History of Columbia and Columbia Precinct, Monroe County, Illinois
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
* * * * HISTORY of COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS COLUMBIA'S * CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION JULY 3, 4 and 5, 1959 HISTORY OF COLUMBIA AND COLUMBIA PRECINCT MONROE COUNTY, ILLINOIS 1859 - 1959 AND CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS JULY 3-4-5, 1959 FOREWORD This year, 1959, marks the 100th anniversary of the in- corporation of Columbia, Illinois, as a town. Because of this, we, on July 3, 4 and 5, 1959, formally celebrate this event by a Centennial celebration. As a part of this celebration, a committee was appointed to write the history of Columbia. The story of Columbia goes back far more than a hun- dred years, and the story would not be complete without the telling of our rich background of early history. For it is a story of hardy pioneering, with sacrifices and heroism. It is a story, too, of simple virtues, lofty ideals and wholesome domestic life. Yet it is a story of civic and military achievements and trail blazing. Underneath it all education and the is deep religious faith and the quest for ; establishment of businesses and commercial enterprises that make for better living. In our Centennial year, we pause to reflect upon our heritage and to survey our future prospects. By this Centennial celebration the people of Columbia wish to publicly express their appreciation for 100 years of blessings and success, and our deep gratitude to our for- bears, even down to those in the dim and distant past whose bravery and fortitude made possible the Columbia of today. To them, and to all the citizens of Columbia is this his- tory dedicated. Our people pledge anew that the Columbia of today and tomorrow shall measure in every respect with the hopes and ambitions which imbued its founders. Mayor and City Council: Left to right, bottom row: Michael Steffenauer. Jo?. J. Volkert, Jr., City Clerk; Albert C. Metter, Mayor; Carl Richert, City Treasurer; Henry Haberlah, Magistrate. Top row: William E. Landgraf, Wilbert Kremmel, George J. Van Luik, Arthur Beckmann, Warren Bergmann. C. Centennnial Officers and Directors: Mrs. C. ',. Volkort, Mrs. Dorothy Eppinger, C. A. Hacker. Arthur P. Wink, A. M Miss Ruth Kuergeleis, Mrs. Gerard Dundon. Top row: Mrs. M.-lvin Gasser, Roy P. Conrad, Walter F. Giffhorn, Herbert J. Vogt, B. D. Middleton, Charles J. Grueninger, Mrs. Raymond Kremmel. Officers are: Arthur P. Wink, President: C. A. Hacker, Vice President; Miss Ruth Kuergeleis, Secretary; Mrs. Gerard Dundon, Assistant Secretary; Mrs. Dorothy Eppinger, Treasurer. Leo A Weilbacher, Sr. is a director but was not present for picture. The above is the Historical Committee from left to the Centennial is over, includes the above named commit- right, bottom 1 row: Mrs. Ella Rose Rohm, Mrs. Lottie tee, and Ex-Officio Members, Mayor and City Council; Henckler, Arthur P. Wink, Mrs. C. L. Volkert, Albert C. Honorary members, Ex-village trustees, Edmund L. Rauch, Metter, Mrs. Bertha Arnin Schoening, Miss Ernestine C. Theodore Ludwig, Daniel Daab and Louis Landgraf and Smith; top row: Mrs. Viola Rapp Rueck, Mrs. Florence E. Ex-Village Clerk, Philip Ludwig. Haberl, F. W. Weinel, Victor Breidecker, Carl Reis, B. D. To the right is a part of the Centennial Style Show Middleton, Herbert J. Vogt, Jack Divers, C. A. Hacker, cast taken at the home of Style Show Chairman Mrs. Mel- Mrs. Anna Belle Compton, Elmer Janson, Bertha Kunz vin Gasser. Notice the beautiful doorway of the Gasser Arnin, Walter F. Giffhorn, Mrs. Irene Haberl. Dorothy home. Front row, left to right: Lester Deffenbaugh, Mary Weinel Eppinger and Leo Weilbacher, Sr. are members, but Reyling, Mrs. Erwin Kossina, Mrs. Marvin Deem. not present. Middle row: Mrs. Wm. Klein and Mrs. Clifford Ludwig. The Historical Committee appointed by Mayor A. C. Metter and approved by the City Council at the regular Back row: Joe Avellone, Arthur P. Wink, Mrs. Melvin meeting March 2, 1959 for further historical research after Gasser, Kenneth G. Haller, Mrs. Eugene Luhr and Al Kish. CENTENNIAL STYLE SHOW CITY EMPLOYEES Bottom row, left to right: James Mahoney. General Supt. Utilities and Streets; Leo Koberlein; Police Sgt. Alfred Descher; Chief of Police C. L. Volkert; Theodore Klein, 1st Asst. Fire Chief; Jacob Steppig, Fire Chief; 2nd Asst. Fire Chief, Clemence Metter. Back row, left to right: Walter Giffhorn, Jr.; Erwln Kossina, General Maintenance; Mrs. Clifford Haberl, Asst. Librarian; Donald Stumpf, General Maintenance; Mrs. T. B. Henderson, Librarian; Ernestine C. Smith, Chief Control Room Operator; William Rle- bellng, Control Room Operator; Mrs. Olga Nollau, Control Room Operator; Margaret Volkert, Custodian City Hall; Alvin G. Klein, Asst. City Clerk and Asst. City Collector. SCHIEMER INSURANCE AGENCY On March 10, 1923, Charles L. Schiemer founded the Schiemer Insurance Agency, soliciting all forms of insur- ance in Columbia and the surrounding area. The office was located in his home at 509 North Metter Avenue. On April 7, 1938, the agency was licensed to sell real estate. In 1940 a subdivision known as "Columbia Acres" was developed. Through the years his sons joined him in the business and on September 1, 1955, the business was incor- porated under the name of Schiemer Insurance Agency, Inc. In order to accommodate their clients and maintain efficiency, the First National Bank Building, located at 102 South Main Street in Columbia was purchased, which gave all the facilities necessary to service their clients. The building has a vault to protect their records against fire and windstorm. The grand opening of the office was held in December of 1955. The founder, Charles L. Schiemer, died on September 28, 1958. The present officers of the firm are Carl L. Schiemer and Robert H. Schiemer. THE SPRING OF LASTING WATER' HISTORY OF COLUMBIA, MONROE COUNTY, ILLINOIS HISTORY? Columbia, in Eagle precinct until March 15. 1ST5. when WHAT IS "History is a narrative, the precinct name was changed to Columbia, was laid out Webster's dictionary says: oral, especially a systematic narrative of in 1820. incorporated as a Town in 1859 under a special written or circumstances relating to man and his social Act of the 31st General Assembly of the State of Illinois, events, and English historian approved by Governor William H. Bissell, who was elected or civic condition." Macaulay, the great best in the from Monroe County, changed to a Village in 1903, and to has said, "The history of a country is told people." a City under the aldermanic form of government in 1927. lives of its Agreeing with these ideas, it is our purpose to weave part of Co- Columbia is situated in the northeastern into the dates of history the story of the people who of Township 1 South, lumbia precinct, near the center founded Columbia. How they built it from an almost south- Range 10 West of the third principal meridian. The trackless wilderness by slow and painful degrees into the of eastern part is the oldest, and was laid out on the land Columbia we know today. In the process we will try to Gardner laid out lots Louis Nolan in 1820. Wilson and understand why Columbia is what it is and where it is. near the center of town in 1849. Columbia was surveyed WE ROLL BACK THE SCROLL OF TIME tnd platted by John B. Whiteside, but not recorded. The Mound Builders undoubtedly were Columbia's first citizens. They were so-called because they built The above is the legal description. To the layman. Co- mounds in North America chiefly centered in the va. lumbia is fourteen miles south of downtown St. Louis on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. These mounds can still Illinois routes 3 and 158. and U S. route 50. It is one mile of Bixby and Fish Lake. The from the Jefferson Barracks Bridge road, gateway to the be seen near Columbia at here were apparently garden plots where maize West and the great new industrial areas of St. Louis mounds crops were raised Their tops were flat to make County. Missouri. and other cultivation easier. In flat lands these mounds averted th<- traffic to skirt Columbia. It A new by-pass enables disaster of floods and excess moisture. It is possible t thus becomes a quiet, residential suburb within easy com- garden mounds were surrounded by stakes to prevent the muting distance of a great metropolis. St. Louis, Mo., and ciops from being destroyed by great herds of bison and the industrial East Side. deer that roamed the country. ethnologists now Columbians have always prided themselves on their The Mound Builders were Indians, agree, rather than people of a mysterious culture who homes and gardens, and that is as true today as it was in Indians, as was originally thought. Columbus, 1359. Amongst the many modern, new homes are the ones preceded the when he discovered America, name: inhabitants of other generations, all well kept, each with a garden. India. There are many houses older than the city itself. These Indians, for he mistook the new continent foi Indians who built the mounds are believed to have are architecturally beautiful and still a joy to owners and ninth century be- beholders. inhabited the area from the eighth or fore the arrival of the earliest French sett Metro- Although Columbia is in the Greater St. Louis The Mound Builders here were succeeded by the Kick, it still retains its quaint, old world charm, ; olitan Area, apoo Indians who were hunters and warriors. They umbia's heritage from the early pioneers and the marauders and savages indeed. They belonged t early ISOO's. sturdy Germans who settled here in the Illinois confederacy which in.-luded the Mlchlgamies. Kas- Each brought with them the remembered beauty ni kaskias.