Biography - Francis R. Woelfle
FRANCIS RODMAN WOELFLE. The shrewd business acumen of the financiers of
Johnson county have placed the banking institutions of this section on a
sound foundation, and their knowledge of men and conditions has enabled them
to pilot their monetary crafts through the storms of financial distress that
have struck the country and to bring them safely into the port of public
confidence. The Drovers State Bank of Vienna, one of the secure and solid
institutions of Southern Illinois, is fortunate in having for its officials
men with unquestioned reputations as safe and far-seeing financiers, and
much of the credit for the bank's present prosperous condition must be given
to its able and trustworthy cashier, Francis Rodman Woelfle. Mr. Woelfle is
a native of Jonesboro, Illinois, and was born September 16, 1867, a son of
Dr. John M. and Anna (Clark) Woelfle.
John M. Woelfle was born in Germany, in 1831, and received his education in
the schools of his native land. Deciding upon a medical career early in
life, he studied medicine until entering the German army, in which he served
five years, and in 1848, or thereabouts, came to the United States and
located at Buffalo, New York. There he was engaged in an official capacity
until 1859, when he came West to Alton, Illinois, and when the Civil war
broke out he enlisted in the Union army, rising to the rank of captain of
Company B, First Missouri Light Artillery. During his four years of service
he participated in many important engagements, and was with General Sherman
on his famous "March to the Sea." The record he established during his
military career was an excellent one, but it was equaled by his record as a
private citizen and member of the medical profession. He began to practice
in 1867, at Jonesboro, but later removed to Anna, from whence he returned to
Jonesboro, and there died in 1882. He married Anna Clark, and they reared a
family of six children, namely: Alpha, Omega, Francis Rodman, Minnie, James
and Gertrude.
Francis Rodman Woelfle was educated in the Anna public schools and at
Centralia, Illinois, being sixteen years of age when he was graduated from
the high school of the latter city. Entering the milling business at Vienna,
he began at the bottom of the ladder, and when he resigned his position in
1896 he had thoroughly mastered every detail of that trade. He then removed
to Canton, Missouri, where he followed the same line on his own account
until 1903, and in that year returned to Vienna and became identified with
the Drovers State Bank as cashier and stockholder. He has farming interests
to the extent of one hundred and fifteen acres in Johnson county, and is the
proprietor of a successful grain and elevator business at Belknap, Johnson
county. Fraternally Mr. Woelfle is connected with the A. F. & A. M. having
attained to the Knight Templer degree, also with I. O. 0. F. lodge and
encampment, and the Modern Woodmen of America. His religious connection is
with the Methodist Episcopal church.
In 1889 Mr. Woelfle was married to Miss Carrie Kuykendall, daughter of J. B.
Kuykendall, and they have had one son, Joseph Rodman, who is now a bright
and interesting lad of eleven years. Mr. Woelfle started out in life
empty-handed and may truly be called a self-made man, for he has labored
earnestly and untiringly and the property he now enjoys is the reward of
perseverance and good management. He is ever ready to enter into any
feasible undertaking that will benefit Vienna and is looked upon as one of
the city's representative public-spirited citizens.
Extracted 14 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 686-687.
