USA > Illinois > Kane County > The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois > Part 45
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C' HARLES T. WILBER, proprietor of the Wilber House, Carpentersville, and who for some years efficently served as postmaster of the village, has resided here
since 1863. He was born at Seneca Falls, New York, August 5, 1838. His father was a native of England and settled in New York in the early part of the present cent- ury. He there married Maria Walters, a native of Connecticut, by whom he had two sons and two daughters, as follows: Mary A., wife of Patrick Drew, of Seneca Falls, New York; William, who came west in 1862, and worked in the shops in Carpen- tersville, is now deceased; Kate M., wife of W. H. Haley, of New Hartford, New York; and Charles T., of this review.
The subject of this sketch grew to man- hood in his native state, attended the com- mon schools and learned the molder's trade, in Seneca Falls, and there followed the busi- ness for two years. In 1863 he came to Illi- nois and joined his brother in Carpentersville, and soon after went to work in the shops of the Illinois Iron and Bolt Company, where he continued to work for about twenty-five years, resigning his position in July, 1893.
Mr. Wilber was married at Carpenters- ville in 1867, to Miss Mary Allison, a native of Illinois, born in Chicago, and a daughter of John Allison, a pioneer merchant of Car- pentersville. By this union there are five children, -Flora M., residing at home; and who served as deputy postmaster under both her father and mother; Wallie B., who died at the age of six months; W. H., an electrician, now employed in the Bolt Works; Guy R., a farmer residing in Janes- ville, Wisconsin; and Elion Gladys, a pupil in the home school.
Politically Mr. Wilber is a lifelong Dem- ocrat, and cast his first presidential vote for the " little giant," Stephen A. Douglas, in 1860, and has voted for each succeeding presidential nominee of that party "to the present time. Under the first administra-
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tion of Grover Cleveland, Mrs. Wilber re- ceived the appointment of postmaster of Carpentersville, and acceptably filled the office for four years. Under the second ad- ministration of Cleveland, Mr. Wilber was appointed and efficiently conducted the of- fice for four years.
In 1888, Mr. Wilber engaged in the hotel business and from that time to the present has continued to minister to the wants of the traveling public. He makes a good landlord, being of genial disposition and one who tries to do right by his fellow- men. For more than a quarter of a cent- ury he has been a resident of Carpenters- ville and his friends are numerous through- out this section of the state.
JOHN F. THORWARTH, president of the Aurora Brewing Company, is one ot the most enterprising of the German- American citizens. He was born in Ba- varia, Germany, April 16, 1834. His par- ents, George and Mary Thorwarth, were also natives of that country, where their en- · tire lives were spent. On a farm in his na- tive country our subject spent his boyhood and youth, and there received his educa- tion, with the exception of two winters' schooling after coming to America. In 1852, when but eighteen years of age, he started for the New World, shipping on board a sailing vessel, and was fifty-six days from London to New York. He came di- rect to Cook county, and from 1852 to 1860 was engaged in farming. He then visited the old country, and on his return to Cook county engaged in general merchandising in the town of Bremen, where he remained until 1868. During the war Mr. Thor- warth did much in helping the poor men of
Bremen township who were subject to draft. On one occasion he went out and collected six hundred dollars for a poor blacksmith. By his own exertions he se- cured means for paying bounties and secur- ing substitutes for men who were unable to leave their families. These kind deeds brought him prominently before the people and made him very popular. His popular- ity was such that the people insisted on his accepting the office of supervisor of the township, which position he filled from 1864 to 1866. He also served as postmaster and was justice of the peace until his removal to Aurora. His acquaintance throughout his section of the county was quite exten- sive, and he enjoyed the confidence of one and all,
In 1868 Mr. Thorwarth came to Aurora and resumed general mercantile business. In 1873 he formed a partnership with Joseph Fulton in the hardware trade which connec- tion was continued until 1889, when he sold his interest and in 1890 sold out his general merchandise store. In the mercantile busi- ness he had been quite successful.
·After selling out his mercantile establish- ment, with two others, he organized the Aurora Brewing Company, and was elected its first president, which position he still continues to hold. The brewery is situated on the west side of Fox river, and covers several acres of land. Its output is about thir- ty thousand barrels per year, and they pay the United States government about twenty-six thousand dollars per year as a revenue tax. Some thirty-five men are given constant em- ployment and the business is a prosperous one.
Since coming to Aurora, Mr. Thorwarth has repeatedly been honored by his fellow citizens with various offices within their gift.
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.
J. F. THORWARTH.
MRS. J. F. THORWARTH.
LIBRARY Of THE INISFACITY OF ILLINOIS
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From 1872 until 1884, he served as a mem- commandery. In politics he has been an ber of the city council. He was then ardent and enthusiastic Republican since the organization of that party. Religiously he was reared a Lutheran, of which church his parents were members, but with his family he now attends the People's church in Aurora. elected mayor and served one term. While mayor an application was made by certain persons for a franchise for the establishment of water works for the city. Through the influence of Mr. Thorwarth the application was refused. Under their proposition they were only required to lay out about ten miles of water main and the water furnished the city would have cost six thousand dol- lars per year. Rejecting the proposition, and after a hard legal fight, which was taken to the supreme court of the state, the city was bonded for a sufficient amount to put in the works, and in due time completed forty miles of water inain. The interest on the bonds amounts to no more than would have been paid to the private corporation for the use of ten miles of main and the city has an income at the present time (1898) of about twenty-five thousand dollars per year, which, after paying the interest, will secure a sinking fund that will in time pay the principal of the bonds. For this good work the citizens can thank Mr. Thor- warth and those who backed him in the matter.
For nine years he served as assistant supervisor from Aurora and was a valuable member of the county board. He has al- ways been prominent in developing the best interests of the city, and is one of Aurora's valued citizens. In securing the location of the present magnificent bridge across the river on New York street he was quite act- ive and much credit is due him. Enterpris- ing and progressive in all things, he never stands back when a work is being done that will prove beneficial to his adopted city and county. Fraternally he is a Mason, and is a member of the blue lodge, chapter and
C HARLES C. QUACKENBUSH, who resides at No. 310 South Lincoln ave- nue, Aurora, Illinois, is the present well known and efficient superintendent and cash- ier of the Carpentersville, Elgin & Aurora Electric railway, was born in Aurora, May 12, 1866. His father,. John Quackenbush, is a native of Onóndago county, New York, where he was reared and educated. When a young man he came to Aurora, where he remained until the commencement of the Civil war, when he enlisted in the first call, for three-months, men. At the expiration of his time. he re-enlisted as a private in Company H, Twenty-third Illi- nois Volunteer Infantry, and later was pro- moted to first lieutenant of the company and served as such until the close of the war. With his regiment he participated in many engagements, was with Sherinan in- his march to the sea, and was also in the grand review at Washington, at the close of the war .. On receiving his discharge from the service, he returned to Aurora, and engaged in the mercantile business for a number of years. His marriage with Sarah Riley was celebrated in Aurora. She is a native of New Jersey, where she grew to womanhood, and received her education. Withdrawing from the mercantile trade, Lieutenant Quackenbush entered the em- ploy of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, with whom he remained
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some years and then moved to Chicago, where he now resides.
Charles C. Quackenbush grew to man- hood in Aurora, received his education in the public schools and was graduated from the high schools. He then began working in the car department of the Burlington road, where he remained some eight or nine years, resigning in 1891, in order to accept the position of superintendent of the Au- rora Street Railway Company. Fromn that time to the present, he has had charge of the business and has increased the number of miles of track from eighteen to twenty- eight. That he has made an efficient officer is attested by his length of service and by the estimation in which he is held by the stockholders and patrons of the road.
Mr. Quackenbush was married in Aurora, October 25, 1892, to Miss Della Verbeck, a native of Kane county, Illinois, born in Aurora, where she was reared and educated, and was a successful teacher in the public schools. By this union there are two chil- dren, Elizabeth Gail and Alta Mabel. Mr. and Mrs. Quackenbush are members of the People's church. They reside in a beauti- ful home on the east side of Aurora, which is the abode of hospitality. Politically, Mr. Quackenbush is a Republican, with which party he has been identified since attaining his majority. A lifelong resident of Aurora, he is well known by all its people, and by them is held in the highest esteem.
C HARLES E. ERIKSON, secretary and treasurer of the Aurora Automatic Machinery Company, of Aurora, Illinois, was born in Stockholm, Sweden, April 19, 1824, and is the son of Erik and Catherine Erikson. The elder Erikson came to the
United States in June, 1869, and located in Chicago, where he is still living, but retired from active business. He and his wife are meinbers of the Lutheran Church, and politi- cally heisa Republican. They are the parents of six children, of whom our subject is the old- est, the others being Erika, now the wife of Axel Wessman, of Chicago; Ida, wife of Erik Peterson, of Chicago; Hannah, wife of Gustav Osterholm, of Chicago; August, in Chicago; and Adolph, who died in child- hood.
The subject of this sketch received his education in Stockholm, where he learned the inachinist's trade, becoming quite profi- cient in all branches of machinery. In 1872, he sailed for the United States, coming di- rect to Chicago, and at once engaged at his trade, making vaults, etc. This was after the great fire, and his skill as a machinist was particularly desirable and useful at that time. He remained there until 1880, when he went to New York city, and re- inained one year, and then returned to Chi- cago and engaged in the machinery busi- ness, remaining there until 1890. He then came to Aurora, and was superintendent of the Gardner Sewing Machine Company up to the fall of 1893, when the Automatic Machinery Company was organized and he was chosen secretary and treasurer. The business was first established by Mr. Er- ikson and Alex Levedahl, and was com- menced in a small way, but has had con- stant growth. In 1895, the company. was incorporated, with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars, all of which is paid in. The present officers are Alex Levedahl, president; Simon Florsheim, vice-president; and C. E. Erikson, secretary and treasurer. The officers mentioned, together with Oscar Norling and Thomas H. Ball, comprise the
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present board of directors. The present building was erected in the fall of 1895.
The Automatic Machinery Company manufacture bicycle parts, hubs and all the ball bearings in connection with their wheel. Their goods are known by the trade mark "Thor." They ship their products to all parts of the United States, England, France, Germany and Sweden, and have built up a large trade. The output is from two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to three hundred thousand dollars annually, and they are running to their full capacity. The fac- tory is located on Claim street, in the east- ern part of the city. They employ in the busy season from two hundred and thirty to two hundred and fifty hands, during which time they usually run night and day. The plant is very complete and they make their own patterns, and have their drafting rooms and blacksmith shop.
Mr. Erikson was united in marriage No- vember 2, 1886, with Miss Josephine L. Miller, a native of Chicago, and they have now two children, Clifford and Ethel. The par- ents of Mrs. Erikson are still living in Chi- cago. In politics Mr. Erikson is a Repub- lican. As a business man he is enterpris- ing, and thoroughly abreast with the times. To Mr. Levedahl and himself too much credit can not be given for the successful inanagement of the business of the Auto- matic Machinery Company, which is now one of the leading industries of Aurora.
REV. ANDREW PINGREE. The Pin- gree family in America sprang from the youngest of two brothers, Aaron and Moses Pengree, who emigrated from England early in the seventeenth century. Aaron Pengree died childless, while a large family was born
to Moses Pengree, which scattered over New England. Moses Pengree died Janu- ary 2, 1696, at the age of eighty-six years. The spelling of the name in due time was changed from Pengree to Pingree. Of the descendants of Moses Pengree, was born Andrew Pingree, Sr., in the town of Rowley, Essex county, Massachusetts, February 17, 1775. He became a manufacturer of shoes in a town near Lynn, but afterward moved to the town of Weare, Hillsboro county, New Hampshire, where their first child was born. He subsequently lived in Springfield, Granthum, Meriden and Plainfield, New Hampshire. In 1838, he moved with his family to Kane county, Illinois, and bought a farm on which he lived until his death, March 25, 1846. He married Abia Straw, born in Weare, New Hampshire, in 1 786.
Andrew Pingree, Sr., while not a church goer, was a profoundly religious man, and remained at home with his family on the Sabbath day, reading his Bible. One year he was elected tithing man of the church . and did not miss a service. One of his duties was to keep order in the church, and it is said that the youngsters were more cir- cumspect that year than any other. Only once during the year did he lose control of his gravity. A small urchin sitting next to him in church, drew from his pocket a knife and twist of tobacco, gravely offered Father Pingree a chew. He was so seriously ear- nest in doing so that the humor of it struck the tithing man as too ludicrous to restrain an extensive smile. During the rest of the year he was solemnity and gravity personi- fied. Andrew Pingree, Sr., and wife were the parents of ten children, three of whom are now living-Sallie, Dr. Daniel, and Betsy Ann. The deceased are Andrew, our subject; Israel Straw, Abia, Francis, Betsy,
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Einily, and William Cutler. Of the three living, Sallie is the wife of Moses Fall Ramer, of Elgin. Daniel is a physician and surgeon of Hico, Texas. Betsy N. is now the companion of Mrs. Pingree, the widow of our subject. She first married Hiram Nelson, of Vermont, and their only daugh- ter, Jenny C., married A. J. Nichols, of St. Charles, and they have one child, Harry. The second union of Betsy N. was with Otto W. Perkins, who died in 1870. They had no children of their own but adopted John Vanderhook, who married Lizzie Gallagher, by whom he has three children, John Les- ter, William Roy, and Sadie May. Father Pingree was a man of noble character, in- dustrious, economical, temperate and hon- est. At the time of his death, he was of Universalist faith. In politics he was a Democrat.
Rev. Andrew Pingree, the subject of this sketch, was born in Weare, New Hamp- shire, July 16, 1803. He subsequently re- sided in Springfield, Granthum, Meriden and Plainfield, New Hampshire. He re- ceived a good common-school education, and at the age of about twenty-one years learned the clothier's trade. He taught school winters and worked at his trade dur- ing the remainder of the year, until he earned enough to pay his expenses while at- tending Kimball Union Academy, at Meri- den, until the spring of 1827. About that time he went to Hingham, Massachusetts, where he clerked in a store, taught school in winter, and at the same time studied for the ministry with Rev. A. A. Folsom, of Hingham. It was during this period while teaching at North Scituate that he met the girl who later becaine his wife. She was one of his pupils at one tinie. In 1834 he began his ministry, and soon afterward went
to Belfast, Maine, where he was minister of the gospel and principal of the high school. Later he filled a like position at Castine, Maine. In 1838 he came west with his father's family and took up a tract of land, shortly afterward returning to the east, where he continued preaching and teaching until his final emigration to Kane county, in 1846.
On the 14th of January, 1844, at Scitu- ate, Massachusetts, Mr. Pingree was united in marriage with Miss Hannah Merritt Cur- tis, born in Plymouth county, Massachu- setts, April 12, 1811, and the daughter of Ammiel and Hannah (Merritt) Curtis, both descended from Pilgrims who came over in the Mayflower. Hannah Merritt lived all her life on the place where she was born, and died there in 1825, at the age of forty- five years. She was the daughter of John Merritt. In early life Ammiel Curtis was a merchant, and, later, a farmer in Massachu- setts. He came to Illinois and died in 1851, aged seventy-one years, his death be- ing the result of an accident. He was the father of three children-John, who died in infancy; Hannah M., widow of our subject, and Martha Augusta, who made her home witlı Mrs. Pingree until her death.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Pin- gree took up their home at North Scituate, where they resided until September 1, 1846, when they came to Kane county. For a year and a half after coming west they re- sided in St. Charles, Mr. Pingree teaching school and filling the pulpit of the Universal- ist church. Some time after the death of his father he moved to the family estate in Rutland township and began the accumula- tion of land, which at the time of his death aggregated nearly fifteen hundred acres. He continued preaching until the business, inci-
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dent to the management of his large estate, Illinois, where the father engaged in a brew- prevented, but at funerals and weddings he officiated until the end.
Mr. Pingree was a man of wide learning and culture, with a knowledge of civil en- gineering, doing considerable surveying throughout the county. He was the second supervisor of Rutland township and served in that capacity for eighteen years. He often served as special commissioner for the county and as executor and administrator of estates, guardian of minor children, notary public and for many years postmaster at Pingree Grove. He was a trustee of Lom- bard University, Galesburg, and did much to promote its interests. In politics he was a Democrat, but was in favor of the aboli- tion of slavery.
Mr. and Mrs. Pingree were never blessed with children of their own, but adopted Emma Gilbert, who married Captain L. M. Kelly, of,Elgin, and died, leaving three chil- dren. Mrs. Pingree still attends to her own business, can read without glasses, and is in possession of all her faculties to a remarka- ble degree. Mr. Pingree died at his home at Pingree Grove, August 18, 1879, and in his death Kane county lost one of its most useful and highly respected citizens. Few men in northern Illinois were better known, and none more highly esteemed.
M ICHAEL STENGER, deceased, was born at Gramschatz, Bavaria, Ger- .many, February 2, 1827, and there grew to manhood. In 1848 he accompanied his parents, Peter and Barbara (Stark) Stenger, to America. They were both natives of Bavaria, as were also their parents. On landing at New York the family made their way direct to Naperville, Du Page county,
ing business for a number of years. His brewing plant was burned down, but at once rebuilt and the business continued with gratifying success. He eventually retired, turning the business over to his two sons, John and Nicholas, who carried it on until 1892, when they sold out to a syndicate. The children born to Peter Stenger and wife were: Anna, Peter, Nicholas, Mary, John, Michael, Nicholas, second, Melchoir and Barbara. Of these Anna, Michael, Nicho- las and Melchoir are deceased.
Michael Stenger attained his education in the parochial schools of his native coun- try. In 1850, while living in Naperville, he caught the gold fever and went with a body to delve for the precious metal in the newly- discovered mines of California. There is a superstition existing among Germans that the first day of August is an unlucky one to commence an important enterprise, and it was on August 1, 1850, the expedition set forth, with some misgivings as to a success- ful outcome. The superstition was fully verified in his case, he finding little or no gold, and later turned his attention to farm- ing. He remained in California for seven years.
Returning home by sea and the Isthmus of Panama, Mr. Stenger again took up his life in the Prairie state. On the 26th of December, 1857, he married Miss Margare- tha Herbert, a daughter of Phillip and Mar- garetha (Dieter) Herbert, natives of Hesse* Darmstadt, Germany, where Margaretha Herbert was also born, and from which country the family emigrated to the United States in 1854. After marriage our subject came to Aurora and carried on the business of retail liquor dealer until 1876, when he retired on a competence, having amassed
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property to the value of seventy thousand dollars. At the time of his death, which occurred May 25, 1895, he owned several business blocks, some seventy lots in the best residence portion of the city, also six residences, including the one at No. 310 New York street, in which his widow now resides. Heowned a tract of land of thirty- eight acres on New York street, which he converted into a park-called Stenger park. He later sold it to a syndicate, who platted the same-it now being known as Arlington Heights. He was a man of good educa- tion and had learned much by travel and business associations with other men. He possessed a good knowledge of the law, which was of considerable utility to him on several important cases in which he became involved. His desire was to obtain that only which was his by right and justice, and he was always willing to battle for these privileges. To Michael Stenger and wife were born the following named chil- dren: Henry, Mary; Emma, who died young; Emma, second of the name; Michael, Jr., Barbara and Anna. With the exception of the infant, Emma, all are still living, and re- side in Aurora, save Henry, who is in busi- ness at Mendota, Illinois. In politics Mr. Stenger was a stanch Democrat, and a member of the German Catholic church of Aurora, as are his wife and family. Three daughters and one son make their home with their widowed mother. The family are held in high esteem.
EDWIN W. THOMPSON, one of the leading livery stable keepers of Aurora, was born June 7, 1845, in Dorset, Vermont, and is the son of John and Julia A. (Colson) Thompson. The father was born in the
town of Grafton, Windham county, Ver- mont, September 1, 1814, while his father, William Thompson, was born in London- derry, New Hampshire, where he engaged in farming, and from which state he re- moved to Vermont at an early day, settling in Windham county, where he lived, and died. His children were Jonathan H., John, Henry, William, Harvey, James and Mary Ann, all of whom came west except Mary Ann and Henry.
John Thompson was by occupation a farmer, and came to Kane county in Sep- tember, 1845, locating in Sugar Grove township, where he purchased a partially improved farm of one hundred and twenty- five acres. He continued the cultivation of . that farm, to which he subsequently made some additions, until his death in August, 1892. In politics he was a Republican, and in early life was a member of the Congre- gational Church, to which his wife also be- longed. He was a large-sized man, fully six feet in height, and weighed about one hundred and eighty-five pounds. Julia, his wife, was a daughter of David and Chloe (Morse) Colson. She was a native of Dor- set, Vermont, and her father was a native of the same state. He was an officer of the State Militia, and our subject as yet has his old commission. Mrs. Thompson died in August, 1891. She was the mother of five children, all of whom died in infancy but Bert H. and our subject. Bert H. is now living on the old homestead.
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