Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 48

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 48

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Their family of five children are Anna M., Margaretta C., Wilke J., Albert and Henry. Wilke J. Renken was born on the old farm September 12, 1870, and has been part of the family circle continuously except for 31% years. At the age of twenty-nine he went west and saw a great deal of the country, being employed in different occupations in the meantime. Since then he has been associated with his brothers and sisters, and they handle the large farm by a perfect system. Most of the annual revenue comes from hogs. They raise a large number and market a carload or more every year. This is one of the farms in Adams County that are operated just as a business house is operated, with a complete set of books recording every department and operation. Each of the children has a personal account, but the farm itself is operated as one business. The three brothers are rather noted as expert rifle and gun shots, and Henry has won many trophies in contests of skill with the rifle.

WILLIAM ARNING. Some of the Americans of whom this country has had most reason to be proud were the thrifty, hard working and liberty loving Germans who came to this eonntry during the decade of the '40s. One of those who so numerously settled in Quiney in that decade was the late William Arn- ing, whose long life in the city was a splendid exemplification of all the virtues of his race.

He was born in Lippe Detmold, Hanover. Germany, October 13. 1836. When he was nine years old his parents, Gottlieb and Sophia (Dickman) Arn-

1025

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

ing, also natives of Hanover, set sail in a sailing boat from Bremen and after a voyage of a number of weeks landed at New Orleans. They; reached there in 1845 and then proceeded up the Mississippi River to St. Louis and on to Quincy, where Gottlieb Arning established a blacksmith shop and resumed the trade he had learned and followed in the old country. His shop was an institu- tion in the city for forty or fifty years, and he applied himself to his trade until old age came upon him. He died in October, 1895, at the age of eighty- six, and his widow survived until 1898, and was eighty-four when she passed away. They were members of the Evangelical Church of Quincy, and in poli- ties Gottlieb was a very ardent republican.

William Arning grew up in Quincy, acquired a common school education, and learned his trade under the supervision of his father. After a few years of running a blacksmith shop he started wagon making, but finally found that his extraordinary skill as a horse shoer demanded all his time and energies and he devoted himself exclusively to that business. For years he conducted a large and well appointed shop at 621 South Sixth Street, and there his hard work and reliable service brought him gradually a modest fortune. He was in the shop until he retired and had passed his seventy-fifth birthday when he died December 13, 1911.

The Evangelical Church of Quincy has many reasons to be proud of his long continued membership and active work. He perhaps more than any other member had to do with freeing it from debt and putting it on a sound financial basis. He was honored with the offices of trustee and treasurer of the church. In politics he was a republican.

At Quincy in 1858 he married Miss Henrietta Klocke. She was also a native of Lippe Detmold, Germany, where she was born in 1837. Her parents died there and between her nineteenth and twentieth year she set sail for the United States in 1857, was eight weeks on the voyage, and joined friends and kinsmen in Quincy. Soon afterwards she married Mr. Arning, and they lived and worked together so that their success was a mutual achievement. She died in December, 1916. She was also reared in the Reformed Church of Germany, but at Quincy was a member of the Evangelical Church.

Three children were born to this worthy couple, all daughters. Emily and Ida died in infancy. The only surviving member of the family is Miss Julia Arning, whose work for a number of years has identified her with the local schools of Quincy. She was born in Quincy, graduated from the high school in 1893, and soon afterwards took up teaching. In 1913 she completed her course in the Western Illinois State Normal School at Macomb. She is now one of the teachers in the Fourth Ward School and she is a member of the church of her parents and is active in Red Cross work.

JOHN H. HEIDLOFF. One of the oldest wood and coal merchants in Quincy is John H. Heidloff, who established a wood vard at 612 North Fifth Street thirty-eight years ago and has been in continuous business at that old stand ever since. For a number of years he has also handled and distributed many carloads of coal, but so far as conditions permit specializes in the wood trade, and that amounts to 3,000 or 4,000 cords annually.

Mr. Heidloff has spent nearly half a century in Quincy. He was born in Kurhessen, Germany, October 20, 1842, a son of Werner and Anna M. (Baner) Heidloff, both of whom were natives of Kurhessen. They spent their lives there, where the father was a general workman and at one time served as mayor of his village. He died in 1870, at the age of sixty-five, and his wife in 1901, when seventy-nine years old. They were members of the Lutheran Church. In their family were these children: Jonas spent his life in Germany as a stone mason. Adam was the first of the family to come to the United States and at Quincy married a German girl. He died here twenty-one years ago, leaving four children. Mary also came when young to the United States and at Quincy married Fred Bengert. She died in this city leaving a family of

1026

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

sons and daughters. Anna married Jacob Weid, and both spent their lives in Germany, where three daughters survived them. The next in age is John H. Werner is a business man near Neva, Illinois, and has a wife and several daughters.

John H. Heidloff was educated in his native village, and in 1869 he set out from Bremen in the ship "Rhine, " landing at New York, and on the next day starting for Quincy, where he arrived December 17th, joining his brother and sister who had preceded him to this country. His first work at Quiney was with D. D. Meriam & Son, and for ten years he was engaged in the teaming business with this firm in the lumber trade. In 1880 Mr. Heidloff opened his wood yard and eighteen years ago he began dealing in eoal. His office for twenty-eight consecutive years has been one of the city voting booths for all local, state and national elections.

Mr. Heidloff has had his home in a substantial brick house at 414 Oak Street for thirty-two years. He married in December, 1869, Miss Anna Speiker, who was born in Wesphalia, Germany, August 4, 1850. Her parents, Francis and Theresa (Deomann) Speiker, were natives of the same province, and her father died there at the advaneed age of ninety-eight and her mother at sixty-eight. They were members of the Catholic Church. In their family were five sons and three daughters, all of whom grew up and married. Mrs. Heidloff and her sister Theresa were the only members of the family to come to the United States. Theresa arrived in this eity after Mrs. Heidloff, and has been three times married. Her present husband is John Koenig and they live in St. Louis. Mrs. Heidloff eame to the United States in 1867. She took passage on a sailing vessel at Bremen, and from New York reached Quiney on July 24, 1867. This city has been her home for over half a century. Mr. and Mrs. Heidloff have a family of ten children. Werner, a resident of Quiney is married, and has a son, Walter, now attending the city schools. William, who like his brothers and sisters, was well educated in the local schools, is associated with his father in busi- ness, is married and has two children, Ruth and William, both in school. John, also with his father in business, has a family of five, Dorothy, Margaret, Elizabeth, Theodore and Milton, all school children. Frank is now in Spokane, Washington, and is married but has no children. Carrie married Walter Gallamore, and they live in Spokane and have four children, Louise, Shirley. Forstena and Milton. Martha is the wife of John Herleman, of Quiney, and they have a son, Harold. Logan is a railroad man in Oklahoma and has two sons, Ralph and Howard. Elizabeth married Lawrence Gilhouse, of Quiney, and has a son, Robert. Clara is the wife of Ceeil MeSpaden, of Quiney. Lillian, the wife of Arthur Keen, of Quincy, has two children, Mildred and William. The family are all members of the Lutheran Church and Mr. Heidloff is a republican voter.

HENRY GERMANN. Two of the best known and most useful citizens of Quiney are Mr. Henry Germann, vice president of the Broadway Bank, and his wife, Dr. Melinda Germann, who was not only one of the earliest physicians and surgeons to practice medicine in Quiney, but in point of ability and attainments ranks among the first in the profession, irrespective of sex.

A native of Quiney, Henry Germann was born November 4, 1850. His parents, John Phillip and Anna M. (Brenner) Germann, were natives of Ger- many and established their home in Qniney in the year 1848. The former was a native of Hesse Darmstadt and his wife of Hanover. They came to the United States as young people on sailing vessels, were married and lived in New York City for two years, and then established their home in Quiney. John P. Germann was a hoot and shoe maker, and was in business at Quincy until the introduction of machinery for making boots and shoes took away his trade. In later years he assisted his son in the drug business and died at the age of seventy, his wife passing away at sixty-eight. They were reared as

1027

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

Lutherans but in Quiney joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. They had a family of four children, all of whom are living at Quiney but one.

Henry Germann grew up in Quincy, attended the public schools and the Bryant & Stratton Business College, and as a clerk learned the drug business and secured a license as a pharmacist. For a number of years he was with the old firm of Sommers & Metz, and when still a young man, with his father's assistance, he bought a drug store at Bushnell, Illinois. A year later a fire destroyed the entire establishment without insurance. He took his losses calmly and coming to Quiney established himself in business at the corner of Eighth and State streets, where in course of time he made his store one of the best known in that part of the eity. After many years of business prosperity he finally sold his drug store and became one of the organizers and vice presi- dent of the Broadway Bank at 1717 Broadway. Mr. Germann is also a director of the Quiney Stove Manufacturing Company. In a publie way he has given most of his time to local edneation, and is an independent republican in polities. He and his wife and family are all active members of the Methodist Church.

Dr. Melinda Germann was born in Quiney in 1863 and since girlhood has been known for her many brilliant qualities and abilities. She is a daughter of Henry and Mary (Aehelpohl) Knapheide. Her parents were both natives of Germany and came to America when young people, in 1848. Both were poor, and it was by dint of hard and honest toil that they established a good home and reared their family in comfort. They married in St. Louis, where their first child was born, and from there moved to Quiney, where Henry Knap- heide established a business as a wagon manufacturer on State Street. IIe con- tinued active in business there until his death at the age of sixty years. His widow survived until 1915, and was ninety-three when she died. Both were charter members of the Kentucky Street Methodist Church and Mr. Knapheide was a republican. Of their ten children six grew to maturity and are still living and are all married but one.

Doetor Germann made her first mark in the city when she was awarded the Morgan medal for the highest scholarship in high school. For one year she taught school, and in June, 1888, graduated with the medieal degree from the Quincy College of Medicine. Most of her studies were directed by Doctor Curtis, one of the best known old time physicians of Quiney. Her courage and determination in taking up a profession seldom followed at that time by women enabled her to pursue her studies in the greatest centers of medieal learning. She spent two years abroad at Zurich, Switzerland, Paris and Vienna, and in 1913 she was again abroad, spending six months in the same eities where her former student work had been done twenty years earlier. In the meantime she has practiced in Quincy, and has done a world of good through her pro- fession and through her deep personal interest in the social and material welfare of the community. She is a member of the County Medical Society, of the State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, and also of the Women's National Medieal Society.

She has the distinetion of being the first woman ever eleeted a member of the Board of Education in Quiney. She was first elected in 1912 and is now in her third consecutive term. In the spring of 1917 an even greater eivie honor was bestowed when she was elected a member of the Board of Supervisors of the county, being the first woman to gain that honor at the polls.

For all their busy outside interests and services Mr. and Mrs. Germann center their greatest affections in their two brilliant children, Hildegarde and Aldo. The daughter was graduated as valedictorian of the high school class of 1909, and then entered Vassar College, from which she was graduated as an honor student in 1913. She has many of the ideals and ambitions of her mother and in 1918 she finished her studies in Johns Hopkins Medical College at Baltimore, with the highest standing in scholarship of any of the women students, her graduation carrying with it also an appointment to the medieal

1028

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

staff of the hospital. She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Academic fraternity, elected at Vassar College, and of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Medical fraternity, of which she is secretary, receiving that honor at Johns Hopkins University.

The son Aldo graduated from high school in 1912 and then entered North- western University of Chicago, where he completed the literary course and is member of the class of 1919 in the medical school. He too has had a number of scholarship honors and is a member of one of the leading medical fraternities. He enrolled his services for the war and will qualify for a commission in the Medical Reserve Corps upon graduating. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha, elected at Northwestern University

CASPER ANCK is member of the firm Anck Brothers, manufacturers and dealers in meats at 1037-1039 Broadway in Quincy. Both the brothers, Casper and William, are proficient men in their line of work, have had a great deal of experience in past years, and in 1911 established their present factory, where they deal both wholesale and retail, and manufacture a considerable share of the provisions consumed throughout Adams County, which is their normal market territory. They manufacture various lines of meat products, including sausage and lard. About ten people find employment in their business, each week they kill about fifteen cattle, a large number of hogs, and their daily output of sausage is about 500 pounds and their weekly output of lard about 2,000 pounds.

The brothers have lived in this county all their lives. Casper Anck was born in Ellington Township August 17, 1875, and received most of his education in the district schools of Quincy, learning his trade after leaving school. He is a son of John and Isabelle (Neicie) Anck. His father was born in Germany and when a young man came to the United States. His sister, Mrs. Theresa Frizie, had already located near Quincy. After coming to this county he met and married his wife, who was a native of Adams County of German parentage. After their marriage he took up farming in Ellington Township and when Casper Anck was twelve years old, in 1887, the family came to Quincy, where the father was employed in packing houses until his death in 1906, at the age of sixty-four. His widow is now living with her son Casper at the age of sixty-four. She is a Protestant, while her husband was a Catholic and a democrat.

Casper Anck, who is unmarried, was the second among his parents' children. Rosa, the oldest, is the wife of William Merrill, of Quincy, and has three chil- dren : Isabel, Wilbert and George. John, the next younger brother, lives in Quincy and is married and has a daughter Maria. Josephine is the wife of Henry Hedrick, of Rock Island, Illinois, and has one son, Walter. William is a partner with his brother Casper and is referred to on other pages. Dora mar- ried James Rose, of Quincy, and has two sons and two daughters, Cora, Joseph, Mildred and Richard. Edward J. Anck, the youngest son is employed by the firm of Anck Brothers. He was born and raised in Quincy, is married but has no children and resides at 1014 York Street.

PANTALION WERNETH was a Quincy business man for nearly forty years. The activities through which he acquired success for himself and rendered his best service to the public was as a meat dealer, and his methods of doing busi- ness and his personal character brought him many fast and loyal friends.

Mr. Werneth died at his home at 1650 Vermont Street October 31, 1911. He was then seventy-three years of age. He was born in Baden, Germany, July 21, 1838, of old German Catholic stoek, a son of Hugo and Rosena Wer- neth, both natives of Baden. He was only twenty-one months of age when his mother died, and he was reared and edneated in Germany until fourteen years of age, when he accompanied his brother Simon to the United States. The sailing vessel which brought them over was many weeks in making the voyage. Their first location was in Wisconsin, at Manitowoc, and from there Pantalion

1029

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

Werneth came to Quincy. He learned the trade of butcher with Mr. Crowder, and later was in business with Mr. John Barth at the corner of Sixth and Hamp- shire streets. They bought that valuable corner and were associated until the death of Mr. Barth. At that time Mr. Werneth acquired the entire property and for thirty-eight years that was his business headquarters. He then located his market at 1706 Broadway, and the Werneth market at that number is still continued. On moving his place of business he took in his son Fred as partner, and Fred managed the business after his father's death until quite recently.

The late Mr. Werneth was a Catholic and a member of the Western Catholic Union. On May 10, 1881, at Quincy, he married Miss Anna Otte. Mrs. Wer- neth, who with her family occupies the fine home of ten rooms which was erected nine years ago at 1650 Vermont Street, was born at West Point, Iowa, December 3, 1859. She was reared in Quincy from early girlhood. Her parents were Frank and Margaret (Kauffman) Otte, both natives of Muenster, Germany. Her parents were married in the old country and their first five children were born there. In 1855 they came to the United States and bought land at West Point, Iowa, and six years later moved to Franklin, Iowa. Later they lived for two years at Adina, Missouri, and from there came to Quincy. Mrs. Wer- neth's father died in this city August 13, 1884, at the age of seventy-nine, and her mother passed away March 17, 1886, at the age of seventy-five. They were members of the St. Francis Catholic Church in Quincy. Mrs. Werneth was one of the ten children, all of whom reached mature age except one, and two sons and three daughters are still living. Mrs. Werneth became the mother of five children. One, Clara, died in 1882 in infancy. Her son William was edu- cated in the local business schools, is an energetic young business man aged thirty-four. and succeeded his brother as manager of the family meat market. He married Maude Schumate. The son Fred, who was educated in the Gem City Business College, is unmarried and is now connected with the commissary department of the Great Lakes Training Station. Carl, who was trained to the trade of butcher, is now a salesman with Swift & Company, packers. He married Genevieve Eckert and they have a daughter five years old. Marie is the wife of Edward Dorkenwald, of Quincy, and their daughter is Anna Marie. All the family are members of St. Francis parish.

ANDERSON E. ADAIR, living retired at Loraine, is a man of interesting ex- periences, has a most interesting family, and has deserved the success and pros- perity that have attended his efforts in this county.

He was born in Honey Creek Township June 30, 1862, son of John R. and Euseba (Tout) Adair. John R. Adair, a half-brother of Henry Adair, another well known resident of Adams County, died November 21, 1901, at the age of sixty-five. He had lived retired several years at Camp Point. His first wife, Euseba, died June 20, 1873, on the farm in Honey Creek Township. For his second wife he married Elizabeth Hudson, who died in June, 1898. John R. Adair was a farmer in Hpney Creek Township until he retired. He never filled a public office, but was very active as a member and elder in the Christian Church, was noted as a local preacher, but never did that work for a salary or compensation. By his first wife he had five sons: Kelley, of Point Rich- mond, California; Willis M. in the harness business at Loraine; Anderson E .; John M., a farmer in Ellington Township; and Thomas Sherman, of Gridley, California. John R. Adair by his second marriage had four children: Robert. now in the Government service; Charles, a farmer in Honey Creek Township ; Ann, wife of William Hendrickson, of Ursa Township; and Curtis, a railroad employe living at Hannibal, Missouri.

Anderson E. Adair lived at home until he was twenty years of age. He gained much knowledge of practical farming while a boy, but his first ambition was to be a professional man and a teacher He attended Abingdon College under Professor Bruner, took a normal course, and at the age of twenty began teaching in the Prairie School of Mendon Township. That was in 1881, and for the next nine years he gave his best energies to teaching. All his work as an

1030

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY

edueator was done in Adams County, and he was connected with four or five different schools in the northern part of the county. Several of his pupils became teachers. Mr. Adair took a very active part in teachers' institutes and all other movements associated with rural education.

January 25, 1885, while he was still a teacher, he married Miss Mary Beer of Camp Point Township, daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Piper) Beer. Her parents eame when a young married couple from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and settled in Camp Point Township, where they lived until their death. Her father died about eleven years ago at the age of seventy-eight and her mother is now eighty-nine. They were man and wife more than fifty years, and for over half a century had occupied the same home.

When he gave up teaching Mr. Adair began farming in Honey Creek Township. He had little capital to begin on, but with the encouragement of his wife and with his boyhood experience and the assets of good health, strength and ambition, he bought forty acres of land. It was what is described as un- improved land, but besides having no buildings or fences nearly every acre was covered with a heavy growth of brush and small timber, all of which had to be cleared away before he could eultivate and raise erops. He made the first payments from his earnings as a teacher, but otherwise has made the land pay its own way and give him a living and more besides. Later he bought an- other forty acres, giving him eighty acres, and in the course of time he had it improved with a good substantial home and two good barns. In connection with his farming Mr. Adair for seven years operated a threshing outfit. Like his father he has not been ambitious to hold public office. Several years ago he retired to a good home in Loraine, but still looks after his farm. He was also administrator for his father's estate.

Mr. and Mrs. Adair had a family of four sons. Roy Kelley Adair. the old- est, was born August 17, 1885, graduated from the Maplewood High School at Camp Point in 1904, and from the Normal at Macomb in 1915. IIe began teaching in 1905, and continued that profession actively for twelve years, all in Adams County. For six years he was principal of the high school at La Prairie, and for two years was identified with the schools of Columbus. In

1916 he bought the Loraine Times and was commissioned postmaster of this fourth elass office March 20, 1918. On August 10, 1910, he married Alma J. Cossart, of Camp Point. She was born in Haneock County, daughter of Joseph and Mary ( Harris) Cossart, Solomon Harris, her grandfather, was the first white ehild born in Adams County, his parents being the first white settlers in this county. They migrated here from their original home in Tennessee. Mrs. Roy Adair graduated in the normal course from the Camp Point school and attended one term at Macomb Normal, after which she was a teacher in the eounty for three years.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 48

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