USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Portrait and biographical record of St. Clair County, Illinois : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 19
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For efficiency in service our subject was pro-
moted to the rank of Major, April 1, 1864. and was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel April 29, 1865. Fortunately he was neither captured nor wounded, although he saw four years and eight months of actual service. He was finally mustered out De- cember 1, 1865. Upon his return to Belleville he engaged as cashier in a dry-goods store and then served as book-keeper in the Belleville Savings Bank, and also engaged in the brick business. Ilis appointment as Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue for this district proves the possession of peculiar and unusual ability. and he has served in that position with fidehty and tact.
Col. Westermann married Miss Bertha Abend, a sister of the President of the Bank. They have two living children: Dorette, the wife of Herman Moeller, of Indianapolis; and Pauline, wife of Frederick Paro, of this city. Col. Westermann is a member of Hecker Post. G. A. R. He has been a brave soldier on two continents and deserves the high esteem in which he is held as a favorite citi- zen and public-spirited man.
℮ B. CARROLL LL. B. Among the promi- nent young men and successful attorneys of East St. Louis is our subject, whose high reputation and material prosperity came as the reward of unusual natural abilities industriously applied. Ile was born near Wood River, Mad- ison County, III., on the 19th of September, 1856, and inherits the quick wit and native polite- ness of his Irish ancestors. His father, John B. Carroll, was born in Queen's County, Ireland, June 10, 1832. The latter's father was a battle-scarred veteran of the ill-fated uprising for lrish inde- pendence in 1798. At the age of sixteen, the grandfather of our subject left home. and enlisted ·in the light dragoons of the British army. With his company he participated in the Crimean War, and as a member of the "Light Brigade" was one of the survivors of the ill-fated six hundred at Balaklava, referred to by Tennyson in the follow- ing lines;
9
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C'annon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them, Volleyed and thundered. Stormed at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well; Into the jaws of death. Into the mouth of hell, Rode the Six Hundred.
At the end of his service, the grandfather re- turned to the farm in his native country and tilled the soil until his death. Ile was an active man in the Irish Revolution of 1798 and received a pike wound, from the effects of which he died many years later.
The father of our subject came to America in 1855, and at Alton, Ill., he was married to Miss McDonald. About 1858, he opened the first coal mine in Madison County, this State. After the war he engaged in farming, and in 1871 settled in East St. Louis, where his death occurred. Ile was one of the most upright and honorable ertizens and he never had a nickel or a dollar that he did not cheerfully give to one in need. He never pledged his word to break it, and was ever moved by the noblest of impulses. A friend more true, a husband or father more kind and devoted, never departed this life. Ile was a man of wonderful constitution and was never ill until his last siekness in 1884. This developed into pleuro-pneumonia and he passed away peacefully, as if going to sleep, with his sorrowing wife and children around him. Thus passed away a true, brave, and generous-hearted man. He was six feet in height, was powerfully built, and was the champion wrestler of the times. lle was City Marshal of East St. Louis for some time. In religion he was a member of St. Patrick's Church. His wife was born in Cavan, Ireland, and her father died during the cholera of 1844. at St. Louis, whither he had moved a number of years previously. Mrs. Carroll now resides in East St. Louis and five of her children are living.
Until nineteen years of age, our subject remained on the farm and attended the common school. In 1871, he came to East St. Louis and clerked in a grocery store for some time, but at the same time attended night school. Later he entered the High School in the city, and when about twenty years of
age began learning the printer's trade in the office of the East St. Louis Gazette, remaining there for five years, when he became the head of affairs. Later he began teaching school in the city and after following this for eight years, four years of the time of which he was principal of the schools, he began the study of law under the dean of Me- Kendree College, Col. Horner. In 1887, he entered the Law College and graduated with the degree of LL. B. in 1889. Afterward he was employed on the Post-Dispatch of St. Louis, also the Globe-Dem- ocrat, and was actively engaged in his practice.
In the spring of 1891, he was elected City At- torney on the Citizen's Ticket and since then has held that position. His nuptials with Miss Mary Barron, a native of St. Louis, were celebrated in the year 1880, and four children have blessed this union : Hazel, Charles, Audrey and Percy. Mrs. Carroll's father, Capt. . James Barron, was a plaster- ing contractor. In his political views, Mr. Carroll is a staneh Republican, and he and wife are worthy members of St. Patrick's Church.
℮ ARL MONTAG, editor and proprietor of the Maseoutalı Herald, and one of the prominent and influential citizens of Mas- coutah, has the honor of being a native of the city which is still his home. He was born October 6, 1861, and is a son of Louis Carl Montag, a na- tive of Germany, who, in 1848, came to this country. After a short period spent in New York, he came direct to St. Clair County, locating in Mascoutah. Ile was a builder and contractor, and followed his trade here until his death. He also owned and operated a lumber yard in this place. He was called to his final rest May 7, 1865, but his widow still survives him. Unto this worthy couple were born four children, three of whom are yet living: Jacob, a resident farmer of Piatt County, Ill .; Mrs. J. N. Quiek, who resides in Hazelton, Kan .; and Carl. of this sketch.
Our subject spent his boyhood days under the parental roof, and the public schools afforded him
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his educational privileges. However, at the age of thirteen, he left school and entered the print- ing office of the Mascoutah Banner, there remain- ing about two months. The same year another paper was started, called the Mascoutah Enterprise, and he entered the new office, but after a short time the publication of the paper was discontinued and Mr. Montag secured a position on the staff of the Lebanon Journal, with which he was connected for about a year. On the expiration of that per- iod he entered the office of a new German paper, the Maseoutah Anzeiger, with which he was con- nected for a year and a half. The succeeding year of his life was then spent in the grain busi- ness, after which he went to St. Louis, where he worked as a journeyman printer. We next find him in Chicago, where he worked at his trade until the fall of 1882. He was then employed on the Cleveland Leader, of Cleveland, Ohio, after which he went New York City, where he worked at his trade for a year.
On the expiration of that period, Mr. Montag returned to Mascoutah, where he spent a year, and then went to Lebanon, where he purchased the Leh- anon Herald, publishing that paper until January, 1885, when he discontinued the same, removed the plant to Mascoutah, and established the Mas- | coutah Herald, of which he has since been editor and proprietor. It is a bright, newsy sheet, well conducted. It is published every Friday, and has a large subscription list, which is well deserved.
June 18, 1891, Mr. Montag was united in marriage with Miss Mary, daughter of Adam Pfaff. This worthy couple are highly respected throughout the community in which they reside, and rank high in the circles of society in which they move. In pol- ities, Mr. Montag is a stalwart Democrat, doing all in his power for the growth and success of the party. He is a member of the Congressional Central Counmittee and the County Central Com- mittee. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace, to which he was elected in 1886 and again in 1888. He was also City Clerk from May, 1889, until May, 1891, discharging his duties with promptness and fidelity, to the credit of himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. So- cially, he is a member of the Odd Fellows' society,
and of the Knights of Honor. Mr. Montag is a public-spirited and progressive citizen, who takes an active interest in all that pertains to the welfare of the community and uses his influence for its benefit.
UGUST J. MILLER, a very prominent and general farmer and stock-raiser of this section, is located on section 5, Free- burg Township. Here he has a fine farm, and one point upon the place is the highest land in the county, and has been utilized by the United States as an observatory.
Our subject is the son of Bolcer Miller, who was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, where he was reared and married. The name of the mother of our subjeet was Margaret Stugert. Mr. Miller. the father of our subject, eame to this country in 1831, and first entered eighty acres of land of the Government, and there lived until his death. Ile believed that "a rolling stone gathers no moss," and in his case he found that it was bet- ter to find a home and stay there, and put all of his energies in one place. Here he reared a family of seven children, and died in 1875. Those of his children living are: our subject; John, who lives in Freeburg Township; Henry, who lives near Leh- anon, Ill., and Adam, who resides in this State. Those who have passed away are Balsee, Christena and .Jacob.
Our subject was born September 15, 1838, ou the old home place. He attended the public schools and there received his education. In 1868. Miss Margaret Hamann became his wife. She was the daughter of George H. Hamann, a farmer of this county. After his marriage, our subject settled on this place, and has lived here ever since. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have had a fam- ily of eight children; those who have been taken from them by death are Lena, Amelia, Ida and Bertha; and those who still remain are: . Julius, Otto, Emma and Annie.
Mr. Miller has one hundred and seventy-five acres of land. all well improved and in a fine state
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of cultivation. Politically, he is a Republican, and socially he belongs to the Farmers' Mutual Benevolent Association, in which he has been an active worker. He has been honored by his dis- triet by being selected as a Director of the schools, and is everywhere regarded as a man of good judgment and strict morality.
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AMES W. KIRK, City Comptroller and Ed- itor of the Journal, has been a prominent factor in the upbuilding of the city of East St. Louis, and is one of the representative men. Ile was born in South Byron, Genesee County, N. Y., on the 1st of April, 1848, and is of Irish descent, his father, Thomas Kirk, and his grand- father, Patrick Kirk, being natives of the Emerald Isle. The grandfather was engaged in the dairy business in his native country, but at an early date brought his family to America and located in Vermont, where he continued his former occupa- tion. Later, he came to Genesee County, N. Y., was engaged in the dairy business there, and there he died when eighty-one years of age. Ilis wife lived to be one hundred and two years of age. The Kirk family was originally from Scotland.
where he assisted on the farm and in the dairy business until the New York Contral Railroad was built, when he engaged in contracting and build- ing between Rochester and Buffalo. After its com- pletion, he was Assistant Superintendent on this road for years, but finally retired to Bergen, and there died. lu religion he was a Catholic, and in politics, a stanch Democrat. His wife, who was formerly Miss Susan MeDonald, was born in Ireland in 1824, and while young came with her parents to America. She is now a resident of Rochester, N. Y. Of the eleven children born to this worthy couple, ten are living at the present time, and our subject i- the eldest.
Our subject was reared in South Byron, N. Y., and since the age of fifteen years has been con- nected with newspapers. He received his educa- tional advantages in the common schools and later began clerking in a dry-goods store, thus accumu- lating sufficient means to enable him to obtain a better education. He attended the Collegiate In- stitute at Batavia, and when seventeen years of age entered the State Normal at Brockport, from which institution he was graduated in 1869. He had taught during this time in the public and Normal Schools, and after graduating he received a State certificate, afterward teaching at Byron and Bergen, where he was Principal until 1871.
In April, 1871, he came to St. Louis, Mo., just after the great tornado, and was employed for a short time by the A. Sumner Piano and Sewing Ma- chine Company. He was sent to Kansas City for a few weeks, and after returning came to East St. Louis, at a time when the city was beginning to improve a little. This was in August, 1871. He went on the St. Louis Daily Times as a reporter from St. Clair County, East St. Louis and Belle- ville, and later was with other St. Louis papers and with the East St. Louis Gazette as a writer and reporter until 1885. He earned an enviable repu- tation as a writer, his articles being extensively copied, and in that year leased the East St. Louis Gazette, which he edited until the Ist of January, 1889.
Previous to this, however, in 1872, he was ap- pointed City Anditor by the Mayor, and held that
Thomas Kirk, father of onr subject, was born in 1812. passed his boyhood and youth in Vermont, and came with his parents to Genesce County, N. Y, ; position in a capable manner for five years, or un- til 1877, when he became Librarian of the Public Library, filling that position for eighteen months. After this he became Assistant City ('lerk, and held that position for three years. During the "dark days" of East St. Louis he was reporter on the St. Louis Republican and Globe-Democrat, and he, with Mayor Stephens and others, united to form a new city government. This new law was adopted in the fall of 1886. After leaving the Gazette, Mr. Kirk established the East St. Louis Journal, edited it under that name for a year, and then changed it to the Daily Journal in March, 1890, and is eon- ducting it at the present time.
In April, 1887, he was appointed City Auditor
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by Mayor Stephens, and in September, 1888; he was appointed City Comptroller. Mr. Kirk owns considerable real estate in the city, including the Journal office, which is a two-story briek on Broad- way, at the head of Collinsville, and his handsome residence on Pennsylvania Avenue. Mr. Kirk was married in East St. Louis to Mrs. Mary (Pow- ers) Godin, a native of Providence, R. I., and the daughter of John Powers, who was a joiner in roll- ing mills. She had one son by her former marriage, William J. Godin, who is pressman in the Journal office. Mr. and Mrs. Kirk have one child, Susie.
Mr. Kirk is a Demoerat in politics, and has been a delegate to county and State conventions fre- quently. He has been a leading spirit among the Democrats of the city and county sinee 1871, and has rendered the city great and valuable service. For several years he was a member and Secretary of the County Democratic Committee. Much might have been written of the public life of Mr. Kirk, of the predictions that have been fulfilled, and of the numberless occasions where his opinions, held in opposition by the wayward views of the unthinking public, have been justified by results; but a recital would not be approved by him. He is one of the county's most influential citizens, and is a pleasant, genial gentleman. Ile and Mrs. Kırk are members of the St. Patrick's Catholic Church.
C HARLES DEXTER. The adventurous life of the subject of this sketch cannot half be told in the limits permitted by the publish- ers of the record of prominent men of St. Clair County, but this record would be very incomplete if there was no mention made of it. Thirty-eight years seem a short time in which to accomplish so much, but that is the length of time that has elapsed since our subject first saw the light in Lan- caster, N. H. He was the son of Charles W. Dexter, who was a very important man in his native place. The stock was good, the grandfather, Horace, hav- ing been a direct descendant from a "Mayflower"
family. The latter, born in Massachusetts, fought in the War of 1812, and spent many years of his life as Captain of an ocean steamer. He finally came home to Lancaster and ended his days there.
The father of Mr. Dexter, of this notice, became Editor of the Lancaster Weekly and was also the Recorder of Deeds of the county and held other offices. The mother of our subject was Caroline Smith, who was born in New Hampshire. Her fa- ther had served as a drummer boy in the War of 1812, and was a saddler by trade. Both parents have passed off the stage of life. Two children were the result of their union, Bennett W., who re- sides in Minneapolis, and our subject. The latter was feared in Lancaster and graduated from the High School there. He then entered a preparatory school at New Hampton and in the year 1874 he entered Dartmouth College. While here he dis- played special talent in the geological researches and was employed by the United States Geological Survey Corps to assist during vacations in the Geodetic Coast Survey. In 1879, he graduated with the degree of A. B., and then came West as far as Charles City, Iowa, and then spent one year in travel.
During his travels he penetrated into the wild country in New Mexico, where the Apaches were giving the troops much trouble, and with the spirit of youth and the daring of a man, he joined the re- gular army on the frequent scouting expeditions and had some narrow escapes from capture. He was on the Government Survey and went through Arizona when the Indians were in one of their most serious outbreaks. He was exposed both to the wild animals, which still roamed over those virgin forests and to the reptiles, but the great- est peril was from the treacherous Indian. His work in prospecting and geologizing was so satis- factory that he was offered the appointment of De- puty Mineral Surveyor, but by that time his most ardent desire was to get back to civilization. In 1881, he reached Minneapolis, just at the time the great real-estate boom struck the city, and he immediately purchased land and laid out three additions, Vinton Heights, St. Louis Park, and Minnetonka Heights. Here he continued in the same lucrative business until the real-estate boom
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struck Denver and there he went and managed some large transactions. He laid out two addi- tions, South View Park and Montressor Park, and after this was all satisfactorily attended to he went to the Pacific Coast, and then returned to Minnea- polis, but in December, 1889 he located in East St. Louis. He has ten acres on Tenth Street, on Broadway, which he platted as Dexter's First Addi- tion ; then he added Dexter's Second Addition and later Dexter's Third Addition, and McDonald's East Clearmont Addition. He handles only his own property and has built about one hundred residences here. He has his office in the Opera House Block and owns a house in St. Louis. He still has interests in Minneapolis, Denver, Kansas City, Chicago and other points.
Our interesting subject inade a great step for- ward in 1881 by his marriage. The charming lady was Miss Wyllian Knapp, born and educated in Charles City, lowa. He is a strong Republican and can give many reasons in his cheery style why he is one. Ile belongs to the Unitarian Club of St. Louis.
Mr. Dexter is a fine conversationalist and his de- scriptions of killing deer and bear, and of marching one hundred and even two hundred miles without sleep with loaded muskets, when on the way to Ft. Stanton, are very thrilling. He is one of the most successful business men of this place.
E MIL J. EGGMANN, lawyer, and State In- spector of the National Stock Yards at East St. Louis. Among those who rank desery- edly high in the profession of law is Emil J. Egg- mann, who was born in Switzerland, March 5, 1844, to Conrad Eggmann, who was born at Ro- manshorn, on Lake Constance, Switzerland, and was a seaman by calling, which life he commenced to follow when a boy. He sailed around the world, and made many voyages to different countries. Ile later became first officer and then cashier of a steamer on the lakes in Switzerland, and still later became harbor-master at Romanshorn. He died at
the age of sixty-six years. The paternal grand- father, who was also Conrad Eggmann, followed the calling of a farmer and fisherman. and died when about seventy-five years.
The mother of Emil J. Eggmann was Anna Kathrina Jeanrenand, who was of French descent, but was born in Switzerland. Emil J. Eggmann was the only scion of his father's house, and was reared in the large manufacturing town of St. Gallen, where he first attended the gymnasium, and afterward the polytechnic school, where he completed the prescribed course. Following this, he was employed as clerk in a mercantile house for some time, then spent two years in traveling through Southern Europe. He was a fluent speaker of both German and French, and therefore derived much more benefit from his travels than he other- wise would. At the age of nineteen years he came to America, deciding to do so while in England, and with this end in view, he returned to Belgium, sailing from Antwerp in January, 1864, and land- ing at New York. The Civil War in this country was then in progress, and Mr. Eggmann at once enlisted in Company F, Eleventh New Jersey In- fantry, under the name of Emile Jeanrenaud, and was mustered in at Newark in November, 1864. Ile joined his regiment in front of Petersburg, and served until the close of the war. He was in the Grand Review at Washington, D. C., and received his discharge in July, 1865.
In the fall of that year, he went to St. Louis, Mo., and a short time after engaged in the general mercan tile business at Meredosia, Ill., but six months later began clerking in St. Louis. September 19, 1866, he located in East St. Louis, and after a few years spent as a clerk in a grocery store he began in the same capacity in a hardware establish- ment, and although he experienced many ups and downs, he in the main was successful. In 1872, he was clected to the position of Justice of the Peace, and during the four years that he filled this position, he dispensed justice with an impar- tial hand. He was also appointed as Notary, and soon began the study of law under L. Il. Hite, practicing in the Probate Courts. and in 1890 was admitted to the Bar. After his term of Notary had expired, he was appointed by Gov. Oglesby
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as State Officer for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in East St. Louis, and held this position three and a half years. In 1890, he received the appointment from Gov. Fifer as Public Adminis- trator for St. Clair County, and in February, 1892, he was appointed by the State Board of Live Stock Commissioners to his present position, which he is ably filling, and which occupies much of his time.
Our subject's marriage to Miss Caroline Manewal took place in St. Louis in 1866. She was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and has become the mother of nine children: Emil W., who is study- ing law in St. Louis; Dr. Jerry P., who is a prac- ticing physician of Chicago; Horace .J., a school teacher of this eity; Katie A., Elvira, George, Aug- ust M., Tancred C. and Richard J. Mr. Eggmann is a Knight Templar in the Ancient, Free and Ac- cepted Masons; is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; the Ancient Order of United Workmen; the Mystie Shrine; and the Or- der of Owls. He is a Republican, politically, and helongs to the Grand Army of the Republic. He and his family attend the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
1 R. H. J. DE HAAN, one of the most em- inent of Western physicians, and, in all the term implies, one of the most success- ful practitioners of medicine in the city of East St. Louis, was born in St. Louis, Mo., May 24, 1858, a son of J. J. de Haan, who was born in Coln, Germany. At the age of seven years, the latter began attending the Latin school of Coln, where he acquired a good education, and, upon at- taining the required age, he enlisted in the Ger- man army, and during the nine years he was in the service attained to considerable rank. He served in the Revolution of 1848, in the King's Guards in Berlin, and was later honorably dis- charged at Coln. In 1857, he came to St. Louis, Mo., with his wife, and became manager for the Saler Publishing House, the largest German establishment of the kind in the West. In 1865,
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