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 44
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 44
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 44
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WILLIAM H. MEYER
(Late of W. H. Meyer & Co., Dealers in General Merchandise and Farm Implements, St. Charles).
The career of Mr. Meyer holds a striking example of success achieved and enviable standing in business affairs, as well as otherwise, by industry, ambition and perseverance, from a beginning by no means favorable. As a leading member of the above named firm, one of the prominent and remarkable business houses of St. Charles, he held a position of marked influence in the business affairs of the place and is looked upon as one of its most respected and worthy business men. Mr. Meyer, as his name indicates, is of German antecedents, and in- deed is a native of Germany. He was born in Hanover, November 10, 1844. When he was a lad about seven years of age his parents came to this country and located at St. Charles. His father, Matt- haus Meyer, died here three years afterwards. His mother, who was a Miss Mary Schoole, died the first year of her arrival here. William H. made his home after his parents' death in the family of Mr. Christ Bloebaum with whom he lived until the winter of 1860-62, when he enlisted in the Union Army, Co. A, First battalion Missouri State militia, in which he served for a term of 10 months. He then shortly enlisted in Co. H, Second Missouri artillery, and later along became a member of Co. C, where he served until after the war. He was not mustered out at the close of the war, but was sent for service against the Indians in which he took part in a very severe and hazard- ous campaign in the North-west. He was in two fights with the Indians, but the greatest danger he underwent was that of starvation, the base of supplies being so far away that it was impossible to get provisions with regularity, so that more than once the troops came very near perishing of hunger. Late in 1865, however, he was hon- orably discharged and at once returned to St. Charles. For a couple of years he worked at farm labor and, feeling the want of a better edu- cation than he had, he employed what means he had to attend school. Obtaining a fair general knowledge of the ordinary English branches, he was then offered and accepted a clerkship in a store at Oden, Ill., where he learned the practical details of merchandising. In 1870 he returned to St. Charles and secured a situation here in a store, where he clerked for about 12 months. Expecting to make merchandising his permanent occupation he determined to qualify himself thoroughly for it, and went to St. Louis to attend commercial college where he took a complete course of instructions. Out of employment and ont of means by this time, he accepted a position temporarily on the police force of that city. In a short time, however, he returned to St. Charles, and he and Mr. Buermann formed a partnership and began
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
merchandising in a small way, where business succeeded and with in- crease of their trade they steadily increased their stock until their house became one of the leading business houses of St. Charles. The firm continued thus until 1879 when John A. Meyer stepped in with Messrs. Buermann & Meyer, and the style of the firm became as it now is, W. H. Meyer & Co. On October 1, in 1881, Mr. Buermann retired. This firm carries a very large stock in their lines and has an extensive trade ; their sales aggregate perhaps over $40,000 a year. Mr. Meyer is in comfortable circumstances, and is now just in the meridian of a successful career. He is of course a man of family. June 30, 1875, he was married to Miss Lizzie, a daughter of John Meyer, formerly of Hanover. Mr. and Mrs. M. have three children : John C., Leta and Hugo. He and wife are members of the Lutheran Church, and Mr. Meyer is a prominent member of the order of Odd Fellows.
JOHN A. MEYER
(Of W. H. Meyer & Co., Dealers in General Merchandise and Farm Implements, St. Charles).
Like his partner, Mr. Meyer, the subject of this sketch, is a self- made man, having commenced for himself without anything and accumulated all he has by his own energy and good management. He was only about six years of age when the family came to America, having been born in Hanover January 12, 1854. His father was John Meyer, and his mother's maiden name Mary Boess. They came over and settled in St. Charles in 1860. Early in the following year his father enlisted in the Union army, and served until he was discharged for disability in 1864. He died two years later. Principally reared in St. Charles, John A. had the benefit of instruction in the public schools of this place, and he also attended night school. However, when 14 years of age he entered a printing office to learn type setting, at which he worked for about four years. After this he engaged in farming in the country, which he carried on until 1877. Making now a prospecting tour through Iowa and Minnesota, which lasted about four months, he then returned to St. Charles and became clerk for Buermann & Meyer, and afterwards succeeded Mr. Buermann as a member of the firm which took its present name of W. H. Meyer & Co. Mr. Meyer is a man of good business habits and thorough busi- ness qualifications. By his energy and enterprise he has added very materially to the success of the firm. October 22, 1879, he was married to Miss Julia A., a daughter of Frank Hackman, a live stock dealer of St. Charles. Mr. and Mrs. M. have three children : Edward F., Julius F. and Otto C. Mrs. M. is a member of the Evangelical Church and Mr. M. of the Lutheran Church.
JOHN N. MITTELBERGER
(Of J. N. Mittelberger & Co., Dealers in Dry Goods, Boots and Shoes, Furnishing Goods, Etc., St. Charles).
No complete or just sketch of the business growth of St. Charles, covering the period of the last twenty or twenty-five years, could be
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
given without bearing witness to the activity and enterprise shown by the subject of the present sketch and his father, John C. Mittelberger, in the business affairs of this place. Throughout all, or nearly all, of this period one or both of them have occupied prominent positions in developing the trade of St. Charles and in movements calculated to advance its material and general interests. There has perhaps not been an enterprise calculated to benefit the place in the last twenty years in which one or both of them have not taken an active interest and leading part. Abundantly successful as business men themselves, the whole community as a business and trade-center has felt the bene- ficial and stimulating influence of their success and enterprise. The Mittelberger family came to St. Charles county from Virginia over half a century ago. John C. Mittelberger, the father, was born in Virginia and came to this county with his parents while he was still a youth. Here he subsequently married Miss Lucinda Mallerson and settled on a farm in the county, where he continued to reside, suc- cessfully engaged in farming, until 1860. He then removed to the town of St. Charles and formed a partnership with Christopher Weeke in the milling business. They built the Northern mills, which they ran as partners for four years. Mr. Mittelberger then retired from the firm and subsequently established the business of which his son, John N., the subject of this sketch, is now at the head Indeed, John N. was his father's partner in the establishment of the present busi- ness, the style of the firm then being J. C. Mittelberger & Son. The store was carried on thus until January, 1881, when their house and stock were burned, on account of which the partnership was dissolved. The father then retired from merchandising, but not from all other business. Having had a successful business career, he had of course accumulated some means, which he had invested in various interests. He was a large stockholder in the St. Charles Car Works, of the board of directors of which he was also a member. He was largely instru- mental in establishing the car works at this place, being one of the first to suggest the enterprise and one of the most active and energetic in carrying it forward to a successful issue. He was also a large stockholder in the Union Savings Bank, and had valuable real estate interests at this place, all of which required his attention and good management. In 1872 he was elected mayor of St. Charles, an office he filled with ability and to the satisfaction of the public for two years. He died here January 1, 1882, in the sixty-fifth year of his age, pro- foundly mourned by the entire community, for he was a man who was much esteemed personally, and whose life had been of great value to St. Charles. He and his son built the opera house at this place, a handsome structure that did great credit to the city. He was also identified with various enterprises, public and private, conducive to the growth and best interests of St. Charles. He was one of that class of men, enterprising, public-spirited and liberal, that always build up the place in which they live, and give it whatever prominence it obtains in business affairs and otherwise. John N. Mittelberger was born on his father's farm, February 7, 1845. He was about 15 years
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
of age when the family came to the city, and the only son in the family. His father gave him good school advantages, giving him the benefit of a course at the St. Louis University and also a course at commercial college. From early manhood he took an active part with his father in business and in the various enterprises in which the latter was engaged. From the very beginning Mr. Mittelberger, Jr., had charge and the management of the store. After the fire of 1881 he rebuilt and organized the present firm, composed of himself, J. L. Patterson and F. W. Holke. This firm has continued in business ever since that time and is one of the leading houses, outside of a large city, in North-east Missouri. All are thoroughly experienced, pro- gressive business men, with established reputations for fair dealing, and always courteous and accommodating to the public. Personally popular as men and as citizens of the county, their house is liberally patronized, for they always keep on hand a large stock of the best classes of goods in their lines, which are sold at figures marked down to the lowest point that good business management allows. They of course do not give their goods away, for they expect to do business a long time still at St. Charles, and carry no goods bought either at fraudulent bankrupt sales, stolen, or bought on a credit never to be met and paid. They buy their goods at responsible houses and at honest, fair prices, and make a rule of selling them in the same fair, honest way. Thus they have won public confidence and thus their large trade has been built up. August 17, 1870, Mr. Mittelberger was married to Miss Mary A., a daughter of John Boyse, deceased, late of St. Charles. Mrs. M. is a lady of marked intelligence and culture, and was educated at the Convent of the Sacred Heart. There are six children : J. Austin, Agnes C., Mary E., Anna R., Angeline K. and Hattie E. Mr. and Mrs. Mittelberger are members of the English Catholic Church. Mr. Mittelberger is prominently identified with various business interests at St. Charles. He is a member of the board of directors of the Union Savings Bank, and also a director of the St. Charles tobacco factory. He is a prominent member of the Merchants' Exchange, and is now serving his second term as a member of the city council.
WILLIAM MOENTMANN (Farmer, Post-office, St. Charles).
Germany is the country of Mr. Moentmann's nativity, and he came from there to America when two years of age with his parents, in 1840. They settled in St. Charles county and lived here until their deaths. His father was Rudolph Moentmann and his mother's maiden name was Margaret Dras. Both were members of the German Lutheran Church. The mother died, however, before coming to this country, and the father was afterwards married twice. He died in 1878. Will- iam Moentmann was the younger of two children by his father's first marriage, and was reared in this county. On the 15th of March, 1865, he was married to Miss Henrietta Moellenbrock, formerly of Germany.
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
Before his marriage Mr. Moentmann had engaged in farming for him- self in this county and he afterwards continued it. He now has 150 acres of good land, one of the comfortable farms of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Moentmann have nine children, five of whom are living, namely : Amelia, Louis, Mena, Martha and Louisa. He and wife are members of the German Lutheran Church.
JAMES A. MOORE (Market Gardener, St. Charles).
For the last 27 years Mr. Moore has been engaged in market gar- dening for the trade of St. Charles, and he also ships his products occasionally to other markets. He has 15 acres of good land devoted exclusively to raising market products in the line of garden farming, and he has had satisfactory success in this branch of horticulture. He is a native of England, born in Yorkshire, February 18, 1819. When he was about 10 years of age his parents came to America with their family of children and located in Canada. In 1840 they crossed over, into the States and settled permanently in Hancock county, Ill. The father, a farmer by occupation, died there in February, 1859. The mother died September 22, 1879. They reared six chil- dren, three of whom were sons, and of the family of children, James A. was the second ; he was 20 years of age when the family located in Hancock county. In 1852 he went to California ; he had been pre- viously married to Eliza Jane Long, of Dayton, Ohio, and she died while crossing the plains, with the cholera, and left one child, a little boy, 12 months old. Mr. Moore took him through to California, and upon start- ing to return home in the spring of 1855, took passage on the steamship Yankee Blade, which was wrecked about 24 hours after starting ; she had over 1,100 passengers on board, of whom about 300 were lost. Mr. Moore lost his little boy and was picked up himself insensible by a lady on the beach, where the breakers had washed him; he lost everything he had, not having even a coat and hat left. After remain- ing on the beach three days, he was taken off by the steamer Goliah, that ran between San Francisco and Los Angeles, in nearly a famishing condition ; he was taken back to San Francisco, stayed there about one week and went again to the mines, where he soon began to do well, but having become discouraged, in six weeks he once more started home and in due time, without any serious accident, reached Hancock county, where he resided until 1857. On the 28th of June, that year, he was married to Miss Arianah, daughter of Frederick and Mary (Little) Lorine, of Hancock county, where she was reared, being educated in the schools of Carthage, Ill. Mrs. Moore is a lady of superior intelligence and marked strength of char- acter and business aptitude and energy. She is in fact more enterprising and a better manager of business affairs than the general average of men. To her industry and business acumen is argely due the success which she and her husband have had in their present business, to which also Mr. M. has contributed the full share
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
of a go-ahead man, a capable and energetic manager. They came to St. Charles in 1857, and have been in their present business ever since. They have a family of four children : Maria L. Mary E., John and George. He and family are members of the Trinity Epis- copal Church.
JAMES R. MUDD, M. D. (Physician and Surgeon, St. Charles).
The family of the above name, and of which Dr. Mudd is a repre- sentative, has long been well and prominently known in North-east Missouri, particularly in the medical profession. The family came originally from England, and settled in Maryland among the first colonists of that grant. The founder of the family in this country came over with Lord Baltimore. From there it has become dispersed over different States, particularly the South and West. Dr. M.'s father, James H. Mudd, was a native of Kentucky, his father in turn having immigrated to the Blue Grass State from Maryland. The Doc- tor's mother was a Miss Elizabeth Janes before her marriage, also a Ken- tuckian by nativity. The family came to Missouri in 1849, and settled in Lincoln county, where the father followed farming for many years. In 1869 he removed to Montgomery county, where he is still living at the advanced age of 85 years, and makes his home with his son, Samuel Mudd. The old gentleman, although a patriarch in years as well as appearance, is still quite vigorous, and in mind and conversa- tion betrays but little the great weight of years he bears. His mem- ory is still clear, and to hear him speak of the every-day affairs of life at a time when Kentucky was still a wilderness and Missouri was considered the far West, almost sounds like a voice from the grave of the distant past, bringing up circumstances and events that seem to have been long buried. Dr. Mudd was in childhood when his parents came to Missouri, having been born in Kentucky, Washington county, August 10, 1844. He was therefore reared 'in Lincoln county, this State. Dr. Mudd was brought up to a farm life, but early displayed a preference for the medical profession. While yet a youth he decided to make a physician of himself, and accordingly subordinated every other consideration to the attainment of that object. At the age of 18, having already received a common school education, he entered college at St. Charles, in order to take a course in more advanced studies. He had previously taught school for a year, and appreciating fully the advantage of a good education, he studied with more than ordinary zeal and assiduity at college. After a general college course of three years he began the study of medicine, and as a means of defraying his expenses while prosecuting his medical studies he taught school about five years in all. His preceptor in medicine was Dr. Samuel Overall, a leading physician of St. Charles county. In 1870 he entered the St. Louis Medical College, and graduated from that institution in the spring of 1872. Dr. Mudd then began the practice at Boschertown, on the Marais Croche lake in this county, about three
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
miles north of St. Charles. Having good success in building up a practice which soon extended itself to St. Charles and vicinity, he removed to this place about six years ago, where he has ever since continued to practice. Dr. Mudd occupies a position of one of the leading physicians of the place, and is highly respected as a citizen. October 10, 1875, he was married to Miss Mary C., a daughter of John Boschert, of Boschertown. Mrs. Mudd was educated at St. Charles. The Doctor and Mrs. M. have three children : Eugene J., Leo C. and Arthur D. They have lost two, Augustus and Claudine. In 1876 Dr. Mudd was elected coroner of the county and he has ever since continued to occupy that position by re-elections. He is also physician and superintendent of St. Charles county asylum for the poor, by employment of the county court.
FRANCIS OBERKOETTER
(D'ealer in Boots and Shoes, St. Charles).
For 42 years Mr. Oberkoetter has been a resident of St. Charles, and for the last 32 years continuously he has been engaged in his pres- ent line of business at his present stand. He commenced for himself a poor boy at the shoemaker's bench, and worked his way up from the last to the present enviable position he occupies as a business man, citizen, and substantial property holder, a position he has long and worthily held. Mr. Oberkoetter was born in Hanover, April 19, 1819, and was a son of Frederick and Mary ( Stoelmeyer ) Oberkoetter, both of old Hanovarian families. He grew up in Hanover and learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked in that country until 1842, when he came to the land of the free and the home of the brave and lo- cated at St. Charles. Here he resumed his trade and worked at journey work until 1845, when he began for himself in a small way. Close attention to business, fair dealing and industry prospered him from the beginning, and step by step he has progressed on a successful busi- ness career until he is now one of the substantial property holders and prominent business men of St. Charles. In 1849 he bought a busi- ness house, where he carried on a store until 1852, when he bought the building he now occupies, where he has ever since continued it. In 1867 he built one of the best business houses in St. Charles, a large handsome structure, with two sales rooms on the ground floor and offices above. This building he still owns, and he also has several valuable residence properties in town built for renting. He was one of the first stockholders in the car works, and helped to organize the fire insurance company, of which he was the first president, a position he held for seven years. He is also a large stockholder in the gas company and in the Union Savings Bank. He has held the office of councilman for several terms, but has made no object of the pursuit of office. In 1846 Mr. Oberkoetter was married to Miss Julia Yeager, formerly of Hanover. His wife died early in 1881, and Mr. Ober- koetter himself is quite feeble, having received a stroke of paralysis a short time ago, but he still superintends his business, and is a
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
man of great vitality and energy. He and his good wife reared two children : Mary, now the widow of Daniel Reinschmidt; Anna, a young lady who is still at home ; and Valentine, now 18 years of age. Their other children died at tender ages. The family are Catholics in religious faith.
CAPT. JOHN ORRICK
[Contributed].
The following is the report of the committee appointed by Palestine Lodge No. 241, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, to prepare a minute concerning the death of Capt. John Orrick. The report was prepared by Jos. H. Alexander, W. M. of the lodge and chairman of the committee, and adopted by the lodge at a meeting held on the 19th day of August, 1879 : -
John Orrick, the eighth of 12 children of Nicholas Orrick and Mary Pendleton, was born in Berkeley county, Va., January 5, 1805, and died in St. Charles, Mo., July 4, 1879, reaching an age of just 74 years and 6 months.
His early years were spent on a farm; in 1818 he became a mer- chant's apprentice in Reading, Pa., where he remained nine years ; in 1827 he removed to Lancaster, Pa., where he remained three years, afterwards engaging in business at Pottsfield, Pa.
September 22, 1833, he married Urilla Stonebraker, of Washing- ton county, Md., immediately coming West and settling at St. Charles, where he has resided ever since.
His business was merchandising, and in conjunction with his brother, Benjamin, who still survives, he soon established an extensive and profitable trade ; but meeting with heavy losses in the fur trade and otherwise, the firm suspended, coming through the trying ordeal, however, with credit and honor.
Soon afterwards he filled the office of justice of the peace at St. Charles ; from 1840 to 1844 he was sheriff of St. Charles county ; in 1844 he represented the county in the Lower House of the Missouri Legislature. He, for about two years, resided on the farm now owned and occupied by E. C. Cunningham, Esq., after which he engaged in steamboating, being in command of the steamer Fayaway, plying between St. Louis and St. Charles.
In 1851 he took the United States census for St. Charles county, soon after which he engaged in the grain business with Judge Yosti. The firm of Yosti & Orrick continued in business about six years, Judge Yosti then withdrawing. The business was continued by Orrick & Barklage till Mr. Barklage's death in 1861, after which it was con- tinued by Orrick & Stonebraker for about six years, when Mr. Orrick finally ceased from active business, spending the last 10 or 12 years of his life free from business cares.
This very brief statement shows that Mr. Orrick was actually en- gaged in business, from first to last, for about 49 years. In all this extended career he was scrupulous in all his dealings and transactions, and showed energy, perseverance, industry and faithfulness in the dis-
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
charge of duty and the fulfillment of obligation, coming through all these years and ending his business career without a stain upon his honor or reproach upon his character.
What an amount of labor and toil is represented by a human life extending across three-quarters of a century ! What an amount of energy and industry, especially in a life of unceasing activity, such as was Mr. Orrick's ! What an amount of character must have been developed by a business career of 50 years. And yet, the truth is, that his life was much more than all that has been mentioned.
He was a member of the Episcopal Church, and his zeal in that relation is shown by the fact that in 1836, when he had been in St. Charles but a short time, a church of that denomination had been organized here, and he became one of its first vestrymen, and so con- tinued ever afterwards. He maintained his connection with that church to the day of his death, a period of 43 years, and served it with his best and most unselfish service, and gave to it freely of his time, means and his heart's best affections.
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