My Genealogy Hound

VIVELL, FRANK, baker, confectioner, and dealer in fancy groceries and notions, Carrollton, Ill. Among the live business men who have contributed very much toward the present prosperous condition of Greene Co., the above enterprising gentleman is worthy of more than a passing notice. Frank Vivell is a native of Baden, Germany, born in 1830; passing his earlier years in his native land, where he early learned the trade of a baker; attaining his majority he concluded to better his fortunes in the New World, and accordingly he embarked on board a sailing vessel in 1852; after a tedious voyage of some weeks duration he landed in the great metropolitan city of New York. Remaining but a short time, viewing the sights and scenes of the city, he made his way to Philadelphia, and taking passage on the Erie Canal in a crowded canal-boat to Pittsburg, for he was then in very straitened circumstances. During the passage by canal-boat the cholera became a sweeping epidemic; of twenty-eight passengers twenty-five died from cholera. At Canalton, Indiana, he was detained a short time, and now determined to make his way to St. Louis. A little incident here is worthy of note: taking passage on a mail boat down the “Father of Waters” for St. Louis, it touched at various points; at one of them our subject jumped off and laid in a small supply of provisions; hastening to the wharf, he was just in time to see the vessel gliding away for St. Louis. Discouraged he sat down and awaited the arrival of another boat. A stern-wheeler hove in sight; having no money, he however stepped on board and was soon on his way down the river; but here commenced an act of cruelty unparalleled; he was given instructions to attend to the pump until relieved; taking his station here, morning fled away and no breakfast, noon and no dinner, night and no supper; he began to feel rather lonesome. A clerk on board being a German, he now made a bolt for the cabin to procure something to eat, but was dragged back by the mate, suffering untold misfortunes. He determined when the vessel touched at St. Louis to make his escape, and accordingly jumped from the vessel when it landed and made his way into the city, in a ridiculous fashion. In St. Louis he became fourth cook and bootblack at the American hotel. Here a laughable episode occurred, a drunken man sauntered in for the purpose of handing Mr. Vivell his whip; he made several staggering attempts to do so. It occurred to our subject, who understood little English, that to suffer innumerable misfortunes on his passage down the river and now to be horse-whipped, to use his own language, was “too thin.” His whole nature rose up in rebellion against this outrage, and making one desperate spring for his victim, subjected him to a pommeling that he remembered for many a day. Owing to limited space we cannot follow step by step, as we would wish to, many interesting passages in the life of Mr. Vivell. At Jacksonville and other points he worked as pastry cook. In May, 1856, he made his way to Carrollton, where he entered into business as baker and confectioner, and dealer in fancy groceries. Through indomitable energy he soon entered upon a prosperous career, and now today, after many years of hardship and self-denial, he has built up a trade unequaled in the West; the owner of magnificent property in Carrollton, and the finest residence in Greene Co. And in conclusion we may safely state that a more live, energetic man than Mr. V. it would be a hard matter to find.