History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 66

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men > Part 66

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The larger working potteries of St. Louis number six in all, and their ware is everywhere accorded the character of artistic form and substantial manufacture. This interest, too, has very largely developed from its comparatively insignificant beginning as such in 1834. At that time moulds and vessels were of very primitive design, and workmanship scarcely rivaling in finish the efforts of the mound-builders. Indeed, some of the discoveries of work of this character at- tributed to this early race excel in form and finish the samples represented as the product of the manufac- turers of half a century ago. The export of St. Louis manufactured pottery is constantly on the in- crease.

CHINA, QUEENSWARE, ETC. - There are over twenty houses in St. Louis engaged in the wholesale china, glass, and queensware trade, and the total sales in 1881 amounted to two million seven hundred and ninety thousand dollars. The importations of china during the same year aggregated in value two hundred thousand dollars. . Among the most active and enterprising men in this line of business in St. Louis is Henry 82

Westermann. Mr. Westermann was born near the historic town of Minden, Prussia, July 2, 1832. His family was in very moderate circumstances, and in 1839 his father came to America to better his condi- tion, and settled in St. Louis. In 1842 his family followed him, and Henry attended the school of the Lutheran Church, and later Munday's Academy, an institute of some repute in those days. When he had acquired sufficient knowledge of English and his age permitted, he worked during the daytime and spent

the evenings in study. The needs of the family ren- dered it desirable that he should labor at an carly age, and about 1845 he was employed to set up type in the St. Louis Type Foundry, then operated by Ladew & Co., at Locust and Second Streets, continuing, how- ever, to attend school whenever opportunity per- mitted. He was next employed at Barnum's Hotel, located at Third and Vine Streets, which was then the largest. hotel in the city. Barnum & Moreland were the proprietors, and among those connected with the establishment was the well-known Josiah Fogg. Young Westermann worked here in several capacities for a year or two, and was finally made assistant bar- keeper.

In 1849 he obtained a position in the crockery establishment of R. H. Miller & Co., on Main Street near Pine, beginning as a store-boy and working his

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way up to the position of salesman. He was apt at learning the business, and being a German, was very useful in the firm's dealings with customers of that nationality.

Having saved a little money he, at the age of twenty or twenty-one, established a retail grocery store on Biddle Street, between Ninth and Tenth, but soon re- turned to the crockery business, and was employed for a few years by the firm of Heinecke & Estell. Then, in February, 1855, he opened for himself a re- tail queensware and china store on Franklin Avenue near Sixth Street. In the latter part of that year a fire, originating in a neighboring building, destroyed his establishment, and in January, 1856, he resumed the same business on Franklin Avenue near Fourth Street, where he prospered to such an extent that he was enabled to establish an additional store on Broad- way. In 1857 he admitted E. F. W. Meier as a partner, who assumed charge of the Broadway store, while Mr. Westermann managed the Franklin Avenue concern. In the following year (1858) the Broadway store was removed to Main Street, where the firm of Westermann & Meier transacted business for twenty- three years. The Franklin Avenue storc was even- tually sold, and the firm concentrated their energies on the Main Street establishment, and built up a business probably second to none in their line in St. Louis. Meanwhile the firm had become interested in a branch establishment at 500 North Main Street, and when, in July, 1880, the partnership was dis- solved, Mr. Westermann retained the latter business, and continued to manage it under the style of Henry Westermann & Co. until Jan. 1, 1883, when he re- moved to the large and commodious building at 608 Washington Avenue, opposite the Lindell Hotel, the whole of which he occupies. The firm is a heavy im- porter of earthenware, china and glassware, etc., most of its invoices coming by way of New Orleans up the great river route, and its trade extends to the West, Northwest, South, and Southwest. It is now the oldest wholesale china, glass, and queensware house in St. Louis, and has maintained its leading position through several panics, owing, no doubt, to the enii- nent conservatism and integrity of its founder, Henry Westermann.

On the 8th of January, 1857, Mr. Westermann married Caroline Augusta Wenkel, a German lady of St. Louis, who has proved herself a useful assistant in the domestic sphere. Several children have blessed the union, of whom William H. and Alfred Oscar are associated with their father in business, for which they have displayed a special aptitude. From child- hood Mr. Westermann has been a member of the

Lutheran Church, and for many years has been trustee of the church of that denomination at Sixteenth and Morgan Streets. He also served as treasurer of the congregation while the present edifice was being built. Mr. Westermann is a member of no secret or other societies, regarding home and church as sufficient to satisfy the reasonable aspirations of any man. In every relation of life he is the unobtrusive and es- teemed citizen, and enjoys the unbounded respect of all who know him.

BRICK- AND TILE-WORKS .- The first bricklayer who regularly followed his vocation in St. Louis is said to have been John Lee. Pierre Berthold, Sr., says Edwards' " Great West,"1 " saw him in Marietta, in Ohio, and persuaded him to accompany him to St. Louis and carry on his business. Lee consented, and the first brick house that was erected was of the brick he manufactured. The house was built on Main Street, between Chestnut and Market Streets, and was built for Berthold & Chouteau. There have been many disputes concerning who owned the first brick house in St. Louis, and as we have given much at- tention to the matter, we are prepared to give authen- tic information. Christian Wilt owned the second, Judge Carr the third, Manuel Lisa the fourth, and John Smith the fifth. Mr. John Lee, the first brick- layer who came to St. Louis, for some ycars had a monopoly in his business. He raised a large family, and some of his grandchildren have intermarried with some of the princely merchants of St. Louis." On the 12th of October, 1811, Samuel Bridge adver- tised that he would " sell very low a quantity of brick, viz., at three dollars per thousand as they came to land, or six dollars if picked," which might be seen " at the margin of the creek at the south end of the town." For further particulars persons were re- ferred to Mr. Charless, who was authorized to sell. April 17, 1818, John Dobbs and Samuel I. Carman announced that they had entered into partnership in the bricklaying business, and were "ready to make contracts for the building of houses in a workmanlike manner and of the best material that St. Louis af- fords." On the 4th of September of this year the Missouri Gazette, speaking of the building operations in the town, remarked,-

" A gentleman informs us that before the winter sets in there will be near 3,000,000 of brick laid in this town since the 1st of April last, and he believes, from a general acquaintance with the citizens, that double that quantity would be laid this season if ma- terials and workmen could be obtained on moderate

1 Pages 593-94.

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terms. Common laborers are much wanted ; none can be had for less than $1.50 per day for the season through. A few laborers from the eastward have been enabled to secure to themselves 160 acres of land each by their labor this season." 1

In 1830 " numerous brick-yards had been estab- lished in the lower part of the city, and brick build- ings had become the fashion of the day."? In 1881 the business had grown to such proportions that forty- five establishments were engaged in the manufacture of fire-brick, building brick, and tile, giving employ- ment to over one thousand men and boys, and trans- acting a business of over seven hundred thousand dollars.

Coal .- With the exception of Pittsburgh, there is no large city in the country which has better facili- ties for procuring cheap coal than St. Louis. The coal measures of Missouri and Illinois, from which the city draws part of her supply, are extensive and peculiarly rich.3

Those of Missouri outcrop from the mouth of the Des Moines to the Indian Territory, while those of Illinois underlie nearly the whole State. From these sources as well as from Pittsburgh comes the immense quantity of coal annually consumed in the city.“

In the early days of the city's history the inhabi- tants of St. Louis did not know or failed to appreciate their own resources and their extent. The coal-fields accessible to the city were underestimated and dis- guised. For many years it was thought that their products were not suited to the manufacture of iron, and metal, and coal also, were brought from Pitts- burgh and Johnstown, and iron from Lake Michigan, to supply the foundries and forges of the city. All this has been changed. Not that the extent and value

1 In November, 1817, the wages paid and the cost of living were set down as follows :

" Bricklayers, masons, and carpenters, per day, $3.00; mak- ing common shoes (each), everything found, $1.00; all other mechanical labor in proportion ; white laborers $1.50 per day ; negro laborers from $18 to $25 per month; female slaves hire out at from $5 to $15 per month; house-rent from $10 to $100 per month ; bccf from 4 to 8 cents per pound ; pork, same; veal from 8 to 10 cents per pound ; mutton, same; butter 25 to 37} cents per pound ; fowls 25 cents per picce ; flour $10 per barrel ; corn meal $1 per bushel; Orlcans clayed sugar from 33 to 37} cents per pound ; loaf sugar 62} cents per pound; coffee 50 cents per pound; all the necessaries of life in the same propor- tion."

2 Edwards' Great West, p. 340.

3 On the 27th of September, 1817, Charles Busron advertised that he would "give twenty-five cents per bushel for as much as one thousand bushels of stone coal."

4 In 1846 a joint-stock company, with a capital of ten thou- sand dollars, was started in St. Louis for increasing the supply of coal.

of the coal and iron deposits were not known, but their cheapness and adaptability to one another were not understood, and thus there was a retardation of devel- opment. The value of the coal convenient to St. Louis and the extent of the deposits have been greatly en- hanced during the past few years by further explo- rations. In 1855, Professor Swallow estimated the good available coal of Missouri at 134,000,000,000 tons. He now finds his estimate very far within the mark. Professor Hitchcock, in 1870-71, estimated the coal measures of Missouri at 27,000 square miles, Kansas 17,000 square miles, Arkansas 12,000 square miles, 2000 feet thick, twenty beds from six inches to six feet in thickness. The Illinois basin has 51,700 square miles, from 600 to 2500 feet thick, ten beds, aggregate thickness thirty-five feet. The Indian Ter- ritory basin is 13,600 square miles, and the Texas basin 104,600 square miles.

The coal-mines of Missouri are usually easily worked, and require no deep shafts or expensive ma- chinery for hoisting or drainage. They underlie the greater portion of the finest agricultural sections, not only of the State, but of as productive a region as is on the continent. Coal of good quality can be pur- chased at the mines so cheaply that even where far- mers have timber in abundance near at hand they prefer to burn coal rather than cut and haul wood a short distance. The coal area covers considerably more than one-half of the State, and active and syste- matic mining has opened the beds in more than a thousand places along the railroads and near the towns. There need never be any fear of a scarcity of fuel in Missouri, and the condition of the farmer here may in this respect be considered blessed far above that of those located in many portions of the Northwest and farther West, where buffalo chips, cornstalks, and twisted hay are all they can afford to temper the cold of more rigorous winters than are ever experienced near St. Louis.

According to the census of 1870, the following were the statistics of the coal industry of St. Louis at that time : 9 establishments; 1183 hands ; $1,790,000 capital ; $904,000 wages ; $302,180 materials ; 444,- 642 tons of products, valued at $1,473,000, equal to $3.31 per ton. The receipts of coal in 1881 aggre- gated 44,720,175 bushels, and of coke 12,860,700 bushels.

Drugs and Chemicals .- The establishment of the drug business as distinct from the practice of medi- cine dates back to an early period in the history of St. Louis. Originally the only " apothecary-shop" known to the frontier settlements was the saddle-bags of the traveling practitioner, but in January, 1812,

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Farrar & Charless conducted a drug-store "adjoining the printing-office," and on the 18th of the month an- nounced that they would have "a freshi supply in the spring." 1

Prior to this Dr. B. G. Farrar's card had appeared in the Gazette (May 24, 1809), announcing that he might be found at Robidoux's house on Second Street, and in the same issue of the paper it was stated that Dr. Saugrain had the first vaccine matter used in St. Louis. On the 10th of May, 1812, Farrar & Char- less gave notice that they had dissolved partnership, Mr. Charless continuing alone at the old stand, and on the 18th of July following it was announced that Dr. B. Farrar had established a drug store below Major Christy's tavern, next to Daugin's silversmith-shop. During the same month (July 26th) appeared the professional card of Dr. R. Simpson, whose office was located on Second Street, "adjoining Manuel Lisa." Dr. Simpson also engaged in the drug business, and about this time there is frequent mention of "Simp- son's store." Oct. 1, 1812, Drs. Farrar and Walker associated themselves in the practice of medicine and established a drug store, which on the 10th of April, 1813, was removed to Mrs. Chouteau's house, " oppo- site Lisa's new brick." September 11th of the same year Dr. Simpson removed his drug store to the for- mer stand of Farrar & Walker, Block 5, and Sept. 16, 1815, Farrar & Walker " removed their medicine- shop to Main Street, opposite R. Paul's," Block 30.

On the 1st of October, 1815, it was announced that Simpson & Quarles had formed a copartnership for conducting the drug and medicine business "in Simpson's old stand," and on the 4th of January that they had removed to Block 36. June 19, 1818, notice was given that Dr. A. Nelson had purchased the drug business of Simpson & Quarles, and Feb. 10, 1819, that Nelson & Hoffman had established a drug store "in Simpson's new brick, opposite the

post-office." At the same time (February 10th) Tuttle & Teller were conducting the drug and medicine busi- ness at the "new brick' at the lower end of Main Street, below the Collet double-brick." April 7, 1819, the removal was announced of Renshaw & Hoffman to " next door north, lately Dent & Rearick, large warehouse in rear," and on the 21st of the same month the removal of the drug and medicine store of Nelson & Hoffman to the " late stand of Renshaw & Hoffman."

The pioneer house in the wholesale drug trade was that of Joseph Charless & Son, which afterwards became Charless & Blow. Their business expanded to large proportions, and in course of time a number of firms established themselves in the trade, which is now one of the most important industries in St. Louis. In 1881 there were fifteen firms engaged in the man- ufacture of drugs and chemicals, with a capital of $969,000 invested, giving employment to three hun- dred hands, to whom they paid annually $124,000 in wages, and transacting a business of $1,200,000. During the same year there were seven wholesale drug- gists in St. Louis, and their combined sales aggregated nearly $7,000,000. There were also two hundred and eight retail druggists, whose sales amounted to between $9,000,000 and $10,000,000.

One of the best-known firms engaged in the whole- sale drug business west of the Mississippi is that of Richardson & Co., the senior member of which is James Richardson, a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere in this work in the history of the Public School Library.

Of the druggists of St. Louis, none is more widely or more favorably known than Jacob Spencer Merrell. Mr. Merrell was born at Westmoreland, Oneida Co., N. Y., Feb. 5, 1827. His father, Jacob Merrell, was a direct descendant of the Jacob Merrell who came from England to New England with the original Hartford colony. His mother (the father's second wife), Sylvia Spencer, was also of English extraction, and was a descendant of an early New England family.

Being the eldest son, Jacob S. was required from his earliest recollection to assist on the farm during the summer, but in winter was sent to the district school. In early boyhood he manifested the habits of industry and economy that have since characterized his life, and have given him a front rank among the merchants and manufacturers of the West.

In the spring of 1842, when but fifteen years old, young Merrell concluded that a farm of one hundred acres, with a large family to share its products, did not afford a sufficiently promising field for his labors, yet he freely recognized the claims of his father upon

1 " Patent medicines" would seem to have formed an im- portant part of the druggist's stock even at that day, for on the 31st of August, 1808, we find the following curious advertise- ment in the Missouri Gazette :

" Aaron Elliot & Son offer for sale at Ste. Genevieve a num- ber of patent medicines, among which are Church's Cough Drops, Turlington's Balsam of Life, Bateman's Drops, British Oil, Steer's Opodeldoc, Hill's Balsam of Honey, Godfrey's Cordial, essence of peppermint, Lee's New London Bilious Pills, by the gross or less quantity, Anderson's Pills, Hooper's Female Pills, Liquid True Blue, Maccaboy and Cephalick snuff, chemical fire-boxes, one of the best inventions in the world for travelers; also stationery, blank books of various sizes, children's spelling-books, common writing and letter paper, Dutch quills, sealing-wax, wafers, a few steel spring truffles, thumb lancets, spring lancets, gum lancets, green goggles, etc."

Jacob S. Merrell

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

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him, and not wishing to deprive him of services that legally and properly belonged to him, he " bought his time" of his father for one hundred and fifty dollars, and the clothes he then had for thirty dollars more. Of this amount he paid sixty dollars in cash, the fruits of his own economy and industry.

His first employment after consummating this arrangement was driving upon the Erie Canal, his wages being nine dollars per month. Wlien the canal closed in the fall, he returned home and worked for his board during the winter, enjoying for the last time the only school advantages he ever received.

In the following April he obtained employment in a country store at Oneida Lake, but in July his em- ployer failed, and he again returned home and worked for his father during haying and harvesting, after which he started with ten dollars in his pocket, worked his passage on the Erie Canal to Buffalo, and from thence took deck passage to Toledo, where, having failed to obtain employment that had been promised him, he engaged to cut cordwood in the oak forests at a point where for many years past the Toledo High School has been located.

During the following spring he went to Lexington, Ky., where he was employed by his uncle in the grocery business, at ten dollars per month. This oc- cupation, however, did not satisfy his restless energies, and in the following January he hired a horse and went into the mountains of Kentucky to buy furs. For several months he traversed the head-waters of the Kentucky, Cumberland, and Licking Rivers. In May, while in Cincinnati, whither he had gone to market his furs, he noticed an advertisement of a little drug-mill on " Western Row" for sale or for rent. He purchased the establishment, chiefly on credit, and at the age of eighteen commenced his business career.

In spite of many difficulties the enterprise pros- pered under his vigorous and judicious management, and five years later, as we learn from a volume enti- tled " Sketches and Statistics of Cincinnati," he em- ployed ten hands, had a thirty horsc-power engine, and manufactured thirty thousand dollars' worth of goods ycarly, with a business rapidly growing and certain ultimately of becoming one of extensive op- erations.

In 1848, Mr. Merrell returned to his native place, and on the 20th of September was married to Kate Jeannette Kellogg, daughter of Deacon Warren Kel- logg, of Westmoreland. The success which has ever attended Mr. Merrell must in no small degrec be at- tributed to the assistance of his faithful wifc.

Early in 1853, Mr. Merrell concluded that St. Louis

offered a more promising field for his business than Cincinnati, and having purchased property on St. Charles Street, between Fifth and Sixth Streets, he sold his Cincinnati business, and on the same day es- tablished himself in St. Louis.

The progress of his business has been uninter- rupted to the present day, except in 1857, when by a disastrous fire he lost twenty-eight thousand dol- lars, his insurance being only four thousand dollars. Though the oldest wholesale druggist in St. Louis, he has never failed in business and has never compro- mised with his creditors. Upon the occasion of the loss by fire, some friendly creditors urged him to make a settlement at fifty cents on the dollar, but he stead- fastly refused, preferring to make the attempt to pay in full, in which he succeeded.

The employment of his spare time in reading, added to a quick perception, a retentive memory, and care- fully-acquired habits of practical thought, have enabled Mr. Merrell to greatly remedy the want of early educa- tion, and have secured him a fund of knowledge such as few business men possess. He is not only a mer- chant, but is a pharmaceutist, a chemist, and a physi- ·cian, and his knowledge of these sciences has enabled him to devise many new remedies previously unknown, but now deemed almost indispensable by the medical profession. His knowledge of medicine has induced many to seek his advice, and for many years he has had quite an extensive office practice among friends and others, many of whom had failed to obtain relief from regular practitioners. To multitudes of such he has rendered gratuitous service.

Dr. Merrell is the president and one of the founders of the American Medical College, in St. Louis.

Though an active member of the Whig and Repub- lican parties, he has always refused remunerative offices until the spring of 1881, when he was induced to accept the nomination for treasurer of the city of St. Louis, and was elected for a term of four years by a handsome majority.

During the war his active and outspoken devotion to the Union raised about him bitter enemies and steadfast friends, but, unheeding praise or blame, he quietly pursued the course he had marked out for himself and labored zealously in the work of recruit- ing soldiers for the front.

Dr. Merrell has always taken an active part in re- ligious matters, and ever since his arrival in St. Louis has been a member of the First Congregational Church (Rev. Dr. Post's), and for ten years past the president of its board of trustees.

As the owner of a number of farms in the " Ameri- can Bottom," he has done much to improve that sec-

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tion, and particularly by putting in operation the drainage laws of Illinois. He is a director in the St. Louis Stoneware Company.

Dr. Merrell is emphatically a " self-made man," whose success has been won by steadfastness of pur- pose, honorable dealing, untiring industry, and careful economy. Beneath an exterior which a casual ob- server might deem cold and unsympathetic is a warm and cordial nature. His sympathies are manifested by decds rather than words, and he gives freely to every deserving charity, public and private.

The farmer lad who " bought his time" of his father and began life as a canal-boy is now a promi- nent citizen of St. Louis, rich and respected by all. Such a career speaks volumes for Dr. Merrell's strength of character, sound judgment, and indomitable energy and industry.

Within the comparatively brief period of fifteen years has been achieved one of the most noteworthy successes, from a business point of view, which even the aggressive and enterprising mercantile world of St. Louis can exhibit, in the establishment of the wholesale drug firm of Meyer Brothers & Co. Chris- tian F. G. Meyer, the head of the house, was born ate Haldern, Westphalia, Dec. 9, 1830. His family was in moderate circumstances, being engaged in sheep- raising and bee-culture. His father died when he was four years old, and his mother when he was sixteen. After the latter occurrence he emigrated with his brother, J. F. W. Meyer (six years his senior), to America, the objective-point being Fort Wayne, Ind., near which place a relative resided. They sailed from Bremen in September, 1847, and the ocean trip con- sumed seven weeks. From New Orleans, where they landed, to Fort Wayne was a long and tedious journey, being performed by steamboat, canal-boat, and on foot, and it was not until February, 1848, that the Meyers reached Fort Wayne.

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History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 66

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1358

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358