ALBERT ERNST. A visitor to the farm of this gentleman, on section 5, Medina, Township, would find there a tract of land under thorough cultivation and supplied with a complete line of fine buildings which provide adequate shelter for crops and stock and a home of great comfort for the family. Although not a native of the United States, Mr. Ernst has manifested his loyalty to his adopted country on fields of battle, winning the confidence of his commanding officers and fellow soldiers by his gallantry and ready obedience to the word of command. As a private citizen he is respected by reason of his interest in the good of the people and the up building of the country, and his own industrious, thrifty, law-abiding conduct.
Mr. Ernst is of pure German ancestry, descended from respected families of Hesse-Cassel. His father, Peter Ernst, a sturdy miner, worked in the silver mines of his own State all his life; he died in 1832, when about fifty years of age. His wife, formerly Catherine Bowman, died in middle life, when her son, our subject, was quite small. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Ernst consisted of two sons and one daughter. The latter died young, and a son, John, having come to America, married in New York, and died there when quite old.
Our subject was born in Hesse-Cassel November 20, 1818, and was not yet fifteen years old when he began to earn his own living. He learned the trade of broadcloth-making, and after completing his apprenticeship, worked as a journeyman until twenty-two years of age, when he took passage at Bremerhaven for the United States. After a tedious voyage of forty-seven days he landed in New York City, remaining there eighteen months. He then went to St. Louis, Mo., but a few months later changed his place of abode to Springfield, IL.
Mr. Ernst had been living in the capital about a year when, in August, 1846. He enlisted in a regiment of mounted riflemen for service in the Mexican War. He participated in the battles of Chepaultepec and the capture of the city of Mexico, together with the other prominent engagements of the two year's campaign. During that time he was in some very dangerous places, but he escaped with only a flesh wound above the right cheek bone, near the eye. He likewise avoided capture, and reported for duty every day. The events of the two years are fresh in his memory, as are the names and characteristics of many members of the regiment and his superior officers. For Gen. Winfield Scott he had an admiring love, believing him the kindest commander that ever lived. At the close of the hostilities Mr. Ernst was honorably discharged, and coming to Peoria in the latter part of 1848, remained there until his marriage the following year, when he took up agricultural life in Medina Township. He and his good wife are among those who have helped to build up Pe oria County, interesting themselves as far as they were able in movements which would tend to that end, Mr. Ernst being particularly interested in the educational affairs of his district. He votes with the Democratic Party, and is a devout member of the Catholic Church, of which his wife is also a communicant. The lady who for many years has been exhibiting her good qualities at the head of the household of our subject, was formerly Miss Theresa Muller. She was horn in Alsace, then a part of France, February 8,.1828, and came to the United States in 1847, when about grown to womanhood. Her parents lived for a time in Peoria, and later on a farm in Medina Township, where her aged father, Andrew Muller, still resides. Her mother passed away in 1886, at the age of eighty-three years. Mr. and Mrs. Ernst are the parents of thirteen children, two of whom are deceased. These are Joseph and Molly, who died unmarried at the age of twenty-four years. The living children are Mary, wife of Peter Wilhelm, a farmer near Tolono, Champaign County; Theresa, wife of John Backest, a farmer in Akron Township; Albert, a cigar maker in Peoria, who married Lizzie Rett; Katie, wife of John Ivnoblock(?), whose home is in Burlington, Iowa; Matilda, wife of Frank Williams, who owns and operates a farm in Medina Township; Josephine, wife of Jacob Wagner, a farmer in Pasoteem Township, Champaign County; John, who carries on the home farm; Robert, who resides with his parents and runs a threshing machine; Bertha, Anna and Julia A., who are still wife their parents.

[Portrait and biographical album of Peoria County, Illinois; Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1890, pg790 Transcribed by Candi Horton ©2007]
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Enoch EMERY, who for many years was editor-in-chief of "The Peoria Transcript," was born in Canterbury, New Hampshire, on August 31, 1822. Until the age of eighteen his life was spent on a farm at his native place. He there received the advantage of a common-school education. Being of an inquiring and studious turn of mind, he extended his knowledge by reading and self-culture, and at an early age developed a taste for literary pursuits. From the age of eighteen to twenty-two his time was mostly spent in Boston and for several years thereafter he was engaged as clerk in the "Merrimac House" in Lowell. He there found an opportunity to gratify his taste by furnishing contributions to the press and acquired some local reputation as a writer. Soon afterwards he became associate editor of the "Vox Populi", a newspaper published in Lowell , in which position he continued about two years, when in connection with three printers in the same office, he started "The Morning News," a humorous daily, which he conducted successfully for some years, when he sold out to his partners.

In the autumn of 1854 Mr. EMERY came to Illinois, hoping that a change from the life of an editor to some other occupation would be beneficial to his health, which, from too close application, had become somewhat impaired. He accepted a situation on the Illinois Central Railroad and, for a few months ran a construction train, but not liking the change, he returned to his former occupation. During the following winter he wrote for the "Bloomington Pantagraph," then a tri-weekly paper, and, in April of the next year, went back to Lowell and again took charge of the "Morning News." In the spring of 1850 he returned with his family to Illinois, and, feeling the need of rest from his editorial labors, spent the following summer on a farm in Macon County.
In the year 1859 he took the position of local editor on the "Peoria Transcript," then conducted by Nathan C. GEER, in which capacity he continued until 1860, when he became editor-in-chief. The paper, started as independent, had now become an outspoken advocate of the principles of the Republican party, and it was Mr. EMERY's short, terse, epigramatic sentences that gave it great power as a leading organ of that political faith. On July 10, 1860, in the company with Mr. E. A. ANDREWS, he became one of the owners of the paper
and for the next five years that firm continued its publication. Mr. EMERY being all the while its editor-in-chief.

In the campaign of 1860, and during the administration of Mr. LINCOLN, the paper was a stanch supporter of all the measures of the Republican party. After his re-election and very near the close of his life, Mr. LINCOLN appointed Mr. EMERY Postmaster of Peoria, his commission being issued by President JOHNSON. After the assassination of Mr. LINCOLN, and before the policy of President JOHNSON had been fully defined, while many in the party were ready to revolt against the new measures it was thought he was about to adopt, Mr. EMERY's counsel was to wait and see, or to use his own words, "Have faith in Andrew Johnson." Holding a public office at the hands of the new President, he was not disposed to raise the standard of opposition.
But when a new policy became clearly defined with which Mr. EMERY could not agree, he did not hesitate to denounce it, although such a course might lead to the loss of his position. During his incumbency he removed the Post office from the Bestor (now Freeman) building on Main Street to one of the rooms in Rouse's Hall, where it had nearly double the room it had had at its former location. Here it was fitted up with a largely increased number of boxes and other conveniences which had long been needed.

In a little over a year, in consequence of the opposition of "The Transcript" to his policy, President Johnson removed Mr. EMERY from the office of Postmaster, and appointed Gen. D. W. MAGEE in his stead. Mr. EMERY then bought out the interest of his partner, Mr. ANDREWS, and conducted the paper alone until the year 1869, when a corporation was formed, called "The Peoria Transcript Company," with Mr. EMERY at its head. For the next ten years the affairs of the Republican party in this district were somewhat mixed, but Mr. EMERY remained true to his original principles. In consequence of unfortunate complications for which he was in no sense to blame, he became somewhat financially embarrassed, and had a hard struggle to sustain his paper. In 1880 a new company was formed to conduct the paper, but Mr. EMERY continued for a time to be its editor.

In the meantime, however, in the year 1869 he had been appointed by President Grant Collector of Internal Revenue for the Fifth District of Illinois, a position he continued to hold for two years, when, in consequence of his opposition to Gen. LOGAN, the latter caused him to be removed. During the exciting campaign of 1862 Mr. EMERY was a candidate for the Legislature against William W. O'BRIEN by whom he was defeated. In 1870 he was elected Alderman of the Fifth Ward in the city of Peoria, and was re-elected in the following year. It was during this period that the city established its waterworks. Mr. EMERY being on the committee appointed to superintend their construction.

Mr. EMERY was twice married, his first wife being Mary SARGENT MOON, by whom he had five children, two of them dying in infancy. In 1873 his wife died and in 1877 he married Miss Mary WHITESIDE, by whom he had one son named Phillip Enoch. Two married daughters, Mary and Gertrude and this younger son survived him. The elder son, Edward died in the winter of 1881.

The second wife, Mary WHITESIDES, had formerly been County Superintendent of Schools of Peoria County, in which capacity she had rendered efficient service. After the death of Mr. EMERY, which occurred May 30, 1882, she was again elected to the same office and served another term. She has been for some years connected with the State Normal School of the State of Nevada. A very graphic account of Mr. EMERY's career as editor of the "Transcript," together with many well written reminiscences, may be found in the issue of that paper of December 17, 1895, to which the reader is referred.

[Source: Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, Munsell Publishing Co., 1902, p. 449.Transcribed by, Yvonne Takis.]

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Willis EVANS, residing at No. 803 Bradley avenue, in Peoria, his native city, was born January 16, 1872.  His parents, Isaac and Phoebe (WAGGONER) EVANS, were natives of Ohio and came to Peoria about 1860.  The son attended the old Fifth Ward school, later called the Franklin school, on Moss avenue, but instead of entering high school, he became an assistant in his father's grocery store at West Bluff.  Almost immediately he began newspaper work, thus following the advice of his mother, C.E. NIXON began the publication of the West Bluff Budget, a local weekly paper, and Willis EVANS contributed articles, written for it from a stool behind the counter in the grocery store.  Later he wrote for the West Bluff Herald, also a Nixon publication, and while still connected with the store, he did valuable work for Edward Francis YOUNGER, managing editor of the Peoria Transcript, who was Mr. Evans' journalistic mentor.  In 1890 the latter became a regular contributor to the Transcript, at the same time carrying for the West Bluff Bureau.  Later in the same year he became regularly associated with the Transcript and afterward became a member of the staff of the Peoria Herald, owned by Henry M. PINDELL.  Eventually the two papers were consolidated under the name of the Herald-Transcript, their publication being conducted under the direction of Mr. PINDELL, P. J. RENNICK and Charles H. MAY.  Starting as a reporter, Mr. Evans was advanced through successive promotions, becoming city editor, managing editor, editor and Washington correspondent.  He has long since won for himself a creditable position in journalistic circles, not only as a writer but one who has adopted the most progressive methods of newspaper publication.

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