USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. I > Part 28
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PRESENT STATUS OF THE COUNTY SYSTEM
In the spring of 1918, according to special figures prepared for this history, the total enrollment for the year in the first eight grades of the county schools had been 9,631; high school enrollment, 1,354; total, 10,985. Of that number 5,517 boys had been enrolled, and 5,468 girls. The average daily attendance had been approximately ninety per cent of the enrollment.
The sex division in the teaching force is represented by 90 men and 308 women. The average salary for men teachers was $748.18 and of women, $564.20; average salary, $625.25.
The value of school property, ineluding real estate, fixtures, apparatus, ete., by townships, with the figures also for the City of Quiney, is given below; the table applies to the spring of 1918:
Township
Value
Township
Value
Clayton
$37,300
Gilmer
$ 9,850
Camp Point
48,280
Ellington
11,207
Iloney Creek
13,750
Riverside
13,175
Mendon
29,100
McKee
8,350
Ursa
6,340
Liberty
13,975
Northeast
39,050
Burton
9,350
Houston
7,575
Melrose
14,425
Keene
19,150
Beverly
7,950
Lima
19,660
Richfield
9,950
Concord
9,625
Payson
60,445
Columbus
8,355
Fall Creek
11,475
Total for Townships
478,337
Quiney
894,967
Grand Total
$1,373,304
CHAPTER XI
THE GERMAN ELEMENT: ITS IMPORTANCE IN THE HIS- TORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY
By Henry Bornmann
In the introduction to his great work, "The German Element in the United States," Albert Bernhardt Faust, professor of German in Cornell University, says: "The history of the Germans in this coun- try goes back to the earliest Colonial period. Recurrent waves in the eighteenth were followed by great tides of German immigration in the nineteenth century, and these carried into the population of the United States an element second in amount only to the contribution of the English stock."
GERMAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICAN NATIONALITY
And Vineent H. Todd, Ph. D., professor in Greenville College, Illinois, in the introduction to his treatise on "Christoph Von Graffen- ried and the Founding of New Bern, N. C., in 1709," published in 1912, says: "A carefully prepared and conservative computation made within the last ten years, gives the surprising result that of our white population there are at least twenty-seven per cent of Ger- man birth or extraetion, while those of English origin number but thirty per eent. With such a proportion of Germans, is it not strange that alnost nothing is said in our histories about this great element of our population; about the eanses that indneed them to leave their homes ; about the eireumstanees of their first settlements; about their influenee upon the growth of our common enlture ?
"The reason of this lies partly in the undeveloped provincial character of American historiography, partly in the fact that Ameri- can Ilistory was first written by men from New England. They wrote of the things with which they were most familiar, their own Puritan commonwealths and the institutions developed from them. Biased by provincial prejudices they overlooked other events of equally great importance, so that their histories read like a one-sided glorification of their ancestors."
Prof. Albert Bernhardt Faust is a great German-American, and Prof. Vincent HI. Todd an Anglo-American, and both are earnest and fair-minded men.
While I might quote the sayings of many other prominent his- torians of our country, equally to the point, the foregoing may suffice
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A PIONEER GERMAN COUPLE
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for our purpose, namely : to acquaint the reader with the importance of the German element, and its share in the development of our conn- try, the upbuilding of the commonwealth, at the same time not wishing to detract one iota from the eredit due any of the many other nation- alities comprising the population of the I'nited States, this great melt- ing pot of the peoples of the whole world, that have gathered here in the course of time.
In an address delivered before the German University League in New York City, January 14, 1916, Prof. Albert Bernhardt Faust said : "When asked to define the German contribution to the history of the American people in a few words, I have often given the reply, the Germans have contributed blood, brawn, brain and buoyancy to the make-up of the American people. Under the head of the contribution of blood should be included also the blood spilt on the battlefields of the United States. Monographs that have been written on the subject show how lavishly German blood has been shed in defense of American liberty and union. The historian Baneroft estimated the German contingent in the patriot armies of the Revolutionary War as in excess of their ratio in the population. The statistics of Gould on the Civil War prove that the German volunteering exceeded in proportion that of the native and also that of the other foreign elements."
That the German element in the United States is predominant in the engineering branches, in chemical industries, the manufacture of musical and optical instruments, the preparation of food products, as sugar and salt, cereals, flour and starch, also in canning, preserving. milling and brewing, goes without saying. They have been prominent in inventing agricultural machinery, in the manufacture of wagons. electric and railway cars; they have been identified with the growth of the iron and steel industries, and glass manufacture, also in print- ing, and have had a monopoly in the art of lithography.
But I must put on the brakes on my train of thoughts, to keep it from running on ad infinitum in this direction, and get down to the task assigned me, namely: to give a fair and unbiased treatise on "The German Element and its Importance in the History and De- velopment of Quiney and Adams County." interspersing many inter- esting reminiscenses, as they were brought to light during the years spent in gathering the historical data. which I intend to give in the course of my narrative. The subject of historical research is not only interesting, it is a most worthy enterprise, for it establishes a con- neetion between the past and present, brings things to light that are of value for the present, and preserves them for future generations. It being my objeet to write ahont the German element, I will mention those who are of German blood.
THE FOUNDER OF QUINCY
John Wood, the first settler and founder of Quincy, was born in Moravia, Cayuga County, New York, December 20, 1798. He was the
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only son of Daniel and Katherine (Krause) Wood. His father, Dr. Daniel Wood, was born in Orange County, New York, June 29, 1751, and served as eaptain and surgeon in the Revolutionary war for a term of three years. After that war he settled in Cayuga County, where he later married Miss Katherine Krause, a German girl, born of German parents in the Mohawk Valley, many Germans having settled there in the early Colonial days, owing to the beauty and fertility of soil in that region. Dr. Daniel Wood's father came to this country from Ireland, and was killed by Indians on Long Island, New York. John Wood's mother died in 1803, when her son was only five years of age, while his father lived to the high old age of more than ninety-two years, his death occurring October 3, 1843, at his home in Cayuga County. His body was afterwards exhumed and now lies in beautiful Woodland, a cemetery established, improved and cared for by John Wood as long as he lived.
Thus we see that John Wood, the first settler and founder of Quiney, was of Irish and German extraction, and it therefore is meet and proper that this faet be emphasized here, as no history of the German element of this community would be complete without making this statement. While Dr. Daniel Wood, the father of John Wood, was quite a scholar and linguist, as might be expected from a man in his position, he being able to speak, read and write in German, his wife, the German girl from the Mohawk Valley, never learned to speak English. Had she lived longer, her son, John, would have become thoroughly conversant with the German language.
John Wood, the pioneer of Quincy, visited the present site of this eity in the fall of 1821. and soon afterward purchased a quarter seetion of land. The place being uninhabited, he returned in the fall of 1822 and erected a log cabin near the river, at a point which now is known as the foot of Delaware Street. This cabin, which covered an area of 18 by 20 feet, was the first building in what now is known as the City of Quiney.
On January 25, 1826, John Wood was married to Miss Ann M. Streeter, daughter of Joshua Streeter, formerly of Washington County, New York, the wedding taking place in Quincy.
The facts contained in the foregoing statement were given to the writer of this history more than sixteen years ago by Daniel C. Wood. the eldest son of John Wood, born February 9, 1829, in the log cabin erected by his father on Delaware near Front Street, he being the first white ehild born in Quiney, and the only person now living here born in Quincy prior to 1830.
John Wood, the first settler and founder of Quiney, who died June 4, 1880, in the eighty-second year of his life, after having spent fifty-eight years in this community, where he was the most prominent factor in the history of the city for such a long period, will ever be remembered hy all who had occasion to come in contact with him. In his personage were combined the best traits of his ancestors, the vim and vigor of the Irish, and the patient steadfastness of the German.
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Robust in body, of a commanding figure, resolute in character, he also was endowed by a kind and benevolent disposition, as the writer of this narrative had the opportunity to learn, when he made his personal acquaintance more than sixty years ago, the incident being as follows: My father had bought a bale of hay from John Wood, and sent me with the money to pay for the hay. Arriving at the resi- dence, the present Historical Building, which at that time stood where afterwards the great stone mansion was erected, now known as Christ Church, I found Mrs. Wood at home and wanted to give her the money. She told me to be seated, the "governor" would soon be in. When Mr. Wood arrived, I handed him the money and started to leave, but he in a most positive manner told me to sit down, which of course I did, being somewhat frightened. Then the old gentleman said something to Mrs. Wood, which I did not under- stand. The good lady left the room and soon appeared with a glass of sweet cider, which she gave to me. She also carried a plate full of nice red apples, telling me to fill my pockets after I had drank the cider. This I did, and then Mr. Wood said: "Now, my boy. you may go."
The German immigrants, who were among the early settlers in this community, found in John Wood a friend and adviser, always willing to assist them in acquiring a home of their own. "I attribute the kindly feeling of father for the German immigrants to the faet, that his mother was German," said Daniel Wood, the son, to the writer, in commenting on this distinctive feature in the character of his father.
In my description of John Wood, the pioneer, I have said nothing about the life work of the man, the many positions of honor and trust held by him in this community, as well as in the state and in the nation, leaving this to men more able and better qualified to do justice to the subject, my only objeet being to establish his connection with the German element, his German blood relationship.
By popular subscription the people of Quiney contributed the means for the ereetion of a monument in Washington Park, a statue of heroie size, to the memory of John Wood. Cornelius G. Volk, a noted sculptor, who made the designs for the Lincoln and Lovejoy monuments, also designed the statue of Governor Wood, thus gaining a national reputation. Mr. Volk eame to Quincy in 1848 and resided here for fifty years, following his ealling as sculptor for many years until his death in 1898. Ile also was of German descent, as his name indicated, and as he repeatedly assured the writer of this history.
OUR GERMAN PIONEERS
That the German pioneers and their descendants were of great importance in the development of Quincy as town and city, and also in the development of the farming communities of Adams County.
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is plain to every one who has given the subjeet some thought. In times of peace and in times of war they have made their mark. In our churches, schools and colleges, in our banks and commerce, in our factories and industrial ventures of every description, we see the results of German thrift, energy and patienee, which has done so much, has been such an important factor in the development of
OUR GEM CITY
Quincy, the beautiful city of the valley
Of the Mississippi, the Father of Waters. From thee oft have gone forth many brave and true sons,
In thy homes we may find bright and noble daughters. Built upon rock-ribbed bluffs, firm is thy foundation,
We may call thee with pride, Jewel of the Nation.
Thy beauties of nature, rare gems of creation,
In all seasons do call for man's admiration.
Upon thy lofty heights, while looking around me,
My heart truly thankful that our fathers found thee.
THE FIRST GERMAN SETTLERS
As far as known, Michael Mast was the first German who settled in Quiney. Born in 1797 in Forchheim, Baden, he came to America in 1816. After spending a number of years in different parts of this country, also in the City of Mexico and Vera Cruz, he finally came to Quincy, where he settled down in 1829, and beeame prominent in publie life, serving as one of the five trustees chosen, when Quiney was incorporated as a town, June 4, 1834. Ile also served in the Black Hawk War, together with John Wood, in Capt. W. G. Flood's company, which was raised in Quincy. Michael Mast was a tailor by trade, which occupation he followed for some time. In 1835 he opened a general store in Millville, a village seven miles south of here (now known as Marblehead), but soon returned to Quiney, where he continued in business for many years, until his death in 1852, never having married.
Henry Wagy was one of the earliest settlers in Adams County. It is stated that he was of German lineage, which is probably correct, as the name Wagy would indicate, a name which is found among the Germans, especially in Switzerland. Wagy came in the early '20s of last eentury from Lieking County, Ohio, and purchased what was known as the "Smoking Dutehman's" place in Melrose Township. Many of the deseendants are today living in Adams and Pike counties.
The family of John Wigle (Weigel) was among the early pioneers of Adams County. The Hon. John A. Broady, cireuit judge of this county, in June, 190I, related the following to the writer of this
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QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY
history: "John Wigle, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1780, was married to Miss Margaret Wolf in Fayette County, Pa., in 1802; the lady was born in Lancaster County, Pa., in 1785; both were German. Shortly after their marriage they moved to Kentucky, and in 1805 to Missouri. In 1813 they left Cape Girardeau. Mo., and located in I'nion County, Ill. Margaret Wigle, nee Wolf, was the aunt of John Wolf, who was born in Union County, Ill., in 1811, seven years before Illinois became a state. Solomon Wigle was born in Union County, April 20, 1816. The mother of Indge Broady, whose maiden name was Anna Wigle, was born in Union County in 1818. In 1826 the Wigle family located in Adams County. At that time there were only fifteen families, all told, living in this county. JJohn Wigle, the maternal grandfather of Judge Broady, only read his German Bible. he not being able to read English. George Wolf, the father of the above mentioned John Wolf, was a Dunkard preacher, and in the year 1829 preached for the first time in Liberty Township in this county, services being held in German as well as English. The first couple married in Liberty Township were Jacob Wigle and Nancy Hunsaker, both German, and Rev. George Wolf performed the cere- mony."
Concerning the family of George Wolf, further information was given the writer of this narrative nine years ago by Mrs. Parmelia Metzger, widow of John Metzger, her husband having been a Dunkard preacher. Mrs. Metzger was born in Kentucky in 1823. She was the daughter of John and Isabel (Williams) MeKnight. Her mother was a sister of Judge Archibald Williams, who was born in Kentucky in 1801 and came to Quiney in 1829. Mrs. Metzger's parents having died early, she was brought to Quincy by relatives in 1833. The writer called on the old lady at the home of her daughter. Mrs. Martha J. Lambert, widow of Rodney Lambert, and found Mrs. Metz- ger very bright for her age of eighty-six years. She gave the follow- ing information : "I was married twice, and both husbands were German. My first husband was David Wolf, a son of George and Anna (Hunsaker) Wolf, who were married March 3, 1803, in Pennsylvania. as recorded in the old Bible of the family. In the year 1808 they came to Union County, Ill., where they lived for twenty years, and in 1829 came to Adams County. George Wolf for many years served as preacher of the Dunkards in this county. My first husband, David Wolf, also was a Dunkard preacher. When I came to Quiney in 1833 the courthouse consisted of a story-and-a-half loghouse, and the first hotel was conducted in a loghouse. JJacob B. Wolf. formerly overseer of the county farm, is my son, and I have two daughters, Mrs. Martha JJ. Lambert in this city, and Mrs. Mary C. Poley in Georgia."
[The Dunkards, Dunkers, or Tunkers (German, "tunken," to dip). were founded in Germany in 1708 by Alexander Mack in a village ou
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QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY
the Eder, a small stream which courses through Westphalia, Waldeck and Hessen. In 1719 they began to emigrate to America. Conrad Beissel, a native of Germany, who had been educated for the min- istry at the University of Halle, was a member of the Dunker Society at Muehlbach (Mill Creek), Laneaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1725, and established the Seventh Day Dunkers in 1728. It is probable that the Wolf and Wigle families all came from the settlement on the Mill Creek, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. From there they came through Virginia to Kentucky, then to Union County in South- ern Illinois, and finally to Adams County. Many of the early settlers in Pennsylvania followed that course in their migrations west.]
In gathering and preserving the history of the early German pioneers the historian finds innumerable eases, where names have been changed to conform with the pronunciation in English, being "Amer- jeanized," so to speak. But it is remarkable how, in many instances, traits of German character have elung to the deseendants through generations. William and Catherine (Sell) Lierle were among the early pioneers, who came to Union County, Illinois, in 1821, and finally located in Liberty Township in this county. As the names indicate, both were German, and the name Lierle originally was written Leierle. More than fifty years ago Rev. Rudolph G. Linker was pastor of the Lutheran Church at Liberty. In conversation with the writer of this history many years ago, Reverend Linker related the following incident: "When the aged William Lierle felt that his end was near, he sent for me. Arriving at the home of the family, I found several friends and neighbors assembled there. Stepping to the bed where the venerable pioneer lay, I shook hands with him. William Lierle then requested me to read a passage from the Ger- man Bible and also to pray in German. The neighbors were astonished at this, as none of them seemed to have known that the old gentleman was of German deseent."
Rev. William R. Lierle, a son of William and Catherine (Sell) Lierle, more than twelve years ago made the following statement con- eerning the family: "Zachariah Lierle, my paternal grandfather, was one of the patriots of the Revolutionary army, serving under Washington for eight years, during the entire period of hostilities, that resulted in the establishment of American independence. I was born in Montgomery County, North Carolina, August 16, 1818. About the year 1821 my parents left the south, first settling in Union County, Ill., which was then a pioneer district, in which the work of improvement and development had hardly begun. They then came to Adams County, locating in Liberty, where they spent their remaining days. Father was a farmer by occupation and always followed that pursuit in order to provide for his family."
Rev. William R. Lierle lived with his parents until twenty-five years of age. October 12, 1843, he was married to Miss Penina Hendricks. He began to work early in his life and in his younger
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days split rails at 50 cents per day. Descendants of the family are living in this county, also in Iowa and Kansas.
In June, 1901, the writer of this history, while attending to some business in the county clerk's office, was introduced to lsom Vancil (Wenzel) of Liberty Township. "Mr. Vancil, you are German, are you not?" were my first words. The old gentleman, at that time seventy-five years of age, now stood erect and proudly said: "Yes sir, I am German, my father and mother both were German!" Then questioning him as to his mother's name, he said: "My mother's maiden name was Susan Lierle, and she was a sister of old Unele William Lierle in Liberty Township. My mother could sing such lovely German songs, but, I am sorry to say, I have forgotten all the German my mother taught me." Questioned further, Mr. Vancil said: "I was born in Union County, Ill., June 1, 1826. My parents came to Adams County September 6, 1829, and my ancestors came from Virginia and North Carolina to Illinois. I have an old iron kettle on my farm in Liberty, which my great-grandfather brought from Germany, and my grandfather used to cook his meals during the Revolutionary war; I also have an old hoe on my place, brought from the fatherland by my great-grandfather, and many a row of potatoes I hoed during my younger days with that old hoe; also an old flax hackle, which my great-grandfather brought from Germany, on which I hackled innumerable skeins of flax during my younger days."
In conversation with Senator Bernard Arntzen many years ago, the Senator made the following statement to the writer of this history : "I was married to Miss Martha M. Munn of Keokuk in 1861. My wife being related to the Wike family at Pittsfield, we went there on a visit. On the eenter table in the sitting room I saw a large old Bible, which I opened, and to my astonishment found it to be German. Upon my question, who read the German Bible in that home, the grand- mother of Scott Wike being present said: "While I am conversant with the English language, yet, when I read the Bible or pray to the Lord, it must be in German, as he then understands me better." No doubt. old Unele William Lierle of Liberty was moved by the same thought. when he requested Rev. Linker to read a passage from the German Bible and to pray in German. Seott Wike represented our district in Congress for several terms, and was Assistant Comptroller of Currency during President Cleveland's second term. Evidently the family was of German extraction and the name originally was written Weik.
The Ilunsaker family is well represented in Adams County. They are of German origin. and probably came from Switzerland. In the year 1730 Hartmann Hunsaker came to America with his wife aurl one son John. who was born in the old fatherland May 22, 1728. They
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settled down in Pennsylvania, where the following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hartmann Hunsaker: Verena, wife of John Roth; Elizabeth, wife of Jacob Guth; Orschel (Ursula), who was married twice, her first husband's name being Landis, the second Kopf; Marie, wife of Caspar Roland; Anna, wife of Louis Mohler. IIalf-sisters were: Catherine, wife of John Birg; Eva, wife of John Weldy; Elizabeth, wife of Abraham Birg. This would indicate that Hartmann Hunsaker was married twice.
John Hunsaker, who eame to this country with his father in 1730, was married to Miss Magdalena Birg, May 15, 1750; she was the eldest daughter of Nikolaus Birg, and was born January 3, 1732. The children of John and Magdalena (Birg) Hunsaker were: Abraham, John, Barbara, Nikolaus, Hartmann, Jacob, Joseph, George, Catharine, Magdalena, Andrew and Samuel.
On July 27, 1788, occurred the death of Barbara Birg, nee Miller, the mother of Magdalena Hunsaker, nee Birg, in the eighty-first year of her life, leaving 120 children, grandchildren and great-grand- children. The data given in this story concerning Hartmann Hun- saker and his descendants were gleaned from the old family Bible, printed in Philadelphia in 1818, and in possession of Robert Hunsaker, a son of Sanmel Y. Ilunsaker, and born in this county in 1855.
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