USA > Missouri > Centennial history of Missouri (the center state) one hundred years in the Union, 1820-1921, Volume V > Part 25
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In the commercial field Mr. Aloe has likewise held positions of honor, being presi- dent of the National Association of Surgical Dealers of the United States and also a member of the executive board of the Chamber of Commerce. He is former president of the Columbian Club, one of the largest and most representative social clubs of the city.
Mr. Aloe married Edith Rosenblatt, daughter of former City Collector Meyer A. Rosenblatt, now deceased, and they have four children: Clarabell, Viola, Isabel and Louisa. The family residence is at No. 36 Kingsbury Place.
BENJAMIN S. ADAMS.
While Benjamin S. Adams has passed away he lives in the memory of his many friends, enshrined in the halo of a gracious presence and charming cordiality. He was in the highest sense of the term a gentleman-one whose interest was in the better things of life and who in the conduct of a large and successful business en- terprise was the soul of integrity and honor. He was born in Nashville, Tennessee, February 15, 1854, a son of Adam Gillespie Adams, one of the most prominent busi- ness men of that city and also a leader in civic and church work. The home environ- ment of Benjamin S. Adams was such as to develop the best in him. He had good educational opportunities and early learned lessons of life which were of great value to him in shaping his later career. He became a prominent factor in many agencies which contributed to the social, intellectual and moral progress of his community and in business circles he made for himself an enviable position. For many years he was associated with the E. C. Simmons Company and was thus prominently known to the hardware trade of the city. Subsequently he became identified with the Tudor Iron Works of which he was secretary and also of the Republic Iron & Steel Works which took over the organization with which he had formerly been connected. He was successful as a manufacturer of steel and iron specialties and owed his success to his industry and uncompromising integrity. He displayed enterprise, initia- tive and determination and he carried forward to completion whatever he undertook.
On the 11th of March, 1891, Mr. Adams was married to Miss Madge Updike, a daughter of George Whitman Updike, of St. Louis, for many years a prominent figure in grain trade circles of the city and a representative of one of the oldest and most prominent families of St. Louis, tracing his ancestry back to early colonial days in Providence, Rhode Island. To Mr. and Mrs. Adams were born three children: Madge E., who is now the wife of James Brooks Knight, of St. Louis; Benjamin Strick- ler; and Ewing, who is the wife of Edwin O. Baker, of New Bedford, Massachusetts, a son of George P. Baker, who is professor of literature and drama at Harvard and is a cousin of the president of Harvard University. The only son died at Hoboken,
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New Jersey, just before his regiment sailed for France. He was born in St. Louis, August 27, 1895, and enlisted in May, 1917, in response to the call to the colors. He was trained at Fort Riley and Camp Meyer and was made a corporal of the Twelfth Field Artillery, Headquarters Company. He died of pneumonia on the 12th of Jan- uary, 1918, in St. Mary's Hospital at Hoboken the night following the one on which his regiment sailed for France, his death being a great blow to his mother, his family and his many friends, for a young life of great promise was thus cut off.
Death had previously broken the family circle when on the 17th of April, 1906, Mr. Adams passed away. He was most widely and prominently known in St. Louis. He was a member of the St. Louis Club, the University Club, the St. Louis Country Club, and the Noonday Club. He was also active in the Mercantile Library Association and was a member of its board for many years. The entire period of his manhood was passed in St. Louis, for he arrived in this city when twenty-one years of age. Through the intervening period to the time of his death he occupied a prominent place in the public life of the community, particularly in connection with civic and church work. One who long knew him said he was "an old-school Presbyterian of the most conscientious type." He never faltered in his allegiance to what he believed to be right and at no time was his position an equivocal one. He possessed many sterling characteristics and not the least of these was his capacity for warm friend- ship. All who came in contact with him speedily appreciated him at his true worth, recognizing in him a man whom to know was to esteem and honor. Mrs. Adams has always shared in the high regard entertained for her husband. She is a prominent member of the Wednesday Club, of the St. Louis Country Club and also a member of the St. Louis republican committee, but her great work is in the Second Presby- terian church of which she is a most devoted and faithful member.
MARTIN J. COLLINS.
It is a long way from the position of office boy to the vice president of an im- portant business corporation, but this road Martin J. Collins has traveled, progressing steadily until he has reached the second position of executive control, being now vice president of the Graham Paper Company of St. Louis. He was born in this city November 6, 1869, and is a son of Thomas and Bridget Collins, who came from Gal- way, Ireland, to the new world. His education was acquired in St. Vincent's Catholic school of St. Louis which he attended to the age of eleven years and then started out to earn his living by working as a bobbin boy in a hemp factory in South St. Louis. He afterward acted as messenger boy with the Western Union and later became office boy with the Graham Paper Company. Here his willingness, his industry and faithfulness won him promotion and he steadily advanced from one position to another until he reached the vice presidency and is now bending his efforts to ad- ministrative direction and executive control in connection with one of the most im- portant commercial interests of the city.
On the 17th of October, 1895, in St. Louis, Mr. Collins was married to Miss Mary A. McDonough, of Boston, Massachusetts, representative of one of the old New Eng- land families. They have become the parents of five sons: Harry J., Charles T., Robert B., William and Thomas. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church and in political belief Mr. Collins is a democrat. He belongs to the St. Louis Club, the Missouri Athletic Association and a number of the other leading clubs of the city. He has never filled political office but served as chief of staff under Governor H. S. Hadley, being the first democratic colonel on a republican governor's staff in Missouri. He takes a keen interest in both city and state politics and has been identified with many of those wholesome and purifying reforms which are now common to both parties and which receive the endorsement of all high-minded Ameri- can citizens who hold to the most advanced standards of civic life. He supports all measures which tend to civic betterment and improvement and is keenly interested in boys and welfare work. He is the vice president of the Big Brother organization, is the president of the Papa Club, is the president of the Missouri School for the Blind and a director of the St. Louis Cardinal Baseball Club. He believes in foster- ing a love of manly sport among boys and has studied the boy problem from the standpoint of child psychology, while actual experience in his own household has
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given him most comprehensive and valuable knowledge. His labors have indeed been a most forceful element in protecting boy life in St. Louis and as vice president of the Big Brother organization he is putting forth great influence in this connection, his labors being at all times beneficial and resultant.
REV. PATRICK PAUL CRANE.
Rev. Patrick Paul Crane, pastor of the Holy Name Catholic church in St. Louis, his native city, was born January 13, 1872, a son of William and Margaret (Lehane) Crane, who were natives of Ireland but came to the United States in young manhood and young womanhood. They settled in St. Louis where they were subsequently married and here resided to the time of their death.
Patrick Paul Crane was educated in St. Bridget's and St. Malachy's parochial schools and also in Christian Brothers College, in which he pursued his classical course. He later entered the Kenrick Seminary and on the completion of his course in theology was ordained to the priesthood in June, 1899, Archbishop Kain offi- ciating.
Father Crane's first assignment made him assistant to Father Tohyn, pastor of St. Mary and Joseph's church, where he labored for six years. On the expira- tion of that period he was sent by Archbishop Glennon to Washington, D. C., to attend the Apostolic Mission House to prepare for mission work in the diocese. For five years he was engaged in work of that character and in June, 1910, was appointed pastor of St. Lawrence O'Toole's church to succeed the Rev. M. S. Bren- nan. He remained in that charge for nearly ten years and on the 2d of February, 1920, was appointed pastor of the Church of the Holy Name. While his labors in this parish have covered but a brief period he has already done excellent work in the further development of the parish and in the further entrenchment of the cause in the hearts of the people.
Father Crane is a member of the Seminary board in St. Louis and also president of the Catholic high school board. He is a representative as well of the Catholic orphanage board and is an ex-state chaplain of the Knights of Columbus. He served as a member of the executive board of the National Catholic War Council in connection with the war relief work of the Catholic church. His activities have thus covered a broad field and his labors have at all times been far-reaching and resultant.
JEROME F. DUGGAN.
Among the attorneys of St. Louis who are natives of the city is Jerome F. Duggan, who was born on the 30th of August, 1893. His father, Patrick Duggan, is a native of Ireland and on coming to America first settled at Jerseyville, Illinois, but subsequently removed to St. Louis, where he has since made his home. He is a stationary engineer and followed that business for many years very successfully but is now living retired. He married Ellen Dougherty, also a native of the Emerald isle, and on coming to the new world she took up her abode in Chicago, where they were married. They began their domestic life in Jerseyville and Mrs. Duggan is still living, theirs being a pleasant and comfortable home in St. Louis. They became the parents of eight children, five sons and three daughters, three of whom have passed away. The record of the family is as follows: Lawrence A .; Mary, deceased; Jerome F., of this review; Margaret, who has also passed away; John J .; Patrick, who is deceased; Richard L .; and Ellen Grace.
Jerome F. Duggan was educated in the parochial and public schools of St. Louis and prepared for his professional career as a student in the Benton College of Law, from which he was graduated in 1915 with the LL. B. degree, while in the following year his alma mater conferred upon him the Master of Laws degree. Prior to entering college, however, he was connected for eight years with the St. Louis board of education. Immediately after his graduation he entered upon active practice and while advancement at the bar is proverbially slow, no dreary novitiate
JEROME F. DUGGAN
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awaited him. He has made steady progress, devoting his attention to general civil practice, and his clientage has been extensive and important. He is a well known member of the St. Louis Bar Association and enjoys the high regard of many of his professional brethren. Aside from his practice he is also a director and the secretary and treasurer of the Mangold Oil & Development Company, a Mis- souri corporation.
Mr. Duggan is quite actively interested in politics and for the past four years has been president of the Fifteenth Ward Democratic Club, in which capacity he is still serving. He belongs to the Immaculate Conception Catholic church, is a fourth degree Knight of Columbus and a member of the Western Catholic Union. He is also connected with the Woodmen of the World, with the Fraternal Aid Union, and with the Century Boat Club of St. Louis.
After America's entrance into the World war Mr. Duggan on the 13th of May, 1917, entered the officers' training camp at Fort Riley, Kansas, and was honorably discharged July 7, 1917. He reentered the service July 15, 1918, and was dis- charged in December following with the rank of second lieutenant of the Reserve Corps. He belongs to the American Legion and is past commander of Jackson Johnson, Jr., Post No. 72 and is a member of the national executive committee for the department of Missouri. He finds diversion and recreation in baseball and in tennis. His record is that of a self-made man, for he paid his own way through college with money he had previously earned and his success is attributable entirely to his own labors, for industry and capability have marked his course at all points, his thorough preparation of his cases being one of the salient features in his con- tinued success.
CLYDE WILLIAMS.
Clyde Williams, attorney-at-law who resides at Hillsboro, where he is engaged in the practice of his profession, was born on his father's farm about ten miles west of that city, October 13, 1873, a son of William Franklin Williams now deceased, for- merly county judge of Jefferson county. The father was born in Madison county, Missouri, on the 5th of May, 1825, and was a son of James Williams, a well known Baptist minister in his section of the state. James Williams was a native of Ken- tucky, born on a farm less than thirty miles from Lexington. He was residing in New Madrid at the time of the earthquake and in recompense for the devastation of his land was awarded a tract by the state. This land, which was situated on the Mis- souri river in Clay county, never came into his possession, however, for he was so unfortunate as to secure the services of a dishonest lawyer. James Williams was united in marriage to Miss Lydia Jane Waller and they became the parents of nine children, William F. Williams, the father of our subject, being one of the sons. The boyhood of William F. Williams was spent on a farm and his education was such as could be obtained in the old log schoolhouses of those days. He left home at the age of seventeen years and started to learn the cabinet-making business, but not finding this line of work to his liking he gave it up and removed to Washington county where he secured work in the mines. In connection with mining he engaged in agri- culture and in 1849 in company with a number of other men he went to California in search of gold. In 1851 he returned to Jefferson county and there was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Manion, a native of that county, a daughter of John J. Manion, who was for many years a leading agriculturist in Jefferson county, and Clyde whose name initiates this review, was one of the children born of this union. A sister, Mrs. lda Oster, is now making her home in St. Louis and has among her collection of family relics a grandfather clock which is about two hundred years old. This clock was made in England and shows the different phases of the moon as well as the time of day. It is keeping perfect time today and is in a splendid state of preservation. William F. Williams owned five hundred and seventy-five acres of land in Big River which he cultivated and was widely recognized as one of the most successful and progressive farmers of the community. In early life William F. Wil- liams gave his political allegiance to the whig party and in the presidential election of 1848 gave his support to General Taylor. After the passing of the whig party and the formation of the republican party Mr. Williams became a stanch democrat. He
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served as county judge for three terms and on the 12th of March, 1909, departed this life, his death coming as a severe blow to his family and many friends.
Clyde Williams received his early education in the common schools of Jefferson county, where he remained until he was eighteen years of age, finishing the high school course. In due time he entered the State Normal School at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where he remained for two years, at the end of which time he became a student of the University of Missouri, graduating therefrom in 1901 in both academic and law courses with the degrees of A. B. and LL. B. He hegan the practice of his profession in De Soto where he remained until 1903, when he removed to Hillsboro, having heen elected prosecuting attorney. Three times he was elected to that office and his service in that connection covered a period of six years. His law practice was for the most part general and he built up a large clientage, becoming one of the most prominent lawyers in the district. In 1911 the Jefferson Trust Company of Hillsboro was organized with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars and Mr. Williams was one of the first directors. In 1915 he was, elected president of this organization, a position which he has since held. The bank has a surplus of ten thousand dollars and the resources have reached nearly four hundred thousand dollars.
On the 26th of April, 1905, Mr. Williams was united in marriage to Miss Lola E. Marsden, à daughter of Cornelius and Mary E. (Whitehead) Marsden, and a grand- daughter of Richard Marsden, a native of England who settled in Jefferson county and became one of the most prominent men in that locality. The father of Mrs. Williams is a successful merchant and railroad agent at Victoria. To Mr. and Mrs. Williams have been born two children: Eleanor Doyne, and Merle Lee, both of whom are students in the Hillsboro schools.
Mr. Williams gives his political support to the democratic party in the interests of which he has always taken an active part. He is chairman of the democratic county committee and in 1920 was presidential elector candidate on that party's ticket. Mr. Williams was reared in the faith of the Baptist church, while his wife is a member of the Methodist church and takes an active interest in church and Sunday school work. She is a member of the Woman's State democratic committee and of the Eastern Star, in which she is past matron of the Hillsboro chapter. In social life Mr. Williams has always taken a prominent part and when a student at the University of Missouri he was elected to membership in the exclusive society consisting of ten men and known as the "Q. E. B. H." During his senior year he was president of that organization. He was also a member of Phi Delta Phi, of the Missouri University. During the World war he was especially active in the interests of the country and served as chairman of the legal advisory board in addition to giving his undivided support in the various loan campaigns. Fraternally Mr. Williams is a Mason having member- ship in Joachim Lodge No. 164 of Hillsboro of which he has thrice been master.
The life of Mr. Williams has been one of diligence and industry and the enter- prise and sound judgment which he has displayed have been potent elements in win- ning for him deserved and continued success. He has never hesitated to take a for- ward step when the way was open and though content with what he has attained as he has gone along he has always been ready to make an advance.
DANIEL NOYES KIRBY.
Daniel Noyes Kirby, connected with the legal profession as an educator as well as a practitioner at the bar, being a partner in the prominent firm of Nagel & Kirby of St. Louis, was born in Lyme, Connecticut, August 22, 1864, his parents being Eliab Burgess and Caroline L. (Noyes) Kirby. The father was born in Middletown, Con- necticut, and in early manhood came to St. Louis, where the years chronicled his progress until he reached a position among the prominent merchants of the city. He was a member of a firm prominent in Civil war days, that of Collins, Kellogg & Kirby. He was also one of the founders of the St. Louis Merchants Exchange and he passed away in 1898. His wife, who was born in Lyme, Connecticut, died in 1917. They were the parents of six sons, three of whom are living.
Daniel N. Kirby, who was the third in order of birth in the family, obtained a public school education, passing through the Central high school of St. Louis. He next entered Washington University as a law student and was graduated there in 1886 with the LL. B. degree. He was admitted to the bar upon passing the required
DANIEL N. KIRBY
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examination in 1887, and after another year's study was graduated from the Law School in 1888. In that year he entered the office of Mr. Nagel, a well known attorney, as assistant, and later was admitted to a partnership under the firm style of Nagel & Kirby. A change in the personnel afterward led to the adoption of the firm name of Finkelnburg, Nagel & Kirby and following the elevation of Judge Finkelnburg to the bench, a new firm was formed under the style of Nagel & Kirby, the partners being Charles Nagel, D. N. Kirby, G. F. Decker, A. C. Orrick and A. B. Shepley. They specialize in corporation and commercial law and Mr. Kirby has gained compre- hensive knowledge of these branches of the profession, on which he has concentrated his efforts and attention. He is a prominent figure in the St. Louis and Missouri State Bar Associations and is also widely and favorably known in the American Bar Association. He is ever careful to conform his practice to the highest profes- sional ethics and standards and he enjoys in an unusual degree the respect and confidence of his professional colleagues and contemporaries. He was for a num- ber of years lecturer before the St. Louis Law School on agency and constitutional law, and lecturer before the Washington University Medical School on medical juris- prudence. He has remained throughout the whole of his professional career a most earnest and discriminating student and hard worker and upon these qualities has been built his splendid success.
Mr. Kirby is a member of the Second Presbyterian church and he belongs to the Noonday, University, Bogey and Florissant Valley Country Clubs, the City Club, and also to the University Club of New York. His political allegiance is given the republican party but he has never sought advancement along that line, content to concentrate his efforts and attention upon his professional interests, which have constantly developed in volume and importance.
GEORGE F. BERGFELD.
George F. Bergfeld, engaged in the real estate business in St. Louis, was born in Chicago, Illinois, October 16, 1865. His father, Alexander A. Bergfeld, who passed away in 1900 at the age of sixty-one years, was a merchant devoting many years to mercantile pursuits in St. Louis. He married Elizabeth Wesseling, who survived him until 1905 and was sixty-six years of age at the time of her demise. In their family were five sons and a daughter but three of the sons and the daughter have passed away. One son, Rudolph, is living in Tyler, Texas, where he occupies the position of vice president of the Citizens National Bank. He married Lena Pabst.
The other surviving member of the family is George F. Bergfeld of this review who was the youngest of the household. He was educated in the public schools of St. Louis, passing through consecutive grades to his graduation from the Central high school in June, 1887. He then entered the real estate business as a clerk for Henry V. Lucas and was with that house between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five years, or until 1890. Gradually he had won advancement through intermediate positions so at the time he left the company he had full charge of the office. He was ambitious, however, to engage in business on his own account and organized the George F. Berg- feld Realty Company with office at No. 1027 Chestnut street. From that time to the present he has successfully engaged in the real estate business, although he has not continued at his original location. He removed first to No. 617 Chestnut street and finally to .610 Chestnut street where he is now located. He engages in the buying and selling of real estate and the building of fine residences and he has erected over two hundred and twenty-five fine homes. His company is one of the largest operating in the real estate field in St. Louis. An analyzation of the record of Mr. Bergfeld indi- cates the clearness of his business vision, the thoroughness of his plans and the effi- ciency with which he promotes his purposes. While he has conducted a business that has brought to him notable success it has been of a character that has contributed to the progress and prosperity of the city.
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