USA > Missouri > Greene County > Past and present of Greene County, Missouri, early and recent history and genealogical records of many of the representative citizens, Volume II > Part 28
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WILLIAM C. BILLASCH.
Parents should carefully consider the inclinations of their children. The great mistakes of life are owing in a large measure to the fact that young people adopt professions or enter businesses for which they have no natural ability. It is easy to see that if young men could start out in early life in the pursuit for which nature has best adapted them, and if they should persist in that line industriously and energetically, success would be assured in every instance, no matter if they were not possessed with bril- liancy or unusual ability; persistence in this one line will bring success. William C. Billasch, foreman painter of the Springfield Wagon Works, has followed his profession from boyhood, having been fortunate in selecting the vocation for which he seems to have been well qualified by nature.
Mr. Billasch was born in Dubuque, Iowa, June 18, 1856. He is a son of George F. Billasch, whose death occurred in Dubuque in 1910 at the age of eighty-three years. He had been inspector in a leather factory there and previously held a similar position in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a native of Germany, from which country he came to America when young and settled in Philadelphia, where he became superintendent of a large tannery. He came west at the age of twenty-nine years, establish- ing his future home in Dubuque, Iowa. After working there and at Sioux
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City for some time as leather inspector in factories, he worked as round- house foreman for the Illinois Central Railroad Company for a period of forty years, retiring five years prior to his death. While living in Phila- delphia he also engaged in the cooperage business for six or seven years. Politically, he was a Republican. „He was a life member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, by which lodge he was buried. He belonged to the Lutheran church. His wife, who was Henrietta Louise Reinicka before her marriage, was a native of Germany, from which country she emigrated to the United States when a girl, locating in Philadelphia, and there she and Mr. Billasch were married. Her death occurred also in the year 1910, at the age of eighty-one years. These parents were an excellent old couple, industrious and honest. They were the parents of seven children, namely : William C., subject of this sketch; Theodore died when fourteen years of age; George is engaged in mercantile pursuits in Dubuque, Iowa; Edward is superintendent of a hardware factory in Chicago; Albert lives in Indian- apolis, Indiana, where he is 'in the employ of the Indianapolis Railway and Construction Company ; Henry Louis is deceased ; he and Henrietta Louise were twins; she is the wife of August Northdorf, who is employed as fore- man for the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, of Chicago.
William C. Billasch received a common school education and took a course in a business college in Chicago. He studied two years at a night, school. When thirteen years of age he went to work in the A. A. Cooper Wagon Works at Dubuque, Iowa; then worked three years in Chicago in the Schuttler Wagon Works, two and one-half years of which were spent in the painting department, and then was foreman in the plant of the Web- ber Wagon Company in Chicago for a period of seventeen years, in the painting department, and in that city he also worked a year in the Staver Manufacturing Company. From there he came to Springfield, Missouri, in the fall of 1895, and took a position as foreman painter in the plant of the Springfield Wagon Works, assuming charge of that department, which position he has held continuously for a period of twenty years, which fact would indicate that he has been not only an expert in his line but faithful and reliable all the while.
Mr. Billasch was married August 30, 1879, to Catherine Wyant, a daughter of Peter and Christina (Eckert) Wyant. To our subject and wife six children have been born, one of whom is deceased. They were uamed as follows: Christina, deceased; Henrietta is the wife of A. A. Scott, a traveling salesman, and they live in Kansas City, Kansas; Louise is the wife of William Powell, who is engaged in the grocery and meat busi- ness in Kansas City, Kansas; George is record clerk for the telephone com- pany at Springfield; Fred is clerking in Repp's dry goods store, Spring- field; Gertrude, who has remained unmarried, lives at home and is em-
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ployed as stenographer at the office of the Hall Drug Company, Spring- field.
Politically, Mr. Billasch is a Democrat and he has been more or less influential in local public affairs since coming to this city, and for two terms he served as a member of the city council from the fourth ward, un- der both Mayor Blain and Mayor Lee. His record as councilman was emi- nently creditable and satisfactory. Fraternally. he belongs to the Loyal Or- der of Moose and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, his membership in the latter being in Chicago. He is a member of the Reformed Lutheran church.
HENRY M. HECKART.
For a period of thirty-four years the name of Henry M. Heckart was a synonym in Springfield and this section of Missouri for high-class jew- elry, for he maintained an extensive jewelry store here during that period. and was known as one of our leading business men and a friend to the Queen City on every occasion, and his influence for promoting the devel- opment of the city along material and civic lines was most potent, yet this was done in his usual quiet, unobtrusive manner, for he was not a man who sought the limelight of publicity, merely endeavoring to lead a useful life as a citizen and win success along legitimate lines, and although he was compelled to rely upon himself entirely from boyhood, he exercised such discretion and perseverance as to bring to him a large measure of prosperity, and he will Jong be missed from the commercial circles of the city and county.
Mr. Heckart was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, February 28, 1855. He was a son of John and Nancy (Pool) Heckart, both natives of Penn- sylvania, of Dutch ancestry, both being old families of the Keystone state. The father of our subject devoted his active life to the lumber business. He and his wife grew to maturity in their native state, where they received such educational advantages as the early-day schools afforded, and there. they were married, but the latter part of their lives was spent in Missouri, where they died. To these parents eight children were born, five of whom are living at this writing.
Henry M. Heckart grew to manhood in his native city and there re- ceived a limited education in the public schools. This lack of early train- ing, however, was subsequently made up by contact with the business world and by wide home reading. When but a boy he decided upon the jewelry business as a life work, and began in this line in a modest way in Marsh- field, Webster county, Missouri, and there got a good start. Seeking a
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larger field, he came to Springfield in 1878 and established a jewelry store, which gradually grew in volume of business with advancing years until it became one of the most extensive and best known in southwestern Mis- souri. He remained on the public square all the while, and at the time of his death his was the oldest business of its kind in Greene county. He car- ried an extensive, carefully selected and up-to-date stock of everything found in the large jewelry stores in the important cities of the country. He also maintained a repair department in which only artisans of the highest skill were employed.
Mr. Heckart was married, December 26, 1878, to Belle Jarrett, who was born in Sedalia, Missouri. She is a daughter of Edward and Rebecca (Jones) Jarrett, both parents natives of Huntsville, Alabama.
To Mr. and Mrs. Heckart two children were born, namely Bessie, born January 8, 1880, died November 27, 1891, and Harry E., born May 29, 1884, married Maurine McClintock, and they make their home in Los Angeles, California, where he is engaged in business.
Henry M. Heckart was a home man and a business man, and there- fore cared little for political life. He was a member of Grace Methodist Episcopal church, in which he was an active worker and for a number of years was a member of the board of trustees. He was a man of honest principles and good habits and was respected by all who knew him during the more than three decades that he lived in Springfield and conducted his jewelry store. His death occurred November 17, 1912.
GEORGE F. WINTERS.
It is the men of broad and comprehensive views who give life to com- munities-men who have foresight and energy, pluck and energy to for- ward whatever enterprises they are interested in and who still retain an untarnished reputation through it all. Such a man is George F. Winters, superintendent of the Springfield Wagon Works. He is deserving of a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished, for he has mounted the ladder of success without the aid of any one and by honest efforts, having from the beginning of his career sought to do well whatever he undertook.
Mr. Winters was born September 13, 1873, at Cincinnati, Arkansas. He is a son of Charles Winters, who was born in Dayton, Ohio, and who is now living in retirement in Springfield, after working for the Spring- field Wagon Works about twenty-four years. He came to this city in 1883, having previously been employed by the James Oats Wagon Works at Cincinnati, Arkansas, making wagon gears under contract. He learned
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the wood worker's trade when a young man and became quite expert in the same. On March 9, 1915, he reached the age of eighty years. He is a self-made man, has always been a great reader, and when nineteen years old taught school for some time in Chicago. For a period of nine years he was in the employ of the government, making wagons, and worked at this during the Civil war in Springfield. However, he spent three years of the war period as a private in an Iowa volunteer infantry regiment. Po- litically, he is now a Democrat, but in his earlier life was a Republican. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a member of the Pres- byterian church. His wife was known in her maidenhood as Lucy Moller, a daughter of William Moller, of Springfield. To Charles Winter and wife eight children were born, namely: Della is the wife of F. L. McClel- lan, who is in the postoffice service in Omaha, Nebraska; William is en- gaged in the poultry business at Houston, Texas; Charles, Jr., is connected with the wagon works at Fort Smith, Arkansas; George F., of this sketch; Samuel died in infancy; Hazel died in infancy; Winnie is the widow of Lawrence Denman, deceased; Bert is engaged in the poultry business in Springfield.
George F. Winters grew to manhood in Arkansas and received his education in the schools of Fayetteville. He left school when seventeen years of age and went to work in a grocery store, then sold hay for six months, after which he came to Springfield on October 23, 1890, and soon thereafter found employment at the Springfield Wagon Works, laboring in the yards for sixty cents a day, then worked in the wood shop there until 1900, at bench work, and ran a wood shaper. He was then promoted to foreman of the mill room or the wood shop, which position he held until 1914, when he was promoted to the responsible position he now holds, that of superintendent of the entire plant, the duties of which he is discharging in a manner that reflects much credit upon his ability and fidelity and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. He has on an average one hundred and twenty men under his direction, and he knows how to handle them so as to get the best results and at the same time keep on the best of terms with them. He understands thoroughly every phase of the business and is a . conscientious, industrious workman, who has been the recipient of the high- est trust from the head officials of the plant from the first. He has been employed continuously in this widely known plant for nearly twenty-five years.
Mr. Winters was married in 1900 to Letha Van Hoosen, a daughter of Alex Van Hoosen, a traveling salesman, who was born in North Carolina. The union of our subject and wife has been without issue.
Politically, Mr. Winters is a Democrat. He carries large life insur- ance. He· belongs to the Presbyterian church.
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FRANK BOYDEN WILLIAMS.
One of the most successful and best known members of the Greene county par is Frank Boyden Williams, whose name for years has figured prominenty in important cases in local courts ..
Mr. williams was born at Golden City, Barton county, Missouri, November 23, 1809. He is a son of Frank and Maria B. ( Morgan) Will- iams, natives of Memphis, Tennessee, and Burksville, Kentucky, respec- tively. 'They grew to maturity in the South and were educated and married there, and made their home in Kentucky until soon after the close of the Civil war, when they removed from the Blue Grass state to Cedar county, Missouri. The father of our subject devoted his life to farming and stock raising. He removed from Cedar to Barton county and owned a good farm near Golden City. During the war between the states he was a lieu- tenant in Company F, Second Mississippi Cavalry, Confederate Army, under Gen. Nathan B. Forrest, one of the greatest military geniuses the war produced on either side, and Mr. Williams proved to be a faithful and gallant officer under this great chieftain until he was mustered out December 2, 1862.
Frank B. Williams received his education at Sparta, Wisconsin, and Watertown, South Dakota, attending the common schools there, later was a student at Yankton College, Yankton, South Dakota, then entered the law department of Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, where he made a good record and from which institution he was graduated, June 20, 1895. He was admitted to the bar at Searcy, Arkansas. soon after his graduation, and in 1896 he located for the practice of his profession at Springfield, Missouri, enrolling as an attorney-at-law, Greene county bar, March 9th of that year, and here he has remained to the present time, en- joying a good practice. He was elected a member of the Springfield city council in April, 1898, and was re-elected in 1900. and during that period he looked well to the interests of the city in every way. He was elected probate judge of Greene county, in November, 1902, and served one term of four years, after which he re-entered practice of the law, January 1, 1907, and in December, 1912, he formed a partnership for the practice of his profession with Matthew H. Galt, under the firm name of Williams & Galt, which still continues, with offices in the Woodruff building.
On June 27, 1905, he united in marriage with Harriett E. Kellond, daughter of William A. and Fanny J. Kellond, a highly respected family of Springfield, and to this union three children have been born, namely : Frances Kellond Williams, Harriett Morgan Williams, and Katherine Sel- fridge Williams.
JUDGE FRANK B. WILLIAMS.
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Politically, Judge Williams is a Democrat and is active in the affairs of the party. Fraternally, he belongs to the united lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Woodmen of the World, also belongs to the University Club, the Springfield Club, and the Country Club.
FRANK WYGAL.
In most cases when a young man or a young woman starts out in life, they are at a loss to know what to undertake, and the consideration of what they are best intended for by nature is the last thing which they consider. They are apt to be guided by circumstances, choosing the undertaking or enterprise that offers itself most conveniently, or are governed by considera- tions of gentility, selecting something that is genteel, or so considered, or taking up enterprises or professions that seem to offer the greatest reward for the least effort. or that give the most promise of social position. Frank Wygal, foreman blacksmith at the Springfield Wagon Works, selected a trade for which he was well qualified by nature, one that he liked, and, not being afraid of hard work, he has made a success at it.
Mr. Wygal was born on March 17, 1854, at Newcastle, Pennsylvania. He is a son of Daniel Wygal, who was born in western Pennsylvania, where he grew up, attended school, and learned the wagonmaker's trade, and finally went into business for himself at Newcastle, then came west, and continued his business in Eldora, Iowa, later moved to Cass, Missouri, then to Paola, Kansas, being in business for himself all the while, and under the firm name of Wygal & Sons he operated a large concern at Paola, his sons, Frank and Sylvester, being associated with him. His death occurred in Kansas at the age of seventy-six years, having remained active in business to the end. He was active in Republican politics, and he was a member of the Presbyterian church. His wife, who was known in her maidenhood as Mary Cubberson, died at the age of seventy-four years. To these parents ten children were born.
Frank Wygal received a common school education. He spent his early boyhood in Pennsylvania, being eleven years of age, when, in 1865, about the close of the Civil war, his parents took him to Iowa. He went to work when eighteen years of age with B. Miller, manufacturer of wagons and buggies, with whom he remained three years, learning the trade, at which he became an expert in due time. He was then for a period of eight years associated with his brother and J. W. Miller in the same line of endeavor. He came to Springfield in 1884 and on August Ist of that year began working
(76)
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for the Springfield Wagon Works, as foreman of the blacksmith department,. which position he has held continuously to the present time, a period of over thirty years, which fact is certainly a criterion of his fidelity, ability and good habits. He mastered all phases of the work in his department before coming here, and he has been quick to adopt new methods from time to time, thus keeping fully up-to-date, and he has done much to establish the sound repu- tation of this firm over the southwest. At present he has thirty hands under his direction. He resides in his own cozy home on Poplar street, which was built according to his own plans.
Mr. Wygal was married in 1882 to Katie A Bigelow, a daughter of Seth G. Bigelow and wife, and to this union two children have been born- Winnifred C., who is secretary of the Young Women's Christian Association at Reno, Nevada. She has been highly educated, having attended the Spring- field high school, Drury College and the Normal, also the University of Nevada and took a post-graduate course at Columbia University, in New York. Olive, the youngest daughter, who was educated in the common and high schools of Springfield, is the wife of R. M. Humble, a farmer of Stone. county, Missouri.
REV. WILLIAM D. SIDMAN.
Any conflict waged on our planet between good and evil belongs to- the basic work of divine mind before it belongs to us. The "power not ourselves that makes for righteousness," is more interested in the success. of the good cause than we can be. The constitution of this moral universe is against evil and oppression and injustice. The stars in their courses eter- nally fight against Sisera. The thought should gird one with strength for mortal endeavor. He who strikes with a hammer finds all the force of gravitation adding force to his blow. And he who combats any of the. gigantic evils under the sun has the support of infinite and invincible al- lies. Let the fact nerve the arm and cheer the spirit of each halting re- former to the end of time. May it encourage us all to believe with Tenny- son in that "one far-off divine event to which the whole creation moves."
Believing in the above theory, Rev. William D. Sidman, superintendent of the Springfield district of the St. Louis Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, left a lucrative practice as a physician to take up the work of the ministry of the gospel in order that he might accomplish more good "between these walls of time," to which Longfellow referred in his poem, "The Builders." Rev. Sidman was born in Vinton county, Ohio, June 9, 1860. He is a son of Wesley C. and Rebecca (Rose) Sidman. The father was born near Syracuse, New York, September II, 1834. When a small
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boy he came to Ohio, where he grew to manhood and received a common school education. He was a carpenter and cabinet maker by trade and be- came a very skilled workman. When the Civil war broke out he joined the Union army, in which he served four years, after which he returned to Ohio, but later removed to Illinois, where he continued to work at his trade, then went back to Ohio, and after spending a few years there came to Springfield, Missouri, and worked at his trade for some time. He retired from active life six years ago. His wife, Rebecca Rose, was born near Logan, Hocking county, Ohio, where she grew to womanhood and received a common school education. Her death occurred September 27, 1909. To these parents seven children were born, namely: William D., of this sketch; John W. lives in St. Louis; Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton lives in Carterville, Missouri; Mrs. Delia Jones lives in Springfield; Robert R. is deceased; Mrs. Captolia Irving resides in St. Louis, and Bessie M. is teaching in Spring- field.
William D. Sidman grew to manhood in Ohio, and there he received a good education, was graduated from the Nelsonville high school, later studied medicine and was graduated from the medical department of the University of Cincinnati in 1884. He began the practice of his profession soon thereafter at Rushville, Ohio, and he came to Springfield, Missouri, in 1887. He engaged successfully in the practice of his profession for a period of six years, building up a large practice as a general physician, but, believ- ing that the ministry was his true calling, he abandoned the practice of med- icine and joined the conference of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1895, and has remained in the same to the present time, having had charge of churches of this denomination at the following places: Stockton, Republic, Greenfield, Osceola, Poplar Bluff and Marionville, Missouri.
He is at present superintendent of the Springfield district of the St. Louis conference, to which responsible post he was assigned on March 18, 1913. He is widely known throughout the conference as an able and earn- est church worker and a learned theologian and forceful and accomplished pulpit orator.
Rev. Mr. Sidman was married February 23, 1882, to Ina M. Carnes, who was born in Nelsonville, Ohio, and there grew to womanhood and received a high school education. She is a daughter of Alfred H. and Emily (Bridges) Carnes. Mrs. Sidman is a lady of admirable Christian character and is an active member of the various societies of the Methodist Episcopal church, and she has made a host of warm personal friends since coming to Springfield, as has also her husband. Their union has been blessed by the birth of one child, Emma, who was born February 5, 1885, who has remained single and is living at home.
Fraternally, our subject is a member of the Masonic order.
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ALBERT WOOD.
From the farms of Greene county the city of Springfield has drawn its best citizenship during the past half century. The farmer boy, tiring of what he considers drudgery, is often glad of an opportunity to leave the plow and take a position in the city, no matter if the work is really harder than his former work. Often he is wise in making the change; again, it is questiona- ble if he betters his condition. The railroad shops here have absorbed the larger number of these young men from the rural districts. Employing such large numbers of men and paying good wages, the prospective employee has usually found a place waiting for him in some one of the many departments of the Frisco's local plants, and if he has been energetic, wide-awake and trustworthy, he has found his services appreciated and has been advanced accordingly. Albert Wood is one of the boys who left the farm and went to work in the shops, and, while yet a young man, he has risen to the position of foreman of the steel car repairing department in the North Side Frisco shops.
Mr. Wood was born in Franklin township, Greene county, on February . 22, 1886. He is a son of Alec J. and Sarah (Johnson) Wood, the mother, a daughter of Zadock Wood, is now fifty-two years old. The father was born and reared in this county, four miles from his present farm in Frank- lin township, where he owns fifty acres, and has always engaged in general farming. He is fifty-four years old. Politically, he is a Republican, and for ten years was road overseer in his community, and has done more for the good roads movement there than any other one man. He is a member of the New Salem church.
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