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 75
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Around her. Lo, a figure lank and lean
Approaches. From her strange and ghostly mien She would have fled. But when she spoke in tone So mild and clear, and made her message known, The timid Sadra listened. She addressed ITer thus: "If ever more thon wouldst be blest, I tell thee of the sunny land where flow The Indus and the Ganges, and where grow The choicest fruits and tropic plants, and where, Embedded 'neath the soil, are treasures rare; Where mind has soared and victory has crowned Their lofty search, and truth eternal's found- With Vedie hymns and prayers and Indian lore, With sacred streams and Vishnu to adore- With torture of the body and supreme Dislike of matter. Let thy beauty seem An evil, and behold my haggard face
With many a bruise and scar. Thine outward grace
Is guilt and evil, nought beneath the stars Is good but spirit. Now with ugly scars I pray thee may thy form so true and fair Be bruised. Seek some forest where The prickly thorn is growing. and amid Its many ugly branches I now bid Thee thrust thyself, for thou shalt save thy soul By means of conscious pain. Would'st thou be whole ?-
Wish not for death. wish not for life, repeat The self-inflicted torture. and may heat And cold combine to rack thy frame, then pore For many a day through all the Vedic lore.
. Come follow me and I will show thee how We sacrifice to Vishnu, how to bow Before those forms inscribed upon the stone- Of men with elephantine heads, and grown From human shape reptilian heads And grisly monsters." Sadra trembles, dreads
The horrid visage, looks about, and when Thick darkness throws its mantle o'er her, then With quickest speed she darted thro' the wood. While every form amid the solitude Was like some ghostly figure. Soon she dreamed Beneath the humble roof, while faintly gleamed A ray of light upon her burdened soul; And while she longed the mystery to unroll, She pondered thus: " There is one God who made The world. With wondrous wisdom was each blade Of grass and flower formed. The heavens show His might. But does He see me, hear me, know
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Me, love me? Is there hope beyond? Will fear Of just desert be gone by trusting?" Near Her view the clouds would almost open ; day By day the thought repeated. and the ray Of light still lingered. Hope revived. She sought To hear the voice of nature, and, while naught Responded, she did love to wander where The beauteous forms around her did declare The wisdom of the great Creator. Near The sound of falling waters, where appear The ripples of the stream on rocky bed. Where come to view the caves and lofty head Of jutting cliffs, the seething foam and spray From falling cataract, did Sadra stray. The snow-white poppy and the craggy ledge And creeping ivy vines, and by the edge Of running streams the tufts of moss, and 'round The foot of hills the green turf, and the sound Of feathered songsters warbling in the air Their notes of sweetest cadence. bade all care To flee away. But while in reverie 'Mid varied forms beneath the can opy Of nature, lo, appears a distant gleam Of sword or sabre. Must she ford the stream And seek the woody shelter? Can it be That from this beauteous Eden she must flee? Again she looks. A giant form draws near, With armor flashing in the sunlight. Fear. Now tries the nerve of Sadra, for the deep And rapid stream that flows beneath the steep Rock rushes madly, while a warrior foc Did cause her heart to quail. His piercing eye Bespoke of war. But ere a shriek or ery She utters, he has thrown his sword aside And scimitar. " The deep and flowing tide I pray thee do not cross," be said and smiled. With pleasing words, he spoke in accents mild- " Two camel marches from the great Red Sea. 'Mid wild Arabian hills, idolatry
Is banished evermore. "Tis Mecca by The Mount of Light, where intersecting ways Bring pilgrims from afar, who love and praise The hallowed spot. Within its wall there stands The sacred mosque, whose solemn form demands Our reverence. Enclosed by colon nade They see the holy Ka'ba that was made By prophets old, and on its holy wall The consecrated black stone. which, at call Of Abraham, the Angel Gabriel brought From starry height, and millions there have sought
Its mystic touch. O'erspread with black brocade From hoary Egypt's city, and o'erland With band adorned with golden letters, wrought With skill from sacred Koran, where is taught The way to heaven: the holy place we view And near its site, the cager throng renew
Their vigor by the water from the weil Of Hagar. There is naught that can excel The words of wisdom that the suppliants hear. In reverence now they gather and with ear Attentive listen to the message. Lighit to all Who seek a heaven above, where bright Robed angels sing and chant their pæans, came From lips of Islam's follower, whose aim It was a brighter, holier light to shed- Not everlasting chaos for the dead. There is no god but God; the Islam faith Brings life and light and heaven, all others death. All others let them be accursed. The priest Continues, says the crescent has released From death the millions who accepted, said If all would bow and worship, then the dread That filled their soul and made them sad would
flee.
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And heaven's brightest glories they would see. Then prostrate on their face the people pray And mutter . Allah! Allah! "-"Daughter, say Before me now that thou will ever be The humble follower and devotee
Of Islam," said the stranger in a tone Persuasive. Lovely Sadra, almost won By words inspiring, asked " If God so great Would, like a tender Father, bid the weight Of sin be gone, and love me, or am l A slave and God a tyrant? " No reply. The winning smile has disappeared, and now With voice stentorian, vengeance on his brow, He added, " Holy Just One, most divine, Ilas ordered this, the crescent, Islam's sign, To be a mark of fealty. May it be thine Forever, wilt thou not? Then we combine With mortal weapons." Then with rapid move Hle grasped his sword and scimitar to prove
ller loyalty, and spoke: "A conquering host, We're marching on ward, and demanding most Abject obedience to our faith." Then flashed Ilis gleaming armor, and with force he dashed Beside the rapid stream on rocky bed Whereon he stood a clump of clay, and said " So may it ever be to one and all,
To every race who live upon this ball Who follow not the crescent." Human tongue Can ne'er describe her terror. Fear had wrung IIer nerves, and horrid death was near her. Yield She could not. "God," she cried. "come nigh and wield
Some power to set me free!" But list, a cry That rent the air! The warrior fell to die; Then rose a shout of triumph, while drew nigh The bitter foe of Islam, vengeance in his eye. And while she stood and trembled with alarm lle came a friend, and bade her fear no harm. "Well might you quail before that vilest foe,"
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He said, " but my protecting Aegis, lo I give you, 'tis the erueifix, the sign Of Calvary, Redemption will be thine If thou accept." But Sadra, weak with fright, Implored protection ere the coming night Should bring thiek darkness. "Sisters, come," he said,
When rose two forms, in plain attire, who led The frightened Sadra to their palace home. With tender voice the Sisters bade her come And seek repose .- The morning breaks; the day Has dawned, and ere the maiden goes her way. While in the palmy grove on rustie seat, The loving sisters offer to repeat The story of the eross, and thus recite: " If thou would'st know the only fount of light, Far off by aneient Tiber's flowing stream Amid the seven hills, where once did gleam The flickering, glimmering light of pagan lore, And heathen emperors ruled from shore to shore, The Eternal City stands. The reverend head Of all the churelily power, designed to shed The light of truth o'er all the world. resides Within its gates and sits enthroned, presides As the annointed one with mystie key To open heaven's doors and grant the tree Of life to all who worship and adore The holy faith. Come kneel and bow before Ilis chosen priest, the secrets of thy heart Unbosom. and forever will depart Thy guilt; and wear the crucifix, the sign Of Him who came and showed His power divine. And died and rose." A loving parting word, And Sadra hastened, pondering what she heard. Nor pope, nor priest, nor city, nor the power Of churchly inle were valued in the hour Of meditation, but the One who died Upon the cross, and as she thought she sighed And breathed a prayer-" Be merciful to me!" Time moved with rapid pace, and speedily Were changes wrought. And now a guest refined Approaches where beneath the bongh reclined The gentle Sadra. Gracefully he speaks, And softly does she answer, while he seeks To win her favor. 'Neath that spreading tree, Where violets bloomed and sweet anemone, Where gentle zephyrs fanned her golden locks, Near by the jutting eliff of flinty roeks, 'Mid lovely foliage with its fragrance sweet. They sat in converse on the rural seat. The seenes through which she passed, the thought that wove Upon her, she recounted. " Nevermore, I pray thee," said her guest " allow thy thought To wander in the dark. I long have sought To know the truth. We live where myths abound-
There is no faith in all the world around Entitled to our credit; and no light Except from nature. Banish from your sight The endless creeds that stay all progress, sean For naught the Koran, Vedas, Bible. Man Should never be enslaved to fables. Turn Your thoughts from prodigies and wonders. Learn The world of facts, for we have reached beyond The miracles, and conjurer's magie wand, The puerile words of Buddha, Laotse, Confucius and the Christ of Galilee. The flimsy ground on which their teachings stand Has broken down. No longer they command Respect from thoughtful men. The mighty acts Of men of seience, dealing in a world of facts, Demand our homage." With triumphant air Ile ceased. A pause ensued, and Sadra fair Did softly question thus: "What then is true?" A painful pause, and then the silence grew Prolonged. No answer. Now beneath the brow Of yonder hill, the sun is sinking low, While twilight shades are thickening; lovingly lle clasps her hand in his and winningly Awaits a glance responsive; vain his art! And with a parting word and heavy heart Ile turns his homeward way. In shady grove, In after time, where anciently did rove The wild and savage natives, she did gaze I'pon the throng assembling. What a maze When motley crowds their many voices raise In honor of their gods! And while all praise Their faith, she sees the wild and haggard face Of Brahma's devotee, and with her lovely graee The beauteous form of Buddha's worshipper The holy crescent's gleam, the messenger Of Rome with erucifix, and in the train Believers in the spirit world, who fain Would seek adherents, and agnosties small And great, Confucius' followers, and all Who follow Abraham. Now stands in view A messenger of peace to tell the trne From false. They hear his voice, profound The silence reigns. They ne'er have heard the sound
Of words so weleome. Thus the stranger spoke, "If thou wouldst know the only easy yoke Allied with freedom, hear the joyful sound Of Zion's song to all the world around, And know the one true light, the guiding star. There is a chain of lakes that stretches far Within a mighty continent, and one Extending southward, on whose shore has grown A mighty eity. On a gentle rise of ground Still sonthward from the bustle and the sound Of city clamor, is the modest seat Of Christian learning. There inquirers meet
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And learn of Him who was a sacrifice For all who hear His message. Analyze The truth and sift the error, then go forth As heralds to proclaim Ilis matchless wortlı. Thence came I to this beauteous isle to tell Of Him whose rising glory doth excel. He speaks to you. 'Come unto Me and I Will give you rest. God sent Me here to die That you may live.' " Thus boldly spoke the one Who came with joyful news. No sooner done, Than Sadra, anchored in the truth, did find Her burden gone. Now all the light combined Of Asia, Islam, and their boasted lore Did sink away invisible before
The brighter lustre of that glorious cross, And all their words of wisdom seemed but dross Beside the Christian hope and Christ who brings Redemption. Listen, while the stranger sings The Gospel songs! There comes the piercing cry. "What shall I do? Can hearts of crimson dye Be cleansed?" They hear, they live, the chorus song
They join, and praise the Son. Amid the throng Is heard the clash of arms, the voice of war To meet by foree the stranger from afar.
Again his voice is heard, while silence reigned- " No arms we bring. Our faith shall ne'er be stained
By worldly force. Shall we put out the stars That all may see the sun? We need not mar The feeble lights to make our deeds seem bright- Disturb not others with their glimmering light. The Son of Righteousness hath risen, shines His glory forth, and all the heathen shrines Will quickly crumble 'neath His heavenly rays, And all shall join Ilis holy name to praise."
Rev. Fuller has made a specialty of the study of Greck and Latin, and has read two of his liter- ary productions before the St. Louis Ministers' Association. During his career in the Chicago University he was class-poet during the entire course, and frequently read his productions in public. He also edited the Volante, the Univer- sity paper. May 16, 1882, he was united in marriage with Miss Alice Stearns, of Lake Gen- eva, Wis., a native of Oshkosh, Wis., and a daughter of L. P. and Alura A. (Kinney) Stearns, of Oshkosh. She was educated in her native place and Milwaukee, and for about seven years was a teacher in the public schools near Lake Geneva. She is a noble woman in every respect, and is a model in her home, in the church, and in the so- cial circle in which she moves. Quick in her
sympathies, intelligent and tactful in her honesty. brave in her modesty, she is a rare power in all her husband's work. She has borne her husband three children: Henry Ilill, born JJuly 13, 1883; William Edgar, who died at the age of three years; and Frederick Hudson, born September 11, 1892. Socially, Rev. Mr. Fuller is a member of the Knights of Pythias.
ENRY BERTELSMANN, who resides on sec- tion 4. Smithton Township, St. Clair County, III., was born in the Province of Hanover, Germany, in 1821. He came to this country in 1823. and first located at St. Louis. There he engaged in teaming, and made that city his home for thirty years, when he removed to St. Clair County, Ill., and rented a farm, which he cultivated. While living at St. Louis, he married Miss Maria Hamm, who bore him five children. Tiring of paying rent-money, and having saved up something, he looked out for a tract that would be suitable for a permanent home, and finally purchased the farm upon which he now lives. This consists of one hundred acres of good land. all of it well improved in conse- quence of industry and careful attention to all the details of the farm. Good tillage has brought tangible results, which permitted the erection of needed good buildings, fences, etc., most of which have been erected by Mr. Bertelsmann since he bought the place. Ilis eare has been to have a comfortable home for his family and a commodi- ous barn and outhouses for his stock. The princi- pal crops raised upon the farm are potatoes, corn, wheat, etc.
The marriage of Mr. Bertelsmann to Miss Hamm has resulted in a family of five children, all of whom are living. John C. lives at home and runs the farm for his father. He married Miss Teresa Yutzh, who has borne him ten cluldren, five of whom are living. Mary, the second child, is the widow of Frank Lachemeyer. J. H., the third child, lives in Smithton Township. Henry, the
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fourth, lives on the Centreville road. Annie, the fifth. the wife of Charles Weber, lives at Belleville. Our subject holds religious views that were in- stilled into him in his childhood and from which he has not in any wise departed. he being a mem- her of the Roman Catholic Church. While taking an interest in affairs relating to the county, State and nation, he does not take a prominent or very active part in polities. Still he has at heart the success of the Democratic party, which he always assists with his vote and his influence. During the late war, he was drafted into the army, but he could not find it convenient to go, so he hired a substitute, to whom he paid the sum of $1,000.
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C HARLES H. SAGER, of Lebanon Township, St. Clair County, Ill., was born November 5, 1838, at Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio. His father was born near Hamburg, Ger- many, June 12, 1800, and died July 1, 1877; his mother, born in Virginia in 1803, died in the year 1880. They were married in Ohio, and removed to Washington C. Il., Fayette County. Our subject is one of seven children, namely: Eliza- beth, who remained single, died at about the age of thirty-one; Jane, single, died at about the age of thirty-five; Eliza, single, living at Lebanon; M. S., manager of Washington Stamping Works, resid- ing at Washington C. II., Ohio, married to Miss Letta MeMaster; Irene, dying in childhood, at Oakland, Ohio; Frances, living in Arkansas City, Kan., married to J. II. Eckert, a lawyer, having two children, Mary and Fannie, twins. In his parents' family our subject was the fifth child.
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Our subject remained in Ohio until he was twenty years of age, when he came with his par- ents to Illinois, and engaged in the hardware and tinsmith business at his present location, his father being associated with him. Choice was made of this business because Charles had learned the trade of a tinsmith in Ohio. Ile was married, March 3, 1859, to Amelia Starkel, daughter of Charles and
Amelia Starkel, who were born in Germany and emigrated to America when Mrs. Sager was but eight years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Sager became the parents of five children, namely: Emil, living at St. Louis, employed in the retail department of the Simmons Hardware Company for the past eight years, also owning a hardware business in charge of his brother. James R., at Nos. 4106 and 4108 Easton Avenue, St. Louis, married Miss Addie Moore, by whom he has two boys; Francis died in infancy; Edgar, in the hardware and tinware business with his father, married Miss Sarah Fleischbein, by whom he has a daugh- ter; James R., living at St. Louis, in charge of his brother Emil's store, is single; and Jesse, living at home.
All the above-named children have been given a good education by their father, our subject. Emil, after receiving a common-school course, enjoyed the advantages offered by Mckendree College for one term, and a military academy for one year; Edgar was educated in the common schools; James supplemented a public-school course with manual training in Washington University. In his re- ligious faith our subject holds to the views of the Calvinistic school, and is a member of the Presby- terian Church. He is a member of the Ancient Or- der of United Workmen, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having passed the Chairs in the latter order. The principles of the Republican party are in full harmony with the opinions enter- tained by him. Chosen a member of the City Council, and otherwise prominent, his influence in party matters is universally recognized.
P ETER PREDIGER, a successful general agriculturist and well-known energetic and representative citizen, residing in Lenzburg Township, St. Clair County, Il., owns an excellent farm of one hundred acres of land, all under a high state of cultivation. Our subject is a native of Illinois, and was born upon the farm where he resides in the year 1856. He is
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the son of Peter and Naney (MeKahey) Prediger, both natives of Germany, where the father was born in 1817, and his wife, whose birthplace was not far from his, in the year 1826. When Peter Prediger was but a little lad of six years, he emi- grated with his parents to the United States.
Not long after their arrival in America, these paternal grandparents of our subject settled upon Dutch Hill Prairie and bought land which they patiently cultivated. After some years' sojourn in their new home, during which time they were ever industrious and law-abiding citizens, highly re- spected by all who knew them, the worthy hus- band and wife passed from their labors to a better world. At about the age of twenty-one years, Peter Prediger, Sr., married the mother of our subject, who was the daughter of James and Nancy McKahey, and a most estimable lady, and the mother of three sons: William, John and Peter, our subject. Jolin died in 1892. Peter Prediger, Sr., had but very limited advantages for an educa- tion, being left an orphan at the age of nine years. Very early in life forced to begin the struggle for an existenee, he proved himself a self-reliant, ener- getic and ambitious man. Beginning a poor and friendless boy, he won his way upward, and ac- cumulated a large tract of valuable land, which he cultivated and thereby acquired a competence. Po- litically, he was a true Democrat, and took an active interest in local and national affairs.
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Our subject was reared and educated upon the old homestead and in the neighboring schools. Thoroughly trained in the duties of agriculture, Peter Prediger, Jr., was well fitted to care for him- self and to make a comfortable home for a wife when, in 1880, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Metzzler, a daughter of Adam and Mary Metzzler. Into the pleasant and happy home of our subject and his good wife have come five bright and in- telligent children, Emma, Carrie, Otto, Linda and Bablin, who will each and all enjoy the ex- cellent educational advantages of their locality and home neighborhood. Mr. Prediger is a valued member of Belleville Lodge No. 92, K. P. Politi- cally, our subject is a Democrat, as was his father before him, and although never an aspirant for public office, ever takes an active interest in the
management of local and National affairs. Always ready to aid in the enterprises and improvements of the township and vicinity, Mr. Prediger does his duty as a true American citizen. and, as a native of St. Clair County, has been an eye-witness of the rapid growth and permanent advancement of all the prominent interests of the State. For the past thirty years, our subject has been identified with the history of his neighborhood and vicinity, and is highly regarded by the entire community, among whom he has passed his life from infancy to adult age.
h ON. JOSEPHI B. MESSICK, a leading attor- ney-at-law, located in East St. Louis, and widely known as Judge Messick, is one of the most prominent, able and influential citizens of Illinois. A gentleman of superior social and business attainments, commanding the esteem and confidence of all who know him, he has held various positions of trust and honor, and has been intimately associated of late with National and local politics.
Our subject was born in Macoupin County, Ill., seven miles south of Carlinville, January 29. 1847. His paternal grandfather, Abraham Mes- siek, was a native of Pennsylvania, but early settled in Kentucky, in which State Joseph Mes- sick, Sr., was born in 1814. Grandfather Messick was of German descent, and was an industrious and successful farmer of Christian County, Ky., and was known as a man of sterling integrity of character.
Joseph Messick, Sr., while yet a single man, went to Galena, where he remained about five years, when he removed to Sangamon County, afterwards making his home in Macoupin County. lle was acquainted with Abraham Lincoln, and, like him, in carly life assisted in splitting rails. In 1840 be returned to Kentucky. but soon again made himself a home upon eighty acres of land in Macoupin County, where he built a little rude log house of one room, and settled down to the pioneer
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experience of those early days. Energetic and ambitious, he achieved success, and became an ex- tensive land-owner of hundreds of valuable acres, but in unlneky investments of stock lost much of . his property. In the year 1876, he removed to Crawford County, Kan., near Girard, and bought a fine farm, which he cultivated until his death, in February, 1891. At one time he was a Whig, but later became an ardent Republican. In relig- ious affiliation he was, when a young man, a Bap- tist, but at the time of his demise was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The mother of our subject, Sarah E. ( Kittenger) Messick, was born in Kentucky, and was a daughter of Martin Kittenger, born in Pennsylvania, but an early settler and slaveholder of Kentucky. Mrs. Sarah Messick passed away March 3, 1861. Judge Messick was one of a family of mne children, four of whom are now living. The eldest brother, Daniel W., enlisted in 1861, at the first tap of the drum, in the Seventh Illinois Infantry, and at the expiration of three months re-en listed in the Thirty-second Illinois, soon receiving the de- served promotion of Orderly Sergeant. This brave, young and patriotic soldier was shot and killed in a skirmish at Pittsburgh Landing, March 1, 1862. lle was the first man killed in the regiment, and was mourned by all his companions of those troub- lous days. The Daniel Messick Post, G. A. R., in C'arlinville, was named in his honor.
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