History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri, Part 27

Author: National Historical Company (St. Louis, Mo.)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1166

USA > Missouri > St Charles County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 27
USA > Missouri > Montgomery County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 27
USA > Missouri > Warren County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 27

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).

253

HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

CHARLES FRED KNEPEL

(Farmer, Post-office, Schleursburg).

Charles Fred Knepel, the subject of this sketch, was born in St. Charles county, Missouri, February 20, 1852. His father was Chris- topher Knepel, from Hanover, Germany, a carpenter and farmer by occupation ; and his mother's maiden name was Johanna Westendorf, also from Hanover. They came to this country over forty years ago, and were married in St. Charles county, in 1848. Their mother died in 1877. Charles F. is the only one of the children living by this union. Charles F. Knepel was reared in St. Charles county and re- ceived a common school education. In 1877 he was married to Miss Adele Horst, a daughter of William and Louisa Horst. They have two children : Thura and Vera. Their church preferences are for the Presbyterian denomination. Mr. Knepel's farm contains 289 acres and is well improved.

HENRY F. KNIPPENBERG

(Farmer and Stock-raiser, Post-office, Femme Osage).

'Squire Knippenberg has led a life of marked industry, which has been directed by good sound sense and excellent business manage- ment, and has resulted in placing him among the substantial property holders of his township. He has nearly 800 acres of fine land, and one of the best farms in the township. He was born and reared in this county and came of a highly respected German-American family. His father, Henry Knippenberg, came over here as early as 1833 and settled in St. Charles county, three years later. He married Miss Catherine Hilderbrand in 1836, and she is yet living. He died in 1878. Henry F. is the only one of their children living. He was born January 9, 1842, and was reared to a farm life and educated in the common schools. At the age of twenty-one he engaged in merchandising at Femme Osage, and followed it for six years. He then resumed farm- ing and has since continued that occupation. For twelve years he served as justice of the peace of Femme Osage township. April 28, 1870, he was married to Miss Louisa Otting. They have five chil- dren : Oleander, Annie, Henry, Waldend, Delia. Mr. and Mrs. K. are members of the Evangelical Church. 'Squire Knippenberg is one of the thorough-going enterprising farmers of Femme Osage town- ship, and as a neighbor and citizen commands the respect and confi- dence of all who know him.

ISAAC McCORMICK

(Farmer, Post-office, Schluersburg).

Among the many old and respected Virginia families who settled in this county during the second quarter of the present century was that

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

of which the subject of this sketch was a member. He was born in Cabell county, W. Va., March 1, 1821, but his parents, Ely and Jane (Craig) McCormick, were born and reared in Clark county, of the Old Dominion. From there after their marriage they removed to Cabell county, W. Va. They had four children, three of whom are living. After the father's death, in 1838, the mother with her family of children came to St. Charles county, Mo. She died here in 1867. Isaac McCormick, the subject of this sketch, was partly reared in St. Charles county, and in 1846 was married to Miss Elizabeth J. Darst, a daughter of David and Mary Darst. Mr. and Mrs. McCormick have seven children, and three deceased. Those living are : William H., Ely W., Mary V., now the wife of G. L. D. Keller ; Julia F., now the wife of M. B. Hayes; Lucy M., now the wife of S. K. Audrain ; Isaac M. and Georgia A. Mr. and Mrs. McC. are members of the M. E. Church. He has followed farming in this county from youth, and has a good place of 180 acres.

RICHARD C. MATSON

(Farmer and Stock-raiser, Post-office, Augusta).

Mr. Matson's father, Abraham S. Matson, came to this county in an early day, when a youth. He was from Bourbon county, Ky., and after leaving his native State was a resident of Pike county, Mo., for 20 years before coming to St. Charles county ; and after leaving St. Charles county he engaged in the live stock commission business in St. Louis, where he now resides. He was married here November 15, 1839, to Miss Phœbe A. Coshow, of an old and respected family of this county. Four children were the fruits of their married life, including the subject of this sketch, but only two are living. The father was a soldier in the Black Hawk War, and one of the substan- tial farmers and highly respected citizens of the county. Richard C. Matson was born on the family homestead, in this county, September 17, 1849, and was reared to a farm life, including the handling of stock. To complete his education he was sent to Pardee College, at Louisiana, and subsequently he took a course at Stratton & Bryant's Commercial College, in St. Louis. After this he returned home and resumed farming, but soon began to turn his attention especially to raising and handling stock. He has continued both farming and the stock business up to the present time and has had good success. Mr. Matson has a place of 455 acres, most of which is well improved. It is known as the old Daniel Boone place, having been first settled by that old pioneer. Mr. Matson, among his deeds in the chain of title to the place, has one from Daniel Boone, bearing the autograph sig- nature of tho old pioneer. In 1874 Mr. Matson was married to Miss Mary A. Murdoch, a daughter of George and Caroline Murdoch, of this county. Her parents were early settlers here.

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

GEORGE MUENCH

(Grape Grower and Manufacturer of Wine, Augusta).

Mr. Muench has a vineyard of about seven acres, and last year he made about 7,000 gallons of wine. He ships, principally, to Chi- cago, to the well known firm of Kirchhoff & Hubarth, where his wine has a well established reputation for purity and excellence. He is a native of this county, born March 18, 1854. His father was George Muench, who came to this country from Hesse-Darmstadt, in 1837, and located in Warren county. In 1860, however, he removed to this county and established the industry in which his son is now engaged, the vineyard business and manufacture of wine. He died here April 26, 1879. His wife was a Miss Wolff before her mar- riage, formerly of Germany. George Muench, the subject of this sketch, was brought up to his present business and learned it thor- oughly under his father. His success in it therefore is not surpris- ing. He succeeded his father in the ownership of the vineyard at the latter's death, as well as in the management and conduct of the business. October 8, 1879, he was married to Miss Helen Meyer, a daughter of Alfred Meyer, of Franklin county. They have three children : Towell, Oscar and Minnie. Mr. M. is a member of the Augusta Harmonie Society.

GEORGE MURDOCH

(Farmer and Stock-raiser, Post-office, Augusta).

Mr. Murdoch' is one among the oldest native residents of St. Charles county. He was born here over 71 years ago, and his home has been in the county from that time to this. He has been an ener- getic and respected farmer and citizen of the county ever since he grew up. Mr. Murdoch has a good farm of 400 acres, which is well improved. He also has about 200 acres of other land, principally timber. December 10, 1843, he was married to Miss Caroline Kennedy, a daughter of James and Sarah Kennedy, of Warren county. Four children have been the fruits of their married life, namely : Emily J., now Mrs. James W. Howell ; James L., Mary A., now Mrs. R. C. Matson, and Virginia L. Mr. Murdoch's father, Alexan- der Murdoch, was one of the pioneer settlers of this county. He was from Pennsylvania and came here as a trader, away back in the wil- derness days of the country when the Indians were still here, and but very few white people, those who were here being principally Span- ish and French. He came here some years before the beginning of the present century, and lived here until his death, at a good old age, in 1824. Mr. Murdoch, Sr., became one of the prominent men of the county among the early settlers. He held the office of justice of the peace for many years and was afterwards a member of the county court. He was also tendered an election to the Legislature,

HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

but declined the honor, preferring rather to remain at home and look after his private interests and those of the county, and to enjoy the comforts of home life in the bosom of his family. He was not only a successful farmer but a very energetic, capable business man. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Zumwalt, survived him for 20 years, dying in 1844. They had a family of eight children, five of whom lived to reach mature years, and three are still living. Both parents were members of the M. E. Church. Mr. Murdoch, their third son, and the subject of this sketch, was born on his father's farm in Darst's Bottom, April 24, 1813. At the age of 13 he left home and went to Pulaski county, but returned three years later, to remain, however, only a short time. He then went to a place where he subsequently engaged in the lumber business, and later still in mer- chandising. After carrying on a store for about five years he returned to St. Charles county and engaged in farming, where he has ever since resided. However, he once started to Galena, Ill., to engage in lead mining, but while en route there became involved in the Black Hawk War, and was for a short time in the service against that doughty chieftain of the aborigines.

WILLIAM W. PARSONS (DECEASED ) (Femme Osage Township).

Mr. Parsons was partly reared in this county, and he made it his home until his death, which occurred August 22, 1876. He was well known as one of the most highly respected citizens of Femme Osage township, and was a farmer and stock-raiser of untiring energy and industry. Largely by his own exertions and good management he accumulated a comfortable property, although he was barely a middle- aged man at the time of his death. He was a native of Virginia, born in Hardy county, August 18, 1827. A son of Thomas and Phoebe (Ward) Parsons, of that State, he was brought to St. Charles county by them in 1840, who removed to this county when he was about 13 years of age. His father, a farmer by occupation, died here December 22, 1852. His mother died January 2, 1860. They had 9 children, among whom William W. was the oldest. After he grew up on his father's farm, in this county, he was married there to Miss Maria E. Livergood, a daughter of Levitus and Sarah Livergood, her father originally from Pennsylvania, but her mother born and reared in St. Louis county. Her father died in St. Louis in 1848. Her mother is still living. Mr. Parsons at his death left a good farm of over 400 acres, where his widow, Mrs. P., now resides. But one of their family of three children is living, namely, William Lee. Her husband was a member of the M. E. Church, to which denomination she also belonged. Mrs. Parsons is a lady of marked intelligence, amiable disposition, a valued neighbor and an excellent manager of her farm affairs. She is highly esteemed by all who know her.

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

FRITZ TIEMANN

(Dealer in General Merchandise, Augusta).

It was in 1848 that Mr. Tiemann's father, Charles F. Tiemann, then a young man, came over to this country from Hanover, Germany, and located at Augusta, in St. Charles county. Here he shortly engaged in merchandising, and although he began in comparatively a small way, he soon built up a large business. He was married at Augusta, Mo., to Miss Susanna Miller, a daughter of Mr. Miller, formerly of Ger- many. She died in 1866, since which Mr. Tiemann, the father, has not remarried. He is now living rather in retirement, his son having succeeded him in business in 1878. Fritz Tiemann, the subject of .. this sketch, was born at Augusta March 10, 1853. He was reared at this place, and spent his youth in his father's store and at school. He was thus brought up to merchandising, it may be said, and learned the business thoroughly, especially the details of the business to which he has since succeeded. In the fall of 1880 Mr. Tiemann, Jr., was married to Miss Frances Helmkampf, a daughter of Hermann Helm- kampf, of St. Louis. They have two children : Susie and Frances. Mr. Tiemann carries a large and well selected stock of general mer- chandise, and does an extensive and profitable trade. His business amounts to about $40,000 a year, besides a heavy business in the grain trade, which he also conducts. He handles, practically, all the grain shipped from this point. Mr. Tiemann has a commodious brick busi- ness house, and a large, comfortable neatly built brick residence.

JUDGE GORDON H. WALLACE AND WILLIAM P. WALLACE (Farmers and Stock-raisers, Post-office, Hamburg).

The record of the family of which the subjects of the present sketch are worthy and respected representatives, leads us back to the Revo- lutionary days of the Republic, and, indeed, beyond the period of our own national history. The family is of Scotch origin, and is believed to be descended from the noble and chivalrous and gallant William Wallace, whose fame, like the morning light, circles the earth. Judge Wallace's father was Dr. John C. Wallace, a noted physician of Penn- sylvania, but a native of Maryland, where the family had been settled long prior to the Revolution. In the War for Independence he was a sergeant under " Mad Anthony Wayne," and fought under that doughty hero of the Revolution at Ticonderoga, Brandywine, James- town, Monmouth and Stony Point. He also participated in the tri- umph at Maumee in 1794. All this was prior to his removal to Pennsylvania. He made his home in the Keystone State in 1812, just about the time the second British war opened. Though advanced in years he again buckled on his armor for the defense of his country, and enlisted a company of volunteers for the service, of which he was made captain. He served under Harrison, and participated in all the

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

campaigns and battles in which his command took part. After the war he returned to Pennsylvania and settled down quietly with his family at Erie, in Erie county, where he resumed the practice of his profession. Later along he was elected mayor of Erie, and after- wards sheriff of Erie county. For many years he served as mag- istrate for the county, and finally died at a ripe old age, highly honored by all who knew him, in 1825. His wife died in 1821. She was a Miss Margaret Herron before her marriage, also of Maryland. Judge Gordon H. Wallace was born December 19, 1807, and was reared in Erie county, Pa. He received a good common English education, and in 1831 went to the State of Louisiana, where he engaged in merchan- dising. Two years later he came to St. Charles county, Mo., and here for a time he clerked for B. J. Orrick. In 1834 he located at Missouriton, and soon became a partner with Mr. Orrick in a branch store at St. Charles, which he conducted for about three years. Since then he has been principally engaged in farming and raising stock. Judge Wallace has held various official positions in the county, includ- ing that of county judge, and he has been magistrate of Femme Osage township for a number of years. He has a good farm and is com- fortably situated. In 1834 he was married to Miss Margaret Fulker- son, a daughter of Capt. Isaac Fulkerson. They have reared two children, William P. and Elizabeth J.

WILLIAM P. WALLACE, born on his father's homestead in this county August 26, 1836, inherited the martial qualities of his grandfather - love of military life, intrepid bravery and an indomitable spirit of daring and of adventure. The result is he has led a thrilling career though an humble one as a private soldier in the war annals of his country. He was one of the first in St. Charles county to swear al- legiance to the three-barred and bright-starred banner of the Con- federacy, and long after that gallant standard sheet that he waved in triumph over many a bloody battle-field had gone down to rise no more, he refused to surrender his sword to the victorious hosts of the North, and to this day has never for an hour or a moment been a prisoner of any man or command on the earth. He entered the South- ern army in the spring of 1861 and did not return until 1865. He fought out the issues of the war in the ranks as long as there was a Southern flag to wave or Southern commander to lead a charge, and then refusing to surrender went with gallant Joe Shelby to the sun- scorched plains of the Mexican Republic. From there, after enduring many hardships and too proud and high spirited to return, he went to Cuba, intending to proceed thence to South America, where he ex- pected to make his permanent home, far removed from contact with the victors of the North. But circumstances, as they control every- thing, changed his course and purpose, and after much wandering about in strange lands and among strange people he returned once more to his native soil for the independence of which he had fought so long and bravely and well. For some six years he was a pilot on the Missouri river, and then he engaged in the cattle trade between Missouri, Kansas and Texas. But his father had now begun to fail

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

on account of old age, and yielding to the impulse of filial affection he came home to help his father in the management of the homestead, and to be with him, his staff and stay through his declining years. He has since had charge of the farm in this county. He was married in 1874 to Miss Jennie P. Boone, a daughter of Thomas N. Boone, a fair descendant of the doughty old pioneer, and worthy companion to so gallant and fearless a soldier. They have three children: Gordon T., Lizzie L. and Jennie P.

CARL WENCKER

(Of C. Wencker & Co., Dealers in General Merchandise, Augusta).

Mr. Wencker has an excellent store in his line, and does an annual business of about $20,000. His business was originally built up by his father, Frederick Wencker, to which Mr. Wencker, Jr., succeeded at the former's death. Born at Augusta February 28, 1852, Carl Wencker was reared at this place and principally brought up in the store. His general education was received in the schools of that place. Being thoroughly trained by his father in the business of merchandising he was well qualified to take charge of it at the time of his father's death, and, indeed, even before that time. His father died in 1879, and since then he has had control of the business, and has managed it with marked success. His father was appointed postmaster in 1862, and held the office during the remainder of his life. At his father's death Carl Wencker was appointed to succeed him, and has since held the office. Mr. W., Sr., was a man of frail constitution, and in ill health the most of his life, but was a man of great energy and ambition, which more than made up for his physical disability. He was quite successful in life, although he started a poor man. His wife was a Miss Cargline Schaaf, a daughter of Henry Schaaf. Her father was one of the early settlers of St. Charles county. Being a miller he ground the first barrel of flour ever made at the old stone mill in St. Charles. Mrs. Wencker is still living, and is the mother of six children, three of whom are sons. Carl is the eldest of the family. He was married at this place December 7, 1876, to Miss Laura Dammann, a daughter of Henry Dammann.

GUSTAVUS WIELAND, M. D. (Physician and Surgeon, Augusta, Mo.).

Dr. W. was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, September 10, 1838, a son of Gust. E., Sr., and Caroline von Maur, both of old Wurtemberg families. The Doctor was reared in Wurtemberg and was educated in the gymnasium of that State, receiving an advanced general and classical education. He then, in 1857, entered the University of Wurtemberg as a student in the department of medicine and surgery, from whence he graduated in 1862. He subsequently immigrated to the United States, and coming to St. Louis he was appointed acting assisting surgeon in the Federal army and assigned to duty at the

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

United States general hospital at that city, where he was stationed for about 18 months. In the fall of 1864 he was commisioned regi- mental surgeon of the Forty-first Missouri infantry, in which posi- tion he served until the close of the war. After the war he was post surgeon at Franklin, Mo., and in the meantime built up a private prac- tice at that place. He removed from Franklin to Warren county and was successfully engaged in practice in the latter county until 1881. He then came to Augusta and has been here ever since. He has built up a good practice here and is one of the leading physician's of this part of the county. March 14, 1865, he was married to Miss Lizzie Roemer, a daughter of John Roemer. They have five children : Gustavus, Olga, Oscar, Ida and Laura. He and wife are members of the Protestant Evangelical Church.

CHAPTER X. PORTAGE DES SIOUX TOWNSHIP.

Area - Portage Des Sioux-Early Settlers - Point Prairie Presbyterian Church - St. Francis Church - Biographical.

This township, including the islands, contains about eighty square miles, and embraces the point of land lying between the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. It is about twenty-two miles in length, and a little more than six miles in width at its widest part. The township, however, between the two rivers, at Portage des Sioux, is not more than two miles across.

The surface of the land is almost entirely level, it being what is called " bottom " land, and is remarkably productive. The staple products are wheat and corn. The corn grown here is of a superior quality, and is known as the "St. Charles White," being excellent for grits and meal. It commands, in the St. Louis market, from one to one and a half cents more on the bushel than any other corn shipped to that city. The farmers are in good circumstances, many of them cultivating large tracts of land, from which they have an- nually gathered abundant crops which have made them wealthy. A portion of the township is subject to overflow in extreme high water.

The forest which originally covered these bottoms was dense and luxuriant ; much of it has been cleared away for farms and firewood ; much of it has been cut into cordwood, sold to steamboats and shipped to St. Louis, and still the timber is not only inexhaustible, but of an excellent quality. The township has no running streams, but contains a few small lakes, the largest of which is Marais Temps Clair.

PORTAGE DES SIOUX.

Of the early settlements in the county, perhaps Portage des Sioux retains the traces of its peculiar origin more closely than any other. It is only of late years that the French population, which at one time composed the entire settlement, has been broken in upon by the representatives of other blood. In the latter part of the summer of 1799, Francis Leseuer, then a resident of St. Charles, in a hunting excursion to the lakes in the prairie bottoms, visited an Indian village

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

a short distance from the Mississippi, and in company with some of the Indians came as far as the river, where there was another Indian settlement. The neighborhood pleased him so much as a site for a village, that on his return to St. Charles a colony was organized to settle the locality. Lieut .- Gov. Delassus, then at St. Louis, made a grant of land the same fall, and a number of families, princi- pally from St. Charles and St. Louis, erected their tents on the site of Portage des Sioux. Francis Saucier was appointed command- ant, a position which he continued to hold until the change of government.

The colony remained during the winter of 1799-1800, hewed tim- ber, and in the spring built some houses. From a petition drawn in October, 1803, for a grant of " Commons," we gather the following names as the original settlers of Portage des Sioux: Francis Saucier, Francis Leseuer, Simon Lepage, Charles Hibert, Julian Roi, Augusta Clairmont, Etienne Pepin, Abraham Dumont, Louis Grand, Jaques Godefroi, Bapiste Lacroix, Brazil Picard, Patrice Roi, Joseph Gui- nard, Antoine Lepage, Pierre Clermont, David Eshbough, Charles Roi, Thomas Whitley, Matthew Saucier and Solomon Pettit. The descendants of many of these still live in the neighborhood. The first white child born in the settlement was Bridget Saucier, a daugh- ter of the commandant. She was born in March, 1800, and after- wards married Stephen De Lile and was living in the town in 1875.

Portage des Sioux was formerly a celebrated stopping place for the Indians on their voyages up and down the river. Frequently the Mississippi, in front of the town, would be covered with fleets of canoes, while the village would swarm with swarthy voyageurs. During the Indian troubles the inhabitants were not molested. About 1808, however, one of the residents was killed by a drunken Indian. The assassin was at once surrendered to the whites and was taken to St. Louis, where, however, he either escaped or was set at liberty.

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History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri, Part 27

Author: National Historical Company (St. Louis, Mo.) Publication date: 1885 Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company Number of Pages: 1166

Author: National Historical Company (St. Louis, Mo.)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1166