Jersey County Biographies

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Joseph Goodspeed Marston, one of the retired business men of Jerseyville, was at one time very prominent in commercial circles here and at other points. He was born at Philadelphia, Pa., April 15, 1837, a son of Oliver and Elizabeth (Porter) Marston, he born at Marston Mills, Mass., on Cape Cod, and she at Philadelphia, Pa. The grandparents were Prince and Lydia (Goodspeed) Marston, natives of Massachusetts, and William and Ann (McCloud) Porter, he a sailor and she a native of New Jersey. Oliver Marston left home when fifteen years of age, to go to sea, shipping on a sailing vessel, and he rose until he was master of a merchantman, named Archer. He followed the sea from 1814 to 1841, when he came to Jersey County, and bought some land. He built a residence with lumber he brought with him from Cincinnati, Ohio, down the Ohio River and up the Mississippi River to Alton, Ill., from whence he hauled it by teams to his land. He was here engaged in farming until his death, which occured in 1856, when he was fifty three years old, having been born in 1803. His wife, who was born in 1801, died in 1879. Their children were as followes: William, Oliver, Harvey, Oliver ll, all of whom are deceased; Joseph Goodspeed; Lydia, who is Mrs. Donald Robertson, is deceased; Howard, who is deceased, and Samuel, lives at BunkerHill, Ill.

Joseph Goodspeed Marston spent his boyhood days on a farm with his parents, but when he was fifteen years old, he went to Alton, Ill., and learned the harnessmaking trade and worked at making saddles and harness until 1856, when he returned to Philadelphia and atteneded a grammar school for two years. He then clerked in a drug store at Jerseyville for Dr. J.O. Hamilton for a year, when he took a similiar position in a general store at Alton, Ill. In 1867, he returned to Jerseyville and with C.M. Hamiliton, engaged in a grocery and hardware business until 1872, in which year the partnership was dissolved. Mr. Marston then formed new connections with H.T. Nail, and after a year formed a partnership with Levi Halliday to handle seeds, notions interest, and continued the business alone until 1909 when he sold, and since then has been living in retirement.

On February 12, 1868, he was married to Adaline Cadwallader, born in Fulton County, Ill., a daugter of John and Nancy (Branson) Cadwallader, natives of Ohio and Illinois, respectively. There were no children. Mrs. Marston died May 11, 1908. Mr. Marston is a Republican, and served as city clerk two terms, and alderman from the First Ward for two terms. He is a Mason, having attained to the Knight Templar degree. A man of high principles, he has lived up to his ideals and is held in great esteem.

E. Meysenburg, president of the Stafford Mercantile Company, and a banker of note, is one of the leading business men of Grafton, where he has been instrumental in securing much of the present material prosperity of the place. He was born February 7, 1842, on a fuedal estate in Flanders, Germany, a son of Frederick Meysenburg, who was born in 1802, at Essen, Germany. He was a school mate of the elder Krupp, and studied civil engineering with him. The maiden name of the wife of Frederick Meysenburg was Johanna Somitz, and she was born at Cologne, Germany. For a time he was in the employ of the government, and then took charge of the federal estate where his son was born , managing it until 1857, when he came to the United States, locating in St.Louis, Mo. Being a highly educated man, he found employment as a private tutor, and his children received their educational training under him. These children were as follows: Matildie, who was married to Edward Nixdorff, is a widow residing in New York state; E. Meysenburg; Theodore Aug; O.W., and several who died in infancy. O.W. Mysenburg(spelled like this in book), the youngest living brother, became prominent as president of the Wells French Car Company, which constructs street railroads both at Chicago and St.Louis, Mo.

Theodore Aug Meysenburg, another brother of E. Meysenburg, enlisted as a soldier for service during the Civil War in the Third Volunteer Infantry from Missouri under Col. Franz Sigel, and soon thereafter participated in the battles of Carthage and Wilson's Creek, Mo., the most important engagements fought in the state, and was chosen as first lieutenant of the company known as the "Benton Hussars," and soon thereafter was assigned to duty on the staff of Colonel Sigel, so serving at the battle of Pea Ridge. When Col. Sigel was promoted to be brigadier-general, Lieutenant Meysenburg was appointed by President Lincoln, assistant adjutant general, with the rank of captain, in accordance with the recommendation of General Sigel. Captain Meysenburg was transferred with General Sigel's command to the Shenandoah Valley. After their arrival, Captain Meysenburg was assigned to General Freemont's command, and he took part in the second Battle of Bull Run, when the troops were under the direction of General Pope. Captain Meysenburg also took part in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, while serving in the Army of the Potomac, and won promotion to the rank of Lieutenant-colonel. After the battle of Gettysburg, he was transferred to the Army of the West, and took part in the battle of Chattanooga, and later tendered his resignation in order to enter business activities at St.Louis, Mo.

E.Meysenburg came to St.Louis, Mo., to join his uncle Theodore Krunswick, who had located at St.Louis, in 1833, and had developed into a very prosperous merchant. In 1849, Mr. Krunswick retired to the suburb of St.Louis that bears his name. After two years of experience in a wholesale dry goods house at St.Louis, Mr. Meysenburg, in 1859, took charge of his uncle's mercantile establishment at Krunswick and assisted his uncle in discharging the duties of postmaster. His active young spirit was not satisfied however, and in a short time he returned to St.Louis, where he spent a brief period with a hat house, and then went to Sulphur Springs, Mo., where he was agent for the Iron Mountain Railroad. Having been in the South, his sympathies naturally were with that section in the conflict between the North and the South and he enlisted in Company E, First Missouri Cavalry, and on January 1, 1862, re-enlisted in the Confederate service in Company F., Second Missouri Cavalry. He was paroled May 1, 1865, at Columbus, Miss. After his return, he secured temporary employment in collecting taxes in the Fifth Ward of St.Louis, and on September 1867, Mr. Meysenburg formed a partnership with Harry Eastman, of Grafton, Ill., and this connection continued until 1871, when Mr. Meysenburg bought out his partner, and founded the firm of Meysenburg & Smith. Mr. Meysenburg bought the business of Brook Stafford in 1876, and with the latter's son, Christopher E. Stafford, formed the mercantile house of Stafford & Co., from which Mr. Smith retired in 1879. In 1883, Mr. Meysenburg bought the banking business of William H. Allen of Grafton, which he has since continued.

In 1896 he and Mr. Stafford incorporated the Stafford Mercantile Company, of which Mr. Meysenburg is president. Although Mr. Meysenburg suffered a heavy loss from fire in 1912, he immediately rebuilt his mercantile establishment and bank, and both are now in a flourishing condition. The bank is fire and burglar proof, and modern in every respect.

Mr. Meysenburg was married to Miss Mary H. Frichnor, born at Wheeling, W.Va., January 27, 1849, and they became the parents of the following children; Fannie, who was married to a Mr. Eastoff; Natalie, who married a Mr. Lawerence, resides at Springfield, Ill.,; Edith and Clara, who are at home; and Robert L., who is now cashier of the Bank, his father being president. Mr. Meysenburg has served as mayor of Grafton several times, and he has been supervisor of his township. During the early days, he served for four years as captain of the militia, and has never been found lacking in public spirit or interest in the furtherance of the welfare of his community.

John D. Miller., one of the substantial farmers of Mississippi Township, is a well known and respected citizen of Jersey County, and one who stands high in his own community. He was born in his present township, in August, 1875, a son of John D. and Christina (Schaffer) Miller, natives of Wuerrtemberg, Germany. In 1870, the parents located in Mississippi Township, there buying a farm, and there the father died in 1902. After his death, the mother lived on the farm until her death in 1915.

John D. Miller, was reared in his native township and attended its school. Remaining at home he inherited the homestead of 140 acres of land on section 25, when his mother died, but later sold fifty-five acres of it, and now operates eighty acres of the remainder as a general farmer. Five acres of his farm is a valuable apple orchard. Mr. Miller's religious connections are with the German Evangelical Church. In politics he is a Democrat, but has never desired to enter public life, devoting himself to his agricultural duties.Having spent his life in farming, Mr. Miller understands its every detail, and is well fitted for his calling, which recent public events is making one of the most important in the world. In war, unless the armies are fed, victory cannot be reasonably expected, and upon the shoulders of the farmers of a country also rest the responsibilities of raising the food stuffs for the sustenance of men, women and children who cannot this provide for themselves.

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