Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 31

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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was born in Germany. They came to Quiney and she died when in the prime of life, leaving two children, Ferdinand and Charles. Both these sons enlisted from Adams County for service in the Union army during the Civil war. They made a record of faithful service which is properly cherished by the family. Charles was taken prisoner at the battle of Chickamauga, put in Libby prison at Richmond, and died of starvation. Ferdinand served all through the war and spent his last years in the Soldiers Home at Quincy, where he died in January, 1916. He left three sons, all of whom are now married.

At Quiney Charles Mester married for his second wife Henrietta Webber. She was also a native of Hanover. Charles Mester spent the rest of his years in Quincy and died more than forty years ago, at the age of sixty-five. His widow survived him and passed away at the age of seventy-three. He was employed as a millwright in Germany, and followed the same trade at Quincy for a time, but later became a manufacturer of bone black, used extensively by sugar refineries. He shipped this product in large quantities to St. Louis.

Theodore E. Mester is one of a large family, namely: Edward, Louisa, Theodore, George, Lydia, Albert, Rosie, Melissa, Otto and Hattie. All these children grew up and married and had children of their own. Those still living, all residents of Quincy, are Theodore, Albert, Melissa, Otto and Hattie.

Theodore E. Mester was born at the home of his parents on Kentucky Street between Seventh and Eighth streets in Quincy, November 24, 1854. He attained his education in the city schools, and followed several different lines until at the age of twenty-seven he entered the business of manufacturing fertilizer. He condueted a factory and also dealt extensively in that commodity, handling the business under his own name and shipping a large output all over the sur- rounding counties. He was in business actively for thirty-five years, his plant being located on the south side. Since 1911 he has lived practically retired, and now spends most of his time at his pleasant home 1025 Monroe Street. He built his residence in 1890, and he and his wife have spent nearly all their married lives in those surroundings.

At Quincy, October 5, 1882, Mr. Mester married Miss Louisa Albsmeyer. She was born in Westphalia, Germany, November 11, 1855. Her mother died in Germany and in the spring of 1866 she and her father, Barney, set out from Bremen and after a voyage landed at. New York City and then came on to Quincy. Barney Albsmeyer died in Quincy in 1892, at the age of seventy-one. He was one of the well remembered old residents of the city and was a faithful mem- ber of the Lutheran church at Eighth and Washington streets. Mr. and Mrs. Mester have also been active members of the Lutheran Church.

Of their children George, the oldest, is now deceased, and left three sons and two daughters, namely: Gladys, Earl, Lloyd, Loren and Ethel, all living. Theodore H. is a resident of Quiney. His first wife was Minnie Bergman, who died leaving a son, Irving. His second marriage was to Martha Peek, and they have a son, Howard. Lydia Mester is the wife of Albert Hageman, and they live at Quincy. Their children are Ruth, Erma, Marian, Louise and one de- ceased, Cornelia. Malinda Mester is still at home with her parents. Herman is a resident of Quincy and by his marriage to Lillian Channell has children named Harold and Gale, and a deceased daughter, Louise. Matilda is also at home. Edna graduated from the Gem City Business College in 1914, and is now employed as a bookkeeper at Quincy.

HENRY A. WILLIAMSON. For almost sixty years the name of Williamson has been identified with important business interests at Quiney, as also with public movements and worthy enterprises. The late Henry A. Williamson established himself here in the oil business in 1860, and largely through his business capacity, unfailing good judgment and personal integrity this industry was developed so substantially and extensively in this section of the country.

Henry A. Williamson was born September 7, 1828, at Freeport, Pennsyl- vania, and was a son of Dr. Thomas B. and Harriet (Weaver) Williamson. His

HENRY A. WILLIAMSON

LIBRARY IF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

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father died in 1840, leaving a family of two sons and two daughters. Henry A. attended school until he was fourteen years of age when he became a clerk in a general store and during his three years with his first employer demonstrated commercial ability. In 1846 he beeame interested in a lumber and general mercantile business in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, but conditions did not come up to his expectations and in 1847 he returned to Freeport and there embarked in the mercantile business and continued ten years.

In 1860 Mr. Williamson was made agent for the Aladdin Oil Company, which manufactured oil from cannel eoal, and continued until this company began the manufacture of oil from the product of the natural wells, when he severed his connection and then went into the oil business for himself and became whole- sale handler for the Standard Oil Company, his territory covering that part of Missouri north of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad and in Illinois as far north as Dallas City and Macomb, east to Beardstown and south into Calhoun County, following the Illinois River, and having stations all over his distriet. Mr. Williamson had the advantage of possessing the confidence of John D. Rockefeller, with whom he was on terms of personal friendship. He was not only the pioneer in this great industry in Illinois but in western seetions of the country and his advice prevailed when new business moves were projected. As new oil fields were discovered, as production increased, new methods of re- fining eame into use, new by-products were evolved, and, with the invention and general use of the automobile new demands on the industry were made, Mr. Williams in his own department kept pace with the times. His extensive oil interests at Quincy have been profitable to the city and have always been earefully and systematically managed.

In 1851 Mr. Williamson was married to Catherine E. Robinson, who at death left one son, Thomas B. The son died while a student at Racine College, when fourteen years old. In 1858 Mr. Williamson was married to Eliza M. Robin- son. Of their five children two died in infancy, Helen M. survived until 1894, and Charles H. died in 1916, shortly after his father. Walter E., resident man- ager of the Standard Oil Company of Indiana, alone survives.

Mr. Williamson's business sagaeity led to his association with numerous other interests, in some of which he was the leading factor. For many years he was vice president of the First National Bank of Quincy and when that in- stitution was consolidated with the State Savings, Loan and Trust Company he became one of the directors of the latter bank. He was president of the Quiney Building and Homestead Association, the oldest of its kind in this eity, was president of the Arrowrock Mining and Milling Company, a director of the Neweomb Hotel Company, a director of the Sommer Drug Company, and also of the Quincy Foundry and Novelty Company and the Quincy Engine Company, and was one of the trustees of Blessing Hospital and of the Anna Brown Home for the Aged.

In his political life Mr. Williamson was a republican and was associated with many of the old party leaders in the state. All his mature life he was identified with the Masonic fraternity. He was a member of the Chapter of St. John's Cathedral, and in all matters pertaining to the Episcopal Church was most aetive and had much to do with bringing about the ereation of the Quincy diocese in 1877, of whose standing committee he was a member for many years. Full of years and the recipient of many material honors, Henry A. Williamson passed out of life on February 7, 1916.

HON. SAMUEL H. THOMPSON. The weight of evidence afforded by statistics is in favor of the large farm well managed as against the smaller holdings long advocated under intensive eultivation. Adams County is a region of moderately sized farms, few if any attaining the great proportions of the individual hold- ings further west. Compared with the western country the estate of Samuel H. Thompson, 500 acres in one body, is not large, and yet is three or four

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times the average size of farm estates in this part of Western Illinois. Its dis- tinctive features, however, are not its number of acres but its value as one of the chief centers of livestock production in Adams County, and also as the home of a family of splendid citizenship, people awake and alive to all the affairs of their community and to many of those larger problems which concern the state and nation.

It was his recognized position as a citizen of ability and of long standing influence, his successful record as a farmer, and his level headed judgment in all his relations with men and affairs that brought Hon. Samuel II. Thompson the honor of election to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1916. He was one of the representatives of the Thirty-sixth Senatorial District, and though that district is normally democratic he received a majority of 14,000 votes. The district comprises Scott, Pike, Calhoun and Adams counties, and he carried every county except Pike. During the Fiftieth Assembly Mr. Thompson was a member of the committees on agriculture, charities and corrections, farm drainage, revenue and temperance. These committee assignments indicate fairly well the chief object of his attention and work while in the Legislature, though as a matter of fact he neglected none of his responsibilities and throughout a long session of six months he was on duty at every roll call and was con- stantly a student of measures both in the committee room and on the floor of the House. He was assigned to the duty of floor leader during the con- sideration in the House of the Pure Seed Law. This proposed legislation did not pass, and today it is one of the big and fundamental questions affecting not only the farmers of Illinois but every citizen of the state whose interest in agriculture is measured by a backyard garden. The essential provisions of the bill in which Mr. Thompson was interested provided certain safeguards, par- ticularly the high germination test, to prevent spurious and worthless and old seeds from being shifted upon purchasers by unscrupulous seed dealers. The measure from first to last was bitterly fought by the big seed houses, and yet the bill got through both Houses of the Legislature and was defeated only through the Governor's veto, who claimed that the measure was unconstitutional. Mr. Thompson also advocated every worthy measure and proposal looking to the improvement of Illinois highways, and voted for the proposed issue of $60,000,000 of bonds for permanent highway construction. He also favored the constitu- tional convention, which is still one of the vital issues in Illinois politics.

The Thompson home and farm is in section 34 of Gilmer Township, ten miles east of Quincy and five miles south of Paloma, which is Mr. Thompson's postoffice. On a farm adjoining his present home Mr. Thompson was born August 18, 1863, a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (McConnell) Thompson. His parents were both born in Ireland, his father in County Derry and his mother in County Monaghan. The father came to this country about 1845 and the mother in 1850. They were married in Adams County in 1852, and at first located a mile west of the land to which they moved in 1854. The land was then wild prairie and Samuel Thompson did his part as a pioneer in reclaiming it and putting it under cultivation. The price he paid for the land was about $7 an acre. He had a good farm and provided well for his family, and died with the respect of an entire community January 10, 1891, at the age of sixty-seven. His wife passed away September 27, 1903, aged seventy-one. Samuel Thompson was a republican, and though a member of the Presbyterian Church he worshiped at the Mount Pleasant Methodist church, which was only a mile from his home, while the Burton Presbyterian church was five miles away. His children were : Sarah Margaret, Mrs. Henry Baker of Augusta, Illinois; Anna Belle and Mary Jane, who have built up a successful business as dressmakers at Quincy; Alex- ander, a farmer and stock man at Camp Point ; and Samuel H.

Samuel H. Thompson grew to manhood on his father's farm and his educa- tion was such as the home district school supplied. Upon reaching his ma- jority he took service with his father on the farm and remained at home until he was twenty-five.

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January 23, 1889, Mr. Thompson married Miss Lemmie Dickhut, who was born in Gilmer Township, and lived near Coatsburg until her marriage. Her parents, Charles and Kate (Schnur) Dickhut, are both deceased. Her mother was a native of Germany, and was brought to this country when a child. Mrs. Thompson was nineteen at the time of her marriage.

They began housekeeping on eighty acres adjoining the old Thompson home- stead. Mr. Thompson paid $75 an acre for this land which had as its chief im- provement an old house and barn. Later he acquired the interest of the other heirs in the Thompson farm, and some years ago he and C. L. Anderson bought as partners the noted Paris T. Judy farm of 504 acres. They paid $30,000 for this estate, one of the oldest and best known in that section of the county. In the division Mr. Thompson took 260 acres without improvements in the way of buildings. He has since acquired a third farm, the J. P. Yeargain farm of eighty acres. This was a highly improved place, and the purchase price was $175. These various holdings combined give Mr. Thompson an even 500 acres, all situated in a body, and so arranged and equipped as to constitute a model stock and grain farm. With the assistance of his son he operates the entire property and for twenty-five years has been one of the largest stock feeders in the county. As high as 200 carloads of fat stock have been shipped from Paloma by Mr. Thompson. The principal product of the Thompson farm for some years has been hogs, and every bushel of grain raised on the land is fed there, and thousands of bushels of corn are bought every year. During his earlier life Mr. Thompson for seven years operated a threshing outfit and it is as an old time thresherman that he is remembered by many farmers over a wide terri- tory. Mr. Thompson early decided on the strength of his observations that land was an iron clad investment and that land values must always increase instead of decrease, and it was on the strength of this policy that he has never hesi- tated to invest his surplus in additional lands, even at the highest market price. He took an active interest in public affairs from the time he cast his first vote. When he was twenty-two he was elected tax collector of the township and had the responsibility of collecting about $11,000 every year. For nine years he was also a county commissioner, and six years township supervisor. Some years ago Mr. Thompson was in the race for county treasurer but was defeated by a few votes. He is an active member of the Mount Pleasant Methodist Episcopal church, and is steward of the church and superintendent of its Sunday school.

Mr. and Mrs. Thompson had a family of seven children. Charles, the oldest, married Lois Martin, and their three children are Lawrence, Herbert and Ruth. Ray married Blanche Neal and has a son, James Robert. Mabel is the wife of Orin Crossland, who is a lieutenant in the United States army, now serving his country in France. The four younger children, all at home, are Grace, Florence, Edith and Samuel. Grace is a graduate of the local high school and the Illinois State Normal and is a teacher in the home school. Edith is a graduate of the Gem City Business College.

WILLIAM TAYLOR, who died April 25, 1907, was one of the men of achieve- ment and high purpose in Adams County, and it is eminently fitting that some permanent record of his career should be made in this history.

He was sixty years of age when his life came to its close. He was born January 4, 1847, near Dublin, Ireland, and was an infant when his parents came to America. His father, Edward Taylor, was born in Connty Kildare, Ireland, September 29, 1812, and died June 21, 1884. He married in Ireland Martha Wilkinson. She was eighteen and he twenty-six at the time of their marriage. In 1849 they started for America on a sailing vessel. Cholera broke out during the voyage and thirteen of the passengers died of that dread dis- ease. One of them was Edward Taylor's sister. From New York the Taylor family first went to Philadelphia and thence came by railroad and water to Quincy. Edward Taylor soon settled on a farm in IIoney Creek Township and eventually developed important interests as a farmer and stock feeder. In

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Ireland he had followed the trade of blacksmith. His old homestead is now owned by his two daughters, Elizabeth and Ann. Mrs. Edward Taylor died in November, 1899, after having lived continuously on the old homestead forty- three years. Edward Taylor was a democrat and was aetive in the Episcopal Church, serving as vestryman. He and his wife had eight children: Thomas, who died October 27, 1913, at the age of seventy; James, who died at the age of forty-seven, a bachelor; Edward, who died at the age of twenty-six; William, also deceased; Ann Olivia, who died in infaney; Sarah Ann; John, who died at the age of thirteen ; and Martha Elizabeth.

William Taylor grew up in Honey Creek Township, attended the schools there, and remained at home and assisted his father in the operation of the farm. After the death of his father he became an independent farmer and on April 2, 1894, married Miss Anna Hewitt. Mrs. Taylor was born in Honey Creek Township, daughter of William Hewitt, of a prominent family from County Cavan, Ireland, whose membership and experience in Adams County are given reeord on other pages of this publieation.

In September, 1894, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor moved to the farm five miles southeast of Mendon in Honey Creek Township where Mr. Taylor was busied during the remaining years of his life and where Mrs. Taylor still lives. At that time the place consisted of 320 aeres. The farm now embraces 519 acres all joining. It is one of the leading centers for the production of high grade stock, and a silo has been added to the farm equipment by the son William E., who is one of the most eapable and progressive younger men in the agricultural eireles of Adams County. William Taylor was a democrat and served four years as township supervisor. He was a member of no church or fraternities.

Mrs. Taylor, who is a member of the Episcopal Church at Mendon, is the mother of four children : Annie W. and Fannie E., twins, both at home: Wil- liam E., who since attaining his majority has assumed the business responsi- bilities of the home farm; and Sara M., who is a graduate of the Mendon High School and now a school teacher.

DAVID L. MYERS. Some of the most interesting family reeords published in this work are those of the Myers family. These reeords show that as a family they have been for a long period of years identified with several townships, principally Gilmer, have been workers, producers, have eleared and eultivated the land, have built good homes, have conducted themselves as public spirited citizens, and their influence has gone steadily to the betterment of their respec- tive localities, churches, schools, good roads. The presence of such men and women mean a great deal to any eounty.

One of the present generation of this family is David L. Myers, proprietor of the Prairie View Stock Farm in section 13 of Gilmer Township, his farm adjoining the Village of Columbus on the south. Mr. Myers was born in the same loeality February 25, 1865. For his parentage and other items of the family history the reader is referred to other pages.

Mr. Myers remained at home until he was twenty-five, working for his father and also renting. Thirty years ago he began renting the farm which he now owns, and at the end of five years was able to negotiate a purchase of 197 aeres, at a price of $60 an aere. His present farm comprises 208 acres, and it refleets the wonderful advance in land values when it is noted that Mr. Myers paid for this additional part of his farm $200 an acre. The Prairie View Stock Farm has been in cultivation a great many years, and some of its improve- ments that still stand were placed there by Mr. Myers' predecessors. The substantial brick house was erected by the previous owner, Mr. Graves, and has been remodeled and modernized by Mr. Myers. Mr. Shephard built the barn, and that too has been remodeled by its present owner. This was one of several farms under the ownership of Mr. Graves, who is also remembered as having established and conducted for a number of years a mill in this community.

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The Prairie View Stock Farm has a fine grove of trees, including some pines set out by Mr. Graves.

Twenty-five years ago, when he bought the farm, Mr. Myers had a capital of only $900. He has made the land pay for itself, and has always relied upon livestock as his chief source of income. He has handled hogs, horses and cattle and his best stock are the Durham cattle and the Poland China hogs. Some idea of the business transacted at the Prairie View Stock Farm is gained from the faet that Mr. Myers marketed about $5,000 worth of hogs in 1917. While the management of the farm and the paying for it has constituted a program sufficient to require his best energies and stock, Mr. Myers has also enacted the role of a public spirited citizen, has given time to his work as member of the school board, as road commissioner, and is a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

At the age of twenty-five he married Miss Ida Frances Bates, of Camp Point, daughter of W. I. Bates, a prominent farmer of Camp Point Township. Mrs. Myers is a sister of Dr. A. D. Bates of Camp Point, and also of Dr. O. L. Bates of the same village. Mr. and Mrs. Myers have two sons and one grand- child. The sons are Harry R. and Justin T. The latter lives at home and assists his father in the management of the farm, while Harry operates an adjoining farm. Harry married Lillian Booth, formerly a successful teacher of the county. Their child is Ida Elizabeth.

Mr. Myers is affiliated with the Masonic Order at Columbus, having taken his first degrees at the age of twenty-one. He is a past master of the lodge, and is also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. His farm furnishes him his chief recreation as well as his steady productive employment, and this and his family and community interests furnish him a busy program from one year's beginning to the end.

WILLIAM H. MIDDENDORF. Identified continuously with enterprises of large importance at Quincy during his entire business life, William H. Middendorf, president of the Broadway Bank, stands among the city's prominent and repre- sentative men. He was born at Quincy, Illinois, September 28, 1851. His par- ents were Bernard H. and Elizabeth (Jelsing) Middendorf, both of whom were born in Germany.

Bernard H. Middendorf for many years was a prosperous merchant in the grocery line at Quincy, an honorable and upright business man and trustworthy citizen. He came to the United States early in the '40s and resided until 1849 in the City of St. Louis, Missouri, and then came to Quincy. His last years were passed here in comfortable retirement and his death occurred in 1885. His widow survived until 1905. They had the following children : Eliza- beth, who is the widow of William Schlagheck, of Quincy; Catherine, who died in childhood ; William H .; Henry, who is associated with his brother William H. in the lumber business at Quincy; Mary and Frank, both of whom are deceased : Theodore, who is associated with his brothers in the lumber busi- ness ; and Joseph, who is a Franciscan monk and rector of St. Joseph's College, Teutopolis, Illinois.

William H. Middendorf was educated in the Quincy schools and in the meantime learned the basic principles of business as he served as a clerk in his father's grocery store. From there he entered the employ of the lumber firm of Vandorn, Dickhut & Company. where he remained for eight years and ac- quired such detailed knowledge of that business that later he was able to turn it to good account when he embarked in the business for himself. Before that, however, he conducted a grocery business under his own name for almost three years and after selling the same again became interested in lumber and in 1884, associated with his two brothers, started the lumber business which is carried on under the style of Middendorf Brothers & Company. As his inter- ests widened and broadened, Mr. Middendorf recognized other business oppor- tunities and was prepared to take advantage of them. One of these led to the Vol. II-13

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 31

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