Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 117

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 117

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Mr. Seaton grew up on his father's farm in Camp Point Township, attended the subscription and publie sehools of the county, and was a practical farmer until thirty-six years of age. Removing to Camp Point Village in March, 1875, he was associated with his brother-in-law, Thomas Bailey, in the banking Abusiness. Mr. Bailey finally sold out to Richard A. Wallace, and the latter subsequently aequired Mr. Seaton's interest. For a time Seaton & Wallace also did business in agricultural implements, but Mr. Seaton finally took over that department of the firm and continued it about three years. He also had a saw mill and operated extensively in the hardwood lumber industry, selling large quantities of lumber to the Burlington Railway. Mr. Seaton is a former sheriff of Adams County, having served from 1886 to 1890, and during that time lived in Quiney, and for one year condueted a hotel on Fourth Street between Hampshire and Vermont streets. He also had some experience in Kansas as a farmer, and soon after returning to Camp Point Village was ap- pointed postmaster by President MeKinley, and filled that offiee 416 years. Since then he has lived retired from business.

Mr. Seaton is a progressive republiean, and has served as road commissioner, assessor and colleetor. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church. He is affiliated with Lodge No. 297, Aneient Free and Accepted Masons, Royal Arch Chapter and Delta Commandery of the Knights Templar at Clayton, and with the Consistory at Quiney. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Camp Point, and was identified with the local Grand Army Post until it disbanded. Mr. Seaton's army record began with his en- listment May 3, 1864, in Company B of the One Hundred Thirty-Seventh Illi- nois Infantry, and he was in service until September 27, 1864.

October 15, 1857, he married Miss Naney Ellen Curry, who was born in

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Clayton Township October 1, 1839, daughter of Thomas and Malinda Curry, of a prominent family elsewhere referred to. Mr. and Mrs. Seaton had the following children: William M., born December 24, 1858, is a railroad man at St. Cloud, Minnesota, and is married and has one son, William. Florenee I., born August 25, 1860, married Dr. A. D. Bates, and their son, Dr. Charles R. Bates, married Marian Alexander, and they have two children, Rich- ard Alexander and Virginia Seaton. Kenner Seaton, born May 7, 1862, married Margaret Hunsaker, and their children were Hattie, who died when about two years of age, Richard W. and Irene, Richard being now with the army in France, a member of the engineer corps. Thomas C., born May 24, 1870, married Laura B. Curry, and they have twins, Harold and Helen, Harold being with the army at Fort Dodge. Hattie M., horn July 3, 1876, died October 19, 1877. Edward E., born May 6, 1878, married Berdina Adams.

WILLIAM A. THOMPSON. When in the spring of 1918 William A. Thomp- son was elected supervisor of Fall Creek Township, that distinction and honor fell upon the youngest man that had ever been chosen to such an office in the township, and he is also the youngest member of the present Board of Super- visors in Adams County.

The honor was well merited, sinee Mr. Thompson has proved his ability in managing a good farm in Fall Creek Township, and is a member of one of the old and prominent families in that vieinity.

His father is William Elmer Thompson, who was born in this county August 5, 1848, and resides in seetion 11 of Fall Creek Township, thirteen miles southeast of Quiney. William Elmer is a grandson of William Thomp- son and a son of Mareus L. Thompson, more specific reference to whom is made on other pages. It should be noted here that the Thompsons came to Fall Creek Township as early as 1833, and some of the original land they took up is owned in the family. William Elmer Thompson was one of eight children. He married Kate Blauser, daughter of Jacob Blauser, of Pike County, Illinois. She was born in York County, Pennsylvania, and was twenty-five at the time of her marriage. Her father died in Pike County, having come west from York County, Pennsylvania.

After his marriage William E. Thompson settled on his present farm of 124 acres, and for upwards of half a century has been one of the well to do agriculturists of that seetion. Hle is a republican, but has never consented to serve in publie office. He is an official member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Payson. William E. Thompson and wife had three children: M. Noel, who was a merchant at Fall Creek five years and died at the age of thirty ; Edna, Mrs. Ilar] Wharton, of Payson ; and William A.

William A. Thompson was born April 3, 1887, and has spent all his life on his father's farm. He attended the district schools, was graduated from the Quiney High School, spent two years in the Illinois State University and also attended Gem City Business College. This gave him a very thorough education and he has utilized it chiefly in his work as a farmer. Several years ago he took charge of the home farm, and he also operates 100 aeres adjoining the Seymour Estate. He is a general farmer and his specialty in live stock is Poland China hogs, keeping from 100 to 150 annually. He has ereeted a distinet set of buildings on the home farm, his own home being built seven years ago, while his father's set was built ten years ago.

At the age of twenty-three William A. Thompson married Florence Wheel- ock, of Hull, Pike County, Illinois. They have two children: Clem and Ross. Mr. Thompson is a republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. lle is also affiliated with the Masonie Lodge at Payson.

ARTHUR H. PURPUS is one of the proprietors of The Medicine Shop, and is well known in Quiney, his native city.

Mr. Purpus was born in Quiney July 7, 1882, a son of William H. and

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Carrie (Meyer) Purpns. His father was born in Germany and his mother in Qniney. The father was brought to this country in infaney, his parents first locating at Zanesville, Ohio, and as a boy of eight years he accompanied his parents to Quiney. At the age of sixteen he went to work learning the shoe business with W. T. Duker and Nieholas Heintz. He continned in the shoe business for many years and died December 31, 1915. The mother passed away January 18, 1914. They had three children: Leona, deceased ; a daugh- ter that died in infaney ; and Arthur H.

Arthur H. Purpus grew up in Quiney, attended high school three years, also a local business college, and had a praetieal apprenticeship as well as an opportunity to earn his own living by four years spent with the Wetzel Drug Company. After that he was a student for a year in the pharmaey depart- ment of the University of Illinois, and in 1905 graduated in pharmaey from Valparaiso University in Indiana. During nearly four years Mr. Purpus had active charge of the laboratory of the Aldo Sommer's Drug Company of Quiney. After that for a year he was associated with his father in the grocery business following which he spent three years as a traveling salesman representing the Philadelphia wholesale drug honse of H. K. Milford Company. On Novem- ber 1, 1916, Mr. Purpns formed a partnership with C. W. Walker and estab- lished the drug business known as The Medicine Shop at 532 Hampshire Street. This is one of the well appointed and equipped drug stores of the eity, and the business has grown rapidly.

Mr. Purpus married April 18, 1906, Miss Catherine Morrison, of Maitland, Missouri. They have one child, Morrison, born July 18, 1909. Mr. Purpns is a republican, is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a member of the Lutheran Memorial Church.

GROVER E. ERTEL is proprietor of one of the high class farms in Columbus Township. He has shown mueh ability as a young man in all agricultura! operations and is equally esteemed in the citizenship of that loeality.

Mr. Ertel is a member of a family that has been identified with Adams County since pioneer days. His grandfather was Daniel Ertel, a native of Alsaee, France, and of French parentage and aneestry. He was born about 1830, and when abont twenty years of age eame by sailing vessel to Ameriea, landing in New Orleans after a three months' voyage. He had a friend in the army, an officer, who seenred his exemption from military duty and paid his passage all the way to Quiney. He arrived at Quiney without a eent but soon made the friendship of Governor John Woods, and subsequently pursued the trade of millwright which he had learned in France. Later he took up ear- pentry and built a number of houses in Quincy. In the winter of 1861 he re- moved to Columbus Township and bonght 400 acres in seetion 6. There he built a good home, improved mneh of the land by his own labor, and was a prosperons citizen of that locality. In 1898 he retired to live at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Emma Hufner, in Quiney, and died about six months later. In Quiney he married Maria Lugenbiel, a native of Switzerland. She came when a young woman to this country with her parents, her father being a tailor. The Ingenbiels came by sailing vessel by way of New York and soon afterward settled in Quiney, where her father and mother spent their last years. Her father died when about eighty years of age and her mother when past ninety. The Lugenbiels and Ertels were all Protestants in religion. Mrs. Maria Ertel died at the old home farm when nearly seventy years of age. Her family consisted of four sons and three daughters, all living but one daughter. Those living are married and have children of their own.

George Ertel, father of Grover E., was born in Quiney June 3, 1851, and has spent all his life in that county. In 1877 he married at Coatsburg Frances Gibbs. She was born near Athens, Tennessee, and was reared and edueated there to the age of sixteen. Both her parents having died, she came to Adams Connty to live with her nnele, the venerable C. C. Gibbs of Coatsburg, whose Vol. 11-46

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name is one of the most familiar in that section of Adams County and whose career is sketched on other pages. George Ertel and wife had four children, Fred died in childhood, Charles, when a young boy, and one died unnamed.

Grover E. Ertel is the only living child of his parents and was born on the old farm in section 6 of Columbus Township November 2, 1884. He attended the Hazelwood district school and since early youth has been a practical farmer on the old homestead. He keeps 150 acres in constant use for the production of all the staple erops, and has the farm well stocked with good grades of live- stock. There are two large barns on the farm, one 30x36 and the other 40x30 feet, the former a stock barn, the latter a general purpose barn. There is a quantity of good timber on the farm.

November 19, 1913, at the Village of Columbus, Mr. Ertel married Miss Lucy Wheeler. She was born in that locality May 26, 1891, daughter of Wil- liam and Elda (Marshall) Wheeler, natives of Adams County and now living as retired farmers in Columbus Village, aged about sixty. The Wheelers are mem- bers of the Christian Church and Mr. Wheeler is a republican. Mr. Ertel and wife have one son, Elbridge F. Mr. and Mrs. Grover Ertel are members of the Christian Church and in polities he is a democrat.

ENOCH SELTERS is the present supervisor of Clayton Township and a man in whom naturally center many of the community activities of that locality. He is chairman of the Liberty Loan Board, of the local Red Cross, and was chairman of the committee which had the supervision of making the oil road from Clayton to Camp Point.

Mr. Selters owns one of the large and valuable farms of this township. He was born in Mason County, Illinois, March 16, 1864, son of Henry and Bar- bara (Schindelmyer) Selters. His parents were both born in Germany and came to the United States before their marriage. They married in Mason County, Illinois, and were farmers there. The father died in 1905, at the age of eighty-one, and his wife in 1914, aged sixty-nine. Henry Selters was a republiean, and he and his wife were reared in the German Evangelical Church, but later for a number of years were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They lived retired at Havana, Illinois. They were the parents of ten children, the oldest one dying in infancy. The others were: Mary ; Enoch ; Chris; Anna; Chester, who died in infancy; Henry: Joseph; Catherine ; and John Benjamin, a Montana lawyer now serving as prosecuting attorney of his county.

Enoch Selters grew up in Mason County, attended the public schools there. and laid the basis of his success as a farmer in that loeality. In 1902 he moved to Clayton Township and bought a fine farm of 425 acres, which he uses for the production of staple crops and for livestock.

Mr. Selters is a republican. Ile served eighteen years as assessors of his home township in Mason County, and was also a member of the School Board. He was elected supervisor in 1912, and has held that office continuously for six years. In Masonry he is affiliated with Clayton Lodge, the Royal Arch Chapter, and the Knight Templar Commandery, and is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and Modern Woodmen of America.

October 28, 1888, Mr. Selters married Miss Mary Alice Luskins, of Menard County, Illinois. Six children were born to their marriage: Edna, who mar- ried George Smith, of Golden, and has one daughter, Esther: Lena Esther is the wife of Dr. E. O. Brown, who was the first man to enlist from Clayton Township, after the breaking out of the war with Germany, and is now with the armies in France, his wife and their two children, Maxine and Carlene, still remaining in Clayton Township; Raymond died at the age of seventeen years; George is also with the colors at Fort Sheridan; Hazel and Henry are the younger children still at home.

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DRS. ERNEST AND WILLIAM ZIMMERMANN. In the history of the German clement in Quincy as published on other pages the Zimmermann family is eredited with settlement here in the year 1847. Thus for over seventy years Quiney has had the Zimmermanns as one of its best and most substantial fam- ilies. Now and for the past twenty years the family name has been especially well represented in professional affairs by the attainments and services of Drs. Ernest and William Zimmermann, one of the best known firms of physicians and surgeons in Western Illinois.

Both are graduates of the St. Louis Medieal College of Washington Univer- sity with the elass that graduated April 29, 1897. The brothers have been closely associated sinee early childhood, and their careers have run mueh along the same groove. Of the firm, however, Ernest is especially well known as a surgeon, while William is a general practitioner. Dr. Ernest has handled skillfully many major cases in surgery, and for a number of years has been on the staff of the local city hospitals.

The brothers formed a firm for praetiee in 1899. Both have taken post- graduate work in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York City and the New York Polyelinic. Both are members in good standing in the vari- ous local medical societies and the American Medical Association.

The doctors were born at Quiney, were educated in the German schools and in St. Francis College, from which they graduated with the degree A. M. in 1894. Both are affiliated with the Order of Elks and are republicans in poli- ties. They are unmarried.

JOSEPH JEFFERSON. It is taking no proper credit from other good farms in Coneord Township to say that the Jefferson Stoek Farm is the most conspicu- ous in that section of Adams County. It comprises a large body of land, with exceptional equipment, and the farm is especially noted as a breeding farm. The business is conducted under the firm name of Jefferson & Son. For twenty years they have made a specialty of breeding high grade Pereheron horses. The farm has prodneed some splendid track horses, including the great Ben Earl, which made a record of 2:001% in 1916 at the Columbus, Ohio, track. This horse was on the grand eireuit and in 1915 won ten straight raees in the western eireuit of Illinois and lowa. Jefferson & Son sold Ben Earl after this record, and the following year he was the greatest money winner as a pacer. Another noted animal bred and trained on the farm is Augusta J., still seen at fairs. She made a record of 2:0314 and a heat record on a half mile track of .0914. The present head of the breeding establishment is Russell Will Tell. Jefferson & Son also have a fine Percheron stallion and are producing some of the best stoek of that kind in Western Illinois. For the past fifteen years they have been breeders of Shropshire sheep. However, the only stock exhibited at fairs from the Jefferson Stock Farm are the horses.

The farm is in Concord Township, four miles south of Clayton. Joseph Jefferson, the senior member of the firm, was born at Harlem in what is now New York City October 25. 1837, but has lived in Adams County since early childhood. His parents were Thomas and Hannah (Twilton) Jefferson, both of whom were natives of Yorkshire, England. Thomas Jefferson was born April 15, 1802, and his wife on February 12, 1812. They married in Eng- land and eame to America in 1835. On moving west to Adams County Thomas Jefferson spent four years on the John Sharp farm east of Quiney, and then moved to Coneord Township, where he bought forty aeres of hill land. He soon sold that and moved to a plaec half a mile south of the present home of Joseph Jefferson. There he acquired 120 aeres of prairie land and brought practically all of it under cultivation. He was a prosperous farmer and one of the good citizens of Concord Township, and died on the old homestead in 1886. His wife passed away in 1872. He was a member of the Baptist Church. This venerable pioneer couple had twelve children, nine of whom grew up, and those still living are : Joseph : James, a retired resident of Clayton : George,

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of Red Oak, Iowa; Welburn, of Weser, Idaho; Mary, Mrs. Noah Marshall, of Concord Township; Taylor, who occupies the old home farm of his father. The deceased children were: Hiram, who died in Texas at the age of sixty; William, who died at Red Oak, lowa, when also about sixty years of age; and Elizabeth, who died at the age of seventy-six, the wife of Pinckney Hopper.

Joseph Jefferson received his education in Adams County and lived at home until he was about twenty-seven years old. He is one of the honored surviving veterans of the Civil war. In 1862 he enlisted in Company I of the One Hun- dred Nineteenth Illinois Infantry and served three years, chiefly in Kentucky, Tennessee and Pennsylvania. He held the rank of corporal.

In March, 1867, not long after the war, Mr. Jefferson married Miss Emily Williams, who was born in Indiana February 20, 1837, daughter of Benjamin and Margaret (Bennett) Williams. Her father was born in Tennessee March 23, 1796, and her mother in Virginia March 20, 1799. Benjamin Williams died December 28, 1849, and his wife March 20, 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson became acquainted while his wife was visiting her unele, Otto Bennett, in Con- cord Township. She was a teacher in Indiana before her marriage.

Mr. Jefferson after his marriage bought part of the land now included in the Jefferson Stock Farm and has developed his place to 400 aeres in extent. and has invested thousands of dollars in building and other equipment and improvement. While his place is most widely known as a breeding farm he has always held consistently to the main routine of farming, grain and forage erops and the raising of cattle and hogs for the market. For the past twenty- eight years he has had his son, Thomas Elmer, as his partner.

Mr. Jefferson has devoted his life solely to the business of farming and stock raising, and has never cared for public offices. IIe is a republican and an active member of the Clayton Methodist Church. He also belongs to the Masonie Lodge at Clayton, and was made a Mason in that Lodge in March. 1871. He is now the oldest living member of the Lodge. He also belongs to the Royal Arch Chapter. His chief recreation is hunting. He is a member of the Grand Army Post.

His son, Thomas Elmer, was born January 26, 1869, and has always lived on the home farm and for many years has been relieving his father of the heavier responsibilities of its management. At the age of twenty-eight he mar- ried Miss Invenia Peaveyhouse, of Clayton. Thomas E. Jefferson and wife have two children, Joseph Benjamin and Augusta J. Joseph Benjamin was in an officers' training camp at Louisville, Kentucky, when the war closed. Augusta J. is the wife of Charles Johnson, an automobile dealer at Quincy.

WILLIAM H. DAVIDSON. The life of William II. Davidson was largely iden- tified with the good farming district of Beverly Township. He had a success- ful career and was a man of irreproachable character and widely esteemed by his large circle of friends.

Ile was born January 1, 1849, and died March 22, 1917. His parents were William N. and Susannah ( Hartman) Davidson, who came from Coshocton, Ohio, and were married in Adams County.

On October 30, 1873, William H. Davidson married Miss Margaret Stauffer, oldest child of George W. Stauffer and member of the prominent Stauffer fam- ily represented on other pages of this publication. Mrs. Davidson was born at Beverly March 17, 1851, and is now living at Baylis in Pike County. At the time of his marriage Mr. Davidson spent two years on the farm where George Stauffer now lives. Ile then bought his father's old place in Beverly Township, and gave his labors to that place for thirty-three years. He then bought a home at Baylis, lived there six years, but had returned to the farm two years before his death.

William H. Davidson was a member of no church, but for many years was

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active in the Masonie Order, and he and his wife were both members of the Eastern Star. Ile was laid to rest in the Mound Prairie Cemetery under Ma- sonic auspices. His favorite motto and one which indicates the character of his life was "On earth peaee, good will toward men." He was sympathetie in distress, untiring in assisting others less fortunate than himself, and he was particularly happy in his domestic life. Many times he expressed the senti- ment that his life with his wife and companion was something that was more valuable than all the gold in the world.

Mr. and Mrs. Davidson had a family of five children: Walter, a physi- cian and surgeon at Kingston; George W., who occupies the home farm; Jane, wife of Richard Buffington, living at Ravenswood, Missouri; Tabitha, Mrs. Michael Orebaugh, of Beverly Village; and Naney, Mrs. Robert Barnes, of Chapel, Nebraska. Clara Mixer, whose mother died in her infancy, was also reared by Mr. and Mrs. Davidson until her marriage to James C. Dunham, of Beverly Township.

PETER E. PINKLEMANN. Quincy has no man of more vigorous interests and activities than Peter E. Pinklemann, well known as proprietor of several mov- ing pieture houses, interested in the automobile and tire industry, and formerly a merchant and business man in other lines. He has lived in Quincy forty-two years, and has long been recognized as one of the men who do things. He is a dynamo of energy, and everything he touches seems to prosper and flourish.

Mr. Pinklemann was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, fifty-two years ago, October 13, 1866. His father, Frank Pinklemann was a native of Germany, married in Philadelphia, and in 1876 removed to Quiney. Peter E. Pinklemann was reared and edueated in Quiney and spent some of his early years on a farm. At the age of eighteen he began learning the trade of baker, but in a short time gave it up because he realized that that work means labor both night and day. Later he became associated with Mr. Barry under the firm name of Pinklemann, Barry & Company, and they built up and developed a large grocery, wine and liquor house. Some years later the business was incorporated as the Pinklemann- Barry Company, with Mr. Pinklemann as president. He held that office for several years, when he nominally retired. He was connected with another busi- ness later, but finding that not sufficient to absorb all his energies, he entered the moving picture industry. He bought four theaters in Quincy, and now owns the Gem, the Savoy, the Princess and the Family, all popular and well patron- ized houses, furnishing a large share of the daily entertainment and amuse- ment for Quiney people. Mr. Pinklemann is also associated with Mr. Clark under the firm name of Pinklemann, Clark & Company, in the automobile, tire and general repair business. Mr. Pinklemann is also a director and a leader in the Building & Loan Company on Maine Street between Fifth and Sixth streets, and has a number of other interests that substantiate all claims that might be made of his business prominence and public spirit.

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 117

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