The following is a short bio/sketch of most of the businessmen in the
towns of Sterling & Rock Falls Il. who were in operation in 1896-1897. This article
was presented in "The Sterling Standard". Accompanying each sketch was a
picture of some of these men. (I've inserted NO PHOTO - where there is none available). I only have pages 25 to 52 of this article. The first 25 pages
didn't survive. They are listed in alphabetical order.
(No Photo) - W.W. WAHL 315 First avenue, the butcher, has been in business at his present stand nearly four years. He is capably assisted by Henry Bougartz and ludolph Holtz, both of whom enjoy hisentire confidence.
Mr. Ward leased the Academy of Music two years ago and he has given general satisfaction. He has a number o ffine attractions billed for this winter, among which will be the Murray & Mack Company in "Finnigan's Wake," who will appear here on the evening of December 27.
(No Photo) - John WERRESS wagon snop is well known to all Sterling. It is located on First avenue and Second street. Mr. Werres manufactures all kinds of wagons and does a general repairing business. In connection with this he conducts a horse shoeing department. Mr. Werres has been in business here about twenty-two years.
(No Photo) - Clarence E. WHITE the carriage manufacturer,is located at 1207 East Fourth street, where he has been in business since 1866. Besides building new work he does a general repairing business. The shop is well known to Sterling people, and the work turned out is always of the best. Mr. White is one of Sterling's aldermen.
Four years ago he entered into partnership with H. L. Sheldon in Rock Falls. Mr. White has served four terms as a member of the legislature and has been a member of the board of directors of the Modern Woodmen of America.
(No Photo) - Oliver WICKEL has conducted a carriage painting business at 222 East Third street for the past seven years. Work of the finer class is his specialty and he has established an enviable reputation for reliability and good workmanship throughout this vicinity. Of late he has turned his attention to the reenameling of bicycle frames with much success. (No Photo) - Miss Alice E. WILKINSON conducts one of the popular millinery stores of the city. She has been in the business for the past six years at No. 5 East Third street and holds a good trade. She employs expert and artistic trimmers and from this fact her business has steadily increased. (No Photo) - C.E. WILKINSON is the proprietor of the meat market, 104 West Third street known as the Sterling Packing Co. He personally conducts the business, giving attention to its smallest details. (No Photo) A. A. WILLIAMS carriage paint shop is located above Werres. Mr. Wiiliams is the veteran carriage and sign painter in Sterling; he having been in the business twenty-two years. He does all kinds of carriage and sign work and does it well. Recently he has built a large branch shop at his home, 203 Ninteenth avenue.
While in Peoria he was employed in the government service. Mr. Williams thoroughly understands the dyeing and cleaning trade. He does all kinds of dyeing, cleaning and repairing neatly and promptly.
Pg. 28 Andrew W. WILSON, engineer of the Sterling water works, was born in the State of Massachusetts in the year 1845. He came west in 1866 and assumed charge of the power house for the water works company, which position he has held ever since. Mr. Wilson is known as one of the best engineers in the country and his ability is second to none in handling the water works machinery.
(No Photo) - Eight years ago Mellen WING started the store known as The Fair, now at 118 East Third street. His stock was small but every year it has grown larger until at present his large store room is crowded full of a stock of novelties in bewildering variety. House furnishing goods, china, glassware, stove furniture, lamps and toys are a few of the principal departments. He employes several clerks and does a large business.
Pg. ? (No Photo) William WOLF is a wholesale dealer in hides and tallow. His office is ~ located east of the Wallace Block. Mr. Wolf's business takes him to the neighboring towns a greater portion of the time, where he buys hides and tallow from the retail dealers. He conducts a business of no small proportion.
Pg. ? (No Photo) J. F. WOOSTER, 121 , West Third street, is a manufacturers agent. He handles groceries of all kinds, giving especial attention to wholesale trade, and to farmers. All his goods are guaranteed or money refunded. Mr. Wooster has been in this Iine of business about two months.
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Pg. 37 C.S. VanDeMARK, proprietor of the "Merchants' Cafe," was born in Sterling in 1876. He attended the public schools of this city. Three years ago he opened a lunch counter on First avenue and named it the "merchants' Cafe," Four months ago he opened a similar eating house in Morrison and calls it "Van's Cafe." The "Merchants Cafe" in this city enjoys a large lunch trade and is considered one of the cheapest and best places to get a "good square meal." "Van's Cafe," at Morrison, is run more on the restaurant plan, and it also enjoys a large patronage.
Pg. 48 N. G. VAN SANT, of the firm Coe & VanSant, of Rock Falls, was born in the city of Rock Island in 1846.
For many years before he came to Rock Falls he had been employed on the Mississippi river in connection with his brother, Samuel VanSant. He enlisted in the 9th Illinois Cavalry during the war and served two years and was a former commander of Will Robinson Post, which place he filled in 1891.
He is an official member of the Rock Falls M.E. Church.
He was a delegate to the general conference of the M.E. church at Cleveland in 1896.
Pg. 26 H.C. WARD, County Judge of Whiteside, was born in Ohio in the year 1850. He came west in 1872 and settled in Sterling. Mr. Ward studied law in the office of Kilgour & Manahan, and a few years later was admitted to the bar. Mr. Ward was elected County Judge in the fall of 1894. Just preceeding his election to the office of Judge, he had been City Attorney of Sterling. He also served two other terms as City Attorney. Mr. Ward is attorney and director in the Whiteside Building and Loan Association.
Pg. 26 Michael Charles WARD, the popular manager of the Academy of Music, was born in this city in the year 1868. He was educated in the publis schools here, since which time he has assisted his father in the coal business.
Pg. 28 I. L. WEAVER, the young lawyer and justice of the peace, was born in Sterling in the year 1873. He graduated in the Kent College of Law in the year 1896. Mr. Weaver returned to Sterling after his collegiate course and established himself in the practice of his profession, taking into partnership with him Charles Deets, under the firm of Weaver & Deets. He was elected to the office of justice of the peace last spring.
Pg. 33 B.P. WERNTZ, member of the city council, Sterling, was born in PA in 1859.
He came west with his family in 1865, locating in Sterling, where he attended the public schools and graduated from the Sterling Business College. In 1878 Mr. Werntz opened a cigar store.
After the death of his father, in 1880, he assumed management of the business, which was eventually disposed of and Mr. Werntz accepted a position with C. Burkholder which he held until 1885 when he accepted the position he now holds with the Keystone Mfg. Co. He was elected alderman last spring and is chairman of the committee on printing and a member of the committees on finance & judiciary. He is manager of the 6th Regiment Band.
Click here for view of the 
Pg. 33 Prof. C.A. WETZELL, although a young man, has reached a high degree of proficiency in penmanship and art. He executes work for steel and copper-plate engravings; resolutions engrossed, wedding invitations written in latest styles, card writing, etc.; gives private instructions in charcoal, pencil, pen and ink drawing; also, all styles of fancy "auto" lettering for display work. He is the teacher of penmanship and drawing in the Sterling school.
Pg. 25 John G. WETZEL was born in Hopkins Twp., where he spent his boyhood days on a farm. In June, 1887, he graduated from the common schools and then spent one year at college, and later took a thorough course at the Sterling Busienss College. In June, 1889, he entered the employ of Galt & Tracy as bookkeeper at the Eureka Company, which position he held until October 1, 1890, when he was transferred to the same position in Galt & Tracy's bank, which he held for four years, when he was promoted to cashier of Galt & Son's bank, which he filled satisfactorily until the bank went out of business in February, 1896. On Arpil 15, 1896, he was elected to the position of secretary of the Whiteside County Building and Loan Association. He conducts a large local insurance agency, representing several of the leading American fire insurance companies and also the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company and the Banker's Life Insurance Company, of Des Moines, Iowa.
Pg. 48 J. W. WHITE, 
Pg. 33 H.W. WILLIAMS, the dyer, was born in Peoria Illinois in the year 1874.
He came to Sterling last September and opened his present dye house.
Pg. 25 Charles E. WINDOM: The largest furniture house in this city is that of Charles E. Windom, who was born in Sterling in the year 1855. This house was established nearly eighteen years ago. Mr. Windom not only has a large stock of every grade and kind of furniture, but he does a fine business in the line of undertaking. He enjoys the distinction of having been president of the State Undertaking Association two terms and twice a delegate to the National Association. Mr. Windom has always taken an active interest in local affairs. He is one of the trustees of the Odd Fellows Lodge, superintendent and treasurer of the Sterling cemetery board, a member of all the Masonic bodies and one of the directors of the new mutual organization known as the Knights and Ladies of America, a Sterling enterprise.
Pg. 47 Elhanan C. WINTERS, city clerk of Rock Falls, was born in Indiana in 1843. He came wet in 1847 and first located at Milledgeville, Ill. Mr. Winters was a resident of Milledgeville when he responded to the call of his country by enlisting in Co. A, 34th Illinois Infantry, and was mustered out as first sergeant after serving four years. He located in Sterling in 1876 and was for several years thereafter a traveling salesman. Mr. Winters came to Rock Falls in 1890 and entered the real estate and loan business with F.D. Rosebrook. The partnerhsip was changed October 15, 1895, to Winters & Leitch. Soon after taking up his residence in Rock Falls he was elected justice of the peace, which office he still holds. He has also been city clerk since 1892. Mr. Winters is United States claim agent and is very successful in pushing the claims of old soldiers. He is adjutant of Will Enderton Post and also ex-commander.
Pg. 35 Aaron A. WOLFERSPERGER, 
Pg. 47 R.H. WOODS, the well known alderman and proprietor of the billiard and cigar parlors on East Main street, was born on a farm in this county in the year 1866. He was educated in the Northern Illinois Normal at Dixon, graduating in the teacher and surveying courses, after which he taught school in Nebraska and in Whiteside county for several years. Mr. Woods moved to Rock Falls ten years ago and for two years conducted a livery stable, when he sold out and for one year following was in the employ of the railroads. Two years ago he opened his present place of business. He has a good cigar trade and four nice billiard tables. Mr. Woods was elected a member of the city council in 1894 and re-elected in 1896. He was chairman of the committee on finance the first term and is now chairman of the printing committee and a member of the committees on streets and alleys and ordinance. Mr. Woods is in favor of high license and a higher rate for electric lighting.
Pg. 31 Dr. C.E. Wright, 301 Avenue B, a senior member of the well known livery and veterinary surgeon firm of Wright & Kettle, is a native of Ontario, Canada. He came to Sterling in 1896 and purchased the livery business of Oren Champlin & Son. In November 1896, he took in a partner in the person of W.N. Kettle, who is also a native of Canada. Dr. C.E. Wright, who has attained considerable fame in veterinary surgical work, was, when in Canada, government veterinary aid for the Northwest territories. Mr. Kettle has had considerable experience also in veterinary work. They do surgical as well as dental work and have good hospital accomodations and a fine operating table. They conduct the largest livery in the city and the only stable having rubber tire vehicles, as well as the only boarding stable.
Pg. 34 Lewis D. WYNN, manufacturer of the well known Black Silk Stove Polish, was born in Ohio in 1849.He came to Sterling twenty-seven years ago and for the last seven years has been making a stove polish. The following testimonial explains its merits: