Missouri

Biography of John C. Lebrecht, M. D.

Dr. John C. Lebrecht, a St. Louis physician with offices in the Park building, was born July 28, 1859, in the city which is still his home, his parents being John and Louisa J. (Ludwig) Lebrecht. The father was a graduate of the St. Louis Medical College and was associated with Professor Charles Pope, who founded the first O’Fallon dispensary, located at Seventh and Clark avenue in St. Louis. During the Civil war he served on the Union side from Missouri as a surgeon, being on duty throughout the period of hostilities. He survived his military experience for only a … Read more

Biography of Elmer A. Kiel

Elmer A. Kiel, secretary and treasurer of the firm of Kiel & Danes of St. Louis, is a native of the city in which he resides, his birth having occurred here on the 13th of July, 1895. His father is the Hon. Henry W. Kiel, mayor of St. Louis, of whom extended mention is made elsewhere in this work. The son in early manhood began learning the brick contracting business with the firm of Kiel & Danes and has remained with this firm continuously since. Steadily he has advanced as he has acquainted himself with the various branches and phases … Read more

Biography of Thomas F. Browne

Thomas F. Browne, manager and resident vice president of the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company of Baltimore, Maryland, which corporation he has represented in St. Louis since the 6th of May, 1911, was born in Memphis, Tennessee, a son of the late Peter Randolph Bland Browne, who was likewise born in Tennessee and became a successful merchant of that state, where he resided to the time of his death, which occurred in March, 1878, when he had reached the age of forty-eight years. His wife, Willie Etta (Feild) Browne, was also born in Tennessee and was a daughter of Dr. … Read more

Biography of Paul Carroll Schnoebelen, M.D.

Dr. Paul Carroll Schnoebelen, a prominent and most successful young representative of the medical profession in St. Louis, specializing in internal medicine and diagnosis, was born at Riverside, Iowa, on the 15th of January, 1890, a son of Sigsmund W. and Mary (Carroll) Schnoebelen. The father is a descendant of the merchant prince Weber of Holland, whose daughter and her husband, Dominie Everadus Bogardus, arrived in New York in the seventeenth century and built the original Trinity church of New York city, now at the head of Wall street. The mother is descended from John Carroll of Carrollton. Paul C. … Read more

Biography of Sidney Thorne Able

(Sketch written by Judge Nelson E. Lurton, Commissioner of the United States Court, at Shanghai, China, who served in Mr. Able’s law office as his assistant from 1912 to 1916.) It is so unusual to find read merit displayed in a man until he has been put through some of the trying experiences of life that it is a pleasure to find such in one born and reared as Sidney Thorne Able was, surrounded with all the comforts of life, the son of a southern banker and cotton planter. In order to know a man well we must know something … Read more

Biography of Theodore C. Brandle

Theodore C. Brandle, who is at the head of the Traffic Motor Truck Corporation of St. Louis, is a self-made man, who starting out in life empty-handed, has worked his way steadily upward. lie has made notable progress as a result of his unfaltering determination, his carefully formulated plans and his keen business discernment. St. Louis has reason to be proud of him as one of her native sons, for he was born in this city February 2, 1894, his parents being Charles P. and Belle (Keeler) Brandle, both of whom were natives of St. Louis, where they still make … Read more

Biography of Jackson Johnson

Jackson Johnson of St. Louis, who as chairman of the board of the International Shoe Company has gained not only American but world leadership in connection with shoe manufacturing interests, was born in La Grange, Alabama, on the 2d of November, 1859, a son of James Lee and Helen (Rand) Johnson, the former a native of Mississippi, while the latter was born in Alabama. The father owned and conducted a plantation up to the time of the Civil war. Jackson Johnson pursued his education in the public schools of his native state and when nineteen years of age initiated his … 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 August A. Jekel

August A. Jekel, secretary and treasurer of the Reliable Life & Accident Insurance Company of St. Louis, was born in Germany, April 22, 1867, his parents being Henry and Katherine (Maeser) Jekel, both of whom were natives of Germany, where they were reared and married, the father there following the occupation of farming. Their family numbered five children, two sons and three daughters, of whom all are living, namely: Katherine, the wife of George H. Velten of Germany; Mrs. Bertha Hechler, a widow, living in Germany; August A., who is the third in order of birth; Eliza, the wife of … Read more

Biography of Marion C. Early

Marion C. Early is the son of George G. and Mary A. Early. His father, George G. Early, was born near Norfolk, Virginia, July 13, 1819, and while still a boy removed with his mother to Knox county, Tennessee. His mother, Mary A. (Brittain) Early, was born near Lenoir City, London county, Tennessee, February 23, 1827. His parents later removed to Polk county, Missouri, where on a farm the subject of this sketch was reared. In a log schoolhouse there was held each year a four months’ term of school and this he attended until past nineteen, when he entered … Read more

Biography of John S. Marsalek

John S. Marsalek, attorney at law of St. Louis, was born July 13, 1887, in the city which he still makes his home, his parents being John and Anna (Panuska) Marsalek. The father, a native of that part of Austria which now forms the republic of Czechoslovakia, was brought by his parents to America in 1852, when but a year old. The family home was originally established in Illinois, but after the close of the Civil war a removal was made to St. Louis. After finishing his education in the schools of Illinois and of St. Louis, John Marsalek engaged … Read more

Biography of Charles W. Holtcamp

Charles W. Holtcamp, serving for the fourth term as probate judge of the city of St. Louis, also identified with important business interests and prominent in Masonic circles as a thirty-third degree member, was born in Decatur, Illinois, September 1, 1859. His father, Charles Holtcamp, a native of Germany, was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church for more than sixty years. His mother, Mrs. Catherine Holtcamp, was born in Ohio. After attending the public schools Charles W. Holtcamp continued his education at Illinois College of Jacksonville, Illinois, and next became a student in the law department of the Washington … Read more

Biography of John Leo Tierney, M.D.

Dr. John Leo Tierney, a St. Louis physician who specializes in internal medicine and diagnosis, was born in Lead, South Dakota, November 22, 1890, a son of William George and Mary (Yuren) Tierney. The family comes of Irish ancestry, although many generations ago representatives of the name removed to England, where one of the ancestors of Dr. Tierney was knighted as Sir Edward Tierney and a statue erected to his memory in Westminster Abbey. Another of the early ancestors was Sir Matthew Tierney, who was at one time court physician to King George III. William G. Tierney, father of the … Read more

Biography of John P. Thomy

John P. Thomy, president of the National Pigment & Chemical Company and prominently known in the musical as well as the business circles of St. Louis, was born in Riga, Livonia, June 10, 1880. His father, Bernard Thorny, was also a native of Livonia and became a prominent and wealthy grain dealer of Riga, which then belonged to Russia. He had large contracts for the export of grain, and when the government prohibited the exportation of grain during the year 1894, he came to the United States in order to make new contracts on this side of the Atlantic. Not … Read more

Biography of Oliver W. Dorr

Oliver W. Dorr, secretary of the Dorr & Zeller Catering Company of St. Louis, is a native of the city in which he makes his home, his birth having here occurred February 10, 1890. His parents are Lawrence E. and Rose (Stein) Dorr. The father was born in Germany in 1867 and came to this country in 1882. He established the business conducted under the name of the Dorr & Zeller Catering Company, beginning in a small way and gradually developing the enterprise until he is now at the head of one of the prominent catering interests of the city … Read more

Biography of George R. Wendling, Jr.

George R. Wendling, Jr., of the Myers-Wendling Insurance Company of St. Louis, was born March 9, 1894, in Bloomington, Illinois. His father, George R. Wendling, was also a native of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Shelby county. He became a prominent attorney of that state and was a member of a constitutional convention of 1870 which framed the organic law of the commonwealth and had the distinction of being the youngest representative in that body, as he was only twenty-five years of age when elected. He won wide popularity as a lecturer as well as distinction in law practice. … Read more

Biography of John B. Furstenberg

John B. Furstenberg is the president and treasurer of the Boggs Broom Corn Company and his efforts have been an important factor in making St. Louis the center of the broom corn trade of the world. He is at all times actuated by a most progressive spirit and his initiative and energy have enabled him to formulate new plans that have led to the continued growth and development of the business. He is possessed of the spirit of western enterprise and progress and is by birth, training and preference a western man, for he was born in Sterling, Kansas, July … Read more

Biography of Charles Percival Whitbread

Charles Percival Whitbread, president of the General Underwriters Company of St. Louis, was born in Edwardsville, Illinois, March 18, 1877, and is a son of James and Minnie Elizabeth (Rinne) Whitbread. The ancestry is traced back through several generations in England, where the records of the family include the following under title “Whitbread of Southill.” “Whitbread, William-Henry, Esq., of Southill, County of Bedford, born January 4, 1795; high-sheriff in 1837, and member of parliament for Bedford in the parliaments of 1818, 1820, 1826, 1830, 1831 and 1832. The Whitbreads are said by family tradition, as appears on an Inscription on … Read more

Biography of Hans Wulff

Hans Wulff is a well known attorney of St. Louis, his native city. He was born January 22, 1882, and is a son of Frederick H. Wulff, a native of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The father was born in 1849 and came to America in 1880, settling in St. Louis, where he engaged in various occupations but afterward concentrated his efforts and attention upon farming and the dairy business. He is still a resident of this city and his activity has brought to him a substantial measure of success. He married Emma Katherine Berner, who was born on the island of Fehmarn, … Read more

Biography of Hon. Sam B. Cook

Hon. Sam B. Cook, president of the Central Missouri Trust Company, the leading banking institution of Jefferson City, is not, only active in the control of important financial interests but has in many ways left the impress of his individuality and ability upon the history of the state. He has at various times been called upon to fill positions of public honor and trust and has recently retired as a member of the state senate. He was born at Front Royal, Virginia, January 11, 1852, a son of William and Sallie (Kelly) Cook, who came to Missouri from the Old … Read more