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 42

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 42
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 42
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 42

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).

JAMES C. HOLMES

(Editor and Proprietor of the St. Charles News).

Mr. Holmes was the second of eight children of Lorenzo Dow and Margaret (Lupton) Holmes, and was born March 19, 1851, in the residence in which he now resides, which was among the first brick residences built in St. Charles. His father was born in St. Charles county near where the present village of Cottleville now stands, and resided continuously, excepting a few years in St. Louis, in St. Charles county, where from a meagre beginning he amassed a fair competence and left to his family the heritage of a good name. He was married July 8, 1847, in St. Louis to Miss Margaret Lupton, by whom he had eight children, of whom but two, James C. and William F. survive. He died in Nashville, Tenn., on March 11, 1864. Mrs. Margaret Holmes, the mother of the subject of our sketch, is still alive, and is

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

a woman of remarkable force of character and yet susceptible of the kindliest and tenderest of sentiments. She was born in Allegheny county, near Pittsburg, Pa., of Richard and Mary (Loughy ) Lupton. Her mother's ancestors, who were descendants of the kings of Ire- land, came to America during the troublous times of 1798, when many of the Irish nobles and gentry were exiled from the land of their birth and their property confiscated for their adherence to the faith of their fathers. All were active participants in the War of 1812. James C. Holmes received a good general education at the public schools and the college of the Christian Brothers in St. Louis. Be- coming the proprietor of the St. Charles News in May, 1883, he has devoted himself to the profession of journalism. The News is the only English Democratic and is one of the leading newspapers in St. Charles county, its circulation being nearly 2,000 copies. Its large advertising patronage places it on a secure footing. On November 1, 1883, Mr. Holmes was married to Miss Catherine Cornwell, daughter of James Cornwell, of Kirkwood, St. Louis county. They were married in Bloomington, Ill., by Rev. Father Weldon, pastor of the English Catholic Church of that city. Mrs. Holmes is a lady possessed of many amiable traits of character, and is highly esteemed by a large circle of friends.

FREDERICK W. HUCKER (Baker and Confectioner, St. Charles).

Mr. Hucker has been engaged in his present business at St. Charles for the last 20 years, uninterruptedly, and being a man who under- stands his business thoroughly, economical, and a good manager, he has, of course, succeeded to the limit that could fairly be expected for one in his line of business at a place of the size of St. Charles. He has an old and established trade, a business that may be relied on as long as it is attended to properly with as much confidence and security as a pension from the government. His close attention to business, fair dealing and good standing in the community, have brought him success, which he justly deserves. Mr. Hucker was born in Hanover March 25, 1830, and was married in the year 1857, to Miss Emilie Riemenschneider, and in 1857 emigrated with his family to the United States, having previously learned the baker's and confectioner's trade. He located there at St. Louis and carried on a bakery until 1864, when he came to St. Charles, where he has ever since resided. His wife was born in Prussia, September 17, 1831. Mr. and Mrs. Hucker have five children : Gustave H., in business with his father ; Amanda, the wife of Otto Kolwey, was married July 19, 1883 ; Ida, Hulda and Emil; the two unmarried daughters and son being still at home. Gustave received a high school education at St. Louis, and in October, 1883, was married to Louise Gerding, from New Haven, Franklin county.

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

AUGUST R. HUNING

(Dealer in Dry Goods, Boots and Shoes, Carpets, Etc., St. Charles).

Mr. Huning is well known to the people of St. Charles and sur- rounding country as one of the leading business men and substantial citizens of the county. He is a native of St. Charles county, born in the year 1836. His father was Frederick Huning, a native of Hanover, and his mother's maiden name Catherine Wortman, also from Germany ; both have long since been deceased. The father died soon after coming to this country, in about 1837; the mother, how- ever, survived until 1854. August R. grew up in St. Charles county, and had very limited opportunities for an education. The knowledge of books he obtained he acquired mainly by self-culture, or studied at home without an instructor. In August, 1861, he enlisted in the Union service as a member of the Eighth Indiana infantry as a musi- cian, in which he served until the spring of 1862. During this time he participated in the battle of Pea Ridge and some other engage- ments of less importance. Prior to the war, however, he had engaged in the dry goods business at St. Charles, January, 1860, as a member of the firm of Melkersman, Kemper & Co., which firm continued until about 1865. However, they had two stores at that time. In 1867, the firm having dissolved and Mr. Huning having been in business alone for some time previous, he then took in a partner, A. W. Wind- horst, who continued with him for about 10 years. Since then he has been engaged in business alone. He carries a large and complete stock of goods in his line, and has an extensive business, his aggre- gate sales amounting to from $55,000 to $60,000 a year. He employs four clerks in his store besides a book-keeper, and all are kept busy with their respective duties. Mr. H. has been quite successful in business life, and is in comfortable circumstances. He is a stockholder in the St. Charles car manufacturing company at St. Charles, and is also largely interested in the St. Charles tobacco factory, and is also a director in the Union Savings bank, in which he is a stockholder. He is a man of thorough experience in business affairs, and is justly regarded as one of the most enterprising and public-spirited business men of St. Charles. In 1864 Mr. Huning was married to Miss Adel- haide, a daughter of Dr. A. Morgner, of St. Charles county, but formerly of Germany. Mrs. H. was born in Saxony, but reared in St. Charles. Mr. H. is a member of the Knights of Honor and of the A. O. U. W.

REV. ROBERT IRWIN, D. D.

(President of the Lindenwood Female College, Post-office, St. Charles).

Rev. Dr. Irwin is a native of Ohio, born at Oxford in Butler county, January 1, 1833. He was a son of Rev. Robert and Mary A. Irwin, his father originally from Kentucky, and his mother from Ohio. Dr. Irwin's collegiate education was received at Hanover College, Indiana,

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

where he graduated in 1854. He studied theology at the Western Theological Seminary of Pittsburg, Pa., where he took a course of two years, graduating in 1856, and receiving the degree of Doctor of Divinity. He was thereupon ordained a minister of the Presbyterian Church, and was called to the pastorate of the Bethlehem Presbyterian Church of Cass county, Ind. Dr. Irwin had charge of that church for a period of about eight years, or until 1864. During this time, how- ever, in 1861, he entered the United States army and was commis- sioned chaplain, but continued in the army only little more than a year, resigning on account of sickness. In 1864 he was called to the charge of the Presbyterian Church at Waveland, Ind. Four years later he came to Kansas City, Mo., having accepted a call to the pas- torate of the First Presbyterian Church. Dr. Irwin occupied this position for some five years, and was then elected to the superintend- ency of the Presbyterian Board of Publication for the West and South-west, his headquarters thereafter being at St. Louis. He was Superintendent of Publication in that city until his election to the presidency of Lindenwood Female College in 1880, which he accepted. He has ever since stood at the head of this institution. Dr. Irwin is a minister of learning and ability, profoundly pious and deeply solicitous for the cause of religion, the welfare of his fellow crea- tures and the interests of the church. A scholar of advanced culture and learning, and a man of untiring industry and energy ; possessed of executive ability of a high order, and singularly gifted with the qualities which enable one to impress upon those under his instruc- tion the information he desires to impart, he is at once an educator eminently successful as a teacher and a manager of the business affairs of the college of known and conceded superiority. Under his administration Lindenwood College has had one of the most prosperous eras in its career. In every desirable particular there

has been marked improvements. Throughout North-east Mis- souri it is recognized as one of the best institutions devoted to the education of young ladies in this part of the State. The college and the community are to be congratulated on the success which has characterized the management of the institution for the past several years. Personally, Dr. Irwin is a man of many estimable qualities, pleasant in his address, unassuming, kind and considerate in all he says and does, and always interesting and entertaining in conversation. In a word, he is a man of a good head and a better heart; one who is highly esteemed by all who know him.

LINNEUS C. JENNINGS

(Superintendent of the Gas Works, St. Charles).

Mr. Jennings is of English parentage, though he, himself, was born and reared in this country. His parents, John J. and Henrietta ( Avens ) Jennings, came to America in 1825 and located at Philadel- phia, where they made their permanent home. The father, a florist by occupation, died at the age of 74. The mother died in 1868.

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

Linneus C. Jennings was born at Philadelphia, January 20, 1840. Reared in the city, he received a good public school education, and later along he learned the machinist's trade and mechanical engineer- ing. At the outbreak of the war he enlisted in the three months' service early in 1861, and his term expired while he was at Alexan- dria, Va. He then re-enlisted, becoming a member of Cameron's Dragoon, Co. B, commanded by Capt. Kerr of the Fifth Pennsylva- nia cavalry. In this command he served until the close of the war, being orderly for Gen. Blenker. He was in the battles of Ft. Mumford, Fairfax Court-house, Centralia (Va. ), Sharpsburg, those in the campaign down the Rappahannock, Williamsburg, the siege of Yorktown and many others. His branch of the cavalry service was largely engaged in tearing up Confederate railroads to prevent the rapid transit of the troops of the enemy. After the close of the war Mr. Jennings returned to Philadelphia and resumed his trade as. machinist. A year later he engaged quite extensively in the manu- facture of cotton yarn. This he followed for two years and then sold out and came to Missouri, locating at St. Charles. Here he was soon employed as head machinist of the North Missouri Railroad car shops, a position he held with satisfaction to the company for a period of five years and until he resigned it to accept the superintendency of the gas works. The gas company was organized in 1872, and he was elected by the board of directors superintendent of the works. He has held this position for the last 12 years and has made a popular and thoroughly efficient officer. August 4, 1865, Mr. Jennings was married to Miss Jane Moore, a daughter of J. W. Moore of Philadel- phia, but of Irish antecedents. Mr. and Mrs. J. have five children : Fannie, Frank, Hattie, Susie and Alfred. Mr. J. is secretary of the I. O. O. F., in which order he is vice grand master. He is likewise collector of the Mutual Aid Association, and is lodge deputy, having filled all the chairs.

JOHN JAY JOHNS

(Retired Farmer, St. Charles).

Forty years ago this last spring Mr. Johns first entered the borders of St. Charles county. Since then he has been a continuous resident of the county. A farmer by occupation, he has followed this pursuit with little or no interruption until his retirement from the more severe activities of life. Industrious, economical and a man of superior intelligence, he of course succeeded in his chosen calling, though he commenced a poor man. He has not amassed a great fortune, for the pursuit of wealth has not been his controlling object. He has endeavored to lead a worthy, useful life as a private citizen. A renter when he came to the county, he soon became able to buy land of his own, and finally he became the owner of one of the choice farms and comfortable homesteads of the county and city of St. Charles. Mr. Johns is a native of the Old Dominion, born in Buck- ingham county, June 27, 1819. His father, Glover Johns (his wife,

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

nee Martha Jones, having died in 1828), went to Tennessee in 1831, and thence two years later to Mississippi, in 1833, and settled in Hines county, near Jackson, the State capital. The father having died in 1834, J. J. went to live with his sister, Mrs. McCowan, in Memphis, Tenn. John J. had superior advantages for an education, to com- plete which he went to Miami University, at Oxford, O., in 1836, where he graduated with honor in 1840. The same year of his grad- uation he was married to Miss Catherine Woodruff, a daughter of Joseph Woodruff, of Oxford, O. He then returned to Mississippi, settled on a farm in that State and was engaged in planting in Mississippi until his removal to Missouri in 1844. Here, two years later, his devoted wife died. She left him two children, Louisa, who is now the wife of William Morgan, of Carroll county, Mo., and Mary, now the wife of Thomas J. Pearce, of Wentzville, Mo. In 1846 Mr. Johns bought a piece of land, partly improved, situated three miles north of St. Charles. This he finally improved into a fine farm of 250 acres, the richest land in Missouri. In 1851 Mr. Johns removed to the city of St. Charles and bought and improved a beautiful suburban residence, for the greater convenience of schools for his children. The only public office he ever held was that of school commissioner, away back in 1854, and the first school commissioner of the county. He is an exemplary member of the Presbyterian Church of long standing, and has been an elder in the church for over 40 years. In the fall of 1847 he was married a second time to Miss Jane A. Durfee, daughter of Rev. Thomas Durfee and Ann G. Durfee. Her father was an early settler in Missouri from Massachusetts, and was for a long time pastor of the Auxvasse Church, in Callaway county. Mrs. J. was educated at the Monticello Seminary, Godfrey, Ill. They have reared eight chileren : Mattie, a young lady now in Philadelphia with her uncle; Lizzie, who is now the wife of Henry Gauss, of San Antonio, Tex. ; Fred D., a practicing physician of Leaky, Tex .; Arthur C., a lumber merchant of San Antonio, Tex. ; George S., who is connected with the Post-Dispatch, of St. Louis, and a graduate of Princeton College, N. J. ; and Shirley Winston. They have lost five children, three at early ages and Thomas G., a practicing lawyer, who died in Sedalia in the fall of 1881, and Anna D., who died at the age of 14, in 1868.

CHARLES M. JOHNSON, M. D. (Physician and Surgeon, St. Charles).

One of the early families to settle in this county was that of which the subject of the present sketch is a representative. Dr. Johnson's parents, Charles M. Johnson, Sr., and wife, Harriet D., nee Ficklin, came to this county from Rappahannock county, Va., nearly 50 years ago. Mr. Johnson bought the old Daniel Boone place, which, in the meantime, had descended to the old pioneer's son, Col. Nathan Boone, from whom it was purchased. The little old cabin which the great Indian fighter built when a white man was more of a curiosity

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

in Missouri than an Indian is now, is still standing, a historic landmark of the pioneer days of the country. To the passer-by the crickets seem to chirp as merrily now as they did in the last century, when the old fur-clad path-finder of civilization slept lightly within its walls, ready at the first footfall to grasp his trusted rifle for defense against the stealthy merciless foe of the forest. Dr. Johnson's father resided on the old Boone place for about 30 years, or until 1865, when he sold it and removed to Illinois. The old gentleman is still living, and has reached his ninety-third year. He returned to St. Charles only a few months ago, and is now living here, one of his daughters being his housekeeper. The most perceptible mark of age he bears is a slight deafness, but otherwise he is still quite active, in good health, and with a memory apparently as clear as it was before the present century was ushered in. Dr. Johnson was a mere boy when the family came to Missouri. He was born in Virginia, Janu- ary 28, 1826. In youth he had a course of two years at college in St. Charles in addition to good common-school instruction previously received. At the age of 20 he began the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. John G. Tannor, of St. Charles. His med- ical collegiate education was received in Philadelphia at the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated with honor in 1850. Soon afterwards he located at Warrenton, and a few years later at Troy. He returned to St. Charles county in 1861, and located for the practice at the old family homestead in this county. But about this time the war broke out and he recruited a company for the Southern service, of which he was made captain. In the fight at Mt. Zion, in Boone county, Capt. Johnson, as he was then called, was taken prisoner and kept in confinement a few months. Being released on oath not to take up arms again, he resumed the practice in this county, where he has ever since continued. He has been located at St. Charles since 1865, and has been very success- ful in the practice. On the 6th of February, 1856, he was mar- ried to Miss Martha Smith, a daughter of Wright and Sarah P. Smith, formerly of Fayette county, Va. The Doctor and Mrs. Johnson have three children : Samuel R., Wright S. and Mary F. They have lost one, Strother, who died in childhood in 1862.

WILLIAM W. KIRKPATRICK

(President of the First National Bank, St. Charles).

Originally of Scotch descent, the Kirkpatrick family, of which the subject of the present sketch is a representative, early settled in South Carolina, among the colonists of that State. From South Carolina Mr. Kirkpatrick's father, Wallace Kirkpatrick, became a pioneer settler of St. Charles county when a young man. He came here when Missouri was a part of the Territory of Upper Louisiana, away back in the second decade of the present century, and his only companions, with a very few exceptions, were mainly Indians and a few Spanish and fur-trading Frenchmen. He was one of the first

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

merchants of St. Charles, but subsequently settled on land near the city and became a successful and prominent farmer. He was married here to Miss Jane F. Mudd, a daughter of Mr. Mudd, a pioneer settler of the county. He died on his homestead, near St. Charles, in 1838. His wife, the mother of the subject of this sketch, is still living at an advanced age, and makes her home with her son, William W., at St. Charles. William W. Kirkpatrick was the youngest of five children in the family, two sons and three daughters, all of whom are living. He was born on the family homestead, near St. Charles, June - 11, 1837. His early life was spent on the farm, and his school advant- ages were very limited. Afterwards, however, he made up for this by self-culture. He continued on the farm until 1866, meanwhile dealing to some extent in stock, and with good success. He then came to St. Charles and engaged in merchandising, establishing a grocery store, in which he had a successful experience of about five years. During this time he also continued in the stock business to a certain extent and traded in real estate, both of which he has kept up ever since. In 1872 he was elected county assessor and at the end of that term of office was appointed deputy county collector, in which capacity he served for three years. In most of his business interests Mr. Kirkpatrick has been successful, and from the beginning has made steady progress to the front as a leading business man and large property holder of the county. He became a liberal subscriber to the stock of the Novelty Manufacturing Company, of which he is vice-president, and he is also a large stockholder in the Tobacco Company, being a director of the company. The success of the Gas Company is largely attributable to his enterprise and he has a large interest in that company. He has long been a stockholder in the First National Bank, and in 1880 he was elected vice-president of the

bank, a position he held until January of the present year, when he was elected president of this institution. He and Mr. J. E. Stone- braker are among the leading land-holders of the county, and they own jointly over 2,600 acres. The present fall they are seeding nearly 1,000 acres in wheat alone. In agriculture, as in everything else, Mr. Kirkpatrick is a man of enterprise and progressive ideas. He and Mr. Stonebraker are believed to be the only men in the State who use traction steam engine gang-plows for breaking up their plow land. By the use of these plows they have found that they greatly economize both labor and expense, while the plows do better work than the ordinary horse plows, and are a complete success. Novem- ber 29, 1866, Mr. Kirkpatrick was married to Miss Ursula Kestler, a daughter of John Kestler, of Macon county, Ill. Miss Kestler was partly educated at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, in St. Charles, where Mr. Kirkpatrick first met her. Mr. and Mrs. K. have three children : Angela D., Mary L. and Frances F. He and wife are members of the Catholic Church, and Mr. K. is a member of the Catholic Knights of America, of the local lodge of which he was president for some two years.

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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.

HENRY LINNEMANN

(Dealer in Hardware and Farm Implements, St. Charles).

Mr. Linnemann's parents, Carl D. and Kate ( Hecker ) Linnemann, came to America from Germany in 1858, and the following year set- tled at St. Charles, where his father engaged in mercantile business, which he continued until 1871, when he retired from all active business matters. Both parents are still residing at St. Charles. Henry Lin- nemann, who was the eldest of his parents' family of four children, was 12 years of age when they came to America. He received a good ordinary education in the schools of St. Louis and St. Charles. He learned merchandising under his father as he grew up, and has been engaged in the hardware business most of the time since he was 19 years of age. However, when about 19 years old, having previously taken a course at commercial college in St. Louis, he graduated in that city in 1865. He then located at Jefferson City and engaged in business. In 1867 he returned to St. Louis, but after remaining there some eight months came back to St. Charles where he has ever since been engaged in his present line of business. He has built up a large trade, and his sales now average $20,000 annually. In 1873 Mr. Lin- nemann was elected treasurer of St. Charles and held the office for two years with entire satisfaction to the people. Miss Matilda Hauser became his wife 14 years ago. She was a daughter of Christian Hauser, the founder of the Spring brewery, and who died in about 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Linnemann have five children : Alice, Laura, Hyda, Carl and Robert. They lost two in infancy. He and wife are members of the Lutheran Church, and he is also a member of the St. Charles fire department.

JUDGE THEODORIC F. McDEARMON

(Late Democratic Nominee for Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, St. Louis. District; Residence, St. Charles).

In September, of the present year, Judge McDearmon was nomi- nated by the Democratic party, through the convention held at St. Louis, for Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, the district of which includes the city of St. Louis, and the counties of St. Louis, St. Charles, Lincoln, Warren and Franklin, but he was defeated by a small majority, his opponent being Judge Rombauer. Judge McDear- mon is now in his forty-fifth year, and has been continuously in the active practice of his profession since he was a young man 22 years of age. His progress at the bar has been one of steady advancement, and he has attained the enviable standing he now has as a lawyer only through solid merit, hard work, sterling native ability and strict integrity. Judge McDearmon is well fitted for any position which he might be called to occupy. In cast of mind he is sober, discriminating, just and judicial. A man of thought rather than of words, he pos- sesses one of those large and liberal minds that deal with everything

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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 42

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