Rock Island Illinois

Biography of Robert Wagner

One of Rock Island’s native sons, a man upon whom devolves to a large extent the management and control of a great and growing industry, is the subject of this sketch, Robert Wagner, president of the Rock Island Brewing Company. He is the son of George Wagner, the story of whose life and rise in the world appears elsewhere in this book, and Frederica Wagner. He was born in Rock Island, June 15, 1866. During his boyhood he attended the city’s public schools and private German schools, fitting himself for entrance in the University of Iowa, at Iowa City. After … Read more

Biography of Walter Johnson

Mr. Walter Johnson, the subject of this sketch, died in Rock Island, November 23, 1903. He was for a third of a century one of the vital forces of the community. For twenty-seven years he occupied the editorial chair of the Daily Union, in which position he at all times was an able and courageous champion of that which he considered right, and calculated to make the community better. His editorial utterances carried weight not only because of their intrinsic merit and evident fairness in the presentation of the subjects under discussion, but because it was recognized throughout the community … Read more

Biography of Rev. Thomas Mackin

Reverend Thomas Mackin was born in County Armagh, Ireland, January 4, 1841, the son of Daniel and Ann Mackin. His rudimentary education was received in the Government schools of his native land, and upon his completion of the course afforded there, he turned to teaching as a means of livelihood, and to pave the way for the attainment of wider educational advantages. In 1861 Thomas Mackin came to America, settling in Leland, Illinois. Here his brother James, was engaged in the dry goods, commission and land business. It was during war time and they did an extensive business. Thomas, however, … Read more

Biography of Carl Aaron Swensson, Rev. Dr.

Rev. Dr. Carl Aaron Swensson was the founder and chief upbuilder of Bethany College, the institution around which cluster the best and most noteworthy distinctions of Lindsborg as a community and from which have gone influences that now permeate and give character to many localities through the useful men and women educated there. In an important degree Bethany College is a monnment to the late Doctor Swensson, and to a nobler one few men could aspire. He was born at Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania, June 25, 1857, a son of Jonas and Maria (Blixt) Swensson. His parents came to America in … Read more

Biography of Rev. Christopher Mennicke

One of Rock Island’s most revered and honored ministers of the gospel, a man who has grown old in the service of his God and his church, is Rev. C. A. Mennicke, pastor of the German Evangelical Lutheran Immanuels Congregation. He was born September 17, 1834, at Friedrichsschwerz, a small place near Halle, in Prussia, his parents being Andreas and Carolina (Winter) Mennicke. He received his early education in the institutions of Halle, Germany. An uncle, Professor F. Winter, whose home was in America, wrote to the young student and urged him to come to this country. He left Germany … Read more

Biography of Hon. Samuel S. Guyer

The Honorable Samuel S. Guyer was born at Lewistown, Pennsylvania, December 26, 1814. In his early manhood he was a contractor in New York City and in the construction of the Pennsylvania Canal System. In 1839, with his mother, sister and two brothers, he removed to Peoria, Illinois, from which base he engaged in the business of building flat boats and carrying cargos of merchandise to trade with the planters between Natchez and New Orleans. In the great tornado at Natchez in 1842, he lost all his possessions and barely escaped with his life. Returning to Peoria he studied law … Read more

Biography of J. Silas Leas

One of the old and respected citizen of Rock Island County, a man who stands high in the estimation of all who know him, is J. Silas Leas, who although now spending the closing years of his life in retirement, was at one time engaged in some of Rock Island County’s principal manufacturies. He was born October 31, 1830, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, his parents being Christian H. and Julia Ann (Brandt) Leas, both of whom were also natives of that state. His mother died when the subject of our sketch was but two years of age. In his early … Read more

Biography of William McConochie

A man who both as a public official and as a prominent citizen has been an important factor in moulding Rock Island’s municipal history is William McConochie. The son of John and Annie (Campbell) McConochie, he was born at Gatehouse, a little village on the southwest coast of Scotland, January 11, 1847. His father’s ancestors had lived in that part of Scotland since the days of Wallace and Bruce. His mother’s family were Highlanders, and were of the house of Argyle. The elder McConochies, with their family, emigrated to America in the spring of 1853. Coming westward they settled at … Read more

Biography of Col. Charles William Durham

Col. Charles William Durham is the principal assistant in the engineering office at Rock Island Arsenal. His father, Charles Durham, was born in Belfast, Maine; his mother, Dorcas C. Durham, was born in the town of Brewer of the same State. Mr. Durham, senior, was for the greater part of his life a lumber merchant and vessel owner. Both parents are now dead. Young Charles was a graduate of Chelsea (Massachusetts) High School in 1864, and graduated Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College in 1868. Thence he went to Germany and studied in Heidelberg University for one year, returning to … Read more

Biography of Robert Ward Olmsted

A good mental and physical equipment, unflagging energy, and temperate habits have been leading factors in the elevation of Robert Ward Olmsted, from a poor boy, dependent upon his own resources, to the honored position of judge of Rock Island County. Born on a farm in Edgington Township, Rock Island County, Illinois, May 6, 1868, he became almost, if not quite, self-supporting at the tender age of thirteen, and though employed early and late for the greater part of each succeeding year of his youth, he cultivated studious habits, and by close application to his books, both in and out … Read more

Biography of Hon. William Jackson

Among the old settlers of Rock Island County, who has assisted during his residence here in accomplishing many permanent reforms, is the Hon. William Jackson, who is entitled to honorable mention. Mr. Jackson was born in the City of Liverpool, England, August 14, 1834, of English parentage. His early boyhood was spent in his native city. After leaving school, the last being the Liverpool Collegiate Institution, he was, at an early age, apprenticed to a grocer. Serving part of his apprenticeship, and being very desirous of trying his fortune in the new world, where he had many relatives, he left … Read more

Biography of Martin Theodore Rudgren

Even in an age which recognizes young men and places responsibilities upon them which in the past have been laid only upon the shoulders of those of more mature years we seldom find one of twenty-eight years entrusted with the complex details of the business end of the administration of a City of 30,000 inhabitants. Such, however, is the confidence placed in Martin T. Rudgren by the people of the City of Rock Island that they elected him City Clerk when he had barely passed his twenty-eighth mile-stone, and that by an overwhelming majority. Events have shown that the trust … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles R. Nourse

Born in Missouri, reared in Ohio and now engaged in manufacturing in Illinois, three great states have had to do with the career of the subject of this sketch. Charles Robert Nourse was born in St. Louis, December 27, 1864, the son of Gilbert D. and Almira J. (Keith) Nourse. When eight years of age the family removed to Cleveland and six years later to Springfield. In the public schools of the two Ohio cities the son obtained his early education. In early manhood he became bookkeeper with a manufacturer of children’s carriages at Springfield, and later he became connected … Read more

Biography of Alfred Bergin B. D., Ph. D.

Alfred Bergin, B. D., Ph. D.The Bethany Church at Lindsborg ever since it was established on the prairies of Central Kansas nearly fifty years ago had been a powerful influence not only in the religious life of Kansas but to a remarkable degree in the social and intellectual advancement of the people of the state. It is the oldest and the parent church of the Swedish Lutheran people who did so much to colonize and develop these prairles from a wilderness into a smiling landscape of farms and towna. The church had a membership of over two thousand people. It … Read more

Biography of Captain Thomas J. Robinson

The municipal history of Rock Island contains some illustrious names. It is a city that has been slow in attaining its present proportions, but its growth has been steady and constant. To those hardy and adventurous men who in an early day saw Rock Island’s possibilities and expended strength, time and money in laboring to build up what was then a mere handful of people gathered together, great credit must be given. They had faith in Rock Island’s future. They labored to make that future a reality, and in their labors they were successful. One of those men who had … Read more

Biography of Max Daniel Rosenfield

Max D. Rosenfield is a familiar name in business circles throughout Rock Island, Moline and Davenport as well. He was born in Muhringen, Wurttemberg, Germany, April 4, 1867, his parents being Daniel and Marie Rosenfield. He at-tended the public schools of his native town, He came to America at an early age, and later located in Chicago, where he resided from 1883 to 1901, when he removed to Moline. A branch of the Chicago Brewing Company had been established in Rock Island in 1894, Sam Pells being the first manager. In 1889 this Brewing Company became a part of the … Read more

Biography of Ernst Fredrick Pihlblad, D. D., Rev.

Rev. Ernst Fredrick Pihlblad, D. D., president of Bethany College, is an educator of long and successful experience and had been connected with Bethany College more than twenty years. He was born at Kansas City, Missouri, March 18, 1873, a son of John and Louise (Nord) Pihlblad. Both parents were born in Sweden. His father came to America in 1869. He followed merchandising all his active career, and lived at Kansas City, Missouri, and at Lindsborg and Marquette, Kansas. His death occurred March 14, 1889. In 1872 he married Miss Nord, and they were the parents of two sons. The … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Frank H. Kelly

Frank H. Kelly, one of the younger members of the Rock Island County bar, is a native and a lifelong resident of the city in which he now practices his profession. He was born in Rock Island, February 8, 1870, the son of P. H. and Ellen Kelly. After completing a course in the public schools and then attending high school, he chose a career before the bar and began the study of law in the University of Michigan Law School, from which he graduated in 1891. The following year, February 1, 1892, he began practicing and has been actively … Read more

Biography of Burton Emory Clifford

Burton Emory Clifford. Chances for success are slight with the lawyer of modern times unless he be a man of sound judgment, possessed of a liberal education and a stern training, combined with a keen insight into human nature and motives. The reason for this lies in the spirit of the age with all its complexities, for modern jurisprudence had become more and more complex because of new laws and conditions. Years of experience and a natural inclination for and inherent ability in his profession are superinduced upon a careful training in the case of Burton Emory Clifford, ex-prosecuting attorney … Read more