Stonemasons

The Stonemason relies on an unusual combination of skills including art, math, the sciences, and sheer physical strength.  Following is a listing of  notable stone structures in the area and the stonemasons who built them.  We've added as much of their family detail as possible.

Early Stonemasons:

                                                                           

James Mill in Monroe City- 1827- "John Great" was the stonemason, according to The Combined History of Randolph, Monroe, and Perry Counties, Page 422 (‘History’) He and his family emigrated to Monroe County from Maryland. But there are no further references to “Great.” Was he really “John Grate”?? There are many references to a Grate family in ‘History’, including:

Page 136 W.R. Grate is listed as a landowner prior to 1820 in, 80 acres in 3S-11W Sec 28

Page 139, “John Grate” listed as an owner of livestock

Page 132, lists "John Grate" as a first Monroe County taxpayer in 1816.          

Page 138, "John Grate" signed petition for new road in American Bottom, 1818, from Harrison to Wilson's landing (on river just north of Outlet Road)                                      

Page, 115, “John Grate” listed as a Head of Household in Kaskaskia, Census of the County (Randolph) November 25, 1825 

Page 133, James Grate had a good farmhouse assessed at $300                                                      

Immaculate Conception Church, Madonnaville- 1856-- George Andres was stonemason on the original Church-- cornerstone laid September 14, 1856,-- Rectory, and Schoolhouse, From  Arrowheads to Aerojets  Page 377.  – Sandy Baum research: Andres died in 1864 and is buried at Madonnaville.          

Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Wartburg- 1863-- Mauer Leibach did the stone work for Holy Cross Lutheran Church Wartburg in 1863- From ‘God's Grace in a Country Place.’ page 62

Herman Klostermann built the steeple in 1913,        from “Grace’

Monroe County Atlas -1875-- Philip May listed as a Brick and Stone Mason in Burksville, 3S-10W, came to Monroe County from Germany in 1857

From Living History of Maeystown:

Maeystown Church- 1865-1867- New Maeystown Church was built with Martin Fornbauer as the stonemason in charge- everyone in town worked on it.  Fornbauer listed as a resident of Maeystown.  – Sandy Baum research: Martin Fornbauer died in 1883 in Maeystown. His daughter Anna Margarethe married Philip Baum, son of Philip and Katherine Gerlach, and brother to Jacob, (my great-great grandfather.)  Anna died in 1889 and George moved to Missouri and Kansas.  Martin’s daughter Caroline married Herman Thiele. Their granddaughters are Dorothy, married to Ralph Brandt, and Marguerite, married to Robert.

               Smolkant and Fink (below) built the steeple in 1888.                                                          

Maeystown Bridge- 1880- 1881-- J. B. Morandy Company won the contract for the Bridge. Tom Fink and Alphonse Smolkant were employed as master stonemasons.  Sandy Baum research: Thomas Fink had 8 children born in Maeystown. They moved to St Louis by 1900. He died in 1914.                

               IL Marriage Index- J.B Morandy married Antoinette Bourgeois in Randolph County 14 October 1879.                   

Maeystown Rock Mill - 1880     

Smolkant House-1892- Smolkant built his house at Franklin and Hanover Streets in 1892.  It has a unique gambrel roof.  Smolkant built a shed on his property where he taught stonemasonry and his apprentices built many of the walls in town.  -- Sandy Baum research: Alphonse Smolkant died in 1909. His wife died in 1926 and is buried in Murphysboro. Her obituary indicates no children. She had a brother William Bladt in St Louis. He was also a stone mason. He and his wife lived in Maeystown until 1908. They had 6 children born in Maeystown.  William died in 1931.