The German character is in all communities influential for good upon business prosperity because its conspicuous qualities are thrift, industry, perseverance and integrity, the four corner-stones of all stable financial and industrial structures. LaSalle, Illinois, has its German contingent and is duly appreciative of it and of what it has done for the town, and there are few, if any, of this worthy class of citizens who are more highly regarded in business and social circles than the man whose name forms the caption of this article.
Christian Steinmayer was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, January 6, 1854, a son of Christopher and Lena (Horwarth) Steinmayer, and is the last of his father's family, his only sister having died in Germany. In his native land he gained an education equivalent to a high-school education in America and learned the machinist's trade and worked at it there until 1874. when, at the age of twenty, he came to the United States and after living one year in Chicago, located at LaSalle, where he was employed as a machinist by Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Company until 1878, in which year he was made foreman of this concern's machine shop. This position Mr. Steinmayer held until 1887.
In April of the year last mentioned Mr. Steinmayer, with others, organized the LaSalle Pressed Brick Company, which engaged in the manufacture of pressed brick from clay found in LaSalle township. Success has attended the enterprise, and the factory has been increased until it is now three times its original size. The business has witnessed a steady increase, until the products of the factory have reached an annual output of over four millions of brick. The company manufacture plain, moulded and ornamental pressed brick, standard and Roman sizes, in red, buff, brown, pink, and other colors and find ready sale for the output, shipping to many points in the northwest, including Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth, and to more distant points in the Dakotas and other western states. Mr. Steinmayer, the president of the company, has been in charge of its interests from the day of its beginning, and the success it has achieved under his management reflects the greatest credit on his ability to organize and build up a big enterprise.
In 1876 Mr. Steinmayer married Catharine Feurer, who likewise was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, and who has borne him seven children, six of whom are living. He regards his success in life modestly, and does much quiet and effective work for the public good. He takes no active interest in politics, but has decided views on all public questions, and performs his duty as a citizen, unfailingly and conscientiously.
Extracted by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois published in 1900, volume 1, pages 383-384.
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