Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/748

 654 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI tration of what industry and perserverance can accomplish upon the farm. The aim of his life has been the achievement of financial in- dependence, and while this has been in process of accomplishment, he has infused habits of industry and thrift into the younger genera- tion of his household. He has kept away from politics, except in the capacity of the voter, and as such is aligned in harmony with the Republican party. He married Wilhelmina Keller, who survives, and the issue of their union are as follows : Louis H. ; Edward C. ; Julia C, wife of Julius Wulfert; Emma E., who married Dr. A. T. Kessler; John "VV. ; William H. ; Henry C. ; George H. ; Julius A. ; and Minnie A., now Mrs. W. H. Linstrom- berg. Henry C. Vossbrink was educated in the public school and is an excellent German stu- dent, having acquired the parental tongue with unusual aptitude. At the age of eighteen years he began his career as a business man by forming a partnership with one of his brothers at Shotwell, near the family home. They established a thriving mercantile busi- ness and continued the same for four years. A change in conditions caused him to seek em- ploj-ment in St. Louis and he spent eighteen months there as a street car conductor. Sub- sequently he spent a period engaged in the retail liquor business at St. Louis and after spending a few months as a clerk in Sullivan he associated himself with a brother in Tolo- na, Missouri, and there spent a year. Fol- lowing this he spent nine months at Shotwell engaged in clerking and then went to Wash- ington, IIissouri, where he tended bar for two years. He passed the next twelve j'ears as bartender for Kramolowski in Union and terminated it when he assumed the office of recorder in 1911. ]Ir. Vossbrink was reared to loyalty to the principles of what its admirers call "The Grand Old Party," and his residence at sev- eral points in Franklin county gave him an unusually large acquaintance and an enthusi- astic one, so that when he became a candidate for office, support came to him from many sources. He made the race before the primary against five competitors and distanced them all for the nomination, winning the election from his Democratic opponent by better than the party vote. He is making a record as a popular official. Mr. Vossbrink is one of the directors of the Bank of Union ; is interested in the Helling Manufacturing Company and was its secre- tary and treasurer for more than three years. He is also a stockholder in the National Cob Pipe Works of Union and is an important fig- ure in the Masonic Blue Lodge and the ilod- eru Woodmen. On January 27, 1900, Mr. Vossbrink mar- ried in Union iUss Ida E. Gehlert, daughter of an old settler of Franklin county, Louis H. Gehlert, who was of German blood and birth. Mr. and Mrs. Vossbrink share their delightful home with a daughter and son, namely : Meta W. and J. Henry. Felix G. Lambert. In the forefront of the enterprising gi-oup of citizens whose efforts have established and maintained the progress and prosperity of Bollinger county stands Felix G. Lambert. He practically built Don- gola, and though that is perhaps his most notable achievement it is by no means his only one. He was born November 13, 1847. in Cape Girardeau county, ilissouri. and both of his parents were natives of Missouri. His father, Ira B. Lambert, died when Felix G. was but two years old, in the year 1S49. After this sad event the mother, Polly Lam- bert, moved to Cape Girardeau county, where she had inherited about two hundred acres of land. Here she later married Brazilus Estes. Her death occurred in 1865, when Mr. Lambert was but eighteen years old. Up to this time he had followed the usual course of the sons of that generation, as-sisting in the farm work and attending the district school. The year after his mother's death Mr. Lambert started out to work for himself. Though young, he was a keen business man and one who had the genius for management. M-hich is largely the ability to work hard and look after details. He bought a grist mill in Cape Girardeaii county, which he ran for twelve years and developed into a most profit- able business. After selling this mill Mr. Lambert bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Bollinger county. He continued to add to his farm acreage until he is now farming two hundred and twenty acres. Both stock raising and general farming en- gage his attention. In 1882 he came to his farm near Dongola. which at that time was a settlement of one house. Since that date the history of the town has been mostly of his making. His first contribution to the industrial resources of the village was a saw mill. With this start, the town sprang up and has continued to grow steadily. ]Ir. Lambert's enterprises did not