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 26
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tionists of the North. The mother of thisremark- able man was an aunt to the family of Brecken- ridge, and her father was a large planter and one of the first settlers of Christian County, Ky. The Landers were always proud of their descent, as it went baek unbroken to those of noble birth in Wales. The beloved mother of our subject was Elizabeth Purcell, a native of Hopkinsville, Ky., and a daughter of the Pennsylvania Purcells. She lived a blameless life, doing her duty as the mother of a large family, and ended her days in Washington County, Ill. The father of Mrs. Much- heim was twiee married, five children resulting from the first union and eight from the second.
Our subject was the eldest of the children of the seeond marriage of her father. She was born in Christian County, Ky., October 21, 1834, and that was her home until she was nineteen years old. She was educated at private schools until her mar- mage, which occurred in Kentucky in 1852, to O. E. Davis, a Kentuckian, a cousin of Jefferson Davis, and who lived but six months after marriage. One child was the result of this union, Harry Davis, who now holds the position of Police Magistrate in East St. Louis. In 1856, Mrs. Davis was mar- ried to Charles Muelheim, a native of Cologne, Germany, who had come with his family to Amer- iea in 1852, and located in Nashville, Ill .. and en- gaged in the drug business. Ile then went into the management of a store and was a very success- ful merchant for twenty years. During her life in Nashville, Mrs. Muelheim was a member of Rebekah Lodge, and was a Sister in the Masonic lodge.
In 1872, our subject started in the business which her ability has made so prosperous. She located in East St. Louis in 1882, as she desired to settle her son, Dr. Robert M. Muelheim, in his pro- fession here. IIer affairs were in a very flourishing condition, but in 1890 she suffered from a fire, and was burned out. She was not dismayed, but went right to work and soon had her present building of two stories and with a frontage of twenty- five feet ereeted. She has the finest front in her building of any in the city.
Mrs. Muelheim has two daughters remaining of her second marriage: Carrie, now Mrs. Charles Fos- ter, who resides in Elmira, N. Y., and Grace, now
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the wife of L. C. Doggett, the manager of the business of N. K. Fairbanks in St. Louis, Mo. A great grief came to Mrs. Muelheim in 1884, when her talented young son, Robert, was removed by death. He was a brilliant young man, and had graduated with honor from the Jefferson Medical College, when only nineteen years of age. He was gradnated an M. D. from the State University, at Champaign, Ill., and there seemed to be a bright future before him, but these hopes were blasted. Mrs. Muelheim is a devout member of the Baptist denomination, as were also lier ancestors, and has been a Democrat in her political opinions since the Presidency of Gen. Grant. She is a very pleasant lady in social life, and is one who can hold her own and command respeet in any position.
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OIN C. BEHRENS, is a self-made man and prominent farmer of O'Fallon Township, who was born in Holstein, Germany, No- vember 3, 1833, and is a son of Christian and Magdalena (Kolsen) Behrens, both of whom were also natives of llolstein. The father was a farmer and fisherman, who fought in the Danish army in the war with Napoleon. Ilis death oc- curred in 1840, and his wife died in 1838. Their family numbered twelve children, six sons and six daughters, but two sons and two daughters died previous to the birth of our subject. Catherina. the eldest child, became the wife of John Murthorst, and died in Germany in 1872, leaving three chil- dren; Frederick, who was a farmer by occupation, came to America in 1854, and died in 1858, near Dutch Hill, St. Clair County. He was married and his widow is still living in Nebraska. They had five children, of whom a son and two daughters are yet living, Lena, Annie and Christian, all of whom are married. Magdalena died in Germany in 1875, at the age of eighty-eight years. She was the wife of Jurgin Stange, by whom she had three sons and four daughters. Claus Detleff, who was born in 1818. came to America in 1848,
and the following year went to California. He chied in San Francisco, in 1879, at the age of sixty- one years. leaving a valuable estate. Annie. born in 1822, is married and resides in Altoona. She had five children. Jurgen came to America with his brother Claus in 1848, and died in St. Louis in 1852, leaving a handsome property. Margaret died in Germany in 1848, at the age of twenty years.
Mr. Behrens, whose name heads this sketch, ac- quired his education in the common schools of his native land, and there engaged in farming until 1852, when he sailed for America, landing in New Orleans June 1. Ile then went up the river to St. Louis, and thence to the farm of Fred Bogel, for whom he worked six months at $6 per month. He then worked on the construction of the Cairo & St. Louis Railroad nntil 1855. His business was to superintend ten hundred and forty acres of land and furnish railroad ties. In February, 1865, he bought his present farm, two miles east of O'Fallon, and he has since made it his home.
In September, 1859, Mr. Behrens was united in marriage with Miss Clarissa Wakefield, who was born September 3, 1843, and is a daughter of Joseph and Matilda Wakefield, of this county. They became the parents of eleven children, but lost their first-born, a daughter, who died in in- fancy. Anna Margaret, who was born March 2. 1862, is now married. She became the wife of Stephen Nicholas, a farmer of Lebanon Township, June 6, 1892. John Ilenry, born October 10, 1863, is a railroad employe; Albert Christian, born November 14, 1865, is operating the home farm on shares; Wilhelm Amos, born December 6, 1867. Cora Clarissa April 2, 1871; Minnie Pearly, August 9, 1873; Carl Frederick, September 22, 1875; George Garfield, October 5, 1877; and Nellie, January 25, 1880. The sixth child, a son, born in March, 1869, lived only a few days.
Mr. Behrens was reared in the Lutheran faith, but is liberal both in religious views and in poli- ties. In 1852, he became a member of Germania Lodge No. 878, K. Il., of O'Fallon. In 1889, he took a trip to California to settle up his brother's estate, but, with the exception of this period, has resided continuously upon his present farm for
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about twenty-seven years. He has led a busy and useful life which has brought him a comfortable competence. He came to this country empty- handed. but by his enterprise and industry he has steadily worked his way upward to a position of wealth and affluence. For his success he certainly deserves great credit. Ile is an intelligent man of studious habits, who keeps well informed on all current events of the day. He is thoroughly American in his views, and loves his adopted country and its institutions better than the Father- land. This community finds in bim a valued citi- zen, who well deserves representation in this volume.
OHN M. M.CASLAND. The original of the present notice is a resident of Jackson- ville, Ill., but his business is conducted in East St. Louis, where he has been located sinee 1889. llis name is one of the powers in the real-estate market, and for some years his dealings in realty have been very large and successful.
William MeCasland was the grandfather of our subject, and was born in Virginia, where he carried on agricultural pursuits. lle served through the Revolutionary War under Gen. Washington, and his wife received a pension up to the time of her death. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, and mar- ried Ellen MeCullough, a native of Ireland. She lived to the age of ninety-three years, and her life ended in Sangamon County, Ill. William MeCas- land brought his family to Indiana and located in Jefferson County, where he followed farming un- til he died. The respected father of our subject was named James Harper MeCasland and was also a Virginian by birth. By occupation, he was a wood-turner and cabinet-maker and he was en- gaged in the manufacture of furniture in Indiana until 1811, when he came to Illinois. He located in Gallatin County the first year, but this seemed such a sickly locality that he moved north and settled in the higher lands in Morgan County, and there he lived a few years and engaged m farming
near Woodson. Some years later, he removed to Sangamon County, on the Morgan County line, and located at the middle fork of Lick Creek. where he farmed until he died, at the age of seventy-three years, respected by all who knew him and a member of the Presbyterian Church. He had been a Republican but never a seeker after office.
The mother of our subject was Jane Hood, a North Carolinian by birth, and a daughter of John Hood, of that State, who afterward became a far- mer in Indiana and died at La Porte. Our sub- jeet's mother lived until 1868, and left seven of her eight cluldren to mourn her death. Sarah is now Mrs. Graves and resides in St. Joseph, Mo .; J. M., a soldier during the war, is now in the real- estate business in this city; W. A. was a member of an Illinois volunteer company during the war and now is in the realty business here; J. T., was a soldier also and is now a farmer in Sangamon County. this State; Elizabeth is Mrs. Ephman and lives in Wheeling, W. Va .; Thomas O. was another of this patriotic family who entered the army, but this brave man never returned, being killed at Murfreesboro, Tenn .; C. D., still another soldier, has made a success of real-estate deals in this city. It is worthy of mention that all these men rose to distinetion in the army and have records of which they may well be proud.
Our subject was born in Hanover, Jefferson County. Ind .. July 1, 1833. He was reared in Indiana until nearly eight years of age, at which time his father moved the family to Gallatin County, Ill. The emigration was made by boat to Golconda on the Ohio River and then by team to their destination in Gallatin County. Here his father raised one erop of tobacco, in 1842, but then removed to Morgan County as recorded above, and in 1847 to Sangamon County. It was at this place that our subject was married, December 22, 1853, to Frances Collins, who was born near Frank- lin in Morgan County. Here the young couple began their married life on a farm, and later our subject bought a farm for himself of ninety aeres. near Murrayville, in Morgan County, He was one of the brave men who left the plow to answer the call of his country, and in July, 1862, he en-
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listed in Company HI, One Hundred and First Illi- mois Infantry and was mustered into the service at Camp Duncan. He was sent South to Holly Springs. where a part of the regiment was eap- tured, but the company of which Mr. McCasland was a member succeeded in escaping. In the spring of 1863, he was sent to Milliken's Bend and detailed on a gunboat, the " Lafayette," and on the night of April 16 ran the bloekade at Vicksburg, later was in the fight at Grand Gulf and went up with Gen. Banks to the Red River as far as Alex- andria and then dropped down and anchored at the mouth of the Red River and there remained until the fall of Vicksburg. Then they were ordered to Columbus, Ky., from there to I'nion City, Tenn., and afterward were sent to reinforee Rose- erans at Louisville, Ky .; they then went to Bridge- port, Ala., where they were incorporated with the Twentieth Corps and joined Sherman's army for the Georgia campaign. He took part in the hat- tles from Missionary Ridge to the fall of Atlanta and then the brilliant march to the sea. Ile was through the Carolinas to Raleigh, was at the battle of Bentonville, and in all the activities until the close of the war. He then took part in that mag- nificent display at Washington and was mustered out in June, 1865, and came home. Thus ended a very exciting chapter in the life of our subjeet, and while the bullets of the enemy did him no in- jury he suffered from the hard marching. When he entered the army, his health was in a precarious state and it was with many misgivings that his friends parted with him, but he stood army life better than some who had appeared robust at the outset.
After the war, Mr. MeCasland took to his peace- ful plow and continued farming until 1881, when his home was broken up the death of his wife, Ile then removed to ,Jacksonville and there held the office of Constable until in February, 1889, he came to St. Louis and six months later located in East St. Louis. Ile entered into the real-estate business and has been very prosperous. Ilis first large deal was one in which he made $3,500, and since then he has been dealing in lots. He has property in many of the additions to the city and in Jackson- ville; has a farm in Franklin County of seventy-
three aeres and interests all over the city. He has had a family of twelve children, two of whom died in infancy, but serious illness has often invaded his home. Those of his living children are as follows: J. T. bears the name of the Real-estate King of East St. Louis; Jane is Mrs. T. B. Flowers, of Lincoln, Neb .; C'lara A. is Mrs. Brooks, of this place; Charles O. is in the real-estate business in this city; Laura is at home; Arthur A. is in business in East St. Louis; Daniel is employed in this eity by his brother, and Fred Elmer is in Jacksonville. Mary B. was Mrs. Skinner and died in January, 1881, in Elk County, Kan., and Rosa died also in 1881, the same month as her mother. Mr. MeCasland mar- ried in Jacksonville. in 1885, Miss Mary V. Orton, a native of Greene County, Ill., and has one child by this union, Guy Roy. His handsome home is on one of the beautiful streets of Jacksonville. He belongs to a family that is very prominent in the social and commercial world of East St. Louis.
Mr. MeCasland is a member of the Matt Starr Post, G. A. R., at Jacksonville. Ile has supported the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been a member for forty years, with his influence and means. Ile was a Republican, but since the formation of the Prohibition party he has found that the exponent of his views.
E DWARD R. DAVIS, attorney-at-law, and ex-C'ity Attorney of East St. Louis, Ill., has gained an enviable reputation for his legal ability, sound judgment and sterling integrity. During the years that he has practiced before the Bar of Illinois, he has become eminent as a Coun- selor, often in cases involving interests of great magnitude, and has acquired more than a local re- nown, on account of his scholarly attainments, his thorough knowledge of the law, and his devo- tion to the interests of his clients. Ile was born near Batavia, N. Y., on the 12th of March 1839, to David and Harriet (Wilder) Davis, the former of whom was born near Pittsburgh, Pa., and the latter near Boston, Mass,, in 1802. The
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father was a shoemaker by trade, and after his marriage, which took place in Massachusetts, he removed his family and household goods to Gen- esee County, N. Y., and engaged in farming, a ealling he followed in that State until 1813, when, with his wife and eight children, he removed to Michigan City, going by wagon to Buffalo, and then by schooner to Detroit. He settled in Lapeer County among the woods, and after following his trade for a number of years, located on a tract of wild land ten miles north of the town. After clearing and improving eighty acres of land there. he removed to Tuscola County, and there bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which he improved. Here he died in 1880, but his widow still survives him. The maternal grandfather was a native of England, and after coming to Amer- ica settled in Massachusetts.
To David and Harriet Davis the following chil- dren were born: G. W., a prominent lawyer of East Saginaw, Mich .; Dr. William Il., a physician of Springfield, Ill .; Iliram, who had been a resi- dent of California since 1819, but is now a resi- dent of El Dorado County; and Edward R. The latter was a resident of New York until four years of age, from which time until he attained his eighteenth year he was a resident of Michigan. After attending school until eight years of age, at which time it was thought that a strong, active and healthy lad, such as he was, could make better use of his time at farm work than at school his opportunities for acquiring an education were very much abridged. After spending two years at farm labor, he began learning the car- penter's trade at Almont, at which he worked un- til he was eighteen years old, when his brother re- turned from California and started to take him and the entire family back to that State with him; but they got only as far as New York City, and there decided not to go any further. Our subjeet then went to Corunna, Mich., and, in addition to practicing his trade, took up the study of law. In 1859 he began devoting his attention to this in the office of L. Il. Parsons, and May 1, 1860, was admitted to the Bar. Soon after this he opened an office at Northport, but in the fall of 1861 re- turned to Corunna, Hle was married at Oxford,
Oakland County, Mich., in 1863, to Miss Angie 1. Matiee, who was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., a daughter of John Matice, who was an early settler of New York. After residing successively at Good- rich and Lapeer, Mr. Davis, in 1865, removed to St. Louis, Mo., where he was admitted to the St. Louis Bar, and remained there two years.
In 1867. he removed to Springfield, Ill., where he took a contract to build a $100,000 convent, which was completed at the end of two years. In 1868, he came to East St. Louis, IH., and has since been one of the foremost legal practitioners of this section. He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1877 for one term, and in 1887 was elected City Attorney on the Citizens' Ticket, and was re- elected in 1889. He is the father of two children: Carrie (Mrs. David Sage), and Inez. He has been a supporter of Republican principles all his life, and socially, belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Methodist Episcopal Church. HIe has been an active and publie-spirited citizen of the town, has always been faithful to her inter- ests. and as an attorney has not his superior in East St. Louis.
OHN FREDERICK MUELLER. The gentle- man whose honored name heads this sketch is a resident of Mascoutah Township, St. Clair County, Ill. He is another of the representatives that the great nation of Germany lias sent to our shores, and like so many others, he has found the land of his adoption a very pleas- ant and fruitful one.
Mr. Mueller was born in Prussia, Germany, Ang- ust 24, 1828, where he was reared and educated, and remained until 1849, when he crossed the great ocean, and made his way to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he first located and engaged in farming, remaining there until the following year, when he decided to follow the course of the sun and "go West." Ilis choice in this second removal was Belleville, Ill,, where he was employed for two
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years by Mr. Bunson and Mr. Neuhoff. At the close of that time our subject decided that it is not good for man to be alone, so he won and mar- ried Miss Henrietta Mann, the daughter of Nielio- las Mann, one of the early settlers of this place.
After the marriage of this happy couple, they settled on land rented of Mr. Neuhoff, and here they lived for ten years, when, things having prospered, our subject bought the nice farm he now is the proud owner of. The happy owners removed to their own property with glad hearts, and here they have lived ever since, improving the land which they earned by the sweat of their brows. This fine farm consists of two hundred and three aeres of as choice land as can be found in the county, all of which is in a splendid state of culti- vation, except about sixteen acres of timber.
On this farm, in which our subject takes so much innocent and justifiable pride, are neat farm buildings and large barns, which with the fences are in good repair. All of the improvements to be observed on the place have been made by this energetic fariner, who is resolved to make his farm one of the best in the county, and if he continues to improve as much in the future as he has done in the past. there is no doubt but that he will suc- ceed. On this farm Mr. Mueller raises principally grain, corn being his choice.
On this farm, which is located on section 21, re- side Mr. Mueller. his wife and two children, Mag- gie and Annie, the former of whom is married to John Renth. but who still remains at the old home, her parents preferring that she and her husband make their home with them. Here, in contentment and happiness dwell this family, of whom our sub- ject is the honored head. and nowhere will the vis- itor find more hospitality than at the home of Mr. Mueller. When he came to America, he was in the condition of so many emigrants, very poor, but his honest industry and perseverance have aided him in the amassing of a large property, although some assistance he received, from Germany after some year's residence in this country, was of much benefit to him. Even without this help there is no doubt that he would have succeeded, for he has many of the qualities that are necessary for suc- ress, and these, coupled with the industry and econ-
omy of his faithful wife, made success a sure thing. In politics, our subject is a firm adherent of the prin- ciples of the Republican party, and loyally supports its platforms and measures, firmly upholding its ac- tions in all places and upon all occasions, and on ac- count of this firmness of political conviction, he is a man of some prominence in the politics of the township.
REDRICK MOENLMANN, SR. One of the most extensive of the manufacturing concerns of Belleville, and one which has largely contributed to its importance as a center for the supply of machinery. is that now conducted by Mr. Fredrick Moehlmann, and located at the corner of Illinois and Second North Streets, or as it is now called B Street. He is engineer and proprietor of this flourishing shop, and is a gentle- man of accurate knowledge of the business and wide acquaintance in the trade. Like many of the enterprising and progressive men of the county, Mr. Moelilmann is of foreign birth, a native of Hanover, Germany, born on the 25th of December, 1828, and his parents, Henry and Margaret ( Pieper) Moehlmann, were natives of the Old Country also, the father being a carpenter by trade.
In the fall of 1836, the family, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Moehlmann and their two children, our subject and Herman (who died in 1837), erossed the deep to America, and settled in Illinois. The father followed carpentering in connection with trading until his death about 1870. He was a hard-working, industrious citizen, and was well known and universally respected. lle resided where our subjeet now lives for forty-six years, and took an active interest in all landable or worthy enterprises.
Fredrick Moehlmann was but eight years of age when he crossed the ocean to America, and his first recollections of the town of Believille were that it was but a village. He attended the sub- seription schools then in vogue. secured a fair ed- ucation, and subsequently began learning carpen-
Louis Grof,
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tering with his father. Later, he learned engineer- ing on the river. After this he became a millwright and established a machine shop in 1856. By in- dustry and close attention to business he became the owner of two large lots in town, and on these he established a large machine shop, a brick build- ing, operated by a thirty-horse power engine.
Mr. Moehlmann is thoroughly familiar with every detail of his business, and manufactured threshing-machines, drills, etc., until after the war, when he leased the millwright trade. He is one of the oldest men in that business in town. He has been a resident of this county for many years, has held a number of local positions, and in every walk of life his career has been both honorable and upright.
Our subject selected his life companion in the person of Miss Augusta Doerre, a native of Ger- many, who came to this country in the year 1848, and their nuptials were celebrated on the 3d of July, 1852. Three children have been the fruits of this union, and are named as follows: Louis, Edward and Fredrick, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Moehl- mann are worthy and exemplary members of the Free St. Paul's Church, and contribute liberally to its support.
Le OU'IS GROSS was the first citizen of East St. Louis who laid out an addition beyond the corporate limits of the city. For many years he has been engaged in the field of realty operations in this vicinity, and has attained a con- spicuous place in the front rank of property owners. To achieve such prominence as that to which he has attained, is an evidence of the possession of personal and business qualities of the highest order.
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