Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 67

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 67

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JOSEPH H. BLOMER, M. D. Highly educated, a polished gentleman and thoroughly capable physician and surgeon, Doctor Blomer has gained a place of recognized skill and prominence in the medical fraternity of Quincy, where he has practiced for ten years. His offices are in the Mercantile Building.

Doctor Blomer is a graduate both in the literary and medical departments of the University of Chicago. He graduated in medicine at Rush Medical College with the class of 1906, and post graduate work in the Post Graduate Medical School of New York for a year, and then entered St. Anthony's Hos- pital in Denver, Colorado, for a year. In 1908 he returned to Quincy, and besides his service to an increasing private clientele he has for six years been a member of St. Mary's Hospital staff. He is a member of the County and State Medical societies and the American Medical Association.

Doctor Blomer was born in Quincy July 30, 1877, and before entering the University of Chicago completed the business, literary and philosophical courses in St. Francis College of this city. He spent six years in the Uni- versity of Chicago. Doctor Blomer represents one of the old and substantial German families of Quincy. His grandparents came here during the '30s. Doctor Blomer is a son of Henry John and Anna (Klatte) Blomer, both natives of Germany. A portrait and more complete sketch of the father is found on other pages of this work. They were brought to this country when young by their respective parents, landing in New Orleans and going first. to Cincinnati and then to Quincy. They married in this county, and IIenry John Blomer for a number of years followed the trade of brick mason and building contractor. He constructed a number of the substantial business blocks of Quincy. He was in that business until 1872, but for several years had devoted his energies during the winter seasons to the killing and packing of pork. He finally concentrated all his attention on that industry and is listed among the prominent pork packers of the city from the '70s on until his death in April, 1906. He was a hard working man and a very intelligent and pub- lie spirited citizen. He was always a democrat and for some years represented his ward in the city council. His widow died at the old home in Quincy in

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February, 1911. Both were about seventy-three years old when they passed away, and both had been members for years of St. Francis Catholic Church. Doctor Blomer has a brother, John, of Quincy, and three sisters: Anna, wife of Joseph B. C. Freiburg, a shoe merchant of Quincy, of whom mention is found on other pages of this work; Christine Tibesar, who with her husband lives at Quincy, and they have a family of children; and Miss Ida, of Quincy.

Doctor Blomer married in 1915 Mrs. Idelle (Martin) MeDavitt. She was born near Centralia, Illinois, daughter of the late Reverend Martin, of Scotch- Irish ancestry. Her father was for many years Secretary of Foreign Missions of the Christian Church, and during the girlhood of Mrs. Blomer took his family abroad to England, where he did church missionary work for some years. Thus Mrs. Blomer was educated in the schools of England. Prior to her marriage she was a teacher in the public schools of Quincy, Illinois. She is a member of the Episcopal Church of Quincy, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Dorothy Quincy Chapter, Colonial Dames, and Daughters of 1812, while Doctor Blomer retains membership in the church in which he was reared, St. Francis Catholic Church. He is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and the Western Catholic Union.

ALBERT MEYER. Burton Township is the home of this live and progressive farmer citizen of Adams County. He lives two miles southwest of Adams Post- office, his farm meeting the township line on the south.

Mr. Meyer has spent all his life in Adams County, and is esteemed in his community as a man of much capability both as a farmer and as a good citizen. He was born in Melrose Township December 25, 1868, son of Frank and Caroline (Mast) Meyer. His father, who was born in Baden. Germany, lost both his parents there when he was a boy and was placed in the care of his oldest. brother, Landelin. At the age of sixteen he accompanied his brother and wife to America, and after a short time in New York he began earning his living at farm work at wages of $16 a month during the summer. He married in Quincy Caroline Mast, who was born in Melrose Township on the farm where Frank Meyer is still living. Her father, John B. Mast, was a prominent early citizen of that locality. Mrs. Frank Meyer spent all her life on the old farm and died in 1900, at the age of fifty-seven. Frank Meyer is now eighty-two years of age, and is practically retired from active responsibilities, the farm being conducted by his son John. There were five children : Regina, Mrs. John Vogel of Melrose Township; Theodore, a farmer in Burton Township; John, on the old homestead; Albert; and Henry, connected with the Standard Oil Company at Quincy.

Albert Meyer lived at home with his parents to the age of twenty-two, acquiring his education in the local schools. He then spent 21/2 years in Quincy learning the blacksmith's trade, worked in different shops, and was also a gen- eral worker for six years. For two years he was employed by the month by August Kaltenbach in Burton Township. November 15, 1898, he married the daughter of his employer, Rosina Kaltenbach.

For the next fourteen years they rented the Kaltenbach farm, Mrs. Meyer's father living with them until his death April 10, 1917. It was the desire of August Kaltenbach that his daughter, Mrs. Meyer, should have the old home place, and in 1912 he sold the farm to them. Each of his children also had an interest and share and Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have since bought out the other interests. Mr. Meyer has done much to further improve the farm, erect- ing cow sheds and other ontbuildings. The main house and barn were built by Mr. Kaltenbach. The farm is a fine body of land and is very productive.

Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have three children, all at home, Clara, Alvina and Oscar. Mr. Meyer is a democrat in national polities but independent locally. He and his wife are Catholics and they attend St. Bridget's Church at Liberty five miles away, their home being ten miles from St. Anthony's Church.

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EDWARD HI. DEDERT. Of Adams County's pioneers few couples who came as emigrants made such excellent provision for themselves and their children, lived more industriously, frugally, and met all the obligations of citizenship more truly than did William Dedert and his wife. Their record in full is traced on other pages. Ilere it is proposed to speak briefly on the career of one of their sons, Edward H. Dedert.

Ile was born in Ellington Township in 1867 and grew up on the home farm, accustomed to hard work, to discipline at home, and was trained to be honest as well as strong and be straightforward and trustworthy in all things. He received such advantages as were afforded by the local district schools, and since reaching manhood has been very successful as a farmer.

IIe received his share of the estate at the death of his parents, and twenty- six years ago he bought a fraction over sixty-three acres in section 3 of Elling- ton Township, located near the little village of Bloomfield. Of this he has made a splendid farm, in every way attractive and valuable, and highly pro- duetive. His barn is 30 by 60 feet and he has a good seven-room house, be- sides other good buildings. Ile grows crops of all kinds, and excepting the wheat feeds all the grain and other produce on the land to his graded live- stoek. In 1907 he also bought just across the line in Mendon Township seventy- six acres, and this also has building improvements and constitutes a farm by itself. It is chiefly used for the production of Shropshire sheep. Mr. Dedert raises a large amount of feed stuff's on his land, and fattens hogs, cattle and sheep for the market.

Besides farming he has been quite active in loeal affairs and in polities is a republican. Especially noteworthy was his fifteen years of service as high- way commissioner, for one period of six years and another period of nine years. Altogether these fifteen years represented a high water mark in the care and improvement of the local highways. He has also taken a keen interest in every other matter of general coneern and especially the patriotic movements of the recent year or so.

In Quincy in April, 1892. Mr. Dedert married Miss Carrie E. Burgdhoff. She was born in Melrose Township November 5. 1867, and attended the public schools and the Lutheran Parochial School. Mrs. Dedert is a daughter of Charles H. and Mary (Frazier) Burgdhoff, both natives of Germany. Her father was born in Hanover in June, 1836, and crossed the Atlantic on a sail- ing vessel in 1844, arriving at New Orleans and coming up the Mississippi River to Marion County, Missouri. His wife was born in October, 1845, and eame to Ameriea with her parents, who were farmers and lived on a small place on East Broadway in Adams County. Mrs. Dedert's parents were mar- ried in Quiney and her father died June 7, 1916, when nearly eighty years of age, and her mother on March 7, 1901. They were faithful members from confirmation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Mrs. Dedert was one of a family of six daughters and one son, all of whom are living and married, and there are two daughters deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Dedert have two sturdy young sons. Ehner C., the older, was born May 23, 1895, and his name appears on the honor roll of Adams County as one of the country's soldiers. He was a corporal in Company HI of the Forty-fifth Regiment, stationed at Camp Sheri- dan in Alabama. The younger son, Irwin, born October 9, 1905, is still pur- suing his studies in the public schools of Bloomfield. All the family are mem- bers of the Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church at Quincy.

JOHN IHRIG. It is probable that every stoek man in the country who is a handler or admirer of the Percheron horses knows by reputation at least Mr. John Ihrig of Adams County. As a breeder and raiser of this fine stock Mr. Ihrig has a reputation far beyond the limits of Adams County. The reg- istry list of the Percheron Association might be searched in vain for any animals that point higher than those that have been owned on the Ihrig farm. Thus Mr. Ihrig and his father, both long known to the substantial farming

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interests of Adams County, have contributed something substantial to mak- ing their home locality better known over the world at large.

Mr. John Ihrig was born at La Prairie in Northeast Township in July, 1883. His parents are George and Susan (Lummis) Ihrig. His mother was born in Adams County in 1851, a daughter of John Lummis, one of the native pioneers of the county and member of a family frequently referred to in these pages. George Ihrig was born in Melrose Township of this county in 1855, son of Ilenry Ihrig, who came here in the early days from Germany. Henry Ihrig owned a farm of 160 acres in Melrose Township, where he spent his last years. George Ihrig was reared on a farm, had his education from the local schools and by his own observation and experience, and as an independent, farmer he lived for some years in Northeast Township, but in 1888 removed to the farm where he and his son have their affairs in common. In 1904 George Ihrig retired and moved to a comfortable home in the village of Golden. He is a republican voter and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. There were only two children in the family, John Henry and Clara Belle. The daughter died in infancy.

John Ihrig grew up on the farm where he now lives, attended the public schools at Golden and graduated from the Maplewood High School at Camp Point in 1904. Since then he has been giving all the energy and intelligence he possesses to the business of his choice, farming and stock breeding. Mr. Ihrig owns eighty acres adjoining the homestead, works the home place of 160 acres, and he and his father also have 200 acres in Columbus Township, which is under the immediate supervision of John Ihrig. In their stables they have six high class registered stallions of the Percheron breed, and they also keep a jack, and have a number of high grade Duroc Jerseys hogs. One of their Percheron mares won third prize at the International Stock Show at Spring- field, Illinois. They also own a stallion which was awarded the first prize and the championship as a two year old at Paris, France, where it was in compe- tition with many of the finest of its elass from the original home of the Per- cherons.

Mr. John Ihrig votes the republican ticket, but he is too busy with his stock and farm to accept the cares and vexations of office. He is affiliated with, Golden Lodge No. 267, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, with Camp Point Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and is a member of Golden Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He and his wife are active in the Eastern Star. March 22, 1905. he married Miss Mildred Blanche Callahan. She was born in Co- lumbus Township of this county in 1886, daughter of Wesley and a grand- daughter of John Callahan, whose name also deserves mention as one of the pioneers of Adams County. Mr. and Mrs. Ihrig have two children: Clara Pauline and Eugene Lummis.

JOHN RODNEY LAMBERT, M. D. True to the title that follows his name Doctor Lambert is a physician and has practiced in Adams County a great many years. However, his chief business now and what makes him most widely known over the state is as a horticulturist. Doetor Lambert has been in the commercial orchard business for a number of years, has a tract of splen- did trees on his place near Coatsburg, and another large orchard at Barry. He took up fruit growing as an occupation for old age, has given it thorough study, and has managed it in such a way that few individual business enter- prises in the county pay better returns than his orchard.

Doctor Lambert was born in Quincy October 23, 1867, a son of John H. and Hattie R. (Evatt) Lambert. His father was born in Virginia in 1832, son of Daniel Lambert. Daniel Lambert spent a number of years in Mary- land. His son John and Rodney came to Quincy, Illinois, about 1855, and was soon followed by their father. Daniel Lambert, who had a farm in Liberty Township. two miles northwest of the village of that name, and died there. John H. Lambert secured a steamboat agency at Quincy, and he and his brother

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were associated in that business and as grain handlers for a number of years. Rodney eventually became identified with the Eagle Mills. John H. Lambert died in July, 1868, at the age of thirty-six, and before Doctor Lambert was a year old. Ilis widow, Hattie (Evatt) Lambert, was a daughter of William and Emily (Marshall) Evatt. She and John H. Lambert were married in 1862 at Mendon. William Evatt at one time operated the mills at Mendon and after the war at Fall Creek. During the war he served as a sutler in the army. Mrs. John H. Lambert was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, July 1, 1841, and was brought to Quincy in 1856, the family traveling by steamboat. Her father died at Quiney when past eighty years of age. Mrs. Hattie Lambert is still living, and is a second time a widow, Mrs. Frank Homan, with her home at Quincy. Her brother, Frank Evatt, is a railway man at Cincinnati, and her sister, Anna, is Mrs. Drew, wife of the superintendent of telegraph of the Soo Railway at Chieago. Mrs. Hattie Lambert had two sons, William dying in early boyhood as the result of an accident.

John H. Lambert was a very prominent Mason and Lambert Lodge was named in his honor. He filled the chair of master in that lodge for some years, and his son, Doctor Lambert, has his sword and regalia as a Knight Templar. The boyhood of Doctor Lambert was spent in Quiney, and he began the study of medicine under Doctor Nickerson. He is a graduate with the class of 1889 from the Medical College of Chicago, and in 1890 received a diploma for post-graduate work from the University of Pennsylvania. After two years of practice at Quincy he moved to Mendon, practiced there two years, and in 1895 located at Coatsburg, which has been his home ever sinee.

It was his interest in outdoor life, especially trees and other growings things, that drew him into the profession of orchardist. In 1902 he planted 1,000 apple, pear and other fruit trees on his place at Coatsburg. Later he bought the Charles Williams orchard in Pike County. This contains sixty-five acres, and altogether he has 100 acres in fruit. The orehard he developed at Coats- burg has been especially profitable, and he has given it his closest personal supervision for many years. In recent years his apple trees have produced crops ranging from four to eight barrels apiece. Modern methods prevail in all departments of his business. He practices thorough eultivation, looks after the health of the tree as carefully as he would that of a human being, and safeguards his erops against the usual pests, and this care is fully justified by the results he obtains. He has frequently exhibited his fruit at horticul- tural societies and fairs, and is a life member of the State Horticultural So- ciety. Doetor Lambert has been most successful as a grower of the Ben Davis, Gano, Grimes Golden and Jonathan apples. He estimates that his crop for 1914 paid for the cost of the land, the trees and all the labor put upon them. His usual average net returns amounts to $150 an acre. His orchard at Barry is situated in one of the most ideal fruit growing localities in Illinois.

Doetor Lambert is also serving as postmaster at Coatsburg, but the aetive duties of that offiee are assumed by his wife. June 20, 1894, at West Point, Illinois, he married Miss Nellie Carlin. They first became acquainted while she was working as stenographer at the Ertle Hay Press Works. Her father, the late Franklin Carlin, was a farmer of Gilmer Township and a veteran of the Civil war. Mrs. Lambert was born near Columbus in Gilmer Township January 23, 1875. Her parents eame to Illinois from Maryland and her mother was eighteen and her father twenty-one at the time of their marriage. Her father spent most of his life in Hancock County. Mrs. Lambert has a sister, Mrs. Frank Gibbs, at Coatsburg. Doctor Lambert is an active member of the Masonic order.

He and his wife have two children, Dana C. and Doris. The latter is a student in high school. The son, Dana C., after graduating from high school spent two years in the State University and for one year was employed in the Marmon Automobile Works at Indianapolis. With the declaration of war against Germany he entered the officers training camp at Fort Sheridan, re-

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ceived his commission as a second lieutenant, and has since been assigned to duty at Camp Grant, where he is a member of the Eighth Battalion of the One Hundred and Sixty-first Depot Brigade. Lieutenant Lambert married Miss Marian Parkin, daughter of Rev. Mr. Parkin of Indianapolis. For a number of seasons she has been a very popular singer and Chautauqua enter- tainer.

FRED W. BRINKOETTER. Widely and favorably known through his con- nection with the granite and marble industry of Adams County, Fred W. Brinkoetter, of Quiney, is devoting his time and talents to the making of durable and artistic monuments, and as proprietor of the granite works located at 1019 South Fifth Street is carrying on a large and substantial business. Coming of German ancestry on both sides of the house, he was born in Quiney February 16, 1875.

His father, John H. Brinkoetter, was born and brought up in Germany. Leaving the fatherland when young, he came to the United States, hoping in this land of thrift and plenty to find remunerative employment. Learning the trade of a blacksmith, he located in Quincy, Illinois, and having established a smithy at the corner of State and Ninth streets was there prosperously en- gaged in his occupation until his death in 1876, while yet in manhood's primc.

Having obtained a practical common school education, Fred W. Brinkoetter made use of his natural mechanical gifts by learning the trade of a granite entter, which he afterward followed for a year in Pennsylvania. Returning to Quiney at the end of that period, before he had yet attained his majority, he started in the monumental business on his own account, succeeding the firm of Louis A. Rupp. Succeeding far beyond his expectations in his ven- ture, and his large and increasing volume of trade demanding better quarters, he built at 1019 South Fifth Street, the fine brick and stone building, 40 by 110 feet, which he now occupies, and is carrying on business with the same good success.

FRANKLIN T. BRENNER, M. D., who grew up as a farm boy in Mendon Town- ship, early manifested an intense ambition for a medical career, and though he had to make his own way through college and university his present posi- tion as a physician and surgeon justifies all his efforts and his choice of a call- ing.

Doctor Brenner, who has offices in the Illinois State Bank Building, grad- uated from Rush Medical College at Chicago in 1895. Practically his entire professional career has been a continued course of study and increasing abil- ities in which he has capitalized his experience and almost every year has spent a couple of months in post-graduate work and clinical and hospital obser- vation, usually in Chicago.

Doctor Brenner located at Quiney in 1896, and for a time his earnings as a physician were hardly sufficient to pay his office rent. As his abilities became better known and appreciated he accumulated a splendid practice, and in ad- dition to this he has served for the past three years as a surgeon and is now a member of the medical staff of St. Mary's Hospital. He is also a member of the Adams County and State Medieal societies. and has held office in the state society.

Doctor Brenner was born on his father's farm in section 25 of Mendon Township of this county February 15, 1871. He attended country schools and also spent four years in Chaddoek College at Quincy, where he was grad- uated with the bachelor and master's degrees in art in 1893. His parents were Henry and E. Rebecca (Heckman) Brenner, both natives of Germany. They came to Adams County when young, met and married here, and their first home was a log cabin. They started life poor, and prospered through the exereise of the utmost thrift and frugality. Henry Brenner died on his old farm near Mendon in 1908, at the age of seventy-six. His widow is still living

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with her daughter, Mrs. Lawrence Callahan. Though eighty-four years of age, she is remarkably well preserved, and is as free from aches and pains as many women of forty. She was confirmed in the German Lutheran Church in her native country. Henry Brenner was a republican voter.

Doctor Brenner has a brother, George, who is in the drug business and is married and has three children. His brother John A. is a Quincy furniture merchant. Two other brothers, Joseph and Edward, are farmers at Louisiana, Missouri. and both have families. The three sisters are Elizabeth, Mary and Anna. Elizabeth is a trained nurse at the Soldiers Home at Quincy. Mary is the wife of Dr. W. S. Knapheide, a Quincy physician. Mrs. Anna Callahan lives on the old home farm in Adams County and is the mother of three children.

Doctor Brenner married at Chicago the year he graduated from Rush Medical College Miss Ethel Nixon. She was born and reared in that city. They have three children: Russel A., aged eighteen, a senior in the Western Military Academy at Alton, Illinois; Paul, aged ten; and Frank, aged eight. Doctor Brenner is a member of Herman Lodge of Masons, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church.

VALENTINE REUSCHEL is one of the men whose lives have been of construc- tive endeavor and quiet but good citizenship in Adams County. For years he employed the proceeds of his labors as an agriculturist in Honey Creek Town- ship, and has reached that point in years where he is content to turn over the burdens of farm management to his sons and enjoy the accumulations of past years in the companionship of children and grandchildren and his many friends.

Mr. Reuschel was born in Saxe Oldenburg, Germany, November 5, 1833. He lived a life of much activity until he was fourscore years of age. In 1855 he came to America and joined relatives and friends in Adams County. An old friend, Fred Guenther, and other members of that family had come from the same part of Germany to Adams County about two years previously. Valentine Reuschel's father. Andrew, had arrived six months previously and had bought the land where Valentine Reusehel now lives. It was in association with his father that Valentine Reuschel gained his first experience as an American farmer. His father paid $25 an acre for 240 acres of land in Honey Creek Township. Andrew Reuschel brought with him from Germany a small capital and it was invested in this farm. Valentine Reuschel saw eighteen months of service in the German army, though it was a time of peace, and he was never in battle. His father died in Adams County at the age of seventy-four and his mother at seventy-two. They had four children. Gustina married Michael Geibert and died young. The second in age is Valentine. Julius had a farm in Gilmer Township, and died when seventy years of age. He married Minnie King, who is still living. Hermann lives four miles east of Golden on a farm and has attained the age of seventy-three.

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 67

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