Biography - Charles Reum
CHARLES H. REUM. The subject of this sketch was born in St. Louis, Mo., November 7, 1860, and is the son of Charles and Christina (Siemans) Reum. The mother of our subject was a sister of the late Mr. Christian Siemans, who was one of the wealthy men of this community.
Our subject's mother dying when he was but three years of age, he was adopted by his uncle, Christian Siemans, who gave him a liberal education, a home in his family, and the protection of a father until he was twenty-one years old. The first position Mr. Reum took in the business world was with the coal company, by whom he was employed for a number of years. In the spring of 1892, he, in partnership with Mr. Thomas Scharf, engaged in the livery business in Sorento, of which business they have made a success.
An important event occurred in the life of Mr. Reum in 1884, as it was in that year that he married Miss Augusta Lohmann. She was a niece of Mrs. Christian Siemans, but made her home in the family of Mr. William Scharf. After marriage the young couple made their home with Mr. Scharf, in his pleasant residence adjoining the town of Sorento. Four children have been the result of this union, only two of whom are now living. The little ones were Otto, now a boy of seven years; Mary, who died when nearly five years old; Albert who is now a boy of four years; and August, who died when nearly a year old.
Mr. Reum is a Mason in good standing, and also belongs to the order of the Knights of Pythias. He is a most excellent business man, capable, industrious and energetic. In his business career he has shown himself to be strictly honorable, trustworthy and plain dealing, and he enjoys a high personal standing in this community, in which he is so well known.
It is always a pleasure to the biographer to incorporate in his volume the sketch of a man who has proved himself the worthy descendant of an honorable family. The household band of which our subject made one ranks among the first families in this part of the State, not only on account of the wealth possessed by its head, but on account of its prestige for social and mental honors, and our subject, while devoting himself to the interests of his own immediate family, and desiring no public honors, keeps pace with the improvements going on around him. The qualities of mind and character which he has exhibited throughout his life in Sorento cannot fail to win him the respect of those among whom he is known, and make his acquaintances lifetime friends. Few young business men display better qualifications to meet with success in life, and our subject will certainly reach the goal of ambitions by the manly and energetic course which he has mapped out for himself.
Extracted 21 Dec 2016 by Norma Hass from 1892 Portrait and Biographical Record of Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, page 467.
