USA > Missouri > Centennial history of Missouri, vol. 1 > Part 20
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In August, 1915, he organized the corporation known as W. J. Knight and Company, consulting engineers, of which he is the president and owner. This company has spacious offices in the Wainwright building and employs a corps
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of efficient engineers and draftsinen. Their specialty is reinforced concrete and structural steel construction. They have been the designers of many of the most important structures in St. Louis and the southwest. Among other buildings for which they have aeted in the capacity of consulting and designing engineers, are the Friedman-Shelby Shoe Company, St. John's Hospital, Barry-Wehmiller Machinery Company, St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum, Milliken Chemical Com- pany Plant, International Fur Exchange, Blackwell-Wielandy Book and Station- ery Company, Mercantile building for D. R. Francis, Esq., and the Bevo Bottling plant which was erected at a cost of four million dollars. Still other structures designed by them are the Hotel Adolphus, the Harris-Lipsitz Furniture Ware- house, the Majestic Theatre and the Dallas County State Bank at Dallas, Texas, the Methodist Hospital at Memphis, Tennessee, the Crystal Palace at Galveston, Texas, the Norfolk Ice and Cold Storage Company at Norfolk, Virginia, and the Merchants Ice and Cold Storage Company at Richmond, Virginia. Thus they have been called to various sections of the country in the execution of important contracts and as a consulting engineer Mr. Knight is most widely known.
On the 28th of October, 1914, Mr. Knight was married to Miss Anita Gaebler of St. Louis, a daughter of Dr. A. N. Gaebler, who was born in this city where his father settled on arriving from Saxony. Dr. Gaebler's mother was a Miss Maxwell and was born in Virginia. Two children have added life and light to the Knight household: James Gaebler, born in 1915; and Ahden Brantley born in 1917. Mr. Knight is a member of the Baptist church, the faith in which he was reared. He never takes active part in polities and casts an independent ballot, regarding the capability of the candidate rather than his political affilia- tion. He finds his principal recreation in fishing, golf, and motoring. Mr. Knight has contributed many articles on design and construction to different engineering publications and recently collaborated with Hool and Johnson as associate editor in the publication of two volumes known as the "Handbook of Building Construction." He is a member of the University Club of St. Louis, the Glen Echo Country Club and the Chamber of Commerce and along profes- sional lines he is a member of the St. Louis Engineers Club, the Chicago Engineers Club and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
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hon. Sam B. Cook
ON. SAM B. COOK, president of the Central Missouri Trust H Company, the leading banking institution of Jefferson City, is not only active in the control of important financial interests, but has in many ways left the impress of his individuality and ability upon the history of the state. Has has at various times been called upon to fill positions of public honor and trust and has recently retired as a member of the state senate. He was born at Front Royal, Virginia, January 11, 1852, a son of William and Sallie (Kelly) Cook, who came to Missouri from the Old Dominion during the early boyhood of their son Sam. They established their home in Washington county, where they lived during the period of the Civil war, but in 1864 removed to Warren county. The father died in the latter county in 1865 and the mother in 1872.
Sam B. Cook, spending his youthful days under the parental roof, acquired his education in the public schools of the different localities in which the family home was maintained. At the age of twenty-six years he was elected sheriff and collector of Warren county and reelected in 1880. In 1885 he removed to Mexico, Audrain county, where he conducted the Intelligencer, figuring for a number of years in newspaper circles of the state. He naturally became deeply interested in the vital political problems before the country and allied himself with the democratic party, of which he has ever been a stanch advocate. In 1895 he sue- ceeded "Coin" Harvey on the national democratic committee work in Chicago under James K. Jones, national chairman, and in 1896 and again in 1898 was chairman of the Missouri state democratie central committee, continuing in that position until 1900. The publie offices which he has filled not only mark him as a leader in democratic ranks in Missouri, but also give evidence of his marked devotion to duty and his patriotie loyalty to every interest of the common- wealth. In 1900 he was elected secretary of state and in 1916 was elected to the state senate for a four years' term. He was made chairman of the committee on penitentiary and reform schools in the session of 1917. On the conclusion of his term as secretary of the state in January, 1905, he was elected president of the Central Missouri Trust Company in Jefferson City, of which he is still the head, this being the leading banking institution of the capital city. In the control of its affairs he displays marked executive force and administrative ability, and his wise management has been a most potent element in the continued growth and success of the business. The bank is capitalized for a hundred and fifty thousand dollars, while its total resources amount to nearly three million dollars. Mr. Cook is now concentrating his entire time and attention upon the interests of the bank, and achievements in this direction place him with the leading repre- sentatives of financial interests in the state.
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Mr. Cook married Miss Ella Howard, a daughter of John A. and Frances Howard of Warren county, and the children of this marriage are: Frances, the wife of Dr. Charles W. Diggs of Columbia, Missouri; and Jessie T., at home with her father. For his second wife Mr. Cook married Olivia Hord, a daughter of Colonel Lewis and Mary F. Hord, of Mexico, Missouri, and they have become parents of two sons: Howard, born November 30, 1889, was educated in the public schools of Mexico and Jefferson City and in the Wentworth Military Academy. He served in the World war, being sent to Camp Lee, Virginia, where he was commissioned captain. He is now vice president of the Central Missouri Trust Company of Jefferson City. On June 4, 1921, Howard was married to Miss Gertrude Shuman ; the younger son, Lewis Hord, born in January, 1892, saw service in France with the American Expeditionary Forces in the World war and was commissioned a lieutenant. He is a graduate of the Uni- versity of Missouri, in which he completed a course in the law department and is now the junior member of the law firm of Dumm & Cook of Jefferson City. Mrs. Cook is a member of the Christian church, in the support of which Mr. Cook also feels a deep interest. They occupy a most enviable social position and in considerable measure Mr. Cook has influenced the interests and activities of the commonwealth through his prominence in business circles. At the present he is concentrating his efforts and attention upon his banking business and his thoroughness and efficiency in this field are shown in the constant development of the important institution under his control.
J.P. Thomy
John P. Chomy
OHN P. THOMY, president of the National Pigment & Chem- ical Company and prominently known in the musical as well as the business circles of St. Louis, was born in Riga, Livonia, June 10, 1880. ITis father, Bernard Thomy, was also a native of Livonia and became a prominent and wealthy grain dealer of Riga, which then belonged to Russia. Ile had large con- tracts for the export of grain, and when the government pro- hibited the exportation of grain during the year 1894, he came to the United States in order to make new contraets on this side of the Atlantic. Not long afterward, however, he became ill and passed away. He had established his home in St. Louis and had become a member of the St. Louis Merchants Exchange. Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Thomy became the parents of eight children, four of whom died in infancy, while two sons and two daughters are living. J
John P. Thomy, the youngest of the family, was educated in the gymnasium of his native city and his training was equivalent to a college education. The parents afforded their children every advantage that money and social position could give them. Such advancement had John P. Thomy made that at the age of fifteen years he was able to secure permission to leave the country for America and in August, 1895, he followed his father to the United States, making his way direct to St. Louis. Here he remained in the employ of Charles F. Orth- wein until 1896 and afterward became connected with the Way Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which he represented on the road for two years, while in 1899 he became general sales manager. In 1900 he was admitted to a partnership in the business conducted under the name of the Way & Lowe Knitting Mills at Bristol, Pennsylvania, and was thus identified with the textile industry until 1905. In that year he returned to St. Louis and became associated with the Hammar Brothers White Lead Company, thus remaining until 1919 as vice president and general manager. In 1913, however, he organ- ized the Thomy Specialty Company, which business he sold in 1914 to the Camp- bell Glass & Paint Company, of which he became vice president and gen manager. In 1919 he disposed of his interests in the Campbell Glass & Paint Company to the Glidden Company of Cleveland, of which he became vice president in charge of their auxiliary plants. On the Ist of January, 1921, the National Pigment & Chemical Company was formed with Mr. Thomy as the president. It is an amalgamation of the Nulsen Corporation, the business of J. C. Finek and the Dehore Baryta Company. Mr. Thomy is an alert and pro- gressive business man, constantly watchful of opportunities pointing to success, and his progressiveness and enterprise have carried him steadily forward.
In Chicago, Illinois, Mr. Thomy was married to Ethel Vera Lawrence, daugh- ter of Carroll and Emma (Collier) Lawrence and granddaughter of Major Collier,
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who was an officer in an Ohio regiment during the Civil war. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomy have been born three children: Lawrence, who is attending the School of Mines at Rolla, Missouri; J. P., a student in the Jackson Academy; and Harriet Elizabeth, who is attending Mary's Institute.
Mr. Thomy finds his chief recreation in music, for which he has a natural taste, having always been a great lover of the art, and he served for several years on the executive board of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He belongs to the Chamber of Commerce, cooperating in its well devised plans for the city's improvement and upbuilding, and is likewise well known in the club circles of the city through bis membership in the Noonday Club, St. Louis Club, Missouri Athletic Association, Sunset Hill Country Club, Algonquin Golf Club, Triple A Club and the Century Boat Club. He is also a member of the Chicago Athletic Association. During the World war he spent his entire time in connection with activities brought about through war conditions and he made liberal subscrip- tions to all war activities. His political endorsement is given to the republican party and his religious faith is that of the Christian Science church. Arriving in the new world when a youth of fifteen years, he soon proved his ability and has since become successful, principally because of his straightforward way of doing business, which has won him not only the confidence but high regard and esteem of his fellowmen. One of his associates said: "He would rather go out of his way to help others than try to profit himself."
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Charles 2). Doltcamp
HARLES W. HOLTCAMP, serving for the fourth term as pro- C bate judge of the city of St. Louis, also identified with im- portant business interests and prominent in Masonic circles as a thirty-third degree member, was born in Decatur, Illinois, September 1, 1859. His father, Charles Holteamp, a native of Germany, was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church for more than sixty years. His mother, Mrs. Catherine Holt- camp, was born in Ohio.
After attending the public schools Charles W. Holteamp continued his educa- tion at Illinois College of Jacksonville, Illinois, and next became a student in the law department of the Washington University in St. Louis, From which he was graduated with the class of 1882. He received the degree of Bachelor of Laws from Washington University upon his graduation from that institution and that of Master of Arts from Illinois College in 1911. Following the com- pletion of his law course he entered upon the active practice of his profession. Through the intervening period he has been closely associated therewith both as a practitioner in the courts and since January. 1907, as judge of the probate eourt of the eity of St. Louis. To this office he has been four times elected for terms of four years each, so that at the close of his present term he will have served in the position for sixteen consecutive years. He has always been a republican in his political views, earnest and active in his work for the party, and from 1899 until 1901 he was a member of the St. Louis municipal assembly.
Aside from his professional and political work Judge Holteamp is known in business eireles as the president of the Blanke-Wenneker Candy Company of St. Louis and as a director and secretary of the Blanke Brother Realty Com- pany of this eity.
On the 22nd of October, 1913, in St. Louis, Missouri, Judge Holteamp was married to Mrs. Anne J. Howard, a daughter of Benjamin H. and Caroline Johnson. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are inter- ested in much that pertains to public welfare.
Judge Holteamp's military record covers service as a member of the Illinois National Guard from 1877 until 1882 and of the Missouri National Guard from 1882 until 1904. He was senior captain of the First Missouri Volunteer Infantry in the war with Spain and lieutenant colonel of the First Infantry National Guard of Missouri from 1899 until 1904. He has long been a prominent figure in Masonie eireles, being a Knight Templar, a member of the Shrine and of the Grotto, Royal Order of Scotland and an honorary thirty-third degree Scottish Rite Mason. He is also identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and belongs to the United Spanish War Veterans and the Military Order of Foreign Wars. Along strictly social lines his connection is with the Missouri
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Athletic Association, the Century Boat Club, the University Club and the Oasis Country ('lub. He is a man of high professional attainments and his capability as probate judge is especially demonstrated through his frequent reelections to office. Besides he has marked qualities which would make for social leadership and his loyalty to any cause which he espouses stands as an unquestioned fact in his career. A prominent attorney of St. Louis made the statement that the reason for Judge Holtcamp's eminent success was his absolute fairness in all things, whether pertaining to court or personal matters. His personality is such as to inspire confidence in all with whom he comes in contact-a confidence which is always strengthened by continued acquaintance, so that he has won inany warm friends and admirers.
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William Emil Sauer, M.D.
D R. WILLIAM EMIL SAUER, a St. Louis physician now lim- iting his practice to diseases of the car, nose and throat, was born in Evansville, Illinois, April 17, 1875. His father, Nicholas Sauer, also a native of that state, belonged to one of the old Illinois families of German descent, the first of the name in America being Philip Sauer, who on crossing the Atlantie made his way at once to Illinois, where he followed farming and stock raising. Nicholas Sauer became a successful flour manu- facturer, carrying on business first at Evansville, Illinois, and later at Cherry- vale, Kansas. He died in Evansville in 1908 at the age of sixty-seven years. It polities he was a republican and took quite an active interest in political and eivie matters, standing at all times for progress and improvement in public affairs. He married Elizabeth Gerlach, who was born in Virginia and belonged to one of the old families of that state of German lineage. She is still living at the old home in Evansville. By her marriage she became the mother of five children, four sons and a daughter: John, residing at Cherryvale, Kansas; Mag- delana, Philip and George, who make their home in Evansville; and William E.
In the acquirement of his education Dr. Sauer attended the public schools of Evansville, the high school at Sparta, Ilinois, and Shurtleff College at Upper Alton, Illinois. Ile next entered the medical department of the Washington University in St. Louis and was graduated in 1896 with the M. D. degree. Following the completion of his studies he served as interne in the Female and City Hospitals in 1896 and 1897 and then entered the City Sanitarium, where he remained in professional work for a year. He next went abroad, spending two years in postgraduate work on diseases of the ear, nose and throat at Heidel- berg, Berlin and Vienna. Following his return he located in St. Louis, where he has since specialized along those lines, and his ability has won him high rank in the field in which he labors. He is now a member of the medical staff of the St. Luke's, Mullanphy and Bethesda Hospitals and is a member of the consulting staff of St. John's and the Jewish Hospitals Throughout his pro- fessional career he has kept in close touch with advanced methods, scientific investigation and continual progress of the profession. He has done this through private reading and study and also through the proceedings of various medical societies with which he is identified. He belongs to the St. Louis, Missouri State and American Medical Associations, the American Otological Society, the American Laryngological Society and the American Laryngological. Otological and Rhinological Society, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Amer- iean Otolaryngological Society and the American College of Surgeons, of which he is a charter member. He has been instructor in clinical laryngology in the Washington University and during the World war he became a captain of the
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medical corps and was instructor in laryngology at the medical officers training camp at Fort Ogelthorpe, Georgia, receiving his honorable discharge on the 20th of January, 1919.
At Sparta, Illinois, December 18, 1901, Dr. Sauer was married to Miss Irene Borders, who was born in Sparta, a daughter of J. J. and Mary (Ritchie) Borders, both of whom have now passed away. Dr. and Mrs. Sauer have one son, William Nicholas, born in St. Louis, July 25, 1908.
The Doctor finds his rest and diversion in hunting, fishing and golf. In polities he maintains an independent course, and religiously he is connected with the Second Presbyterian church, in which he is serving as a deacon. He belongs to Kaskakie Lodge, No. 1, A. F. & A. M., and is a member of a number of the leading clubs and social organizations of St. Louis, including the Uni- versity, St. Louis, St. Louis Country and Bellerive Country Clubs. He is a man of high professional standing, of attractive personal qualities, and his popularity in social circles equals the position which he has attained through his professional acquirements.
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Yes. V. Wandlung &
George R. Wendling, Fr.
EORGE R. WENDLING, JR., of the Myers-Wendling Insur- G ance Company of St. Louis, was born March 9, ISSI, in Bloomington, Illinois. His father, George R. Wendling, was also a native of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Shelby county. He became a prominent attorney of that state and was a member of a constitutional convention of 1870 which framed the organie law of the commonwealth and had the dis- tinetion of being the youngest representative in that body, as he was only twenty- five years of age when elected. He won wide popularity as a lecturer as well as distinction in law practice. For several years he was associated in his pro- fessional activity with Judge Anthony Thornton, at one time chief justice of the state of Illinois. In polities Mr. Wendling was a life long democrat and exerted considerable influence over political affairs in state and nation, yet never sought nor desired publie office. In early manhood he married Josephine Stephenson, a daughter of James Stephenson, who was born in Virginia. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. George R. Wendling. Sr., were two daughters: Mrs. O. W. Catching, of Vieksburg, Mississippi, her husband being a prominent attorney there, and Mrs. William S. Conant, whose husband is a consulting engineer of Detroit, Michigan.
The son of the family, George R. Wendling, Jr., was educated in the public schools of Washington, D. C., and then went to Woodbury Forest, Virginia, where he pursued a course preparatory to entering upon his business career. He afterward continued his studies at Lawrenceville, New Jersey, for four years, and next entered Princeton University, while still later he pursued a special course in the University of Virginia. He was subsequently appointed special agent for the Fidelity & Deposit Company of Maryland, entering into business relations with this company in 1907, since which time he has been connected with the corporation, filling various important positions and offices. For several years past he has been the vice president of the company, which covers in its operations one-half of the territory of Illinois and two-thirds of the state of Missouri, tributary to St. Louis. He is also one of the managers and partners of the London Guarantee & Aceident Company, Limited. He has through his business connections become widely known and his powers have constantly developed, making him a leading faefor in financial circles. Ile has traveled all over the world, establishing branch offices for the company, spending two years in South America and some time in Europe, where as the result of his labors several branch offices have been opened.
On the 19th of November, 1913, in Louisville, Kentucky, Mr. Wendling was married to Miss Jean Bruce Haldeman, a daughter of John Haldeman, owner of the Courier-Journal and Louisville Evening Times of Louisville. Mr. and
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Mrs. Wendling have two daughters, Margaret Buchanan, five years of age; and Ann Haldeman, two years old.
Mr. Wendling is a member of the St. Louis Club, the Racquet Club and the Pendennis Club of Louisville, Kentucky. He likewise belongs to the Cham- ber of Commerce of St. Louis and is a member of St. Peter's Episcopal church of this city. For several years he has been associated with the business interests of St. Louis.
John C. Settle
OHN C. SETTLE, who conducted a contracting and building J business under the firm style of John C. Settle & Company, was a resident of St. Louis from 1897 until his death, which occurred April 17, 1921. He was born in Monroe City, this state, October 3, 1865, his parents being John B. and Mildred A. (Bannister) Settle. The Settle family is of English origin and was founded in America in 1770 by three brothers, one of whom took up his abode in New York and nothing is known about his descend- ants. The, second went to North Carolina and was the founder of a long and illustrious line. To this branch of the family belonged Congressman Thomas Settle of Greensboro, North Carolina. The third brother took up his abode in Virginia and his descendants later went to Kentucky. Congressman Evan Settle, of the latter state, is connected with this branch of the family. John Cooper Settle, an unele of John C. Settle of this review, was at an early day the editor of the Louisville Courier. John B. Settle, father of John C. Settle, was born upon a farm near Monroe City, Missouri, his father having come to this state from Kentucky in the early part of the nineteenth century, at which time the family homestead was established near Monroe City. As the years passed John B. Settle took his place in the business world as a farmer and builder and led an active and useful life, passing away in 1914. His wife was a daughter of James Bannister, who represented a family that was estab- lished in Missouri in the eighteenth century. They were planters and slave- holders. Mrs. Settle passed away three years before the death of her husband, being called to her final rest in 1911.
John C. Settle obtained his education in the public and high schools of Monroe City and also had the benefit of private tutoring in engineering. When twenty years of age he was ready to take his place as a factor in the world's work and when twenty-two years of age he went to Colorado, spending seven years in the building business, a part of the time as a partner of Joseph Saunders and part of the time alone. He then returned to Monroe City and entered into the organization of the Missouri State Life Insurance Company, in which he was associated with four other progressive business men. Ile was thereafter an active factor in the conduet and management of the business until 1897 at Monroe City, at which time he removed to St. Louis and continued his association with the Missouri State Life for two years. In 1899, however, he resumed business as a contractor and builder and continued active in this way through- out the remainder of his life. Ile was at one time a partner of Anton Wind and Jacob Althans, but during the greater part of his connection with the building operations of St. Louis was alone and conducted his interests under the style of J. C. Settle & Company. He erected many of the finest and most important.
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