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 47
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 47
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 47
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
of the State. He was elected cashier of the First National immedi- ately after its organization, and has ever since continued to hold that position. There is no one to question that the success of this bank is very largely due to his ability and enterprise in bank man- agement and the high character for business integrity, which has ever been shown in all its affairs. No bank in the State stands higher than the First National of St. Charles, in the confidence of its patrons and the community where it does business, or in banking circles, gen- erally. Mr. Stonebraker is a man of family, having married many years ago, when a young man. His wife was a Miss Julia E. Griffith, a daughter of Capt. Asa Griffith, late of this county, but now deceased, and originally from Tennessee. Mrs. S. was educated at Lindenwood College, and is a lady of superior culture and refinement. Mr. and Mrs. Stonebraker have 'never been blessed with a family of children of their own, but have reared several who are relatives of hers, namely : Samuel Parker Griffith, now a bank cashier at Bowling Green, Mo .; John Fielding Riggs, now a physician of Texas, and Eliza G. Twyman, who is the wife of John W. Cox, all of whom were given good advan- tages, both educational and otherwise, the same as if they had been the natural children of their generous and true-hearted foster-parents. The honorable settlement of each in life, and the worthy name all three bear, show that they have not failed to appreciate the kindness with which they were cared for in their early years. Mr. and Mrs. S. are members of the church, he of the Presbyterian, and she of the M. E. Church South. He has been elder in the church for over 20 years.
JUDGE JOHN B. THRO
(Of J. B. Thro & Co., Proprietors of the St. Charles Roller Mills).
Born and reared in France, Judge Thro came to America before he had reached his majority and located at St. Charles. On both the agnate and cognate sides of his parental family he is of German de- scent, and in France received a good ordinary education in both the French and German languages. His father was Jacob Thro and his mother's maiden name Mary A. Miller, both born and reared in France. John B. was brought up and employed in a woolen factory from about the age of 12 years, his duty mainly being to assist in devising and making designs or patterns for weaving purposes, etc., for cotton goods. He was in this employment until he came to the United States. Here he learned the painter's trade, which he followed for about two years, and then engaged in merchandising in partnership with his uncle, Melchior Thro. In about 1858 he sold out his interest in the partnership with his uncle, and formed a partnership with his father- in-law, Wendell Hodapp, in the same business, continuing in with his father-in-law and brother-in-law for about five years. Hethen made a visit to Europe, spending a short time in both France and Germany, and after his return engaged in the dry-goods business with his cousin, Joseph H. Thro, now deceased. They were together until 1868, when the latter sold out, and Judge Thro, later along, also sold out his inter-
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
est in the store. In a short time he engaged in the clothing business as a member of the firm of Thro, Pritchett & Co. Retiring from this in 1872, he bought a third interest in the roller flouring mills at this place, with which he has ever since been connected. He now owns a half interest in the mill. The firm put in the roller process in 1881. This mill has a wide and enviable reputation for the superior excel- lence of the flour it makes. It has a capacity of 130 barrels of flour a day. It does a general merchant business and has a large trade in North-east Missouri, particularly along the line of the Wabash - Rail- road. Judge Thro has been very successful in his business affairs. He has always been one of the enterprising and public spirited citizens of St. Charles. In almost every enterprise of the place he has taken an active and useful part. He is a stockholder in the car works and also a stockholder in the Union Savings Bank, of which he is a direc- tor. To the stock of the St. Charles Mutual Fire Insurance Company he was a liberal subscriber, and is one of the directors of the com- pany. He is also president of the St. Charles Novelty Works and is a stockholder in the tobacco factory. He was one of the organizers of the Board of Trade at this place, and is a member of its directory. Judge Thro was the presiding justice of the county court some years ago, and at another time held the office of city register for a period
of four, years. He was also city assessor for a number of years. These facts show that he has long been a man of marked considera- tion and influence in the community. Judge Thro has been married twice. To his first wife, formerly Miss Catharine Hodapp, he was mar- ried November 11, 1856. She was a daughter of Wendell Hodapp, of this place, but formerly of Germany, and died in 1865. To his present wife, nee Mary A. Hodapp, a sister to his first wife, he was married April 10, 1866. The Judge had seven children : Edward H., now in Minnesota ; Adolph, Joseph, Emma C., John W., Mary L. and Frank X. One, Louis P., died in infancy.
WILLIAM L. VICK
(Dealer in Agricultural Implements and Farm Machinery, St. Charles).
Mr. Vick was born and reared in St. Charles and is of English parents, his father, Henry L. Vick, and mother, whose maiden name was Emily Phelps, having both been of English birth ; or rather his mother was a daughter of 'Squire Phelps, who came from England in an early day. His father became a well-to-do farmer of this county, and died when William L. was quite young. William L. was born November 22, 1855, and was the fourth in a family of five children. He was reared on the farm in this county and after attending the ordinary schools, took a course at Blackburn University, in Illinois. Concluding his course at the university in 1876, he subsequently taught school for several terms, principally during the winter months. In a short time, however, he became traveling salesman for a wholesale agricultural implement house, and followed this up to the time he engaged in business at St. Charles. He established his present house
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
at this place last spring and has a large stock in his line. Mr. Vick has met with much encouragement in his business and justly feels gratified at the success he has had. He has received a liberal patron- age and his business is believed to be well established under sure and prosperous footing. In 1879 he was married to Miss Mary G. Evelen, a daughter of Alonzo Evelen, of this county, but formerly of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. V. have two children: Edgar and Johnnie. He and wife are members of the Catholic Church. Mr. Vick is a member of the Catholic Knights of America and of the Western Commercial Travelers Association. He is also a member of Fire Company No. 1.
JULIUS WAYE
(Proprietor of the St. Charles Marble Works).
Mr. Waye, a throughly skilled artificer in plain and ornamental marble cutting, indeed an artist in his trade, is at the same time a business man of superior qualifications, a regular graduate of com- mercial college and with a successful experience in business life. Combining, as he does, these qualities and qualifications, it is, perhaps, as should have been expected, that he has had unqualified success in his present business. At his yards he is prepared to fill all kinds of orders for marble work, even on the most difficult patterns, both for general use and for cemeteries. Of the latter branch of marble work he makes a specialty, and in this line does a large business. Mr. Waye, it is gratifying to be assured, is a St. Charles boy -to the manor born, as it were. The light of the sun, ascending up the Orient heavens, first gladdened the disc of his mortal ocularies at this place, on the 9th of January, 1857. He was the fifth in a family of eight children of Christian and Lizette (Kuhlhoff) Waye, his father and mother natives of Germany. Julius was reared at St. Charles and educated at the German Lutheran school at this place. Subse- quently he took a course at Jones' Commercial College in St. Louis, graduating in 1872. He then learned the marble-cutter's trade and acquired the finest retouchers de grace of the art, making himself able to cut even the most delicate flowers to such a degree of perfec- tion that they seem to smile like their sisters of the garden when the sun shines with gentleness and sweetness upon them. He continued as a regular workman at his trade until 1879, when he engaged in business for himself, establishing a marble yard of his own. Mr. Waye has been entirely successful in business and has a yard that is. liberally patronized by the friends of the fortunate dead, whose lives are commemorated by the immaculate marble from his classic chisel. October 19, 1882, Mr. W. was married to Miss Emma Bucher, a daughter of Francis and Mary Bucher, of St. Louis. They have one child, Frank W.
HERMANN WAYE
(Tonsorial Artist, Artiste de Tonsure, or Bartscheerer, St. Charles).
There can be little doubt that the art de tonsure is justly entitled to a representative position among the fine arts, for when properly
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
practiced nothing requires greater skill or a finer, more æsthetic and cultivated, refined taste. The mere mechanical part of the work is nothing compared to those higher requirements of fine discriminating judgment necessary to dressing one's head and face so that the more agreeable features of his physiognomy may be brought out to the best advantage. Then, too, some considerable knowledge of pharmacy and the art of chemical combination should be had, so that the char- acter and purpose of cosmetics may be understood, while a knowledge of hygiene and physiology is also necessary in order that the influence and effects of cosmetics on the skin and of oleaginous preparations and the different powders, etc., on hair may be properly appreciated. In Europe high schools of the art de tonsure are established for the education of young men to this profession. In this country, however, it has never been carried to that. high point of culture and advance- ment witnessed on the other side of the Atlantic. Still, we have some very able representative artists in this profession and most of its members, who are men of intelligence, are striving to advance them- selves to the utmost point of excellence in it attainable. Among this class is the subject of the present sketch, Mr. Waye, a young man of marked intelligence and thoroughly devoted to his profession. Already he has become a most skillful barber and has won an enviable reputation in St. Charles for the degree of perfection to which he has carried his art. His shop is extremely popular, or, rather, to speak more technically, his tonsorial parlors stand very high in popular esteem, and he receives a large patronage. Mr. Waye is a native of St. Charles county, born November 3, 1852. He was the second eldest in a family of six children of Christian and Leiste (Kuhlhoff) Waye, both formerly from Germany. Young Mr. Waye was reared and educated at St. Charles and commenced his profession at the early age of 13. In 1873 he opened a tonsorial establishment at the city of Moberly and conducted it with success some four years. He then returned to St. Charles and has been in the practice of his pro- fession at this place ever since. He has built up a successful estab- lishment and is doing extremely well. In 1879 he was married to Miss Minnie Wesemann, a daughter of Conrad Wesemann, of this city, but formerly of Hanover. Mr. and Mrs. W. have two children : Robert and Hugo.
THOMAS L. WHITE
(Farmer, Post-office, Harvester.)
Mr. White has a good farm of 165 acres, on which he has resided for the last 20 years. He is a native of Virginia, born in Henrico county, April 6, 1821, and a son of Judge John P. White and wife, her maiden name having been Miss Elizabeth B. Royal. They removed to Missouri in 1841, and Thomas L. came with them. They first located in St. Louis county, where Thomas L. engaged in the carpen- ter's trade, and followed it there for over 20 years. The family, how- ever, came on up to St. Charles county in 1843 where they made their
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
permanent home. The father was a farmer by occupation and died here in 1864. He had been sheriff of Henrico and Hanover counties, in Virginia, before coming to Missouri, and after coming here was a judge of the county court. Mrs. White died in 1872. He died, how- ever, in 1864. Thomas L. was the second of six children. After the family located at St. Louis he worked at his trade there until 1864, when he came to St. Charles county. He was married October 31, 1850, to Miss Elizabeth Leak, a daughter of Emanuel and Sarah Leak, formerly of England. She died in 1883, leaving eight children : Laura E., Thomas P., James E., Harry M., William B., Joseph H., Sadie M., Charles and Lee, the last two deceased. Laura E. is the wife of Oliver Cottle, a farmer of the vicinity of Gainesville, Tex. ; Thomas P. is a photographer and a crayon artist of portraits, of Quincy, Ill. The others are still at home. Mr. W. is a member of the I. O. O. F.
JEROME WHITE
(Stock Dealer, Post-office, St. Charles).
Col. John P. White, the father of the subject of this sketch, removed to Missouri from Henrico county, Va., in 1841, and located first in St. Louis county. He came to St. Charles in 1844, and followed farming and dealing in stock here until his death. He was a man of fine mental culture and received a thorough military education, grad- uating at the National Military Academy of West Point in early man- hood. Col. White served with gallantry and distinction in the War of 1812. His wife was a Miss Elizabeth B. Ryall before her marriage, and both were natives of the Old Dominion. They reared a family of six children, five sons and one daughter. Jerome White came to Missouri with his parents when he was 19 years of age, and had received a good general education, principally from a private tutor employed by his father. He remained with his family until he was 26 years of age, and then married a Miss Laura E., a daughter of Thomas Batt, from Petersburg, Va. She died in 1854 at the age of 21. In 1855 Mr. White was married to Miss Marcia L., a daughter of William Luckett, deceased, and they have had five children ; the two older ones were boys and are both dead ; the surviving three are Laura E., Lucy V. and William B. In 1857 he, bought a farm for himself six miles from St. Charles where he engaged in farming and raising and dealing in stock. He has made handling of stock a spe- cialty for the last 14 years. His present residence is just outside the city limits of St. Charles, and is a well improved, comfortable home- stead. He stall feeds from 25 to 100 head of cattle annually and buys and ships large numbers besides. Mrs. White is a member of the Methodist Church.
REV. FATHER PETER WIGGER
(Assistant Priest of the St. Peter's Catholic Church, St. Charles).
Father Wigger was born in Westphalia, Prussia, December 24, 1857, and was a son of Johann Wigger and wife, nee Regina Woest-
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
hof. His father was a farmer by occupation. Father Wigger was one in a family of 10 children, and was educated in the local schools in his native vicinity up to the time of entering upon a course of study for the priesthood. However, while yet a youth he came to the United States. Here he took a course at the Salesianum, St. Francis Station, Milwaukee, Wis. Following this he went to Austria and studied for two years at Insbruck, Tirol. . He was now duly ordained a priest and in June, 1883, he was made assistant priest at St. Charles, having returned to the United States after his course at Insbruck.
JOHN W. WILKIE
(Farmer and Stock-raiser, Post-office, St. Charles).
When 25 years of age Mr. Wilkie was working out on monthly wages as a farm hand. Now hardly past the middle age of life, he is in easy circumstances, having several good farms, embracing over 600 acres of land, and all made by his own honest industry and good management. Every dollar he has made has been obtained by his own honest exertions and nearly everything he has is the fruit of his own hard work. Such a record would be a credit to any man and is well worthy a place in this volume. Mr. Wilkie was born in Hanover August 12, 1823, and came to this country with his mother and her family of children in the fall of 1842, his father having died several years before. They settled in St. Charles county and John W. went . to work at farm labor. He continued at this on monthly wages, economizing his means all the time until 1851, when he was able to buy a tract of 140 acres of land, which he accordingly purchased. Here he made a good farm and since that time has been engaged in farming for himself. From time to time he has added to his landed estate until now he has nearly a section of fine land, most of which is improved and in several farms. In 1852 he was married to Miss Laura Boemer, a daughter of Casper Boemer, formerly of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkie have eight children : Henry, who resides on one of his father's farms ; Herman, William, Margaret, Frederick, Julius, Louisa and Lillie. Mr. and Mrs. W. are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Wilkie served in the militia for a time during the war. He now resides on lot 17 and 18, in the suburbs of St. [Charles, where he has a comfortable homestead and is pleasantly situated.
REV. REINHARD WOBUS!
(Minister of the St. John German Evangelical Church, St. Charles).
After a thorough course of preparatory study, Rev. Mr. Wobus was duly ordained a minister of the German Evangelical Church of North America at Washington, in Franklin county, Mo., July 5, 1874. He had only a few days before graduated at the German Evangelical Seminary near Marthasville, Mo., and before entering that institution had taken courses of study in both Europe and America. Rev. Mr. Wobus was born in the canton of Base, Switzerland, April 20, 1853,
23
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
and was a son of John D. and Sophia ( Heinimann ) Wobus, his father a farmer by occupation and a native of Prussia. His father died in Switzerland in 1865, but his mother is still living, and returned home to Switzerland in the fall of 1883, after a stay here of nearly six years. Rev. Mr. Wobus had excellent school advantages in his native coun- try. Before coming to America he had passed through all the school and college grades up to the university, graduating in each. He came to this country in 1869 and located in Illinois, where he entered Elm- hurst Seminary. After two years spent there he matriculated at the German Evangelical Seminary near Marthasville, Mo., where he grad- uated July 2, 1874. His ordination as a minister followed a few days afterwards, as stated above. After he was ordained Rev. Mr. Wobus was called to a charge in Naperville, Ill., which he kept for two years. In 1876 he was appointed as a teacher of ancient languages in the German Evangelical Seminary near Marthasville, where he stayed till June, 1877, resigning then to return to Switzerland. On the 25th of September, 1877, he and Miss Adele Bricar were happily united in marriage. She was a daughter of Samuel and Margaret ( Schneider) Bricar, both old and respected families in Switzerland. After his marriage Rev. Mr. Wobus returned with his young wife to his new home in America, and was shortly appointed to the pastorate of the church of which he still has charge. Mr. and Mrs. Wobus have two children : Adele and Reinhard. Mr. Wobus is prominently connected with various book, newspaper and periodical publishing houses of his denomination, and does a great deal for the distribution of church literature and the dissemination of useful knowledge of a religious class. Some idea of his work of this kind may be formed from the fact that in the course of the preceding year he received and attended to over 8,000 letters, and in three months of the present year over 3,300, mainly in the interest of the German Evangelical Synod of North America.
JUDGE JACOB ZEISLER
(Presiding Justice of the County Court of St. Charles).
Less than 28 years ago, Judge Zeisler came to St. Charles, practically a stranger, without a dollar, and as an employe for monthly wages. These years, however, have been actively and hon- orably spent. Being a man of marked intelligence, steady, economi- cal habits and irreproachable character, there could hardly be but one result expected from his industry, good management, and honorable bearing among those around him - the result that has followed - sub- stantial success in material affairs and enviable prominence in public affairs. Judge Zeisler has accumulated a good property and is comfortably situated, has a profitable business, and has, from time to time, filled, with great credit to himself and to the public, different official positions. He was a son of Jacob Zeisler, Sr., and wife Cath- erine Halblaub, both of Baden, Germany, but who immigrated to this country in 1839, and located in St. Louis. The mother died
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
there in 1853, but the father survived until 1877, dying at the home of his son, the Judge, in this city. Judge Zeisler was born in Baden, April 18, 1833. Reared in St. Louis, he early worked at the cooper's trade, and subsequently ran the river for a time as cabin boy. In 1849 he was employed in a soda-water factory, and learned the pro- cess of manufacturing soda water, and has been principally employed in this industry to the present time. In 1860, with H. D. Korp, an old friend of his, he started a soda-water factory at St. Charles with- out a dollar. The partnership existed two months. He has con- tinued the manufacture of soda-water at St. Charles ever since that time alone, and has built up a large business. He makes the water not only for the local trade of this place, but for a large custom at other points up the river and in the interior of the State. In 1869 Judge Zeisler was elected a member of the city council from the first ward, and subsequently represented that ward for three terms. He then resigned to accept the office of Mayor, in which he served for two terms. Following this, in 1878, he was elected an associate jus- tice of the county court, in which office he served for four years. He was then elected presiding justice of the county court, the posi- tion he now holds. Judge Zeisler is prominently mentioned for Representative in the Legislature, but has not thus far given his con- sent to accept the place, if it were tendered him. Certain it is that in every position he has ever held he has proved even more than equal to the capable and efficient discharge of the duties of his office, and has invariably added to his standing and popularity as a worthy official. Unquestionably there is no office in the gift of the people of the county to which he might not justly aspire with almost certain assurance of his election. Judge Ziesler has been married twice. His first wife died in May, 1864. She was a Miss Sarah Sears, formerly of Port Mahon, Isle Minorca, but reared in St. Louis. Three children are the fruits of this union : Sarah, who died at the age of 18, Isaac, also deceased, and Anna L., who died in infancy. The Judge's present wife was a Miss Margaret E. Bruns, of this county. They have seven children : Helen M., Charles E., William, Joseph, Henry ( deceased ), Alice, Ida and Cora.
GEORGE ROBARIS BUCKNER, M. D. (Postmaster, St. Charles).
The Buckner family, one of the old and distinguished families of Virginia and Kentucky, is of English origin, though it has been set- tled in this country for many generations. Branches of the family are found in many of the Western and Southern States, and wherever any of the name reside they almost invariably occupy prominent and enviable positions in life. The subject of the present sketch is a representative of the Kentucky branch of the family. His father, Judge Richard A. Buckner, Sr., came out to Kentucky from Fauquier county, Va., and located at Greensburg, Green county, where he was subsequently married to Miss Elizabeth Lewis Buckner, a daughter
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
of Col. William Buckner, also from Virginia, but an early settler in Green county, Ky., and one of the wealthiest planters and slave holders of that county. He came to Kentucky when a young man as a surveyor and afterwards acquired large tracts of land in Green county. At the time of his death he owned a vast estate in lands and also had about 100 negroes.
On his father's side, Dr. Buckner's grandfather, Aylett Buckner, was one of the leading planters of Virginia and an extensive slave holder. Late in life he also removed to Kentucky in order to be near his children in his old age, several of whom had preceded him to the Blue Grass State.
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