Sohm History

Adams County ILGenWeb Project

Sohm Family History

Pantaleon Sohm, born July 30, 1811, in Schelingen, Baden, came to America by way of New Orleans in 1838, locating in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1839 he came, to Quincy, locating here for life. Being a cooper, he worked for John ABBE, who in 1848 was mayor of Quincy. Later he opened a shop of his own at Third and York streets, often employing from forty to fifty men, barrels being in great demand, owing to the mills, distilleries, and packing houses conducted in Quincy in those days. SOHM'S cooper shop was also used for religious meetings, Rev. Philip J. REYLAND conducting services there, and the Quincy German Guards used it as an armory. Pantaleon SOHM was lieutenant of the company, taking part in the Mormon war of 1844, he being in Carthage when Joseph SMITH, founder of the Mormon Church, was shot June 27, 1844. In 1860 he retired and opened a grocery store at Third and York streets, which he conducted until his death in 1885. Pantaleon SOHM in 1840 married Rosina SPECHT, born in Forchheim, Baden, who came to Quincy in 1834 with her parents, Paul and Theresia (MAST) SPECHT, her mother being a sister of Michael MAST, the first German who located in Quincy. After the death of her husband she continued the grocery business for ten years, she then retired and spent her time visiting with her children until her death October 3, 1913, at the high old age of eighty-eight years. Edward SOHM, the eldest, son, born in Quincy October 2, 1845, received a good education and at the age of eighteen became a teacher in St. Boniface School. August 13, 1867, he married Barbara HELMER, born in St. Louis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Simon HELMER. At that time he entered a business career as a member of the firm H. Ridder & Co., queensware merchants. In 1884 the company was dissolved and the firm Sohm, Ricker & Weisenhorn organized. This company in 1913 became the Roantree China Company. Edward SOHM has been prominent in financial circles for many years. The Ricker Bank was organized in 1881, and, with the exception of three years, he has been connected with that bank during all that period up to the present time, for the first three years as vice president, and then as president, continually succeeding himself in that position, a record of which he may well be proud. Besides this he is identified with various other financial, industrial, and mercantile establishments as stockholder or director. When the Germania Printing and Publishing Company was organized in 1874, Edward SOHM was elected as treasurer of the company, a position which he held for many years. He was one of the organizers of the Quincy Freight Bureau and its treasurer, also treasurer of the Firemen's Benevolent Association. In every movement of public importance he at all times was one of the most effective workers and most valuable advisers. Though repeatedly tendered prominent public offices he steadfastly refused, devoting himself entirely to business and to the upbuilding of the city of his birth. Children living are: Mrs. Theodore HEIDEMANN of Quincy; Will H. SOHM, manager of the Belasco Theater in Quincy; Edward SOHM, Jr., of Waterloo, Iowa; Mrs. Theresa BROCKMANN, of Mount Sterling, Illinois, and Dr. Albert SOHM, dentist, in Quincy. Joseph H. SOHM, the second son of Pantaleon and Rosina (SPECHT) SOHM, was born in Quincy September 12, 1850. After he had grown to manhood he for some time conducted a retail grocery business. Then he entered the employ of Henry Ridder & Co., as traveling salesman. Later he was traveling salesman for Sohm, Ricker & Weisenhorn, and in 1884 became a partner in the business until his death, six years ago; his widow, Theresia, nee WELTIN, lives in California. Joseph H. and Theresia (WELTIN) SOHM had two sons, Ferdinand, in a bank in Chicago, and Joseph, traveling salesman for a wholesale coffee house in St. Louis, and two daughters, Bertha, wife of Frank J. REIMBOLD in Chicago, and Clara, wife of James R. SHEAN in Los Angeles, California. John A. SOHM, third son of Pantaleon and Rosina (SPECHT) SOHM, was born in Quincy August 11, 1854. He is the well known painter and decorator, an art which he with unusual talent acquired and practiced for many years, after working for one year with Martin {b. Stadler}, who also was an artist in his calling. June 19, 1877, John A. SOHM married Helena WELTIN. They have one son, George, who was bookkeeper with the Standard Oil Company in this city, and at present is serving in the army of the United States; and one daughter, member of the Order of Notre Dame, at Washington, Missouri. Mrs. John A. SOHM has in her possession quite an interesting relic, the old scissors which Michael MAST, the first German settler in Quincy, brought from the fatherland when he came to America in 1816. He being a tailor, used these scissors in his business in Germany more than 100 years ago, and then in America until he retired from active business, when he presented it to his niece, Mrs. Rosina (SPECHT) SOHM, who finally gave it to her daughter-in-law, Mrs. John A. SOHM.

SOHM Family: Other Surnames: ABBE, BROCKMANN, HEIDEMANN, HELMER, MAST, REIMBOLD, REYLAND, SHEAN, SMITH, SPECHT, STADLER, WEISENHORN

QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY HISTORY AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN by David F. Wilcox. Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1919. p. 347-349.