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 21
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of Col. Vital Jarrott, who was a native of Cahokia, this State. The grandfather, Nicholas Jarrott, was a native of France and was one of the first pio- neers in this section. Ile was a trader and ran flat- boats to New Orleans, being at the time of his death one of the largest owners in the Bottoms.
Col. Jarrott was reared here and educated in the Jesuit College, Georgetown, D. C. He made the journey on horseback overland to the Ohio River at Louisville, and there graduated with the degree of LL. B. After practicing a short time, he turned his attention to other enterprises, and dur- ing the Black Hawk War was an Adjutant-General. lle afterward made a trip to California and Color- ado on mining expeditions, and was one of the '49ers in California. He retired to the East much the richer for his venture to the Gold State. In the '50s, he served three terms in the State legis- lature, and after the war he served three terms more. He was Republican candidate for Speaker when Col. Morrison was elected. During the war, he was United States Peace Commissioner over the Sioux Indians, later Indian Agent for Spotted Tail, and after the war he returned to East St. Louis, where he was engaged in the banking and lumber business. He was President of the East St. Louis Rolling Mill, and was organizer of the East St. Louis Bank. In 1875, he was again taken with the gold fever, closed out business here, and went to the Black Hills, where he was engaged in inin- ing. Ilis death occurred in 1876, when over seventy-five years of age. He was one of the original strong Republicans of the State, being elected Representative on the Whig and Republican ticket. He was Mayor of East St. Louis one term, and in religion was a worthy member of the Cath- olie Church. The mother of our subject died in 1884, leaving four children, as follows: Margaret, Mrs. Bristow, resides in St. Louis, Mo .; George makes his home in East St. Louis; and Agnes also in East St. Louis.
The original of this notice, who was the eldest child, was reared in East St. Louis, and received his education in the publie and High Schools. graduating from the latter when seventeen years of age. He then became Deputy C'ity Clerk under Maurice Tissier for a year, then hook-keeper for a
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lumber firm for two years, and afterward Cashier of the East St. Louis Bank for five years. Later, he became Tax Collector for East St. Louis for two terms of one year each. In 1887, he became Chief Clerk for the Heim Brewing Company and has been here ever since. He is interested in real- estate and has about three hundred and fifty acres adjoining the city limits. He has improved his farm and rents it. In the year 1884, he was married here to Miss Kate Healey, a native of Ohio, who was reared and educated here. Four children have blessed this union, viz .: Jarrott, Adele, Marie and Margaret. They have a pleasant home on Ninth Street. Mr. Boismenue is a Re- publican in polities and bas been a delegate to county and State conventions. Ile is at present a member of the County Central Committee and is one of the foremost men of the county.
C HARLES F. BERKEMEYER, Secretary and Treasurer of the East St. Louis Hardware Company, is the subject of the following sketch. Ile is a gentleman in every sense of the word, and conducts his business with an amount of energy that ensures success. The company which he represents was incorporated in 1890, with a capital of 85,000, and their place of business is No. 216 East Broadway, where a building 25x65 accommodates their large stock of stoves, heavy and shelf hardware and agricultural implements.
The grandfather of our subject was named Henry, and in his native country, Germany, he worked at his trade of carpenter. Ile brought his family to America many years ago and settled in St. Louis, where he died at the age of ninety years. The father of our subject was also a fine carpenter, but he became a farmer in 1877, when he located on eighty acres in Madison County, where he still resides. Our subject is one of the children of his father's second marriage. the others being Albert, who resides in East St. Louis; Rosa, who is Mrs. Isenberg, of Madison County; and George, who is in the employ of his brother, The mother was of
German descent, but was born in Switzerland. Her maiden name was Bertba Guenther, and both she and her husband were Protestant in their religious views. She died at the early age of thirty-five. The son of the first marriage is the partner of the gentleman of whom we write, and is the President of the company.
Mr. Berkemeyer of this notice was reared in St. Louis and attended the public schools until his sixteenth year, but at that time he went to the farm with his father and resided there for four years. In 1880, he came to East St. Louis as a elerk for George Shaub in the hardware and agri- cultural implement business, and here he con- tinued for nine years. In the spring of 1890, he started the present large store, and the company was incorporated in April. This is a very busy place, as from roof to basement the space is stored with all kinds of material in their line. Our sub- ject manages the store, and the machinery in which the firm also deals.
Our subject was married, in September, 1888, to Miss Ann Spannagel, the charming daughter of Nicholas Spannagel; she was reared and educated in this city. They have one bright little girl, Lola by name. Mr. Berkemeyer belongs to the order of Knights of Honor, and is a Republican of no uncertain kind. Ile is highly regarded among the business men of East St. Louis.
DAM BADGLEY. The very agreeable gentleman whose honored name opens this sketch belongs to a family that has made an impression on the history of this seetion. He now resides on a very valuable farm of four hundred acres of land, which not only yields a proper amount of grain and fruits, but holds in its secret reeesses vast quantities of the black diamonds which have made the fortunes of so many, and which are destined to make wealth for more.
For the date of his birth we must go back to the year 1813, January 31, the location being wear
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the place now owned by George W. Badgley, in section 9. He was the son of Aaron and Catherine (Stroud) Badgley. They were natives of Hardy County, Va., the father born in the year 1773, and the mother in 1776. The mother was of Dutch parents, and was the daughter of Adam and Eve Stroud-hence the pleasant little fiction in the fam- ily that their home was the Garden of Eden, with an Adam and Eve, but no serpent.
The Badgley family first settled in this country in Essex County, N. J., where the grandfather of our subject, David Badgley, was born in 1749. In 1796, he and his son, the father of our subject, came from Virginia to St. Clair County, in com- pany with a number of others, to look at the country. The long journey was made overland on horseback, and they came together in order to bet- ter protect themselves from the attacks of the In- dians. In this company came our subject's mater- nal grandfather. Being satisfied with the appear- ance of the new country, they returned to their families, and the next year, in 1797, the Badgleys and the Strouds moved from their Virginia home and settled in Monroe County, near what is now known as Bond's Lake. They made the journey down the Ohio River on a flat-boat to Shawnee- town, and went the rest of the way by land. The country was then practically a wilderness, and the Indians had not been driven West. The tribes which inhabited these regions were the Kickapoos and the Pottawattamies. Before proceeding further in the immediate history of our subject, we pause a moment to pay a tribute to the good old grand- father. He was a Baptist preacher, belonging to what was known as the Ironsides or Hardshell Baptists. He organized the first Baptist Church west of the Ohio River, at Kaskaskia, and traveled among the settlers, preaching in the open air and in their homes, exhorting them to pious living, joining their sons and daughters in holy matrimony, baptising them into the church, and administering words of comfort to the dying and of consolation to the mourning.
The father of our subject started for Illinois with his wife and one child, but on the way another little life was added to the company. Within a year after arriving in Monroe County, the faithful
wife and the infant died. In 1800, Mr. Badgley, Sr., married again, the wife being Catherine Strond. At that time there was no regular survey of the lands by the Government, nor was the land upon the market. Mr. Badgley and his father squatted on land belonging to the Government, the claim thus established being recognized as giving the right to purchase. Mr. Badgley continued to re- side in Monroe County until 1804, when he came to St. Clair County and settled on the place where our subject was born. He first took up one hun- dred and sixty aeres, and at his death he owned about three hundred acres. He followed an agri- cultural life, and was very successful. He had only the common-school education of those days, which was limited to a few weeks in winter in the log schoolhouse with its surroundings of burnt stumps. lle was a man of prominence, acting as Justice of the Peace, and was made Overseer of the Poor. Ile was a strong Democrat in his po- litical opinions. After his useful life, he died lamented by his family and neighborhood and friends, at the age of eighty-four years, in Deeem- ber, 1828. His wife survived him ten years, and passed to her rest at the age of ninety-two. Of the eight children born to them, only three are left. Elijah was born June 15, 1802, and resides three- fourths of a mile northwest of the farm of our subject. He has been a resident of St. Clair County since 1804. With the exception of a partial loss of hearing, he is in the full possession of his faculties. He has a remarkable memory, particularly of dates and the early pioneer days of the county. Strow- ther, the youngest of the living children, resides in Bates County, Mo.
The immediate subject of this sketch was born on a farm, and reared there. He had very little chance for obtaining an education, but he was naturally quick, and has overcome the early dis- advantages in that line. While young, his father administered on an estate. It was in the days of paper money, and the bank that issued the bills that represented the estate failed, and Mr. Bad- gley, Sr., found himself seriously crippled finan- cially. It took him a number of years to make up the amount lost, and this young man had to bear the brunt of straitened means, He married
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Eva Zanes, August 17, 1834. The father of his wife died before she was born, and her mother later married George Estiff. Her maiden name was Re- becca Stroud, a daughter of Adam Stroud. Our subject and his wife were first cousins and neighbors. They had but two children, an unusual circum- stance, as in those days the families generally as- sumed patriarchal proportions. The children are Rebecca and Austin. The former married William Boggy, by whom she had one child, now deceased. IIer daughter's husband is Ham Scott, who re- sides in this township. The son, Austin, is his father's right hand, and resides with him. Ile has a very pleasant wife and an accomplished daugh- ter, Nellie, who is at home with them. Ilis wife was Mary J. Henderson, of Iowa, daughter of Thomas and Eliza Henderson. Mr. Badgley has served his district as School Director and Road Overseer. He has been in harmony with the Dem- ocratie party all his life.
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OHN DOYLE is one of the pioneers of East St. Louis. Ill., with whom time has dealt most kindly, and although he has labored hard throughout his life, he is in the full vigor of manhood. His early days were marked by struggles to gain a foothold in the business world, and that he has succeeded is due wholly to his own efforts. Ile was born in County Wexford. Ireland, in 1837, a son of Garrett and Margaret (Reynolds) Doyle, both of whom were born in the Isle of Erin. Garrett Doyle was a worthy tiller of the soil, but in 1851 became convinced that better opportunities for advancement were offered across the Atlantic, and the same year removed to Canada with his son John and secured employment in the public works of Toronto. In 1854 he returned to Ireland and brought the balance of his family hither, and, in 1862, re- moved with them to East St. Louis, HI., and here resided until his death in 1869, at the age of sixty- nine years. The mother lived until 1879, when she, too, passed away. Six of their children grew
to maturity, but only three are living at the pres- ent time.
John was the eldest of the family and until about fourteen years of age he resided in Ireland, and there acquired a fair knowledge of the "world of books." He left Ireland in 1851, taking pas- sage at Waterford on board a sailing-vessel, which landed at Quebec. He attended the night schools of Toronto, for he was ambitious and anxious to obtain a good education, and being intelligent and industrious, he made satisfactory progress in his studies. After a time he was bound out to learn the grocer's trade, and during the three years that he was thus employed, his father had the benefit of his salary. On the 23d of June, 1857, he found himself in Illinois, and soon found employment with Valentine's Express Company. at which time there were only two railroads in the place. lle remained with the above-mentioned company until they sold out to J. II. Alexander & Co., and later was in the employ of the St. Louis Transfer Company. He labored in different ca- paeities from driver up to foreman, attaining the latter position in 1865. In 1858, the island was overflowed and Mr. Doyle rode all over the city in a skiff, and also to the city of St. Louis, where he was making his home at the time.
Mr. Doyle has always been a faithful worker and his untiring industry and persistent effort have been erowned by success, and he is now in the enjoyment of a comfortable competeney. Ile is the owner of some valuable real estate on Col- linsville Avenue, and is in the enjoyment of a competeney, which is the result of his own earnest efforts. Taken all in all, Mr. Doyle's life has been one success, and the lesson that it teaches is that suc- cess in life is the reward of honest effort, industry and sobriety. He has never been an idler or trifler, but an earnest, conscientious and persistent toiler. who deserves all the success he has achieved. He is foreman of the St. Louis Transfer Com- pany on the Ilinois side of the river, and has been longer engaged in this business than any man in the city. He thoroughly understands all its requirements and his services are highly valued by the company with which he is connected.
In 1871, he was elected one of the directors of
Dyb, Stack
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the Douglass School and has held the position to the satisfaction of all concerned up to the present time. Ile is the oldest member of the Board in the city, and for the past five years has acted in the capacity of Secretary and Clerk. The Doug- lass School building is a fine brick structure, the first in the city, and Mr. Doyle was the only mem- ber of the Board that was on the building com- mittee. In 1869, he was elected an Alderman from the First Ward, in which capacity he served until 1879, when he, on account of the dual gov- ernment, resigned and has not accepted any official position since. Ile was married in this city in August, 1867, to Miss Kate Cooney, a native of Ireland, and six of the children born to them are living: Thomas J., who graduated at the St. Louis University, is now holding an official position in a Vandalia railroad office; William J. was also educated in the St. Louis I'niversity and is now a railroad clerk at the same place; Henry M. is with the Illinois & St. Louis Railroad; John G. is with the St. Louis Transfer Company; Ollie M. and Robert E., at home.
Mr. Doyle was on the Building Committee of St. Mary's Church and is now one of the Trustees. He is a Democrat politically, and has been a dele- gate to county conventions.
ATRICK II. STACK, a wealthy real-estate owner, has been a resident of the city of East St. Louis since 1864, and has identi- fied himself with every worthy interest of this section. He was born in County Kerry, Ire- land, but in 1849 was brought by his father, to- gether with the rest of the family, to America, taking passage on the sailing-vessel "Christopher Columbus," at Liverpool, England. They reached New York Harbor after a five-weeks ocean voyage, and immediately proceeded to Upper Canada. where the father, Garrett Stack, bought a farm of two hundred and forty acres, which he improved, and on which he resided until his death, He was a son of Robert Stack, a farmer, which occupation
the mother's father, Patrick Ilanrahan, also fol- lowed. Mrs. Stack, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was Miss Johanna Hanrahan, a native of the Isle of Erin. She died in Canada, after hav- ing become the mother of fourteen children.
Patrick H. Stack was the fourth in order of birth, and obtained a good education in his birth- land, attending school at Ballylongford, Listowel, and Anttralee, and taking a thorough classical course. He possessed the bright intellect, keen wit and versatility for which the Irish people are noted, and upon coming to America fonnd a wide scope for the exercise of these talents. He entered college at Cleveland for the purpose of fitting him- self for the priesthood, but decided that other pursuits would be more congenial to his tastes, and he afterward turned his attention to book-keeping. Ile went to Nashville, Tenn., in 1851, as a railroad employe, in which capacity he traveled all over the Southern States, and later he began contracting on railroads and levees. Upon the opening of the Civil War he went first to Natchez, then to Mem- phis, and there entered the employ of the Federal Government as Commissary Supply Clerk, in which capacity he served three years,
In May, 1864, Mr. Stack came to East St. Louis, then a very small płace, and built three miles of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, acting in the capac- ity of foreman. He then turned his attention to other occupations, and by good management he- came the owner of thirteen acres of land within the city limits, near Brighton Park, which he ex- pects soon to lay out in lots. There he is building an elegant two-story brick residence, which, when completed, will be one of the finest in the city.
Ile owns other valuable property in East St. Louis, besides one hundred and forty acres of land near Carlyle, Clinton County, Ill., an improved and valuable farm, which he rents. Ile has built many houses in the city, among which may be mentioned the Turf Club House, on Main Street. He was married in Chicago to Miss Margaret Lillis, a native of County Clare, Ireland, and by her is the father of the following children: Johanna, Mrs. Healay, a resident of St. Louis; Garrett J., a clerk with Nelson Morris & Co., of Chicago; John J., at home, and Margaret F
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Mr. Stack has been a member of the School Board of East St. Louis for three years, held the office of .lustice of the Peace from 1869 until 1877, and was Township Collector for one term. He is a member of the First Mutual Building & Loan Association, and was one of the organizers of the East St. Louis Building & Loan Association, in which he is now Director. At present he is a stockholder in the Workingmen's Bank, and was a Director for seven years. Ile aided in organizing the East St. Louis Gazette, and also has served as Director of the same. Politically, he is a Democrat, has been a delegate to county and State conventions, and been chairman of county conventions. Ile and his family attend St. Mary's Catholic Church. He is well known in the business, political and social cireles of the city. where for so many years he has made his home.
C APT. HENRY E. TRENDLEY. In order to perpetuate for coming generations the re- cord of one who was very prominently con- neeted with laying the solid foundation of the prosperity of East St. Louis, a brief sketch of the life of Capt. John Trendley, father of our subject. who might properly be called the "Father of the City," may be of interest to all. Ile was born in the Black Forest. Germany. on June 20, 1804, and his father, Paul Trendley, was a native of that country also, and a farmer by occupation. The latter came to America with his family as early as 1817, and resided for some time in Alexandria, Va. From there he moved to St. Charles County, Mo., bought new land, and spent the remainder of his days in improving it. He was a devout C'atho- lie in his religious views.
Capt. John Trendley's youthful days were spent in assisting his father in elearing the farm and re- ceiving what little scholastic training he could in the pioneer schools of those days. After growing up, he came to East St. Louis and was with Capt. William Wiggins on the river, first as a deek hand,
then as Captain and afterward as agent. When twenty years of age he was made Captain and eon- tinued with William Wiggins for over fifty years. Later in life, he became a stockholder, retired and received his pension. Ile was well known on the river, was a man well liked by all, and had a host of warm friends. His death occurred in October. 1886, when eighty-two years of age. \ Republi- can at first. he finally advocated the principles of the Democratic party and was an active supporter of the same. lle was one of the original members of St. Henry's Church in East St. Louis and was deeply interested in its growth and prosperity. Capt. Trendley was one of the oldest members of the Wiggins Ferry Company when he died.
The Captain had married Miss Harriet Eberley, a native of Switzerland, who came alone to Amer- ica. She died in East St. Louis in 1869, when fifty-five years of age. Ten children were born to them, only three beside our subject now living: Elizabeth, Caroline and Josephine. Capt. Henry Trendley was reared and educated in the private schools of St. Louis, and subsequently attended the I'niversity of St. Louis for two years. Later still, he entered MeKendree College, where he re- mamed for one year, and then began clerking in a wholesale liquor house in the city. In 1862, he became clerk and book-keeper for the Wiggins Ferry Company, the main office being in St. Louis. Ile was thus engaged for five years and a half and was very busy during the war. Later, he engaged in business on the Island, built a brick store on Front Street, and was in partnership with John Eidman in the grocery business for about one year. After this, he sold out to Mr. Eidman, and in the year 1869 went as Captain of the "Charles Mulligan." Since then, he has been on all the different boats and was on a night boat for some time. Ile has been with the Wiggins Ferry Com- pany since 1862, and is the oldest and steadiest Captain with them now. At present he is Captain of the "Henry L. Clark." Formerly part of his bis- iness was to take excursions up the river for six- teen miles.
Captain Trendley owns one hundred and twenty aeres of land on the North Belleville Rock Road. adjoining the corporation, which he leases. He
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resides on the farm, and is a stockholder in the Wig- gins Ferry Company. Ile was married in St. Louis, in 1867, to Miss Celestine Gautier, a native of St. Louis, and two children have blessed this union. John. M. was educated in St. Louis and was for a time Assistant ('ashier of the Vandalia Rail- road, and at present he is tracing clerk; and Rosalie. now Mrs. W. W. Dean, of St. Louis, Mo. The fam- ily holds membership. in St. Henry's Church, and Capt. Trendley is an ardent Republican in his political views. He is one of the city's represen- tative men and is as popular and well liked as his father, which is saying a great deal.
LEXANDER FLANNIGEN. The gentle- man whose biographical sketch it is now our purpose to give is a successful lawyer of East St. Louis, and has gained quite a name in the county for his good judgment and sound rendering of the law. His place of business is in the Flannigen Building on Third Street, which was erected in 1882.
The father of our subject was born in Belfast, Ireland, and was a shoemaker in that country. Hle came to America when about thirty years of age and located in Philadelphia, where he was mar- ried. He resided on Callowhill Street in that city, and there his two eldest children were born. In the year 1853, he started Westward via Galena, and first made his home in Washington County, Ill. lle was fond of travel, and visited Indi- ana and Kentucky; at Evansville he became overheated and injudiciously drank a cup of cold water, which caused his immediate death. The mother of our subject brought her three ehil- dren to Washington County, where she had a cousin, a Mr. MeCune. She afterward married a lames Melellan, who now resides in Nashville, Ill. Her maiden name was Jane MeMunn and she was born in Belfast, Ireland, after her father, Hugh MeMunn, a native of Scotland, had emi- grated to that city. She now resides with her youngest son, Ed Melellan, who is a banker in
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