The 1913 Commercial History of  

Clinton County, Illinois

Breese

A Progressive City

The City of Breese was incorporated in 1905 and the first city administration was as follows: Henry HUMMERT, Mayor; Chas. C. EULBERG, City Clerk; John KIELER, City Treasurer; Aug. W. GRUNZ, Fire Chief; Ben DELEN, City Marshal; Aug. W. GRUNZ, Police Magistrate; B. HUGENBERG, Superintendent of Streets; Hugh V. MURRAY, Corporation Counsel.

Breese has a population of approximately 3,200 inhabitants and is the largest and most up-to-date city in Clinton County.

The city ordinance of 1905 was revised and adopted in 1906 and shortly afterwards the present light, power and water plant was erected at a cost of $35,000.00. It is owned by the Breese Water and Light Company, and leased to the City of Breese.

In 1912 the city built its present reservoir. It is located in the east end of the city and has a capacity of 350,000 gallons; a purification plant is connected with the reservoir assuring the people of the city the very best of water. Bonds were voted for $14,000.00 t make this additional improvement. The mains are eight, six and four inches and extend all over the city.

Two Brownell and one Frost boilers are installed whose combined horse power is 215.

The water is pumped to the reservoir from Shoal Creek and the daily consumption is 2000,000 gallons. The reservoir is built of re-enforced concrete and covers an area of 144X37 feet and is 12 feet deep.

There are several miles of cement sidewalks in Breese and the city administration is erecting concrete culverts where formerly vitrified tile was used.

The present city hall was built in 1885 at a cost of $3,000. It is one of the finest city buildings in the county and all meetings of the City Council are held there. The city jail is located in one corner of the building, and all of the other city offices are to be found within its walls.

The present city administration are:

• Dan NEEDHAM, Mayor.
• Chas. C. EULBERG, City Clerk.
• Henry E. SCHMIDT, City Treasurer
• George CARR, Supt. of Water and Light.
• Henry FREUND, Collector of Water and Light Rates.
• Ben. H. FELDMANN, Chief of Fire Department.
• Michael ZEBRER, Street Commissioner
• Frank WILDER, Chief of Police
• Aug. W. GRUNZ, Police Magistrate.
• Plack CARR, Corporation Counsel.

The Senior member of the Council is Fred SCHMIDT. He has been a Councilman since 1902. Of the others the oldest one is J.C. COERS, he has been a member of the Council since 1909.

Since 1905 two additions have been taken into the city thereby extending its limits considerably. The first one was known as the C. NIEBUR Addition. The second addition was platted and brought into the city by the heirs of H. LAPPE, a former citizen of the city, now deceased.

The area of Breese is one mile square.

The Council meets every first Monday in the month; Mr. A. Plack CARR, the Corporation Counselor, has been in office since 1911; he resides in Carlyle.

Regarding the Breese Fire Department it is worth while to state that it is the best in the county. It has 20 members and has an excellent apparatus for fighting fires. Since the city was incorporated a new hose cart has been purchased by the city and is installed in the fire engine house adjoining the city hall on the south.

Mr. C. EULBERG, the City Clerk, has installed a new system of bookkeeping and a modern system of accounting. The very latest methods are employed in handling the city’s books, and Mr. EULBERG has an assistant named A. W. TIMMERMANN.

The light plant of Breese is one of the very best in the county. It is equipped with the very latest machinery and generators and besides furnishing light the plant also furnishes power for those who desire it.

Alternating current is furnished the subscribers of the company and the plant has two large Russell engines belted to two high powered generators, both of them being 100 K. W. 2300 volt dynamos.

Regarding the business interests of Breese there are eight streets on which business houses are located. Four running north and south and four east and west. Every conceivable kind of a business house is located in the city and all do a thriving business, owing to the fact that the city is composed of business men with push and go and men who are boosting Breese from day to day, from month to month and from year to year.
 
 

St. Dominic’s Parish in Breese, Illinois, was organized in June, 1855, when a number of zealous Catholics met at the home of Robert DONNE and discussed plans for the establishing of such congregation.

These pioneers, among them Robert DONNE, Samule Menfield DONNE, Frank MORLINNERS, Henry HOLTHAUS, Joseph OSTERMAN, Fred RATERMAN and William RICHTER, energetically went to work collecting money to build. Rt. Rev. Bishop Van Der WEIDE, of Chicago, under whose jurisdiction this territory lay, ordered a few years wait in the building of a church. Messrs. SANG, KAMP & Co., of Chicago, owners of a large tract of land and lots in Breese donated a half block of ground. On August 2^nd, 1857, the newly consecrated Bishop Rt. Rev. Damian JUNKER, of Alton, (a new diocese in the State of Illinois), laid the corner stone of St. Dominic’s Church. This edifice was dedicated on the feast of St. Luke, October 18^th, 1858.

On July 9^th, 1858, the young Theologian who was to be pastor of St. Dominic’s parish, Rev. Father August REINEKE sailed for America. His pastorate began on October 18^th, 1858. High mass was thereafter regularly celebrated every Sunday, the members of the congregation singing pious hymns, in the German language.

The first rectory was built in 1859, and it contained three rooms. During the fall of 1858 a mission was held and four societies or sodalities were instituted. These societies, composed respectively of men, young men, women and young ladies, still flourish.

The great growth of the parish necessitated the building of a Parochial school. This was done in 1861, a two-story building being erected, with rooms for the teachers (religious) on the second floor. A new and modern school was erected in 1901.

The present beautiful church edifice was built in 1867-68, its corner stone being laid in the Spring of 1867, by Rev. Peter Jos. BALTES, pastor of St. Peter’s Church at Belleville, Ill. The ground on which it is erected, as well as that surrounding the parochial residence, was donated by Mr. Frank MARKS, the elegant altars and all the other furnishing of the church are donations of zealous members of the parish.

St. Dominic’s Church is the largest church building in the county. It is built of stone and is one of the most conspicuous buildings in the city. A clock in the steeple tolls the hours of the day; it strikes every fifteen minutes.

In 1882 the commodious and attractive parochial residence was built. It is a beautiful and modern building in every respect.

During the years 1898-99 the new St. Joseph’s Hospital was built. Its corner stone was laid in 1898 and it was dedicated on the Feast of St. John, the Evangelist in 1899. It is a token of Catholic Charity and Catholic Love, of one’s fellow-man. In 1912 there were 65 patients treated and 19 old folks are housed there.

The new school already referred to was erected in 1901. Its dimensions are 77 feet 4 inches by 64 feet 4 inches two-story and basement. Its approximate cost is $25,000.00. This elegant and modern school was dedicated on April 16^th, 1902 by Rt. Rev. Bishop J. JANSSEN, D. D. of Belleville, Ill. The present attendance is upward of 350 pupils with six School Sisters and one male teacher, Mr. Henry WERTH. in charge. Eight grades are taught.

St. Dominic’s parish has always been noted for its thorough Catholic spirit. A splendid male chorus has for years been enhancing the ceremonial of the mass by its excellent singing, this due to the thorough mastery of music possessed by its teacher and organist, Mr. Henry WERTH. Since the death of Rev. Fr. REINEKE, which occurred in _________ _____ , St. Dominic’s parish has been in charge of Rev. Fr. MEIFUSS, a most zealous and learned priest. His present assistant is Rev. Fr. _______.

The Parish has 283 families scattered all over the central and eastern part of the county but principally in the vicinity of Breese. The choir is an excellent one and is composed of boys who are exceptionally good singer. During the year 1912 there was 63 baptisms of infants and 1 adult. There were seven marriages. One hundred and seven children made their first communion during that year.
 
 

St. Augustine’s Church was founded July 1, 1912 by the Right Rev. John JANSSEN, Bishop of Belleville. Rev. Vincent HARTUNG was made Pastor, and has been in charge of the church ever since. The parish boasts 65 families and is a part of the old parish of St. Dominic. Rev. HARTUNG was sent to organize the parish early in the year of 1912 from Sandoval, where he had been assistant to the Rev. J. A. MUNIER. For sometime before organizing the new parish of Breese he acted as Mission Father for the church of Sandoval and attended too the churches of Keyesport, Kinmundy and Salem. While the new church is not a large one, yet it is sufficient to house the worshipers. It is planned to erect a large brick church as soon as convenient. The present school was started in September, 1912, and has eight rooms, three teachers and an enrollment of 440 pupils. The Poor Hand Maids of Christ teach the children. The school has two large corridors and is a commodious building. The church is 49X90 feet and has seating capacity of 700. Mr. Henry WERTH is organist. The choir is composed of 18 men. Cecelian music is sung at all masses and other services. One hundred and thirty of the families of the parish live in the city and the rest in the country. These are of German descent, only one English-speaking family being among them. The services are in German and English. There are two masses on Sundays and Holydays, one low and one high mass. Vespers are held in the afternoons. The church is located on South Main street and the church property covers an area of 14 city lots. Rev. Father HARTUNG was born in Germany in 1881. He attended the Catholic schools of Prussia and after finishing there attended the St. Joseph’s College of Teutopolis, Ill. For two years he studied philosophy at that college. He took a theological course at St. Francis’ College in Quincy, and graduated from that college in1907; he was ordained in Belleville the same year and sent to Sandoval as an assistant to Rev. MUNIER. The new church will be built opposite the old church and will cost approximately $40,000. Plans are already prepared.
 
 

The First National Bank was organized in 1910 and is one of the largest banks in the county. The SCHAFLY Brothers of Carlyle and St. Louis are the organizers of the bank. Before its organization as a national bank it was a private bank since 1892. The bank is housed in one of the finest buildings in the city, and has one of the finest offices in the county. The capital is $25,000 and the surplus and undivided profits $4,602.00. The deposits aggregate $230,0000. A general banking business is transacted and the bank pays interest on savings and time deposits, 3 per cent is the amount. This bank is equipped with a Hall Safe and Lock Company’s safe and vault and is burglar proof. The officers of the bank are: Fred SCHAFLY, President; August SCHAFLY, Vice-President; Fred KREBS, Cashier, and Leo A. KREBS, Assistant Cashier. The directors are the above four and Aug. KLUTHO, a lumber merchant of the city. Fred KREBS has been with the bank for the past twenty-one years having started when it was organized as a private bank in 1892. Leo A. KREBS has been with the bank since 1900. Besides being connected with the bank the brothers are also in the insurance business and are Notary Publics. The bank is housed in a two-story brick building with residences on the second floor. The building was erected in 1898 at a cost of $10,000. On the inside of the front cover of this book the display ad of this bank will be found.
 
 

Of the two banks of Breese the State Bank is the newest. It was started February 1, 1911 and is housed in a two-story stone building which is considered not only the finest in the city but in the county as well. The officers of the bank are the following: Hy. HUMMERT, President; J. O. KOCH, Vice-President; V. J. HUMMERT, Cashier and E. T. RICKNER, Assistant Cashier. The Directors are all prominent business men of the city, and the bank is one of the best conducted in the county. Mr. HUMMERT is connected with the Breese-Trenton Mining Company. J. O. KOCH is connected with the KOCH Grain Company and is ex-Senator of the district. F. J. HUMMER, the Cashier, has been with the bank since its organization, as has the Assistant Cashier. A general banking business is transacted and interest of 3 per cent is paid on savings and 3 ½ per cent on time certificates of twelve months. The vault is one of the best in the state and is of the John Baumann type. An Ely and Norris burglar proof safe is installed. It is triple time lock safe. The second floor of the building is rented out for offices and several doctors are located on this floor. The bank has twenty-seven stockholders whose estimated wealth is over $600,000. For the three years the bank has been in business we print a statement of its deposits beginning with the first year, August, 1911

[here follows bank statement]
 
 

Mr. A. W. GRUNZ, the proprietor of the above named saloon has been located in Breese for the past 32 years. He has been in the saloon business two years having bought out the interest of Aug. VOGELSANG in 1911. He handles the New Athens beer of draught and all kinds of bottled beer, wines, whiskey and cigars. He is one of the best known saloon men in the city and is connected with several other enterprises. He is Secretary of the Clinton County Fair Association, and is also Police Magistrate of Breese. He is also a partner in one of the largest cigar manufactories in Breese and is well known all over the southern part of the State. He has been Police Magistrate for 14 years, and 9 years he has been Secretary of the Fair Association. He was born in Germany in the year 1873 and came to this country with his parents when he was but a mere boy. His parents are still alive and live in Clinton County. Mr. GRUNZ was married in 1897 to Lydia FREUND, of Breese, and the young couple have two children to bless their union; one boy and a girl. During the time he has been Police Magistrate he has prosecuted on an average of 10 cases a month, which is a small estimate, and a small percentage for a city the size of Breese. He has the distinction of never having had a case reversed by the higher courts of the county, and is known as the fighting judge of Clinton County. The evil-doers of Breese fear him, and well they may, for Mr. GRUNZ deals justice where justice is due.
 
 

The firm was originally started by Louis IMMETHUN, the husband of Mrs. A. IMMETHUN, 15 years ago. When he died she took possession of the business and has operated it along the same lines as her husband did. He died seven years ago. The original starting place was the store on the corner of Third and Clinton streets, north of the tracks. Today the firm, which now comprises Mrs. IMMETHUN and B. COLLER, operate two stores. The new one, which was built in 1912, is located on the south side of the tracks, and is one of the finest stores in the city. In June, 1912, Mr. COLLER became a partner to the concern which today is fast growing and promises to become the largest store in the city. The stock in both stores is estimated at $7,000.00 and a $20,000.00 yearly business is transacted. Everything in the general merchandise line is carried in stock. The firm also buys and sells produce of all kinds and deals in flour. Mrs. IMMETHUN was born in Breese in 1870. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard BUEHNA and is one of seven children. She was married to Louis IMMETHUN in 1891 and has raised six children, all boys, all living. She received her schooling in the Catholic Schools of Breese and at present is a member of the Ladies’ Alter Society of St. Augustine’s Church. She is one of the best known ladies in the city. Mr. COLLER is also well known and is a hustler. He manages the uptown store while Mrs. IMMETHUN superintends the south side store.
 
 

Mr. SCHROEDER conducts one of the largest general stores in the city: a fair idea of the size of the store can be obtained from the picture of it herewith reproduced. He started into business in 1908, the store having been unoccupied before that. He put in a $3,00.00 stock when he started and today he has increased it to $7,000.00. A $27,000.00 yearly business is transacted and the store is well on the way to the largest in the city. Mr. SCHROEDER was born in Breese in 1881 and has been a resident of the city, off and on, ever since. Eight years ago he was engaged in the same business in the city with a partner. He sold out to him in two years after they had been together and then traveled for a grocery firm in St. Louis. Tiring of the road he returned to Breese and started into business for himself. He has been successful ever since. He received his education in the grade school of Breese and in the St. Louis Business College. He traveled for a time for a wholesale dry goods house of St. Louis also. He was married in 1912 to Miss Cornelia DORRIES. In the store a full line of everything in the general mercantile line is carried including Dry goods, clothing, groceries, shoes, hats, caps, gloves, shelf hardware, feed produce and queensware. He is also a jobber of flour and sells the famous "Havasak" brand. There are four employes in the store and Mr. SCHROEDER has one delivery wagon going constantly the year around during working hours. He is located on the corner of Third and Main streets.
 
 

The Union Bakery has been in existence under the present management for the past seven years. It was started in 1906 by W. M. LAGER. When he died in 1908, Mrs. W. M. LAGER took possession and with her children began to make the bakery the largest of its kind in the city. That she has succeeded is due to her untiring efforts and honest business principles. Everything in the bakery goods line is baked and the firm ships goods all over the county; the capacity of the oven is 200 loaves and the capacity is reached daily with this up-to-date concern. In connection with the bakery department a general line of confectionery is carried in stock, as is also cigars and tobacco. The bakery was started in another part of the city when it first sprung into existence and did a very small business. Today it is by far the largest one in Breese. Mr. LAGER was born in Clinton County in 1865 and attended the schools of the county for sever years. He was married in 1891 to Minnie SCHULTE. He died in 1908 leaving his wife with five children. Mrs. LAGER was born in Carlyle in 1870 and has been a resident of the county ever since. The five children are: Arthur, Alphonse, Caroline, Helen, and Pauline, aged 21, 19, 16, 13, and 6 years; respectively.

Mr. EULBERG is the present City Clerk. He was elected to fill the office at the time Breese was incorporated in 1905. He has succeeded himself each time since. He was born in Breese in 1879 and has been a resident of the city ever since. He was educated in the schools of Breese and is one of the best known young men in the city and the central part of the county. The City Clerk’s office is the only public office Mr. EULBERG ever held and is satisfied with the work of the office although at some times it is very strenuous. He is also connected with Henry DIEKER’s Marble and Granite works and between the both positions manages to make an excellent income. He attended the Catholic school for years and also the public school of Breese. For three years he was a scholar in the St. Joseph College of Teutopolis, Ill., and later attended the Jones Commercial College of St. Louis. He was married in 1901 to Emma T. RICKHER and is the proud father of two fine, healthy youngsters, a boy and a girl. The city clerk’s office is located in the city hall and is on the ground floor adjoining the jail room. It is the best fitted office in the city hall and that is due to the fact that Mr. EULBERG is thoroughly up-to-date and a man fitted for the position he holds.
 
 

This manufacturing concern was established in 1908 and is the only one of its kind in the city. It is located on the B. & O. tracks east of the depot and does a thriving business. The company manufactures all kinds of cement blocks, posts, fences, vases, walls, etc., in fact anything in the concrete line. They also lay sidewalks and build culverts, bridges and silos. The company laid practically all the sidewalks in the city and have built all the bridges and culverts in the city and the township. The capacity is 300 cement blocks daily. The officers and directors are: Henry BURHHORN, President; Henry W. SCHROEDER, Secretary, and Henry HUSTEDDE, Treasurer. The company is incorporated for $6,000.00.
 
 

In 1898 the above named bought out the interests of Christ EULBERG and has conducted a marble and granite works ever since. He has one of the two marble works in the county, the other being located in Carlyle and an inactive one. Mr. DIERKER is really the only active man engaged in his line of business in the county and has a very large business not only in Clinton County, but for many miles around the county and in the adjoining ones. He manufactures all kinds of monuments, statuary and church work, builds vaults, tombs and all kinds of cemetery work. He is also a stone contractor and has built many buildings in the city, notably among them the two banks, two schools, hospital, the church and hospital at Carlyle, the Farmer’s bank, Catholic church, school and parochial residence at Trenton and the bank and church at New Baden. He employs four men in the shop during the season, and has the oldest established business of its kind in the county, having been operated as a marble and granite works successfully for the past 35 years. Mr. DIEKER was born in Breese in 1870; received his schooling in Breese and was married to Ida RICKHER in 1898, has one child a bright young Miss of about eleven years of age. Mr. DIEKER is among the most progressive men in the city and is known for many miles around Breese as a hustler and wide awake business man.
 
 

Mr. SCHROEDER conducts one of the two lumber yards of the city and of the largest in the county. It was started in 1892 and he has been located at the present place of business for the past five years. The firm was started originally as HOFSOMMER and SCHROEDER. In 1901 they dissolved the partnership and Mr. SCHROEDER has been alone ever since. He carries a complete line of lumber, lath, shingles, mill work, plaster, lime, cement, etc. He has been a resident of Breese all his life having been born in the city in 1869. He attended the public school of Breese and was graduated with high honors. He was married in 1903 to Lillie HOFSOMMER and is the father of four children, all living. Mr. SCHROEDER is connected with the Breese Artificial Stone Company and is Secretary of that company. He is one of the most energetic business men in the city and has a host of friends.
 
 

The above is the style of one of the largest general merchandise firms in the city. It was established in 1888 and was known as the HOFSOMMER Company. During the early part of the 90’s Mr. A. J. HELWIG became a partner and Mr. HOFSOMMER severed his connection with the firm. Mr. G. A. HOFFMANN was a partner at the time of the change and the firm name was changed to the present one, which it has retained ever since. It is located on the corner of Second and Main streets, its slogan is:

The Store that makes a specialty of Good Goods, Low Price and the Best of Service." A $10,000 stock of merchandise is carried in stock and a yearly business of approximately $15,000 is transacted. The store has a large city and country business and operates one delivery wagon. Mr. HOFFMANN is from Carlyle and was formerly connected with a general store there. He also worked in St. Louis for several years. Mr. HELWIG was formerly a clerk in the store of which he is now a member. For a time he was employed in his father’s cooper shop. Both young men are married and have families. Mr. HOFFMANN has been married twenty-five years and has three children. Mr. HELWIG has two children.
 
 

Mr. SCHULTE conducts the largest and most up-to-date jewelry store in the city. He has been located in business for the past five years. He bought out Fred KURTZ and increased his stock until today he has one of the best stocked stores in the county. He sells watches, diamonds, jewelry, clocks, silverware, and optical goods and does repairing of all kinds, also engraving. He was married in 1909 to Miss Rose DORRIES and has been a resident of the city for 18 years. They have one child, a son. His stock of goods is valued at $1,400.00. His business is increasing yearly and his place of business is the best patronized of the two jewelry stores in the city. He is a booster and ever ready to do anything for the good of Breese. Of the two jewelry stores the one of Mr. SCHULTE’s is the newest. It is located on Main street between First and Second streets.
 
 

Mr. SCHMIDT is Principal of the Public School of Breese and has held that position for the past four years. He was appointed in 1909 and for eight years previous to that taught school in the same building. The school has four rooms and an enrollment of 200 pupils. Mr. SCHMIDT teaches the seventh and eight grades and has 40 pupils in his room. It is a preparatory room for the High school and many of the graduates of Mr. SCHMIDT’s room have gone forth and made a success in the world. There are three other teachers in the school besides Mr. SCHMIDT. Mr. SCHMIDT is also City Treasurer of Breese and has been in office for two years. He was formerly Tax Collector and before that was Township Clerk. In connection with his other business enterprises he also handles insurance and is agent for the Aetna, Phoenix, Fidelity-Phoenix, Williamsburg City, Liverpool, London and Globe Companies. He has been engaged in that business as a side line for twenty-five years. He started out in the world to make his living at the age of 16 years. His parents died when he was this old and left him with one youthful sister and two brothers to take care of. Up to that time he had received no schooling. He located in Carbondale and worked hard to support the three little ones, until when he reached the age of twenty-one they were old enough to take care of themselves. It was then that he started to school for the first time. From then he rose and rose fast and in 1883 became a teacher, after passing the examination successfully. He was born in Breese in 1861 and was married in 1896 to Emily W. GERDES. He had ten children, eight of whom are living, five boys and three girls, their ages range from 6 to 24 years of age. A son, Edwin, is married and is assistant electrician at the power house in Breese. He has been married two years. Mr. SCHMIDT is one of the men that Breese is proud of. If it were filled with men like him it would be the finest city in the world. He is one in ten thousand. Very few men would have accomplished what he did. Very few would have started to school at the age of 21. A reproduction of his likeness is herewith shown.
 
 

Dr. BECHTOLD is one of the oldest doctors in point of service in the city. He located in the county in 1884 and has been practicing medicine continuously ever since. His practice extends all over the county. He is surgeon for the B. & O. and has a good deal of hospital work in the hospital of Breese. His present residence, one of the handsomest in the city, was built 14 years ago and is located on east Second street, just off of Main street. He formerly resided in the south end of the city. He is a member of the Clinton County Medical Association and the Concordia Singing Society. Is a graduate of the Missouri Medical College of the Class of ’84. Dr. BECHTOLD was born in Belleville and is a son of Frederick and Eugenia BECHTOLD of that place. He is one of ten children, and has four brothers in the same profession. He was married in 1894 to Lena TIENAN and has four children, three of whom are living. They are Eugene, Dorothy A. and Robert William. Dr. BECHTOLD is one of the best and most widely known physicians and surgeons in the county and has a host of friends in the city and surrounding country.
 
 

The above named lumber company has been in existence in Breese since 1885. It was established by Mr. KLUTHO himself and for many years he operated it alone. In 1906 the firm assumed the present name and Jos. J. PETERMEYER was taken in as a partner. The firm handles all kinds of lumber, mill work and building material and carries a stock valued at $15,000.00. A $25,000.00 business is done yearly. The yard is the largest of the two in the city and positively the largest in the county. It is located on Clinton street between Third and Fourth streets, and previous to starting the lumber business Mr. KLUTHO was a contractor. He was born in Merblachateau, Belgium, in 1861, and came to this country when he was six years old. He received his schooling in St. Dominic’s school in Breese and was married in 1882 to Annie ALTEPETER. The couple have two children, a son and daughter. The daughter is married to his business partner. The son has been studying in St. Francis’ College in Quincy for several years. Mr. KLUTHO is a director in the First National Bank and was one of the Board of Supervisors of the County for ten years. He has held various little offices from Alderman up to Mayor and served as Mayor during the years of 1910 and 1911.
 
 

The above named is the leading implement dealer in the City of Breese. The business was established in 1895 and has been a successful one ever since. Mr. NIEBUR started in business without the assistance of any one and in a very small way. Today his place of business is the largest of its kind in the largest and leading city in Clinton County. He handles hardware of every description, cutlery, tinware, stoves, implements, buggies, wagons, tiling, etc. He also does a general blacksmith business and repairing of all kinds. He sells the Canton line of implements, Anchor and Lion buggies and Weber and Damme wagons. His business at the beginning was very small, today his entire stock will invoice $17,000. He was born in Breese in 1873 and received his schooling in Breese and Aviston in the Parochial schools. He was married in 1895 to Miss Elizabeth DIEKER and is the father of five children, all of whom are living, they are two girls and three boys. Mr. NIEBUR is a director in the State Bank of Breese – his store is located in the same building that he started 19 years ago. He is a brother-in-law of Henry DIEKER, the marble and granite worker of the city, and is one of the well known men in the county. He is industrious and progressive, and is ever ready to do a good turn for any one, hence his success.
 
 

The Commercial Hotel is the only one of its kind in the city, that is a commercial man’s hotel. It is the largest in Breese and has been used as a hotel for many years. It was formerly operated by R. SHEPHERD up to 1905, when the present owner, August VOGELSANG bought out his interests. The hotel contains 24 rooms all well ventilated, heated and lighted and the meals are A1. The rates are $2.00 per day and indeed the service is worth it. The building has been used for hotel purposes forty yeas and is one of the landmarks of the town. Mr. VOGELSANG, the present owner, has been a resident of the city for thirteen years and was formerly a coal miner in Breese and Clinton County. He was for eleven years engaged in the hotel business in Piqua, Kansas. He was born in Germantown in 1862, educated there and married in 1888 to Elizabeth LEONARD. He has five children, all living; three of them at home, two girls and one boy, two of the daughters are married. In connection with the hotel and in an adjoining building, Mr. VOGELSANG conducts the largest and most up-to-date saloon in the city. He handles the famous Heims beer of tap and all the leading brands of bottled beer, wines, whisky and cigars. He also has a pool table in one end of the building where the young folks congregate in the evenings to test their skill at the game. Mr. VOGELSANG is one of the boosters of Breese and is known by every traveling man in the entire state that makes the town on his trips. He is congenial and one of the most progressive business men in Breese. His daughter, Elizabeth, manages the dining room and office in the hotel. She is a very amiable young lady and is also well known for her excellent hospitality.
 
 

Mr. BLUMENSTEIN conducts the largest harness shop in the city. He has been in business since 1907 and has made a success of it, for he has been constantly increasing his stock ever since; his place of business is located on Main street north of Fourth, where his shop is taxed to its capacity with goods for the horse. He was born in Europe in 1881 and came to this country in 1903, locating in Staunton, Ill. Later he worked for the mines around Staunton and Mt. Olive. For a time he worked at the same business in Trenton. He moved to Breese in 1907 and started into the saddlery and harness business and later added a complete stock of everything for the horse. Since 1910 he has been the exclusive saddler of Breese and has a trade that extends for many miles around the city. He erected his present building, 40X50, a few years ago and stocked it with harness, saddles, hardware, pumps, sewing machines, cutlery, carpenter tools, cooking utensils, pains, oils and roofing. He carried an exceptionally large stock of goods and his business will run away up into the thousands yearly. He was married in 1910 to Miss Annie MIDDEKE, of St. Rose. They have one child 12 years of age. Mr. BLUMENSTEIN has a warehouse adjoining his store that covers a space of ground 30X20 feet. Mr. BLUMENSTEIN is one of the most progressive business men in Breese.
 
 

Fifty years ago John KOCH established the KOCH Grain Company which today is the largest independent grain company in the county. It is now managed by J. Otto and Walter J. KOCH, partners. It has been under the present management three years. The elevator has a capacity of 20,000 bushels of grain and 6,000 bushels of corn. The average shipments per year will exceed 100,000 bushels of wheat, although the company ships a great deal of corn to eastern and western markets. They are also dealers for the famous North Breese Coal and Mining Company’s "Celebrated Breese Coal," which is mined in the eastern end of the city by a company which is controlled by J. Otto KOCH and others. Mr. J. Otto KOCH has been connected with the grain company twenty-five years and Walter and been with it for the past three years. J. Otto KOCH was born in Breese fifty years ago. His father is one of the oldest settlers in the county. There were only three old shacks in Breese when John KOCH located there and he saw the town grow to what it has become today – one of the best little towns in the State. J. Otto and his two brothers always foster anything for the good of Breese. He received his education in the Public and Evangelical schools and graduated from the Carlyle High with high honors. W. J. KOCH also graduated from the same school and is a nephew of J. Otto KOCH. John KOCH is one of the founders of Breese and was in business when Breese was an infant. J. Otto KOCH was married in 1900 to Miss Georgina HOFSOMMER and is the father of two children, both living, a daughter, Almeta, 17 years of age, attends the Bishop Robinson school in St. Louis and the son, Irwin, aged 12 years goes to the Evangelical school in Breese. Mr. KOCH was elected to the State Senate in 1900 and served four years from that district. He made an excellent record. He was elected on the Republican ticket. Previous to that he was County Treasure and served the county in that capacity for four years. W. J. KOCH is 25 years of age and is a studious and industrious young business man. One of his younger brothers is a director in the North Breese Mining Company of which he is also a director.
 
 

This firm is one of the oldest in the city and was started in 1874, by Theodore BRUEGGE and Fritz BRANDT as a furniture and undertaking establishment. Mr. BRUEGGE acquired entire control of the business after one year and has managed the business successfully ever since. For many years, the business was the only one of its kind in the city, it has only been lately that another firm, similar in nature, started up. Mr. BRUEGGE has the largest business in the county in his line and carries an exceptionally large stock of furniture and everything for the home, except stoves.

He is one of the pioneer business men of Breese and is known all over the county. Mr. BRUEGGE was born in Westphalia, Germany, in 1842 and settled in Germantown in 1865. He was married there to Louis BARTH of Highland, Illinois, and has two children living. Henry, the son, has been in partnership with his father since the first of the year and has made an excellent record during his connection with the firm. Henry was born March 18, 1882, and was married in 1895 to Josephine GROELINER, of Breese, Ill. He has four children, three girls and one boy. The firm is located on one of the side streets off the Main street and despite that fact they have the largest business of their kind in the county. Their years business will almost double that of any firm of its kind in the county. Both men in partnership are hustlers and up-to-date in the line of furnishing homes, and make a practice of selecting furniture, carpets, rugs, and linoleum for prospective brides and others contemplating housekeeping.
 
 

In 1906 the above names bought out the interests of L. C. SCHROEDER, who at that time was conducting a general horseshoeing shop and doing a little blacksmithing. During the same year he bought the FREUND estate property and in October moved the belongings into the old shop and increased his stock. During the same year he built an addition to the shop of 20X30 feet, making a total of 36X60 feet floor space. He now has the best equipped blacksmith shop in Southern Illinois. In the Spring of 1907 he started into the implement business and added a stock of implements of various kinds and makes, and began to increase his sales immediately. He makes a specialty of the Moline line of implements, buggies and wagons and also sells cream separators. In 1909 he added automobiles to his stock and during that year sold one one-cylinder Reo runabout. In 1910 he sold four four-cylinder Reo’s; in 1911 he sold 11, and in 1912 he sold 43 of the same make, but could not deliver all of them, owing to the fact that there was a shortage in the factory. He also does a general repair business and carries a full line of repairs for all makes of automobiles, implements and machinery of all kinds. In 1907 he built another addition which is now used as an engine room and office. In 1908 he built a garage, 20x40 feet. He was born in Germantown in 1882, February 2^nd. He attended the Catholic school there and later started out to shift for himself, as all energetic business men have done before him. For a time he assisted his father, who is in the retail meat business in Germantown, but later moved to Beardsley and learned the blacksmith trade. For a while he worked in St. Louis in various departments of the Banner Buggy Company’s plants, for Butler Brother’s horseshoeing shops, the Fischer Carriage Company’s plant and the Laclede Gas Light Company’s plant, from there he went to Florissant, Mo., remaining there until he moved to Breese and bought out L. C. SCHROEDER. Mr. SCHLARMANN’s object in changing positions so frequently was to acquire a thorough knowledge of each in order to successfully carry out his designs. He was married in Breese October 18, 1906, to Miss Lena RITTER, of Ste. Genevieve Mo. He has one child, a boy four and one-half years old. In his shops he employs five men constantly and is doing an excellent business.
 
 

Mr. CRAUSE was born in Carlyle in 1878, he was educated in the school of Carlyle until 18 years of age, when he became associated with this father, a painter and decorator. At that time he was living in the county seat. For a while he followed the trade in Ohio and later returned to Clinton County, after marrying Miss Mary STEWART, of Middletown, Butler County, Ohio. In January 1904, he started into the painting and decorating business in Breese and has built up a splendid trade in his line. He employs three men and keeps them busy the year around, for some of his contracts he secures are large ones, and he has the distinction of painting and decorating more buildings than any other two painters in the city. He has a large store in which he sells to the trade, wall paper, paints, varnishes, brushes, pyrography wood, burning outfits, lincrusta and decorating outfits. The store has a floor space of 28x18 feet and is filled to its capacity. It is a two-story frame structure with residences adjoining on the rear. When he started into business he was located in the DORRIES Building, but built his own place in 1907.
 
 

In April of the present year the O.K. Restaurant moved to its new quarters opposite the Commercial Hotel on Main street between the Railroad and First street. Arthur THOMASON, the proprietor, has been in business since August, 1912, having bought out the business at that time from William ZINN. He serves short order exclusively and has the largest ice cream parlor in the city. He also handles confectionery, candies, cigars, tobacco, soda, soft drinks of all kinds, and other delicacies. He has been a resident of the city for the past two years and hails from Trenton where he was previously a coal miner. He was born in Nashville, Washington County, in 1875, and lived for twenty-five years in Trenton. He was married in 1903 to Florence SARVER and has two children, both living. They are boys, aged 8 and 4 years. Mr. THOMASON’s restaurant is one of the best and has an excellent patronage. He is an excellent young man and is well liked by the business men and others of the city.
 
 

Mr. NEEDHAM was born in Belleville in 1863, and has been a resident of Breese since 1889, having moved to Breese from Caseyville at that time. He is the Mayor of Breese, and has been since 1911. He also served three years as President of the Village before the town was incorporated. He was the last President of the Village in 1907. For fifteen years he was Fire Marshal. He is connected with the Breese-Trenton Mining Company as an engineer and is one of the best known men in the city and surrounding country. For twenty years previous to becoming attached to his present position he was with the Consolidated Coal Company at Breese. He was married in 1888 to Miss Sarah NORMENSELL and has seven children. His first wife died in 1899 and in 1901 he was married to Wilhelmina NIEMEYER, his present wife. His home is one of the show places of the city, and one of the finest in Breese. It was during his administration that many of the sidewalks of Breese were paved with cement. Mr. NEEDHAM is an active worker for the city, and a better man could hardly be found to fill the office of Mayor than he. He is one of the boosters of the city and has been ever since he first set foot into the city.
 
 

Mr. NIEMEYER is one of the livery men of the City of Breese. He started into business in 1910 and has built up an excellent trade in his line. His place of business is one of the largest in the city, increasing every month. He has twelve head of horses and makes a specialty of driving commercial men all over the section of the country around Breese. His place of business is located one and one-half blocks east of the hospital, where he employs two men to look after the work. He was born August 16, 1890, and was married in 1912 to Miss Sophia BOHNENKEMPER, of Germantown.
 
 

This is one of the largest contracting and building firms in Breese, but their specialty is house-moving. John and Henry HAGEN are the partners. In March of 1909 John began contracting at Breese and January 1^st, 1911, Henry was admitted as a partner. Since being in business they have built many new buildings and moved eight building. Their greatest achievement was when they moved the house displayed herewith which was located two miles northwest of St. Rose to Breese, Illinois, a distance of nine miles. This building was moved in the summer of 1910 and the building is now owned by William JOHNSON and stands intact in the southwest part of Breese. The senior member of the firm was born at Aviston, Illinois, but moved to a farm 3 ½ miles northwest of Breese while a youth and has attended the St. Dominics’s School at Breese. Since 1901 he has worked as a carpenter at Breese and September 10^th, 1907, was married to Katherine TIMMERMANN, of Breese, Ill. Two children, both girls, aged four and two, have been born to them. His wife died May 5^th, 1912.

Henry, born at Breese and attended same school and resided there ever since; also worked as carpenter until admitted as a partner. He is unmarried. Mr. John HAGEN resides in a 5-room residence while his brother has erected a duplicate of same on the east side of the same street which he expects to occupy by May when he will be married.
 

1913 Commercial History Index

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