History of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. : from the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1915 biographical sketches of noted citizens, living and dead, Part 36

Author: McDonald, Elwood L., 1869- , comp; King, W. J., comp
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: St. Joseph, Mo : Midland Printing Co.
Number of Pages: 604


USA > Missouri > Buchanan County > St Joseph > History of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. : from the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1915 biographical sketches of noted citizens, living and dead > Part 36


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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of which he was secretary and treas- urer for seventeen years, resigning in 1912. He has also been United States jury commissioner for seventeen years.


In the spring of 1912, Mr. Pfeiffer was again nominated for mayor and this time was successful, defeating A. P. Clayton who had held the office for two terms. Mr. Pfeiffer brought to his administration as chief exec- utive of the city the same sterling business principles that had character- ized his conduct of his private affairs and their impress were soon felt in the municipality. His manner of con- ducting public business was the same as though he alone were interested. This fact became known to the people soon after he was installed in office.


Certain public matters which had their inception in a previous adminis- tration-notably the proposed park and boulevard system-met with radical opposition among one element of the taxpayers and because of this an effort was made to invoke the re- call law-a new feature added to the charter of the city of St. Joseph a few years previous. Notwithstanding the bitter opposition to the parks the effort to recall Mayor Pfeiffer failed and he was signally successful at the recall election. He very properly considers this one of the highest com- pliments ever paid him by his fellow townsmen.


L. FISCHER SR., at 423 Main street has, by integrity, fugality and pains- taking effort, built up a bakery busi- ness that has few equals and no su- perior in St. Joseph. He has been in his present location for many years and his long service in behalf of his customers is the best testimonial to his efficiency in catering to their needs. He sells nothing but first- class goods and the first maxim on his list is "treat everybody right."


MULVANE'S PHOTOS have a repu- tation for quality that is not excelled anywhere. His studio at 81012 Fred- erick avenue is one of the best ap- pointed in the city. His instruments and equipment are the best that money can buy and he has been in the business long enough to know how to use them. When photos come sure from Mulvane's they are to please.


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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH


THOMPSON E. POTTER, M. D., was born in Clinton County, Mo., De- cember 18, 1849, and is the son of Thomas and Hessa (Smith) Potter. His maternal grandfather was Thomp-


son Smith, prominently identified with the early history of Missouri. Until his 16th year, Dr. Potter at- tended the common schools, and then entered McGee College, located near Macon City. After graduating, he be- gan teaching, and took up the study


Medical College of St. Joseph, which position he held for many years, and which he resigned because of his rapidly increasing practice. From 1882 to 1886 he was one of the sur- geons of the Hannibal & St. Joseph railroad, and in 1883 he was, though a Democrat, appointed by President Arthur as a member of the pension examining board for the Third con- gressional district. Dr. Potter located in St. Joseph in 1887, and has


THOMPSON E. POTTER. M. D.


of medicine. Overcoming almost in- surmountable obstacles he entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadel- phia, in the fall of 1873, and grad- uated in March, 1875, taking a prize for the best thesis. Directly after graduating Dr. Potter returned to Missouri and located at Cameron, where he remained for about eleven years, building up a large and lu- crative practice. While living at Cameron, he was called to the chair of physiology and diseases of the ner- .vous system, in the Northwestern


achieved both success and fame in his profession. He was identified with the Northwestern Medical College for some years after coming here, and withdrew to become one of the found- ers of the Central Medical College. In 1880 he founded the Western Medical and Surgical Reporter, which he edited for some years.


In 1905 the Central Medical College was merged with the Ensworth and Dr. Potter held the chair of surgery in the consolidated school.


He is secretary of the Board of


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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH


Trustees and Faculty of the Ensworth Deaconess Hospital Association. He has held, at different times, the chairs of surgery in the Northwestern Cen- tral and Ensworth Medical Colleges.


In his early struggles he received every encouragement and sympathy from his mother, a woman remarka- ble for her energy and lofty ambi- tion, for her nobility of purpose and strength of character, and he naturally feels proud when he sees in his suc- cessful present the fruition of her prophecies and his hopes.


versity Medical College in Kansas


City five years. He graduated from that institution in 1893. He then took a full course in Rush Medical College in Chicago and received a diploma there in 1900. He specialized in Chi- cago for two years, during part of which time he did post graduate work in the Chicago Polyclinic. After be- ing in the general practice in Oregon for about fifteen years he took up specialty work again in 1914. He spent nearly two years in this work studying in Tulane University in New


DR. WILLARD C. PROUD


-Photo by Mulvane.


DR. WILLARD C. PROUD, eye, ear, nose and throat specialist, with offices in the Tootle-Lemon Bank Building, is a native of Missouri. He was born in Oregon, June 28, 1873, and is the son of C. O. Proud, one of the most prominent citizens of Holt County. Dr. Proud received his early. education in the public and high schools of Oregon. Then he studied pharmacy and medicine in the Uni-


Orleans, and the best institutions in Vienna, London and New York, re- turning a few months ago and locating in St. Joseph. He has worked in nearly all of the prominent hospitals in the country and has been excep- tionally successful. He was married in Oregon, Mo., November 11, 1896, to Miss Alice Kunkel. They have three children, Kathleen, Genieve and O'Neil.


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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH


EMANUEL F. HARTELL was born near the city of Altoona, in Hunting- ton (not Blair) County, Pennsylvania. His boyhood days were passed in the vicinity, where during the winter months he attended the best schools in the county and city; the summer months were spent in working on farms and assisting his father in his trade as carpenter and joiner in which he became quite proficient, when he entered the service of the


ing his lot with the Eight Ohio Vol- unteer Veteran Cavalry, in which regiment he served until it was mus- tered out of the service.


In August, 1866, he moved to


Southeastern Missouri, among the


"Ozarks" and engaged in the lumber business, but not finding it profitable he returned to Covington, Ohio, where he was married to Miss Mary E. Wise, three daughters being the fruit of this . union.


EMANUEL F. HARTZELL


Pennsylvania Railroad Company.


In October, 1863, he removed with


his


parents


to


Covington,


Miami


County, Ohio, where he enlisted in the United States army. His time hav- ing expired in the fall of 1864, he was mustered out of the service and again accepted a position in the service of the railroad company at Altoona, Pennsylvania; but meeting with an accident he resigned his position and returned to his parents in Ohio. After his recovery, in the spring of 1865, he re-enlisted in the army, cast-


In November, 1869, he returned to Missouri and settled at St. Joseph where he first engaged in the business of contracting and building, and later traveled four years in the interest of the Forsythe Scale Company, located at Waukegan, Illinois. He then en- gaged in the fire insurance business which he has followed successfully for the last twenty-eight years. He has never sought or held any public of- fice, always declining to allow his name to be used for this purpose. While intensely patriotic as an


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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH


American citizen, he is not a partizan, and does not care for the turmoil and excitement of politics-caring more for the successful administration of public affairs than for party politics. Two of his daughters are married and live in St. Joseph. The eldest, Sallie V., is the wife of Charles A. Batson, and Elsie B., is the wife of Gustave E. Hees, while the youngest, Miss Bertha D., lives with her parents.


Dearborn street as a dock hand for a year. In 1869 he went to Batavia, Ill., and engaged in the lime business for a period of four years. In 1873 he went to Kansas City and engaged in the milk business, remaining there four years. He came to St. Joseph in 1878 and again took up the busi- ness of selling milk, establishing what is now the Western Dairy and Ice Cream Company. He has done much


JOHN HANAFIN


JOHN HANAFIN, retired milk man, located at 218 South Fifth street, was born in New Fair, Niogro County, New York, December 20, 1836. His education was received in the town of his birth. In 1850 he went with his parents to Wisconsin where he lived fourteen years, following the avoca- tion of a farmer. In 1865 he enlisted in Company B, 48th Wisconsin and was mustered out at Leavenworth, Kas., Feb. 14, 1866, and was dis- charged in Madison, Wis., March 1, 1866. After leaving the army he went to Chicago and worked at the foot of


to assist in the growth and develop- ment of the city and is one of its most honored and respected citizens.


J. W. CLINE, 1918 St. Joseph ave- nue, is one of the best jewelers and opticians in St. Joseph. He offers his trade the services of a competent men at prices perceptibly lower than is charged down town. He is out of the high rent district and gives his patrons the advantage of it. He has a good line of watches, jewelry and spectacles.


BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH


359


WILLIAM H. UTZ, for twenty-five years one of the successful members of the St. Joseph bar, as a lawyer, has gained a distinctive place, has been prominent in civic affairs in St. Jo- seph and Buchanan County, and by his own career and the associations of his family since pioneer days bas a representative place in the history of Northwest Missouri.


William H. Utz was born in Craw- ford Township of Buchanan County,


of the successful lawyers for a quar- ter of a century. Always an active supporter of the Democratic interests he cast his first vote for Grover Cleveland, and was assistant prosecut- ing attorney for Buchanan County in 1895 and 1896. For six years he served as a member of the Board of Police Commissioners in St. Joseph, having been appointed by Governor Dockery.


On May 15, 1902, Mr. Utz married


WILLIAM' H. UTZ -Photo by Mulvane.


and acquired his early education by attending the rural schools of Bu- chanan County, was for one year a student in the Central College at Fay- ette, taught a year in the interim at Lone Star, and then entered the State University at Columbia, which grad- uated him LLL. B., in 1889. In July of the same year he was admitted to the bar before Judge Silas Woodson of the criminal court, and began practice at St. Joseph, where he has been one


Alice A. Henry, who is a native of St. Louis. Their three children are Mary Elizabeth, Alice Ruth, and Wil- liam H. Mr. Utz and wife are mem- bers of the Francis Street M. E. Church, South. His fraternal affilia- tions are with Zerdatha Lodge, No. 189, A. F. & A. M .; Mitchell Chapter, No. 89, R. A. M .; Hugh de Payne Com- mandery, No. 51, K. T .; St. Joseph Council No. 9, R. & S .; Moila Temple of the Mystic Shrine; St. Joseph Chap-


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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH


ter No. 189, O. E. S .; Araphoe Tribe, No. 26. I. O. R. M .; St. Joseph Aerie, No. 49, F. O. E .; and St. Joseph Lodge No. 135, I. O. T. M.


DR. JACOB GEIGER, one of the leading surgeons of the west, has been a leading figure in the develop- ment of the medical profession in St. Josph. His practice is confined to surgery and he has been exceptionally successful throughout the many years he has been practicing as a specialist.


ing year he was graduated from Bryant's Business College. He then worked as a weighmaster in a packing house, reading medicine the mean- time under the tutorage of Dr. Galen E. Bishop. He continued his studies while clerking in a drug store for a few years. He practiced medicine from 1868 to 1870 and then entered the medical department of the Univer- sity of Louisville, from which he was graduated in 1872. He engaged in the


DR. JACOB GEIGERĀ®


Dr. Geiger was born in Wurtem- berg, Germany, July 25, 1848, and is a son of Anton and Marie. G. (Eber- hart) Geiger. He came


with his mother to America and located in Illinois in 1856. In the spring of 1858 the family moved to Brown County, Kansas, where the mother died the fol- lowing November. Jacob then came to St. Joseph and worked for a dairy- man until 1860, when he moved to Illinois, where he received part of his education. He returned to St. Joseph in 1865 and worked as a clerk in his brother's grocery store. The follow-


general practice of medicine in St. Joseph and since 1890 has made a specialty of surgery. Dr. Geiger was one of the organizers of the St. Jo- seph Hospital Medical College, in which institution he filled the chair of anatomy. He helped organize the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1880 and after the consolidation of the two institutions in 1883 held the chair of surgery. He was dean of the faculty until 1889, when the name of the college was changed to the Ens- worth. In 1890 he was one of the organizers of the Marion Sims Medi-


BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH


361


cal College of St. Louis and was elected to the chair of surgery. He started the Medical Herald in 1887 and is identified with numerous medi- cal societies and organizations.


Dr. Geiger was married in 1887 to Miss Louise Kollatz. In recent years he has taken a commendable interest in the material development of his home town. He built a few years ago one of the most modern and palatial residences in the city at


ceived a common school education in his native state. When he was 14 years old nis parents moved to Nebraska, locating in Oboe County. In 1877 he moved to Harlan County, Nebraska and located in Republican City where he studied medicine with Dr. H. S. Zumro for a period of four years. He graduated from the Ens- worth Medical College in 1882. He practiced in Bancroft, Daviess County twelve years and in Gilman City until


DR. WILLIAM SWINT


-Photo by Mulvane.


Twenty-fifth street and Frederick ave- nue. The St. Francis Hotel at Sixth and Francis streets is another monu- ment to his enterprise and pushing public spirit. Various other business enterprises have been assisted by him. His office is at 614 Francis street. Politically Dr. Geiger is a Republican, fraternally a Mason and religiously a Presbyterian.


DR. WILLIAM SWINT (in German Schwindt), is a native of Pennsylvania and was born Nov. 18, 1850. He re-


1910. He took a special course in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of St. Louis in 1884. In 1908 he re- ceived a diploma from the Kansas City Post Graduate Medical School and Hospital. He moved to St. Jo- seph in 1910 and took the chair of Professor of Medicine in the Ensworth Medical College. He was married to Miss Sarah Brown of Missouri in Ne- braska in 1870. They have a son and two daughters. He is a Mason, Odd Fellow. K. of P. and Woodman of the World.


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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH


ALPHA WIGGLESFORTH TOOLE was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, October 28, 1862. Received his edu- cation in the public schools and high school of St. Joseph and Bryant's College, is an expert bookkeeper and accountant; was for twenty years manager of the Wood Mfg. Co., one of the largest manufacturers of clothing in the country, is a staunch Republi- can, is now assistant treasurer of St. Joseph, is a member of the Sons of


The Toole family was one of the pioneer families of Missouri, consist- ing of four brothers, Edwin, Walter, Daniel, William and three sisters, America, Nancy and Mary, sons and daughters of Dr. Daniel Toole, of Christiansburg, Shelby County, Ken- tucky. All came to Missouri and had large families. Edwin, born in 1808, married Lucinda Porter, and came to St. Joseph in 1887, was appointed by Austin A. King, first Circuit Clerk of


-


ALPHA WIGGLESFORTH TOOLE


-- Photo by Mulvane.


the Revolution, Modern Brotherhood of America, Lincoln Club and Com- merce Club. Married in 1891, Miss Anna Egner, daughter of Charles Egner of St. Joseph, two children by this union, Leslie, a son born in 1893, Erma a daughter born in 1895. Mrs. Toole died in 1904. Mr. Toole mar- ried his second wife, Miss Maude Cur- tis in 1910, a daughter of Ben F. Cur- tis of Doniphan County, Kansas; a daughter Vivian born in 1912 by this union.


Buchanan County in 1839, was a Justice in 1860 and in the City Coun- cil in 1871-1873. Edwin moved to Montana; one son, Joseph K. was elected governor of Montana, married a daughter of Gen. Rosecrans, and another son, Warren, became a noted railroad lawyer.


Reverend Walter Toole, born . in 1820, married Virginia Lyle, settled at Macon, Missouri, and was a noted cir- cuit preacher in the South Methodist Church.


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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH


Reverend Daniel Toole was born in 1822, married Lydia Rookwood, set- tled at Bloomington, Missouri, and was also a South Methodist preacher. America Toole born in 1812, mar- ried John Bramel.


Nancy Toole born in 1814, married Robert Barkhurst.


Mary Toole born in 1824, married Wm. Woods.


Judge Wm. C. Toole, the father of A. W. Toole, came to St. Joseph in June, 1838, from Shelby County, Kentucky, where he was born in 1818. On arriving here he went to Joseph Robidoux' house to stay all night. Robidoux not having any extra beds gave him some buffalo robes and told him to roll up on the floor in front of the fireplace. Judge Toole killed wolves on the spot where the Metro- pole Hotel now stands and was chased by a band of Indians between St. Joseph and Savannah. Attended the first court held here, joined the Methodist Church in 1836; was or- dained a minister in 1838; was char- ter member and preached in the first log church here in 1841.


In 1841 he married Miss Elvira Wigglesworth and had ten children.


Was


trustee


appointed


to


collect


money from the state to start the schools here, was superintendent of city and county schools before the war, admitted to the bar in 1848; judge of the Court of Common Pleas 1853-55, and 1870-73, city register 1856-65, city recorder 1862-64. When recorder fined Joseph Robidoux for striking his daughter-in-law; was cir- cuit clerk 1862-64, city assesser 1855- 56; 1st Lt. enrolled Mo. Militia, Co. G, assistant provost marshall 1862-63; afterwards appointed brigade com- missary with rank of major by Gen. Hall, assistant post master in 1876, ran for mayor in 1880. In 1849 he drove an ox team all the way to Cali- fornia without swearing an oath. In 1908 he was presented with a gold headed cane by the bar of St. Joseph, on his 90th birthday, as their oldest member. Judge Toole died in St. Jo- seph, February 17, 1909, aged 91


years.


Dr. Daniel Toole, the father of the Toole families of Missouri, was born in Virginia in 1775, died in Savannah, Missouri, in 1850. He was the son of Wm. Toole of Culpeper County, Vir- ginia, a planter and Revolutionary


soldier. Wm. Toole's wife was Ann Roberts, daughter of Major Wm. Rob- erts, who commanded four companies in the Revolution; his son Roberts, was also a major in the Virginia Con- tinental Artillery. The Toole family trace their lineage back over a thousand years through the Colonial families of Virginia, through the Milesian line of Irish kings to King Tuathal (pronounced too-all) of Ire- land, whence the name.


Mr. A. W. Toole's mother was El- vira Wigglesworth, born in 1820 in Clark County, Kentucky, married Judge Wm. C. Toole in 1841, died in St. Joseph in 1899. She was a daugh- ter of Wm. Wigglesworth, son of James Wigglesworth of Spottsylvania County, Virginia, planter and Revolu- tionary soldier, whose wife was a daughter of Wm. Thompson of Rich- mond, Virginia, son of Samuel, son of Wm. Thompson of Blair Manor, Ayr- shire, Scotland. This Wm. Thompson of Richmond had a son, Gen. David Thompson, who was in the war of 1812, and was commander of the 2nd battalion at the battle at the River Thames in Canada, where Tecumsen was killed. Col. Manlius V. Thomp- son, son of Gen. David was colonel of the 3rd Kentucky Volunteers in the war with Mexico, was in the battle of Beuna Vista and the fall of the City of Mexico, was Lt. Gov. of Ken- tucky in 1840. President of the Bap- tist College at Georgetown, Kentucky. His body lies buried in the college campus where an elegant monument is erected to his memory. Gen. David Thompson moved to Missouri in 1833. This Wm. Thompson of Richmond, Virginia, married Ann Rodes, daugh- ter of John Rodes, of Amhurst County, Va., who is third in descent from Baron Francis Rodes of England. John Rodes' wife was Mary Crawford, daughter of Capt. David Crawford of Amhurst County, Virginia, who lived to be 100 years old and belonged to the Earls of Crawford of Scotland. Francis Crawford, wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt belongs to this family.


The Wigglesworth family are old English stock from the town of Wig- glesworth in Yorkshire, England. Edward born in 1604 in England came to America in ship James of Bristol in 1638, with his family; his son Michael was known as the Puritan Poet, author of "The Day of Doom"


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BUCHANAN COUNTY


which had a larger circulation than the Bible in its day. Michael's son Edward was professor of divinity at Harvard College; a grandson Edward also a professor at Harvard; a great- grandson one of the editors of the Encyclopedia Americana. Eleven sons of the Wigglesworth family were graduates of Harvard College. John Quincy Adams stayed at the Wiggles- worth home while attending Harvard girls. The Wigglesworth branch runs back to Abbot De Wigglesworth in the year 1100.


Mr. A. W. Toole's grandmother was Frances Bush, born 1789 in Clark County, Ky., wife of Wm. Wiggles- worth and died in St. Joseph in 1870; was the daughter of Phillip Bush Jr., a Virginia planter and Revolutionary soldier of Orange County, Virginia. The Bush family was the first to set- tle in Kentucky. Wm. Bush came to Kentucky with Daniel Boone in 1774, then went back and gathered together forty families, all relations, including the families of the five brothers, Phillip Bush, Wm. Bush, John Bush, Ambrose and Francis Bush, and started back to Kentucky in 1780, fighting Indians every step until they reached the garden spot of Kentucky called Clark County. They were all Baptists and built the first church in Kentucky. Captain Wm. Bush was with Gen. Geo. Roger Clark in the conquest of the northwest, fought at Kaskaskia and Vincennes. William and John were in Lord Dunmore's war with the Indians and fought at Point Pleasant; all of the brothers were in the Revolution. On the tomb- stone at the grave of Capt. Wm. Bush is engraved these words, "The Friend and Companion of Daniel Boone." The Bush family descend from John Bush who came from England in the ship Neptune in 1618, having bought 300 acres of land from the Virginia Land Company in England before starting. He settled in the corpora- tion of Elizabeth City, Virginia.


Sarah Bush, cousin of Frances Bush, was the second wife of Thomas Lincoln, the father of Abraham Lin- coln, made his clothes and reared him and taught him to be one of the great- est men in the world. Abe's mother, Nancy Hanks, died when Abe was nine years old.


Dennis Hanks, brother of Nancy, gives Sarah Bush great praise in the rearing of Abe.


AND ST. JOSEPH


Mr. A. W. Toole's great-grand- mother was Frances Vivian, wife of Phillip Bush Jr. ,and daughter of Col. John Vivian No. 4, a Revolutionary soldier of Orange County, Virginia, who came to Kentucky with his family in 1780 at the close of the Revolution. The Vivian family is of great antiquity in the County of Cornwall, England and flourished there for seven centur- ies.


Lord Vivian is


of this branch. Frances Vivian is sixth in descent through the Thacker family from Col. Edwin Conway, who was born in 1610 in Worcestershire, England, and came to America with his wife Martha Eltonhead in 1640 and settled in Lan- caster County, Virginia. The Conway blood traces through the historic families of Virginia. Nellie Conway, daughter of Francis Conway, was the wife of James Madison Sr., and was the mother of President James Madi- son Jr. James Madison Sr. is a cousin to President Zachory Taylor, . his daughter Sarah Taylor married Jeff Davis. Mary Conway, daughter of Edwin 2nd married Major James Ball, the cousin of Mary Ball, mother of Geo. Washington. Major James Ball's grandson, Lieut. ol. Burgess Ball, marired Frances Washington, daugh- ter of Charles Washington, the brother of eGorge Washington. The Conway family descend from Sir Henry Conway of Ragley, from whom the Lords Conway descend.


PAT WELTY, whose place of busi- ness is at the corner of Third and Franklin streets, enjoys the patronage of those who insist on getting the best for their money. No one knows bet- ter than Pat how to cater to the de- mands of his customers. His busi- ness is on a most substantial basis as a result of strict adherence to this policy. His wines and liquors are al- ways well kept and, like his cigars and tobaccos, are always first-class.




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