Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 118

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

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In Quiney he married Miss Philomena Miller. Her father, Herman Miller, was born in Germany and is now living with his daughter, Mrs. Pinklemann, at the age of seventy-five. Mrs. Miller died in 1917, at the age of seventy. Mr. and Mrs. Pinklemann have one son and one daughter. Louise was educated in the public schools, is a graduate of St. Mary's Academy, and is now the wife of Osear Hefner, of Quincy. Mr. and Mrs. Hefner have twin sons, Roger W. and Donald. The son, Herman F. Pinklemann, was educated in the parochial and publie schools, St. Francis College and the Gem City Business College, and for some years was in the employ of the Chieago, Burlington & Quincy Railway, and finally entered the United States navy, but after a year was dis- charged on account of throat trouble.

EARL WILSON RUSK. It is simply as "Farmer" Rusk, not as Earl Wilson Rusk, that the county agent of the United States Department of Agriculture

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and the farm adviser of Adams County is most widely known and appreciated here. Mr. Rusk is a practical and a professional farmer, and he meets and con- fers with the various committees of the Connty Farm Bureau and the individual farmers on a plane of similarity and equality of experience in everything con- nected with farming, fruit growing and live stoek husbandry. He was born in Champaign, Illinois, December 17, 1885. His father, William H. Rusk, was a student in the University of Illinois in 1885 and a graduate of the Valparaiso Normal School of Indiana, was an Indiana farmer, later a teacher in Champaign County, Illinois, and is now living at Columbia, Missouri, engaged in extension work for the College of Agriculture of the State of Missouri and also operating his live stock farm near Columbia.

Earl Wilson Rusk spent the greater part of his boyhood on a farm. Ile was a student in the University of Missouri from 1904 until 1909, graduating with the degree Bachelor of Seienee in agriculture. He also spent one semester in the University of Illinois. He was an animal husbandry instructor in the short course of the University of Missouri in 1909-1910. In March, 1910, he was employed as farm manager of a 510 acre place near Kansas City, Missouri. He remained there until the fall of 1911, and during that time gave special attention to the breeding of Duroc Jersey hogs. He then accepted a larger proposition as manager of the 1,500 aere farm of the Burr estate at Bement, Illinois. Here the work was chiefly grain farming, the farm ordinarily prodneing 20,000 bushels of corn annually. Mr. Rusk remained there until the spring of 1913, when he entered upon his profession as farm adviser. His first experience was in Audrain County, Missouri, with headquarters at Mexico. He was the first farm adviser to take up work in that section of Missouri.

From there Mr. Rusk came to Adams County in the spring of 1915, and is the first and so far the only farm adviser in the county. A Farm Bureau of 350 farmers had been perfected before Mr. Rusk was engaged, and each mem- ber pledged to contribute $10 for a period of three years to finance the organi- zation and pay for the serviees of an expert adviser. There are now 450 mem- hers in the Adams County Association or Farm Bureau, and every township has its committee and every branch of farming. horticulture, live stock husbandry, dairving, ete., has its committeemen to represent the respective projects or interests. The various township ehairmen constitute the Agricultural Council. and there is an executive committee of nine men entrusted with the practical business details of running the Bureau.

The Farm Bureau publishes a circular letter sent out at intervals to the members each month in which subjeets of timely interest are discussed and numerous articles also appear in the local press. Demonstration meetings are held to snit local convenience. and the Farmers Institutes are a co-ordinate part of the general program. "Farmer" Rusk has held many demonstrations of all kinds. Mueh has been done to introduce and advertise the value of alfalfa, soy beans and other field erops which the farmers of a preceding generation know nothing of. Several practical demonstrations were held in 1916 to promote the cultivation of alfalfa in the county. In 1910 there were but seventy-five aeres of this great forage erop in all the county. Now a great many of the leading farmers set aside some portion of their aereage for alfalfa. Many demonstrations have also been held for the benefit of the horticultural element, including pruning and spraying tests, with special emphasis upon the elimina- tion of the San Jose scale. At Clayton there is a Soil Experiment Field, operated by the State Experiment Station. In 1918 three interesting demonstration meet- ings were held there to prove the value of different methods for soil improve- ment. Some four or five years ago the average farmer in Adams County would have indicated no special interest in the terms limestone and rock phosphate, but these are now household words, and there is an inereasing use of these materials for soil improvement. Another souree of benefit that has followed in the train of the new agricultural movement, and considerable credit for which is due Mr. Rusk, is the use of tankage for feeding hogs. The co-operative handling of this

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Hermann Starmer

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feed has greatly increased its use and incidentally has meant a considerable saving to the Bureau members.

The Dairy Committee of the Bureau is now organizing a Cow Testing Associa- tion, the object of which will be to determine what eows in the various herds are not profitable producers. Likewise the Live Stock Committee is laying plans for a Pure Bred Live Stock Breeders' Association, which will be organized soon for the purpose of boosting better live stock in Adams County.

All this and much more than could be told in this brief article comprises a new chapter in Adams County agricultural history, with incidental great credit to "Farmer" Rusk.

The Adams County Farm Bureau is a member of the State Agricultural Association. The Farm Bureau is not a political institution, and Mr. Rusk, therefore, is not in politics in any sense. In October, 1909, at Windsor, Missouri, he married Miss Selma O. DeWees. Their three children are Rowena, William DeWees and Frederick Earl.

HERMAN H. STORMER. A worthy representative, not only of the energetic and prosperous business men of Quincy, but of the self-made men of Adams County. Herman H. Stormer is numbered among the leading undertakers of this section of the state, an honored position which he has achieved through his own unaided efforts. A son of Frederick W. and Anna Margaret (Luening- houer) Stormer, he was born on a farm in Adams County, Illinois, May 16, 1870.

Coming from Germany, his native land, to Illinois in 1857, Frederick W. Stormer was variously employed for awhile, a part of the time working as a farm hand. When ready to settle permanently he purchased a traet of land in Ellington Township, and was there engaged in general farming until his death, in March, 1903. IIe married Anna M. Lucninghouer, who was born in Germany, and died in Adams County, September 14, 1909. They were the parents of eight children, as follows: Henry, deceased; William, of Quiney; Theodore, of Quincy; Anna died in infancy: Louis, of Quincy; Edward, de- ceased ; August F., of Quincy, and Herman H., of this sketch.

Educated in the public and parochial schools, Herman H. Stormer received a practical training in agriculture on the home farm. After attaining his majority he found employment in Quiney, being for awhile associated with different industries. Preparing himself for his present business, Mr. Stormer gained his first knowledge of the embalming process at the Chicago Embalming School, and later was graduated from the Champion Embalming School of Quiney, and from the Cincinnati School of Embalming. For a number of years thereafter, Mr. Stormer was in the employ of the Dougherty Undertaking Com- pany of Quincy, entering the establishment June 1, 1897. He was later with the Wells-Fargo Express Company for a short time, and after that was with F. Decker & Son, furniture dealers, for four years. In 1906, in company with his brother, August F. Stormer, he embarked in the undertaking business at No. 918 State Street, Quiney. Three years later, Mr. Stormer bought his brother's interests in the firm. and since 1909 has conducted it alone, and has met with eminent success. In 1916 he purchased the property at No. 422 South Eighth Street, and having entirely remodeled it, it is now one of the best and most up-to-date undertaking establishments in this section of the country. He has a large two-story building, furnished with all modern improvements and conveniences, and has his residence in the upper apartment.

Mr. Stormer married, January 2, 1900, Ida MI. Marque, a native of Quiney, and they have one child. Aaron M .. born February 24. 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Stormer are members of the Salem Evangelical Church, and liberal contributors towards its support. Fraternally Mr. Stormer is prominent in Masonic circles, belonging to Lodge. Chapter, Council, Temple and Consistory, and likewise to the Eastern Star. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; of the Daughters of Rebekah : of the Improved Order of Red Men; and of the Modern Woodmen of America. Politically he is a republican.

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GEORGE LOUIS LOOS. Reference is made elsewhere to several members of the Loos family. They are a people who have been identified with Adams County since early days, and the name is one that carries weight and influence in agricultural circles in several of the townships. Mr. George Louis Loos is a native of Adams County, and has one of the fine farms of Melrose Township, located ten miles southeast of the courthouse, on the township line between Melrose and Fall Creek.

He was born on an adjoining farm December 30, 1858, and is a son of John Michael and Mary Margaret (Walthous) Loos. Further partieulars re- garding the career of John Michael Loos will be found on other pages. The old homestead is now owned by William Loos, of Quiney.

On that farm George L. Loos grew to manhood and was fourteen years old when his father died. He worked on the farm by the month and got his start in that way.

October 29, 1885, at the age of twenty-eight, Mr. Loos married Miss Caro-' line Wilhelmina Niekamp, daughter of Frederick and Louisa Niekamp. Of the Niekamp family a sketch appears elsewhere. Mrs. Loos grew up in the same neighborhood as her husband and was seventeen years of age when she mar- ried.

Soon afterwards Mr. Loos bought eighty acres of his present farm. This was the old H. Watson place. Mr. Watson built the old house which is still standing there. Mr. Loos paid $75 an acre for this fine body of land, and went $4,200 in debt. He had received a share of his father's estate, but assumed a heavy burden in buying the farm. It took him twenty years to get clear of debt, but at the same time he made a number of improvements, building his present home in 1904 and a large barn three years later. His farm is divided into suitable fields, separated by substantial fences. Mr. Loos eould doubt- less tell an interesting story about the trials and struggles he went through in getting his property. He sold wheat at 48 cents a bushel, eorn at 23 cents, dressed hogs at 31% cents a pound, and with these low prices for his products he paid interest rates at an average of 7 per cent on the principal of his debt. He started in with the intention of paying off $1,000 of the principal a year. Occasionally he failed to do so, and because of the delinquency 2 per cent additional was added to the interest rate. For a number of years he has man- aged his property on the general farming plan, growing wheat, corn and potatoes, and has prospered in every sense of the term. Mr. Loos would be elassed a democrat, but he does not participate in political affairs beyond the extent of voting. ITe is a member of the Salem Evangelical Church at Quincy.

He and his wife have three children : Louise Mary, at home; Michael Fred- erick, who now operates the farm for his father; and August, who was in the artillery branch of the United States Army, located at Camp Kearney, Cali- fornia, and is now discharged and employed near by.

FREDERICK NIEKAMP was one of the constructive factors in the improve- ment of land in Melrose Township for many years, and developed the fine farm which is now owned by his son, Angust F. Niekamp, nine miles southeast of Quincy on Mill Creek.

Frederick Niekamp was born in Germany and came to the United States when a young man with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gottlieb Niekamp. They landed at New Orleans, and came up the Mississippi River to Adams County. Gottlieb Niekamp died soon after arriving. Frederick Niekamp had a half brother, IIenry, who died in Fall Creek Township about fifteen years ago, leav- ing his widow, Christine Osmeyer, who is still living there. Frederick Nie- kamp after coming to Adams County worked two years at wages, part of the time at $8 a month. He also farmed a year in company with his brother Henry in Melrose Township. After that he rented for two years and then bought fifty aeres of the present farm. It was practically a new place, with only an aere or two cleared, and with a log house that has since been incorporated in

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the present residence. He afterwards bought forty acres, then a second forty, paying about $1,400 for each. He cleared up most of this land out of the timber, and still later bought 126 acres in Fall Creek Township 11% miles away, but rented that land. He was a general farmer, raising what, corn and hogs, and in the early days he sold corn as low as 15 cents a bushel. He was no office seeker, merely a democratic voter, and was a member of the Salem Evangelical Church at Quincy.

At the age of twenty-nine Frederick Niekamp married Louisa Ippenson. She was born in Hanover, Germany, and came to America as a servant girl with a family of emigrants. She worked out until her marriage. Frederick Niekamp died February 28, 1915, and his wife February 12, 1895, practically twenty years apart.

They had five children, one of them dying in infancy. Four are still liv- ing : Lena, wife of George Louis Loos, of Melrose Township; Anna and Christine, both at the old homestead ; and August Frederick.

August Frederick Niekamp was born in this county November 25, 1864, and lias always lived at the old home. For the past twenty-five years he has managed the farm, and now owns it, his sisters acting as his housekeepers. They are all active in the Salem Church, and he is a democrat.

JAMES MADISON GOLLIHER, now living retired at Barry, was one of the young men of Adams County who went away to serve the Union cause in the Civil war. That service is noteworthy in itself, but it also had consequences that have affected the entire subsequent career of Mr. Golliher, since it imposed infirmities that have always been more or less of a handicap, and the success he has gained as a farmer stands out the more conspicuous on account of the obstacles overcome.

Mr. Golliher was born near Athens, Tennessee, May 30, 1844. The family name was originally spelled Galliher. His parents, Mathew and Almira (Sparks) Golliher, were both natives of Tennessee. When James M. was only three years old. in 1847, and yet old enough to have some recollection of the circumstances, the family came to Adams County, making the journey overland from Ten- nessec. Their first location was at Kingston, then a crossroads village. For a time his father rented the Morris Kelley farm in Liberty Township, but soon bought eighty acres of wild land in the same township, and went industriously to work clearing it up and making a farm. It was on that place that his years were spent, and he died there in 1865, at the age of forty-five. His widow sur- vived him nearly forty years. She was well preserved almost to the last and for many years lived in Quincy, but spent her last years with her son James M. She died April 22, 1902. Both parents are now at rest at Pleasantview, three miles east of Liberty and not far from their old home. Mathew Golliher was a well known character in the early days of Adams County. He had much ability as a singer, and used that art frequently for entertaining a crowd. He was deeply interested in current political discussions, could talk ably and forcibly on the leading questions, and was one of the dependable campaign workers in some of the early elections in which the republican party was rep- resented. He was never affiliated with any church. He was also known as an expert rifle shot, shooting offhand and without rest and seldom competing in any local match without getting some of the prizes. He and his wife had eight children who grew up: Joann, who married William Craig and spent her life in Liberty Township ; John H., now of Wood River, Illinois; James M .; Steven Reed, who lives in the southwestern country; Catherine, who married James Reed and lives in Liberty Township; Philip, "better known as Doc," who died at Quincy in middle life ; Clay, who was killed in a runaway accident at Quincy September 14, 1899: and Abraham, who died in young manhood.

James Madison Golliher is now the only member of the family left in this section of the state. He had such educational advantages as were afforded by the local schools near his old home, and early bore a part in the work of the

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home farm. It was in February, 1865, at the last call for troops, that he volunteered his services and was recruited in Company C of the Fourteenth Illinois, known as "Old Bloody Fourteenth." As a recruit he joined the regi- ment at Morehead City in North Carolina and was with Sherman's army on the march to Goldsboro and to Newbern, and participated in the last important battle of the war at Bentonville. After that he marched up the streets of Wash- ington in the Grand Review and soon afterwards returned to the Middle West . and was paid off at Louisville, Kentucky. However, he was not discharged and was sent to Fort Leavenworth and from there was with a body of troops that marched across the plains six hundred miles toward Fort Kearney. They were engaged in that western campaign throughout the summer and had come within sight of Fort Kearney when orders reached the troops to return. Mr. Golliher received his final discharge at Springfield, Illinois. Exposure and hardship of army life brought on rheumatism, from which he has always been a more or less acute sufferer.

When he got haek home he found that his father had died and he imme- diately took upon himself the responsibilities of looking after the farm and for seven years gave his labors and time to the family and to the support of the younger children. He also worked out as a farm hand by the month for sev- eral years both in Adams and in Pike counties.

October 17, 1869, Mr. Golliher married Miss Susan Crook. She was born near Columbus in Adams County February 29, 1848, daughter of Jesse and Elizabeth (Edwards) Crook, She ftlied at the respective ages of seventy-nine and seventy-five. Mrs. Gollilibr herself early became acquainted with toil as a means of self support And from a girl offanden worked out, spending four years in the family of George W. Pierce in Liberty Township. At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Golliher went in debt for a farm of eighty acres in McKee Township. A year later they bought eighty aeres adjoining the old home farm, where Mr. Golliher had spent his youth. They were there ten years, cleared up the land, and added another twenty acres. He also built a new house, and converted the land into a good farm. On selling that he bought the Andy Hendricks farm of two hundred six acres in Richfield Township. The price was sixty-five hundred dollars and he assumed a debt of more than half of that. During the ten years he lived there he rebuilt the house and made other improvements, but altogether that was the least fortunate period of his life. Ile met with a number of losses and in one winter ninety-six head of his hogs died, only one surviving. That was about the worst setback he ever had as a farmer. At the end of ten years he sold the farm and in 1905 bought the Lewton farm of sixty acres. Since then he has bought another forty aeres. This place is two and a quarter miles from the old Hendricks farm and six miles from Barry. Here again he undertook the work of improvement, con- structing new buildings and remodeling the old ones, and practically doubled the value of the farm while there. He followed a course of mixed farming and fed many cattle and hogs, buying stoek animals and fattening for the market. In 1916 Mr. Golliher left the farm in charge of a tenant and moved to Barry. IIe is an intelligent landlord. looks after the repairs of the farm and does all that is required to maintain its fertility. Practically ever since he left the army he has had to use his judgment and intelligence in running his farm and depending upon other labor for much of the work. Mr. Golliher served twelve years as a road commissioner, both in Liberty and Richfield townships, was a eonstable in McKee Township, and has always been a stanch republican in pol- ities, though his party affiliations have not prevented him from occasionally supporting what he considered a better man. Hle and his family are members of the Mount Zion Baptist Church not far from the old home in Richfield Town- ship. and he is a charter member of the Samuel Heaton Post of the Grand Army of the Republic at Kingston.

Mr. and Mrs. Golliher had eight children. A brief record of them individ- ually is as follows: Mathew, who lives two miles north of Barry; Calvin, near

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Mosum Bus.

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the old home in Richfield Township; Minnie, wife of John Schwank, superin- tendent of the Adams County Farm; Iva, wife of George W. Hendricks, a banker a Beverly; Charles, who lives near the old farm in Richfield Township ; Alfred, in the draying business at Barry; Edwin, near Paloma in Adams County ; and Otis, whose home is near Barry.

GEN. MOSES MILTON BANE. Of the citizens who made a strong impress upon the life of Adams County in the decade prior to and the decade of the Civil war, Gen. Moses Milton Bane was among the most noteworthy, and deserves a promi- nent record in the community where now only the older residents remember kindly his ability and his service.

General Bane was born in Athens, Ohio, on November 30, 1827. Ten years later his parents removed to a farm in Miami County in the same state. A thoughtful boy, ambitious for learning. at an early age he became a school teacher. During the time of his teaching he studied medicine under the instruction of Dr. G. Volney Dorsey of Miami County, until he entered Starling Medical Col- lege from which he was graduated in 1848.

He was married to Miss Marina Phoebe Howard, the gifted daughter of Dr. Richard L. Howard, professor of surgery in Starling Medical College, in 1849.

The newly married couple came immediately to Payson, Adams County, Illi- nois, where Doctor Bane began the active practice of his profession. He was one of the capable physicians in southern Adams County for more than ten years.

A close observer of publie and national affairs he soon became interested in politics. A clear thinker, ready in debate, having a pleasant delivery and an at- tractive personality able to command attention, the doctor was a popular and suc- eessful platform speaker in several political campaigns. As a Douglas democrat he was twiee elected a member of the State Legislature.

Broad minded, of generous impulses, a strong supporter of the Union, in con- nection with others he raised the Fiftieth Regiment of Illinois Infantry in Au- gust, 1861, at Quincy, and was mustered into the United States service as colonel of the regiment on September 2, 1861, receiving his commission from Governor Richard Yates. This regiment, known as the "Blind Half Hundred," was actively engaged in the battles of Fort Donelson. February 12-16, 1862; Shiloh, April 6-7: Siege of Corinth in May, and the Battle of Corinth, October 3 and 4, 1862; in the skirmish at Bear Creek, Alabama, April 16, 1863; and at Town Creek. April 28th. Colonel Bane, who proved an efficient and brave officer, was severely wounded in the Battle of Shiloh and lost his right arm at that time.

When sufficiently recovered he joined his regiment in August, 1862. On. October 11. 1862, he was assigned to the command of the Third Brigade of the Sixteenth Army Corps, which he led during the remainder of his service.

The Fiftieth Illinois Regiment veteranized in January, 1864, returning in the meantime to Quiney, where General Bane rejoined them and assumed active command until they returned to Lynnville, Tennessee. He then again took com- mand of his brigade, which during the summer of 1864 participated in the At- lanta campaign.

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 118

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