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 38
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 38
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 38
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VALENTINE BECKER
(Retired Business-man, St. Charles).
One of the old citizens of St. Charles county, Mr. Becker has proved himself to be also one of its most enterprising and useful citizens. Abundantly successful in business affairs, and now retired on a large property, St. Charles county, and particularly the city of St. Charles, have profited hardly less by his success than he has himself. In all enterprises for the promotion of the best interests of the place and for its growth and prosperity he has been among the foremost with his means, his business ability and his energy. Indeed, for a quarter of a century, and up to within a very recent period, or until his retirement from active affairs, no enterprise would hardly have been thought well on foot, unless he were at the head of it. A sketch of such a citizen as this is therefore well worthy of the space it occupies in the present work. Mr. Becker is a native of Darmstadt, Germany, and was born June 16, 1816. His father, John Becker, was a successful merchant and distiller. His mother's maiden name was Christina Goettlich. Up to the age of 15 young Becker spent most of his time at school. But of an enterprising, adventurous mind, in 1832 he went to Paris, France, where he obtained employment in a brewery, and afterwards worked in that and neighboring cities for about nine years. He then came to the United States in 1841, and for two years worked at the brewery business at St. Louis. In 1844 Mr. Becker came to St. Charles and has made this his home ever since that time. For about five years he was in partnership with Judge Gatzweiler, in merchan- dising, and then engaged in business alone. This he continued until his retirement from active affairs some years ago. He built a fine business house, where his son and son-in-law are now engaged in busi- ness, and also two other valuable business houses. He also built a handsome residence property, one of the finest in the city, a large two-
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
story brick, handsomely set off with a beautiful lawn, ornamented with all kinds of shrubbery and relieved with large stately forest trees. From time to time he built and still owns several other residence properties in St. Charles. He also owns several valuable farms in the county, near or adjacent to the city. Mr. Becker was one of the leading organ- izers of the First National Bank, and was one of the presidents of that institution, a position he held until he resigned it after a service of 15 years. He also took an active part in organizing the St. Charles Mu- tual Fire Insurance Company, and was for a long time president of that company. The St. Charles Car Works is another enterprise in the organization of which he took a prominent part. He is still a member of its board of directors. Heis now president of the gas com- pany, in which he is a leading stockholder, and he contributed very materially to its success. In short, every enterprise of the city has received material help from his business experience, enterprise and liberality. Mr. Becker was married in 1844. His wife was a Miss Adeline Denny , a daughter of Charles Denny, of St. Charles, but formerly of Germany. They have three children : Ellen, now the wife of Charles Rechtern ; Benjamin Franklin, who is in partnership with Mr. Rechtern in busi- ness, and Valentine U., who is in business in St. Louis. Mr. Becker, though now 68 years of age, is quite active and well preserved, and seems to have every hope for a long and pleasant Indian summer of life.
A. HENRY BEYL
(Retail Dealer in Liquors, Cigars, Etc., St. Charles).
Mr. Beyl's standing in St. Charles, notwithstanding the Picksniffian prejudices of some against his business, illustrates very aptly and forcibly the truth of the now trite distich of Pope, that -
" Honor and shame from no condition rise ; Act well your part, there all the honor lies."
He is proprietor of the " Bank Saloon," one of the best saloons in St. Charles, and he keeps on hand all standard brands of pure whiskys, wines, beer and other beverages, and a full line of excellent cigars, where the weary and gay and all may find inspiration and sol- ace and comfort in a social glass and a rich fragrant Havana cigar. He also has a billiard hall and an excellent pool table, where those who like an hour's amusement may find it in a pleasant game at his quiet, orderly and respectable house. He takes the position that there is no reason why the saloon business may not be carried on with as much decency and high-tone respectability as any other class of business, if the proprietor, himself, is a gentleman and determined to enforce gen- tlemanly conduct in his house. Mr. Beyl's saloon is conducted as orderly as any drug store, dry goods house or millinery shop in St. Charles, and everything is kept neat and attractive. He has been in the business a long time, and has never yet been called upon to account for any breach of decorum or the public peace by the civil authorities.
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
A well educated, refined and civil-mannered gentleman himself, he conducts everything after the order of his own style and character, and is personally popular with all the better classes of St. Charles. A gentleman is a gentleman wherever he may be and in whatever lawful business engaged, and his conduct forcibly illustrates this fact. Mr. Beyl was born and reared in St. Charles, and a son of John Beyl and wife, Mary (Baumer) Beyl. They were from Alsace, in France, but now a part of Germany, and came to America in 1838. His father followed merchandising and died in this county in 1860. Henry was educated in the public and high schools and at the St. Charles College. In 1864 he joined the army, becoming a member of Co. G, Forty- ninth Missouri infantry, Union service, where he continued until he was honorably discharged in December, 1865. He participated in the battle of Spanish Fort and some less engagements. He was wounded once, but by accident, though not seriously. After the war he fol- lowed bar-tending until he engaged in business for himself at St. Charles. In the fall of 1874 he was married to Miss Ophelia, a daughter of Nathaniel Jose, deceased. They have four children liv- ing : Henry, Laura, John and Frank A. One, Willie, is deceased.
FRANK BEZZENBERGER
(County Collector, St. Charles).
Mr. Bezzenberger is one of the youngest county collectors, if he is not the youngest one, in the State, and it is no straining of the truth to say that he is one of the most popular ones. He was elected over an exceedingly strong man, and since he has been installed into office he has so managed its affairs and so borne himself personally with the people that he is far stronger now in popularity than he was when he was elected. He was born and reared in this county, and has there- fore been known by the voters of the county from childhood. Well known as his record and character are, both are such as to command the respect and confidence of the public. He was born at St. Charles October 25, 1854, but was principally reared at O'Fallon. Most of his early youth was spent at school, but while still young he entered the telegraph office at that place, which was under the charge of his father, to learn telegraphy. He continued in the telegraph office for about eight years, but not all the time at O'Fallon. For some time he was in the St. Charles office and then in the office at Martinsburgh. While. at O'Fallon he was also railroad and express agent. He became well known on the road as one of the best agents and operators on the entire line, and was very popular, both with officers and employes. Possessed of the qualities of personal popularity he, of course, became well acquainted over the county, and made a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. In 1880 he was induced by his friends to become a candidate for collector, and although it was his first experience in politics, he made a handsome and very creditable race, notwithstanding he was pitted against Henry Kemper, then the county collector and one of the most popular men in the county. The race he made was
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
so encouraging to his friends that they enthusiastically groomed him for a second heat, which was made in 1882. This time he had a regular thoroughbred to measure necks with, Charles Johann, an old timer, who had run many a race in St. Charles county and had never been beaten. But as the young " flyers " come up they are gradually lowering the time of the old stages ; so young Bezzenberger beat the time of his older match, Johann, by 31 points, or votes, and without once breaking wind. Mr. Bezzenberger has made a very popular collector, and will doubtless distance all the field for re-election, if any prove misguided enough to run against him. October 17, 1877, he was married to Miss Emma Krekel, a daughter of Nicholas Krekel, Esq., of O'Fallon, and a niece of Judge Arnold Krekel, of the U. S. district court. Mr. and Mrs. Bezzenberger have three children : Laura, Bertha and Ida. Mr. B. has a good farm near O'Fallon, which he now has rented out. Mr. Bezzenberger's parents are Joseph and Catherine (Seigler) Bezzenberger, both of German ancestry, his father from Moench Roth, Wurtemberg, and his mother from Penn- sylvania. His father was born June 24, 1824, and his parents were Fred W. and Mary (Uhl) Bezzenberger. Joseph Bezzenberger came to America in 1848, and after three years spent at New York located in St. Charles county. For a time he followed farming on the river, a short distance above St. Charles, after which he obtained a clerkship in the store of Mr. Gatzweiler, with whom he remained two years. After this he was in Mr. Hodapp's store for about ten years. Two years later, during which he was in business for himself, he became railroad and express agent at O'Fallon, and continued there for 20 years, or until he became deputy collector, in March, 1883, under his son. He was married in 1850 to Miss Catherine Seigler, a daughter of John Seigler, an early settler and respected citizen of this county, but now deceased. It should be stated by way of correction that after 1880 he was railroad agent at Richfield for about six months, and then he clerked in a store at O'Fallon for about a year. He and his good wife reared six children : Catherine, now Mrs. Peter Wild- berger; Frank, referred to above; Luena, now Mrs. Antone F. Mispagel ; William, of Martinsburgh ; Edward, telegraph operator at St. Charles, and Josephine, still at home.
AUGUST F. BLESSE
(Retired Business-man, St. Charles) .
Mr. Blesse, who has had a successful experience in the material affairs in life and is now retired on a competence, with his means profit- ably invested, came to America in 1848, a young man practically without a dollar. He is a native of Germany, born in the province of West Velin, December 17, 1829. He was the second in the family of six children of Frederick and Elizabeth Blesse, and was reared in his native province up to his nineteenth year. Meanwhile, his brother Carl had come to America in 1845, and was in a printing office at St. Louis. Three years after August F. also came to this county and
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
located at St. Louis. There he engaged in steamboating which he followed for some seven years. He then obtained a position in the custom house where he continued until 1858, when he located at Wentzville and established a liquor and cigar store. Mr. Blesse came to St. Charles in 1861, moving his business from Wentzville to this place. Three years later he established the Western House, which he ran successfully for 18 years, or until 1881. He was quite successful in the hotel business, and his house achieved a wide and enviable reputation, not only for the excellence of the table set but for the clean- liness and comfort of its lodging accommodations, and for the general air of home comfort which characterized its management. Mr. Blesse is a prominent stockholder in the St. Charles Bank, and is a director of that institution. For over 20 years he was actively engaged in dealing in horses and mules, and he still does considerable business in this line. In the fall of 1883 Mr. Blesse took the contract for building a levee along the river from St. Charles towards St. Louis. Mr. Blesse is a man of family. He was married in 1854, June 26, to Miss . Elizabeth Dieker, a daughter of Victor and Clara Dieker, for- merly of Germany. Mrs. B.'s father died at Wentzville, in 1865, and her mother in 1866. Her father was a farmer by occupation. Mr. and Mrs. Blesse have reared six children, who are living : Fred- erick V., now cashier at the bank at Eagle .Pass, Texas ; Laura E., wife of John A. Koelling; William F. and George F., of Mexico, Mo. ; and Henry .J. and Mattie, both of whom are at home. Two besides are deceased. Mr. Blesse is a man of public spirit and liber- ality, and has given very generously to the church and other institu- tions and enterprises.
. GEORGE H. BLOEBAUM (Dealer in Coal, Wood, Etc., St. Charles).
Wilhelm H. Bloebaum was a German by nativity and a cabinet maker. Cincinnati became his first place of settlement in this coun- try. He located there from Germany in 1840. Of course the peo- ple of all countries marry, those of one as well as of another. So Mr. Bloebaum, who was a young man when he came to this country, married some years afterwards. Miss Mary E. Scholle became his wife. They lived in Cincinnati, he engaged in his trade and she attending to her household duties, until 1859, when in obedience to a general law of the human race they moved on westward. Mr. and Mrs. Bloebaum settled at St. Charles. Subsequently they located on a farm in this county, and here Mr. Bloebaum pursued the peace- ful occupation of a husbandman until the evening of life darkened into the opaqueness of the grave. He died in 1865, respected by all who knew him and mourned deepest by those who knew him best. His good wife survived him until 1881, when she, too, passed over , to the other shore of the silent and endless river. They reared a family of five children and in this family George H., the subject of the present sketch, was the fourth. He was born at Cincinnati,
1
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
October 25, 1853. As George H. grew up he secured a good public school education, and before attaining his majority learned the paint- er's trade, which he followed with good success until 1879. He then engaged in farming, and was an energetic tiller of the soil for five years. But in 1884 Mr. Bloebaum, Jr., came to St. Charles and opened up his present business. People have to be kept warm through the cold winter months, and he who contributes to this humane service performs a good of no ordinary consideration for his fellow creatures. So Mr. Bloebaum looks at it, and while he is engaged in a profitable business, he has the satisfaction of knowing that he is at the same time engaged in a benign work of humanity. He has one of the best wood and coal yards in the city and is doing a good business. Of course the man in whom the quality of human kindness is so largely developed as it is in Mr. Bloebaum, would una- voidably marry. Accordingly, in 1880, he had the beatific felicity to be united in happy marriage with Miss Mary Huelskemper, a daughter of Henry Huelskemper, formerly of Germany. They have two children, Amanda and Dora. Mr. Bloebaum is a member of the Union Fire Company, No. 1.
JOHN HENRY BODE
(Editor and Proprietor of the St. Charles Demokrat).
Mr. Bode is a native of Germany, born in Hanover, January 25, 1844. At the age of eight years he was brought to America by his parents, who immigrated to the United States in 1852. They disem- barked at New Orleans and thence came up the river to St. Louis, where they made their home for a short time. In 1853, however, they removed to St. Charles, and are still residing at this city. They had a family of 10 children, of whom four sons and a daughter are living. 'John H. Bode was principally reared at St. Louis and re- ceived a good common-school education. He subsequently took a course at commercial college, and when a youth learned the printing business. Prior to 1865 he traveled quite extensively, working at his trade in different cities, and then located at St. Charles permanently. Here he was married to Miss Charlotte Rahmoeller. They have eight children, two of them being deceased. In 1864 Mr. Bode took charge of the St. Charles Demokrat, and has since been conducting it as editor and proprietor. The Demokrat is a German weekly, Demo- cratic in politics, and the leading organ of German opinion outside of St. Louis in the State. It has a large circulation, is on a good busi- ness footing and is an established and valuable piece of newspaper property. Mr. Bode is a cultured, vigorous writer, a man of honest, earnest convictions and not afraid to express them ; and he has infused into the Demokrat a vigor and vitality manifest to the most casual observer. Mr. Bode is one of the public-spirited citizens of St. Charles and is an active worker for the advancement of every enter- prise calculated to benefit the place. He is prominently connected with several industrial enterprises and has already taken a position
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
among the substantial citizens of the place. In politics he is a Demo- crat, and in denominational preference, a Lutheran. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. His family are noted for their longevity. Both his grandparents on his father's side died at advanced ages, and his paternal uncles are still living at Osnabruck, Germany, one at the age of 80 and the other past 70.
HENRY BORGMAN
(Manufacturer of Brick, St. Charles).
Mr. Borgman came to the United States in 1835, when he was a lad only about 11 years of age. He was born in Prussia, September 6, 1824. His father was John A. Borgman, and his mother's maiden name was Catharine Schaberg. There were eight children in the fam- ily, of whom Henry was the youngest. After residing in St. Charles county for about five years with his sister, Mrs. Gausman, young Borgman, when 16 years of age, went to St. Louis, where he obtained employment at a brick-yard as brick-bearer, and learned the brick- making business. He remained there until 1850, and in the meantime was married to Miss Marie Stahlhuth, a daughter of Ernest Stahlhuth, formerly of Hanover. In 1850, after his marriage, Mr. Borgman came to St. Charles and engaged in the brick business. He is still engaged in the same business at this place, and has made it a complete success. He runs three kilns with a capacity of 300,000 brick, and at. times has worked as high as six corps of men, making nearly 1,000,000 brick. Mr. Borgman has served as city councilman, but has never sought or desired any position of political preferment. Mr. and Mrs. Borgman have four children : Sophia, the wife of J. G. Gundlach, a physician, of Ottawa, Ill .; Helen, the wife of Prof. D. Y. Bagby, now of Texas ; Edward, now of St. Louis, whose wife was a Miss Fannie Roberts, formerly of Quincy, Ill. ; and Samuel, who is ·still at home. Mr. and Mrs. Borgman are members of the M. E. Church.
HENRY BROEKER
(House, Sign and Ornamental Painter, St. Charles).
Mr. Broeker is a native of Germany, born in Westphalia, Prussia, in 1849. He was the second in a family of five children of Henry and Elizabeth ( Reckhaus ) Broeker, his father a farmer by occupation. The father died in 1856, and the mother in 1872. Henry was reared in Westphalia, and attended school until he was about 14 years of age, when he commenced the painter's trade. He learned that trade and worked at it in his native country until 1869, when he came to America and located at St. Louis. Shortly afterwards he came on up to St. Charles, and has ever since followed his trade at this place. Mr. Broeker understands his trade thoroughly and receives a liberal patronage. In 1872 he was married to Miss Mary Miller, a daughter of Joseph Miller, a carpenter by trade. Mr. and Mrs. Broeker have
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
six children : Lizzie, Henry, Allie, Frank, Eugene and Ella. He and wife are members of the Catholic Church, and Mr. Broeker is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., and of the A. F. and A. M.
LOUIS · BRUCKER
(Of Louis Brucker & Bro., Dealers in Furniture and Variety Goods, St. Charles).
Mr. Brucker started out in life for himself when a young man with- out means and to make his own way in the world, independent of -all manner of help. As the good, old-fashioned Pedo-Baptist preacher used to say, " he has fought the fight and won the race ; " and is now one of the substantial business men and responsible, well respected citizens of the community where he lives. He and his brother have a large double store filled with a heavy stock of furniture, queen's-ware,. glassware and an innumerable variety of other goods and are doing an extensive and lucrative business. They are cash men in every sense of the word, both as purchasers and sellers and are therefore always on the safe side of the market, so that there is no chance to break, while they have every advantage to make money. Mr. Brucker was born in St. Louis, February 26, 1847. His father, Joseph A. Brucker, was from Baden, Germany, and came over to this country when a young man. He married in St. Louis Miss Mary Anna Schwarz, of which union the subject of this sketch was born. At the age of 15, Louis began to learn the trunk-maker's trade which he acquired. He had fair school advantages and besides the ordinary and night schools, attended St. Mary's school one year. When 18 years of age he went to Montana and spent three years out there engaged in clerk- ing and teaming. He then returned to St. Louis and worked at his trade until 1874, or for about six years. Early the next year he came to St. Charles and started a second-hand furniture store April 14, 1875, and two years later put in a stock of new goods. The busi- ness has since developed into its present respectable proportions. May 7, 1874, he was married to Miss Josephine Hodapp, a daughter of Wendelin Hodapp, deceased. Mrs. B. was born and reared in St. Charles. They have one child, Joseph W. Louis, their oldest child, died at the age of four years. Mr. and Mrs. B. are members of the Catholic Church, and Mr. Brucker is a member of the St. Charles Benevolent Society, of the Catholic Knights of America, and of the St. Charles Borromeo Sodality.
JOHN B. BRUCKER
(Of Louis Brucker & Bro., Dealers in Furniture and Variety Goods, St. Charles).
The successful business experience of the above named firm has already been spoken of in the sketch of Mr. B.'s brother, Louis Brucker. Suffice it, therefore, in this connection to give a sketch of the life and career merely of the gentleman whose name stands at the head of this short biography, one of the members of the above named firm. Mr. Brucker is a self-made man and has acquired all he has by
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
his own energy and good business judgment. He was born in St. Louis, April 7, 1843, and received a good, ordinary English educa- tion. Three years of his boyhood were spent in a store in St. Louis, and he then came to St. Charles county, remaining at Foristell prin- cipally. In 1864 he went with some teams to Montana, where he teamed for about two years, and for two years was engaged in mining. Returning in 1868 he engaged in merchandising in the grocery and variety store lines, which he continued until 1874, when he was in the saloon business for about a year. As already stated, he and his brother began their present business here in 1875 and have had good success. April 11, 1877, Mr. Brucker was married to Miss Gaugh, a daughter of John C. Gaugh, of St. Charles. They have two children : Mary J. and Adelia T. They have lost one, Clotilda, who died at the age of 15 months. Mr. and Mrs. B. are members of the Catholic Church, and he is also a member of the Catholic Knights of America.
HON. THEODORE BRUERE
(Attorney-at-Law and President of the St. Charles Savings Bank, St. Charles).
Among the large number of citizens of Missouri of foreign birth who, by their own exertions and deserts, have risen to positions of enviable prominence in affairs may, with entire truth and justice, be classed the subject of the present sketch. Mr. Bruere came to this country when a young man, about 19 years of age, practically penni- less and a stranger. Indeed, he had but half a Prussian dollar when he first touched American soil at New York in 1850. But as the sequel has shown he possessed the qualities which enable one to make a successful career. Coming of an excellent family in Prussia, he was a young man of sterling integrity of character, bright and active intel- ligence, and had improved his advantages well as he grew up by secur- ing an advanced and thorough education. His father Jean Bruere, of French-Huguenot descent, was a successful and prominent architect and builder of Cologne, and a man of culture and enviable social standing. Mr. Bruere's mother, whose maiden name was Wilhelmine Taeger, was a lady of refinement and many estimable qualities of head and heart. But while Theodore was yet a youth his father was taken away by death, leaving a family of eight children and their mother, so that young Bruere, the subject of this sketch, was to a certain extent thrown on his own resources. At the age of 19 he came to America, and after landing at New York obtained employment for a short time as civil engineer. The following fall, however, he came West to St. Louis, but finding no employment proceeded on up the river to Warren county. There he was employed for a short time as night watchman in a mill, but soon afterwards went to work at farm labor. It was not long, however, until his character and qualifica- tions became known to those around him, and in the spring of 1852 he was employed by Judge Waller to take charge of a class, con- sisting of the Judge's children and some others, in Latin and the higher branches. About this time he formed the acquaintance of Judge
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