USA > Missouri > Buchanan County > The history of Buchanan County, Missouri > Part 92
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JOHN WEEKLY,
carpenter and builder, is a native of Hendricks County, Indiana, and was born at Danville, September 2, 1839. Was there a resident until he attained his eighteenth year, when he emigrated to Winterset, Iowa. In 1859, he came to St. Joseph, and in 1861, tendered his services to the Union cause, enlisting in Company D., Twenty-fifth Missouri Volunteer Infantry. He passed through the usual routine of warfare; was taken prisoner by General Price. Served three years when he was honorably discharged. Returned to St. Joseph and has since lived here with the exception of eight years spent in Kansas City. In 1870, Miss J. Julius
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became his wife. They have four children, Emma, Mabel, Lizzie and Fred.
PHILIPP WEISS,
farmer, section 25, postoffice St. Joseph, was born in Germany, July 24, 1832, and had a good common school education. Emigrated to America in 1850; stopped at Economy, Pennsylvania, for six months, and then went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained nine years, following rail- roading most of the time. Came to Missouri in 1860, locating in Buchanan County, where he bought a farm of twenty acres, which is all under fence and in a good state of cultivation. Was in the state militia during the war. Was married in 1865, to Catharine Schickanc, a native of Pennsyl- vania. She was born August 20, 1844. By this union they had eight children-Philipp, born January 18, 1866; Albert, born October 9, 1867 ; Mary, born May 13, 1869; Walter, born June 31, 1870; Viola, born May 10, 1872; Lena, born September 12, 1873 ; Christian, born January 21, 1875 ; and Clara, born February 21, 1878-all living. He is an Odd Fellow, School Director, Road Overseer, Clerk of School District and President of Directors.
ISIDORE WEIL,
of the firm of A. N. Schuster & Co., wholesale clothing dealers, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, November 30, 1843, and lived in his native State until 1856, and then removed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and after a residence of one year went to Newark, New Jersey, where he lived for four years. He was raised with a mercantile experience, and in 1861 came to Illinois and settled first in Monmouth, Warren County, and lived there four years and, thence to Peoria, Illinois, and in 1866 came to St. Joseph, and for the greater portion of the time has been engaged in the wholesale clothing trade. He was one of the founders of the firm of A. N. Schuster & Co., and he has contributed a full share in sustaining and building up the enviable reputation the house enjoys. He has been twice married ; first, in 1868 to Miss Amanda Houser. She was a native of Europe. Mrs. Weil died in 1878, leaving four children, Carrie, Jacob, Emil, and Herman. His second marriage occurred in November, 1879, to Miss Rosa May. Their family by this marriage is one child, Seymour.
L. M. WELLS,
collector on St. Joseph bridge. One of the first settlers in the Platte Purchase, and a man with an unlimited acquaintance is Captain J. B. Wells. He erected the first house in Weston, Platte County, where he
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was engaged in agricultural pursuits, and for a number of years oper- ated the steam ferry at Riolta. His son, L. M., was born in Platte County, January 16, 1842, and was reared and educated in his native county. For a number of years he was interested with his father in the ferry business. After the Leavenworth bridge was built, in 1874, he took the steamer to Bismarck, Dakota Territory, and disposed of it. He is thoroughly conversant with the details of steamboating, having been engineer, pilot and captain. In 1874, he located in St. Joseph for a time, and was engaged in the steam printing business. On the 27th of May, 1878, he took his present position with the Bridge Company. Mr. Wells has a keen literary taste and keeps posted with the progress of the times. He is engaged extensively in stock herding in Nemaha County, Kansas, where he owns 320 acres of land. In 1869, Miss Elizabeth V. Ingram became his wife. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., and the National American Association.
JOHN S. WELCH,
of the firm of Studebaker & Welch, wholesale and retail dealers in car- riages and wagons, is a native of Ashland County, Ohio, and was born April 1, 1844. He was raised to manhood and educated in South Bend, Indiana. In 1865, in company with the Studebaker Brothers, of wagon manufacturing celebrity, he established a repository in St. Joseph which Mr. Welch managed until 1871, when, in company with Studebaker Brothers he opened a factory, which for five years constituted one of the leading manufacturing industries of the city. They then ceased manu- facturing in St. Joseph and now have all their stock built at South Bend. Their repository is the largest in the Northwest, and their trade of cor- responding magnitude. Mr. Welch was married in 1867 to Miss Hattie Rathburn, of Missouri. They have four children : Philip, Edith, John S. and Oliver. Mr. Welch is a member of the Masonic Order.
LAWRENCE WELCH,
engineer on the St. Joseph and Western Railroad, was born in County Wexford, Ireland, October 8, 1835, and came to America with his parents when quite young, his father, Edwad, locating with the family in Loraine County, Ohio, engaging in agricultural pursuits. Lawrence spent his days in tilling the soil, until he attained his seventeenth year, when he became a brakeman on the old Cleveland and Toledo Railroad, in which capacity he continued for about two years, and then went in the employ of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, and afterwards was with the Chicago and Fort Wayne Company. In April, 1858, he became con- nected with the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, which at that time
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had but sixty miles of track, and remained with this company until 1866, working in different capacities. Next went in the employ of the Union Pacific, and was in various departments for that company a considerable length of time, when he went on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad as conductor on a construction train. Remained one year, and then was in the employ of the St. Joseph and Council Bluffs Railroad, continuing until December, 1869, when he went to work for the St. Joseph and Western, then the St. Joseph and Denver. Mr. W. has been a rail- road man for over a quarter of a century, and is thoroughly familiarized with the business. In February, 1881, Mrs. Margaret Garey became his wife. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
H. W. WENNING,
carpenter and contractor, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 20, 1850, and was reared, educated, and learned his trade in his native city. In 1870, he became a resident of St. Joseph, and during his sojourn here has worked on a large portion of the finest buildings in the city. Was assistant foreman on the interior work in Tootle's Opera House, and for Herbst & Wiehl, on the Exposition building. Was married, May 9, 1873, to Miss Julia Leibig, of St. Joseph. They have three children, Adolph, Willie and Lotta.
F. WENZ,
dealer in boots and shoes, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, July 6, 1845, and was there raised until he attained his fourteenth year, when he came to America, taking up his abode in St. Joseph. Here he was educated and learned the trade of boot and shoe making. In 1866, he engaged in trade at Savannah, continuing until 1869, when he returned to this city. His store is double and all the available space is well filled. In the spring of 1881, in company with Mr. Christian Frenger and J. H. Igler, he opened a wholesale house and factory. He has an extended acquaintanceship, and is popularly known. Is a Master Mason and Odd Fellow, a member of the Druids, Foresters, Knights of Honor, and belongs to the German Benevolent Society. Miss Caroline Schinder became his wife in 1871. They have three children, Frederick J., Amelia and Louisa.
HENRY W. WESTOVER, M. D.
Among the prominent physicians of St. Joseph, may be mentioned the subject of this sketch. He was born near Cleveland, Ohio, July 1, 1851, and was raised principally in Iowa. He in early life made choice of medicine as a profession, and was graduated from the Chicago Medical College, March 24, 1871. After practicing a short time in Chicago, he
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went to New York, where he availed himself of the advantages of hos- pital experience, during which time he was graduated in the Homeopa- thic College, and abandoned allopathy, fully convinced that homeopathy was by far the most practical and consistent system. The knowledge thus obtained proved to be of incalculable benefit in his subsequent pro- fessional duties. He came to St. Joseph in 1874, at a time when there were only two physicians of the homeopathic school in the city. Since then, his practice has steadily increased, and through his efforts, as well as those of his professional brethren, the doctrine of Hahnemann is to-day accepted by many of the leading and most intelligent families of the city. Dr. Westover is a man of acknowledged ability as a physician, and his services as such are recognized by his numerous friends. His kind and sympathetic nature renders him a welcome visitor in the sick room, and to his most thorough qualifications as a physicians may be added promptness and energy in attending the calls of the sick and afflicted. He is a close student, being not only a subscriber to, but a careful reader of the leading medical journals of the day. He was one of the attending surgeons at Ophthalmic Hospital, in New York City, and makes a specialty of surgery. Dr. Westover was President of the Kan- sas and Missouri Valley Medical Society, and is Secretary of the Mis- souri State Medical Society. He is also a corresponding member of the New York Medical Society. He is a member of the Baptist Church. He was married to Miss Mollie L. Christopher, October 29, 1879. She was born in Missouri, October 4, 1856.
SAMUEL WESTHEIMER
was born in Germany, March 18, 1833, and with an older brother came to the United States in the fall of 1848, settling first in New York City. Remained there four years, learning the tinner's trade. In 1852, he moved to the interior of the state, where he took charge of a large man- ufacturing business, managing it for several years. Came to St. Joseph in 1859, and embarked in the grocery trade, for which he subsequently substituted the liquor business. In this, as well as all other of his enter- prises, he has been very successful. He has been elected for several terms Councilmen of the Third Ward, where he has gained much dis- tinction for his superior judgment in the difficult duties entrusted to him. He has also held the important position of President of the Jewish congregation for three terms, a marked evidence of his character for intelligence among the Israelites of the city. Mr. Westheimer is the architect of his own fortunc. Recognized as self-reliant, honest and capable, no man in St. Joseph enjoys a fairer record. Was married to Johanna Haas, of Chicago, Illinois, April, 1866. They have eight chil- dren living-Yetta, Helen, Bettie, Sonora, Benny, Ophelia, Blanche and Junietta.
..
Chas W. Campbell
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J. F. WEST,
carpenter and builder, is a native of Bracken County, Kentucky, and was born August 29, 1838. Was there raised and learned his trade, his early days being spent in tilling the soil. In 1855, he came to Mercer County, Missouri, and followed agricultural pursuits for a time, thence to Andrew County engaged in various lines, and for a period was engaged in contracting and building. He came to St. Joseph in 1871, where he has been closely identified with its building interests. During the war he was a soldier in Company B, Fifty-first Missouri Volunteer Infantry as a non-commissioned Sergeant. A greater portion of the time was in the secret service department. Previous to going in the service was a member of the Missouri State Militia. In the autumn of 1856, Miss Mary E. Litton became his wife. They have had five children, one of whom is living, Correnia. Four are deceased : Mary L., R. B., Elijah and Sarah. Mr. West is a member of the I. O. O. F. Encampment.
G. N. WHITE,
Manager for the Consolidated Tank Line and the Detroit Safe Com- pany, was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, January 27, 1852. His father, Daniel T., was among the leading agriculturists of that state, known in commercial circles. White's Ferry, on the Potomac River, derived its name from him, he having operated a ferry there for a num- ber of years. During the rebellion his boats were used in transporting General Banks' troops. At the breaking out of the war the family migrated to Montgomery County, Maryland, where they resided six years. G. N. resided at different points until 1874, when he went to Washington, D. C., remaining until 1880, when he came to St. Joseph. Although but a short time in the city, he is well and popularly known. In 1877, Miss Fannie G. Walker, of Washington, D. C., became his wife. They have one daughter, Edna G.
JULIUS WIEHL,
carriage painter, is a prominent and well known artist. His father, Joseph, was among the early settlers of Buchanan County, and Julius was born in St. Joseph, April 9, 1857. Was here reared, educated and learned his trade, and has principally made it his home, with the excep- tion of a short time at Sedalia, where he worked in the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad shops, and also at Sweet Springs. He makes a spe- cialty of carriage work, but in sign and ornamental painting will compare favorably with many older and more experienced workmen.
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WIEDMAIER & WILDBERGER,
wagon manufacturers. Bartholomew Wiedmaier was born in Wurtem- berg, Germany, in 1832, and came to America in 1844, locating in Buchanan County, Missouri. His father, Joseph, here engaged in farming. In 1849 our subject commenced to learn the wagon making trade with Mr. J. A. Forrest, and his since devoted his entire attention to that busi- ness. His first shop was a cottonwood log building. In 1864 Mr. Wild- berger became his partner. He was married in 1860 to Ursula Wild- berger. They have had seven children, five of whom are living : Clara E., now Mrs. C. Hartwig ; Frank Albert, deceased ; Theodore, deceased ; Josie E., Augusta B., Bertha L., and Flora T. He is a Knight of Honor and member of the Foresters and the German Benevolent Society. John Wildberger was born in Switzerland, February 25, 1839. In his thirteenth year he came to America, his father, Adam, locating in St. Joseph, where John was educated, raised and learned the wagon making trade. In 1861 he enlisted in Company B, Thirteenth Missouri Volun- teer Infantry. After the battle of Lexington he was re-enlisted in the Twenty-fifth Missouri, participated at Shiloh and other engagements and was honorably discharged in 1864 at Nashville, Tennessee. He returned to this city and formed a partnership with Mr. Wiedmaier, which still exists. He was married in 1866 to Ann C. Knoth. They have one daughter living, Lizzie ; lost three children, Emma, Albert and an infant. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. Encampment, Foresters, Knight of Honor, and the German Benevolent Society. This firm is an old and well established one, and in the manufacture of lumber wagons do a good business.
DANIEL W. WILDER
was born in Blackstone, Massachusetts, July 15, 1832. He graduated at the Public Latin School, Boston, and received a Franklin medal; at Harvard College and received the Bowdoin first prize gold medal ; attended the Harvard Law School and was admitted to the Boston bar. Came to Kansas in 1857; settled in Elwood in 1858 ; was elected Judge of Probate of Doniphan County ; came to St. Joseph in 1860 and edited the Free Democrat ; went to Leavenworth and edited the Conservative till 1865 ; was Surveyor General of Kansas and Nebraska in 1863-'64- appointed by Mr. Lincoln ; editor of the Rochester (N. Y.) Express in 1866-'67-'68 ; of the Leavenworth Conservative in 1868-'69-'70; of the Fort Scott Monitor in 1871-'72 ; was for two terms State Auditor of Kansas after two unanimous nominations. In 1875 he received the hon- orary degree of Master of Arts from the University of Kansas, and wrote the "Annals of Kansas," which was published at Topeka ; returned to St. Joseph in 1876 as the editor of the Herald.
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N. H. WILMOT,
bookkeeper and general manager at Nash's elevator, was born in Massa- chusetts in 1843, and was there raised and received a good com- mon school education. In 1849, he went to St. Louis, and in 1861 to St. Paul, Minnesota. Was three years in the army, serv- ing in the Sixth Minnesota Regiment. In 1865, he returned to St. Louis, and in 1867 married Miss Lina B. Salter, a native of New Jersey. They have had three children, one of whom died. In 1868, he came to St. Joseph, where he was engaged in the old Colhoun Bank, and after- wards in the First National Bank. Since 1875 he has been at Nash's elevator. Is a Mason and District Deputy Grand Master of the Four- teenth District A. F. & A. M. He is a Knight Templar and has held prominent positions in other bodies of the order.
G. J. WILMOT,
manager of McCormick Agency, is a native of New York, where he received an academic education. He taught school in his young days and moved to Wisconsin in 1854, where he continued that business up to 1860. He engaged in the hardware and agricultural business in 1866. He sold out in 1875. Was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate in 1875-6. In 1880 he took charge of south one-half of Kansas for McCor- mick Reaper Company. In 1881 he was transferred to St. Joseph to manage the canvass of Buchanan County, in connection with nine other northwestern counties of Missouri, and seven northeastern counties of Kansas. This depot was established in 1875, carrying all iron mowers, combined mower and dropper, combined reaper and mower, harvesters and hand binders, and wire and twine self-binding harvesters. Also keep large supply of repairs to supply local agents. All goods disposed of at wholesale or retail.
JOHN C. WILDBERGER,
proprietor of the Platte River House, at Riverton, was born June 17, 1851, in Switzerland, and was brought to the United States by his parents, when about eighteen months old. They settled at St. Joseph, where John was reared, receiving the benefits of an education. He learned the harness-maker's trade, and worked at it five years, and then entered a wholesale liquor house, where he remained five years. He opened the Platte River House in October, 1880. The building is new and well fitted. He has a bar in connection with it, and a well assorted stock of groceries. He was married April 19, 1877, to Miss Mary Wie-
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.
man, a native of St. Louis, born August 12, 1855. They have two chil- dren, Edward and Henry. They are members of the Swiss Benefit Association.
CHARLES BROWNELL WILKINSON,
confessedly the ablest journalist ever connected with the newspaper press of Upper Missouri, and a man with scarcely a professional superior any where, was born in Waterville, Oneida County, N., Y., October 15, 1827. His ancestors were people of gentle birth in England, and several of them served with distinction in the civil troubles of 1644. In 1645, one of them came to America, and settled in Rhode Island. Another mem- ber of the family came to America in the latter part of the seventeenth century and settled in Maryland. Many of the descendants of both branches of this family subsequently served with distinction in import- ant positions in the gift of the people. The subject of this sketch was educated at the Waterville Academy, New York, and at the age of eigh- teen was prepared to enter the junior class of Hamilton College ; but his father decided to place him in a law office, and, in 1846, he began his legal studies. In 1849, he was admitted at Albany to practice as an attorney and counselor. In the same year he was initiated into Water- ville Lodge, No. 240, I. O. O. F. In 1850, he was made a Master Mason by Sanger Lodge, No. 129, Waterville, in which he afterwards held high official position, and which he represented in the Grand Lodge of the state. September 10, 1851, he was married to Miss Cornelia B. Hubbard, of Waterville, who died in St. Joseph, Missouri, December 2, 1865. In 1854, he began the publication of the Waterville Journal, a weekly news- paper, which he sold in 1855, and removed to Toledo, Ohio. Here he was President of the Toledo Nursery Association from June, 1855, to June, 1856. In August, of the same year, he went to Deansville, New York, where he erected a large flouring mill and distillery. In 1857, he issued the first number of the Waterville Times. This is still (1881) a prosperous and influential paper. In the fall of 1859, he was the Demo- cratic nominee for the Legislature in the Second District of Oneida County. He was defeated, but polled a larger vote than his party in every town. In January, 1860, he moved to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he resumed the practice of the law. He was an ardent supporter of Stephen A. Douglas for the Presidency, and made many able speeches in his advocacy. During the civil war, he was a strong Union man. In February, 1862, he began the publication of the St. Joseph Morning Her- ald, a journal which immediately presented the stamp of his command- ing genius, and soon became what it is to-day, a representative journal and organ of the Republican party in this part of the state. In August, 1862, he was appointed Internal Revenue Collector for the Third District of Missouri, embracing all that portion of the state lying north of the
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Missouri River, and including forty-four counties. The taxes collected amounted to about one million dollars per annum. December 27, 1866, he married Miss Elizabeth Smith, who is still (1881) living. A short time previously he had been elected a member of the Twenty-fourth General Assembly of Missouri. In 1875, while Collector of the Sixth District of Missouri, in consequence of the irregularities of some of his employes, he was charged with being connected with the whisky frauds. Despairing in the complications that existed of obtaining justice, he left the country and visited Australasia. In September, 1876, Mr. Wilkin- son having returned to Missouri, all the cases against him were dis- missed save the one for embezzlement, of which he was convicted on a technicality. Such was the nature of the case, however, that after a careful examination of the same by the Attorney General and the Presi- dent, a full pardon was granted as a matter of right. Neither Mr. Wil- kinson's political friends nor political enemies believed him guilty of any criminal intent. In June, 1878, he was given sole charge of the St. Joseph Gazette, which he continued to edit with his wonted ability for some time. He afterwards moved to Denver, Colorado, where he died January 14, 1881. Charles B. Wilkinson was certainly a man of versa- tile genius and remarkable mental resources, as well as of generous impulses. A finished and accurate scholar as well as an eminently practical man, as a journalist, he had no superior and few equals, any where.
THOMAS WILDBAHN,
was born in Piqua, Ohio, April 8, 1808, and received his education at the common schools of that place. At the age of eighteen he went to learn the blacksmith trade. When twenty-two years old moved to Portsmouth, Ohio, where he carried on a large shop until he came to St. Joseph in 1845. He purchased the grist mill of Joseph Robidoux, which was the only one in the city, and continued to run it until 1854, when he sold out and went to Kansas, settling near Wathena. There he built a saw mill, which he operated for six years. Disposing of the mill, he returned to St. Joseph, where he has a good home, and continues to live in the enjoyment of the fruits of his labors. He married Miss R. Gharky, of Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1834. They have had three children, Sarah, Susanna and Charles Thomas. Sarah died in infancy. Susanna is the wife of J. W. Bailey, Esq., of St. Joseph, and Charles is a clerk in the house of J. W. Bailey & Co.
SAMUEL WILDBAHN ( Deceased ),
was born in Ohio, January 28, 1810, and came to Missouri in 1844, locat- ing at Lexington. A year later he came to St. Joseph, where he made
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his home till the Mexican war broke out. He fought through that war, and returned to St. Joseph, where he remained a short time and went to California, there residing one year. Returned to St. Joseph and was united in marriage to Miss Elzerie Connett, October 16, 1859. She was a daughter of Major William C. Connett. After their marriage he moved to Texas, and remained till the close of the late war, when he returned to Buchanan County, and settled on his farm, where Mrs. W. now resides, in section 34. The farm contains sixteen acres. Mr. W. was well and favorably known in St. Joseph and Buchanan County, and had a large circle of friends to mourn his loss. They had four children, three girls and one boy: Mattie A., born in Travers County, Texas, September 10, 1860, and married to William S. Ashton, December 15, 1880; Laura L., born in Travers County, Texas, December 7, 1862; Cassie, born in Buchanan County, October 6, 1866; Squire T., born in Buchanan County, June 10, 1869.
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