Lemont Weekly Observer from Lemont, Illinois • 2

LEMONT OBSERVER SOUVENIR EDITIO is a member of the popular order of C. K. of and is president of that BOARD OF TRUSTEES. His implement business is located on Canal street and is well enough known as not to need any particular derviption in this article. It has been a favorite order.

In the society of St. Alphon-sus he holds the honored position of Biographical Sketches and Portrait Cat of Prominent Men. J. B. Wagner.

3 B. WAGNER, member of the board of aldermen, was born in Kendall county, I1L, July 26, 1856. Some men are born to success, some achieve success and some men have sucoess thrust upon them. Mr. Wagner is of the men who achieve success, a man who has a thorough and practical understanding of the business in which he is engaged and who fairly and conscientiously uses his knowledge for the benefit and advantage of bis patrons.

He is of the firm of Wagner Bros. Liv- J. XV. McCarthy. President.

1848, and is an alderman of the present board. Mr. Noonan was a veteran of the civil war, and knows what tis to smell the smoke of battle. On June 18, 1863, he enlisted with the 23d Illinois Infantry, under Colonel Mulligan. At the battle of Lexington, Missouri, he fought in the thickest of the fight for twelve days, was wounded and was taken prisoner.

After five weeks of Incarceration by the southern confederacy he was exchanged, and went into camp at Chicago, after which he was sent to the front again, this time to Virginia, where he served another year, was W. MCCARTHY, president of the nmmis -irsn -IMS fej -BSjl again wounded while capturing a prisoner of war, and was finally discharged on September 11, 1868. Mr. Noonan came home and was employed by the Illinois Stone Company until 1868. After that he was engaged with the Singer ft Talcott Company until it was absorbed by the Western Stone Company, In 1868 he served as I town collector.

He also served six years as president of the board of education, i Mr. Noonan has also Just received the appointment of postmaster to the post- office at Lemont, succeeding J. G. Bod-'enschatz. I 8.

B. Spenoe. I board of aldermen of the Tillage of Lemont, was born near Dayton, Ohio, October 84th, 1856. In 1858 hla parents rr.oved to Lemont. After receiving a good primary education in-the public schools of Lemont Mr.

McCarthy went to Chicago and took a full business course in Bryant ftStratton's famous business college. After this course was completed he returned to Lemunt and taught school either here or in this vicinity for eight years. During these years as a teacher he took up and pursued the study of law, and at the end of this time began a course of reading with Comstock ft Hess, of Chicago, where he stayed two years. When this course of reading was finished he returned to Lemont and opened what is now the well-known real estate office of McCarthy ft Huston. In February, 1891, he passed the required examination and was admitted to the bar since which time he has built up a large practice in tlie chosen profession.

Mr. McCarthy's qualities as a man of enterprise and public spirit have been recognised in many ways. For six years prior to 1891 he held the office of supervisor, and was assessor for the town of Lemont two years. He war also president of the board of education three years and was for four years a village trustee. He is now clerk of the JOHN A.

OBAV. FETKK PETFEB. buying place for the purchase of every description of farm implements for the past nine years. treasurer; Other points In relation to Mr. Graf might be mentioned, but it is unnecessary as hU own popularity is of sufficient wcrth for NE of the most active and able members of the village board is 8.

B. Spence. He was born in Peter Fischbach. PERER FISCHBACH has The Special Edition. Lawrence county, state of New York, fflt been an alderman of the village believe we can present this edition of the Observes to our readers with a degree of par June' 11, where he spent his early years in school and acquired a good education, calculated to fit him for almost any walk in life that be might choose to pursue.

J. B. WAGNER. of Lemont since 1885, In the Spring of which year he was first elected to the board. "Mr.

Fiscbbach has been for fourteen years engaged in the saloon business on Lawrence street and his exceptional ery, Feed ana sale stanies, or wmcn donable pride. It was an undertaking about which some hesitation was well warranted, but In looB bo came to Illinois with Ledlie, Lowell ft by whom he they are proprietors of two, MrfWxgner first engaged in the liv ery business in Lemont in 1886 when be became interested with Joseph Brandt in the firm known as Brandt and Wagner. At about the same time his brother slso bought an interest in the firm anA in 1891 Wagner Bros, bought theentire interest of Mr. Brandt, since which time the business has remained in their hands. Aldermai Wagner was elected to the eomcfl inthe spring of 1893.

8. Markiewks. fSYlNjE Alderman S. Markiewicz 7J) wasjborn in Germany three decades havArolled oft the brink of time into tkp fathomless abyss of eternity. of ten years Mr.

Markiewicx Atthfkge came fith tn1iljlt his parents to America and where he has since made his isV'4jL. a it and economy has acoom- saving of considerable bust- nd has laid a good solid or a successful business Si accumulations have been mm ult of his own individual first work in Lemont was 8. B. SPENCE. i quarries, where he labored.

XAYOB J. W. CABTIIY. ly and faithfully for ton or our desire was to effect a better adver Mm before venturing anything twelve: board of education, a director of the Le was engaged in work on the Illinois ft Michigan canal for about one year, after which, bearinninsin Aoril. 1886.

tisement of the business, industries. on his (I I account. In 18B8 he en- mont State Bank, vice-president of the Illinois Pure Aluminum and is Aie advantages and resources, of what in gaged in saloon business on Main he first had an opportun reality is a city of more importance than irhswe street, Chief Deputy of the probate court of ity of uijng for himself his business Cook county. He was one of the chief advocates of qHauflCMUons. In 1890 he opened on success in this particular department of commercial enterprise is equalled only by the extraordinary genius by which his business ability has been guided.

In 1870 he emigrated from- Germany where he was born forty-two years ago direct to Lemont and immediately established himself in the business in which he is now engaged. About fifteen years ago he was married to Miss Anna Kriechel, of Joliet, I1L The marriage has been crowned he was employed by the stats, of Illinois on public work until 1878. From 1873 to 1877 he was still engaged in public work. He first began work in the quarries for the Boyer ft Corneau Stone company in 1877, and continued with them until they sold out to the Singer ft Talcott Stone company. When the can be realized at a glance, and to do this required that some more than or dinary means should be adopted.

The subject was broached to a number of men who are interested in the the present excellent water works sys Main street what has since grown to be one of the largest furniture stores In Lemont to which is attached an undertaking, department Mr. Markeiwicz's furniture and undertaking business has general welfare of things pertaining to last named company afterwards sold to the Western Stone company, Mr the public weal. The majority gave enough of assurance to fully warrant the undertaking. And so the work was begun and so Spence continued in the employ of the purchasers. He has remained and blessed by the birth of five children, two boys and three girls, all of whom are living.

with them ever since, and he is now It came about that the edition as here grown until it has for some time been evident that his facilities would require considerable enlargement, and with the issue of this paper he will have just about completed improvements which include an addition or forty-five feet at the rear of the original store room and tem of Lemont ana has always been found an advocate of the things that would go to make for development and prosperity of every sort. Notwithstanding business in Chicago which requires the greater part of his time his home is here and his interests are still closely identified with those of the village of Lemont, In 1889 Mr. McCarthy was married in New Orleans to Miss Bridget Talty, a well known lady of Lemont. Two children -have been born of this union only one of which, a boy two Tears old, is now living. superintendent of quarries, with neanquarters at oi the large- Mr.

Fischbach is an able statesman of the municipality and has served the est stone quarrying company in the west. city In the capacity of alderman as a His first pnblic office wss that of the putting in of a new and beautiful platTghus store front Mr. Markeiwics was first elected to highway commissioner, to which, he was elected in 1866. He has been twice elected to the village board of trustees, the first time being in The term of office, conferred by his second election, is as vet unexpired. the council in the spring of 1891, and was re-elected in 1898.

his service having been continuous since his first JUT. JUVHUIJ WUMK Ul AWMMM OB oi uie jaeuupwiuui xuiiw, uwagu. a Peter Peiflfer. James Noonan. MR.

JAMES NOONAN, one of the bright lights among the municipal statesmen of Lemont, was born His natural bent seems to nave been toward work of a public nature or work in which the management of of a large number of men was involved. He has always been engaged in such work, and always with unqualified success. Besides himself and wife his family consists of six children three boys and three girls. He was married in 1867. NE of the most prominent and solid citizens of Lemont who has taken America as a "home and a subject of loyal allegiance by adoption, is Alderman Peter Feiffer.

Mr. Peiffer was born in Germany forty-four years ago and in early youth emigrated to America. His natural qualifications for business life soon placed him on the royal highway to success which he has traveled without deviating from tlie plain straight path that surely leads to independent competence and comfort in the season when the locks are whitened by the frosts of time and the eye is dimmed by mists of the advancing vears. with presented, became a matter of tangible reality, with room for criticism, we will admit hut with enough of merit we trust and believe, to make it acceptable alike to those who are represented in its columns and to the general public. To the patrons of this edition and to all who have given encouragement or have in any way lent their aid to the accomplishment of this work, we tender our sincere thanks, and trust that as time goes on and as events transpire, we shall be able to more substantially return their favors.

The matter contained in this edition was written by A. Derwood Smith, of Chicago, on whose account must be placed the merits or demerits from a literary standpoint of the work as it is presented. We are also, in part, indebted to the History of Cook County, published in 1884 by A. T. Andreas, of Chicago, for information relative to the churches, schools and history of Lemont, for which we wish to make due acknowledgement Altogether the work involved in the issue of this the first and possibly the last special souvenir edition of th Weekly Observes has been difficult and laborious, and now that it is an accomplished fact we feel that a great burden has been lifted from our shoulders.

Its appreciative reception by the Lemont public will be our cause for rejoicing, and continuing with a light and gladsome heart in the even tenor of the ways that pertain to our editorial function, in the issue of a first-class weekly newspaper. FETKK FISCIIBACH, man whose actions have been dominated by the best impulses and executed with out fear or favor. Mr. Peiffer is actively engaged in the lie is one of the most active members of the town council, a goud citizen and an active co-worker with those who labor for the temporal welfare of the John A. Graf.

JOHN A. GRAF is well known in Lemont and vicinity. He first saw the light of day on the SOth of June, 1867, thus having passed his SOth milestone. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, where at an early age he commenced to learn the trade he has been closely allied to since that time, that of a carpenter. He is of German parentage, and is fluent with his mother tongue.

Thirteen years ago he heeded the advice given by Ilorace Greely, and came to Lemont, where he has since resided. For eight years he was in the employ of the Western Stone giving sstisfsction to his employers. Since May first he lias been working for Mr. Helbig, and perfect confidence is reposed in him by his employer. Last spring ho was elected tn the office of city clerk, which position he now fills with credit and to the satisfaction of the members of the board and to the city of Lemont He agricultural implement ana a general insurance, besides owning the drug store mndneted bv his son Will.

In 1878 he community. Mr. Fischbach has built up an excel settled and engaged in business in Falos, Cook 111., where he remained with success until he came to Lemont in lent saloon business and is recognized as a man of ability and good Judgment with a fine discrimination in matters of 1884. In 1888 he was first elected to the villase council and he has served con municipal importance and enough of the executive quality to render him tinuously in the capacity of village JAHKS NOONAN. wnrfliv nf tha nlaM tn ffia nf vn man.

A councilman ever since. Mr. Peiffer lives in a beautiful new agement of public affairs which he has uii)younty Tiperary, Ireland, in WHO, been a resident of Lemont residence on Singer avenue. held for eight successive years. 1.