Hornstein, John G. bio

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 707-708; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
John G. Hornstein is a member of the enterprising firm of Hornstein, Bolton & Co., of Canton, who are among the leading brick manufacturers of the county. He is a native of Crawford County, Pa., and was born November 24, 1836, to Adam and Rosanna (Darr) Hornstein. His father was a farmer and of German descent, and both he and his wife spent their last days in Pennsylvania. They were the parents of three children, of whom John G. was the eldest.
The boyhood days of our subject were passed in his native county and he gained his early knowledge of books in the primitive log schoolhouse. In his youth he began to learn the trade of a machinist and that of a stationary engineer. One the completion of his apprenticeship he drifted westward to Quincy, in this State, in the year 1855 and in that city worked at his trade several years. He finally went from there to Peoria where he was engaged as engineer in a distillery.
Our subject is one of the brave veterans of the late war, serving long and honorably in defense of his country. He enlisted in the month of July, 1861, as a member of Company K, Seventh Illinois Cavalry, which was assigned to the Army of Mississippi then commanded by Gens. Pope and Grant. Mr. Hornstein took part in several battles and engagements and proved to possess excellent soldierly qualities. He served in the battles of New Madrid, Mo.; Iuka, Miss., and other battles, and remained with his regiment until October, 1864, when he was honorably discharged at Springfield, Ill.
Returning to Canton after his experiences of war and bloodshed, our subject was employed by J. H. McCall to run the engine in his distillery and in connection operated a flouring-mill for several years. He finally purchased an interest in the distillery, associating himself with Charles Raymond under the firm name of Raymond & Co., and together they managed the distillery for tow years. Mr. Hornstein then purchased the entire interest in the business and had it under his control for some years, when he sold the distillery to the whisky trust.
Previously, however, Mr. Hornstein had become interested in the brick business under the firm name of Hornstein, Bolton & Co., and commenced the manufacture of brick of a superior quality. The members of this firm still continue together and there has been no change in the name of the company. They have the best of machinery and material and produce a superior quality of brick for which they find ready sale. In 1887 the company added to their works the dry-press brick machine, thus greatly increasing their facilities for carrying on business, which is conducted after the best modes. They have been burned out twice but have rebuilt with improvements in each case, and now their works have a capacity of twenty-five thousand bricks per day. Their yards are located in the northwestern part of the city near the old distillery plant.
Mr. Hornstein has been twice married. First in January 1865, he was wedded to Miss Elizabeth M. Slocum, of Canton, and a daughter of Stephen P. Slocum. She departed this life in 1868, leaving one son – Fred S. The marriage of our subject to his present wife, formerly Miss Grace S. Raymond, took place in 1872. Mrs. Hornstein is a daughter of John and Margaret P. Raymond, and she was born in London, England. She was seven years of age when she came to this country. Mr. Hornstein is a man of social prominence and is a member of Morning Star Lodge No. 734, A. F. & A. M., also of Peoria Chapter No. 7, and of the Peoria Consistory of K. T. He and his amiable wife are in every way worthy of the high regard in which they are held, and at their attractive residence No. 3, West Illinois street, they dispense a pleasant hospitality.
A lithographic portrait of Mr. Hornstein appears elsewhere in this volume.