Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 63

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 63

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In 1915 Mr. and Mrs. Coe had a very interesting wedding journey, includ- ing a tour of the far West. They visited the states of Washington, California, Oregon and Utah, including the cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Taeoma,

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San Diego and Salt Lake City, where they were interested visitors in the great Mormon Temple.

THOMAS ROTTENKOLBER has earned the comforts of a good retired home at Thirty-second and Broadway in Melrose Township, just east of Quincy, by reason of thirty years of continuons business activity. Mr. Rottenkolber is one of the veteran butchers and retail meat men of Quincy, and by slow and steady progress, with varied experiences now on the fortunate and now on the unfortunate side, he attained a competenee.

Mr. Rottenkolber was born April 29, 1856, at Munich, Bavaria. On Decem- ber 8, 1880, he landed in Quiney. While coming to this country he met a Doctor Stiener, who indueed him to come to Quiney. Mr. Rottenkolber had learned the trade of buteher in Germany. He reached Quincy with only 10 eents in money. He had $100 in cash on landing at New York, but he generously paid the rail- road fare of two companions less fortunate than himself to Quincy, and he never received any of this money back. For three years he worked for Simon Warnet at Fifth and Vine streets. His wages the first year were $125, the second year he was paid $30 a month, and the third year, $35 a month. Out of this he managed to save $300, and he used that capital to set up in business for himself at Tenth and Oak streets. He bought all the livestock which he killed, and at first slaughtered about two beeves per week. His sales amounted in gross aggregate to possibly $100 a week. After three years he started another shop at Twelfth and Hampshire, and continued the two shops for two years, having three men working under him. Mr. Rottenkolber did all his own killing, and with a growing trade was gradually getting ahead in the world, though he always had low prices to contend with and the margin of profit was a very slender one. He continued his shop at Twelfth and Hampshire streets for about twenty-two years, and he and his wife lived over the shop on the second floor. This old shop occupied the site of the present Standard Oil Company's plant. Finally Mr. Rottenkolber moved to his present property at Thirty- second and Broadway. This is a small suburban farm, comprising seven acres and was formerly used as the site for his slaughter house. He bought the land about thirty years ago. After leaving the retail meat business, Thomas Rotten- kolber again bought a shop at Eleventh and Maine streets, and he conducted a business there 51/2 years, until he finally retired in 1913. During this new period of business he bought all his meat from the packers. He has lived in his present home sinee 1908. Mr. Rottenkolber knows only two other men who were in the butcher business at Quiney when he started, and one of them is John Gehring, Sr., who is still active. During the last five years Mr. Rottenkolber has given his time to the management of his little suburban farm. He has never aspired to office. He began voting as a democrat, but since 1896 has been chiefly repub- lican.

On February 28, 1884, Mr. Rottenkolber married Catherine Bangert. She was born in Quiney September 8, 1860, daughter of Frederiek and Mary Ban- gert. Her father was in business at Fifth and Vine streets from 1880 until 1914. and the store is now eontinned by his son Adam J. Mrs. Rottenkolber after her marriage assisted her husband in the sales in the market, and has thus shared his business career with him. They are members of St. John's Lutheran Church at Seventh and Kentucky streets.

EDWARD C. DEEGE. While the Deege family are best known and have been longest established in Burton Township, one of the number, Edward C. Deege, is an exceptionally energetie and prosperous farmer of Liberty Township. A brief sketch of his career and experience will supplement other information eon- tained in this volume concerning his father, J. Philip Deege, of Burton Town- ship.

Edward C. Deege was born near Pleasant Grove Church in Burton Town- Vol. II-25

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ship October 1, 1870. He grew up in that community, attended the local schools, and had a thorough training to fit him for his career as a farmer.

March 13, 1895, he married Miss Amanda Uhland, of Richfield Township. Mrs. Deege was born at the old home in Richfield Township May 25, 1869, daughter of Christopher and Caroline (Seitter) Uhland. Her father died there in July, 1896, and her mother May 8, 1916. The old home is still owned by the Uhland heirs. Mrs. Deege's parents were both born in Germany but were married in Adams Connty and lived on their farm in Richfield Township from about the time of their marriage.

For three years after his marriage Edward C. Deege rented and then bought his present farm of 120 acres of the Sander farm. He paid $55 an aere for the land. Most of the buildings, including the house, were already there, but he has made many other improvements. IIe went in debt for the entire farm, and by his industry and the thrifty co-operation of his good wife has raised himself into the position of one of the independent farm owners and managers of the county. Mr. Deege is a democrat and a member of the Lutheran Church of Liberty. He and his wife have one son, Harold I., who is now at Camp Sheri- dan, Alabama, in Company A of the Two Hundred and Ninth Regiment of Engineers.

SCOTT WHEELER is proprietor of the Hickory Woodlands Farm four miles northwest of Liberty Village. Mr. Wheeler has lived on this farm all his life, and his energy and enterprise have brought him prosperity. He is member of a family which in several lines goes baek in Adams County history nearly ninety years.

He was born in the house in which he now lives June 15, 1873, son of Aquilla B. Wheeler. Aquilla B. Wheeler was born near Williamstown in Grant County, Kentucky, June 3, 1828. He was born after the death of his father, Aquilla, Sr. His mother, Bethelon Woodyard, was born December 9, 1802, and died June 13, 1839, in Liberty Township. Illinois. There is a further record showing that William Woodyard, father of Bethelon, was born August 12, 1775, in Virginia, and died in Grant County, Kentucky. November 29, 1858. His wife was Rebecca Sims, who was born December 27, 1776, in Virginia, and died in Grant County, Kentucky, May 21, 1850.

The grandfather of Aquila Wheeler, Jr., was George Fennel Wheeler, who was born in Virginia and died in Liberty Township of Adams County. He married Elizabeth Becker Hume, also a native of Virginia, who died in Liberty Township and is buried in Burton Cemetery. George Fennel Wheeler came to Liberty Township in pioneer times. Aquila Wheeler came to Illinois with Paris Judy, and lived with his uncle, Burt Wheeler, in Burton Township. Afterward he lived on the farm of his grandfather, George Wheeler, where Seott Wheeler now lives. The old brick house on that farm was built by the Wheelers from brick burned on the premises. Aquila Wheeler had two broth- ers, Thomas, who was a farmer in Burton Township and died at Quincy in 1912, and Ferdinand.

Aqnilla Wheeler had a farm in Burton Township, but about 1873 moved to the old place of his grandfather, and lived there until his death on December 11, 1911. On December 18, 1866, he married Helen M. Bliven. She was born in Burton Township Jannary 14, 1836. Her father, Benjamin Burris Bliven, was born in Allegheny County, New York, April 28, 1813, and died in Burton Township. Her mother, Caroline Wheeler, was born in the same township May 18, 1811, and died December 13, 1848. Helen M. Bliven died September 1, 1917, at the old homestead. Aqnilla Wheeler during his lifetime had added forty-six aeres of timber to the old place and eleared up about twelve aeres of this. He erected a number of outbuildings, and the last fourteen years of his life he lived retired. He served as tax eolleetor of Burton Township and was a school director for thirty years. He and all his family were republicans in polities. He was a member of the Liberty Christian Church. He was also

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a Mason of long standing. and was buried by the Masons. Mrs. Wheeler was a member of the Eastern Star and was buried by that order. Aquila Wheeler had two sons, Scott and William. The latter was born Mareh 6, 1875, lived on the old farm to the age of twenty and is now a farmer near Cameron in Warren County. He married Ida Reynolds, and has two sons, Frederick Scott and William Wayne.

Scott Wheeler sinee coming to manhood has engaged all his energies and initiative on the home farm, and has the same land which his father owned before him. He does much livestock raising and keeps about fifty head all the time. October 28, 1897, he married Miss Irma Josephine Grubb, member of the well known Grubb family whose history is recounted on other pages. Mrs. Wheeler was born October 24, 1875. Their four children, all at home, are George B., Albert W., Ida J. and Ernest S. Ida J. is a student in the Liberty High School. George B. has taught in Liberty Township.

Mr. Seott Wheeler served several years as sehool director and is a republi- ean. He is a deaeon in the Christian Church at Liberty. Both he and his wife have been prominent in Red Cross activity and he is chairman of the local chapter. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler both went to school to Judge Lyman MeCarl, one of the editors of this history.

ERNEST J. GRUBB. The esteem in which Mr. Grubb is held in Liberty Town- ship is well reflected in his present official capacity as township supervisor, an office he has filled three consecutive terms. Mr. Grubb has well earned the con- fidenee of his fellow eitizens, and has been a man of substantial character and ability in affairs in that loeality nearly all his life.

He was born 114 miles north of Liberty Village October 5, 1870, son of George W. and Hannah (Howerton) Grubb. George W. Grubb was born in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, March 9, 1837, and was brought to Adams County when two years old by his parents, Jonas and Sarah (Weiser) Grubb. Jonas Grubb settled on the farm where Ernest J. Grubb was born, and lived there the rest of his life. Jonas and his wife were natives of Zurich, Switzer- land. They were the parents of a large family, and as most of the sons remained in Adams County there are many families of the name who have been identified with this eommunity. The children of Jonas Grubb and wife were Reuben, David, George W., Abraham, Jonah, John, Edward, Reuben. Those who re- mained in Adams County were Reuben, David, Edward, Jonah and George. John went to Pike County and Abraham to Haneock County, Illinois. All of them were farmers.

Hannah Howerton, wife of George W. Grubb, was born in Kentucky Novem- ber 22, 1844. She was a child when her parents, James and Elizabeth (Rhodes) Howerton, moved to Adams County. They located on a corner west of the bank in Liberty Village and eondueted a hotel there many years, finally moving to Novelty, Missouri, where they spent their last years. Mrs. Hannah Grubb alone of the Howerton family remained in Adams County. George and Hannah Grubb were married December 17, 1863. He acquired the old Grubb homestead, lo- eated in section 17 of Liberty Township, and kept it until shortly before his death. He finally retired to Liberty Village, where he died December 16, 1910. Mrs. Hannah Grubb is still living in Liberty. George W. Grubb was a demo- erat and was a very devout and faithful member of the Presbyterian Church. He was an old fashioned churehman, and one of the few who retained that happy eustom of household and family worship in his own home. He was regular in his attendanee at church and filled all the church offices. He knew the Bible thoroughly and eould diseuss intelligently both theological and political ques- tions. His family consisted of the following children: Ella, who taught in the Maplewood High School at Camp Point, the Barry High School, in Lombard College, and at one time was appointed county superintendent of schools to succeed John Jamison, but was defeated for eleetion. She is now Mrs. James W. Simons, living at Pacific Beach, California. Susie, who like all her sisters,

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finished her education in Lombard College at Galesburg, is the wife of Charles Miller, of Oakland, California. Lura taught school in Adams and Pike counties for several years, and is the wife of Robert Mercer, of Liberty. The next in age is Ernest J. Grubb. Clara was a teacher in Adams County and is the wife of Ben E. Gilmore, of Stockton, California. Josephine likewise did some teaching in the county and married Scott Wheeler, a farmer at Liberty Town- ship. The son John died in infancy. Roscoe is an engraver living at Cham- paign, Illinois. Mary, a former teacher, is the wife of Howard Lawless, owner of the elevator at Loraine, Illinois.

Ernest J. Grubb finished his education in the Maplewood High School, and lived at home and worked on the farm until his marriage January 7, 1892, when Stella Allen, of Columbus Township, became his bride. Her parents were James and Amanda (Lierle) Allen. Mrs. Grubb was born in Columbus Township twenty-one years before her marriage. She had also attended the Maplewood High School and was a teacher for three or four terms in the county.

After his marriage Mr. Grubb continued farming for three years and since then has lived in the Village of Liberty, following the general blacksmith trade and operating a shop for automobile repairs. In the line of official duty he has been busy for a number of years. For seven years he was deputy sheriff. He was elected township supervisor in 1912 and is now serving in the third term. He is a member of the Illinois Road and Bridge Committee and has consistently stood for and advocated permanent improvement, particularly good roads. He is a democrat and has been township committeeman several years, serving as a delegate at various conventions of the party.

Mrs. Grubb died May 15, 1910. She was the mother of three daughters, Alta, her father's housekeeper; Frances, wife of Roseoe Boyer, connected with the Collins Plow Company at Quiney, and Clara, clerk of the County Exemption Board. Mr. Boyer was for three years associated with his father in the man- agement of a general store at Liberty.

Mr. Grubb has always been fond of outdoor life and enjoys nothing more than an occasional hunting trip. He is prominent in the local Odd Fellows and Masons, and was in the Grand Lodge of the Masonic Order three terms. He and his wife were both members of the Eastern Star and their three daughters are members of the same order. The daughter Alta has filled all the chairs of the Chapter and was representative to the Grand Lodge in 1917. Mrs. Grubb was at one time worthy matron of the Chapter, at the same time that Mr. Grubb was worthy patron.

CHARLES HENRY RANKIN. Some competent critics have called the Rankin home in Fall Creek Township, fifteen miles southeast of Quincy, the best planned, most artistic and commodious country residence outside of Quincy. Reference is made at the outset to the home, since it is in a large degree typical of the character and enterprise of the family who eenter their activities there. The Rankins are pioneers of Southern Adams County, and some of the most important developments in the county's history have had them as leaders and promoters. This is particularly true of the agricultural interests. The Rankins as much as any other family have been prominent in developing the great apple and peach orchards of this section of Illinois.

The first generation of the family in Western Illinois were Elias and Eliz- abeth Rankin. Elias Rankin was a native of Scotland. He and his wife lived in Caldwell County, Kentucky, came to Illinois and first settled in Sangamon County, later went to Iowa for a brief season, and then established pioneer homes in section 13 of Fall Creek Township. Elias Rankin died there abont 1868, at the age of ninety-six. He was buried in the Fall Creek Methodist Cemetery. One of his sons, Jesse Rankin, lived on a farm in section 14 until 1888, when he moved west. and his death occurred near Spokane, Washington, about 1916. A daughter of Elias became Mrs. Berry and died in Fulton, Missouri. Another danghter was Mrs. Smith, who died in Adams County.

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Robert Rankin, father of Charles Henry, was one of the interesting and prominent figures of Adams County's history. He was born in Caldwell County, Kentucky, Jime 23, 1827, and was a small ehild when his parents started west. The first day he attended school was in Fall Creek Township. Be- coming tired, he spread his body out on the puncheon bench and fell fast asleep, and he always recalled that incident of his early schooling. At the age of twenty- three Robert Rankin married Miss Sarah Jane Edmonds. She was born in Iredell County, North Carolina. May 20, 1828, daughter of John and Eliz- abeth Edmonds. John Edmonds was born in Ireland, was brought to America by his mother, and married Elizabeth Fitzgerald in Virginia. The Edmonds family lived in Tennessee during 1828-31, and arrived in Adams County, Illinois, July 3, 1831, settling in Payson Township, where John and Elizabeth lived and died. Elizabeth Edmonds spent her last years with her daughter Sarah Jane.

Robert Rankin located on his home farm in the spring of 1852, and lived there until his death December 11, 1878. He also owned a large acreage six miles away on Sni Island. His home farm comprised 480 aeres. The Sni Island Drainage District was organized in 1872 and he was one of its chief agitators and promoters. During the war he was a firm friend of the Union cause. a re- publican in politics, and apparently it was his chief characteristie to stand honestly and firmly by the principles and policies which he believed to be right, and denounced all that he considered wrong and unjust. Despite the positive- ness of his manner he was universally esteemed, and had a host of friends.

His work and influence were especially valuable in promoting agricultural and horticultural development and the co-operative movements which insure bet- ter markets and other advantages to a farming community. He was the first president of the Adams County Horticultural Society, being elected in 1870, ' and he held that offiee until his death. In 1868 he organized a number of men into an association to plant and develop peach orehards. As a factor in that movement he set out thirteen acres in peaches. When these trees came into bearing he was influential in securing a proper eo-operation among other growers to secure proper transportation and marketing facilities. This local association shipped nine carloads a week from Fall Creek station. Robert Rankin had a packing house on his farm, employing sixteen girls during the

packing season. The peaches were put in boxes holding a third of a bushel each. He also set out 21% acres of vineyard on his land. Though a hortieu]- turist, he was also a livestock grower, and identified himself with every move- ment in his section of the county for general improvement.

Ilis first wife died September 15, 1873. She was the mother of ten children, only three of whom reached mature years. One daughter married Henry Cupp, and a son, Curtis, died at the age of sixteen. The only survivor of the children today is Charles Henry Rankin. The father married for his second wife Miss Laura Goodner, who died in 1878, both her children dying in childhood.

Charles Henry Rankin was born August 2, 1859, on the site of his present home. As a boy he spent four years in the Payson High School. two years in the Maplewood School at Camp Point, and two years at Chaddock College in Quincy. He graduated from the Illinois State University with the degree Civil Engineer, class of 1885. Since then he has given all his time and best energies to the home farm, and had taken a responsible part in its management from the age of eighteen. The farm under his ownership comprises 228 acres. Mr. Rankin built one of the best houses in the township in 1907, but it was burned October 31, 1908. It was rebuilt in 1909. Besides his horticultural interests he is a general farmer and stock raiser.

Mr. Rankin has set eighteen acres in orchard, and it is thirty-three years old. His fruit growing is an enterprise to which he has applied the most modern methods, and he is himself a recognized authority on horticulture in the Missis- sippi Valley. Hle is an active member of the Mississippi Valley Apple Growers'

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Association, and for many years has kept in close toneh with horticultural and agricultural interests. His apple erop runs from 1,000 to 2,500 barrels annu- ally. It is divided among four or five staple varieties. At one time it was pos- sible for him to exhibit from the local orehards 160 varieties of fruits at the Camp Point Fair.

February 14, 1888, Mr. Rankin married Miss Henrietta L. Whittleton. She was born in Melrose Township, daughter of Edmund and Elizabeth (Cox) Whit- tleton. Her father was a native of England and as a child eame to America and was edneated ehiefly in New York. At the age of twenty-six he eame to Adams County and taught sehool here. A year later he married Elizabeth Cox, daughter of Matthew and Sarah B. (Gooding) Cox, of Melrose Township. Henrietta Whittleton was twenty-seven years of age at the time of her marriage. She had attended high school at Barry, Illinois, and an academy connected with the University of Rochester, New York. For seven years before her marriage she taught in Adams and Pike counties, Illinois, and in Saline County, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Rankin have a family of three children. Harriet Elizabeth, born October 6, 1889, is the wife of George Ernst, an eleetrieian at Quiney. Luro Jane, born February 17, 1892, and at home with her parents, is a graduate in household economies from the Illinois State University, and has done mueh work in demonstration and other phases of her seienee. The son, Robert Ed- mund, horn September 8, 1893, spent two years in the agricultural department of the State University, specializing in livestock, husbandry and dairying. He went into the service of his country, June 24, 1918, and honorably discharged February 18, 1919, from Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky.

Mrs. Rankin is one of the most proficient home makers in Adams County. She has made a elose study of home economies of all kinds, and the handsome Rankin home was built from her plans and under her immediate supervision. Her suecess in planning this home has put her serviees in demand by many friends and neighbors, and she has devised and drawn plans for a number of ex- eellent houses. The Rankin home is widely known because for a number of year's Mrs. Rankin has extended its hospitality and facilities to parties and individuals seeking a beautiful and quiet retreat in the country for a few days or weeks, especially in the summer season. Everything in the home is thor- oughly modern, and especially with a view to utmost convenience and lightening the burdens of necessary household work. It has a hot water heating system, a gasoline gas-light system, gas for cooking, and there is a perfeet water supply. The source of water is from a spring 110 feet lower than the house and a half mile distant. It is piped under pressure from a hydraulie ram, and the eapaeity of the supply is 700 gallons each twenty-four hours. In the basement is a pres- sure tank by which the water is distributed to all the floors of the house. Mr. Rankin has served as a member of the Farm Bureau and in other departments of the Adams County Farm Improvement Association, and Mrs. Rankin is also active in the organization of the Home Bureau. He has served as justice of the peace eight years, and used that official place always as a means of adjusting petty disputes and quarrels rather than to exereise a mere supervision over technical legal processes. Mr. Rankin's name was on the republican eounty tieket for county surveyor in 1888.

JOHN BOND CARROLL is assistant postmaster of Quiney, and has held that offiee for the past eight years. He is a young man of thorough qualifieations, of good native ability, and as a young man he learned to depend upon him- self as a means of advancement and in order to make his serviees appreciated in the world.

Mr. Carroll is a native of Minnesota, born at Pipestone on October 14, 1884. His parents are Edward and Mary (Winters) Carroll, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Seotland. Edward Carroll eame to the United States in 1880. first loeating at Hastings, Minnesota, moving from there to Pipestone. later to AAdair, Missouri, and finally to Kirksville, Missouri, where he is still living a eivil service employe.

John Carroll

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 63

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