USA > Missouri > Centennial history of Missouri, vol. 1 > Part 19
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Torian D. Dichols, D.D.
was a native of Moscow, Mississippi, and a representative of an old southern family. She became the mother of six children, four sons and two daughters.
Dr. Nichols of this review, the fourth in order of birth in the family, was educated in the public schools of Quincy, Illinois, and of De Soto, Missouri. His first line of work was railroading and his first employment was in connection with the construction of ten miles of road for the Frisco system between Red Fork and Sapulpa, Oklahoma. While thus engaged he made the first discoveries of oil in that locality. This he called to the attention of others, speaking to men whom he thought might make use of his discovery, but they treated the subject with indifference, remarking that outside of Pennsylvania no such thing as oil was to be found. From his first railroad position Dr. Nichols worked his way upward until he became assistant general baggage agent at Springfield, Missouri, where he resided, in the employ of the Frisco system from 1887 until 1901. In the latter year he removed to St. Louis, taking up his abode here in the month of October. He accepted a position with the Terminal railroad and afterward entered the transportation department of the Wabash Railroad at St. Louis, continuing with that corporation until March 31, 1905, when, having determined to enter upon a professional career, he matriculated in the College of Osteopathy at Kirksville, Missouri, entering the last two years class to be graduated from that college. He completed his course in June, 1907, and returning to St. Louis, opened an office in the Frisco building, in which he has since continuously and successfully fol- lowed his profession, building up a large and growing practice as the years have gone by. He is a member of the National Association of Osteopaths, also the State and St. Louis Associations and of the last named served as president for four years from 1908 until 1912.
On the 2d of November, 1897, Dr. Nichols was married in St. Louis to Miss Ethel Gray, a native of Springfield, Missouri, a daughter of Dr. William G. and Caroline (McCluer) Gray, the former a prominent physician of Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have become the parents of four children: Florence, born in Springfield, April 7, 1900; Caroline, who was born in Springfield, July 16, 1901, and died in St. Louis May 20, 1912; Adrian D., born in St. Louis November 24, 1903; and Wilma Gray, born in Kirksville, Missouri, October 9, 1905. Mrs. Nichols is a direct descendant in the maternal line of General Greene of Revolu- tionary war fame.
Dr. Nichols and his wife are members of Cabanne Methodist church, South, and in his political belief he is a republican, stanchly supporting the party. He is today one of the oldest osteopathie practitioners of St. Louis, having for thirteen years followed the profession in this city and throughout the intervening period his ability has been attested in the large practice which has been accorded him.
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henry Greve
ENRY GREVE, a member of Governor Hyde's staff and one H of the prominent business men of St. Louis, has made his home in this city since 1875 and through the intervening period his steady progress and advancement along business lines have brought him to a place of prominence and dis- tinction, for he is now sole owner and president of the John Wahl commission Company and is also a director of the Liberty-Central Trust Company. A native of Germany, he was born in Velen, Westphalia, on the 6th of March, 1856, his parents being Henry and Maria Anna (Brueggemann) Greve, who were also natives of Germany, where the father engaged extensively and successfully in dealing in live stock.
Liberal educational advantages were accorded Henry Greve, who attended the public and high schools of his native country and afterward became a student in the University of Coesfeld in Westphalia. His liberal training constituted the foundation upon which has been built his later success. America, "the land of opportunity," attracted him in 1873, and bidding adieu to friends and native country, he sailed for the new world, first taking up his abode in Dyersville, Iowa, where he initiated his business career by accepting a clerkship in a general store. He afterward removed to Quiney, Illinois, where he was again connected with mercantile interests and later resided for a time in Helena, Montana, and in San Francisco, California.
The year 1875 witnessed the arrival of Mr. Greve in St. Louis, where he has since made his home, and as the years have passed he has gained a place among the prominent forceful and resourceful business men of the city. He here engaged in the dry goods business for a period of five years, representing New York manufacturers and jobbers, and in 1881 became connected with the John Wahl Commission Company, grain commission merchants, now specializing in pig lead and zine, their trade in lead and zine scarcely being surpassed by any enterprise of the kind in the United States. In 1890 Mr. Greve became the vice president and general manager of the company, while today he is sole owner of the business and chief executive officer, having since 1910 been the president. The thoroughness with which he studied and mastered the business, leading to the development of ability, now enables him most wisely to control the affairs of the corporation, the metal sales of which aggregate twenty-five million dollars. In directing its policy and promoting its trade Mr. Greve has displayed marked administrative ability and executive control and he is recognized as a dynamic force in the commercial world. His sound judgment guides him in everything he undertakes and his enterprise surmounts all difficulties and obstacles that arise in connection with the business.
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Denry Greve
On the 29th of December, 1881, Mr. Greve was married to Miss Josephine Wahl, of St. Louis, daughter of John Wahl, who was the president of the John Wahl Commission Company and who was one of the organizers and early presi- dents of the German Savings Institution, now the Liberty-Central Trust Com- pany. Mrs. Greve passed away October 3, 1919, mourned by all who knew her. Her death was indeed the occasion of deep and widespread regret to many friends as well as to her immediate family. Mr. and Mrs. Greve had traveled life's journey together for thirty-seven years and theirs was largely an ideal companion- ship, so that the death of his wife has been an almost unbearable blow to Mr. Greve. She was a woman of most charitable disposition and was continually extending a helping hand to those who needed assistance, yet her kindness and benevolence were of the most unostentatious character. Her tact enabled her to know just how to approach each individual and thus the recipients of her bounty never lost their self-respect through accepting her generosity. To Mr. and Mrs. Greve were born five children: Edwin Joseph, who is now treasurer of the John Wahl Commission Company, married Cecil Francis Brown, a daughter of George W. and Anna Brown of Cherokee, Kansas, and they have one daughter, Gloria Joan, born January 13, 1920; Robert Francis, secretary of the John Wahl Commission Company, married Bertha K. Trorlicht, daughter of Henry A. and Alice Trorlicht, of St. Louis. Elizabeth, the only daughter, usually known to her friends as Bessie, makes her home with her father. She greatly enjoys travel and has been abroad on several occasions, visiting various points of the world. John Henry, the oldest son, died at the age of five years, and Henry Wahl Greve, the youngest son, died at the age of three years.
Mr. Greve is a man of splendid physique and of striking appearance and personality. He is a great lover of all outdoor sports and keeps in splendid condition at all times through his outdoor exercise. He has long displayed great fondness for fine horses and owns what is conceded to be the finest saddle horse in the state of Missouri, called Forest Park. Mr. Greve can be seen a'most daily riding him through the park of the same name. He also greatly enjoys aquatic sports and is a good swimmer. He is very popular in club circles, holding membership in the St. Louis Club, the Missouri Athletic Association and the Sunset Hill Country Club. He is likewise a member of the St. Louis Merchants Exchange and in New York has a membership in the Siwanoy Country Club.
Mr. Greve belongs to the Catholic Church and is noted in Catholic eireles for his philanthropy and generous support to many benevolent projects. He presented to the St. Louis Cathedral the archbishop's throne at the altar and gave the organ to the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes. While he belongs to the Catholic church, his good deeds are not confined alone thereto, for he supports many worthy causes. He is a member of Governor Hyde's staff, which bespeaks the esteem in which he is held by the new republican governor of Missouri. He is a world-wide traveler and is especially familiar with the points of modern and historic interest and of seenie beauty in Europe. His social spirit makes him a most congenial companion, and he is a broad-minded man with whom association means expansion and elevation, while his business record is of inspirational value to the world.
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Walter C. G. Kirchner, M.D.
ASHINGTON UNIVERSITY is the alma mater of many of W the ablest physicians and surgeons of St. Louis, men who have enjoyed the thorough training of that school and in their profession have won advancement by reason of their thorough ability and skill. In the field of surgery Dr. Walter C. G. Kirchner is well known and Missouri is therefore proud to number him among her native sons. He was born in St. Charles, July 14, 1875, and is a son of Dr. Henry A. Kirchner, who was a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and was of German descent, the grandfather being Dr. Henry C. A. Kirchner, who became the founder of the American branch of the family. He was not only a physician and surgeon, but was also a graduate in chemistry and pharmacy and was one of the founders of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Later he completed his medical course in the old St. Louis Medical College and here resided to the time of his death, actively engaged in practice for many years, passing away in 1902, at the advanced age of eighty-seven. His son, Dr. Henry A. Kirchner, was reared and educated in St. Louis and was graduated from the St. Louis Medical College, after which he devoted his time to professional duties until death ended his labors. He began practice in St. Charles, where he remained until 1881 and then returned to St. Louis, where he successfully followed his profession throughout his remaining days. He was born in 1850 and had therefore attained the age of sixty-one years when called to his final rest in 1911. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Caroline Schneider. was born in St. Louis, a daughter of F. A. H. Schneider, who was of German birth and came to this city in 1849. He had been condemned to death in Ger- many because of his writings and attitude against German political measures then in vogue and in support of the principles of freedom and democracy. Accord- ingly he had to flee from his native country and sought a haven in "the land of the free and the home of the brave." He was an editor, devoting his attention to journalism, and was also the author of French and German works dealing largely with government reforms. His daughter, Mrs. Kirchner, was reared and edu- cated in St. Louis, where she still makes her home. By her marriage she became the mother of two children, the younger being Elida, the wife of Hon. Hugo Muench, one of the leading jurists of St. Louis.
The son, Dr. Walter C. G. Kirchner, after completing a course in the Central high school of St. Louis, attended Washington University, from which he was graduated A. B. in 1897. He then took up the study of medicine, pursuing a four years' course and winning his M. D. degree in 1901. Following his gradua- tion he served for one year as junior interne in the City Hospital and for one year as senior interne, and when Dr. John Young Brown became superintendent of the hospital Dr. Kirchner was made assistant superintendent, continuing to
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Walter C. G. Kirchner, H.D.
fill that position for four years. He was then appointed by Mayor Rolla Wells as superintendent and surgeon in charge and continued to act in that capacity for three years or until 1910, when a new charter changed the mode of appoint- ments. During Dr. Kirchner's term the hospital was much improved and placed upon a modern basis. He had traveled and visited the principal hospitals throughout the United States and as a result was instrumental in bringing about many reforms and improvements in the institution. He also initiated a regular visiting staff, a course not previously followed.
After severing his public professional connections Dr. Kirchner traveled abroad, visiting and studying in the principal surgical centers of Italy, France, Austria, Germany and England. He thus acquainted himself with the advanced methods followed by leading physicians and surgeons of London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna and Rome. He spent one year abroad, engaged in study and research work, and then returned to St. Louis, where he entered upon private practice as a surgeon, in which branch of the profession he has since been engaged. In 1911 he became a member of the visiting staff in surgery of the St. Louis City Hospital and has served in that connection through the intervening years. He is also on the consulting staff of St. John's Hospital and is connected with the Washington University Unit at the City Hospital in surgery. His name is widely known throughout the country by reason of his contributions to leading medical journals and he is the author of a work entitled "Acute Abdominal Surgery," soon to be published. His professional membership relations are many, for he is identified with the St. Louis Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Association, the American Medical Association, the Association of Surgeons of St. Louis, and is a fellow of the following national societies: the Southern Surgical & Gynecological Society, the American College of Surgeons, the American Association of Obstetricians, Gynecologists & Abdominal Surgeons and is an ex-president of the City Hospital Alumni Association.
Dr. Kirchner's professional ability enabled him to render valuable service to his country during the World war. He was on duty with the American Expedi- tionary Force in France from February, 1918, until August 8, 1919, and was honorably discharged at that date with the rank of major. He had previously served as vice-president and member of the St. Louis Officers Medical Reserve Corps, U. S. A. In addition to all of his other professional activities Dr. Kirchner served as assistant bacteriologist of the health department of St. Louis from 1899 until 1901 and was instructor in bacteriology in the medical department of the Washington University in 1903.
On the 15th of September, 1915, Dr. Kirchner was married in Ravinia, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, to Miss Margery Scheel Rosing, a native of that state and a daughter of Ulric and Anna Rosing.
Politically Dr. Kirchner maintains an independent course. His appreciation of the social amenities of life is indicated in his membership in the University and City Clubs. Always a resident of Missouri, he is well known in the state and has gained professional prominence and distinction. "To the manner born," both his father and grandfather having been physicians, he has so directed his efforts as to keep in touch with the advanced thought and scientific methods of the profession and guided by high purposes has made for himself a creditable name and place as a physician and surgeon of St. Louis.
august G. Tönnies
August G. Connies
A
UGUST G. TONNIES, president of the Colorprint Label Company of St. Louis, was born January 13, 1844, in Welsede, in the Province of Hanover, Germany, a son of Christian and Susanna (Hovenkohl) Tonnies. The father was a forester and spent his entire life in his native land. Both he and his wife were born in Duingen, Germany, and in 1850 removed to Dissen, Germany.
August G. Tonnies was educated in the public schools of Duingen, Aschendorf and Rothenfelde and also the high school at Dissen, and while a student in the last named institution specialized in the study of foreign languages, becoming proficient in English, French, Latin and other tongues. In 1858, at the age of fourteen years, he came to America, making his way direct to St. Louis, where he arrived on the 28th of September. On the 27th of March, 1859, he secured employment in the book store of John W. MeIntyre and later entered the same line of business on his own account, continuing successfully in that field until 1875, his store being located at the corner of 14th and Clinton streets. On the 24th of October of the latter year be became manager of the Eden Publishing House at Eighteenth and Chouteau avenue, successfully conducting the affairs of the business for twenty years. This company was engaged in the publication of religious books for the Evangelical Synod. Since 1910 Mr. Tonnies has been president of the Colorprint Label Company which he organized and which is one of the largest of the kind in the west. They turn out work of the highest degree of skill and efficiency and their patronage is now very extensive.
On the 11th of April, 1867, in St. Louis, Mr. Tonnies was married to Miss Henrietta Louisa Peters, a native of Rothenfelde, Germany. They have become parents of six sons and two daughters: Fred L. : George F., deceased ; August II .; Susanna W .; Henrietta; Louis G., who has passed away ; Alfred K .; and Harry A.
Mr. Tonnies is a member of the Evangelical Deaconess Home and Hospital Society. In politics he is a stanch republican, having for many years supported the party. His military service was with the Missouri Militia from 1962 until 1864 as a member of Company B and of Company F of the Eleventh Missouri Regiment. He is much interested in philately or stamp collecting. and has a very fine display of stamps from every corner of the globe. For almost two- thirds of a century Mr. Tonnies has been a resident of St. Louis, sixty-three years having passed since he came to the city, a poor boy but with courage and deter- mination bravely to face conditions of life and make the best of his opportunities. Thomas Arnold has said. "The difference between one boy and another lies not so much in talent as in energy." The latter quality Mr. Tonnies possessed in large measure and his untiring industry has carried him steadily forward, in-
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August 5. Connies
dustry that has been guided by the sound judgment that comes from wide experience, so that today he is ranked with the successful men of St. Louis and is controlling one of the important printing establishments of the city in which he is a large stockholder.
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James F. Clancy, A. D.
NE of the young professional men of St. Louis who has gained O distinetion in his special line is Dr. James F. Clancy, who has established himself as a skilled and successful surgeon. His life record stands in contradistinction of the old adage that a prophet is not without honor save in his own country, for he is a native son of St. Louis, his birth having here occurred September 28, 1886. His parents, James B. and Mary A. (McDonald) Clancy, were natives of Ireland, the former born in Cork and the latter in County Mayo. In young manhood and womanhood they came to the United States, settling in St. Louis where they were subsequently married and still reside.
Dr. Clancy was educated in the Catholic parochial schools and in the St. Louis University, from which he received his M. D. degree in 1912. In the previous year he had been appointed interne at St. Mary's Hospital and his last year's medical study was pursued in that institution. He served an interneship of two years and for a similar period was resident physician of St. Mary's Hospital. In July, 1915, he opened an office in South St. Louis at the corner of Cherokee street and Michigan avenue for the private practice of medieine and for general surgical work. In June, 1918, he was called to service in the European war and in July of that year sailed for France, being attached to the surgical staff of the base hospital at Nevers, France. In January, 1919, he was transferred to the army of occupation at Coblenz, Germany, and there remained to the time of his discharge in June, 1919. He had been commissioned lieutenant and three days after his discharge his commission as captain reached him, after having followed him from point to point through France and Germany since the previous March.
Upon his return to St. Louis Captain Clancy opened an office on the Ist of July, 1919. His establishment is situated at Nos. 836-7 University Chib building and is equipped in a most modern manner for the conduct of a practice in general surgery, to which he now confines his attention. He is on the staff of St. Mary's Hospital and also is a representative of the anatomical and pathological depart- ments of the St. Louis University. Within a very brief period he has established himself among the skilled and successful surgeons of St. Louis and his powers are developing rapidly, bringing him to a place in the front rank of the representa- tives of the profession in this city. He belongs to the St. Louis Medical Society, the St. Louis Surgical Clinie, the Missouri State Medical Society and the American Medical Association and is a member of the Catholic Hospital Associa- tion of the United States and Canada.
Dr. Clancy was reared in the Catholie faith and has always been identified with the church. He belongs to the Knights of Columbus, his membership
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James F. Clancy, H.D.
being with Missouri Council, No. 858. Along strictly social lines he is con- neeted with the Western Rowing Club and the Triple A Club, the Amateur Athletic Association and the University Club. His interest, however, centers in his professional duties. While he most willingly responded to the country's call for aid in the great World war he at the same time profited much by his wide experience on the other side of the Atlantic and his comprehensive studies at home have placed him in a position where he is well qualified to take charge of most important professional duties. His practice is steadily increasing and his position has become an enviable one.
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Walter Joseph Knight
ALTER JOSEPH KNIGIIT, a consulting engineer of St. Louis, W was born in Evergreen, Alabama, July 14, 1882. The paternal grandparents were also natives of that state. The Knight family comes of English ancestry. The grandfather met death by drowning in the Alabama river while a passenger on a boat which was wrecked and from which there were no sur- vivors. James V. Knight, the father, who is also a native of Alabama, is still living in that state. During the most of his life he has devoted his attention to general merchandising as a wholesale dealer. Ile was but sixteen years of age when he enlisted for service in the Confederate army. He fought with the southern forees for four years and was under the direet command of General Lee when the latter surrendered at Appomattox Court House on the 9th of April. During the latter part of his service he was a scout and was twice wounded in action. He married Mary T. Brantley, a daughter of Brigadier General W. F. Brantley of the Confederate army, who was a distinguished lawyer of Maeon, Mississippi, and was subsequently assassinated during the performance of professional duty.
Walter Joseph Knight acquired his early education in the Mobile high school and was a member of the class of 1899. He then entered the Alabama Poly- technie Institute, Auburn, Alabama, and was graduated in 1903 with the degree of Bachelor of Science in civil engineering. He next entered the Eastman Busi- ness College of Poughkeepsie, New York, where he pursued a general commercial course, specializing in banking. After leaving the business college he was em- ployed by the Midland Valley Railroad Company and assisted in the preliminary and location surveys of its lines from Fort Worth, Arkansas, to Wichita, Kansas. He was compelled to leave this service through illness brought on by exposure while in the line of his duty. He then went to Washington, D. C., where he was associated with the bridge department of the District of Columbia, his work there consisting chiefly in the designing of conerete arehes and steel trusses and also embraced general engineering work pertaining to the design and construe- tion of many bridges. In the latter part of 1908 he left the national capital and removed to St. Louis where he became chief engineer for the Gilsonite C'on- struction Company, a corporation engaged exclusively in the construction of reinforced concrete structures. He remained with that company until August, 1913, when he organized a corporation known as the Bergendahl-Knight Com- pany with offices at both St. Louis and Chicago, Mr. Knight dividing his time between the two eities.
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