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 64
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6 HOMAS KNOEBEL, PH. G. This popular pharmacist, as well as intelligent gentle- man, conducts a flourishing business at No. 209 Collinsville Avenue, East St. Louis. Born at Belleville August 30. 1859,the ninth of the ten chil- dren of Carl Knoebel, he spent his boyhood days at that place, graduating from the Belleville Iligh School in 1876. Accepting a position with Adolph Finke, of East St. Louis, as drug apprentice, he shortly after entered the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, graduating in the spring of 1880 with honorable mention.
Realizing the value of the microscope in phar- macy, Mr. Kuoebel again entered the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, taking a special course in microscopy. In 1881, he bought the drug stock and fixtures from his former employer, and in 1888 purchased property at No. 209 Collinsville Avenue, where he moved his stock of goods, and where he has been located since that time.
Mr. Knoebel has always been an active worker in all things pertaining to the upbuilding of pharmacy as a profession. He took a prominent part in securing the Pharmacy Law in Illinois, and has also been identified with the Illinois Pharma- ceutical Association, having served in it in various capacities as both an officer and member. Ile is also a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association and the St. Louis Club of Micro- scopists, and is one of the active, conscientious and progressive young pharmacists of the West. lle enjoys literary work and frequently contributes to the local press.
As a citizen of East St. Louis, Mr. Knoebel has ever had unbounded faith in its future and is a strong supporter of all measures to further its advancement, In proof of this is ciled the fact that
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his was the first building on Collinsville Avenue raised to the new grade established. Public-spir- ited, deliberate and generous, his name has been and ever will be closely allied with the best interests of the new East St. Louis. Mr. Knoebel was married March 20, 1883. to Miss Minnie D. Eslaman, of Belleville, III.
ILLIAM WAELTZ is a noteworthy farmer and citizen, who by indefatigable industry, perseverance and good common sense raised himself from poverty to affluence, and is to- day one of the wealthy men of his community. llis pleasant home is on section 8, Fayetteville Township. Our subjeet was born in Hesse-Darm- stadt, Germany, June 27, 1821. His father, Conrad Waeltz, was also a native of that province, where he married Miss Margaret Metzler and worked at the shoemaker's trade.
In 1833, Conrad Waeltz came to America with his wife and seven children, five boys and two girls, and located on Turkey Hill, where he resided until his death in 1836. The mother remained a widow three years, when she married Henry Funk. Both are now deceased.
William Waeltz served a two-years apprentice- ship in a blacksmith shop in Mascoutah before his mother's second marriage. Later, he located in Columbia, Monroe County, and worked at his trade one year, at the expiration of which time he came to Darmstadt and opened a blacksmith shop, which he operated for twelve successive years. While here, our subject, realizing that it was not well for man to live alone, took for his life companion Miss Barbara, daughter of Mr. Dressel, who was formerly a blacksmith but in later years turned his attention to farming, and passed away in this county.
From Darmstadt, Mr. Waeltz removed to Hill Prairie, where he operated a farm for three years. At the end of that time he came to Fayetteville, where he engaged in the milling business two and a- half years, when his mill burned down. Then he located west of the city and carried on farming
until 1874, when he removed to Freeburg and re- tired from business. During his residence here in 1880, his wife died, leaving a family of three chil- dren: Regina, wife of Volentine Heil, lives near Marissa, this county; Lena. the wife of George Erb, resides on a portion of the home farm; and Hannah, wife of John Rank, who was crippled in the late war and is supported by his pension, lives in Fay- etteville.
After residing in Freeburg for seven years, Mr. Waeltz spent a year in visiting among his daugh- ters, and at the end of that time he married Mrs. Catherine Sauerwein. Two children have been born to them, namely: Charles E. I. E., born April 2, 1883; and William, March 29, 1888. For two years after his second marriage he made his home in Fayetteville, and then located upon his present farm, which comprises four hundred and sixty-two acres of well-cultivated land. The place is notice- able for the neat and substantial buildings, as well as the appearance of thrift which shows that the owner is a careful manager and understands the best method of conducting his work.
In his religious connections, Mr. Waeltz is a member of the Lutheran Church and an honorable exponent of its faith. lle closely identifies him- self with local polities as a Republican, and has served as .Fudge of Elections for the past twenty- five years. In 1892, he cast his thirteenth vote for President, and during the years that have inter- vened he has lost no opportunity of promoting the interests of his chosen party. He is a member of Freeburg Lodge No. 418, F. & A. M., and has served as its Treasurer.
LEXANDER WILDY, a prosperous and representative agriculturist of St. Clair County, and for many years a leading business man of Lenzburg Township, was born in 1854, within a few miles of his present homestead, and is universally respected in the neighborhood where he has spent his useful and busy life. Hlis parents were John and Jacopena
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Wildy. Jolin Wildy was born upon the old farm, in 1827, and was the son of Samuel and Susan (Stinson) Wildy. Samuel Wildy, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was born in Switzer- land, and emigrated to America when a young man, before his marriage, and settled upon Dutch Ilill Prairie, in Lenzburg Township, St. Clair County, Ill.
John Wildy had but few educational advantages and early engaged in the active work of life. His father had bequeathed to him about two hundred and fifty acres of land, and in 1853 he married Jacopena Traup, a daughter of Jacob and Maggie (Farber) Traup, all natives of Wurtemberg, Ger- many. The mother of our subjeet was born in the Fatherland in 1832, and her father was born in the year 1800, her mother in 1797. Jacob Traup was a shoemaker by trade, and followed this avoca- tion until he came to the United States in 1848, when he settled upon a farm in St. Clair County. and entered into the duties of agricultural life. This worthy man and excellent citizen died in 1856, and his good wife passed away in 1853. The mother of our subject was one of two dangh- ters, her sister, Mary, being the wife of John Bau- ersachs.
Alexander Wildy, our subject, is one of nine children, one of whom died in infaney. The family of brothers and sisters are Alexander; Albert, who married Carrie Bueger; John, who married Lizzie Schneider; Mary, Amelia, C'alvin .I., llerman P. and Frank R. Our subject remained with his mother after the death of his father until he had attained manhood, and completed his edu- cation in Warrenton College of Missouri, being then well fitted for the battle of life. Devoting most of his efforts to agricultural pursuits, he has also handled successfully general merchandise, running a store in Lenzburg with his brother, John.
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In 1885, Mr. Wildy was married to Miss Katie Schneider, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Schneider, natives of Germany, who early emi- grated to America, making the land of the free the birthplace of their children. Mrs. Wildy is a na- tive of St. Clair County, and has a large cirele of friends in her lifetim . home. Four children have been born unto our subject and his estimable wife,
namely: llarry; Pearl; Grant and Clark, twins. The pleasant home of the family is upon the well- improved farm of two hundred and twenty acres. Mr. and Mrs. Wildy are valued members of the German Methodist Episcopal Church, and are ever ready to aid in its social and benevolent work. Mr. Wildy is a Prohibitionist, and believes in the ultimate triumph of the party. Our subject is a man of strong convictions, and as an earnest and publie-spirited citizen commands the regard of all his friends and neighbors.
P ETER STAUDER. Belleville has its full quota of vigorous, enterprising, thorough- going business men, whose popularity is based upon both their social qualities and their well-known integrity and business activity, None among these is better liked by those who have dealings with them than he of whom we now write. Born in St. Clair County, Ill., on the 2d of March, 1837, Mr. Stauder inherits his thrift and energy from his Teutonie ancestors, his par- ents, John and Magdalena (Klonich) Stauder, being natives of Germany.
The father was reared in the Fatherland and when still a single man decided that America was the land of promise, and in 1833 crossed the ocean. Ile settled in St. Clair County, Ill., was married in Belleville to Miss Klonich, and then began working at the stonemason's and bricklayer's trades. Ile was a contractor and builder, who fur- nished the stone from the quarry and the brick from his own yard. Ile put up many of the first good buildings in the eity and many resi- dences both in the city and country. This busi- ness he continued very successfully until his death in 1879. Ile left a widow and seven chil- dren, but three of the children died shortly after- ward. Those surviving are: Peter, our subject; Margaret, wife of Fred Swatzenba; Adam, in Belleville; and Joseph, of St. Louis.
The grandfather of our subject, Adam Stauder. also came to the United States and bought a farm
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on Rieh Prairie. On this he ereeted a chapel of the Catholic Church, this being the first in this section, and it was erected even before any in Belle- ville. There was also a ('atholie cemetery on his place and many were buried there before the cemetery was laid out in the city. A Catholic priest, Father Meier, was here at that time. In 1844 the church was moved to Belleville during the time of high water. The grandfather followed the occupation of a farmer and was one of the prominent early German Catholies here. Before the county farm was built he had charge of the county poor, the first one under his charge being Blind Fritz.
The scholastic training of our subject was re- ceived from Father Donne, and at an early age he commenced learning his father's trade. After reaching man's estate, he married Miss Catherine Schmidt, a native of Germany and the daughter of Anton Schmidt. This union took place on the 3d of May, 1859, and directly afterward Mr. Stauder began contracting and doing brick and stone work. Hle has erected many good buildings-the Reneh- ler Building in 1863, many fine brick buildings, and many eity residences and stores. The City Hospital was ereeted by him, the Orphan Asylum, St. Libori Church, New Athens Catholic Church, C'atholie Church m Bartelso (III.), Fulton Lutheran Church, Baptist Church of Belleville, and St. Luke's Church. During busy seasons he usually works about twenty men in all. Besides a fine lot in Belleville Mr. Stauder owns a fine lot. 80x70 feet, on Second Street, opposite the hospital, where he has a fine large building.
Our subject has made his home at Belleville ever since 1883, and owns real estate interests in the St. Clair Addition, where he is now building. He had born to his marriage eleven children. s1x of whom are now living, viz: Mary, wife of Charles Ebhle; Christian; Joseph, who married Miss Pauline Koch; Anna, Adilla and Peter Michael. Mr. Stauder is a member of St. Peter's Church and is active in all good works. He is a member of the Catholic Knights of America and Catholic Knights of Illinois, He was Alderman of the Fourth Ward for four years, and is a mem- ber of the Bankers' Insurance Company.
Mrs. Stauder's father, Anton Schmidt, was born in Prussia, Germany, in 1813, and was there mar- ried to Miss Elizabeth Keizer. He came to Amer- ica and settled in Belleville in 1852, where he was a successful farmer. Mrs. Stauder was born in Ger- many on the 24th of May, 1839.
R ICHARD WANGELIN. The original of this sketch is the ('ashier of the Belleville Savings Bank and has held the position since 1882, having entered the bank April 1, 1865, as Teller, in which place he continued until 1878, when he became Assistant Cashier and later Cashier. This bank opened its doors for business February 11, 1860, with a subscribed eap- ital stock of 866,000, of which twenty per cent. was paid. The bank remained where it was opened until 1865, when the present hank was built. The first President was Edward Abend, who is the pres- ent President. The capital stock has been in- creased by earnings, until now $150,000, with a surplus of over $100,000, represents the stock. In 1891 they put in a fine Safety Deposit Vault from the Diebold Safe and Lock Company, and also a burglar-proof safe inside, with time lock and auto- matic self-locking device.
Our subject was born in Shiloh Valley, in this county, January 27, 1845, and was the son of Hugo Wangelin, who came early to this county from Germany, in 1833, when only sixteen years old. He married Miss Bertha Schubert, of Shiloh, who also came from Germany. After the birth of oui subjeet the family came to Belleville, where the father engaged in merchandising and after- ward in milling in Lebanon. He later served as Colonel of the Twelfth Missouri Infantry until the close of the war, when he received the commission of Brigadier-General and then was made Postmaster of this city for eight years, and also served as Alderman. His death occurred in February, 1882. at the age of sixty-four years, he leaving a wife and seven children to mourn his death. The children
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are as follows: Anna, wife of Frederick Ropiequet of this city; Louisa: Edward, Otto, who lives in Boulder. Colo .. and who is editor of the Herald of that place; Irvin II. and Walter.
Our subject was educated at Belleville and at MeKendree College in Lebanon, and after leaving school was appointed Deputy Postmaster at Belle- ville and later Deputy Cireuit Clerk of St. Clair County, in which capacity he served until he en- listed in Company II, One Hundred and Forty- second Illinois Infantry, on the 18th of May, 1861. He was made First Sergeant and was sent to Tenn- essee and was with that army until the expiration of his service. After his return he took a course in Bryant and Stratton's Commercial College in St. Louis, then entered the bank, where he retained his position for twenty-seven years. Mr. Wange- lin is the oldest Cashier in this eity. Our subject was married May 23, 1867, to Miss Sophia Evans, of Belleville, and seven children have resulted from this union, as follows: llugo E., who is prac- tieing medieine in this city; Ernest E., paymaster at the Belleville Steel Works; Olive, Wanda, Fred- rick, Louis and Hettie May. Mr. Wangelin is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Liederkranz, and is very highly regarded by his employers.
G EORGE HENTZEL, a prosperous and ex- tensive farmer and for more than a half- century a resident of St. Clair County. Ill., was one of the pioneer agriculturists of Dutch Hill Prairie, and well known to all the community in and about Lenzburg Township, where he is highly respected as an energetic, industrious and upright citizen. Our subjeet was born in Germany in the year 1832. His parents, Jacob and Mary Hentzel, were also natives of the Fatherland, and were reared and educated and married in the home of their childhood. When little ones clustered about them, they talked of emigrating to the land beyond the ocean, where there would be greater opportunities for their sons and daughters,
The father had been trained to the duties of farming and had from his earliest days taken an active part in the work of life, and although he had but little capital did not fear to try his for- tunes in America. In 1836, when our subject was a little boy only four years old, his parents with their family and a few belongings bade adieu to the scenes of their lifetime and, parting from old friends and associations, left behind them the shores of the Old World and safely crossing the broad Atlantic, landed in the United States. Jacob HIentzel first brought his family to St. Louis, where he found employment working out by the day. Both the father and mother desired to settle upon a farm with their family, and an opportunity of- fering itself. they were about to avail themselves of it, when the good wife sickened and died in St. Louis.
The desolate father left with the care of his fam- ily soon after removed to St. Clair County and made an excellent investment, buying at a low price a good farm. which has increased ten-fold in value. Mr. Jacob Hlentzel married again, but did not long survive his second union, dying in 1838, and leaving our subjeet an orphan indeed. Thrown upon his own resources at a very early age, George Hentzel began to be self-supporting when eleven years old. Working steadily for others nn- til he was twenty-three years of age, he managed out of his small wages to get together a little cap- ital, and having now arrived at mature years was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Wildy, a daughter of Jacob and Margaret Wildy, early set- tlers in the locality.
Mr. and Mrs. Hentzel are the parents of nine children, of whom three daughters and two sons yet survive: Jacob, Mary, Caroline, George and Josephine. The brothers and sisters are in their various homes well known and are useful, honest and industrious citizens, respected by all who know them. Mr. and Mrs. Hentzel are hfelong members of the Lutheran Church, and have ever aided in the support and good work of that religious or- ganization. Politically, our subject is a strong Republican, and a firm believer in the principles of the party. Beginning life without influential friends or capital, the energy, courage and persev-
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erance of Mr. Hentzel have been rewarded with financial prosperity, and his fine farm of six hun- dred and fifty acres, all under excellent cultivation, gives evidence of his good management, thrift and natural ability.
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OHIN A. DAY, proprietor of the Day Brick Company at Belleville, the largest and most prominent brick manufactory in St. Clair County, was born in St. Louis February 25. 1855. His father. Ignatius A. Day, emigrated from Germany to America and settled in St. Louis in 1849. Ile married Miss Clara Mueller, who then resided in St. Louis, although she, like her husband, was a native of Germany, the former having been born in Eisfelt and the latter in Berncastel, on the Moselle. Mr. Day engaged in the tobacco business on Second Street and was a prominent citizen of St. Louis. In 1866, aecom- panied by his family, he returned to Germany and remained in Trier until his death, January 1, 1887. His first wife died in 1857, and he afterward mar- ried Miss Bertha Abend, of Centreville, Ill.
In the parental family there were five children, but our subjeet was the only one of these who re- turned to America and established a home. The others are: Mrs. Edward Lintz, who resides in Dusseldorf, Germany; Mrs. Angehea Sieben, of Aix la Chapelle; Anna B. and Ferdinand Joseph, who make their home in Trier.
John A. Day attended school in Germany from the time he was eleven years of age until he was nineteen, when he was graduated from the school at Trier. Afterward he was employed as clerk for three years in the wholesale drug business at Ant- werp. In 1879, he returned to the United States and spent three years in Davenport, Iowa, in the employ of Nicholas Kuhnen, wholesale tobacconist. He next spent three years in St. Louis in the employ of Meyer Bros. & Co., wholesale drug dealers, and at ยท the expiration of that time he came to Belleville and embarked in the brick business, which he is now successfully conducting. The plant repre-
sents a capital of $35,000, and has an output of forty thousand briek per day. The factory is lo- cated on the Freeburg Road, corner of Tenth Street, where fifty acres are devoted to brick manufac- ture. The yard was in 1882 established by Mr. Day and Mr. Ed. Abend, who has lately sold out his inter- est to Mr. Day, and contains all the modern improve- ments for the manufacture of briek. From forty to sixty men are given steady employment and the enterprise has proved most successful. Switching lines connect the yards with the Cairo Short Line, by which the company ship their goods to all parts of the country. They manufacture the reg- ular pressed bricks of a fine grade and also com- mon bricks.
November 3, 1886, Mr. Day married Miss Lena, daughter of Edward Abend, and they have one child, Ilelen Josephinc. The family residence is pleasantly located at No. 322 South Illinois Street. Mr. Day is a Director of the Belleville Savings Bank and the Belleville Gas Light & Coke Co. He is a successful business man and throughout his entire life has exhibited great talent in that direction. Ile enjoys the respect of his fellow- citizens and the esteem of a wide circle of friends. Being well-to-do, he is enabled to exercise his benevolent spirit and is always ready to aid the deserving and the industrions.
M. PRIESTER, merchant tailor and agent for the Acme Brewing Company, is the owner of one of the most decided acquisi- tions in mereantile enterprises in East St. Louis. ITis house is the headquarters for fashionable tailor- ing, where garments to measure embody every feature of grace and elegance. The measuring and cutting are done upon correct principles, and a stock of very fine woolens is kept to select from that covers all the imported novelties in shades, patterns and textures. F. M. Priester was born in ITesse-Darmstadt, Germany, February 23, 1854, in which country his father is a successful merehant tailor. The latter was in the Rebellion
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of 1848 in Schleswig-holstein. Ilis wife, formerly Miss Anna M. Fainkauff, died in 1889. Nine sons were born of this union, three of whom are living: N. J., a traveling salesman of Minneapolis; Leon, a business man of St. Louis; and F. M., the subject of this sketch.
F. M. Priester attended common, private and Iligh School, and finished his education under a private tutor. entering, at the age of fifteen years, his father's tailoring establishment, where he ob- tained a practical insight into the business. After a time he entered the School of Cutting at Dres- den, where he remained until about twenty-one years of age. After traveling for some time he entered the German army, becoming a member of the Twenty-fifth Regiment, Eleventh Army Corps, of llesse-Darmstadt, serving until honor- ably discharged at the end of three years. Later, he served six months longer, then got his pass to come to America for the purpose of visiting the country, but became so favorably impressed with it that he decided to stay. The voyage from Brem- en to New York occupied eight days, and the steamer in which he sailed, "Pomerania," sunk on its way back to the Old Country. After a short residence in Philadelphia, he went to Ann Arbor. Mich., where he worked at his trade for two years, but on the 6th of October, 1879, came to Belle- ville, Ill., and started in business for himself, his thorough knowledge of his calling winning him almost immediate recognition in East St. Louis and neighboring towns, as well as in Belleville. Since 1890, he has been a resident of East St. Louis, his establishment being located at No. 310 Broadway.
Ilis business necessitates the employment of eight or nine men. and sometimes twice that number are employed with profit. The garments inade at that house are recognized by a critical pub- lie as perfect in style and fit, and artistic in work- manship, and to seek his services onee is to be his patron always. Among his permanent customers are many of East St. Louis' best-dressed citizens, who thoroughly appreciate and understand the merits of a first-class tailor. He is an accomplished master of the art of cutting and fitting, liberal and just in his dealings, and has won success by deserv-
ing it. In 1891, he became connected with the American Brewing Company as agent for Illinois, and keeps two men constantly on the road, besides doing a great deal of work in that line himself. He is interested in an ice manufactory of the place, and has in other ways shown himself to be an enterprising citizen.
lle was married in Belleville in December, 1853, to Miss Rose E. Lenz, who was born in St. Louis, a daughter of August Lenz, a pioneer citizen of the former place. Their union has resulted in the birth of three children: August, Annie and Rosa. Mr. Priester is a Democrat politically, and on vari- ous occasions has been a delegate to the county and State conventions.
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