Samuel Storer was
the
second man to be elected Mayor of the city. He served five terms,
1862, 1863, 1867, 1868, 1873, and was one of the men whose signature
appears
on the city charter. He built the residence at 302 S. Cherry.
Among his other activities he was an early paymaster
for the Illinois Central in the days when the men were paid in gold and
the paymaster and his crew travelled the length of the Illinois Central
line on an open hand car. On one occasion he is said to have
successfully
resisted an attempted hold-up.
J. G. Cormick was
the third Mayor of the city of Centralia. He served two terms,
1864
and 1865.
"Joe" Cormick (as he was familiarly known) was an
Illinois Central railroad conductor and at the time of his death in
1879
was said to have been the oldest man in point of service on the
railroad.
He served in the Mexican War and during the Civil
War was commissioned as a Captain.
Elias W. Welden,
eleventh
mayor of Centralia, served for two terms in 1883 and 1884. Mr. Welden
was
a school teacher in Ohio and later moved to St. Clair County, Ill.,
where
he studied law. He was admitted to the St. Clair County bar in
1855,
and practiced law in DuQuoin, Ill., from 1858 to 1861.
During the Civil War he came to Centralia and began
work as a postal clerk for the Illinois Central railroad, resigned his
position to assume duties as Warden of the Menard State Penitentiary.
Berthold M. Haussler,
was the 12th and 15th mayor of Centralia, Serving in 1886, 1887,
1897 and 1898. He was a prominent business and political leader
in Centralia for serveral decades. Along with his mother and his
sons, he managed the family's furniture and undertaking business. Obituary Article
Fayette D. Rexford, mayor of Centralia in 1888, served only one term. He was owner and manager of the Rexford House, Centralia's first hotel and gathering place for celebreties during the "gay nineties." It stood where the Illinois Central Depot once stood.
Simpson A Frazier,
16th
mayor of Centralia, was elected in 1899, 1900, 1909, 1910, 1911 and
1912.
He was a prominent Marion County attorney. During his term as
mayor
he was instrumental in building the old reservoir and planting the beds
of Egyptian lotus that blloom in the lake were brought here through Mr.
Frazier's effort.
Interested in the study of Ecomomics, he acquired
a large personal library, which was later presented to Drake
University.
Robert Rohl, 17th mayor of Centralia, was elected in 1901 and 1902. He established the Centralia Bottling Works with which he was always identified and helped organize sports in Centralia. He was manager of the Centrlia White Sox, a team that sent serveral players and its umpire to the major leagues.
Norman M. Rexford, 18th mayor of Centralia, served in 1903, 1905, 1906. He was the son of Fayette D. Rexford, who served in 1888. He was a prominent in business and social circles in Centralia.
Fred Pullen, 20th mayor of Centrali, was elected in 1913, 1914. Prominent in Centralia business circles, he operated the Centralia Ice and Cold Storage Co. for many years. He was an ardent sportsman and was particularly fond of hunting.
Louis Peifer, 24th mayor of Centralia was elected in 1935 for a four-year term. A native of German, Mr. Peifer has acquired success through years of perseverance. For many years he was associated in the cigar manufacturing business with his brother, Jacob, and in 1910 he took charge of the Southern Illinois Cigar Co. He resided with his wife at 326 Melrose.