Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 100

Author: Wilcox, David F., 1851- ed
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 952

USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II > Part 100

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

WILLIAM H. BRACKENSICK. For a long period of years the name Bracken- sick has been identified with the grocery trade at Quincy. Mr. William H. Brackensick has one of the larger and better appointed establishments for the purveying of necessities to the family larder, located at 726 Adams Street, and his many patrons get the benefit of his long and thorough experience in han- dling all commodities that are classified as living necessities.

Mr. Brackensick was born at Quincy July 20, 1869, son of Bernard H. and Elizabeth (Hanbrock) Brackensick. Both parents were natives of Ger- many. They came to America and located at Quincy in 1856. Bernard Brack- ensick was a brick manufacturer, one of the pioneers in that industry, and made great quantities of the material which entered into the construction of

1346

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

homes, business houses and other public buildings at Quincy. With his son August he made the brick in 1869 with which St. Anthony's Church was built in Melrose Township. He died January 21, 1904. His first wife, Elizabeth, died June 30, 1872, the mother of seven children: A daughter that died in infancy; August, a retired brick manufacturer of Quincy; Louis, deceased ; Annie, wife of Ernest Rothmann, of Quincy; John, a brick layer at Quincy ; Frank, a retired resident of Quincy; and William H. In 1873 Bernard Brack- ensick married for his second wife Henrietta Riepe, who died July 23, 1884, without children. In April, 1885, he married for his third wife Annie Vahle, widow of Gottlieb Vahle. The third wife of Bernard Brackensick is still living, and by her marriage to him she had one child, Oscar, now living in Quincy.

William H. Brackensiek as a boy attended the German School at Quincy and was only thirteen years of age when he became a practical assistant to his father in the brick yard, and in the next two years learned much about the brick making industry and also picked up a practical knowledge of the carpenter's trade. As a carpenter he was employed in local building con- struction for about eleven years. On June 6, 1893. Mr. Brackensick entered the grocery and dry goods business, and from that time forward, practically a quarter of a century, his name has been continuously identified with mer- chandising and chiefly as a grocer. His first store was at 728 Adams Street. In 1904 he sold that establishment and for a year was retired. On January 1, 1905, he formed a partnership with H. F. Stork, grocers, at 805 State Street. June 20, 1905, he sold the stock to his partner, and was again retired until June 16. 1906, when he opened his present high class store at 726 Adams Street, just adjoining the store where he was first in business, twenty-five years ago. November 27, 1900, Mr. Brackensiek married Helen Hagenbaumer. Mrs. Brackensick died June 7, 1907, the mother of five children : Enda, of Chicago ; Jennie, at home; a son that died in infancy : Zella, wife of J. E. Hildebrand, of Quincy; and Jerome, who died in childhood. On August 23, 1908, Mr. Brackensiek married a sister of his first wife, Amelia Hagenbaumer. Five children were born to their union, the first two dying in infancy. The third, Mildred, died in childhood, and the only two living are Russell and Floy. Mr. Brackensick is a republican voter and with his family worships in St. James Lutheran Church.

TIENRY SPARKS has been a diligent and hard working farmer of Adams County for thirty years, and the measure of his success can be found in the farm of generous proportions which he owns and on which he resides in Clay- ton Township, and another large place he owns in Columbus Township.

Mr. Sparks was born in Columbus Township September 27, 1867, son of Aquilla and Mary Jane (Akers) Sparks. His mother was born in Columbus Township and was a sister of Judge Albert Akers, mention of whose name will be found on other pages. Aquilla Sparks was born in 1834, had a public school education, began his career as a farm worker and later bought a small place in Columbus Township. He kept increasing his holdings until at the time of his death he owned 300 acres and was rated as one of the most suc- cessful men of that township. He was a democratic voter and his wife a member of the Christian Church. His wife married for her first husband Lindorf Butts, who was killed as a soldier in the Civil war and left one son Cyrus L. Butts, now living in California. Aquilla Sparks and wife had three children : Henry ; Laura Belle, deceased; and Thomas O., of Clayton Town- ship.

Henry Sparks grew up on the old farm in Columbus Township and attended the district schools and also the Maplewood High School of Camp Point. He used the training secured in school to teach, and was one of the capable edu- eators working in this county for seven years. Since then he has given all his time to farming and is now owner of 382 acres in Columbus Township and 160 acres constituting his home place in Clayton Township. Mr. Sparks has

1347

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

a general stoek and grain farm, and besides much other good livestock breeds and raises Poland China hogs. He is a democrat in politics, and while living in Columbus Township served as township elerk and has been assessor of Clay- ton Township two terms. He is affiliated with Camp Point Lodge of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the Knights of Pythias Lodge at Clayton.

December 25, Christmas Day, 1888, Mr. Sparks married Miss Flora E. De- Moss, member of a well known family of that name in Columbus Township, and a daughter of W. D. and Mary E. DeMoss. She died March 19, 1892, mother of one child, Ethel M. Ethel was born November 16, 1890, is a gradu- ate of the Clayton High School, and is now the wife of Albert G. Beckman, of Coneord Township. Mr. and Mrs. Beckman have two children : Ruth M. and Ralph Harold. On October 10, 1895, Mr. Sparks married Lillie M. DeMoss, sister of his first wife. They have one son, Orrin D., who was born October 9, 1897, and is a graduate of both the Maplewood High School and the Gem City Business College, and is now assisting his father in the management of their farm.

ADAM SPECKHART is another son of the prominent pioneer of Fall Creek Township, John Speekhart, Sr., whose career is sketched on other pages. Adam Speckhart now owns the old homestead, nine miles southeast of Quincy, and was born there October 1, 1849. He inherited the old farm, and with that as a basis has extended 'his holdings until he now has six farms, three near the old homestead, one on the bottom lands, and still another in Kansas. Mueh of this land is rented and altogether it comprises abont 1,000 aeres. He has substantially improved several of the farms with buildings. Ilis farming has been along the line of stoek raising.

Mr. Speekhart spent his early life on the old farm and attended sehool at Craigtown. He has never sought publie office and in voting has nsnally been an independent democrat. He is a deaeon in the Bluff Hall Congrega- tional Chureh.

March 3, 1878, Mr. Speckhart married Miss Mary E. Boek, daughter of Daniel and Frederieka Boek. Mrs. Speekhart was born in Melrose Township and was nineteen years of age at the time of her marriage. Her father was a native of Waldeek and her mother of Baden, Germany. Mrs. Speekhart, who died February 4, 1916, became the mother of eight children. Catherine, born December 5, 1878, is now the wife of William Albsmeyer, of Melrose Town- ship, and has one daughter, Marie Charlotte. Mary Elizabeth, born in No- vember, 1880, is the wife of Nieholas Kaltenbach, of Fall Creek Township. Fred William, born January 29, 1883, is a bachelor still at home. Anna Mar- garet, born May 22, 1885, is the wife of Fred Schnellbacher, and they live on an adjoining farm to her father. Wilhelmina, born November 7, 1887, is the wife of Christian Kaiser, and they live with her father and operate one of the farms. Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser have four children, Harold Russell, Marion Adolph Frederick, Mary Louise and Doris Anna Amelia. Henry, born in 1890, and Emma, born in 1892, died in infaney. Carl, born January 25, 1894, married Mary Jane Spencer, lives on one of his father's farms, and has one child, Harlow Adam.

AMOS SHARP. In the intervals of his farm activities in Concord Township Amos Sharp has found time to serve the interests of his fellow citizens in the office of supervisor. He has been active sinee early manhood as a democrat. He was first eleeted supervisor when twenty-six years of age. and after a lapse of time he was elected for another period of eight years. Ilis good serv- iee in that position is well remembered, and is the basis of much of the esteem paid him.

Mr. Sharp's farm is in seetion 16 of Coneord Township, and in that one loeality he has had his home since he was six months old. He was born in

1348

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

Yorkshire, England, and is a son of Amos and Hylas (Nelson) Sharp, also natives of Yorkshire. They were married there and had four children, John, Ellen, Jane and Amos, all born in England. Amos was born April 15, 1871. In the fall of that year the family took passage on a boat at Liverpool, crossed the ocean to New York, and soon came out to Concord Township in Adams County. Some years prior to that Thomas Sharp, an uncle of Amos, Sr., had located in the county, and there was another uncle, John, in the county. Ed- ward Sharp also came to the county prior to his nephew, Amos. Thus the Sharp family has become well known in Adams County. Edward Sharp was born in England in 1807, and settled in Adams County about 1837. He was one of the pioneer fruit growers of the county.

Amos Sharp, Sr., and wife spent their lives in Concord Township as farm- ers. He died May 24, 1886, at the age of fifty. Hylas Nelson, his wife, was born July 15, 1836, and died March 15, 1912, at the age of seventy-six. They were members of the Church of England and he was a democrat. Of their children Jennie became the wife of William Reen, and at her death left two daughters. The living children are: John, a farmer in Concord Township, and the father of three sons and two daughters, two of the former being now in the war. Ellen is the wife of Theodore Kesting, a retired farmer at Clayton, and they have a son, George. The next is Amos. Richard N. is a veteran of the Spanish-American war, in which he served three years, and is now living in Quincy. He is married and has two daughters. Hylas is the wife of Charles Beckman, a farmer of Concord Township, and they have three sons and one daughter. Eliza married Louis Childs, lives in Kansas City, Kansas, and has two sons and two daughters. Emma E. is the wife of Charles Amen, of Concord Township, and is the mother of one daughter.

Amos Sharp, Jr., received his education in the old Colpitt School. He lived at home with his parents to the age of twenty-six. In 1898 he bought his fine farm of eighty acres in section 16, and here he has made his home and developed some notable improvements. His residence is a seven-room house, and he also has a large stock and grain barn and also a stock barn. This farm is appropriately named the Lone Sycamore Farm. It is highly cul- tivated, growing large crops of corn, wheat and oats, and he keeps some good stock.

In Columbus Township January 12, 1898, Mr. Sharp married Miss Eliza- beth Hocamp. She was born in that township September 11, 1874, and re- ceived her education in the Oakwood District School. She is a daughter of John and Hannah W. (Von Holt) Hocamp, both natives of Germany. They came to the United States when young people and were married in Quincy in 1873. After that they moved to Columbus Township, bought 240 acres of land, and Mr. Hocamp literally improved his farm from the wilds. He was one of the hard working and highly esteemed citizens of the community and died November 2, 1915. His widow, now sixty-seven years of age, and some of her children still live at the old home.

Mr. and Mrs. Sharp have one daughter, Reta Alene, born September 22, 1903. She attended the Colpitt District School and is now in the second year of high school at Clayton. The family are members of the Christian Church, and Mr. Sharp is affiliated with the Odd Fellows and the Woodmen orders at Clayton.

JOHN A. VOLLRATH. A name that henceforth will have as much significance in American history as Bunker Hill or Gettysburg is Chateau Thierry, where in the summer of 1918 the American forces bore the brunt of the fighting which turned back the tide of German invasion which had been steadily progressing toward Paris for three months. Chateau Thierry is first in the list of French names which will always have their place in American school books.

It was at that vital point on the western front June 9, 1918, that an Adams County boy, a member of the invincible Marines, Oscar Vollrath, fell while

OSCAR VOLLRATHI

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

1349

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

bravely performing his duties. Oscar Vollrath was a corporal and in charge of a squad, and while superintending the placing of a gun was killed by a shell concussion. He was buried by his own comrades with full military honors. He had well earned the esteem of his comrades by his soldierly conduct, and had all those virtues which make up the character of the good soldier. Ile was a young man of liberal education, having attended in addition to the common schools near his home the Gem City Business College at Quiney, and in 1915 had graduated from the Central Wesleyan College at Warrenton, Missouri. IIe enlisted in March, 1917, before the war was formally opened against Germany. He went into the National Guard but soon found opportunities to become a member of the Marines. For a time he was stationed on the Kaiser Wilhelm, a steamship taken over by the United States from the German government, and later was assigned to the Marine Unit co-operating with the French on the western front.

The name and record of this soldier of Adams County is appropriately con- sidered at the beginning of the sketch of his father, John A. Vollrath, who for many years has been one of the successful farmers of Melrose Township. The Vollrath home is nine miles southeast of Quincy, and the old farm where John A. Vollrath was born and also his son Oscar has been in the possession of the family for nearly seventy years. John A. Vollrath was born there May 27, 1868, son of John and Marie (Kerkman) Vollrath. John Vollrath was born at Berg Sponheim, Kreuznach, Rhenish Prussia, June 28, 1816. He received a liberal education in Germany, and on July 11, 1840, arrived at New Orleans. He remained in New Orleans six years and was employed there as a teacher in the Lutheran parochial schools. The climate of the South not agreeing with him, and as the wages he received did not compensate for other advantages, he came north to Quiney and resnmed employment as a teacher in the German schools. He also worked at the carpenter's trade for a time. On December 10, 1847, in Quiney, he married Miss Marie Kerkman, who was born at Heidbrink, Rosenberg Kurhessen, Germany, March 31, 1824. She had come when a girl to the United States with her parents and with her brother Frederick. Her brother Frederiek became a prominent minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was serving as presiding elder when he died at the age of twenty- seven. He was laid to rest in the Woodland cemetery and left a wife and two children, one of them, Caroline, being a widow living at Des Moines.

In 1849 Jolin Vollrath bought land ineluded in the present Vollrath home- stead, and soon afterward took possession and began the long task of de- veloping a home. He cleared away the woods, gradually enlarged the scope of cultivation, erected substantial buildings, and in time had a good farm of 167 acres. While farming in the early days he also taught distriet school, and some of his own children were his pupils. He always maintained an active interest in school affairs, serving as school director, as justice of the peace, and in other local offices. He was a republican in politics. He was one of the most active and faithful members of the Methodist Church at Mill Creek, and both he and his wife were teachers in the Sunday school, and for many years he was superintendent of the school. He was also a local minister and often filled vacancies in the pulpit as a preacher He never accepted any salary for this church work. Besides farming he employed his leisure in work at the trade of carpenter and cabinet maker, and one evidence of his handiwork is still at the old home in the shape of a neatly contrived cupboard. John Vollrath died July 15, 1904, when upwards of ninety years of age. His widow passed away March 2, 1910, also at a good old age. They had a family of eight children : Hannah, widow of August Meyer, living in Payson Township; Caroline, widow of Angust Sittler, of Lincoln, Nebraska; Henry, who had a farm near the old homestead and died September 4, 1918; Marie, who died at the age of seven years; Martin, of Melrose Township; Sophia, Mrs. Charles Young, of Quincy ; Lizzie, Mrs. Edward H. Meyer, living near the old home; and Jolm A.

John A. Vollrath attended the local publie schools and his life has steadily

1350

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

been spent on the old farm. He rented the land from his father some years, and later bought 117 acres from his father. He devotes it to general farming, and it is one of the best kept places in Melrose Township. Mr. Vollrath is a republican, served one term of two years as township assessor, and has been a member of the township committee.

November 24, 1892, he married Miss Ida Meyer, whose maiden name was Bush, but from the age of twelve years was reared by Mrs. August Meyer, a sister of Mr. Vollrath. Mrs. Vollrath died in 1903, the mother of five children. Oscar Vollrath was the oldest of those children and was born December 2, 1894. He was therefore not yet twenty-four years of age when he fell on the field of glory in France. Lydia. the second child, is a stenographer in the office of the Surgeon General at Washington, D. C. Elmer is an automobile dealer in Quincy. Harvey and Ida are both at home. On January 1, 1908, Mr. Vollrath married Anna Reutzel, of Columbus, daughter of Henry and Catherine ( Hurter) Reutzel, both now deceased. Her father was living as a retired farmer when he died. Mrs. Vollrath was born in Columbus Township. They have one son, Ray, now seven years old.

JAMES HENRY GRADY, an extensive farmer and stockman in McKee Town- ship, his home being three miles south of Kellerville, represents one of the earlier families settled in this section of Adams County, and his people were among the pioneers of Western Illinois.

Mr. Grady was born on his present farm and on the site of his present house October 6, 1861, son of James Monroe and Ellen (Jones) Grady. Both the Jones and Grady families came to Brown County, Illinois, about 1837. They were all from North Carolina. The grandfather, John Grady, was born in Davidson County, North Carolina, October 15, 1802, and spent his last days in the home of his son James M. in Adams County, where he died April 21, 1882. John Grady married a Miss Briggs, who died of cholera in 1852 or 1853. James Monroe Grady was born September 6, 1823, and died February 21. 1897. On February 14, 1846, he married Ellen Jones, who was born in North Caro- lina December 14, 1830, and died November 19, 1880.

It was in 1859 that James M. Grady settled on the present farm in McKee Township. He acquired 365 aeres, only a few acres at that time being in enl- tivation. There was no house, and in every sense of the term he made the farm, hewing it out of the wilderness. The rest of his years were devoted to that labor and he continued active until the year of his death. He was well preserved both physically and mentally, as was his father also. James M. Grady served as a justice of the peace for some years, was a demoerat and was active in the Good Hope Baptist Church. Both John and James M. Grady were keen and enthusiastic huntsmen and sportsmen. In the early days they killed deer and turkey, and they were fond of going on the hunt even in old age. On the present farm of James Henry Grady stands a relie of pioneer times in the shape of the old log house built by his father. This has a large stone outside chimney and is one of the few structures still left of its kind.

James M. Grady and wife had eleven children, three of whom died in infaney. Those to reach mature years were: William R., who went ont to California and located at Noyo: John F., living at Elmonte, near Los Angeles ; Julia A., wife of Jacob Hughes of Bakersfield, California; Hattie E., who became the wife of Charles Grady and died in middle life; Rosetta, who mar- ried Henry Gabel, of Topanga, California; James Henry: Beda, Mrs. Robert Dennis: and Abbie E., Mrs. Frank MeNeff. of Siloam, Illinois.

James Henry Grady has spent most of his life on the old homestead. He acquired his education in the local district schools and as a boy worked out as a farm hand. Later he entered the service of the Singer Sewing Machine Company at St. Louis as a machinist, and was in that line of work until 1884. in the meantime, in 1883, he bought the present farm, the old homestead, and has lived on it steadily since 1884. His good judgment and ability have enabled

1351

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

him to acquire more land until he now has 424 aeres in a body. This is a fine stoek farm and he also has ten acres of productive orchard. He handles cat- tle, sheep and hogs and consumes practically all of the feed produets on the farm. While he has never been a seeker for publie honors, he has served as school director for twenty-four years and is still on the board. He is an in- dependent democrat and was a member of various committees in war relief work and liberty loan campaigns in the recent World war.

In 1891 Mr. Grady married Mary McNeff, who died five years later, the mother of two children, Irvin and Stella. In 1903 Mr. Grady married Maggie Noble, of MeKee Township. They have one daughter, Edith. The son Irvin attended high school one year and at the age of seventeen became a rural mail carrier and was in that service until he was called into the army April 3, 1918. He was first sent to Galveston, Texas, and in July was sent overseas to Franee. He was in the Trench Mortar branch and received his final train- ing in France, where he remained until the elose of the war. He held the rank of first class private, and received his honorary discharge February 3, 1919, and is now living on the farm with his parents and has resumed his former oceupation of rural mail carrier. Mr. Grady's daughter Stella is the wife of Russell Jones, of Siloam, Illinois. The daughter Edith is now a stu- dent in the Maplewood High School at Camp Point and had the distinetion of winning the county eontest in spelling in 1917, being then only thirteen years old.

AUGUST C. HUSEMANN is one of the native born citizens of Adams County, and his is the record of an industrious and upright eareer identified for many years with Melrose Township. He and his wife now have one of the beautiful and attractive farmsteads of that township. In earlier years they worked hard, were content with simple comforts and necessities, and were willing to sacrifiee many things in order to seeure a home, rear their children properly and have a competenee for their later years. In all this they have succeeded. and they deserve the respeet and honor paid to hard working and exeellent citizens.

Mr. Husemann was born May 12, 1869, seventh in a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters, born to Philip and Anna Husemann. All the chil- dren but one are still living and all residents of Adams County. They were edueated in the common and parochial schools and the sons are all practical farmers.

Philip Husemann was born in the City of Berlin, Germany, and on reach- ing his majority left the fatherland and eame to the United States. He took passage on a sailing vessel at Bremerhaven, and after a voyage of fourteen weeks landed in New Orleans, whence he came up the Mississippi River to St. Louis and a short time later continued on up the river to Quiney. He had no eapital but his industrious disposition, and sought his early advantages in the new world and as a farm laborer for Mr. Demaree. The years brought their rewards, and eventually he was able to buy sixty acres of land, assuming a heavy debt and paying 12 per cent interest. He afterward bought another fifty acres, all in Melrose Township, his home being in section 8. He was a repub- liean, and he and his wife were charter members of St. Jacob's German Luth- eran Church at Quiney. He died after an honored and respected career Feb- ruary 26, 1913, and his wife in July, 1906. Both are now at rest in the Green Mount Cemetery.

Mr. August C. Husemann was edneated in both the parochial and common schools, and for thirty years has applied all of his intelligenee and industry to the business of farming and stoek raising. He has recently begun the de- velopment of a good herd of Shorthorn eattle on his farm. Ilis place eom- prises forty acres, lying 116 miles from the city limits of Quiney. Its improve- ments and the valne of the property represent the joint labors and efforts of Mr. Husemann and his good wife.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 100

Author: Wilcox, David F., 1851- ed Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 952

Author: Wilcox, David F., 1851- ed
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 952