Chicago Illinois

Biography of De Witt C. Tyler, M. D.

De Witt C. Tyler, M. D. Though he is now retiring from the work which had engaged his attention for so many years Doctor Tyler is properly credited with being the oldest physician and surgeon of Clifton, where he began practice thirty-six years ago. By intense devotion to his work Doctor Tyler long enjoyed a splendid practice in Clay and Washington counties, and though much of his service had gone unremunerated he had exercised fine business ability and owned a large amount of property in this section of the state. Doctor Tyler was born at Roscoe, Illinois, March 13, 1850, … Read more

Biography of Holmes Dysinger, Rev.

Rev. Holmes Dysinger has for the past twelve years been connected with the Western Theological Seminary of the Lutheran Church at Atchison, and since 1910 had been dean of the seminary. He had spent more than thirty years in the work of the church as a minister and as an educator, and had been connected with prominent schools and pastorates in nearly all parts of the country. Mr. Dysinger is of an old Pennsylvania family and was born at Mifflin, that state, March 26, 1853. The Dysingers’ original home was in Southern Germany. They came across the ocean and settled … Read more

Biography of Carl O. Bernhardi, M. D.

It is seldom that a young physician entering upon the practice of his profession achieves instantaneous and striking success. The path that leads to a large and lucrative practice is in nearly every case a weary and a tortuous one. But to all rules there are exceptions. The young physician whose life we are to discuss in this sketch, Doctor Carl O. Bernhardi, although one of the younger of Rock Island County’s physicians, has, nevertheless, in the few brief years that he has practiced his calling, attained an eminence that places him well in the van as a prominent and … Read more

Biography of Ira I. Cammack

Ira I. Cammack, who has devoted the greater part of his life to educational work, has done valuable service in the capacity of superintendent of schools in Kansas City, which position he still holds. He was born at Deming, Hamilton county, Indiana, on the 16th of February, 1858, his parents being James and Edith J. Cammack, who were pioneer settlers of eastern Indiana, taking up their abode in Randolph county. They held birthright membership in the Friends church and were prominently identified therewith throughout their entire lives. The father brought the first steam sawmills to central Indiana. Joseph Pearson, the … Read more

Biography of William A. Horan

Rev. William A. Horan, born on February 2, 1851, in DeKalb Co., Ill., served as pastor of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Freeport, Illinois. He was the son of Irish immigrants and excelled academically, completing his education for the priesthood at the University of Niagara. Ordained in 1877, Horan dedicated his life to various parishes, notably raising funds for multiple church constructions. Beloved by his community for his selflessness, he passed away on November 5, 1899, and is memorialized at St. Mary’s Church.

Biography of Elster M. Haile

Elster M. Haile is president of the Haile Investment Company of Kingman, his business partner and associate being Dan Callahan, president of the Federal Land Bank of Wichita. Until taking up his work in the domain of real estate several years ago Mr. Haile was an active minister of the Gospel, and at one time was in charge of one of the leading churches of the Christian denomination at Chicago. He was born in Macon County, Tennessee, June 9, 1879, and is a son of the late Joshua F. Haile, who is regarded as one of the most constructive factors … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Robert Ellsworth Lewis

Lewis, Robert Ellsworth; gen. sec’y Y. M. C. A.; born, Berkshire, Vermont, Sept. 28, 1869; son of C. P. V. and Ellen E. Haynes Lewis; University of Vermont, class of 1892, degrees Ph. D., M. A., L. H. D.; married, Brookline, Massachusetts, Aug. 24, 1893, Grace Mason Brackett (Wellesley, 1890); issue, five sons, three daughters; captain and aide staff Brig. Gen. J. J. Estey, Vermont National Guard, 1892-1894; expedition relief Peking, China, 1900, attached to 14th infantry staff until after capture of Peking; began career as college Y. M. C. A. sec’y in Massachusetts and Rhode Island; national traveling sec’y … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. H. Ardinger

The dry goods merchant prince of Bonham, is a native of Berkely County, Virginia, and has been a merchant all his life. He left Virginia at the age of fourteen, for Elizabethtown, Ky., from this place a little later, he moved to Greensboro of the same state, and from there to Missouri. In 1869-70, he was in the wholesale dry goods business at Chicago, but was fortunate enough to sell out his interest there, just before that city was burned in 1871. In 1875, he removed to Bonham, and opened a dry goods business, with a $1 0.000 stock of … Read more

Heitz, John Ray – Obituary

John Ray Heitz, 67, of Island City, died at his home Sept. 28 from mesothelioma. Funeral services will begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Island City. A viewing will precede the service beginning at 9 a.m. John was born Sept. 7, 1940, to John Helmic and Vera W. Heitz in Chicago. At 2, his family moved to Fruitland, Idaho, where they eventually acquired a small farm. John learned to work as he attended school. He hoed beets, picked fruit, worked at the cannery and graduated from high school. He also learned … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Willis Scott Edson

Edson, Willis Scott; publisher and mfgr.; born, Chicago, Ill., May 17, 1868; son of John Milton and Elizabeth Maria Swales Edson; educated, Chicago public schools and University of Chicago Academy; married. Chicago, III., Oct. 9, 1894, Gertrude Eugenia Haight; six children. Margaret J., age 18; Willis S., Jr., age 12; Gilbert H., age 5; Francis S., age 16, Gertrude K, age 9, and Harvey O., age 2; early training and career in editorial work, serving successively as department editor, telegraph news editor, and special feature writer; became managing editor of the trade journals, The Western Publisher, and The Publishers’ Auxiliary, … Read more

Ellithorpe, Erie – Obituary

Erie E. Ellithorpe, at his residence, 6122 Prairie Ave.  Funeral Friday, March 12 [1915] at 2:30.  Interment at Mount Hope.  [Erie was survived by his wife Lillian Pegg] Contributed by:  Shelli Steedman

Biography of Alvin E. Huckins

Alvin E. Huckins is head of the leading clay products business of Champaign County. A mechanical engineer by profession, Mr. Huckins has been identified with several large industrial corporations in the United States, and now gives his time and energies to a plant at Urbana which is capable of turning out any form or class of product from clay. It is a big business, and Mr. Huckins is considered one of the big business men of this community. He was born in Chicago, July 31, 1884, and as a young man made his way through difficulties to success. His parents, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Harley Brownell Gibbs

Gibbs, Harley Brownell; banker; born in Milan, Erie County, O., March 13, 1849; son of Edward Hanford and Maria Louise Brownell Gibbs; early education in Milan, O.; married, Hudson, Oct. 24, 1878, Miss Emma Johnson; Mrs. Gibbs died in 1894; when 16 years of age, went to work in a grain and commission house in Chicago, Ill.; there six years; came to Cleveland in 1871; served as bookkeeper for the King Bridge Co. until 1875, then elected sec ‘y, and in 1887, became treas. of the Company; resigned in 1907, but still a director of the Company; organized the Lake … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George N. Ifft

George N. Ifft, of the firm of Ifft & Wallin, proprietors and managers of the Pocatello Tribune, is a native of Butler County, Pennsylvania, born January 27, 1865. He began newspaper work, as a reporter, in Pittsburg, that state, and continued in that capacity and in various editorial relations in other cities, as Washington, D. C, Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City and San Francisco, until January 1, 1893, when he came to Idaho, locating at Pocatello, and since that time he has been connected with the Pocatello Tribune, as more fully described in our sketch of that paper. Mr. Ifft … Read more

Biography of Phillip Mohr

Phillip Mohr arrived in Champaign County in 1874. He was then a young man, only a few years over from Germany, possessed a fair education, knew how to work, but was without friends of influence and without a personal fortune. Hard work and good judgment have been the route which he has followed on the road to success. He is widely known over the county, is a progressive and up-to-date farmer, and has earned all the competence which he and his family now enjoy. Mr. Mohr is a native of Germany and represents that sturdy class of old country people … Read more

Biography of W. E. Taylor, M. D.

Placed at the head of a great state charitable institution, carrying the responsibility for the welfare of hundreds of unfortunates whose reason has been shattered and imbued with an earnest desire to restore his unfortunate charges to health and friends, stands Doctor W. E. Taylor, superintendent of the Illinois Western Hospital for the Insane at Watertown. He was born at Waukesha, Wisconsin, May 24, 1854, where his parents, E. T. and Esibell (Irving) Taylor resided. Here his boyhood was spent, and after thoroughly fitting him-self in preparatory schools, he entered the University of Wisconsin, and upon completing a course in … Read more

Biography of Bertha Louise Ahrens

Bertha Louise Ahrens (B. Feb. 26, 1857), missionary teacher among the Choctaw Freedmen of Indian Territory since 1885, and principal teacher at Oak Hill Academy, 1905-1911, is a native of Berlin, Prussia. Her parents, Otto and Augusta Ahrens, in 1865, when she was 8, and a brother Otto 5, came to America and located on a farm near Sigourney, Iowa, after one year at Bellville, Illinois; and four, at Harper, Iowa. The schools and Churches first attended used the German language. Her first studies in English were in the graded schools at Sigourney and here at seventeen, she became a … Read more

Biography of Clarence W. Brooks

A little thoughtful consideration of the career of Clarence W. Brooks, proprietor of the Brooks House, Idaho Falls, brings one to the conclusion that he has in most of his business operations been impelled by the spirit of the pioneer. He has sought out new plans and new conditions likely to favor his projects, and after he has made them available and profitable, he has sought out still others, and after those others. The wisdom of his selection has been proven by the success which has crowned his efforts. Not only is he one of the boldest, most venturesome and … Read more

Biography of Edgar W. Boardman, M. D.

Edgar W. Boardman, M. D. Medicine is constantly making tremendous strides forward, with scientific progress shown on every side, and discoveries and inventions are practically changing methods of practice and broadening the viewpoint of both physician and patient. To practice according to the enlightened ideas of the present century requires not only a most careful training but a certain, sure aggressiveness, and no physician of Parsons has this and other admirable qualities in greater degree than has Dr. Edgar W. Boardman, a practicing physician and surgeon of this city since 1888. Doctor Boardman was born at Fort Dodge, Iowa, January … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Adrian Dwight Joyce

Joyce, Adrian Dwight; Sherwin-Williams Co., mgr.; born, Sumner, Ia., Nov. 18, 1872; son of M. H. and Anne Hotham Joyce; educated, Olivet College and University of Michigan; married, Stafford, N. Y., June 9, 1879, Anna Page; issue, Marion, born March 11, 1898, Dwight, born May 31, 1900, Dorothy, born Jan. 27, 1902, Phyllis, born July 23, 1909; lived on a farm until he was 17 years old; taught country school, after leaving home; also village school for three years, unable to finish college course because of poor health; went into the wholesale hay and grain business in Memphis, Mich., in … Read more