USA > Ohio > Memoirs of the lower Ohio valley, personal and genealogical : with portraits, Volume II > Part 21
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Pontiac, under whose skillful instruction he mastered all departments of the profession during the three years of his apprenticeship. In 1870 he came to Illinois, locating at Duquoin in Perry county. Four years later he came to Cairo, where he practiced for two years, when he returned to Duquoin. In 1885 he again took up his resi- dence in Cairo and since that time has practiced his profession there with unvarying success. Dr. Jennelle is one of the pioneer dentists of Southern Illinois. In 1881 he was appointed a member of the Illi- nois state board of dental examiners by Governor (now Senator) Cullom, and served as such four years. He is a member of the Illi- nois State Dental society, which he joined in 1887 and in which he has held various official positions. It was through his influence the society held its meeting in Cairo in 1888, memorable in the fact that this meeting was the first and only one ever held by the society south of Springfield in its fifty years of existence. At this meeting Dr. Jennelle was elected vice-president. Although years have elapsed since Dr. Jennelle first began the practice of dentistry, he has not allowed himself to fall behind the procession in the march of dental progress, on the contrary, has always been in the van, keeping in touch with all the improved methods and appliances relating to the science of dentistry and dental surgery. His office is one of the best equipped in this section of the country. In political affairs he is an unswerving Republican, and has held various offices in local and municipal governments. While living at Duquoin he served six years as member of the board of education; was also city clerk, city treasurer, and alderman. Since coming to Cairo he has served as alderman seven years; was the candidate of the Citizens' League for mayor in 1903, but was defeated by the so-called "liberal element"; and in the fall of 1904 was elected a member of the board of county commissioners. On Aug. 6, 1874, Dr. Jennelle was married to Miss Lucy E., youngest daughter of Dr. Lewis Dyer, a prominent physi- cian of Duquoin and a veteran of the Civil war, having entered the service as surgeon of the Eighty-first Illinois volunteers in 1861; was with General Grant in all the important engagements in the Missis- sippi Valley, and when mustered out had attained the rank of division surgeon. To this marriage there have been born the following chil- dren: John Judson, Jr., now thirty years of age and secretary and treasurer of the W. W. Herron Lumber Company, Mobile, Ala .; Marion and June. On Dec. 30, 1902, John J. was married to Miss Edith, daughter of Maj. Edwin W. Halliday, a prominent citizen of Cairo, Ill., and a Confederate veteran of the Civil war. On June 2,
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1903, Marion was married to R. E. Given, a civil engineer of Mem- phis, Tenn., a member of one of the old families of Kentucky and whose grandfather founded the city of Paducah, Ky. All the chil- dren have had the advantage of good schooling and are fitted to occupy any station in society to which they may be called. Miss June is still at home.
JAMES H. GALLIGAN, cashier of Alexander County. National bank, was born in Cairo, Nov. 11, 1866. He is the son of Andrew J. Galligan, a prominent and well known contractor late of Cairo, who died in 1887. His father was born in Ireland and came to the United States with his parents when quite young. He was reared and edu- cated in Trenton, N. J., and located in Cairo during the Civil war. The mother of the subject was Anna Callahan, also a native of Ire- land, crossing the Atlantic with her parents. The father and mother met in Cairo and were married in 1864. They had a family of seven children, of whom James H. is the eldest. The mother, a widow, still survives, her home being with James, who was reared and educated in Cairo. He quit school at eighteen and entered the Alexander County National bank as a messenger boy. He has prac- tically grown up with the bank, for he has been with it constantly since he was eighteen and has filled every desk and position in the bank from that of messenger boy up to cashier. He has held the last position for seven years. The great popularity of this well known financial institution, its high degree of success, and the confi- dence it has of all the people of Alexander county are largely due to the high personal standing, well known integrity and wide popularity of Mr. Galligan. His inflexible honesty and fine financial ability as well as his uniform courtesy to the public have made him one of the most popular and thoroughly respected bank officials in Alexander county. This bank was originally the Alexander County bank, which was organized in 1875 with a capital of $25,000. In 1887 it was made a national bank and its capital was increased to $100,000 and its name changed to the Alexander County National bank. In 1889 the Alex- ander County Savings bank was organized under the laws of the State of Illinois with a capital of $50,000. It was organized by the officers and directors of the Alexander County National bank and its business is conducted in the same building. Mr. Galligan is also cashier of the savings bank. On Sept. 18, 1895, Mr. Galligan married Miss Jennie Spalding of Zainesville, O. She died May 9, 1903, leaving one daughter, Marie Helen Galligan, now six years old. In politics Mr.
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Galligan is a Gold Democrat. He is now serving his second term on the board of education. He is an active member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. It is needless to state that Mr. Galli- gan is one of the foremost men of Cairo.
REED GREEN is a lawyer of Cairo, Ill .; was born at Mount Vernon, Ill .; is the son of William H. and Ann Letitia (Hughes) Green, who were natives of Kentucky, both of whom are dead. He was educated in the public schools at Cairo, and afterwards attended the Illi- nois State normal university at Normal, and the Southern Illinois State normal uni- versity at Carbondale. He taught school in Cairo for two years. During those two years he read law and afterward attended the Wesleyan law school at Bloomington, Ill., and was admitted to the bar in 1886, since which time he has been engaged in the practice of law at Cairo. Soon after the beginning of the practice he was elected to the lower house of the . general assembly of Illinois for two terms; afterwards served four years in the State senate. For the past ten years has been devoting his entire attention to the general practice of law at Cairo.
CHARLES REED, the widely known and popular proprietor of the Palmer House, Paducah, Ky., was born in that city, Nov. 4, 1842. He is a son of Wil- liam H. and Elizabeth (Segenfelter) Reed, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Germany. William H. Reed came to Paducah in his early manhood and there followed the occupation of con- tractor and builder until his death, which occurred while Charles was still in his childhood. The mother died in 1862, leav- ing the subject of this sketch the- sole survivor of his family. Charles Reed received his education in the schools of Paducah. When the Civil war commenced he cast his lot with the Confederates by enlisting in the Third Kentucky infantry,
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under General Tihlman. His company was afterward mounted and assigned to the cavalry division commanded by the celebrated Gen- eral Forrest. He served until the close of the war, more than half of the time in Forrest's command, and fought in some of the greatest battles of the historic contest, among them being Shiloh, Corinth, Brice's Cross Roads and Harrisburg. Entering the army in his nine- teenth year, he was but little past his majority when he was mustered out and returned to Paducah. Soon after the war he engaged in the hotel business as the proprietor of what was known as the Euro- pean House. This he conducted until 1876, when he became the pro- prietor of the Richmond, which was at that time the leading hotel of the city. He was one of the organizers of the Palmer House company, and when the house was opened in 1892 it was with him as the manager. The house is a fine four-story structure, modern in its construction, contains one hundred and sixteen rooms and cost about one hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars. In its furnish- ings and appointments it is one of the finest hostelries in the Lower Ohio Valley. The same company which erected this hotel also built the Kentucky Theater, one of the best equipped houses of entertain- ment between Cincinnati and the mouth of the Ohio. Mr. Reed has been successful in the hotel business mainly because he possesses all the essential qualifications of the ideal Boniface. Always attentive to details, the little things that contribute to the comfort of his guests are not overlooked; upon arrival at his house the guest is greeted with a smile and a kind word; during his stay he is made to feel at home, and upon his departure he receives the invitation to call again- not in that perfunctory way so common to many hotel men, but with a sincerity that shows his patronage is appreciated by the house. Mr. Reed may also be mentioned as one of the public spirited men of Paducah. He takes an interest in every movement for the upbuilding of the city, or in the proper administration of municipal affairs. For many years he has been one of the leading Democrats of the city. From 1881 to 1889 he served as mayor, his administration being noted for its progressive, and at the same time conservative policy, and for the high order of executive ability he displayed in looking after the city's interests. At the present time he is the president of the board of aldermen. Through all the years since the war he has cherished the memory of his military service, though the cause for which he fought was lost. He is a member of the United Confederate Vet- erans, and is a member of the staff of Gen. Bennett H. Young, com- mander of the Kentucky division. Time has dealt kindly with him
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and he is one of the best preserved of the veterans of the Civil war. Colonel Reed, as he is popularly known, is also a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and is a Knight Templar Mason. On Feb. 9, 1868, he was united in marriage to Miss Jessie B. Wood. She died in 1890, leaving one daughter, Emma L.
HON. WILLIAM BAKER GILBERT, one of the oldest and most eminent attor- neys of Cairo, Ill., is a descendant of an English family, some of whose members were distinguished characters in English history. The first of the name to come to America came from Norfolk and settled in Connecticut at an early date. Judge Miles A. Gilbert, the father of William B. Gilbert, was born at Hartford, Conn., Jan. 1, 1810, his father being Merit Gil- bert, one of the many descendants of the first immigrants in Colonial days. Miles A. Gilbert came west in 1832 and settled at Kaskaskia, Ill. Subse- quently he was one of the original projectors and founders of the city of Cairo. In 1846 he removed to Missouri and laid out the town of St. Mary's, in Sainte Genevieve county. There he held the position of presiding judge of the county court for many years. He died at his home, "Oakwood," St. Mary's, Jan. 21, 1901, in the ninety- second year of his age. He married Ann Eliza, the eldest daughter of Hon. David J. Baker, ex-U. S. senator and a prominent lawyer of Kaskaskia. Her brother, David J. Baker, was for a number of years chief justice of the Illinois supreme court. William Baker Gil- bert, the subject of this sketch, is the eldest son of this marriage, and was born at Kaskaskia, Sept. 24, 1837. He was educated at Shurt- leff college, Upper Alton, and after leaving school studied law with his grandfather Baker at Alton, and with Krum & Harding of St. Louis. In 1859, a little while after he attained his majority, he was admitted to practice in the Missouri courts. In September of that year, he entered the senior class of the Harvard law school, and graduated with the class of 1860, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws. The following year St. Paul's college, of Missouri, conferred on him the degree of Master of Arts. Shortly after graduating from Harvard he commenced practice at Ste. Genevieve, Mo., as the partner of Hon. John Scott. In the spring of 1862 he removed to Alton,
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where he formed a partnership with his uncle, Judge Henry S. Baker, and practiced there until 1865, when he removed to Cairo as the junior member of the firm of Haynie, Marshall & Gilbert, the two senior members being Gen. Isham N. Haynie and Judge B. F. Marshall. This association lasted but a short time, when, Judge Haynie having died and Judge Marshall, on account of bad health, retiring, Mr. Gilbert found himself possessed of a large corporation clientage, as well as a large admiralty and general practice. He was admitted to practice in the Federal district courts in 1866, and to the supreme court of the United States in 1873. In that high tribunal he has frequently con- ducted important cases, and he has been often quoted as an authority on admiralty law. June 1, 1867, he formed a partnership with Judge William H. Green, under the firm name of Green & Gilbert. Subse- quently his younger brother, Miles Frederick Gilbert, and Reed Green, son of Judge Green, were taken into the firm and were members thereof until Jan. 1, 1902, when they both withdrew, leaving the two seniors the sole members of the firm as originally established. The firm of Green & Gilbert existed for over thirty-five years, and until finally dissolved, by the death of Judge Green on June 6, 1902. It was probably the oldest law firm in the state. Few law firms in the state have played a more important part in litigation, and the names of Green & Gilbert appear frequently in the reports of the Illinois supreme court. Upon the death of Judge Green Mr. Gilbert formed a partnership with his eldest son, Miles S. Gilbert, under the style of Gilbert & Gilbert, which succeeded to a large part of the business of the old firm. The firm of Gilbert & Gilbert has a large corporation practice, and enjoys the distinction of being one of the leading law firms of Southern Illinois. Among their clients can be named the Illinois Central railroad, the City National bank, the Enterprise Sav- ings bank, the Cairo Water Company, trustees of the Cairo Trust property, trustees of the W. P. Halliday estate, and various other prominent corporations and firms of Cairo. For almost half a cen- tury Mr. Gilbert has been engaged in the practice of his profession, and he is still a prominent figure in the litigation of Southern Illinois. There has been no admiralty suit of importance in that section of the country that he has not been retained therein by either libellant or defendant, during the past thirty years. From 1877 to 1894 he held by successive annual appointments the position of corporation counsel for the city of Cairo, and during the same period of seventeen years he was retained as special counsel for Alexander county. For nearly forty years he has been attorney for the Illinois Central railroad.
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His entire legal career has been marked by dignified bearing in the courts, courteous demeanor toward his brother practitioners, great care in the preparation of his cases, and intense earnestness in behalf of his clients. A distinguished member of the Southern Illinois bar once said of him: "William B. Gilbert has been connected with much of the important litigation, especially in corporation law, for a quarter of a century. He has won for himself very favorable criticism for the careful and systematic methods which he has followed. He has strong powers of concentration and application, and his retentive mind is often spoken of by his professional colleagues. As an orator he stands high, especially in the discussion of legal matters before the court, where his comprehensive knowledge of the law is manifest, and his application of legal principles demonstrates the wide range of his professional acquirements. The utmost care and precision characterize his preparation of a case, and have made him one of the most successful attorneys of Cairo." This compliment from a fellow lawyer, and one who is competent to judge, tells the story of Mr. Gilbert's professional life and conduct as well as volumes could express. In political matters he is conservative. While affiliating with the Democratic party he has never become an active politician, and has steadfastly refused to be a candidate for public office. In his religious views he is an Episcopalian, and for over thirty-five years has been vestryman and one of the wardens of the Church of the Redeemer, of Cairo. Mr. Gilbert was married on Oct. 18, 1866, to Kate, eldest daughter of Amasa S. Barry, of Alton. To this marriage there have been born three sons, Miles Safford, William Candee, and Barry, and a daughter who died in infancy. His beautiful home at Cairo is called "Greenway," after the ancient seat of the Gilberts in England.
Miles Safford Gilbert, the eldest son, was born in Cairo, Sept. 2, 1868. He was educated in the public schools of his native city; graduated from Racine college in 1889; read law in his father's office ; entered the Harvard law school in 1890, and graduated with high marks and a degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1893. The same year he received his license from the Illinois supreme court, and began practice in Chicago, first with the firm of McCurdy & Job, and in 1896 with his brother, William C. Later he went to Cairo, where, upon the dissolution of the firm of Green & Gilbert by death of Judge Green, he became the associate of his father, as already stated. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Episcopal church, being superintendent of the Sunday school. On Oct. 4, 1899, he was mar-
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ried to Miss Helen E. Judson, of Evanston, Ill., and they have two children : Judson, born Feb. 22, 1901, and Helen, born Nov. 11, 1902.
William Candee Gilbert, second son of William B. Gilbert, was born at Cairo, Jan. 7, 1870. In the matter of education he attended the same school's as his elder brother, and often in the same classes. He graduated at the same time from Racine college, winning the gold medal which distinguished him as the "Head of the college." He also read law two years in the office of his father until he entered the class of 1893, in its second year, in the Harvard law school, and graduated with his brother in 1893, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Soon afterward he and his brother formed the law firm of Gilbert Bros., in Chicago, which firm continued until his brother re- moved to Cairo. William C. is still in practice in Chicago. He has among his clients, and is general attorney for, the Paepcke-Leicht Lumber Company, Chicago Mill and Lumber Company and other large corporations. He is an Episcopalian, a member of the Har- vard club, of Chicago, and the Country club, of Evanston, where he resides. In politics he is a Republican and takes an active interest in civic affairs. He is well known in Masonic circles, and has filled important offices in that order. On Oct. 8, 1902, he led to the altar Miss Ethel T. Ogden, of Fort Atkinson, Wis.
Barry, the youngest son of William B. Gilbert, was born at Cairo, May 16, 1876. He graduated from the literary or classical and legal departments of the Northwestern university, of Evanston, from the former in 1899 and the latter in 1901 with degree of LL.B., and at the head of his class. While in college he was the recipient of several valuable oratorical prizes. In the law department his two theses-"Law of Independent Contractors in Illinois" and "The Right of Asylum in the Legations of the United States in Central and South America"-were deemed by the dean of the school to be of such merit as to deserve publication - the former in the Chicago Legal News and the latter in the Harvard Law Review. He was admitted to the bar in June, 1901 ; married to Miss Mary R. Peterson of McGregor, Ia., Oct. 15, 1901 ; began practice at Cedar Rapids, Ia., June, 1901, with the law firm of Griman & Moffit, where his knowl- edge of the law, natural talent, indefatigable energy, close application and pleasing address soon brought him into such prominence that in 1903 he was offered and accepted the office of professor of law, one of the important professorships, in the college of law in the Iowa State university, which office he still holds, discharging the duties thereof, as teacher and one of the faculty of the law college, with credit to
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himself and satisfaction to the university. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Episcopal church. It has been well said of him, "He belongs to a race of lawyers and is a chip of the old block." He is also an enthusiastic "Beta" and one of the alumni of that fraternity.
EDWARD A. BUDER, president of the Alexander County National bank, Cairo, Ill., was born in the village of Zeidler, Austria, Nov. 4, 1839, and is the son of Florian and Rosalia (Pitschman) Buder. His father and mother had a family of five sons, of whom Edward is the second. Their names were Anton, Edward A., William, Gustave and Reinhold. In 1853 the father, having met with reverses, came with his three elder sons to the United States with the object of preparing a home and then sending for the wife and the two younger children. They first settled at Hartford, Conn., where Edward A. found employment in a large silverware establishment owned by the Rogers Bros., which is still a well known house. The father and eldest son Anton later went to Milwaukee, whither the mother and two younger children joined them late in the fifties. Soon afterward the family removed to St. Louis, Mo., whither Edward and William had gone directly from Hartford in 1858. This united the family in St. Louis. There the father died in 1863 and the mother in 1883. Of the five sons Anton, Edward and Reinhold are still living. In St. Louis Edward A. found employment in the jewelry establishment of E. Jaccard, founder of the immense jewelry house of Mermod & Jaccard, the largest and finest in the West. He remained with him four years. Upon the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in the Union army in the Third Missouri infantry for three months, but served six months. In the fall of 1861 he came to Cairo, where he has ever since conducted a jewelry establishment. He is now the pioneer jeweler of Cairo and has one of the finest and best equipped jewelry stores in Southern Illinois. Mr. Buder has been very success- ful in his business and is now the head and front of some of Cairo's most important financial institutions. He is president of the Alex- ander County National bank, the Alexander County Savings bank, and the Citizens' Building and Loan association. He is prominent
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both as an Odd Fellow and an Elk. He has been married twice. His first wife was Susanna Williams of Cairo, who died leaving two daughters, Rosalie and Mary. He afterward married his present wife, Wilhemina Kaufman of Cairo. There are four children by this marriage; Edward A., Jr., who married Nellie Smith and is now employed in his father's jewelry store; Otto, who is married and lives in St. Louis; Minnie and Flossie, both of whom are still at home.
CAPT. JONATHAN CLAY WILLIS, a coal dealer and one of the oldest resi- dents of Metropolis, Ill., is a descendant of one of the earliest English settlers in America. The family really originated in Wales, but about the middle of the seven- teenth century seven brothers of the name came from England and settled in different parts of the United States. Capt. Richard Willis, a descendant of one of these broth- ers, was a native of North Carolina. He served with distinction in the Revolution- ary war, where he won his title of captain, and after the establishment of the United States government was a planter in his native state until his death. One of his sons, whose name was also Richard, was born in North Carolina in 1767. In early manhood he went to Tennessee, where he married Miss Catha- rine Brigman, and continued to live in Sumner county, Tenn., until 1833, when he removed to Gallatin county, Ill., and died there in 1840, at the age of seventy-two years. He was a teacher and shoe- maker by occupation; in politics he was a Jackson Democrat, being a personal friend of "Old Hickory"; and fought under that noted general at the battle of New Orleans. His wife died in 1837. They had twelve children, Capt. Jonathan C. being the eleventh of the family and the only one now living. He was born in Sumner county, Tenn., June 27, 1826, and was seven years old when his parents came to Gallatin county. At the age of sixteen years he removed to Eliz- abethtown, Ill., and in 1843 located at Golconda, in Pope county. After working a farm for a few years, he took up flat-boating on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, which occupation he followed for six years. It was while engaged in this business that he was first called Captain Willis. After filling several minor offices, he was, in 1852, elected sheriff of Pope county and re-elected in 1856. In February,
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