Captain Henry Detweiller was born in Lorraine, then a Province of France, but now of Germany, on the 19th of June, 1825. He was a son of Christian and Catherine Shertz Detweiller, both natives of France. His father was engaged in farming, milling, and in the transportation business, in which he accumulated a fortune. He had three large estates situated in different parts of the province, at which he was in the habit of entertaining the nobility, for weeks at a time, according to the custom of the day. He met with reverses, during the War of 1812 and '13, and died in 1832, a poor man.
In the spring of 1837. Captain Detweiller came to the United States, with his mother and three sisters, landing in New York, after a voyage of sixty-eight days. At the suggestion of an older brother, John, who had located in Peoria, in 1833, Captain Detweiller removed to that place. He was forty-two days on the journey from New York to Peoria, traveling from New York to Rochester, by boat: thence to Buffalo, by canal; thence by lake to Cleveland: from there to Cincinnati, by canal; thence by boat, down the Ohio and up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, to Peoria. His mother and one sister died during the following year. Peoria had, at that time, about twelve hundred inhabitants.
After coming to Peoria. Captain Detweiller attended school and clerked for his brother, who kept the St. Croix Tavern, on Water Street. — then the principal street of Peoria. He then clerked in the shoe-store of Charles W. McClellan, and afterwards, for Samuel Voris & Co., for the highly remunerative compensation of six dollars per month. The business of Peoria, with the outside world, at that time was chiefly transacted by water. Listening to the stories of steamboat Captains, and the talk of John Frink, of the firm of Frink & Walker, the mail and stage contractors of that early day, he conceived a strong desire to become a pilot on the river. Mr. Frink gave him an opportunity to go aboard the steamer "Frontier," then running as a mail and passenger packet from Peoria to Peru. Through the kindness of Mr. Frink, the Captain instructed the young man in the trade of the river and the secret of running and operating the boats. He was soon appointed Second Pilot, and was upon the boat, when the Steamer Panama ran into and sunk the "Frontier" at the "Towhead" above "The Narrows." This occurred early on the morning of September 2, 1842, just after the "Frontier" had left the village of Little Detroit, then situated on the eastern shore of the river, but which has since entirely disappeared. By running the boat ashore at the "Towhead," the forty or fifty passengers on board escaped without the loss of a single life, but the hull of the "Frontier" still lies at the bottom of the river, where it sank sixty years ago. The following year, the Company built a new steamer "Chicago," on which he shipped as Second Pilot, under his old instructor, and continued upon that boat until it was withdrawn from the river, in the spring of 1844. He continued in that position, on other boats for a year. In 1847, he was made Captain of the "Gov Briggs" then in the St. Louis and Alton trade. At that time, owing to the war with Mexico, the boat carried many troops and much equipment from Alton to Jefferson Barracks below St, Louis. In 1848 and '49, he was First Pilot on different boats. The latter year was remarkable for the epidemic of malignant cholera. St, Louis was afflicted, and hundreds were dying daily. People were leaving the city upon the boats, as rapidly as possible. Captain Detweiller continued at his post until one night, while taking the steamer "Danube" to St. Louis, through over-work and loss of sleep, he was suddenly stricken with cholera, and had just time to ring the stopping bells before he fell to the floor of the pilothouse. Fortunately, a pilot on the Mississippi was aboard the boat and took his place. Mr. Detweiller was removed to Peoria, but, for nine months or more, was unable to resume his duties. His Captain, at the time he was stricken, was seized with cholera the next trip, died, and was buried at Pekin.
From 1850 to i860, the river business between the North and South was immense. During these years, Mr. Detweiller acted in the different capacities of Pilot and Captain, on a number of boats upon the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. In 1856, he became part owner of the Steamer "Movastar," and in 1857, became the sole owner of the Steamer "Minnesota." During his last years upon the river, he frequently had Abraham Lincoln as a passenger, and came to know him well. In 1862, he offered his services to the Government, and was sworn into the ser-vice, at St. Louis, and assigned to the command of the United States Steamer "Jenny Lind," and was ordered to Cairo, to await the arrival of the fleet with General Pope's troops aboard from Island No. 10. The "Jenny Lind" was detailed as dispatch boat to the flagship accompanying the fleet up the Tennessee River to Pittsburg landing. Later on, he was with the fleet at Memphis, In 1863, Captain Detweiller was transferred to the U. S. Steamer Yankee, of which he had charge until the close of the war, and was attached to the fleet at the fall of Vicksburg. While managing the Government transport, he performed a very important and often hazardous service. So great was the danger to which his boat was exposed during these perilous years, that Captain Detweiller was compelled to adopt various schemes to evade the enemy. His boat was sometimes disguised as a gunboat. The Yankee was never seriously injured, although often fired upon. The last important service of his boat was to take a cargo of horses, mules and storees valued at $250,000 from St. Louis to New Orleans. The boat was fired upon, but the cargo was at length safely delivered in New Orleans. After the war, Captain Detweiller was in charge of the Steamer "Beaver," until he abandoned the river, in 1874, to give his attention exclusively to the ice business, in which he had engaged, establishing it, in 1870, in partnership with N. L. Woodruff. In December 1876, he severed his connection with Mr. Woodruff, and has conducted the business, either in his own name or under the name of the Detweiller Ice Company ever since. He married Magdalena Bachman, November 5, 1848, at the home of his sister, in Woodford County, Illinois. Mrs. Detweiller was also a native of France. Seven children were born to them, three of whom are still living: Thomas H., Amelia M. and Matilda E. Detweiller. Mrs. Detweiller died, December 10, 1888. Her death was a severe blow to her husband, as she had been in all respects, a helpmate. She was in her home, not only a devoted wife and mother, but a useful member of society, kindly, charitable, and helpful to all who were in trouble or want. She was active in charitable work; connected with the Women's Christian Home Mission and with the Women's Relief Corps and did her part in society and in the community.
Captain Detweiller's life has been a laborious one and beset with quite as many of the ordinary trials of life as fall to the lot of most men ; yet through it all he has borne himself honorably and with characteristic geniality; never has allowed himself to be despondent, gloomy or hopeless, but in adversity, as well as prosperity, has maintained the same genial, pleasant, kindly character, endearing him to all with whom he has come in contact As an evidence of the confidence of his fellow-citizens in his integrity, he was elected six times to the office of City Treasurer, without his seeking, and really against his personal desire.
He is a member of the Odd Fellows, and a charter member of Bryner Post 67, G. A. R., and was, for thirteen years, President of the Old Settlers' Association of Peoria.
He cast his first vote for General Taylor for President in 1848, and, since the organization of the Republican party, has been an ardent, earnest worker in that party, believing thoroughly in its principles.
During his residence of sixty-five years, he has seen the village of Peoria develop into a beautiful city of over 65,000 inhabitants, and he has, during all these years, contributed his full part to the growth of the city. It may be said of him, as of very few men, that he is not known to have an enemy in the city of Peoria, or anyone who entertains aught but the kindliest sentiments towards him. This has resulted from his genial, kindly disposition, and his efforts to help rather than mar the fortunes of any' man or woman. If there were more like him, it would be better for the community, for the city, for the State. He is a man of decided character, strong convictions, but willing that other men shall enjoy the same right and freedom of thought and act which he claims for himself. The thought of entertaining malice never entered his mind. He has never known what jealousy is over the prosperity of others, and it is as much his delight to see his friends, neighbors and acquaintances prosper as it is to prosper himself. Such evenly balanced characters are rare; and when we see them, we cannot refrain from expressing our appreciation of them and our commendation of the men or women who bear them.
Source: https://archive.org/details/cu31924092225568/page/n843
1880
DETWEILER, HENRY, wholesale and retail ice dealer, 108 S. Adams street, was born in Lorraine, France, on the 19th of June, 1825, is the son of Christian and Catherine Detweiler nee Schertz, the former a native of Bavaria, the latter of France. Mr. Detweiler, sr., was engaged in farming and milling, and also the transfer business, in which he amassed quite a large fortune, but meeting with reverses during the war of 1812 and 1813, from which he never recovered, he died in 1832, in straightened circumstances. In the Spring of 1837, Mr. D. immigrated to the United States with his mother and three sisters, landing at New York after a voyage of sixty-eight days on the ocean. Through the instigation of an older brother, John, who had located in Peoria three years previously, only they came on to this city, consuming forty-two days on the route. The mother and one sister died the following year. The two first years after his arrival Mr. D. worked for his brother, and attended school at intervals; then clerked in a shoe store for Charles McLellen on Main street; also in a clothing store a year; and on Apr. 15 , 1841, went on the steamboat "Frontier," to learn piloting, under Milton Hasbrock, where he remained until she collided with the Panama, at 3 A. M., on Sept. 2 , 1842. The following Spring the company built the new steamer, Chicago, on which he shipped as second pilot, under Mr. Hasbrock, till the Spring of 1844, when, that boat being drawn off the river, he went on to the Raritan in the same capacity; and the next year took the position of first pilot on the new boat, Governor Briggs; and after June, 1846, ran her from Galena to New Albany, on the upper Mississippi, as a mail and passenger boat. In the Spring of 1847 took her through a course of repairs at St. Louis, and put her into the trade between that city and Alton. For several years following Mr. D. officiated as pilot or captain on a number of steamboats; became joint owner of the Movaster" in 1856; in 1857 sold her, and in 1858, the sole proprietor of the Minnesota. In the Spring of 1862 he went into the government service as master of the "Jenny Lind" ; and in July, 1863, changed to the "Yankee," which he had charge of till the close of the war. While running these government transports he performed a very important and often hazardous service. The Yankee sailed from St. Louis for New Orleans the latter part of October, 1863, with a cargo valued at more than $250,000, and landed her freight safely in the Crescent City in due time. So great was the danger to which his vessel was exposed during those perilous years, that Capt. D. practiced various schemes to evade the enemy. It was disguised as a gunboat, on some occasions, and run under the strict regime of one; and while the other transport vessels were fired into frequently, and greatly damaged or destroyed, the Yankee never received but one shot. After the close of the war, Capt. Detweiler ran the Beaver until he abandoned the river, in 1874. In the Fall of 1870, he had embarked in the ice business in company with N. L. Woodruff, in which relation he continued until December, 1876, when the partnership was dissolved, since which time Mr. D. has carried on a large wholesale and retail ice trade in his own name. The traffic has steadily grown, until the present capacity of his houses is 10,500 tons. On Nov. 5, 1848, Mr. D. married Magdalen Bachmann, also a native of France, who has borne him seven children; five living, Amelia, Matilda, Thomas H., William H., and Mattie H. Henry, the oldest, died at the age of twenty-seven, and Emma at the age of three years. Besides the capital invested in his business, Mr. D. owns several pieces of property in the city. Pg. 641
Source: https://archive.org/details/cu31924028805865/page/564/mode/
Additional Sources: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49720842/henry-detweiller https://archive.org/details/peoriaoftodaywit00rich/page/34/ https://archive.org/details/portraitbiographi00biog/page/384/ https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/507861 http://www.usgenealogyexpress.com/
