My Genealogy Hound

LOUIS HEITMAN, an enterprising and popular young pharmacist of Chester, already occupies an honored position in the business world of his native county. He was born in Randolph County, at Bremen, February 1, 1857, and is the son of Dietrich and Mary (Rickenberg) Heitman, natives of the Fatherland. The parents came to America in 1840, making the journey hither on the sailing vessel “Orleans,” and after landing in the New World made their way directly to this state and county. They immediately located in Bremen, where they are residing at the present time, and rank among its well-to-do citizens. The elder Mr. Heitman was in early life a watchmaker, but upon becoming an American citizen, purchased a farm, and has since been engaged in its cultivation.

Our subject, who is the youngest of the four children born to his parents, carried on his primary studies in the district school. Being ambitious to obtain a good education, however, he took a course of study in the high school of Sparta. Later he entered the Southern Illinois University, from which he was graduated with due honors in 1880. In 1882, wishing to see something of the western country, Mr. Heitman went to California and engaged for one term as Principal of the Azusa School. His ambition, however, being to follow the profession of a pharmacist, he engaged in the drug business at Pasadena, Cal., where he remained for about five years. Then, spending the interval until 1890 in traveling in the western states and territories, Mr. Heitman returned to Chester, in the fall of that year, where he established a drug store, and is conducting a fine business. Here he has a neat and commodious store, complete in all its appointments, well stocked with drugs and medicines, toilet articles, and all things to be found in a first-class establishment. Mr. Heitman pays especial attention to the compounding of prescriptions, and is conducting here a good and well- paying business.

November 9, 1891, our subject and Miss Berthena Eggers were united in marriage. Mrs. Heitman was also born in this place, and is the daughter of Henry and Mary Eggers. He has always taken an active part in social affairs, and is a member of Pasadena Lodge No. 132, K. of P. He has held many prominent offices in that order, and was elected Representative to the Grand Lodge in the Golden State in 1887. Since locating in Chester he became a member of Hercules Lodge No. 228, which he also represented in the Grand Lodge in 1891. In the above year he was elected Deputy Grand Chancellor of this district, which position he still holds. He is likewise a member of Pasadena Lodge No. 172, A. F. & A. M., and also of Harmon G. Reynolds Chapter, of this place. He is a stanch adherent of the Democratic party, and has given his township faithful service as School Director. In addition to this, he is the Secretary of the Southern Illinois Stock and Agricultural Association, and in many ways is promoting the interests of his township.