Charles F. Hackman, mayor of Staunton, Macoupin County,
and a prominent citizen of both city and county, was born at Staunton,
October 13, 1864. He is a son of Henry and Dorathea (Kruse) Hackman.
The Hackman family originated in Prussia, Germany. There the grandfather
of the Hackmans of Illinois, Stephen Hackman, was born in 1797, followed an
agricultural life, and died aged 84 years. lie married Elizabeth Meyer, who
was born in 1808, and died in 1866 in her native land. The children of
Stephen and Elizabeth Hackman were: Elizabeth, who still resides in the old
country, aged 80 years; Katherine, who came to America, married Henry Witte,
and died in St. Louis, Missouri; Mrs. Margaret Hadderfield, who died in
Germany; Henry, father of Charles F.; Fritz, a retired farmer in Germany;
and two who died young.
Henry Hackman was born April 8, 1836, and
came to America when 18 years of age, sailing from Bremen for New Orleans in
the vessel "Autin," and reaching port after a voyage of seven weeks. He
worked for two years in St. Louis, Missouri, as an employee of the Eiler
Furniture Company, and then, in 1858, removed to Staunton, where he has
resided ever since. For 25 years he worked here at cabinet-making and then
founded the business which is owned at present by his son, Charles F. This
is one of the old and firmly established houses and was conducted at first
under the firm style of H Hackman, then of Hackman & Sons, and now of
Charles F. Hackman. Mr. Hackman has been one of the useful citizens of
Staunton. He is a typical representative of the well educated
German-American citizen, retaining all the characteristics which make his
countrymen valued in every land, and supporting with vigor and honesty the
laws under which he lives, assisting in their making and taking pride in the
well being of the community in which he has lived so many years. He has
served in the city council and has been a member of the school board. For a
long period Mr. Hackman has been a leading member of the Evangelical Church,
in which he is a deacon. Since the Civil War, he has been identified in
politics with the Republican party.
In 1859 Henry Hackman married
Dorathea Kruse, who was born in 1839 in Holstein, Germany. Mrs. Hackman came
to America in the fall of 1856, accompanying her brothers and sisters. Three
children, all of whom are residents of Staunton, were born to this union,
namely: Charles F., William F., and Mrs. Emma Ott.
Charles F.
Hackman passed a boyhood identical with that of many other youths of his
age, attending school and finding amusement in youthful sports and pastimes,
reaching the age of 16 years probably with more quickened mental faculties
than if his rearing had been on the farm. He then entered his father's store
in the capacity of clerk and remained as such, learning every detail of the
business, until he was 28 years old, after which, in association with his
brother, William F. Hackman, he operated the business for 10 years, then
admitted Max Ott, his brother-in-law, to partnership, finally in September,
1903, becoming sole owner. Mr. Hackman deals in furniture, pianos and
organs, sewing machines, and marble and granite tombstones, also has a large
undertaking business; while the house is recognized as one of the oldest, it
has also a settled reputation of being one of the most reliable in the
southeastern section of the county. Mr. Hackman does much of his own
designing for the ornamentation used in his stone cutting, in the decoration
of tombstones. He is a skilled draughtsman and, although not educated in
this line, does architectural draughting with so much accuracy that his
designs for two water-ways for the city reservoir were accepted, and also
for the city bridge, which crosses the "branch" and was the first concrete
bridge in the vicinity. He also drew the plans for the business block which
he occupies, and for two of the most attractive residences in Staunton. Had
circumstances not made Mr. Hackman the head of a large commercial house and
placed him in the most honorable municipal position, he might easily have
earned reputation with his pencil in some metropolitan center.
In
June, 1895, Mr. Hackman married Bertha Utiger, who was born in Madison
County, Illinois, and is a daughter of the late Hon. Robert D. and Susan
(Leef) Utiger. Two daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hackman —
Dorathea and Hazel.
The father of Mrs. Hackman, Hon. Robert D.
Utiger, was for years one of the most prominent men and substantial farmers
of Madison County, Illinois, owning 200 acres of highly cultivated land, and
serving his fellow citizens in many responsible public offices. He was born
in Madison County, Illinois, in 1841, was liberally educated and from young
manhood took a deep interest in politics. He was a zealous advocate of
Democratic principles and was chosen by his party to fill many offices. For
five years he was supervisor, for six years justice of the peace, for 12
years was postmaster of Alhambra, and in 1882 was selected as his party's
standard-bearer in the House of Representatives, from the 41st Assembly
District. His death took place at his home, on February 20, 1890. Three
children survive: Louise, wife of A. Hitz, of Alhambra, Illinois; Bertha,
wife of Mayor Hackman; and David, of St. Louis, Missouri.
In
political sentiment, Mr. Hackman is a Republican. In April, 1903, he was
elected by that party mayor of Staunton, an office he fills with dignity and
efficiency. The same attention to details and the careful and thoughtful
management, given to his own business with so much success, characterize the
attitude of Mayor Hackman in public life. He gives the people a clean,
economic, but progressive administration and finds friends and supporters'
on every hand among those who have the true welfare of the city at heart.
Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 512-515.
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