For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 568
CHESTER LILLIBRIDGE....Few men during recent years have accomplished more for the upbuilding of Muscatine than Chester Lillibridge, now serving as superintendent, treasurer and financial secretary of the Muscatine Bridge Company and also identified with a number of enterpirses directly connected with the interests of the city. In the discharge of his various responsibilities he has shown a judgment and fidelity which have reflected upon himself and his associates the highest credit and contributed in a large degree to the success of undertakings of great importance.He was born in Bloomington township, Muscatine county, October 7, 1844, and is a son of Amos and Amanda M. ( Beardsley ) Lillibridge. The father was born in Rhode Island and came to Muscatine in 1839, preempting government land in Bloomington township about six miles east of the present site of Muscatine. Later he removed to within four miles of Muscatine and there continued until his death, which occurred in November, 1854. He was buried in Brown cemetery and was known as one of the leading men of the township, serving on the board of supervisors for two terms. Politically he was an old line whig. The mother of our subject was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and was married in Muscatine county. She survived her husband thirty years, being called away in May, 1884. There were six children in the family : George, deceased ; Caroline, the wife of Henry Kneese of Muscatine ; Chester, our subject ; Emma, also of Muscatine ; George, deceased ; and Clara, a resident of Los Angeles, California.
Chester Lillibridge was educated in the public schools of Muscatine. The administrators of his father's estate having dissapated the property, the children were left largely to depend upon themselves. Accordingly our subject began as a clerk in a store at sixteen years of age. In three months, however, he had shown a capacity which pleased the members of the firm, and he was taken into partnership and continued in that line of business for twenty-nine years. Perceiving the importance of bridging over the Mississippii river at Muscatine, he became one of the projectors of the enterprise and sold eighty percent of the stock necessary for its construction. In 1890 he became a director of the Muscatine Bridge Company and collected the money by means of which the work was completed. He is now serving as treasurer, financial secretary and superintendent of the company and the project which he assisted in bringing to a successful conclusion has proved one of the most important auxiliaries that has been known in the building up of Muscatine and the adjacent country. He also obtained a charter for a toll road in 1893, which was built and proved a perfect success. After a failure had been made of the undertaking, he in 1907 took up the project of building a levee on the east side of the Mississippi river and sold the bonds for its construction. He is one of the commissioners and secretary of this company. He is a director of the Hershey State Bank and is the owner of nine hundred acres of land in Rock Island county, Illinois, which he is putting into fine shape for special agricultural farming. He is also the owner of a store building and a commodious residence in Muscatine and some time ago had charge of the erection of two bridges across the Cedar river.
On October 16, 1872, Mr. Lillibridge was united in marriage to Miss Mary C. Jackson, and four children have brightened their home : Cora, the wife of Ed. T. Lillie, of Muscatine ; Ralph J., with H. W. Huttig, of Muscatine ; Bert, also of Muscatine ; and Edwin, a resident of Cloquet, Minnesota.
At the tme of the Civil war Mr. Lillibridge offered himself for service, but was refused as he was but sixteen years of age. However, the state was less rigid in its requirements, and he was accepted as orderly in the state militia under General Edward Hatch. Politically he is identified with the republican party and a stanch adherent of its principles. He has served as a member of the school board of Muscatine and at that time had charge of seven buildings in the course of construction. He is connected with the Congregational church and the Commercial Club, but his various business interests have required his principal attention. Although he has accomplished a great deal for Muscatine and the region adjacent, he sees much work to be done. It is to men like the subject of this review, endowed with clear vision and sound judgment, that the future must look for the discharge of these responsibilities.
Back to Biographical Index Page