USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II > Part 113
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Ira R. Calkins was born at Quincy, Illinois, October 4, 1872. His parents were John W. and Adelaide (Niles) Calkins, who were born in the State of New York. In 1860 they came to Quincy, the father at that time being eon- neeted with the Pullman Car Company, and subsequently he was in the United States postal service. His death occurred in 1902 and that of the mother in 1913. They were held in great esteem at Quiney and were identified quietly with those things which make up community peace, benevolence and happiness. "They were the parents of four children, namely: A daughter who died at the age of six months ; Addison N., who is a resident of Quincy; Harriet W .. who is the wife of Harry H. Hale, whose home is in the City of Los Angeles, Cali- fornia; and Ira R.
Ira R. Calkins was reared at Quiney and had the advantage of her excellent public schools, and after completing the high school course became a clerk in the postoffice at Quincy and remained for six years, during that time becoming unnsnally well acquainted with a large number of his fellow citizens. In 1899 came the opportunity to go with this Quiney Electric Wheel Company, and he has been identified with this business ever sinee and now is the company's vice president. In all his transactions he has proved to be an able and honorable business man, and such is his reputation at Quincy.
Mr. Calkins was married March 23, 1903, to Miss Sne MeDavitt, and they have one daughter, Elizabeth Meriam. They have a wide eircle of personal friends and maintain a hospitable home. In his political views Mr. Calkins is a republican. Ile is an earnest and upright citizen and is ever ready to co- operate with others in matters of substantial public interest for the benefit of all.
JOSEPHI L. THOMAS, former county treasurer and now assistant county treasurer of Adams County, is a citizen of long and active identification with public affairs and formerly with the educational life of this eonnty, and is un- doubtedly one of Quincy's best known citizens. He has made a study of the problems and methods of that particular branch of eounty government with which he has been chiefly identified, and is now generally recognized throughout the state as an authority on the construction and administration of the general revenue laws of Illinois.
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Mr. Thomas was born in Clayton Township of this county November 3, 1873, a son of Eli R. and Mary A. (Beckett) Thomas. Both families have been identified with Adams County sinee early days. Eli Thomas was a native of Indiana and eame to Adams County in the carly '50s, locating on a farm in Clayton Township, a traet of land which, with its modern improvements, is still owned by the family. Eli Thomas spent a long and praiseworthy career as an agrieulturist and died February 2, 1894. His wife, Mary Beekett, was born in Adams County, where her father, Joseph S. Beekett, was a pioneer farmer. Mary Thomas died December 20, 1916. They were the parents of four children : Ida, wife of George B. Cornelius, living on the old homestead in Clayton Town- ship : Curtis M., who died at Los Angeles, California, June 20, 1916; Joseph L .; and Walter H. L., cashier of the Farmers State Bank at Mendon, Illinois.
Joseph L. Thomas grew up in a rural environment, made the best of his opportunities in the local schools and at the age of eighteen, in 1892, began teaching. His first work as a teacher was done in Ellington Township, and alto- gether he taught about twelve years. In the meantime he was paying for the expenses of his higher education in the Western Normal at Bushnell, Illinois, where he graduated in 1896. After that he continued teaching in the winters, and in 1902 eame to the Court House at Quiney as deputy treasurer. He filled that office four years and then took up a new line of work as reporter for the Quiney Daily IIerald. IIe was with the staff of that paper 31% years. In 1910 Mr. Thomas was made candidate on the democratic tieket for the office of county treasurer, and reecived a signal triumph in the election of November 5, 1910. He gave four years to the capable and efficient handling of the county funds, and in 1914, at the close of his term, was appointed assistant county
treasurer. He is also secretary of the County Centennial Celebration. Mr. Thomas is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason, is past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, and an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. November 14, 1901, he married Miss Mattie E. Gans. Mrs. Thomas was born in Red Oak. Iowa, and before her marriage was a successful teacher. They have two children : Harry L., born October 6, 1904, and Charles Clifford, born January 25, 1906.
JOIN A. THOMPSON, present mayor of Quiney, has long been a factor in the business and eivie affairs here, and has attained a substantial position from a boyhood passed in self-respeeting poverty and hard work.
Mr. Thompson was born at Quincy October 17, 1873, a son of John H. and Ida (Dustin) Thompson. His father was born in Pennsylvania and his mother in Quincy. John H. Thompson was a moulder by trade, and his death occurred in 1886. The children in the family were: Charles, of Quiney; John A .; Frank, of Quiney ; Willard, deceased.
At the age of thirteen John A. Thompson left publie school on account of his father's death, and began working, turning his wages over to his mother. In this routine he continued for some years and finally gained the modest capital with which about 1897 he embarked in the grocery business with his brother Charles. They operated a large and well patronized establishment, and Mr. Thompson was active in the business until May, 1917, when he retired to give all his duties to the office of mayor of Quincy.
March 15, 1899, he married Ernestine Buerklin. Mrs. Thompson was born in Quiney, daughter of Adolph and Louisa (Schwarz) Buerklin. Her father is now deceased and her mother is a resident of Quiney. Mayor Thompson is a republican, and prior to his elevation to the mayoralty was alderman from the Second Ward for five years. In Masonry he has attained the thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite.
GEORGE C. MARRIOTT. In the modern city no municipal service has been developed to a higher point of efficiency and of greater usefulness to the property and welfare of citizens than the fire protection service. In its fire department
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the City of Quincy need fear comparison with no other city of its size in the middle west, since both in equipment and personnel it is modern and to the highest degree effective.
Much of the credit for not only the material equipment but for the dis- ciplined efficiency of the department is due to its chief, George C. Marriott, who has had a long and active service as a fireman, covering more than a quarter of a century.
Though a resident of Quincy most of his life, Mr. Marriott was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, October 26, 1865, a son of Frank and Catherine (Weisenberger) Marriott. His father was a native of France and his mother of Germany. His father was a contractor and builder, and died in Louisiana when his children were small. In 1883 the widowed mother brought her family to Quincy, George being then eighteen years of age. There were four children : George C .: Catherine, wife of Edward Hartzel, of Quincy; Mrs. Marie Delabar, a widow; and Ellen, wife of William Weise, of Quincy.
As a boy George C. Marriott received a rudimentary education in the public schools of Louisiana. At the age of fourteen he was working with his father, but at fifteen he left school to take the place of his father, who had died, and from that time forward was the mainstay of the family until the younger children were grown. He learned the cooper's trade and followed it about five years, part of the time in Quincy. Then for four years he worked in a local flour mill, and in 1891 began his duties and experience as a member of the Quincy Fire Department. He is a veteran in the service, and has helped fight fires in Quincy for more than a quarter of a century. In 1907 he was made assistant fire chief, and in 1911 was appointed chief of the department, a position which he has now held for seven years.
September 21, 1897, Mr. Marriott married Emma S. Fischer, a daughter of Christopher and Annie (Durant) Fischer. Both her parents are now deceased. Mr. Marriott is a democrat in politics and has fraternal affiliations with the Knights of Pythias, Court of Honor, Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Loyal Order of Moose. He is also well known among Illinois firemen and has fre- quently attended conventions of the fire fighting organizations from this state.
ADDISON N. CALKINS has been a factor in the industrial and manufacturing life and affairs of Quincy for many years. He is a manufacturer of long and extensive experience, and is now giving his entire time to his duties as super- intendent of the Electric Wheel Company.
Mr. Calkins was born at Quincy October 1, 1865, a son of John W. and Adelaide (Niles) Calkins. His parents came to Quincy in 1860 from New York. Ilis father was at one time connected with the Pullman Car Company and sub- seqnently was in the postal service. John W. Calkins died in 1902 and his wife in 1913.
Addison N. Calkins was educated in Quincy public schools and also in the public schools of Louisiana, Missouri. After a course in the University of Missouri at Columbia he began work with a machine shop and foundry at Louisiana, Missouri, and was with that concern for four years, getting a thorough apprenticeship and acquiring a complete familiarity with all branches of the business. He then returned to Quincy and became associated with the Lechtenberg interests as one of the organizers of the Central Machine and Foundry Company. Later this became the Central Iron Works, manufacturing elevators. Mr. Calkins and the Lechtenbergs were the principal stockholders in this industry. After about twelve years Mr. Calkins went with the Otis Ele- vator Company for 11% years, and then came into his present position as super- intendent of the Electric Wheel Company.
Mr. Calkins married October 21, 1892, Miss Ana Schermerhorn. They have two daughters, Helen, a teacher in Knox College at Galesburg, Illinois, and Ruth, at home. Mr. Calkins is a Knight Templar Mason, is a member of the Presbyterian Church and a republican voter.
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J. ERLE CALDWELL, eity comptroller of Quincy, is a well known business man of the city and is also on the retired list with the rank of lieutenant in the Illinois Naval Reserve.
Mr. Caldwell was born at Elvaston, Hancock County, Illinois, March 17, 1886, the only child of Lee E. and Ella J. (Browning) Caldwell, both natives of Hancock County. The family have lived in Adams County since 1905.
J. E. Caldwell completed his literary education in Carthage College, but left that school on account of illness. He then became associated with his father in business and is now secretary and treasurer of the Quincy Phono- graph Company, handling, both wholesale and retail, the various line of wares manufactured by the Edison Company.
Mr. Caldwell was for eleven years identified with the Illinois Naval Reserve as a member of the Tenth Division. During that time he gained an unusually thorough knowledge of naval equipment and practice, and as commander of the torpedo boat "Somers" conveyed that vessel to the navy yard at New Orleans.
Mr. Caldwell was appointed city comptroller of Quincy and took that office ou May 8, 1917. He is a republican in polities, and his father was at one time a supervisor in Hancock County. Mr. Caldwell is affiliated with the Masonic Order and the United Commercial Travelers, and is a member of the Federation of Musicians. On June 27, 1911, he married Miss Nellie E. Poole, a native of Adams County.
GEORGE F. METZGER is secretary of the Menke Stone and Lime Company of Quiney. He has been a member of this firm since 1886, and has been its seere- tary over fifteen years.
Mr. Metzger is a man of expert technical qualifications, has had much ex- perience in building contraeting and other work, and his energy and resource- fulness have had much to do with the success and growth of the Menke Stone and Lime Company.
IIe eame to Quincy in 1878 and was a building contractor for a number of years, until he entered business with his present firm. He was associated with W. B. Loekworthy and later with Lockworthy and Menke, until the death of Mr. Lockworthy. The Menke Stone and Lime Company is one of the largest concerns of its kind in Western Illinois. They operate great limestone quarries and lime kilns near Quiney, having three mills south of the eity, while their ent stone factory, warehouses and yards are at Kentucky, York and Front streets. In normal times they employ from 125 to 140 men, and ship carloads of erushed stone, ent stone, lime and other materials and products all over the states of Illinois, Missouri, lowa and even as far away as Nebraska.
Mr. Metzger was born in Wuertemberg, Germany, in January, 1854. son of Johan and Regina (Voehringer) Metzger. His parents were natives of the same province and spent their lives there, both dying when about twenty-eight years of age, the mother about two years younger than her husband. The father was a contractor and architeet, so that in a sense the son may be said to have in- herited his profession and occupation.
George F. Metzger was only three years old when his mother died. He was reared and carefully educated, attending a Polytechnie College at Stuttgart, Germany. After graduating he set out for America, making the voyage across the ocean in ten days on the ship "China." He landed at New York City April 5, 1876, and at once came west to St. Louis. A few years later he located in Quincey.
Mr. Metzger married at Sedalia, Missouri, Miss Rosena Vosse. She was born at Atchison, Kansas, of German parentage, and was reared and educated in that city. They have one son, A. Frederick Metzger, who was born at Sedalia, Missouri, in 1885. Mr. Metzger and family lived at Sedalia temporarily while he was a contractor during the construction of the court house there. The son grew up in Quiney, attended the public schools here, and the Union Business College, and is now bookkeeper for the Menke Stone & Lime Company.
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He married in Quincy Agnes Singler, who was born in Missouri in 1885, daughter of H. Frederick and Ellen Singler. Mr. Metzger and family are members of the Lutheran Church and he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Masonie Order.
JOHN H. KOCH, M. D., F. A. C. S. During twenty years of practice at Quincy Doctor Koch has achieved an enviable prominence as a surgeon, and it was a sure skill and his successful method in handling many major eases which caused his name to be nominated and accepted as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the only really exclusive and diseriminating medical organization in America.
Doctor Koch first took up the profession of pharmaey and graduated from the National College of Pharmacy at Washington, D. C., in 1894. He remained at Washington and entered the Garfield Memorial Hospital, a branch of the Columbian, now the George Washington, University, where he received his M. D. degree in 1897. He has also been a student and attendant at clinics in perhaps the greatest medical center in the world, Vienna. It was in 1916 that Doetor Koch was aceepted among the carly members of the American College of Surgeons. For many years he has practiced with offices at Broadway and Eighth streets. He is a member of the County and State Medical soeicties and the American Medical Association.
Doctor Koch was born at Quincy in 1874, and during his boyhood attended the Quincy High School and other schools of his home city. He has served as president of the Adams County Medical Society and as delegate to the state and national societies. He has prepared and read papers before both of the latter organizations. He is active in the Knights of Columbus, and with all his busy professional work finds time to keep in touch with current progress and affairs in his community. Doctor Koch has a fine home and office at his residence.
At Watsonville, Pennsylvania, Doctor Koch married Miss Louise Irvin. She is a native of Pennsylvania, and represents one of the old and prominent fam- ilies of that state. She is of Scotch and English parentage. The Irvins were one of the famous clans of Scotland. Her great-grandfather served as a soldier in the American Revolution, while her maternal grandfather, Reader, was in the War of 1812. Her father, Lieutenant Joseph M. Irvin, was with the One Hundred and Thirty-First Pennsylvania Infantry during the Civil war and was seriously wounded at the second battle of Bull Run. He died in 1897, and her mother is still living in Pennsylvania. Doctor and Mrs. Koch are members of St. Peter's Catholic Church.
ARTHUR DUNN is vice president, treasurer and manager of the United Cereal Mills Company. Limited, at Quincy. He came to Quincy in 1916, and has been the responsible executive in charge of this branch of the great industry since that time. The Quincy mills of this company have a capacity of from 40.000,000 to 50.000,000 packages a year, or more than 1,000.000 cases. The goods are shipped to every state of the Union and to Canada, and it is not infre- quent that 100 carloads leave the factory every month for distribution over this territory. The products of the Quincy mills are the E-C Cornflakes, Washington Flakes, Fruited Wheat and Fruited Cornflakes, and also cereals of rye and barley. This company has an elevator with a storage capacity of thirty cars. The plant is a large and commodious one, and every sanitary facility and com- fort have been supplied the employes, who number about 200, in addition to 150 commercial salesmen who cover the territory supplied by these mills.
Mr. Dunn came to Quincy from Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he lived from 1895 and where he practiced law and carried out a number of highly successful examples of business promotion. He is a business organizer and financier, and is a man who does things with a rapidity of decision that is the admiration of his business associates. He was born at Elmira. New York, in 1876. but grew up in Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the Scranton public
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schools and a graduate of Princeton University with the elass of 1895. He was trained as a lawyer and practiced law at Seranton and engaged in large busi- ness affairs there for twenty-one years. He has also been aetive as a republi- ean and was a delegate to the convention that nominated Roosevelt for president and stumped during the eampaign for his election.
Mr. Dunn married a Pennsylvania girl and has a family.
ALBERT T. FRANKEL. The youngest member of the County Board of Supervisors at present is Albert T. Frankel, from Coneord Township, who was elected in the spring of 1918. Mr. Frankel is one of the younger and progressive element of farmers in that section of Adams County, and for six- teen years has been identified with the cultivation and management of a good farm. He also held the office of township collector two years before entering upon his duties as a member of the Board of Supervisors.
The Frankel farm comprises 121 acres in sections 30 and 31. About half the land is improved and the remainder timber and pasture. Mr. Frankel devotes his time largely to cattle raising, his farm being especially adapted to the grazing of livestock. During the summer and fall he also does an etxen- sive business as a grain thresherman, having one of the complete outfits for that purpose.
Mr. Frankel is thirty-four years of age, having been born at St. Louis November 9, 1884. He received his early education in St. Louis, and has lived in Concord Township since 1902. He is a son of Andrew P. and Sarah ( Rose) Frankel. His father was born in Sweden in 1843 and eame of a Swedish Lutheran family. When a young unmarried man he came to the United States and located at St. Louis, and married in Missouri Miss Sarah Rose. She was born near Newtown in Adams County, Illinois, January 15, 1853, daughter of John M. and Nancy (Ferguson) Rose. Her parents were natives of Missouri, but were married in Adams County, and for a time lived on the farm now occupied by the Frankel family. John M. Rose was a railroad man. a shop worker and engineer, and spent most of his aetive life in that service at Louisi- ana, Missouri. He died there when past seventy years of age. He was a democrat. Ilis widow died on the old farm in Concord Township at the age of seventy-six. Andrew P. Frankel after his marriage continued work at his trade as a carpenter, and in 1902 came to Coneord Township with his wife and family. IIe died at the farm home there in June, 1908, at the age of sixty-five. He was a Lutheran. Mrs. Frankel is still living with her sons at the old homestead and is about sixty-five years of age. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Albert T. Frankel is second among her four sons. Robert A., the oldest, was reared and educated in St. Louis, attending business college there, and at the time of his death, at the age of eighteen, was employed by the R. G. Dun Company. Elmer L., born in October, 1889, attended school in St. Louis and in Adams County, and is still at home with his mother. Ivan Burton, born at, St. Louis February 19, 1891. was educated there and in Adams County, and is also on the farm in Concord Township. He married Ella Edmonson, of Concord Township, and they have two children, Nona and Vivian. The Frankel boys are democrats in politics.
WILLIAM T. RAY. What gives Mr. Ray his exceptional position in Adams County is his wonderful success as a farmer and stockman. In any list of a dozen prominent agrieulturists in the county his name would deservedly have a place. Under his ownership is a large body of land in Concord Township, and in many ways it is a model stock ranch. In line in what he has done in a business way Mr. Ray has a reputation for superior judgment in affairs generally, for striet and upright dealing, and is said to have a memory for people and events that would justify not a little fame as a local historian.
The publie esteem in which he is held is indicated by the fact that for ten
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years from 1901 to 1911 he was Concord Township's supervisor, and was one of the most valuable men on the board during that period.
All his life has been spent in Concord Township. He was born in section 1 of that locality August 2, 1863. He is of old Scotch Presbyterian ancestry. Ilis parents were John Sinclair and Agnes (Ligget) Ray. John S. Ray was born in the Scotch Highlands January 1, 1821. He was five years old when his father, John, and family came to America, being six weeks on the voyage and after landing in New York City the family lived for two years at Frechold, New Jersey. John Ray then went back to Scotland, came again to America after a short time, about 1833, but was not content to live on this side of the waters and finally returned to Scotland, where he and his wife spent their last years. His wife died about 1845, and he survived until about 1870, being ninety-three years of age.
John S. Ray at the age of seventeen broke away from home ties and re- turned to America in 1838, locating at Freehold, New Jersey. There he worked on a farm for a MIr. Craig seven years. During that time he married Miss Agnes Ligget, who was born in County Down, Ireland, of Scotch ancestry, July 9, 1831. Her parents, John and Mary (Patterson) Ligget, natives of County Down, came to the United States in 1846 and located at Frechold, New Jersey. The mother died there and John Ligget afterwards came to Adams County and died in 1862, at the age of eighty-six.
John S. Ray after his marriage farmed near Freehold, New Jersey, and three children were born there: John, Mary and Margaret. In the spring of 1856 the family came to Adams County and rented a farm in section 1 of Concord Township. Later John S. Ray bought land of his own in section 11. This was a tract of uncultivated soil forty acres in extent, and he cleared it up and made a good home of it. This land is now owned by his son William, who acquired it after his father retired in 1892 to Quincy, where he lived until 1906. He then removed to Timewell in Brown County and died eighteen months later, July 17, 1908. His widow passed away March 17, 1910. Both were members of the Presbyterian Church. The children born to them in Adams County were: James L., who died at the age of forty-seven, married Ida Lucas, also deceased, and three of their children are still living. David is connected with the Deaf and Dumb Asylum at Jacksonville, Illinois, is married but has no children. The next in age is William T. Joseph A., who died in 1906. at the age of forty, was a prominent resident of Adams County and at one time a candidate for Congress. He married but had no children. Arthur R. is a well known lawyer of Quincy, is now assistant district attorney and formerly was assistant attorney general of the state.
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