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 45
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EDMOND J. ECKEL, architect, was. born in Strasboarg, Alsace, France, June 22, 1845. He studied architec- ture in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, where he graduated in 1868. He came to America, landing in St. Jo-
Baldness Studie
EDMOND J. ECKEL
tive practice since coming to St. Jo- seph. For several years after 1897 he was attorney for the county col- lector and for
seph 'July 3, 1869. He at once ob- tained employment as a draughtsman. with the firm of Stigers & Boettner, becoming a partner in 1872. In 1880; the firm became Eckel & Mann, and in 1892 it was dissolved, Mr. Eckel continuing the business. In 1910 he- associated himself with his son, Geo. R. Eckel, and Will S. Aldrich, the firm name now being Eckel & Aldrich.
a long time was connected with the faculty of the Ensworth Medical College, as lecturer on medical jurisprudence. In 1906 he was appointed to membership on the state board for the examination of ap- plicants for admission to the bar. He was elected judge of the circuit court, Some of the finest structures in this
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and other large cities were designed
by Mr. Eckel. He was married in
1875 to Miss M. L. Schroers, who bore him four children.
WILLIAM A. BODENHAUSEN, clothier, of the Derge-Bodenhausen Clothing Company, 621-623 Felix Street, is a native of Missouri. He was born in St. Joseph October 25, 1870, and was educated in the public schools of the city. In 1890 he at- tended the Iowa Wesleyan University
er serving two years he resigned. He was third vice-president of the Com- merce Club at its inception and served on the board of directors the second year of its existence. He has been on some of the most important commit- tees of that organization ever since. Mr. Bodenhausen began his business career with the John S. Brittain Dry Goods Company. After a connection with that firm of fourteen years he en- gaged in the retail clothing business
WILLIAM A. BODENHAUSEN
at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. He was elected to the city council from the First ward in 1899; two years later he was elect- ed a member of the first board of pub- lic works in St. Joseph. The law creating this board was held invalid by the supreme court. In 1904 he was appointed to the board of public works, as at present constituted. Aft-
with the firm of Perkins & Derge, then located at Fourth and Felix Streets. Later the style of the firm was changed to the Derge-Bodenhaus- en Clothing Company. Fraternally he is a Mason, K. of P., Moose, Elk and Odd Fellow. Mr. Bodenhausen was married September 15, 1903, to Miss Clara Bauman of St. Joseph.
W, D. WEBB
SAFE! W. H. GORDON
W. A. BODENHAUSEN
BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
485
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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
H. E. MOOERS is a native of Vir- once left the city to enter the field of country newspaper work as owner and publisher, in which he was en- gaged for over twenty-two years, his last venture being at Florence, Ala., where he published the Florence Her- ald for five years. ginia, coming to St. Joseph in 1883 from his birthplace in Charles City County. For four years he made his home with his aunt, Mrs. C. P. Kings- bury, and worked in the Kingsbury printing plant at 408 Felix Street. In 1886 he became a member of the old During all of this timethe call of St. Joseph was sounding in the ears of Mr. Mooers, and in 1909 he obeyed the summons and moved back to this Board of Trade, located at Third and Edmond streets, Mr. W. D. B. Motter being the secretary. Mr. Mooers had the distinction of being the youngest . city. At the time he left he possessed
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H. E. MOOERS
member of the club at that time. Dur- ing the time of his stay in St. Joseph he was an active worker in the Y. M. C. A., then located at the northwest corner of Fifth and Edmond streets, now occupied by a saloon. J. W. Han- sel was the secretary. He was a mem- ber of Christ Church, and took an active part in its affairs, being. one of the ushers.
In 1887 Mr. Mooers married Miss Mary E. Crowley, the then youngest daughter of Judge and Mrs. Thomas M. Crowley of Andrew County, and at
only a wife and a stout heart, and he brought back with him a family of two sons and two daughters, the daughters and one son now being mar- ried, with homes of their own.
Soon after his return to St. Joseph, Mr. Mooers accepted the position of manager of the Trust Book & Credit Company, which he retained until February 15, 1914, when he resigned to accept the position of industrial commissioner of the Commerce club, which position he now holds. In this work he has been remarkably suc-
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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
cessful, having been instrumental in bringing a number of valuable indus- tries to the city, as well as assisting materially in the upbuilding and prog- ress of St. Joseph, in which he has had the hearty co-operation of a live committee.
Mr. Mooers has always been asso- ciated with the Northwest Missouri Press Association ever since his start- ing in the newspaper work, and is now a member of the local associa-
St. Joseph, was born February 7, 1832, in Jassamine County, Kentucky, and is a great-great-grandson of Jacob Sodowski (as the name was spelled in the early days), who was the founder of Sandusky, Ohio. The sub- ject of this sketch attended the rural schools when young, and on the home farm learned the various branches of agriculture. He came to St. Joseph in 1855, when this city was on the extreme frontier. He worked on a
OLIVER A. SANDUSKY, SR.
tion. He is a member of the Francis Street Methodist Church, a member of the board of stewards, chairman of ushers, and in charge of the public comfort of the church.
Mr. Mooers is a booster for St. Jo- seph, first, last and all the time, and can ever be found in the forefront of everything pertaining to the growth, progress and upbuilding of the city.
OLIVER A. SANDUSKY, SR., a re- tired and respected business man of
farm in Andrew County for a time, and after his marriage to Serelda A. Potter, in 1857, he took up farming as an occupation. In a few years they were owners of a well-stocked farm. Mr. Sandusky enlisted in Company M of the Ninth Regiment, Union army, in 1863, was captured at Glasgow, Mo., paroled at St. Louis, and was honor- ably discharged at the end of the war. He immediately returned to this city and opened a grocery store. In 1867
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he embarked in the fruit and prod- uce business and built up an exten- sive and profitable trade. He retired from active business in -1913.
Mr. and Mrs. Sandusky have no children of their own, but have brought up and educated a nephew and a niece. The nephew, Oliver A. Sandusky, Jr., is now a business man in St. Joseph, and the niece, now Mrs. James S. Polk, also lives in the city.
Mr. and Mrs. Sandusky celebrated
. Jamesport, Mo. He came to St. Jo- seph in :1906 and has been connected with some of the leading wholesale and retail drug houses in the city. He has been largely instrumental in ·bringing the city health department up to its present state of efficiency, being considered one of the most tact- ful men who ever held the position of clerk of that department. Fraternally Mr. Harrington is a Mason and an Elk. He is unmarried.
WILLIAM E. HARRINGTON
their golden wedding in 1907. They are members of the Francis Street Methodist Church.
WILLIAM ELLIS HARRINGTON, clerk of the board of health, was born in Christian county, Illinois, Sept. 14, 1881. He was reared on a farm and came with his parents to Missouri when a lad. After receiving his edu- cation he took up the study of phar- macy in 1900, and later engaged in the drug business in King City and - can, one of the pioneers in Platte
ALBERT B. DUNCAN, judge of the probate court- and one of the promi- nent members of the Buchanan County bar, was born in a log house in Green township, Platte County, Missouri, April 17, 1862. He is a lin- eal descendant of John Duncan, a Scotchman who immigrated to Vir- « ginia at an early date and founded one of the best families of that common- wealth. His father, Richard F. Dun-
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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
county, was born in Culpepper County, Virginia. His mother, whose maiden name was Sara A. St. John, was born in Platte County, Missouri.
graduated in June, 1886, with the de- gree of A. B. He came to St. Joseph the same year and associated himself with the law firm of Woodson &
AV. Jean
Judge Duncan was educated in the public schools and in William Jewell College, from which institution he was
Woodson. He was elected a member of the city council in 1891, and served two years. He was prosecuting attor-
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ney from 1894 to 1896.
In 1900 he was elected to the legis- lature, and was re-elected in 1902. He was one of the leaders in both ses- sions, and still has many friends throughout the state, which he made while serving in the state's law-mak- ing body. Besides serving on some of the most important committees, he was speaker pro tem of the house during the last session he served. He was elected probate judge in Novem-
ERNEST V. CUMBERFORD, cash- ier of the Security Bank of South Park, is a native of Missouri, having been born in Platte County, October 22, 1876. He attended the schools of the community in which he was reared, and later attended the Chilli- cothe Normal School, where he grad- uated in 1894. In 1895 he went to Edgerton and engaged in the banking business. He remained there eight years, and in 1903 went to Hill City,
Gist-Shultz
ERNEST V. CUMBERFORD
ber, 1914, which office he is now holding.
He was married to Mrs. Emma Witherspoon, September 9, 1900. They have one daughter, Alta. Judge Dun- can has memberships in the various Masonic bodies, being past potentate of Moila Temple, the Eagles, Elks, Red Men and Modern Brotherhood of America.
Kan., where he was connected with a bank for six years. He came to St. Joseph in 1911, and was made cashier of the Security Bank.
He was married to Miss Mabel Sturgis of Terrin, Mo., in 1900. Their family consists of three sons. Fra- ternally, Mr. Cumberford is a Mason, an Odd Fellow, a Red Man and a Woodman.
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491
MURRAY C. KALIS, pharmacist
and chemist, conducts two modern, twentieth century drug stores, the Kalis Pharmacy, situated near the stockyards at 403 Illinois Avenue, and the Bartlett Park Pharmacy at 1310 South Twenty-seventh Street. Mr. Kalis began his apprenticeship in a retail drug store at the early age of thirteen. He studied pharmacy at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, 1896-7.
Aside from his activities as a retail druggist, Mr. Kalis is probably best known as a manufacturer of pharma- ceutical preparations. His pharma- ceutical laboratory is considered one of the best equipped in Northwest Missouri.
He is regarded by his many friends as a man of sterling character and genial disposition. "Keep on the sunny side of the street" is a favorite slogan
MURRAY C. KALIS
Later he attended the St. Louis Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons. He tired of the dissecting room and clin- ics, and journeyed to New York City, where he took a post-graduate course in chemistry. Returning to St. Louis in 1900, he engaged in the retail drug business, in which he was successful. Ten years later he moved to St. Joseph.
with him, and he practices what he preaches-most of the time. Books and out-door recreations are his hob- bies. When you fail to find him at home or either place of business, you probably will locate him somewhere out in the open, absorbed in some volume of Plutarch's Lives, Emer- son's Essays or Hubbard's Little Journeys.
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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
G. M. BRINTON was born March 10, 1854, on a farm in Dallas County, Texas, and moved with his parents, Bryant and Emily Brinton, to Jeffer- son County, Kansas, in 1855. The family moved to Buchanan County in 1861 and located near Agency in the neighborhood known as "The Pocket." They moved to Johnson County, Nebraska, in 1865; back to Buchanan County in 1867, and lived on a farm
He came to St. Joseph in the spring of 1898, leaving his family in War- rensburg until their education was complete. He was first employed by the Artesian Ice Company and in July, 1900, went with the John S. Brittain Dry Goods Company, with which con- cern he has been identified ever since. Mr. Brinton's family consists of four sons and three daughters, five of whom are living. Mr. Brinton is
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G. M. BRINTON
near Agency until the subject of this sketch was twenty-one, when he went to Doniphan County, Kansas, and en- gaged in farming with his brother. He moved to Andrew County, Missouri, in 1876, and in December of the fol- lowing year was married to Miss Mag- gie Lewis of Union Star, Mo. Mr. Brinton moved to DeKalb County in 1885 and in 1897 went to - Warrens- burg to obtain the educational advan- tages of that town for his children.
president of the Central Taxpayers' League and of Taxpayers' League No. 1, organized in March, 1913, for the purpose of defeating the proposed es- tablishment of Prospect Park and the park and boulevard system in St. Jo- seph. The league, through his efforts, was successful in this as well as in preventing the issue of bonds in 1915 for public improvements. He was an independent candidate for mayor on the Taxpayers' ticket in the spring of 1914, but was unsuccessful.
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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
JOHN L. ZEIDLER, real estate and insurance agent and concrete con- tractor, at Fourth and Francis Streets, is a native of Pennsylvania. He was born at Scranton, December 24, 1861. He was educated at Hoboken Acad- emy, New Jersey, and Muehlenberg College at Allentown, Pa. He came to St. Joseph in 1881 and engaged in business for himself in 1885 and has since been active in the business life of the city. He was married to Jose-
for sewers and road culverts and has developed a satisfactory pipe in size from six inches to six feet in diameter, both plain and reinforced concrete. He was the inventor of the machine using a revolving head for making bell and spigot end plain concrete sewer pipe. It is known as the Pio- neer Process, and the machine is made by the Pioneer Manufacturing Company of Waterloo, Iowa. Mr. Zeidler is president of this company.
JOHN L. ZEIDLER
-Photo by Mulvane.
phine Wanger in May, 1885. Fra- ternally he is a Mason, an Eagle, and an Elk. He holds a life membership in the St. Joseph Gymnastic Society.
Mr. Zeidler learned the baker's trade in Scranton with his father, but never: followed it, as he preferred .other fields of activity. Since 1909 he has given much time and attention to the manufacture of concrete pipe
He is the man who first suggester to the owners of the Union Street Railway Company in 1887 that elec- tricity be used as the motive power. Mr. Steinacker, then general manager of the traction company, became in- terested and made a trip to Scranton to investigate the proposition. He was so well pleased with what he saw that Mr. Zeidler's plan was adopted.
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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
DR. HARRISON S. FORGRAVE was born in Richland, Iowa, Septem- ber 13, 1873. He lived at Leon, Iowa, until 1890, when he removed with his parents to St. Joseph. He was grad- uated from Central high school in this city in 1893. He studied medicine for four years, graduating from Central Medical College in St. Joseph in 1897. He first located in Corning, Mo., where he gained his first experience as a
College). After a prolonged course of study he returned to St. Joseph and re-entered the practice of medicine and surgery. In 1913, accompanied by his wife and three children, he went abroad and spent a year in the fam- ous clinics of Europe, studying in Lon- don, Paris, Berne, Berlin and Vienna. The doctor's work is largely confined to surgery and gynecology and con- sultation. He was president of the
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DR. HARRISON S. FORGRAVE
practitioner. He was married in October, 1907, to Miss Jessie Chesney,
daughter of Dr. J. Portman Chesney, a prominent physician of St. Joseph. He practiced in Corning for two years and then after an extensive post grad- uate course in New York and Balti-
more he located in St. Joseph. In
1906 he removed, temporarily, with
his family to Chicago, where he en- tered the medical department of the Chicago University (Rush Medical
St. Joseph-Buchanan County Medical Society in 1908. He is a member of various other medical and surgical societies. The doctor is also surgeon for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company and attending sur- geon at the Ensworth and St. Joseph hospitals. The doctor and Mrs. For- grave have three children, Harrison S., Mary C., and John R., all of whom were born in St. Joseph.
BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
495
HOMER C. KING, attorney, rooms 15-16, Donnell Court, was born in Ohio, February 4, 1890. He came with his parents to St. Joseph while yet quite young, and was educated in the common schools. In 1910 he entered the Kansas City School of Law and was graduated from that institution in 1913. He came at once to St. Joseph, and began practicing, and has been one of the most active members of the
County, Michigan, July 3, 1846. His father was the Rev. Paul Shepherd, and his mother's maiden name was Asenath Mack. Mr. Shepherd received his education in Dover and Adrain, Mich., and for five years clerked in a drug store in Adrain. In 1870 he went to Troy, Kansas, where he opened a drug store, which he conducted for five years. He then came to St. Jo- seph and was business manager of the
HOMER C. KING -- Photo by Mulvane.
Buchanan County bar ever since. He is one of those live, energetic, young fellows, who allows nothing to daunt his aspirations and hopes, and who expects nothing in this life but suc- cess. Fraternally Mr. King is an Odd Fellow.
WILLIAM M. SHEPHERD, three times mayor of St. Joseph, and a prominent Republican politician in his day, was born at Nedina, Lenawee
Herald for several years. In 1880 he was appointed assistant postmaster under Col. Tracy, where he remained until 1884, when he again assumed control of the business affairs of the Herald. He was elected mayor of St. Joseph as a Republican in 1890. He. gave such good satisfaction that he. was re-elected in 1892 and again in: 1894. Retiring from office Mr. Shep- herd became connected with the Bar-
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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
ber Asphalt Company until 1898, when he was appointed deputy revenue col- lector. Mr. Shepherd stood high in Masonic circles and was a member of the Chapter, Royal and Select Mas- ters, Knights Templar and Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He died in Den- ver, Colo., Sept. 20, 1899.
CHAS. L. WIEHL was born at St. Louis, Mo., on the 17th day of April, 1853, and came with his parents to
with Robt. Douglas he held a junior partnership, which was dissolved on Dec. 31, 1888.
During the summer of 1889 Chas. L. Wiehl, with the counsel and assist- ance of the late Col. B. B. Frazer, or- ganized and established the Park Bank of St. Joseph, Mo., at the cor- ner of Tenth and Penn Streets. He was elected cashier of the bank and served as its cashier until the death of
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CHARLES L. WIEHL
St. Joseph in the summer of 1856. He has resided here continuously ever since. On February 18, 1867, he went to work for the Robt. Douglas & Bro. glass and queensware concern, and remained with Robt. Douglas, the sen- ior member, for twenty-two years, the last eleven years of his association
Col. B. B. Frazer on Aug. 30, 1899, when he was elected to serve as presi- dent of the bank, and is acting in that capacity at this time.
Mr. Wiehl was married on May 22, 1888, to Cora V. Gerard, the eldest daughter of Dr. S. W. Gerard, at Hop- kins, Nodaway County, Missouri.
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497
WILLIAM EDWARD PENTZ, M. D., was born in St. Joseph, April 3, 1874, and attended the public schools of this city and Ensworth Medical College: He served two years in the Missouri State Hospital for the Insane No. 2 and in 1901 received appointment to the British Transport Service (during Boer war). Dr. Pentz made two trips to South Africa as chief surgeon for the transports Drayton Grange and Mechanician; returning to London he
reer.
His mother, whose maiden name was Euphema Dougherty, was born at Danville, Kentucky. Her father was a practicing physician and Bap- tist minister.
ROBERT MONROE ABERCROM- BIE, secretary and manager of the Abercrombie Stone Company, was born in New York City, Janu. 14, 1856, the son of James Abercrombie. He at- tended schools in New York City, Hol-
DR. WILLIAM E. PENTZ
spent seven months in hospital serv- ice there.
John Edward Pentz, father of the subject of this sketch, was one of the pioneer business men of St. Joseph, coming here from the city of his birth, York, Penn., in 1872. He had taken up the study of medicine with an uncle who was a practicing physician of Philadelphia and had taken one term at Jefferson Medical College, but gave up medicine for a business ca- -
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brook, Long Island, Montreal, St. Jo- seph and Breckenridge, Mo. He came to Missouri in 1866 and lived at Breck- enridge till 1878, when he removed to St. Joseph, going into the stone-cutting business with his father. "He was for four years a member of the St. Joseph city council; was appointed a member of the State Board of Charities for the second time in January, 1899; served one term as representative in the State Legislature. Mr. Abercrombie
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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
is a prominent Odd Fellow and has held every office in the order, includ- ing grand maste of the Grand Lodge of Missouri. He married Miss Rosa- line M. Bailey of Breckenridge.
THOMAS F. RYAN, judge of the Criminal Court of Buchanan County, was born in Ireland, and when but a small boy came with his parents to Missouri.
Mr. Ryan's father engaged in farm- ing in Andrew County. Thomas re-
chise ordinance granted to the street railway company to operate its cars by electricity and the contract for the electric lighting of the city were pre- pared. In 1893 Governor Francis ap- pointed him police commissioner for the term of three years. At the ex -. piration of that term he was reap- pointed to the same office by Gov- ernor Stone. He was elected judge of the criminal court for a term of four years in 1908, and was re-elected
JUDGE THOMAS F. RYAN
ceived his early education in the dis- trict schools, and later graduated from the Christian Brothers College of St. Joseph. After his graduation, he took up the study of law, and was admitted to the St. Joseph bar in 1874. In 1882 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Buchanan County, which office he filled with marked ability. In 1886 he was appointed city coun- selor by Dr. Thomas H. Doyle, then mayor of St. Joseph. Under his su- pervision as city counselor the fran-
to the same office in 1912, having no opposition for the nomination and re: ceiving the largest majority ever given to a judicial officer in this county.
In politics Judge Ryan is a Demo crat and has ever been active and loyal in the support of his party.
He is a logical and forcible speaker and possesses a keen anaalytica mind. He has the faculty for analyz ing facts and applying reasoning and precedent to them. He has strong
BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
499
executive ability and is universally known as a man of undoubted cour- age and rugged honesty, and in the discharge of every public trust re- posed in him his aim has ever been to ascertain what was right, and then to fearlessly perform his duty regard- less of whether or not his action met with popular approval.
It is generally conceded that Judge Ryan is one of the ablest judges that has ever presided over the Criminal
diction as judge of the Juvenile Court, have won for him the name of friend and father of the' unfortunate boys and girls.
JOHN S. BOYER, attorney-at-law, 805 Corby-Forsee Building, is a native Missourian and was born in Buchanan County, December 28, 1870. His com- mon school education was received in the community in which he was reared. Later he graduated from the Christian Brothers College at St. Jo-
JOHN S. BOYER
Court of Buchanan County. But it is this work as judge of the Juvenile Court that appeals to him most strongly-for it is there that he feels Che has done his most effective work fand accomplished the greatest results for the uplift of humanity. . His kind- ness of heart and his strong common sense so wisely exercised in the dis- position of the thousands of cases of dunfortunate and neglected children gthat have been settled under his juris-
seph, the Missouri University, and the law department of Washington Uni- versity at St. Louis. „He began prac- ticing in St. Joseph in partnership with John D. McNeely. He is now referee in bankruptcy for the St. Jo- seph division of the United States District Court. He has served one term as city attorney, and has also held the position of assistant prose- cuting attorney for one term.
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DR. FREDERICK ELISCU, 720 Fran- cis Street, was born in Roumania, in 1868. He is the son of Samuel and Julia (Sharaga) Eliscu, and is one of a family of eight children, all of whom became prominent in the professions. The eldest, Dr. Eugenie R. Eliscu of New York City, is a physician and psychologist of national reputation; a sister, Fernanda Eliscu, tragedian of national reputation; Edmund Eliscu has attained fame as a playwright and
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