USA > Missouri > Centennial history of Missouri (the center state) one hundred years in the Union, 1820-1921, Volume V > Part 55
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On the 29th of September, 1914, Mr. Kletzker was united in marriage to Miss Marguerite Millenslayer, a daughter of a prominent florist, who for many years was engaged in business in St. Louis. Mr. and Mrs. Kletzker have two children: Gladys, who was born July 30, 1915; and George R., who was born December 6, 1917. Mr. Kletzker has spent his entire life in St. Louis where he is most widely and favorably known, not only by reason of his business capability and enterprise, but also owing to his social qualities which make for warm friendship wherever he goes. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Advertising Club and other social clubs of St. Louis.
GEORGE WESLEY WESTBROOK, M. D.
Dr. George Wesley Westbrook, physician and surgeon of St. Louis, was born in Williamson county, Illinois, June 8, 1861, his parents being Lewis and Elizabeth (Baldwin) Westbrook, both of whom were natives of Illinois, the former having been born October 15, 1828, while May 8, 1835, was the natal day of the mother. Both have now passed away, the father's death occurring October 20, 1916, while Mrs. Westbrook was called to her final rest in 1907. They were the parents of four sons and three daughters.
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Dr. Westbrook, the fourth member of the family, obtained his early education in the public schools of his native state, and afterward attended the Southern Illinois Univer- 'sity at Carbondale, Illinois, where he was graduated and then took up teaching in Wil- liamson county, Illinois, where he taught for twelve years. He thus acquired broad literary knowledge to serve as a foundation upon which to build the superstructure of his professional education. He became a student in the American Medical College of St. Louis and won his M. D. degree upon graduation with the class of 1897. He then located for practice in St. Louis where he has since remained and has now for twenty-four years successfully followed his profession, doing excellent work as a phy- sician and surgeon. He belongs to the St. Louis Medical Society and to the State and National Eclectic Societies.
On the 8th of December, 1908, in St. Louis Dr. Westbrook was married to Miss Mayme Ann Goebel, a daughter of Frederick and Alice Goebel, who died during the infancy of their daughter. In his political views Dr. Westbrook is a democrat. He has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking but during the World war served on the Medical Board. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias, the Owls and the Eagles and for eighteen years has been medical examiner for the Knights of Pythias. He finds his recreation in hunting, fishing, baseball and boxing, and realizes the value and worth of athletics and manly sports as a factor in maintain- ing an evenly balanced physicial development. He is conscientious and capable in the performance of all of his duties and is notably careful in the diagnosis of his cases.
JAMES ELMER BALL.
James Elmer Ball, a prominent member of the St. Louis bar and now attor- ney for the Anti-Saloon League of Missouri, was born March 17, 1882, at Moberly, Missouri, and is a son of James Edgar and Sarah L. Ball. The father's family is a branch of the Ball family of England, founded in the United States in an early day. Settlement was made in Virginia, and Mary Ball, who became the mother of George Washington, belonged to this branch of the family. From Virginia represen- tatives of the name went to Kentucky and thence to Missouri. The mother of James Elmer Ball came of Scotch-Irish origin and among the members of her family was James Knox Polk, one of the presidents of the United States.
James Elmer Ball attended the public and high schools of Moberly, Missouri, where he was graduated with the class of 1900. He entered upon the study of law in the office of his uncle, Dan V. Herider, at Slater, Missouri, and also pursued his studies under the tutelage of the Hon. A. B. Chamier, of Moberly, reading law after work hours for six years. The method in which he prepared for the bar indicated the elemental strength of his character and those who have watched his career from his early life have no doubt as to his future success. He was admitted to the bar October 19, 1906, by the state board of law examiners. In the meantime, at the age of eighteen years, he had taken up teaching in the district schools near Moberly and was thus identified with educational interests through two terms, having charge of the White school and the Kimberly school. He was afterward employed as a rail- road accountant for the Wabash Railroad and continued in that work until admitted to the bar. While reading law at night for a period of six years he conducted much original research work in such subjects as corporations, real property and insurance. He was not long in gaining recognition as an able lawyer and on the 1st of January, 1907, was made city attorney of Moberly, being twice elected to the office and serving until April 15, 1911. While filling that position he conducted the first investigation in Missouri under the utilities enabling act of 1907 and succeeded in putting the gas, electric and water companies under proper regulations with franchises that were fair to the people. He also revised the ordinances of the city of Moberly, which are known as the Revised Ordinances of the City of Moberly of 1910. While prac- ticing law there he was also interested in business affairs, becoming manager of the Hamilton Abstract Company, in which position he remained for five years, also was secretary and counsel of the Victor Agency Company, a large real estate, loan and insurance agency, for five years.
Soon after leaving the city attorney's office Mr. Ball took a very active part in a local option election against the saloons. The liquor interests attempted to boy-
J. ELMER BALL
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cott him with the other drys and they formed an organization known as the White Circle-a secret organization of the drys, which was designed and used to protect the interests of the temperance element and eliminate such evils as gambling, pros- titution and drinking. The success of this organization while he was president of it attracted the attenion of the state leaders in the temperance cause and in 1917 he was chosen executive secretary of the Citizens Dry Alliance-a combination of all the temperance forces of Missouri. Soon after this he was made state attorney of the Missouri Anti-Saloon League and is now so employed, serving for the second term in that position. During the fiftieth general assembly of Missouri he repre- sented the temperance forces of the state before that body, it being a part of his duties to prepare the prohibition enforcement act, which came to be known as the "bone-dry" bill.
On the 21st of June, 1904, at Virginia, Illinois, Mr. Ball was married to Miss Edith A. Turner, a daughter of W. T. and Alice R. Turner. Their children are Marjorie and Kathryn Ball, aged respectively eleven and seven years. Mr. Ball is a democrat in his political views and fraternally he is connected with the Masons and the Knights of Pythias, in both of which he has held office, serving as worship- ful master of Moberly Lodge, No. 344, A. F. & A. M., in the year 1913 and as chan- cellor commander of Olive Branch Lodge, No. 25, K. P., for the year 1917. He he- longs to the Christian church and his entire life has been actuated by the most hon- orable and progressive motives, while his interest in his fellowmen has made him an earnest worker in connection with the anti-saloon interests of the state.
GEORGE X. RUEGGER.
George X. Ruegger, manager of the Marine insurance department for the firm of W. H. Markham & Company of St. Louis, was born in Highland, Illinois, June 27, 1867. His father, George Ruegger, a native of Switzerland, was born near the beauti- ful city of Luzerne in 1820 and in 1840 came to America, being then a young man of twenty years. He settled first in Highland, Illinois, and became quite actively inter- ested in politics there, serving as sheriff of Madison county during the period of the Civil war. He married Josephine Durer, who came from Switzerland at the age of nine years, in 1839, with a party that settled in Highland, Illinois, where a Swiss colony was established. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ruegger was there celebrated and they became the parents of five children, three sons and two daughters, of whom George X. is the youngest. The death of Mr. Ruegger occurred in 1869 and after sev- eral years of widowhood Mrs. Ruegger became the wife of Timothy Gruaz, a prom- inent real estate and insurance dealer who was also a recognized leader in political circles. He died in 1904, while his wife survived until 1908.
George X. Ruegger is indebted to the public school system of Highland, Illinois, for the educational opportunities which he enjoyed in his youth. While attending school he also worked for his stepfather in his insurance and real estate office and at eighteen years of age he was apprenticed to learn the trade of flour milling. In 1888 he went to Chicago where he engaged in the tailoring business and in 1889 he returned to East St. Louis where he opened a real estate and insurance office, thus returning to the line of activity in which he had previously had thorough experience. He continued in East St. Louis until 1901 when he crossed the river to the larger metropolitan city and was associated with F. C. Case in the insurance business until the firm retired in 1902. He then became associated with W. H. Markham & Company and was later made manager of the marine department of their extensive insurance agency. With this important connection he has since continued and is regarded as a most prominent representative of insurance in this city.
In 1913 Mr. Ruegger was married in St. Louis to Mrs. Mary Young (nee O'Leary), who by her former marriage had two children. Mr. Ruegger is a correspondent of the Board of Underwriters of New York and surveyor of the National Board of Marine Underwriters, having charge of the Mississippi river district north of Memphis. His political endorsement is given to the democratic party and fraternally he is connected with Highland Lodge, No. 583, A. F. & A. M .; and Highland Chapter, No. 169, R. A. M. He is likewise a member of the Highland Gymnasium Society and of the Helvetia Sharp- shooters. His parents came on both side of the family of teachers and instructors in
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Switzerland. His own course has been in harmony with the record of an honored ances- try and throughout the period of his residence in the new world he has made steady progress by reason of his ability, his resourcefulness and his utilization of every oppor- tunity that has come his way.
GEORGE W. RUDDELL, M. D.
Dr. George W. Ruddell, devoting his attention to surgical practice in St. Louis, was born in Corydon, Iowa, October 17, 1872. His father, William Ruddell, was a successful farmer of Iowa and passed away in 1919. The mother, who bore the maiden name of Margaret George, was a representative of an old American family. Her first husband, Mr. Case, died while serving his country in the Civil war, he and four of his brothers being soldiers of the Union army. In Bethlehem, Iowa, Mrs. Case became the wife of William Ruddell and to this marriage there were born five children, three sons and two daughters: Nora, who is now the wife of Grant Markley, a resident of Millerton, Iowa; James, a farmer of Corydon, Iowa, who married Grace Dotts; George W., of this review; Albert, a farmer of Corydon, Iowa, who wedded Cora Blakley; and Nancy, the wife of Charles McMurry, also a resident of Corydon.
Dr. Ruddell obtained his education in the country schools of his native state, in an Iowa high school and in the Central University at Pella, Iowa, from which he was graduated in 1900 with the Bachelor of Science degree. He then determined upon a professional career and deciding to engage in medical practice he matriculated in the Barnes Medical College of St. Louis, in which he pursued a four years' course that was completed by his graduation in 1904 with the M. D. degree. He served for a year as interne in the Seminary Hospital during the last year of his college work, this being allowed because of his advanced standing and the credits which he had already won in his professional studies. In 1904 he entered upon active practice, specializing in surgery with offices at Page and Taylor streets in St. Louis. Later he removed to the Delmar building and then to his present location in the Lister building where he has remained for the past two years, specializing in general surgery in which he has been very successful. He had charge of the teaching of surgery in the National University from 1911 until 1913 inclusive. In the latter year the Washington Uni- versity conferred upon him the degree of Master of Surgery.
On the 2d of March, 1916, at St. Charles, Missouri, Dr. Ruddell was married to Miss Mildred Hill. He is a Protestant in religious belief and politically maintains an independent course. He belongs to the Automobile Club and to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. During the war he was on the list waiting to serve but had not been called for active duty when the armistice was signed. Along professional lines he has connection with the St. Louis Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Association and the American Medical Association and through their proceedings keeps in touch with the most advanced thought and activity of the profession and employs the most scientific methods in his surgery.
FRANK L. DITTMEIER.
Frank L. Dittmeier is connected with various important business interests, being at the head of a number of corporations which are operating extensively in St. Louis and also in oil fields in various sections of the country. He is the president of the Frank L. Dittmeier Real Estate Company of this city and in that connection has built up a business of substantial proportions, while his other financial and commercial interests are being developed with equal rapidity and success.
Mr. Dittmeier is a native son of St. Louis, born March 12, 1886, his parents being Nicholas and Mary (Korb) Dittmeier, the former now deceased, while the latter is still living. The father was a merchant tailor who conducted a substantial business for many years. The family numbered four children: Lottie, Frank L., Alfreida and Walter.
Frank L. Dittmeier attended the public and parochial schools of St. Louis and also a business college and when fourteen years of age became connected with the
FRANK L. DITTMEIER
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real estate business as a stenographer in the office of the F. Vogel Real Estate Com- pany. After about eight years spent in the employ of that firm he started out on his own account, opening a real estate office at No. 616 Chestnut street and later purchasing the Vogel interests and establishing larger quarters at No. 624 Chestnut street. He succeeded Charles F. Vogel as the president of the business, which is now carried on under the name of the Frank L. Dittmeier Real Estate Company. They not only handle property but are also doing business as financial agents and they make rent collections and loans and also handle insurance. The company is capitalized for fifty thousand dollars and annually promotes a large number of sales. Mr. Dittmeier is also the president of the Reserve Realty Company, which is capital- ized for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and is the president of the Vogel Real Estate Company, capitalized for fifty thousand dollars. He has also become interested in oil development and is the president of the Missouri Oil Corporation and the St. Louis Oil Corporation, the former having a capital stock of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and the latter of fifty thousand dollars. His oil interests are in Oklahoma and Texas properties and leases.
Mr. Dittmeier was married February 1, 1910, to Miss Mary P. McHenry, a daugh- ter of Michael McHenry, a well known resident of St. Louis, who for thirty-three years was employed in the city hall. Mrs. Dittmeier is a college graduate and an accomplished pianist. By her marriage she has become the mother of five children: Mary F., Rose R., Frank L., Jr., Marcella and Eugene.
In politics Mr. Dittmeier is a stalwart republican and is keenly interested in the questions and issues of the day. He belongs to the Roman Catholic church and is a member of Kendrick Council of the Knights of Columbus. He is also con- nected with the Chamber of Commerce and in both business and public relations has contributed to the welfare and progress of St. Louis. His real estate activities have been a source of general benefit and improvement as well as of individual suc- cess, and in the O'Fallon Park district he was instrumental in securing the intro- duction of improvements to the value of ten million dollars and to the sum of one million dollars in the famous Henry Shaw tract. He is an extremely busy man, alert and energetic at all times, and his activities have brought results that are most satisfying, gaining for him an enviable position among the most substantial real estate men of his native city.
EDGAR P. MADORIE.
If one were to characterize Edgar P. Madorie's life work in a single sentence it might be done by saying that he is a man who never stops short of the successful accomplishment of his purpose. This has been manifest not only in his business career but in his efforts for the public good and his labors in both connections have been far-reaching and resultant. He has done important public work of a varied char- acter and at the same time has long maintained a prominent position as a leading contractor and builder of Kansas City. He was born in Kenton, Ohio, in August, 1876, and is the eldest son in a family of five children whose parents were Henry and Martha (Clark) Madorie. The father was born in Kenton, Ohio, in 1852, was reared on a
farm and in young manhood took up carpenter work, while later he engaged in con- tracting and building on his own account. In 1890 he removed with his family to Chicago, where he resided until 1894. He then returned to Kenton, Ohio, where the following year was passed, at the end of which time he came with his family to Kan- sas City, Missouri, and continued in the contracting business here to the time of his death in 1917. His wife, who was born in Kenton, Ohio, in 1857, passed away in 1920. It was in 1875 that she became the wife of Henry Madorie.
Edgar P. Madorie, their eldest son, was educated in the common schools of Ken- ton but had no opportunities beyond that. As a boy he was full of energy and ambitious to make money. At the age of nine he cared for cows both before and after school hours, thus earning seventy-five cents per week, and through the summer months from 1885 until 1889 he worked on buildings for his father, piling lumber and helping to lay shingles, flooring, etc. During berry seasons he went into the country and picked wild berries for his mother to can for the winter. He was fond of birds and animals, always having a flock of pigeons and a hutch of rabbits on hand and selling them as
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a means of making money. In the spring of 1889 he secured a position in a lock fac- tory, thus serving through the winter months when his father thought he was attend- ing school. In that factory he obtained a general knowledge of the manufacture of interior building hardware. Early in 1890 he went to Chicago with his parents and on the second day after his arrival there secured a position in an implement factory in which he was employed for a year, being transferred from one department to an- other and finally winning promotion to the position of assistant to the general superintendent.
Mr. Madorie made friends with his employers and in 1891 when announcing his intention of leaving he was offered a position in any department of the factory he was capable of filling if he would stay in the company's employ, but this did not tempt him and he accepted a position as a city salesman with a wholesale grocery house, taking a former salesman's territory. The returns of his work brought him additional territory which he comhed thoroughly and his success as a salesman was noticed by a hay and grain dealer who offered him a position as general salesman at an increased salary. This he accepted and from that time on opportunities for making money seemed to him plentiful. In 1892 he was induced to accept a position in a large ornamental sheet metal stamping works and there remained until fall, when he concluded to go into business on his own account, taking contracts for lathing buildings. In that work he continued until 1894, when he returned with his parents to Kenton, Ohio, where he secured em- ployment in a fence and tail works. In this plant he gained a general knowledge of all kinds of ornamental iron work and retained the position until the spring of 1895 when he came with his parents to Kansas City and entered the building business in the employ of his father. He became interested in this business and took up the study of archi- tecture, devoting nights and Sundays to study and reading along that line, while the day- time was devoted to carpenter work. He soon gained a practical knowledge of all kinds of building construction by doing the actual work himself, such as laying brick, setting steel, making and pouring concrete and erecting all kinds of exterior and interior woodwork. He continued his constant study for a period of ten years, many a night fall- ing asleep in his chair and over his drawing board, his mother coming into his room, waking him and making him go to bed.
In 1904 Mr. Madorie was admitted to a partnership by his father under the firm name of H. Madorie & Son, contractors and builders, his duties being estimating and submitting bids for contracts. He was a constant observer of huildings and grasped every opportunity to learn the technical end of architecture. He soon began to make plans and specifications for small homes, apartments and business buildings for friends whom he could induce to give contracts to the firm, the firm's policy being that plans and specifications should cost nothing where they did the building. Mr. Madorie made details for all of the exterior and interior woodwork on their buildings and these were worked out in a planing mill which they had added to their business. In 1895 the firm began to take contracts for interior woodwork exclusively and continued this until 1907 when Edgar P. Madorie severed his relations with his father and took up architecture. His first contract was the designing of the interior of a barber shop and thereafter many small homes, apartments and business buildings were given over to him. He has a thorough knowledge of interior painting, tinting and decorating and has made a special study of color effects. As the years have passed his developing powers have brought him to a place of prominence as an architect and builder. He has to his credit several prominent buildings which stand as monuments to his ability as an architect, including the Kansas City Tuberculosis Hospital, situated on the municipal farm. This is of Spanish design, was built by convict labor and is a model of its kind. He also was the architect and builder of the general office building of the Prairie Oil & Gas Company at Independence, Kansas, which has ornamental features of the Egyptian period and repre- sents an expenditure of a half million dollars. Another is the new Twelfth Street Theatre, including all interior decorations which are strictly of the Pompeian period, while the building is a model moving picture house costing one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. He was the architect and builder of the Peking Cafe at Twelfth and McGee streets, a Chinese restaurant of Americanized Chinese architecture, erected at a cost of one hundred thousand dollars. The Kansas City sub-police station, of strictly Spanish architecture, is his handiwork and also the residence of George T. Hall, a half mile south of Liberty, Missouri, which was built at a cost of seventy-five thousand dollars. It is of New England colonial design and Mr. Madorie was in full charge and designed the interior decorations, including the illumination, furniture and all draperies,
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and also the landscaping of the grounds. The residence of H. R. McLain at Excelsior Springs, Missouri, erected at a cost of sixty thousand dollars and designed in accordance with the American period accredited to Frank Lloyd Wright of Chicago, is the work of Mr. Madorie. He was likewise given the contract for the residence of W. C. Appleby of Fayetteville, Arkansas, a one-story southern colonial home, which is a reproduction of an old colonial home erected in that city before the Civil war. This home will have the bullet holes that pierced through the doors and walls by the Federal and Confederate soldiers reproduced as they appeared bofore the old structure was demolished, and the home is being built at a cost of fifty thousand dollars. Other work of Mr. Madorie in- cludes the Kansas City coffin factory, which is a model factory building representing an expenditure of four hundred thousand dollars.
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