USA > Ohio > Memoirs of the lower Ohio valley, personal and genealogical : with portraits, Volume II > Part 25
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L. P. PARKER, manager of "The Hal- liday," Cairo, Ill., as well as of the Hotel Gayoso, Memphis, Tenn., was born in Bradford county, Pa., Nov. 24, 1848. He came to Illinois with his parents when but ten years of age. On Nov. 15, 1880, he came to Cairo and at once took charge of the Halliday House. He has been asso- ciated with that fine and popular hostelry ever since, fully twenty-four years. In these years he has made a reputation as a successful hotel man second to none in the country. Mr. Parker is widely known as a very practical hotel man. He is also manager of the Hotel Gayoso, Memphis, Tenn., the first hotel in that city and one of the best and most thoroughly equipped, popular resorts in the South. Mr. Parker became manager of this hotel Aug. 1, 1898. On July 4, 1899, this fine property was destroyed by fire. Immediately after the fire the Memphis Hotel Company was organized with Stuyvesant
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Fish, president of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, as its president and J. S. Aisthorpe of Cairo, Ill., as secretary and treas- urer. Upon the site of the ruins a fine, new, modern hotel building was erected, which was completed and opened to the public on May I, 1902. This hostlery is known as the Hotel Gayoso and is easily one of the finest hotels in the Mississippi Valley. Mr. Parker's eldest son, A. L. Parker, is assistant manager, while a younger son, B. S. Parker, is manager of the Istroama Hotel at Baton Rouge, La. Maynard, the third and youngest son, is a professional violinist, being instructor on the violin at the Freeze Conservatory of Music, Los Angeles, Cal. Mr. Parker has just cause to be proud of his own standing in the hotel world, as well as that of each of his progressive, wide awake sons.
CHARLES E. GREGORY, proprietor of the Cairo Monument Company, Cairo, Ill., was born at Fredericktown, Madison county, Mo., July 31, 1879. He is the son of Col. Felix G. and Hannah A. (Anthony) Gregory, both of whom were born and reared in Fredericktown, Mo. The father died there July 3, 1899, aged fifty-nine. The mother still survives. Throughout his business career the father followed the livery and hotel business. Colonel Greg- ory served as a colonel in the Confederate army. His father, also named Felix G., was a native of Virginia, but with his brother Serrel emigrated from Virginia to Kentucky and later located in Missouri. The Anthony family, too, has been quite prominent both politically and socially in the State of Missouri. Among the members of the family today are E. D. Anthony, a prominent attorney; Robert Anthony, an ex- circuit judge of Fredericktown, and William Anthony, a prominent commercial lawyer of Farmersburg. Charles E. Gregory, is the youngest of eight children-four sons and four daughters. His brothers and sisters are: William T., a merchant of Baxter Springs, Kan .; Martin P., a farmer of the vicinity of Farmersburg, Mo .; John F., a Missouri Pacific passenger engineer residing at Alex- andria, La .; Mrs. Bird Isibell, of Colorado; Mrs. Bertha E. Zeran, of Farmington, Mo .; Miss Lizzie F., who still resides with her mother, and Mrs. May Bell McGrew, of Galena, Mo. Charles E.
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Gregory was reared at Fredericktown and graduated from the Mar- vin Collegiate institute of that place at the age of twenty years. On the death of his father he assumed the management of the Gregory hotel and conducted it successfully for two years. On the sale of the property in September, 1901, he devoted a year of his time to the study of music. In 1903, he came to Cairo and bought the property of the Cairo Monument Company, of which he is still the proprietor. On Nov. 12, 1904, he added to his business the Zeran Marble & Granite Works, formerly owned by his brother-in- law, John S. Zeran. This institution is the only one of its kind in Cairo and does quite an extensive business, both wholesale and retail. Its sale of building stone is also quite large. It secures its granite for the most part from its own granite quarries, located near Farmington, Mo., a granite which is being extensively used throughout the United States as a substitute for the imported Scotch granite. Mr. Gregory is an enthusiast on the subject of music and always manages to spare some of his time to the cultiva- tion of that subject. He takes delight in church choir singing and sings the part of tenor in the Methodist church of his home city.
MRS. M. E. FEITH, proprietress of the largest undertaking establishment of Cairo, Ill., located at No. IIOI Washington avenue, was born in that city Dec. 28, 1872. She is the daughter of the late Dennis Coleman, one of the early residents of Cairo, who died Sept. 17, 1904, at the ripe age of eighty-two years. He was born in Ireland, came to the United States at the age of eighteen and located in Cairo, in 1858. There he was married Feb. 12, 1872, to Mary DeNeen, also a native of Ireland. She died Sept. 12, 1890. There are three children living: Mrs. Mary E. Feith and John Coleman of Cairo, and Mrs. Josie Watkins, of Mt. Carmel, Ill. Mrs. Feith has lived in Cairo all her life. She graduated at the age of seventeen from Loretta academy, a Catholic institution, and on Oct. 21, 1891, was married to William E. Feith, a well-known undertaker, proprietor of the Feith undertaking establishment on the corner of Eleventh street and Washington avenue, the oldest establishment of the kind in the city, having been started on this corner by his father, Nicholas Feith, in 1865. William E. Feith was born in Cincinnati, O., Aug. 18, 1865, coming to Cairo with his parents when quite a small child. He died Aug. 12, 1899, leaving to his wife's care the management of the undertaking business and the rearing of three children born to them. The children are: Chester
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J., born May 28, 1894; Mary Loretta, born June 10, 1896, and Anna Marie, born Aug. 20, 1898. One other child, a son, the first born, was William E. Jr., born July 19, 1892, and died Feb. 13, 1899. Upon the death of her husband Mrs. Feith, by force of necessity, assumed charge of the business, and has since conducted it very successfully, in a manner which gives it first place among like establishments of Cairo. She certainly deserves great credit for the ability she has shown, and all the more so, when it is recalled that at the time of Mr. Feith's death she had only a meager knowledge of the business. She is now a licensed undertaker, having completed a course in embalming since her husband's death. At the time Mr. Feith died he had in course of erection on the corner of Eleventh street and Washington avenue a large, two-story brick undertaking establishment to take the place of an old frame building which had done such good service for years. Mrs. Feith completed this struc- ture without delay, equipping it throughout in the most modern style. Her equipment includes two funeral cars, one ambulance and other vehicles, together with two fine teams, and the stock dis- played in her salesrooms embraces everything from the plainest coffin to the most pretentious casket.
GEORGE J. BECKER. There are few better examples of the success that awaits the young men of the present generation who are willing to work, giving all of their time and efforts to advancing either their own business interests or, if em- ployed, the interests of their employers, than is afforded by the successful career of George J. Becker, president of the Andrew Lohr Bottling Company, of Cairo, Ill., who has, by sheer hard work, con- stant application and untiring energy, raised himself from the bottommost round of the ladder to his present position at the head of the largest insti- tution of its kind in the United States. Born in Cincinnati, O., Feb. 22, 1855, the son of John and Catherine Becker, natives of Bavaria, to which source can be attributed the taste for music later displayed, the subject of this sketch was at three years of age deprived of a father's help and guidance, and in 1863 his mother married Joseph Lehmes, a citizen of Cairo. Shortly afterwards George had his first
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view of that city from the deck of a Cincinnati packet. Since that day, the boy and afterwards the man, has spent his entire life actively engaged in the various occupations which have always been along similar lines. His mother, after losing her second husband, died at Cairo, Sept. 15, 1888, leaving besides the subject of this sketch one daughter by her second marriage, now Mrs. Emma Brisbin, wife of Henry Brisbin of St. Elmo, Ill. Young George obtained such schooling as was possible at that date, employing him- self out of school hours as a helper in various restaurants and cafés along the then busy Ohio levee. Leaving school at the age of twelve years, he shortly afterwards entered the employ of Mr. Henry Breihan, where he acquired his first knowledge of the soda water business. He remained with Mr. Breihan in the capacity of book- keeper and afterward manager until he accepted a position with Mr. Andrew Lohr, at that time conducting a modest bottling plant. Into his new vocation Mr. Becker threw his entire personality, and by force of hard work, not only became vice-president of the newly incorporated company in, 1889, but ten years later, reorganized the company, Mr. Lohr retiring, and as president and general manager of the new cor- poration, of which Dr. J. J. Rendelman of Cairo is secretary, he has added to, improved and modernized the entire plant, until today there stands on the site of the little bottling shop of 1879 an immense factory covering an entire city block in length, with a large ware- house across the street from the main plant, and an equipment as complete as can be obtained, with electricity as the motive power, the company having a complete plant of its own, and with every device known to the bottling business utilized. The products of this institution have been, characterized by that on which Mr. Becker prides himself; viz., absolute purity of ingredients, the best of every- thing, and thorough cleanliness throughout every branch of manu- facture. Mr. Becker has been singularly blessed as regards his fam- ily, for since Sept. 16, 1880, when Miss Maggie Hines, of Cairo, and himself were united in the bonds of wedlock, five children, two sons and three daughters, have blessed the union, the oldest son, Harry, being at present assistant to his father in the management of the mul- tifarious details of their immense business. Mr. Becker early in life displayed an extraordinary talent for music and for many years was prominent as a violinist in local musical circles. In the palmy days of the local volunteer fire companies, Mr. Becker was an active mem- ber, finding thereby another use for his favorite element-water. Mr. Becker is an Odd Fellow, a member of the local lodge of
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Elks, an active member of the Cairo Commercial club, and belongs to various other societies. Upon being asked what motto he had held before him in his busy life, the answer characteristically was: "What is worth doing at all, is worth doing well."
WILLIAM KLUGE, a' prominent cit- izen and business man of Cairo, Ill., was born in Germany, July 30, 1837. His parents having died when he was still in his childhood, his mother's brother, Conrad Leodige, brought the lad to America with him when only twelve years of age. The family landed at New Orleans in 1849, where William lived with his uncle for ten years. In 1859 he came to Cairo, which city has ever since been his home. His first work after coming to Cairo was that of clerk in a grocery store. After serving his employer faithfully for a year in this capacity he em- barked in the grocery business for himself, and, with slight inter- ruptions, has been engaged in that line ever since with unvarying success. For about thirty years he conducted an extensive whole- sale and retail business at the corner of Sixth and Commercial ave- nues. His present place of business is on the corner of Nineteenth and Poplar streets. In the building and development of the present electric street railway system of Cairo he was one of the leading spirits, and was for many years president of the company. In 1902 he sold his street railway interests and retired from the presidency. Mr. Kluge is a director in the Alexander County National bank and is identified with other movements and institutions that have for their object the advancement of the city's commercial interests. In 1866 he married Annie Feith, and to this union was born one daughter, now Mrs. Edith Walsh, of Cairo. Mrs. Kluge died in 1875 and some three years later he married Katherine Feith, a sis- ter of his first wife. One son was born to this marriage, but died when about five years of age. Mr. Kluge is deservedly popular with the enterprising citizens of Cairo, for few have done more to bring the city up to its present standing as an industrial and com- mercial center. Whenever he thought he was right he never faltered, but has always been firm and consistent in the advocacy of correct principles. His motto has ever been sans peur et sans re- proche, and his life has been a living exemplification of that motto.
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ANTHONY P. EHS, one of the prominent merchants of Cairo, Ill., was born in that city, Aug. 19, 1865. He is the son of Peter and Dora Ehs, both natives of Germany, and now deceased. An- thony is the only son living. His three sisters are Mrs. Lena Koehler and Mrs. Mollie. Davis, of Cairo, and Elizabeth Ehs, of Paducah, Ky. He was reared and educated in his native city, and at the early age of fourteen years he began his successful business career as cash boy in the New York store. He remained with this firm in the capacity of cash boy and clerk for about nine years, when he began business for himself. In his present business, that of general merchandizing, he has been actively engaged for fully fifteen years. His store is located at 2009 and 2011 Washington avenue. Mr. Ehs is a director of the Weber Dry-Goods Company and vice- president of the Cairo Candy Manufacturing Company. In religious matters he is identified with the Catholic church, and is an active member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. On April 16, 1890, he married Johannah Fitzgerald of Cairo. Four children have been born to this union: Edna, Richard, Geraldine and Thomas. Mr. Ehs takes great interest in the development of his home city, and there are few of its citizens that do more to bring about the general prosperity than he. Full of push and enterprise he makes everything go that he takes hold of, and as such is a valuable mem- ber of his home community.
HENRY G. SANKS, of Shawneetown, Ill., clerk of the court of Gallatin county, is a native of Indiana, having been born near Law- renceburg in Dearborn county, May 7, 1851. His grandfather, Joshua Sanks, was in early life a farmer near Baltimore, Md. From there he removed to Virginia and later to Indiana, locating near Lawrenceburg, where he lived to the age of eighty-nine years. He was married three times and reared a large family of children. George D. Sanks, the father of Henry G., was born near Winchester, Va., Sept. 2, 1813. After his parents removed to Indiana he became interested in flatboating on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and fol- lowed that occupation for a number of years. About 1849 he was married to Mary Evans, a native of Dearborn county, and they went to housekeeping at Aurora, in that county, where he engaged in the manufacture of brick. Mary Evans was a daughter of Samuel Evans, who was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 7, 1781, and removed to Dearborn county, Ind., in 1807, where he lived the rest of his life. His father was born in Wales, but came to
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America some time between 1720 and 1750. They were both ship carpenters and the subject of this sketch now has in his possession a try-square that formerly belonged to one of them. In 1853 George D. Sanks took his family and their effects aboard a flatboat and floated down the river to Shawneetown. Nine miles west of the town he purchased a farm and followed agricultural pursuits the remainder of his life. His wife died in 1873 and he afterward mar- ried Nancy J. Leighliter, who is now also deceased. By his first wife his children were Henry G., the subject of this sketch; Tamson V., Sarah E., and Martha E., all deceased. By his second wife he had four children: Susannah V., now Mrs. Turner, of Danville, Ill .; David R. and George D., who now live on the old home place; and Mary, now Mrs. Riley, of Bowling Green, Ky. He died in 1894. Henry G. Sanks was educated in the common schools and lived with his parents until his marriage, when he engaged in farming near Ridgway for one year, after which he removed to Shawneetown, but after living there awhile returned to the farm and lived there until 1883. He then removed to Ridgway and lived there until 1890, when he was elected sheriff of Gallatin county and again took up his residence in Shawneetown. After serving four years as sheriff he was elected county treasurer and held that office for four years. He was then appointed deputy clerk and continued in that position until 1902, when he was elected clerk, which office he now holds. Mr. Sanks probably inherited his love for political affairs from his father, who was active in politics the greater part of his life. He is now chairman of the Democratic central committee of Gallatin county, and as a political organizer has few equals in Southern Illinois. He is a good mixer and his genial disposition wins friends for him even among his political opponents. In a knowledge of county affairs he is well qualified to transact any of the official business of any office, his long connection with the dif- ferent offices he has held rendering him thoroughly familiar with the business. His wife was Miss Mary E. Lawler, a native of Gallatin county and a niece of Gen. M. K. Lawler. Of their five children three are living, George D., Margaret E. and Mary E., all at home with their parents. He is a member of the Catholic church and is in every way one of the representative men of his county.
ABNER F. DAVENPORT, of Equality, Ill., treasurer of Galla- tin county, was born in the neighborhood where he now lives March 2, 1844. His grandfather, William Davenport, was one of
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the pioneers of the county, coming from Tennessee in 1825. At that time Randall W. Davenport, the father of Abner, was ten years of age, having been born in Knox county, Tenn., in 1815. In 1843 he married Sarah Flanders, a native of New York, and began farming near his father's home, where he lived until his death in 1852. He was a Democrat and took an active part in the political affairs of his day. They had four children: Abner F., Deborah, now Mrs. Purcell, of Equality; Sarah A., deceased, and- George. who now lives at Eldorado in Saline county, Ill. Abner F. Daven- port obtained a good practical education in the public schools and remained at home until his mother's death in 1877, when he married Miss Juliett Clifton, a native of Gallatin county, and from that time until 1884 followed the vocation of a farmer in the vicinity of Equality. He then embarked in the general merchan- dizing business at Equality and continued in that line until 1899, when he became connected with the bank of Equality. In 1901 he was elected treasurer of the county, which office he still holds. He is also school treasurer of Equality township, and is cashier of the First National bank of Equality. In fraternal and church circles Mr. Davenport is a prominent figure about Equality, being a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and a deacon in the Presbyterian church. Of the ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. Davenport six are still living. May is the wife of a Mr. Farmer of Texas; Mattie, William, George, Robert and Charles all live at home with their parents.
HENRY C. STRICKLAND, postmaster at Equality, Ill., was born near Shawneetown, in the same county where he now lives, April 16, 1852. His father, John D. Strickland, was a native of Mont- gomery county, Ohio, but came to Gallatin county, Ill., in early man- hood. He was a hatter by trade, an expert bookkeeper, and for some time followed flatboating between Shawneetown and New Orleans. He married Armilla Dobbs, of Gallatin county, and they had six children. Those living are Henry C., Virgil, now in Louisville, Ky., and Millard F., a farmer five miles west of Shawneetown. The father died in 1860 and the mother in 1882. Henry C. Strickland obtained his elementary education in the common schools, after which he attended the Southern Illinois Normal at Carbondale. During his minority he worked upon a farm, but upon arriving at the age of twenty-one he engaged in the farm implement business. When he was twenty-six he commenced teaching and followed that occupation
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about twenty years, being the principal of the Equality schools three years of that time. He then embarked in the merchandizing busi- ness at Equality and continued in that line for about six years, when he was appointed postmaster by the late President Mckinley, and is now serving his fifth year in that position. Mr. Strickland is a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity, is now senior warden of his lodge and has filled other offices. In politics he is one of the active Re- publicans of Equality, and is always ready to do his part toward win- ning a victory. He has been twice married. His first wife was Ida, daughter of Moses and Elizabeth Kanada, by whom he had two chil- dren, both now deceased. She died in 1888 and he was married to Ella, daughter of E. H. and Druzilla McCaleb. One child was born to this marriage, but it, too, is dead. Mrs. Strickland is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and takes an interest in promoting its good works.
J. W. HALES, dealer in general mer- chandise, Equality, Ill., was born two miles north of that town, July 5, 1840. He is a son of James and Matilda (Willis) Hales, the former a native of North Car- olina and the latter of Tennessee. James Hales came to Illinois about the year 1830, married shortly afterward, and followed farming in the vicinity of Equality until his death, which occurred when the subject of this sketch was about five years old. After the death of his father, his mother bound him out to George W. Flanders, with whom he remained until he was nineteen years of age. His mother married a second time, her second husband being Leonard Haney. She died in Equality, the mother of four children, of whom the subject is the only survivor. J. W. Hales received such an educa- tion as the district schools of his day afforded, and after leaving 'Mr. Flanders worked in a tobacco establishment at Equality until 1861. He was one of the first to answer the call for troops in that year and enlisted as a private in Company B, First Illinois cavalry. After about six months with this organization he was transferred to Com- pany E, Fourteenth Illinois cavalry, in which he served until the close of the war, rising to the rank of sergeant. His regiment was with Sherman in the march to the sea; was at the siege of Knoxville; the
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surrender of Cumberland Gap; and in numerous minor engagements. While engaged in a skirmish at Sunshine Church, near Hillsboro, Ga., Mr. Hales was captured and confined for four months in the famous Andersonville prison. In an attempt to escape he was severely hurt, but recovered and was exchanged. From that time to the end of the war he was with his command in all the principal engagements in which the regiment took part. He was discharged at Pulaski, Tenn., in July, 1865, returned to Equality, and for the following three years was a carder and spinner in the Equality woolen mills. He then clerked in a dry goods store for five years, and on Nov. 6, 1875, opened a store of his own, in which line of business he has ever since continued, in addition to which he looks after the management of his farms. Mr. Hales is a Republican in his political affiliations and takes an active interest in promoting the success of his party. He is a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic and with his family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. He was married on April 15, 1874, to Miss Blanche E. Reed, a native of Tennessee, and they have two children: James E., who lives in Equality, and Hallie I., now Mrs. Burtie.
J. P. SIDDALL, tinner and dealer in hardware, Equality, Ill., is a grandson of William Siddall, a native of England, who came to Equality in his early manhood. Having learned the tinners' trade in his native land, he opened the first tin-shop and hardware store in Equality. The busi- ness he established has been in the family for three generations. Some time after coming to America he married Martha Maltby, and to this union there were born . five children: John M., now in Texas ; William, in Iowa; Elizabeth, now a Mrs. Hine, living in Florida; Joseph and Parmenas, deceased. Both parents lived to be very old. Parmenas Siddall, after obtaining a common school education, learned the trade with his father, and upon the latter's death succeeded to the business, which he conducted through life. He married Johanna A. Probasco, a native of New York, whose acquaintance he formed while she was on a visit to friends in Equality. They had three children, all living. Florence is now a Mrs. Friend, living in Missouri; Etta is a Mrs. McDonald,
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