Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 83

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 83

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It was not until 1876 that he bought his present farm. He had rented it for several years from Ed Seymour. His first purchase was 160 acres, going in debt for a portion of it. The land was not then in a condition for complete cultivation. Part of it was swamp, part of it sand ridge. He built a small house of logs in 1876, and that house is included in his present commodious dwelling. The land was covered with brush, there were several duck ponds, and he set to work to drain and fill it, continuing this labor until he had an excellent farm. He used his land chiefly to grow wheat, and one year had 300 acres in that crop. Later he bought more land, and today owns 241 acres less about twelve acres which he sold for the right of way of the Railroad and Power Company. Most of this land cost him only $10 an acre, but its value largely represents his individual toil and management. Mr. Schaffer also served as road boss three or four years. He is a democrat and a member of the Bluff Hall Congregational Church.

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Mr. and Mrs. Schaffer were married more than half a century before the union was terminated in the death of Mrs. Schaffer January 5, 1917. Nine children were born to them, and three daughters and one son are still living. The son Fred lives on his father's farm. Henry is a resident of Payson Town- ship. William operates part of the home farm. He married Carrie Miller. daughter of Fred Miller, of Quincy, and has two children, Julius and Arthur. The daughter is Minnie, wife of Andrew Miller. One daughter, Lizzie MI., married F. Smith and died leaving three children.

WILLIAM H. KAY spent his early years in Adams County, and has divided his time for many years between this county and the Southwest. His winter home is in Arizona, at Phoenix. His summer home is two miles south of Payson, on the old Grove homestead, one of the best farm properties in the county.

Mr. Kay was born near Keokuk, Iowa, June 17, 1861, son of Charles W. Kay. His father left Adams County about 1887 and went out to Phoenix, Arizona, and a few years later went on to Los Angeles, where he lived retired until his death. He was a rancher and fruit grower. His widow is still living in the West. Unusual success attended his efforts at improving homes, and his old home in Payson Township was just opposite the present place of his son William H. Kay.

William H. Kay was brought to Camp Point in infancy, and at the age of eight years his parents settled in Payson Township, where he grew to manhood. He is now the only member of the family still living in Adams County. lle went out to Arizona with his father, and in company with his brother Frank took up general stock farming, fattening large numbers of cattle and hogs for the market. This business he continued until 1911. In 1898 he had bought out his brother, and thus acquired the sole management of extensive stock in- terests and a ranch aggregating 1,000 acres, devoted to grain, alfalfa and pas- ture. He imported a number of the finest males of the Poland China hogs. In 1911 he returned to Adams County.

December 14, 1893, he married Miss Mande J. Grove, a daughter of Isaac and Sarah R. (Tull) Grove, of one of the old and prominent families of Adams County. Her father died January 15, 1911, and her mother August 5, 1918. Mrs. Kay was the only child of her parents. Since 1911 Mr. and Mrs. Kay have been in active charge of the old Grove farm of 280 acres. The house was built by her father in 1886 and is one of the best country residences in the com- munity. Mr. Grove's only sister, Miss Nancy Grove, had spent many years on the Grove farm and has since remained with Mrs. Kay. A cousin of Mr. Grove, Miss Anna Varner, of Newark, Ohio, is also a member of the household. Mr. and Mrs. Kay have no children of their own.

For the past seven years Mr. Kay has leased his Arizona land, but visits it each year and also spends some time in Los Angeles during the winter. He is a director in the National Bank of Arizona at Phoenix, and he served on the Arizona State Livestock Sanitary Board. He is a republican, while Mrs. Kay is a democrat. Mr. Kay has never filled any elective public positions. He and his wife are both liberal supporters of all church movements.

JACOB DICK, one of the original members of the old firm of Dick Brothers, brewers, was born in Rhine Foltz, Bavaria, October 9, 1834, and his parents spent all their lives in the old country. Ile was nineteen years of age when he came to America by way of New Orleans, and first located at Belleville, Illinois, and in 1857 came to Quincy. Ile soon afterwards entered the brew- ing business and was associated with his brothers Matthew and John, all of whom are now deceased. They built up one of the largest brewing establish- ments in the West. After the death of Jacob, which occurred December 22, 1876, the business was continued as Dick & Brothers Quiney Brewing Com-

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pany, with John Dick as president, Matthew Dick superintendent, and Her- mann as secretary and treasurer.

July 24. 1861, at Quincy, Jacob Dick married Margaret Redmond, who was born in that city October 1, 1840. Mrs. Dick was educated in a convent and for many years has been very active in everything for the benefit of the city and its people. She is a daughter of Hon. Thomas Redmond, who was born in Ireland about 1804 and came to the United States at the age of six- teen. He had a hard battle to establish himself on an independent footing. For a number of years he lived and worked in the New England states, and at Boston he married Mary Dunlevy, and they at once started for St. Louis. On July 3, 1837, they arrived in Quincy, where Thomas Redmond, without money or friends, worked with his hands to get a start. He was one of the contractors in building the Northern Cross Railroad, between Quincy and Clayton, and continued as a contractor for a number of years. He became wealthy and invested much capital in Quincy and nearby real estate. He was elected to the city council and was made mayor of Quincy in 1860. Altogether he served as alderman and mayor twenty-one years. In 1864 he was chosen to the state legislature. He was also a member of the County Board of Su- pervisors, and stood as one of the foremost citizens in point of ability, integ- rity and a broadminded philanthropy that made him friends of people of all classes. He died honored and respected December 20, 1878. He had survived his wife several years. They had a family of three sons and four danghters. The survivors are Mrs. Dick, her brother Thomas Redmond, Mrs. Frank Ricker and Mrs. Mollie Forgo.

Mrs. Dick has a son, August R. Dick, who is still living with his mother and is president of the Dick Brewing Company. He was educated in St. Francis College. Her daughter Anna is the widow of Jack Ellis. A third child, Catherine, became the wife of John C. Smith, who died leaving two chil- dren, Lient. Lawrence D. Smith and Anstin T. Smith.

FRANK J. OHNEMUS is recognized as one of the substantial fixtures in the agricultural and community life of Ellington Township. He has spent prac- tically all his years there and is a prosperous farmer in section 16, where he operates 120 acres of land, well improved with buildings and other facilities, and raises abundant crops and good livestock.

Mr. Ohnemus has lived on that farm for twenty-three years. He was born in Ellington Township October 17, 1862, and received his education in the local schools. Farming has always been his business, and he has served as road commissioner, as director of the local schools, and at present is an elec- tion judge.

His parents are John George and Mary A. (Ohnemus) Ohnemus, both na- tives of Germany and of old Catholic stock. Though of the same family name they were not related. They came by sailing vessel and through New Orleans to Quincy, and were married in this county August 15, 1855. John George Ohnemus afterward bought 160 acres of the old Ubanks farm in section 21 of Ellington Township, and there lived for more than thirty-five years. He had lived on and rented the Henry Kemp farm for twenty-two years. John George Ohnemus is one of the oldest and best known residents of Ellington Township, and was eighty-six years of age on February 11, 1918. He and his wife lived together fifty years. She died September 7, 1905. They were mar- ried in St. Boniface Catholic Church at Quincy, and later for many years were members of St. Francis Parish. Frank J. Ohnemns is one of fifteen chil- dren. Two died in infancy. One daughter, Theresa, died after her marriage, leaving children. The other twelve are still living, three sons and two daughters being unmarried.

Frank J. Ohnemus married in Melrose Township November 11, 1891, Miss Catherine Dittmeyer. She was born in this county in 1867 and attended the

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St. Anthony Parish School. Her parents were John and Wauburg (Hell- stern) Dittmeyer. Her father was born in Pennsylvania and her mother in Wuertemberg, Germany, being brought to this country when eight years of age. Her father came to Melrose Township when a small boy with his par- ents from Pennsylvania. John Dittmeyer and wife were married in St. An- thony Catholic Church fifty-five years ago. They started out as farmers in Melrose Township, and Mrs. Ohnemus' father died there in March, 1908, at the age of sixty-three. His widow now lives with her daughter, Mrs. George Geiger, in Quincy and is seventy-one years of age. They were long and faith- ful members of St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Mrs. Ohnemus was one of ten children, seven of whom are living, and all married.

Mr. and Mrs. Ohnemus have five children: Alvena, Cornelia, Frank, Gene- vieve and Florence. The three older have attended the home schools. Gene- vieve is now a student in the high school and Florence is in the seventh grade. The family are all members of St. Francis Church, the children having been confirmed there. Mr. Ohnemus is a democrat in politics.

DAVID TIPPLE, whose home is one of the best farms of Fall Creck Town- ship, located in section 12. fourteen miles southeast of Quincy, has been a resi- dent of Adams County many years and is farming land that has special inter- est in connection with one of the oldest families of this county.

Mrs. David Tipple is a descendant of the pioneer William Thompson, who was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, in 1789 and when eight years of age went to Athens County, Ohio, with his parents. He married Rachel Pil- cher, and in 1833 they came to Illinois, down the Ohio River and up the Mis- sissippi, locating in what is now Fall Creek Township, some of this land be- ing included in the present David Tipple farm. William Thompson lived there until his death August 24, 1880, at the age of ninety-onc. It will be noticed his life was lived under every president of the United States up to 1880. He was born about the time Washington was inaugurated. After the formation of that party he became a stanch republican. William Thompson's wife died of cholera. Several of their children died of the same epidemic, as did also his brother's wife. In 1852 William Thompson married Eliza Gra- ham, whose maiden name was Noel. She was born in Lancaster, Pennsyl- vania, and at the age of seventeen went with an aunt, Mrs. Richard Wilton, who settled in Payson Township of this county. The Wilton family cleared up a farm and built a brick house two miles south of Payson. That was all first brick dwelling in that vicinity. Their first home on coming West was in Schuyler County, Illinois.

Eliza Noel married in Schuyler County William Graham. After his death she returned to the Wilton home and remained there until her marriage to William Thompson. She had three sons by her first husband, James, Henry and William Graham. James spent his life with his mother and died at the age of fifty-eight, unmarried. Henry was all through the Civil war and for twenty years or more was a merchant at Hannibal, Missouri, but finally re- tired to California, where he died. William was a soldier in the Fiftieth Illi- nois Infantry from Adams County, and later was a druggist at Middletown, Missouri, where he died.

Eliza Graham Thompson died at the old Thompson home in 1897, when about eighty years of age. She was the mother of two daughters, Esther and Dora. Esther became the wife of Ed White, a merchant of Pittsfield, Illi- mois. She was a successful teacher in Adams County for about twenty-five years, being connected with the public schools at Camp Point and Payson, and also with a business college in Quincy. She taught until her marriage in 1918, and her work entitled her to special honorable mention among the educators of Adams County.

Dora Thompson was born October 31, 1853, and on October 12, 1880, mar-

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ried David Tipple. Mr. Tipple was born in Wisconsin April 9, 1858. His father died before the birth of his son. At the close of the war David ae- companied his mother to Missouri, making that journey with her parents, George and Rebecca Morrison, who came originally from Pennsylvania. The Morrisons settled in Marion County, Missouri. Mr. Tipple's mother married for her second husband Edwin Russell, and they afterwards came to Fall Creek Township of Adams County. David Tipple grew to manhood here, at- tended the local schools, and also spent some time with his mother in Missouri. At the age of seventeen he returned to Adams County, and was a farmer at different places until his marriage. lle then took charge of the old Thomp- son place of 120 acres. Eighty aeres of this land was inherited by Dora Thomp- son and her sister, and later Mr. and Mrs. Tipple acquired another eighty acres in the Thompson homestead, giving them a fine farm of 160 acres. The present substantial house was erected by Mrs. Tipple's father. Mr. Tipple has operated this farm for thirty-five years, and has been unusually successful.

Mr. and Mrs. Tipple have two daughters. Florence was a teacher in Adams County until her marriage to Robert Edmonds. They now live at Knoxville, Illinois. Ruth, who taught five years at Barry in Pike County, is now the wife of T. J. McVay, of Barry. She graduated from Knox College with the class of 1911, and her sister was also a student in the same school. Both were grad- uates of the Payson High School. Mr. and Mrs. Tipple are members of the Payson Methodist Episcopal Church.

JOHN SHARP FRASER. One of the oldest farm homes and one that has been most constantly identified with the associations of one family is the Oak- land Farm, now the home of John Sharp Fraser. He is of the third genera- tion of the Fraser family in Adams County, and the name has been one of honorable distinction here for more than three-quarters of a century.

As the name indieates the Frasers are Scotch. In every nook and corner of the wide world the traveler finds the Scotchman or his deseendants. The Scotchman, like his land, is many sided. A small country, a poor country, a little nation, yet the doings of the Scotch fill a large page in history and of which they need not be ashamed when placed in comparison with any other people. To America Scotland gave a body of citizens whose priceless value can not be reekoned and who has made such an impress upon our history that any of our citizens are proud to elaim Scotch or Scotch-Irish blood.

Mr. John Sharp Fraser was born on this old homestead March 21, 1871. He was the younger of two children of Robert Carrick and Fredericka (Stilker) Fraser. His only sister, Margaret Elizabeth, also lives on the old farm. She was well educated in the schools of the country, and is very active and prom- inent in the Good Shepherd Cathedral of the Episcopal Church at Quiney. She is a member of the Altar Guild and is prominent in the Red Cross and other social functions.

Robert C. Fraser, the father, was born in New York City October 14, 1825. and was twelve years of age when his father, John Sharp Fraser, eame to Adams County. That was in a day before railroads, and the journey westward was made over the Erie Canal, down the Ohio River, np the Mississippi to St. Louis and Quincy. John Sharp Fraser bought land in Ellington Town- ship and the first home there was a log cabin. Robert Carriek Fraser during his long and active career as a farmer accumulated 180 aeres in Ellington Township. He was well educated both in the old country schools and in the select school for boys and young men. As a man of affairs he devoted him- self to business and was never an aspirant for office. He began voting as a whig but was a republican from the time of the first campaign of the party in 1856. IIe was a great admirer of Lincoln. In church affairs he was a mem- ber of the Episcopal Church. He several times returned to the city of his birth, New York. ,He was a man whose honesty of purpose went unquestioned and who made his life count for a great deal in Adams County. Robert Fraser

LIBRARY ST THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

HENRY G. ECHTERNKAMP

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died September 25, 1912, at the venerable age of eighty-seven. He was laid to rest in the Woodland Cemetery, in the family lot of the Frasers.

His wife. Frederika Stilker, was born in Germany and was a very small girl when her parents came to the United States and settled at Quincy. She was reared in Adams County and acquired a knowledge of both English and German tongues. She was a member of the Lutheran Church. Her death oe- curred May 19, 1877. Many of the older residents as well as her family still remember her for her fine eharacter and the many contributions she made to the happiness and welfare of those around her.

John Sharp Fraser has always been a resident of Adams County, and ae- quired a good education both in the common schools and the school of experi- ence. He has steadily devoted himself to the business of agriculture for a quarter of a century and is now the responsible head of the old farm in Elling- ton Township. The first family home here was built in 1840, succeeding the old log cabin, was remodeled in 1863, and from time to time improvements and additions have been made until it is now worthy to stand with the best country homes in the county. The original building was erected by his grand- father. John Sharp Fraser. At the present time the Fraser home has such modern conveniences as hot water heating, acetylene lights, telephone, rural route delivery and many conveniences which even residents in cities would not have expected half a century ago.

December 29, 1897, Mr. Fraser married Miss Alice Cuthbert Smyth. They have a daughter, Elizabeth, who has just entered the kindergarten school. Mrs. Fraser was born March 9, 1873, fourth in a family of nine children, seven sons and two daughters, of William and Barbara (Wray) Smyth. Mrs. Fraser is a sister of Mrs. Robert MeIntyre. Several other members of the Smyth family are living in Adams County. Her father, William Smyth, was born near Londonderry, Ireland, in 1825, and died in Adams County January 17, 1906. He was a resident of Adams County from the age of fifteen, and as a farmer developed one of the excellent homesteads in Melrose Township. He was also a man of affairs, serving officially in many capacities. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church, and both are laid to rest in the Woodland Cemetery.

Mrs. Fraser was born in Melrose Township, grew up there and attended common schools and is a graduate of the Quincy High School with the class of 1893. For two years she did some successful work as a teacher in Ursa Township. Mrs. Fraser is active in the Red Cross, the Round Table Club at Quiney, and she and her husband are members of the Episcopal Church. She has played a worthy part with her husband in establishing and maintaining their present fine home.

As a republican Mr. Fraser east his first presidential vote for Benjamin Harrison. He has been a delegate to county conventions and has served as a director of his home school district since he was twenty-one years of age. While very industrious and busy farming people, Mr. and Mrs. Fraser have used their means judieiously to promote their own happiness and a broader knowledge of the world and the country they live in. In 1897, as the wed- ding tour. they went to Niagara Falls. In 1917, accompanied by Miss Mar- garet Fraser, they toured to the Pacific Coast, visiting Los Angeles, San Fran- cisco, Pasadena and Salt Lake City, bringing baek with them many sights and charms of the far West. They went West over the Santa Fe and returned by the Union Pacifie, including a visit through the Royal Gorge and other Colorado points.

HENRY G. ECHTERNKAMP. With the death of Henry G. Echternkamp on .July 16, 1918, a large and numerous community in the southern part of Adams ('ounty felt the loss of one of their best friends and fellow citizens. He was a man of first rate abilities, strong and resourceful in business affairs, upright Vol. II-33

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and the soul of honesty in all that concerned his relations with the publie, and he fully earned and merited every measure of respect and esteem paid him.

Ile was widely known as Justice Echternkamp, having filled the office of justiee for a number of years. Ile was also a fraternity member and a Chris- tian church man. As a publie official his constant counsel to litigants was to get together, and in a friendly review of the questions involved most conten- tions brought before him were amicably solved, thereby neighborly feeling pro- moted. Ife had a host of friends throughout the county and few men enjoyed a wider acquaintanee and none had warmer and stancher friends.

He was born in Fall Creek Township February 10, 1857, a son of the late Frederick William Echternkamp, whose life has been fully reviewed on other pages. On April 15, 1883, Henry G. Eehternkamp married Maria M. Kaiser, oldest daughter of Fred and Anna Kaiser, of Fall Creek Township. A brief sketeh of her father follows. Mrs. Echternkamp was born two miles east of Marblehead in Fall Creek Township December 21, 1862. At the time of his marriage Henry Eehternkamp took over his father's farm, generally known as the Chatten farm. The house still there was standing when he took possession, and he built a good barn. Mr. Echternkamp had served twenty-five years as a justiee of the peace and continuously except for one term.

In a business way besides farming he was widely known over the county as a practical thresherman. Ile conducted a threshing outfit for fifteen years. Ile wore out three outfits, and each one was a large advance in mechanical effi- cieney over the preceding. The final outfit comprised not only the usual grain separator but also a clover huller and fodder shredder. He also used three engines during his threshing experience. Ile was an expert in all lines of machinery, and equally eapable in handling the details of his farm. Justiee Eehternkamp was a large man both physically and mentally and it is not diffi- cult to understand the influence he exercised in all community affairs. He was a faithful member of the Bluff Hall Congregational Church, and was affili- ated with Marblehead Lodge of Odd Fellows. Some of his lodge brothers were pall bearers in earrying him to his last resting place.

He and his wife had eight children, three of whom died in infaney. Matilda, the oldest of those now living, is the wife of Fred Wollbrink, a farmer in Fall Creek Township. They have two children, Henry and Esther. William is now a resident in the State of Washington. Lora married John J. Smith. Mr. Smith operates the home farm, having been an employe of Justice Eehternkamp for a number of years, both as a farm hand and thresherman. The two younger children, still at home, are Anna and Minnie.

FRED CHRISTIAN KAISER, one of the well remembered old timers of Fall Creek Township, was born February 20, 1832, in Prussia, Germany. He eame to America when a young man and at Quiney October 24, 1860, married Anna M. Struck.

She was born September 24, 1837, in Schleswig IIolstein, Germany, and was a young woman when in 1852 she eame to the United States. Her parents were Amos and Elsa Struek, who located in Quiney about 1857. Her brother John had come to Adams County in 1852, and her sister Katherine, who married Jacob Herleman, was here in 1855. Her brother Henry is still living in Quincy. Amos Struek died in 1863 and his wife in 1881.

The day after his marriage Fred Kaiser and his wife located on a farm in the north part of Fall Creek Township. They lived there over nineteen years, and in 1880 moved to the farm of 291 aeres which is still known as the Kaiser homestead. A hundred sixty aeres of this is bottom land. Mr. Kaiser put up all the buildings and other improvements, and he also owned land in Missouri.

Fred C. Kaiser died February 7, 1896. He was a member of the Bluff Hall Lutheran Church, a demoerat, and served as road commissioner, and was in all respects a model citizen.

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 83

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