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 9
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St. Clair County,
ILLINOIS.
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INTRODUCTORY.
SHE time has arrived when it becomes the duty of the people of this county to per- petuate the names of their pioneers, to furnish a record of their early settlement, and relate the story of their progress. The civilization of our day, the enlightenment of the age and the duty that men of the pres- ent time owe to their ancestors, to themselves and to their posterity, demand that a record of their lives and deeds should be made. In bio- graphical history is found a power to instruct man by precedent, to enliven the mental faculties, and to waft down the river of time a safe vessel in which the names and actions of the people who contributed to raise this country from its primitive state may be preserved. Surely and rapidly the great and aged men, who in their prime entered the wilderness and claimed the virgin soil as their heritage, are passing to their graves. The number re- maining who can relate the incidents of the first days of settlement is becoming small indeed, so that an actual necessity exists for the collection and preser- vation of events without delay, before all the early settlers are cut down by the scythe of Time.
To be forgotten has been the great dread of mankind from remotest ages. All. will be forgotten soon enough, in spite of their best works and the most earnest efforts of their friends to perserve the memory of their lives. The means employed to prevent oblivion and to perpetuate their memory has been in propor- tion ,to the amount of intelligence they possessed. The pyramids of Egypt were built to perpetuate the names and deeds of their great rulers. - The exhu- mations made by the archeologists of Egypt from buried Memphis indicate a desire of those people
to perpetuate the memory of their achievements. The erection of the great obelisks were for the same purpose. Coming down to a later period, we find the Greeks and Romans erecting mausoleums and monu- ments, and carving out statues to chronicle their great achievements and carry them down the ages. It is also evident that the Mound-builders, in piling up their great mounds of earth, had but this idea- to leave something to show that they had lived. All these works, though many of them costly in the ex- treme, give but a faint idea of the lives and charac- ters of those whose memory they were intended to perpetuate, and scarcely anything of the masses of the people that then lived. The great pyramids and some of the obelisks remain objects only of curiosity ; the mausoleums, monuments and statues are crum- bling into dust.
It was left to modern ages to establish an intelli- gent, undecaying, immutable method of perpetuating a full history-immutable in that it is almost un- limited in extent and perpetual in its action; and this is through the art of printing.
To the present generation, however, we are in- debted for the introduction of the admirable system of local biography. By this system every man, though- he has not achieved what the world calls greatness, has the means to perpetuate his life, his history, through the coming ages.
The scythe of Time cuts down all ; nothing of the physical man is left. The monument which his chil- dren or friends may erect to his memory in the ceme- tery will crumble into dust and pass away ; but his life, his achievements, the work he has accomplished, which otherwise would be forgotten, is perpetuated by a record of this kind.
To preserve the lineaments of our companions we engrave their portraits, for the same reason we col- lect the attainable facts of their history. Nor do we think it necessary, as we speak only truth of them, to wait until they are dead, or until those who know them are gone: to do this we are ashamed only to publish to the world the history of those whose lives are unworthy of public record.
yours Giving Ker
BIOGRAPHICAL.
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b ON. CHARLES BECKER. ex-State Treas- urer. It is difficult in few words to accu- rately describe a character. Only the most salient features can be fitly expressed-the lights and shades can be understood only by those who come in contact with the man under various circumstances. It is difficult, also, to point out the exact traits to which a man owes his success; suffice it to say that tenacity of purpose, energy and un- deniable intellectual ability have been Mr. Beck- er's most distinguishing traits, and were, without doubt, his stepping stones to success. Despite ob- stacles which to many woukl seem insurmountable, he pushed his undertakings to a successful issue, and in the political arena his unerring judgment and fine intellcetual powers have found full scope.
Mr. Becker was born in Rockenhausen, Rhenish- Bavaria, Germany, June 24, 1840. Ilis father, Urban Becker, was an architect and builder of more than ordinary ability, had a large and lucrative business, and many are the handsome structures that stand as monuments to his skill. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Spross, bore him a family of thir- teen children, and with them he emigrated to America, and settled in Belleville, IN., in 1851, crossing the stormy Atlantic in order to secure a home for himself and family. Ile at onee identi- fied himself with American interests, and, being an honorable business man and of a genial and kindly disposition, he won the friendship and esteem of all who knew him either in a business or social way. Ile followed his calling of an architect in this section until his death, which occurred in
1874. His widow survived him until March 25, 1881, when she, too, passed away.
Charles Becker inherited from his parents quick mental perception, steadfastness of purpose, and uncompromising determination, which overcomes every obstacle in the way of success. He passed an uneventful boyhood attending the public schools of Belleville until he was fifteen years of age, at which time he laid aside his books to enter Harri- son's Machine Works of Belleville, to learn the trade of a molder. lle remained with that com- pany until he was twenty-one years of age. The war, which overturned everything in the United States except the fundamental principles of indis- soluble union and universal liberty, called a halt to the various kinds of labor, and Mr. Becker left the workshop to enlist in the Union service, becoming a member of Company B, Twelfth Mis- souri Infantry. March 8, 1862, he was wounded in the right thigh and leg at Pea Ridge, and while he lay on the battlefield his leg was amputated above the knee. lle received his discharge the following December, and when able to travel re- turned home and attended school for a short time. He took a commercial course, but continued to work in Harrison's shop until he was married, Jan- nary 23, 1864, to Miss Louisa Fleischbein, a native of Belleville, and a daughter of Jacob and Louisa Fleischbein, who came to the county in 1832.
Soon after his marriage Mr. Becker removed to West Belleville, where he kept an hotel until 1866. At that time he was elected to the position of County Sheriff, which he filled with ability for two
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years, Succeeding that, he became the proprietor. in connection with Mr. Erhardt, of a brewery, the firm being known as Erhardt & Becker, In 1872, Mr. Becker was elected Circuit Clerk and Recorder, being the only Republican elected at that time. In 1876, upon his re-election, although his party was defeated by eleven hundred and eighty-three votes, he was elected by eight hundred majority, two thousand in excess of his party vote. He was Chairman of the Republican Central Committee for one year, and to him the party owes much of its success. In the capacity of State Treasurer, to which responsible and honorable position he was elected in 1888, he showed himself capable, con- scientious, painstaking and efficient. llis duties were discharged in a manner highly satisfactory to those concerned, and to his own honor and credit. For a number of years he has been connected with the Belleville Stove Works, and is now President of the same.
In disposition, Mr. Becker is cordial, hospitable, kind and generous, but very unassuming and un- pretentious, and what honors he has received in the way of official position have been unsought by him, but have come to him as the natural reward of deserved merit. He belongs to several social and musical German societies, and for the past twenty five years has been a member of the Phil- harmonic society. His surviving children are Bertha, Casimir, Gustave. Arthur Carl and Ray. Fred is deceased.
OHN K. WHITE owns and occupies a well- developed farm in Marissa Township, which consists of one hundred and eighty acres and is tillable throughout its entire ex- tent. It is a portion of the old homestead, and since it came into his possession he has by well- directed efforts brought it to a good condition, it now being supplied with neat fences, good stock of various kinds, and all the needful machinery used in its cultivation.
Our subject was born in this county, near where
he is at present residing, in 1860, and is the son of John K. and Margaret (Ilamilton) White. The father was born in Chester County, S. C., and the mother in Randolph County, III. The father, who was born in 1825, was the son of John White, who was born about 1790, also in South Carolina. The grandfather was reared on a farm and re- mained in his native State throughout his entire life. He fought in the War of 1812, acting as a substitute for his father. Ile was very much op- posed to slavery and, although living in a South- ern State, never owned a slave. The maiden name of his wife was Margaret Kennedy; she was the daughter of John Kennedy, who was of Irish de- scent. To them was born a family of seven chil- dren, of whom our subject's father was the youngest.
The great-grandparents of our subject, William and Margaret White, were born in the North of Ireland, and soon after marriage came to Amer- ica, locating in Chester District, S. C., several years prior to the Revolutionary War, in which struggle the former participated from beginning to end. William White's father bore the name of John, and on coming to America departed this life in South Carolina, thus making three generations of the White family who are buried in Chester District. They were all Presbyterians religiously, and people greatly respected in their community.
Jolm K. White, the father of our subject, was married in 1854 to Margaret, daughter of John and Sarah (Elder) Hamilton. He came to this county in 1849, having the year previous accom- panied his parents on their removal to Indiana. As a farmer, which calling he followed through- out life, he was very successful and left at his de- cease, which occurred in 1866, a valuable estate, comprising two hundred and sixty acres. Of the six children born to him, the three living are Margaret, now Mrs. J. W. T. Dixon; our subject. and Elizabeth, who married Samuel Boyle. Those deceased are Willie, who died in infancy; Jennie, the wife of Charles Ritchie; Sarah. Mrs. James Wylie, The mother of our subject, who is still liv- ing, makes her home with Mr. Wylie and cares for his three children.
lle whose name heads this sketch began life
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for himself at the age of sixteen years, taking charge of the home farm, in which he now has one hundred and eighty acres. IIis fields yield abun- dantly of the various grains and are a source of sufficient income to surround the family with the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. The lady to whom he was married in 1889 was Miss Elizabeth A., daughter of George W. and Rebecca Guthra. To them has been born one child, a son, Joseph G. The principles of Democracy meet with the hearty approbation of Mr. White, who never fails to cast his vote for the party of his choice. He is an active worker in the United Presbyterian Church, and, as a reliable citizen and an intelligent man, wins respect from those about him.
ILLIAM P. RITTENHOUSE, the subject of the present sketch, resides upon survey 381, Smithton Township, St. Clair County, whose attractive and homelike residence is almost hidden from the highway by a row of beautiful shade trees, which make the place very pictur- esque. Our subject was the son of Elijah Rittenhouse, who was born in the Keystone State in 1801, came to St. Clair County in 1805 with his parents and settled on the place where our subject now resides. The grandfather, Peter Rittenhouse, was one of the earliest settlers of this township and entered Government land here. The father of our subject, Elijah, married Leah Walker, the daughter of an old sea-captain, who spent his last days as a farmer in Illinois. After his marriage, Elijah settled on the place where our subject now lives, and re- mained there until his death in 1870. Ile reared a family of four daughters and two sons, all of whom grew to maturity. They were Elizabeth, Sarah, Eleanor, Caroline, Elisha and our subject. The father was in the Indian campaigns of the early days and fought in the war against the Win- nebago Indians.
Our subject was born April 9, 1844, on the place of his present residence; here he was reared and attended the district school and was married, in
1870, to Miss Sarah IIill, daughter of Peter and Emily (Thrift) Ilill; her father was born and reared in this county and still lives near Freeburg, Ill., and her mother first saw the light in the State of Kentucky. After his marriage, our subject be- gan housekeeping, and on the home place his three children were born, two of whom are living, George E. and Charles D., William having died on the 13th of February, 1892. William Ritten- house and his wife have two hundred and seven acres of good land, all of which is well im- proved, a great deal of it in the locality of the richest beds of coal, upon which is raised grain, principally, but, there is also kept up a first-class variety of stock. The husband is a member of the Grange, and, politically, a Republican. The home of Mr. Rittenhouse is so beautifully located that we can understand his affection for it, hidden away behind the shade of the trees and concealed from the prying eye of curiosity. A place of con- tentment it is, whose inmates have won the regard of neighbors and friends on account of their mental and social qualities. One of the oldest families of that region, its members preserve and cherish the good name handed down to them, and their lives point the moral that good and honest living ever brings with it the approval of friends as well as of one's conscience.
NDREW J. McCULLEY. The subject of the present sketch, born July 12, 1814, within three miles of the "Hermitage," in Tennessee, was the son of William and Mary (Phillips) McCulley, who moved to Tennes- see from North Carolina. The father was born on the sea when his parents were coming from Seot- land, and became a soldier under Jackson during the Indian War and the War of 1812. While fighting the Indians, he was struck on the edge of the forehead by a ball, but tied his head up in a handkerchief and continued the fight. Seeing an Indian's head peer over the log behind which he was lying, a sharp
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report rang out and soon there was one savage less. The illustrious Gen. Jackson and the father were great friends and our subjeet was named for their hero neighbor. According to custom, a negro slave was to have been given as a present, but events prevented the gift.
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The parents of our subject brought him to Illi- nois when very young to live with his grand- father, David Phillips, who then lived two miles south of Belleville. This old gentleman only lived until Andrew was twelve years of age and then, as he says of himself, he had to do the best he could. The exact events of those far-off days we may not know, but at the age of sixteen years our subject entered the employ of Thomas Harrison & Co., millers, managed an engine for them until 1830, and remained with them until he was of age. He then went into partnership with William 11. Gale in the business of putting up milling machinery in different parts of the State. lle soon became not only a practical miller, but also a milling ma- chinist. Afterward he was associated with Julius Wright, who was killed at Pittsburg Landing during the late war. In the year 1845, our sub- jeet bought fifty-five and one-half acres of land, on which he still lives, but never has engaged in farming himself, renting the land out until his own boys were old enough to manage it, when they took charge of it.
The marriage of Mr. McCulley took place March 18, 1844, just before the great flood. His wife, Miss Clarinda Fisher, a daughter of Thomas Fisher, was born in New Hampshire, and died September 11, 1877, aged about fifty years. Their children were as follows: John, an engineer, is married and lives at Hollister, Cal., and has one daugh- ter; Ellen Amelia, who died in the year 1878, was the wife of Walter Craft, who lives in Belleville and has two daughters, Ada and Ella; William has lived in Los Angeles, Cal., since 1886, a carpenter and builder; Julia, who married Thomas White and resides in Los Angeles, where her husband and brother are in business together, has one child; Sarah, wife of Adam Harshey, lives in Stookey Township and has one boy; Thomas, married to Sadie Rider, lives in Belleville and has one child; Elmer lives in Belleville and is an engineer. Our
subject married for his second wife Miss Louisa C'lemma, February 9, 1884, whose parents died when she was very young. Mr. MeCulley has been a very industrious man all his life and followed his milling business until a few years since. Ile is a Repub- Iiean but a great admirer of Gen. Jackson, and has never desired office, as he has always found his business required all his time and attention.
ULIUS W. STOFFEL. One of the leading merchants in the flourishing little city of Mascoutah is the original of this sketch, a dealer in stoves, tinware, hardware, lamps, wringers and all the usual accompaniments of the trade, Mr. Stoffel is a native of this city and has seen it grow with his growth, and has found here a very pleasant home and a business in which he is very successful.
The father of our subject was one of the self- made and progressive busmess men of Mascontah in its early days. Louis Stoffel was born in Ger- many, and came to this country at an early day to "make" his fortune, as one used to say, but in these days we put it to "earn" his fortune. After eoming and settling in Mascoutah, he engaged in the saloon business and followed that occupation until his death. He was a pleasant man, who made many friends, and was acquainted with every one in those days, and the father of a family of twelve children, all of whom still survive as respected and useful citizens. Of these children, the subject of our sketch was the third. The mother of our subject still lives and finds a pleasant home in Mascontah.
Julins W. Stoffel was born July 12, 1858. He was reared here in his native place, and was given every advantage of a full course in the excellent schools. After he had completed his course here, he went to work to learn the trade of a tinsmith with Fred llottes, and after finishing his work, made a trip into the world, trying his luck in St. Louis. Being a good workman, he had no diffi- enlty in securing employment, and so remained in
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that city for five or six years, when he returned and bought out Mr. Hottes, and for a few months car- ried on the business at the old stand; he then re- moved farther up the street, and later bought the building where he is now located. Here was the beginning of a most successful career.
The marriage of our subject took place October 25, 1880, with Miss Anna Weber the daughter of Phillip Weber, of West Belleville, Ill., as bride. Mr. Weber is an old settler of that place. The children who now compose the household of Mr. and Mrs. Stoffel, happy, if noisy, are four bright lads, that promise to be very smart men some day, unless their looks wocfully belie them. They are Frank, Walter, Hugo and Otto. Mr. Stoffel is a prominent member of Lodge No. 361, A. F. & A. M., and also belongs to the Independent Order of Mutual Aid.
This gentleman has done much for the advance- ment of the town and is much interested in all edu- eational affairs, having been an intelligent member of the Board of Education for many years. In the political field, Mr. Stoffel stands an ardent Re- publican, always voting with this party, which lie believes will best carry out the principles of good government. The business in which our subject is engaged is a very necessary one and requires close attention, that the different branches, such as roofing, spouting, guttering, etc., are properly done. In this, as in everything else, "knowledge is power."
RUBACH, M. D. Prominent among the successful physicians of the city of Belle- ville is the gentleman whose name heads this brief sketch. Dr. Rubach is one of the good, sterling men that Germany has given us, having been born in Nassan, Germany, November 29, 1837, being the son of Augustus Rubach. This last-named gentleman received his education in the military schools of his native land and served his country as an officer in the army.
In 1841, the father of our subject emigrated to America and settled in Philadelphia, where he re-
mained for two years, then came West to St. Clair County to engage in farming, subsequently remov- ing to Belleville, entered mercantile pursuits and continued to reside in this city until 1871, His wife was of a distinguished family, being the youngest daughter of President Schenck, of the Dueby of Nassau, and her name was Wilhelmina Sehenck. Both are now dead. She hore her hus- band two children, sons, who lived to maturity. The youngest, William R., was a soldier in the late war and acquitted himself with credit in the Twelfth Missouri Volunteers; he re-enlisted for three years at the end of his three months' service, and was promoted to be Adjutant.
Ferdinand, our subject, received his primary education in the public schools of Belleville, sup- plementing the instruction received there by private instruction. When he was only eighteen, he entered the office of D. A. Hammer, of St. Louis, to read medicine under his tuition. In addition to his studies with Dr. Ilammer, he took two full courses of lectures at the Humboldt College, and then attended the St. Louis Medical College and graduated with the degree of M. D., in 1858. In the May following, he went to Germany and en- tered the medical department of the University of Wurtzburg, where he remained for cighteen months, going thence to Prague and then to Vienna, where he received special instruction from Prof. Arlt, thence to Berlin, where he studied dis- eases of the eye, under the celebrated Von Graefe. Then he returned home after an absence of three years spent in fitting himself for general practice.
Dr. Rubach commenced his practice in Belleville and has continued it here ever since, building up so large a practice that he is overtaxed in comply- ing with the demands made upon him. In addi- tion to his enormous practice, he was appointed United States Examining Surgeon in 1862, and still holds that office; he was County Physician from 1866 to 1888, and is Treasurer for the County Medical Association, having held that office for many years. Dr. Rubach was married, May 4, 1866, to Miss Sophia Maus, daughter of John Maus, this union being blessed with four chil- dren, namely: Johanna, wife of Dr. C. H. Starkel, of this city; Jennie, Otto and Ferdinand, Jr. Dr.
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Rubach possesses a most agreeable manner, which makes him a favorite among all classes, and this pleasant quality coupled with his skill and knowl- edge of his profession renders him one of the most popular and successful physicians in the county. where he has practiced for a third of a century.
OIIN JOSEPII. The gentleman whose sketch now occupies our attention is the prosper- ous farmer who lives on section 16, New Athens Township, St. Clair County. The German Fatherland was the birthplace of his father, Claus Joseph, who was born in Baden in 1802, was reared there, and in the same country married Mary Ann Vagtlin. Following the great company of relatives and friends who had already found a home in this country. Claus Joseph came to America in 1837 and located in St. Clair County, choosing land one and one-half miles north of Freeburg, where he lived for two years. He then removed to the place on which our subject now lives, and in the year 1871 died there, leaving four children: Mary Magdalene, who married George Buechler, and has since died; John, our subject; Claus, who died at the age of ten years; and Catherine, who died at the age of six months.
The subject of this sketeh is the only one of the family left. His father was a successful farmer, and both he and his wife, who died in 1886, were faithful members of the Lutheran Church, being liberal supporters of it. John Joseph, born De- cember 28, 1827. in Baden, Germany, was ten years old when his parents brought him to this country. lle was reared and educated in this county, and acquired a knowledge of the English language with remarkable quickness. Ile became acquainted with the family of John Lortz, an early settler in this county, and in 1850 the daughter, Caroline, became his wife. After the ceremony, he brought his bride to the place where they now live, and where four children have been born to them, one
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