St. Louis Missouri

Biography of Adam Hance

Adam Hance was born in Coblin, a French province of Alsace, and, as usual with the people of that country, spoke both German and English. He came to America and settled near Germantown, Pa., in 1722, where he married a German lady, and raised a large family. His younger son, also named Adam, married a Miss Stoebuck, of Pennsylvania, in 1768, and settled in Montgomery County, Va. When the revolutionary war began, fired by the prevailing patriotic feelings of the day, he joined the American army under Washington, and served during the entire war. He was in the battles of … Read more

Biography of Alonzo Leo Fitzporter, M. D.

Dr. Alonzo Leo Fitzporter, physician and surgeon of St. Louis, in which city he was born July 23, 1884, is a son of Dr. John L. Fitzporter, who passed away June 15, 1915, at the age of seventy-six years, having long figured prominently as a representative of the medical profession in this city. Dr. A. L. Fitzporter attended the parochial schools of St. Louis and afterward became a student in the St. Louis University, from which he was graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1906 and then entered upon his medical course, winning his M. D. degree in … Read more

Biography of Hon. John Kelly

HON. JOHN KELLY. – Prominent in almost every department of business and public life, Honorable John Kelly is known throughout the length and breadth of our state as a man of great abilities and irreproachable integrity. As a pioneer, none has a more deserving record, nor has sustained amore honorable part. Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1818, he crossed the Atlantic to Canada in 1838, and in 1840 came to Franklin, Vermont. Three years later he began a career at the West, coming to Wisconsin, and there exercising his natural bent for business and capacity for organization, by which he … Read more

Biography of Herbert S. Gardner

Herbert S. Gardner, president of the Gardner Advertising Company of St. Louis, was born December 22, 1872, in Warsaw, Missouri, his parents being Nicholas S. and Susan Frances Gardner. The father was a merchant of Warsaw, Missouri, at one time and afterward lived at Appleton City, Missouri, where he continued in business for a number of years. In 1887 he came to St. Louis and was associated with the Brown-Dougherty Company, in the wholesale dry goods business. In later years he retired and passed away in 1891. For several years he was a member of the state guard of Missouri. … Read more

Biography of William Emil Sauer, M.D.

Dr. William Emil Sauer, a St. Louis physician now limiting his practice to diseases of the ear, nose and throat, was born in Evansville, Illinois, April 17, 1875. His father, Nicholas Sauer, also a native of that state, belonged to one of the old Illinois families of German descent, the first of the name in America being Philip Sauer, who on crossing the Atlantic made his way at once to Illinois, where he followed farming and stock raising. Nicholas Sauer became a successful flour manufacturer, carrying on business first at Evansville, Illinois, and later at Cherryvale, Kansas. He died in … Read more

Biography of Henry Alexander Hamilton

Henry Alexander Hamilton, now serving as first associate city counselor of St. Louis, has been an active and successful representative of the legal fraternity here during the past twenty-three years and since 1907 has practiced his profession in association with his brother under the firm style of H. A. & C. R. Hamilton. A native son of St. Louis, he was here born on the 1st of February, 1877, his parents being Alexander and Mary (Wiegand) Hamilton. His early education was obtained in the public schools, of St. Louis and in January, 1895, he was graduated from the Central high … Read more

Biography of Louis W. Grosse, M.D.

Dr. Louis W. Grosse, a physician and surgeon of St. Louis, was born October 13, 1884, in Collinsville, Madison county, Illinois, and was the sixth in order of birth in a family of five sons and five daughters, seven of whom are living, the parents being Herman G. and Marie M. (Neidenberger) Grosse. The father was a native of Illinois, born in Collinsville, and was a representative of one of the old families of that state of German descent. He became a pharmacist following his graduation from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and devoted his life to that calling, … Read more

Biography of Herman Albert Haeussler

For a long period the name of Haeussler has been closely associated with professional activity in St. Louis. Herman Albert Haeussler was for many years connected with the bar and enjoyed an extensive and important practice. He was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, May 21, 1838, his parents being Dr. Ferdinand W. and Clara Leontine (Strehly) Haeussler. The former, a native of Germany, came to America in the ’30s and established his home in the Keystone state. Later he removed to Kentucky and in 1844 became a resident of St. Louis, where he resided until his death, devoting his attention … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Albert F. McFarland

Albert F. McFarland was born in Platte county, Missouri, near Weston, August 5, 1838, and resided there until he was twenty-three years old, receiving his education in the common schools and at Pleasant Ridge College, of that county. He pursued a course of medical studies at St. Louis, Missouri, during the years 1860, ’61, ’62 and ’63, and began practice in the general army hospital in 1863, where he continued to practice until the close of the war, in 1865. In 1866 he made a trip across the plains to Salt Lake City, Utah, and to Virginia City, Montana, returning … Read more

Biography of Henry William Kuechenmeister

Henry William Kuechenmeister is a prominent figure in the industrial and commercial circles of St. Louis as the secretary and treasurer of the St. Louis Paper Can & Tube Company. He also has other important interests and is recognized as a dynamic force in business affairs-one who inspires others with his contagious enthusiasm and who never stops short of the successful accomplishment of his purpose. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, January 22, 1877, and is a son of John Kuechenmeister, whose birth occurred in Mecklenburg, Germany, but who came to America in 1868, settling in Chicago, where he engaged … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Sanford Martin Withers, M.D.

Dr. Sanford Martin Withers was born in Clearwater, Wayne county, Missouri, November 25, 1891, and is a son of George A. and Avis M. (Martin) Withers, the latter a daughter of the Rev. Samuel Sanford Martin, a pioneer Baptist minister of Illinois. He was a native of Connecticut and married Miss Elmira Palmer, whose birth occurred in Illinois. The grandparents of Dr. Withers in the paternal line were William Price and Mary Elizabeth (Coles) Withers, natives of Kentucky and of Illinois, respectively. George A. Withers, the father, was born at Funks Grove, Illinois, February 13, 1847, and the greater part … Read more

Biography of Henry Greve

Henry Greve, a member of Governor Hyde’s staff and one of the prominent business men of St. Louis, has made his home in this city since 1875 and through the intervening period his steady progress and advancement along business lines have brought him to a place of prominence and distinction, for he is now sole owner and president of the John Wahl Commission Company and is also a director of the LibertyCentral Trust Company. A native of Germany, he was born in Velen, Westphalia, on the 6th of March, 1856, his parents being Henry and Maria Anna (Brueggemann) Greve, who … Read more

Biography of Rutherford B. H. Gradwohl, M. D.

Dr. Rutherford B. H. Gradwohl, a St. Louis physician who has won prominence as a bacteriologist, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, March 4, 1877, and is a son of Emanuel Gradwohl, a native of Strassburg, Germany, who came to America in 1856. He was a member of the first cavalry regiment organized in the United States in the latter ’50s and later became a Civil war veteran, serving in the First United States Cavalry throughout the entire period of hostilities between the north and the south. He was made a sergeant and rendered valuable aid to his adopted country. He … Read more

Biography of Robert A. Holekamp

Robert A. Holekamp, president of the Holekamp Lumber Company and a dominant factor in the industrial development of St. Louis and the state, was born at Nordstemmen, in the province of Hanover, Germany, May 4, 1848, his parents being the Rev. Frederick F. and Amelia (Koch) Holekamp, who lived and died in Hanover. The father was a Lutheran minister, devoting his entire life to the work of the church. Robert A. Holekamp was reared and educated in his native country, acquiring his early education under his father’s personal instruction. When fourteen years of age he was sent away to Hildesheim … Read more

The Kribs Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Kribs

The best teacher, it is said, is experience. C. J. Kribs, circuit clerk of Randolph County, has had varied experiences. He was born February 19, 1867, in Belleville, Illinois. He attended the parochial and public schools, after which he learned the trade of harness maker in St. Louis. After a residence of five years in this city he went to Chicago and worked for four years as assistant store-keeper in the Illinois Steel Works. Then he went to Prairie du Rocher, and after a short stay went to St. Louis, working for the Metropolitan Insurance Co. He was promoted and … Read more

Biography of M. Hayward Post, Jr., M. D.

Dr. M. Hayward Post, Jr., who is engaged in medical practice in St. Louis, is a representative of one of the oldest American families, his ancestors having come to the new world on the Mayflower. His grandfather was Rev. Truman Marcellus Post, who is mentioned by a former historian as one of the eminent Missouri preachers of his day. His father was M. Hayward Post, who was a well known physician and a prominent oculist of St. Louis. He served for twenty years as a member of the board of the Missouri School for the Blind and passed away in … Read more

Biography of James W. Shankland, M. D.

Dr. James W. Shankland, a St. Louis surgeon who for some time was surgical chief of the Embarkation Hospital at Newport News, Virginia, during the World war and who is now practicing successfully in the metropolis of Missouri, was born in Noble county, Ohio, April 4, 1867. His father, James M. Shankland, was a native of the Buckeye state and a representative of one of its old families of Scotch-Irish descent. The founder of the family in America was Rhodes Shankland, who came to the new world from Scotland prior to the Revolutionary war and settled in Delaware, where during … Read more

Biography of Albert Weisert

Albert Weisert, president of the Weisert Brothers Tobacco Company, one of the largest independent tobacco manufacturing concerns of the west, was born October 30, 1856, in St. Louis, where his entire life has been passed. He is a son of John and Helen Weisert, his father being one of the pioneer tobacco dealers of the city. He commenced business as a manufacturer of snuff and smoking tobacco at No. 1312 Merchant street and this business was later taken over by his son. Albert Weisert obtained his education in parochial schools of St. Louis and started out in the business world … Read more

Biography of George Ashton

George Ashton, for twenty years president of the Ashton-Hancock Brokerage Company of St. Louis, his course marked by that steady and substantial progress which shows nothing of the spectacular but moves continuously forward to its goal has ever merited and enjoyed the confidence, respect and goodwill of his fellowmen He was born in Every street, Manchester, England, September 11, 1860, his parents being Thomas and Emma Ashton. His early education was acquired in the Manchester grammar school, in Brooks Seminary, in Owens College, and Manchester University, all of Manchester, England, and having resolved to become a member of the bar … Read more

Biography of Joseph H. McGauhey, M. D.

Joseph H. McGauhey, M. D.,had been in the general practice of medicine at White Cloud, twenty-eight years, and is also identified with the banking business of his town, and had farming interests in Brown County. The McGauhey ancestors were Scolch-Irish, and Doctor McGauhey’s great-grandfather was the immigrant to this country. His grandfather was Archibald McGauhey, who spent most of his life as a farmer in Indiana, where he died. John McGauhey, father of Doctor McGauhey, was born in Pennsylvania in 1809. For a time during his childhood his parents lived in North Carolina and afterward moved to Indiana, where he … Read more