St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-21
By T. NJ. SEwsoN.
Article XLTV.
Il. A. scHLrEK.


where he learned the trade of the shoemaker,
and came to this country in 1915. He landed
at New Orleans and went to St. Louis, where
he remained three years. He then removed
to Milwaukee, and there worked for three
dollars per week, and at the expiration Of
five years had laid by 500, with which to
commence business at Madison, which plae c
he left soon after for st. Paul, where he
arrived in 1852, with three dollars
in his pocket and his wife with
five. He commenced business in the build
ing which at present stands on the corner Of
Wabashaw and Third streets, but which then
occupied the corner now devoted to the Pho
neer Press Office. 1t was subsequently moved
70 where it now stands. In 1877 the firm
was organized as Schliek & Company, the
company consisting of his two soDs, and
fine store WIS opened on Third street, and
has ever since done a good trade. He mar
rled Miss Elizabeth Kersting in Milwaukee
in 1850, and left when he died, three chill
dren, Edward, Charles and Augustus, all
young men of fine promise and good busl-
ness tact. His wife preceded him in her
death only a short time.
EARLY INVESTMENTS.
Among Mr.. Schliek's early purchases was
three lots in Nicollet county, for which he
gave three pairs Of boots; property now valued
at about So, 800; one lot in Mankato city,
cost S25; worth S7OO; 800 acres on the Su-
perior road, cost $50; worth several thou
sands; 16 lots in LIE Sueur county; cost
$3.50; worth $4,000; lot near the German
Catholic church, st. Paul, for which he paid
&l,S00; sold for 81, 800; worth $4,000; lot
on Cedar street, near where the old Episcopal
church stood, cost 5000; worth SIS, 900; lot
on Cakes street, cost 50, 500; sold for &c.
600; worth $4,000; a lot in the Sixth ward,
cost $500; worth $4,000; three acres near
the Home for the Friendless, cost $500;
worth S66, 900; the lot corner of Fourth and
Wabashaw streets, cost 81, 500 fourteen years
ago; worth $4,000 now. Beside this he left
between 5000 and $4,000 in personal
property, so that his estate when he died,
footed up to nearly 100000, all accumulated
by strict attention to business.
PECULIAR MAN.
Mr.. Schliek will always be remembered by
the old settlers as one of the most polite men
in the city. He was nearly always in good
humor, very affable, and made great run
on the "Burt shoe,' and on this he built up
q large trade He started his boys in bust
ness on Third street. and then fell back into
his little old store-now remodeled by his
son-On the corner of Wabashaw and Fourth
streets, where he spent the remainder of his
business days. He was a well pro-
Portioned man, quick in his move
ments, pleasant in his ways,
and especially noted for the manner in which
he addressed his friends on the street, just
in front Of bis eIora I,y q ebal-a Of 4ho hand
a nod of the head, and that ever-to-be-re-
membered cluck of the mouth. He was
democratic in his feelings-having no snob-
ism about him-and often appeared on his
favorite corner with a pair of spectacles on
his head, Ono hat) an apron around his waist,
and bowling and shaking hands with all he
met, never falling to greet them with that
peculiar noise he made with
the tongue. He gave quite lib
orally to the German church and to
other charitable Objects and lived and died
4 good man, at the age of sixty-four years.
We never turn, even now, that identical
corner without expecting to see that identical
old gentleman greet US in his peculiar way,
for he was as much of landmark in the
past as the building itself is to-day.
Bubble, bubble toll and trouble,
From the cradle to the grave
And such is life! But it is good to reflect
that it leaves no stings.
CAPT. JOHN o'GoRMAN.
Capt. O'Gorman was born in Kilkenny,
Ireland, in 1916; emigrated to Boston in
1884; removed to Chicago in 1S4S, and came
TO st. Paul in 1852; died in 1872, aged fifty
six years.
OFFICES.
He held the position at one time in this
city, Of captain of police, then chief of police,
then city assessor for two years, inspector of
state prison, bridge receiver for many years,
and captain of 4 military company called
the Shields Guards.
PROPERTY.
The Captain purchased lot on the corner
of Ninth and st. Peter streets in the year
1852, for which he paid s7OO. 1t was sold
for $4,000, and is now worth SIG, 600; he
purchased also some lots out on the Fort road
for which he paid about 500; worth now
$4,000. On his city lot on st. Peter street,
lhe erected small brick buiS1ing, in which
she reared eight children, six of whom are
boys and two are girls-all living. We think
he was mason by trade, but of late years he
was prevented from working at it for the
WANT VI SOOu ucditu
HIS PERSONALITY.
Capt. O'Gorman was slender man, very
quietly spoken and very pleasant in his man
ners. We remember him very well. Ser
geant VIM. O'Gorman, his son, was in our
commissary department for several years.
One OF the boys was ia Gen. Sibley's office
during the war; (now sheriff. another be-
came priest; another was with Pat Kelly,
and indeed the boys have all done well,
thanks to the good example set them by their
excellent father, and of whom we have many
pheasant memories.
JOHN MATHEs.
The old adage that it takes SHINE tailors
TO make man, is not true in the case of
Mr.. Mathes, who was man before he was
tailor, and has continued so ever since, al
though he was among the very first who
handled pair of shears in st. Paul, where be
arrived in the year 1852. For six years he
carried on his business on Third street. when
he gave it up and became the cutter for Mr.
Campbell, with whom he continued for five
years, and then was connected with
Griswold and Tenney (hoth dead,) and in
1870 opened his present extensive trade on
jackson street, where he and his partners are
doing q good business. He is a bustling
active business man, and has seen many and
great changes since he came to st. Paul, now
thirty-three years ago.
JAMES o'BRIEN.
Mr.. O'Brien was born in Michigan in 1915;
was educated in the common schools of that
place, and came to st. Paul in 1882
In 1862 he enlisted in company II,
Tenth regiment, and served during the
war. He was wounded at the battle of Nash
lila No 10 1914 oo1