almost led to won- der at times if the agricultural district of Germany is not nearly depopulated for so mary of its representatives have emigrated to this land and here made striking successes in their chosen calling. Henry Miller is one of many who has found Central Illinois a profitable place in which to cast his lines and has here made a home upon section 3, of Mt. Olive Township, at which place he has lived for a great many years.
Mr. Miller has a fine farm which comprises one hundred and sixty acres of land a good part of which is under cultivation. Besides this he bas two hundred and seventy-eight acres of land in Montgomery County. His efforts in an agricul- tural direction have been crowned with suecess, and he has succeeded in amassing more than a compentey. He is a native of Hanover, Germany, being there born January 16, 1813. He is proud of the fact that he is of good pareatage, his father and mother being worthy representatives of the best middle class of German people; they lived and died in Hanover.
Our subject's early training was in the direction of farm labor, as his father was a farmer and nat. urally he assumed the duties in boyhood at his home. Later he became a laborer on a farm and when about twenty eight years old determined to start out in life for himself. He set out for Amer- jea on a sailing-vessel that left Bremen and landed
in Baltimore after a voyage of several weeks. From his first landing place he went to Lonisville, Ky., where he remained for three years after which he went South and spent one winter in New Orleans and Memphis, Tenn. Thence he went to St. Louis, and after a few days stay at this last mentioned place he came to Macoupin County, and has since made this his hou e.
Mr. Miller was married in' Mt. Olive Town- ship, to Miss Henrietta Stabel, who, like himself, was of German birth and parentage, having come to this country at the early age of seventeen years with a neighbor of her parents. Her parents with all their children, excepting herself, lived and died in Germany. She was a true and noble wife help- ing her husband both materially and spiritually to make a good home. She is now fifty- four years of age being born April 11, 1837. Both Mr. and Mrs Miller are members of the Lutheran Church. They are the parents of thirteen children, ten sons and three daughters, who in order of birth are as fol- lows: Mary, Henry, Anna, Charles, William, Fred, August, Jolm, Herman, Louis, Edward, Frank and llenrietta. Of these the eldest daughter is the wife of Fred Mounke,a farmer in Montgomery County. Henry was united in marriage to Miss Lena Ahe- leng, they are farmers in Montgomery County ; Anna is the wife of Thomas Ewich and resides in Mt. Olive; Charles took to wife Miss . Doia Sewheitfeger and lives on a farm in this township, The remaining children all reside at home.
C ONRAD E. HENSEN of the firm of Hensen Bros., a well-known resident of Virden, was born near Hamburg, Germany, April 3, 1865. Ile is a son of Frederick and Lena ( Westfall) Hen- sen, who were both natives of the same locality. The father of our subject learned the trade of a cabinet-maker, which he followed in his native land until 1868, and then with his family emigrated to America and made his new home in Geneseo, Henry County, Ill. There he followed his trade until 1888 and then went to Litchfield, and worked in the car shops for one year. He now makes his home with the son whose name heads this sketch.
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The parents of our subject reared four children, Henry, Augusta, Conrad E. and Julia. Conrad was but three years old when he came to America with his parents. He received his education in the pub- lic schools of Geneseo. When he was a lad of fif- teen years he began work in a creamery. finding work there a portion of each year for four years. The remainder of his time he found employment in dressing poultry for the market.
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