The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois, Part 2

Author: Clarke (S.J.) Publishing Company
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 734

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On leaving Pennsylvania, in 1851, Mr. Smith came to Henry county, Illinois, and purchased a farm in Edford township, on which he lived for some years, but about 1860 removed to Geneseo township, locat- ing just north of the city, where he engaged in general farming and stock raising until 1891. That year he purchased a home on North State street, Geneseo, where he lived retired until called from this life on the 11th of April, 1900, at the age of seventy-nine years, his remains being interred in Oak- wood cemetery, Geneseo. He was always a public-spirited man, advocating all meas- teres that tended to improve the welfare of the community in which he lived, and he was therefore recognized as one of its most useful and valued citizens. He was a faithful member of the Evangelical Church and a constant attendant upon its services. In his home he was a most exemplary hus- band and father, and in both business and private life made many friends and no en- emies. His death was deeply mourned in the community where so large a part of his life was spent.

HENRY GOEMBEL.

Henry Goembel, deceased, was for over third of a century an honored resident of Henry county. He was ever faithful to his

duties of citizenship, and by the successful conduct of his business interests not only promoted his individual success but also advanced the general prosperity. In his life span of seventy-eight years he accomplished much, and left behind an honorable record well worthy of perpetuation.

Mr. Goembel was born in the village of Nederaula, Ilesse, Germany, June 14. 1822, on the river Fulda, a tributary to the Rhine, and was the oldest son of Sebastian and Anna Goembel, both of Hessian birth. His parental grandfather was one of the IIes- sian soldiers who were hired by the Eng- lish government to aid the British in the American Revolution, being literally sold by the German ruler, as that nation holds the ownership of its subjects until a certain amount of military duty is performed. Under such circumstances he came to . \mer- ica, and was taken prisoner at New York by the Continental troops. After his re- lease he became a loyal adherent of the colonial government, and engaged in clerk- ing until peace was restored, when he re- turned to his native land. In 1834 his son, Sebastian, accompanied by his wife and eight children, came to the United States, taking passage at Bremen on the Ernest Gustav, a German sailing vessel. and land- ing in New Orleans after a long and tedi- outs voyage of sixty-nine days. . After two weeks spent in the Crescent City they pro- ceeded to St. Louis, and from there went to Havana, Illinois, where they remained one month. At the end of that time they went to Peoria, then known as Fort Clark. They finally located on Farm creek, in Tazewell county, where the father of our subject purchased a claim when the land came into market. At that time a log house constituted the only improvement on the

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place, but it was not many years before the land was under excellent cultivation and adorned with good and substantial build- ings, it being the home of the family for several years. The parents spent their last days in Washington, Tazewell county,

Henry Goembel was only twelve years of age on the emigration of the family to the new world, and in Tazewell county, Illi- nois, he grew to manhood, remaining under the parental roof until 1849, when he pur- chased a tract of timber land a mile and a half from the old homestead and built there- on a frame house. Being a natural me- chanic and familiar with the use of tools, he did most of the work on this building himself. He resided there until 1864, and in the meantime placed about half of the two hundred acres under cultivation. In October of that year he came to Henry county and purchased a partially improved farm of two hundred acres in Alba town- ship, to the further development and culti- vation of which he devoted his time and at- tention for some years. He prospered in his new home and became the owner of seven hundred acres of very valuable and productive land. He also had two good farms in Phenix township, and forty acres near Geneseo, to which city he and his fam- ily removed in 1872. There he practically led a retired life, having acquired a hand- some competence which enabled him to lay aside all active labor and spend his last years in ease and quiet, surrounded by all the comforts of life.

In 1849 Mlr. Goembel married Miss Catherine Fey, also a native of the province of Ilesse, Germany, and a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Fey, who brought their family to America when she was about twenty years of age and settled near

Peoria, where they resided and then moved to Chatsworth, Livingston county, Illinois, but both died when well advanced in life in Hooppole, Illinois. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Goembel were born eight children, four sons and four daughters, namely: (1) Zacha- riah T. was for some years engaged in farm- ing in Phenix township, this county, but in the spring of 1900 moved to Prophets- town, Whiteside county, where he now fol- lows the same pursuit. He married Mrs. Annie Rock, and they have three children. William, Herbert and Alice. (2) Charles C .. a farmer of Hooppole. Henry county, married Lizzie Greenwood and they had eight children, Maude, Musy, Millie, Carl, Cassie, Bessie, Pearl and an infant son. (3) Ana is the wife of Joseph Greenwood, a farmer of Hooppole, and they have nine children, Charles. John, Mattie, Henry. Jo- seph, Forrest, Aaron, Zachariah and Katie. (4) Elizabeth is the wife of Lawrence Seyl- ler, a real estate dealer of Arkansas, and they have six children, Vida, Roy, Mollie. Charles, Ethel and Manley. (5) John H., a retired citizen of Geneseo, married Hat- tie Hines. (6) Mollie is the wife of John Smith, a farmer of Geneseo township, and they have one child, Neva. (7) Henry, who is engaged in farming on the old home- stead in Geneseo township, married Julia Bubeck, and they have two children, Flora and Lucille. (8) Katie is the wife of Theo- dore Becker, a prominent dry goods and hardware merchant of Geneseo, whose pleas- ant residence is just north of Mrs. Goem- bel's home on North State street, and they have three children, Leslie Goembel, Ho- bart Theodore and Marguerite Mildred.

Mr. Goembel died at his home in Geneseo, May 8, 1900. He was highly honored for his Christian and benevolent

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character and was greatly respected by his fellow citizens. Those who knew him best were numbered among his warmest friends, and in his death the community realized that it had lost one of its best citizens. lle was devoted to his family and in every re- spect was a true gentleman.

CHARLES E. STURTZ.

Charles E. Sturtz, a leading and promi nent attorney of Kewanee, Illinois, was born on the 9th of November, 1864, in Somer- set county, Pennsylvania, not far from Cumberland, Maryland, and is a son of Charles and Catherine ( Kennell) Sturtz, also natives of that county and representa- tives of old Pennsylvania families. In 1869 the parents, accompanied by their children, removed to Illinois, locating near Sterling, Whiteside county, where they have since made their home, the father being engaged in farming. He was born July 6, 1839, and still enjoys good health. In his native state he followed the occupation of school teach- ing, and when the Civil war broke out he enlisted as a private in Company H, of a regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteer In- fantry, but was later promoted to the rank of orderly sergeant. Ilis wife is of Eng- lish descent and her ancestors were among the early settlers of Pennsylvania and Mary- land. In their family were nine children, all of whom are still living, namely : O. L., a photographer of South Bend, Indiana; Charles E., our subject : Alice, wife of II. T. Bowman, of Dixon, Illinois; William S., a resident of Sterling: Mattie, wife di Arthur Emmett, of Rock Falls, Illinois; Grant, a dentist of Marietta, Mississippi ; Lewis J., a photographer of Green Bay,

Michigan; Herman, a dentist of Marietta. Mississippi ; and Cora E., wife of Clarence Ward, of Rock Falls, Illinois.

Mr. Sturtz, whose name introduces this review, received his preliminary elucation in the common schools of Whiteside coun- ty, and later attended Dixon College. after which he engaged in teaching school in Whiteside county for four years, in the meanwhile devoting his spare time and WE cations to the study of law under the dli- rection of Attorneys Mannahan and Ward, of Sterling. He also took his Blackstone with him on expeditions of pedagogy. In the fall of 1887 he entered Knox College. Galesburg, where he was graduated in 1891, receiving the degree of bachelor of science. All this time he was pursuing his law studies during vacations, and after leal - ing Knox College, he entered the Jan de partment of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he received the degree of bachelor of laws in 1892, being admitted to the bar the same year. He spent one year in the law office of Otis & Graves at Chicago, and in 1893 came to Kewanee, where he has succeeded in building up an extensive and lucrative practice. He has a well equipped modern law office on the cor- ner of Tremont and Third streets.

On the 10th of September, 1892. Mr. Sturtz was umted in marriage with Miss Allie C. Price, of Neponset, Phnuis, a daughter of Joseph Price, who now resides in Kewanee. By this umion has been birn a daughter, Zoli May, now six years of age. Fraternally Mr. Stort! is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and politically is ientis fied with the Republican party. To 0894, 1895 and 1896 he was elected city attorney for terms of ome year each, and m 1899 was re elected for a term bi two veurs be-

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ing the present incumbent in that office. He fifth in order of birth, was born in Colchester is also serving as secretary of the board of education, to which position he was elected in 1899 for a term of three years, and is a member of the committee on teachers and text books. Socially he is deservedly pop- ular. as he is affable and courteous in man- ner and possesses that essential qualifica- tion to success in public life, that of mak- ing friends readily and of strengthening the ties of all friendships as time advances.

JAMES K. BLISH.

As president of the First National Bank of Kewanee and one of the leading attorneys of this section of the state. Jas. K. Blish is widely known and universally respected. native of Henry county, he was born on the 2nd day of May, 1843, within a mile of where the bank now stands, and is a repre- sentative of one of its oldest and most promi- nent families. On the paternal side he traces his ancestry back to Abraham Blish, who emigrated from England, and located at Duxbury, north of Plymouth, Massachu- setts, about 1637. where he engaged in farming for a time, but in 1642 removed to Barnstable, the same state, there spending the remainder of his life. His son Joseph, from whom our subjeet is descended, was a life-long resident of Barnstable and a far- mer by occupation. In the latter's family was Tristram Blish, who was born in Barn- stable, and married Annie Fuller, a great- granddaughter of Edward Fuller, who came to this country in the Mayflower. In 1725 they removed to Colchester, Connecticut, where their last days were spent upon a farm. Of their seven children, David, the

and married Zerniah Skinner. He engaged in agricultural pursuits, and during the Revolutionary war served as sergeant in a company from Connecticut. He died in the town of Marlboro, which was formed from a part of Colchester, Glastonbury and Heb- ron. His son, Thomas Blish, was born in Glastonbury, and for many years served as deacon in the old New England church at that place. He married Prudence Hubbard, and to them were born four children.

Of this family Colonel Sylvester Blish, the grandfather of our subject, was third in order of birth. He was born and reared in Glastonbury, Hartford county, Connecticut, and in early life engaged in farming and trading there. In company with Rev. Itha- mar Pillsbury and Elizur Goodrich, he was appointed a commissioner in 1836 by the Connecticut Association organized in Weth- ersfield, and sent to Illinois to select land for a colony. Coming to Henry county, they purchased fifteen thousand acres of land in what is now Wethersfield and Kewanee townships, after spending about three months in carefully inspecting this locality, and they displayed remarkable foresight in their selec- tion. At the end of that time they returned to Connecticut, but in the spring of 1837 Mr. Blish again came to Illinois, driving through the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana, the journey consuming six weeks. On reaching his destination he erected a log cabin upon his land, about fifteen by twenty feet, with a loft overhead, which was his home for many years, but has since been torn down. He was one of the largest land own- ers in this section in early days, and engaged in farming in connection with his land ven- tures. He had served as colonel in the state militia of Connecticut for many years, and

JAMES K BLISH.

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always bore that title. Two years after jo raising, which he gle ce sfully follewelt weit cating in Wethersfield he opened an inn. Ins death, which fenchel December 5. 1890. Ilis wife ded Tric . dnes Th them were born sis culver, vat ily Den reached years of maturoy. Theo Long ) & ofir subject : and Mather Boschi Mhd 1- 4 resident of Kewanee, though engage In farming in Wethersfield townkloje He nei red Matha F. Morrill, and they logge three children. which he eondueted for a quarter of a cen tury, it being the stopping place of all the stage lines passing through this locality. Mr. Blish was the first postmaster of Weth- ersfield, and one of the first county commis- sioners, and took a very active part in organ izing the county and in all public matter -. He died in 1855, and his wife, who bore the maiden name of Rhoda Cheney, passed away in 1878. In their famly were five chldren. namely : William Henry, who died in Weth- ersfield in 1897, at the age of eighty-three years, leaving eight children; Thomas, who died in Galena, leaving two children who are still living there ; Charles Cheney, father of our subject : Prudence Hubbard, who mar- ried Hon. James Knox, a member of con- gress,and both are now deceased ; and George Cheney, who died in Chicago, leaving seven children, who still reside there.

Charles C. Blish, father of our subject. was born in Glastonbury, Connecticut, in May, 1820, and was educated in that state, grauating from the Middletown Academy. At the age of seventeen he came with his par- ents to Illinois, and took up surveying, which he followed for twenty years, serving as county surveyor for many terms. . At the age of twenty he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth P. Bonar, a native of Knox county, Ohio, and fifth in order of birth in a family of eleven children, nine sons and two daughters. Her father, Mathew Bonar, was born in Laneaster county, Pennsylvania, and in 1839 came with his family to Ich as, locating on Walnut creek, in Kuty county. where he purchased a partially unproel farm and lived for a number of years When the First National Bank . Viewaller in he discontinued surveying. Charles ( Blan IS;0, Mr B| pep Le und present. turned his attention to farming and stock fallet the wie viele menty est.

The primary education of J K Bish was obtained in the Union school of Weth- ersfield and Kewanee. He was next a -th- dent in the preparatory school af Ang Arbor. and in 1802 entered the University of Michi- gan, where he was graduated m 1866, with the degree of 1. B., after pursuing the regu- lar collegiate course. Returning to his home ir this county, he engaged in farming in Wethersfield township for three years, and then went to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where the following two years were spent as a member of the firm of Kiter. Bonar & Bush. manufacturers of blank books On selfg out his interest there he went to Chicago, where, in the employ of J. W Mallet own, le engaged in the same business wotil the big fire bf 1871, and then returned to Ken wee and entered the Law ofice of Home & North as a student. He took the required example. tien before the Suprethe court o Sprogheld and was aduntted to the bar iff 18;3. 200'e which time he has sfere whole engaged the general pressure of law at henance. He was alone lintil 1880, wie Verpuntos present partherslip val Willhelp .

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In 1886 our subject was elected a director. and since 1894 has served as its president. He is not only a lawyer of ability and promi- nence. but is also a capable business man, and the business of the bank has steadily increased under his able management.

On Christmas day, 1869. Mr. Blish was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Mc- Manus, a native of New York state, who died in 1881, her remains being interred in Kewanee cemetery. By that union were born two children : James Louis, now a dent- ist of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, who married Martha B. Aldrich and has two children, Mary Eleanor and Zirian Aldrich : and Ber- tha, at home with her father. Mr. Blish was again married, October 5. 1886, his sec- ond union being with Miss Amy Mason Rhodes, a native of Providence, Rhode Isl- and. and a daughter of Albert Rhodes, de- ceased. who was for many years a resident of Buda, Illinois. To them have been born three children: Elizabeth, Mathew Rhodes and Asa Rhodes, all attending the Kewanee schools. Mrs. Blish is a lady of culture and refinement, a leader in charitable work, and is a member of the Unitarian Church.

In politics Mr. Blish is a Democrat, but not an advocate of free silver. For several terms he was an active and influential mem- ber of the city council: was a member of the school board eighteen years and secretary of the same for some time: and was county sit- pervisor four years, during which time the new court house was built, and he served on the buikling committee. For twelve years he was also one of the directors of the Ke- wanee public library, and for thirteen years was president of the Kewanee Fair Associa- tion, of which he was one of the organizers. In the organization of the Kewanee Building and Loan Association he took the leading

part, and was its first secretary, a position he still holds. This has been a very success- ful enterprise and of great benefit to the city. Through its aid many workingmen have se- cured good homes. He assisted in organiz- ing the Kewanee Electric Light Company. since merged into the Kewanee Light & Power Company, and has been prominently identified with a number of business enter- prises that have promoted the welfare of the city in no uncertain manner. He has been a delegate to nearly all the state conventions of his party, and in 1888 was one of the presidential electors. He is now serving as president of the Old Settlers Association, which office he has filled for several terms. As a citizen he meets every requirement and manifests a commendable interest in every- thing that is calculated to promote the city's welfare in any line. In manner he is pleas- ant, genial and approachable, and all who know him esteem him highly for his gen- uine worth.

A. J. ANDERSON.

.A. J. Anderson, who is now success- fully engaged in the real estate, loan and insurance business in Kewanee, Illinois, was born in Sweden and came to this country with his father during infancy. His early education was acquired in the schools of Kewanee, and on leaving the high school at the age of sixteen years he entered the employ of the Haxtun Steam Ileating Com- pany, now the Western Tube Company, as an apprentice. Here he learned the boiler maker's trade, remaining with the company four years. Ile then went to San Francisco, California, where he served as inspector of the city water works one season, and at the

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end of that time entered the mechanical department of Lincoln School of that city, where he pursued a mechanical course. Later he took a trip through the western states, and before returning home he also visited the east.

Since then Mr. Anderson has resided uninterruptedly in Kewanee, and has been engaged in the real estate, loan and insur- ance business. In June, 1892, he formed a partnership with W. H. Remick, under the firm name of Remick & Anderson, and this connection continued until March, 1900, since which time Mr. Anderson has been alone in business. He represents many of the best and most reliable insurance com- panies of the world, including the Liver- pool, London & Globe, of Liverpool, Eng- land; the Springfield Fire & Marine, of Springfield, Massachusetts; the German American, of New York; Magdeburg, of Germany; the Phoenix, of Brooklyn; the Phoenix, of Hartford; the Imperial, of Lon- don; the Home, of New York; the Aetna, of Hartford; the Fire Association, of Phila- delphia; the Hartford, of Hartford; the American Central, of St. Louis; the Nation- al, of Hartford; and the Fireman's Fund.

On the 14th of November, 1899, Mr. Anderson married Miss Lucy Robison, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Thomas Robison, now deceased, who was one of the early settlers of this county and an honored resident of Kewanee. Fraternally Mr. An- derson is a member of Kewanee Lodge, No. 159, A. F. & A. M .; Kewanee Lodge, No. 466, K. P., in which he has filled all the offices and is now past chancellor; and Nabuthæan Temple, No. 5. Knights of Khorassan, of Galesburg. As a Republi- can Mr. Anderson takes quite an active part in local politics and is now chairman

of the city central committee. He is a wide- awake, energetic young business man, and in all his undertaking's has met with well- deserved success.

AUGUST CHARLET.

For many years Angust Charlet was ac- tively engaged in farming in Henry county. but is spending his declining days in ease and retired from labor in his pleasant home at No. 323 South Grove street, Kewanee. lle is a native of Germany, born in Branden- burg, October 31, 1828, and is a son of Abraham and Dorothy ( Schalipp) Charlet, natives of the same province. The father was a laboring man, who died in Germany at the age of fifty-two years. The mother afterward came with our subject to Amer- ica, and passed away at his home in Burns township, Henry county, Illinois, at the ripe old age of seventy eight years and two months. In their family were six children, namely: John, who was serving in the German army at the time of his death, which occurred when he was about twen- ty-four years of age; August, our subject ; Dorothy, who became the wife of William Wert, and died in Kewanee township, this county ; Julius, a farmer of Burns township; William, who died in Germany at the age of four years; and Louisa, widow of Oscar Fischer and a resident of Burns township. this county.

The early life of the subject of this sketch was spent in the fatherland, where he attended school, and after the comple- tion of his education he worked at the weav- er's trade for some time. In 1856 he sailed from Hamburg for New York on an old

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English freight boat, winch had been con- Perted into a passenger ship. The voy- age lasted eight weeks and three days, dur- lig which time they encountered some se- vere storms. On reaching New York Mr. Charlet came at once to Henry county, Illi- mois, and settled in Wethersfield township, where he at first worked by the day at any thing which he could find to do. Five years after his arrival he had saved enough from his wages to purchase eighty acres of unimproved land in Burns township. The land was fenced but there were no buildings upon it, and to its improvement and cultivation he at once turned his at- tention. Later he added to it a tract of one hundred and twenty acres and subse- quently bought one hundred and sixty acres in Cornwall township. He was successfully engaged in general farming until February, 1888, when he removed to Kewanee and purchased the lot where he now resides. Tearing down the old house which stood thereon he erected his present comfortable residence. Ile has since sold his farms to his sons and has laid aside the cares and re- sponsibilities of business life.

On the 23d of September. 1859, Mr. Charlet was united in marriage with Mrs. Mary (Leonard ) Couve, also a native of dren, namely : William, a farmer of Anna- Couve, who died in 1858, leaving four chil- country. She was first the wife of William Charles Leonard, who never came to this Brandenburg, Germany, and a daughter of wan township; Fred, a farmer of Corn- wall township; Louisa, wife of Ernest Spiegel, of Cornwall township, and Mary. Wife of Gus Schroeder, of Burns township. By her marriage to our subject Mrs. Charlet has become the mother of two chil- dren: August, a farmer of Cornwall town-

ship, married Sophia Kollman and they have three children, William, Clare and Louis; and Minnie is the wife of Charles Klein, who is with the Western Tube Com- pany of Kewanee. Mrs. Charlet was born October 29, 1829, and came to the United States on the same vessel with her husband.

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The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois, Part 2

Author: Clarke (S.J.) Publishing Company Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Number of Pages: 734

Author: Clarke (S.J.) Publishing Company
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 734