USA > Missouri > Centennial history of Missouri (the center state) one hundred years in the Union, 1820-1921, Volume V > Part 50
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ested in other commercial enterprises and his cooperation is counted a valuable asset for the attainment of success.
On the 11th of November, 1891, in St. Louis Mr. Ackerman was married to Miss Josephine H. Emanuel, a native of Linneus, Missouri, and a daughter of Herman and Rose (Emanuel) Emanuel. Her parents were of German birth and became early set- tlers of Linneus. Three sons have been born of this marriage: Lester J., who was born October 10, 1892, and died in St. Louis, January 14, 1915; Melville E., born in St. Louis, December 27, 1897, and who is associated with his father in business, being second vice president of the company. He married Ruth Corday, daughter of Jacob Corday of New York city, August 16, 1920; and Byron W., born May 26, 1901, who is connected with the F. L. Doerr Shoe Company of this city. The family home is at Clayton.
In politics Mr. Ackerman maintains an independent course. He takes an active interest in civic matters and supports all those projects which he deems a matter of value in the upbuilding of the city, or a matter of civic virtue and civic pride. He- belongs to the associated retailers of St. Louis, to the Chamber of Commerce, to the Columbian Club, the Westwood Country Club, to the Temple Shaari Emeth, and also as a member of B'nai B'rith. While he came to America a poor boy he is today a wealthy man and his life illustrates what can be accomplished in this country where efforts and ability are unhampered by task or class, but where the field of opportunity is open to all, yielding its reward to the man of enterprise and determination.
JOHN ALFRED VEAZEY.
John Alfred Veazey, manager of the St. Louis branch of Merck & Company, manu- facturing chemists, was born in De Soto, Missouri, December 23, 1883, his parents being Anson and Lorena (Byrkit) Veazey. The former was a native of Massachusetts while the latter was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. On coming to Missouri the father engaged in farming and is now living at Poplar Bluff, this state.
Mr. Veazey of this review obtained a public school education in De Soto, Missouri, and started out in the business world as a clerk with the Herf & Frerichs Chemical Com- pany, remaining with this firm until 1903 when Merck & Company purchased the business, since which time Mr. Veazey has been with the succeeding company. In 1913 he was made manager for the St. Louis branch and has since continued in this position. On account of this being an essential industry he was exempt from military service but fur- nished material and supplies for the government during the World war.
On the 23d of May, 1906, Mr. Veazey was married to Miss Lucile Konze, a daughter of Louis Konze, a real estate dealer, and they have become the parents of one child, Dorothy Byrkit, twelve years of age. Mr. Veazey is independent in his political views. He belongs to the Missouri Athletic Association, the Leiderkranz Club, the Chamber of Commerce and the St. Louis Drug & Chemical Club.
GEORGE A. MANDELARIS, M. D.
Dr. George A. Mandelaris, who has devoted his life to the practice of medicine and surgery and is now following his profession in St. Louis, was born April 28, 1882, in Thuria, Greece, a son of Athanasios John and Maria (Zoumboulis) Mandelaris. The father was a successful farmer who spent his entire life in Thuria where he passed away in 1905 at the age of seventy-four years. The mother survived until 1908 and was seventy years of age at the time of her demise. They were the parents of nine children, seven sons and two daughters.
. Dr. Mandelaris, the youngest of the family, completed his education in the splendid University of Athens, winning his M. D. degree at his graduation on the 1st of December, 1904. He came to America in 1906, first settling in Chicago where he engaged in general practice for a year. He then removed to St. Louis and through the intervening period has successfully followed his profession, keeping at all times in touch with the trend of modern professional thought and progress resulting from wide investigation and research.
On the 5th of May, 1910, Dr. Mandelaris was married in Omaha, Nebraska, to Miss
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Helen B. Cokoris, a daughter of Basilios B. Cokoris, a native of Greece. Their children are Athanasios, Mary, William and Constantine. The parents are members of the Greek orthodox church. Dr. Mandelaris gives his political support to the republican party. While in his native land he became a first lieutenant in the Medical Corps of the Greek army. He volunteered for the Medical Service Corps of the United States army and was duly enrolled as a member of same. He has made application for American citizenship at St. Louis and holds his first papers. He is keenly interested in all the great world problems of the present and keeps well informed on those events which are making history today. In his profession he is an earnest and conscientious practitioner, most careful in the diagnosis of his cases and his efforts are crowned with a notable degree of success. His name has become well known through his contributions to medical jour- nals, many of which show wide research and marked originality of thought.
AUGUST GEHNER.
Men are not judged merely by the success which they attain, for character places a man's importance in the molding of public opinion and the world instinctively pays deference to the man of right life and high principles who passes on from this world, leaving behind him the memory of good deeds accomplished.
In this connection mention should be made of August Gehner, who, well known as an active, enterprising and successful business man was also keenly interested in everything that pertained to his fellowmen.
He had made his home in St. Louis for about fifty years when death called him on the 14th of May, 1910. He was then about sixty-four years of age, for he was born on the 18th of September, 1846, in Hanover, Germany. His parents, Conrad and ,Katherine (Hehmann) Gehner came to the new world about 1857 with their family and took up their abode in St. Louis.
August Gehner was at that time a lad of thirteen years. He had gotten his edu- cation in the public schools of his native country, but afterwards attended a German institute of this city. He was but sixteen years of age when he joined the army in defense of the Union, enlisting in 1862 as one of the "boys in blue" of Company L. of the First Missouri Artillery. With this command he went to the front and participated in a number of hotly contested engagements which led up to the final victory that crowned the Union arms. His bravery and fearlessness were above question, and he never faltered in the performance of any military duty until, the country no longer needing his aid, he was mustered out and honorably discharged July 25, 1865.
With his return to civil life Mr. Gehner again took up his abode in St. Louis, and secured a position as draughtsman in the office of the surveyor general, under whom he served for three years. He next became connected with the abstract firm of Hurk and O'Reilley, with whom he continued in the same line of work and for a similar period. The thorough knowledge he had gained in the abstract buisness in this time led him to establish a business on his own account in 1871. His clien- tage soon reached gratifying proportions and he became one of the foremost abstractors of St. Louis, making abstracts of title to almost every piece of realty in the city. He continued the business until it was absorbed by the Guaranty Title and Trust Company, of which Mr. Gehner was the head until November, 1904, when he resigned the presidency and organized the Gehner Realty and Investment Com- pany, remaining as the directing force in this business until his demise. He was also prominent in banking circles, and was long at the head of the German-Ameri- can Bank of St. Louis, which he made one of the strong financial institutions of the city. He was also third vice president of the Planters' Hotel Company; a director of the Mississippi Valley Trust Company, of the Laclede Gas Light Company, the Union Electric Light and Power Company, the Kinloch Telephone Company, the German Fire Insurance Company, and the Guaranty Title and Trust Company. By reason of his extensive and important business connections he won most enviable success, and left to his family a large personal estate.
Business, however, constituted but one phase of his activities. He recognized his duties and obligations in other connections and labored efficiently and with the utmost zeal to support the many interests pertaining to the public good. His co-
AUGUST GEHNER
MRS. MINNA GEHNER
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operation and sound judgment constituted strong elements in the success of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition iu St. Louis in 1904. He was one of the committee of two hundred which was organized February 10, 1899, and conducted the prelimi- nary work of the exposition.
Then came the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company of which he was a director, serving as such through the years of actual preparation for the fair. While the exposition was in progress he gave much of his time to service on important committees.
On the 28th of May, 1870, in St. Louis, Mr. Gehner wedded Miss Minna Weh- miller of St. Louis, and they became the parents of two children, Albert and Pauline, the latter now the wife of Frank Mesker.
Mrs. Gehner, according to her husband's testimony, was a most helpful helpmeet and he attributed much of his success to her assistance and wise counsel.
For many years Mr. Gehner maintained pleasant relations with his old army com- rades through his membership in Frank P. Blair Post, No. 1, G. A. R., and did much to further the work of the organization and to perpetuate the old feeling of comrade- ship among its members. He served as trustee of the relief fund of his post, and in many ways, both officially and personally, took a kindly interest in the affairs of his comrades in need and those they left behind when death called them. He was a member of the St. Louis Club and greatly appreciated the social amenities of life. He loved humanity, believed in the brotherhood of man, was big-hearted and gen- erous in his dealings.
His interests centered in his home and the best deeds were reserved for his own fireside. He never considered any effort or personal sacrifice too great if it would enhance the welfare and promote the happiness of the members of his family circle.
JOHN EDWARD MASSENGALE.
John Edward Massengale, president of the St. Louis and Tennessee River Packet Company and prominently associated with transportation interests in this section of the country for many years, was born at Wrightsboro, Georgia, October 29, 1849. His father, Henry W. Massengale, was born in Wrightsboro in 1807 and was educated at Emory and Henry College of Athens, Georgia, after which he engaged in merchandising and was also judge of the county court for ten years prior to his removal to Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1852. During his residence in Chattanooga he filled the office of mayor. With the outbreak of the Civil war he became a resident of Geneva, Georgia, where he resided until 1868 and then established his home in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1878 he removed to St. Louis where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1885 when he was seventy-eight years of age. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Rebecca A. Lowe, died in St. Louis in 1883. In their family were five children: Major Henry T. Massengale, who was paymaster in General A. S. Johnston's army of Tennessee; Laura M., the wife of Colonel Ed Burke Pickett; George P., who was adjutant on General Whit- field's staff, serving in the battle of Shiloh, while in the battle of Chickamauga he was badly wounded; Lura, the wife of John S. Knox; and John E., whose name introduces this review.
The last named acquired his early education at Alderhoff Institute on Lookout Moun- tain, Tennessee, and afterward attended the Atlanta (Georgia) College, and for a time was a student at Geneva, Georgia. In 1869 he began his career in connection with steam- boating and served as third clerk on the steamer Umpire on the Cumberland river, be- tween Nashville, Tennessee, and Port Burnside, Kentucky. He also sailed on the Ohio river between Cairo, Illinois, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in 1878 came to St. Louis where he became associated with the St. Louis and New Orleans Company known as the Anchor Line. He first occupied the position of first clerk and later was promoted to captain. In April, 1887, he organized the St. Louis & Tennessee River Packet Com- pany, operating on the Mississippi river to Cairo, Illinois, and the Ohio river to Paducah, Kentucky, and thence up the Tennessee river to Florence, Alabama. He was secretary- treasurer and general manager and later was elected president of the company, which position he still fills. Thus throughout his entire life he has been identified with trans- portation interests of the Mississippi and the rivers which are tributary thereto. At one
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time he was president of the Massengale Lumber Company but at length closed out that business. He is now a director of the Eagle Boat Store Company of St. Louis, also one of the directors of The Peoples Bank of Clifton, Tennessee, but the major part of his time and attention are given to his duties as president of the St. Louis and Ten- nessee River Packet Company.
Mr. Messengale has been married twice. He first wedded Miss Cunningham, a niece of Captain J. M. Smith, the wedding being celebrated in Nashville, Tennessee, in December, 1870. His wife passed away in August, 1880, leaving a son and daughter: Rhea, who is general manager of the line at Paducah, Kentucky; and Sarah, now the wife of R. L. Tillman. For his second wife Mr. Messengale chose Miss Hattie Crane, a daughter of Captain John C. Crane who was an old steamboat man. This marriage occurred in St. Louis, December 13, 1884, and to them have been born three children: Rebecca, now the wife of R. M. Seivers; John E., Jr., living in Chicago; and George P., nineteen years of age, who is now attending the Missouri State University at Columbia. He has become quite an athlete and is a member of the Olympic Association and went to Antwerp for the world's athletic competition.
Mr. Massengale maintains an independent political course. Fraternally he is con- nected with Westgate Lodge, No. 445, A. F. & A. M. He belongs to the Chamber of Com- merce of St. Louis and to the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. He also has membership with the Civic League, the Merchants Exchange, the Traffic Club, the Zoolog- ical Society, and the Steamboat Managers Association and of the last named is chairman of the board. His religious faith is that of the Christian Science church. He is thus. associated with many interests which have to do with the welfare and progress of city and state and has never been loath to give his time and efforts to aid in matters of vital importance to the community. Even in so doing he has found ample time to devote to business affairs and through the capable conduct of his interests has won success and made for himself a creditable position in connection with the transportation interests of the middle west.
JOSEPH C. TOPIC.
Joseph C. Topic, manager for the Aluminum Goods Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, was born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1881. His father, Anton Topic, was a native of Bohemia and came to America when quite young, settling in Wis- consin where he died in 1898. His wife, who in her maidenhood was Mary Hrudtka, was born in Bohemia and was brought to the United States by her parents during her girlhood days. She is still living at the age of sixty-eight years.
Joseph C. Topic obtained his education in the high school of Manitowoc, Wis- consin, where he was graduated with the class of 1898. He started as a clerk in a mercantile store where he was employed for two years and then procured a posi- tion with the Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company of Chicago, Illinois, serving in the capacity of fireman. On leaving that city he went to Detroit, Michigan, where he followed the embalming business for three years, and he also held a position in the government service as postal clerk for six years. He then resigned in order to return to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where he accepted a position with the Aluminum Goods Manufacturing Company, thoroughly learning the business in principle and detail. He has held various positions with this firm and on the 29th of October, 1919, came to St. Louis as plant manager of Plant No. 5. The Aluminum Goods Manufacturing Company make a complete line of aluminum kitchen utensils. This company manufactured several million canteens for gov- ernment use both in the United States and overseas during the World war.
In 1909 Mr. Topic was married in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to Miss Hattie Vits, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Vits. Her father was the founder of the Alumi- num Goods Manufacturing Company, opening a small factory in 1895 and furnish- ing employment to a few men. Under his careful guidance and as the result of his marked business ability the enterprise has constantly increased in volume and importance until today there is a large plant giving employment to fifteen hundred people in Manitowoc and the Company likewise has two plants in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, one in Newark, New Jersey, and one in St. Louis located at Adelaide
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and McKissick avenues, of which plant Mr. Topic is in charge. To him and his wife have been born two daughters, Edith and Amy.
Mr. Topic is a member of the Presbyterian church and his political support is given to the republican party. Fraternally he is a Mason, having membership in the lodge at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and he is always a loyal and worthy follower of the teachings of the craft. He belongs to the Missouri Athletic Association and is highly esteemed by all who know him through business, social or church relations. He stands at all times for progress and improvement and his aid and influence are ever on the side of right and advancement.
MILTON B. STRAUSS.
Milton B. Strauss, president of the Strauss Motor Company of St. Louis, was born on the. 3d of August, 1886, in the city which is now his home, his parents being B. J. and Corinne (Hirsch) Strauss, the former a native of Missouri, while the mother was born in Arkansas. They are still living in St. Louis and the father, now sixty-six years of age, is engaged in the manufacturing business.
Milton B. Strauss was accorded liberal educational opportunities. He attended Smith academy of St. Louis and also the Kemper Military School of Boonville, Missouri, from which institution he was graduated in 1904. He has been identi- fied with the automobile business since 1906 in which year he established business along that line in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he remained until 1910 when he went to Indianapolis, Indiana, as sales manager for the Parry Automobile Com- pany. In 1912 he returned to St. Louis as sales manager for the Moon Motor Car Company and later took up the business of manufacturing motor fire apparatus. At a later date he organized the Lafayette Motor Company and has since changed the name to the Strauss Motor Company of which he is the president. He is like- wise the president of the St. Louis Ford Dealers Association. He handles the Ford car and has built up a business of large and substantial proportions as the result of his unfailing energy, sound judgment and unfaltering determination.
On the 11th of October, 1912, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Mr. Strauss was united in marriage to Miss Ada Weber, a daughter of Joseph Weber of St. Louis, Missouri, and they now have one son, John L. Mr. Strauss belongs to the Sunset Hill Country Club and also to the St. Louis Auto Club. He has become well known through his business associations as well as in social connections in the city of his birth and is today recognized as a very progressive, wide-awake and alert young business man.
MARTIN J. GLASER, M. D.
Dr. Martin J. Glaser, physician and surgeon of St. Louis, was born in Ste. Genevieve county, Missouri, December 28, 1879, a son of Joseph Glaser, a native of Buffalo, New York, and of German descent. The father was a successful farmer and stock raiser but at the time of the Civil war put aside all business and per- sonal considerations and joined the army in defense of the Union. He came to Missouri prior to the Civil war and served with a company from this state through- out the entire period of hostilities. He married Catherine Braun, a native of Ger- many, who was brought to the new world when but a year old by her parents, John and Catherine (Rottler) Braun, the latter still living in St. Louis at the remarkable age of ninety-six years. The Braun family settled in Ste. Genevieve county where Mrs. Glaser was reared, educated and married. To this marriage were born ten children, three sons and seven daughters, and two of the daughters have passed away. The death of the father occurred in 1887 when he was but forty-two years of age and the mother died November 18, 1918, in St. Louis, at the age of sixty- eight years.
Dr. Glaser pursued a public school education in Ste. Genevieve county and later attended Washington University and was also a student in night schools of St. Louis, embracing every opportunity to promote his knowledge because of his
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recognition of its value as a factor in success in later life. He completed a course in the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, winning his Ph. G. degree in 1902 and then in preparation for the practice of medicine he entered the medical department of Washington University and won his M. D. degree in 1906. Following his grad- uation he served for a year in the Washington University Hospital and for two years in the St. Louis City Hospital, thus gaining that broad and valuable expe- rience which is never obtained as quickly and thoroughly in any other way as in hospital practice. He then opened an office for private practice in St. Louis, con- tinuing as a general practitioner until 1918 since which time he has given his attention exclusively to surgery. In 1910 and 1911 he was clinical surgeon and gynecologist at the Washington University Dispensary. He belongs to the St. Louis Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Association and the American Medical Association and is a frequent contributor to the Journal of the last named, his writings establishing him as a prominent representative of the profession.
On the 22d of September, 1910, in St. Louis, Dr. Glaser was married to Miss Lenore M. Histon, a native of this city and a daughter of Daniel and Anna (Rodgers) Histon, the former a native of England while the latter was born in Ireland. Dr. and Mrs. Glaser have one child, Mary Constance, who was born in St. Louis, May 13, 1920. The parents are members of the Immaculate Conception Catholic church and Dr. Glaser belongs to the Knights of Columbus. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he has membership in the Missouri Athletic Association and in the Chamber of Commerce of St. Louis. For three months he was connected with the Military Officers Training Camp at Fort Riley during the World war. His career illustrates clearly what can be accomplished through force of character and laudable ambition.
FREDERICK NEWTON JUDSON.
Frederick Newton Judson was a man of national character, ranking with the most eminent representatives of the American bar, regarded as an authority upon international law, the author of valuable works on taxation, the promoter of reforms in court procedure, and last, but by no means least, vice chairman of the national war labor board. Death ended his notable activities on the 18th of October, 1919, when he had reached the seventy-fourth milestone on life's journey.
Frederick N. Judson was born at St. Mary's, Georgia, October 7, 1845, a son of Dr. Frederick Joseph and Catherine (Chappelle) Judson, who were representatives of old New England families. The son completed his more specifically literary education by graduation with valedictorian honors from Yale University in 1866, at which time the Bachelor of Arts degree was conferred upon him, and in 1869 his alma mater accorded him the Master of Arts degree. He taught for a time at Yale before coming to St. Louis, and entered upon the study of law in the St. Louis Law School, of which he was an alumnus of 1871, receiving then the LL. B. degree. After he had won prominence and high honors in professional circles the University of Missouri conferred upon him the LL. D. degree in 1906, and from Yale he received the same degree in 1907. Following the completion of his law course, in which year he was admitted to the bar, he became private secretary to Governor B. Gratz Brown, so continuing from 1871 until 1873, when he took up the private practice of law, advancing steadily in his chosen profession until he was accounted not only one of the eminent lawyers of St. Louis but of the nation as well. While he remained throughout his life an active member of the bar, he was again and again called upon for important public service. He was from 1880 until 1882 president of the board of education in St. Louis and in 1887 he became the author of legislation which led to the reorganization of the board. His well earned reputation as an able lawyer and the record of his public service made him known throughout the coun- try and he was called to serve the United States in several matters of great im- portance. In 1905 he was made special counsel of the United States in the matter of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad and the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company. This was during the Roosevelt administration and he was associated with Judson Harmon of Cincinnati, later governor of Ohio, as an official investigator into the practice of railroad rebating, an inquiry which had a political aspect owing to the
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