Bader, Herman

The following data is extracted from Centennial History of Missouri.

Herman Bader, clerk of the circuit court for criminal causes in St. Louis, was born March 26, 1863, in the city which is yet his home. His father, Philip Bader, was a native of Germany and on coming to America settled in St. Louis about 1830, following the blacksmith's trade successfully throughout his life. At the time of the Civil war he served with the St. Louis Home Guards and passed away in 1864. His wife, Mrs. Louisa Bader, also a native of Germany, came to America during the '30s and for more than a half century survived her husband, passing away in St. Louis in April, 1918, at the age of eighty-five years. Their family numbered four sons and three daughters.

Herman Bader, the youngest child, attended the public schools of St. Louis to the age of thirteen and then started out to provide for his own support, serving an apprenticeship to the blacksmith's trade, which he followed as a journeyman for ten years. He then became a professional ball player, being a member of the Washington National League Club, acting as outfielder on the Washington team for a year. Later he was with the Albany, Denver and Dallas (Texas) clubs, spending seven years at professional baseball. He then became an active figure in politics, his first public office being that of overseer for the St. Louis street department, with which he was connected for two years. He later entered the city marshal's office, in which he served as deputy from 1898 until 1902, and on the expiration of that four-year period he entered the liquor business, in which he continued until 1918, when he was elected to his present office-that of clerk of the circuit court for criminal causes. In all business affairs he is said to be a thoroughly dependable man and whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his own efforts, for he has depended upon his labors from the age of thirteen. He is the vice president of the Meteor Coal Company, aiding in the conduct of the business in connection with his official duties.

On the 18th of March, 1886, Mr. Bader was married in St. Louis to Miss Clara Thiele, a native of Germany and daughter of Julius and Clara Thiele. They have one son, Arthur H., who is a graduate of Washington University and now an attorney at law.

Politically Mr. Bader has always been a republican and for the past eighteen years has been republican committeeman of the twenty-first ward. He belongs to Mizpah Lodge, A. F. & A. M.; Bellefontaine Chapter, R. A. M.; and Ivanhoe Commandery, K. T. He also has membership with the Riverview and Century Boat Clubs. He finds diversion in football, baseball and all manly outdoor sports. During the war he served as chairman of the Red Cross in the twenty-first ward during the first drive and was chairman in his ward for the sale of War Savings Stamps. One who has known him practically throughout his entire life said of him: "In my estimation he is one of the few men who stands strictly for fairness, honesty and candor in every walk of life and especially so in all the political work that he has ever done."

Source: Centennial History of Missouri

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