USA > Missouri > Centennial history of Missouri (the center state) one hundred years in the Union, 1820-1921, Volume V > Part 47
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84
On the 28th of January, 1891, Mr. Haff was married in Kansas City, Missouri, to Miss Grace Isabel Barse, a daughter of Major George Randolph Barse, of this city, The children of this marriage are: Carroll Barse, who was born February 19, 1892, and who married Gertrude Patterson, daughter of Professor and Mrs. George Washington Patterson of the University of Michigan; Madeline Barse; and Gertrude Barse.
Mr. Haff is a life member of the American Unitarian Association and his local con-
426
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF MISSOURI
nection is with All Souls Unitarian church of Kansas City. He is a member of the Masonic blue lodge and is also a Scottish Rite Mason, while further indication of the nature of his interests and activities is found in his membership in the board of governors of the Liberty Memorial Association of Kansas City and chairman of the Kansas City Chapter of the American Red Cross. He belongs to the Kansas City Club, the Kansas City Athletic Club, the University Club of Kansas City, the Blue Hills Country Club, the Mission Hills Country Club, the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the University Club of Washington, D. C., the American Club of Mexico City and is also a member of the Mexican Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation, the American Society of International Law, the American Bar Association, the Missouri State Bar Association and the Kansas City Bar Association. In politics he has always been a republican, but his citizenship is of that character which transcends partisanship and looks to the good of the great majority. He has done notable public service in many connections. From 1893 until 1902 he was a member of the counsel board of park commissioners of Kansas City, from 1908 until 1912 was a member of the board of park commissioners of Kansas City and from 1909 until 1911 served as its president. He was one of the thirteen freeholders who framed the present charter of Kansas City, adopted in 1908, and while he was serving on the board of park commissioners the city limits were extended and complete plans were adopted by the park board, until Mr. Haff's presidency, for the extension of the park and boulevard system through all the new territory comprised in the present city limits. The story of his activity in behalf of the park and boulevard system has been told in the following:
"The magnificent park and boulevard system of Kansas City-the finest in the United States-is Delbert J. Haff's monument. When Mr. Haff came here in 1886 Kansas City was perhaps the ugliest city in the world. Two or three years after his arrival here, he, with a few other public-spirited citizens, started a movement for the improvement of the city. As the basis of this movement they organized the Municipal Improvement Association, which was incorporated under the statute for the incorpora- tion of benevolent, scientific and charitable organizations. This association was com- posed of fifty members, picked from the most influential and progressive citizens and had for its object and purpose the betterment and improvement of the city.
"Its first work was to promote important amendments to the city charter, which were adopted in the spring of 1892. Prior to these amendments it was impossible for the city government to initiate public improvements of any kind, all depending on the initiative of property owners. The streets had impossible grades, no pavements at all, or very poor, and were not sufficiently clean. In fact, the city wanted everything a city needs. There was not one single square foot of public ground devoted to recrea- tion, and Mr. Haff at once headed a movement for the creation of a park law and the establishment of a system of parks and boulevards. He was chairman of the commit- tee on parks and boulevards of the Municipal Improvement Association and as such was chiefly instrumental in securing an amendment to the charter in the spring of 1892, under which the first park board was appointed, of which August R. Meyer was the president and Mr. Haff was general counsel. This park board spent an entire year in devising a system of parks and boulevards for the city, studying the systems of other cities, both in this country and in Europe. It published its report in 1893, recommending an ambitious plan. The law being insufficient to carry it into effect Mr. Haff drafted an act which was passed by the legislature that year, under which work was immediately begun.
"In the spring of 1895 the supreme court rendered a decision interpreting section 16 of article IX of the constitution of Missouri, which authorizes all cities of one hundred thousand inhabitants or over, to frame charters for their own government, and reversing previous decisions of that court which had maintained for twenty years, and decided that charters adopted under the constitutional provision, such as the charter of Kansas City, could only be amended by vote of the people. As soon as this decision was ren- dered Mr. Haff immediately drafted an amendment to the charter of Kansas City, which constituted an entire article of the charter, known as article X.
"As is usual in such cases, practically all the large taxpayers and real estate owners in Kansas City fought the project, but gradually the people became educated and the result was that the charter amendment drawn by Mr. Haff was adopted by the voters of the city. This charter amendment was so complete in every detail and so carefully drawn that it has withstood the many attacks made upon it in all the courts of this state and in the federal courts, by the best legal talent which the opponents of the
427
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF MISSOURI
park system could employ. For many years a large portion of Mr. Haff's time was devoted to fighting these suits for the establishment of parks and boulevards in Kansas City and he successfully overcame every attack made upon the park law, with the result that Kansas City now has one of the most extensive, symmetrical and beau- tiful systems of parks and boulevards of any city of its size in the world, and today no one can be found who will admit that at any time he contributed money or effort to defeat the park law.
"On June 1, 1901, when Mr. Haff retired as counsel for the park board, the news- papers contained extensive reviews of his services, from which we quote the following from the Kansas City Star: 'Mr. Haff was the framer and has been the successful defender of the law which gave Kansas City its magnificent system of parks and boulevards. The charter amendment, known as the park law, framed entirely by Mr. Haff, has been declared by practical lawyers and jurists to be the most complete practice act ever adopted in Missouri. It has stood the test of all the courts and no flaw has ever been found, notwithstanding the fact that some of the oldest lawyers in the state have sought to invalidate it by every means known to the legal profession. It has been said of Mr. Haff that he took as an ingredient a crystallized public senti- ment in favor of a park system and made an adamantine law which withstood all attacks.'
"The following also appeared in an editorial entitled 'Mr. Haff's Valuable Service': 'The people of Kansas City owe to D. J. Haff, attorney of the park board, a distinct debt of gratitude for his faithful and successful labors in behalf of the park system. Mr. Haff framed the park law which stood the test of fierce and stubborn litigation. To examine the precedents and formulate a law to create a vast system of parks and boulevards on the principle of special benefit assessments levied upon the land-the same as for grades, sewers and pavements-was an achievement which deserves the greatest praise. Then, against numerous and able legal adversaries, Mr. Haff success- fully defended his position in a series of notable suits. The financial compensation received by Mr. Haff was small, indeed, as compared with the nervous force expended, but there is no small reward for him in the consciousness that he has rendered a magnificent service to Kansas City. The public parks will stand as a monument to his civic loyalty and professional ability and that is as proud a testimonial as any man could desire.'"
OTTO KALLMEYER.
Otto Kallmeyer, secretary of the Conservative Building and Loan Association of St. Louis, which is capitalized for one million two hundred thousand dollars, was born in Hanover, Germany, November 28, 1863. His father, Carl Kallmeyer, also a native of Hanover, became a leading merchant of Bremen, Germany, and resided in his native country until death called him March 12, 1919, when he was eighty-seven years of age. His wife, Eliza (Sueme) Kallmeyer, was also born in Hanover and is still living.
Otto Kallmeyer was the second of a family of thirteen children, six sons and seven daughters. He was educated in parochial schools of his native city to the age of fifteen years, when he entered upon an apprenticeship at the machinist's trade and afterward followed the trade for a number of years. Attracted by the business oppor- tunities of the new world he came to America in 1881, arriving in St. Louis in February of that year. Here he worked at his trade until 1894 and through the succeeding quarter of a century was with the St. Louis Republic in the circulation department. On the 12th of March, 1919, he became secretary of the Conservative Building and Loan Association and has since continuously acted in this capacity, his thoroughness, efficiency and industry constituting important elements in the continued growth and development of the business of the. organization. He is also the vice president of the Charles Sueme Furniture Company.
In St. Louis, June 8, 1888, Mr. Kallmeyer was married to Miss Amelia Gockenbach, a native of St. Louis and a daughter of Gottlieb Gockenbach. They have two children, Eliza and Matilda, both born in St. Louis.
In politics Mr. Kallmeyer maintains an independent course. He belongs to the North American Gymnastic Union and to the Liederkranz Club and he is also a member of the Ethical Society, governing his life by rules that recognize the obligations to
428
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF MISSOURI
one's fellowmen on the part of every individual. His high principles are manifest in bis sterling worth and his progressiveness in business finds tangible expression in his success.
THOMAS JOSEPH MASTERSON.
Thomas Joseph Masterson, special agent for the Northwestern Mutual Life In- surance Company in St. Louis, and also president of the Kirkwood Columbus Realty Company, was born in St. Louis, July 28, 1875, his parents being Thomas and Mary J. Masterson. Both were born in Ireland and were married in their native country before coming to the new world. The father is now living at No. 3514 Paris avenue, in St. Louis, but the mother passed away, May 10, 1903.
After attending the parochial schools he entered the preparatory department of the St. Louis University in September, 1885, and was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in June, 1894. He afterward took the Master of Arts degree in June, 1900. He was a student in the law department of Washington University in 1894 and 1895, but did not continue his legal education, leaving the university to enter upon other lines of business. He first turned his attention to newspaper work as a reporter on the Old St. Louis Chronicle in September, 1896, and was associated with that paper for several years, but resigned to conduct a trade jour- nal in June, 1904. In January, 1905, he joined the editorial staff of the St. Louis Republic with which he was associated until February 16, 1917, when he resigned to take the special agency of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and has since devoted his attentions to the business, building up a large clientage for the corporation through the intervening period of four years.
On the 24th of October, 1898, Mr. Masterson was married to Miss Lillie D. Conroy, at Greenfield, Illinois, who passed away December 26, 1910, and on the 25th of October, 1911, he wedded Grace Gibbons of Kane, Illinois, their marriage being celebrated in St. Louis. Mr. Masterson has three sons, Joseph V., Lindsay A., and Thomas. The religious faith of the family is that of the Roman Catholic church, they being communicants of St. Peter's parish in Kirkwood. Mr. Master- son is a member of the Missouri Athletic Association and the Kirkwood Country Club and also belongs to the Elks Club. He is a member of the Knights of Colum- bus and is chairman of its board of trustees. In politics he is a democrat and served as a member of the board of aldermen of Kirkwood for five years, from 1914 to 1919, exercising his official prerogatives in support of many plans and measures for the benefit and improvement of the city. He is interested in every- thing that promotes public progress and his cooperation marks him as a public spirited man.
PERCÍVAL CHUBB.
Percival Chubb who was born and educated in England came to this country largely through the influence of a former distinguished St. Louisan, Thomas Dav- idson, one of the group of philosophers and scholars which included Wm. T. Harris, Denton J. Snider, Paul Coste and others. His early education was more after the American type of self-education than of the conventional English style. After attending an old-fashioned country grammar school, not unlike in externals the school which Shakespeare attended at Stratford, he attended and graduated from one of the Company Schools (the Stationers) in London. After a year or two in business he entered by competitive examination the English civil service, and served for ten years in the legal department of the local government board.
This allowed him leisure enough to go forward with his education until he was able to profit by membership in three well known organizations-the Fabian Society, the Aristotelian Society, and the First Ethical Society established in Lon- don. A chance meeting with Thomas Davidson at the second of these led to a visit to the little Alpine villa of this "wandering scholar" in Italy; and partly through Mr. Chubb's first literary enterprise (a volume of Emerson's writings
PERCIVAL CHUBB
431
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF MISSOURI
edited, with lengthy introduction, for the Camelot Classics) resulted in his leaving England to engage in newspaper correspondence and literary and lecture work in the States. He went straight on landing to the Davidson Summer Schools of Philosophy at Farmington, Connecticut, and Glenmore in the Adirondacks, where his work in these fields at once began.
Starting with several courses of lectures at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences Mr. Chubb was invited to take charge of the English department of the new manual training high school established in Brooklyn, and at the same time to be instructor in psychology and the history of education at the Pratt Institute. Owing to his London connection with the ethical movement he lectured for some of the ethical societies in this country, and at length took up work with the New York Society for Ethical Culture as principal of its high school, and later as an associate leader of the society founded and conducted by Dr. Felix Adler. Concentrating more and more on teaching and becoming director of the departments of English and festivals, he was active in the larger educational movements in the country; edited several high school texts, wrote by invitation a volume on "The Teaching of English," and as a sequel a book on "Festivals and Plays in Schools and Elsewhere," which gave an account of the work in festivals and dramatics done at the Ethical Culture School. For several years he was lecturer in the School of Pedagogy of the University of New York.
Becoming more active in literary and lecture work for the ethical movement Mr. Chubb was invited to become the leader of the St. Louis Ethical Society, suc- ceeding its founder Walter L. Sheldon, which society soon after his arrival in St. Louis in 1911 entered its new home, the Sheldon Memorial.
As opportunity has permitted he has continued his educational and literary work; has been president for three terms of the Drama League of America, officer of the English Teachers Association, a lecturer before various educational institu- tions, and writer for various periodicals. He was during the War period a speaker for the labor board, and did other war work in California and St. Louis. [Note: the details given in "Who's Who" as to family, marriage, writings, membership in organizations and clubs, are not reproduced here.].
GEORGE MUEHLBACH.
George Muehlbach has resided in Kansas City for a half century or since 1870 and has been identified with mercantile interests since 1874. He was born in La- fayette, Indiana, July 25, 1857, and is a son of Xavier and Frances (Witz) Muehl- bach, the former a native of Switzerland, while the latter was born in Alsace- Lorraine. They were married in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and the father, who was a cooper by trade, came to Kansas City to make kegs and barrels for the Muehlbach brewery. They were of Catholic faith. The family numbered four children, all of whom were residents of Kansas City, they being: Emma, the widow of William Pressley; Ella, the widow of Charles La Fond; Clara, the wife of George Hucke; and George, of this review.
The last named attended public and private schools. When quite young he began earning his living by selling papers and was well known as a newsboy in his youthful days, selling the Times and Journal before engaging in the grocery business. He was ambitious, however, to make a start in mercantile circles and borrowed three hundred and fifty dollars from his mother in order to buy a half interest in a store which was located at the corner of Seventeenth and Holmes streets. This was one of the outlying stores of the city, being surrounded by corn fields at that time, but today it is almost within the heart of Kansas City. Later the business was removed to Eighteenth street and Troost avenue and from there to 2318 Forest, and in 1908 to 3217 Troost avenue. His first store was like all village grocery stores and he used old fashioned wrapping to do up packages. His stock included brown open kettle sugar, New Orleans syrup and other produce which he bought from the farmers, and he traded goods for butter and eggs. At that time the shelves were decorated with lamp chimneys having colored paper on the inside, clothespins and other old fashioned articles. Through all the years in which he has engaged in business he has made quality his watchword, and his
432
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF MISSOURI
success has been of a most substantial character. He worked very hard in the early days to build up credit and a good business and has now long enjoyed a most substantial and gratifying trade.
In 1878 Mr. Muehlbach was married to Miss Clara Becker, who was born in Ohio and passed away at the age of twenty-seven years, leaving a son, Frank P., who is now associated in business with his father. Five years after the death of his first wife Mr. Muehlbach wedded Blanch McDonald, a daughter of James McDonald and a native of St. Louis. They have become the parents of five chil- dren: George T., who is also in business with his father; Blanch, the wife of Virgil Griswold of Kansas City; Mildred, who is attending a convent; Ray A., who is in the store; and Florence. All of the sons were in the service during the World war.
Mr. Muehlbach is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and was one of the organizers of the South Side Improvement Club. In politics he maintains an inde- pendent course, voting for men and measures rather than party, and he labors earnestly in support of better local government. He is now the owner of the Muehlbach apartments, a structure which stands as a monument to his life of well directed energy and thrift. The long years of his connection with the commercial interests of the city have established him as a representative and thoroughly reliable business man, and an analyzation of his career shows that his success has been the direct outcome of his energy, determination and capability.
CHARLES FOLSOM HATFIELD.
Charles Folsom Hatfield, who has achieved marked distinction in organization, publicity, convention and community building service, was born in the town of Warren, Trumbull county, Ohio, May 2, 1862, a son of Deming Niles Hatfield and Adelia M. (Gay) Hatfield, both deceased. He is descended in the paternal line from the English family from which Hatfield House owned by Lord Salisbury took its name. Another of his ancestors in this line was Elisha Niles, a veteran of the Revolutionary war who fought with the Connecticut Volunteers. His descent in the maternal line is partially from Puritan stock, his mother's father having come from Connecticut and his grandmother having been a daughter of the Rev. John Wells, famous in his day as an English Wesleyan Methodist minister.
Charles F. Hatfield spent most of the early years of his life in Cleveland, Ohio, and obtained his education in the public grammar and high schools of that city. His mother was a lady of very superior musical attainments and for many years was a public favorite at Cleveland, Chautauqua Lake, and elsewhere, where she par- ticipated in musical functions. This talent and taste for music Mrs. Hatfield trans- mitted to her children, and her daughter Cecelia Maud has achieved marked dis- tinction as a composer, organist and chorister. Charles F. Hatfield also inherited his share of his mother's talent and was carefully educated in music in his early boyhood. He studied under Professor Frank Bassett, president of the Cleveland Conservatory of Music, who was a noted organist, and finally succeeded Professor Bassett as organist of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Cleveland, which had the largest pipe organ in that city, when he was only twenty years old. At eighteen years of age he had been made president and assistant director of the Euclid Avenue orchestra, a famous amateur orchestra which numbered among its members such young people as the children of John D. Rockefeller and other dis- tinguished Cleveland men. Mr. Hatfield was connected first with the First Methodist Episcopal Sunday school of Cleveland, but later became actively identified with the Second Baptist Sunday school of which John D. Rockefeller was then superin- tendent. From early boyhood he was active in Sunday school and church work, and during a period of twelve years held, at different times, the positions of assist- ant librarian, librarian, assistant secretary and secretary of the First Methodist Episcopal Sunday school. In 1888 he was organist for a few months of the Church of the Messiah, New York city, during the pastorate of the famous Rev. Robert Collier, at which time Mr. Henry H. Rogers of the Standard Oil Company was chair- man of the music committee. After coming to St. Louis in 1890 he became active in musical circles, was the first accompanist of the St. Louis Glee Club, of which
கலை
Vol. V-28
435
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF MISSOURI
Henry Darby, organist of Christ Church Cathedral, was director. It was this Glee Club which later on became the foundation for the Apollo Club.
Mr. Hatfield, while not desiring to have a regular position as organist, was at different times prevailed upon to substitute for the leading organists in St. Louis and played in many of the principal churches. Finally was induced to take a posi- tion at the Cook Avenue church, otherwise known as Richard Scruggs Memorial church. He built up the service there until it had a city reputation-in charge for over eleven years.
During the Louisiana Purchase Exposition he played the big organ in Festival Hall on several occasions. Altogether in church and Sunday school he served over twenty-five years as an organist. He was the last organist to play the large organ in Music Hall of the old exposition before it was torn down and removed, the occa- sion being the national convention of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. In 1904 finding that music was interfering with his business he gave up all musical activities in an official way.
When he was sixteen years old he stood first in a competitive examination for a cadetship at the United States Naval Academy of Annapolis, but through an error of the examining board was counted second. When the error was discovered the appointment had been made and could not be revoked, but he was offered, through Honorable Amos Townsend then a representative in Congress from Cleveland, an appointment to West Point Military Academy. This appointment he was compelled to decline on account of family responsibilities which he had to assume at the time, but the fact that he fairly won a naval cadetship and that James A. Garfield, after- ward President of the United States, was one of those who endorsed his application for the appointment, has furnished food for pleasant reflections. He had a natural fondness for military affairs and as a boy was a captain of the Cleveland Light Guards, composed of school boys, and later a second lieutenant of the Doan Cadets, a famous temperance corps of Cleveland. He was also an associate member of the famous military organization known as the Cleveland Grays, although as he was under size he was prevented from being an active member of that organization.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.