Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 112

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 112

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April 17, 1895, he married Miss Orpha Hull, daughter of John P. and Martha (Harrison) Hull. Her mother is still living at the age of eighty-four. Her father, a native of Virginia, came west as a young man to Adams County, secured a tract of land, and then went back to Virginia and married. He took his bride to the new home in Richfield Township, and became a citizen of prominence here. He died December 1, 1901, at the age of seventy. He was an exceptional business man and of most serupulous integrity, and was called upon to administer several estates and act as guardian for children. Six of the Hull daughters are still living. Miss Vickie is still at the old home with her mother. The other four besides Mrs. McCarl are: Ida, Mrs. W. C. Baker of Richfield ; Jennie, Mrs. S. A. Baker of Richfield; Clara, wife of E. J. Wagy of Richfield ; and Martha A., Mrs. Orville Hess of Richfield.

Mrs. MeCarl received a good education, including special training in music, and was a teacher for one year before her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. McCarl have two sons: Clement, who is twenty-three years of age and for several years has been the active partner with his father on the farm; and Lewis, aged twelve.

WILLIAM W. ROBERTSON, the present supervisor of Beverly Township, is owner of one of the fine old family estates of that locality, a farm that has been steadily improved and carefully tended and cultivated by one family for more than half a century. Mr. Robertson's home is a half mile south of Beverly Village and eight miles northeast of Barry.

He was born on this farm January 23, 1866, son of William W. and Mary E. (Richardson) Robertson. His father owned 200 acres of land there, and had farmed in that loeality most of his life. He was retired for twenty-five years and died when within one month of his ninetieth birthday. His surviving children are: William W .; Mary, Mrs. John G. Sykes, living in the same vicinity as her brother: George W., who left Adams County at the age of twenty-two and for about forty years was a railroad engineer and is now living at. Glen's Ferry, Idaho: John W., a retired farmer at Quincy ; and Mrs. Rose Leightv. living at Vermont, Fulton County, Illinois. William W. Robertson was a republiean and was reared in the Congregational Church.

William W. Robertson, the son, remained at home and attended the local schools, and when about twenty-five years of age took charge of the old farm. Its 200 arres are now under his ownership and he has made many improve- ments, including the building of a commodious new home where he and his family reside. This house was built in 1916. As a stockman Mr. Robertson has been chiefly interested in Polled Durham cattie.

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Mr. Robertson is now serving his third consecutive term as township super- visor. He has given much of his time to the duties of his office and has been especially interested in road improvement and has secured appropriations for the construction of a number of cement culverts. He has served on the bridge committee of the board. He was elected to this office as a republican and is his party committeeman for his township.

October 12, 1893, Mr. Robertson married Nadine Griffith, of Clayton, daughter of Capt. A. J. and Sarah Ann (Wallace) Griffith. Mr. and Mrs. Robertson have two children, Ezma and Griffith, the latter still at home. The daughter is the wife of Ray Stauffer, of Beverly Township, and they have two children, named Analu and Silber Ray. Mr. Robertson is a stockholder in the bank at Beverly, supports the Congregational Church, and in the last year or two has been very active in war work, especially in behalf of the Red Cross.

EZRA D. WING. The Wing farm three miles southeast of Clayton, in the extreme southeastern corner of the township of that name, is an interesting place, not only by reason of its value as a farm, but also for the fact that it has provided for and sheltered four generations of this family. Ezra D. Wing is now practically retired from his active career as an agriculturist, and his two children still live on the farm and share in its benefits.

Mr. Wing was born there August 8, 1867, his birthplace being the substantial brick house still standing and which was built by his grandfather, Stephen, and his father, Theodore Wing, in 1864. The brick was burned on the land.

Stephen Wing was born in Vermont in 1810, and was descended from Welsh ancestors. The family tradition is that a widowed mother accompanied by her two sons came from Wales and settled in Massachusetts in colonial days, and later moved to Vermont. The carly generations were Quakers in religion. Stephen Wing when a boy went with his parents to Ohio, locating in Greene County, and the family were there when it was not an infrequent experience for wells sunk for water striking a vein of oil, which was then considered a nuisance. In Ohio Stephen Wing married Olive Rice. Their son, Theodore Wing, was born in Ohio in 1836 and was a small child when the family started west in 1845, journeying down the Ohio and up the Mississippi rivers to Illinois. They first settled at Newburg in Pike County, and in 1857 Stephen Wing secured the present farm in Clayton Township. Later, when he needed more land, he paid $3,500 for an eighty-acre farm, that being a very high price for that period. Theodore Wing was partially crippled, and he and his father, Stephen, always lived together and had many of their property interests in common. Stephen Wing died at the old homestead in October, 1896, having lived retired for some years and having survived his wife. He had one son and two daughters. The daughters and their husbands are now deceased. Rosa- linda married John Dodd and went to Iowa, while Sarah became the wife of William Anderson and they lived in Davenport, Iowa.

Theodore Wing married in 1865 Alice Wing, a distant relative. She was also a resident of Pike County at the time of her marriage. She survived her marriage only a few years, and was twenty-five at the time of her death. She was the mother of Ezra D. Wing. Theodore married for his second wife Rhoda Carter, of Augusta, Hancock County, Illinois. She died in 1894, and Theodore Wing passed away April 10, 1905, at the age of sixty-nine. He had lived retired since the death of his second wife. Ezra D. Wing was the only child of his father to reach mature years. Practically all his life has been lived on the old homestead in Clayton Township. However, for three years he was in Missouri and for one year in Nebraska. He returned home at the time of the death of his stepmother in 1894, and from that time had the active management of the farm until he himself turned over these responsibilities to younger people. The farm comprises 175 acres in one tract, and the principal residence is the brick building above noted. Mr. Wing rebuilt the old barn and has made many other

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improvements. He has followed general farming and has had considerable sur- cess with Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. About a carload of hogs has left the farm for market every year.

All generations of this family have given members to the republican party. Mr. Wing's father and grandfather were members of the Christian Adventist Church when that was a flourishing organization in Adams County. Ezra Wing and wife are members of the Baptist Church at Timewell.

February 5, 1891, Mr. Wing married Mary Anderson, of Clayton, daughter of Cornelius and Nancy (Martin) Anderson. IIer father was a farmer and liveryman and finally retired from business and died at the age of eighty-two. Mrs. Wing's mother died at the age of forty-two. The two children of Mr. and Mrs. Wing are Floyd D. and Theodore Cornelius, each of whom now farms a part of the old homestead. Theodore Cornelius married Vivian Shelley, and they live with his parents in the old briek farmhouse. Floyd D. married Edna Marrett and has one daughter, Alice Elizabeth.

IIENRY M. SHEER. Given a product that the public desires, a mechanic with technical training and sufficient experienee may become a successful manu- facturer. However, to not only manufacture but to provide ideas for innumer- able devices and to develop them into conerete forms through inventive genius goes far beyond ordinary mechanical ability, and for that reason Henry M. Sheer, president of the H. M. Sheer Company at Quincy, oceupies an unusually prominent position in the manufacturing field here.

Mr. Sheer was born in Melrose Township, Adams County, April 1, 1865, a son of David and Elizabeth (Ilerlemann) Sheer. His father, who died recently, was one of the early settlers of Adams County, and though he began life poor rose to a commanding place among the successful farmers of Melrose Town- ship and enjoyed many of the dignities and honors of the community. He was born at Buffalo, New York, October 10, 1828, and when two years of age his parents moved to Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where he received his early eduea- tion. In 1845 he and other members of the family came to Adams County and settled in Melrose Township. In the spring of 1850 he made an overland trip to California, but returned home in January, 1852, and in February of the same year married Miss Elizabeth Herlemann. a native of Pennsylvania. After their marriage they moved to a farm in seetion 24 of Melrose Township, and there he developed a place of 400 acres, notable not only for the productiveness of its soil but also for the fine blooded cattle and hogs in which he specialized. He was a man of sterling character and commanded the respect of all who knew him. For several terms he represented his township in the county board of supervisors. He was reared a democrat and adhered to that party most of bis life, though he voted for Mr. Lincoln for president both times. His wife died when about sixty years of age. Their eight children, four sons and four daughters, all grew up, all married but two, and only one of them is deceased. These children are: Leonard, a resident of Quincy; Margaret, wife of Joseph Able, of Benton County; William, who moved to Oklahoma; Caroline. a resi- dent of Quiney; Henry M .; Matilda, deceased; Annie, wife of Christopher Luffi, of Quiney ; and Walter, who lives at Quiney.

Henry M. Sheer was reared on his father's farm. He obtained his educa- tion in the public schools and later took a course in the Gem City Business Col- lege at Quiney. In 1888 he beeame identified with a farm machinery company at Quincy as a salesman, and continued in that line for seven years. In the meantime he had made plans to go into business for himself, and eventually opened a shop for the manufacture of incubators and brooders used by poultry- men. Not content with a general manufacturing line, he began developing ideas of his own and gradually restrieting and specializing his business for the manu- facture of special parts of incubators. He has done his greatest work probably in developing a perfect system of heat control in incubators and brooders, in- eluding various types of stoves and thermostats. His incubator and brooder supplies are sold all over the world, and his manufactured products are all

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covered by his own patents. His plant on Hampshire Street eovers ground 150 by 100 feet, part of it with a two story building and basement. He is also manufacturer of the Caseade Washing Machine, one of his inventions, and a machine that is now sold all over the country. He has also perfected various types of oil stoves, blue flame burners, and now has from thirty to thirty-five people employed in the business.

The H. M. Sheer Company has been in its present plant since 1914. His first shop was at 513 Ohio Street, and the necessity for enlarged quarters caused him to move into the factory district of Hampshire Street, where he had a plant just west of his present quarters for seven years. Some of the equipment manufactured under his patents has been supplied to the number of over 75,000 to a single poultry supply manufacturing eoneern.

Mr. Sheer married at Quincy Miss Gertrude Drallmeier, a native of Quiney and reared and edueated here. Mr. and Mrs. Sheer have two children : Florenee, wife of Ray Menke, who is now employed in the government arsenal at Roek Island, Illinois; and David, who is in the eity high school and assists his father. Mr. Sheer and family are members of the Congregational Chureh.

FRANK J. KLINGELE. In the fertile agricultural country surrounding Quincy are found many men who have passed practically their entire lives in this region and have won suecess and high standing. Among this class is Frank J. Klingele, who has made a sueeess of the intensive forms of agriculture, chiefly in truek and fruit crops.

Mr. Klingele was born in Adams County, received his training here both educational and agricultural, and for his straightforward eharacter he has gained a strong place in the confidenee of his fellow eitizens.

Mr. Klingele was born July 20, 1865, fourth in a family of twelve children, six sons and six daughters. Ilis parents were Ludwig X. and Sophia ( Well- mann) Klingele. Five of the sons and two of the daughters are still living. all in Adams County but two, John and Edward F., who are farmers in the State of Washington. Both are married but John is now a widower.

Ludwig X. Klingele was born near the Black Forest of Germany and eame to Ameriea when a young man. He was well educated, having proficiency in the German and English languages. He came to this country in a sailing vessel, first located at Cineinnati, and a short time later went to St. Louis, and from that eity in 1849 joined a party who drove overland with wagons and mule teams to California. It was a journey fraught with mueh hardship and hazard and took three months. He remained in the gold coast and was reasonably sueeessful until 1852, when he returned by water. He crossed the Isthmus of Panama and from New Orleans came up the Mississippi River to St. Louis. By trade he was a cabinet maker. At St. Louis he converted his gold dust into coin of the realm and soon came to Quiney and took a position as elerk in a dry goods establishment on North Fifth Street. Later he bought the land where his son Frank now lives. For forty acres he paid $1,640. This was in 1853. The land had no improvements and he eonverted it into a good farm with excellent buildings and was one of the prosperous and influential men of the community the rest of his days. He was a demoerat and always took a keen interest in polities and politieal affairs. He and his wife were members of St. Mary's Parish of the Catholic Church, being eharter members of that church. Ludwig Klingele died in 1901. Both he and his wife were laid to rest in St. Boniface cemetery. His wife was born at New Orleans December 3, 1840, was reared in Adams County and was edueated in the parochial sehools. She was a kind and affectionate wife and mother and many grateful memories follow her. She spent her last years at the home of her son Frank and died Mareh 13, 1914.

Frank J. Klingele was reared and educated in Adams County, attending the parochial schools. In 1892-93 he was a visitor in North Dakota, but did not identify himself permanently with that portion of the northwest. Other- wise his career has been spent in Adams County. On January 17, 1900, Mr. Klingele married Miss Wilhelmina Magdalene Klues. They are the parents

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of six children, four sons and two daughters, five still living. Clara O., at home, was educated in St. Mary's parochial school at Quincy, was also trained in music and is an active member of St. Mary's Church. Roman F. is with the class that graduates from the eighth grade of parochial schools in 1918. Paul M. is in the fourth grade of the parochial school of St. Mary's Parish. Mary G. is in the second grade, and the youngest of the family is Marcellus Urban. Mr. and Mrs. Klingele have been at great pains to give their children the best of advantages to fit them for life.

Mrs. Klingele was born in Adams County November 13, 1876, daughter of Andrew and Rosa (Rohling) Klues. There were nine children in the Klues family, six still living, and all residents of Adams County except Catherine, who is the wife of William Reis, a painter and decorator living at Okonee, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Reis have three children.

Andrew Klues, father of Mrs. Klingele, was born in Hanover, Germany, was reared in his native land and served as a soldier during the Franco-Prussian war. He is one of the men of the present generation who have vividly impressed on their memory pictures of old Field Marshal Von Moltke and Prince Bis- marek. In former years Mr. Kles was employed as a brick manufacturer, and has also been a farmer. He is a democrat and is now a resident of Quincy. His l'amily have been identified with St. Mary's Parish. Mrs. Klingele's mother was born in Germany, and died May 26, 1905. Mrs. Klingele had her educa- tion in the parochial schools at Quincy and was well fitted by training and by natural capabilities for the responsibility of making a home. After their mar- riage Mr. and Mrs. Klingele began farming on their present place, which is about a half a mile from Quincy, and there by their labor have improved an attractive home and have made a success of the crops best suited to their land. Mrs. Klingele has proved a faithful counsellor and guide in the affairs of home and also in solving those problems which concern all members of the family. Mr. Klingele cast his first presidential vote for Grover Cleveland and has al- ways sustained the policies of the democratic party. He and his wife are mem- bers of St. Mary's Parish. Mr. Klingele has seen a great deal of the United States, has been as far west as the Pacific Coast, including the cities of Tacoma, Portland and Spokane. The farm on which he resides has an abstract covering possession of almost a century, the land having originally been a soldier's claim.

JOIN L. PIPE. During the last fifteen or twenty years there has been no more successful coal operator and dealer at Quincy than John L. Pipe. His present business was established in June, 1909, and it has been developed to large proportions both wholesale and retail, handling all the staple grades of coal. The yards are on Eleventh Street between York and Jersey streets. Mr. Pipe has for eleven years been associated with Mr. E. W. Trobridge of Quincy, and for six years had charge of the city trade of the Wabash Coal Company. He knows the coal business in every detail, and his own success has only been a justified reward of the splendid service he has rendered the public.

Mr. Pipe comes of a family notable for splendid physical manhood. He and his brothers are large men of athletic build, and Mr. Pipe stands full six feet with corresponding proportions. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, about forty years ago, was reared and educated in Quincy, and was only a boy when he started to learn the coal business. His parents were Alfred T. and Josephine (Sharkey) Pipe, both natives of St. Louis, the former of English and the latter of Irish parentage. They married in St. Louis, where Alfred Pipe followed the business of stove molder for a time. He died at the age of sixty- five in March, 1911. His widow is still living in Quincy, at the age of seventy- two. She is a member of the Catholic Church. There were three sons and two daughters, Alfred C., of Chicago, in the government mail service, and married ; John L .: George A., manager of the Comstock-Castle Stove Foundry of Quincy, is married and has three sons and one daughter; Mabel is clerk in one of the large dry goods stores of Quincy; while Josephine, the youngest, is a music teacher in Quincy.

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Joli L. Pipe married at Quincy in 1900 Bertha N. Wiesenburger. Mrs. I'ipe is a native of Quiney and after completing her education was a book- keeper until her marriage at the age of twenty-two. Her parents, Bernard and Elizabeth (Hemple) Wiesenburger, were born in Germany, her mother in Baden, but were married in Quincy. Her father followed the trade of wagon- maker and died in 1905, at the age of seventy-six. Her mother is still living at the advanced age of seventy-nine. Mrs. Pipe is one of a family of eight chil- dren, all living, and all married but one daughter. Iler brother Albert B. was educated in the city schools and the Gem City Business College and was book- keeper for Mr. Pipe. He married Emma Schrieber, who died in November, 1915, leaving four children, Albert L., Mildred, Grace and Ellen, the three younger of whom are all in school.

Mr. and Mrs. Pipe have one daughter, Elizabeth, born May 27, 1908, now attending the sixth grade of the public schools. The family are members of the Memorial Lutheran Church. Mr. Pipe is active in Lodge No. 296 of the Masonic Order.

GEORGE W. FRANCIS, the present postmaster of Camp Point, has been a well known citizen of Adams County for many years, was born here, and for- merly resided in Quincy. His name serves to recall besides his own worthy career several of the older and influential families of the county, including the Coxes, his mother's people.

Mr. Francis was born in Ursa Township February 2, 1853, and is a son of Samuel and Mary A. (Cox) Francis.

Samuel Francis, who died in 1901, was perhaps best known because of his long identification with Camp Point Village as a landlord, being proprietor of the old Adams or Francis Hotel for thirty-five years. A son of Vincent and Amelia Francis, of Bedfordshire, England, he was born in that country October 21, 1817. As a youth he learned the shoemaker's trade and followed it in England until thirty years of age. In 1848 he came to America, was a Quincy shoemaker for several years, also lived in Ursa Township, and in 1856 settled at Camp Point, where he was in the shoe business. In 1861 he bought the Adams House, and to the conduct of that old and well known hostelry gave his attention during most of his active years until he retired. He was a republican voter and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Both he and his wife were members of the Christian Church.

In December, 1850, Samuel Francis married Mary Ann Cox, who was born near Quincy March 18, 1831, daughter of George W. and Alvira (Crawford) Cox. George W. Cox was a native of Virginia and his wife of Kentucky. They married in Kentucky, and about 1825 came to Illinois and settled in Honey Creek Township. As pioneer settlers they acquired their land from the govern- ment, and the old Cox estate in that township has since become one of the most productive and valuable farms of the county. George W. Cox was also one of the contractors who built the Burlington Railroad through Adams County. IIe died in 1859, at the age of sixty-four, and his wife in 1866, at the age of fifty-six.

Samuel Francis and wife had three children: Sarah C., born September 7, 1851, deceased wife of James Robertson; George W .; and John T., who was born December 27, 1855, and is now deceased.

George W. Francis was about two years old when his parents moved to Camp Point. At that time this was a community of about three houses clus- tered around Garrett's mill, and Samnel Francis' small shoe shop was one of the first enterprises of the village. Mr. Francis grew up here and in the course of his education attended the noted Maplewood High School of Camp Point and also attended college at LaGrange, Missouri. For abut nine years he was engaged in the agricultural implement business at Camp Point, and then for twenty-five years was on the road as a traveling salesman. Another experienee of his early career was service as deputy county recorder for seven years. For eight years his home was in Quincy, and while there he built a fine home at

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Twenty-Second and Main streets. In 1913 Mr. Francis returned to Camp Point and bought the E. B. Sawyer Insurance Agency, which is now his prin- cipal business. It is conducted under the firm name of Francis & Spenee. Mr. Francis was appointed acting postmaster of Camp Point January 4, 1918. He has also served six years as village trustee. Politically he is independent and is a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was at one time president of the Adams County Fair Association, and has always been liberal of his time and means to support all worthy enterprises. He is affiliated with Lodge No. 197, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Royal Arch Chapter No. 7, Clayton Com- mandery, Knights Templars, and is a member of Camp Point Lodge No. 299, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Exkaliber Lodge of Knights of Pythias. Ile and his wife are members of the Eastern Star.

Since coming to Camp Point he has built the home in which he and family now reside. In 1877 he married Miss Susan E. Whitbread, who was born in Quincy June 4, 1861.

IRA R. CALKINS. In practically every walk of life there is a certain, well defined path to success, but undoubtedly there are many bypaths leading to the broad road and it is very often necessary for a young mau to search elosely for these as he pursues his various industries. It is something to be able to recognize an opportunity when it presents itself, and thereby each man makes his own snecess surer if not always easier. In all probability, when Ira R. Calkins, vice president of one of Quiney's important industries, went into the foundry of the Electric Wheel Company at Quincy he set step on the success- ful-ending path that led him to his present ample fortune and responsible place in the business world

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 112

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