CHAPTER XXVII (Part 3)
BIOGRAPHICAL
Charles J. Keil - Starting out in the business world at an early age, Charles J. Keil has since been dependent upon his own efforts and resources and the success which he has achieved has come to him as the direct result of his determination and energy, guided by sound judgment. He was born at Huntsville, Alabama, October 6, 1864, a son of Joseph W. and Louisa A. (Plath) Keil. The father was a native of Austria, born April 3, 1838, while the mother's birth occurred in Prussia, March 2, 1838. The father learned the jeweler's trade in his native land and when a young man came to the United States, working for a time in New York City, after which he removed to Huntsville, Alabama. There after remaining for a brief period in the employ of another, he started in business on his own account. His final naturalization papers were granted him in 1866.
He was married in Huntsville in 1860 and left that State in December, 1864, removing to Burlington, Iowa, but after a few months there he took up his abode in Rushville, Illinois. He had sacrificed all his property in Alabama owing to the exigencies of the war. After five years at Rushville he removed to Clinton, Missouri, on the tenth day of June, 1870, and engaged in the jewelry business, in which he continued until his death on the twenty-eighth of August, 1897. While his stock was at first comparatively small, he built up the largest business not only in Henry County but in his part of the State and became recognized as one of the foremost merchants of Clinton. He devoted much time to his commercial interests, but when he had leisure moments spent them in caring for his flowers.
He was the possessor of the finest flower garden in this part of the State, cultivating every species and variety of flowers that could be raised in this climate. He found both pleasure and relaxation in this and his fellow townsmen pointed with pride to his beautiful gardens. Mrs. Keil still makes her home in Clinton, where she has now resided for forty-four years. They were the parents of four children.
Charles J. Keil, the third in order of birth, attended the public schools of Clinton and under his father's direction learned the jeweler's trade. He took his place behind the counter when but nine years of age. His father gave him most thorough instruction in all branches of the work. He would not allow him to take down a watch until he knew how to make every part of it. He continued in the store and eventually was admitted to partnership by his father, the relationship being thus maintained until the father's death, although for some years prior to his demise the son was in full control of the business, owing to the condition of his father's health. Charles J. Keil has devoted his entire time and attention to the store and its interests and the Keil jewelry establishment is known all over this part of Missouri. He carries one of the largest and most complete stocks outside of Kansas City and, in fact, his establishment would compare favorably with many of the leading jewelry houses of the metropolis of western Missouri. He occupies two floors of a building one hundred by twenty-two feet and the property is owned by Mr. Keil. He carries a most interesting line of both foreign and domestic manufacture and a very attractive stock of diamonds and other jewels.
In September, 1897, Mr. Keil was united in marriage to Miss Henrietta Kemper, who was born in Audrain County, Missouri, near Mexico, a daughter of Jonathan and Martha E. (Early) Kemper, who were natives of Owen County, Kentucky. The father, who was born January 2, 1826, died January 13, 1902, at the advanced age of seventy-six years. His wife was born August 13, 1849.
In early life he engaged in the stock business in his native State and after removing to Missouri he continued in the same line in Audrain County, where he preempted land and developed a good farm. After residing there for a number of years he removed to Montrose, Henry County, where he continued in the same business, remaining in that locality throughout the rest of his days. His widow survives him and now makes her home in Clinton with Mr. and Mrs. Keil.
A little nephew of Mrs. Keil, born in 1901, also resides with them, for, having been left an orphan when a mere child, he was adopted into their family. In politics Mr. Keil is an independent Democrat. He has filled the office of city treasurer, yet has never been a politician in the usually accepted term of office seeking. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Fraternal Aid. He is likewise a member of the Christian Church and his life, at all times honorable in its purposes, has won for him the high regard of those with whom he has been associated.
Mr. Keil is a deacon in the Christian Church and is secretary and treasurer of the Henry County Board of Christian Churches, a position which he has capably filled for several years. He never fails to meet an obligation or keep an engagement, holds to the highest standards of commercial ethics and the consensus of opinion on the part of his colleagues and contemporaries places him with the leading business men and citizens of Clinton.
W. H. Hurley, president of the W. H. Hurley Grain Company of Clinton, Missouri, is one of the progressive business men of Henry County. He was born at Saukville, Wisconsin, November 8, 1873, and is a son of James and Hannah (McCarthy) Hurley, the former a native of New York and the latter of Massachusetts. They came west and settled in Wisconsin at an early day. The mother is now deceased and the father resides in Wisconsin. They were the parents of the following children: James F., Green Ridge, Missouri; Agnes, married Merton Emery, West Bend, Wisconsin; Catherine, a trained nurse in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Robert, a locomotive engineer on the Northern Pacific railway, resides at Tacoma, Washington; Frank, employed in the city treasurer's office at Seattle, Washington; Anna, the wife of Lieut. J. J. Clark, who is now in France with the National Army, and she resides at West Bend, Wisconsin, and W. H., the subject of this sketch.
W. H. Hurley was reared in Wisconsin and attended the public schools. He also took a business course in the Spencerian Business College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He began his business career in a lumber yard at Rich Hill, Missouri, where he remained two years, and in 1897 came to Clinton, where he was engaged in the lumber business for ten years. In 1907, he engaged in the grain business at Clinton, continuing in that business under his individual name until 1916, when the W. H. Hurley Grain Company was incorporated and Mr. Hurley became its president. This company is one of the important commercial institutions of Clinton and Henry County. They have a large storage elevator in Clinton which is the headquarters of the company. They have an elevator at La Due also, and about twelve buying stations in various parts of the country. The main office of the company and elevator are located on Main, Grand and River streets in Clinton and they employ about eight men.
Mr. Hurley was united in marriage October 8, 1897, to Miss Winifred L. McCarty of Rich Hill, Missouri. Four children have been born to this union as follows: Jessie, a student at Loretta College, Webster Groves, Missouri; Winifred, student in the Clinton High School; Robert, a student in Clinton High School, and Margaret, also a student in the Clinton schools.
Mr. Hurley is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Columbus. His political affiliations are with the Democratic party, but he is inclined to be independent in politics. He is one of Clinton's substantial and progressive business men, whose contribution to the commercial importance of the town is no small factor.
L. C. Jones, the well known recorder of deeds of Henry County, is a native of Indiana. He was born in Jennings County in 1868, a son of Louis E. and Catherine (Burns) Jones, both natives of Indiana. The Jones family is of old Virginia stock and George D. Jones, grandfather of L. C., was a Virginian, and went to Indiana from his native State at a very early day in the history of Indiana. Later, or about 1867, he went to Illinois, where he spent the remainder of his life. Louis E. Jones removed from Indiana to Illinois in 1868, and now resides near Chester, Randolph County, Illinois. Catherine (Burns) Jones is also a descendant of one of the very early pioneer families of Indiana.
L. C. Jones is one of a family of seven children born to his parents, six of whom are living as follows: E. W., Terre Haute, Indiana; I. H., Sparta, Illinois; Nellie, the wife of John Boyd, Effingham, Illinois; Ina, now the wife of John Kull, who resides in northern Indiana; Susan, the wife of Lee Nolan, Sparta, Illinois, and L. C, the subject of this sketch.
L. C. Jones was reared and educated in Illinois. He spent his boyhood days on the home farm and in 1887, came to Henry County, Missouri, where he followed farming and threshing for twenty-three years. He was engaged in the mercantile business at Quarles for eight years, although he has always been interested in farming and threshing. In 1914, he was elected recorder of Henry County and is now serving in that capacity, although he continues to reside on his home place, which is a splendid farm of 180 acres in Deer Creek township. In addition to general farming, Mr. Jones is extensively engaged in raising cattle, horses and mules, and is well known as a successful breeder of pure blood Shropshire sheep.
Mr. Jones was married April 22, 1892, to Miss Lillian I. Spicer, a native of St. Louis County, Missouri. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Luther C, Bisbee, Arizona; Grace E., Claud and Alice, who reside at home with their parents. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and Mr. Jones is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, the Masonic Lodge and has been identified with the Democratic party since boyhood. He is one of the substantial and enterprising citizens of Henry County.
Edgar Cornick, proprietor of the Clinton Green House, is one of the progressive business men of Clinton, and at the head of the oldest established green house in the county. This green house is located in the southwestern part of the city on Artesian avenue, and was established about twelve years ago. About three acres are devoted to flower and plant culture and about 6,500 square feet are under glass. Here all kinds of plants, flowers, bulbs and shrubs usually found in a modern greenhouse are kept growing summer and winter. The plant is equipped with steam heat so that the temperature can be kept normal for plant life during the most severe winter weather. The Clinton Green House has customers covering a large scope of territory and flowers are shipped to numerous towns in the surrounding country.
Edgar Cornick was born near Ripley, Brown County, Ohio, December 1, 1874, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Van Landingham) Cornick. Thomas Cornick, the father, was a son of John Cornick, who came to Ohio with his parents when he was a child. He died in 1874. He was a native of Pennsylvania and a son of Thomas Cornick, who came to Ohio with his family at a very early date, before Ohio was admitted to statehood, and settled in what later became Brown County. When the Cornick family crossed the Allegheny Mountains on their way to Ohio, which was then the far west, they carried their belongings on pack horses, and the subject of this sketch has heard it related by his ancestors how they carried their children in two large baskets that were suspended on either side of one of the horses, and the grandfather of Mr. Cornick of this review was one of the children that was thus carried from Pennsylvania.
Thomas Cornick, the great-grandfather of Edgar, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and spent the latter years of his life in Ohio. Thomas Cornick, the father of our subject, was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil War and served in Battery F, First Ohio Light Artillery. He enlisted when the war broke out and served until its close, and took part in several important engagements but was never wounded. Elizabeth (Van Landingham) Cornick was born in Flemingsburg, Kentucky, in 1831, and came to Ohio with her parents in 1845. She was a daughter of Manly Van Landingham. She died in 1911. Her husband departed this life in 1909.
Edgar Cornick was one of a family of six children born to his parents who are now living: Thomas, resides near Ripley, Ohio; Mary, married G. C. Jordan, Lavanna, Ohio; W. N., Clinton, Missouri; Ida, married W. T. Jordan, a former resident of Clinton, now residing at Lavanna, Ohio; Arthur, Clinton, Missouri, and Edgar, the subject of this sketch. Mr. Cornick was reared and educated in Ohio. He first came to Missouri in 1898, and after spending about a year here returned to Ohio and for a time was engaged in farming and later entered the shoe business. In 1913, he returned to Missouri, and for two years was employed in the green house which he purchased in 1915, in partnership with W. T. Jordan, and later bought Mr. Jordan's interest. Mr. Cornick is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Woodmen of the World, and politically is identified with the Republican party, although he is inclined to be independent. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
