Westermeier, C. Bio
HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
DESCRIPTIVE OF ITS SCENERY,
AND
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.
Published by Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia
1879
Page 116:
WESTERMEIER, C., was born in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, July 22d, 1846. His father, Casper Westermeier, is a native or Prussia. He emigrated to America about the year 1843, and settled in St. Louis, and soon after was united in marriage to Miss Anna M. Dekemeyer, a native of Hanover, Germany. Here he followed his trade of carpenter and builder. He remained there until June, 1861, when he removed with his family, consisting of his wife and three boys, Casper, John and Joseph, to Bunker Hill, in Macoupin county, where they, the parents, still reside, their three sons now residing at Carlinville. The subject of our sketch is the eldest in a family of five boys, only three of whom are now living. He attended the Parochial schools of St. Peter and Paul, and St. Vincent�s, conducted by the Christian Brothers at St. Louis, and the public school at Bunker Hill, and received a good German and English education. When he was sixteen years of age he commenced clerking in a general store in Gillespie, Macoupin county, where he remained about one year and a half, and then returned to Bunker Hill, and engaged with J. T. Pennington, who was in the general merchandizing business, where he was a salesman and book-keeper. He remained there near four years. On the 15th day of October, 1867, he was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Carlisle, a native of Scotland, who came to this country at a tender age, and was a resident of Litchfield at the time of her marriage. Her father, William Carlisle, was government baker at Dumfries, Scotland, and came to America with some friends, on a pleasure trip, and at Galveston, Texas, contracted disease that was epidemic, and died. His wife and two daughters came over in 1848, and settled in Ohio, and then in St. Louis, Mo., and afterwards came to Bunker Hill. The mother married Wm. Manley, Esq., and now lives at Litchfield. After his marriage he went to Litchfield, and engaged in general merchandizing, at which he continued until November, 1868, when he sold out and came to Carlinville, the last day of November, 1868, having accepted a deputy clerkship under Henry W. Burton, Esq., circuit clerk. He remained in that office with Mr. Burton eight years, and with his successor, George R. Hughes, Esq., circuit clerk, until the first of December, 1877. In August of the latter year, he had received the nomination for county clerk on the Democratic ticket, and at the ensuing election in November he was elected, and now fills the office to the entire satisfaction of his numerous friends, who honored him with their suffrages. He has also held minor local offices, and was city treasurer of Carlinville, in 1872-73, for one term. He is a staunch democrat, and one that is always found in the ranks.
In early life it was his intention of following the carpenter trade, but he had not the physical strength to stand the hard labor, and was therefore compelled to adopt a clerical profession as a means of obtaining a livelihood.
Both he and his estimable wife are members of the Catholic Church of Carlinville. He is the happy father of six children, four girls and two boys. In his manners Mr. Westermeier is a genial and courteous gentleman, kind and considerate for the wants and opinions of others. In his official capacity he is obliging and industrious, while his books and papers are models of neatness and accuracy. It is with pleasure the we here introduce him anew to his friends and neighbors.
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