My Genealogy Hound

CHARLES H. SUNDMACHER, one of the self-made men of Jackson County and a leading attorney-at-law of Murphysboro, is a native of the neighboring state of Missouri, his birth having occurred in St. Louis, July 25, 1857. His father, Ferdinand Sundmacher, was a native of Germany and a carpenter by trade. When a young man he came to the United States, locating in St. Louis, where he followed carpentering for some time. During the war he carried on farming near De Soto, Jefferson County, Mo., and in 1865 went to Belleville, St. Clair County, Ill. Two years later he came to Murphysboro, where he was engaged as a carpenter for some time, but is now living retired. His wife, Mrs. Mary (Bodeker) Sundmacher, was born in the Fatherland, and during her infancy was brought by her parents to America. She died in Murphysboro at the age of forty, leaving one son and two daughters.

The former, Charles H., was a lad of only ten summers when he located in Murphysboro. He attended the public schools until fifteen years of age and then went to the west, where he was engaged in mining and prospecting in the mountains of California in various places on the coast. He was in a number of states beyond the Mississippi from 1872 until 1882. The following year however, he made a permanent location in Murphysboro, and began reading law under the direction of George W. Smith, Member of Congress. He has since engaged in practice, and was admitted to the Bar in Mt. Vernon in 1887. In the spring of 1885 he was elected City Attorney, and after faithfully filling that office for a term of two years was re-elected, in 1887. He was one of the revisers of the city ordinances of Murphysboro, and, in connection with R. J. Stephens, prepared the copy for the press, a work of one hundred and eighty-four pages.

The marriage of Mr. Sundmacher and Miss Maggie Blue was celebrated in Murphysboro in 1887. The lady was born in Kentucky, but her girlhood days were spent in Williamson County, Ill. They have a little daughter, Mary.

Our subject takes considerable interest in civic societies, is a member of Amity Lodge, I. O. O. F., and the encampment, and is a very prominent Mason. He belongs to the blue lodge and chapter of Murphysboro, being Past High Priest of the latter; to the Knight Templar Commandery of Cairo; and the Medina Temple of the Mystic Shrine and the Oriental Consistory, both of Chicago, having attained the thirty-second degree. He has served as representative to the Grand Chapter of the state. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias. In his political views he is a Democrat. His service as City Attorney gave great satisfaction, and in this community he is recognized as a lawyer of ability, who is rapidly winning a prominent place among his professional brethren. In January, 1894, he was one of the corporators of the Logan Investment Company of Murphysboro, of which he is now manager.