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THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  ILLINOIS 

LIBRARY 

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BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL 


RECORD 


OF 


La  Salle  and  Grundy  Counties 


ILLINOIS 


ILLUSTRATED 


x^oi^xjtimh:;    ii 


CHICAGO 
THE   LEWIS    PUBLISHING   COMPANY 

1900 


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BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL  RECORD 


MRS.  AARON  TYLER  HARFORD. 

C  RANGES  (DEWEY)  HARFORD,  widow  of  the  late  Aaron  Tyler 
Harford,  of  Verona,  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  leading  pioneer 
families  of  Grundy  county,  Illinois.  The  ancestors  of  both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Harford,  in  both  the  paternal  and  maternal  lines,  were  of  sterling  English 
stock.  They  were  of  a  race  w  hich  has  been  foremost  in  America  in  found- 
ing our  free  institutions  and  in  settling  and  developing  our  country.  The 
first  of  this  family  of  Harfords  in  America  was  a  pioneer  in  Westchester 
county,  New  York;  and  Ephraim  Harford,  grandfather  of  Aaron  Tyler  Har- 
ford, was  a  farmer  there. 

Harry  Harford,  a  son  of  Ephraim  and  father  of  Aaron  Tyler  Harford, 
was  bom  in  Westchester  count) ,  New  York,  April  3,  1780.  He  was  a  soldier 
in  the  United  States  Army  in  the  war  of  181 2-14,  and  was  captured  by  the 
British  and  confined  for  a  considerable  time  on  a  prison  ship.  His  wife, 
Peggie  Maria  Tyler,  whom  he  married  in  Westchester  county,  was  born 
there  March  3.  1798,  and  was  a  first  cousin  of  John  Tyler,  president  of  the 
United  States.  Their  children  were  born  and  named  as  follows:  Lewis  T., 
1815;  Loretta.  March  13,  1816:  Sarah  McDonald,  1817;  Elizabeth  Cecilia. 
1818  (died  April  28,  1895);  Ghauncey.  1819;  Altie,  1821;  Aaron  J..  1822  (died 
July  15,  1899):  ]\Iargaret  F.,  1823  (died  December  25,  1876);  John,  1824; 
William  H.,  1827;  Frederick  C,  1830;  Peter  Fleming,  1832;  Mary,  1834 
(died  young);  Catherine,  1837;  and  Joseph. 

Harry  Harford,  who  was  a  w^ell-read  and  observant  man,  and  who  was 
m  early  life  a  school  teacher,  lived  on  his  farm  in  Westchester  county.  New 
York,  until  about  1840.  when  he  removed  to  Illinois.  He  traded  his  New 
York  farm  for  one  hundred  arid  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Kendall  county,  four 
miles  east  of  Lisbon.  With  his  son,  Aaron  Tyler,  he  came  out  from  New 
York  one  year  in  advance  of  the  rest  of  his  family,  and,  as  the  land  was  un- 
improved and  without  a  house,  the  two  lived  in  their  wagon  during  their  first 
winter  in  the  state.  They  made  preparations  for  the  family  and  the  others 
came   the  next  spring,  making  the  journey  with  horses  from   the  Hudson 

4111 

544096 


402  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

river,  in  New  York.  Mr.  Harford  improved  this  property  and  lived  on  it 
until,  late  in  life,  he  sold  it  and  removed  to  California,  where  he  lived,  retired 
from  business,  and  died  on  Christmas,  1874,  at  the  home  of  his  daughter, 
Mrs.  Catherine  I^I.  Biter.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  character  and  broad 
views,  a  member  of  no  church,  a  Democrat  in  politics,  an  honest  man  whose 
rule  in  life  was  .the  golden  rule.  His  wife,  Peggie  Maria  (Tyler)  Harford, 
died  in  1882. 

Aaron  Tyler  Harford,  a  son  of  Harry  and  Peggie  Maria  (Tyler)  Har- 
ford, was  bom  at  South  Salem,  Westchester  county.  New  York,  July  2, 
1822.  He  divided  his  time  in  boyhood  between  farm  work  and  attendance 
at  the  public  school.  He  was  really  the  first  of  the  family  in  Illinois.  Harry 
Harford  exchanged  farms  with  one  ^^liller,  an  old  Westchester  county  ac- 
quaintance who  had  come  out  some  years  before,  and  Aaron  was  sent  ahead 
to  "spy  out  the  land"  and  report  his  impressions  to  his  father  before  the  deal 
was  concluded.  He  came  and  saw  and  was  conquered  by  the  charms  and 
manifest  advantages  of  Illinois,  and  it  was  mainly  through  his  influence  that 
his  father  was  induced  to  come  west.  Aaron  lived  with  his  parents  on  this 
farm  some  years  after  their  settlement.  He  married  Frances  Dewey,  at  the 
homestead  of  her  father  in  Vienna  township,  Grundy  county,  November  i, 
1847,  and  settled  on  new  land  at  Lisbon,  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  within  the 
present  limits  of  White  Willow  township. 

Frances  Dewey,  who  became  the  wife  and  is  now  the  widow  of  Aaron 
Tyler  Harford,  was  bom  in  Ketton,  Rutlandshire,  England,  December  4, 
1825,  a  daughter  of  John,  Jr.,  and  Mary  (Welbom)  Dewey.  John  Dewey, 
Jr.,  was  a  son  of  John  and  Sarah  (Ma^son)  Dewey.  John  Dewey.  Sr.,  was 
a  farmer,  a  man  of  good  ability,  who  brought  up  his  family  in  the  faith  of  the 
Church  of  England.  Besides  John,  Jr.,  his  children  were  Sarah,  Eliza,  Will- 
iam and  Mary.  John  Dewey,  Jr.,  was  bom  November  9,  1802,  at  his 
father's  homestead,  Sutton,  Lincolnshire  Fens,  and  was  educated  for  a  mer- 
cantile career;  but  he  also  acquired  a  knowledge  of  milling,  and,  liking  the 
business,  bought  a  wind-power  gristmill  in  Rutlandshire  and  devoted  himself 
with  much  success  to  its  operation.  There  he  met,  wooed  and  won  ^lary 
Welbom,  and  they  were  married  in  the  form  prescribed  by  the  Church  of 
England.  Mary  Welbom  was  born  at  Woolsthorpe,  December  30,  1802, 
a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Jenkinson)  Welborn. 

The  Welborns  had  been  settled  in  Lincolnshire  for  many  generations. 
Thomas  Welbom  leased  of  the  Duke  of  Rutland  a  farm  for  ninety-nine 
years  and  lived  on  it  from  his  marriage  until  his  death,  February  12,  1839,  at 
the  age  of  eighty-three  years.  He  was  a  substantial  farmer  and  stock-raiser, 
a  man  of  integrity  and  good  business  ability.  His  children  were  born  and 
named  as  follows:       Mary,  December  30,  1802;  Ann,  November  11,  1805; 


^cy^<;2^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  403 

Prances,  February  12,  1808;  Thomas,  Alay  i,  181 1;  Richard,  August  2,  1814. 
Frances  and  Thomas  were  drowned  in  childhood  in  a  canal  near  their  home. 
Mrs.  Harford  has  a  good  recollection  of  the  Welborns  and  Deweys  in  Eng- 
land, as  she  did  not  leave  her  native  land  until  after  her  eleventh  birthday, 
and  the  scenes,  incidents  and  environments  of  her  childhood  are  vividly  im- 
pressed upon  her  mind.  They  were  industrious,  progressive,  well-to-do, 
God-fearing  and  reliable  men  and  women,  and  their  descendants  in  America 
do  them  honor. 

John  Dewey,  Jr.,  Mrs.  Harford's  father,  ran  his  mill  at  Ketton  four  years 
after  his  marriage.  He  then  sold  it,  and,  having  good  education  and  busi- 
ness ability,  was  for  four  years  an  assistant  surveyor  on  a  canal.  Then  he 
was  for  a  like  period  a  bookkeeper  at  Grenthan,  Lincolnshire,  in  the  office  of 
the  Grenthan  and  Nottingham  canal.  While  Mr.  Dewey  was  in  the  last 
position  his  wife  became  interested  in  LaSalle  county,  Illinois,  which  was 
represented  in  the  letters  of  her  sister,  who  had  married  John  Beeson  and  had 
settled  there  on  a  new  farm,  as  "a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,"  figura- 
tively speaking;  and  the  more  she  heard  and  talked  about  Illinois  the  more 
intense  grew  her  desire  to  come  here.  Her  husband  could  not  venture  to 
give  up  his  position  and  trust  fortune  in  an  unknown  land,  but  he  permitted 
her  to  come  over,  with  their  children,  while  he  worked  on,  with  the  under- 
standing that  she  would  return  or  he  would  join  them  in  America,  as  she 
might  advise  later. 

That  was  more  than  sixty  years  ago,  in  the  days  of  sailing  vessels,  stage 
coaches  and  canals,  and  in  England  Illinois  was  popularly  supposed  to  be  as 
yet  in  the  domain  of  the  wild  Indian  and  the  wild  beast,  and  such  an  under- 
taking as  Mrs.  Dewey  proposed  was  regarded  as  a  difficult  and  dangerous 
one  even  for  a  man.  But  she  was  a  woman  of  intelligence  and  of  the  stock 
from  which  the  best  pioneers  have  come,  and  she  would  not  be  dissuaded 
from  her  purpose.  She  made  great  preparation  for  the  journey,  and  pray- 
ers were  offered  in  the  church  for  her  safe  guidance  and  delivery  from  all 
perils  at  her  journey's  end.  She  set  down  in  an  English  almanac  of  that 
year  the  dates  of  the  principal  events  of  her  journey,  and  from  them  we  learn 
that  she  left  Woolsthorpe,  the  home  of  her  father,  April  12,  1837,  and  trav- 
eled by  canal  to  Nottingham,  and  thence  by  way  of  the  rivers  Trent  and  Mer- 
sey to  Liverpool,  whence  she  sailed,  April  18,  in  the  ship  Gai'rick,  an  old- 
fashioned  sailing  vessel,  but  new  and  stanch  and  on  her  first  voyage.  It 
was  not  until  five  weeks  later  that  she  landed  in  New  York.  The  voyage 
had  much  of  the  time  been  a  tempestuous  one,  and  she  and  her  two  children, 
with  the  other  passengers,  had  more  than  once  been  tied  to  their  berths  to 
prevent  their  being  thrown  about  Ijy  the  pitching  vessel  and  injured  by  vio- 
lent contact  with  objects  near. 


404  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

After  remaining  a  week  in  New  York  they  set  out  for  Illinois,  going  up 
the  Hudson  to  Albany  by  the  steamer  Swift  Shore,  from  Albany  to  Buffalo 
by  way  of  the  Erie  canal,  by  lake  steamer  from  Buffalo  to  Detroit,  and  there 
waited  five  days  for  a  "connecting"  steamer  to  Chicago,  which  was  com- 
manded by  Captain  Cotton.  From.  Chicago  to  Ottawa  they  made  the  jour- 
ney by  stage.  A  Methodist  camp-meeting  was  in  session  at  Ottawa,  and, 
being  a  Methodist,  Mrs.  Dewey  found  friends  at  once,  who  took  her  and 
her  children  to  Deer  Park  township,  where  her  sister  lived.  On  the  way 
they  stopped  over  night.  June  26,  1837,  at  Brown's  tavern,  the  first  log  house 
they  had  slept  in  to  that  date.  The  next  morning  they  arrived  at  Beeson's, 
and  were  entertained  by  Mrs.  Dewey's  sister. 

Mrs.  Dewe}^  wrote  her  husband  such  glowing  accounts  of  Illinois  that  he 
came  over  in  1838.  In  1839  and  1840  he  rented  land  of  Jesse  Newport,  the 
pioneer  of  !\lazon  township,  Grundy  county.  After  that  he  rented  land  three 
years  of  Jonah  Newport,  brother  of  Jesse.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time 
he  had  saved  money  enough  to  buy  eighty  acres  where  his  daughter,  Mrs. 
Harford  lives,  of  the  United  States  Government,  at  a  dollar  and  a  quarter 
an  acre.  On  this  land  was  a  beautiful  grove  named  Paver's  Grove,  in  honor 
of  a  pioneer  settler  in  that  vicinity,  and  otherwise  it  promised  to  be  an  attrac- 
tive and  desirable  homestead.  He  improved  it  and  added  to  it  until  the 
place  contained  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  fine  farming  land.  He  built 
upon  it  a  dwelling  substantial  and  costly  for  the  time  and  locality,  which  is 
now  a  part  of  a  more  modern  residence.  He  prospered  and  became  a 
well-to-do  fanner  and  stockman,  with  cattle  ranging  for  miles  in  either  direc- 
tion over  the  prairies.  He  was  a  good  business  man,  a  good  neighbor,  and  a 
good  Democrat,  industrious,  frugal,  upright  and  generous,  who  died  Janu- 
ary 15,  1882,  aged  about  seventy-eight  years.  His  children  were  Frances, 
born  December  4,  1825,  at  Ketton,  England:  and  Thomas  Welborn.  bom 
May  31,  1827,  at  Woolsthori>e. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Aaron  Tyler  Harford  lived  only  during  the  first  winter 
of  their  married  life  on  the  place  Mr.  Harford  took  up  at  Lisbon  (now-  in 
White  Willow  township,  Kendall  county,  Illinois),  on  which  he  had  built  a 
house  before  his  marriage.  Thereafter  they  lived  at  the  Dewey  homestead 
for  two  years,  until  Mr.  Harford  bought  eighty  acres  of  government  land 
adjoining  the  Dewey  homestead  on  the  south,  which  he  improved  by  build- 
ing a  log  house  and  otherwise,  and  occupied  it  for  four  years.  Then.  Mrs. 
Harford's  mother  having  died,  Mrs.  Harford  inherited  a  portion  of  the 
Dewey  homestead  and  Mr.  Harford  purchased  another  portion,  and  they 
moved  there:  and  there  Mr.  Harford  lived  out  the  remainder  of  his  days 
and  there  his  widow  still  lives. 

Mr.  Harford  was  a  man  of  broad  mind  and  independent  views,  and  tol- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD.  405 

eraiit  of  the  views  of  others,  Iiowever  much  they  might  have  dift'ered  from 
his  own.  He  took  great  interest  in  liberal  religion,  and  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Universalist  ciiurch.at  \'erona,  and  for  many  years  one  of 
its  deacons,  and  from  its  organization  to  his  death  one  of  its  most  liberal  sup- 
porters. He  was  a  great  reader  and  possessed  a  remarkable  memory,  and 
his  stock  of  historical,  scientific,  technical  and  general  information  was  ex- 
traordinary. He  was  an  original  abolitionist,  a  Republican  and  later  a 
Greenbacker.  His  business  ability  was  of  a  hig"h  order,  and,  assisted  by  his 
wife,  w  ho  inherited  from  her  mother  as  well  as  from  her  father  a  vigorous 
and  practical  character,  he  accumulated  a  handsome  property,  including  four 
hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  farm  land  in  Illinois,  besides  fifteen  thousand 
acres  of  valuable  land  in  .-\labama,  which  he  owneil  in  company  with  his  son 
Frederick.  His  widow's  present  fine  residence  was  built  in  1879,  and  her 
home  place  is  one  of  the  finest  farming  properties  in  Grundy  county.  Situ- 
ated near  a  beautiful  grove  and  surrounded  by  charming  woodland  scenery, 
this  model  home  is  one  of  the  "show  places"  in  this  part  of  Illinois. 

Mr.  Harford  died  July  15,  1899.  Following  are  the  names  and  dates 
of  birth  ol  his  children:  Cornelia  D.,  August  9,  1848;  Mary,  February  4, 
1850  (died  June  4.  1851):  Fannie  May,  November  24.  1852;  Frederick,  Sep- 
tember 27,  1854;  Addison,  March  14,  1857  (died  May  25,  1S75);  Olive,  July 
7,  1861  (died  June  7,  1870):  and  Ellen,  April  12,  1864.  Their  hospitable 
home  contains  many  evidences  of  her  culture  and  good  taste.  Mrs.  Har- 
ford is  of  uncommon  business  ability  for  a  woman.  Her  brother,  Thomas 
Welborn  Dewey,  in  1850,  went  by  way  of  the  isthmus  to  California,  and  died 
there  at  the  age  of  twenty-three,  as  the  result  of  exposure  at  Acapulco, 
Mexico,  where  he  was  landed  with  other  passengers,  the  captain  putting 
them  ashore  without  their  consent,  that  he  might  carry  out  other  plans. 


JUDGE   A.    R.   JORDAN. 

For  the  fourth  term  Alvah  R.  Jordan  is  serving  as  county  judge  of 
Grundy  county,  and  the  fact  of  his  re-election  stands  as  unmistakable  evi- 
dence of  his  marked  ability  in  the  line  of  his  chosen  calling.  The  judge 
upon  the  bench  must  possess  not  only  a  wide,  comprehensive  and  accurate 
knowledge  of  the  law  but  must  also^  add  to  this  urbanity,  tact  and  keen  dis- 
cernment, and  above  all  he  must  have  the  power  of  putting  aside  all  personal 
prejudice  and  feeling  that  his  decisions  may  be  utterly  without  bias, — exclu- 
sively the  embodiment  of  justice.  In  all  these  particulars  Judge  Jordan  has 
shown  himself  well  qualified  for  the  office,  and  is  now  serving  his  thirteenth 
year  upon  the  bench  of  the  county  court.       He  is  a  man  of  strong  individual- 


4o6  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

ity  and  marked  mentality,  and  has  been  an  honor  to  the  profession  which  has 
honored  him. 

Air.  Jordan  is  a  native  of  the  Pine  Tree  state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Kennebec  county,  Maine,  on  the  13th  of  December,  1843.  'I's  parents  being 
Samuel  and  Philena  (Dow)  Jordan.  On  the  paternal  side  he  is  of  English 
lineage,  while  on  the  maternal  side  he  is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  The  an- 
cestry of  the  Jordan  family  can  be  traced  back  to  the  Rev.  Samuel  Jordan, 
the  first  Episcopal  clergyman  of  Falmouth,  Maine,  who  left  his  home  in 
Devon,  England  in  1640,  in  order  to  carrv'  the  gospel  tidings  to  the  colonists 
of  the  New  World.  He  took  up  his  abode  in  Falmouth,  now  Portland, 
Maine,  and  other  of  his  kinsmen  came  at  the  same  time  and  settled  along  the 
coast  of  New  England.  His  descendants  lived  in  the  Pine  Tree  state  for 
many  generations,  and  there  Samuel  Jordan  was  born  and  reared.  Having 
arrived  at  years  of  maturity,  he  married  Miss  Philena  Dow,  who  was  bom 
in  Windham,  New  Hampshire.  Her  father  was  of  English  descent,  but  on 
the  maternal  side  she  vras  of  Scotch-Irish  lineage.  Her  mother  was  Betsey 
Morrison,  a  lineal  descendant  of  Samuel  E.  Morrison,  who  was  a  lieutenant 
in  a  company  of  New  Hampshire  troops  at  the  capture  of  Lewisburg.  She 
was  also  directly  descended  from  Mathew-  Thornton,  a  signer  of  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence.  Many  are  the  descendants  of  these  first  American 
ancestors,  and  not  a  few  have  become  prominent  in  business,  professional 
and  political  life  in  various  sections  of  the  United  States.  In  1854  Judge 
Jordan's  parents  came  to  the  west,  locating  in  Morris,  Illinois,  where  they 
spent  the  residue  of  their  days.  The  father's  death  occurred  in  1885,  and 
the  mother  passed  away  five  years  previously.  They  were  the  parents  of 
but  two  children,  the  daughter,  Elizabeth  H.,  having  died  in  childhood. 

Judge  Jordan  is  therefore  the  only  survivor  of  the  family.  He  was  only 
ten  years  of  age  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Mor- 
ris, and  here  he  attended  the  public  schools  and  also  continued  his  studies 
under  the  private  direction  of  Professor  H.  K.  Trask.  who  was  the  principal 
of  the  Morris  public  schools.  In  i860  he  entered  Union  college,  in  the 
sophomore  year,  and  was  pursuing  his  collegiate  course  when  the  civil  war 
was  inaugurated.  Feeling  that  his  chief  duty  was  to  his  country,  in  Au- 
gust, 1861,  he  laid  aside  his  text-books  and  joined  the  "boys  in  blue"  of  Com- 
pany G,  Thirty-sixth  Illinois  Infantry,  as  a  private.  He  was  made  the  fourth 
corporal  and  thus  ser^-ed  until  November,  1861,  when  he  was  discharged  on 
account  of  a  broken  ankle.  In  the  spring  of  1862,  however,  he  re-entered 
the  serxnce  and  was  commissioned  second  lieutenant  of  Company  I,  Sixty- 
ninth  Illinois  Infantn,-.  The  regiment  enlisted  for  a  term  of  three  months 
and  on  the  expiration  of  that  time  was  regularly  discharged. 

Mr.  Jordan  then  went  to  Central  City,  Colorado,  where  he  worked  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD.  407 

the  mines  and  also  taught  the  first  public  school  ever  conducted  in  that  state. 
He  there  joined  the  Third  Colorado  Cavalry  and  was  present  at  the  Sand 
creek  Indian  massacre.  On  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service  in  1865  he 
returned  to  Morris,  Illinois,  and  shortly  afterward  removed  to  Council  BlufYs, 
Iowa,  where  he  remained  two  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
again  came  to  Morris,  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of  law,  in  which  pro- 
fession he  has  since  risen  to  high  rank.  He  has  informed  himself  thorough- 
ly concerning  the  principles  of  jurisprudence,  and  at  the  bar  he  won  many 
notable  forensic  triumphs  in  important  litigated  cases.  His  correct  reason- 
ing, his  logical  deductions,  his  accuracy  in  applying  the  points  of  law  to  the 
facts  in  controversy,  all  gained  him  prominence  and  won  him  a  large  client- 
age. He  therefore  conducted  a  successful  private  practice  until  elected  to 
the  bench,  and  since  his  elevation  to  the  seat  of  justice  he  has  won  still  higher 
honors  by  his  ability  in  discharging  the  important  duties  of  his  high  office. 
In  politics  the  Judge  has  always  been  a  stanch  Republican,  and  on  that  ticket 
he  has  several  times  been  chosen  for  positions  of  public  trust  and  responsi- 
bility. The  first  office  to  which  he  was  elected  was  that  of  state's  attorney, 
in  1872,  and  so  ably  did  he  discharge  his  duties  that  he  was  re-elected  in  1876. 
In  1882  he  was  elected  county  judge  for  a  term  of  four  years,  and  then  re- 
sumed the  practice  of  law,  but  in  1890  again  became  a  candidate  and  by  suc- 
cessive elections  has  since  been  continued  in  the  office,  so  that  he  is  now 
serving  his  thirteenth  year  upon  the  bench.  In  1898  he  was  elected  as  an 
independent  candidate,  and  the  large  vote  which  he  received  plainly  indi- 
cated the  confidence  reposed  in  his  ability  and  in  his  worth  as  a  man.  Upon 
the  bench  he  has  won  a  most  enviable  reputation  and  gained  the  commenda- 
tion of  the  bar  as  well  as  the  general  public. 

In  1869  the  Judge  was  united  in  marriage  to  ]\Iiss  Sarah  D.  Parmelee,  a 
daughter  of  Charles  D.  Parmelee,  of  Morris,  Illinois.  Their  pleasant  home 
in  Morris  is  celebrated  for  its  hospitality,  and  the  Judge  and  his  wife  occupy  a 
very  enviable  position  in  social  circles.  He  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic,  and  in  his  religious  belief  is  a  Unitarian.  In  early  life  he  had 
no  special  advantages  of  wealth  or  influence  tO'  aid  him,  and  his  progress 
has  therefore  resulted  from  individual  merit.  He  is  a  man  of  marked  in- 
tellectuality, of  keen  discemment,  and  of  broad  human  sympathies  and  every- 
where commands  the  respect  which  is  always  accorded  genuine  worth. 


WILLIAM  HOGE. 


In  the  days  when  Scotland  was  sending  many  of  its  brave  men  to  Amer- 
ica to  aid  in  the  settlement  of  the  New  World,  there  came  to  this  country  an 
ancestor  of  our  subject.       The  first  of  the  name  to  arrive  in  the  United 


4o8  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

States  was  William  Hoge,  wiio  left  the  land  of  hills  and  heather  and  crossed 
the  Atlantic  in  the  seventeenth  century.  He  married  Barbara  Hume,  and 
their  descendants  are  now  widely  scattered  over  the  country.  The  great- 
grandfather of  our  subject  also  bore  the  name  of  William  Hoge,  and  was  bom 
in  Pennsylvania,  the  first  representative  of  the  family  to  become  identified 
with  the  Society  of  Friends,  having  joined  that  quiet  Qiristian  people  and 
lived  an  honorable,  upright  life,  conmianding  the  respect  of  all  with  whom 
he  came  in  contact.  In  1754  he  removed  to  V'irginia,  where  he  reared  his 
family  of  seven  children,  namely :  Solomon,  James,  Wilham.  Joseph, 
George,  Zebulon  and  Nancy.  Of  these,  Solomon  Hoge  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Maiy  Nichols,  and  among  their  children  was  Joshua  Hoge,  the 
father  of  our  subject.  He  wedded  Miss  Mary  Poole,  and  unto  them,  on  the 
5th  of  July,  1801,  in  Loudoun  county,  Virginia,  was  born  the  son  to  whom 
they  gave  the  name  of  William,  a  name  that  has  frequently  occurred  in  dif- 
ferent generations  of  the  family. 

William  Hoge  spent  his  youth  on  his  father's  farm  in  the  Old  Domin- 
ion, and  pursued  his  education  in  a  little  log  school-house  such  as  was  com- 
mon at  that  day,  where  the  "three  R's"  constituted  the  curriculum,  namely, 
readin',  'ritin'  and  'rithmetic.  In  November,  1826,  when  about  twenty- 
six  years  of  age,  he  married  Rachel  Bowles,  and  in  1829  came  to  the  west, 
in  company  with  his  father,  on  a  prospecting  trip.  The  journey  was  made 
on  horseback,  by  way  of  Indianapolis  and  Covington,  Indiana,  to  the  site  of 
the  present  city  of  Joliet,  Illinois.  Mr.  Hoge,  of  this  review,  brought  with 
him  two  thousand  dollars,  which  belonged  to  his  father  and  which  he  in- 
vested in  canal  lands  that  were  then  surveyed  and  upon  the  market.  He 
selected  a  section  and  a  half  of  choice  prairie  land  bordering  on  Nettle  creek, 
in  what  is  now  Grundy  county.  This  purchase  gave  him  timber,  water  and 
prairie,  and  provided  him  with  cheap  transportation  by  way  of  the  canal  and 
Illinois  river  to  l)oth  Chicago  and  St.  Louis.  As  a  commission  for  making 
the  purchase,  his  father  gave  him  his  choice  of  any  quarter  section  of  the 
land,  and  after  he  had  made  his  selection  he  returned  to  Virginia.  A  year 
later  he  removed  the  family  to  his  new  possessions,  reaching  his  destination 
in  the  latter  part  of  October,  1831.  A  great  Pennsylvania  wagon,  drawn  by 
four  horses,  carried  his  household  effects,  while  his  wife  and  their  children, 
accompanied  by  a  young  lady,  who  was  a  cousin  of  his  wife,  rode  in  a  cov- 
ered buggy  drawn  by  two  horses.  His  brother  Solomon  also  accompanied 
him  in  order  to  aid  him  in  establishing  a  home  in  the  western  wilds,  and  thus 
they  m.ade  the  long,  tedious  journey  wliich.  consumed  seven  weeks.  Hur- 
riedly a  log  cabin  was  constructed,  and  in  that  primitive  home  the  family  re- 
sided for  several  years.      It  was  the  second  cabin  built  within  the  present 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  409 

limits  of  Grundv  county,  a  fact  wliicli  indicates  tlie  wild  and  unsettled  condi- 
tion of  this  region. 

In  May,  1832,  the  Sac  war  occurred,  and  Mr.  Hoge,  together  with  the 
other  white  settlers  in  the  locality,  fled  with  his  family  to  Ottawa,  but  his 
home'was  unmolested  by  the  red  men,  who  thus  showed  their  gratitude  for 
the  kindness  which  he  had  recently  done  one  of  their  number.  Not  knowing 
his  place  would  be  safe,  however,  he  took  his  wife  and  children  to  Ottawa  and 
assisted  in  building- a  rude  log  fort  for  protection  against  the  Indians.  The 
whole  family  afterward  went  to  Pekin,  Illinois,  and  remained  there  until  the 
latter  part  of  August,  1832,  when  he  deemed  it  safe  to  return. 

They  once  more  took  up  their  abode  in  their  pioneer  home,  and  the 
w^ork  of  developing  the  land  then  l>egan  in  earnest,  and  though  there  were 
many  hardships  and  trials  to  be  borne,  the  labor  was  steadily  prosecuted  and 
in  time  the  fields  yielded  bounteous  harvests.  As  his  financial  resources  in- 
creased, Mr.  Hoge  was  enabled  to  extend  the  boundaries  of  his  farm  by  the 
purchase  of  other  lands,  and  he  also  carried  on  cattle-raising.  Corn  was  his 
principal  crop,  and  the  sale  of  cattle  added  greatly  to  his  income,  so  that,  as 
a  result  of  his  energy  and  ability  in  the  two  branches  of  his  business,  he  be- 
came a  prosperous  man.  He  had  great  assistance  from  his  nine  children, 
five  sons  and  four  daughters,  wdio  grew  up  around  him,  and  abl_\-  aided  him 
in  the  work  of  the  field  and  of  the  household. 

In  1843  Ml"-  Hoge  was  called  upon  to  m.ourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  whose 
death  occurred  in  that  year,  and  during  the  rebellion  his  son  Hendley  was 
killed  in  the  battle  of  Franklin,  Tennessee.  This  was  a  great  blow  to  him, 
but  did  not  deter  him  from  the  faitliful  performance  of  his  duty.  He  realized 
the  disadvantage  under  which  he  labored,  owing  to  the  limited  opportunities 
of  education  which  he  had  received  in  youth,  and  was  always  a  firm  friend 
of  the  public  schools.  In  1834  lie  erected  at  his  own  expense  the  first  school- 
house  in  Grundy  county.  It  was  a  log  cabin,  twelve  by  fourteen  feet,  with 
clap-board  roof,  and  situated  a  few  rods  from  his  home,  and  still  standing. 
There  Marie  Southworth,  afterward  Mrs.  Whitney,  taught  the  first  school 
in  the  county,  and  thus  Mr.  Hoge  provided  educational  privileges  for  his 
children  and  for  the  other  young  people  of  the  neighborhood.  He  was 
always  a  stanch  Republican  in  politics  from  the  organization  of  the  party, 
but  aside  from  casting  his  ballot  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  his 
choice,  he  took  no  active  part  in  political  aff^airs,  save  in  the  discharge  of  the 
duties  of  several  local  offices.  His  interest  was  centered  in  his  family  and 
his  business,  and  he  had  therefore  no  political  ambition.  He  was  devoted 
to  his  wife  and  children,  and  considered  no  laI:)or  too  great  that  would  en- 
hance their  welfare  or  promote  their  happiness.  In  religious  belief  he  was 
a  Deist,  believing  that  one  could  best  serve  God  by  sendng  his  fellow  men. 


410  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

He  was  universally  respected,  for  his  life  was  useful  and  honorable.  He 
passed  away  June  22,  1884,  leaving  to  his  family  not  only  a  large  estate  but 
that  good  name  Avhich  is  rather  to  be  chosen  than  great  riches.  His  sterling 
character,  his  fidelity  to  duty,  his  devotion  to  friends  and  family  made  his 
example  one  well  worthy  of  emulation.  As  an  honored  pioneer  he  well  de- 
serves mention  in  this  volume,  and  no  history-  of  Grundy  county  would  be 
complete  without  the  record  of  his  life. 


JOSHUA  HOGE.  SR. 

Joshua  Hoge  is  one  of  the  oldest  living  settlers  of  Grundy  county,  hav- 
ing spent  his  entire  life  in  this  locality.  However,  he  was  born  in  Tazewell 
county,  Illinois,  June  6,  1832,  during  a  brief  absence  of  his  parents,  William 
and  Rachel  (Bowles)  Hoge.  who  had  fled  from  Grundy  county  to  avoid  the 
dangers  of  the  Black  Hawk  war.  Returning  to  the  old  homestead  in  Au- 
gust of  that  year,  he  was  reared  in  Nettle  Creek  township,  amid  the  wild 
scenes  of  the  frontier,  and  with  the  family  shared  in  the  trials  and  hardships 
of  pioneer  life.  Farming  was  conducted  in  a  primitive  manner  with  crude 
machinery,  but  the  energy  and  perseverance  of  the  settlers  enabled  them  to 
convert  the  wild  lands  into  rich  and  productive  fields.  Mr.  Hoge  assisted 
in  the  arduous  task  of  improving  the  farm  and  remained  thereon  until 
twenty-eight  years  of  age,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Gregg,  who  was  bom  in  Belmont  Count)-,  Ohio. 

The  young  couple  began  their  domestic  life  upon  a  farm  in  Grundy 
county,  and  for  many  years  he  was  actively  identified  with  the  agricultural 
interests  of  the  community,  achieving  remarkable  success  in  his  undertakings. 
Indolence  and  idleness  are  utterly  foreign  to  his  nature,  while  his  chief  char- 
acteristics are  perseverance  and  energy.  This  enabled  him  to  augment  his 
possessions  year  by  year,  and  to-day  he  is  the  owner  of  four  hundred  acres 
of  rich  and  arable  land,  from  which  he  derives  a  good  income.  In  1898  he 
left  the  farm  and  removed  to  ^Morris,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home, 
occupying  a  spacious  and  modern  residence,  which  is  one  of  the  most  attrac- 
tive homes  in  the  city.  There  he  is  spending  his  declining  days,  surrounded 
by  all  the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 

Unto  IMr.  and  ^Irs.  Hoge  have  been  bom  two  sons. — Arthur  A.,  and 
William  M.. — who  are  living  on  their  father's  farm  and  are  well-known  agri- 
culturists of  the  county.  The  one  daughter  of  the  family,  Charrie  Belle, 
died  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years.  Mr.  Hoge  and  his  family  have  long  been 
prominent  people  of  the  community,  sharing  the  high  regard  of  friends  and 
neighbors,  for  their  many  excellencies  of  character  commend  them  to  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  411 

confidence  and  esteem  of  all.  Mr.  Hoge  has  never  taken  an  active  part  in 
politics,  preferring  to  devote  his  time  and  energies  to  his  business  interests, 
in  which  he  has  met  with  ver>'  creditable  success.  His  life  stajids  in  exempli- 
fication of  the  fact  that  prosperity  comes  not  from  chance  but  is  the  result 
of  earnest,  consecutive  efrorts.  As  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  community 
he  is  also  deserving  of  mention  in  this  volume.  He  has  witnessed  almost 
the  entire  growth  of  Grundy  county,  has  been  an  interested  spectator  of  its 
advancement,  and  has  borne  his  part  in  the  work  of  progress  and  improve- 
ment. As  a  citizen  he  is  loyal  and  public-spirited,  and  withholds  his  support 
from  no  measure  intended  to  enhance  the  general  welfare. 


GEORGE   ROBINSON. 


Back  to  Connecticut  in  the  old  colonial  days  Mr.  Robinson  traces  his 
ancestr)%  for  the  founder  of  the  family  in  America  was  among  those  who 
aided  in  laying  the  foundation  of  the  Charter  Oak  state.  Isaac  Robinson, 
his  grandfather,  was  born  in  Connecticut,  on  the  river  of  that  name,  and  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation.  During  the  Revolutionary  war  he  served  as  en- 
sign, an  office  now  equivalent  to  that  of  second  lieutenant,  and  loyally  aided 
the  colonists  in  their  struggle  for  independence,  remaining  in  the  army  until 
the  British  troops  were  forced  to  withdraw  from  American  soil.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Sarah  Dow,  an  own  cousin  of  the  celebrated  Lorenzo  Dow.  They 
first  located  on  a  farm  in  Connecticut  and  then  moved  to  New  York  in  early 
pioneer  days,  and  there  he  died,  about  1813,  between  the  ages  of  sixty  and 
seventy  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  a  man  of 
sterling  character.  His  children  were  Don  Alonzo,  Zenas,  Wesley,  Isaac, 
Solomon,  Polly,  Esther,  Millie  and  Phoebe. 

Don  Alonzo  Robinson,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  boni  on  the 
Connecticut  river,  February  5,  1787.  He  enjoyed  such  educational  privi- 
leges as  were  afforded  in  the  schools  of  New  York  state  at  that  time,  and  as 
he  was  an  apt  student  he  acquired  a  comprehensive  knowledge  that  well 
fitted  him  for  life's  practical  duties.  He  became  a  school-teacher  and  fol- 
lowed that  pursuit  throughout  his  life.  He  was  largely  self-educated, 
however,  for  he  always  continued  his  reading  and  study  and  was  constantly 
adding  to  his  broad  fund  of  information.  When  a  boy  he  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  removal  to  Courtland  county.  New  York,  being  at  the  time 
about  seven  years  of  age.  In  the  Empire  state  he  wedded  I\Iiss  Nancy  Cam- 
rneron,  a  sister  of  Rev.  William  Cammeron,  who  was  a  native  of  Scotland, 
and  was  a  Methodist  minister.  The  following  children  were  born  unto 
them:       William  Francis,  who  was  born  January  4,  1816,  and  Nancy,  who 


412  BIOGRAPHICAL  AM)    GliXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

was  born  February  19,  1821.  The  mother  died  in  Chenango  county,  New 
York,  and  the  fatlier  afterward  married  Miss  P>etsey  Conick.  who  was  born 
in  Courtland  county.  May  3.  1802,  a  daugliter  of  W'ilham  and  Martha  Conick. 
Her  fatlier  was  a  native  of  New  England  and  served  in  a  Vermont  regiment 
throughout  the  war  for  independence,  being  at  one  time  under  the  direct 
command  of  General  Washington.  He  took  up  his  abode  in  Courtland 
county,  New  York,  thus  becoming  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  who  secured 
and  improved  a  farm  in  the  midst  of  the  forest.  He  afterward  sold  that 
property  and  went  to  Chenango  county.  New  York,  where  he  lived  a  retired 
life.  He  died  in  Chenango  county  in  1838,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years. 
His  children  were  Robert,  John.  Peter.  James.  Sallie,  Betsey  and  Polly. 

After  their  marriage  Don  Alonzo  Robinson  and  his  wife  located  on  a 
farm  in  Chenango  county.  New  York,  where  he  engaged  in  teaching  school 
through  the  winter  months,  his  attention  being  given  to  the  labors  of  the  field 
and  meadow  through  the  summer  months.  In  1837  he  went  with  his  family 
to  Seneca  county.  New  York,  where  he  continued  teaching  and  farming 
until  his  removal  to  Michigan  in  1844.  He  settled  in  Kalamazoo  county, 
and  in  1856  he  came  to  Illinois.  He  was  then  well  advanced  in  years,  and 
made  his  home  with  his  son  Charles  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Feb- 
ruary 13,  1871.  He  was  a  Methodist  in  religious  faith  and  served  as  a  class 
leader  in  church.  In  the  Empire  state  he  served  for  many  years  as  justice 
of  the  peace  and  was  one  of  the  school  directors  of  his  district.  He  lived  an 
upright  and  honorable  life  and  was  highly  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 
The  children  of  his  second  marriage  were  James,  born  March  30,  1823; 
George,  November  13,  1824;  Fletcher,  ]\[ay  4.  1826;  ]\Iary,  November  13, 
1834:  Charles,  April  12,  1836;  and  John,  January  22,  1838.  All  of  this  fam- 
ily were  born  in  Chenango  county,  save  Esther,  who  was  bom  in  Seneca 
county.  New  York,  May  12,  1843.  The  mother,  Mrs.  Betsey  Robinson, 
died  in  Mazon  township.  Grundy  count\-.  at  the  home  of  her  son,  Charles, 
September  23,  1880,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 

George  Robinson,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  born  in 
Chenango  county.  New  York,  November  13,  1824,  and  pursued  his  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  Seneca  county,  whither  he  removed  with  his  parents 
when  thirteen  years  of  age.  Verv^  early  in  life  he  began  to  work  as  a  farm 
hand,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years  he  removed  to  Michigan,  where  he 
was  employed  in  that  capacity.  In  1849  ^^'^  ^^'^s  one  of  the  gold-seekers  who 
went  to  California,  making"  the  long  and  arduous  journey  across  the  plains. 
He  proceeded  westward  by  railroad  to  Niles.  Michigan,  then  by  stage  to 
Michigan  City,  crossing  the  lake  on  a  steamer  to  Chicago.  From  there  he 
went  by  the  Frink  &  Walker  line  of  stages  to  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  thence 
down  the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis.  Missouri,  and  then  proceeded  by 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  413 

steamer  up  the  Missouri  to  St.  Joseph.  \\'hen  he  left  home  he  took  with 
him  his  "carpet-l>ag"  containing  his  clothing',  and  in  his  purse  had  one  liun- 
dred  dollars.  On  the  boat  between  St.  Louis  and  St.  Joseph  he  met  a  fellow- 
traveler  to  the  gold  mines,  William  McKenny.  of  Ohio,  who  had  an  outfit 
consisting  of  oxen,  a  huge  wagon,  provisions  and  other  necessary  supplies. 
Mr.  Robinson  made  a  bargain  with  Mr.  McKemiy  to  join  iiis  party  to  drive 
the  oxen  and  cook.  He  was  also  to  pay  fifty  dollars  down  and  on  reaching 
California  fifty  dollars  more;  but  on  reaching. the  Humboldt  river  he  ob- 
tained a  chance  to  drive  oxen  for  a  Mr.  Bedford,  from  Kentucky,  who  was 
accompanied  by  his  family  and  who  had  two  wagons  and  five  yoke  of  oxen. 
They  took  the  Lassen  route  to  Lassen's  ranch,  California,  crossing-  the  Mis- 
souri river  at  St.  Joseph  on  the  loth  of  May,  1849.  '^^''^  train  consisted  of 
thirty-seven  huge  covered  wagons,  each  drawn  by  from  three  to  six  yoke 
of  oxen  and  containing  j^rovisions  and  supplies  to  last  for  several  months. 
There  were  one  hundred  and  twenty  armed  men  in  the  party  under  the  com- 
mand of  Captain  King,  who  had  served  in  the  Mexican  war.  They  were 
five  months  and  four  days  jn  reaching  Lassen's  ranch  on  the  Sacramento 
river,  one  hundred  miles  above  Sacramento  city.  It  was  a  great  sight. — this 
almost  interminable  roatl  across  the  plains  for  thousands  of  miles;  and 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  the  time  caravans  of  gold-seekers  with  out- 
fits similar  to  their  own  could  be  seen  to  the  front  or  rear.  Along  the  trail 
between  St.  Joseph  and  the  Rocky  Mountains  there  were  many  American 
adventurers  and  gold-seekers,  all  armed  in  case  of  an  attack  from  hostile  In- 
dians, or  murderous  Mormons  who,  at  Mountain  Meadow,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  the  infamous  John  D.  Lee,  massacred  one  of  the  largest  bands  of 
emigrants  that  ever  crossed  the  plains.  In  the  party  were  many  women 
and  children,  and  all  were  put  to  death  without  mercy,  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  of  the  little  children  whomi  the  Mormons  believed  were  too  young  to 
tell  the  story;  but  the  impression  remained  strong  on  their  minds  and  the 
awful  tale  was  told,  and  many  years  later  Lee  was  hung  for  his  crimes. 

The  train  with  which  Mr.  Robinson  traveled  saw  a  number  of  bands 
of  Indians,  but  were  unmolested.  They  visited  a  Sioux  village  on  the 
Platte  river,  and  Mr.  Robinson,  having  some  trinkets  which  he  had  bought 
for  the  purpose  of  trading  with  the  Indians,  left  the  wagon  to  make  the  ex- 
chang-e.  He  found  the  village  deserted  by  all  of  the  Indian  men,  who  were 
out  hunting,  and  he  traded  to  some  extent  with  the  squaws,  however.  He 
discovered  that  his  wagon  train  had  passed  out  of  sight  and  so  hastened  to 
overtake  them.  A  short  time  afterward  an  Indian  appeared  and  tried  to 
take  from  him  a  handkercliief  which  lie  wore  around  his  neck.  This  he 
would  not  allow,  whereupon  the  Indian  drew  his  knife  and  made  signs  that 
he  would  cut  his  throat.       Thus  threatened,  and  having  no  arms.  Mr.  Robin- 


414  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

son  was  obliged  to  surrender  the  coveted  article.  On  reaching  the  wagons 
soon  afterward  he  missed  a  buffalo  robe,  and,  seeing  some  squaws  near  by, 
making  off  with  the  stolen  property,  he  recovered  his  robe  and  drove  them 
away.  However,  the  Indians  as  a  rule  were  friendly,  for  the  caravans  were 
too  numerous  and  the  emigrants  too  well  armed  to  allow  them  to  make  an 
attack. 

Another  incident  concerning  ^Ir.  Robinson's  trip  across  the  plains  oc- 
curred when  they  forded  the  Platte  river,  meeting  there  a  band  of  Sioux  In- 
dians. They  were  dressed  in  skins  with  all  of  the  paraphernalia  of  savage 
life,  and,  seated  on  ponies,  they  rode  with  the  train  five  miles,  having  held 
a  counsel  with  the  whites  and  smoked  the  pipe  of  peace.  Afterward  their 
train  passed  through  their  village,  and  Air.  Robinson  and  several  of  the 
younger  men  stopped  to  trade  with  the  redskins.  He  saw  the  Indians  in 
all  their  savage  wildness,  but  his  experiences  on  the  way  left  him  with  many 
memories  which  he  now  cherishes. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  only  twenty-four  years  old  when  he  crossed  the  great 
plains,  and,  although  he  walked  the  entire  distance  and  was  often  footsore 
and  weary,  his  health  remained  good;  and  soon  after  reaching  Lassen's 
ranch,  on  the  Sacramento  river,  he  went  to  Sacramento  city,  one  hundred 
miles,  on  a  pony  which  he  had  found  disabled  while  crossing  the  plains.  He 
secured  employment  with  a  man  who  conducted  a  "hotel"  for  the  miners 
in  a  big  tent  at  Drytown  on  Dry  creek,  forty  miles  east  of  Sacramento  city, 
receiving  three  hundred  dollars  per  month  for  his  ser^-ices.  There  he 
worked  for  a  month,  after  which  he  engaged  in  gold  mining  on  Dry  creek 
for  a  few  weeks.  He  was  then  taken  ill  and  after  two  months,  being  very 
weak  and  unable  to  work,  he  secured  transportation  to  Sacramento  cit}\ 
paying  an  ounce  of  gold  (sixteen  dollars)  for  the  distance  of  fort}  miles,  and 
finally  obtained  shelter  in  the  Crescent  City  Hotel.  When  well  enough  he 
worked  for  his  board  until  able  to  earn  wages.  He  then  engaged  in  hay- 
making on  the  Sacramento  river,  at  ten  dollars  per  day.  So  many  men 
were  in  the  gold  mines  that  help  could  not  be  obtained  at  what  we  would 
call  reasonable  prices  for  other  kinds  of  labor.  Subsequently  Mr.  Robinson 
engaged  in  gold-mining  in  Nevada  county,  California,  and  was  afterward 
employed  at  ranching  and  teaming.  He  returned  to  the  state  by  way  of  the 
Nicaragua  route  across  Lake  Nicaragua,  making  that  journey  at  the  time 
the  celebrated  filibuster  chief.  Walker,  and  his  band  were  making  raids  in 
the  Central  American  states.  A  company  of  these  filibusters  had  been  on 
the  boat  from  San  Francisco,  but  they  left  the  vessel  at  San  Juan  del  Norte, 
on  the  Pacific  coast.  The  two  hundred  and  fifty  passengers  rode  on  mules 
twelve  miles,  almost  entirely  without  arms,  to  San  Juan  del  Sur,  on  Lake 
Nicaragua.      In  the  market  place  they  bought  supplies  from  the  natives,  and 


.      BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  415 

■while  thus  busily  engaged  a  company  of  Nicaraguan  soldiers  came  up  and 
"fired  upon  them,  killing  five  before  they  made  a  pretense  of  discovering  that 
the  passengers  were  not  filibusters.  It  was  found  that  the  belts  of  the  five 
-who  had  been  killed  were  cut  and  that  their  money  had  been  taken  from  them. 
On  Lake  Nicaragua  the  boat  was  fired  on  at  the  head  of  the  San  Juan  river, 
and  turned  back;  and  it  was  some  time  before  it  entered  the  port  of  Grenada, 
about  thirty  miles  distant,  where  the  United  States  had  an  American  consul. 
However,  after  many  hardships  and  varied  experiences,  Mr.  Robinson 
reached  his  home  in  Kalamazoo,  Michigan,  in  November,  1855. 

Immediately  afterward  he  came  to  Kankakee  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
engaged  in  farm  work.  He  was  married  in  that  county  on  the  21st  of  April, 
1858,  to  Miss  Maryette  Dickinson,  who  was  born  April  5,  1829,  in  Connecti- 
cut, at  Simsbury,  Hartford  county.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Lewis  and  Avilla 
(Case)  Dickinson,  both  representatives  of  old  colonial  Puritan  families  of 
Connecticut.  Her  father  was  born  in  that  state,  March  9,  1799,  and  died  in 
Kankakee  county,  Illinois,  March  4,  1876.  He  was  a  farmer  and  traveling 
salesman,  and  traveled  throughout  the  southern  states  selling  clocks  for  thirty 
winters,  and  during  the  summer  time  he  lived  on  the  farm  with  his  family 
and  gave  his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits.  He  had  but  one  brother, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  years,  and  no  sisters.  He  was  married  in 
Simsbury,  Connecticut,  August  28,  1821,  tO'  Avilla  Alden  Case,  and  after 
their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dickinson  located  on  a  farm,  making  a  substan- 
tial and  comfortable  home  at  Simsbury  Connecticut.  Their  children  were 
Mary  J.,  born  April  25,  1825;  Janette  R.,  February  11,  1827;  Maryette,  April 
5,  1829;  Selah,  April  13,  1833;  Luke  T.,  January  8,  1835;  Timothy  C,  March 
19,  1837;  and  Anna  H.,  April  6,  1841.  Mr.  Dickinson  was  a  member  of  the 
Connecticut  state  legislature  and  a  prominent  and  enterprising  man.  He 
was  greatly  respected  for  his  sound  judgment,  and  as  a  result  of  many  years' 
faithful  service  he  was  always  known  as  Squire  Dickinson.  Of  strong  in- 
telligence and  force  of  character,  he  was  well  fitted  for  leadership,  and 
through  his  extensive  travels  he  gained  much  practical  knowledge  and  ex- 
perience. He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  were 
people  of  the  highest  respectability,  enjoying  the  confidence  and  good  will 
of  all  who  knew  them. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robinson  located  in  Pilot  township, 
Kankakee  county,  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  which  was 
tut  little  improved.  A  small  tract  had  been  plowed  and  a  small  shanty  built. 
There  they  lived  for  three  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  Mr.  Robinson  sold 
the  property  and  rented  land  in  Will  county  for  three  years.  He  then  came 
to  Felix  township,  Grundy  county,  in  the  spring  of  1865,  and  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  upon  which  some  improvements  had  been  made.       He 


4i6  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

conducted  the  work  of  developing  that  farm  until  1871,  when  he  removed 
to  Wauponsee  township  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land,  which  he  placed 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  There  he  energetically  and  successfully 
carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  until  March,  1892,  when  he  retired  from  ac- 
tive life,  taking  up  his  abode  in  the  village  of  Mazon. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robinson  have  been  born  the  following  children : 
Willie,  born  March  18,  1859;  Arthur  L.,  February  27,  1862:  Nettie.  January 
22,  1868;  ami  Jessie,  January  i.  1870.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robinson  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  church,  in  which  he  has  sen-ed  as  a  class  leader  and  steward 
for  several  years.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  was  a  justice  of  the  peace 
of  Felix  township  for  six  years,  while,  in  Washington  township,  he  held  the 
same  office  for  two  years,  and  was  also  a  township  clerk  of  Kankakee  county; 
and  he  ever  discharged  his  duties  with  promptness  and  faithfulness.  His 
life  has  l)een  one  of  industrv  and  enterprise,  and  in  his  younger  days  he 
I)assed  through  many  stirring  scenes  and  through  many  hardships,  but  now 
in  the  evening  of  life  he  is  quietlv  resting  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  his 
former  toil. 


GEORGE     E.     WHEELER. 

George  E.  Wheeler,  of  Mazon,  Illinois,  is  one  of  the  prominent  and 
influential  citizens  of  Grundy  county,  where  he  is  also  one  of  the  most  sub- 
stantial and  prosperous  farmers.  The  Wheeler  family,  of  which  he  is  a  repre- 
sentative, comes  of  the  old  Puritan  New  England  stock.  The  remote  founders 
of  the  family  in  America  came  from  England  in  the  days  of  Puritan  emigra- 
tion from  that  country.  The  following  account  of  the  genealogy  of  the 
family  is  taken  from  a  memorandum  left  by  the  late  Henry  H.  Wheeler,  father 
of  George  E.  Wheeler. 

Thomas  Wheeler,  the  great-great-grandfather  of  the  immediate  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  the  first  of  the  name  of  whom  we  have  any  record.  He 
died  while  returning  from  the  French  and  Indian  war  at  Fite  Miller  tavern, 
near  Pine  Plains,  Columbia  county.  New  York,  September  i,  1757.  He  is 
believed  to  have  had  a  brother  Solomon  and  they  are  thought  to  have  lived 
at  Woodbury,  Connecticut,  until  1749.  Seth  Wheeler,,  a  son  of  Thomas 
and  great-grandfather  of  George  E.  Wheeler,  was  born  February  22,  1749, 
and  was  a  captain  in  the  patriot  ser\'ice  in  the  Revolutionan,-  war.  He  mar- 
ried Mary  Treadwell,  born  November  23,  1751,  and  they  had  children, 
as  follows:  Thomas,  born  September  i,  1770:  Ashbell.  born  August  17, 
1772;  Seth.  Jr.,  born  September  3,  1776;  Mary,  born  September  25,  1778, 
who  married  S.  Truesdale;  Thomas,  born   January  31.   1781:  Sarah,  born 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  417 

June  10.  1783,  who  married  John  Truesdale;  Lucy,  born  February  13,  1786, 
who  married  John  Gilbert:  Stephen,  born  June  6,  1789,  died  May  9,  1861, 
aged  seventy-one  years,  eleven  months  and  three  days;  Solomon,  born  July 
25,  1793.  died  May  7,  1852.  Myron  Wheeler,  a  son  of  Seth,  Jr.,  married 
Catherine  Roe  and  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista  in  the  Mexican 
war.  Stephen,  a  son  of  Seth  Wheeler,  born  June  6,  1789,  was  married 
March  30,  1818,  to  Maria  Powers,  born  October  20,  1795,  and  their  chil- 
dren were  as  follows:  Henry  Harrison,  born  January  28,  1820;  Mary, 
born  March  8,  1822:  Frederick  Powers,  born  June  4,  1824;  Richard  Nelson, 
born  FebruarA-  21,  1826;  John,  born  March  25,  1828:  Frances,  born  April 
10,  1830,  who  died  Februan,-  18,  1832;  Caroline  F.,  born  February  i,  1832, 
and  died  January  28,  1889;  Sarah  J.,  born  September  28,  1834,  who  died 
March  14,  1835;  Franklin,  born  February  20,  1836,  who  died  November  24, 
1863:  Sarah  J.,  born  July  16.  1840;  Helen  D.  (twin  of  Sarah  J.)  who  mar- 
ried Edward  C.  Moody,  November  26,  1862.  and  died  June  24.  1879.  Stephen 
died  May  9,  1861.  ^Maria,  his  wife,  Januarj'  4,  1875.  Henr>'  Harrison 
Wheeler  (a  son  of  Stephen  and  IMaria  (Powers)  Wheeler  and  Amanda 
R.  Simmons  were  married  October  16,  1849:  Richard  N.  Wheeler  and  Lucy 
J.  Wilson  were  married  March  30,  1851;  Sarah  J.  Wheeler  and  George  W. 
Mersereau  were  married  November  10,  1861. 

Maria  Powers,  who  married  Stephen  Wheeler,  was  the  daughter  of 
Frederick  Powers,  who  was  born  March  31,  1765.  and  died  December  21. 
183 1.  He  married  Ruth  Pennoyer,  who  was  born  February  25,  1767,  and 
died  July  16,  1853.  The  children  of  Frederick  and  Ruth  (Pennoyer)  Powers 
were  as  follows:  Lucy,  born  October  4,  1779.  who  died  October  2,  1803; 
David,  born  May  30,  1791,  who  died  August  24,  1849;  Talbot,  born  August 
28,  1793.  who  died  November  28.  1874:  Maria,  born  October  20,  1795, 
who  died  June  4,  1875:  Julia  A.,  born  May  18.  1797.  who  died  June  6,  1875; 
George,  born  December  27.  1798,  who  died  September  21,  1803:  Caroline 
F.,  born  March  3,  1801,  who  died  November  9,  1888:  Lydia,  born  September 
16,  1802,  who  died  June  19,  1883:  William,  born  August  27,  1804,  who  died 
September  30,  1805;  Frances  W.,  born  December  22,  1806:  Charlotte  J., 
born  December  22,  1810.  Stephen  Wheeler,  grandfather  of  George  E. 
Wheeler,  became  a  farmer,  but  in  early  life  was  a  carpenter.  He  owned  a 
farm  of  two  hundred  acres  in  Broome  county.  New  York,  where  he  died. 
Henry  H.  Wheeler,  a  son  of  Stephen  and  Maria  (Powers)  Wheeler,  was 
born  in  Dutchess  county.  New  York,  January  28,  1820.  He  received  a 
good  education  for  the  time,  primarily  in  the  common  schools,  and  finish- 
ing his  studies  at  a  seminary  located  on  his  father's  farm  in  which  his 
father  was  a  stockholder.  Mr.  Wheeler  was  throughout  his  life  a  wide 
reader  of  good  books  and  kept  well  up  with  the  times.     He  married,  in 


4iS  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Broome  county.  New  York,  October  i6,  1849,  Amanda  Simmons,  who 
was  born  October  6,  1822,  in  Dutchess  county,  New  York,  a  daughter  of 
William  and  Qarissa  (Roe)  Simmons.  William  Simmons  was  born  August 
7,  1785,  in  Dutchess  county.  New  York.  He  was  the  son  of  Nicholas 
Simmons,  of  sturdy  Holland-Dutch  stock,  and  the  grandson  of  Peter  Sim- 
mons, who  came  from  Holland  in  the  eighteenth  century  and  settled  in  the 
northern  part  of  Dutchess  county,  or  possibly  in  the  adjoining  county  of 
Columbia,  New  York. 

Nicholas  Simmons  married  Katrina  Snyder,  also  of  Holland-Dutch 
stock  and  born  on  the  farm  adjoining  his  father's.  They  had  ten  children — 
four  boys  and  six  girls — named  Katrina,  William,  Henry,  Anna,  John, 
Charity,  Hannah,  Betsy,  Polly  and  Anthony.  Nicholas  Simmons  lived  to 
be  nearly  eighty  years  old  and  died  in  Broome  county.  New  York.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Democrat.  William  Simmons,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Henry 
H.  Wheeler,  was  a  soldier  in  the  United  States  Army  in  the  war  of  1812 
and  came  near  death  from  yellow  fever  while  in  the  service.  He  was  a 
prosperous  farmer,  entirely  a  self-made  man  of  upright  character  and  a  re- 
markable physical  constitution.  He  was  twice  married,  the  first  time  to 
Clarissa  Roe,  in  1813,  in  the  town  of  North  East,  Dutchess  county.  New 
York,  where  she  was  born  March  7,  1794,  a  daughter  of  Silas  and  ]\Iercy 
(Harv-ey)  Roe.  They  settled  on  the  Roe  farm  in  Dutchess  county,  and 
lived  there  about  ten  years,  and  there  she  died  September  13,  1827.  For 
his  second  wife  he  married  Wealthy  Roe,  her  cousin,  who  bore  him  two 
daughters:  Clarissa,  December  8,  1832;  and  Laura,  December  31,  1833. 
By  the  first  wife  (Clarissa  Roe)  there  were  born  five  children.  The  eldest 
of  these,  Har\-ey  R.,  bom  September  29,  1814.  married  Almira  Marsh,  who 
died  January  2,  1889.  They  had  two  children  who  lived:  Eugene  W.,  born 
in  1840;  and  Rollin,  born  in  1846.  Edward,  the  second  son  of  William  and 
Clarissa  (Roe)  Simmons,  was  born  April  14,  1816,  and  was  twice  married, 
first  to  Harriet  Winchell.  His  second  wife  was  Sarah  (Mead)  Trowbridge. 
There  were  two  children  by  the  first  marriage:  Alfred,  who  lived  to  be 
twenty-two  years  of  age;  and  James,  who  died  when  two  years  old. 

Of  Edward  Simmons  more  than  a  passing  notice  should  be  given. 
He  lives  at  Millerton,  Dutchess  county.  New  York,  near  where  he  was 
born,  and  is  one  of  the  oldest  lawyers  in  that  part  of  the  state,  having  reached 
the  venerable  age  of  eighty-three  years.  He  is  distinguished  for  his  prom- 
inence at  the  bar,  his  educational  work  and  for  long  activity  in  public  af- 
fairs. In  the  winter  of  1832-3,  he  began  teaching  school  in  Lime  Rock, 
Connecticut,  and  from  that  time  until  1848  he  followed  that  occupation 
with  marked  success.  In  1838-9  he  taught  a  school  of  a  high  grade  at  Greene, 
Chenango  county.  New  York,  and  from  there  went  to  Great  Barrington, 


e^HJ^yy  (7^    "71^^.4^/^^^ 


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x;%^^^^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  419 

Massachusetts,  teaching  Latin  and  Greek  and  the  higher  English  branches. 
In  1843  ^s  returned  to  Miilerton  and  with  Alexander  Winchell,  afterward 
prominent  as  a  geologist  and  long  a  conspicuous  member  of  the  faculty 
of  the  University  of  Michigan,  opened  a  private  school.  ]\Ir.  Simmons 
built  the  store  in  Miilerton  now  occupied  by  James  Finch,  and  engaged 
in  a  general  merchandise  business  there,  which  he  conducted  twenty-five 
years  and  then  transferred  to  Mr.  Finch,  who  had  been  his  clerk  for  fifteen 
years.  In  1867  ]Mr.  Simmons  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  has  been  a  suc- 
cessful lawyer  and  is  a  member  of  the  New  York  State  Bar  Association  and 
still  gives  some  attention  to  legal  matters.  He  was  the  financial  secretary 
of  the  New  York  state  constitutional  convention  in  1867,  of  which  William 
A.  Wheeler  was  the  president  and  Samuel  J.  Tilden,  Horace  Greeley  and 
other  well  known  men  of  the  time  were  members.  He  filled  the  ofilice  of 
supervisor  for  five  terms,  and  was  the  chairman  of  the  board  for  one  term, 
and  he  was  a  member  of  the  committee  which  appeared  before  the  state 
board  of  assessors  and  secured  a  reduction  in  the  assessment  of  Dutchess 
county,  which  in  three  years  saved  the  tax-payers  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  He  is  an  advocate  of  good  schools  and  favors  every  local  im- 
provement. Politically  he  was  a  free-soil  Democrat  in  early  years,  but  voted 
for  Fremont  in  1856,  and  since  that  time  has  been  a  Republican.  He  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  for  sixty-four  years,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity.  (The  above  sketch  of  Edward  W.  Simmons  was 
taken  from  a  Dutchess  county  (New  York)  newspaper.) 

Julia  A.,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Clarissa  (Roe)  Simmons,  was 
born  Februarys  5,  18 19,  married  Lewis  W.  Barnes  and  died  in  September, 
185 1,  leaving  a  daughter,  Eva  Julia,  born  August  27,  1846.  Amanda,  an- 
other of  their  daughters,  who  married  Henry  H.  W'heeler,  will  be  noticed 
more  at  length  further  on.  James  Barlow  Simmons,  the  fifth  and  last 
in  the  family,  was  born  April  17,  1827,  and  married  Marj'  Stephens,  and 
they  were  the  parents  of  Dr.  Robert  Stephens  Simmons.  William  Sim- 
mons, the  father  of  the  above  mentioned  children,  died  in  Dutchess  county, 
New  York,  July  14,  1868.  Silas  Roe,  the  father  of  Clarissa  (Roe)  Simmons, 
was  an  Englishman  and  a  man  of  means,  who  owned  a  farm  at  North  East, 
Dutchess  county,  which  contained  three  hundred  acres  valued  at  one  hun- 
dred dollars  an  acre.  He  died  on  the  place,  at  a  venerable  age.  His  children 
were  Uzziel,  Annie,  Jeduthun,  Laura,  Julia,  Caroline,  Amos,  Clarissa,  Ly- 
man, Harvey,  Harmon,  Julia,  Alvah  and  Amanda. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  H.  Wheeler,  parents  of  George  E.  Wheeler,  moved 
to  Ilhnois  in  May,  1850,  not  long  after  their  marriage.  They  came  to 
Chicago  by  way  of  the  lakes,  and  thence  penetrated  the  state  as  far  as 
Morris.     They  settled   on  the  farm  where  the  immediate   subject  of  the 


420  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

sketch  now  lives,  then  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  on  which 
had  been  Iniilt  a  double  log  house.  A  small  crop  had  been  put  in.  Mr. 
Wheeler  paid  five  hundred  dollars  for  the  place  and  improved  it  and  made 
it  a  good  home  farm.  In  political  opinion  he  was  a  stanch  Republican, 
and  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  party,  having  voted  for  John  C. 
Fremont.  As  a  citizen  he  was  honored,  respected,  and  influential  in  the 
township.  A  friend  of  good  schools,  he  was  for  many  years  a  member  of 
the  board  of  education;  and  he  also  held  the  ofTice  of  assessor  in  his  town- 
ship. In  early  life  he  was  inclined  to  military  affairs  and  held  the  office 
of  lieutenant  in  a  militia  company  in  New  York.  He  was  one  of  the  re- 
spected pioneers  of  Grundy  county  because  of  his  strong,  fearless,  out- 
spoken character  and  his  upright  and  straightforward  treatment  of  every 
one.  .\n  old  neighbor  said  of  him:  "He  was  always  honest  and  fair. 
He  was  independent  in  thought  and  always  frank  in  his  expression  of  his 
views."  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  H.  Wheeler  were  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren:  George  E.,  born  February  20,  1851;  Elmer  E.,  born  September  18, 
i860,  who  died  JNIarch  13.  1862:  and  Clara  May.  born  January  20.  1863. 
Mr.  \\'heeler  died  January  2j.  1897,  at  his  residence  in  Morris,  where  he  had 
lived  since  May,  1873.  r^Irs.  Wheeler  is  yet  living,  a  venerable  lady  of 
excellent  memory  and  much  beloved  for  her  high  character.  Their  daugh- 
ter, Clara  May,  married  Abraham  J.  Neff,  January  21,  1891,  and  has  two 
children:  ]\Iae  A.,  born  in  1891:  Paul  A.,  born  in  1892:  and  Dorothy,  born 
in   1899. 

George  E.  Wheeler  is  one  of  the  oldest  continuous  residents  of  Grundy 
county.  He  was  born  on  the  W  heeler  homestead  in  Mazon  townshi]).  where 
he  now  lives,  and  was  brought  ui)  to  farming  among  the  pioneers  and  can 
well  remember  many  of  them.  His  education  was  obtained  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  the  county.  In  the  fail  of  1869  he  was  given  a  certificate 
as  a  school-teacher,  bv  the  late  Hiram  C.  Goold.  then  county  superintendent 
of  schools.  He  taught  school  four  winters,  working  the  remainder  of  the 
vear  on  the  farm.  Having  received  Ins  education  and  taught  in  the  schools 
of  his  neighborhood  he  fullv  realizes  the  necessit}'  of  better  schools,  so 
that  the  youth  wlio  has  to  acquire  an  education  in  this  manner  may  have 
everv  opportunity.  He  is  in  favor  of  paying  liberal  wages  to  teachers, — 
enough  to  secure  the  highest  ability,  so  that  all  the  preparaton*'  branches 
and  even  some  of  the  higher  courses  might  be  tauglit  in  the  home  schools. 
He  has  been  a  school  trustee  for  ten  years.  He  married.  October  11.  1871. 
in  Good  Farm  town.ship.  Grundy  county,  Illinois.  Mary  J.  Keepers,  who 
was  born  March  16,  1854.  in  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of  Israel 
J.  and  Mary  (Kimble)  Keepers.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wheeler  settled  on  the 
Wheeler  homestead  and  bv  steadv  thrift  and  industry  have  prospered  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  421 

now  own  a  fine  and  fertile  farm  and  most  attractive  homestead.  Their 
home  place  consists  of  two  hundred  acres,  and  their  other  farm,  in  the 
same  section,  contains  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  Mr.  Wheeler  has 
ser\^ed  his  fellow  townsmen  as  supervisor  well  and  faithfully. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  Morris  Herald  :  "He  (Mr.  Wheeler) 
was  first  elected  in  1885,  serving-  two  terms.  He  was  again  elected  in  the 
spring  of  1889,  and  he  lias  served  continuously,  succeeding  himself,  since 
that  time.  He  has  been  chairman  of  the  board  during  five  years  of  this 
long  service.     In  politics  he  is  always  a  Republican." 

When  Mr.  Wheeler  first  became  a  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors, 
a  levy  of  fort}'  thousand  dollars  was  required  to  pay  running  expenses  and 
indebtedness.     He  lias  seen  a  business  policy  developed,  and  has  helped 
develop   it,   until   this  has  been   materially  reduced.     At  one  time  county 
officers  were  allowed  to  retain  all  the  fees  of  their  offices,  and  in  one  case 
this  amounted  to  three  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  per  annum. 
Mr.  Wheeler  was  an  advocate,  and  aided  in  the  adoption,  of  such  legislation 
by  the  board  as  to  allow  officers  a  reasonable  salary  for  services,  and  pro- 
viding for  an  accounting  of  fees  earned  to  the  county.     He  occupies  an 
enviable  place  in  the  esteem  of  the  people  of  Grundy  county,  owing  to  his 
services  in  securing  favorable  action  toward  the  care  of  the  poor  of  the 
county  by  one  person.     It  was  Mr.  Wheeler  who  wrote  and  presented  the 
resolution  to  the  board,  which  was  adopted,  providing  for  the  appointment 
of  a  county  agent  for  the  poor.     He  has  long  been  of  the  opinion,  from 
his  actual  knowledge  of  the  work,  that  better  relief  could  be  afforded  in  this 
matter,  and  more  economically,  under  the  supervision  of  one  person,  and  the 
people  at  large  better  protected.     There  seems  little  question  now  of  the 
wisdom  of  Mr.   Wheeler's  foresight.     It  has  created  a  reform  which  has 
saved  the  people  thousands  of  dollars  a  year,  and  yet  has  taken  care  of 
every  needy  case  of  want  or  sufTering  in  the  county,  weeding  out  impostors 
and  others  who  preferred  to  accept  a  public  charity  rather  than  work.     In 
matters  of  reform  Mr.  Wheeler  is  sometimes  termed  radical,  yet  his  years 
of  experience  have  proven  of  great  value  to  the  people  at  large,  and  the 
measures  he  has  advocated,  as  a  rule,  have  resulted  satisfactorily. 

Mr.  Wheeler  is  the  president  of  the  Vienna  Township  Mutual  Insurance 
Company,  which  is  chartered  to  do  business  in  the  townships  of  Vienna. 
Highland.  Norman.  Good  Farm,  Mazon  and  Wauponsee.  The  company 
has  over  six  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  policies  in  force  and  he  has  been 
one  of  its  nine  directors  of  the  company  for  many  years.  He  also  is  an 
earnest  advocate  of  good  roads  and  believes  in  the  policy  of  beginning  at 
once  to  improve  the  roads  and  doing  as  much  as  is  consistent  with  the 
means  at  hand  and  in  a  practical  and  economical  manner.     No  man  is  more 


422  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

favorably  regarded  in  Grundy  county  than  George  E.  Wheeler,  and  he  has- 
fairly  won  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  by  his  honest  ettorts  in  be- 
half of  the  people. 

The  children  of  George  E.  and  Mary  J.  (Keepers)  Wheeler  are  Effie 
Pearl,  born  ]\Iarch  1 1,  1877.  and  \'ernon.  born  July  23,  1886.  Mrs.  Wheeler 
and  her  daughter  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church. 

Samuel  Keepers,  a  great-grandfather  of  Mrs.  George  E.  \Mieeler,  of 
the  old  colonial  stock,  was  the  owner  of  a  good  farm  in  Chester  county, 
Pennsylvania,  wliere  he  lived  and  died.  He  married  Ann  Hayes,  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  had  children  as  follows:  John,  Joseph  H.,  Kate,  Elizabeth 
and  Jane.  After  his  death  his  wife  (Ann)  married  again  and  had  one 
daughter,  Ann.  Joseph  H.  Keepers,  a  son  of  Samuel  and  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  George  E.  Wheeler,  was  born  in  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania.  He 
married,  in  that  county,  Hannah  P.  Jordan  and  they  moved  to  western 
Pennsylvania  and  settled  in  Beaver  county.  About  1830  they  moved  ta 
Guernsey  county.  Ohio,  with  teams.  There  he  was  a  pioneer  and  be- 
came a  sulistantial  farmer.  A  member  of  the  Baptist  church,  he  was 
a  straightforward,  honorable  man  of  the  highest  Christian  character.  His 
children  were  Phoebe  A.,  \\'illiam,  Sarah  J.,  Israel  J..  Joseph,  ]\Iary  E., 
Hannah  M.,  Philena  and  Henrietta.  Mrs.  Joseph  H.  Keeoers  died  April 
28,  1873,  aged  sixty-eight,  at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Hannah  M. 
Warnock,  in  Iroquois  county,  Illinois.  Mr.  Keepers  died  in  Guernsey 
county,  Ohio,  December  6,  184.2,  scarcely  past  middle  age. 

Israel  Jordan  Keepers,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wheeler,  went  with  his 
parents  to  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  in  1830,  when  he  was  about  seven  years 
old.  There  he  received  a  good  common-school  education  and  mamed, 
in  Jefferson  township,  August  22,  1850.  Mary  Kimble,  a  daughter  of  Adam 
and  Ann  Marie  (Hufifman)  Kimble.  Adam  was  the  son  of  Nathan  and 
Betsy  (Davis)  Kimble.  Nathan  Kimble  was  born  in  Germany.  He  came 
to  America,  settled  in  New  Jersey  and  served  his  adopted  country  seven 
years  and  six  months  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  afterward  located  in 
\\'ashington  county,  Pennsylvania.  From  there  he  came  to  Guernsey 
county,  Ohio,  as  a  pioneer  in  1810.  and  took  up  and  improved  government 
land.  He  died  in  1824  and  is  buried  in  Jefferson  township,  Guernsey 
county.  He  was  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  1816  and  was  the  first  to 
hold  that  office  in  Guernsey  county.  In  18 17  he  was  the  chairman  of 
the  meeting  to  organize  Jefferson  township.  Nathan  Kimble"s  children 
were  Adam,  William,  ^\'ashington,  Robert,  Jane  and  ilary.  His  first 
wife,  Betsy,  nee  Davis,  died  in  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  and  he  married 
Rebecca ,  and  their  children  were  Nathan  George,  Cyrus,  Ma- 
tilda, and  Sarah  A.     Nathan  Kimble's  farm  was  known  as  Congress  Field 


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BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  423 

and  Avas  a  tine  property.  In  the  early  Indian  troubles  the  family  frequently 
took  refuge  in  a  rude  blockhouse  which  stood  close  by  their  cabin.  Mr. 
Kimble  had  a  claim  to  land  near  Winchester,  Ohio,  by  virtue  of  a  soldier's 
warrant  for  his  services  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

Adam  Kimble,  Nathan  Kimble's  oldest  child,  was  born  in  New  Jersey, 
in  1794,  and  married  Ann  Marie  HutTman,  who  was  born  October  15, 
1800,  and  died  in  1878.  She  was  of  sturdy  Pennsylvania-Dutch  stock,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Betsy  (McClellan)  HutTman,  natives  of  that  state. 
John  Huffman  was  a  pioneer  in  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  before  1800,  from 
"The  Glades"  of  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania.  The  HufYmans  were 
originally  from  Germany.  John  Huffman  cleared  his  forest  farm  and  be- 
came a  well-to-do  and  substantial  farmer.  He  lived  to  be  about  seventy 
years  old  and  died  in  Ohio,  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  John 
and  Elizabeth  (McClellan)  Huffman  were  the  parents  of  children  named 
George,  Joseph,  Abraham,  Benjamin,  John,  Elizabeth  and  Mary.  Adam 
Kimble  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  181 2.  After  his  marriage  to  Ann  Marie 
Huffman  he  settled  in  Jefferson  township,  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  and 
owned  in  time  the  tine  property  called  Congress  Field,  besides  much  other 
land,  and  was  considered  well  off.  His  children  were  Elizabeth,  Rebecca, 
Delilah,  Davis,  Huffman,  William,  Jane,  Mary,  Sallie,  Eliza,  Nancy,  George, 
Nathan  and  Robert.  The  latter  died  in  infancy.  All  the  others  lived  to 
grow  up.  Nancy  died,  aged  twenty-two  years.  The  others,  eight  of  whom 
are  living,  all  reared  families.  Adam  Kimble  died  January  4,  1862,  as  the 
result  of  a  fall  the  previous  New  Year's  eve.  His  wife  lived  to  be  seventy- 
eight  years  old.  They  were  members  of  the  Baptist  church.  Israel  J. 
Keepers  settled  in  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  on  the  old  Keepers  home  prop- 
erty, which  consisted  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres  of  land  and  a  saw- 
mill, which  he  owned  in  partnership  with  his  brother  Joseph.  In  September, 
1864,  he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and  Seventy-sixth  Regiment 
Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  for  three  years  or  during  the  war,  and  was  hon- 
orably discharged  at  the  close  of  the  struggle.  His  regiment  was  stationed  at 
Nashville,  Tennessee. 

He  came  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  and  settled  in  Good  Farm  township 
in  1866,  and  bought  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  acres  of  land.  This 
farm  was  well  improved  and  he  lived  on  it  until  1883.  At  that  time  he 
bought  another  farm  in  the  same  township  but  never  occupied  it  as  a  resi- 
dence. He  retired  in  1884  and  for  some  years  lived  at  Gardner,  Illinois.  He 
died  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Carrie  Taylor,  at  Mazon,  Illinois, 
October  3,  1892,  aged  about  sixty-three  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  church,  in  which  he  was  for  many  years  an  elder,  and  his  official 
place  in  the  church  was  filled  by  his  son,  William  I.     Politically  he  was  a 


424  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD   GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

stanch  Republican.  A  friend  of  education,  he  was  long  a  school  director, 
and  he  was  a  much  trusted  man  of  fine  business  capacity  and  was  the  ad- 
ministrator of  several  estates  and  executor  of  a  number  of  wills.  His  chil- 
<lren  are  William  I.,  Mary  J.,  Joseph  H..  Caroline,  Hannah  ]vlyrtle  and 
Olive  W.  Mrs.  Keepers,  his  widow,  who  was  born  June  17,  1831,  is  a  lady  of 
intelligence  and  greatly  beloved  by  all  for  her  many  good  qualities  of  head 
and  heart.  It  is  said  of  her  that  '"she  is  a  mother  to  all."  This  is  true  es- 
pecially in  times  of  sickness  and  trouble.  Her  home  is  now  with  her  chil- 
dren. 


ALANSON  D.  SMITH,  M.  D. 

For  twenty-nine  years  Dr.  Smith  has  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine 
in  Morris,  and  through  this  period  his  skill  and  ability  has  been  so  marked 
as  to  win  him  recognition  as  one  of  the  most  careful  and  conscientious  repre- 
sentatives of  the  profession  in  Grundy  count}-.  He  has  been  a  close  and 
painstaking  student  all  his  life.  There  is  no  calling  or  business  which  imposes 
greater  responsibility  upon  its  followers,  for  life  and  death  are  in  the  hands 
■of  the  physician.  An  unskillful  operation,  a  tlrug  wrongly  administered  may 
take  from  man  that  which  he  prizes  most — life,  and  the  public  accords 
its  patronage  only  to  those  who  merit  and  deserve  its  confidence.  For  the 
past  nine  vears,  he  has  devoted  a  good  deal  of  time  to  the  study  ant!  treatment 
of  the  drug  habits,  namely:  the  opium,  liquor  and  tobacco  habits.  By  his 
methods  of  treatment  patients  addicted  to  those  drugs  are  easily  and 
promptl)-  cured,  without  any  suffering  or  ill  after  eft'ects;  the  craving  removed 
and  the  health  restored,  for  those  using  those  drugs  to  excess  are  both 
mentally  and  physically  diseased:  that  being  the  cause  of  their  inability 
to  discontinue  their  use,  until  their  health  is  restored  and  the  poisons  elim- 
inated from  tke  system.  The  large  practice  which  Dr.  Smith  enjoys  is  there- 
fore an  indication  of  his  abilit}-  and  attests  his  high  rank  in  the  medical 
fraternity. 

Dr.  Smith  was  born  near  ^^'atertown.  Jeft'erson  county.  New  York, 
August  2,  1845.  His  parents,  Eleazer  and  Maria  (Derby)  Smith,  were 
natives  of  \^ermont.  the  father  bom  in  Rutland,  September  21.  1807,  the 
mother  in  Huntington.  August  28.  181 5.  Nathan  Smith,  great-grandfather 
of  the  Doctor,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  served  two  vears  as  a  soldier 
in  the  French  and  Indian  war.  from  1755  to  1757.  Prior  to  the  Revolution 
he  removed  to  the  Green  Mountain  state,  where  as  captain  of  a  company 
he  joined  the  forces  of  Colonel  Ethan  Allen  soon  after  the  battle  of  Lexing- 
ton. He  aided  in  the  capture  of  Fort  Ticonderoga  early  in  the  struggle  for 
independence  and  remained  in  the  army  with  Colonel  Allen  during  the  war. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  425 

The  Doctor's  maternal  grandfather  was  also  a  colonial  soldier  during  the 
Revolutionary  war,  and  her  father  served  during  the  second  war  with  Eng- 
land— the  war  of  181 2.  The  parents  of  Dr.  Smith  were  married  in  New 
York,  where  the  father  conducted  a  farm  and  dairy  until  1854,  at  which  time 
they  came  to  Illinois.  They  first  located  near  Marseilles,  but  purchasing 
a  farm  in  Saratoga  township,  Grundy  county,  they  took  up  their  abode 
there  April  i.  1856.  There  the  father  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  June  21,  1886,  in  the  seventy-ninth  year  of  his 
age.  His  witlow  is  still  living  and  now  resides  with  a  daughter  in  Iowa. 
This  worthy  couple  were  the  parents  of  eight  sons  and  two  daughters :  Charles 
C,  a  resident  of  Joliet,  Illinois;  Edwin  R.,  who  was  killed  by  a  Confederate 
sharpshooter  while,  as  lieutenant,  he  was  directing  a  squad  engaged  in 
digging  trenches  at  Petersburg,  Virginia,  August  12,  1864:  Peter  B.,  who 
died  Januani-  15,  1864,  at  Chattanooga,  Tennessee,  while  serving  in  the 
Union  army  in  Captain  Cogswell's  battery,  from  Ottawa,  Illinois;  William 
I-I.,  a  resident  of  Gardner,  Illinois:  Walter  S.,  of  Morris,  who  loyally  served 
his  countr}'  in  the  Civil  war  and  died  in  1888;  George  F.,  who  also  wore  the 
blue  in  the  struggle  to  preserve  the  Union  and  is  now  a  resident  and  news- 
paper publisher  of  Keosauqua,  Iowa;  Frank  E.,  who  makes  his  home  in 
the  Hawkeye  state;  and  our  subject.  The  daughters  are  Mrs.  Laura  J. 
Davis  and  Emma  A.,  of  Iowa. 

Alanson  D.  Smith  is  the  sixth  son  of  this  family.  During  his  boyhood 
he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Illinois  and  was  reared  on  the  home  farm 
where  he  remained  until  seventeen  years  of  age,  when  he  left  the  parental 
roof  in  order  to  attend  scliool.  He  acquired  a  fair  education  and  learned 
telegraphv,  which  he  followed  for  four  years,  being  stationed  at  Polo,  Illinois. 
Having  determined  to  enter  professional  life,  however,  he  began  the  study 
of  medicine  while  serving  as  telegraph  operator,  and  later  continued  his 
studies  in  Morris  with  Dr.  John  N.  Freeman  as  his  preceptor.  Later  he 
went  to  Brookhn,  New  York,  and  became  a  student  in  the  Long  Island 
College  hospital,  subsequently  entering  the  medical  department  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  the  City  of  New  York,  in  which  institution  he  was  graduated 
in  1870. 

Thus  prepared  for  his  chosen  calling,  in  April,  1870,  Dr.  Smith  located 
in  Dwight,  Illinois,  having  an  office  with  Dr.  Keeley,  after  practicing  a  short 
time  with  an  uncle  in  his  native  county  and  state.  In  the  meantime.  Dr. 
Freeman  had  moved  to  Brooklyn,  New  York,  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr. 
S.  C.  \\'hite,  who,  becoming  dissatisfied,  induced  Dr.  Smith  to  come  to 
Morris  and  take  his  place  in  the  office  where  he  studied,  in  July  following, 
where  he  has  practiced  medicine  continuously  since,  having  now  been  in 
practice  in  Morris  longer  than  any  of  the  physicians  connected  with  the 


426  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

medical  fraternity  there.  Thus  it  was  that  our  subject  became  identified 
with  the  medical  fraternity  of  Grundy  county  in  1870.  From  the  beginning 
he  has  enjoyed  a  large  and  lucrative  practice  and  has  made  judicious  invest- 
ment of  his  capital,  now  owning  valualjle  property  interests  in  Morris.  So- 
cially he  is  a  Master  ]\Iason,  and  in  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  His  life 
has  been  well  spent  in  devotion  to  the  duties  that  have  devolved  upon  him, 
and  he  is  accounted  one  of  the  highly  respected  citizens  of  his  community. 


ABRAHAM  HOLDERMAN. 

One  of  the  pioneers  of  Grundy  county,  Abraham  Holderman  was  for 
many  years  connected  with  the  interests  of  this  section  of  the  state,  and 
at  all  times  bore  his  part  in  the  work  of  progress,  improvement  and  advance- 
ment. He  also  met  with  success  in  his  business  undertakings  and  became 
one  of  the  extensive  land-owners  of  the  community.  In  all  life's  relations 
he  commanded  the  respect  of  those  with  whom  he  was  associated  and  no 
liiston,'  of  the  agricultural  interests  of  Grundy  county  would  be  complete 
without  the  record  of  his  life. 

He  was  born  in  Ross  county,  Ohio,  January  22,  1822,  and  was  a  son 
of  Abraham  and  Charlotte  (O'Neal)  Holderman.  His  father  was  a  Penn- 
sylvania Dutchman  and  his  mother  was  of  Irish  lineage.  The  former  was 
born  in  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  when  eighteen  years  of  age 
removed  to  Ross  county,  Ohio,  where  he  was  married.  Seven  sons  and 
seven  daughters  were  born  of  this  union,  and  eleven  of  the  family  grew  to 
years  of  maturitv,  while  ten  of  the  number  were  married  and  reared  families 
of  their  own.  The  father  was  a  prosperous  man  who  extensively  engaged 
in  farming  and  stock-raising  in  Ohio,  but,  desiring  to  try  his  fortune  in  a 
district  farther  west,  he  came  to  Illinois  on  a  prospecting  tour  in  July,  1831. 
Selecting  land  in  this  state,  he  then  returned  to  Ohio  and  in  the  fall  of  1831 
brought  his  family  to  Illinois,  settling  at  what  is  now  known  as  Holderman's 
Grove.  This  was  a  year  before  the  Black  Hawk  war.  When  the  Indians 
began  hostilities  against  the  white  people,  in  order  that  his  family  might 
escape  the  danger  which  threatened  them  he  hastened  with  them  to  Ottawa 
and  on  to  Pekin,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  till  peace  was  once  more  re- 
stored. In  August,  1832,  they  returned  to>  their  home  in  LaSalle  county, 
and  through  the  exercise  of  his  excellent  business  ability  and  unflagging 
industry  he  became  a  large  landholder.  He  followed  farming  and  stock- 
raising  throughout  his  entire  life  and  was  one  of  the  worthy  pioneer  settlers 
who  aided  in  laying  the  foundations  for  the  present  prosperity  in  Grundy 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  42^ 

county.      He   was   a   well-known    citizen,    greatly   respected    by   liis   many 
friends. 

Abraham  Holderman,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  only 
nine  rears  of  age  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Illinois,  where  he 
was  reared  amid  the  wild  scenes  of  the  frontier,  enduring  the  usual  hard- 
ships and  trials  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  pioneer  settlers.  During  his 
boyhood  he  assisted  in  the  arduous  task  of  the  development  of  the  new 
farm  and  when  twenty-three  years  of  age  he  began  farming  on  his  own 
account.  At  that  time  his  father  gave  him  a  plow  and  harness  and  the  use 
of  all  the  land  he  could  work,  with  the  admonition,  "Earn  your  own  money 
and  you  will  know  how  to  prize  it;  but  if  you  want  any  help  at  any  time 
come  to  me."  Borrowing  seven  hundred  dollars  of  William  Hoge,  after- 
ward his  father-in-law.  Mr.  Holderman  joined  his  brother  Barton  in  the 
operation  of  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  the  town  of  Felix — 
property  owned  by  the  father.  At  the  end  of  two  years  the  brothers  divided 
the  profits,  and  Mr.  Holderman,  of  this  review,  found  himself  in  possession 
of  eighteen  hundred  dollars.  He  was  then  married,  on  the  4th  of  May,  1847, 
to  Miss  Mary  E.  Hoge,  daughter  of  William  and  Rachel  Hoge.  She  was 
born  in  Loudoun  county,  Virginia,  August  17,  1827,  and  with  her  parents 
came  to  Grundy  county  in  the  fall  of  1831.  She  was  to  her  husband  a 
faithfid  companion  and  helpmeet  and  their  home  was  brightened  and  blessed 
bv  the  presence  of  five  children,  namely :  A.  J.,  Albert  H.,  Martha  J.,  Landy 
S.  and  Samuel  D. 

In  1849  ^^'''-  Holderman  removed  to  Erriemia  township,  Grundy  county, 
locating  upon  a  quarter  section  of  land  which  he  had  purchased  at  three  dol- 
lars per  acre.  He  at  once  began  to  develop  and  cultivate  his  tract  and  soon 
transformed  it  into  rich  and  fertile  fields.  He  also  carried  on  stock-raising 
and  was  ver>-  prosperous  in  his  undertakings,  winning  a  high  degree  of 
.success.  From  year  to  year,  as  his  financial  resources  increased,  he  added 
to  his  possessions  until  he  became  one  of  the  largest  landholders  in  the  state. 
He  also  continued  stock-raising  on  an  extensive  scale  and  was  recognized 
as  one  of  the  leading  representatives  in  these  lines  of  business  in  central 
Illinois.  His  business  methods  were  so  honorable  that  he  enjoyed  the  con- 
fidence and  good  will  of  all,  and  the  most  envious  could  not  grudge  him 
his  success,  so  worthily  had  it  been  acquired. 

Mr.  Holderman  exercised  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men 
and  measures  of  the  Republican  party,  but  took  no  active  part  in  political 
affairs  aside  from  holding  a  few  minor  oi^ces,  the  most  important  of  which 
was  that  of  town  supervisor.  He  preferred  to  devote  his  energies  to  the 
business  which  fully  occupied  his  time  and  to  which  he  ga\'e  his  attention 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death.     His  demise  was  the  result  of  an  accident,  being 


428  BIOCKAFHICAL  ASD    GES EALOGICAL   RECORD. 

thrown  from  a  buggy  and  so  injured  tliat  he  died  November  27,  1887.  He 
was  hospitable  and  social  by  nature,  i)rogressi\e  as  a  citizen,  liberal  in  support 
of  all  measures  for  the  pnblic  good  and  was  uniformly  respected.  His  widow 
still  survives  him  and  at  this  writing  is  residing  on  the  old  homestead — an 
estimable  lady  whose  many  excellent  qualities  obtained  her  a  large  circle  of 
friends. 


JOHN  HOLDERMAN. 

There  is  no  better  blood  in  the  mixture  which  animates  the  men  and 
women  of  America  than  that  of  Pennsylvania;  and  no  sturdier  men,  no  nobler 
women,  have  come  to  the  west  than  those  who  found  their  way  over  the 
mountains  to  Ohio  and  scattered  over  her  sister  states.  One  of  the  most 
noteworthy  and  most  respectaljle  representatives  of  this  good  old  stock  in 
Grundy  county,  was  the  man  whose  name  heads  this  sketch. 

Mr.  Holdemian,  who  during  his  life  here  was  a  farmer  and  stock-raiser 
on  section  12,  Goose  Lake  township,  this  county,  was  bom  in  Montgomery 
county,  Ohio,  in  1827,  the  third  child  of  John  Holdermaii,  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, who  married  Elizabeth  Blickenstaft,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Mary 
(Crull)  Blickenstaff,  of  Mar)lan(l.  His  father  was  a  farmer  of  Vandalia, 
Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  and  died  there  in  1850;  his  mother  died  in 
Kansas,  about  twenty-five  years  later.  John  and  Elizabeth  (Blickenstaff) 
Holderman  had  ten  children,  of  whom  only  John  and  Elizabeth  are  living. 
INIary  married  John  Patty,  of  Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  and  died  at  Pleas- 
ant Hill,  Aliami  county,  that  state.  She  was  the  mother  of  three  children, 
one  of  whom  is  living.  Magdalene  died  unmarried  at  Battle  Creek,  Michi- 
gan. Jacob  lived  in  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  for  eight  or  nine  years  and 
moved  to  Kansas,  where  he  died.  He  married  Charlotte  Smith  and  they 
had  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  living.  Elizabeth  is  living,  unmarried, 
at  Emporia,  Kansas.  Elliott  R.  was  a  banker,  farmer  and  cattle-raiser  at 
Emporia,  where  he  died,  in  which  city  also  Daniel  W.  completed  his  days  on 
earth.  He  married  Carrie  Rand,  and  afterward  Hannah  M.  Gracey.  Lavina 
died  at  the  age  of  six  years.  David  lived  to  be  over  ten  years.  Harriet, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-four  years,  was  the  wife  of  Dr.  Kemp,  of  Day- 
ton, Ohio,  and  bore  him  a  son,  named  Charles  H. 

John  Holderman,  the  subject  of  this  notice,  remained  in  his  native  town 
in  Montgomer>'  county,  Ohio,  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  then 
removed  to  Nol>le  county,  Indiana,  and  lived  there  a  short  time,  and  in 
1852  came  to  Grundy  county,  settling  in  Felix,  now  Goose  Lake,  township, 
on  the  farm  which  he  occupied  until  his  death,  Januarv-  8,  1900,  from  a 
disease  of  the  heart.     Here  for  forty-eight  years  he  was  engaged  in  farming 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  429 

and  stock-raising,  accumulating  z.  large  amount  of  property.  His  residence 
was  one  of  the  best  of  its  class  in  the  county.  His  methods  of  dealing  were 
honorable  and  his  success  was  most  worthily  won.  His  character  so  strongly 
commended  him  to  his  fellow  townsmen  that  he  was  twice  elected  supervisor 
of  Goose  Lake  township:  and  he  served  also  in  the  office  of  commissioner. 
He  was  married  in  i860,  to  Phebe  Patty,  a  daughter  of  James  and 
Margaret  (Beck)  Patty,  of  Montgomery  county,  Ohio.  James  Patty  died 
at  his  home  in  Ohio,  in  March,  1896,  aged  eighty-three  years.  His  wife 
survives,  still  living  in  Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-eight.  This  worthy  couple  had  four  sons  and  six  daughters,  of 
whom  three  sons  and  one  daughter  are  deceased.  John  and  Phebe  (Patty) 
Holderman  have  had  seven  children,  all  of  whom  were  born  in  Goose  Lake 
township,  and  whose  names  are  JMargaret  Elizabeth,  John  Franklin,  Mars- 
Bell,  James  Edward,  Phebe  Ella,  Martha  Harriet  and  Charles  Elliott.  Eliz- 
abeth married  Willis  Caldwell,  of  Broken  Bow.  Nebraska,  and  has  children 
named  Eva  Phebe.  Ray  Holderman.  John  Willis  and  Gaius  George.  John 
F.  is  living,  unmarried,  on  the  old  homestead.  ]Mars-  B.  holds  the  office 
of  county  superintendent  of  public  schools  of  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  per- 
forming its  duties  ably  and  conscientiously  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  teachers, 
school  officials,  pupils  and  parents.  P.  Ella  developed  a  decided  talent  for 
music,  received  a  musical  education  and  is  at  this  time  a  successful  teacher 
of  music  in  Chicago.  M.  Harriet  is  a  teacher  of  public-school  music  and 
drawing.  James  E.  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years;  and  Charles  E.  died 
in  childhood.  The  children  who  have  been  brought  up  in  this  family  are 
an  honor  to  their  parents,  and  such  a  legacy  of  intelligence  and  good  intent 
left  by  the  parents  is  better  to  the  world  than  millions  in  money.  Mr. 
Holderman,  the  father,  must  have  had  great  satisfaction  in  the  evening  of  his 
life  in  the  contemplation  of  his  success  in  his  career,  and  the  testimony  given 
by  his  neighbors  in  various  ways  verify  this  estimate  of  his  character.  His 
remains  were  buried  in  Evergreen  cemetery  at  Morris,  Illinois,  a  place  sacred 
to  many  departed  friends  of  the  family.  ]\Irs.  Holderman  survives  to  enjoy 
a  while  longer  in  this  life  the  result  of  the  glorious  prestige  left  by  her 
honored  husband  and  also  that  which  she  has  herself  established  by  her  faith- 
ful service  in  the  obligations  of  life  that  devolved  upon  her. 


BARTON  HOLDERMAN. 

In  pioneer  days  this  g-entlenian  came  to  Illinois  and  through  the  period 
of  early  development  of  this  section  of  the  state  he  was  actively  identified 
with  the  work  of  progress  and  improvement.     His  name  is  thus  inseparably 


430  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

connected  with  the  history  of  Grundy  county,  and  it  is  with  pleasure  tliat 
we  present  the  record  of  his  career  to  the  readers  of  this  vohnne. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  he  was  born  in  Ross  county,  June  i,  1816,  and  ched 
in  Mississippi  about  1893.  His  father  was  Abraham  Holderman,  a  pioneer 
settler  of  Kendall  county,  Illinois.  Our  subject  spent  his  early  boyhood 
days  in  the  Badger  state  and  with  his  parents  came  to  Illinois  in  1831,  the 
family  locating  in  Kendall  county,  where  he  attained  his  majority.  He 
married  Miss  Charity  White,  a  daughter  of  Silas  White,  who  came  from 
Pennsylvania  to  LaSalle  county,  Illinois.  They  began  their  domestic  life 
in  Felix  township,  Gnmdy  count}-,  where  ]Mr.  Holderman  carried  on  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  185 1.  Attracted  by  the  discovery  of  gold  on  the  Pacific 
slope,  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California,  where  he  engaged  in  prospect- 
ing and  mining  for  two  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  returned 
to  Grundy  county  and  in  1853  removed  his  family  to  ^lissouri,  locating  on 
a  farm  in  Bates  county.  His  first  wife  had  died  in  1849,  leaving  three 
children,  namely:  Harriet  Amanda,  wife  of  Lewis  Adams,  now  of  Okla- 
homa; Samuel,  deceased;  and  William  B.  In  1853  Barton  Holderman 
wedded  Alice  Adams  and  they  became  the  parents  of  two  children,  of  whom 
one  is  now  living,  John  II.,  a  resident  of  Lyon  county.  Kansas.  The  mother 
died  in  Missouri  about  1855,  and  again  Mr.  Holderman  was  married,  Jane 
Feely  becoming  his  wife.  They  had  three  children,  who  are  still  living — 
Artie  Jane,  Norrice  Dyson  and  Addie  Alay.  About  1890  ]\Ir.  Holderman 
removed  with,  his  family  to  Mississippi  and  was  identified  with  the  agricul- 
tural interests  of  that  state  until  his  death.  His  widow  now  makes  her 
home  there. 

William  Bvron  Holdennan,  who  now  represents  the  family  in  Grundy 
county  and  is  a  leading  and  influential  citizen  of  ]\Iorris,  was  born  in  Grundy 
county,  September  21,  1848,  and  at  the  age  of  five  years  accompanied  his 
father  on  his  removal  to  Missouri.  There  he  was  reared  on  a  farm  and 
acquired  his  education  in  the  common  schools.  Having  arrived  at  man's 
estate,  he  was  married,  in  Missouri,  in  1871,  to  Miss  Ruth  Pyatt,  who  was 
born  in  Kendall  'county,  Illinois.  Four  children  grace  their  union — Cynthia 
Jane,  Martha  Belle,  Laura  Caroline  and  Harriet  Gertrude. 

In  1872  Mr.  Holderman  returned  to  Grundy  county  and  secured  a 
farm,  continuing  to  work  it  until  1888,  when  he  removed  to  Morris.  In 
September,  1895,  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the  "Grundy  County  Grocery 
Store"  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  grocery  business.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1898,  he  became  the  sole  proprietor  and  is  now  conducting  a  large 
store,  well  supplied  with  a  complete  line  of  staple  and  fancy  groceries.  His 
business  methods  are  honorable  and  commend  him  to  the  confidence  of  all. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  431 

By  his  earnest  desire  to  please  and  his  marked  ener,^y  he  has  secured  a 
hberal  patronage  wliich  brings  him  a  good  income.  He  exercises  his  riglit 
of  franchise  in  tlie  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  Democratic 
party. 


SAMUEL  D.  HOLDERMAN. 

A  son  of  Abraliam  and  INIary  E.  (Hoge)  Holderman.  the  gentleman 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch  was  born  in  Grundy  county,  July  21,  1865. 
In  the  public  schools  he  obtained  his  preliminary  education,  which  was 
supplemented  by  study  in  the  Morris  Normal,  and  thus  well  fitted  for  the 
practical  duties  of  life  he  entered  upon  his  business  career  as  a  farmer. 
During  his  boyhood  he  had  become  familiar  with  all  the  duties  and  labors 
that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist,  and  throughout  his  career  he  has 
engaged  in  the  work  of  the  fields.  Everj'thing  about  his  place  is  neat  and 
attractive  in  appearance.  He  occupies  the  old  homestead,  which  is  en- 
deared to  him  by  the  associations  of  his  boyhood  as  well  as  those  of  his 
later  years.  As  a  farmer  he  is  wide  awake  and  practical,  and  the  well  tilled 
fields  and  substantial  buildings  indicate  his  careful  supervision  and  his  thrift 
and  enterprise.  Success  has  already  attended  him  in  his  efforts  and  will 
doubtless  bring  to  him  still  further  financial  reward  in  the  future. 

In  1896  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Samuel  D.  Holderman  and 
Miss  Mae  E.  Wilcox,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  George  G.  Wilcox,  of  Seneca,  Illinois. 
The  young  couple  have  made  many  friends  in  this  locality  and  enjoy  the 
hospitality  of  many  of  the  best  homes  in  this  section  of  the  county.  In  his 
political  views  !Mr.  Holderman  is  a  Republican,  warmly  espousing  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  party.  He  is  now  serving  as  town  supervisor,  and  the  efficient 
and  prompt  manner  in  which  he  discharges  his  duty  has  won  him  the  com- 
mendation of  the  public. 


FRANK  SYKES. 


An  example  of  the  progressive,  practical  young  farmer  of  this  period 
may  be  found  in  the  person  of  Fra,nk  Sykes,  a  well  known  and  highly  re- 
spected citizen  of  Grundy  county.  He  is  a  son  of  Thomas  H.  and  Betty 
(Crver)  Sykes,  whose  sketch  may  be  foimd  elsewhere  in  this  work,  together 
with  a  history  of  the  family.  The  young  man  was  reared  on  a  farm  in 
Wauponsee  township  and  in  the  town  of  Morris,  Grundy  county,  and  from 
his  boyhood  has  been  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  details  of  agriculture. 
When  arrivinsr  at  man's  estate  he  decided  to  follow  the  calling  to  which 


432  BIOGRAl'llICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

his  father  had  devoted  his  life,  and  by  strict  appHcation  to  business  and 
adherence  to  the  systematic  methods  which  had  been  inculcated  in  him 
in  youth  he  has  prospered.  He  now  resides  upon  a  portion  of  the  old  family 
homestead  in  \\'auponsee  township,  and  has  made  substantial  improvements 
upon  the  place.  In  addition  to  beinof  a  successful  farmer,  he  is  an  excellent 
natural  mechanic  and  practical  engineer.  During  the  harvesting  season  he 
operates  a  corn-sheller  and  threshing  machine,  thus  earning  a  snug  little 
sum  each  year,  which  he  carefully  invests. 

Mr.  Sykes  obtained  a  liberal  education  in  the  public  schools  of  this 
county,  and  by  reading  and  observation  has  continually  widened  his  mental 
horizon  ever  since  the  completion  of  his  studies.  He  is  well  posted  on  the 
important  political  issues  of  the  day  and  uses  his  franchise  in  favor  of  the 
platform  and  nominees  of  the  Republican  party.  In  every  way  he  endeavors 
to  maintain  good  government,  and  while  he  never  neglects  his  own  biisiness 
affairs  he  finds  time  to  perform  the  duties  which  he  believes  he  owes  to  the 
public  antl  his  own  community  in  particular. 

He  was  united  in  marriage,  Februar}-  28,  1899,  to.  Clara  Crellin.  a 
daughter  of  Thomas  H.  and  Angela  (Weldon)  Crellin,  well  known,  estimable 
citizens  of  this  county.  The  young  couple  have  a  pleasant  home  and  the 
sincere  good  wishes  of  a  large  circle  of  friends  for  their  future  happiness 
and  prosperity. 


HON.  GEORGE  W.  ARMSTRONG. 

"Wash"  Armstrong,  as  he  is  called  by  all  who  know  him,  is  the  second 
son  of  Joseph  and  Elsie  Armstrong  and  was  born  upon  their  farm  on  the 
east  fork  of  the  Licking,  in  Licking  county,  Ohio.  December  11.  1812.  and 
came  to  Illinois  with  his  mother  and  family  in  the  spring  of  183 1  and  lo- 
cated upon  the  farm  where  he  still  resides,  in  1833.  A  part  of  this  farm 
lies  in  Grundy  county  and  the  balance  in  LaSalle  county,  and  his  residence 
is  in  the  latter.  His  father  was  bom  in  the  county  of  Fermanagh  in  the 
north  of  Ireland  and  came  to  the  United  States  with  his  father's  family  in 
1789  and  settled  in  Somerset  county,  Pennsylvania,  when  but  ten  years  old; 
and  his  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Strawn  (she  being  a  sister  of  the 
late  Jacob  Strawn,  the  early  cattle  king  of  the  west),  was  of  Pennsylvania 
Quaker  stock. 

This  branch  of  the  iVrmstrongs  are  of  Scotch  descent  and  crossed  over 
the  channel  dividing  Scotland  and  Ireland  in  the  sixteenth  century.  The 
origin  of  the  name  Armstrong,  according  to  the  family  tradition,  sprang 
from  the  heroic  and  daring  act  of  one  Fairbeon,  w^ho  was  the  armorer  to 
one  of  the  early  kings  of  Scotland,  whose  horse  was  killed  in  battle  with 


^^. 


/^^  ^  ^  £., /^-is^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  433 

the  British,  falling  upon  and  breaking  one  of  the  king's  legs,  thus  impris- 
oning him,  when  Fairbeon,  seeing  the  imminent  danger  of  his  sovereign,  cut 
his  way  through  the  British  lines  and  rescued  him,  then  passing  one  arm 
around  the  king's  body  under  his  arms,  with  his  sword  in  the  other  hand, 
and  the  king  being  supplied  with  a  second  sword,  they  fought  their  way  to 
safety.  Whereupon  Fairbeon  was  created  and  dubbed  Knight  of  the  Strong 
Arm,  but  subsequently  changed  to  Armstrong;  and  the  king  conferred  upon 
him  a  castle  with  a  large  territory  on  the  south,  border  of  Scotland,  with  a 
coat-of-arms  which  consisted  of  three  uplifted  hands,  each  holding  a  drawn 
sword,  emblematic  of  the  heroism  of  Fairbeon.  This  is  substantially  the 
tradition  of  the  origin  of  the  "Armstrongs  of  the  Border,"'  which  became  a 
powerful  clan  in  the  south  of  Scotland. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  though  untaught,  is  far  from  being  un- 
lettered in  point  of  education.  In  the  broader  meaning  of  the  word  he  is  a 
master,  but  his  mastery  is  self-acciuired  and  self-taught.  His  school  days 
were  few  indeed,  but  the  light  of  the  dip  tallow  candle  and  the  bark  of  the 
shell-bark  hickory  of  evenings  supplied  the  place  of  the  log-cabin  school- 
house  of  his  school  age.  True  he  never  studied  English  grammar  or  the 
higher  mathematics,  nor  did  he  ever  read  novels  or  fool  away  his  time  over 
hction.  History,  philosophy,  chemistry,  astronomy  and  political  economy 
were  his  special  favorites.  Though  not  a  professor  of  religion,  he  seldom 
if  ever  used  profane  or  obscene  language;  nor  did  he  ever  use  tobacco  in 
any  form,  and  was  never  known  to  play  a  game  of  cards  or  any  other  game 
of  chance.  Fond  of  music,  yet  he  never  could  sing;  and  we  doubt  whether  he 
could  tell  the  difference  between  Auld  Lang  Syne  and  Old  Hundred;  and 
we  have  often  heard  him  say  that  all  his  dancing  was  done  under  the  in- 
tfuence  of  a  switch — in  his  mother's  hand !  He  never  had  the  inclination  to 
hunt,  fish,  plav  ball,  wrestle  or  indulge  in  any  other  boyish  sports  or  amuse- 
ments; hence  he  was  called  the  "Old  Man  Armstrong,"  even  when  he  had  not 
passed  his  'teens.  A  born  mechanic,  he  always,  from  the  time  he  was  a 
dozen  years  old,  could  make  almost  anything  in  wood,  iron  or  leather, 
and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  ran  the  leading  machinery  of  his  father's  woolen 
factory;  and  when  eighteen  years  old  he  became  the  general  manager  of 
the  entire  factor)-. 

On  the  TOth  of  Alarch,  1S35,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Aliss 
Nancv  Green,  of  Morgan  county.  Illinois,  who  was  a  helpmate  in  every 
sense  of  that  word  and  ably  assisted  him  in  educating  and  raising  his  seven 
sons  and  two  daughters.  All  of  them  are  still  living  except  their  oldest  son, 
John  G.,  who  was  a  lawyer  but  drifted  into  the  newspaper  business  as  corre- 
spondent and  editor,  was  generally  known  by  his  nom  de  plume  "Bemus," 
and  died  at  his  home  in  Ottawa  in  1890.     Their  other  children  are  William. 


434  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

who  was  a  captain  in  tlie  war  of  the  RebelHon  and  now  Hves  in  Colorado:  Rev. 
Julius  C,  who  is  the  general  superintendent  of  city  missions  of  the  Con- 
gregational churches  of  Chicago;  Eliza  R..  the  wife  of  William  Crotty,  Esq., 
of  Burlington,  Kansas;  Joseph  L.,  who  lives  on  the  old  homestead;  Marshall 
N.,  a  prominent  lawyer  of  Ottawa,  Illinois;  Susan  I.,  the  wife  of  L.  B. 
Laughlin,  of  South  Dakota;  James  E.,  the  principal  of  the  Englewood  high 
school  of  Chicago;  and  Charles  G.,  who  is  the  state  electrician  and  engineer 
and  lives  in  Chicago,  and  is  one  of  the  leading  electricians  of  the  United 
States. 

During  the  early  settlement  of  northern  Illinois  there  were  no  saw- 
mills within  a  radius  of  fifty  miles  of  Mr.  Armstrong's  residence  and  all  the 
lumber  used  was  hauled  overland  from  Chicago.  This  induced  Mr.  Arm- 
strong to  erect  a  sawmill  on  the  \\'au]5ecan  at  the  point  where  the  present 
bridge  now  stands — at  the  crossing  of  that  creek  on  the  ri\er  road — in  1836. 
Immediately  west  of  this  mill-site  and  upon  the  west  bank  of  the  Waupecan, 
the  late  Augustus  H.  Owen  and  Jacob  Claypool  laid  out  a  town  and  called 
it  Hidalgo.  Here  Mr.  Armstrong  erected  a  double  log  cabin  and  occupied 
it  as  a  store  and  a  dwelling,  and  he  also  built  a  log  cabin  for  a  blacksmith 
shop.  But  the  Waupecan  proved  to  be  a  thunder-shower  stream,  and  the 
name  was  too  big  for  the  town  to  carry;  hence  he  left  both  to  "innocuous 
desuetude"  and  went  to  canal-digging  at  Utica,  Illinois,  in  1837,  remov- 
ing his  stock  of  dry  goods  and  blacksmith  tools,  together  with  his  family, 
to  that  place.  His  canal  contract  was  rock  excavation,  amounting  to  sev- 
eral hundred  thousand  dollars.  Upon  the  completion  of  this  work  he 
returned  to  his  farm  and  has  remained  tliere  continuously  ever  since.  He 
assisted  in  laying  out  the  original  town  of  Morris,  as  well  as  Chapin's 
addition  to  the  town  of  Morris,  and  has  been  the  owner  of  a  large  number 
of  lots  therein,  as  shown  by  the  records.  When  the  work  on  the  Morris 
bridge  was  stopped  for  want  of  funds  his  individual  note  brought  the  needed 
money.  So,  too,  with  the  old  Hopkin's  house;  his  money  built  it  and  he 
was  compelled  to  take  the  title  as  security.  He  was  the  first  president  of  the 
Morris  Bridge  Company,  as  well  as  the  Seneca  Bridge  Company. 

His  legislative  ser\'ice  began  by  his  election  as  a  representative  from 
Grundy  and  LaSalle  counties  in  1844,  and  he  is  the  only  survivor  of  that  body 
of  seventy-five  members.  His  next  experience  as  a  lawmaker  was  as  a 
delegate  from  said  Grundy  and  LaSalle  counties  in  the  constitutional  con- 
vention of  1847,  of  which  body  of  eminent  men  he  and  Governor  Palmer 
are  the  only  survivors.  He  was  again  a  member  of  the  house  of  repre- 
sentatives several  sessions  up  to  1878.  A  ready  and  forceful  debater  and 
the  universally  admitted  best  parliamentarian  of  the  state,  he  was  a  leader 
of  every  session  of  the  legislature  of  which  he  was  a  member.     Though 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  435 

a  stanch  Democrat,  he  was  quite  as  popular  with  his  poHtical  opponents 
as  with  his  own  party,  because  he  was  always  courteous  and  eminently 
fair  in  his  action  upon  all  questions  with  all  parties,  though  firm  and  what 
was  deemed  "a  good  fighter."  He  represented  his  town  of  Brookfield  in 
the  board  of  supervisors  of  LaSalle  county  over  twenty  years  and  was  the 
chairman  thereof  some  sixteen  years,  and  was  the  chairman  of  the  court- 
house and  jail  building  committee,  who  erected  the  present  county  building 
in  Ottawa.  He  was  also  the  agent  who  secured  the  right  of  way  for  the 
Seneca  &  Kankakee  Railroad  and  was  the  Democratic  nominee  against  the 
late  Owen  Lovejoy  for  congress  in  1858,  but  was  defeated. 

A  peacemaker  and  general  arbitrator  of  all  neighborhood  difficulties  all 
his  life,  and  so  sympathetic  for  others'  wants,  that  he  has  paid  out  fortunes 
as  bondsman  and  endorser  of  other  men's  obligations;  yet  he  managed  to 
keep  his  farm  and  educate  his  children  and  still  have  a  competence;  and 
though  in  his  eighty-eighth  year  his  small,  lithe  body  stands  as  erect  as  when 
but  twenty-one  years  old.  If  he  ever  had  an  enemy  he  was  a  silent  one,  for 
we  never  heard  a  single  word  against  him  or  his  motives.  His  wife  crossed 
the  silent  river  some  seven  years  ago,  and,  his  life  work  being  finished, 
he  is  simply  waiting  for  the  summons  to  follow  her  to  the  home  of  the  silent. 
Meanwhile' — 

"Earth's  hold  on  him  grows  slighter. 
And  the  heavy  burdens  lighter. 
And  the  dawn  immortal  brighter, 
Everv  da  v." 


ALBERT    E.    HOGE. 


Few  citizens  of  Nettle  Creek  township  are  better  known  or  more  justly 
esteemed  than  A.  E.  Hoge,  who  has  been  a  life-long  resident  in  this  neigh- 
borhood, and  actively  associated  with  its  upbuilding  and  development  from 
his  early  years.  Quiet  and  retiring  in  disposition,  yet  not  without  a  strong 
force  of  character,  he  has  led  a  simple,  unpretentious  life  as  a  matter  of 
choice,  and  has  never  been  remiss  in  the  performance  of  his  duties  as  a  patriot 
and  neighbor,  as  a  relative  and  friend. 

The  birth  of  this  worthy  citizen  took  place  on  the  old  family  homestead 
belonging  to  his  parents,  February  2,  1840.  The  latter,  William  and  Rachel 
Hoge,  who  are  represented  elsewhere  in  this  work,  were  among  the  pioneers 
of  Nettle  Creek  township,  and  the  Hoge  family,  in  particular,  has  played 
a  very  important  part  in  the  founding  and  maintaining  of  Grundy  county, 


436  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

which  in  many  respects  now  ranks  among  the  foremost  counties  of  this 
great  state. 

When  a  mere  boy,  Albert  E.  Hoge  was  initiated  into  the  arduous  duties 
of  tlie  western  fanner,  and  the  habits  of  industry  and  perseverance  in  any- 
thing which  he  undertook  having  been  strongly  ingrained  in  his  nature, 
he  has  clung  to  them  in  later  life.  He  has  never  resided  elsewhere  than  on 
a  portion  of  his  father's  estate,  and,  as  he  was  next  to  the  youngest  of  nine 
children,  he  was  looked  to  for  advice  and  assistance  long  after  the  elder 
members  of  the  family  had  fiown  from  the  home  nest  and  founded  homes 
of  their  own.  His  elementary  education  was  gained  in  the  district  schools, 
and  the  old  log  building  in  wliich  he  spent  many  a  wear}-  hour  mastering 
the  intricacies  of  the  "three  R's"  is  yet  standing  on  a  comer  of  his  present 
farm.  This  historic  school-house,  which  enjoys  the  honor  of  being  the 
oldest  school-house  in  Grundy  county,  was  dubbed  in  later  years  by  an  irrev- 
ent  generation  "Woodvilie  College." 

Besides  carrying  on  general  farming  and  raising  the  usual  line  of  crops 
common  to  this  region,  Mr.  Hoge  has  been  engaged  for  years  in  the  raising 
and  feeding  of  live  stock,  and  lias  met  with  gratifying  financial  success  in 
this  undertaking.  He  has  never  married,  though  all  of  his  eight  brothers 
and  sisters  set  him  an  example  otherwise.  His  personal  expenses  thus 
being  small,  he  has  invested  his  means  in  landed  estates  to  the  extent  of 
about  one  thousand  acres.  In  fact,  his  homestead  comprises  nine  hundred 
and  sixty-one  acres,  in  one  body,  finely  improved,  and  considered  as  good 
land  as  can  be  found  in  the  county.  Within  the  past  few  years  he  has  given 
up  some  of  his  active  cares  to  others,  but  still  supervises  the  management 
of  his  large  property.  His  ice-house,  which  was  built  in  1S57,  is  the  oldest 
one  in  Grundy  county,  and,  with  the  exception  of  three  winters,  there  has 
not  been  a  season  since  its  completion  that  it  has  not  been  filled  to  its  full 
capacity  with  ice.  Our  subject's  home  is  comfortable  and  pleasant,  a  large 
selection  of  books,  magazines  and  papers  adding  to  its  attractiveness.  In 
political  opinions  he  is  a  Republican,  but  he  is  in  no  sense  a  politician,  and 
frequently  has  declined  to  accept  official  positions,  when  they  have  been 
urged  upon  him. 


HENDLEY    HOGE. 


For  years  an  honored  resident  of  Nettle  Creek  township,  Grundy 
county,  but  now  of  Morris,  ]Mr.  Hendley  Hoge  has  frequently  been  called 
upon  by  his  fellow  citizens  to  officiate  in  local  of^ces  of  responsibility  aiul 
trust;  and  though  he  has  always  strongly  preferred  to  remain  in  the  private 
walks  of  life,  he  has  sacrificed  his  personal  wishes  in  fa\-or  of  his  friends,  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  AZ7 

lias  tlioroughly  justified  their  good  opinion  as  to  liis  ability  and  integrity. 
Identified  from  his  earliest  recollections  \\'\\\\  agricultural  pin"suits,  he  is 
heartily  in  sympath_\-  with  the  farmer  and  is  considered  a  practical  exponent 
of  the  progressive  agriculturist  of  the  period. 

The  birth  of  Hcndley  Hoge  occurred  in  Nettle  Creek  township,  July 
14,  1840,  and  for  twent\-five  vears  he  remained  on  his  father's  old  homestead. 
After  his  marriage  he  removed  to  his  present  fine  farm,  which  is  situated  in 
his  native  township,  and,  as  the  years  passed,  his  industry  and  excellent 
business  management  were  rewarded  by  increasing  wealth.  He  now  owns 
seven  hundred  acres  of  splendid  farm  land  in  this  county,  and  a  quarter  sec- 
tion in  Champaign  county,  besides  having  given  to  each  of  his  children  a 
hundred  and  sixty  acre  farm.  Good  improvements  are  to  be  fotmd  upon  his 
homestead,  and  e\-erything  is  conducted  in  a  careful,  systematic  manner, 
worthy  of  emulation.  During  the  present  year  Air.  Hoge  erected  a  modern 
and  excellent  residence  in  Morris. 

Air.  Hoge  is  a  gentleman  possessing  a  broad  mind  and  liberal  education, 
as,  after  completing  the  course  of  study  prescribed  in  the  schools  of  his 
nati\e  place,  it  was  his  privilege  to  attend  college  at  Ypsilanti,  Michigan, 
and  in  later  life  he  has  endca\ored  to  keep  abreast  of  the  times  in  every 
possible  manner.  A  Republican  in  politics,  he  cast  his  first  presidential 
ballot  in  favor  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  ever  since  has  been  faithful  to  the 
principles  of  his  party.  He  has  acted  in  the  capacities  of  township  assessor 
and  township  supen-isor.  and  gave  general  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Hoge  and  Virginia  Silcott  was  celebrated  Decem- 
ber 15,  1864.  They  have  two  children,  Edgar  S.,  who  married  Anna  An- 
derson and  resides  in  Champaign  county,  this  state,  and  Laura  M.,  wdio  is 
the  wife  of  Fred  L.  Stevens,  of  Morris,  Illinois.  Mrs.  Hoge  is  a  daughter 
of  Craven  and  Elizabeth  Silcott,  both  of  w  horn  were  natives  of  Virginia. 


LANDY    S.    HOGE. 


The  family  of  w  Inch  this  gentleman  is  a  representative  is  so  well  known 
throughout  Grundy  county  that  he  needs  no  special  introduction  to  the 
readers  of  this  volume.  A  son  of  Samuel  and  Matilda  (Holderman)  Hoge, 
he  was  born  in  Nettle  Creek  township,  Grundy  county,  on  the  2d  of  Feb- 
ruary. 1864.  His  boyhood  days  were  spent  on  the  home  farm  and  he  early 
became  familiar  with  the  labors  of  field  and  meadow.  His  preliminary  edu- 
cation was  acquired  in  the  common  schools  and  was  supplemented  by  a 
course  in  the  Morris  Normal.  He  now  owns  the  old  homestead  which  be- 
longed to  his  parents  and  resided  there  until  the  fall  of  1899,  when  he  re- 


438  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

moved  to  Morris,  his  present  place  of  residence.  Since  attaining  liis 
majority  he  has  always  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  and  yet  owns  large 
landed  interests,  his  property  yielding  to  him  a  good  income. 

In  1888  Mr.  Hoge  was  imited  in  marriage  to  ]\Iiss  Maggie,  a 
daughter  of  John  McCambridge,  and  their  union  has  been  blessed  with  three 
children — Hildegarde,  Zitta  and  Uneze.  Mr.  Hoge  gives  his  political  sup- 
port to  the  Republican  party  and  is  interested  in  its  success,  yet  has  never 
aspired  to  public  office.  He  is  a  representative  business  man  and  citizen, 
and  in  business  affairs  is  energetic,  prompt  and  notably  reliable.  Tireless 
energ^^  keen  discernment,  honesty  of  purpose,  a  genius  for  devising  and 
executing  the  right  thing  at  the  right  time,  joined  to  every-day  common 
sense — these  are  the  chief  characteristics  of  the  man. 


WILLIAM  M.  HOGE. 


Though  a  young  man,  only  a  few  years  past  his  majority,  William  ]\I. 
Hoge,  of  Nettle  Creek  township,  is  enjoying  a  measure  of  success  that  the 
majority  of  men,  even  a  decade  or  more  his  senior,  would  be  glad  to  possess. 
The  energy  and  determination  he  has  always  manifested  in  business  affairs 
have  brought  their  just  reward,  and  as  high  principles  animate  him  in  all 
his  dealings  he  commands  the  respect  of  all  of  his  neighbors  antl  ac- 
quaintances. 

The  birth  of  William  ]\I.  Hoge  occurred  on  the  old  homestead  owned 
by  his  parents,  July  24,  1869.  The  histoiy  of  that  worthy  couple,  Joshua 
and  Elizabeth  (Gregg)  Hoge,  is  printed  elsewhere  in  this  work.  The  entire 
life  of  our  subject  has  been  spent  on  the  old  home  place.  In  his  boyhood 
he  attended  the  schools  of  this  district,  and  later  supplemented  his  education 
by  a  course  of  study  in  the  Morris  Normal. 

Endowed  with  a  natural  talent  for  mechanics,  Mr.  Hoge  has  become 
a  practical  engineer,  and  for  the  past  tweh'e  years  has  operated  a  traction 
engine  during  the  threshing  season.  In  this  manner  he  has  added  not  a 
little  to  his  income  and  has  been  enabled  to  institute  many  valuable  improve- 
ments on  his  farm,  which  is  one  of  the  most  desirable  pieces  of  property 
in  this  section  of  the  county. 

Like  his  forefathers,  Mr.  Hoge  has  no  aspirations  to  public  office,  but  is 
a  loyal  Republican.  Fraternally,  he  is  identified  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
the  Knights  of  the  Globe,  the  IModern  Woodmen  of  America  and  the  Rath- 
bone  Sisters.  He  was  married  in  1891,  to  Bertha  Munson,  and  the  young 
couple's  pleasant  home  is  brightened  by  the  presence  of  one  child,  Robert 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD.  439 

Burton,  who  was  born  August  7,  1S92.     They  have  numerous  friends  and 
are  representative  citizens  of  their  community. 


ISAAC     HOGE. 


In  the  annals  of  Grundy  county  the  name  wliich  our  subject  bears  is 
frequently  found,  and  the  important  place  which  he  and  his  family  have 
held  since  the  days  of  the  pioneer  in  this  region  is  too  generally  recognized 
to  need  special  mention.  One  of  the  marked  characteristics  of  his  race  is  a 
cordial  hospitality,  well  worthy  of  the  old  Virginian  people,  among  whom 
his  ancestors  were  classed,  perhaps  less  than  a  century  ago.  He  possesses  the 
ambition  and  enterprise  of  the  foremost  men  of  this  stirring  age,  and  stands 
for  progress  and  public  spirit  in  his  own  conununity. 

The  birth  of  Isaac  Hoge  occurred  July  25,  1850,  in  this  county,  his 
parents  being  Samuel  and  Matilda  (Holderman)  Hoge,  well  known  and 
highly  esteemed  agriculturists.  When  he  had  arrived  at  a  suitable  age, 
our  subject  commenced  attending  the  local  schools,  there  laying  the  foun- 
dations of  his  education.  Subsequently  he  entered  Lombard  University, 
at  Galesburg,  Illinois,  and  in  due  course  of  time  was  graduated  in  the  scien- 
tific department  of  that  honored  institution  of  learning.  Desiring  to  further 
qualify  himself  for  the  active  business  of  life,  the  young  man  then  went  to 
Chicago,  where  he  was  a  student  in  Bryant  &  Stratton's  Commercial  Col- 
lege for  a  period. 

His  thorough  preparation  for  his  future  being  now  linished,  young 
Hoge  returned  home  and  resumed  the  farm  duties  to  which  he  had  been 
accustomed  since  his  boyhood.  For  a  number  of  years  he  carried  on  stock- 
feeding,  upon  an  extensive  scale,  but  at  present  he  devotes  himself  more 
exclusively  to  regular  farming.  Gradually,  as  fortune  favored  him,  he 
invested  in  land,  until  he  is  now  the  possessor  of  eighteen  hundred  acres 
of  valuable  land,  with  excellent  improvements.  In  public  matters  he  never 
fails  to  manifest  the  interest  that  every  true  American  should  feel,  and  in 
local  affairs  he  uses  his  franchise  in  favor  of  the  best  man,  regardless  of  party. 
In  national  elections  he  is  a  strong  Republican.  For  twelve  years  he  acted 
in  the  capacity  of  supervisor  ol  his  township,  giving  general  satisfaction  to 
his  constituents  and  neighbors. 

The  first  wife  of  Mr.  Hoge,  to  whom  he  was  united  in  marriage  in  1874. 
was  Miss  Alary  Peacock.  She  died  in  1887,  leaving  five  children  to  mourn 
her  loss,  namely :  Elma,  Mary  AL,  Margaret,  Edna  and  Charles,  all  of  whom 
are  living  upon  the  old  homestead  with  our  subject.  Landy  S.,  the  youngest 
child,  died  in  infancy.     In  1889  Mr.  Hoge  married  Mrs.  Laura  Watters,  a 


440  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

daughter  of  Hiram  and  Sarali  Thayer,  wlio  were  natives  of  New  York  state. 
Three  children  have  blessed  this  union — Mildred.  Mina  and  Isaac.  Jr.  The 
family  residence  is  modern  and  comfortable  in  all  of  its  appointments,  and 
generous  hospitality  abounds  within  its  walls. 


WILLIAM  ELDER  ARMSTRONG. 

The  name  of  no  man  living  or  dead  is  so  intimately  connected  with  and 
interwoven  in  the  early  history  of  Grundy  county  and  the  city  of  Morris  as 
that  of  William  E.  Armstrong,  from  its  inception,  birth  and  christening 
to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  the  third  son  of  Joseph  and  Elsie  (nee 
Strawn)  Armstrong,  and  was  born  upon  the  farm  of  his  parents  in  Lick- 
ing county.  Ohio.  October  25.  1814.  and  died  while  visiting  his  mother 
at  her  farm  home,  in  the  town  of  Deer  Park.  LaSalle  countv.  Illinois.  No- 
vember 2.  1850.  He  was  a  man  of  untiring  energy  and  indomitable  will 
power,  and  though  slightly  above  medium  size  he  was  a  giant  in  physical 
strength  and  intellect.  While  educated  in  the  broader  sense  of  the  word, 
his  school  days  were  few  and  confined  to  the  neighborhood  log  school- 
house,  where  the  entire  course  of  studies  was  embraced  in  the  boy's  "three 
R's" — '"Reading.  'Riting  and  Tvithmetic."  His  labor  was  confined  to  the 
farm  and  the  raising  and  caring  for  stock.  He  was  a  famous  speller  and 
attended  every  spelling-school  of  the  vicinity,  and  was  always  first  choice. 

He  came  to  Illinois  with  his  mother  and  six  brothers,  in  April,  1831, 
and  located  first  near  where  Lacon.  Illinois,  now  stands,  and  in  August  of 
that  year  they  located  in  what  is  now  the  town  of  Deer  Park,  in  LaSalle 
county,  where  he  remained  until  reaching  his  majority.  When  volunteers 
were  called  for  to  defend  the  women  and  children  of  the  pioneers  from  the 
bloody  tomahawk  of  the  merciless  savage  in  the  Black  Hawk  war  of  1832, 
he  was  among  the  first  to  respond,  though  but  seventeen  years  old.  and  was 
accepted  and  mustered  into  service  in  Captain  McFadden's  company,  and 
performed  much  dangerous  scouting  duty  and  remained  in  the  service  until 
that  war  was  over. 

In  the  month  of  November.  1835.  by  the  assistance  of  his  mother,  he  and 
his  younger  brother.  Joel  W..  purchased  a  stock  of  dry  goods  located  in 
South  Ottawa  and  converted  it  into  a  general  store.  As  the  country  was 
rapidly  filling  up,  the  demand  for.  and  sale  of,  such  goods  became  very 
good  and  the  venture  was  a  grand  financial  success.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Sarah  Ann,  a  daughter  of  the  late  Judge  Joel  Strawn, 
on  the  6th  day  of  February.  1836.  and  immediately  commenced  housekeep- 
ing in  South  Ottawa.    To  them  were  born  two  daughters:     Jemima  E.,  now 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  44i 

the  wife  of  James  S.  Doolittle,  of  Chatsworth.  Illinois:  and  Emma  D.,  now 
the  wife  of  Georg-e  Hardy,  of  Goodland,  Indiana.  His  wife  died  in  1847 
and  was  buried  in  the  family  lot  in  the  Ottawa  cemeter)-  and  by  her  side 
sleep  the  remains  of  her  husband.  She  was  a  most  estimable  woman  as  wife, 
mother,  neighbor  and  friend. 

The  business  of  the  Armstrong  firm  soon  increased  to  such  a  degree  that 
a  larg'er  store  room  must  be  had.  hence  they  erected  a  large  wooden  build- 
ing near  the  Sulphur  Spring  in  South  Ottawa,  which  was  then  the  prin- 
cipal part  of  that  town,  using-  a  part  for  their  store  and  the  balance  for  a 
hotel:  and  I\lr.  Armstrong  obtained  a  charter  from  the  legislature  to  run  a 
ferry  across  the  Illinois  river  at  that  place;  and  as  their  freight  bills  were 
heavy — for  they  Ijought  nearly  all  their  goods  in  St.  Louis — they  built  a 
steamboat,  which  they  christened  "The  Ottawa."  It  was  a  stern-wheeler 
of  light  draft  and  proved  a  failure:  it  was  run  aground  near  Starved  Rock 
and  never  raised.  Thus  Captain  Armstrong  lost  his  boat  and  title  of  captain, 
for  he  was  too  much  of  a  man  to  carry  the  name  "Captain."  He  seldom 
spoke  of  his  steamboat  adventure  after  leaving-  it  sunk  in  the  river,  but 
turned  his  attention  from  steamboating  to  canal-building  and  became  the 
contractor  for  the  construction  of  several  miles  of  the  Illinois  &  Michigan 
Canal,  at  the  letting  of  contracts,  in  the  spring  of  1837.  His  contracts  were 
scattered  from  Utica  in  LaSalle  count}-  to  Morris  in  Grundy  county.  Having 
finished  up  his  canal  contracts  at  Ottawa,  Buffalo  Rock  and  Utica,  he 
turned  his  attention  to  his  two  sections  at  or  near  where  Morris  now 
stands. 

But  the  distance  from  Ottawa  to  the  north  and  east  lines  of  LaSalle 
county  impressed  him  strongly  of  the  desirability  of  a  division  of  the  then 
enormously  large  county  of  LaSalle:  and  upon  conferring-  with  the  late  Jacob 
Claypool  and  other  leading  men  he  learned  that  several  efforts  had  been 
made  in  that  direction,  all  of  which  had  failed  for  want  of  definiteness.  He 
thereupon  determined  to  petition  the  state  legislature  for  two  new  counties, 
one  to  be  taken  from  the  east  side  of  LaSalle  county,  to  be  called  Grundy, 
in  honor  of  the  late  Felix  Grundy,  of  Tennessee,  and  the  other  to  be  taken 
from  the  north  side  of  the  county,  to  be  called  Kendall,  in  honor  of  Amos 
Kendall,  late  postmaster-general.  Having  prepared  such  a  petition  in  the  fall 
of  1840,  he  was  ably  assisted  in  their  circulation  liy  his  elder  brother.  Hon. 
George  W.  Armstrong,  and  the  late  L.  W.  Claypool  and  others.  Having 
obtained  the  signatures  of  nearly  every  legal  voter  in  the  districts  to  be 
affected,  he  personally  took  them  to  Springfield  when  the  legislature  con- 
vened that  winter  and  presented  them  to  that  body,  which  granted  the  prayer 
of  the  petition  by  the  passage  of  the  act  creating  these  two  counties:  and  the 
act  became  a  law  on  the  17th  of  February,  1841.     This  enactment  provided 


442  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

for  the  holding-  of  an  election  at  the  house  of  Columbus  Pinney  on  section- 
7,  township  33,  range  7,  better  known  as  "Castle  Dangerous,"  on  the  fourth 
Monday  in  May,  1841,  for  county  officers. 

Mr.  Armstrong  moved  his  family  from  Ottawa  to  where  Morris  now 
stands  in  March  of  that  year,  and  occupied  a  double  log  cabin  standing 
where  the  gas  works  now  are,  and  begun  active  work  on  his  canal  con- 
tracts here.  He  became  a  candidate  for  sheriff  at  that  election  but  was 
defeated  by  the  late  Isaac  Hoge,  who  declined  to  cjualify;  and  at  a  special 
election  held  for  that  ofifice  in  the  following  November  Mr.  Armstrong  was 
elected  to  that  position  and  re-elected  several  times  thereafter,  practically 
without  opposition.  The  shrievalty  was  by  far  the  best  county  office,  for  he 
was  ex-ofificio  collector  of  all  the  taxes. 

Under  the  act  creating  Grundy  county  the  seat  of  justice  was  required 
to  be  located  upon  canal  land  and  upon  the  line  of  said  canal,  and  Messrs. 
W.  B.  Burnett  (chief  engineer  of  the  canal).  Rufus  S.  Duryea,  of  Yorkville, 
and  Mr.  Armstrong  were  appointed  commissioners  to  act  in  conjunction 
with  the  then  three  canal  commissioners  to  locate  such  seat  of  justice. 
These  commissioners  met  soon  after  their  appointment  and  upon  exam- 
ination found  but  two  points  eligible — sections  7  and  9,  township  33,  range 
7.  Section  9  is  centrally  located,  while  section  7  is  two  miles  west  of  the  cen- 
ter of  the  county  from  east  to  west.  But  a  small  portion  of  section  9  Hes 
on  the  canal  line  or  north  of  the  Illinois  river,  while  section  7  is  nearly  all 
north  of  the  river.  Hence  the  canal  commissioners  voted  for  section 
7,  while  the  other  three  voted  for  section  9.  In  point  of  elevation  and 
adjoining  country,  section  9  is  vastly  superior  to  section  7.  Thus  the 
commissioners  were  in  a  deadlock  until  General  Thornton  was  succeeded 
by  Hon.  Isaac  N.  Morris,  who  after  viewing  the  two  places  voted  in  favor 
of  section  9,  which  settled  the  question  and  the  county  seat;  and  upon 
motion  of  Mr.  Armstrong  it  was  named  Morris,  in  honor  of  his  vote.  The 
final  decision  was  not  reached  until  April  12,  1842.  Thus  from  the  fourth 
Monday  in  May,  1841,  to  the  12th  of  April,  1842,  Grundy  county  was  with- 
out a  seat  of  justice.  In  the  meantime  court  was  held  at  Mr.  Armstrong's 
cabin  home,  and  all  the  county  officers  located  their  offices  there,  and  Mr. 
Armstrong  established  and  ran  a  ferry  across  the  river  at  that  point.  He 
also  erected  at  his  own  private  cost  a  wooden  building  for  a  court-house, 
and  a  fairly  good-sized  building  for  a  hotel,  which  he  named  Grundy  Hotel. 
This  he  occupied  and  operated  himself.  This  hotel  furnished  food  and  lodg- 
ing to  many  of  the  leading  men  of  Illinois  of  that  period,  among  whom  were 
Lincoln,  Douglas,  Ford,  Reynolds,  Wentworth  and  Judges  Young,  Smith, 
Henderson,  Caton,  David  Davis,  etc. 

Upon  his  last  canal  contracts  Mr.  Armstrong  lost  nearly  everything,  on 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  443 

account  of  the  depreciation  in  value  of  what  was  known  as  canal  scrip,  which 
he  was  compelled  to  take  at  their  face  value  for  the  work  he  did.  This  scrip 
declined  in  commercial  value  as  low  as  twenty-eight  cents  to  the  dollar! 

They  were  printed  on  the  back  of  the  defunct  State  Bank  of  Illinois' 
bills  after  cutting  off  the  names  of  the  president  and  cashier.  The  following 
is  a  literal  copy  of  one  of  these  due  bills  or  canal  scrip : 

"V  CANAL    INDEBTEDNESS.  5. 

No.   28. 

"Due  from  the  Board  of  Commissioners  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan 
''Canal  for  work  done  on  said  canal,  Five  Dollars,  which  they  promise  to 
"pay  the  bearer  of  this  when  funds  are  provided  for  that  purpose. 

"Lockport,  Feby.  ist,  1842. 

"J.  Manning,  Secretary.  Jacob  Fry,  Act.  Com." 

No  funds  were  provided  to  pay  these  state  obligations  until  long  after 
Mr.  Armstrong's  death,  notwithstanding  the  state  was  legally  bound  to  re- 
deem every  dollar  of  their  pledges  with  interest  from  and  after  their  presenta- 
tion. Trusting  and  relying  upon  the  fulfillment  of  these  promises,  he  prose- 
cuted his  contract  to  completion,  taking  the  canal  scrip  at  par  for  his  work 
and  paying  his  men  in  good  money  for  their  labor,  thus  losing  over  seventy 
cents  upon  every  dollar  he  received !  In  this  way  was  he  robbed  without 
redress,  save  through  legislative  enactment,  which  he  sought  in  vain.  He 
was  forced  to  dispose  of  his  canal  scrip  as  best  he  could  for  the  money  to 
pay  his  labor,  etc.  He  finally  brought  suit  against  the  state,  but  the  case 
was  continued  time  and  time  again.  Sick  of  the  law's  delay,  and  broken 
down  with  vexation,  the  end  came  as  before  stated. 

Taken  all  in  all,  he  was  the  finest  specimen  of  physical  and  mental 
manhood  we  ever  knew.  Quick  to  perceive  and  prompt  to  act,  he  could 
devise  ways  and  means  to  accomplish  the  most  stupendous  results  when 
other  men  would  yield  in  despair.  Whatever  he  attempted  to  do,  he  did,  if 
within  the  power  of  mortal  man  to  do  it,  yet  he  was  so  kindly-hearted  and 
of  such  a  loving  disposition  that  every  child  who  knew  him  would  clamber 
all  over  him.  He  was  a  born  leader  of  men  and  his  influence  was  so  great 
among  the  people  of  his  county  that  he  was  known  far  and  near  as  the  "Em- 
peror of  Grundy." 


HENRY     STOCKER. 


From  the  Fatherland  came  the  ancestors  of  this  gentleman.  Promi- 
nently connected  with  affairs  in  Germany,  they  at  length  determined  to  seek 
a  home  in  America  and  some  of  the  present  representatives  of  the  name  are 


444  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    ULXliALOGJCAL   RECORD. 

now  among  tlie  leading  citizens  of  Grundy  comity.  Henry  Stocker  was  1)orn 
in  Chicago.  July  21,  1856,  a  son  of  (ieorge  and  Ellen  (Diehl)  Stocker.  His 
father  was  a  native  of  Baden,  Cjermany.  born  October  28.  1828.  and  in  1849 
crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world.  Before  his  emigration  he  had 
learned  the  cooper's  trade,  and  on  arriving  in  this  country  he  secured  work 
in  a  cooperage  establishment  in  Xcw  ^'ork  city,  but  believing  he  would 
find  better  opportunities  for  ad\ancement  in  the  west  he  located  in  Chicago, 
where  he  became  a  foreman  in  the  cooper  shop  of  the  Lill  &  Diversy  Brew- 
ing Company.  He  remained  with  that  firm  until  1857,  when  he  came  to 
Morris.  Two  months  after  his  arrival  in  Chicago  ^Mr.  Stocker  sent  for  his 
parents,  two  brothers  and  a  sister,  who  took  passage  in  a  vessel  that  was 
wrecked  ot¥  the  coast  of  the  West  Indies.  The  members  of  the  Stocker 
familv  were  among  those  saved,  and  with  others  they  reached  the  isle  of 
Nassau  in  their  lifeboats.  Subsequently  a  passing  vessel  carried  them  to 
Charleston,  South  Carolina,  and  later  they  came  to  Illinois.  Members  of 
the  Stocker  family  had  taken  part  in  the  Baden  revolution  and  for  this 
reason  nnich  of  their  property  was  confiscated  by  the  German  government. 
It  was  this  which  had  led  them  to  seek  a  home  in  America.  They  left  the 
Fatherland  with  little  of  this  world's  riches,  and  when  they  were  shipwrecked 
they  lost  nearly  all  that  had  remained  to  them.  The  grandparents  of  our 
subject  with  their  two  sons  and  daughter  joined  their  son  George  in  Chicago 
and  with  him  came  to  Morris,  where  they  spent  their  last  days.  Their  son 
Charles  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil  war  and  was  killed 
at  the  battle  of  Jonesboro.  William  Stocker,  the  other  son,  also  joined  the 
armv  and  returned  home  with  shattered  health,  which  resulted  in  his  death 
in  1874.  The  daughter  married  a  Mr.  Singer,  and  a  few  years  ago  her 
death  occurred  in  Peoria,  Illinois.  George  Stocker.  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  married  in  Chicago,  in  1855,  to  Ellen  Diehl,  who  was  born  in  Dannstadt, 
Germany  in  1832,  and  now  resides  in  Morris  with  her  son  Heniw.  having 
been  left  a  widow  July  14,  1887.  Mr.  Stocker  became  a  member  of  Star 
Lodge,  Xo.  y-,,  I.  O.  O.  F..  on  the  22d  of  January,  1864,  and  also  belonged 
to  the  German  Gesang-  \*erein.  Unto  George  and  Ellen  Stocker  were  born 
the  following  children  :  Henry;  William,  who  died  in  1887:  Louis,  of  Joliet: 
Carrie,  wife  of  J.  D.  Owen,  of  JNIorris;  and  Teanie,  wife  of  William  Lacard, 
of  Big  Grove. 

Henry  Stocker  was  educated  in  the  public  scliools  of  Alorris,  and  early 
in  life  became  a  clerk  and  bookkeeper  for  the  shoe  and  harness  firm  of  W'oelfel 
&  Span',  doing'  business  on  Washington  street,  Morris,  in  the  store  now 
occupied  by  the  firm  of  Sparr  &  Stocker.  Gradually  our  subject  mastered  the 
business,  and  in  1884,  forming  a  partnership  with  William  Sparr,  succeeded 
the  firm  of  Woelfel  &  Sparr,  by  purchase,  and  under  the  firm  name  of  Sparr 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  445 

&  Stocker  they  have  since  successfully  conducted  the   store.     They  now 
have  a  large  trade  and  well  merit  the  success  which  has  come  to  them. 

When  twenty-four  years  of  age  Mr.  Stocker  was  elected  alderman  of 
the  city,  in  which  capacity  he  ably  served  for  four  jears.  He  has  also  been 
city  treasurer  for  two  years,  was  chief  of  the  fire  department  for  ten  years, 
and  for  the  past  nine  years  has  been  the  township  school  treasurer.  He 
is  accounted  one  of  the  representative  citizens  of  Morris,  whose  deep  interest 
in  the  welfare  of  the  place  has  been  manifested  in  his  efficient  service  in  its 
behalf.  A  leading,  zealous  member  of  the  ^Masonic  fraternity,  he  belongs 
to  Cedar  Lodge,  No.  124,  F.  &  A.  ]M.,  of  which  he  has  been  master;  Orient 
Chapter,  No.  31,  R.  A.  ]\I.,  of  which  he  has  been  high  priest;  Blaney  Com- 
mandery.  No.  5,  K.  T..  of  which  he  has  been  eminent  conmiander;  Medina 
Temple  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  of  Chicago,  and  Laurel  Chapter,  O.  E.  S.  In 
his  life  he  exemplifies  the  humane  and  benevolent  principles  of  the  fraternity 
and  is  a  leading  member  of  the  ]\L'isonic  order  in  Morris.  During  his  long 
residence  here  he  has  become  widely  known  and  now  occupies  an  enviable 
position  in  social,  political  and  business  circles. 


OLIVER     DIX. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  died  Feliruary  16,  1900,  aged  seventy-eight 
years,  one  month  and  eleven  days,  passing  quietly  and  peacefully  away  on 
the  home  farm  which  he  had  entered  from  the  government  April  10,  1847. 
He  was  well  preserved  and  continued  in  active  business  until  the  early  part 
of  1899.  His  great  activity  during  life  should  put  to  shame  many  a  younger 
man  who,  grown  weaiy  of  the  struggles  and  trials  of  life,  leaves  to  others 
burdens  that  he  should  bear.  INIr.  Dix  began  life  a  poor  boy,  met  with  many 
hardships  and  experienced  many  dit^culties,  but  in  pursuance  of  a  determined 
purpose  and  well  laid  plajis  steadih'  worked  his  way  upward  until  his  ex- 
tensive realty  holdings  of  eight  hundred  acres  became  the  monument  of  his 
active  and  useful  life. 

Oliver  Dix  was  born  in  Oneida  county,  New  York,  January  5,  1822,  a 
son  of  Ara  and  Lydia  (Richards)  Dix.  His.  paternal  grandfather,  Charles 
Dix.  was  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  was  of  Welsh  descent.  By  trade  he 
was  a  tanner  and  followed  that  pursuit  through  his  entire  life.  He  remove<l 
from  his  native  state  to  Oneida  county,  New  York,  where  his  death  occurred 
some  years  afterward.  Ara  Dix  was  born  in  Connecticut,  July  14,  1793. 
and  here  spent  his  boyhood  days  learning  the  shoemaker's  trade.  He 
accompanied  his  father  to  the  Empire  state,  where  throughout  his  business 
career  he  followed  the  pursuit  with  which  he  had  become  familiar  during 


446  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

his  minority.  He  died  September  4,  1826,  leaving  a  widow  and  son,  Oliver, 
who  was  the  only  child  of  their  union.  Mrs.  Dix  was  born  June  18.  1792, 
and  died  September  21,  1881.  After  the  death  of  her  first  husband  she 
became  the  wife  of  J.  E.  Waterman,  of  New  York,  and  in  1837  they  left  that 
state  and  removed  westward  to  Kendall  county,  Illinois.  There  Mr.  Water- 
man located  on  a  farm  which  he  made  his  home  until  his  death.  After  the 
marriage  of  her  son  Oliver,  ^Irs.  \\'aterman  became  an  inmate  of  his  home 
and  there  received  loving,  filial  care  and  attention  until  her  demise. 

Between  the  ages  of  five  and  fifteen  years,  Oliver  Dix  spent  con- 
siderable time  in  the  school-room  at  Vernon,  New  York.  He  then  accom- 
panied his  father  to  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  and  remained  on  the  farm 
assisting  his  stepfather  in  the  cultivation  of  the  fields  until  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  when  he  started  out  in  life  for  himself.  He  would  rent  ten  or  twenty 
acres  of  land  of  a  farmer  of  the  locality  and  till  his  fields  through  the  summer 
months,  while  in  the  winter  he  engaged  in  teaching.  Thus  he  accumulated 
money  enough  to  buy  some  oxen  and  such  farming  implements  as  were  in 
use  at  that  day,  after  which  he  began  breaking  prairie  for  the  neighbors. 
In  the  fall,  when  the  work  of  cultivating  the  fields  was  over,  he  would 
borrow  oxen  and  do  more  work  in  breaking  prairie.  On  one  occasion  he 
was  employed  by  John  Gray  to  break  some  prairie  land  in  Grundy  county, 
and  with  his  four  yoke  of  oxen  he  traveled  to  the  place  where  he  was  to 
prosecute  his  labors.  As  there  were  no  houses  in  the  locality  he  had  to  take 
with  him  enough  food  to  furnish  his  own  meals.  He  would  make  his  bed 
under  the  plow-beam  and  thus  he  slept  until  his  life  was  endangered  by  the 
wolves  that  were  then  quite  numerous  in  the  neighborhood !  This  com- 
pelled him  to  change  his  lodging  place  to  the  wagon-bed.  In  going  to  and 
from  the  field  of  labor  he  had  nothing  to  guide  him  but  some  stakes  which 
he  had  previously  placed  upon  the  line  of  his  journey,  or  perhaps  a  small 
tree  now  and  then  would  serve  as  a  landmark.  When  he  had  completed 
the  arduous  task  he  returned  to  Kendall  county  and  harvested  his  sum- 
mer crops. 

However,  in  the  meantime,  Oliver  Dix,  being  well  pleased  with  the 
land  in  Grundy  county,  had  determined  to  seek  a  home  here.  Accordingly 
the  following  spring  he  returned  and  purchased  a  tract  of  wild  prairie  from 
the  government.  Not  a  furrow  had  been  turned  nor  an  improvement  made 
upon  the  place,  but  with  characteristic  energy  he  began  its  development 
and  in  the  course  of  time  the  well  tilled  fields  yielded  to  him  the  ripe  golden 
grain.  He  is  perhaps  the  only  purchaser  of  land  from  the  government  who 
lived  upon  the  original  purchase  until  the  present  year.  W'ith  the  passing 
years  he  continued  the  task  of  tilling  the  soil  and  improving  his  place,  being 
actively  connected  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  county  until  1899, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  447 

when  he  turned  the  management  of  the  farm  over  to  his  youngest  son.  He 
had  from  time  to  time  added  to  his  land  possessions  until  his  real  estate 
aggregated  eiglit  hundred  acres. 

In  1848  Mr.  Dix  was  united  in  marriage  to  Aliss  Lydia  Wing,  a  daughter 
of  Thomas  Wing,  of  Illinois.  Their  children  are  as  follows:  Ara  W.,  who 
married  Mary-  E.  Caldwell,  and  lives  in  Nettle  Creek  township,  Grundy 
county;  Orville  E.,  of  Iroquois  county,  who  married  Elizabeth  Riggs,  and 
-after  her  death  married  Mrs.  Matilda  Harvey.  The  mother  of  these  sons 
died  in  1858.  Mr.  Dix  afterward  wedded  Louisa  S.  McKinzie,  a  daughter 
of  William  and  Sophia  (Spillman)  McKinzie,  a  native  of  IMaryland,  and 
the  children  of  this  union  are:  Lydia  B.,  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Johnson,  of 
Wauponsee  township;  William  O.,  who  married  Jennet  Wilson  and  lives  in 
Nettle  Creek  township;  Etta  M.,  the  ^vife  of  William  Caldwell,  of  Erinna 
township;  Susan  Louella,  the  wife  of  William  C.  West,  of  Kendall  county; 
and  George  R.,  who  married  Maude  A.  Tinsman,  and  runs  the  home  farm. 

In  politics  Mr.  Dix  was  a  Republican,  and  in  religious  faith  a  Methodist. 
He  was  one  of  the  honored  and  esteemed  citizens  of  his  adopted  county, 
for  his  life  was  ever  such  as  to  merit  the  public  regard.  He  certainly  deserved 
great  credit  for  his  success  and  justly  won  the  proud  American  title  of  a 
self-made  man. 


HENRY     C.     CLAYPOOL. 

This  gentleman  is  the  popular  postmaster  of  ^lorris.  More  than  half  a 
century  ago  his  father  held  the  same  office,  and  no  student  of  the  history  of 
Grundy  county  can  carry  his  investigations  far  in  its  records  without  be- 
coming cognizant  of  the  fact  that  the  Claypool  family  has  been  one  of  prom- 
inence and  influence  in  the  conmnmity. 

He  whose  name  introduces  this  review  was  born  in  Grundy  county,  on 
the  31st  of  March,  1852.  After  attending  the  public  schools  he  graduated 
at  the  Morris  Classical  Institute,  and  later  was  a  student  in  a  business  col- 
lege; but  during  much  of  his  youth  his  time  and  attention  were  devoted  to 
the  labors  of  the  farm.  He  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  till  thirty  years 
of  age,  after  which  he  filled  the  office  of  deputy  county  clerk  for  four  years. 
He  then  became  manager  of  the  Chieago  Fire-proofing  Company,  with 
which  he  was  connected  for  a  considerable  period,  and  for  eight  years  was 
the  cashier  of  the  Coleman  Hardware  Company.  In  March,  1898,  he  was 
appointed  postmaster  of  Morris,  taking  possession  of  the  office  on  the  ist 
of  April.  He  is  popular  with  its  patrons,  owing  to  his  uniform  courtesy 
and  obliging  disposition,  and  is  a  worthy  representative  of  the  govern- 
ment. 


448  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

In  1873  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Claypool  and  Miss  Annie 
M.  Brown,  and  they  now  have  a  daughter,  named  Carrie  M.  Their  house- 
hold is  noted  for  its  hospitality  and  the  family  enjoy  the  warm  regard  of  a 
large  circle  of  friends.  Mr.  Claypool  is  a  member  of  the  Globe  Mutual 
Benefit  Association,  and  in  politics  has  been  a  stanch  Republican  since  cast- 
ing his  first  presidential  vote  for  R.  B.  Hayes.  On  attaining  his  majority 
he  was  elected  supervisor  of  W'auponsee  township  and  held  that  position  till 
1882,  when  he  removed  to  the  city.  In  1893  he  was  elected  the  city  clerk  of 
Morris  and  held  that  position  for  three  successive  terms,  his  administration 
of  its  afTairs  being  prompt,  reliable  and  businesslike.  Of  the  ^lasonic  fra- 
ternity he  is  a  very  prominent  member,  having  taken  the  initiatory  degree 
in  Cedar  Lodge,  No.  124,  F.  &  A.  M..  in  which  for  three  years  he  served  as 
master.  He  also  belongs  to  Orient  Chapter,  No.  31,  R.  A.  M.,  in  which 
he  has  been  a  high  priest;  the  Blaney  Commandeni\  No.  5,  K.  T.,  and  the 
Laurel  Chapter.  No.  145,  O.  E.  S.  His  entire  life  has  been  passed  in  Grundy 
county,  where  he  has  a  very  wide  acquaintance  and  enjoys  the  friendship 
of  many  who  have  known  him  from  boyhood — a  fact  which  indicates  that 
his  career  has  been  an  honorable  and  upright  one. 


HON.  PERRY  A.  ARMSTRONG. 

The  gentleman  who  constitutes  the  subject  of  this  brief  sketch  was  born 
in  Licking  county.  Ohio,  April  15.  1823.  and  came  to  Illinois  with  his  mother 
and  brothers  in  the  spring  of  183 1.  He  is  the  seventh  son  of  Joseph  and 
Elsie  Armstrong.  His  early  opportunities  for  an  education  were  poor,  but 
he  possessed  an  inquiring  mind  and  retentive  memor}'  and  acquired  a  fairly 
good  but  not  classic  education  at  the  Granville  (Illinois)  Academy  and  Illi- 
nois College,  paying  his  way  by  working  Saturdays  and  teaching  school 
and  laboring  at  farm  work  during  vacations. 

The  day  he  was  twenty  years  old  he  came  to  Morris  with  the  intention 
of  making  it  his  home.  Like  Japheth  in  search  of  a  father,  he  came  on  foot 
and  alone  and  "across  lots,"  carrying  all  his  worldly  goods  (which  included 
Blackstone's  Commentaries)  in  a  cotton  bandana  handkerchief,  and  two 
smooth  Mexican  quarters  in  his  pocket,  expecting  to  make  law  his  profes- 
sion; but  an  accident  happened  to  him,  from  which  he  narrowly  escaped 
with  his  life,  being  thrown  in  the  Illinois  river  by  the  sinking  of  a  ferry-boat 
while  trjing  to  fern,-  a  lot  of  cattle  over  the  river  at  Morris,  which  resulted 
in  a  severe  attack  of  typhoid  fever.  After  lying  in  bed  at  the  Grundy  hotel 
several  weeks,  he  was  taken  overland  upon  a  feather  bed  in  a  wagon  to  the 
home  of  his  mother  in  LaSalle  countv.  where  he  remained  until  able  to  re- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  449^ 

sume  study,  and  then  returned  to  Granville  Academy,  Putnam  county,  to 
finish  his  preparation  to  enter  Illinois  College  at  Jacksonville;  and  in  Septem- 
ber of  that  year  he  matriculated  in  that  college  as  a  sophomore;  but,  his 
health  failing,  he  spent  only  two  years  in  college  and  then  returned  to  Mor- 
ris, in  the  fall  of  1845.  where  he  opened  a  general  or  countn,-  store  and  was 
appointed  postmaster;  and  at  the  spring  election  for  school  trustee,  1846, 
he  was  elected  one  of  the  trustees  of  township  33.  range  7,  and  was  made 
president  of  the  board. 

When  Governor  Ford  issued  his  proclamation  of  May  25,  1846,  for  vol- 
unteers for  the  ?\Iexican  war,  Mr.  Armstrong  was  the  first  to  respond,  and 
raised  a  company,  which  elected  him  captain;  but,  owing  to  our  not  having  a 
daily  mail,  the  report  of  its  organization,  though  immediately  mailed,  did  not 
reach  the  adjutant  general's  office  at  Springfield  until  after  the  report  of 
Judge  Dickey's  company  of  Ottawa,  though  orgainzed  one  day  later,  had 
been  received  and  his  company  accepted,  which  filled  the  quota  of  Illinois 
volunteers.  Hence  the  Morris  company  was  disbanded,  and  all  the  military 
honor  Captain  Armstrong  acquired  was  the  naked  commission  as  captain 
oi  the  Gnuidy  county  militia,  which  cost  him  much  time  and  money  in  or- 
ganizing and  drilling  a  lot  of  stalwart  men,  chiefly  composed  of  canal  hands. 
That  commission,  as  well  as  the  title  of  captain,  has  long  been  lost  and  for- 
gotten. 

On  the  2 1st  of  December,  1846,  Captain  Armstrong  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  ]\Ian-  J.  Borbidge,  of  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  a  lady  of 
refinement  and  education  as  well  as  a  devout  Christian,  who  ably  assisted 
her  husband  and  Dr.  Hand  in  organizing  the  first  Sabbath-school  in  Morris: 
and,  being  the  best  Biblical  scholar,  she  took  charge  of  the  Bible  class.  To 
them  were  born  four  sons:  Fidelius  H..  who  died  in  infancy;  Qiarles  Dale, 
an  elocutionist  and  ventriloquist,  who  was  killed  at  Lawrence,  Massachusetts, 
December  26,  1899;  Elwood,  who  is  a  prominent  physician  and  railroad  sur- 
geon at  Greenleaf,  Kansas;  and  William  E..  shipping  clerk  for  the  Piano 
Harvester  Company.  The  first  wife  died  of  consumption  September  4.  1862, 
and  on  the  23d  of  August,  1863,  the  Captain  was  married  to  Airs.  Malina  J. 
Eldredge,  of  Piano,  Illinois,  who  still  survives,  and  has  been  the  mother 
of  three  sons:  Lewis  W.,  who  died  in  infancy;  Frank  N..  a  physician  and 
surgeon  of  Richmond,  Illinois,  and  Perry  A.,  Jr.,  who  is  a  dentist  of  Chicago. 

In  1847  Mr.  Armstrong  was  one  of  the  Illinois  delegates  to  the  river 
and  harbor  convention,  where  Mr.  Lincoln  and  he  were  committee-men  from 
Illinois  upon  permanent  organization.  He  favored  "Tom"  Corwin,  of  Ohio, 
while  Mr.  Lincoln  was  for  Edward  Bates,  of  Missouri.  Mr.  Armstrong 
was  the  first  supervisor  of  the  town  of  Morris;  was  elected  justice  of  the 
peace  in  1849;  ^^'^s  a  clerk  in  the  oftnce  of  the  auditor  of  public  accounts  dur- 


450  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

ing  the  winter  of  1850-51  and  drew  the  charter  of  tlie  Rock  Island,  LaSalle 
&  Chicago  Railroad,  now  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Railroad,  also 
of  the  Chicago.  Burlington  &  Ouincy  Railroad,  and  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad,  and  made  the  selections  of  the  government  land  which  inured  to 
said  railroad  under  the  congressional  act;  and  then  went  upon  the  survey 
of  the  Rock  Island,  LaSalle  &  Chicago  Railroad  as  assistant  engineer  in 
1851,  and  ran  its  experimental  levels  from  Joliet  to  Ottawa  and  from  Tiskilwa 
to  Geneseo,  and  then  went  to  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  and  ran 
the  level  from  Galesburg  to  Pond  Creek,  now  Sheffield;  but  on  discovering 
that  there  was  not  enough  money  in  the  treasury  to  pay  one  month's  salary 
he  resigned  and  came  home,  and  was  appointed  swamp-land  commissioner 
of  Gnmdy  county,  to  select  and  sell  the  unsold  government  lands  that  should 
fall  within  the  meaning  of  the  swamp-land  act  of  congress  of  September  28, 
1850.  By  personal  surveys  and  inspection  he  secured  the  title  to  about  three 
thousand  acres,  which  he  subsequently  sold  for  several  thousand  dollars, 
which  went  into  the  county  treasury. 

At  the  November  election,  1853.  he  was  elected  clerk  of  the  county 
court  and  re-elected  in  1857,  and  in  1862  he  was  elected  to  the  constitutional 
convention  from  LaSalle,  Livingston  and  Grundy  counties  without  oppo- 
sition, and  to  the  legislature  from  Grundy  and  Will,  in  1863,  and  again  in 
1872,  from  DeKalb,  Kendall  and  Grundy  counties,  without  opposition,  and 
served  on  the  judiciary,  judicial  department  and  railroad  committees  in  the 
latter  session ;  and  was  the  author  of  our  present  common-law  jurisdiction  of 
county  courts,  and  the  law  of  escheats  and  our  jury  law,  with  many  amend- 
ments to  our  criminal  code,  road  and  bridge  and  other  laws;  and  was  on  the 
Seymour  ticket  in  1868. 

Captain  Armstrong  was  the  grand  master  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  of  the  state  of  Illinois  in  1856-57.  and 
grand  representative  to  the  sovereign  grand  lodge  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  of  the  United  States  for  1858  and  1859. 

He  was  an  active  supporter  of  the  government  in  the  war  of  the  Re- 
bellion and  assisted  in  the  organization  of  soldiers,  making  war  speeches 
all  over  the  surrounding  country  as  a  war  Democrat  and  was  a  personal 
friend  of  Mr.  Lincoln  and  Senator  Douglas,  both  of  whom  he  has  enter- 
tained at  his  home  in  Morris,  and  in  turn  he  was  entertained  by  them  at 
their  homes  in  Springfield,  Illinois.  In  the  winter  of  1851,  Mr.  Lincoln  and 
he  alternating,  read  the  entire  works  of  Sir  Walter  Scott.  In  the  fall  of 
1863  he  engaged  in  the  purchase  of  horses  for  the  army  and  continued  at  that 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1863.  entering 
into  partnership  with  Judge  Benjamin  Olin,  now  of  Joliet,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Olin   &  Armstrong,  which  was  the  leading  law  firm  for  several 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  451 

years.  Mr.  Olin  withdrew  from  the  firm  in  1870,  locating  in  JoHet.  In  1876 
Mr.  Armstrong-  was  appointed  master  in  chancery  of  Gnmdy  county,  and 
held  that  office  for  twenty-two  consecutive  years.  He  was  the  secretary  of 
the  school  board  nine  years  and  also  secretary  of  the  board  of  trustees  of 
the  Illinois  Charitable  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary  for  nine  years,  and  president 
of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Morris  Cemeteiy  Association  seventeen  years, 
during  which  time  Evergreen  cemetery  emerged  from  obscurity  to  a  first- 
class  cemetery.  He  is  the  dean  of  the  Morris  bar  and  the  oldest  Master 
Mason  and  Past  Master,  Royal  Arch  Mason,  and  past  high  priest,  Knight 
Templar  and  past  commander,  and  was  deputy  grand  commander  of  the 
grand  commandery  of  the  state  of  Illinois  in  1863  and  is  the  oldest  thirty- 
third  degree  Mason  of  this  state,  in  date  of  membership. 

Though  he  never  had  any  pecuniary  interest  in  a  newspaper,  he  has 
conducted  the  political  column  of  several  during  presidential  campaigns  and 
is  the  author  of  The  Sauks  and  of  Black  Hawk  War;  and  has  written  many 
poems,  which  have  been  published,  among  which  are  a  Child's  Inquiry, 
What  is  Heaven,  and  a  Funeral  Dirge  to  General  Grant,  and  the  disappoint- 
ment of  Judge  Carter's  little  son  Allan  over  his  failure  to  grasp  a  ray  of  light, 
etc.  But  his  master  poem  is  a  Greeting  tO'  the  Pioneers  of  Northern  Illinois, 
which  has  not  yet  been  published.  He  was  always  an  admirer  of  nature  and 
an  enthusiastic  geologist,  and  has  shipped  tO'  the  Smithsonian  Institution  at 
Washington  city  within  the  last  year  over  three  tons  of  fossil  botany  of  his 
own  collection,  and  he  has  been  the  historian  of  Grundy  county  from  its 
birth  up  to  the  present  time.  For  many  years  he  personally  knew  every  citi- 
zen in  the  county,  even  to  his  Christian  name. 


LAWRENCE  W.  CLAYPOOL. 

Almost  from  the  earliest  development  of  Grundy  county  the  name  of 
Claypool  has  been  inseparably  interwoven  in  its  history,  and  its  representatives 
have  ever  been  men  of  sterling  worth  and  have  labored  earnestly  and  effect- 
ively for  the  substantial  development  and  progress  of  the  locality.  For 
many  years  Lawrence  W.  Claypool  has  been  identified  with  the  interests 
of  this  section  of  the  state  and  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon  the 
material  improvement  as  well  as  upon  the  social  and  public  life  of  the  com- 
munity. He  was  born  in  Brown  county,  Ohio,  June  4,  1819,  and  was  of 
English  lineage. 

The  earhest  record  of  the  family  extant  indicates  that  about  1645,  Sir 
James  Claypool.  of  England,  married  a  daughter  of  Oliver  Cromwell.  Some 
years  later  two  brothers  of  the  same  family  crossed  the  Atlantic  from  England 


452  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

to  America,  taking  up  their  residence  in  Virginia.  One  subsequently  left 
the  Old  Dominion  for  Pennsylvania  and  cast  in  his  lot  Avith  the  colony  that 
with  William  Penn  laid  the  foundation  of  the  Keystone  state.  It  was  either 
he  or  his  descendant,  James  C.  Claypool,  who  was  a  signing  witness  to  the 
Penn  charter  in  1682.    His  descendants  have  spelled  the  name  Claypole. 

The  other  brother  remained  in  Virginia,  where  his  son,  William  Clay- 
pool,  was  born  about  1690.  He  lived  to  the  extraordinary  age  of  one  hun- 
dred and  two  years,  and  had  a  family  of  three  sons — George,  John  and 
James.  The  last  named  was  born  about  1730,  and  lie  had  three  sons  whom 
he  reverently  named  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob.  He  was  General  Wash- 
ington's commissary  for  eastern  Virginia  and  was  a  most  loyal  advocate 
of  the  cause  of  liberty.  His  son,  Abraham,  removed  to  Chillicothe,  Ohio, 
in  1799,  and  became  prominent  in  the  early  history  of  that  state,  ser\-ing 
for  several  years  in  the  senate.  He  had  six  sons  and  five  daughters,  the 
second  son  being  Jacob  Claypool,  who  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1788  and 
became  a  resident  of  Brown  county.  Ohio.  He  manifested  a  spirit  of  patriot- 
ism by  his  sen-ice  in  the  war  of  181 2  and  was  ever  recognized  as  a  man  of 
sterling  character  and  worth.  He  married  Nancy  Ballard,  a  lady  of  Quaker 
parentage  froni'  North  Carolina,  and  they  had  twO'  sons — Perry  A.  and 
Lawrence  W.  The  former  was  born  in  Belmont  county.  Ohio,  June  5.  181 5. 
and  died  in  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  October  13,  1846.  In  1834  Jacob  Clay- 
pool removed  with  his  family  to  the  western  frontier,  taking  up  his  abode 
in  what  is  now  Wauponsee  townshi]'.  Grundv  countx'.  Illinois.  He  secured 
for  himself  and  his  sons  a  large  tract  of  land  and  became  a  wealthy  citizen 
and  a  prominent  representative  of  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  county. 
His  abilitv  led  to  his  selection  for  a  niunber  oi  important  offices  and  he 
served  as  the  first  county  commissioner,  was  also  the  probate  judge  of  the 
county,  and  held  other  ])osiiions  of  trust  and  responsibility.  He  died  in  1876, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years. 

Lawrence  \V.  Claypool,  his  son,  was  a  yoiuli  of  fifteen  years  when  he 
accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Grundy  county.  He  attended 
the  schools  for  only  a])out  eleven  months,  j^ursuing  his  studies  in  a  little 
log  school-house  in  Ohio,  but  be  was  a  man  of  strong  mentalitv.  and  through 
obser\'ation  and  reading  became  well  informed.  In  1841.  when  not  yet 
twenty-two  years  of  age.  he  was  elected  the  recorder  of  deeds  for  Grundy 
county  and  served  until  1847.  In  the  meantime  he  became  the  first  post- 
master of  the  town  of  Morris,  holding  the  position  from  1842  till  1845.  In 
1848  he  received  the  appointment  of  assistant  agent  of  the  canal  lands  and 
served  in  that  capacity  until  all  the  land  was  sold,  retiring  from  the  position 
in  i860.  He  was  also  the  town  supervisor  and  a  member  of  the  school 
board  for  many  years,  and  at  all  times  discharged  his  duties  with  a  prompt- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  453 

ness  and  fidelity  that  won  him  the  commendation  of  all  concerned.  Of  the 
Union  cause  he  was  a  faithful  and  loyal  adherent.  During  the  Civil  war  he 
was  a  very  active  and  prominent  worker  in  raising  volunteers  and  providing 
sanitary  supplies.  In  his  early  life  he  was  afflicted  with  white-swelling  in 
his  right  leg,  rendering  him  physically  incapacitated  for  active  military  ser- 
vice in  the  field  during  the  great  conflict.  With  the  changed  conditions 
and  feeling  of  the  time  he  changed  his  political  adherency,  being  first  a 
Whig,  then  an  Abolitionist,  afterward  a  member  of  the  Free-soil  party  and  on 
the  organization  of  the  Republican  party  he  became  one  of  its  stanch  ad- 
vocates. 

On  the  15th  of  November,  1849,  Mr.  Clay  pool  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Caroline  B.  Palmer,  a  daughter  of  John  Palmer,  of  Ottawa,  one  of 
the  pioneer  settlers  of  LaSalle  county,  \\ho  in  June,  1833.  traveled  across 
the  country  from  Warren  county,  New  York,  to  the  Prairie  state.  Mrs. 
Claypool  was  born  in  New  York,  March  12,  1831,  and  died  in. Morris,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1890.  Eight  children  were  born  of  their  union,  but  only  one  is  now- 
living — Henry  C.  ]\Ir.  Claypool  was  called  tO'  his  final  rest  in  1893.  He 
spent  his  last  days  ii:  IMorris  and  was  a  most  highly  esteemed  citizen,  re- 
spected and  honored  by  all  who  knew  him.  Of  firm  convictions,  he  was 
unwavering  in  his  support  of  whatever  he  believed  to  be  right,  and  his  in- 
tegrity was  above  question.  He  was  faithful  in  friendship,  loyal  in  citizen- 
ship, reliable  in  business  and  devoted  to  his  home  and  family.  His  record 
is  one  well  worthv  of  emulation. 


FRANK    A.    JOHNSON. 

Frank  A.  Johnson,  one  of  the  leading  merchants  of  Morris,  was  born  on 
a  farm  in  Grundy  county,  February  22,  1872.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  Mor- 
ris high  school  and  received  his  business  training  in  Bryant  &  Stratton's 
Business  college,  of  Chicago.  He  then  put  to  the  practical  test  the  knowl- 
edge he  had  acquired  by  accepting  a  position  in  the  wholesale  dry-goods 
house  of  J.  V.  Farwell  &  Company,  of  that  city,  but  after  a  brief  time  he 
returned  to  Morris,  where  for  a  year  and  a  half  he  acted  as  salesman  in  the 
dry-goods  store  of  Henry  H.  Baum.  When  that  period  was  ended  he  spent 
five  months  in  his  father's  store,  and  in  September,  1893,  returned  to  Chi- 
cago, where  for  a  year  and  a  half  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  United  States 
Express  Company.  In  February,  1895,  he  again  returned  to  Morris  to  work 
m  his  father's  store,  and  in  May  following  was  admitted  to  a  partnership  in 
the  business  under  the  name  of  Peter  A.  Johnson  &  Sons,  dealers  in  hard- 
ware, farm  implements  and  carriages.     The  father  established  this  store  in 


454  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

1882.  It  is  now  under  the  management  of  Frank  A.  Johnson,  and  his  carefuf 
supervision,  keen  discernment  and  executive  force  are  bringing  to  it  an 
excellent  success.  The  firm  now  enjoys  the  largest  trade  in  its  line  in  the 
county,  and  the  store  is  fully  ecjuipped  with  everything  found  in  a  first-class 
establishment. 

In  1896  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Frank  A.  Johnson  and  Laura  A. 
Williams,  and  they  now  have  an  interesting  little  son,  Ralph.  Mr.  John- 
son exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of 
the  Republican  party,  but  has  never  sought  political  preferment  for  himself. 
Socially  he  is  connected  with  the  Knights  of  the  Globe,  and  both  lie  and  his 
wife  hokl  membership  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  The  hospital- 
ity of  the  best  homes  of  Morris  is  freely  extended  them,  and  they  fully  merit 
the  high  regard  in  which  they  are  uniformly  held. 


JOHN     E.     CLAYPOOL.     • 

A  representative  of  one  of  the  oldest  families  of  Grundy  county,  John 
E.  Claypool  is  now  engaged  in  farming  in  W'auponsee  township.  He  was 
bom  in  that  township,  in  1868,  on  the  farm  occupied  by  his  father  before 
moving  to  the  old  homestead,  his  parents  being  John  and  Elizabeth  (Hume) 
Claypool.  His  great-grandfather,  Jacob  Claypool,  was  a  pioneer  settler 
there  and  removed  from  Ohio  to  Illinois  in  1834.  He  secured  a  grant  of 
land  from  the  government  which  still  remains  in  the  possession  of  his  de- 
scendants, and  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  connected  with 
the  agricultural  interests  of  Grundy  county.  His  son,  Perry  A.  Claypool, 
was  born  in  Brown  county,  Ohio,  June  5,  1815,  and  with  his  parents  came 
to  the  west.  He  was  a  man  of  great  energy,  strong  determination  and 
much  force  of  character,  and  in  the  community  where  he  resided  was  recog- 
nized as  a  leading  and  influential  citizen.  At  the  age  of  twenty  years  he  was 
married  in  his  native  county  to  Miss  Mary  Halstead,  who  also  was  born 
in  the  Buckeye  slate.  In  1847  he  was  instantly  killed  by  the  kick  of  a  horse, 
leaving  a  wife  and  four  children.  At  that  time  he  was  holding  a  responsible 
position  as  assessor  and  treasurer  of  Grundy  county,  and  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duties  manifested  the  promptness  and  fidelity  which  were  numbered 
among  his  chief  characteristics. 

John  Claypool,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  on  the  old  faniilv 
homestead  in  Wauponsee  township  in  1837,  being  the  third  white  child 
born  in  Grundy  county.  He  wa^s  reared  on  the  farm  and  upon  attaining 
his  majority  he  purchased  and  located  en  a  tract  of  land  in  Wauponsee 
township,  where  he  made  his  home  till  the  death  of  his  grandfather,  when 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  455 

he  returned  to  the  old  family  homestead,  there  remaining  throughout  the 
residue  of  his  days.  He  received  his  education  in  the  country  schools,  but 
was  a  man  of  marked  intellectuality  and  through  his  own  efforts  gained  a 
broad  general  knowledge,  and  in  his  young  days  engaged  in  teaching  school. 
His  political  support  was  given  to  the  Republican  party  and  he  was  an  active 
and  loyal  advocate  of  its  doctrines.  He  held  a  number  of  township  offices 
and  for  several  years  faithfully  discharged  the  duties  of  township  supervisor. 
His  death  occurred  in  1886,  but  his  widow  still  survives  and  is  living  in 
Morris. 

John  E.  Claypool  is  indebted  to  the  common  schools  of  the  neighbor- 
hood for  the  educational  privileges  he  received.  His  training  at  farm  labor 
was  not  meager  and  from  an  early  age  he  was  familiar  with  the  duties  and 
tasks  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  He  Has  always  engaged 
in  farming  and  is  now  living  at  the  old  place,  occupying  the  brick  dwelling 
that  was  erected  by  Jacob  Qaypool,  the  bricks  used  therein  being  made 
from  clay  obtained  upon  the  farm.  This  is  the  oldest  brick  dwelling  in  the 
county,  but  is  still  in  a  state  of  good  preservation.  The  farm  is  rich  and 
highly  cultivated,  the  well  tilled  fields  yielding  to  the  owner  a  golden  tribute 
for  the  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon  them. 

In  1891  Mr.  Claypool  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eva  May  Harney, 
a  daughter  of  Daniel  Harney,  of  LaSalle  county.  To  them  were  born  five 
children — Charlotte  E.,  Daniel  E.,  Jennie  B.,  Pearl  M.  and  Victoria  May. 
In  his  political  views  Mr.  Claypool  is  a  Republican,  but  has  never  sought  or 
desired  office,  preferring  to  devote  his  time  and  energies  to  his  business  inter- 
ests. His  methods  of  farming  are  progressive  and  commend  themselves 
to  all  wide-awake  and  enterprising  agriculturists.  He  is  both  widely  and 
favorably  known  in  the  county  where  his  entire  life  has  been  passed  and  has 
a  large  circle  of  friends. 


SAMUEL     E.     STOUGH. 

Samuel  E.  Stough,  now  the  judge  of  the  thirteenth  circuit  and  a  man 
well  known  throughout  the  state  of  Illinois,  has  for  more  than  two  decades 
been  an  honored  citizen  of  Morris. 

Judge  Stough  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  state.  He  was  born  in  Wil- 
liams county,  Ohio,  September  2,  1852,  a  son  of  J.  S.  Stough,  a  physician. 
In  1858  Dr.  Stough  moved  with  his  family  to  Waterloo,  Indiana,  and  it  was 
there  that  Samuel  E.  was  reared.  His  education,  begun  in  the  public  schools 
of  Waterloo,  was  carried  for\vard  at  Springfield,  Ohio,  and  later  at  Ann 
Arbor,  Michigan.     In  the  University  of  Michigan  he  pursued  the  study  of 


456  BIOGRAPHICAL  A.\'D   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Jaw,  and  is  a  graduate  of  the  law  department  of  that  institution  with  the 
class  of  1877.  Immediately  after  his  graduation  he  came  to  Illinois  and  lo- 
cated at  Morris,  where  he  began  his  professional  career,  a  career  which  has 
been  marked  by  signal  success.  He  has  served  three  terms  as  state's  attor- 
ney, having  been  elected  to  the  office  in  1888,  1892  and  1896.  and  in  1897 
he  was  honored  by  election  to  the  office  of  judge  of  the  thirteenth  circuit, 
receiving  these  favors  at  the  hands  of  the  Republican  party,  of  which  he 
has  always  been  an  ardent  supporter.  The  Judge  maintains  a  fraternal  re- 
lation with  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

He  was  married  in  1892  to  ^liss  Jennie  Garrett,  and  they  are  the  par- 
ents of  three  children. 


DR.     A.     F.     HAND. 


Dr.  A.  F.  Hand,  deceased,  the  pioneer  physician  of  Morris.  Illinois,  was 
born  in  Shoreham.  \"ermont.  July  11.  1816.  and  at  an  early  age  came  west 
to  Illinois.  He  received  his  education  in  the  Illinois  College,  of  which  insti- 
tution he  was  a  graduate  with  the  class  of  1844.  Two  years  later,  in  1847, 
he  came  to  Morris  and  here  began  his  professional  career,  a  career  which 
covered  a  period  of  forty  years  and  which  was  one  marked  by  signal  success. 
Dr.  Hand  was  recognized  not  only  as  a  skillful  and  successful  physician  but 
also  as  a  gentleman  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  and  he  enjoyed  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  all  who  knew  him.  He  died  June  15,  1890,  at  the  age  of 
seventv-three  vears.  eleven  months  and  four  davs. 


JULIUS   C.  ARMSTRONG. 

Julius  C.  Armstrong.  D.  D..  the  third  son  of  George  W.  and  Xancy 
(Green)  Armstrong,  was  born  at  the  old  homestead  in  the  eastern  part  of  La- 
Salle  county,  Illinois,  on  the  iSth  of  August,  1840.  He  worked  on  the  farm 
in  the  summers  and  attended  the  district  school  in  the  winters  until  his 
eighteenth  year,  when  he  was  sent  to  Morris,  Illinois,  to  a  high  school,  where 
he  studied,  with  some  intervals  at  home  or  teaching  school,  until  he  was  of 
age. 

A  year  after  the  breaking  out  of  the  great  civil  war  he  entered  the  army 
as  a  volunteer  in  behalf  of  his  countr}-.  He  left  his  home  in  July.  1862.  and 
Avas  mustered  into  the  United  States  Army  in  September,  and  served  for  three 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  457 

years  in  Company  D  of  the  Ninety-first  Infantry  Volunteers.  He  was  ab- 
sent from  his  company  a  part  of  the  fall  of  that  year,  on  account  of  sickness, 
and  thereby  escaped  capture  with  his  regiment  by  the  Confederate  General 
John  Morgan.  Joining  his  company  at  Benton  Barracks,  Missouri,  in  De- 
cember, he  was  employed  as  a  clerk  in  the  office  of  the  provost  marshal  of 
St.  Louis  until  the  exchange  of  his  regiment  in  the  summer  of  1863.  They 
were  then  sent  to  General  Grant's  command,  arri\ing  just  after  the  capture 
of  \'icksburg.  They  were  too  late  to  participate  in  the  siege,  but  in  time  to 
relieve  a  part  of  General  Sherman's  command  sent  to  drive  General  Johnston 
out  of  the  state.  Guard  duty  was  done  here  and  at  Port  Hudson,  with  an 
occasional  pursuit  of  detachments  of  the  Confederate  troops  out  in  cjuest  of 
forage  or  to  harass  our  movements. 

In  September,  1863,  a  considerable  force  of  United  States  troops  under 
the  command  of  General  Gordon  Granger  established  a  camp  at  Morganza 
Bend,  below  Port  Hudson  on  the  ^Mississippi  river,  to  prevent  the  Confed- 
erates from  shipping  cattle  and  other  supplies  across  the  river  from  Texas. 
Several  severe  skirmishes  occurred  with  portions  of  General  Dick  Taylor's 
armv.  in  some  of  which  Air.  Armstrong's  company  participated.  During 
this  time  Mr.  Armstrong  was  the  standard-bearer  of  his  regiment. 

The  capture  of  Vicksburg  and  Port  Hudson  and  the  elimination  of  the 
armies  of  Generals  Johnston  and  Gardner  from  the  Confederate  forces,  to- 
gether with  the  precipitate  retreat  of  General  Johnston  after  the  fall  of  \'icks- 
burg,  left  General  Grant  without  occupation.  Something  more  important 
than  skirmishes  with  small  foraging  parties  was  needed  to  crush  the  rebel- 
lion. General  Grant's  troops  were  therefore  shipped  to  CarroUton.  Louisi- 
ana, and  sent  across  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  with  an  army  to  seize  Brazos  island 
and  Brownsville.  Texas,  two  points  of  great  value  to  the  Confederates  for 
the  export  of  cotton  and  the  import  of  arms  and  ammunition. 

As  soon  as  the  expetlition  had  accomplished  its  purpose  all  but  one 
brigade  of  the  corps  was  returned  to  New  Orleans  for  the  ill-starred  expedi- 
tion up  the  Red  river.  The  Ninety-first  Regiment,  with  its  brigade,  was 
left  behind  to  garrison  Brazos  island  until  the  following  Christmas,  when  it 
also  was  shipped  to  New  Orleans  to  increase  the  army  gathered  there  to 
move  on  Mobile.  Alabama.  The  troops  in  strong  force  under  the  command 
of  General  E.  R.  S.  Canby  left  New  Orleans  in  February.  1864,  and  landed 
near  Fort  IMorgan,  on  the  east  side  of  Mobile  bay.  and.  marching-  from  that 
point,  invested  Spanish  Fort  and  Blakely,  two  strongly  fortified  forts,  form- 
ing a  part  of  the  defenses  of  the  city  of  Mobile.  Spanish  Fort  was  evacu- 
ated after  a  close  siege  of  twelve  days,  the  Confederates  leaving  in  such  haste 
that  a  large  amount  of  annnunition.  many  small  arms  and  all  their  cannon 
fell  into  our  hands,  together  with  some  three  hundred  prisoners.     Blakely 


458  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

was  then  stormed  and  captured,  with  considerable  loss  of  life,  the  prisoners 
numbering  several  thousand.  The  loss  of  the  two  forts  and  the  men  and 
arms  with  which  they  were  garrisoned  left  the  Confederates  no  recourse  but 
to  abandon  the  city. 

The  army  of  General  Canby  was  then  shipped  across  the  bay  and  entered 
the  city  without  opposition,  on  the  8th  of  April.  1865.  Without  stopping 
the  army  was  sent  northward  in  pursuit  of  the  retreating  Confederates,  over- 
taking their  rear  guard  three  or  four  miles  from  the  city  at  a  small  railroad 
station.  Two  of  Mr.  Armstrong's  comrades  fell  by  his  side  as  his  company 
charged  at  a  run  across  a  burning  bridge.  This  proved  to  be  the  last  blood 
shed  by  any  of  his  company  before  the  collapse  of  the  rebellion.  After  a 
few  days  the  troops  marched  northward  to  the  Tombigbee  river  and  con- 
structed a  fort  and  placed  cannon  in  position  to  prevent  the  escape  of  Gen- 
eral Taylor's  gimboats.  An  expedition  was  then  planned  and  started  to 
strike  the  Confederates  in  the  rear,  at  Selma,  Alabama.  After  a  few  miles 
of  marching  the  troops  were  turned  back  with  a  flag  of  truce,  sent  with  the 
information  that  the  greatest  rebellion  of  all  history  had  suddenly  become  a 
thing  of  the  past.  The  troops  were  then  returned  to  Mobile  by  water,  using 
for  their  transportation  General  Taylor's  captured  gunboats.  In  conspicu- 
ous letters  on  captured  ambulances  and  army  wagons  on  the  boats  were  the 
words,  "General  Dick  Taylor  never  surrenders."  The  professor  in  charge 
of  the  steam  calliope  on  one  of  these  boats  played  at  the  request  of  his  captors 
"Dixie."  "Way  Down  South  in  the  Land  of  Cotton,"  and  other  southern  airs, 
and  then  with  the  remark,  "I  haven't  played  them  for  so  long  a  time  I  am 
afraid  I  have  forgotten  how,"  "Yankee  Doodle,"  "Star  Spangled  Banner" 
and  "Hail  Columbia." 

The  troops  were  sent  to  their  respective  states  and  mustered  out  of  ser- 
vice as  rapidly  as  possible,  Mr.  Armstrong  arriving  at  his  home  in  July,  1865. 
He  was  appointed  sergeant  in  September,  when  mustered  into  the  ser\'ice, 
and  promoted  to  be  first  sergeant  in  September,  1864,  and  brevetted  second 
lieutenant  at  the  close  of  the  war.  This  office  would  have  been  conferred 
nearly  a  year  earlier  had  not  the  depletion  of  his  company  by  disease  and 
death  limited  the  number  of  commissioned  officers  to  two. 

After  his  discharge  Mr.  Armstrong  returned  to  his  home  and  was  mar- 
ried to  Hattie  Vanelia,  the  oldest  daughter  of  Mr.  Henry  B.  Goodrich,  a 
farmer  living  in  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  five  miles  south  of  Morris,  the 
county  seat  of  that  county.  The  following  year  he  rented  the  farm  of  his 
father-in-law  and  later  he  purchased  a  part  of  the  fami,  bviilding  a  house  and 
barn  and  buying  stock  and  tools  with  the  expectation  of  devoting  himself  to 
farming. 

He  was  elected  a  deacon  of  the  Congregational  church  in  the  neighbor- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  459 

hood  and  superintendent  of  its  Sunday-school,  delivered  addresses  in  that 
part  of  the  county  at  various  Sunday-school  gatherings,  and  began  thereby, 
as  it  proved,  his  life  work  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  He  sold  his  farm  in 
1871,  returning  to  the  plan  formed  and  given  up  before  the  war.  He  took 
his  family  in  September  of  that  year  to  Chicago  and  entered  upon  a  course  of 
theological  study  in  the  Chicago^  Theological  Seminary  and  completed  his 
course  in  the  spring  of  1874.  While  pursuing  his  studies  he  preached  for  a 
time  at  \\'alnut,  in  Bureau  county,  Illinois,  and  also  at  East  Waupansie,  this 
state,  and  in  February,  1873,  began  preaching  at  Lyonsville,  fifteen  miles 
west  of  Chicago;  and  on  concluding  his  studies  at  the  seminary  was  installed 
as  pastor  of  that  church.  During  the  nearly  ten  years  that  he  preached  for 
this  church  he  conducted  a  Sunday  afternoon  sei-vice  at  Western  Springs  for 
over  five  years,  and  later  returned  to  this  field  and  organized  a  Congregation- 
al church  of  fifty  members  as  the  result,  in  part,  of  his  previous  labors  there. 
He  preached  also  at  Lyons,  a  town  five  miles  east  of  Lyonsville,  and  organ- 
ized a  church  there  of  twenty-five  members.  Later  he  began  an  afternoon 
service  at  La  Grange  and  organized  a  church  there  of  thirty-five  members. 
Grounds  were  purchased  and  a  building  erected  for  the  last  named  church,  at 
a  cost  of  four  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 

In  the  spring  of  1882  a  unanimous  call  came  from  the  Congregational 
churches  of  Chicago  to  accept  the  position  of  "Superintendent  of  Mission 
Work"  in  the  city  of  Chicago.  While  his  church  refused  to  accept  his  resig- 
nation they  agreed  to  spare  him  for  the  new  work  provided  a  council  of  the 
churches  should  decide  that  such  a  step  was  best.  He  began  his  labors 
in  the  new^  field  in  August.  1882,  and  in  the  following  December  was  made 
the  superintendent  of  the  Chicago  City  Missionary  Society  on  its  organiza- 
tion, and  he  has  continued  to  superintend  its  work  to  the  present  time,  nearly 
eighteen  years. 

About  four  hundred  thousand  dollars  have  been  gathered  and  expended 
in  organizing  and  supporting  the  missions  and  churches  under  the  society's 
care.  Thirty  to  forty  missionaries  and  visitors  are  employed  and  missions 
are  cared  for  all  over  the  city.  When  the  work  was  begun  there  were  seven- 
teen Congregational  churches  in  the  area  now  covered  by  the  city,  and  there 
are  now  seventy-seven  Congregational  churches  in  the  city,  all  but  twenty- 
seven  of  which  were  formed  by  the  aid  of  this  organization.  Seven  thousand 
five  hundred  church  members  have  been  gathered  into  these  new  churches 
and  over  fifteen  thousand  children  cared  for  in  their  Sunday-schools.  Thirty 
young  ministers  have  been  raised  up  in  these  churches  for  the  Christian  min- 
istry. The  value  of  the  property  held  by  these  churches  exceeds  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

yir.  Armstrong  was  the  registrar  of  the  Chicago  Association  of  Congre- 


46o  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

gational  Churches  from  April,  1880,  to  April,  1886.  He  was  one  of  the  in- 
corporators of  the  Ministerial  Relief  Society,  an  organization  formed  to  aid 
indigent  and  aged  ministers  and  their  families  within  the  state  of  Illinois. 
For  some  years  he  was  its  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  he  is  still  on  its  board 
of  direction.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Chi- 
cago Theological  Seminary  for  twelve  years,  and  has  been  the  secretary  of 
the  executive  committee  of  the  board  for  the  same  length  of  time.  He  re- 
ceived the  honoraiy  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Divinity  from  the  seminary  at  his 
graduation,  and  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Wheaton  college  in 
1898. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Armstrong  have  three  children.  Arthur  Henry,  the  old- 
est, graduated  at  Beloit  College,  and,  choosing  his  father's  profession,  gradu- 
ated also  at  the  Theological  Seminary.  He  organized  the  W'aveland  Avenue 
Congregational  Church  of  Chicago  six  years  ago,  and  is  still  its  pastor. 
Grounds  have  been  purchased  and  a  building  erected  under  his  direction,  and 
a  membership  of  over  two  hundred  has  been  gathered  under  his  pastorate. 
He  was  married  to  Miss  Kate  Schultz  in  1895.  Anna,  the  second  child,  has 
made  a  name  for  herself  as  an  artist  in  water  colors,  and  as  a  decorator  of 
china.  She  draws  her  own  designs  from  nature.  She  instructs  teachers 
and  supplies  nature  studies  by  correspondence  throughout  the  country.  She 
was  married  in  1898  to  Dr.  T.  S.  Green,  a  practicing  physician  and  surgeon 
on  the  south  side  of  the  city.  Mrs.  Green  continues  her  chosen  profession, 
however,  and  is  an  enthusiastic  ai^tist.  Julius  Roy,  the  youngest  child,  is  in 
tlie  Armour  Institute  of  Technology,  fitting  himself  to  be  an  electrical  engi- 
neer. 


PETER    A.    JOHNSON. 

Starting  out  in  life  for  himself  when  only  twelve  years  of  age,  Peter  .A. 
Johnson  steadily  worked  his  way  upward,  reaching  a  prominent  position  in 
commercial  circles  in  Morris.  Difihculties  were  in  his  way,  but  he  overcame 
them  by  determined  purpose,  resolute  will  and  untiring  energy,  and  became 
one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  Gnuuly  county.  In  all  his  transactions  he 
has  alwavs  followed  the  most  honorable  methods,  and  Inisiness  integrity  is 
synonymous  with  his  name. 

Tslr.  Johnson  is  one  of  tlie  worthy  citizens  that  Sweden  has  furnished 
to  the  new  world,  his  birth  liaving  occurred  in  that  kingdom  on  the  24th 
of  March,  1843.  His  parents  were  John  and  Hannah  Johnson,  both  natives 
of  Sweden,  and  in  the  spring  of  1853  they  started  for  the  United  States,  but 
on  the  voyage  tlie  father  and  two  of  the  sons  died  of  cholera.     The  mother 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  461 

and  the  remaining  children — John  G.,  WilHam  C.  Daniel  O.,  Louise.  Anna 
and  Peter  A. — all  reached  New  York  in  safety  and  came  direct  to  Grundy 
county,  Illinois,  where  the  boys  were  bound  out.  Peter  A.  Johnson  en- 
tered the  ser\'ice  of  a  farmer  by  the  name  of  Gorham.  but  soon  afterward, 
at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  he  ran  away  and  started  out  upon  an  independent 
career.  From  that  time  on  he  depended  solely  upon  his  own  exertions,  and 
whatever  success  he  has  achieved  in  life  may  be  attributed  to  his  well  directed 
efforts.  In  his  youth  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  in  Grundy  county,  and  at 
the  age  of  eighteen  years,  prompted  by  a  spirit  of  patriotism,  he  responded 
to  the  country's  call  for  troops  to  aid  in  crushing  out  the  rebelHon,  joining 
•Company  D,  Thirty-sixth  Illinois  Infantry,  under  Captain  W.  P.  Pierce.  He 
served  for  three  years  and  three  months,  participating  in  mmierous  both'  con- 
tested engagements,  including  the  battles  of  Pea  Ridge,  Shiloh,  Perryville, 
Stone  River,  and  Chickamauga.  In  the  last  named  he  sustained  a  wound 
in  the  ankle  which  resulted  in  a  permanent  injury.  His  wound  was  par- 
tially dressed  on  the  battle-field  and  there  he  remained  uncared  for  until  the 
seventh  day,  when  he  was  sent  tO'  the  hospital,  and  later  to  a  hospital  at 
Quincy,  Illinois,  and  was  never  again  able  to  engage  in  active  service  on  the 
field.  Previous  to  this  time  he  was  always  found  at  his  post  of  duty,  faith- 
fully defending  the  old  flag  and  the  cause  it  represented. 

While  in  Quincy  Mr.  Johnson  was  married,  on  the  "th  of  May,  1864, 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  Claypool,  daughter  of  Perry  A.  Claypool.  She  was  born 
in  Grundy  county,  August  18,  1845.  After  his  marriage  Mr.  Johnson  be- 
gan farming  in  Wauponsee  township,  where  he  carried  on  agricultural  pur- 
suits until  1882.  He  was  very  diligent,  practical  in  his  methods  and 
progressive  in  all  departments  of  farm  work,  and  the  well  tilled  fields  yielded 
to  him  a  golden  tribute  in  return  for  the  care  and  labor  he  bestowed  upon 
them.  On  retiring  from  his  farming  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Morris, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  agricultural  implement  and  carriage  business. 
From  the  beginning  he  prospered  in  the  new  imdertaking  and  enlarged  his 
stock  to  meet  the  constantly  growing  demands  of  his  trade.  Later  on  he 
admitted  his  sons  to  a  partnership  in  the  business,  under  the  firm  style  of 
Peter  A.  Johnson  &  Sons,  and  this  house  now  enjoys  a  leading  trade  in  its 
line  in  Morris.  The  business  is  now  under  the  control  of  his  son,  Frank 
A.  Johnson,  and  the  liberal  patronage  the  firm  receives  is  well  merited. 

Unto  Peter  and  Elizabeth  Johnson  have  been  born  four  children,  name- 
ly: Perry  A.,  Frederick  S.,  Frank  A.  and  Nellie  M.  Mr.  Johnson  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  to  which  his  wife  also  belongs. 
He  also  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and  gives  his  political 
support  to  the  Republican  party.     As  a  citizen  he  has  ever  been  progressive  <^ 


and  pulilic-spirited,  an<l  in  days  nf  peace  manifesting  the  same  loyalty  to  tli^ 


c<^ 


•^  #  / 


462  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

flag  that  marked  his  militarj-  service  on  the  battle-fields  of  the  south.  His 
success  in  business  matters  has  been  ver}-  creditable  and  he  enjoys  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  all  who  know  him. 


JOHN  WINTERBOTTOM. 

Those  sturdy  English  traits  which  constitute  an  element  of  strength  and 
excellence  in  our  American  character  are  exemplified  in  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  who  until  his  recent  retirement  from  active  farming  and  removal  to 
the  city  of  Morris  was  a  farmer  on  section  17,  Goose  Lake  township,  Grundy 
county. 

John  Winterbottom  was  born  in  Lancashire,  England,  June  30,  1842, 
a  son  of  William  and  Martha  (Booth)  Winterbottom  and  a  grandson  of 
James  \\"interbottom,  who  fought  at  the  battle  of  Waterloo.  William  Win- 
terbottom, also  a  native  of  Lancashire,  England,  was  bom  in  1821.  He 
came  to  the  United  States  many  years  ago  and  settled  near  Lisbon,  Ken- 
dall county,  Illinois,  where  he  was  a  prominent  and  successful  farmer  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  Kansas  in  1874.  His  wife,  also  born  in  Lan- 
cashire, England,  in  1821,  died  in  England,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years. 
Three  of  their  children  are  living:  John,  the  first  born,  James  and  William. 
Three  daughters,  named  Elizabeth,  Eliza  and  Ellen,  died  in  England  when 
very  young.  James  and  William  remained  in  England.  James,  who  is  the 
superintendent  of  a  large  system  of  chemical  works  in  London,  is  married 
and  has  children.  William,  who  is  an  artist  and  a  member  of  the  Royal 
Artists'  Society  and  has  attained  eminence  in  his  profession,  lives  with  his 
wife  and  children  in  London. 

John  Winterbottom  obtained  his  education  at  the  place  of  his  birth  in 
Lancashire,  England,  and  came  to  America  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  arriv- 
ing at  Morris,  Illinois,  April  12,  1859.  For  a  few  years  he  was  employed 
on  the  farm  of  his  uncle,  Joseph  Wild,  in  Nettle  Creek  township.  In  1870 
he  removed  to  the  city  of  Morris,  where  he  opened  a  machine  and  gunsmith's 
shop  on  Liberty  street,  which  he  conducted  successfully  for  nearly  a  quarter 
of  a  centur}'.  Mr.  Winterbottom  then  removed  to  his  farm  of  five  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  section  17,  Goose  Lake  township,  and  again  took  up  farm- 
ing. A  man  of  influence  and  of  sound  judgment  he  gained  the  confidence 
of  his  fellow  townsmen  to  such  a  degree  that  he  was  elected  a  justice  of  the 
peace  and  the  president  of  the  school  board  of  his  township  and  a  taistee  of 
Oak  Ridge  cemetery. 

\\'hen  the  country  of  his  adoption  needed  men  who  would  risk  their 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  463 

lives  in  its  defense  at  the  time  of  our  civil  war,  Mr.  Winterbottom  responded 
to  the  call  promptly  and  patriotically.  He  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Sixty- 
ninth  Regiment,  Illinois  \'olunteer  Infanir\-,  and  when  the  term  ol  his  ser- 
vice e.xpired  re-enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-eighth  Regiment, 
Illinois  \'olunteer  Infantry.  He  participated  in  the  battles  and  campaigns 
in  which  those  organizations  took  part  and  proved  himself  in  every  way 
a  brave  and  true  soldier,  devoted  to  the  flag  under  which  he  had  found 
citizenship  and  prosperity. 

Though  he  has  been  for  most  of  his  life  a  busy  man,  Mr.  Winterbottom 
has  found  time  to  keep  himself  in  touch  with  the  progress  of  the  world, 
especially  in  the  department  of  mechanical  science;  and  he  has  been  a  con- 
stant reader  of  the  best  mechanical  journals.  He  is  also  a  student  of  natural 
history  and  is  an  amateur  astronomer  of  no  mean  attainments. 

Mr.  Winterbottom  married  Marj-  Williams,  December  20,  1876.  Miss 
Williams  was  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Ann  Williams,  of  Felix  township, 
Grundy  county,  both  natives  of  Wales.  Jacob  Williams  was  born  August 
23,  1820,  and  died  at  Morris,  this  county.  His  wife  was  born  August  20, 
1819,  and  died  in  Grundy  county,  April  21,  1873.  They  had  seven  children, 
only  one  of  whom  is  living.  Of  these,  Henry  was  bom  in  Wales  and  died  in 
infancy;  Mary,  who  married  Mr.  Winterbottom,  died  at  their  farm  in  Goose 
Lake  township,  July  26,  1898,  and  is  buried  at  St.  George's  cemetery,  at 
Morris,  where  she  was  a  member  and  a  liberal  supporter  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  a  constant  attendant  at  its  services;  George,  who 
was  bom  and  died  in  Grundy  county,  married  Miss  Adelia  White,  of  Feli.x 
township,  and  they  had  one  child,  Anna;  Emma,  born  in  Grundy  coimty,  is 
the  wife  of  Edward  Robinson,  a  retired  farmer  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri; 
Maggie  w'as  born  in  Grundy  county  and  died  there,  aged  twenty-one:  and 
John,  a  native  of  Grundy  county,  died  there  aged  about  twenty.  All 
of  the  family  who  are  deceased  except  Mrs.  Winterbottom  lie  buried  in  Oak 
Ridge  cemetery,  Feli.x  township,  Grundy  county. 

Five  children,  all  of  whom  are  living,  were  born  to  John  and  Mary 
(Williams)  Winterbottom.  They  are  here  mentioned  in  the  order  of  their 
birth  :  William  R.,  born  October  30,  1877,  lives  on  and  manages  his  father's 
farm  in  Goose  Lake  township,  Grundy  county;  Russell  W.,  born  August 
31,  1880.  is  an  engineer,  but  is  now  farming  on  his  father's  farm;  Martha 
Ann,  born  September  22,  1883,  is  a  member  of  her  father's  household,  as 
are  also  Emma  L.,  born  August  23,  1886,  and  Maggie  J.,  bom  July  3,  1889. 

Mr.  Winterbottom  is  a  self-made  man,  the  stepping-stones  to  whose 
success  have  been  honesty,  industry,  thrift  and  perseverance.  He  early 
realized  the  value  of  a  good  reputation  for  moral  and  commercial  integrity, 
and  as  his  instincts  were  all  good  he  easily  won  such  a  reputation  and  has 


464  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

retained  it  through  all  the  vicissitudes  of  life,  as  a  citizen,  as  a  soldier  and  as 
a  public  official.  His  straightforward  career  has  entitled  him  richly  to  the 
full  measure  of  good  fortune,  which  has  crowned  his  endeavors,  and  he  is 
passing  his  closing  vears  honored  and  respected  by  all  who  know  him. 


GEORGE   W.    ZIXXGREBE. 

The  story  of  the  struggles  antl  triumphs  of  a  self-made  man  is  always 
an  interesting  one,  and  it  is  instructive  as  well.  In  a  broad  sense  it  has  been 
told  many  times,  but  the  circumstances  of  life  are  so  various  that  it  can  never 
be  told  twice  alike,  and  it  always  possesses  the  element  of  novelty  in  some 
of  its  details.  Among  the  self-made  men  in  Grundy  county  there  are  few 
more  highly  regarded  than  the  man  whose  name  appears  above;  there  is 
none  whose  honest  and  triumphant  fight  for  success  is  more  worthy  of  emula- 
tion. 

George  W.  Zinngrebe,  one  of  the  most  respected  citizens  and  substantial 
farmers  of  Good  Farm  township,  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  was  born  at 
Germerate,  Hesse-Cassel,  Germany,  June  17,  1833.  His  father,  George 
Zinngrebe,  was  an  honest,  industrious,  well-to-do  farmer,  descended  from 
old  German  stock,  who  marrietl  Mary  Zinngrebe  (not  of  a  family  related  to 
his),  and  was  killed  by  an  accident  in  August,  1836,  when  his  son  George 
W.  was  little  more  than  three  years  old.  Two  of  his  children  died  in  in- 
fancy, Henrj'  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen  and  Elizabeth  at  the  age  of  eleven. 
None  survived  except  George  \V.,  the  suliject  of  this  sketch,  who  w-as 
reared  by  liis  mother  and  went  to  school  from  the  time  he  was  six  years 
old  until  he  was  fourteen,  part  of  his  time  having  been  devoted  to  Bible 
reading.  He  began  to  work  out  at  farm  labor  at  sixteen  years  of  age.  His 
mother  had  married  Glaus  Zinngrebe  when  George  W.  was  six  years  old, 
but  there  were  no  children  by  this  marriage.  The  boy  had  worked  hard, 
receiving  at  most,  however,  only  eight  dollars  per  year;  but  he  saved  his 
wages  and  upon  the  death  of  his  mother,  at  the  age  of  fifty-three  years,  he 
received  a  little  money  from  her  property, — about  enough  to  pay  his  passage 
to  America;  and  he  sailed  from  Bremen  Haven  for  Quebec,  in  the  ship 
Swallow,  May  10,  1852,  when  he  was  about  nineteen  years  old.  The  ship  was 
forty-two  days  on  the  water,  and  the  voyage  was  as  tedious  as  it  was  long. 
From  Quebec  he  came  west  by  rail  to  Chicago,  where  he  arrived  July  18, 
1852.  He  had  two  companions,  George  KLstner  and  Glaus  Baker,  who  had 
been  his  neighbor  boys  in  Prussia,  and  at  Chicago  they  found  German 
friends.  George  W.  left  Chicago  within  a  week  after  his  arrival  and  went 
twelve  miles  west  of  that  city  and  worked  at  farm  labor  nine  months.  He 
was  later  employed  in  Chicago  one  season  in  a  brick-yard,  and  then  went 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  465 

to  Kankakee  county.  Illinois,  and  worked  two  years  as  a  farm  laborer,  and 
then  in  Grundy  county  with  another  man  until  he  engaged  in  farming  in 
Will  county,  where  he  was  thus  employed  for  two  years. 

March  23,  1856,  at  Chicago,  Mr.  Zinngrebe  married  Henne  Alsassar, 
born  at  Hirrlingen,  Wurtemberg,  Germany.  December  15.  1834.  a  daughter 
of  John  and  Emrencer  (Beider)  Alsassar.  Her  parents  were  of  old  German 
families  and  her  father  was  a  blacksmith.  He  came  with  his  family  to  Amer- 
ica about  1855,  located  in  Ohio  and  became  a  prosperous  farmer  there,  own- 
ing one  hundred  acres  of  land  and  a  blacksmith  shop  near  his  home.  He 
was  a  Catholic  in  religious  affiliation,  and  died  after  having  lived  an  indus- 
trious and  profitable  life.  His  children  were  named  Mary,  Lizzie,  Henne, 
Susannah,  Mary  2d  and  Frederica. 

After  his  marriage  George  W.  Zinngrebe  settled  in  Will  county,  Illi- 
nois, on  a  rented  farm  near  the  town  of  Florence,  and  lived  there  two  years. 
He  then  went  to  Livingston  county,  Illinois,  and  rented  land  three  years  in 
Nevada  township.  From  there  he  came  to  his  present  farm,  which  he  rented 
two  years.  He  was  then  able  to  buy  forty  acres  of  the  place,  then  wild 
land,  and  shortly  afterward  he  bought  sixty  acres  more,  the  improvements 
on  which  inckuled  a  small  house.  He  gradually  improved  the  farm  by 
his  hard  work  and  industry,  and  added  to  his  holdings  until  he  owns  two 
hundred  and  eighty  acres,  a  large  and  valuable  farm,  on  which  he  has  built 
substantial  and  attractive  buildings,  and  is  one  of  the  most  prosperous  farm- 
ers in  the  county. 

The  children  of  George  W.  antl  Henne  (Alsassar)  Zinngrebe  are  John, 
Theodore,  Emma,  Susannah,  Lizzie  and  Mary.  Mrs.  Zinngrebe.  who  was  a 
member  of  the  Evangelical  church,  died  August  14,  1882,  aged  about  forty- 
seven  years.  She  was  an  industrious  woman,  a  good  housekeeper  and  pos- 
sessed many  virtues  which  made  her  a  model  wife,  mother  and  neighbor. 
Mr.  Zinngrebe  also  is  a  member  of  the  Evangelical  church  and  has  been 
one  of  its  trustees  for  many  years,  and  was  long  one  of  its  class-leaders.  He 
helped  to  build  its  house  of  worship  and  has  always  assisted  liberally  toward 
its  support.  In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  but  is  not  an  office-seeker 
or  active  political  worker. 

In  1877  Mr.  Zinngrebe  met  with  a  painful  and  serious  accident  while 
threshing.  His  right  foot  was  caught  in  the  tumbling-rod  of  the  thresher- 
power,  and  his  leg  was  broken  in  two  places,  and  consequently  he  was  laid  up 
for  four  months  and  permanently  crippled.  But  he  has  not  let  this  af- 
fliction make  him  unhappy.  He  has  always  been  a  hard-working,  prudent 
and  thrifty  man,  a  man  of  honesty  and  high  character,  and  there  is  little  in 
his  life  to  cause  him  regret.  He  is  entirely  a  self-made  man,  having  had 
but  thirty-five  cents  when  he  arrived  in  Chicago.     He  owes  his  elevation 


466  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

entirely  to  his  own  efforts.  He  has  always  lieen  a  tirni  believer  in  the  efficacy 
of  hard  and  persistent  work  and  has  demonstrated  its  value  in  his  own  suc- 
cessful life  and  its  material  achievements. 


SAMUEL  SUFFERN. 


In  its  pioneer  period  Illinois  was  fortunate  in  having  among  its  incom- 
ing citizens  many  men  of  means  and  business  ability  and  experience,  who 
put  themselves  at  the  head  of  various  movements  and  enterprises,  and  were 
largely  instrumental  in  hastening  the  work  of  settlement,  improvement  and 
development.  Grundy  county  had  some  such  citizens  in  the  '40s  and  '50s, 
and  none  of  them  was  more  prominent  or  more  useful  in  his  sphere  than  the 
well  remembered  gentleman  whose  name  is  above. 

Samuel  Suffern  was  a  native  of  Ireland  and  came  tO'  this  country  when 
he  was  very  young  and  settled  in  New  York,  near  Syracuse,  and  for  some 
years  was  engaged  successfully  in  mercantile  business  and  contracting.  In 
1849  he  went  to  California,  where  he  engaged  in  mining  and  farming  for  a 
period  of  five  years,  and  in  the  spring  of  1855  he  came  to  Illinois  and  settled 
in  Felix  township,  where  he  remained  until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  liis 
home  on  section  35,  October  19,  1893.,  He  devoted  himself  largely  to 
farming  and  stock-raising,  and  by  his  industry  and  careful  attention  to  busi- 
ness soon  acquired  a  large  property.  He  laid  out  the  present  town  of  Suf- 
fern in  Felix  township,  and  erected  many  of  its  residences  and  business 
buildings. 

Mr.  Suffern  was  married  at  Morris,  Illinois,  to  Ellen  Smead,  a  daughter 
of  George  Smead,  of  that  place,  and  they  had  five  cliildren,  four  of  whom  are 
living,  who  were  named  in  the  order  of  their  birth  Maiy,  Mattie,  Isabelle, 
William  G.  and  Annie  E.  Mary  was  born  in  Grundy  county,  and  is  the 
wife  of  John  Trotter,  a  proininent  merchant  of  Felix  township,  to  whom  she 
has  borne  five  children.  Mattie  was  born  in  Grundy  county,  and  died  in 
Felix  township  about  1882.  She  was  the  wife  of  John  Trotter,  the  husband 
now  of  her  sister  Mary,  and  left  no  children.  Isabelle  and  Annie  E.  live  in 
Chicago,  where  they  have  established  a  home  with  their  mother  at  its  head. 

W^illiam  G.  Suffern,  only  son  of  Samuel  and  Ellen  (Smead)  Suffern,  was 
bom  in  Felix  township,  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  December  8,  1864,  and  has 
lived  much  of  his  life  on  the  family  homestead.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  of  Felix  township  and  took  a  commercial  course  in  a  Chicago  busi- 
ness college.  For  some  years  he  was  a  hardware  merchant  at  La  Grange 
and  Coal  City,  Illinois.  At  Coal  City  he  held  the  office  of  village  clerk.  He 
was  married  December  25.  1890.  to  Maiy  C.  Penn,  daughter  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  Penn,  of  Coal  City.  Illinois,  and  they  have  four  children:     Ellen, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  467 

liorn  at  Coal  City,  Illinois,  September  18,  1892;  Ethel,  born  at  Coal  City, 
Illinois,  June  2,  1894;  Winnifred,  born  in  Felix  township,  Grnndy  county, 
March  22,  1896:  and  Samuel,  born  in  Felix  township,  January  16,  1898.  Mr. 
■Suffern  is  one  of  the  most  enterprising  young  men  of  his  township  and 
county.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  he  takes  an  intelligent  and  pa- 
triotic interest  in  all  questions  of  public  importance. 

Samuel  Suffern  was  a  man  of  much  force  of  character  and  of  a  progres- 
sive spirit,  which  not  only  made  him  a  very  successful  pioneer  but  developed 
him  to  meet  all  emergencies  and  to  be  thoroughly  master  of  the  situation  as 
time  brought  changed  conditions,  more  important  interests  and  new  and 
unlooked-for  responsibilities.  He  came  to  help  settle  the  country,  and  he 
did  his  part  in  the  work  of  primitive  improvement  and  then  built  a  town, 
not  a  large  one  certainly,  but  important  for  the  time  and  place,  which  bears 
his  name  and  will  stand  as  a  lasting  and  ever-growing  monument  to  his  en- 
terprise and  public  spirit.  He  helped  tO'  make  history,  and  history  will 
preserve  to  coming  generations  the  record  of  his  achievements. 


LEANDER  A.   PEACOCK. 

Born  on  the  17th  of  June,  1851,  in  Grundy  county,  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Morris,  and  a  life-long  resident  of  this  county,  Leander  A. 
Peacock  is  justly  entitled  to  a  place  among  her  pioneers  and  representative 
citizens,  and  we  take  pleasure  in  presenting  to  his  numerous  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances the  following  sketch  of  himself  and  family  : 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Alexander  R.  Peacock,  a  native  of  England, 
came  to  America  when  young,  and,  after  passing  some  years  in  Canada,  oc- 
cupied in  agriculture,  he  removed  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  in  1837,  the 
entire  journey  being  made  by  teams.  Here  he  continued  to  till  the  soil,  as 
formerly,  and  had  improved  a  good  homestead  when  death  cut  short  his 
labors.  Januarv  15,  1855.  His  wife,  whom  he  had  married  in  Canada,  was 
Mary  Stuart  in  her  girlhood,  a  daughter  of  David  and  Margary  (Fife)  Stuart. 
She  survived  him  many  years,  her  death  taking  place  at  the  home  of  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Yoeman,  of  Huntley,  Iowa,  on  the  13th  of  April,  1899. 

Leander  A.  Peacock  is  one  of  eleven  children,  the  others  being  named 
as  follows:  William,  born  in  Canada  in  1836,  was  a  farmer  of  Iroquois 
county,  Illinois,  until  his  death,  in  1890,  when  he  left  a  widow,  formerly 
Mary  Yoeman,  a  native  of  New  York,  and  two  children, — Philip  and  Cora; 
Margary,  born  December  6,  1843,  married  John  M.  Yoeman,  a  dealer  in  real 
estate  in  Huntley,  Iowa,  and  their  children  are  named  respectively  Elmer, 
Birtren,  James,  Levern  and  George  (deceased);  David,  born  March  18,  1842, 


468  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

became  a  farmer  in  Grundy  county,  served  three  years  in  the  war  of  the 
rebelHon  in  the  Ninety-first  IIHnois  Volunteer  Infantry,  returned  home  in 
July,  1865,  in  poor  health,  and  died  in  1869,  unmarried:  Edward,  born  in 
1845,  '"  this  county,  and  now  a  farmer  of  Vesta,  Nebraska,  married  Mary 
Truelock,  of  Knox  county,  Illinois,  and  in  1877  she  died,  leaving  two  chil- 
dren,— Frank  and  Mary;  Margaret,  born  in  this  county,  July  4,  1847.  t>e- 
came  the  wife  of  Thomas  J.  Truelock,  now  a  retired  farmer  of  Primghar, 
Iowa;  Andrew,  a  native  of  this  county,  bom  June  17,  185 1,  and  twin  brother 
of  our  subject,  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Charles  Noble,  a  farmer,  and  the 
only  child  of  this  worthy  couple.  Nellie,  died  at  Morris,  July  5,  1890;  James, 
born  December  27,  1852,  is  unmarried,  and  is  engaged  in  farming  at  St. 
Francis,  Kansas;  Mary  R..  born  December  26.  1854,  died  September  15, 
1889,  in  Nettle  Creek  township,  the  wife  of  Isaac  Hoge,  a  prosperous  farmer 
of  that  locality  (see  his  sketch),  and  the  mother  of  six  children;  John,  born 
in  this  county.  August  7,  1838,  died  in  infancy,  and  Elizabeth,  bom  January 
25,   1850,  also  died  in  infancy. 

When  he  attained  mature  years,  Leander  A.  Peacock  concluded  to  fol- 
low his  father's  calling,  in  which  he  had  been  trained  judiciously  from  boy- 
hood,— that  of  farming, — ^and  he  has  certainly  met  with  success  in  his  chosen 
occupation.  His  home  for  several  years  has  been  on  section  5,  town 
33,  range  7,  Erianna  township,  where  he  settled  soon  after  his  marriage. 
Here  he  owns  one  hundred  and  si.xty  acres  of  well-improved  land,  constitut- 
ing one  of  the  most  valuable  farms  in  the  township.  He  has  held  various 
local  offices,  such  as  that  of  commissioner  of  highways  and  supervisor,  and 
at  present  is  serving  his  townsmen  as  treasurer,  school  director  and  justice 
of  the  peace.  His  ability  and  broad  knowledge  of  men  and  aiTairs  render 
him  a  verv  suitable  person  on  whom  to  call  when  matters  of  moment  are  at 
stake,  and  he  has  ever  manifested  great  devotion  to  the  interests  of  the 
public. 

On  the  1st  of  November,  1876,  Mr.  Peacock  married  Emma,  daughter 
of  George  Towsley,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Canada.  She  has  one  brother 
and  one  sister.  The  brother,  George  E.,  is  a  successful  famier  of  Nettle 
Creek  township.  His  wife  was  Mary  Hoge,  a  daughter  of  Hendley  and  a 
niece  of  James  B.  Hoge,  of  Saratoga  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Towsley 
had  five  children,  of  whom  Lena,  George  and  Gertrude  are  living.  The 
sister  of  Mrs.  Peacock  is  Mrs.  Sarah  Briggs. 

Eleven  children  w-ere  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peacock,  and  the  family 
circle  is  still  unbroken  by  death.  Iva,  born  August  11,  1877,  and  unmarried, 
resides  in  Nettle  Creek  township,  where  her  nativity  occurred;  Alfred,  bom 
September  25,  1878,  and  unmarried,  is  a  successful  fanner.  The  younger 
children  are  all  at  home,  and  those  of  the  number  who  can  be  of  assistance 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  469 

on  the  farm  or  in  the  houseliold  aid  their  parents  and  attend  school.  They 
are  named  as  follows:  Ada,  born  Januai-)-  7,  1880;  Lila,  August  18,  1881; 
Adelbert,  March  2;^,  1883;  Chester,  October  24.  1885;  Irvin,  September  26, 
1887;  Ray,  April  3,  1889;  Charles,  September  28,  1891;  Clifford,  February 
2,  1893;  and  Gladys,  September  23,  1894.  The  four  younger  children  were 
bom  in  Erianna  township,  while  the  others  are  natives  of  Nettle  Creek  town- 
ship. 


JOHN    W.  TELFER. 


John  W.  Telfer,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Saratoga  township.  Grundy 
county,  is  a  native  of  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  his  Ijirth  having  occurred  May 
27,  1843.  His  parents,  James  and  Margaret  (Wilson)  Telfer,  also  of  Scot- 
land, emigrated  to  the  United  States.  The  father,  in  company  with  a 
brother,  Alexander,  put  down  the  first  shaft  and  mined  the  first  coal  ever 
taken  out  of  Grundy  county,  it  being  shipped  by  canal  to  Chicago.  The 
shaft  referred  to  was  on  the  old  Peacock  farm  in  Morris  township.  This 
was  the  commencement  of  an  industry  which  has  resulted  in  great  wealth 
to  the  people  of  this  section  of  the  state,  and  employment  has  been  afforded 
quite  an  army  of  workmen.  James  Telfer.  on  coming  to  this  country,  settled 
in  California,  and  afterAvard  located  in  Saratoga  towaiship,  Grundy  county. 
He  was  highly  respected  by  all  who  knew  him,  and  died  in  Saratoga  town- 
ship; but  his  widow  is  still  living,  and  though  in  her  eightieth  year  enjoys 
excellent  health,  and  reads  and  sews  without  the  aid  of  glasses.  She  was 
the  youngest  of  twenty  children,  and,  with  the  exception  of  one  brother, 
Alexander,  of  Scotland,  now  eighty-four  years  of  age,  is  the  only  sur\-ivor  of 
their  family.  At  present  she  is  making  her  home  with  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  Her  only  daughter,  Agnes,  who  died  in  this  township  about  twelve 
years  ago,  was  the  wife  of  William  Gray.  Their  only  child,  Margaret,  be- 
came the  wife  of  Robert  Blair,  of  Saratoga  township,  and  three  children  bless 
their  union,  namely :      Agnes,  George  and  Euphemia. 

The  early  education  of  John  W.  Telfer  was  acquired  in  his  native  town, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  civil  war  in  the  United  States  he,  in  company  with  his 
parents,  concluded  to  come  to  America.  Since  arriving  here  he  has  been 
actively  interested  in  mining  operations,  and  at  the  same  time  has  success- 
fully carried  on  a  farm,  his  present  home  being  located  upon  section  34,  Sara- 
toga township.  Recently  he  has  sunk  a  new  coal  shaft  not  far  from  the  old 
one  and  now  is  developing  the  mine,  which  promises  to  be  one  of  the  best 
in  this  locality.     He  has  expressly  avoided  politics,  in  the  sense  of  office- 


470  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

seeking,  and  only  because  he  is  specially  interested  in  the  cause  of  education 
did  he  consent  to  act  as  a  school  director  for  two  terms,  or  six  years. 

On  the  14th  of  December,  1866,  John  W.  Telfer  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Jane,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Katherine  ^MacAlpin,  both  natives  of  Scot- 
land. She  had  three  brothers  and  three  sisters,  namely :  Frederick,  a  sta- 
tionar}-  engineer  of  Chicago;  William,  after  serving  in  the  British  army  for 
twenty-one  years,  died  in  England,  leaving  one  son;  Alexander,  who  was  a 
soldier  in  the  English  service  for  seven  years,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1866,  was  killed  on  the  railroad  in  Grundy  county;  Margaret,  who  mar- 
ried James  Ronaldson,  of  Scotland,  died  in  Edinburgh  in  1890,  and  left  five 
sons  and  three  daughters  to  mourn  her  loss;  Jessie  is  the  wife  of  James 
Brown,  a  plumber  in  Chicago,  and  of  their  eight  children  six  are  now  liv- 
ing; and  Maggie  married  John  Duncan,  a  native  of  Scotland.  He  died  in 
Morris,  Illinois,  and  she,  with  their  five  sons  and  two  daughters,  sur\-ive. 

To  the  marriage  of  our  subject  and  \\ife  eleven  children  were  born, 
and  not  one  of  the  family  circle  has  been  called  away  by  death.  Katherine, 
born  in  1867,  is  the  wife  of  Frederick  Flanders,  a  brick  manufacturer  in  Con- 
over,  \'ilas  county.  Wisconsin,  and  their  two  children  are  John  and  Lillian. 
James,  born  in  1869,  is  a  molder  by  trade,  employed  in  the  Coleman  Hard- 
ware Company's  shops  at  Morris.  Illinois.  He  chose  for  his  wife  Alice, 
the  daughter  of  Henry  Ohlendorf.  of  ^lorris,  and  they  ha\e  two  children, 
John  and  Louisa.  Margaret,  bom  in  1871,  married  John  Larsness,  a 
farmer  of  Felix  township,  Grundy  county,  and  their  only  child  is  named 
Genie.  McKenzie,  born  in  1873,  is  an  engineer  at  Conover,  Wisconsin; 
Frederick,  bom  in  1875.  also  lives  in  Morris.  William,  born  ^lay  i,  1877, 
resides  at  home  and  assists  his  father  in  mining.  Gideon,  born  August  9, 
1879,  Ernest,  October  23,  1881,  Agnes,  ]\Iarch  23,  1883,  Thomas,  April  19, 
1885,  and  Harrison,  November  4,  1887,  are  still  living  with  their  parents, 
and  are  being  given  good  educational  advantages  and  training  in  citizen- 
ship. 


HALVER    OSMONSEN. 

The  career  of  Halver  Osmonsen  is  well  worthy  of  emulation  by  the 
generation  now  entering  upon  the  cares  and  responsibilities  of  life.  Arriv- 
ing in  this  country  a  stranger,  in  1849,  the  year  of  the  great  gold  excitement, 
he  might  have  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  that  horde  of  adventurers  who, 
wisely  or  imwisely,  were  wending  their  perilous  way  toward  the  setting  sun, 
determined  to  reap  a  golden  harvest  within  a  year  or  two,  but,  coming  of 


/^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  47i 

the  steady,  hard-working  race  of  Norsemen,  he  preferred  the  old,  well-tried 
paths  of  industry,  knowing  that  it  is  ever  the  safest  and  surest  way  to  wealth, 
— "by  the  sweat  of  the  brow,"  the  tilling  of  the  soil.  The  result  of  his  wis- 
dom and  perseverance  will  be  referred  to  below,  where  a  sketch  of  his  life 
appears: 

Born  in  Norway,  May  22,  1825,  a  son  of  honest.  God-fearing  farmers, 
Halver  Osmonsen  passed  his  youth  in  the  various  activities  common  to  his 
country,  a  limited  education  being  afforded  him  in  the  schools  of  his  local- 
ity. In  1847  his  parents,  Halver  and  Mary  Osmonsen,  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica, and  two  years  later  the  young  man  decided  to  try  his  fortunes  in  the 
New  World  also,  and  landed  in  New  York  city  July  3,  1849.  The  father 
settled  in  LaSalle  county,  where  he  died  during  the  first  year  of  the  great 
civil  war.  He  was  survived  by  his  wife,  who  died  at  the  home  of  her  son, 
our  subject,  at  the  ripe  age  of  four-score  years. ^  Of  their  eight  children  five 
died  in  Norway,  namely:  Osmon,  Sorn,  Julia,  Madala  and  Christian. 
Three  are  living,  namely :  Christian,  the  second,  of  Alorris,  Illinois,  now  in 
his  sixty-fifth  year;  Sorn,  a  retired  farmer  of  Newark,  Illinois;  and  Halver. 

During  the  first  years  of  his  residence  in  Illinois  our  subject  dwelt  in 
Morris  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  Lisbon,  and  although  he  had  little  or 
no  means  at  first,  he  soon  saved  a  good  sum,  by  economy  and  wise  manage- 
ment. After  farming  near  Lisbon  for  eight  years,  he  bought  a  place  of  sixty 
acres,  which  he  improved  and  then  sold  at  a  fair  profit.  Coming  to  Grundy 
county,  he  purchased  the  farm  which  he  still  carries  on,  his  home  being  on 
section  9,  Saratoga  township.  At  various  times  he  has  invested  in  land, 
and  now*  owns  over  two  sections,  renting  five  farms  to  responsible  tenants. 
He  takes  connnendable  pride  in  keeping  his  dwellings  in  good  repair,  and 
everything  about  his  homestead  is  neat  and  attractive  in  appearance.  In 
addition  to  the  farm  lands  which  he  owns,  over  one  thousand  acres,  he  also 
owns  a  handsome  residence  in  the  town  of  Morris;  and  he  is  also  the  proprie- 
tor of  two  substantial  houses  in  Chicago,  leasing  them  at  good  rates. 

Mr.  Osmonsen's  success,  as  shown  by  the  facts  stated  above,  needs  no 
special  commentary,  as  it  speaks  for  itself,  but  at  the  same  time  it  may  be 
pointed  out  to  the  younger  members  of  the  community  that  they  may 
prosper  in  the  same  degree  in  their  life  work,  if  they  only  put  their  shoulder 
to  the  wheel,  as  he  has  done.  Nor,  in  the  multiplicity  of  his  private  inter- 
ests, has  he  neglected  his  public  duties.  He  served  for  six  years  as  high- 
way commissioner,  and  during  his  term  of  office  many  important  improve- 
ments were  made,  such  as  the  erecting  of  several  new  bridges.  He  espouses 
the  Republican  cause,  and  is  faithful  to  all  of  his  obligations  as  a  citizen.  As 
might  be  expected,  he  is  an  earnest  church  worker,  and  the  Lutheran  chapel, 
which  stands  on  the  southeastern   corner  of  his  farm,   was  erected   upon 


472 


/  iOGRAPHICAL  AS 


ALOGICAL  RECORD. 


ground  wliirh  he  donated  for  the 
ganized,  nerirly  a  quarter  of  a 
and  besides  contributing  genei 
eraliy  given  of  his  means  towaici 
Just  h^ilf  a  century  ago,  w 
Engeri  Olson,  a  native  of  Norw 
of  two  sons, — Oliver  H.  and  I) 
life's  highway  together.     Mrs.   ( 
November  2y,  1893,  and  on  the  ^ 
Ingeri  Fosse,  a  daughter  of  Sore: 
Osmonsen's  farms  in  Saratoga  t^. 
already  mentioned, — Oliver  H., — 
1850,  and  on  the  ist  of  March,  1 
bom  June  10,  1852,  a  daughter  oi 
younger  son  of  Mr.  Osni<insen,  was  b' 
of  Samuel  Craig,  a  farmer  of  Nettk 
Morris,  Illinois. 


:.     Since  the  congregation  was  or- 

he  has  been  one  of  the  deacons, 

td  the  church  buildinc;  he  has  lib- 

•nance  of  fhf  work  hcie. 

..(.>unty,  Mr.  Osmonscn   married 

1822.     They  became  the  parents 

■v:  forty-four  years  they  pursued 

was  summoned  to  her  reward 

•i-mber,  1894,  our  subject  wedded 

':nie  Fosse,  who  rent  one  of  Mr. 

The  older  son    of   our   subject, 

ui  Kendall  county,  January  14, 

icd  Susan  A.  Johnson,  who  was 

:-.i  Annie  Jo  Ole,  the 

;2,  married  '1\..,  '^■■.•^  A^'or 

ownship,  and  1. 


I.     GOOLD. 


Indelibly  engraved  f  . 
name  of  Charles  H.  Gooli; 
tive  of  the  business  interest 
life,  actuated  by  unselfish  • 

death  he  left  not  only  a  ha;'. 

career  was  in  many  respects  one 
county  would  be  complete  witho- 

Charles  H.  Goold  was  bcr-   ■ 
July    16,    1818.     His   father.   > 
county,  New  York,  and  during  thi 
died.    At  a  ver}'  tender  age  he  \\, 
port.    In  the  common  schools  he  r 
an  academic  education,  to  whici 
i'xperience,  close  observation  and 
iith  he  went  to  Genesee  couti'.\ 
'1  1  mercantile  establishment,  v  : 
Ic  of  sfoods,  which  he  sd 


;na. 
■'f^-  his  first  visit  to  Mo 
engaged  in  the  con- 


■t  the  histor}'  of  Grundy  county  is  the 

tv-five  years  was  a  leading  representa- 

:s  was  a  pure,  honorable  and  useful 

:  by  sound  principles,  and  at  his 

It  also  an  untarnished  name.    His 

I'.ulation,  and  no  record  of  the 

it  of  his  life. 

,  Monroe  county,  Ne^v^Vork, 
i,   Sr.,  removed  to  Ontario 
if  our  subject  the  mother 
\vn  resources  for  sup- 
'  inn,  and  completed 
ih rough  business 
i,"-  m  iater  years.     During 
'    "c  he  accepted  a  clerk- 
rill  1 84 1.     He  then 
^■^an,  Illinois,  Mis- 


it  h  a  friend 
id  Michi- 


:| 


-^ — zr-^L-t^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  473 

gan  canal.  Returning  to  New  York,  Mr.  Goold  was  united  in  marriage 
in  Batavia  of  that  state,  late  in  1846,  to  Miss  Laura  Adelia  Baker,  who  was 
born  in  Connecticut  but  was  reared  in  New  York — a  lady  of  education  and 
culture.  In  the  following  year,  accompanied  by  his  bride,  he  again  came  to 
Morris,  not  with  the  express  purpose  of  making  this  city  his  home,  how- 
ever. He  engaged  in  business  here  and  as  his  operations  proved  successful 
and  his  relations  became  extended  he  finally  decided  to  remain,  and  in  1870 
erected  a  palatial  brick  residence,  which  stands  as  a  monument  to  his  enter- 
prise and  progressive  spirit.  He  was  a  pioneer  grain  dealer  and  dry-goods 
merchant  of  Morris,  and  in  connection  with  John  P.  Chapin  he  erected,  1849, 
the  first  warehouse  and  store  of  any  resiiectable  size  in  Morris. 

Disposing  of  his  mercantile  interests  in  185 1,  Mr.  Goold  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  real-estate  business  and  insurance.  He  issued  the  first  policy  in 
Morris  and  for  many  years  did  a  most  extensive  business  in  both  departments 
of  the  work.  Many  transfers  of  real  estate  were  made  by  him,  involving  vast 
sums  of  money,  and  through  his  activity  in  this  regard  the  substantial 
improvement  and  permanent  development  of  the  county  was  greatly  aug- 
mented. His  judgment  was  rarely,  if  ever,  at  fault,  and  his  extraordinary 
discernment  and  unswerving  integrity  in  all  business  transactions  secured 
for  him  the  public  confidence  and  a  very^  large  patronage.  Thus  he  grew 
wealthy,  amassing  a  handsome  fortune,  and  though  he  started  out  in  life 
without  capital  he  died  a  rich  man.  Through  the  legitimate  channels  of  busi- 
ness he  met  with  success,  energy  and  business  discernment  being  the  salient 
features  of  his  prosperity.  In  1864  he  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Grundy  County  National  Bank,  and  from  that  time  was  contin- 
ually one  of  the  directors.  In  1871  he  was  made  its  president, 
filling  that  position  until  his  death,  which  occurred  June  22, 
1892.  To  his  ability  and  management  the  success  of  the  institution  was  at- 
tributable, aufl  as  the  result  of  his  efforts  it  took  rank  among  the  most  sub- 
stantial financial  concerns  in  this  part  of  the  state. 

In  manner  Charles  H.  Goold  was  quiet  and  reserved  and  perha])s  was 
not  fully  understood  by  many.  His  friends,  however,  recognizing  his  good- 
ness of  heart,  his  fidelity  to  principle  and  his  manly  conduct,  had  for  him 
the  highest  admiration  and  respect.  He  had  great  sympathy  for  his  fellow 
men  and  was  liberal  to  those  in  need  of  aid,  yet  lived  in  strict  obedience  to 
the  scriptural  mandate,  "When  thou  doest  alms  let  not  thy  right  hand  know 
what  thy  left  hand  doeth."  He  was  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason,  belonging 
to  the  Chicago  Consistory.  For  many  years  he  and  his  estimable  wife 
regularly  attended  the  services  of  the  Congregational  church.  When  his 
life's  labors  were  ended  his  remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  Evergreen  ceme- 
tery at  Morris,  in  a  beautiful  mausoleum  erected  by  his  widow  in  loving 


474  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

remembrance  of  one  whose  life  was  so  long  closely  interwoven  with  her  own 
and  whom  to  know  was  to  esteem  and  honor. 


JEREMIAH    COLLINS. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Grundy  county  few  are  better  known  and 
none  are  more  generally  beloved  and  honored  than  is  Jeremiah  Collins. 
Coming  here  when  the  country  was  almost  entirely  wild,  he  has  witnessed 
its  marvelous  development  and  has  performed  his  full  share  toward  its  pros- 
perity. By  long  continued  industry  and  careful  business  management  he 
accumulated  a  comfortable  fortune,  and  still,  though  now  nearing  four- 
score years  in  age,  attends  to  his  farm  work  and  supervises  all  of  his  finan- 
cial afifairs. 

The  Collins  family  are  of  the  sturdy  old  New  England  stock,  and  our 
subject's  father,  Joshua  Collins,  was  born  September  4,  1779,  in  Rhode 
Island.  In  1834  he  decided  to  try  his  fortunes  in  what  was  then  the  far  west, 
— Illinois, — and  here  he  founded  a  permanent  home,  bearing  the  privations  of 
a  frontier  life  with  the  fortitude  of  his  Pilgrim  forefathers.  He  was  nobly 
aided  in  his  struggles  to  gain  a  foothold  in  the  new  countr\-  by  his  devoted 
wife,  Margaret  Rowe,  whom  he  had  married  November  12,  1808.  She  was 
a  native  of  Rhinebeck,  New  York,  born  October  27,  1790,  and  her  death 
occurred  September  3,  1839.  Joshua  Collins  followed  her  to  the  better 
land  within  two  years,  his  death  taking  place  August  27,  1841. 

They  were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  of  whom  Jeremiah  is  the  only 
survivor.  Theron  was  born  ]\Iarch  13,  1810.  Philip,  born  July  31,  1812, 
married  Ann  Stuart,  August  31,  1845.  Margaret,  born  March  i,  1815.  be- 
came the  wife  of  Wesley  Blaisdell,  of  New  York  state.  George  was  born 
February  20,  1817;  Joshua  and  Jeremiah,  our  subject,  twins,  were  born  Sep- 
tember 19,  1820.  Catherine,  born  October  29,  1823.  wedded  Nelson  Platte, 
of  Plattville,  Illinois,  and  died  March  10,  1846.  Edward,  born  April  30, 
1829,  died  September  27,  1839.  Franklin,  born  January  30,  1835.  resided 
at  Plattville,  this  state,  and  died  there  March  22.  1845. 

Jeremiah  Collins  received  his  early  education  in  the  Empire  state.  He 
was  a  lad  of  fourteen  when  he  came  west  with  his  parents,  and  for  si.xty- 
five  years  he  has  made  his  dwelling  place  in  Grundy  county.  He  cut  and 
hauled  the  first  load  of  logs  used  in  the  construction  of  the  first  log  house 
erected  in  the  village  of  Morris.  This  was  the  home  of  John  Cryder,  and 
was  situated  on  the  hill  just  south  of  the  present  gas-house.  Mr.  Collins 
also  took  the  first  load  of  wheat  from  Au  Sable  township  to  Chicago,  in 
August,  1841.  His  father  was  in  very  poor  health,  and  it  became  necessary 
to  procure  some  medicine  and  supplies  from  Chicago.       Therefore,  with 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  475. 

thirty-two  bushels  of  wheat,  tramped  out  on  the  barn  floor  by  himself  and 
brother  Joshua  and  his  horses,  young  Collins  started  for  the  city  of  future 
greatness,  and  after  he  had  made  the  purchases  he  desired,  was  returning, 
but  ere  he  reached  home  the  sad  news  came  to  him  that  his  father  had  died. 
About  two  years  afterward  the  young  man  married  and  settled  on  a  farm  of 
his  own,  where  he  has  steadily  engaged  in  agriculture.  His  home  is  a  com- 
modious tAvo-story  frame  dwelling,  with  various  conveniences,  and  is  finely 
situated,  being  placed  upon  the  highest  elevation  upon  his  property.  For 
three  terms  he  has  been  the  supervisor  of  his  township,  and  at  all  times  he 
has  been  depended  upon  by  his  neighbors  to  do  all  within  his  power  in  the 
promotion  of  good  schools,  good  roads  and  good  government. 

The  wife  of  Mr.  Collins'  early  manhood  was  Hannah  Mary,  daughter 
of  Michael  and  Eva  Cryder,  of  Pennsylvania.  Their  marriage  took  place 
in  1843,  and  in  1845  Mrs.  Collins  died,  as  did  their  infant  son,  Phillip  Henrj'. 
Several  years  passed  away  and  at  length  our  subject  wedded  Margaret  W. 
Widney,  the  ceremony  which  united  their  destinies  being  performed  No- 
vember 16,  1853.  She  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  jNIarv'  Widney,  of  Kendall 
county,  Illinois.  The  father,  a  well-to-do  farmer,  caine  to  this  state  in  1845 
from  Miami  county,  Ohio,  and  died  January  3,  1879,  having  survived  his 
wife  a  short  time,  as  her  death  occurred  August  27,  1877.  Their  eldest 
child,  Thomas,  resides  in  Chicago;  their  second  son,  George,  is  in  Mobile, 
Alabama;  Mary  is  the  w'ife  of  H.  C.  Henderson,  of  Morris,  Illinois;  Margaret 
\V.  is  the  next  in  order  of  birth;  Rachel  is  the  wife  of  John  T.  Van  Dalsen 
(formerly  of  Au  Sable  township),  who  died  in  September,  1857;  Joseph, 
deceased,  was  a  farmer  of  Kendall  county,  this  state;  John  J.,  deceased,  also 
was  a  farmer  of  that  county;  and  Luanna  JM.  died  in  infancy. 

Three  children  came  to  bless  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Collins,  namely : 
Joshua  Rowe,  Hannah  Mary  and  Oscar  Eugene.  Hannah  Mar\%  the  only 
daughter,  who  was  born  May  15,  1857,  died  May  13,  1881.  Joshua 
Rowe,  born  November  13,  1854,  in  Saratoga  township,  as  were  the  others, 
is  a  farmer  of  this  vicinity.  He  married  Annie  Holroyd,  and  has  one  son, 
Frank  W.  Oscar  Eugene,  born  August  3,  i860,  married  Alice  Holroyd,  a 
sister  of  Mrs.  Joshua  R.  Collins,  October  18,  1888,  and  they,  too,  are  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits  in  this  neighborhood. 


MADISON    G.    HAYMOND. 

Among  the  retired  farmers  and  worthy  citizens  of  Morris,  Grundy 
county,  Illinois,  is  Madison  G.  Haymond. 

The  Haymonds  have  for  many  generations  been  residents  of  this  coun- 
try.    Edward  Haymond,  the  grandfather  of  Aladison  G.,  was  born  in  V^ir- 


476  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

ginia.  of  German  descent,  and  in  Vire^inia  he  lived  and  died,  acting-  the  part 
of  an  industrious,  upriglit  citizen  in  times  of  peace  and  during  the  Revohi- 
tionary  struggle  serving  as  a  brave  soldier  in  the  patriot  army.  He  was 
the  father  of  four  sons,  viz. :  John,  whose  life  was  passed  in  Virginia;  Hijah, 
who  moved  to  Illinois  in  1837  ^'i"^!  settled  in  Kendall  county,  near  Newark, 
where  he  spent  his  life  as  a  farmer,  and  died;  Owen,  who  was  a  blacksmith 
by  trade,  and  came  west  at  an  early  day,  spent  some  time  in  Kendall  county, 
Illinois,  and  then  moved  to  Ogden,  Utah,  where  he  died  a  few  years  ago  at 
an  advanced  age;  and  William,  who  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1807,  and 
when  a  young-  man  emigrated  to  Indiana,,  and  located  in  Shelby  county. 
There  he  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Griffin,  a  native  of  Kentucky.  After  a 
few  years'  residence  in  Indiana  they  came  to  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  land- 
ing here  June  3,  1837,  and  settling  on  a  farm  near  Newark.  Here  he  was 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  until  about  1865,  when  he  moved  to  Nor- 
man township,  Grundy  county,  where  he  died  in  1873.  After  his  death  his 
widow  returned  to  Indiana  and  died  in  Pulaski  county,  that  state,  in  i8gi, 
at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  a 
record  of  whom  is  as  follows;  Thomas  E.,  for  many  years  a  successful 
farmer  of  Nom-ian  township,  Grundy  county,  died  in  1S72;  James  L.,  a 
lumber  dealer  of  Kankakee,  Illinois,  who  died  in  1897;  Frances  E.,  who  mar- 
ried a  Mr.  Osborn  and  died  in  Iroquois  county,  Illinois,  in  1898;  Madison 
G.,  whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of  this  sketch;  John  W.,  who  was  a 
member  of  the  Ninety-first  Illinois  Regiment  in  the  civil  war,  removed  to 
Tennessee  soon  after  the  war  and  ten  years  later  to  Asheville,  North  Caro- 
lina, where  he  now  resides;  AVilliam  C.,  who  served  in  the  One  Hundred 
and  Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Regiment  in  the  civil  war.  and  is  a  resident  of 
Francisville,  Indiana,  engaged  in  the  grain  and  lumber  business;  Margaret 
A.,  the  wife  of  Nelson  Gale,  resides  in  Kansas;  Surilda  Jane,  who  died  in 
Indiana  at  the  age  of  thirty-five  years;  Man,'  E..  who  died  in  Grundy  county, 
Illinois,  about  nine  years  ago;  Amanda,  who  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years, 
in  Kendall  county,  Illinois;  Sarah  E.,  wife  of  John  Pruitt,  is  a  resident  of 
Pulaski  county,  Indiana;  and  Alpheus,  of  Kansas. 

Madison  G.  Haymond  was  born  in  Shelby  county,  Indiana,  November 
9,  1836,  and  was  nine  months  old  when  his  parents  moved  to  Kendal!  county, 
Illinois.  On  his  father's  farm  in  Kendall  county  he  lived  until  twenty  years 
old,  when  he  came  to  Grundy  county,  where  he  has  since  resided.  For  six 
years  he  farmed  rented  land  here  and  then  he  purchased  an  eighty-acre  form 
in  Vienna  township.  As  he  was  prospered  he  made  additional  land  pur- 
chases until  he  became  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  forty-two  acres  of 
land  in  this  township,  all  fine  farming  land,  well  improved,  with  two  com- 
fortable houses  and  two  substantial  barns  thereon.     He  resided  on  his  farm 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  477 

until  January  15,  1899,  when  he  retired  from  active  hfe  and  moved  to 
Morris. 

Mr.  Haymond  was  married  in  1861  to  Eliza  M.  Pangburn,  a  native 
of  Syracuse,  New  York.  She  died  in  1895,  at  the  age  of  fifty-two  years. 
The  fruits  of  this  marriage  were  two  children :  Freddie,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy, and  Katie  ^I.,  the  wife  of  C.  G.  Donahue,  a  hardware  merchant  of 
Morris,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Haymond  received  the  degrees  of  the  Masonic  lodge  many  years 
ago  and  retains  his  membership  in  that  ancient  and  honored  order.  Politi- 
cally he  is  a  Democrat,  ami  for  a  number  of  years  has  served  in  local  office. 
Eighteen  years  he  was  a  commissioner,  and  at  this  writing  he  is  the  super- 
visor of  Vienna  township. 


CONSTANTINE    G.    DONAHUE. 

Constantine  G.  Donahue,  son-in-law  of  the  gentleman  whose  sketch 
precedes  this,  Madison  G.  Haymond,  is  a  hardware  merchant  of  Morris, 
and  one  of  the  enterprising  business  men  of  the  town. 

Mr.  Donahue,  as  the  name  suggests,  is  of  Irish  descent.  His  father, 
Patrick  Donahue,  was  born  on  the  Emerald  Isle  in  182 1,  and  was  first  mar- 
ried in  his  native  land,  the  marriage  resulting  in  the  birth  of  three  children, 
— Mary,  Jennie  and  Annie, — whom  he  brought  with  him  to  the  United 
States  in  1851,  his  wife  having  died  in  Ireland  previous  tO'  that  date.  They 
settled  in  Utica,  New  York,  where  he  was  subsequently  married  to  Miss 
Ellen  Gilna,  a  native  of  the  same  county  in  which  he  was  born, — Longford. 
She  survives  him  and  now  resides  with  her  son  in  Chicago,  her  age  at  this 
writing  being  seventy-seven  years.  After  a  short  residence  in  Utica,  Pat- 
rick Donahue  removed  with  his  family  to  Bennington,  Vermont,  where  he 
worked  at  the  potter's  trade,  which  he  had  learned  in  Ireland.  They  re- 
mained at  Bennington  until  about  1859,  when  they  came  to  Grundy  county, 
Illinois.  Subsequently  they  lived  two  years  in  Michigan,  but  returned  to 
Grundy  county  and  located  in  Vienna  township,  where  he  died  in  1868. 
The  children  of  his  second  marriage  are  as  follows:  John  T.,  a  lawyer  of 
Chicago;  Constantine  G.,  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch;  Peter,  on  the 
home  farm  in  Vienna  township,  Grundy  county;  Rose,  who  is  married  and 
is  a  resident  of  Chicago;  Tillie,  residing  in  Chicago  with  her  brother,  John 
T. ;  and  Michael,  deceased. 

Constantine  G.  Donahue  was  born  in  Bennington,  Vermont,  June  24, 
1857,  was  eleven  years  old  when  his  father  died,  and  for  ten  years 
thereafter  worked  on  a  farm  by  the  month,  and  after  he  reached  his  me- 


478  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

jority  was  for  six  or  seven  years  engaged  in  farming  on  rented  land.  He 
spent  one  season  in  Nebraska  and  Dakota,  In  1887  he  engaged  in  the 
farming  implement  business  in  the  town  of  Wauponsee,  Grundy  county, 
where  he  remained  until  November,  1898.  That  year  he  closed  out  his 
business  there  and  with  Albert  Newport  bought  out  Jacob  Geisen,  of  Mor- 
ris, and  under  the  firm  name  of  Donahue  &  Newport  has  since  conducted  a 
hardware  and  agricultural  implement  business  at  this  place. 

Mr.  Donahue  was  married  in  January,  1897,  to  Miss  Katie  Haymond, 
who  is  referred  to  in  the  above  sketch.  Fraternally  Mr.  Donahue  is  a 
Knight  of  Pythias. 


GEORGE  H.   WEITZ. 


The  town  of  Stockdale  stands  as  a  monument  to  the  enterprise  and 
business  ability  of  this  gentleman,  who  has  conducted  one  of  its  leading  in- 
dustries and  who  has  been  prominently  connected  with  its  official  interests. 
He  is  now  a  member  of  the  well-known  firm  of  W.  A.  Remington  &  Com- 
pany, and  since  1894  has  been  a  partner  in  the  sheep  industry  at  this  place, 
although  from  its  establishment  here  he  acted  as  manager. 

A  native  of  Illinois,  he  was  bom  in  Geneseo,  Henry  county,  on  the- 17th 
of  September,  1865,  his  parents  being  Conrad  and  ?vlary  (Horchler)  Weitz. 
Both  parents  were  natives  of  Germany,  the  former  born  in  Saxony  and  the 
latter  in  Hessen-Darmstadt.  The  father  was  reared  upon  a  farm  in  the  land 
of  his  birth,  and  when  about  twenty-seven  years  of  age  was  married  there. 
Subsequently  he  determined  to  try  his  fortune  in  America,  and  in  1853 
crossed  the  broad  Atlantic  to  the  New  World,  taking  up  his  residence  in  St. 
Louis,  Missouri.  The  same  year,  however,  he  made  his  way  up  the  lUi- 
nois  river  and  located  in  Ottawa,  where  he  spent  one  year.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  removed  to  Geneseo,  Illinois,  in  1854,  and  there  en- 
gaged in  contracting  and  building.  He  became  actively  identified  with  the 
building  interests  of  that  locality,  and  many  of  the  substantial  structures  of 
the  city  and  surrounding  country  stand  as  monuments  to  his  skill  and  abil- 
ity. He  died  April  9,  1896,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  his  birth  occurring 
on  the  9th  of  April,  1826.  His  widow  still  resides  in  Geneseo,  having 
reached  the  age  of  three-score  years  and  ten.  Their  children  are  Hannah, 
the  wife  of  John  Young,  of  Wabash  county,  Indiana;  Lewis,  of  Geneseo; 
Emma,  the  wife  of  William  Kenney,  of  Chicago;  William,  who  is  living  in 
Geneseo;  and  George  H.,  who  completes  the  list. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  George  H.  Weitz  we  present  to  our 
readers  the  record  of  one  who  is  widely  and  favorably  known  in  Grundy 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  479 

county,  and  his  life  in  many  respects  is  well  worthy  of  emulation.  Although 
a  young  business  man,  he  has  already  attained  a  success  that  may  well  be 
envied  by  those  whose  years  far  outnumber  his  own.  He  was  reared  in 
Geneseo,  and  in  the  common  schools  obtained  his  education.  For  twenty 
years  he  has  been  connected  with  the  stock-breeding  industries.  In  1876 
he  entered  the  employ  of  J.  Galaghan  &  Comipany,  of  which  W.  A.  Reming- 
ton was  then  the  junior  partner.  The  relation  between  these  two  gentle- 
men has  since  continued,  !Mr.  W'eitz  remaining  in  Mr.  Remington's  em- 
ploy until  1895,  when  he  was  admitted  to  partnership  in  the  business. 
He  resided  in  Geneseo  until  1894,  since  which  time  he  has  made  his  home 
in  Stockdale.  They  began  business  here  July  12.  i8go,  feeding  sheep  for 
the  market  and  preparing  them  for  shipment.  Their  sheep  barns  have  a 
capacity  of  fourteen  thousand  head,  and  their  sales  are  extensive,  bringing 
a  handsome  financial  return.  They  are  also  partners  in  the  Floral  Fertilizer 
Companv,  which  has  recently  been  organized  for  the  purpose  of  manufac- 
turing fertilizing  materials.  Between  October,  1898,  and  July,  1899,  they 
fed  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  sheep,  purchasing  these  animals  in  the 
northwest  and  shipping  them  to  Stockdale,  where  they  are  fattened  for  the 
market.  They  are  then  sold  to  Chicago  dealers,  and  the  extent  of  the  busi- 
ness has  made  it  one  of  the  leading  industries  in  this  section  of  the  state. 

In  1889  Mr.  Weitz  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maria  Hauschild,  of 
Geneseo,  and  they  now  have  two  children, — Henry  and  Mae,  who  are  twins. 
Their  friends  are  numbered  among  the  best  citizens  of  the  community,  and 
they  enjoy  the  hospitality  of  the  leading  homes  in  this  section  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Weitz  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  in  which  he  has  at- 
tained the  Knight  Templar  degree.  Not  only  has  he  been  prominently  con- 
nected with  the  business  interests  of  Stockdale,  but  in  other  lines  also  has 
he  contributed  to  its  advancement.  He  is  serving  as  the  postmaster,  hav- 
ing filled  the  position  since  the  establishment  of  the  office,  on  the  29th  of 
November,  1897.  Mr.  Weitz  is  a  public-spirited  and  progressive  man  and 
gives  his  support  to  all  measures  calculated  to  promote  the  material,  social, 
educational  and  moral  welfare  of  the  community.  Prosperity  has  attended 
his  efforts  in  business,  and  the  qualities  which  have  insured  his  success  are 
keen  discernment,  marked  executive  ability  and  indefatigable  energy. 


JOSHUA  HOGE,  JR. 

\ 

Among  the  native  citizens  of  Grundy  county  is  Mr.  Hoge,  whose  birth 

occurred  upon  the  old  family  homestead,  July  25,  1850,  his  parents  being 

Samuel  and  Matilda  (Holderman)  Hoge,  whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in 


48o  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

this  volume.  As  soon  as  he  was  old  enough  to  handle  the  plow  he  began 
work  in  the  fields  and  soon  became  familiar  with  all  the  duties  and  labors 
that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  Throughout  his  active  business 
career  he  has  engaged  in  farming  and  in  stock-raising,  but  in  1898  he  retired 
from  the  farm  and  removed  to  Morris,  where  he  now  resides.  He  has  pur- 
chased cattle  quite  extensively  in  Illinois  and  other  states,  and  engaged  in 
feeding  and  marketing  them,  in  early  days,  in  New  York  and  other  eastern 
markets,  but  later  in  Chicago.  He  sustains  an  unassailable  reputation  in 
business  circles  by  reason  of  his  straightforward  dealing  and  unquestioned 
integrity.  ,  j 

In  1876  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  i\Ir.  Hoge  and  ^liss  Laura 
Ouigley.  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  Their  union  was  blessed  with  two  chil- 
dren:  Samuel  and  Eva  M.:  but  the  wife  and  mother  was  called  to  her 
final  rest  April  2,  1896.  Eva  M.,  the  daughter,  passed  away  in  death  Oc- 
tober 7,  1899.  October  4,  1899,  I\Ir.  Hoge  married  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Peacock, 
nee  Noble.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Hoge  is  a  stalwart  Republican,  warm- 
ly advocating  the  principles  of  his  party,  but  has  never  sought  or  desired  pub- 
lic ofifice.  preferring  to  devote  his  energies  entirely  to  his  business  interests, 
in  which  he  has  met  with  very  creditable  and  gratifying  success.  He  is  a 
worthy  representative  of  an  honored  pioneer  family,  and  is  accounted  one  of 
Grundv  countv's  valued  native  citizens. 


GEORGE   WATERS. 


George  Waters,  Mazon,  Illinois,  is  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  and 
respected  citizens  of  Mazon  township,  of  which  he  is  a  native  and  in  which 
his  father  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers.  George  Waters  is  a  son  of  W'ill- 
iam  and  Bathena  (Booth)  Waters.  William  Waters  was  born  August  12, 
1818,  in  London,  England,  a  son  of  William  Waters,  Sr.,  who  came  to 
America  in  1833.  He  left  England  February  6,  1833,  and  landed  at  New 
York  April  11,  1833,  bringing  his  family,  except  his  son  William,  who  had 
come  over  a  few  years  earlier.  The  elder  William  Waters  was  a  stone- 
mason and  became  a  contractor  in  stone  work  on  the  ^lichigan  canal,  and 
constructed  many  of  the  docks  along  the  canal,  notably  those  at  Joliet. 
His  children  were  William,  John.  James,  Elijah,  Robert  and  Ann. 

William  Waters,  Jr.,  a  son  of  William  Waters.  Sr..  and  the  father  of 
George  Waters,  left  home  in  1828,  when  he  was  about  ten  years  of  age, 
and  crossed  the  Atlantic  ocean  with  his  uncle,  William  Atkins,  and  his  fam- 
ily. William  Atkins,  who  had  married  his  father's  sister,  settled  on  Hickory 
creek,  three  miles  southeast  of  Joliet,  Illinois,  and  there  passed  his  remain- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  481 

ing  days.  He  improved  a  farm  and  became  well  known  as  an  enterpris- 
ing and  public-spirited  citizen.  William  Waters,  Jr.,  lived  with  Mr.  Atkins 
for  some  jears,  and  when  a  young  man  went  to  Vermilion  county,  Indiana, 
eighteen  miles  north  of  Terre  Haute.  There  he  married  Bathena  Booth, 
and  they  settled  in  Vermilion  county.  Indiana,  and  lived  with  her  mother, 
who  had  married  a  Mr.  Hiddle.  It  should  be  stated  that  her  mother's 
estate  eventually  went  to  the  Hiddle  heirs. 

William  Waters  came  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  in  1846,  and  located 
wild  land,  which  he  entered  in  1847,  and  here  he  settled  and  made  improve- 
ments. That  pioneer  farm  of  forty  acres  is  a  part  of  the  larger  farm  which 
his  son  George  now  owns  and  operates.  To  this  he  added  forty  acres, 
more  of  wild  land,  which  he  purchased  at  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  an  acre.  Mr. 
Waters  made  the  first  improvement  and  built  the  first  log  cabin  on  the  east 
side  of  the  middle  branch  of  the  Mazon,  or  Brewster's  slough,  as  it  is  called. 
He  soon  put  the  land  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation  and  erected  substantial 
pioneer  buildings.  He  was  a  well-known  citizen  and  respected  pioneer 
farmer.  In  politics  he  was  a  Douglas  or  war  Democrat.  His  children  were : 
Jane,  who  died  May  12,  1862,  aged  sixteen  years,  one  month  and  twenty- 
five  days;  Henry;  Jonas  and  George,  twins;  and  W'illiam  and  Susan  died  in 
infancy.  By  thrift  and  industry  Mr.  Waters  added  to  this  land,  and  at  his 
death  owned  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  acres.  He  died  September  14, 
1861.  aged  forty-three  years,  one  month  and  three  days,  as  the  result  of  an 
accident.  Bathena,  the  wife  of  William  W'aters,  died  March  18,  1856,  aged 
thirty-five  years,  four  months  and  eight  days. 

George  Waters,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  on  the 
old  homestead  where  he  now  lives,  February  22,  185 1.  He  received  a  good 
common-school  education,  and  learned  farming  thoroughly.  He  prospered 
by  industry  and  good  management  and  became  a  substantial  citizen,  and 
during  recent  years  has  been  engaged  somewhat  extensively  in  the  grain 
business.  He  is  a  trusted  citizen  of  his  township,  and  for  nine  years  filled 
the  office  of  road  commissioner  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  people.  In 
political  opinion  he  is  a  Republican.  He  was  married  December  i,  1872, 
in  old  Mazon,  to  Sarah  Johnston,  born  April  5,  1852,  on  the  George  ]\Iiers 
farm  in  Mazon  township,  a  daughter  of  Matthew  and  Mary  J.  (Preston) 
Johnston.  Matthew  Johnston  was  from  Pennsylvania  and  married  in 
Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  Mary  J.  Preston.  He  settled  in  Ohio,  where  he 
worked  at  his  trade  of  bricklayer,  and  in  185 1  moved  to  Illinois  and  settled 
in  Mazon  township.  He  afterward  bought  a  farm  in  Good  Farm  township, 
where  he  owns  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  became  a  prosperous 
farmer  and  well-to-do  citizen.  His  children  are  William,  Andrew,  Alary, 
Hattie  (who  died  an  infant),  Sarah,  Finley,  John,  Charles,  Belle  and  Nellie. 


482  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

Mr.  Johnston  and  his  wife  are  both  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and 
he  is  a  Republican  in  politics.  He  has  retired  from  active  life  and  is  living 
in  Mazon,  where  he  is  respected  as  a  public-spirited  and  helpful  citizen.  He 
has  always  been  an  upright  and  valued  member  of  the  community  and  has 
reared  an  excellent  family.  After  their  marriage  George  Waters  and  his  wife 
remained  on  the  old  homestead,  and  here  he  has  passed  all  his  life  since,  and 
will  doubtless  end  his  days.  He  has  been  deservedly  prosperous  and  now 
owns  four  hundred  and  seventy-eight  acres  of  fine  farm  land  and  is  regarded 
as  one  of  the  most  substantial  farmers  of  his  township. 

To  George  and  Sarah  (Johnston)  Waters  have  been  born  two  children : 
Berton,  born  July  i,  1877;  and  Ethel  I.,  born  December  28,  1885,  and  died 
January  27,  1892,  aged  about  six  years. 

Mr.  Waters  is  a  public-spirited  man  and  is  interested  in  all  measures 
tending  to  the  public  good,  and  is  especially  desirous  that  good  roads  shall 
be  secured  and  maintained  throughout  the  country,  and  is  willing  to  do  his 
part  toward  the  accomplishment  of  this  end.  He  has  through  life  main- 
tained a  high  character,  and  is  well  known  for  reliability  and  capability  as  a 
practical  business  man. 


WILLIA-M    .AIERRIA:\I. 


It  is  always  of  interest  to  investigate  the  cause  of  success,  to  learn  what 
has  proiluced  prosperity.  In  the  history  of  this  gentleman  we  have  recorded 
the  life  of  one  who  is  truly  a  self-made  man,  for  he  started  out  in  life  empty- 
handed  and  steadily  worked  his  way  upward,  overcoming  the  obstacles  in 
his  path  by  determined  purpose  and  ultimately  acquiring  a  handsome  com- 
petence which  has  enabled  him  to  live  retired. 

He  was  born  November  19,  1829,  in  Jetl'erson  county,  Xew  "^'ork.  a  son 
of  Archibald  and  Polh'  (Buhall)  Merriam,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  New 
York.  His  father  died  when  William  was  only  six  years  of  age,  but  he 
resided  in  Jefiferson  county  until  nineteen  years  of  age,  spending  a  part  of 
the  time  in  his  mother's  home.  Early  in  life,  however,  he  began  to  provide 
for  his  own  maintenance  and  learned  the  trades  of  cabinet-making  and 
painting.  In  1848  he  arrived  in  the  west,  locating  first  at  Somonauk.  He 
afterward  worked  on  the  farm  by  the  month  for  a  year,  and  then  going  to 
Joliet  he  secured  a  position  on  a  canal  boat  as  bowsman.  He  had  only  six 
dollars  at  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  Illinois  and  had  made  the  journey  to  the 
west  upon  borrowed  money.  On  the  canal  boat  he  mastered  all  the  various 
duties  in  connection  with  its  operation  and  for  one  and  a  half  years  he 
steered  a  freight  boat.      That  boat  was  consigned  to  John  P.  Chapin,  of  Chi- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  483 

■cago,  and  he  entered  his  employ,  a  connection  tliat  was  continued  for  seven 
years,  during  which  time  he  served  on  various  boats,  including  the  Queen 
of  Johet,  Grand  Turk,  Charter  Oak,  Woodford,  and  the  J.  D.  Harmon,  and 
then  became  owner  of  a  boat  of  his  own  cahed  the  Bill  Merriam.  This  he 
ran  for  two  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  sold  a  half  interest,  and  in 
i860  he  sold  the  other  half.  The  following  year  he  purchased  eighty  acres 
of  land  in  W'auponsee  township  and  turned  his  attention  to  farming,  which 
he  carried  on  until  1884.  In  the  operation  of  his  land  he  displayed  great  in- 
dustry and  enterprise",  and  as  a  result  of  his  careful  management  and  busi- 
ness ability  he  became  the  owner  of  a  very  valuable  and  productive  farm. 
He  made  his  home  there  vmtil  1884,  when  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Morris, 
but  he  still  owns  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  land,  from  which  he  de- 
rives a  good  income. 

In  Grundy  county,  in  1854,  Mr.  Merriam  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Ruble  S.  Lyons,  also  a  native  of  the  Empire  state,  and  a  daughter  of 
Vernon  and  Mariah  (Taylor)  Lyons,  who  removed  from  Philadelphia,  New 
York,  to  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  in  1847,  locating  about  six  miles  east  of 
Lisbon.  Ten  years  later  they  came  to  Morris,  where  they  spent  their  re- 
maining days,  the  father  passing  away  in  1872,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three 
years.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  but  also  followed  carpentering. 
Mrs.  Merriam  is  the  only  survivor  of  her  father's  family.  Our  subject  and 
his  wife  have  no  children  of  their  own,  but  reared  an  adopted  daughter, 
Hattie  (Bowen)  Merriam.  wife  of  William  H.  Slater,  of  Kansas.  Mrs. 
Merriam  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  Mr.  Merriam  is 
a  supporter  of  that  organization.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  has 
served  as  road  commissioner,  but  has  never  been  an  office-seeker,  preferring 
to  devote  his  time  and  energies  to  his  business  interests,  in  which  he  has 
met  with  ven,-  creditable  success.  His  life  has  been  one  of  activity,  but  he 
is  now  living  in  retirement  and  enjoying  the  rest  which  he  has  truly  earned 
and  richly  deserves. 


JAMES   E.   ARMSTRONG. 

One  of  the  most  prominent  educators  connected  with  the  public  schools 
■of  Illinois  is  James  E.  Armstrong,  who  is  now  principal  of  the  Englewood 
high  school.  His  marked  ability  has  gained  him  prestige,  for  his  scholarly 
attainments  are  supplemented  by  superior  ability  in  imparting  clearly  and 
concisely  to  others  the  knowledge  he  has  acquired.  \\\t\\  a  just  apprecia- 
tion of  the  importance  of  his  work  he  has  given  to  it  the  most  earnest 
thought,  study  and  investigation,  and  his  methods  are  therefore  progressive 


484  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

and  intensely  practical,  serving  as  an  excellent  preparation  for  the  duties  of 
life. 

Mr.  Armstrong  is  one  of  Illinois'  native  sons,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  LaSalle  county,  on  the  30th  of  November,  1855.  Like  so  many  of  the 
most  prominent  men  in  professional  circles,  his  boyhood  days  were  spent 
upon  the  farm,  and  the  work  of  field  and  meadow  gave  to  him  the  strong 
physical  development  needed  in  carrying  on  his  labors  in  later  life.  He 
followed  the  plow  and  assisted  in  the  harvesting  through  the  summer  months, 
while  in  the  winter  season  he  pursued  his  education  in  the  district  schools. 
At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  was  employed  to  teach  the  school  which  he  had 
attended  up  to  that  time,  and,  though  younger  than  many  of  his  pupils,  he 
was  so  successful  in  the  work  that  he  was  again  employed  to  teach  that  school 
through  the  following  winter.  During  those  two  winter  months  the  lash, 
which  had  formerly  been  considered  as  essential  in  the  matter  of  education 
as  the  text-books  or  blackboard,  was  banished.  The  excellent  results  which 
attended  his  work  in  the  district  school  determined  his  future  career.  ^^'ith 
the  money  earned  during  the  first  winter  he  paid  his  expenses  while  attending 
the  village  high  school  in  Marseilles  during  the  spring  and  fall  months,  and 
with  the  money  earned  during  his  second  season  of  teaching  he  entered  upon 
a  college  course  in  the  University  of  Illinois.  He  was  graduated  in  the  class 
of  1881  with  such  high  honors  that  lie  was  made  instructor  in  mathematics 
in  that  institution  the  following  year.  After  a  year's  service  he  was  elected 
princi])al  of  a  village  school  in  Arlington  Heights,  Cook  county,  where  he 
remained  for  three  years,  during  which  time  he  greatly  advanced  the  stand- 
ard of  the  schools  there. 

On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  resigned  in  order  to  accept  a  posi- 
tion in  the  Lake  high  school  of  Chicago,  as  instructor  in  sciences.  In  that 
school  he  established  the  first  chemical  laboraton'  in  the  Chicago  high 
schools  in  which  the  pupils  performed  the  work.  During  his  services  there 
he  and  a  fellow  teacher  wrote  and  published  Armstrong  &  Norton's  Chemical 
Laboratory  Guide,  the  book  now  being  used  in  high  schools  throughout  the 
country.  In  1889  he  was  appointed  principal  of  the  Lake  high  school,  and 
two  years  later  was  transferred  to  the  Englewood  high  school,  which  position 
he  still  fills.  This  school  ranks  second  in  size  in  Chicago,  and  if  ranked  by 
honors  taken  in  prizes  for  scholarships,  essays,  orations,  athletic  banners  and 
ai^t  displays  it  would  stand  first.  Professor  Armstrong  is  in  close  touch  with 
the  work  done  in  every  department  of  the  school,  and  is  ever  ready  and  will- 
ing to  aid  teachers  and  pupils  that  intellectual  progress  may  be  carried  still 
further  forward.  Advancement  is  the  watchword  of  the  school,  and  the 
thoroughness  and  proficiency  of  the  work  well  qualifies  the  students  for  the 
practical  duties  which  may  devolve  upon  them  in  the  active  affairs  of  life. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  485 

The  habits  of  thoroughness  and  mental  concentration  which  are  there  formed 
may  prove  important  elements  in  their  careers  after  leaving  the  school-room, 
and  it  is  because  Professor  Armstrong  regards  education  as  the  preparation 
for  life  that  his  school  has  been  so  successful.  He  attributes  his  success 
largely  to  his  training  on  the  farm,  where  as  a  boy  he  had  to  learn  to  be  inde- 
pendent. A  maxim  then  instilled  into  his  mind  was,  "When  a  thing  gets  out 
of  order  fix  it,"  and  another  was,  "Save  everything:  if  it  is  not  good  for  one 
purpose  save  it  for  another."  These  principles  have  largely  influenced  his 
career  as  an  educator  and  in  a  great  degree  have  been  the  means  of  winning 
for  him  the  high  position  which  he  now  occupies  in  educational  circles. 

In  the  year  1892  Professor  Armstrong  was  elected  on  the  state  ticket  as 
a  trustee  of  the  University  of  Illinois.  In  this  capacity  he  served  for  six 
years,  taking  a  prominent  part  in  conducting  the  affairs  of  the  school.  As 
the  chairman  of  the  committee  he  secured  for  the  university  its  able  president, 
Dr.  A.  S.  Draper.  It  was  also  due  to  his  efforts  that  the  College  of  Phy- 
sicians and  Surgeons  of  Chicago  and  the  Chicago  College  of  Pharmacy  be- 
came departments  of  the  university.  He  was  honored  by  the  position  of 
president  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  university  during  the  year  1897-8, 
and  his  wise  counsel  and  effective  labors  resulted  in  raising  its  standard  of 
education  higher  than  ever  before. 

Professor  Armstrong  was  married  July  12,  1883,  to  Miss  Clara  A.  Clark, 
a  daughter  of  Lucius  Clark,  of  Marseilles.  They  now  have  two  children, — 
Grace  C.  and  Charles  H.  Their  home  is  the  center  of  a  cultured  society  cir- 
cle, and  their  friends  are  many  in  the  section  of  the  city  where  they  live. 
Professor  Armstrong  is  a  man  of  broad  humanitarian  principles,  and  a  deep 
and  personal  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  pupils  has  been  one  of  the  strong 
elements  in  his  success  as  an  educator. 


CHARLES   G.   ARMSTRONG. 

In  a  profession  where  advancement  is  dependent  upon  knowledge  and 
skill,  success  is  achieved  only  through  individual  merit.  It  is  a  wise  provis- 
ion of  nature  that  learning  cannot  be  inherited,  that  we  enter  this  world  on  an 
equal  intellectual  basis,  and  therefore  are  dependent  upon  our  own  labors 
and  application  for  the  learning  which  fits  us  for  life's  practical  duties.  Each 
individual  masters  the  same  rudiments  of  knowledge  as  all  others,  and  when 
this  is  accomplished  it  will  then  be  found  that  he  has  developed  the  ability 
to  carry  his  labors  still  farther  along  special  lines,  fitting  him  for  a  particular 
work.  It  is  true  that  with  only  an  elementary  education  some  may  enter 
certain  lines  of  business  and  attain  success,  or  by  inheritance  or  influence 


486  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

secure  control  of  a  prosperous  enterprise;  but  in  professional  life  progress 
and  success  depend  solely  upon  the  efforts  of  the  individual, — his  close  appli- 
cation, his  mastery  of  scientific  principles  and  his  ability  to  apply  them  to  the 
affairs  of  life. 

Greater  credit  is  therefore  due  one  who  owes  his  prosperous  and  enviable 
business  standing  to  his  own  labors,  as  does  Mr.  Armstrong,  who  is  num- 
bered among  the  most  capable  electrical  engineers  in  the  entire  country. 
Steadily  he  has  advanced  step  by  step  until  he  has  long  since  left  the  ranks 
of  the  many  to  stand  among  the  successful  few.  and  material  evidences  of  his 
marked  ability  are  seen  in  some  of  the  finest  buildings  throughout  the  land. 
He  has  his  office  and  maintains  his  residence  in  Chicago,  but  as  consulting 
electrical  engineer  he  has  traveled  throughout  the  greater  part  of  the  Union, 
and  has  gained  a  reputation  scarcely  second  to  any  in  the  country. 

Charles  Goold  Armstrong  is  one  of  the  "native  sons"  of  whom  LaSalle 
county,  Illinois,  has  every  reason  to  be  proud.  He  was  born  there  August 
23.  1858,  and  in  the  public  schools  acquired  his  preliminary  education.  His 
boyhood  days  were  spent  upon  the  home  farm,  and  he  early  became  familiar 
with  the  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  His  early  school 
training  was  supplemented  by  a  course  in  the  University  of  Illinois,  at  Cham- 
paign, having  made  his  own  way  through  college,  thus  showing  forth  the 
elemental  strength  of  his  character,  which  in  later  yeai"S  has  enabled  him  to 
work  his  way  steadily  upward. 

For  two  years  after  leaving  the  university  Mr.  Armstrong  was  engaged 
in  the  drug  business,  and  then  devoted  three  years  to  civil  engineering. 
Since  that  time  he  has  given  his  entire  attention  to  electrical  engineering, 
and  in  1890  opened  an  office  in  Chicago.  During  the  ten  years  which  have 
come  and  gone  from  the  time  he  first  began  business  in  Chicago  he  has  served 
as  consulting  electrical  engineer  in  connection  with  the  equipment  of  many  of 
the  finest  buildings  in  the  city  and  throughout  the  countn,-.  He  served  in  that 
capacity  for  the  Auditorium,  the  Schiller  Theater,  the  Great  Northern  Thea- 
ter and  the  Stock  Exchange  Building,  of  Chicago;  the  Union  Trust  Building 
and  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel,  in  St.  Louis;  the  Commercial  Building  of  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky;  the  City  Hall,  the  Milwaukee  Public  Library  and  the  Pabst 
power  plant,  of  Milwaukee,  \\'isconsin;  the  plant  of  the  Marquette  Placer 
Mining  Company,  in  central  Colorado;  the  Guarantee  Building,  in  Buffalo, 
New  York;  the  Grand  Central  Depot  and  the  Union  Loan  &  Investment 
Company  Building,  in  New  York  city;  and  the  St.  Anthony  Falls  Water 
Power  Company,  at  Minneapolis,  having  an  electrical  plant  of  ten  thousand 
horse  power,  this  power  being  transmitted  ten  miles. — a  marvelous  piece  of 
electrical  engineering.  These  serve  to  indicate  the  marked  ability  of  Mr. 
Armstrong,  whose  close  study  of  electricity  and  his  thorough  understanding 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  487 

of  its  uses  have  made  him  one  of  the  leaders  in  his  profession  in  the  United 
States. 

In  1 88 1  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Armstrong  and  Miss 
Frances  Lowrj',  a  daughter  of  Colonel  Francis  Lowry,  who  was  the  com- 
mander of  the  One  Hundred  and  Seventh  Regiment  of  Illinois  Volunteers 
during  the  civil  war,  and  w^as  killed  at  the  battle  of  Franklin,  Tennessee.  To 
Mr.  and  ISlrs.  Armstrong  have  been  born  four  children :  Florence,  Frances, 
Clara  and  Charlotte.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Armstrong  is  a  Republican. 
Socially  he  is  connected  with  the  Union  League  Chib  of  Chicago.  His  own 
life,  in  its  splendid  success,  illustrates  most  clearly  the  opportunities  which 
this  land,  unhampered  by  caste  or  class,  offers  to  those  who  really  desire  ad- 
vancement. His  social  qualities,  courtesy  and  kindly  manner  have  won  him 
many  friends,  and  the  circle  of  his  acquaintances  is  very  extensive. 


JOHN    GLENNAN. 


John  Glennan  was  born  October  10,  1840,  in  the  city  of  London,  a  son 
of  Tames  and  ^lary  (O'Brien)  Glennan.  His  parents  were  both  natives  of 
Ireland,  but  left  that  country  at  the  time  of  the  rebellion  there  and  sought 
a  home  in  London.  About  1843  they  emigrated  to  Canada,  where  they 
spent  one  year,  going  thence  to  Chicago,  where  Mr.  Glennan  left  his  family 
while  he  proceeded  to  Morris  and  erected  here  a  little  log  cabin.  On  its 
completion  he  brought  his  wife  and  children  to  the  humble  little  home  which 
he  had  prepared,  and  thus  at  an  early  day  the  subject  of  this  review  became 
identified  with  the  city  which  is  yet  his  home.  His  father  was  a  black- 
smith and  machinist  by  trade,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  Morris, 
his  death  occurring  in  1855.  His  wife,  long  surviving  him,  passed  away  in 
1892.  Only  two  children  were  born  to  them:  John,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  review;  and  Dr.  Michael  Glennan,  who  is  now  living  in  Ludlow, 
Champaign  county,  Illinois. 

John  Glennan  was  only  three  years  of  age  when  his  parents  crossed  the 
Atlantic  to  the  New  World.  He  accompanied  them  on  their  various  re- 
movals, and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  he  began  to  earn  his  own  living  by  serving 
an  apprenticeship  to  the  carpenter  and  joiner's  trade.  In  a  few  years  he 
had  fairly  mastered  the  business,  becoming  an  expert  workman,  and  has 
since  followed  that  vocation,  doing  considerable  contract  work.  Thus  he 
has  been  actively  connected  with  the  building  interests  of  Morris  and  has 
aided  greatly  in  its  substantial  development  and  improvement. 

In  1862  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Glennan  and  Miss  Mary 
Maxim,   a  daughter  of  John   Maxim,  of  Morris,  and  to  them  have  been 


488  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

l>orn  eight  cliildren,  namely:  Mary  Theressa,  who  is  Hving  in  Joliet,  Illi- 
nois; James,  at  home;  John,  deceased;  Jnlia,  who  is  also  with  her  parents; 
John,  who  has  passed  away;  Maggie  and  Michael,  who  are  still  at  their  par- 
ental home;  and  Edward,  deceased.  Mr.  Glennan  and  his  family  are  com- 
municants of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  in  politics  he  is  a  Democrat, 
but  he  has  had  neither  time  nor  inclination  for  public  office.  His  residence 
in  Morris  covers  more  than  half  a  century.  He  was  a  pupil  in  the  first 
school  here,  and  has  ever  been  interested  in  the  welfare  and  progress  of  the 
city,  giving  his  support  to  many  measures  which  he  believes  will  prove  a 
public  good. 


JONAS  WATERS. 


Jonas  Waters,  son  of  William  and  Bathenia  (Booth)  Waters,  was  born 
February  22,  1851,  on  his  father's  old  homestead  in  Mazon  township, 
Grundy  county,  Illinois,  and  is  a  twin  brother  of  George  Waters,  a  biograph- 
ical sketch  of  whom  appears  in  this  work.  He  attended  the  public  schools 
and  was,  in  a  very  practical  way,  instructed  in  all  that  pertains  to  successful 
farming.  He  was  married  December  3,  1871,  in  Gardner,  Illinois,  to  Miss 
Alvaretta  Whitesel,  who  was  born  in  JefYerson  county,  Pennsylvania,  May 
18,  1853,  a  daughter  of  John  N.  and  Susan  (Truby)  Whitesel  and  a  grand- 
daughter of  Jonathan  and  Susan  (Wensel)  Whitesel,  of  Pennsylvania  Dutch 
stock.  Jonathan  Whitesel  was  a  tanner  and  pioneer  in  Armstrong  county, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  settled  in  the  woods,  cleared  up  a  farm,  built  a  saw- 
mill and  operated  both  the  farm  and  the  sawmill  and  prospered  very  satis- 
factorily. He  married  September  17,  1815,  and  his  children  were  named 
John  N.,  Elizabeth,  Susan,  James  P.,  Diana,  Catherine,  Jonathan  and  Mary 
E.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  religious  opinion  and  of  high  moral  character, 
a  Presbyterian  and  a  Democrat.  He  died  July  i,  1875,  aged  eighty-five 
years,  having  been  a  widower  since  July  i,  1854.  His  father  came  to  Penn- 
sylvania in  early  days  and  died  aged  ninety-three. 

John  N.  Whitesel  was  born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania, 
March  30,  1816,  and  his  educational  advantages  were  limited  to  those  af- 
forded by  the  common  schools.  He  married  Susan  Truby,  October  6, 
1842.  Miss  Truby  was  born  in  Jefiferson  county,  Pennsylvania,  a  daughter 
of  Christopher  and  Elizabeth  (McCoy)  Truby,  of  Pennsylvania  Dutch  extrac- 
tion, who  had  other  children  named  James,  John  and  Margaret,  who  died 
many  years  ago.  Mr  Truby  died  when  about  seventy  years  of  age.  They 
were  devout  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  John  N.  White- 
sel settled  on  his  father's  homestead  in  Armstrong  county,  Pennsylvania, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  489 

and  farmed  and  operated  the  sawmill  on  the  place  for  many  years.  In  1867 
he  came  to  Illinois,  bringing  his  family  with  him,  and  on  the  first  day  of 
April  located  at  Gardner,  Grundy  county,  Illinois.  Not  long  afterward  he 
settled  in  Good  Farm  township,  Grundy  county,  on  eighty  acres  of  land, 
which  he  improved  and  on  which  he  lived  until  1883,  when  he  removed  to 
Adams  county,  Nebraska,  and  settled  on  an  improved  farm  of  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres,  where  he  died  December  30,  1891,  aged  seventy-five 
years  and  nine  months.  He  was  a  Democrat  and  a  Presbyterian,  a  man  of 
public  spirit,  especially  devoted  to  the  common  schools,  for  many  years  a 
school  commissioner  and  long  an  elder  in  his  church.  He  was  held  in  high 
esteem  by  his  fellow  citizens,  and  died  regretted  by  all  who  knew  him.  His 
children,  all  born  in  Pennsylvania,  were  as  follows.  Mary  E. ;  Lobana  C. ; 
Jonathan  L. ;  Johanna,  who  died  in  Pennsylvania,  aged  eight  years;  Alvar- 
etta;  James  P.,  who  died  in  Pennsylvania,  aged  six  years;  Christopher  T.; 
John  E. ;  and  William  C.  Mary  E.  was  the  only  one  of  the  surviving  chil- 
dren of  Mr.  Whitesel  who  did  not  come  west  with  him.  She  had  married 
Isaac  Wible  and  located  in  Pennsylvania. 

Jonas  Waters  and  his  wife  settled  in  Mazon  township,  in  1872,  on  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  which  Mr.  Waters  rented.  They  removed 
to  their  farm  in  Maine  township,  March  8,  1876.  The  place  then  consisted 
of  eighty-six  acres  under  considerable  improvement.  By  hard  work  and 
good  management  Mr.  Waters  has  added  to  his  acreage  until  it  has  ex- 
panded to  three  hundred  and  twenty-nine  acres.  In  1895  he  built  a  tasteful 
two-story  residence,  wdiich  bears  many  evidences  of  refinement  and  is  one 
of  the  model  homes  of  the  township.  In  all  the  years  of  struggle  which 
have  thus  brought  their  substantial  reward  to  Mr.  Waters  he  has  been  ably 
assisted  by  his  faithful  and  helpful  wife,  who  has  proven  herself  a  helpmeet 
to  him  in  the  best  sense  of  the  term.  Recently  Mr.  Waters  has  erected  a 
very  pleasant  residence  in  the  village  of  Mazon,  and  is  now  living  retired 
there,  enjoying  the  rest  which  he  has  truly  earned  and  richly  deserves. 

Mr.  Waters  is  a  prominent  Republican  and  a  member  of  the  Repub- 
lican central  committee  of  Grundy  county.  He  was  for  three  years  town 
trustee,  is  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  has  been  for  thirteen  years  a  member 
of  the  district  school  board.  His  interest  in  education  impels  him  to  do 
everything  in  his  power  to  improve  the  standard  of  the  public  schools.  He 
has  won  the  success  of  the  self-made  man  and  has  a  right  to  be  proud  of 
what  he  has  achieved.  No  man  in  his  township  has  a  higher  reputation  for 
uprightness  and  integrity  and  all  of  the  other  attributes  of  the  good  and 
useful  citizen.  He  began  the  battle  of  life  aggressively  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
and  has  fought  a  tireless  and  winning  fight. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jonas  Waters  have  two  sons, — Clarence  B.,  born  May 


49°  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

27,  1876,  and  Ollin  W..  born  March  8,  1889,  and  they  brought  up  from  child- 
hood Mrs.  Waters'  niece.  Clara  A.  Whitesel,  daughter  of  Lobana  C.  White- 
sel.  whom  they  educated  and  treated  in  every  respect  as  if  she  had  been  their 
own  daughter,  and  who  is  now  the  wife  of  William  Spence,  a  well-known 
Grundy  county  farmer.  Their  home  is  a  pleasant  one,  characterized  by 
refinement,  and  is  presided  over  by  Mrs.  Waters  in  a  manner  well  calculated 
to  impress  the  visitor  with  its  generous  hospitality. 

It  will  be  interesting  in  this  connection  to  note  something  of  the  history 
of  Clarence  Waters,  who  is  now  operating  the  farm  belonging  to  his  father, 
Jonas  W'aters.  He  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof,  enjoying  such  privi- 
leges, opportunities  and  pleasures  as  are  usually  afforded  to  farmer  lads. 
He  was  married  January  25,  1900,  in  Norman  township,  Grundy  county,  to 
Miss  Jessie  May  Renne,  and  thus  became  connected  with  another  of  the 
old  and  distinguished  pioneer  families.  Her  grandfather  is  one  of  the  few 
remaining  pioneers  of  Grundy  county,  his  residence  here  dating  from  1848. 
He  was  born  March  11,  1812,  at  Cairo,  Greene  county.  New  York,  son  of 
James  and  Sarah  (Smith)  Renne.  His  father  was  the  son  of  John  Renne, 
who  was  twice  married,  his  second  wife  being  Miss  EfYie  W'ood.  John 
Renne  was  born  in  1735,  in  Rennes.  France.  He  and  his  two  brothers 
crossed  the  Atlantic  to  Canada  at  an  early  day.  The  brothers  afterward 
returned  to  France,  and  it  was  reported  that  they  were  drowned.  John 
Renne  was  captured  in  1759  in  the  war  against  France  and  brought  to  Con- 
necticut. He  settled  at  Tower  Hill,  in  Dutchess  county.  New  York, 
locating  on  a  farm,  and  later  removed  with  a  company  of  pioneers  to  Greene 
county.  New  York,  making  the  journey  with  ox  carts.  There  he  developed 
a  new  farm.  He  had  three  children, — Samuel,  Peter  and  Sally, — by  his 
first  wife.  Tlie  mother  died  in  Connecticut,  and  he  afterward  wedded  Miss 
Efifie  W^ood,  their  children  being  James.  John,  Richard,  Stephen,  Polly, 
Phoebe,  Susan  and  Lucy.  John  Renne  died  and  is  buried  in  Greene  county, 
New  York.  He  owned  there  two  hundred  acres  of  land  and  was  a  substan- 
tial agriculturist  and  an  upright  citizen.  For  many  years  he  served  as  a 
deacon  in  the  Presbyterian  church  and  died  in  that  faith.  May  14,  1822. 

James  Renne,  great-grandfather  of  Mrs.  Waters,  was  born  at  Tower 
Hill.  New  York,  in  1773,  and  during  his  early  boyhood  accompanied  his 
parents  to  Greene  county,  that  state,  where  he  became  a  farmer.  He  in- 
herited a  portion  of  the  old  homestead  and  purchased  the  remainder.  He 
married  Miss  Sally  Smith,  of  Greene  county,  and  their  children  were  Smith, 
Horace,  Justin,  James.  George,  Eleanor,  Effie,  Emeline,  Lucy  A.  and  Sarah 
J.  Mr.  Renne  resided  on  his  farm  in  Greene  county  until  his  death  in  1830. 
He  was  a  man  of  sterling  worth  and  greatly  respected.  He  held  the  office 
of  justice  of  the  peace  for  several  years  and  was  the  administrator  of  several 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  491 

estates.  He  was  frequently  called  upon  to  arbitrate  difficulties,  for  his  jus- 
tice was  one  of  his  strongest  characteristics.  For  forty  years  his  decisions 
as  justice  of  the  peace  were  not  reversed.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  legal 
attainments  and  acquired  his  success  through  his  own  efforts.  He  owned  a 
good  farm  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres  and  his  capable  manage- 
ment of  his  farming  operations  brought  to  him  a  comfortable  competence. 

Justin  Renne,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Waters,  obtained  a  good  edu- 
cation, pursuing  a  high  school  course.  He  was  reared  to  the  work  of  the 
farm,  but  for  a  time  followed  the  sea  and  later  worked  at  tanning,  stone- 
cutting  and  bridge  building.  He  also  engaged  in  boating  on  the  Hudson 
river  when  a  young  man.  He  was  married  in  Greene  county,  New  York, 
October  3,  1837,  to  Miss  Maria  Hinchman,  who  was  born  at  Rhinebeck, 
Dutchess  county,  New  York,  August  23,  1809,  a  daughter  of  Obadiah 
Hinchman.  Her  father  was  of  English  descent,  was  born  in  Long  Island, 
was  a  mechanic  by  trade  and  died  in  the  Empire  state.  His  children  were 
William.  ]\Iaria,  Jane.  John.  Alfred.  Sarah  and  Elizabeth.  After  their  mar- 
riage Mr.  and  INIrs.  Justin  Renne  located  on  the  old  Renne  homestead,  a 
part  of  which  he  inherited.  There  they  resided  until  their  emigration  west- 
ward. He  engaged  in  business  as  a  stone-mason,  did  much  bridge-building 
and  became  a  very  skillful  mechanic,  taking  many  contracts  for  the  stone- 
work on  bridges  along  the  line  of  the  New  York  and  New  Haven  Railroad, 
receiving  as  high  as  four  dollars  per  day  for  his  services,  which  was  con- 
sidered excellent  wages  at  that  time.  In  1848  he  removed  to  Illinois,, 
making  the  journey  by  way  of  the  Hudson  river,  the  Erie  canal  and  Lake 
Erie  to  Detroit,  thence  by  Lake  Michigan  to  Chicago.  He  first  settled  in 
that  city,  but  did  no  business  there.  In  June,  1848,  he  came  by  way  of 
the  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal  to  Morris  on  the  first  boat  that  ran  through 
to  Rock  Island.  In  July  he  located  upon  the  present  farm,  then  a  tract  of 
wild  land,  and  on  the  14th  of  September,  1849,  purchased  the  property, 
consisting  of  one  hundred  acres,  which  he  has  transformed  into  a  very 
fertile  and  valuable  tract.  He  was  one  of  the  early  constables  of  Grundy 
county,  and  served  in  that  capacity  from  1849  until  1876.  He  was  also 
the  first  supervisor  of  \'ienna  township,  hokling  the  position  for  eight  vears 
after  its  organization.  He  is  a  man  of  excellent  judgment  and  much  natural 
ability,  and  has  long  been  regarded  as  one  of  the  valued  citizens  and  honored 
pioneers  of  Grundy  county.  In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Democrat.  His 
children  are  Ferdinand,  George,  Jerome,  Isabel,  Douglass  and  Horace,  all 
born  in  the  Empire  state. 

George  C.  Renne,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Clarence  B.  Waters,  and  a  son  ol 
Justin  Renne.  was  born  in  New  York.  February  23,  1840,  and  was  about 
eight  years  old  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Illinois,  where  he  was 


492  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

reared  upon  the  pioneer  farm.  He  acquired  a  common-school  education, 
and  during  the  civil  war  he  joined  the  army  as  a  private  in  Compan}^  D, 
Seventy-second  Illinois  Infantry,  with  which  he  served  for  three  years.  He 
participated  in  a  number  of  battles,  including  the  siege  of  Vicksburg.  Be- 
coming disabled,  he  was  in  the  hospital  for  a  time  and  never  fully  recovered, 
but  rejoined  his  regiment  and  again  took  part  in  active  service.  After  the 
war  he  returned  to  Grundy  county  and  was  married  November  5,  1867,  in 
Norman  township,  to  Harriet  M.  Allen,  who  was  born  in  New  Hampshire, 
May  II,  1846,  a  daughter  of  Rodney  Allen.  They  have  two  children, — 
Lorena  E.,  who  was  born  September  23,  1870,  and  Jessie  M.,  born  July  24, 
1873.  The  former  was  married  February  2,  1898,  to  George  W.  Smith,  a 
hardware  merchant  at  Smithshire,  Illinois.  The  latter  is  the  wife  of  Clar- 
ence B.  Waters.  Mr.  Renne  still  resides  upon  his  farm  and  is  a  progressive 
agriculturist  of  the  community.  His  wife  and  daughter  are  members  of 
the  Universalist  church,  and  the  family  is  one  of  prominence  in  the  commu- 
nity. In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  has  served  in  several  town- 
ship offices,  including  that  of  township  clerk.  He  was  a  very  loyal  soldier 
during  the  war  of  the  rebellion  and  is  a  highly  respected  citizen.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Clarence  B.  Waters  reside  upon  the  old  Waters  homestead,  for  his 
parents  are  living  in  Mazon,  where  his  father,  Jonas  Waters,  has  recently 
erected  a  tasteful,  modern  residence.  He  purchased  seven  lots  there  and  is 
now  spending  his  days  in  quiet  retirement  from  business,  while  his  son 
Clarence  operates  the  home  fami.  managing  affairs  with  signal  ability. 


ALLEN   F.   :\IALLORY. 


If  those  who  claim  that  fortune  has  favored  certain  individuals  above 
others  w'ill  but  investigate  the  cause  of  success  and  failure,  it  will  be  found 
that  the  former  is  largely  due  to  the  improvement  of  opportunity,  the  latter 
to  the  neglect  of  it.  Fortunate  environments  encompass  nearly  ever}"  man  at 
some  stage  in  his  career,  but  the  strong  man  and  the  successful  man  is  he 
who  realizes  that  the  proper  moment  has  come,  that  the  present  and  not  the 
future  holds  his  opportunity.  The  man  who  makes  use  of  the  Now  and  not 
the  To  Be  is  the  one  who  passes  on  the  highway  of  life  others  who  started 
out  ahead  of  him  and  reaches  the  goal  of  prosperity  far  in  advance  of  them. 
It  is  this  quality  in  Mr.  Mallorj-  that  has  made  him  a  leader  in  the  business 
world  and  won  him  a  name  in  connection  with  the  hotel  interests  that  is 
known  throughout  the  state. 

Mr.  Mallory  was  born  in  Ohio  City,  now  West  Qeveland,  Ohio,  on  the 
6th  of  November.  1840,  opening  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  in  the  family 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  493 

home  on  Pearl  street.  His  parents  were  Hiram  and  Plioebe  (Hall)  iNIal- 
\oT\.  In  the  "rocked-ribbed"  countr}-  of  Wales  the  family  originated,  the 
ancestry  being  traced  back  to  Bigor  Mallory,  who  came  from  Wales  to 
America,  locating  in  Connecticut.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
Isaac  Mallory,  a  native  also  of  that  state,  whence  he  removed  to  Chautau- 
qua county.  New  York.  Hiram  ]Mallory,  the  father  of  Allen  F.,  was  born 
in  Chautauqua  county,  and  afterward  removed  westward  to  Ohio.  He 
was  eighteen  }-ears  of  age  when  he  left  the  parental  fireside  and  started  out 
in  life  on  his  own  account.  Making  his  way  to  Cleveland,  he  there  gained 
his  first  experience  in  connection  with  the  operation  of  canal  boats.  He 
became  the  general  passenger  agent  for  the  boats  plying  on  the  Ohio  canal, 
and  was  holding  that  position  when,  by  reason  of  the  introduction  of  rail- 
roads, the  canal  boat  business  became  unprofitable  and  was  suspended.  He 
had  been  a  resident  of  Cleveland  but  a  short  time  when  he  returned  to  New 
York,  and  there  married  Phoebe  Hall,  who  was  born  in  Westfield,  of  the 
Empire  state,  and  was  of  English  lineage.  She  lived  only  three  years  after 
her  marriage.  Her  health  failing  her,  ]Mr.  Mallory  took  her  back  to  her 
native  town,  hoping  that  she  would  be  benefited  thereby,  but  her  death  oc- 
curred in  1848.  She  left  three  children:  Allen  F.;  Frank,  of  Nebraska; 
and  Viola,  now  the  wife  of  F.  H.  Green,  of  Chicago.  All  were  born  in  West 
Cleveland,  Ohio.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  the  father  married  Jean- 
ette  Barnes,  who  died  in  Morris  in  1854.  In  the  same  year  he  wedded  Mrs. 
Hannah  Howard,  a  sister  of  the  late  Judge  W.  Hopkins.  She  was  the  first 
milliner  of  Morris,  and  the  old  shop  which  she  occupied  is  still  standing,  just 
opposite  the  Hotel  Commercial.  She  is  still  living,  her  home  being  now-  in 
Chicago. 

Hiram  ]\Iallory  became  a  resident  of  Morris  in  1852.  He  had  but 
recently  met  with  financial  reverses  in  Cleveland  and  came  to  this  city  a 
poor  man.  Not  long  afterward  he  became  interested  in  canal-boating, 
which  he  followed  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  also  engaged  in  farming 
and  grain  dealing.  For  several  years  he  bought  grain  in  the  old  "red  ware- 
house" on  Canal  street,  and  was  a  very  energetic  and  enterprising  man.  He 
met  with  several  reverses  in  his  business  career,  yet  at  the  time  of  his  death 
he  was  the  possessor  of  a  comfortable  competence.  His  life  was  honorable, 
his  disposition  genial,  and  he  won  the  respect  and  friendship  of  all  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact.  Socially  he  was  a  Mason.  His  political  rela- 
tions were  necessarily  changed  as  new  issues  arose  before  the  people,  and 
after  giving  his  support  to  the  ^^'hig  party  for  a  time  he  became  a  stanch 
Abolitionist.  When  the  Republican  party  was  formed  to  prevent  the  fur- 
ther extension  of  slaver}'  he  joined  its  ranks  and  was  one  of  its  loyal  sup- 
porters until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Morris  in  1872.     At  his  death 


494  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

the  community  lost  one  of  its  best  citizens,  for  he  had  been  an  important 
factor  in  the  commercial  life  of  the  community,  and  was  at  all  times  loyal  to 
the  best  interests  of  the  place. 

Allen  F.  Mallory,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  has  had  a  check- 
ered career,  and  yet  by  determined  purpose  he  has  worked  his  way  upward 
and  now  occupies  a  leading  position  amonsf  the  prominent  business  men  of 
Morris.  He  was  only  eig^ht  years  of  age  when  his  mother  died.  He  spent 
the  five  succeeding  years  in  Ohio  and  then  came  to  Morris,  where  he  received 
the  motherl)^  attention  of  his  father's  third  wife,  a  most  excellent  woman. 
His  education  was  obtained  in  the  public  schools,  but  his  pri\ileges  were 
somewhat  limited,  for  soon  after  his  arrival  in  this  city  he  entered  the  print- 
ing ofifice  of  the  Morris  Yeoman,  the  first  paper  printed  in  the  town.  After 
working  at  the  trade  for  ten  months  he  was  taken  ill.  suffering  an  attack  of 
typhoid  fever.  Upon  recovery  he  resumed  work  in  the  ottice,  but  about  six 
months  later  was  again  ill  with  the  same  disease.  This  ended  his  experi- 
ence in  connection  with  journalistic  interests.  In  later  life  he  had  a  third 
attack  of  typhoid  fever,  a  most  unusual  occurrence,  but  what  is  more  re- 
markable his  health  was  not  impaired  beyond  the  time  the  fever  lasted.  On 
leaving  the  printing  ofifice  Mr.  Mallon,-  secured  a  position  in  a  machine  shop, 
where  he  was  employed  for  a  year,  after  which  he  spent  one  year  as  a  clerk 
in  the  grocery  store  of  M.  R.  Keller.  In  the  spring  of  1861  he  became  con- 
nected with  canal-boating,  but  when  hostilities  were  inaugurated  between 
the  north  and  south  he  put  aside  all  personal  considerations  and  enterefl  the 
Union  service. 

In  Chicago,  in  the  old  ■'^^'igwam■'  building  in  which  Lincoln  was  first 
nominated  for  the  presidency,  was  organized,  in  July,  1861,  the  Chicago 
Light  Artillery  Company,  commanded  by  Captain  Busteed.  It  was  this 
company  which  Mr.  Mallory  joined,  and  A\-ith  his  command  went  to  A\'ash- 
ington.  District  of  Columbia,  where  they  were  armed  and  drilled;  but  the 
war  department  discovered  some  questionable  conduct  on  the  part  of  the 
ofificers  of  the  Chicago  Light  Artillery,  which,  in  consequence,  was  dis- 
banded. The  privates,  however,  were  given  the  privilege  of  joining  any 
convenient  regiment.  The  First  New  York  Infantrj'  reached  Washington 
at  that  time  and  the  private  soldiers  from  Grundy  county,  thirty-five  in 
number,  joined  Battery  B,  First  Regiment  of  Light  Artillery,  New  York 
Volunteers.  Mr.  Mallor}-  became  a  member  of  Battery  B,  and  was  mus- 
tered in  as  a  bugler.  September  9,  1861,  for  a  tenn  of  three  years.  On  the 
22(1  of  February".  1864,  he  veteranized  and  was  again  enrolled  in  the  same 
batter}-  to  serve  three  years  or  during  the  war,  being  discharged  at  Elmira, 
New  York,  June  18.  1865,  after  hostilities  had  ceased.  Robert  E.  Rogers, 
then  the  captain  of  his  company,  on  signing  his  discharge,  placed  upon  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  495 

paper  the  following:  "Allen  F.  Mallon-  is  an  excellent  and  trustworthy  sol- 
dier. He  has  participated  in  the  following;  hattles :  Fair  Oaks.  \'irg-inia, 
June  I,  1862;  battles  in  front  of  Richmond.  \'irginia,  June  i  to  June  29; 
Peach  Orchard,  Virginia,  June  29,  1862:  Savage  Station,  Virginia,  June  29; 
White  Oak  Swamp,  June  30;  Malvern  Plill.  July  i;  Second  Bull  Run,  Au- 
gust 30;  Antietam,  Maryland,  September  17;  Fredericksburg,  Virginia, 
December  11-13,  1862;  Chancellorsville.  Virginia,  ]\Iay  i,  2,  3,  1863;  Gettys- 
burg, July  I,  2,  3,  1863:  Mine  Run,  November  30,  1863;  \\'ilderness,  Vir- 
ginia. ]\Iay  5,  6,  1864;  Spottsylvania  Court  House,  May  18,  1864;  North 
Anna  River,  May  23;  Bethesda  Church,  June  i :  Cold  Harbor,  June  3;  Peters- 
burg, June  17  to  August  16;  W'eldon  Railroad,  Virginia,  August  18,  19,  21, 
1864;  and  all  battles  from  March  28  to  the  surrender  of  Lee's  army  April 
9,  1865.  At  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  Mr.  Mallon,-  was  wounded  in  the  head. 
He  was  sent  to  the  hospital  in  Wilmington.  Delaware,  but  three  months 
later  rejoined  his  command.  He  was  a  valiant  soldier,  always  loyal  to  the 
old  flag  and  the  cause  it  represented,  and  on  many  a  southern  battle-field  he 
displayed  great  braver}-.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  fifth  Grand 
Army  post  in  the  United  States,  but  on  account  of  political  struggles  this 
post  was  relieved  of  its  charter,  and  he  is  now  a  member  of  Dar%-eaux  Post, 
of  Morris. 

While  in  the  army  Mr.  Mallory  sent  money  back  home,  and  with  this 
his  father  purchased  a  canal-boat.  Upon  his  return  in  July,  1865.  he  took 
charge  of  the  boat,  which  he  conducted  through  a  season  and  then  began 
working  in  Morris.  The  following  spring  he  again  took  charge  of  the  boat, 
but  in  June  he  sold  it  and  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  engaged  in  the  gro- 
cery business,  at  No.  61  Milwaukee  avenue,  under  the  firm  name  of  A.  F. 
Mallorv'  &  Brother.  For  a  year  he  conducted  that  store,  and  then  again 
engaged  in  canal-boating  for  a  short  time.  In  November,  1867,  he  pur- 
chased a  grocer}'  stock  in  Chicago,  shipped  it  to  IMorris,  and  for  eighteen 
years  was  one  of  the  successful  grocery  merchants  of  this  city,  enjoying  a 
large  and  profitable  trade.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  went  to 
Kankakee,  Illinois,  where  he  purchased  a  hotel  and  conducted  it  four  years. 
He  still  owns  and  manages  the  Hotel  Commercial  at  Kankakee,  an  excellent 
hostelry  supplied  with  all  modern  improvements.  In  1889  he  purchased 
the  old  Hanna  &  LeRoy  business  block  in  Morris,  remodeled  it  and  con- 
verted it  into  a  modern  hotel  of  fifty  rooms.  This  was  opened  on  the  31st 
of  December,  1889.  It  also  is  called  by  the  name  of  Hotel  Commercial,  as 
is  the  Kankakee  house.  Each  contains  fifty  rooms,  and  both  hotels  are 
successfully  managed  by  ^Ir.  ^Mallory  and  his  wife,  v.'ho,  like  him,  possesses 
excellent  business  ability.  In  this  connection  our  subject  has  become 
known  throughout  the  state.     He   has  the  genial  disposition  and   kindly 


496  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

manner  so  necessary  to  a  successful  hotel  proprietor,  and  with  a  sincere  in- 
terest in  the  comfort  and  welfare  of  his  guests  he  has  so  conducted  his  hotel 
as  to  win  a  large  support  from  the  traveling  public. 

Mrs.  Mallor\'  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Hanna  Hopkins.  She  is  a 
niece  of  \V.  T.  Hopkins,  by  whom  she  was  reared.  Their  marriage  was 
celebrated  in  1865,  and  they  now  have  three  living  children:  William  H., 
Annie  and  George.  Another  son,  Nobbie,  died  at  the  age  of  six  years. 
Mrs.  Mallor}'  is  a  lady  of  great  force  of  character,  and  to  her  able  manage- 
ment and  wise  counsel  Mr.  Mallory  contributes  not  a  little  of  his  success. 

Our  subject  is  an  active  Mason.  In  politics  he  is  an  ardent  Republican, 
but  has  never  sought  or  desired  the  honors  or  emoluments  of  public  office. 
In  his  business  career  he  has  met  with  the  success  which  comes  as  the  re- 
ward of  earnest  purpose  and  well-laid  plans,  carefully  executed.  He  has 
met  with  many  difificulties,  but  has  overcome  these  by  unfaltering  industry, 
and  to-day  is  known  as  one  of  the  most  substantial  as  well  as  one  of  the 
most  valued  citizens  of  Grundy  county.  The  straightforward  methods  he 
has  always  followed  commend  him.  to  the  confidence  of  his  fellow  men,  and 
have  made  him  well  worthy  the  trust  reposed  in  him.  His  many  excellencies 
of  character  have  gained  him  a  large  circle  of  friends,  and  he  well  deserves 
honorable  mention  in  connection  with  the  historv  of  ^lorris. 


MILTON     S.     DEWEY, 


Milton  S.  Dewey  is  an  enterprising  grain  merchant  of  Mazon.  where 
he  successfully  controls  a  large  and  extensive  business  that  brings  to  him 
excellent  financial  returns.  He  has  been  the  architect  of  his  own  fortune 
and  has  builded  wisely  and  well,  the  foundation  of  his  prosperity  being- 
indefatigable  labor.  The  spirit  of  self-help  is  the  source  of  all  genuine  worth, 
and  depending  upon  his  own  efforts  and  placing  his  reliance  in  the  substan- 
tial qualities  of  energy  and  perseverance,  he  has  steadily  worked  his  way 
upward. 

I\Ir.  Dewey  was  born  in  Boonville,  Oneida  county.  New  York,  June  i, 
1855,  and  is  a  son  of  Sylvester  H.  and  Melissa  A.  (Fisk)  Dewey.  It  is  be- 
lieved that  the  family  is  of  French  lineage,  but  the  line  of  descent  in  America 
is  authentic,  being  easily  traced  back  to  Thomas  Dewey,  the  oldest  son  of 
Thomas,  the  founder,  who  sailed  from  Sandwich,  England,  for  the  New 
World.     For  genealogy  see  sketch  of  Sylvester  H.  Dewey. 

Sylvester  Har\-ey  Dewey,  the  father  of  our  subject,  is  a  resident  of 
Grundy  county  and  is  represented  on  another  page  of  this  work.  His  son, 
Milton  S.,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  about  four  months  of 


\Jhj^yt^av\y  jl    /)x^ty^ 


c/Ho^>i^/e>->U^     tyVi         ^>,X<x^iC^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  497 

.  .  il 

age  when  brought  by  his  parents  to  Illinois  in  1855.  He  obtained  his  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools  and  also  attended  a  select  high  school  in 
Morris  for  three  winters.  He  early  assisted  in  the  labors  of  the  farm,  and 
began  working  for  himself  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  renting  land  from 
his  father,  to  whom  he  paid  the  same  rental  that  any  one  else  would  have 
done.  For  two  years,  from  1874  until  1876,  he  was  associated  with  his 
father  in  business  in  Morris  as  a  dealer  in  agricultural  implements,  after 
which  he  returned  to  the  farm,  renting  land  in  Mazon  township,  four  miles 
northeast  of  the  village  of  Mazon,  the  tract  comprising  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres.  During  the  six  years  in  which  he  resided  upon  it  he  improved 
it  with  substantial  farm  buildings  and  then  came  to  Mazon,  where  he  em- 
barked in  the  grain  business  in  connection  with  his  father,  Sylvester  H. 
Dewey,  the  partnership  continuing  for  eight  years  and  four  months,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  purchased  his  father's  interest.  He  has  since  been 
numbered  among  the  leading  grain  merchants  of  this  county  and  has  pros- 
pered far  beyond  his  expectations,  yet  his  success  is  the  merited  reward  of  his 
own  labor.  When  he  began  business  the  elevator  was  very  small,  but  his 
increased  trade  demanded  enlarged  facilities,  and  the  present  elevator  is 
five  times  its  original  capacity,  which  was  fifteen  thousand  bushels.  Its 
present  capacity  is  eighty  thousand,  and  it  is  by  far  the  largest  elevator  in 
]\Iazon.  Mr.  Dewey  annually  handles  from  two  to  three  hundred  thousand 
bushels  of  grain,  dealing  mostly  in  corn  and  oats,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
extensive  buyers  in  this  part  of  the  county.  He  is  also  the  oldest  grain 
merchant  in  Mazon,  his  connection  with  this  branch  of  business  covering  a 
period  of  fourteen  years.  He  is  well  known  in  trade  circles  and  in  the  farm- 
ing community,  and  is  a  man  of  irreproachable  integrity,  very  reliable  in 
all  his  dealings  and  transactions.  His  investments  have  been  judiciously 
made,  and  in  addition  to  the  elevator  in  Mazon  he  owns  eight  hundred  acres 
of  land  in  Sherman  county,  Nebraska,  together  with  seventy  acres  in  Oneida 
county.  New  York,  and  four  hundred  acres  in  Mazon  and  Wauponsee  town- 
ships, Grundy  county.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Dewey  is  a  Republican, 
imfaltering  in  his  advocacy  of  party  principles.  He  has  held  the  office  of 
justice  of  the  peace  for  fifteen  years,  and  his  decisions  are  strictly  fair  and 
impartial,  his  judgments  being  unbiased  by  fear  or  favor.  He  was  for  eigh- 
teen years  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  has  served  as  its  president.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  connected  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  of  Mazon,  in  which  he 
has  held  the  ofifice  of  prelate. 

On  the  27th  of  February,  1878,  in  Wauponsee  township,  Grundy 
county,  Mr.  Dewey  was  united  in  marriage  to  Margaret  M.  Dewey,  who 
was  born  March  17,  1858,-  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Whitlock) 
Dewey.     She  is  also  descended  from  Thomas  Dewey,  the  original  American 


498  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

■■  -  ■  5 
emigrant  in  this  country,  and  to  our  subject  and  his  wife  have  l^een  born 
seven  children,  namely:  Melissa,  December  7,  1879;  Henry  Eugene,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1882:  Mabel,  November  8,  1884:  Flora  May,  June  2,  1886;  William 
Arthur,  May  30,  1888;  Alice  Estella,  February  21,  1892;  and  Ernest  Adel- 
bert,  who  was  born  January  15.  1896,  and  died  on  the  7th  of  January,  1897. 

It  will  be  interesting  in  this  connection  to  note  the  line  of  descent  from 
Thomas  Dewey  to  Mrs.  Dewey,  for  we  have  before  traced  the  line  from 
the  same  ancestors  to  our  subject.  Jedediah  Dewey,  youngest  son  of 
Thomas,  the  founder,  was  born  December  15,  1647,  married  Sarah  Orton, 
and  died  November  20,  171 1.  Their  son.  Daniel,  was  born  in  March,  1680, 
and  died  in  17 17.  He  was  married  September  17,  1706,  to  Catherine  Beck- 
ley,  and  they  had  two  children,  one  of  whom  was  Daniel  Dewey,  Jr.,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  1707.  He  was  married  in  1732  to  Rebecca  Curtis  and 
had  five  children,  including  David  Dewey,  who  was  born  March  16,  1732, 
and  died  in  August,  1814.  He  was  married  in  1755,  to  Esther  Dunham,  and 
they  had  six  children.  One  of  the  number  was  again  named  Daniel  Dewey, 
and  he  became  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Milton  S.  Dewey.  Her  father  was 
Joseph  Dewey,  and  thus  the  line  of  descent  is  traced  down. 

Daniel  Dewey,  her  grandfather,  was  born  in  1773  and  became  a  miner, 
working  in  iron  mines.  Although  not  an  enlisted  soldier,  he  participated  in 
the  battle  of  Lake  Champlain  in  the  war  of  181 2  and  was  always  known  as 
a  patriotic  citizen.  He  married  Lucretia  Pangburn  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  twelve  children,  namely :  Polly,  Betsy,  Rhocla,  Eliza,  Amos, 
Sallie,  Moses,  Phoebe,  Fannie,  John.  Jane  and  Joseph.  The  father  of  these 
children  died  in  Washington  county.  New  York,  when  about  seventy  years 
of  age.  He  and  his  wife  and  most  of  their  children  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  church.  She  was  a  daughter  of  John  Pangburn,  one  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary heroes. 

Joseph  Dewey,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Milton  S.  Dewey,  was  born  in  \\'ash- 
ington  county,  New  York,  September  30,  1825,  and  died  March  5,  1892. 
He  was  married  January  29,  1852,  to  Sarah  Whitlock,  a  daughter  of  William 
W.  Whitlock.  She  was  born  in  Washington  county,  New  York,  January 
^5>  1835.  After  their  marriage  Joseph  Dewey  and  his  wife  located  on  a 
farm  in  Washington  county.  New  York,  but  subsequently  he  sold  that 
property  and  in  i860  removed  to  Illinois,  taking  up  his  abode  in  Norman 
township,  Grundy  county.  After  eighteen  years  he  removed  to  Wauponsee 
township  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land,  which  had  been  improved  to 
some  extent.  There  he  made  a  good  home  and  farm,  his  death  occurring 
there  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years.  In  politics  he  was  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican and  in  religious  belief  a  Methodist.  An  industrious  man  of  sterling 
worth,  he  was  highly  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  499 

His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Sarali  W'hitlock,  was  a  daughter 
of  W'iUiam  and  Nancy  (Dugan)  Whitlock.  Her  father  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington county.  New  York,  in  the  town  of  Day,  about  1818,  and  was  of 
Pennsylvania  Dutch  Hneage.  By  trade  lie  was  a  stone-mason,  and  also 
followed  agricultural  pursuits.  In  his  native  county  he  married  Nancy 
Dugan,  a  daughter  of  Arthur  and  Sallie  Dugan.  Mr.  Whitlock  worked  at 
his  trade  of  a  stone-mason  in  the  town  of  Day,  Washington  county.  New 
York,  for  many  years.  There  his  wife  died  when  about  sixty-two  years 
of  age.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  a  woman  of 
many  virtues.  Mr.  Whitlock  also  belonged  to  that  church.  Their  children 
were:  Sarah,  born  January  15,  1835;  William  J.,  born  June  5,  1837;  Jane, 
born  June  25.  1839:  and  Arthur,  born  July  4.  1841.  After  the  death  of  his 
first  wife  Mr.  Whitlock  was  again  married,  Jeanette  Gorley  being  the  lady 
of  his  choice.  She  was  born  in  Scotland  and  when  seventeen  years  of  age 
she  came  to  America,  where  she  engaged  in  school-teaching.  After  his 
second  marriage  Mr.  Whitlock  purchased  a  farm  in  \Vashington  county, 
New  York,  and  there  made  his  home  until  his  retirement  from  active  busi- 
ness life,  when  he  took  u])  his  abode  in  Salem,  New  York. 
There  he  died  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  Joseph  Dewey  and 
his  wife  were  the  parents  of  the  following  named:  Nancy  R.,  born  January 
10,  1853;  Mary,  June  6,  1856:  Margaret  M.,  March  14,  1858:  William  John, 
April  7.  i860;  Annie  L.,  February  17,  1862;  Amos  Arthur,  September  21, 
1865;  Jennie  H.,  February  6,  1869;  Estella,  August  22,  1871;  and  Lizzie, 
August  18,  1874.  All  are  yet  living  and  all  are  married  with  the  exception  of 
Estella,  who  makes  her  home  with  her  mother.  After  the  death  of  her  first 
husband  Mrs.  Dewey  became  the  wife  of  Delos  W^right,  and  with  him  is 
now  living  in  Grundy  county.  She  possesses  a  remarkable  memory  and 
furnished  nearly  all  of  the  facts  for  these  records  of  Daniel  and  Joseph  Dewey 
and  of  the  Whitlock  family. 


JOSEPH    ASHTON. 

Joseph  Ashton,  who  passed  to  his  reward  February  27,  1897,  was  for 
about  half  a  century  numbered  among  the  representative  citizens  of  Grundy 
county.  Coming  here  in  pioneer  days,  he  thenceforth  was  intimately  asso- 
ciated with  the  upbuilding  and  development  of  this  section  of  the  state,  and 
never  failed  to  do  his  entire  duty  as  a  loyal,  patriotic  American,  upholding 
the  law  and  good  government,  and  using  his  influence  for  the  maintenance 
of  excellent  schools,  churches  and  all  institutions  which  benefit  a  commu- 
Tiity. 


500  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

His  father,  John  Ashton,  was  a  native  of  England,  and  at  an  early  age- 
he  was  left  an  orphan,  to  struggle  with  life's  problems  as  well  as  he  could. 
He  was  bound  out  to  learn  the  trade  of  hatter,  and  followed  that  calling 
for  some  years  in  the  British  Isle.  At  length  he  determined  to  seek  a  home 
and  fortune  in  the  United  States,  and  soon  after  arriving  in  Philadelphia 
he  obtained  a  position  as  foreman  in  a  large  factory  where  cloth  was  manu- 
factured. This  responsible  place  he  continued  to  fill  acceptably  for  several 
years,  and  in  1850  he  came  west  to  Illinois.  Locating  upon  a  good  farm  in 
Kendall  county,  he  remained  there,  occupied  in  the  cultivation  of  the  place 
until  his  death  in  1878.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  w^as  Betsy  Shaw,  had 
departed  this  life  about  a  year  previously,  in  1877. 

The  birth  of  Joseph  Ashton  occurred  in  Delaware  county,  Pennsylvania, 
in  1829,  and  he  was  reared  in  the  Quaker  City.  There  he  found  employ- 
ment as  a  weaver  in  the  facton'  where  his  father  was  foreman,  and  continued 
industriously  engaged  in  this  trade  until  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age.  In 
185 1  he  concluded  to  come  to  Illinois,  and  for  three  years  after  his  arrival 
here  he  carried  on  farming  in  Nettle  Creek  township,  Grundy  county.  He 
then  purchased  a  homestead  in  Wauponsee  township,  and  devoted  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  to.  its  improvement  and  cultivation,  meeting  with  success 
in  his  laudable  ambition.  He  had  no  aspirations  to  publicity  and  prefen-ed 
the  quiet  of  the  home  circle  and  the  society  of  his  own  family,  though  he  was 
friendly  and  kind  to  all  of  his  acquaintances  and  ever  ready  to  lend  to  them 
a  helping  hand.  Politically  he  was  a  Republican,  believing  finnly  in  the  su- 
periority of  his  party.  His  life  was  well  rounded  and  complete,  his  chief 
ambitions  fulfilled  and  his  duties  nobly  done,  when  he  was  called  upon  to 
lay  aside  his  burdens.  He  is  sur\-ived  by  his  devoted  wife,  Mrs.  Rachel 
(Hager)  Ashton,  who  was  born  in  Illinois,  June  12,  1844,  and  is  making  a 
home  for  her  two  sons.     Her  only  daughter,  Sarah  Levina.  is  deceased. 

William  Ashton,  elder  son  of  our  subject  and  wife,  was  born  in  this 
county,  November  i,  1865,  and  was  reared  in  the  usual  vocations  of  farmers' 
boys.  When  he  arrived  at  a  suitable  age  he  commenced  attending  the  dis- 
trict school,  and  later  it  was  his  privilege  to  pursue  a  three-year  course  in 
the  Morris  Normal.  Then,  returning  to  the  parental  farm,  he  dutifully 
gave  his  time  and  services  to  his  father,  in  the  care  of  the  homestead.  As 
he  was  but  little  more  than  nineteen  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  father's 
death,  unusual  responsibilities  were  necessarily  thrust  upon  him,  but  he 
proved  equal  to  the  task  and  has  won  the  approbation  of  all  for  the  manly 
way  in  which  he  has  discharged  his  duties. 

John  A.  Ashton.  the  younger  son  of  Joseph  and  Rachel  Ashton,  was 
born  December  23,  1870,  on  the  old  homestead  in  Wauponsee  township, 
where  he  is  yet  dwelling  with  his  mother  and  brother.     From  his  youth  he 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  501 

lias  been  accustomed  to  the  routine  of  farm  work,  and  now  he  is  justly  ac- 
counted one  of  the  practical  and  successful  agriculturists  of  the  neighbor- 
hood. With  the  exception  of  one  year,  1885,  when  he  lived  in  the  village 
of  IMorris  in  order  to  attend  school,  his  entire  life  has  been  passed  at  his 
birthplace.  He  possesses  a  good  education  and  is  a  reliable  citizen,  highly 
esteemed  by  the  old  friends  and  acquaintances  of  a  lifetime.  In  company 
with  his  brother  he  carries  on  a  fann  of  one  hundred  and  ninety-eight  acres, 
taking  great  pride  in  keeping  everything  in  an  orderly  manner.  A  modem 
house,  with  all  of  the  essential  conveniences  of  this  decade,  was  erected  by  the 
family  on  the  place  in  1897. 


WILLIAM    GAY. 


The  history  of  Grundy  county  would  be  incomplete  without  the  record 
■of  this  gentleman,  who  is  the  oldest  resident  of  Wauponsee  township.  He 
was  bom  in  Connecticut,  April  20,  1820,  and  is  the  son  of  Robert  and  Julia 
Ann  (Crowell)  Gay,  both  of  whom  were  also  natives  of  the  Nutmeg  state  and 
were  of  English  origin.  The  father  was  a  molder  In-  trade  and  resided  on  a 
small  fann. 

William  Gay  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
state,  and  at  a  very  early  age  was  left  an  orphan.  When  a  youth  of  fifteen 
lie  went  to  Brooklyn  to  learn  the  carpenter  and  joiner's  trade,  remaining  in 
that  city  for  five  years.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  Orange  county.  New 
York,  where  he  followed  his  chosen  vocation  for  three  years  and  then 
started  westward,  eventually  arriving  at  Southport,  Wisconsin.  He  Avas  not 
pleased  with  that  section  of  country,  however,  and  returned  to-  Palmyra, 
Wayne  county.  New  York,  where  he  remained  for  one  season.  At  the  ex- 
piration of  that  period  he  again  came  west,  this  time  making  his  way  to  Chi- 
cago, where  he  became  superintendent  of  the  erection  of  some  large  build- 
ings for  an  extensive  manufacturing  company.  When  that  task  was  com- 
pleted he  secured  a  position  as  overseer  in  the  carpentering  department  in 
the  works  of  Peter  W.  Gates  &  Company,  where  he  continued  for  three 
years.  He  next  went  down  the  Illinois  river  for  the  fimi  of  Munn  &  Scott, 
and  was  engaged  in  the  milling  business,  which  he  followed  for  about  three 
years.  When  that  time  had  passed  he  sold  out  and  came  direct  to  Grundy 
county,  in  1854,  settling  on  a  farm  which  formed  a  part  of  his  present  fine 
homestead.  For  many  years  he  engaged  in  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and  trans- 
formed his  land  into  richly  cultivated  fields  which  yielded  to  him  a  golden 
tribute  for  the  care  and  labor  he  bestowed  upon  them.  He  was  thus  actively 
■connected  with  agricultural  interests  until  1894,  when  he  retired  to  private 


502  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    CEXHALOGICAL   RECORD. 

life.  g:iving  his  farm  over  to  the  management  of  his  son.  He  also  owns  some 
valuable  business  property  in  Morris  and  is  accounted  one  of  the  substantial 
citizens  of  the  community,  a  position  lie  has  attained  as  the  direct  result  of  his 
own  well  directed  efforts. 

In  1856  Mr.  Gay  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Matilda  Gulick, 
a  daughter  of  Adam  and  Anna  (Tecla)  Gulick.  Her  father  was  a  native  of 
Strassburg,  Germany,  and  his  wife  was  born  in  Bailystock,  Poland.  Kirs. 
Gay's  birth  occurred  in  Goshen,  Orange  county.  New  York,  in  1823,  and 
she  was  educated  in  the  village  schools  of  that  town.  They  have  but  one 
child,  Willis  Russell.  ]\Ir.  Gay  is  a  stanch  Republican  in  politics,  but  while 
taking  a  deep  interest  in  the  success  and  growth  of  his  party  he  never  sought 
ot^ce.  His  is  an  honorable  old  age,  in  which  he  receives  the  veneration  and 
respect  which  should  ever  be  accorded  those  of  advanced  yeai^.  His  life 
has  been  industrious  and  upright,  and  in  its  evening  he  can  look  back  over 
the  past  without  regret. 


WILLIS     R.     GAY. 


The  only  son  of  William  and  ]\latnda  Gay,  Willis  R.  Gay  was  born 
April  24,  1858.  in  Wauponsee  township,  where  he  has  spent  his  entire  life. 
The  district  schools  near  the  old  homestead  aft'orded  him  his  preliminary  edu- 
cational privileges,  which  were  supplemented  by  a  course  in  the  high  school 
of  Morris.  On  the  30th  of  September,  1885,  he  married  Miss  Eslie  Brown, 
a  daughter  of  Captain  Edwin  Brown,  of  Kendall  county,  Illinois.  Their 
home  is  blessed  with  the  presence  of  two  children — INIabel  Theressa  and 
Charles  Willis. 

In  1894  Mr.  Gay  assumed  the  management  of  his  father's  farm,  which 
he  has  since  successfully  conducted  and  the  neat  appearance  of  the  well 
tilled  fields  indicates  his  industry  and  his  careful  supervision.  He  is  also 
extensively  engaged  in  stock-raising  and  is  also  well  known  throughout  the 
western  states  as  a  leading  stock-dealer.  He  and  his  father  own  together 
seven  hundred  acres  of  fine  land,  which  is  highly  improved.  Energy  is  per- 
haps his  most  marked  characteristic  and  has  been  a  means  of  giving  him  a 
standing  in  agricultural  circles  second  to  none  in  Grundy  county. 


OBADIAH     XADEN. 


There  is  something  in  the  spirit  of  the  American  government  and  of  the 
American  nation  which  wins  the  loyal  support  of  almost  all  of  its  adopted 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  503 

sons.  Its  freedom  from  monarchical  rule,  its  advantage  for  progress  and 
improvement,  unhampered  by  caste,  seem  to  call  forth  the  best  efforts  of 
those  who  come  here  to  seek  homes;  and,  encouraged  by  the  example  of 
many  self-reliant  and  self-made  men,  they  rise  by  their  own  labors,  becom- 
ing faithful  and  valiant  citizens,  and  often  reaching  positions  of  prominence. 

There  arrived  in  Grundy  county  in  1846  a  young  man  destined  to  win 
success  and  gain  for  himself  an  honorable  name  in  Inisiness  circles.  He 
was  a  native  of  England,  his  birth  occurring  in  Staffordshire,  four  miles 
from  Buckston,  June  5,  1829,  his  parents  being  Samuel  and  Martha  (Millner) 
Naden.  They  had  nine  sons  and  three  daughters,  as  follows :  Noah,  James, 
John,  Samuel,  Thomas,  Isaac,  Henry,  Philip,  Obadiah,  Sarah,  Rebecca  and 
Marv". 

In  1844  John  came  to  the  United  States,  and,  being  well  pleased  with 
the  country  and  the  opportunities  it  offered,  he  wrote  favorable  accounts 
to  his  parents,  who  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  1846,  locating  in  Big  Grove 
township,  Kendall  county.  Illinois.  In  1848  another  son.  Samuel  Naden, 
also  became  a  resident  of  the  United  States.  The  father  settled  four  miles 
from  Lisbon,  and  there  devotefl  his  energies  to  agricultural  pursuits,  but 
was  not  long  permitted  to  enjoy  his  new  home,  his  death  occurring  in  1848. 
His  wife  survived  him  many  years,  passing  away  in  1866.  In  England  the 
entire  family  worked  in  a  print  manufactory.  Obadiah  entered  that  factory 
when  only  six  years  of  age,  and  was  there  employed  until  his  seventeenth 
year,  at  which  time  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  the  United  States.  He 
was  then  capable  of  doing  twentv  different  kinds  of  work  in  the  factory,  but 
he  never  received  more  than  seven  shillings  per  week  in  compensation  for 
his  ser\-ices,  and  other  laborers  in  the  mill  were  as  poorly  paid.  It  is  no 
wonder,  then,  that  the  family  sought  a  home  in  the  new  world,  where  they 
could  earn  better  wages  and  where  advancement  was  more  certain. 

In  this  country  Mr.  Naden,  of  this  review,  has  always  followed  farming. 
He  began  agricultural  pursuits  for  himself  by  working  land  on  shares,  his 
mother  acting  as  his  housekeeper  until  his  marriage  in  1856.  For  four  years 
he  cultivated  rented  land,  and  during  that  time  was  enabled  to  save  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars.  He  also  owned  a  team  and  six  young  colts.  With 
his  money  he  made  a  partial  payment  upon  a  quarter  section  of  fine  farm- 
ing land  in  Plattville,  Kendall  county,  Illinois.  With  characteristic  energy 
he  began  the  development  of  the  farm  and  the  task  of  clearing  it  of  all  in- 
debtedness. His  energv'  and  economy  enabled  him  soon  to  do  this,  and 
prosperity  has  steadily  attended  his  efforts,  so  that  his  financial  resources 
Iiave  increased  and  he  has  added  to  his  farm  until  it  now  comprises  three 
hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  rich  and  valuable  land.  It  is  under  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  the  well  tilled  fields  yielding  to  him  a  golden  tribute  in  return 


504  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

for  the  care  and  labor  he  bestows  upon  it.  He  also  has  a  quarter  section  of 
land  in  Iroquois  county,  Illinois,  and  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in 
Indiana.  He  has  met  with  some  reverses,  but  his  determined  purpose  has 
enabled  him  to  overcome  all  obstacles  and  work  his  way  steadily  upward. 
On  the  14th  of  August,  1881,  a  disastrous  fire  destroyed  all  of  his  barns 
and  considerable  produce  and  grain,  together  with  some  stock  and  farm 
implements,  but  the  following  year  he  erected  new  buildings,  and  soon  after- 
ward gave  his  farm  over  to  the  management  of  his  sons,  since  which  time 
he  has  lived  retired  in  Morris. 

In  1856  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Naden  and  Miss  Jane  Green, 
who  was  born  in  Liverpool,  England.  December  24,  1833,  and  in  1855  came 
to  the  United  States  with  her  brother,  George,  who  is  now  a  practicing 
physician  of  Aurora,  Illinois.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Naden  have  been  born  the 
following  children:  Samuel  J.,  a  farmer  of  Iowa;  Martha,  the  wife  of  Omer 
Smith,  of  Hoopeston,  Illinois;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Perry  A.  Johnson;  Walter, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  twelve  years;  James  and  Stanley,  who  are  working 
their  father's  farm;  Lida,  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Challacombe,  stenographer  and 
bookkeeper  for  the  Woelfel  tannery  in  Morris;  and  Burt,  at  home.  The 
parents  are  consistent  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  enjoy 
the  high  regard  of  all  with  whom  they  have  been  brought  in  contact. 

In  1868  Mr.  Naden  visited  England,  and  in  1898,  accompanied  by  his 
wife,  he  again  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  land  of  his  birth,  where  they  spent 
many  pleasant  hours  amid  the  scenes  of  their  childhood  and  renewing  ac- 
quaintances of  their  youth.  Mr.  Naden  has  been  fortunate  in  his  business 
affairs,  and  his  success  is  due  to  his  own  energy  and  not  to  circumstances. 
He  has  labored  earnestly  and  indefatigably,  and  success  withholds  not  its 
rew^ards  from  those  who  dilig-ently  seek.  He  is  a  public-spirited  citizen,  and 
in  his  support  of  measures  for  the  general  good  he  has  shown  that  he  has 
become  a  true  American  in  thought  and  interests. 


JOHN    KNOX    ELY, 


There  can  be  no  reading  more  edifying  to  the  younger  generation  of 
the  residents  of  any  county  than  truthful  accounts  of  the  lives  and  experiences 
of  the  pioneers  who  planted  the  seeds  of  civiHzation  within  its  Hmits,  and 
of  men  of  hope  and  pluck  and  perseverance  who  were  in  the  van  in  the 
later  march  of  development.  It  is  to  record  the  deeds  and  virtues  of  such 
men  that  this  sketch  is  prepared;  and  if  it  does  justice  to  John  Knox  Ely, 
his  predecessors  and  contemporaries,  the  writer's  task  will  have  been  ful- 
filled. 


/ 


\ 


^ 


^(HM/i^C^ 


f  H 


7 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  505 

John  Knox  Ely,  of  j\Iazon,  Illinois,  one  of  the  representative  citizens  of 
Grundy  county  and  a  prominent  business  man  and  farmer  of  Mazon  town- 
ship, was  born  in  Oneida  county.  New  York,  December  2,  1837,  a  son  of 
James  G.  and  Rebecca  (Knox)  Ely.  The  Ely  family  is  of  sterling  English 
stock,  its  founders  in  America  having  been  early  colonial  settlers  of  New 
Jersey.  John  Ely,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of  New 
Jersey  and  was  married  in  that  commonwealth.  He  settled  and  lived  out 
his  days  in  the  town  of  Western,  Oneida  county,  New  York,  where  he  was  a 
stock  farmer  and  owned  a  considerable  amount  of  property.  He  lived  to  the 
venerable  age  of  eighty  years,  was  a  Democrat  in  his  politics  and  a  prom- 
inent man  in  his  community.  His  children  were  Henry,  David,  James  G., 
George,  Frank,  Elvira,  Lydia  and  Louisa. 

James  G.  Ely,  a  son  of  John,  was  bom  in  New  Jersey,  September  25, 
1807,  received  a  common-school  education  and  became  a  farmer,  and  while 
yet  young  went  with  his  father  to  Oneida  comity,  New  York,  and  married 
there,  July  4,  1826,  Fanny  Hunt,  who  was  born  March  12,  1809.  Their 
children  were  Martha,  William,  Ann  and  Harriet.  Mr.  Ely  settled  on  land 
which  was  a  part  of  his  father's  estate  and  lived  there  many  years.  His  wife 
died  July  2,  1835,  and  he  married  the  second  time,  January  i,  1837,  in 
Oneida  county.  New  York,  Rebecca  E.  Knox,  born  near  Perth  Amboy,  New 
Jersey,  May  4,  1807,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Rebecca  (Karr)  Knox.  Her 
father,  Joseph  Knox,  was  a  planter  and  slave-owner,  but,  believing  in  human 
liberty  in  its  broadest  sense,  eventually  freed  his  slaves.  John  Knox  Ely 
has  a  silver  spoon  formerly  belonging  to  the  Karr  family,  marked  with  the 
initials  S.  K.,  for  Samuel  Karr,  the  grandfather  of  his  mother.  Joseph  Knox 
and  wife  were  the  parents  of  Nelson,  Samuel,  Sylvanus,  Eliza,  Ruth,  Rebecca 
and  Mary.  James  G.  Ely,  the  father  of  our  subject,  moved  with  his  family 
to  Illinois  in  1844,  making  the  journey  by  way  of  the  Erie  canal  to  Buffalo 
and  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  and  thence  by  teams  to  Lisbon,  Kendall  county, 
Illinois.  From,  the  early  part  of  May  to  June  4  was  the  period  he  con- 
sumed in  reaching  his  destination.  He  at  once  bought  an  improved  farm  of 
eighty  acres,  and  died  July  3,  only  a  month  after  his  arrival.  In  politics  he 
was  a  Democrat.  He  was  an  industrious  and  straightforward  man  who 
commanded  the  highest  respect,  and  he  reared  an  excellent  family. 

John  Knox  Ely  was  only  seven  years  old  when  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  Kendall  county.  He  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools 
and  at  Mount  Morris  Seminary,  at  Mount  Morris,  Ogle  county,  this  state, 
at  the  latter  of  which  he  was  duly  graduated.  He  engaged  in  school-teaching 
in  LaSalle  and  Grundy  counties,  being  thus  employed  for  several 
years. 

August  12,  1862,  at  Chicago,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  Eighty- 


506  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

eighth  Regiment  of  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantn*,  to  serve  three  years  or  dur- 
ing the  war.  ami  he  sen-ed  until  honorably  discharged  on  account  of  wounds 
received  in  battle  at  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Georgia,  July  20,  1864.  He  took 
part  in  the  battles  of  Stone  River,  Chickamauga,  Mission  Ridge  and  Resaca, 
and  he  was  slightly  wounded  in  the  engagement  last  mentioned.  He  was 
also  in  the  Atlanta  campaign  when  the  Union  troops  were  under  fire  four 
months,  and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Buzzards'  Roost,  Adairsville,  New 
Hope  Church,  Dallas,  Kenesaw  Mountain.  Lost  Mountain  and  Peach  Tree 
Creek,  in  the  last  of  which  he  was  struck  in  the  right  side  by  a  piece  of  con- 
cussion shell  and  injured  seriously.  He  was  taken  to  a  field  hospital,  and 
after  two  weeks  moved  to  Chattanooga  and  thence  to  Nashville  and  confined 
in  the  hospital  about  two  and  a  half  months. 

He  then  went  home  on  a  furlough,  being  incapacitated  for  arduous  duty. 
He  was  always  an  active  soldier,  always  on  duty  in  all  the  campaigns,  marches, 
battles  and  skirmishes  in  which  his  regiment  was  engaged,  and  did  his  full 
duty  promptly  and  cheerfully.  He  was  promoted  for  meritorious  services, 
to  be  corporal  and  then  duty  sergeant  and  afterward  orderly  sergeant;  and 
he  was  one  of  the  men  selected  for  General  Rosecrans'  regiment  to  be  called 
The  Roll  of  Honor;  but  that  regiment  was  never  formed.  After  recovering 
from  his  wounds  he  was  detailed  to  the  United  States  secret  service  and 
stationed  at  Nashville  till  the  close  of  the  war,  and  after  the  war  he  returned 
to  Illinois. 

When  he  was  at  home  on  a  furlough  Mr.  Ely  married,  at  Vinton,  Iowa, 
September  5,  1864,  Lovina  J.  Mossman,  who  was  bom  April  13,  1845,  i" 
Mercer  county,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of  William  Mossman  and  Mary  nee  Thomp- 
son. William  Mossman  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  February  28,  1801,  and 
was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  In  early  life  he  was  a  school-teacher,  particu- 
larly skilled  in  mathematics.  Later  he  became  a  farmer.  He  married,  in 
Pennsylvania,  Mary  Thompson,  who  was  born  in  Maryland,  November  10, 
1815,  a  daughter  of  Aquila  Thompson,  of  Scotch  descent.  After  their  mar- 
riage Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mossman  lived  for  a  time  in  Pennsylvania  and  then 
moved  to  Ohio,  where  Mr.  Mossman  was  a  farmer.  About  1845  ^^^ey  moved 
to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  settling  in  Nettle  Creek  township,  where  Mr. 
Mossman  bought  an  improved  fami  of  eighty  acres,  upon  which  they  lived 
until  1855,  when  he  went  to  Benton  county,  Iowa,  and  bought  prairie  land, 
but  settled  in  the  town  of  Urbana.  He  died  in  Vinton,  Iowa,  aged  about 
eighty-seven  years.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  mind  and  well  educated, 
and  held  town  offices  so  creditably  that  his  judgment  was  respected  by  the 
people.  He  was  an  old-line  Whig  and  an  Abolitionist,  and  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Republican  party  in  Benton  county,  Iowa,  and  afterward 
acted  and  voted  with  that  party  as  long  as  he  lived.     He  was  a  member  ot 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  507 

the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which  he  was  a  class-leader  tor  many 
years.  His  children  were  Francis  A.,  James  C,  George  W.,  William  H  , 
Sarah  E.,  Mary  V.,  Lovina  J.,  Aqiiila  P.,  David  C,  Winfield  W.  and  Ella. 
Mr.  Mossman  had  four  sons  in  the  civil  war, — Francis,  George,  William 
and  Aquila.  Francis  and  George  were  in  the  Thirty-sixth  Regiment,  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  and  Francis  veteranized,  serving  four  years,  and 
was  in  many  battles.  George  also  veteranized  and  saw  four  years  of  service 
and  was  mustered  out  a  major,  having  been  promoted  from  the  rmik  of 
corporal.  William  was  a  private  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-sixth 
Regiment,  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  about  one  year,  when 
he  was  honorably  discharged,  on  account  of  sickness,  and  died  soon  after- 
ward. Aquila  P.  was  in  the  Eighth  Regiment  of  the  Iowa  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, in  which  he  enlisted  and  serv^ed  eighteen  months,  until  the  regiment 
was  discharged. 

After  his  marriage  John  Knox  Ely  continued  to  reside  in  Nettle  Creek 
township,  Grundy  county,  on  land  which  he  and  his  mother  had  entered 
in  1847,  an<^l  where  he  lived  until  he  was  twenty-five  years  old.  After  his: 
return  from  the  war  he  lived  there  two  years,  and  in  1868  he  moved  upon 
two  hundred  acres  of  improved  land,  which  he  bought  in  the  same  town- 
ship. He  resided  there  until  1876,  and  then  moved  to  Mazon  township  and 
settled  on  his  present  property,  consisting  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  fine  land.  This  farm  he  greatly  improved.  His  children  are:  Ruble 
Maude,  born  February  8,  1867;  Lena  Grace,  October  21,  1868;  Mary  Re- 
becca, June  18,  1870;  Nellie  Virginia,  February  23,  1872;  John  Maurice, 
January  2,  1874;  William  Ray,  May  29,  1879;  and  Hamlin  Mossman,  No- 
vember II,  1882, — all  born  in  Grundy  county.  Parents  and  children  are 
all  members  of  the  Congregational  church,  in  which  body  Mr.  Ely  has 
held  the  offices  of  church  trustee  and  treasurer. 

Politically  Mr.  Ely  is  a  Republican,  and,  being  an  honored  citizen  of 
his  township,  he  has  from  time  to  time  held  all  the  township  offices,  except- 
ing that  of  road  commissioner.  He  was  twice  elected  to  the  general  as- 
sembly of  Illinois  by  heavy  majorities,  and  he  filled  the  responsible  position 
of  representative  of  the  people  with  great  credit  to  himself  and  satisfactorily 
to  his  constituents.  He  is  a  Mason  of  Orient  Chapter,  No.  46,  R.  A.  M., 
and  of  Blaney  Commandery,  No.  5,  K.  T.,  of  Morris,  Illinois.  He  and  Mrs. 
Ely  are  both  members  of  the  Eastern  Star  Chapter,  of  which  she  is  the 
chaplain.  The  children  of  John  Knox  and  Lovina  (Mossman)  Ely  are  all 
well  trained  intellectually,  each  having  enjoyed  ample  opportunities  for 
higher  education. 

In  conclusion  and  in  general  we  can  say  that  Mr.  Ely  is  a  man  of  broad 
and  independent  views  and  a  fearless  advocate  of  what  he  believes  to  be 


5o8  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

right.     He  is  \try  popular  and  justly  noted  for  his  stanch  honesty  of  char- 
acter.    His  family  is  one  of  the  representative  families  of  the  county. 


A]\IOS     E.     CALDWELL. 

More  than  two-score  years  have  passed  since  A.  B.  Caldwell  cast  in 
liis  lot  with  the  people  of  Illinois,  and  though  he  has  met  with  serious  re- 
verses at  times  he  has  never  regretted  his  choice  of  a  home.  Both  he  arni 
his  forefathers  have  been  pioneers,  the  family  having  progressed  westward 
as  the  country  became  thickly  settled,  and  their  labors  have  accrued  more  to 
those  taking  their  places  than  to  their  individual  selves.  They  have  man- 
fully stood  for  their  country  and  comnnmity,  performing  disinterested  acts 
and  contributing  liberally  of  their  time  and  means  for  the  general  wel- 
fare. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  William  Caldwell,  was  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania.  He  removed  to  Ohio  in  1808,  and,  buying  land  of  the 
government,  improved  the  property,  and  died  there  in  18 15.  He  was  sur- 
vived by  his  wife,  whose  death  took  place  in  1822.  His  son  John,  the  father 
•of  A.  B.  Caldwell,  was  born  in  Huntingdon  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  the 
opening  year  of  the  century.  He  was  consequently  a  lad  of  eight  years  when 
his  father  removed  to  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  and  in  that  portion  of  the 
Buckeye  state  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  raised  large  quan- 
tities of  wheat  upon  his  farm,  and,  after  having  it  ground,  he  shipped  it  by 
the  river  route  to  New  Orleans.  As  he  ha.d  learned  the  trade  of  cooper, 
he  manufactured  his  own  barrels,  and  thus  his  profits  were  not  inconsiderable. 
He  died  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-four  years,  in  1884,  respected  and  loved 
by  a  large  circle  of  friends.  The  famous  John  C.  Calhoun  was  a  protege 
of  the  Caldwell  family.  The  mother  of  A.  B.  Caldwell  was  Elizabeth  Mon- 
nett  in  her  girlhood,  her  father  being  Isaac  Monnett,  of  German  extraction. 

The  birth  of  the  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  sketch  took  place  in 
Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  December  17,  1833.  Reared  on  his  father's  fami, 
"he  continued  to  make  his  home  there  until  he  reached  his  twenty-fourth  year, 
when  he  came  to  this  state.  Locating  upon  a  farm  in  Iroquois  county,  he 
industriously  tilled  and  improved  the  place  until  it  became  one  of  the  finest 
in  that  section.  He  was  the  first  person  in  the  township  to  use  tile  for 
draining  the  land,  and  from  a  wilderness  he  saw  the  locality  developed  into 
a  rich  and  productive  region.  In  1886  he  went  to  California,  on  account  of 
the  failing  health  of  his  wife,  and  for  seven  years  he  dwelt  with  his  family 
in  that  beautiful  land  of  sunshine  and  flowers.  At  length  he  returned  to 
"his  birthplace,  and,   having  attended  to  the  settling  of  his  father's  estate 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  509 

and  remaining  there,  altogether,  a  year  and  a  half,  he  came  back  to  Illinois. 
Since  that  time  he  has  lived  in  the  town  of  Seneca,  though  some  of  his  busi- 
ness interests  are  elsewhere  in  the  county.  He  owns  and  operates  a  grain 
elevator  in  Nomian  township,  and,  in  addition  to  this,  he  carries  on  a  small 
grocery  and  is  the  postmaster  at  Langham.  In  1898  he  had  the  misfortune 
to  lose  his  elevator,  which  was  entirely  destroyed  by  fire,  but  he  immediately 
commenced  the  building  of  another  one,  much  more  substantial  and  modern 
than  the  first.  Business  enterprise  and  wisely  directed  endeavor  have  been 
the  means  of  his  success,  as  well  as  the  absolute  integrity  and  fairness  which 
have  characterized  his  dealings  at  all  times.  Education  has  found  a  sincere 
champion  in  him,  and  in  his  early  manhood  he  taught  school  in  winter, 
while  he  engaged  in  farming  during  the  summer  season.  Politically  he  uses 
his  ballot  in  favor  of  the  Republican  party. 

The  first  marriage  of  Mr.  Caldwell  was  solemnized  in  1859,  ^'^'ss  Mar- 
garet Pineo  becoming  his  bride.  She  was  a  daughter  of  George  Pineo,  of 
Illinois,  and  by  her.  marriage  she  w-as  the  mother  of  one  child,  Eva,  now 
the  wife  of  Charles  G.  Watkins,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio.  Mrs.  Caldwell  died  ia 
1863,  and  three  years  later  our  subject  wedded  Miss  Lovenia  Holmes,  the 
daughter  of  the  Rev.  Jacob  M.  Holmes,  of  Marion,  Ohio.  Their  eldest-born, 
Mamie,  is  deceased;  Nellie  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  Lincoln  Rogers,  of  Los 
Angeles,  California;  Albertus  died  when  in  his  twentieth  year,  in  California; 
Fred  is  now  a  student  in  the  Northwestern  University;  and  Charlie  died 
at  the  age  of  three  years.  The  wife  and  mother  was  summoned  to  the  better 
land  in  1887. 

The  lady  who  now  bears  the  name  of  our  subject  was  united  to  hin.i. 
in  wedlock,  October  24,  1895.  Her  maiden  name  was  Miss  Lydia  A.  George, 
and  at  the  time  of  her  marriage  she  was  a  teacher  in  the  high  schools  of 
Circleville,  Ohio,  where  she  had  been  engaged  in  educational  work  for  about 
a  quarter  of  a  century.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Caldwell  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  are  active  workers  in  rehgious  and  benevo- 
lent enterprises. 


HENRY    WATERS. 


To  write  of  the  life  of  Henry  Waters  is,  necessarily,  to  write  history,, 
for  he  is  descended  from  those  who'  made  history  in  Grundy  county  and 
elsewhere  and  has  had  much  to  do'  with  the  making  of  the  history  of  Mazon' 
township  during  the  last  third  of  a  century. 

Henry  Waters,  one  of  the  most  respected  citizens  and  substantial  farm- 
ers of  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  was  bom  on  his  father's: 
farm  in  Mazon  township,  April   13,  1849,  ^  son  of  William  and  Betheusia: 


5IO  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

(Booth)  \\aters.  He  gained  a  common-school  education  and  by  hard  work 
and  study  prepared  himself  for  the  career  of  a  fanner.  December  28.  1868, 
at  Morris,  Illinois,  he  married  Terressa  H.  Booth,  born  in  Bazetta  township. 
Trumbull  county,  Ohio.  Xovember  19.  1839,  ^  daughter  of  Moses  and  Mvra 
(Hubble)  Booth. 

Aloses  Booth  was  born  in  Connecticut,  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  and  became  a  farmer.  When  a  young  man  he  settled  in  Trumbull 
county,  where  he  met  and  won  for  his  wife  Miss  Myra  Hubble,  who  had 
come  to  that  county  from  New  Haven.  Connecticut.  After  their  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Booth  settled  in  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  on  a  farm  of  eighty 
acres  of  land  cleared  from  the  woods,  and  he  became  one  of  the  pioneer 
farmers  of  that  county.  They  were  both  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  Their  children  were  George  \\'..  and  Emma,  who  became  the  wife 
of  Robert  Briscoe.  Mr.  Bootli  died  and  Mrs.  Booth  married  for  her  second 
husband  Elson  Reed,  to  whom  she  bore  no  children.  Mrs.  Reed  came  to 
Illinois  when  well  advanced  in  years  and  died  in  Braceville.  Grundy  countv, 
at  the  home  of  her  son.  George  \\'.  Mr.  Booth  was  a  widower  when  he 
met  Miss  Hubble,  and  by  his  previous  marriage,  to  a  }iliss  Judson,  had 
children  named  Truman,  Samuel,  Moses.  Laura,  Eliza,  and  another  daughter 
Avho  married  a  i\Ir.  Long. 

The  lady  who  became  ]\Irs.  Henry  Waters  came  to  Illinois  when  she 
was  fourteen  years  of  age  with  a  relative.  Mrs.  Catherine  Trumbo.  and  lived 
two  vears  in  LaSalle  county,  near  Ottawa.  She  then  returned  to  Ohio,  but 
came  again  to  Illinois  with  the  same  relative  four  years  later  and  located 
at  Morris,  where  she  met  and  married  Mr.  W^aters.  After  their  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Waters  settled  on  a  part  of  the  old  Waters  homestead,  which  is 
included  in  the  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  which  they  now 
live.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Waters  children  named  as  follows  have  been  born, 
in  the  order  here  indicated:  Emma  M..  bom  January  24.  1871;  Ida  Allie, 
born  October  18.  1876:  Alta  May,  bom  Xovember  16,  1878,  died  September 
7,  1880;  and  Rosa  Mabel,  born  April  5,  1881;  Emma  was  married  Septem- 
ber 12.  1888.  to  Clavton  H.  Nichols,  a  farmer  of  Mount  Auburn.  Iowa; 
they  have  five  children — Ira  M.,  Qarence  H..  Frank.  Albert  and  Elsie: 
Ida  Allie  was  married  October  21,  1896.  to  Ray  Woods,  a  famier  of  Good 
Farm  township,  Gmndy  county,  and  they  have  one  child,  named  Mett.T 
Pearl.  Mrs.  Waters  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  is 
a  consistent  example  of  Christian  character. 

In  politics  Mr.  Waters  is  a  stanch  Republican.  He  is  a  public-spirited 
citizen,  alive  to  every  question  affecting  the  general  welfare,  and  is  a  friend 
of  education  who  has  proved  his  devotion  by  twenty-five  years'  service  as  a 
member  of  the  school  board.     His  daughter,  Emma,  received  a  good  edu- 


BIOGRAPHICAL   AXD    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  511 

cation  and  was  for  a  time  a  school-teacher.  Ida  Alhe  attended  high  school 
at  I\I orris  and  taught  school  in  Mazon  township  five  years.  Rosa  Mabel 
is  attending  the  Gardner  high  school  and  is  fitting  herself  to  teach.  The 
entire  family  is  one  of  the  most  respected  in  ^Nlazon  township.  Mr.  \\'aters 
is  well  known  for  his  integrit}-.  his  industry  and  his  friendly  and  helpful 
disposition.  He  is  an  entirely  self-made  man,  having  accumulated  his  prop- 
erty by  his  own  unaided  exertions.  He  descends  from  the  pioneer  stock 
of  Grundy  county,  his  father  having  been  one  of  the  first  settlers,  and  is,  in 
the  best  sense,  a  representative  of  the  class  which  has  given  to  Illinois  her 
best  and  most  useful  citizens. 


SAMUEL     M.     UNDERWOOD. 

One  of  the  most  popular  business  houses  in  Morris  is  the  Revolution 
grocery,  of  which  this  gentleman  is  the  proprietor.  He  is  a  self-made  man 
wlio.  without  any  extraordinary  family  or  pecuniary  assistance  at  the  com- 
mencement of  life,  has  battled  earnestly  and  energetically,  and  by  indom- 
itable courage  and  integrity  has  achieved  both  character  and  a  competence. 
His  success  is  certainly  well  merited  and  numbers  him  among  the  substantial 
citizens  of  the  community. 

In  Chautauqua  county.  New  York,  Samuel  M.  Underwood  was  born, 
June  25,  1849,  li's  parents  being  Samuel  N.  and  Augusta  (Whitney)  Under- 
wood, the  former  a  native  of  the  Empire  state  and  the  latter  of  Vermont. 
Both  parents  were  of  English  lineage  and  their  marriage  was  celebrated  in 
New  York,  where  they  resided  until  1859,  when  they  came  to  Illinois,  locat- 
ing in  Gardner.  His  father  was  a  hotel  manager  of  that  place  and  remained 
in  the  business  there  for  many  years,  but  at  length  removed  to  Kankakee 
county,  Illinois,  where  his  last  days  were  spent.  He  died  in  1884,  after 
which  his  widow  made  her  home  with  our  subject  until  called  to  her  final 
rest  in  1894.  This  worthy  couple  were  the  parents  of  two  children  :  Charles 
C,  now  a  general  merchant  of  Gardner,  and  Samuel  M.  In  the  state  of  his 
nativity  Mr.  Underwood,  of  this  review,  spent  the  first  ten  years  of  his  life 
and  then  accompanied  his  parents  to  Grundy  county.  His  preliminary  edu- 
cation, acquired  in  the  schools  of  Gardner,  was  supplemented  by  a 
two-years'  course  in  Eureka  College.  After  leaving  that  institution  he  ac- 
cepted a  clerical  position  in  a  general  store  in  Pontiac,  which  was  the  be- 
ginning of  a  successful  connection  with  mercantile  interests. 

For  five  years  he  held  that  position,  during  which  time  he  became  fa- 
miliar with  business  methods  and  then  returned  to  Gardner,  where  he  occu- 
pied a  position  as  salesman  for  a  short  time  and  then  became  the  proprietor 


512  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

of  the  old  hotel  which  his  father  had  conducted  for  many  years.  Xot  long 
afterward,  however,  he  disposed  of  that  property  and  remo\ed  to  Kansas, 
where  he  spent  two  years  devoting-  his  time  to  farming  and  to  traveling 
as  the  representative  of  a  nursery  firm.  Subsequently  he  was  engaged  in 
clerking  for  five  years  for  A.  F.  Alallory,  a  merchant  of  Morris,  and  in  1883 
he  purchased  a  grocery  stock  and  established  the  well  known  Revolution 
grocery  and  provision  store  of  Morris.  In  this  line  of  business  he  has  been 
ven,-  successful,  having  a  well  equipped  store  and  enjoying  a  large  and  con- 
stantly increasing  patronage.  His  efforts,  however,  have  not  been  confined 
alone  to  this  line,  for  he  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Morris  Floral 
Company,  which  was  formed  in  1893,  and  re-organized  and  incorporated  in 
1897,  with  a  capital  stock  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  Of  this  company  Mr. 
Underwood  was  president  and  treasurer.  The  Morris  Floral  Company  is 
looked  upon  with  pride  by  the  citizens  of  the  county  seat.  Its  plant,  situ- 
ated one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  the  city,  is  a  model  in  its  line  and  its 
products  are  shipped  to  many  sections  of  the  United  States  and  Canada. 
The  business  has  constantly  grown  and  yields  gratifying  results  to  its  or- 
ganizers. 

Mr.  Undenvood  is  a  member  of  the  ^Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
of  the  American  Order  of  United  Workmen,  and  of  the  Patriarchal  Circle. 
Whatever  success  he  has  attained  in  life  is  the  direct  result  of  his  own  en- 
terprise and  capable  management.  He  enjoys  an  excellent  reputation  as  a 
business  man  and  through  diligence  and  perseverance  he  has  steadily  ad- 
vanced in  the  fields  of  com.merce  till  he  now  occupies  a  prominent  position 
among  the  leading  representatives  of  the  business  interests  in  Morris. 


SAMUEL   HOGE. 


The  name  of  Hoge  is  so  inseparably  connected  with  the  history  of 
Grundy  county  that  this  work  would  be  incomplete  without  the  record  of 
its  representatives,  and  he  whose  name  heads  tliis  sketch  was  one  of  the 
honored  pioneers  and  for  many  years  a  most  prominent  citizen  of  the  com- 
munity. He  came  to  the  county  when  its  lands  were  wild  and  uncultivated 
and  when  the  work  of  progress  and  improvement  had  scarcely  been  begun. 
A  native  of  Fauquier  county,  Virginia,  he  was  born  October  28,  1805, 
and  died  in  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  March  13,  188 1.  In  early  colonial  days 
the  family  was  founded  in  America,  its  first  representative  in  this  country 
being  William  Hoge.  who  came  from  Scotland  during  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury and  took  up  his  residence  in  Pennsylvania.  The  name  has  since  been 
variously  spelled  as  Hog.  Hogg,  Hoag,  Hogue  and  Hoge.     William  Hoge 


X 


■£• 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  513 

married  Barbara  Hume,  a  relative  of  the  celebrated  historian  of  that  name. 
Their  son  William  was  the  first  of  the  name  to  become  identified  with  the 
Society  of  Friends.  In  1754  he  remoA'ed  from  Pennsylvania  to  Virginia, 
and  there  reared  his  seven  children,  namely :  Solomon,  James,  William, 
Joseph.  George.  Zebulon  and  Nancy.  Of  these,  Solomon  was  twice  mar- 
ried and  was  the  father  of  eighteen  children.  He  first  wedded  Ann  Rol- 
lins and  to  them  were  born  Sarah,  Joseph,  David  (who  died  in  infancy), 
Solomon,  David  (the  second  of  the  name),  Ann,  Isaac,  Mary,  Hannah, 
Jane  and  Rebecca.  For  his  second  wife  the  father  chose  Mary  Nicols,  and 
their  children  were:  Lydia,  William,  Joshua,  George,  Margery,  Jesse  and 
Amy.  Of  this  family  Joshua  Hoge  was  born  in  Loudoun  county,  Virginia, 
February  8,  1779,  and  died  April  25,  1854.  He  married  Mary  Poole,  by 
whom  he  had  ten  children :  William,  Rebecca,  Samuel,  Amy,  Solomon, 
Mary,  Isaac  Stanley  Singleton,  Lucinda,  xAnn  and  Amanda.  The  last  named 
is  the  only  survivor  of  this  family. 

Samuel  Hoge.  who  was  a  member  of  this  family  and  who  is  the  imme- 
diate subject  of  this  review,  spent  his  early  youth  in  the  place  of  his  nativity 
and  worked  on  the  old  homestead  farm  until  he  had  attained  his  majority, 
when  his  father  gave  him  one  thousand  dollars,  and  with  that  amount  he 
started  west  in  company  with  his  brother-in-law,  Hendley  Greggs.  They 
went  to  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  where  they  engaged  in  merchandising,  Mr. 
Hoge  continuing  in  the  store  until  the  fall  of  1834,  when  he  sold  his  interest 
to  Mr.  Greggs,  and  came  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  where  his  brother 
William  had  located  some  time  previously.  He  brought  with  hini  a  capital 
of  two  thousand  dollars,  which  he  invested  in  government  land,  his  first 
purchase  being  a  quarter  section  in  the  Illinois  river  valley,  about  three  miles, 
west  of  Morris.  He  erected  thereon  a  log  cabin  and  began  life  in  true  pioneer 
style.  Soon  afterward  he  entered  a  section  of  land  at  the  head  of  the  timber 
tract  on  Nettle  creek,  west  of  his  brother  William's  farm.  For  five  years  he 
made  his  home  in  William's  family,  but  on  the  23d  of  August,  1839,  he  mar- 
ried Matilda,  daughter  of  Abram  Holderman,  Sr.,  and  began  housekeeping 
in  a  rather  large  and  respectable  hewed  log  house  near  Morris,  which  was 
used  for  a  residence  for  more  than  forty  years,  and  ser\ed  as  a  stopping  place 
for  many  travelers  between  Ottawa  and  Chicago. 

Erecting  a  better  home  on  the  land  on  Nettle  creek,  Mr.  Hoge  removed 
to  that  place  in  1840  and  entered  upon  a  useful  and  active  career  as  an  agri- 
culturist. He  was  a  man  of  robust  health,  strong  and  rugged,  and  possessed 
sound  judgment  and  excellent  tact.  He  was  very  persevering  and  his  habits 
in  life  were  exceptionally  pure.  His  earnest  and  indefatigable  labors  brought 
to  him  success,  and  in  his  undertakings  he  prospered,  accumulating  a  hand- 
some property.     He  never  sold  a  foot  of  his  land,  but  added  to  it  from  time 


514  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

to  time  as  liis  financial  resources  increased,  until  he  was  the  owner  of  nearly 
six  thousand  acres.  At  the  death  of  her  father  his  wife  became  the  owner  of 
five  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  by  inheritance  from  her  brother  Dyson 
received  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres.  At  his  death  Mr.  Hoge  left 
to  his  family  a  very  valuable  estate,  and,  more  than  that,  the  priceless  heritage 
of  an  untarnished  name. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hoge  were  born  fifteen  children,  of  whom  the  following 
grew  to  years  of  maturity:  Hendley:  Charlotte;  Jane:  Abram,  who  died  in 
the  Union  army  during  the  civil  war:  Joshua  and  Isaac,  twins;  George,  Lina 
M.,  Charles  C.  and  Landy  S.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  called  to  her 
final  rest  February  14,  1898,  having  survived  her  husband  about  seventeen 
years.  They  were  laid  to  rest  in  a  private  cemetery  upon  their  farm,  where 
many  of  their  relatives  have  been  interred.  They  were  people  of  the  high- 
est respectability,  who  enjoyed  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  their  friends 
in  an  unlimited  degree.  Throughout  the  period  of  its  pioneer  development 
Mr.  Hoge  was  connected  with  Grundy  county,  and  ever  bore  his  part  in 
the  work  of  advancement  and  upbuilding.  His  death  was  a  loss  to  the  com- 
munitv,  but  his  memorv  is  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of  all  who  knew  him. 


CHARLES    W".    JOHXSOX. 

Charles  \\'.  Johnson,  the  sheriff  of  Grundy  county,  is  a  native  of  Morris, 
the  town  in  which  he  lives,  and  dates  his  birth  December  19,  1855.  His  par- 
ents, Frederick  and  Emily  E.  (McCullough)  Johnson,  were  natives  re- 
spectively of  Delaware  county,  Xew  York,  and  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania, 
and  through  them  Charles  W.  traces  his  origin  to  four  different  nationalities, 
his  father  being  of  German  and  Scotch  descent  and  his  mother  of  Welsh 
and  Irish.  Frederick  Johnson  and  his  wife  were  married  in  Pennsylvania. 
From  that  state  they  came  west  to  Illinois  and  for  three  years  resided  in 
Kendall  county.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  in  1844,  they  came  to  Grundy 
county  and  located  in  Morris.  Mr.  Johnson  was  actively  identified  with  the 
early  histor}-  of  this  place.  He  helped  to  build  the  canal  and  railroad  here, 
and  was  for  a  time  a  captain  on  the  canal.  For  some  time  he  ran  a  dray  line 
and  was  superintendent  of  streets.  His  death  occurred  in  1883,  and  his  wife 
died  a  year  later.  In  their  family  were  eight  children,  of  whom  five  are  now 
living,  among  them  Charles  \\'. 

Charles  W.  Johnson  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  town.  For  some  time  he  was  interested  in  the  same  line  of  business 
in  which  his  father  was  engaged,  namely,  draying  and  superintending  of 
streets,  and  for  two  years  he  conducted  a  restaurant  in  Iowa.     Severing  his 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD.  515 

connection  with  the  restaurant  husiness,  lie  returned  to  Morris  and  has 
ii ''ed  here  ever  since.  For  twenty-six  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the 
IMorris  fire  department.  He  was  deputy  sherilt  a  year  and  a  half,  and  in 
November,  1898,  was  elected  on  the  Republican  ticket  to  the  office  of 
sheriff,  which  he  has  since  filled,  siiowing  himself  a  capable  and  efficient 
officer. 

Air.  Johnson  was  married  June  13,  1875,  in  Gardner,  Illinois,  to  Miss 
■  Kittie  C.  Waters,  daughter  of  James  Waters,  an  old  settler  of  the  county, 
now  deceased.  They  have  five  children,  viz. :  Stella  M.,  Jessie  Belle,  Hazel 
Dell,  Georg-e  C.  and  Alton  E.  Fraternally  Mr.  Johnson  is  identified  with 
the  I.  O.  O^.  F. 


GEORGE     M.     BUCKLIN. 

George  M.  Bucklin,  one  of  the  enterprising  publishers  of  The  Sentinel, 
Morris,  Illinois,  is  a  native  of  this  state,  having  been  born  in  Will  county, 
■October  8,  1859.  He  lived  in  Kankakee,  Illinois,  until  he  was  ten  years 
old  and  at  that  time  his  parents  moved  to  Michigan  and  settled  in  Flower- 
field,  St.  Joseph  county.  He  was  reared  and  educated  in  Michigan  and 
remained  there  until  March,  189J,  when  he  went  to  Nebraska.  In  the  winter 
of  1895-6  he  returned  to  Illinois  and  entered  the  employ  of  Bucklin  &  Son, 
publishers  of  the  daily  and  weekly  Sentinel.  October  i,  1896,  in  company 
with  A.  H.  Hilliker,  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  paper,  which  they  have 
since  operated,  having  some  time  since  purchased  the  plant.  Both  being 
enterprising  men,  up-to-date  in  methods  of  journalism  and  with  plenty  of 
pluck  and  push,  they  are  meeting  with  deserved  success. 

Mr.  Bucklin  is  a  man  of  family.  He  was  first  married  in  Michigan, 
March  27,  1881,  to  Miss  Anna  L.  Hoover,  who  died  Januar}'  14,  1892, 
leaving  two  children — Ora  E.  and  Anna  G.  June  21,  1899,  Mr.  Bucklin 
married  for  his  present  wife  Miss  Alice  R.  Turner,  of  Morris. 


ALBION     H.     HILLIKER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  Albion  H.  Hilliker,  one  of  the  promising 
young  men  of  his  town,  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Bucklin  &  Hilliker, 
publishers  of  The  Sentinel,  a  daily  and  weekly  newspaper  issued  at  Morris, 
Illinois.  He  has  been  identified  with  a  printing-office  since  his  early  boy- 
hood and  has  occupied  bis  present  position  as  one  of  the  publishers  of  the 
above  named  paper  for  two  years. 

Mr.  Hilliker  was  born  in  Kankakee,  Illinois,  January   10,   1870,  and 


5i6  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

received  liis  education  in  the  schools  of  that  place,  passing  through  the 
various  school  grades  up  to  and  including  the  tenth  year,  each  year  obtain- 
ing high  averages  in  his  studies.  During  the  first  four  years  of  his  school  life 
he  was  neither  absent  nor  tardy,  and  the  record  of  his  fifth  year  was  broken 
only  by  a  three  weeks'  illness.  Naturally  of  a  quiet  and  steady  disposition 
and  with  the  influence  of  a  Christian  mother,  he  formed  correct  habits  that 
have  contributed  tO'  his  present  success.  At  an  early  age  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Christian  church.  He  learned  the  printer's  trade  while  yet  a  boy. 
His  first  knowledge  of  this  trade  he  picked  up  in  an  office  owned  by  the 
father  of  one  of  his  schoolmates.  He  held  good  positions  in  all  of  the  Kan- 
kakee offices,  remaining  in  his  native  town  until  December  5,  1895,  when 
he  came  to  Morris  to  occupy  the  position  of  foreman  at  the  Sentinel  ofiice. 
September  i,  1897,  he,  in  company  with  G.  M.  Bucklin,  took  charge  of 
the  plant  and  on  June  i,  1899,  they  purchased  it  of  S.  D.  Bucklin.  Under 
the  present  management  the  paper  has  increased  in  circulation  and  has 
otherwise  prospered. 

On  Wednesday,  October  25.  1899,  Mr.  Hilliker  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Bertha  M.  Baum,  daughter  of  the  late  Henrv  Baum,  Sr.,  of  [Morris. 


CHARLES     B.     MOORE. 

Charles  B.  Moore,  a  member  of  the  Morris  Lumber  Company,  of  ^Mor- 
ris.  Illinois,  has  been  engaged  in  his  present  line  of  business  for  the  past 
twelve  years,  and  since  1894  has  been  a  resident  of  Morris. 

Mr.  Moore  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  in  Rock  Island,  June  2,  1859,  a 
son  of  Daniel  G.  and  Maria  M.  (Weiser)  Moore.  Daniel  G.  Moore  was  a 
native  of  Ohio,  and  his  wife  of  Pennsylvania.  They  came  west  with  their 
respective  families  when  quite  young  and  were  reared  and  married  at  Rock 
Island.  When  their  son,  Charles  B.,  was  a  year  old  they  removed  to  a 
farm  in  Bureau  county,  Illinois,  and  lived  there  until  he  was  twelve,  their 
next  move  being  to  the  town  of  Sheffield,  Illinois,  where  the  parents  lived 
for  twenty  years.     They  are  now  residents  of  Iowa. 

Charles  B.  spent  the  most  of  his  school-boy  days  in  Sheffield,  and  is  a 
graduate  of  the  high  school  at  that  place,  with  which  institution  he  was 
subsequently  connected  as  teacher.  After  finishing  his  high-school  course, 
he  was  for  three  years  employed  as  a  teacher  in  the  grammar  school  of 
Sheffield,  one  year  as  assistant  principal  in  the  high  school  and  three  years 
as  principal.  In  June,  1887,  he  went  to  Nebraska  and  located  at  Arcadia, 
where  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  lumber  business,  a  business  with  which 
he  has  since  been  connected.     He  spent  seven  years  in  Nebraska,  at  various 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  517 

points,  and  from  there  in  1894  returned  to  Illinois  and  took  up  his  abode  in 
Morris.  Here  he  entered  into  a  partnership  with  J.  H.  Pattison,  with  whom 
he  was  associated  until  December,  1897,  when  Mr.  Pattison  sold  out  to 
Mr.  Moore  and  Mr.  Fred  L.  Stephen,  who  constitute  the  Morris  Lumber 
Compau}-,  and  who  are  doing  a  prosperous  business. 

Mr.  Moore  was  married  in  Sheffield,  in  1884,  to  Miss  Annie  L.  Howard, 
and  they  have  an  interesting  family  of  three  little  daughters.  Mr.  Moore 
harmonizes  with  the  Republican  party  and  maintains  fraternal  relations  with 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  Knights  of  the  Glote. 


WILLIAM     R.     ALLAN. 

There  is  probably  no  better  indication  of  the  enterprise  and  business 
interests  of  a  town  than  its  hotels,  and  the  Carson  House,  of  which  Mr. 
Allan  is  proprietor,  is  representative  of  the  enterprising  spirit  which  dom- 
inates Morris.  This  is  one  of  the  best  hotels  in  central  Illinois,  receiving 
from  the  public  a  liberal  and  well  merited  patronage.  Its  proprietor  is  a 
genial,  courteous  gentleman  who  commands  the  respect  of  all  with  whom 
he  comes  in  contact.  He  was  born  in  Scotland,  June  16,  1848,  in  Newton 
Grange,  in  the  county  of  Edinburg,  his  parents  being-  David  and  Elizabeth 
(Telfert)  Allan,  also  natives  of  that  land.  In  1879  they  crossed  the  Atlantic 
to  the  United  States,  spending  their  last  days  in  Morris.  They  had  four 
sons  and  two  daughters. 

In  the  public  schools  William  R.  Allan  obtained  his  education,  but  his 
advantages  were  very  meager,  as  he  began  to  earn  his  own  living  at  the  early 
age  of  seven  years.  Extensive  reading,  however,  together  with  wide  ex- 
perience in  the  practical  affairs  of  life,  has  made  him  a  well  informed  man. 
At  the  age  of  seven  he  began  working  in  the  mines  of  Scotland  and  was 
largely  employed  in  that  division  of  labor  till  twenty-two  years  of  age,  when, 
in  1870,  he  sailed  for  America,  believing  that  he  might  benefit  his  financial 
condition  in  a  land  where  ambition  and  energy  are  not  fettered  by  caste  or 
class.  Landing  in  New  York,  he  came  at  once  to  Morris  and  for  a  year 
was  engaged  in  coal-mining.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  joined  his 
eldest  brother,  David  Allan,  in  leasing  mines  at  Morris,  operating  the  same 
for  three  years.  He  was  then  engaged  in  merchandising  for  twelve  con- 
secutive years,  and  on  the  expiration  of  that  period  carried  on  farming  for 
two  years  in  Iroquois  county,  Illinois.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  Ottawa, 
where  he  conducted  a  restaurant  for  about  seven  months,  and  in  1888  he 
came  to  Morris,  where  he  assumed  the  management  of  the  Carson  House. 
A  contemporary  publication  has  said :    "The  Carson  House  enjoys  the  repu- 


5i8  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOCICAL   RECORD. 

tation  of  being  one  of  the  best  hotels  in  this  section  of  the  country.  Every- 
thing from  cehar  to  attic  is  clean,  cozy  and  homelike.  The  rooms  are  large 
and  comfortable  and  you  coukl  not  ask  for  any  better  accommodation  in  any 
city  than  you  get  at  this  hotel,  the  tables  being  supplied  with  each  and  every 
delicacy  that  the  mind  of  an  expert  'chef  can  devise,  and  served  by  a  corps 
of  polite  and  attentive  waiters.  For  more  than  eleven  years  Mr.  Allan  has 
been  its  proprietor  and  is  well  known  to  the  traveling  public.  He  is  very 
popular  among  traveling  salesmen  and  has  won  many  friends  among  that 
class  of  business  men." 

On  the  22d  of  September,  1875,  Mr.  Allan  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Janet  B.  Patrick,  a  native  of  Maryland,  and  of  Scotch  parentage.  They 
have  five  children:  Thomas  A.  N.,  David  Alexander,  William  R.,  Lillie  J. 
and  Roy  Carson.  Mr.  Allan  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  and  is  also  a  very  prominent  Mason,  taking  the  initiatory  degrees 
in  1878.  when  on  a  visit  to  his  old  home  in  Scotland.  A  year  later  he  joined 
Cedar  Lodge,  No.  124,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Morris,  and  has  since  taken  the 
Royal  Arch  and  Knight  Templar  degrees,  belongs  to  Orient  Chapter,  No. 
31,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Blaney  Commandery,  No.  5,  K.  T.  He  has  attained  the 
thirty-second  degree  of  the  Scottish  rite  in  Oriental  Consistory,  is  a  Noble  of 
the  Mystic  Shrine  and  belongs  to  Laurel  Chapter,  No.  145,  O.  E.  S.  A 
worthy  exemplar  of  this  ancient  craft,  his  life  is  in  perfect  harmony  with  its 
humane  and  fraternal  teachings.  His  wife  is  also  a  member  of  the  Eastern 
Star.  His  political  support  is  given  to  the  Republican  party,  but  he  has 
neither  time  nor  inclination  for  public  office,  preferring  to  devote  his  ener- 
gies to  the  conduct  of  the  Carson  House,  which  he  has  made  one  of  the 
most  popular  hostelries  in  this  section  of  the  state.  He  certainly  deserves 
great  credit,  for  at  the  tender  age  of  seven  years  he  started  out  in  life  for 
himself.  The  difficulties  and  obstacles  impeded  his  progress,  but  he  has 
overcome  these  by  determined  purpose,  steadily  working  his  way  upward 
to  a  position  of  affluence. 


JOHN    M.    VANDERPOOL. 

Forty-two  years  have  passed  since  this  esteemed  citizen  of  Grundy 
county  came  to  this  section  of  Illinois,  and  during  the  long  interval  he  has 
watched  the  progress  and  development  which  has  placed  this  locality  upon 
a  par  with  the  other  counties  in  the  great  commonwealth.  During  the 
greater  part  of  the  time  he  has  devoted  his  energies  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
and  by  close  application  to  business  and  untiring  energy  has  won  a  hand- 
some competence.     His  life  has  been  a  quiet  and  unassuming  one.  yet  he  be- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  519 

longs  to  that  class  of  reliable  citizens  who  are  true  to  their  duty  to  thern- 
sehes.  to  their  neighbors  and  to  their  country,  and  it  is  such  men  who  form 
the  bulwarks  of  the  Union. 

Mr.  Vanderpool  is  a  native  of  the  Empire  state,  his  birth  occurring  in 
Rochester,  New  York,  July  18,  1824.    His  parents  were  William  and  Isabella 

(Johnson)  Vanderpool,  and  his  grandparents  were  John  and  • 

Vanderpool,  all  natives  of  New  York.  His  grandfather  was  of  Holland  de- 
scent, and  was  born  in  the  city  of  Albany  in  the  eighteenth  century.  Through- 
out his  life  he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits,  and  also  maintained  his 
residence  in  the  state  of  his  nativity.  His  children  were  Abraham,  Charles, 
Henry,  Margaret,  Peggy,  Katie  and  Polly,  and  the  eldest  died  at  the  age  of 
ninety-nine  years. 

William  Vanderpool,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  reared  on  the  old 
family  homestead  in  New  York,  and  in  early  life  learned  the  shoemaker's 
trade.  In  accordance  with  the  customs  of  those  times  he  would  travel  from 
liouse  to  house  through  the  country  making  shoes  for  the  inmates  of  the 
various  homes  and  doing  such  repair  work  in  his  line  as  was  necessary.  He 
followed  his  chosen  vocation  until  his  removal  to  Wisconsin,  when  he  located 
upon  a  farm,  wdiich  he  made  his  home  until  his  death.  His  wife  was  of 
English  lineage.  She  died  in  1826,  and  later  he  married  Jemimah  Buens- 
coat.  The  children  of  the  first  union  were  Isabella,  now  deceased;  Eliza- 
beth, who  is  living  in  Wisconsin;  John  M.;  and  Mary,  who  also  has  passed 
away.  By  the  second  marriage  were  born  five  children — George,  Abraham, 
and  Harriet,  who  are  living  in  Wisconsin;  William,  deceased;  and  Gertrude, 
who  also  makes  her  home  in  the  Badger  state.  John  M.  Vanderpool  spent 
his  boyhood  days  in  the  usual  manner  of  farmer  lads  of  tlrat  period.  At  a 
very  early  age  he  began  working  by  the  day  and  was  thus  employed  until 
eighteen  years  of  age,  when  he  learned  the  trade  of  carriage-smith,  following 
that  pursuit  for  fourteen  years.  He  spent  eight  years  in  Vermont,  as  a 
general  blacksmith,  and  in  1857  came  to  Illinois,  locating  on  a  farm  in 
Grundy  county.  He  followed  his  trade,  however,  until  1859,  when  he  turned 
his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits,  being  closely  and  actively  identified 
with  the  farming  interests  of  the  county  until  1895,  when  he  put  aside  all 
business  cares  and  retired  to  private  life.  He  is  now  living  in  Norman 
township,  Grundy  county,  and  is  the  owner  of  three  hundred  and  five  acres 
of  the  richest  land  of  central  Illinois.  The  greater  part  of  it  is  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation,  and  the  rental  therefrom  brings  to  him  a  good  in- 
come. 

Mr.  Vanderpool  has  been  twice  married.  In  185 1  he  wedded  Mrs. 
Phean  (Brooks)  Lazier,  and  to  them  was  born  a  daughter,  who  was  named 
Frances  Anna.     The  mother    died    in    1854,  and  in  1856  Mr.  Vanderpool 


520  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

wedded  Maria  Rockwood,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Susan  (Colvin)  Rock- 
wood,  natives  of  \^ermont.  Their  children  are  Frances  Anna,  wife  of 
Henry  Winsor,  a  resident  of  Vienna  township,  Grundy  county;  Herbert 
M.,  who  married  Cora  Hull  and  is  living  in  Norman  township;  Wilber  W., 
who  married  Anna  Smith  and  resides  in  Wauponsee  township;  and  George 
R.,  who  married  Jennie  Davis  and  is  living  in  the  same  township. 

Mr.  Vanderpool  is  the  only  Prohibitionist  residing  in  Norman  township, 
yet  is  a  true  and  loyal  advocate  of  his  party.  The  cause  of  temperance  has 
long  found  in  him  a  stanch  supporter,  and  believing  the  question  of  the  liquor 
traffic  to  be  one  of  the  most  important  issues  before  the  people  he  votes  for 
the  party  which  advocates  its  abolishment.  He  and  his  wife  are  consistent 
and  faithful  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  are  genial, 
kindly  people  who  have  the  warm  regard  of  a  large  circle  of  friends.  Mr. 
Vanderpool  has  been  successful  in  his  business  endeavors,  and  the  prosperity 
which  he  has  gained  is  well  merited,  for  it  comes  as  the  result  of  activity  in 
business  and  the  careful  direction  of  his  affairs.  Although  now  well  ad- 
vanced in  years,  few  would  suppose  that  he  has  passed  the  seventy-fifth 
milestone  on  life's  journey,  for  he  possesses  the  vigor  of  one  much  younger, 
and  takes  an  interest  in  the  events  of  to-day  usually  found  in  a  man  in  his 
prime. 


JOHN  ANTIS,  M.   D. 


The  pioneer  physician  of  any  county,  the  first  physician  to  locate  per- 
manently within  its  limits,  and  who  practiced  medicine  among  the  original 
pioneers,  riding  horseback  over  the  prairies  and  visiting  the  sick  in  the  rude 
cabins  of  the  early  settlers,  is  an  important  figure  in  local  history.  Dr.  Antis, 
one  of  the  best-known  early  settlers  in  Grundy  county,  was  born  in  Mont- 
gomery county.  New  York,  March  17,  181 7,  a  son  of  John  L  and  Catherine 
(Durkey)  Antis.  The  Antis  family  was  of  the  old  Holland-Dutch  stock 
which  settled  New  York.  The  grandfather  of  Dr.  Antis  was  John  Antis, 
who  spoke  the  language  of  his  native  Holland.  He  was  a  farmer  and  land- 
holder, and  a  soldier  in  our  Revolutionary  war.  His  children  were  John 
L,  Margaret,  Henry,  James  and  Conrad.  Mr.  Antis  died  at  an  advanced  age 
in  New  York  state. 

John  I.  Antis,  the  father  of  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
born  in  New  York  state  and  married  in  Montgomery  county,  New  York, 
to  Catherine  Durkey,  of  New  England  ancestry.  Mr.  Antis  was  a  blacksmith 
by  trade,  of  the  town  of  Root,  Montgomery  county,  New  York,  and  there 
he  passed  his  active  life;  and  in  his  old  age  he  came  to  Morris,  Illinois,  to 
live  with  his  son.  Dr.  Antis,  and  here,  both  he  and  his  wife  died.     In  politics 


^/^t  dv^  J"^-/^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  521 

he  was  a  Democrat,  and  in  every  relation  of  his  life  he  showed  himself  an 
industrious  and  upright  citizen  and  won  universal  respect. 

Dr.  Antis  received  a  good  common-school  education,  studied  medicine 
with  Dr.  Amos  Reed  as  preceptor  at  Root,  Montgomery  county,  New  York, 
and  gained  the  degree  of  Medical  Doctor  at  a  medical  cohege  at  Fairfield, 
Herkimer  county,  same  state.  Dr.  Antis  began  the  practice  of  medicine  at 
North  Brookfield,  Madison  county.  New  York,  where  he  remained  three 
years.  He  then  practiced  his  profession  three  years  in  Allegany  county, 
that  state.  In  1845  he  came  to  Morris,  Illinois,  and  resumed  the  practice  of 
medicine  in  the  then  pioneer  settlement,  where  no  physician  had  located 
permanently  before  hinT,  though  one  or  two  doctors  from  Indiana  had  tarried 
there  briefly.  The  entire  community  had  only  just  begun  to  develop  and 
the  few  scattered  settlements  clustered  about  the  groves  and  water  courses. 
The  prairie  lands  were  wild,  wet  and  unbroken,  and  few  people  believed 
that  they  would  ever  be  settled.  The  wolves  were  numerous  and  could  be 
heard  howling  at  any  time  of  night  and  large  herds  of  deer  wandered  at 
will  over  the  prairies.  While  the  pioneers  were  a  hardy  race  of  people,  there 
was  a  great  deal  of  sickness  in  this  vicinity,  malaria  being  the  principal  cause 
of  disease.  There  were  no  supplies  of  medicine  to  be  obtained  at  Morris, 
and  Dr.  Antis  has  traveled  to  Ottawa  and  Joliet,  making  the  long,  lonely 
journey  on  horseback  to  procure  medicines,  especially  quinine,  for  which 
he  paid  frequently  seven  dollars  per  ounce.  He  had  a  large  practice  and 
for  a  long  time  was  the  only  physician  at  Morris,  and  he  was  known  among 
the  pioneers  far  and  wide.  There  were  no  roads  across  the  prairies  in  those 
days  and  in  a  wet  season  the  mud  was  something  terrible.  There  being 
no  fences,  the  Doctor  rode  across  the  prairies  on  horseback  and  often  found 
the  sloughs  almost  impassable. 

Dr.  Antis  married  Nancy  A.  Sweet,  of  North  Brookfield,  Madison 
county.  New  York.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Samuel  G.  Sweet,  and  her  father 
was  a  well-to-do  farmer.  His  children  were  Mary,  Nancy,  Phillip,  John, 
Jeremy  and  Benjamin.  Mr.  Sweet  died  an  old  man,  at  North  Brookfield, 
New  York.  The  Doctor  came  alone  to  Morris,  in  the  spring  of  1845,  and 
his  wife  came  out  during  the  summer  of  that  year.  Their  children  were 
Eudora  A.  and  Mary.  Mrs.  Antis,  a  woman  of  many  virtues,  lived  to  be 
seventy-two  years  of  age,  and  died  on  their  home  farm  in  Mazon  township, 
in  1889.  The  Doctor  practiced  medicine  for  many  years,  and  was  the  best 
known  among  the  pioneer  physicians  of  the  county.  In  the  early  days, 
about  1848,  a  serious  accident  occurred  to  Charles  Huston.  In  pulling  his 
gun  out  of  a  sled  in  which  he  was  traveling  he  discharged  the  gun  and 
the  charge  of  buckshot  passed  through  his  arm  above  the  elbow,  shatterino- 
and  tearing  away  the  bone  and  solid  flesh  for  nearly  two  inches  and  making 


5.22  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

a  large  hole  in  the  arm.  It  was  a  terrible  wound.  At  that  time  the  Doctor' 
had  no  regular  case  of  surgical  instruments  and  to  this  fact  is  probably  due 
the  salvation  of  the  arm,  as,  had  he  been  provided  with  the  facilities,  the 
Doctor  would  have  amputated  it  according  to  the  usual  practice  in  ;Mmilar 
cases.  It  was  with  many  misgivings  and  greatly  against  his  judgment  that 
he  set  to  work  to  tr>'  to  heal  the  wound  and  save  the  arm;  but  by  skillful 
and  careful  treatment  through  several  weeks  the  wound  was  entirely  healed 
and  the  arm  saved,  and  it  proved  to  be  for  Mr.  Huston  a  good  and  service- 
able arm  which  he  could  manage  almost  as  well  as  before  the  injury,  and 
continued  to  do  so  until  his  death  a  few  years  since.  In  1850  Dr.  .Xntis 
bought  his  present  farm  in  Mazon  township,  then  consisting  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres.  He  has  added  to  it  and  now  owns  one  of  the  finest  farms 
in  the  township,  consisting  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  fine  land. 
After  the  civil  war  he  moved  to  his  farm  and  has  since  made  it  his  home. 

The  Doctor  was  one  of  the  early  gold-seekers  to  California,  crossing 
the  great  plains  in  1849  and  mining  for  gold  at  Trinity  for  two  years.  In 
politics  he  is  a  stanch  Democrat.  He  is  an  honored  citizen  of  the  county  and 
has  held  the  oflice  of  mayor  of  Morris  several  times  and  has  been  supervisor 
of  his  township.  A  man  of  broad  mind,  a  clear  thinker,  of  independent 
views  and  strong  character,  he  has  manifested  much  determination,  and,  like 
most  pioneers,  he  is  noted  for  his  sturdy  honesty.  He  has  an  iron  constitu- 
tion, and  at  eighty-two  years  of  age  he  is  a  strong,  hearty  and  well-preserved 
man. 


AUSTIN     E.     PALMER,     M.     D. 

One  of  the  successful  medical  practitioners  of  Morris  is  Dr.  A.  E. 
Palmer,  who  was  born  in  Wyoming  county.  New  York,  November  9,  1846. 
He  is  a  son  of  Elisha  and  Eliza  (Miner)  Palmer,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Stonington,  Connecticut,  and  were  representatives  of  old  New  England 
families.  Walter  Palmer,  a  gentleman  of  English  birth,  was  the  progenitor 
of  the  family  in  America. 

The  Doctor  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  the  Empire  state  and  assisted 
in  the  labors  of  the  home  farm  until  nineteen  years  of  age;  but,  not  desiring 
to  follow  the  plow  throughout  his  entire  life,  he  determined  to  engage  in 
the  practice  of  medicine.  He  completed  his  education  in  Middlebury  Acad- 
emy, where  he  was  graduated  in  1866.  He  then  entered  Bellevue  Medical 
College  and  on  the  completion  of  a  thorough  course  was  graduated  in  that 
institution  in  1869.  He  at  once  came  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  and  for  a 
few  months  made  his  home  in  Braceville,  after  which  he  spent  six  years  in 
Mazon.    In  1876  he  came  to  Morris,  where  for  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  523:. 

he  has  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine,  meeting  with  excellent  success. 
He  is  a  close  student  and  has  carried  his  investigations  beyond  those  of  the 
average  practitioner.  His  rare  skill  and  ability  have  gained  him  a  liberal 
patronage  and  won  him  prestige  as  a  member  of  the  medical  fraternity.  He 
is  now  a  representative  of  the  LaSalle  County  and  Illinois  State  Medical  .So- 
cieties, and  the  American  Medical  Association. 

In  1871  Dr.  Palmer  was  united  in  marriage  to  Eva  M.  Isham,  a  daughter 
of  Edward  Isham,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Mazon  township,  Grundy 
county.  Three  children  have  been  bom  to  them :  Frank,  who  is  a  graduate 
of  the  Chicago  ^Medical  College  and  is  now  practicing  in  Gardner,  Illinois; 
Jessie  and  Louise.  The  Doctor  is  a  Knight  Templar  Mason,  and  is  a  stal- 
wart Republican  in  politics,  being  recognized  as  one  of  the  leaders  of  the 
party  in  his  county.  He  served  for  four  years  as  mayor  of  Morris  and  his 
administration  was  beneficial  and  progressive,  for  he  advocated  all  measures 
calculated  to  improve  the  city  and  advance  its  material  welfare.  While  he 
was  serving  as  mayor  the  Morris  water-works  were  constructed,  the  under- 
taking receiving  the  Doctor's  earnest  support.  He  gives  his  aid  and  co-oper- 
ation to  all  movements  calculated  to  prove  a  public  benefit  and  is  accounted 
one  of  the  representative  men  of  Morris. 


JAMES     B.     DAWSON. 

This  gentleman  is  accounted  one  of  the  successful  merchants  of  Morris, 
as  the  elements  necessary  to  a  successful  business  career  are  numbered  among 
his  leading  characteristics.  He  is  wide-awake,  energetic  and  diligent,  and 
above  all  he  is  reliable  in  all  his  trade  transactions. 

Mr.  Dawson  was  born  in  Scotland,  December  26,  1850,  and  on  the 
paternal  side  is  of  Irish  lineage,  while  on  the  maternal  side  he  is  of  Scotch 
descent.  His  parents  were  John  and  Agnes  (Stewart)  Dawson,  and  their 
children  were  William,  Agnes,  John  and  Margaret,  all  now  deceased;  Fannie; 
Mary;  Charlotte:  Charles,  deceased;  and  James  B.  The  daughters  went  tO' 
Australia  in  early  life  and  Fannie  died  in  that  country.  Mary,  however, 
resides  in  ^Melbourne,  Australia,  and  Charlotte  is  living  in  Wellington,  New 
Zealand.  In  the  spring  of  1864  Charles  Dawson  came  to  the  United  States 
and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  his  brothers,  John  and  James  B.,  also  arrived 
in  the  new  world.  They  spent  a  short  time  together  in  Pennsylvania  and 
then  separated,  each  starting  out  to  seek  his  fortune.  Shortly  after  the  sons- 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  the  parents  also  came  and  located  in  Lime- 
town,  Pennsylvania,  where  the  father's  death  occurred  five  years  later.  The 
mother  then  joined  her  son,  James,  in  Missouri  and  spent  her  last  days  in. 


,524  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

that  state.  In  1867  William  Dawson  also  came  to  this  country  and  both  he 
and  his  brother,  John,  died  in  Pennsylvania. 

James  B.  Dawson  was  a  lad  of  fourteen  years  when  he  crossed  the 
Atlantic  and  from  that  lime  has  been  dependent  entirely  upon  his  own  re- 
sources, so  that  he  desen'es  great  credit  for  the  success  he  has  achieved. 
His  educational  privileges  were  very  limited,  but  from  early  youth  he  mani- 
fested a  strong  love  of  books,  and  through  private  study  and  the  perusal  of 
books  and  papers,  combined  with  a  broad  experience  in  the  afifairs  of  life, 
he  has  become  a  well  informed  man.  For  several  years  he  was  engaged 
in  lead  and  coal  mining  in  Missouri,  and  for  one  term  he  pursued  the  study  of 
medicine  in  the  St.  Louis  Medical  College;  but  not  finding  the  profession 
entirely  to  his  taste  he  left  that  institution  and  in  1877  located  at  Wadsworth, 
Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  the  drug  and  grocer}'  business.  He  removed 
from  that  town  to  Morris  in  1884  and  has  since  engaged  in  merchandising 
here,  carn,-ing  a  large  line  of  groceries,  drugs  and  toilet  articles.  He  has 
been  ver\-  successful  in  his  business  and  is  now  enjoying  a  large  and  profitable 
trade. 

While  in  Wadsworth  Mr.  Dawson  was  married,  in  1880,  to  Miss  Mary 
A.  Sutherland,  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  three  cliildren  honor  their  union — 
John,  Mabel  and  Mamie.  In  politics  Mr.  Dawson  is  a  Republican,  unwaver- 
ing in  his  support  of  the  principles  of  the  party.  In  the  spring  of  1899  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  board  of  aldermen  in  Morris  and  is  now  serving  in 
that  position.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Master  Mason.  Quick  of  apprehension, 
he  mastered  the  intricate  affairs  of  business  life  and  steadily  worked  his  way 
upward,  gaining  a  comfortable  competence  and  at  the  same  time  meriting 
the  respect  and  admiration  of  his  fellow  men.  His  career  both  public  and 
private  is  marked  by  the  strictest  integrity  and  faithfulness  to  ever\-  trast 
reposed  in  him. 

CRONIN    BROTHERS. 

Thomas  M.  and  Daniel  J.  Cronin  are  twin  brothers,  and  were  born  on 
the  old  homestead  in  Saratoga  township,  Grundy  county,  IlHnois,  Novem- 
ber 25,  185 1,  their  parents  being  James  and  Ellen  (nee  Donaven)  Cronin, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  county  Cork,  Ireland,  the  father  bom  in 
1793  and  the  mother  in  1813.  They  came  to  Prescott,  Canada,  where  they 
resided  for  more  than  a  year,  and  next  removed  to  Florida,  later  to  New 
Orleans,  and  thence  by  way  of  the  Mississippi  and  Illinois  rivers  to  LaSalle, 
IlHnois,  and  on  to  Ottawa,  which  latter  place  they  reached  in  1844,  and 
here  they  resided  for  a  short  time.  The  father  secured  a  contract  for  con- 
-structing  a  section  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal  immediately  west  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  525 

Morris,  and  on  the  completion  of  the  work  he  entered  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  in  what  is  now  Saratoga  township,  Gnnidy  county,  the 
same  being  secured  from  tlie  land  commissioners  and  known  as  canal  land. 
James  Cronin  located  upon  that  tract  and  engaged  in  farming  and  made 
his  home  there  until  his  death.  He  did  not  live  many  years  to  enjoy  his 
new  home,  for  his  death  occurred  in  October,  1855,  when  he  had  arrived  at 
the  age  of  sixty-twO'  years.  He  left  a  widow  and  six  children,  the  latter 
being:  Mary,  now  Mrs.  Dunn,  of  South  Dakota;  James,  also  of  South  Da- 
kota; Ellen,  now  Mrs.  Wilder,  of  Iowa;  Lizzie,  now  Mrs.  Curren,  of  Indian 
Territor)-;  Thomas  M.  and  Daniel  J.  The  mother  long  sur^-ived  her  husband 
and  from  1867  until  her  death  in  1894  was  a  resident  of  Morris,  residing  with 
her  sons,  Thomas  and  Daniel.  Many  of  the  older  citizens  of  Morris  hold  her 
in  affectionate  remembrance.  She  was  a  devoted  Catholic  and  reared 
her  children  in  the  faith  of  that  church. 

Thomas  M.  and  Daniel  J.  Cronin  were  born  and  reared  upon  the  old 
homestead  in  Saratoga  township,  which  property  they  still  own.  Their  edu- 
cation was  obtained  in  the  Morris  public  schools  at  winter  terms.  During 
the  summer  months  they  worked  early  and  late  on  their  mother's  farm. 
Their  natures  being  identical  in  many  ways,  ambition  and  honesty  prevailing, 
they  early  determined  to  hew  their  way  to  more  than  the  life  of  a  farmer, 
and  in  1867  Daniel  chose  the  trade  of  carriage-painting,  in  which,  applying 
himself  dihgently,  he  soon  became  an  expert,  working  in  the  meantime  in 
the  larger  shops  of  Chicago  and  other  cities  throughout  the  Union.  Thomas 
the  same  year,  1867,  started  to  learn  the  trade  of  tinner,  at  which  he  worked 
many  years,  becoming  a  skillful  workman.  By  frugality  the  brothers  in  time 
had  accumulated  a  few  hundred  dollars,  and  in  September  of  1882  they 
established  their  present  business  in  Morris.  They  opened  a  hardware  store 
on  the  corner  of  Liberty  and  JefTerson  streets,  in  a  small  room  and  with  a 
small  stock.  But  they  applied  themselves  closely  to  their  work,  selling 
goods  as  recommended,  and  doing  all  jobbing  work  in  a  first-class  manner. 
Their  trade  began  to  increase  little  by  little;  the  shelves  became  the  recep- 
tacles of  more  and  a  better  class  of  goods,  and  the  list  of  customers  became 
larger.  Their  store-room  became  too  small  for  their  trade,  and  a  happy 
thought  dawned  upon  them.  L.  Gebhard  was  erecting  an  elegant  three- 
story  business  block,  and  they  leased  the  middle  store-room,  and  now.  with 
a  small  beginning  in  1882,  they  have  succeeded  so  admirably  as  to  possess 
one  of  the  finest  equipped  and  best  stocked  hardware  stores  in  the  state. 
They  carry  a  full  line  of  hardware,  farm  implements  and  carriages,  and  trans- 
act a  large  volume  of  business.  True  merit  wins  every  time,  and  here  is  an 
apt  illustration  of  the  fact.  Whatever  you  buy  of  the  Cronin  Brothers,  you 
may  feel  confident  will  be  as  recommended  by  them. 


526  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    (^EXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

The  brothers  are  both  supporters  of  the  Democratic  party,  but  only 
Thomas  has  given  much  attention  to  political  work.  He  served  for  five 
years  as  an  alderman,  and  in  1889  was  apjiointed  the  mayor  of  Morris  to 
fill  an  unexpired  term.  In  1890  he  was  elected  for  the  full  term  and  in  1892 
was  re-elected,  filling  the  position  altogether  for  five  consecutive  years.  His 
administration  was  progressive  and  he  conducted  the  afl'airs  of  the  city  on 
business-like  principles  and  was  careful  to  suppress  all  movements  that  might 
prove  detrimental  and  advanced  all  measures  calculated  to  enhance  the 
public  good.  Daniel  Cronin  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  Both 
brothers  are  widely  and  favorably  known  throughout  Grundy  county.  They 
bear  such  strong  resemblance  to  each  other  that  even  friends  of  many  years' 
standing  often  find  it  dif^cult  to  distinguish  them.  Their  business  interest? 
have  ever  been  conducted  with  the  utmost  harmony  and  they  certainly  de- 
serve great  credit  for  the  success  w^hich  has  been  achieved  by  their  own 
efforts.  Their  honorable  methods  have  won  them  an  unassailable  reputation, 
and  as  representative  business  men  of  Morris  they  certainlv  deserve  mention 
in  this  volume. 


MRS.   CLARISSA   A.   LINN. 

Long  a  resident  of  Grundy  county,  and  widely  and  favorably  known, 
Mrs.  Clarissa  A.  Linn  well  deser\-es  mention  in  its  history.  She  resides  in 
\\  auponsee  township  and  is  the  owner  of  one  of  the  valuable  farms  in  this' 
section  of  Illinois,  where  her  husband  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  for 
many  years.  Her  parents  were  Moses  and  Catherine  (Sitterley)  Pangboni. 
of  Albany  county.  New  York.  In  1855  she  became  the  wife  of  Peter  Bradt, 
a  representative  of  one  of  the  oldest  .American  families,  his  ancestrj'  being 
traced  back  to  Andrew  Bradt.  whO'  in  the  year  1650  left  Holland,  the  land 
of  his  birth,  and  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world.  He  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  New  York  colony,  where  he  followed  farming,  aiding  in  open- 
ing up  that  wild  and  undeveloped  region  to  the  influence  of  civilization. 
The  old  brick  residence  which  he  erected  and  which  was  used  as  a  rendez- 
vous by  the  settlers  in  the  French  and  Indian  war,  is  still  standing,  in  a  good 
state  of  preservation.  In  1690,  when  the  treacherous  Indians  made  their 
way  to  the  locality  in  which  he  resided  and  massacred  many  of  the  people 
there,  he  was  among  the  number  who  lost  their  lives.  That  event  occurred 
in  February.  1690.  and  is  known  in  history  as  the  great  Schenectady  mas- 
sacre. His  wife  at  that  time  took  her  infant  son,  Aaron,  and  wrapping  him 
in  a  shawl  hid  him  under  a  brush  fence  and  thus  saved  his  life.  He  lived  to 
become  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  worthy  farmers  of  the  Mohawk  val- 
ley.    He  traded  with  the  Indians  and  became  the  possessor  of  a  tract  of  land 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  527 

in  that  rich  vallev,  eight  miles  wide  and  sixteen  miles  long.  In  order  to 
secure  a  legal  ownership  he  went  direct  to  King  George  III,  of  England, 
and  obtained  from  that  monarch  a  title  to  his  possessions.  He  was  also 
the  owner  of  the  entire  town  of  Princeton,  situated  just  north  of  Schenec- 
tady township.  His  son,  Samuel  A.  Bradt,  was  born  in  the  Empire  state 
and  was  the  next  in  the  line  of  direct  descent.  Samuel  became  the  father 
of  a  son  whom  he  called  Samuel  and  wiio  was  also  one  of  the  leading  agri- 
culturists in  this  section  of  New  York,  owning  and  operating  five  hundred 
acres  of  land.  At  the  time  when  the  second  war  with  England  was  inau- 
gurated, however,  he  joined  the  American  army  and  lost  his  life  in  that  ser- 
vice. His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Mariah  Springer,  was  also  a 
native  of  New  York.  Their  son,  Frederick  Bradt,  became  a  carpenter  and 
builder  and  followed  that  occupation  in  New  York  throughout  his  entire 
life.  He  was  bom  in  Rotterdam,  New  York,  in  1830,  and  after  arriving 
at  years  of  maturity  wedded  Christiana  Sitterley,  also  a  native  of  Rotter- 
dam. 

It  was  their  son,  Peter,  who  became  the  first  husband  of  Mrs.  Linn,  their 
marriage  occurring  in  1855.  Peter  Bradt  was  a  carpenter  and  church  builder 
and  was  connected  with  the  building  interests  of  the  Empire  state  until  1855, 
when  he  came  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Morris,  where  he  followed  contracting 
until  1 86 1.  In  that  year  he  enlisted  in  the  three-months  service  as  a  member 
of  Company  C,  Eleventh  Illinois  Infantry,  and  at  the  expiration  of  his  term 
he  re-enlisted,  joining  the  "boys  in  lilue"  of  Company  G,  Thirty-sixth  Regi- 
ment of  Illinois  Volunteers,  and  with  that  command  he  sen-ed  until  the 
close  of  the  war  and  was  then  mustered  out  in  the  spring  of  1865.  At  the 
battle  of  Murfreesboro  he  was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner,  and  on  account 
of  his  health  he  was  given  leave  by  the  Confederate  commander  to  return 
to  his  home.  As  soon  as  he  was  able,  however,  he  rejoined  his  regiment, 
and  at  the  battle  of  Stone  River  he  was  again  wounded  and  again  taken  pris- 
oner. The  penalty  of  taking  up  arms  again  after  once  having  been  taken  pris- 
oner and  not  lawfully  exchanged  was  death,  and  Mr.  Bradt,  knowing  this  and 
not  being  certain  as  to  whether  he  had  been  exchanged  during  the  time  that 
he  was  ill  and  at  home,  went  to  prison  a  second  time,  under  the  name  of 
P.  A.  Johnson.  He  was  sent  to  Libby  prison  and  his  nephew,  Frederick 
Bradt,  is  in  possession  of  the  razor  and  shears  to  which  he  attributed  the 
saving  of  his  life,  for  he  used  them  in  tonsorial  work  during  his  incarceration 
and  therebv  made  money  enough  to  keep  him  from  starving.  His  barber 
chair  was  formed  from  an  old  sugar  iiogshead.  Mr.  Bradt  remained  in 
prison  until  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he  was  exchanged  and  with  an  hon- 
orable militar>'  record  returned  to  his  home.  He  then  resumed  contracting 
and  building,  and  the  last  church  which  he  erected  was  the  house  of  worship 


528  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

for  the  Methodists  at  Wauponsee.  He  died  in  December,  1873,  leaving  a 
son,  Benjamin,  who  died  the  following  year.  The  other  son  of  the  family, 
James,  had  passed  away  in  1864. 

In  1874  Mrs.  Bradt  was  again  married,  becoming  the  wife  of  Alexander 
Linn,  a  son  of  Moses  and  Nancy  (Spear)  Linn,  of  Pennsylvania.  His  mother 
was  an  own  cousin  of  James  Buchanan.  His  father  was  born  in  Washing- 
ton county,  Pennsylvania,  August  7,  1823,  and  was  reared  on  one  of  the 
finest  farms  in  that  section  of  the  Keystone  state.  He  received  a  good  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  Pennsylvania  and  under  the  direction  of  his  mother, 
who  was  at  one  time  a  teacher  in  Jefferson  College.  About  1868  he  came 
to  Illinois,  locating  on  a  farm  in  \Vauponsee  township,  which  is  now  the 
home  of  Mrs.  Linn,  and  there  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life  he  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits.  He  was  one  of  the  leading  and  influential  citizens 
of  the  community,  was  a  progressive  farmer  and  accumulated  considerable 
wealth  before  his  death,  which  occurred  in  September,  1881.  He  left  to 
his  widow  a  handsome  property.  Their  only  child,  Alexander,  Jr.,  died  at  the 
age  of  four  years. 

Mrs.  Linn  still  resides  at  the  old  home  and  is  the  owner  of  one  of  the 
finest  farms  in  Grundy  county,  and  her  possessions  supply  her  with  the 
comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life,  and  she  enjoys  the  friendship  of 
many  of  the  best  people  of  the  community.  After  the  death  of  her  husband 
she  rented  her  farm  until  1888,  when  her  nephew,  Frederick  Bradt,  assumed 
its  management.  A  year  later  he  was  joined  in  his  work  by  his  brother, 
Jerome  Bradt.  They  were  sons  of  Martin  and  Catharine  (Wood)  Bradt. 
They  successfully  engaged  in  general  farming  and  stock-raising,  relieving 
their  aunt  of  all  responsibility  of  the  farm.  But  Jerome  Bradt  died  ^larch 
28,  1900,  at  Morris,  at  the  age  of  thirty-one  years.  At  the  time  of  his  death 
her  father  was  the  proud  possessor  of  the  coat-of-arms  of  the  original 
progenitor,  Andrew  Bradt,  emblematic  of  his  military  career  in  Holland. 
This  treasured  heirloom  is  still  in  possession  of  the  family  of  Martin  Bradt. 


JOSEPH    HUTCHINGS. 

In  no  part  of  our  country  has  the  self-made  man  been  more  in  evidence 
or  more  influential  upon  the  development  of  all  the  interests  around  him 
than  in  Illinois.  Grundy  county  has,  in  all  stages  of  its  history,  been  bene- 
fited by  numbering  among  her  citizens  many  such  men,  and  none  of  this  class 
among  the  farmers  of  the  county  has  made  a  more  creditable  record  than  the 
gentleman  whose  name  constitutes  the  title  of  this  article. 

Joseph   Hutchings,  Wauponsee,  Grundy  county,  a  substantial  farmer 


^At^^,  f%^y^^^^^2^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  529 

and  representative  citizen,  was  born  at  Ropsley,  Lincolnshire,  England.  Oc- 
tober 26,  1827,  a  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Rawlings)  Hutchings.  William 
Hutchings  was  born  in  Rutland,  England,  a  son  of  John  Hutchings,  a 
farmer.  \\'illiam  Hutchings  was  always  a  farmer.  He  married,  in  Rops- 
ley, Mary  Rawlings,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Rawlings,  and  continued 
his  residence  at  Ropsley.  His  children  were  William,  Sarah,  Mary  Ann, 
Joseph.  John,  Edward,  Frederick,  Arthur  and  Elizabeth.  William  Hutch- 
ings and  wife  were  both  members  of  the  Church  of  England.  He  died  in 
England,  October  12,  1859,  aged  about  sixty-five  years.  He  was  a  hard- 
working, industrious  man.  His  children,  except  Frederick,  Edward  and 
Joseph,  all  remained  in  England.  Joseph  received  but  a  limited  education. 
Farming,  however,  he  thoroughly  learned,  and  he  came  to  America  when  be- 
tween twenty-three  and  twenty-four  years  of  age.  Embarking  at  Liverpool, 
February  27,  1851,  in  the  good  ship  Fides,  a  sailing  vessel,  he  was  seven 
weeks  on  the  voyage  to  New  York,  where  he  arrived  April  12  following,  after 
a  very  stormy  passage,  in  which  the  ship  lost  its  rudder  and  drifted  out  of  its 
course.  He  worked  on  a  farm  in  the  town  of  Rinebeck.  on  the  Hudson 
river,  that  summer,  and  in  the  fall  of  1851  went  to  western  New  York  and 
worked  on  a  farm  sixteen  miles  west  of  Buffalo  until  November,  1855.  when 
he  came  to  Illinois,  making  the  journey  by  rail. 

He  was  married  in  Buffalo.  New  York,  November  4,  1855,  to  Bridget 
Clark,  born  December  25,  1823,  in  the  parish  of  Drumard,  Sligo  county, 
Ireland,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Winifred  (O'Dowd)  Clark.  The  family 
of  Qarks  to  which  James  Clark  belonged  have  li\-ed  in  that  part  of  Ireland  for 
centuries.     His  wife  was  from  the  neighboring  parish  of  Screen. 

James  Clark  and  wife,  who  were  the  parents  of  two  daughters,  Mary 
and  Bridget,  were  members  of  the  Catholic  church,  and  were  respected  for 
their  uprightness  and  good  character.  Both  died  in  Ireland.  Bridget 
■Clark,  then  seventeen,  left  her  native  land  in  the  summer  of  1850.  sailing  from 
Sligo,  Ireland,  to  Liverpool,  England,  and  from  Liverpool  for  Quebec,  and 
was  five  weeks  on  the  voyage.  She  went  from  Quebec  to  Montreal  and 
thence  to  Buffalo,  New  York.  Her  sister  Mary  had  come  to  America  about 
three  years  before,  and  was  living  in  New  Jersey.  They  had  an  uncle, 
Dennis  O'Dowd,  living  in  Buffalo,  with  whom  Bridget  lived  five  years,  until 
her  marriage,  at  twenty-two  years  of  age. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hutchings  came  to  Grundy  county  and 
settled  in  Norman  township,  where  he  rented  land  of  Marion  Lloyd,  a  pio- 
neer of  this  county  and  a  substantial  farmer  of  Vienna  township.  Mr. 
Hutchings  worked  the  farm  on  shares,  saved  his  money,  and  in  1861 
bought  eighty  acres  of  his  present  farm,  which  was  partly  improved,  but 
had  no  buildings.     He  prospered  by  enterprise  and  industry  and  added  to 


530  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

his  land  until  he  now  owns  four  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  fine  farm  land, 
with  excellent  improvements.  Mr.  Hatchings  and  his  wife  both  worked 
hard  and  with  great  diligence  to  gain  their  property.  They  built  a  two- 
story  frame  residence  in  1886  and  have  built  other  substantial  farm 
buildings,  and  they  now  have  one  of  the  best  properties  and  most  pleasant 
homesteads  in  Vienna  township.  Their  children  are  Francis  Marion,  born- 
November  4,  1856;  ]\Iary  Elizabeth,  born  September  29,  1859;  Margaret 
Winifred,  born  Februar\-  9,  1863.  died  December  6,  1881 ;  John  Joseph,  born 
April  27,  1866;  and  James  W'..  born  February  2,  187 1. 

Mrs.  Hutchings  and  their  children  are  members  of  the  Catholic  church 
and  Mr.  Hutchings  is  an  attendant  upon  its  ser\-ices.  In  politics  ]\Ir.  Hutch- 
ings is  a  stanch  Democrat.  He  has  made  his  way  to  fortune  by  economy  and 
strict  attention  to  business,  and  through  his  busy  career  has  been  aided  im- 
measurably by  his  faithful,  prudent  and  energetic  wife,  who  shared  with 
him  the  hardships  of  a  pioneer  life  with  patience  and  cheerfulness.  When 
they  came  to  the  county  the  country  was  new.  There  were  few  settlements, 
the  land  was  unimproved,  a  good  deal  of  it  was  submerged  during  the  whole 
or  a  portion  of  the  year,  and  malaria  and  consequent  sickness  could  not  be 
avoided.  Facilities  for  trade  and  exchange  were  few  and  the  settlers  had  to 
accommodate  one  another  in  many  ways  not  dreamed  of  by  residents  in  these 
days  of  development  and  general  prosperity.  The  many  friends  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hutchings  rejoice  that  they  have  been  spared  to  each  other  and  to  the 
community  and  to  the  peaceful  and  leisurely  enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  their 
well-doing. 


'&• 


JOHN     BOX.\R. 

Among  the  worthy  citizens  that  Scotland  has  furnished  to  the  new  world 
is  John  Bonar,  who  is  now  successfully  engaged  in  the  clothing  business  in. 
Morris.  He  was  born  in  Clackmannanshire,  Scotland,  August  30,  1842, 
and  is  a  son  of  James  and  !Mary  (Shepard)  Bonar.  representatives  of  old 
Scotch  families.  They  lived  and  died  in  their  native  land,  where  the 
father  engaged  in  coal-mining,  being  mine  boss  at  one  coal  mine  for  twenty- 
one  years.  He  died  at  the  age  of  forty-eight,  and  his  wife  passed  away  at 
the  age  of  sixty-seven.  The}-  were  the  parents  of  six  sons  and  seven  daugh- 
ters. 

John  Bonar  obtained  a  limited  education  in  the  land  of  his  nativity 
and  at  the  early  age  of  nine  years  he  began  to  earn  his  own  hving,  working 
in  the  coal  mines.  He  followed  that  pursuit  for  some  time,  and  before  leav- 
ing Scotland  he  was  married.  In  1867.  hoping  to  better  his  financial  con- 
dition in  the  new  world,  he  sailed  to  the  United  States,  and  on  landing  in- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  531 

New  York  made  his  way  directly  to  Morris.  He  was  identified  with  the 
coal-mining  interests  of  this  locality  for  about  seventeen  years  and  was  then 
made  mine  inspector  of  Grundy  county,  holding  the  position  for  three  years. 
At  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  was  appointed  deputy  sherifT,  serving  for 
four  years  under  Sheriff  John  Schroder.  In  August,  1891,  he  entered 
the  mercantile  ranks  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  clothing  business 
as  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  John  Bonar  &  Son.  They  have  a  com- 
modious store,  well  stocked  with  a  fine  line  of  goods,  and  from  the  public 
are  receiving  a  liberal  patronage. 

]Mr.  Bonar  was  married  in  Scotland  in  1862  to  Margaret  Patterson, 
who  also  was  of  Scottish  birth  and  ancestry.  Three  children  were  there  born 
to  them:  Christina,  who  was  married  in  1887  to  Henry  [Matters  and  then 
removed  to  Nebraska,  where  she  died  in  the  first  year  of  her  married  life; 
James  B.,  who  is  the  manager  of  Wile  Brothers'  clothing  store  in  Morris; 
and  Alexander,  who  is  associated  with  his  father  in  business.  Nine  months 
after  his  arrival  in  America  Mr.  Bonar  sent  for  his  wife  and  three  children, 
and  in  this  country  eight  children  have  been  added  to  the  family  circle,  but 
three  of  them  are  now  deceased.  The  five  still  living  are  Jane,  a  teacher 
in  Morris  high  school;  John,  Mary,  Thomas  and  Nellie,  who  are  yet  at  their 
parental  home. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Bonar  is  a  stalwart  Republican,  and  exercises 
his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  party  and 
does  all  in  his  power  to  promote  its  growth  and  insure  its  success.  Socially 
he  is  a  representative  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity.  He  and  iiis 
wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  the  family  are  numbered 
among  the  most  favorably  known  citizens  of  Morris.  Mr.  Bonar  has  justly 
won  the  proud  title  of  a  self-made  man.  He  started  out  in  life  at  a  very 
tender  age  and  in  his  youth  experienced  many  hardships  and  difficulties, 
but  he  possessed  strong  determination  and  resolute  purpose,  which  enabled 
him  to  overcome  many  of  the  obstacles  in  his  path.  His  hope  of  more  rap- 
idly acquiring  a  competence  in  America  has  been  fully  realized  and  he  is 
accounted  one  of  the  substantial  merchants  of  his  adopted  city. 


J.     D.     McKEEN. 


J.  D.  McKeen,  a  liveryman  of  Morris,  Illinois,  is  among  the  younger 
representative  business  men  of  the  town,  and  is  a  native  son  of  Grundy 
county. 

^Ir.  ]\IcKeen  was  born  May  31,  1874,  a  son  of  Isaiah  H.  and  Louisa 
(Hupp)  McKeen,  and  a  grandson  of  the  pioneer  James  McKeen.     James 


532  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

^IcKeen  was  a  Pennsylvanian  who  came  out  to  Illinois  in  the  early  history 
of  this  state,  settled  in  Grundy  county,  and  built  the  first  house  in  Morris. 
He  has  long  since  passed  away.  His  widow,  now  a  venerable  woman  of 
ninety-six  years,  one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  the  county,  resides  with  her 
son  Isaiah  H.  McKeen.  Isaiah  H.  JMcKeen  is  one  of  the  respected  farmers 
of  Erienna  township,  and  with  the  exception  of  four  years,  when  he  was 
€ngag-ed  in  the  livery  business  at  Morris,  his  life  has  been  devoted  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits.  His  wife  was  born  in  LaSalle  county,  this  state,  of  wdiich 
place  her  parents  were  early  settlers. 

In  1896,  when  Isaiah  H.  McKeen  retired  from  the  livery  business  and 
returned  to  his  farm,  he  was  succeeded  in  business  by  his  son  J.  D.,  who  has 
since  conducted  the  establishment  successfully. 

J.  D.  McKeen  was  married,  February  26,  1896,  to  Miss  Cora  Matteson, 
daughter  of  Storey  and  Jennie  Matteson,  and  they  have  two  children — Jerald 
and  Meta. 

Mr.  McKeen  has  fraternal  relations  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and 
the  Modem  Woodmen  of  America. 


WILLIAM     D.     LLOYD. 

For  forty-three  years  William  DeLand  Lloyd  has  been  a  resident  of 
Illinois  and  is  numbered  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  this  section  of  the 
state,  and  has  therefore  witnessed  much  of  the  growth  and  development  of 
Morris  county  and  has  ever  borne  his  part  in  the  work  of  progress.  He  has 
seen  the  wild  lands  transformed  into  beautiful  homes  and  farms,  while  ham- 
lets have  become  cities  and  all  the  evidences  of  an  advanced  civilization  have 
replaced  the  primitive  forms  of  pioneer  life. 

Mr.  Lloyd  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Oneida  county.  New  York,  March 
28,  1825,  and  is  a  son  of  William  Rily  and  Lucy  (DeLand)  Lloyd.  The  father 
was  bom  in  Massachusetts,  April  15,  1798,  and  died  in  Kendall  county,  Illi- 
nois, February  16,  1876.  On  the  22d  of  October,  1823,  he  married  Miss 
DeLand,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Oneida  county.  New  York,  July  10,  1798, 
and  who  died  in  Chautauqua  county,  that  state,  June  10,  1832.  The  Lloyd 
family  is  of  Welsh  origin  and  at  an  early  day  was  planted  on  American  soil, 
since  which  time  its  representatives  have  resided  in  Massachusetts.  Mrs. 
Lloyd  was  probably  of  French  lineage.  She  died  when  her  son  William,  her 
only  child,  was  about  seven  years  of  age,  and  the  father  afterward  married 
Elizabeth  Ransom,  by  whom  he  had  four  sons,  namely:  Nelson  R.,  a  resi- 
dent of  Chicago;  Clinton  R..  who  died  in  Dakota  in  1897;  Henry  Harrison, 
also  of  Chicago;  and  Cyrus  B.,  a  farmer  of  Kendall  county,  Illinois. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  533 

When  William  D.  Lloyd  was  about  a  year  old  his  parents  removed  to 
Chautauqua  county,  New  York,  where  he  spent  his  boyhood  days  upon  a 
farm.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  left  the  parental  roof  and  from  that  time  has 
been  dependent  upon  his  own  resources.  His  educational  privileges  were 
limited  and  he  had  neither  wealth  nor  influential  friends  to  aid  him.  His 
wages,  too,  were  given  to  his  father  until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age. 
His  home  was  scarcely  a  pleasant  place  of  residence  to  him  after  his  father's 
second  marriage,  but  his  love  for  his  parent  was  very  strong,  as  is  indicated 
by  his  bringing  the  money  which  he  had  earned  to  his  father.  He  worked 
as  a  farm  hand  by  the  month  for  several  years,  and  in  1853  resolved  to 
carr}-  on  agricultural  pursuits  on  his  own  account.  Accordingly  he  pur- 
chased a  iarm  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  at  twenty  dollars  per  acre, 
but  he  went  in  debt  for  this,  and  later  could  not  meet  the  payments;  so  he 
decided  to  try  his  fortune  in  the  west.  In  the  fall  of  1856  he  arrived  in 
Illinois,  locating  in  Kendall  coimty,  where  for  seven  years  he  operated  land 
on  the  shares.  In  the  meantime  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  at  thirty- 
five  dollars  per  acre,  and  during  the  seven-years'  period  he  not  only  cleared 
it  of  all  indebtedness  but  also  accumulated  one  thousand  dollars  additional. 
His  life  has  been  one  of  great  industry,  and  he  prosecuted  his  labors  with 
unremitting  diligence  until  about  1888,  when  he  removed  to  Morris,  where 
he  has  since  lived  retired.  In  his  business  dealings  he  was  quite  successful 
and  a  year  after  paying  for  his  first  eighty  acres  he  purchased  seventy-five 
acres,  transforming  the  entire  amount  into  a  valuable  farm  which  he  recently 
sold  for  sixty-eight  dollars  per  acre.  He  is  now  seventy-five  years  of  age  but 
still  enjoys  good  health  and  has  the  figure  of  a  man  of  much  younger  years. 
He  is  five  feet  nine  inches  in  height  and  his  average  weight  is  about  one 
hundred  and  sixty  pounds,  but  at  the  present  time  he  weighs  two  hundred 
pounds. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1853,  Mr.  Lloyd  married  Julia  A.  Abbott,  a 
(laughter  of  Samuel  W.  and  Ursula  (Bryan)  Abbott.  Her  father  was  born 
in  Camden,  Oneida  county,  New  York,  October  27,  1808,  and  died  in  Clin- 
ton, New  York,  December  28,  1892.  He  was  the  son  of  Nehemiah  Ab- 
bott, who  was  born  in  Plymouth,  Connecticut.  Ursula  Bryan  was  horn 
January  23,  1809,  in  Camden,  Oneida  county.  New  York,  and  her  marriage 
occurred  May  21,  1829.  Her  father  was  Benjamin  Bryan,  a  native  of 
\Vatertown,  Connecticut.  Since  November,  1893,  Mrs.  Abbott  has  re- 
sided with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Lloyd,  and  in  her  family  were  the  following 
children:  Rhoda  A.,  Samuel  T.,  Sophrona,  Abigail,  Ursula,  Julian,  John, 
Asahel  and  Roderick.  By  her  marriage  Mrs.  Abbott  became  the  mother  of 
five  children:  Julia  Atwater,  born  November  14,  1830;  Sidney  M.,  Newall 
J.,  Alary  A.  and  Wayne  G.     The  eldest  son,  Sidney  ^l.  Abbott,  enlisted  in 


534  BIOGRAPHICAL  A.YD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

the  Union  army  during  the  civil  war  and  \vas  killed  in  November,  1863, 
while  making  the  ascent  at  Mission  Ridge.  Newall  J.  was  also  one  of  the 
loyal  "boys  in  blue"  and  served  throughout  the  struggle  between  the  north 
and  the  south  as  a  member  of  Company  D,  Tliirty-sixth  Illinois  Infantry. 
The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lloyd  are  Herbert  W.,  who  was  born  July  28, 
1859,  and  died  September  11,  1863;  Maynard  W.,  who  was  born  Septem- 
ber 18,  1862,  and  died  September  28,  1863;  Lucy  DeLand,  who  was  born 
November  8.  1864,  and  is  the  wife  of  Janies  Hubbard,  of  Plattville,  Ken- 
dall county,  by  whom  she  has  five  children:  Ida  Clayton,  deceased;  Arthur 
\\'.,  Myrtle  D.,  Luella  U.  and  Uriah.  Elva  Abbott  Lloyd,  who  was  born 
February  22,  1870,  married  G.  W.  Elerding,  of  Morris,  by  whom  she  has  a 
son,  Frank  Abbott  Elerding. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lloyd  are  members  of  the  Congregational  church,  and 
in  his  political  faith  Mr.  Lloyd  is  Republican,  but  has  never  sought  or  desired 
office,  his  time  and  energies  being  devoted  to  his  business  interests,  in  which 
he  has  attained  a  creditable  success.  The  record  of  such  a  man  is  well 
worthy  of  emulation  and  contains  many  valuable  lessons  which  may  be 
profitably  followed.  He  has  demonstrated  the  truth  of  the  saying  that  suc- 
cess is  not  a  matter  of  genius,  but  the  reward  of  earnest  labor  directed  or 
guided  by  practical  common  sense.  He  is  now  living  retired  in  Morris, 
enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil  and  surrounded  by  his  many  friends, 
who  esteem  him  highly  for  his  sterling  worth. 


SALEM    IRONS. 


Some  of  the  best  blood  in  Illinois  flows  in  the  veins  of  Salem  Irons, 
who  is  descended  from  emigrants  and  pioneers  of  the  highest  character  and 
most  edifying  memory.  He  is  one  of  Mazon  township's  well-to-do  fanners 
and  most  highly  respected  citizens,  and  in  his  own  life  has  to  a  degree  re- 
peated the  struggles  and  triumphs  of  his  ancestors.  All  of  his  American 
progenitors  were  New  England  colonists,  and  the  great  Roger  Williams 
himself  contributed  to  the  life  current  which  animates  his  character. 

The  remote  founders  of  the  Irons  family  came  from  England  in  the 
Puritan  emigration  to  Massachusetts  bay  in  the  origin  of  that  colony.  The 
first  of  the  name  of  whom  there  is  any  record  was  Matthew  Irons,  who 
married  Annie  Brown,  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  died  in  1661.  The 
following  is  the  genealogy  of  the  family:  Samuel  Irons,  son  of  Matthew, 
was  baptized  November  25,  1650,  married  Sarah  Belcher,  September  13, 
1677,  and  died  September  25,  1690.  Sarah  Belcher  died  August  26,  1693. 
Samuel  Irons,  born  IMarch  17,  1680.  married  Sarah  Whipple  May  3,  1709, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  535 

3nd  died  September  30,  1720.  Sarah  married  again  and  her  second  hus- 
band was  Jolm  Warner.  Samuel  Irons,  born  October  10,  1718,  married, 
about  1740,  Hannah  Waterman,  a  daughter  of  Resolved  and  Mercy  (Wil- 
liams) Watemian  and  a  granddaughter  of  Roger  Williams,  and  died  No- 
vember 27,  1793.  Hannah  died  July  13,  1806.  The  children  of  Samuel  and 
Hannah  Irons  were  born  at  the  following  dates:  Samuel,  May  22,  1740; 
Resolved,  May  17,  1743;  Sarah,  October  24,  1745;  Mercy,  April  26,  1748; 
Stephen,  May  23,  1751 ;  Hannah,  April  22,  1754;  Samuel,  February  16,  1757; 
Lydia,  May  13,  1759,  and  Mary,  July  31,  1763.  Resolved  married  Amy 
Dexter  and  lived  in  Gloucester,  Rhode  Island.  Sarah  married  an  Aldrich. 
IVIercy  married  a  Warner.  Stephen  married  Sarah  Tinkham,  of  Gloucester, 
Rhode  Island.  Hannah  married  Thomas  Field,  of  Scituate,  Rhode  Island. 
Lydia  married  Thomas  Whipple,  of  Providence,  same  state.  Mary  married 
Asa  Steere,  of  Providence. 

Samuel  Irons,  born  February  16,  1757,  married  Huldah  Colwell,  a 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Amy  Colwell.  and  they  were  the  grandparents  of 
the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch.  Samuel  died  November  2,  181 5. 
Huldah  died  November  5,  1823.  The  children  of  Samuel  and  Huldah  (Col- 
Avell)  Irons  were  bom  as  follows:  Candice,  July  20,  1782;  Amasa,  Febru- 
ary 8,  1784;  Amy,  August  11.  1785;  Lydia,  October  21,  1787;  Colwell, 
September  19,  1789;  Betsy,  July  25,  1791;  James,  July  16,  1793;  Samuel, 
May  25,  1795:  Nathan,  May  19,  1797;  Paris,  October  16,  1799;  and  Huldah, 
Februar)'  3,  1802.  The  father  of  these  children  owned  and  lived  on  a  farm 
in  the  town  of  Gloucester,  Rhode  Island,  which  remains  in  the  ownership 
of  the  Irons  family  to  this  day.  It  is  a  good  farm  of  two  hundred  acres, 
Avith  excellent  improvements.  Huldah,  the  wife  of  Samuel  Irons,  was  not 
only  the  granddaughter  of  Roger  Williams  but  was  also  descended  from 
Joshua  Windsor,  who-  emigrated  to  America  and  settled  in  Providence  in 
1638. 

James  Irons,  the  father  of  Salem  Irons,  was  born  July  16,  1793,  at 
the  old  homestead  in  Gloucester.  He  gained  an  old-fashioned  New  England 
common-school  education  and  an  intimate  knowledge  of  farming,  and  mar- 
ried Phebe  Steere,  born  in  Gloucester,  a  daughter  of  Jeremiah  and  Phebe 
Steere.  The  Steeres  were  of  English  ancestr}'  and  old  colonial  settlers  of 
Rhode  Island.  Jeremiah  Steere  was  a  substantial  and  respected  farmer  of 
Gloucester,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age;  and  his  children  were  Potter, 
Jeremiah,  Miranda,  Salinda,  Asenath,  Betsy  and  Mary.  James  Irons,  after 
his  marriage,  settled  in  Charlton,  Worcester  county,  Massachusetts,  on  a 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  which-  he  bought  and  on  which  he  had 
a  good  home.  Later  he  lived  in  Rhode  Island.  His  children  were  William 
H.,  Salem,  James,  Sarah,  John  and  Leander.     In  politics  Mr.  Irons  was  an 


536  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

original  Republican,  but  was  previously  a  Democrat.  He  was  a  man  of  ex- 
cellent constitution  and  of  good  habits,  and  well  known  for  his  honesty  and 
integrity  of  character,  and  he  reared  excellent  and  respected  children. 
When  about  seventy  years  of  age  he  came  to  Illinois  and  made  his  home 
with  his  son  Salem  until  he  died,  November  12,  1882,  aged  over  eighty-nine 
years. 

Salem  Irons  was  born  November  18,  1824,  at  Charlton,  Massachusetts. 
He  received  such  a  common-school  education  as  was  available  in  his  day 
and  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  Rhode 
Island,  where  his  father  moved  when  Salem  was  about  fifteen  years  old, 
and  where  the  family  lived  many  years.  He  was  married  in  Killingly, 
Connecticut,  July  5,  1846,  to  Harriet  Yeaw,  born  in  Scituate.  Rhode  Island, 
October  11,  1824,  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Alma  (Knight)  Yeaw.  The 
Yeaws  were  an  old  colonial  family.  Henry  Yeaw  was  born  at  Scituate,  a 
son  of  David  Yeaw*,  and  was  a  stone  and  brick  mason  by  trade,  and  passed 
all  his  days  in  Scituate.  The  children  were  Amasa.  Harriet,  Theophilus, 
Rufus.  Henn.-,  Mary  A..  ]klaria.  Alma  and  Albert,  the  last  mentioned  of 
whom  died  young.  Henry  Yeaw  was  in  moderate  circumstances,  industri- 
ous, hard-working,  and  in  every  sense  a  good  citizen,  whose  children  were 
an  honor  to  the  community.  He  lived  to  be  fifty-two  years  old  and  died  at 
Scituate. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Salem  Irons  li\-ed  three  years  in  Prov- 
idence, Rhode  Island,  where  he  followed  carpentering.  They  then  moved 
to  Scituate,  Rhode  Island,  and  lived  there  one  year  and  aftenvard  lived  a 
year  on  a  farm  at  Gloucester.  In  March,  1853.  they  moved  to  Illinois,  mak- 
ing the  journey  by  steamer  to  New  York  city  and  thence  by  rail  to  Wheaton, 
DuPage  county,  Illinois,  where  Mr.  Irons  worked  at  carpentering  for  two 
years.  They  moved  to  ]Morris  in  1855  and  Mr.  Irons  did  carpenter  work 
there  also.  In  1857  they  settled  on  their  present  farm,  which  then  consisted 
of  one  hundred  acres  of  fine  farm  land,  for  which  Mr.  Irons  paid  twenty-five 
dollars  per  acre,  trading  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  Iowa  land  in  the 
deal.  The  farm  had  but  little  improvement  on  it  and  Mr.  Irons,  by  industn.- 
and  thrift,  gradually  improved  it.  erecting  excellent  farm  buildings,  and  now 
has  one  of  the  finest  homesteads  in  this  part  of  the  county.  The  children 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Irons  were  bom  and  named  as  follows :  Henry  Augustus, 
June  14,  1850;  Phebe  Maria.  ^lav  4,  1855;  and  Clara  Isabel,  October  26, 
1858. 

In  politics  Mr.  Irons  is  a  stanch  Republican  and  he  has  voted  that 
ticket  since  the  organization  of  the  party.  He  is  a  public-spirited  man,  who 
favors  good  roads  and  all  useful  improvements.  He  has  held  the  office  of 
road  commissioner  for  more  than  twenty  years  and  has  proved  an  et¥icient 


^/hJyL-eM^  (T(D.  ^W^v^ 


y/k<eJ^u.hG^  At.  ^iA^rtn/ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  537 

and  capable  official.  Mr.  Irons  had  three  brothers  in  the  great  civil  war, — 
William  H.,  John  and  Leander.  William  H.  and  John  were  in  the  Thirty- 
sixth  Regiment,  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  were  in  many  battles,  among 
them  those  at  Stone  River,  Chickamauga,  Mission  Ridge  and  Resaca.  They 
were  in  the  Atlanta  campaign  and  took  part  in  engagements  at  Buzzards' 
Roost,  Adairsville,  New  Hope  Church,  Dallas,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Lost 
Mountain  and  Peach  Tree  Creek.  Leander  was  the  commissary  sergeant 
of  his  company  in  the  Seventy-sixth  Regiment,  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry. 
\\'hile  in  active  service  he  was  thrown  from  his  horse  and  his  leg  was  broken, 
and  he  was  honorably  discharged  on  account  of  this  disability. 

Salem  Irons  has  been  a  substantial  citizen  of  this  county  for  many  years 
and  is  well  known  for  sturdy  industn',  lionesty  of  purpose  and  high  moral 
character.  He  is  entirely  a  self-made  man,  having  accumulated  his  property 
by  his  own  exertions,  and,  aided  by  his  faithful  wife,  has  reared  children  of 
which  they  may  well  be  proud.  Now  in  his  declining  years  he  enjoys  the 
peaceful  and  substantial  rewaxd  of  well-doing  and  takes  not  a  little  pleasure 
in  going,  in  memory,  over  the  changing  scenes  of  his  long  and  busy  life, 
which  cover  the  period  of  our  advancement  from  primitive  conditions  to 
the  development  of  the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century. 


SYLVESTER    H.    DEWEY. 

Sylvester  H.  Dewey  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  pioneer  families  of 
Grundy  county  and  is  descended  from  sterling  Puritan  ancestry,  of  the  same 
family  to  which  belongs  the  famous  Admiral  Dewey.  It  is  believed  that 
the  family  is  of  French  origin,  tradition  declaring  that  ancestors  lived  in 
Flanders  and  that  the  town  of  Douai,  France,  was  named  in  their  honor. 
When  William  the  Conqueror  journeyed  into  England  he  was  accompanied 
by  representatives  of  the  name,  who  located  in  Lincolnshire,  northeast  of 
London.  There  is  also  a  tradition  that  the  family  is  of  Welsh  origin.  In 
Burk's  Heraldry,  however,  it  is  said  that  the  name  Dewey  was  originally  De 
la  Wey,  and  it  is  believed  that  the  ancestors  who  went  to  England  with 
William  the  Conqueror  bore  that  name,  which  finally  was  changed  to  its 
present  form,  Dewey. 

The  line  of  descent  in  America  is  easily  traced  back  to  Thomas  Dewey, 
who  sailed  from  Sandwich,  England,  and  this  fact  leads  to  the  further  belief 
that  he  was  of  French  Huguenot  extraction.  His  descendants  even  in  the 
second  generation  were  millers,  carpenters  and  millwrights.  In  the  second 
generation  the  sons  of  Israel  were  weavers  and  tailors,  which  is  strong  evi- 
dence in  support  of  the  opinion.     As  a  family  the  Deweys  were  sober,  hon- 


538  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

est,  industrious  and  long-lived  people,  and  were  ever  in  the  van  of  progress, 
and  were  jjarticularly  noted  for  their  loyalty  and  bravery.  ]\Iany  repre- 
sentati\cs  of  the  name  served  in  the  Revolutionar)'  army  and  have  been  lead- 
ers in  the  work  of  settling  the  wild  and  unimproved  regions  of  the  west.  At 
a  later  date  many  have  attained  prominence  in  professional  life.  Thomas 
Dewey,  the  founder  of  the  branch  in  America  to  which  our  subject  belongs, 
was  a  dissenter  from  the  Church  of  England,  and  with  the  Puritans  came 
to  the  colony  of  Massachusetts  between  the  years  1630  and  1633.  He  first 
located  in  Dorchester,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was  enrolled  and  took  the 
oath  of  a  freeman  May  14,  1634.  He  owned  land,  a  record  of  land  granted 
to  him  being  made  February  28,  1640.  His  property  comprised  a  tract  of 
seven  acres  and  additional  lots,  and  to  these  he  added  by  purchase.  He  died 
intestate,  and  an  inventory  of  his  estate  is  given  in  the  genealogy  of  the 
Dewey  family.  He  was  married  ]March  22,  1639,  at  Windsor,  Connecticut, 
to  Frances,  widow  of  Joseph  Clark,  and  after  his  death  Mrs.  Dewey  was 
married  again,  her  third  husband  being  George  Philips.  Their  children 
were:  Thomas  E.,  born  February  16,  1640;  Josiah,  who  was  baptized  Oc- 
tober 10,  1641;  Anna,  who  was  baptized  October  15,  1643;  Israel,  bom  Sep- 
tember 25,  1645;  and  Jedediah,  boni  December  15,  1647.  The  children  were 
all  born  in  Windsor,  Connecticut,  and  all  were  married. 

Thomas  Dewey,  the  representative  of  the  second  generation  in  direct 
line  to  our  subject,  was  born  in  Windsor,  Connecticut,  December  16,  1640, 
and  died  April  27,  1690,  at  the  age  of  fifty  years.  He  was  a  miller  and  fanner 
in  Little  River  district,  and  resided  at  Windsor,  Connecticut,  as  late  as  Jan- 
uary 8,  1660.  As  he  had  there  paid  six  shillings  he  was  seated  in  the  long 
seats  in  the  meeting-house.  According  to  the  old  records  he  removed  to 
Northampton,  Massachusetts,  where,  on  the  12th  of  November,  1662,  he 
was  granted  a  home  lot  of  four  acres  upon  the  condition  that  he  make  im- 
provements upon  it  within  a  year.  He  was  also  granted  another  tract  of 
twelve  acres  in  the  same  place,  and  at  his  new  home  he  engaged  in  the  milling 
"business.  In  August,  1666,  he  removed  to  Waranock,  then  a  part  of  Spring- 
field, where  he  was  a  landholder  and  one  of  the  leading  citizens.  He  was 
instrumental  in  building  a  dam  and  mill  at  that  place  and  took  an  active 
part  in  public  affairs.  He  served  as  a  cornet  in  a  New  Hampshire  troop, 
was  a  representative  to  Boston  in  1677-9  and  a  selectman  from  1677  to  1686. 
He  was  also  licensed  by  the  court  to  keep  a  public  house  or  hotel.  At  Dor- 
chester, Massachusetts,  he  married  Constance  Hawes,  daughter  of  Richard 
and  Ann  Hawes,  who  came  to  Massachusetts  in  the  ship  Freelove,  under 
command  of  Captain  Gibbs,  in  1635.  The  children  of  Thomas  and  Ann 
(Hawes)  Dewey  were:  Thomas  E.,  born  at  Northampton,  Massachusetts, 
March  26,  1664;  Adijah,  born  at  Northampton,  March  5.  1666;  Mary,  born 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  539 

at  Northampton,  January  28,  1668;  Samuel,  born  June  25,  1670,  in  W^est- 
field,  Massachusetts;  Hannah,  born  in  Westfield,  Fel^niary  21,  1672;  Eliza- 
beth, born  in  Westfield,  January  16,  1676,  and  died  February  27,  1682: 
James,  born  in  Westfield,  July  3,  1678:  Abigail,  born  in  \\'estfield,  February 
14,  1681;  James,  born  November  12,  1683,  and  died  May  5,  1686;  and  Israel, 
born  in  Westfield,  July  9,  1686. 

Captain  Adijah  Dewey,  the  son  of  Thomas  Dewey,  2d,  was  born  at 
Northampton,  Massachusetts,  March  5,  1666,  and  died  March  24,  1742,  in 
W'estfield,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  He  was  a  very  influential  man 
of  that  locality,  as  is  shown  by  various  town  records.  He  was  a  surveyor 
of  the  bridge  at  Millbrook,  county  surveyor  in  1693,  constable  in  1697  and 
tithing  man  in  1702.  He  commanded  a  company  of  fifty  men  in  Hampshire 
county,  Massachusetts,  and  saw  eight  weeks'  service,  being  ordered  to  the 
relief  of  Deerfield  and  other  towns.  From  1730  until  1740  he  filled  the 
ofifice  of  selectman.  He  was  married  in  1688  to  Sarah,  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (Ashley)  Root,  and  his  children  were:  Thomas,  who  was  born 
January  9,  1691;  Adijah,  September  30,  1693:  Sarah,  March  17, 
1696;  Esther,  January  20,  1698;  Mary,  September  18,  1701;  Abi- 
gail, January  28,  1703;  Bethiah,  August  11,  1706;  Ann,  March  22,  1719; 
and  Moses,  January  6,  171 5.     All  w-ere  married. 

Adijah  Dewey,  son  of  Captain  Adijah  Dewey,  was  born  in  Westfield, 
Massachusetts,  September  30,  1693,  and  died  there  January  31,  1753,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-nine  years.  He  was  a  saddler  by  trade.  On  the  nth  of 
January,  1733,  he  wedded  Mercy  Ashley,  a  daughter  of  David  and  Mary 
(Dewey)  Ashley,  and  their  children  are:  Ashbel,  born  April  23,  1734; 
Medad,  November  18,  1736;  Bethiah,  September  22,  1739;  Mercy,  born 
April  II,  1743,  and  died  December  28,  1764,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one;  and 
Hadley,  who  was  married  in  1761  to  Stephen  Goodman. 

Medad  Dewey,  son  of  Adijah  Dewey,  2d,  was  born  November  18,  1736,. 
in  Westfield,  Massachusetts,  and  there  died  December  31,  1760,  in  the 
twenty-fifth  year  of  his  age.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  in  1751  he  settled  a 
few  miles  south  of  Westfield,  on  a  place  owned  by  Charles  Dewey.  He 
was  married  December  8,  1738,  to  Elizabeth  Noble,  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Sarah  (Root)  Noble.  They  had  two  children :  Solomon,  who  was 
born  November  7,  1758;  and  Medad. 

Medad  Dewey,  son  of  Medad  Dewey,  Sr.,  was  born  in  Westfield,  De- 
cember 20,  1760,  and  died  April  15,  1849,  at  Leyden,  New  York,  wdien 
nearly  ninety  years  of  age.  He  followed  farming  in  Little  River  district, 
near  Westfield,  and  in  1800  removed  with  his  family  to  the  Mohawk  valley, 
arriving  in  Leyden,  New  York,  after  a  journey  of  two  weeks.  His  goods 
were  hauled  on  an  ox  sled.     He  was  one  of  the  patriots  of  the  Revolution, 


540  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

serving  as  a  private  in  the  command  of  Captain  Preserved  Leonards  and 
Colonel  Elijah  Porter,  and  was  in  the  defense  of  New  London,  Connecti- 
cut, when  it  was  attacked  by  the  British  army  commanded  by  Benedict 
Arnold.  He  married  Tryphena  Roberts,  who  was  born  in  1769,  of  Welsh 
parentage,  and  died  in  Leyden,  New  York,  January,  1839,  at  the  age  of 
seventy  years.  Their  children,  born  in  Westfield,  Massachusetts,  were: 
Bethiah,  born  November  19,  1789;  Elizabeth,  August  i,  1791:  Almira, 
August  II,  1793;  Harvey,  February  17,  1795;  and  Edmund,  Octoljer  14, 
1799;  and  in  Leyden,  New  York,  Lemuel,  in  October,  1804. 

Harvey  Dewey,  a  son  of  Medad  Dewey,  2d,  and  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  in  Westfield,  Massachusetts,  February  17,  1795,  and  died 
July  17,  1876,  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years.  He  was  only  five  years  old 
when  his  parents  removed  to  Leyden,  New  York.  He  made  farming  his 
life  work  and  became  the  possessor  of  his  father's  old  homestead,  to  which 
he  added  until  he  owned  two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  becoming  one  of  the 
prosperous  men,  as  well  as  one  of  the  influential  citizens,  of  his  day.  For 
several  years  he  was  assessor  of  Leyden,  and  for  many  years  he  served  as  a 
deacon  in  the  Boonville  Baptist  church.  He  became  a  soldier  in  the  war 
of  1812.  and  was  in  the  action  at  Sackett's  Harb.or.  About  1820  he  mar- 
ried Jerusha  Jenks,  a  daughter  of  Joel  and  Lucy  (Holbrook)  Jenks.  She 
was  born  in  Leyden,  New  York,  June  27,  1803,  and  there  died  June  14, 
1873,  when  nearly  seventy  years  of  age.  Their  children  were:  Sylvester 
Harvey,  born  August  14,  1821;  Lester  Scott,  March  2y,  1823;  Samantha, 
March  26,  1825;  Alexander,  August  16,  1828;  Chester  Gay.  February  2, 
1831 ;  Eli  Judson,  July  17,  1835;  Angeline  Lodice,  January  4,  1839:  Madison 
Medad,  who  was  born  January  30,  1843,  and  died  February  12,  1848:  Cassius 
Delos,  who  was  born  November  2,  1845;  ^"d  Caius  Carlos,  born  on  the  same 
day,  a  twin  brother  of  Cassius  Delos,  The  family  has  always  been  celebrated 
^for  its  marked  loyalty  and  valor,  and  both  Cassius  and  Caius  were  soldiers 
in  the  civil  war.  The  latter,  who  was  a  fifer  of  Company  L  One  Hundred 
and  Seventeenth  New  York  Infantry,  died  September  11.  1863,  at  the  age 
of  seventeen  years,  his  death  occurring  at  Foley  island,  Charleston  harbor, 
from  fever  brought  on  by  exposure  in  the  long  march.  Two  of  Samantha's 
sons,  Walter  and  Marius,  were  also  numbered  among  the  "boys  in  blue," 
and  three  of  the  sons  of  Lemuel  Dewey  were  soldiers  in  that  war. 

Sylvester  Han-ey  Dewey  was  born  at  Leyden,  New  York,  August  14, 
182 1.  He  received  the  usual  common-school  education  and  afterward  at- 
tended an  academy  at  Lowville  for  one  and  a  half  terms.  Subsequently 
he  spent  a  year  in  the  Freewill  Baptist  Seminary,  in  Clinton,  and  his  studious 
habits  and  close  application  gained  him  broad  general  knowledge.  His  in- 
terest in  educational  matters,  his  extensive  reading  and  his  experience  in  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  541 

practical  affairs  of  life  have  greatly  added  to  his  wisdom,  and  he  is  to-day  one 
of  the  best  informed  men  of  the  county.  For  a  number  of  years  in  early  life  he 
engaged  in  teaching,  entering  upon  that  work  in  Lewis  county,  New  York. 
After  coming  to  Illinois  he  taught  for  two  winters,  and  during  the  civil  war 
he  spent  three  winters  as  an  instructor  in  the  school-room.  He  had  the 
ability  to  impart  clearly  and  concisely  to  others  the  knowledge  that  he  had 
acquired  and  was  numbered  among  the  leading  educators  of  that  time. 

While  in  his  native  town  Mr.  Dewey  was  married,  December  30,  1847, 
to  Melissa  Porter,  who  died  February  19,  1849,  at  about  the  age  of  twenty- 
four  years.  Mr.  Dewey  was  aftenvard  married,  on  the  28th  day  of  May, 
185 1,  to  Melissa  A.  Fisk,  of  Boonville,  New  York,  a  daughter  of  James 
and  Eleanor  (Pitcher)  Fisk.  She  was  born  November  23,  1828,  in  Boon- 
ville, New  York.  Her  father,  James  Fisk,  was  born  in  Scituate,  Rhode 
Island,  his  father  being  Job  Fisk.  The  Fisks  were  of  English  descent,  the 
family  having  been  founded  in  Rhode  Island  prior  to  the  Revolutionary 
war.  Job  Fisk  made  farming  his  life  work  and  he  was  married  in  early 
manhood.  His  children  were :  Jemimah,  James,  Thomas,  Althea,  Job  and 
Rebecca.  The  father  of  these  children  died  at  the  home  of  his  son  James  in 
Boonville. 

James  Fisk,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Dewey,  was  born  in  Scituate,  Rhode 
Island,  February  3,  177 1-  He  was  married  December  25,  1800,  to  Rhobe 
Leach,  who  was  born  December  25,  1781.  She  died  April  18,  1802,  leav- 
ing a  daughter  Rhobe,  who  was  born  March  11,  1802,  was  married  in  1818 
■and  died  in  November,  1824.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  James  Fisk 
was  married,  in  1803,  to  Frances  (Blackmore)  Leach,  who  was  l:)orn  in  1786. 
Their  children  were:  John  Leach,  who  was  born  January  9,  1804,  was 
married  February  6,  1825,  and  died  in  March,  1867.  Elvira,  who  was  born 
November  6,  1805,  was  married  January  23,  1825,  to  Noah  Nelson,  and  died 
August  12,  1870.  Charles  Blackmore,  born  September  i,  1806,  died  at 
Jefferson  Barracks,  Missouri,  in  1876;  and  Louisa,  born  September  19.  1808, 
was  married  March  11,  1827,  to  Erastus  Franklin.  In  1813  James  Fisk  was 
a  third  time  married,  his  union  being  with  Eleanor  Pitcher,  who  was  born 
February  2,  1795,  and  died  January  15,  1849.  Her  father,  Daniel  Pitcher, 
was  born  in  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  January  30,  1762,  and  died  April 
18,  1844.  His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Eleanor  Burt,  was  born 
in  South  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  October  20,  1762,  and  died  October 
20,  1849.  Their  children  were:  Elijah,  who  was  born  March  11,  1787,  and 
died  January  9,  1842;  Chloe,  who  was  born  October  30,  1787,  and  died  July 
31,  1863;  Clarissa,  who  was  born  September  3,  1790,  and  died  March  6,  1859; 
Daniel,  who  was  born  February  18,  1792,  and  died  May  7,  1854;  Noah, 
Avho  was  born  June  12,  1793,  and  died  November  24,  1874;  Eleanor,  wife 


542  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

of  Mr.  Fisk,  was  born  February  2,  1795,  and  died  January  15,  1844:  Aruna, 
who  was  born  June  11,  1796,  and  died  December  2/,  1871;  Achsah,  who 
was  born  June  27,  1798,  and  died  July  3.  1878:  Betliuel,  who  was  born  March 
II,  1800,  and  died  February  17,  1848;  Conklin.  who  was  born  October  27, 
1801.  and  died  May  8,  1875;  Samuel,  who  was  born  December  30,  1803, 
and  died  April  30,  1804;  and  Spencer,  who  was  born  July  20,  1805,  and  died 
April  II,  1877.  Daniel  Pitcher,  the  father  of  these  children,  was  a  resident 
of  Westiield,  Massachusetts,  and  a  farmer  and  landholder.  His  life  was  an 
industrious  and  upright  one,  and  he  was  highly  respected  by  all  who  knew 
him. 

In  the  year  1803  James  Fisk  had  removed  from  Rhode  Island  to  Boon- 
ville,  Oneida  county.  New  York,  making  the  journey  with  an  ox  sled,  and 
spending  between  four  and  five  weeks  on  the  way.  He  settled  on  new  land 
in  the  midst  of  the  forest,  and  made  there  a  good  home.  It  was  after  his  ar- 
rival in  Xew  York  that  he  was  a  third  time  married,  Eleanor  Pitcher  be- 
coming his  wife.  The  children  of  their  union  were :  Chloe,  who  was  born 
February  6,  1814,  and  was  married  in  1835  to  Fordice  ]\I.  Rogers,  her  death 
occurring  ]\Iay  22.  1859:  James,  born  January  13,  1816,  married  Barbara 
Belanger,  and  after  her  death  was  married  to  Betsey  Pool,  on  the  15th  of 
Januan,-,  1845,  his  death  occurring  April  9,  1849;  Rebecca  Ruth,  born  July 
5,  1818,  was  married  in  January,  1838,  to  Benjamin  Nelson,  and  died  April 
29,  1847;  Job  W.,  born  October  4.  1819,  was  married  to  Emily  H.  Pitcher, 
and  after  her  death  wedded  Sarah  E.  Pitcher;  Achsah  O.,  born  October  15, 
1821,  was  married  in  January,  1841,  to  Horace  Pitcher,  who  died  May  27, 
1844,  and  she  afterward  wedded  Stephen  Murphy,  whose  death  occurred  in 
April.  1885.  while  she  survived  until  June  30,  1899;  Elijah  Pitcher,  born  Sep- 
tember 20.  1823,  was  married  February  28,  1865.  to  Harriette  P.  Jackson, 
who  died  August  i,  1898.  and  he  passed  away  January  15.  1890:  Jeremiah, 
born  September  17,  1825.  was  married  June  8,  1852,  to  ]\Iargaret  Comstock, 
and  died  December  26,  1878,  his  wife's  death  occurring  April  8,  1867; 
Melissa  A.,  bom  November  23,  1828,  is  the  wife  of  Sylvester  H.  Dewey, 
whose  name  begins  this  review,  and  Milton  Eri,  Ijorn  December  3,  1830.  was 
married  September  17,  i860,  to  Anna  S.  TratTurn,  and  died  June  9,  1876. 

After  his  marriage  Sylvester  H.  Dewey,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch, 
located  on  a  partly  improved  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  three  miles  west 
of  Boonville,  New  York.  About  four  years  later  he  sold  that  property  and 
in  1855  came  by  rail  to  Illinois,  leaving  home  on  the  15th  of  June.  He 
also  visited  Wisconsin  and  then  returned  to  New  York,  and  in  October  of 
the  same  year  lirought  his  family  to  this  state,  reaching  his  destination  on 
the  27th  of  October.  He  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  where  Verona 
now  stands,  paying  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  the  same.     It  was  a 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  543- 

wild  tract,  but  with  characteristic  energy  he  began  its  cultivation  and  erected 
f^ood  buildings  thereon.  After  living  on  his  farm  for  four  years  he  removed 
to  Mazon  township  and  purchased  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  which  he 
placed  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He  has  prospered,  as  a  result  of  un- 
tiring industry,  economy  and  capable  management,  and  as  his  financial 
resources  have  increased  he  has  extended  the  boundaries  of  his  farm  until  it 
comprises  five  hundred  and  forty  acres.  He  was  actively  identified  with' 
agricultural  interests  until  1873,  when  he  removed  to  ]Morris  and  engaged  in 
the  agricultural  implement  and  grain  business.  There  he  remained  for  four 
years,  after  which  he  returned  to  the  home  farm,  but  two  years  later  he  re- 
moved to  the  village  of  Mazon  and  once  more  began  dealing  in  agricultural 
implements  and  grain.  He  has  always  been  a  very  energetic  and  active 
business  man  and  has  handled  farming  land  quite  extensively.  He  now  has 
a  ven,'  liberal  patronage  and  makes  extensive  deals  in  both  branches  of  his 
business.  He  has  always  been  noted  for  his  straightforward  and  honorable 
course  in  life,  and  his  integrity  in  all  trade  transactions  is  above  question. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dewey  have  been  born  the  following  children: 
Ellen  Melissa,  born  in  Leyden,  New  York,  May  30,  1852,  was  married  in 
Morris,  Illinois,  November  26,  1874.  to  Horace  H.  Overocker,  whose  birth 
occurred  in  Oneida  county.  New  York,  September  28,  1849.  They  had  one 
child.  Burton  H.,  who  was  born  in  Mazon,  December  16,  1865.  He  was 
married  in  his  native  town,  on  the  ist  of  June,  1897,  to  Ivy  Rigall,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  Mazon,  June  15,  1879,  and  by  whom  he  has  two  children, 
Vernon,  born  December  19,  1897;  and  Veda  Overocker,  who  was  born  in 
Mazon,  December  27,  1898. 

Alice  Eliza  Dewey,  the  second  child  of  Sylvester  and  ]\Ielissa  Dewey, 
was  born  in  Leyden,  February  8,  1854,  and  was  married  in  Mazon,  Decem- 
ber 12,  1878,  to  Daniel  Webster  Francis,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Chester 
county,  Pennsylvania,  December  12,  1848.  Their  children  are:  Arthur 
D.,  born  in  Cedar  Springs,  Michigan,  April  24,  1880;  Laura  D.,  born  Au- 
gust 18,  1 88 1,  in  Mazon;  Myrtle  D.,  born  in  Mazon.  March  28,  1883;  and 
Harry  D.,  born  in  Mazon.  January  13.  1883. 

Milton  Sylvester  Dewey.  3d,  was  born  in  Leyden,  New  York,  June  i, 
1855.  He  was  married  in  Wauponsee,  February  2y,  1878.  to  Margaret 
Dewey,  who  was  born  in  Washington  county.  New  York,  March  16,  1858. 
Their  children  are:  Sarah  Melissa,  born  in  Mazon,  December  7,  1879; 
Henry  Eugene,  in  Mazon,  September  2.  1882;  Mable,  in  Mazon,  November 
9,  1884:  Flora  Mary,  June  28,  1886;  William  Arthur,  ]\Iay  30,  1S8S;  Alice 
Estella,  February  21.  1892:  and  Ernest  Albert,  January  15,  1896. 

Mary  Jerusha,  the  fourth  of  the  family,  was  born  in  \'ienna.  Illinois, 
May   15.    1857.  and   was   graduated   in   the   Morris  Normal  and   Scientific 


544  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

School,  June  i6,  1881.  Lester  Scott,  born  in  Vienna,  December  6,  1859, 
was  married  in  Morris,  Illinois,  December  31,  1879,  to  Asenath  Eudora 
Smith,  whose  birth  occurred  April  11,  1861.  Their  children  are:  Jessie, 
born  in  Mazon,  October  5,  1880:  Charles,  born  in  Mazon,  November  6, 
1881;  Walter,  born  in  Bentora,  Nebraska,  April  28,  1883;  and  Flora  May, 
born  in  Bentora,  December  18,  1884.  Flora  Angelina,  the  youngest  mem- 
ber of  the  Dewey  family,  was  born  in  Mazon,  August  21,  1863,  and  was 
graduated  in  the  Morris  Normal  and  Scientific  School  on  the  i6th  of  June, 
188 1.     The  two  youngest  children  are  both  deceased. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Dewey,  whose  name  introduces  this  re- 
view, was  formerly  an  Abolitionist  and  voted  for  John  P.  Hale,  the  first 
Abolition  candidate  for  the  presidency.  When  the  Republican  party  was 
formed  to  prevent  the  further  extension  of  slavery  he  joined  its  ranks,  sup- 
porting John  C.  Fremont  and  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  has  always  been  a 
strong  advocate  of  the  cause  of  temperance,  and  was  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Prohibition  party  in  Grundy  county.  He  voted  for  William  J.  Bryan 
and  free  silver  in  1896,  but  otherwise  supported  the  candidates  of  the  Pro- 
hibition party.  He  is  one  of  the  valued  and  esteemed  residents  of  Grundy 
county.  In  an  early  day  he  served  as  the  clerk  of  Vienna  township  and 
as  the  supervisor,  and  for  many  years  was  the  supervisor  of  Mazon  town- 
ship. In  1872  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  state  board  of  equalization, 
and  during  his  four  years'  service  proved  an  efficient  and  capable  member 
of  the  board.  He  was  the  chairman  of  one  of  the  principal  committees  con- 
trolling its  laws  in  the  division  which  included  Chicago.  He  was  also  a 
member  of  the  committee  on  tangible  taxable  property  of  railroads,  and  at 
an  early  day  he  served  as  the  chairman  of  the  Republican  congressional 
district  for  two  years.  He  is  a  man  of  strong  mentality,  who  has  made  a  close 
and  thorough  study  of  economical,  political  and  governmental  problems. 
He  has  also  been  an  extensive  reader  and  is  very  familiar  with  historical 
and  standard  works  of  the  best  current  literature.  In  early  life  he  took  a 
very  active  interest  in  promoting  literary  lyceums  and  debating  societies, 
and  was  a  member  of  several  of  those  organizations.  While  in  Morris  he 
served  as  president  of  the  Public  Library  Association,  and  at  all  times  he 
has  endeavored  to  promote  the  intellectual  welfare  of  his  community.  His 
wife  is  a  very  prominent  member  of  the  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union  of  Mazon  and  one  of  its  efficient  workers,  having  filled  the  office  of 
president  for  some  time.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dewey  were  for  many  years 
members  of  the  Baptist  church.  He  joined  the  church  in  Boonville,  New 
York,  when  about  sixteen  years  of  age.  and  later  served  as  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday-school.  His  wife  joined  the  church  when  about 
twentv-tliree  years  of  age,  and  they  were  both  active  workers  in  the  organi- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  545 

zation,  ]\Irs.  Dewey  serving  as  teacher  during-  the  superintendency  of  her 
husband.  Tliey  liave  botli  become  much  more  liberal  in  their  religious 
views,  their  opinions  on  such  questions  being  in  harmony  with  the  Unitarian 
doctrine.  About  1866  Mrs.  Dewey  and  her  oldest  girls,  Ellen  M.  and 
Alice  E.,  joined  the  Baptist  church  in  Morris.  They  took  their  letters 
when  they  wished  to  join  elsewhere,  Mrs.  Dewey  hers  when  the  family 
moved  back  to  their  old  home  in  Mazon  in  1877.  There  is  no  Baptist  church 
in  ]\Iazon,  so  Mrs.  Dewey  has  attended  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  since 
the  family  moved  to  the  village  of  Mazon,  in  IMarch,  1880.  They  con- 
tribute liberally  to  all  movements  which  are  calculated  to  advance  human- 
itarian principles  and  which  will  prove  a  benefit  to  the  intellectual,  social 
and  moral  welfare  of  the  community. 


THOMAS   CARSON. 


It  has  surely  been  not  uninteresting  to  observe,  in  the  series  of  bio- 
graphical sketches  appearing  in  this  volume,  the  varying  nationality,  origin 
and  early  environments  of  men  who  have  made  their  way  to  positions  of 
prominence  and  success.  In  no  better  way  can  we  gain  a  conception  of 
the  diverse  elements  which  have  entered  into  our  social,  professional  and 
commercial  life,  and  which  were  imparted  to  the  future  American  type, 
features  which  cannot  be  conjectured  at  the  present  time.  Scotland  has 
furnished  her  quota  of  men  of  worth  who  have  contributed  to  the  improve- 
ment and  development  of  the  country,  becoming  reliable  and  trustworthy 
citizens.     Of  this  number  Mr.  Carson  is  a  representative. 

He  was  born  in  the  land  of  hills  and  heather.  February  9,  1827,  his 
parents  being  William  and  Grace  (Maxwell)  Carson.  The  father  was  a 
coal  operator  and  for  many  years  engaged  in  mining,  spending  his  entire 
life  in  the  land  of  his  nativity.  He  was  twice  married,  and  the  children  of 
the  first  union  were  John,  who  died  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  David,  who  died  in 
Scotland;  Robert,  who  died  in  Iroquois  county,  Illinois;  William,  who  died 
in  Scotland;  Elizabeth  and  Grace,  who  passed  away  in  Scotland;  James, 
whose  death  occurred  in  Virginia;  Man*-,  twin  sister  o£  our  subject,  now  re- 
siding in  Scotland;  and  Bryce,  who  makes  his  home  in  Virginia.  After 
the  death  of  his  first  wife  the  father  was  again  married,  and  by  the  second 
union  had  a  son.  Alexander,  who  also  died  in  Scotland. 

In  early  life  Thomas  Carson,  of  this  review,  engaged  in  mining,  and 
was  also  employed  as  an  engineer.  In  1851.  when  twenty-four  years  of  age, 
he  came  to  the  United  States  and  making  his  way  to  Cincinnati  secured 
employment  in  the  water-works  there.     Later  he  worked  in  the  new  court- 


546  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

house  in  Cincinnati,  his  task  being  to  pnncli  and  prepare  the  iron  used  in  the 
construction  of  the  building.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  a  little  town 
near  Youngstown.  Ohio,  where  he  was  employed  in  an  iron  smelter. 

Mr.  Carson  first  visited  Morris  in  1856,  but  afterward  returned  to 
Youngstown.  and  in  1857  again  came  to  Morris,  where  he  has  since  made 
his  home.  Here  he  became  interested  in  coal-mining,  operating  the  mines 
under  a  lease  for  several  years.  In  1861  he  was  married,  and  soon  afterward 
he  and  his  wife  opened  a  hotel  near  the  depot  known  as  the  Carson  House. 
This  they  successfully  conducted  for  more  than  thirty  years,  and  their  un- 
tiring industry  and  capable  management  brought  them  prosperity.  lu 
his  mining  operations  Mr.  Carson  was  also  successful,  and  about  ten  years 
ago,  placing  the  hotel  in  charge  of  his  son-in-law.  William  R.  Allan,  he  re- 
tired from  active  business  life  to  enjoy  through  his  remaining  days  the  rest 
which  he  has  so  tn.ily  earned. 

Mrs.  Carson  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Jane  Sharp.  She.  too.  was  a 
native  of  Scotland,  born  ^lay  26.  1826.  Her  parents.  William  and  Janet 
(Banks)  Sharp,  spent  their  entire  lives  in  Scotland.  She  was  married,  in 
that  country,  to  Andrew  Patrick,  and  in  1849  they  came  to  the  United 
States.  Soon  after  estabhshing  their  home  in  ^lorris  ^Ir.  Patrick  died. 
There  was  one  child  born  of  that  union,  a  daughter,  Janet  B..  now  the  wife 
of  William  Allan,  the  proprietor  of  the  Carson  House. 

In  politics  ]\Ir.  Carson  is  a  stanch  Republican  and  has  frequently  been 
selected  for  important  offices,  but  has  always  declined,  preferring  to  devote 
his  time  and  energies  to  the  business  interests.  His  wife  belongs  to  the 
Presbyterian  church,  which  they  both  attend  regularly,  contributing  liberally 
to  its  support.  Mr.  Carson  started  out  in  life  a  poor  man.  but  with  the 
assistance  of  his  estimable  wife,  who  has  indeed  proved  a  helpmeet  to  him, 
he  has  steadily  worked  his  way  upward  to  a  position  of  affluence.  His  busi- 
ness interests  enabled  him  to  form  a  wide  acquaintance,  with  which  his 
circle  of  friends  is  almost  co-extensive.  In  manner  genial,  in  disposition 
kindlv,  he  won  the  regard  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact  and  as  a  rep- 
resentative citizen  of  Morris  he  well  deserves  mention  in  this  volume. 


ALFRED     MITTIXG. 


The  prosperity  of  a  community  depends  upon  its  commercial  interests, 
and  the  representative  men  of  a  town  are  those  who  are  foremost  in  pro- 
moting its  business  affairs.  Their  energy  and  enterprise  not  only  brings  to 
them  individual  success  but  also  enhances  the  general  welfare,  and  thus 
thev   mav   be   termed   public   benefactors.     There   are   in   all   communities 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  547 

certain  business  interests  which  are  not  only  a  credit  to  the  town  but  are 
also  a  matter  of  pride  to  its  citizens,  and  such  a  one  is  that  now  controlled 
by  Mr.  Mitting,  the  well-known  secretary  and  business  manager  of  the 
Morris  Floral  Company.  He  first  came  to  this  city  in  1876,  and  established 
his  permanent  residence  here  in  1893. 

He  was  born  in  Tunbridge  Wells,  Kent  county,  England,  March  4, 
1858,  and  his  parents,  Robert  and  Lydia  (Piper)  Mitting,  were  both  repre- 
sentatives of  old  English  families.  For  many  years  his  father  has  been  en- 
gaged in  flower  culture,  and  at  this  writing,  in  1900,  is  numbered  among 
the  leading  florists  of  Ashurst,  Kent,  England.  Thus  in  early  life  our 
subject  became  familiar  with  the  business,  gaining  a  thorough  practical 
knowledge  of  the  best  methods  of  cultivation  of  plants.  His  ability  in  this 
tlirection  lias  been  the  means  of  bringing  to  the  Morris  Floral  Company 
the  splendid  success  which  has  attended  their  enterprise.  The  school  privil- 
eges which  Mr.  flitting  received  in  his  youth  were  \ery  limited,  but  to  the 
knowledge  gained  in  the  school-room  he  has  added  by  reading,  observation 
and  experience  till  he  is  now  a  well  informed  man.  He  was  trained  to  habits- 
of  industry,  economy  and  perseverance,  and  the  development  of  such  traits 
in  his  character  have  made  him  a  splendid  business  man  and  have  enabled 
him  to  successfully  carry  forward  the  \'arious  business  undertakings  with 
which  he  has  been  connected. 

\t  the  age  of  eighteen  years  Mr.  IMitting  came  to  America,  at  which 
time  his  uncle,  Moses  Britt,  was  residing  upon  a  farm  near  Morris.  Mak- 
ing his  way  to  Grundy  county  he  worked  upon  his  uncle's  farm  for  two 
years  and  then  entered  the  employ  of  the  late  Judge  Hopkins  as  a  gardener 
and  coachman.  In  August,  1879,  he  sustained  a  sunstroke  and  his  health 
being-  thereby  impaired  he  returned  to  England,  where  he  remained  till 
1 88 1.  However,  he  had  become  greatly  attached  to  the  United  States,  and 
believing  that  this  country  afforded  better  opportunities  than  the  Old 
World  he  once  more  boarded  a  western-bound  steamer  that  brought  him 
to  American  shores.  After  annving  in  Morris  he  rented  land  of  his  uncle 
and  engaged  in  gardening  for  one  season.  Through  the  succeeding  two 
years  he  carried  on  general  farming  on  rented  land  near  Morris,  and  then 
spent  four  years  in  a  flouring-mill  in  Newton,  Kansas.  At  the  expiration 
of  that  period  he  returned  to  Morris,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  on 
rented  land  through  several  summer  seasons,  while  in  the  winter  months 
he  worked  in  flouring  mills  in  Independence,  Missouri ;  Kewatwen,  Canada ; 
Galveston,  Texas;  and  Muskegon  and  Howland,  Michigan. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1893,  he  became  a  permanent  resident  of  Morris. 
and  since  that  year  has  been  identified  with  the  floral  interests  of  this  citv. 
On  the  7tli  of  August  the  Morris  Floral  Company  was  organized  bv  A. 


548  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXP.ALOCICAL   RECORD. 

Mitting,  S.  M.  Underwood,  C.  D.  Britt  and  Anna  Goodenougli.  Tliey  began 
business  on  Canal  street  within  the  Hmits  of  the  city  and  from  the  first  success 
attended  their  enterprise.  In  April.  1897,  the  capital  stock  of  the  company- 
was  increased  from  one  thousand  and  fifty  dollars  to  fifteen  thousand  dollars, 
and  six  acres  of  land  were  purchased  just  east  of  the  city  limits,  whereon  a 
larger  plant  has  been  constructed  consisting  of  a  splendid  greenhouse,  with 
twenty  thousand  sc^uare  feet  under  glass  and  well  arranged  rooms  for  office, 
storage  and  packing  purposes.  On  the  east  side  is  a  boiler-house,  a  brick 
building  twenty-eight  by  thirty-five  feet,  equipped  with  two  large  boilers 
to  heat  the  plant.  Over  ten  thousand  feet  of  pipe  conveys  the  steam  to  the 
different  departments,  and  a  fine  artesian  well  supplies  the  water  for  the 
plant,  while  in  addition  there  are  two  large  cisterns  containing  the  rain- 
water from  the  roofs.  A  fine  fish-pond  has  been  arranged  on  the  grounds 
and  is  supplied  with  water  from  the  overflow  of  the  well  and  cisterns.  Grav- 
eled driveways  have  been  constructed,  and  the  entire  plant  is  a  model  of  its 
kind,  being  perfect  in  every  department.  Mr.  Underwood  is  the  president 
and  treasurer  of  the  company,  while  Mr.  Mitting  is  secretary  and  manager. 
The  latter  is  not  only  an  excellent  florist  but  is  also  a  practica'  business 
man,  and  under  his  direction  the  company  has  enjoyed  a  steady  increase  of 
business  from  the  beginning.  They  supply  the  city  retail  demands,  but  out- 
side of  Morris  sell  only  to^  the  wholesale  trade,  the  yearly  output  being 
about  one  million  plants,  which  are  purchased  by  florists  throughout  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  and  the  company  sustains  a  most  enviable  reputa- 
tion on  account  of  its  reHability  and  the  hardiness  and  excellent  condition 
of  the  plants. 

In  1890  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Mitting  and  Miss  Ellen 
Griggs,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Griggs,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Morris. 
They  now  liave  one  child,  Ernest  De  Roo. 

Mr.  Mitting's  hope  of  benefiting  his  financial  condition  in  the  New 
World  has  been  more  than  realized,  for  he  has  not  only  secured  a  good 
living  but  has  also  acquired  a  handsome  competence  that  numbers  him 
among  the  substantial  citizens  of  Morris.  It  is  always  a  matter  of  satisfaction 
to  know  that  success  follows  such  honorable  efforts  as  he  has  put  forth, 
and  to  record  the  history  of  one  whose  example  may  well  lie  followed  by  the 
younger  generation. 


ALBERT   H.    HOLDERMAN. 

For  more  than  ten  years  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Albert  H.  Holder- 
man,  has  been  one  of  the  sulistantial  and  respected  citizens  of  the  town  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  549 

Morris,  Illinois,  he  ha\ing-  moved  here  in  1888  from  his  farm  a  few  miles 
distant. 

Mr.  Holderman  is  a  nati\e  of  LaSalle  county,  Illinois,  ha\ing  been 
born  near  Seneca,  April  19,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of  Abram  and  Mary  E.  (Hoge) 
Holderman.  During  his  childhood  his  parents  removed  to  Erienna  town- 
ship, Grundy  county,  and  his  boyhood  days  were  passed  on  his  father's  farm, 
his  educational  advantages  being  limited  to  the  country  schools.  Farming 
has  been  his  life  occupation,  lie  is  the  owner  of  considerable  land,  and 
resided  on  his  farm  until  his  removal  to  Morris,  as  above  stated. 

Mr.  Holderman  was  married  in  1884  to  Miss  Jennie  Newport,  a  (laugh- 
ter of  Addison  and  Julia  (Nelson)  Newport.  Their  union  has  been  blessed  in 
the  birtii  of  two  children, — Charie  and  Ray,  aged  respectively  thirteen  and 
ten  years. 

The  Republican  party  has  received  Mr.  Holderman's  support  since  he 
became  a  voter.     He  is,  however,  in  no  sense  of  the  word  a  politician. 


LEWIS  SEEGAR. 


Lewis  Seegar,  one  of  the  prominent  farmers  of  Good  Farm  township, 
Grundy  county,  Illinois,  enjoys  the  distinction  of  having  been  one  of  those 
patriotic  German-born  citizens  of  the  United  States  who  at  the  time  of  our 
civil  war  risked  his  life  in  defense  of  the  flag  of  his  adopted  country.  The 
same  warm,  stirring  Gemian  blood  that  made  him  a  successful  pioneer  in  a 
foreign  land  made  him  a  good  soldier,  and  it  has  animated  him  for  a  life 
struggle  which  has  resulted  in  honor  and  good  fortune. 

Born  in  the  village  of  Schimmershausen,  Hesse-Cassel,  August  27,  1838, 
he  is  a  son  of  Henry  Seegar,  a  native  of  Hesse-Cassel,  who  owned  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  acres  in  Germany  and  was  otherwise  a  well-to-do  man.  Henry 
Seegar  was  married  twice,  first  to  a  Miss  Plighing,  who  was  the  mother  of 
five  children :  August,  Annie,  Lewis,  Charles  and  Lizzie.  Charles  and 
Lizzie  died  young.  Mrs.  Seegar  died  in  Gemiany,  in  1841,  when  Lewis 
was  Ijut  three  years  old.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Seegar  married  Elizabeth 
Hildebrand,  who  bore  him  children  named  Lizzie,  Minnie,  Philip  and  Will- 
iam. Mr.  Seegar,  who  was  a  lifelong  meml)er  of  the  Reformed  church, 
was  a  son  of  Lndwig  Seegar,  a  farmer  who  owned  the  Seegar  home  farm 
in  Germany,  which  he  bought  witli  his  owm  earnings,  having  been  left  with 
but  one  dollar  as  an  inheritance.  Henry  Seegar,  the  father  of  Lewis,  was 
pretty  well  educated,  and  in  recognition  of  his  excellent  judgment  he  was 
made  a  magistrate.  He  came  to  America  in  1856,  bringing  his  family  with 
liim.     They  sailed   from   Bremen    Haven   about   the   middle   of   May,   and 


550  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

landed  in  New  York.  July  4.  They  came  by  rail  to  Joliet  and  Mr.  Seegar 
made  the  journey  on  foot  to  Kankakee  county,  Illinois,  to  see  Mr.  Shafer. 
an  old  friend,  who  lived  there.  .Mr.  Seegar  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  wild  prairie  land  near  Norton,  but  lived  on  it  only  a  few  years,  set- 
tling later  in  Franklin  county,  Iowa,  on  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
which  he  improved,  and  lived  upon  until  his  death,  which  occurred  ten 
years  later,  about  1880,  when  lie  was  aged  about  seventy-five  years.  He 
was  a  hard-working,  enterprising,  straightforward  man.  a  Republican  in 
politics,  and  in  every  sense  of  the  term  a  good  citizen.  He  had  two  sons  in 
the  federal  arm_\-  in  our  great  war  of  the  states, — Lewis  and  August,  both  in 
Company  I,  Seventy-sixth  Regiment  of  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  Au- 
gust served  three  years  and  was  in  all  the  battles  of  his  regiment. 

Lewis  Seegar  was  brought  up  on  a  fami  in  Germany  and  was  nineteen 
years  of  age  when  he  came  to  America  with  his  father,  and  has  many  inter- 
esting reminiscences  of  the  journey.  He  found  employment  at  farm  work 
at  Norton,  Kankakee  county,  Illinois,  for  \Mlliam  L'nz,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained five  years.  He  enlisted  for  service  in  the  L'nited  States  Army  at 
Kankakee,  Illinois,  and  was  enrolled  January  29,  1864,  as  private  of  Com- 
pany I,  Seventy-sixth  Regiment  of  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  for  three 
years  or  during  the  war,  and  was  honorably  discharged  August  18,  1865, 
at  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  He  saw  service  in  \'irginia.  Louisiana,  Florida  and 
Alabama,  and  took  part  in  the  fightin.g  at  \'icksburg.  previous  to  its  sur- 
render, July  4.  1863.  Champion  Hills,  Jackson's  Cross  Roads.  Mississippi, 
Blakely,  Alabama,  and  Port  Hudson,  Louisiana,  July  8,  1863.  He  was 
twice  grazed  by  bullets. — by  one  across  the  face,  and  another  tore  the  cloth- 
ing over  his  stomach,  at  the  battle  of  Jackson's  Cross  Roads.  Mr.  Seegar 
was  always  an  active  soldier  and  was  in  all  the  campaigns,  marches,  battles 
and  skirmishes  of  his  regiment  vrhile  in  the  service.  He  was  sick  with  fever 
in  the  hospital  at  St.  Louis  for  three  weeks.  After  the  war  he  returned  to 
Kankakee  county  and  fanned  for  himself  for  one  year. 

I\Ir.  Seegar  married,  December  28,  1867,  in  Good  Farm  township, 
Margaret  Haag,  the  widow  of  George  Haag,  nee  Margaret  Mier,  born  ]\Iay 
25,  1836,  at  \\'alkersdorf,  Bion.  Germany.  Mrs.  Seegar  came  to  America  in 
1852  with  her  mother.  ]\Irs.  Barbara  ISIier,  and  her  sister  Lena,  who  later 
married  Henry  Numan,  a  substantial  farmer  of  Grundy  county.  They  sailed 
from  Havre,  France,  in  the  good  ship  Barbara  Morris,  and  were  six  weeks 
on  the  voyage  to  New  York,  from  which  city  they  came  directly  to  Grundy 
county,  Illinois.  When  Barbara  was  nineteen  years  old,  in  1S55,  she  mar- 
ried George  Haag  and  they  had  children  named  Mar\%  Lena,  Amelia,  Fritz 
and  John.  Mr.  Haag,  who  was  a  well-to-do  farmer,  owning  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  land,  died  August  14,  1866.     He  was  a  member  of  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  551 

Tlvang-elical  church.  After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seegar  hved  on 
the  Haag  farm  until  1876,  when  they  moved  to  their  present  farm,  consist- 
ing of  one  hundred  ami  twenty  acres,  to  which  they  have  added  by  hard 
work,  industry'  and  good  judgment  until  they  now  have  an  excellent  farm 
of  two  hundred  acres.  Their  children  are  Lizzie,  Annie,  Minnie,  George 
and  Frank.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seegar  are  both  devout  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian Catholic  church. 

In  1893  Mr.  Seegar  had  two  paralytic  strokes  and  as  a  result  he  was 
helpless  two  years  and  had  many  dangerous  spasms.  The  regular  physicians 
did  him  no  good,  and  he  states  that  his  condition  grew  so  serious  that  he 
almost  gave  up  in  despair,  when  about  three  years  ago  he  was  entirely  cured 
by  his  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  through  the  teachings  and  prayers  of  John  Alex- 
ander Dowie,  of  Chicago.  This  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  cures  on 
record  and  Mr.  Seegar  believes  it  to  be  of  the  same  nature  of  those  wrought 
by  Jesus  when  he  was  on  earth.  Mr.  Seegar  was  believed  to  be  in  a  dying 
condition  when,  by  faith  alone,  as  he  verily  believes,  he  was  entirely  cured, 
and  he  is  to-day  a  well,  strong  man  for  his  age.  He  is  a  substantial  farmer, 
a  good  citizen  and  a  man  of  unquestionable  veracity.  His  faithful  wife  and  his 
family  are  truthful  witnesses  of  his  restoration  to  health,  as  are  many  of 
his  neighbors,  and  all  who  know  him  rejoice  at  his  deliverance,  whether 
inclined  to  question  its  means  or  not.  His  life  has  been  a  busy  and  a  useful 
■one,  and  its  successes  have  been  won  by  honest  effort.  Such  a  man  could 
hardly  be  spared  by  the  community,  for  he  has  long  occupied  a  place  in  it 
which  it  would  be  hard  to  fill.  Mrs.  Seegar  has  been  a  true  helpmeet  to  him 
in  every  sense  of  the  term,  and  they  and  their  children  are  held  in  the  highest 
esteem  by  all  who  know  them. 


WH.LIAM  STEPHEN. 


To  indulge  in  prolix  encomium  of  a  life  which  was  eminently  one  of 
subjective  modesty  would  be  palpably  incongruous,  even  though  the  record 
of  good  accomplished,  of  kindly  deeds  performed,  and  of  high  relative  pre- 
cedence attained  might  seem  to  justify  the  utterance  of  the  glowing  eulogy. 
He  to  whom  this  memoir  is  dedicated  was  a  man  who  "stood  four-square 
to  every  wind  that  blows,"  who  was  possessed  with  marked  ability  and  who 
was  vitally  instinct  with  the  deeper  human  sympathies;  and  yet  who,  dur- 
ing his  long  and  useful  life,  avoided  everything  that  partook  of  the  nature  of 
display  or  notoriety;  and  in  this  s])irit  would  the  biographist  wish  to  have 
his  utterances  construed.  For  many  years  William  Stephen  was  a  well- 
Tcnown  agriculturist  of  Grundy  county,  and  on  retiring  to  private  life  became 


552  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

closely  identified  with  the  better  interests  of  Morris,  where  he  was  known 
and  honored  as  a  vahied  citizen. 

Of  sturdy  Scotch-Presbyterian  stock.  WiUiam  Stephen  was  born  upon 
his  father's  fami  in  Aberdeenshire,  Scotland,  May  26,  181 7,  and  during  his 
youth  assisted  in  the  development  and  cultivation  of  the  fields.  This  prac- 
tical training-  afterward  stood  liim  in  good  stead,  when  farming  became  the 
occupation  whereby  he  sought  a  livelihood.  His  early  educational  privi- 
leges were  such  as  were  afforded  by  the  common  schools,  but  he  early  mani- 
fested a  love  of  books,  being  especially  fond  of  history.  He  also  became 
greatly  interested  in  the  book  of  books,  the  Bible,  from  the  reading  of  which 
he  imbibed  deep  and  well-founded  religious  impressions.  He  united  with 
the  church  in  youth  and  soon  thereafter  determined  to  prepare  himself  for 
the  ministrv.  For  several  years  he  bent  his  strong  will  and  splendid  en- 
ergies in  that  direction.  He  acquired  a  fair  knowledge  of  the  Latin  and 
Greek  languages  and  stored  his  mind  with  a  fund  of  information  that  would 
have  enabled  him  to  expound  clearly  the  truths  of  the  Bible,  but  he  be- 
came satisfied  that  nature  had  not  designed  him  for  the  ministry  on  account 
of  a  lack  of  fluency  in  his  utterances.  He  therefore  abandoned  his  plan 
and  apprenticed  himself  to  a  grocer,  with  whom  he  remained  until  twenty 
years  of  age. 

At  that  time,  acting  on  the  advice  of  the  late  George  Smith,  for  many 
vears  a  leading  banker  of  Chicago,  Mr.  Stephen  came  to  the  United  States, 
arriving  in  Chicago.  July  i.  1837,  to  find  that  Mr.  Smith  had  returned  to 
Scotland  on  a  visit.  His  disappointment  on  not  finding  his  friend  was  very 
great,  but,  fortified  bv  strong  resolution  and  inflexible  will  power,  which 
never  cowed  in  the  presence  of  apparent  danger  or  hardships,  he  started 
out  to  make  his  way  in  the  Xew  ^^'orld  unaided.  He  arrived  in  Lisbon, 
Kendall  county,  Illinois,  July  8,  1837,  friendless  and  poor,  but  soon  secured 
work  by  the  month  and  accumulated  the  means  wherewith  to  purchase 
what  was  then  known  as  a  prairie  team, — fourteen  yoke  of  oxen,  that  is,  a 
sufficient  number  of  oxen  to  draw  a  prairie  plow  through  the  virgin  soil. 
He  then  engaged  in  breaking  prairie  for  others,  and  in  that  manner  made  his 
start  in  life.  As  a  companion  and  helpmeet  on  life's  journey  he  chose  Miss 
Margaret  Watemian,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  February  27,  1843.  He 
then  began  farming  in  Kendall  county,  and  as  the  result  of  his  industry  and 
enterprise  he  came  into  possession  of  a  large  farm  at  Big  Grove,  which  he 
transformed  into  rich  and  fertile  fields.  He  successfully  operated  it  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  in  1869  purchased  the  fine  farm  now  occupied  bv  his 
.son.  Charles  M..  two  miles  northwest  of  Morris,  and  took  possession  there- 
of, but  still  retained  his  Kendall  county  farm.     His  health  partially  failing.. 


CJw.oJtZ'Ji^-^-^^'^.  a. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  553 

he  resolved  to  lay  aside  the  more  arduous  cares  of  business  life  and  removed 
to  Morris,  where  he  lived  retired  until  called  to  the  home  beyond. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stephen  was  blessed  with  the  following 
children:  William  I.,  now  a  resident  of  Omaha,  Nebraska;  Hester  E.,  de- 
ceased: Amelia  A.,  deceased  wife  of  Aaron  Howe;  ^Merritt  J.,  of  Morris;  Ella 
P.,  the  widow  of  C.  G.  Collins,  of  Omaha;  Charles  M.,  who  is  farming  on 
the  old  homestead  near  Morris;  Ada  H.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen; 
Helen  I.,  the  wife  of  A.  E.  Cagwin,  of  Chicago:  Mrs.  Hettie  J.  Page,  of 
Omaha:  and  Fred  L.,  of  Morris. 

In  the  days  of  his  vigorous  manhood  Mv.  Ste]5hen  eschewed  politics  and 
would  never  accept  ofifice  other  than  assessor,  commissioner  of  highways, 
school  director,  etc.  After  coming  tO'  Morris  he  served  for  several  years  as 
justice  of  the  peace,  school  director  and  alderman,  discharging  his  duties 
with  marked  promptness  and  fidelity.  Though  reared  in  the  Presbyterian 
faith  he  never  liked  its  church  government,  and  in  1854  united  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which  his  wife  had  been  a  member  from  the 
age  of  fifteen  years.  He  was  from  that  time  until  his  death  most  active  in 
its  work  and  contributed  not  a  little  to  its  upbuilding.  He  served  as  a 
class-leader,  as  a  superintendent  or  teacher  in  the  Sunday-school,  as  trus- 
tee, and  at  all  times  did  everything  in  his  power  to  promote  the  cause  of 
Christianitv  among  men.  His  character  was  above  reproach,  and  he  was 
held  in  the  greatest  respect  by  his  neighbors.  His  word  was  as  good  as 
any  bond  that  was  ever  solemnized  by  signature  or  seal,  and  his  integrity 
was  unassailable. 

"His  life  was  noble,  anil  the  elements 

So  mixed  in  him  that  nature  might  stand  up 

And  say  to  all  the  world,  'This  was  a  man.'  " 

\ 
Mr.  Stephen  died  May  iS,  i88g,  and  his  widow,  who  was  born  in  New 

York  in  1825,  survived  him  a  little  more  than  a  decade,  passing  away  in  death 

in  February,  1900.     She  was  ever  a  faithful  companion  and  helpmeet,  and 

was  loved  and  esteemed  bv  all  who  knew  her. 


MYRON  CURTIS  STURTEVANT,  M.  D. 

For  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  Dr.  Sturtevant  has  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  medicine  in  ]\Iorris.  and  his  success  is  attributable  to  his 
thorough  understanding  of  the  principles  of  medicine  and  to  his  ability  in 
administering  the  various  medicinal  remedies  in  relief  of  the  suffering  of  his 
patients.     The  Doctor  is  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  his  birth  having  oc- 


554  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

curred  in  Lowell.  January  12.  1835.  His  parents  were  Cyrus  and  Rhoda 
(Harsey)  Sturtevant,  the  former  a  native  of  Maine  and  the  latter  of  Vermont. 
Both  were  representatives  of  old  English  families,  but  the  father  was  of 
Holland  lineage,  while  the  mother  was  of  English  descent.  Cyrus  Sturtevant 
made  carpentering  Ws  life  work.  In  1838  he  removed  with  his  family  from 
the  Bay  state  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  for  a  number  of  years  he  conducted 
a  lumber-yard  and  operated  a  planing-mill. 

The  Doctor  was  a  mere  child  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  the 
west.  He  was  making  good  progress  in  school  when  his  father's  planing- 
mill  burned,  and  such  was  the  financial  loss  to  the  family  that  he  was  obliged 
to  abandon  his  studies  and  enter  business  life.  He  had  attended  Oberlin 
College  and  Cleveland  University,  and  had  taken  two  courses  in  the  Home- 
opathic Medical  College  of  Cleveland.  In  1855  his  parents  decided  to  come 
to  Illinois  and  accordingly  took  up  their  abode  in  Wheaton,  but  his  father 
was  in  poor  health  and  did  not  remain  long  in  the  city,  soon  removing  to 
a  fami  in  Ogle  county,  Illinois.  In  the  family  were  two  children,  the  Doctor 
and  a  sister,  Jennie  L.  From  Ogle  county,  the  parents  removed  to  Wis- 
consin, and  there  the  daughter  was  married  to  Rev.  Asher  W.  Curtis,  who 
was  located  in  Crete,  Nebraska.  At  that  time  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cyrus  Sturte- 
vant also  went  to  Crete,  Nebraska,  where  the  father's  death  occurred.  Tlie 
mother  afterward  accompanied  her  daughter  to  Raleigh,  North  Carolina, 
to  which  place  Mr.  Curtis  was  called  by  the  church  of  his  denomination. 
In  that  city  Mrs.  Sturtevant  died,  but  ^Irs.  Curtis  is  still  living  there. 

The  Doctor  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  various  removals  until 
after  they  went  to  Nebraska,  when  he  decided  to  return  to  Cleveland  and 
again  entered  the  Western  Homeopathic  Medical  College  of  that  place.  Com- 
pleting a  thorough  course  of  study,  he  was  graduated  in  that  institution  in 
the  class  of  1866.  He  had  practiced  medicine  in  Ogle  county  for  a  short 
time  before  he  returned  to  the  medical  college,  and  after  his  graduation  he 
located  in  Emerald  Grove,  Rock  county,  Wisconsin,  where  he  engaged  in 
practice  for  about  seven  years.  It  was  in  the  year  1872  that  Dr.  Sturtevant 
came  to  Morris,  where  he  has  since  resided  and  now  enjoys  a  large  and 
lucrative  practice,  and  is  accorded  a  leading  place  in  the  ranks  of  the  medical 
fraternity.  He  holds  a  membership  in  both  the  Illinois  State  Homeopathic 
Medical  Society  and  the  American  Institute  of  Homeopathy. 

In  1859  tl^s  Doctor  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Pearlie  E.  Boynton. 
Their  only  child,  Wilbur,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years.  The  Doctor 
and  his  wife  hold  a  membership  in  the  Congregational  church  and  take  an 
active  part  in  its  work,  doing  all  in  their  power  to  promote  its  interests.  In 
social  circles  they  hold  an  enviable  position,  and  their  own  home  is  noted  for 
its  generous  hospitality. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  555 

FRED   L.   STEPHEN. 

Fred  L.  Stephen,  a  member  of  the  Morris  Lumber  Company,  is  one  of 
tlie  native  sons  of  IlHnois,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Kendall  county  on 
the  19th  of  June.  1864.  His  youth  was  spent  on  his  father's  farm,  and  to 
the  common-school  system  of  the  county  he  is  indebted  for  the  educational 
privileges  which  he  received.  On  entering  upon  his  business  career  he 
became  a  butcher  and  for  three  years  conducted  a  store  in  Morris.  In  the 
latter  part  of  1897  he  became  a  member  of  the  Morris  Lumber  Company, 
the  partners  in  which  are  Fred  L.  Stephen  and  C.  B.  Moore.  They  have 
a  large  lumber-yard  and  receive  from  the  public  a  liberal  patronage,  which 
is  well  merited,  for  their  business  methods  are  honorable,  and  it  is  their  earn- 
est desire  to  please  their  customers. 

In  1888  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  ]Mr.  Stephen  and  ?kliss  Laura 
Hoge,  of  Morris,  and  their  union  has  been  blessed  with  one  daughter,  named 
\'ivian.  "Sir.  Stephen  votes  with  the  Republican  party,  and  is  a  Mason,  hav- 
ing attained  the  Knight  Templar  degree  in  the  fraternity.  As  a  business 
man  he  is  wide-awake,  progressive  and  enterprising,  and  by  the  careful  con- 
duct of  his  interests  has  secured  a  creditable  success  and  will  no  doubt  gain 
greater  prosperity  in  the  future. 


JOHN   RAY. 

John  Ray,  who  is  engaged  in  the  livery  business  at  Morris.  Illinois,  is  a 
German  by  birth,  but  was  reared  and  educated  in  this  country,  and  is 
thoroughly  identified  with  American  interests.  A  brief  sketch  of  his  life  is 
as  follows : 

John  Ray  was  born  in  Germany,  June  16,  1846,  a  son  of  William  and 
Annetta  (Stine)  Ray.  His  parents  emigrated  with  their  family  to  this 
countrj'  in  185 1  and  made  their  first  settlement  in  Allegany  county.  New 
York,  where  they  resided  until  October,  1853.  At  that  time  they  came  west 
to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Felix  township.  Here 
they  made  their  home  for  a  number  of  years  up  to  1894,  when  they  removed 
to  Will  county,  Illinois.  At  the  latter  place  the  father  died,  in  1895,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  He  had  been  a  farmer  all  his  life,  was  suc- 
cessful in  his  operations,  and  by  his  honorable  and  upright  life  won  the  con- 
fidence and  respect  of  all  who  knew  him.  The  wife  and  mother  is  still  living, 
a  resident  of  ^lorris.     Their  family  consists  of  two  sons  and  two  daughters. 

At  the  time  the  Ray  family  removed  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  John 
•vvas  a  boy  of  eight  years.     He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and  was  him- 


556  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

self  engaged  in  farming  operations  until  he  was  twenty-six  years  of  age. 
Then  he  turned  his  attention  to  merchandising,  in  Diamond,  where  he  was 
in  business  three  years,  at  the  end  of  that  time  selling  out  to  the  Chicago, 
Wilmington  Coal  &  ^lanufacturing  Company,  and  for  the  next  seven  years 
and  a  half  managed  the  store  for  them.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  went  to 
Braidwood,  where  he  was  engaged  in  business  until  the  fall  of  1898.  Sep- 
tember 5  of  that  year  he  came  to  Morris  and  has  since  conducted  his  present 
livery  business. 

Mr.  Ray  was  married  in  1870  to  Miss  Mary  Reardon.  a  daughter  of 
Captain  William  Reardon.  They  have  had  one  child,  a  daughter,  that  died 
at  the  age  of  nine  years. 

For  a  period  of  twenty-four  years  Mr.  Ray  has  been  identified  with  the 
Masonic  order.  He  has  received  the  various  degrees  of  that  ancient  order 
up  to  and  including  that  of  Knight  Templar.  His  political  affiliations  are 
with  the  Republican  party. 


MERRITT   J.   STEPHEN. 

Merritt  J.  Stephen  was  born  .August  2.  1849,  i"  Kendall  county,  Illi- 
nois. His  father,  William  Stephen,  is  now  deceased.  His  boyhood  days 
were  spent  in  the  usual  manner  of  farmer  lads,  his  time  being  devoted  to  the 
labor  of  the  fields,  in  studying  in  the  common  schools  and  in  the  pleasures 
of  the  play-ground.  On  attaining  his  majority  he  resolved  to  try  his  fortune 
in  the  west  and  went  to  Denver,  Colorado,  where  he  spent  two  years.  At 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  returned  to  Morris,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
the  live-stock  business  for  five  or  six  years.  He  then  went  to  Omaha.  Ne- 
braska, where  he  engaged  in  the  same  business  for  about  six  years.  Again 
coming  to  Morris,  he  has  since  made  his  home  in  this  city. 

Mr.  Stephen  gives  his  political  support  to  the  Republican  party,  and  is 
a  prominent  Mason,  having  attained  the  Knight  Templar  degree.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  and  is  highly  esteemed  in  the  craft  as 
well  as  in  business  and  social  circles. 


F.  S.   SCHOENLEBER,   ^^I.  S.  A.,   D.   O.,  D.  V.   S. 

One  of  the  most  efficient  and  capable  representatives  of  his  profession  is 
Dr.  Schoenleber.  who  is  now  engaged  in  practice  in  Morris.  He  was  born 
in  Allen  township,  LaSalle  county,  Illinois,  August  6,  1862,  and  is  a  son  of 
Jacob  and   Louisa   (Saemisch)  Schoenleber.     His  parents  were  natives  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  557 

Germany,  but  were  married  in  Livingston  county,  Illinois,  and  located  in 
Allen  township,  where  the  father  became  a  prosperous  farmer.  He  died  at 
the  age  of  seventy-one  years,  in  1896,  but  his  widow  still  survives  and  is 
now  living  in  Ransom,  Illinois.  They  became  the  parents  of  six  children 
who  grew  to  years  of  maturity:  Lewis  K.,  Julia,  Alary  A.,  Francis  S.,  John 
J.  and  Emma  L.     The  youngest  son  is  now  deceased. 

The  Doctor  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  in  the  public  schools 
acquired  his  preliminary  education,  which  was  supplemented  by  study  in 
the  Alorris  Normal.  He  afterward  engaged  in  teaching-  for  two  years  in 
Nettle  Creek  township,  Grundy  county.  He  then  entered  the  Iowa  State 
Agricultural  College,  at  Ames,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1885.  He  also 
took  a  post-graduate  degree  in  the  same  institution  in  1887;  and  his  ability 
and  standing  are  indicated  by  the  fact  that  in  1885  he  was  appointed  by  the 
board  of  trustees  to  the  position  of  farm  foreman.  He  had  previously 
won  high  rank  as  an  educator,  having  been  principal  of  the  Ransom  schools 
in  1884-85,  while  at  the  time  of  his  graduation  in  the  agricultural  college 
he  was  holding  the  position  of  professor  of  German  and  natural  science  in 
the  Norton  Normal  and  Scientific  Academy  at  Wilton  Junction,  Iowa. 
Three  months  after  his  graduation  he  resigned  that  position  in  order  to 
accept  the  one  proffered  him  by  his  alma  mater.  In  1888  he  became  asso- 
ciate editor  of  the  Orange  Judd  Farmer,  one  of  the  leading  agricultural 
journals  of  the  country,  published  in  Chicago, — which  journal  was  founded 
by  Orange  Judd,  also  the  founder  of  the  American  Agriculturist.  Dr. 
Schoenleber  continued  his  connection  with  that  paper  until  1890,  and  during 
the  winter  of  1889-90  he  took  a  course  in  the  Chicago  Veterinary  College, 
in  which  he  was  graduated.  In  the  spring  of  1890  the  Doctor  came  to 
Morris,  where  he  has  practiced  veterinary  surgery;  but  during  a  portion  of 
the  years  1890-91  he  was  in  Montgomery,  Alabama.  In  1896  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  chair  of  anatomy  and  histology  in  McKillip's  Veterinary  Col- 
lege, of  Chicago,  which  position  he  now  holds,  and  in  that  institution  he 
has  also  been  dean  since  1897.  For  the  past  two  years  he  has  been  assistant 
state  veterinarian,  and  his  marked  ability  has  gained  him  a  rank  second  to 
none  in  the  circles  of  the  profession.  In  the  winter  of  1898-99,  in  order  to 
gain  a  still  greater  knowledge  of  the  science  of  medicine,  he  pursued  the 
sophomore  course  in  Bennett  Medical  College,  of  Chicago. 

In  1 89 1  Dr.  Schoenleber  formed  a  partnership  with  G.  R.  Savage  and 
opened  a  livery  stable  in  Morris.  The  following  year  he  purchased  his  part- 
ner's interest  and  has  since  conducted  the  business  alone.  In  1895  he 
erected  a  new  stable  and  built  an  addition  to  it  in  1899,  and  now  has  a  fine 
large  barn.  In  1898  he  leased  this  to  John  Ray.  In  August,  1899,  he  was 
offered  the  position  of  dean  of  the  veterinary  school  of  the  National  Medical 


558  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

University,  at  Ciiica^o.  Resigning  his  position  at  the  McKillip  College,  he 
took  up  the  work  of  organizing  the  above  school,  at  the  same  time  taking  his 
junior  year  in  the  medical  school  of  the  university,  with  the  course  in  oste- 
opathy, thus  investigating  the  different  systems  of  medicine, — allopathic, 
homeopathic,  eclectic  and  osteopathic.  He  is  also  registered  in  Illinois  as 
an  osteopath. 

In  1892  the  Doctor  married  Lillian  M.  Aliller,  a  daughter  of  T.  \V. 
and  Abbie  Miller,  of  Grundy  county.  He  is  quite  active  in  social  circles, 
being  a  Knights  Templar  Mason,  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  the  Globe, 
tlie  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  In 
his  professional  career  he  has  achieved  most  gratifying  success,  steadily 
working  his  way  upward  until  he  ranks  among  the  foremost  representatives 
of  the  profession  of  veterinary  surgery.  In  manner  he  is  pleasant  and  genial 
and  his  many  excellent  qualities  have  endeared  him  to  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances. 


HENRY    NEWMAN. 


The  man  whose  name  appears  above  has  in  his  busy  and  useful  career 
demonstrated  the  value  of  self-reliance.  He  began  life  without  capital:  he 
earned  capital  and  put  it  to  good  use.  He  improved  opportunity  after  op- 
portunity as  it  presented  itself  and  rose  from  poverty  to  affluence,  from  ob- 
scurity to  prominence  in  the  community.  He  fought  a  good  fight,  and 
he  fought  it  gallantly  and  persistently  and  won  a  victory  over  every  obstacle 
that  he  encountered. 

Henry  Newman,  of  Au  Sable  township,  Grundy  county,  who  is  num- 
bered among  the  well-known  German-American  citizens  of  this  county,  was 
I)orn  at  Hesse-Darmstadt.  Germany,  January  6,  1825,  a  son  of  John  New- 
man, who  was  the  father  of  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  Henry 
is  the  only  one  who  came  to  America  and  is  the  only  one  now  living.  His 
brothers  were  named  Casper  and  Louis  Newman.  The  subject  of  this 
notice  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  country,  and  in  accordance  with  the 
requirements  in  Germany  he  served  three  years  in  the  army.  His  army 
career  was  during  the  troublous  times  of  1848  and  1849,  in  which  German 
history  was  made  with  great  rapidity. 

In  1850  Mr.  Newman  left  his  native  land  for  America.  Landing  at  the 
port  of  New  York,  he  went  thence  to  Buffalo,  in  the  same  state,  where  he 
remained  for  a  time,  working  at  whatever  he  found  to  do.  From  Bufifalo  he 
continued  his  way  westward,  going  to  Cleveland  by  way  of  Lake  Erie  and 
thence  to  Fort  Wavne,  Indiana.     There  he  had  a  chance  to  work  on  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  559^ 

railroad  at  fifty  cents  a  day  and  board,  or  seventy-five  cents  and  board  him- 
self. He  chose  the  latter  proposition  and  remained  there  nntil  tiie  follow- 
ing spring,  when  he  continued  his  travels  westward,  with  Chicago  as  his 
objective  point. 

That  was  half  a  century  ago,  and  Chicago,  now  a  great  city,  was  but  a 
small  town,  over  which  Mr.  Newman  says  he  could  have  traveled  in  half  a 
day.  But  Chicago  had  no  attractions  for  the  young  man,  and  he  soon  made 
his  way  out  into  the  country  and  down  to  the  vicinity  of  his  place  of  settle- 
ment. He  kept  at  work  until  he  had  accumulated  money  enough  to  buy 
some  land,  and  in  1864  he  settled  on  his  present  farm  in  Grundy  county. 

In  March,  1854,  Mr.  Newman  was  married  to  Miss  Rose  Anna  Magda- 
lena  Hirsch,  who  was  born  in  Germany,  where  her  father  died,  and  who  came 
to  America  with  her  mother  and  sister  in  1852.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newman 
have  had  seven  children,  five  of  whom,  named  as  follows,  are  living: 
Mary,  George,  Henry  E.,  Lizzie  Ann,  and  Carrie  M.  Their  children  who 
died  were  named  Adeline  and  John. 

Mr.  Newman  began  life  poor,  and,  as  has  been  seen,  he  purchased  his 
first  land  with  money  that  he  earned  by  manual  labor.  He  now  has  a  fine 
farm  and  is  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  Au  Sable  township.  He  has  an 
intelligent  and  esteemed  family,  all  members  of  which  are  members  of  the 
Au  Sable  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  to  the  support  of  which  and  of  all  its 
interests  he  has  long  been  a  liberal  contributor.  There  is  no  local  movement 
that  in  his  opinion  tends  to  enhance  the  general  welfare  that  he  does  not 
indorse  and  aid  to  the  extent  of  his  ability.  His  kindliness  is  apparent  to 
all  who  know  him  and  more  than  one  person  has  found  in  him  such  a  "friend 
in  need"  as  is  truly  a  "friend  indeed." 


URIAH    C.    DAVIS. 


The  mercantile  interests  of  Morris  are  well  represented  by  Uriah  C. 
Davis,  furniture  dealer  and  undertaker.  He  owns  and  conducts  a  large  and 
well-equipped  store  and  possesses  the  essential  characteristics  of  a  success- 
ful business  career.  A  native  of  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  he  was  born 
November  15,  1852,  and  is  a  son  of  Phineas  Davis,  a  retired  farmer  now  re- 
siding in  Morris.  The  father  was  born  in  Livingston  county.  New  York, 
January  24,  1827,  and  in  1847,  when  twenty  years  of  age,  came  to  Illinois, 
locating  in  Kendall  county,  where  he  purchased  a  farm  upon  which  he  made 
his  home  for  twenty-seven  years.  In  1874  he  took  up  his  abo<le  in  Morris, 
and  is  now  accounted  one  of  the  respected  citizens  of  this  place.  He  was 
married  January  22,  1848.  to  ALiria  L.  Phipps,  who  was  born  in  New  Jer- 


56o  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

sey  in  1822  and  died  in  1879,  leaving  two  sons, — James  and  Uriah  C.  In 
1881  the  father  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Sally  C.  Frasee, 
W'idow  of  Barnard  Frasee. 

Upon  the  homestead  farm  Uriah  C.  Davis  spent  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth,  and  as  soon  as  old  enough  to  handle  the  plow  began  to 
assist  in  the  improvement  of  the  fields  and  in  the  cultivation  of  the  crops. 
He  was  provided  with  excellent  educational  privileges  and  is  a  graduate  of 
both  the  Fowler  Institute  and  the  ^Morris  Normal.  He  also  attended  the 
Illinois  State  Normal  for  a  time  and  successfully  engaged  in  teaching  for 
four  years,  being  principal  of  the  Alazon  schools  for  two  and  a  half  years. 
In  1 88 1,  however,  he  abandoned  that  profession  and  embarked  in  his  present 
business  in  partnership  with  W.  R.  Cody.  In  1885  his  brother,  James  L., 
purchased  an  interest  in  the  business,  and  in  1887  the  Davis  brothers  bought 
out  the  interest  of  Mr.  Cody.  This  partnership  was  continued  till  1892, 
when  our  subject  became  sole  proprietor.  He  has  conducted  his  store  with 
signal  success,  having  a  large  and  complete  stock  of  furniture  of  modern 
design,  calculated  to  meet  the  varied  tastes  of  the  public.  He  has  built  up 
an  excellent  trade  and  also  has  a  hberal  patronage  in  the  undertaking  de- 
partment. He  is  a  graduate  of  two  schools  for  embalming,  the  Sullivan  and 
the  Hoenschau.     He  is  regarded  as  the  most  skilled  undertaker  in  Morris. 

In  1881  Mr.  Davis  was  united  in  marriage  to  ]\Iiss  Nellie  F.  Cody,  and 
their  union  has  been  blest  with  three  children :  Edith.  \\'illiam  and  Ralph. 
In  his  political  views  Mr.  Davis  is  a  Republican,  and  for  four  years  sensed  as 
an  alderman  of  the  city.  He  is  now  the  secretary  of  the  Morris  Commer- 
cial Club,  is  an  official  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  belongs  to  the 
order  of  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 
In  all  the  relations  of  life  he  is  true  to  every  duty  devolving  upon  him.  and 
his  career  has  been  an  upright  and  honorable  one.  The  success  which  he 
Tias  achieved  has  been  gained  by  close  application  to  business  combined  with 
sound  judgment  and  capable  management.  He  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
leading  and  influential  citizens  of  his  adopted  county,  and  it  is  with  pleasure 
that  we  present  the  record  of  his  life  to  our  readers. 


THOMAS    H.    HALL. 


Among  the  most  loyal  of  the  citizens  of  Morris  are  many  who  are 
numbered  among  the  native  sons  of  Illinois.  This  number  includes  Mr.  Hall, 
an  enterprising  dn,'-goods  merchant,  w'ho  was  born  in  the  city  which  is  still 
his  home.  December  17,  1862.    His  parents,  Francis  and  Margaret  (Rankin) 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  561 

Hall,  were  both  natives  of  Scotland.  In  the  year  1855  the  father  came  to 
the  United  States,  and  was  married  in  Sycamore,  Illinois. 

Thomas  H.  Hall  was  reared  in  Morris  and  to  its  public-school  system 
he  is  indebted  for  his  education.  He  entered  upon  his  business  career  as 
a  grocer's  clerk  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  but  soon  accepted  the  position  of 
salesman  in  the  dry-goods  store  of  C.  S.  Beach  &  Sons,  where  he  remained 
for  six  years,  a  most  trusted  and  faithful  employe.  During  that  time  he 
-applied  himself  most  diligently  to  the  work,  mastering  the  business  in  every 
detail;  and  when,  in  connection  with  George  Winsor,  on  the  ist  of  May, 
1886,  he  bought  out  his  employers,  he  was  well  fitted  to  carry  on  the  store. 
Under  the  firm  name  of  Winsor  &  Hall,  the  dry-goods  business  was  conducted 
until  the  ist  of  March,  1890,  when  Air.  Hall  became  sole  proprietor.  He 
has  since  been  alone  in  business  and  to-day  he  ranks  among  the  leading 
merchants  of  his  native  town,  being  the  owner  of  a  large  double  store  which 
is  fully  stocked  with  dry-goods,  notions  and  carpets.  In  1892  he  added  a 
millinery  department  and  each  branch  of  the  business  receives  a  liberal  pa- 
tronage. 

An  important  event  in  the  life  of  Air.  Hall  occurred  in  the  spring  of 
1892,  when  was  celebrated  his  marriage  to  Lena  Gebhard,  a  daughter  of 
Louis  Gebhard,  of  Alorris.  They  have  a  pleasant  home  and  enjoy  the  friend- 
ship of  many  of  the  best  citizens  of  Grundy  county.  Air.  Hall  is  a  member 
of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity.  He  has  taken  no  active  part  in  political 
afifairs,  preferring  to  devote  his  energies  to  his  business  interests,  in  which 
he  is  meeting  with  a  ven,-  creditable  success.  He  commands  the  public  con- 
fidence by  his  straightforward  methods  and  his  uniform  courtesy,  and  there- 
fore receives  the  public  patronage. 


JOHN    C.    HORRIE. 

John  C.  Horrie  is  numbered  among  the  active  and  enterprising  busi- 
ness men  of  Morris,  and  the  success  he  has  achieved  in  life  is  due  entirely 
to  his  own  well  directed  efiforts.  He  was  born  in  this  city,  Januarys  23, 
1865,  his  parents  being  James  and  Catherine  (Anderson)  Horrie.  His  father 
was  born  on  the  0.~kney  islands,  oft'  Scotland,  September  27,  1827,  and  in 
his  native  land  was  reared  and  educated,  there  serving  an  apprenticeship 
of  four  years  at  the  blacksmith  trade.  On  attaining  his  majority,  he  deter- 
mined to  try  his  fortune  in  the  New  World,  hoping  thereby  to  better  his 
financial  condition  in  this  land  which  affords  superior  advantages  to  young 
men  of  ambition  and  determination.  Accordingly  he  crossed  the  Atlantic 
and  in  1848  took  up  his  residence  in  Alorris,  where  he  began  business  as 


562  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

a  blacksmitli  and  carriage  manufacturer,  continuing-  active  operations  in 
that  line  until  within  a  few  days  of  his  death,  which  occurred  October  n. 
1896.  His  shop  was  located  on  Canal  street  and  is  now  owned  and  operated 
by  his  son,  Robert  C. 

On  the  20th  of  August,  1850,  James  Horrie  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Catherine  Anderson,  also  a  native  of  Scotland,  born  February  20,  1828.  She 
is  now  residing  in  Morris  and  has  attained  her  seventy-second  year.  By 
her  marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  eight  children,  namely:  James  A.; 
Jane,  the  widow  of  W.  C.  Handwork:  Robert  C;  Joseph  W.;  Catherine  A.: 
William  J.;  John  C:  and  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Claud  Magner.  In  early  life 
the  parents  of  these  children  became  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  always  took  an  active  part  in  its  work  and  upbuilding.  They  com- 
manded the  respect  of  all  who  knew  them  and  had  a  large  circle  of  friends 
in  Morris  and  Grundy  county. 

John  C.  Horrie  spent  his  Iwyhood  days  under  the  parental  roof,  his 
time  being  occupied  with  play  and  work  and  with  study  in  the  public  schools. 
In  his  youth  he  learned  the  jewelry  business,  which  he  has  followed  in 
his  own  interest  since  1891.  He  has  a  good  store,  well  equipped  with 
everything  found  in  a  first-class  establishment  of  the  kind;  and  the  excellent 
line  of  goods  wdiich  he  carries,  together  with  his  fair  dealing  and  uniform 
courtesy,  has  secured  to  him  a  verj'  liberal  patronage.  He  now  has  the 
largest  trade  in  Morris  and  his  success  is  the  legitimate  reward  of  his  labors. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Horrie  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  and  at 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years  was  elected  alderman  of  the  Third  ward,  the 
largest  ward  in  the  city.  Socially  he  is  a  Royal  Arch  and  Knight  Templar 
Mason,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity.  In  1895  was 
celebrated  his  marriage  to  Miss  Annie  L.  Zaljriskie  of  St.  Charles.  Illinois. 
He  is  a  popular  citizen,  public-spirited  and  progressive,  and  hi  the  com- 
munity where  his  entire  life  has  been  passed  has  gained  a  large  circle  of 
friends. 


ORION    R.    HICHT. 


The  prosperous  town  of  Morris,  Illinois,  has  its  share  of  enter- 
prising business  men.  and  occupying  a  representative  position  among  them 
is  Orion  R.  Hight.  personal  mention  of  wboni  is  of  interest  in  this  work  by 
reason  of  his  being  both  a  veteran  of  the  civil  war  and  a  leading  citizen  of 
the  town  in  which  he  lives. 

Orion  R.  Hight  was  born  in  Steuben  county.  New  York.  December 
13.   1835.  ''^'''<'  's  descended  from  English  ancestors  who  were  among  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  563 

early  settlers  of  New  Jersey.  It  was  in  colonial  days  that  the  Hight  family 
was  established  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  and  from  New  Jersey  they  have  scat- 
tered to  various  portions  of  the  United  States.  John  Nicholas  Hight,  the 
grandfather  of  Orion  R.,  was  born  in  Bedminster,  New  Jersey,  January  9, 
1756.  and  died  in  Steuben  county.  New  York,  October  15,  1850.  He  and 
his  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Hannah  Savidge,  were  the  parents  of  a 
large  family  of  children,  including  the  following:  David,  Deborah,  Betsey, 
William  S.,  Nicholas,  Annie,  Susanna  and  Rachel  S..  and  two  daughters 
that  (lied  in  infancy.  William  S.  Hight  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  January 
16,  1787,  and  died  in  New  York,  April  24,  1855.  His  wife,  nee  Phebe  Wil- 
son, was  a  native  of  Long  Island.  Their  children  in  order  of  birth  were  as 
follows:  Sarah  Ann,  deceased;  Nicholas  F.,  deceased;  Jeannette,  deceased; 
Nancy,  deceased:  Barclay,  deceased:  John  N.,  of  Schuyler  county.  New 
York:  Susan,  deceased;  Mary  C,  a  resident  of  Michigan:  Orion  R.,  the  direct 
subject  of  this  sketch;  and  Rachel,  a  resident  of  Michigan. 

Orion  R.  Hight  spent  the  first  twenty-one  years  of  his  life  in  his  native 
county  in  the  Empire  state.  His  educational  advantages  did  not  extend  be- 
yond the  common  schools,  and  when  he  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  ac- 
count he  had  no  financial  assistance.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  went  to 
Michigan,  where  he  remained  sixteen  years,  and  whence,  January  i.  1873, 
he  came  to  Morris,  Illinois,  which  has  since  been  his  home.  When  a  youth 
he  learned  the  trade  of  shoemaker,  beginning  the  same  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
and  becoming  a  fine  workman,  and  after  his  location  in  Michigan  he  was  for 
a  time  engaged  in  the  shoe  business  and  later  kept  a  hotel.  In  Morris  he 
opened  a  shoe  store  and  dealt  in  shoes  exclusively  from  the  time  of  his  loca- 
tion here  until  1882,  since  which  time  he  has  kept  a  general  store.  His 
career  as  a  Inisiness  man  has  been  successful.  As  already  stated,  he  started 
out  in  life  a  poor  young  man,  and  that  he  has  made  a  success  in  life  and 
accumulated  a  competency  is  due  to  his  own  industiw  and  good  manage- 
ment. 

At  the  time  the  civil  war  was  inaugurated  i\Ir.  Hight  was  a  resident  of 
Michigan.  His  father  had  been  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812  and  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  of  Black  Rock:  and  his  grandfather,  a  Revolutionary  sol- 
dier, had  fought  on  the  Princeton  battle-fields:  and  when  the  civil-war  cloud 
gathered  and  burst  upon  the  country  Orion  R.  Hight,  with  the  patriotism  of 
his  forefathers,  offered  his  services  to  the  Union.     He  enlisted  October  14, 

1861,  in  Company  H,  Twelfth  Michigan  Volunteer  Infantry,  as  a  private, 
was  mustered  in  as  second  sergeant;  and  was  honorably  discharged  July  ir, 

1862.  Among  the  battles  in  which  he  participated  was  that  of  Shiloli. 

Mr.  Hight  was  married  July  4,  1857,  at  Lawton,  Michigan,  to  Elizabeth 
M.   Smith,  a  native  of  Wavne  county,  that  state,  and  to  them  have  been 


564  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

born  three  children,  two  of  whom  are  deceased.     Their  son,  Orion  R..  Jr., 
was  born  in  1865. 

Mr.  Hight  casts  his  vote  and  influence  with  the  Republican  party,  and 
is  identified  with  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  He  has  been  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  for  a  period  of  thirty-eight  years 
and  has  been  prominently  identified  with  Oddfellowship,  having  passed  all 
the  chairs  in  his  local  lodge  and  served  oflicially  in  the  grand  lodge  of  the 
state. 


TOHX   XELSOX. 


For  a  third  of  a  century-  John  Nelson  has  been  a  resident  of  Grundy 
county,  and  through  the  greater  part  of  that  period  has  been  associated  with 
its  commercial  interests,  but  is  now'  li%'ing  retired  from  the  active  cares  of 
business  life.  Success  is  not  a  matter  of  genius  or  of  chance,  but  results 
from  earnest  application,  steadfast  purpose  and  unfaltering  industry, — all 
of  which  are  numbered  among-  the  characteristics  of  ^Ir.  Nelson.  It  was 
those  qualities  which  brought  to  him  his  comfortable  surroundings  and  w'on 
him  his  present  position  among  the  substantial  citizens  of  Morris. 

I\Ir.  Nelson  came  to  Grundy  county  in  1866  from  Belmont  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  was  born  IMarch  4,  1819,  upon  a  farm  about  two  and  one-half 
miles  west  of  Wheeling.  West  Mrginia.  His  parents,  Robert  and  ]\Iary  S. 
(McGregor)  Nelson,  were  of  Scotch  lineage.  The  former  was  born  in 
Chambersburg,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  latter  near  Baltimore,  Maryland. 
The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  an  early  settler  of  Wheeling 
and  a  man  of  considerable  prominence,  his  name  appearing  on  the  petition 
to  the  governor  of  \'irginia  for  the  incorporation  of  Wheeling  as  a  village. 
The  parents  of  our  subject  were  married  in  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  in  1817, 
and  there  spent  the  residue  of  their  days,  the  father  developing  a  good  farm 
in  the  midst  of  the  wilderness  and  transforming  the  wnld  land  into  richly 
cultivated  fields.  Of  the  nine  children  in  his  family  only  two  are  now  living, 
— John  and  Robert. — the  latter  residing  on  the  old  homestead  in  the  Buck- 
eye state.  These  sons  were  the  eldest  of  the  family,  and  the  younger  mem- 
bers wiio  are  now  deceased  are  Elizabeth,  Mathew,  Thomas,  Alexander, 
Franklin,  Margaret  and  James. 

Upon  the  old  homestead  farm  John  Nelson  spent  his  boyhood  days, 
w-orking  in  field  and  meadow^  through  the  summer  months,  w^hile  in  the  win- 
ter season  he  pursued  his  education  in  the  public  schools.  He  assisted  in 
the  farm  work  until  twenty-five  years  of  age,  when  he  went  to  Bridgeport, 
Ohio,  and  engaged  in  the  lumber  business,  carrying  on  operations  there  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  565 

that  line  until  1866,  when  he  sold  his  lumber-yard  and  came  to  Morris. 
Here  he  resumed  business  in  the  same  line,  and  was  a  successful  lumber 
merchant  of  Grundy  county  until  1887,  when  he  retired  to  private  life.  Dur- 
ing this  period  he  was  associated  with  several  partners,  and  throughout  his 
connection  u-ith  the  lumber  trade  he  enjoyed  a  good  business  and  met  with 
prosperity.  His  business  methods  commended  him  to  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  the  public,  and  his  name  was  a  synonym  for  commercial  integrity. 

In  Bridgeport,  Ohio,  Mr.  Nelson  was  married,  in  1856,  wedding  Helen 
Adams,  who  bore  him  a  daughter,  Gertrude  L.,  and  passed  away  in  death  in 
1858.  Soon  after  his  arrival  in  Morris  Mr.  Nelson  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  T.  Campbell,  and  there  were  born  two  daughters. — Mary 
C.  and  Emeline  M.  The  latter  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  W.  E.  Walsh,  of  Morris. 
Mrs.  Nelson,  a  most  estimable  lady,  was  called  to  her  final  rest  in  1890. 

Mr.  Nelson  has  never  aspired  to  political  honors,  preferring  to  devote 
his  energies  to  his  business  interests;  yet  he  has  always  kept  well  informed 
on  the  issues  and  questions  of  the  day,  being  thereby  enabled  to  give  an 
intelligent  support  to  the  political  principles  in  which  he  believes  are  con- 
tained the  best  elements  of  government.  He  cast  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  William  Henry  Harrison,  and  supported  the  ^^'hig  party  until  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Republican  party,  when  he  joined  its  ranks.  He  has  voted 
at  fifteen  presidential  elections  and  has  ever  had  the  courage  of  his  convic- 
tions. In  early  manhood  he  became  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  has  lived  a  consistent  Christian  life  in  harmony  with  his  belief  and  pro- 
fessions. The  sterling  qualities  of  an  uprig^ht  character  have  brought  to 
him  the  trust  and  friendship  of  many  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact, 
and  he  well  deserves  mention  among  the  honored  and  representative  citi- 
zens of  his  adopted  country. 


J.   N.   BUNNELL. 


One  of  the  representative  citizens  of  Morris  is  the  gentleman  whose 
name  introduces  this  review,  and  who  in  his  business  and  political  associa- 
tions has  won  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  entire  community.  Many  of 
the  strongest  characters  of  the  nation  have  come  from  New  England,  and  it 
is  an  indisputable  fact  that  no  other  section  of  the  country  has  shown  more 
ingenuity,  enterprise  and  diligence  than  are  found  in  the  New  England  por- 
tion of  this  republic. 

Mr.  Bunnell  is  a  native  of  New  England  and  possesses  the  sterling  traits 
of  character  which  distinguish  his  fellow  citizens  of  that  most  civilized  sec- 
tion of  Christendom.     He  was  born  in  Colebrook,  Litchfield  countv.  Con- 


S66  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

necticnt,  September  5,  1827,  his  parents  being-  Willis  and  Elizabeth  (Harger) 
Bunnell.  They  also  were  natives  of  Connecticut,  were  married  there  and 
made  their  home  in  the  Nutmeg  state  until  about  1844,  when  they  removed 
to  Delhi.  Delaware  county,  New  York,  and  there  they  spent  their  remaining 
days.  Both  have  now  passed  away.  They  had  a  son  and  daughter,  J.  N. 
and  Elizabeth,  the  latter  now  a  widow,  residing  in  New  York  city. 

Mr.  Bunnell,  of  this  sketch,  acquired  an  academic  education,  and  at  the 
age  of  twenty-five  years  was  graduated  at  Berkshire  Medical  College,  at 
Pittsfield,  Massachusetts;  but,  preferring  to  enter  upon  a  career  in  the  com- 
mercial world,  he  never  actively  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine.  Going 
to  New  York  city  he  became  a  salesman  in  a  wholesale  milliner}'  establish- 
ment, and  later  entered  the  employ  of  a  book  house.  Following  this  he 
was  a  member  of  the  publishing  firm  of  Bunnell  &  Price,  which  remained 
in  business  two  years,  when  a  fire  destroyed  their  entire  store.  Their  loss 
was  so  great  that  they  could  not  resume  business.  During  its  existence  the 
firm  owned  and  published  the  New  York  Pickayune.  a  humorous  sheet, 
which  they  sold  just  previous  to  the  fire.  For  a  short  time  after  this  dis- 
aster Mr.  Bunnell  operated  under  a  contract,  handling  all  the  newspapers 
of  New  York  which  were  sold  in  California.  This  was  before  the  era  of 
railroads  to  the  Pacific  coast  and  papers  were  shipped  by  way  of  Panama 
every  two  weeks.  From  his  youth  ]\Ir.  Bunnell  has  displayed  considerable 
mechanical  ability,  turning  wood  and  doing  job  work  in  that  line  in  Con- 
necticut. In  that  business  he  continued  for  about  fifteen  years,  and  in  1861 
he  secured  a  government  contract  to  furnish  gun-stocks.  The  life  of  the 
contract  was  two  years,  during  which  time  he  faithfully  fulfilled  his  part  and 
received  for  the  goods  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  His  next  venture, 
however,  was  an  unprofitable  one.  He  organized  a  stock  company,  think- 
ing to  conduct  the  wood-turning  business  on  a  much  larger  scale,  but  the 
stockholders  were  unprincipled  and  forced  him  out  of  the  business. 

He  then  returned  to  New  York  city,  where  he  was  variously  employed 
for  a  considerable  time.  He  acted  as  superintendent  of  agencies  for  Con- 
necticut as  the  representative  of  the  Equitable  Life  Insurance  Company. 
\\"ith  headquarters  at  Hartford,  and  later  held  a  similar  connection  with  the 
Globe  Life  Insurance  Company,  his  territory  being  Massachusetts,  with 
Boston  as  his  headquarters.  Through  the  succeeding  five  vears  Mr.  Bun- 
nell, in  connection  with  a  partner,  conducted  a  jeweln,-  business  in  Newark, 
New  Jersey,  but  the  adventure  was  attended  with  indifferent  success. 

Entering  the  employ  of  the  Straw  Lumber  Company,  of  New  York 
city,  Mr.  Bunnell  was  sent  to  Lawrence.  Kansas,  in  charge  of  the  company's 
factory  at  that  place.  Six  months  later,  in  1884.  acting  on  the  advice  of  Mr. 
Bunnell,  the  factory  was  removed  to  Long  Island  City,  and  later  a  factory 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  567 

was  built  at  Cohoes.  New  York,  of  which  he  was  made  the  manager.  In 
1887  he  entered  tlie  employ  of  the  Allen  Paper  Car  Wheel  Company,  of 
Xew  York,  which  sent  him  to  Morris,  Illinois,  placing  him  in  charge  of  its 
factory  at  this  place.  This  position  he  held  for  twelve  years,  or  until  the 
factory  was  closed  in  i8gg.  In  the  spring  of  1898  the  Morris  plumbing  es- 
tablishment of  Bunnell  &  McNanly  was  opened  and  our  subject  is  now  in 
the  plumbing  and  heating  business.  The  firm  receives  a  liberal  patronage 
and  their  trade  is  now  quite  extensive. 

^Ir.  Btinnell  has  been  twice  married.  In  1858  he  married  Mary 
Beecher.  who  was  a  member  of  a  branch  of  the  Henry  Ward  Beecher  family, 
and  a  native  of  Connecticut.  She  died  in  1891.  leaving  a  son.  Charles  B., 
an  artist  of  considerable  ability,  residing  in  Roseville.  Xew  Jersey.  In 
1892  Mr.  Bunnell  was  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Eliza 
]\Iarsh,  of  Newark.  New  Jersey.  In  his  political  views  he  has  always  been 
a  stanch  Republican  in  his  allegiance  to  the  party  and  its  principles.  While 
in  Connecticut  he  was  elected  to  the  state  legislature,  in  the  fall  of  i860, 
and  during  his  sei^'ice  the  assembly  voted  two  million  dollars  for  the  prose- 
cution of  the  war.  He  has  been  an  active  factor  in  local  political  interests 
in  Morris,  served  as  a  member  of  the  city  council  for  five  years,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1897  was  elected  mayor  for  a  two-years  term.  His  administration 
was  progressive  and  businesslike,  and  he  has  ever  exercised  his  official  pre- 
rogatives to  advance  the  welfare  and  progress  of  the  city.  While  servin.g 
as  a  member  of  the  Morris  city  council  Mr.  Bunnell  was  very  active  and  un- 
tiring in  his  efforts  to  secure  water-works  for  Morris:  served  as  the  chair- 
man of  the  water-works  committee,  and,  being  a  prime  mover  in  the  effort. 
much  credit  is  due  him  for  securmg  to  the  city  its  present  magnificent  water- 
works. Fraternally  he  is  a  Knight  Templar  Mason  and  enjoys  the  high 
regard  of  his  brethren  of  the  craft.  His  business  career  has  been  a  checkered 
one,  yet  through  it  all  he  has  maintained  an  unassailable  reputation  for  in- 
tegrity and  straightforward  dealing.  His  pleasant,  genial  manner  has  won 
him  many  friends,  and  he  is  accounted  one  of  the  popular  citizens  of  Grundy 
coimtv. 


JOHN    B.    SCHRODER. 

No  one  in  Grimdy  county  has  so  long  held  the  office  of  sheriff  as  John 
B.  Schroder,  which  fact  stands  in  unmistakable  evidence  of  his  capability  and 
fidelity  to  duty.  Utterly  fearless  in  the  discharge  of  the  obligations  devolv- 
ing upon  him,  he  performed  every  task  readily  and  resolutely  and  his  ser- 
vice won  the  highest  commendation.  It  brought  a  sense  of  safety  to  the 
law-abiding  citizens  and  of  terror  to  the  law-breakers,  and  continually  he 


568  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

was  chosen  for  the  office  till  his  length  of  service  exceeded  that  of  any  other 
incumbent. 

Mr.  Schroder  is  a  native  of  Germany  and  manifests  the  marked  charac- 
teristics of  the  Teutonic  race,  being  persevering,  intelligent  and  faithful  in 
all  things.  He  was  born  in  Manheim,  Baden,  Germany,  March  23,  1832. 
His  parents,  Adam  and  Eva  (Mansengab)  Schroder,  spent  their  entire  lives 
in  the  Fatherland,  the  latter  dying  at  the  age  of  forty  years,  the  former  at 
the  age  of  eighty-four  years.  By  occupation  he  was  a  farmer  and  followed 
that  pursuit  in  support  of  his  family.  His  five  children  were  Elizabeth, 
IMargaret,  Barbara,  Nicholas  and  John  B.  Nicholas  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1852,  and  now  resides  in  Kansas. 

John  B.  Schroder  was  reared  in  Germany  and  acquired  a  good  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools.  Eor  five  years  he  served  in  the  German  army 
as  a  cavalryman,  and  for  three  years  of  that  period  was  riding  instructor.  As 
a  member  of  the  military  organization  of  the  Fatherland  he  took  part  in 
many  public  celebrations.  At  length  he  determined  to  try  his  fortune  in 
America,  and  in  1855,  bidding  adieu  to  home  and  friends,  he  sailed  for  the 
New  World,  joining  his  brother  in  Elgin,  Kane  county,  Illinois.  There  he 
opened  a  harness  shop,  having  learned  the  trade  in  the  land  of  his  nativity. 
In  1858  he  and  his  brother  went  to  Pike's  Peak  in  search  of  gold.  He 
started  with  one  thousand  and  five  hundred  dollars  and  returned  with 
twenty  dollars,  so  that  the  trip  was  not  a  very  profitable  one  to  him.  He 
made  the  journey  by  way  of  Atchison.  Kansas,  whence  he  proceeded  to  his 
destination  with  an  ox  team  and  wagon. 

Upon  his  return  to  Illinois  in  1859,  ]\Ir.  Schroder  located  in  Grundy 
county,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  He  took  up  his  abode  in 
Minooka,  where  he  opened  a  harness  shop,  which  he  conducted  until  1866. 
During  the  war  he  served  as  deputy  sheriff  and  constable,  and  in  that  ca- 
pacity did  much  to  aid  the  government  to  locate  deserters.  In  1866  he  was 
elected  county  sheriff  on  the  Republican  ticket  and  served  for  two  years. 
The  law  forbidding  a  man  to  ser\'e  immediately  a  second  term,  he  retired 
from  office  in  1868,  but  in  1870  was  again  elected,  and,  the  law  having  in  the 
meantime  been  changed,  was  re-elected  for  each  successive  term  till  1880. 
In  that  year  he  went  to  Kansas,  where  he  purchased  a  large  farm,  but  after 
running  it  for  a  year  he  sold  it  and  returned  to  Illinois.  For  one  year  he 
remained  in  Chicago  and  then  again  came  to  Morris,  where  he  conducted  a 
harness  shop  for  about  two  years.  In  1886,  1888,  1894  and  1896  he  was 
again  elected  sheriflf,  thus  holding  the  office  altogether  twenty  years.  His 
ser\-ice  was  often  dangerous,  but  at  no  time  did  he  shrink  from  the  faithful 
discharge  of  his  duty.  On  the  17th  of  October,  1890,  he  hanged  one  James 
Maxwell  for  murder.     In  1867  he  went  to  Maine,  where  he  secured  a  mur- 


Is. 


5V 


^>'*^"- 


(J/'ZC'^.-^><>^  >'^l.^^^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  569. 

derer,  three  years  after  the  deed  had  been  committed,  spending  forty  days 
in  locating  the  man  in  the  Pine  Tree  state.  This  and  many  other  occur- 
rences brought  him  an  excellent  reputation,  and  people  of  all  parties  com- 
mended his  efTficiency  and  ability. 

In  1858  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Schroder  and  Miss  Jose- 
phine Fessler,  who  was  bom  in  France.  They  have  three  children :  John 
B.,  of  San  Francisco,  California:  Josephine,  the  wife  of  John  H.  Francis,  Jr., 
of  Peoria;  and  Adelheit,  the  wife  of  William  Gebhardt,  of  Morris.  The  chil- 
dren were  provided  with  excellent  educational  privileges,  and  the  daughters 
are  especially  proficient  in  music,  being  fine  vocalists.  In  his  political  affilia- 
tions Mr.  Schroder  has  always  been  a  stanch  Republican.  He  belongs  to 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  since  1866  has  been  a  repre- 
sentati\-e  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  in  which  he  has  attained  the  Knight 
Templar  degree.  For  forty  years  he  has  resided  in  Grundy  county,  and  per- 
haps no  man  within  its  borders  is  more  widely  or  favorably  known.  He  well 
deserves  mention  in  this  volume,  and  with  pleasure  we  present  the  record  of 
his  life  to  our  readers. 


JACOB  M.  GRIGGS. 
There  are  few  residents  of  Grundy  county  whose  arrival  within  its  bor- 
ders antedates  that  of  Mr.  Griggs,  for  through  fifty-three  years  he  has- 
made  his  home  here  and  has  been  actively  associated  with  the  business  in- 
terests which  contribute  to  the  material  prosperity  and  welfare  of  the  county. 
He  was  born  in  Northumberland  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  12th  of 
April,  1829,  his  parents  being  Peter  and  Catherine  (Moore)  Griggs,  who- 
also  were,  natives  of  the  Keystone  state,  the  father  being  of  English  lineage, 
while  the  mother  was  of  Dutch  descent.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
John  Griggs,  a  native  of  Philadelphia,  and  the  great-grandfather  was  Dr. 
John  Griggs,  who'  was  born  in  England  and  became  the  founder  of  the 
family  in  the  New  World.  He  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States, 
taking  up  his  residence  in  Philadelphia,  and  the  various  generations  of  the 
family  since  that  time  have  been  represented  in  the  Keystone  state.  Peter 
Griggs,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  in  1836 
he  made  his  way  westward  to  Grundy  county,  pre-empting  canal  land,  on  a 
part  of  which  is  now  located  the  present  town  of  Morris.  He  then  returned 
to  the  east,  and  the  following  year  brought  his  family  to  the  new  home.  He 
lived  less  than  ten  years  after  his  removal  to  this  county,  but  his  wife  sur- 
vived man}-  years,  passing  away  at  the  verj-  advanced  age  of  eighty-four. 
She  was  a  seconrl  time  married.  Jacob  M.  was  the  second  in  order  of  birth 
in  a  family  of  eight  children,  six  of  whom  reached  years  of  maturity,  namely:: 
Mary,  Jacob  M.,  Priscilla.  John,  Henry  and  Wilson. 


SJO  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Mr.  Grig-gs.  of  this  review,  was  only  eight  years  of  age  when  Iiis  parents 
came  to  Grundy  county,  where  he  has  resided  continuously  since.  He  was 
reared  amid  the  wild  scenes  of  the  frontier,  and  with  the  family  experienced 
all  the  hardships  and  trials  incident  to  frontier  life.  He  obtained  his  edu- 
cation in  the  district  schools  and  attended  the  first  public  school  held  in 
Morris,  his  teacher  being  his  aunt.  Miss  Eliza  Griggs.  He  also  aided  in 
building  the  second  house  in  Morris.  Through  the  years  of  his  minority  he 
assisted  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm,  and  after  arriving  at  man's  estate 
he  began  farming  on  his  own  account.  He  has  always  carried  on  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  although  interested  at  various  times  for  brief  periods  in  other 
business  enterprises,  including  the  manufacture  of  tiling,  the  grocery  business 
and  general  teaming.  Farming,  however,  has  been  his  chief  occupation  in 
life,  and  through  his  close  application,  untiring  industry  and  capable  man- 
agement he  has  met  with  ver}'  creditable  success  and  is  now  the  owner 
of  three  valuable  farms,  two  being-  located  in  Grundy  county,  while  one 
is  situated  in  Iowa.  He  also  owns  considerable  town  property.  He  cer- 
tainly deserves  great  credit  for  the  success  which  he  has  achieved  in  life,  and 
has  justly  won  the  proud  American  title  of  a  self-made  man. 

In  1861  Mr.  Griggs  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  E.  Cochran, 
who  was  bom  in  Xew  York  and  came  to  Grundy  county  during  her  early 
girlhood  with  her  parents,  Samuel  and  Hannah  Cochran.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Griggs  now  have  eight  children,  namely:  Siegle  A.,  Henry  Beeclier,  Helen 
Jeanette,  Minnie  May,  Bert  Watson.  Archie  Ray,  Grace  G.  and  Lillie  Mabel. 

In  early  life  Mr.  Griggs  served  as  constable  and  town  collector.  In 
politics  he  has  long  been  a  supporter  of  the  Republican  party,  which  he 
upholds  by  his  ballot  at  each  election.  He  is  also  a  persistent  temperance 
worker,  and  has  "fought  whisky"  for  fifty-three  years.  His  labors  have  been 
earnest  and  effective  in  this  direction,  and  at  all  times  he  has  given  his 
support  to  measures  and  movements  which  he  believes  will  prove  of  public 
benefit.  He  has  now  reached  the  Psalmist's  span  of  three-score  years  and 
ten,  yet  is  still  actively  connected  with  business  affairs.  He  has  witnessed 
almost  the  entire  grow-th  and  development  of  Grundy  county,  and  as  one 
of  its  honored  pioneer  settlers  he  well  deserves  representation  in  this  \olume, 
being  the  oldest  settler  alive  to-day  in  Morris. 


JOHN  TUNIS  VAN  DOLSON. 

More  than  sixty  years  ago  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  then  a  lad  oi  six- 
teen vears,  came  to  Grundv  countv,  and  he  is  entitled  to  rank  not  onlv  with 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  571 

those  who  liave  lived  long'  in  the  county  l)ut  as  well  with  its  oldest  citizens  in 
point  of  years. 

John  Tunis  \'an  Dolson  was  born  in  Albany  county.  New  York.  April 
5,  1822.  He  is  descended  in  both  the  paternal  and  maternal  lines  from  Hol- 
land ancestry,  that  entered  into  the  famous  Dutch  colony  of  New  York,  the 
history^  of  which  constitutes  an  interesting  part  of  the  colonial  history  of  the 
Empire  state.  The  old  Dutch  spelling  of  the  name  was  Van  Dalfsen.  De- 
scendants of  these  old  Dutch  families  may  well  be  proud  of  their  ancestry, 
for  no  class  of  American  citizens  can  boast  of  a  more  worth)-  and  honorable 
lineage. 

Mr.  \'an  Dolson's  father  was  Tunis  \^an  Dolson.  and  his  mother's 
maiden  name  was  Elizabetli  Ten  Eyck.  The  latter  died  when  her  son  was 
but  a  child  of  six  or  seven  years,  he  being  the  youngest  of  live  children. — 
three  daughters  and  two  sons.  The  daughters,  who  are  now  all  dead,  be- 
came residents  of  Illinois.  They  were  Charlotte  Amelia,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Ephraim  Bronk;  Gamtie.  w-ho  married  Theron  Collins  and  died  in 
Kansas  man}^  years  ago;  and  Elizabeth  Ann.  who  became  the  wife  of  Will- 
iam H.  Perkins.  The  subject  of  this  biography  and  his  brother  Conrad 
\'an  Dolson  are  the  only  surA  iving  members  of  the  family.  The  latter,  now 
ninety  years  old,  is  a  resident  of  Chicago.  A  son,  however,  James  \V..  was 
born  of  the  second  marriage  of  the  father,  and  he  lives  in  the  state  of  New 
York. 

John  Tunis  Van  Dolson  lived  in  his  native  state  until  he  was  sixteen 
years  old.  and  in  1838  came  to  Illinois  with  his  sister,  Elizabeth  Ann,  who 
had  before  that  time  married  i\Ir.  Perkins.  They  came  directly  to  Au  Sable 
township.  Grundy  county,  and  ^Ir.  Van  Dolson  remained  at  the  home  of  his 
sister  till  the  following  spring,  when  he  went  to  Kendall.  Kendall  county, 
Illinois,  W'here  his  brother-in-law,  Ephraim  Bronk.  was  living,  and  staid  with 
him  about  a  year  and  a  half,  when  he  returned  to  Au  Sable  and  for  seven 
years  worked  on  the  farm  of  his  brother-in-law.  William  Perkins.  In  the 
meantime  he  had  purchased  the  quarter  section  of  land  on  which  he  now 
lives,  and  rented  the  same  to  another  party,  not  having  suf^cient  capital  to 
farm  it  himself,  and  for  a  time  he  worked  as  a  hired  hand  for  the  man  to 
whom  he  rented  the  place. 

December  7,  1848,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Rachel  W'idney,  who  died 
September  11,  1858,  leaving  two  children:  Mary  E..  born  September  16, 
1849.  'low  the  wife  of  William  Smith,  of  Gardner,  Illinois;  and  \\'illiam,  bom 
Mav  1 1,  1857,  who  resides  near  the  home  of  his  father.  The  Widney  family, 
of  which  Mrs.  Van  Dolson  was  a  member,  trace  their  Dutch  ancestry  liack 
several  hundred  years.  A  remote  ancestor,  as  a  colonel,  accompanied  the 
armv  of  William  HI.  Prince  of  Orange,  from  Holland  to  Ireland  in  1688. 


572  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

The  grandparents  of  Mrs.  Van  Dolson  were  John  and  Mary  Widney,  who 
emigrated  to  America  and  settled  in  Pennsylvania,  and  removed  thence 
to  Miami  county,  Ohio.  February  4,  1864,  Mr.  Van  Dolson  was  married 
to  his  present  estimable  wife,  who  was  Miss  Elizabeth  Ross,  born  in  Ohio, 
April  I,  1835,  a  daughter  of  Charles  and  Sarah  Ross,  natives  of  Virginia 
and  Pennsylvania,  respectively,  and  examples  of  true  American  nobility. 
Immediately  after  his  first  marriage,  Mr.  Van  Dolson  settled  on  his  farm, 
and  there  he  has  since  lived.  Pie  has  prospered  financially  and  is  numbered 
Avith  the  solid  citizens  of  the  county.  He  has  always  taken  a  commendable 
interest  in  the  moral  and  material  growth  of  the  community  in  which  he 
lives  and  has  ever  been  held  in  the  highest  esteem.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  board  of  county  commissioners  for  many  years,  and  during  his  service 
in  that  capacity  his  acts  were  ever  characterized  by  honest  conviction  of 
duty  and  the  best  interests  of  his  township  and  county. 

Politically  Mr.  Van  Dolson  was  by  birthright  a  Democrat,  and  in  his 
earlier  voting  days  affiliated  with  that  party.  ,  Since  the  Republican  party 
came  into  being,  however,  he  has  been  identified  with  it.  He  possesses 
strong  prohibition  principles,  opposing  the  sale  of  liquor  in  all  forms.  While 
connected  with  no  church  organization,  he  aims  to  be  governed  in  his  daily 
walk  of  life  by  Christian  principle,  and  is  liberal  in  his  support  of  religious 
work.     Mrs.  Van  Dolson  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church. 

Air.  and  Mrs.  Van  Dolson  have  a  pleasant  home  and  are  surrounded 
by  all  the  comforts  of  life,  and  are  everywhere  recognized  as  highly  esteemed 
citizens  of  Grundy  county.  Their  farm  is  well  improved  and  well  stocked 
and  is  supplied  with  all  modern  devices  for  successful  cultivation.  Every- 
thing about  it  is  strictly  up-to-date  and  the  place  gives  evidence  everywhere 
and  in  everv  wav  of  being  in  the  hands  of  a  careful  and  skillful  farmer. 


JOSEPH     A.     WILSON. 

Few  men  are  more  prominent  or  more  widely  known  in  the  enter- 
prising city  of  Morris  than  Mr.  Wilson.  He  has  been  an  important  factor  in 
business  circles  and  his  popularity  is  w"ell  deser\'ed,  as  in  him  are  embraced 
the  characteristics  of  an  unbending  integrity,  and  an  unabating  energy  and 
industry  that  never  flag.  He  is  public-spirited  and  thoroughly  interested 
in  whatever  tends  to  promote  the  moral,  intellectual  and  material  welfare 
of  Morris.  He  is  now  serving  as  the  mayor  of  the  city,  and  his  adminis- 
tration is  very  acceptable  to  the  people,  being  progressive,  practical  and 
beneficial. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  born  in  Putnam  county.  Illinois,  Februar}'  20,  1850,. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  573 

his  parents  being  Jonathan  and  Ehna  C.  (Hoyle)  Wilson.  The  father  was 
born  in  Union  county,  Kentucky,  in  1809,  and  was  a  son  of  Thornton  Wil- 
son, also  a  native  of  that  state  and  a  representative  of  an  old  Virginia  family 
of  Scotch  origin.  When  twenty-one  years  of  age  Jonathan  Wilson  came 
to  Illinois,  taking  up  his  residence  in  Putnam  county,  where  he  married 
Miss  Hoyle,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  in  1820.  Dur- 
ing her  girlhood  she  removed  to  Putnanx  county  with  her  parents,  who 
were  of  English  lineage.  In  1850  Jonathan  Wilson  came  with  his  family 
to  Grundy  county,  where  he  carried  on  farming-  and  stock-raising,  meeting 
with  a  fair  degree  of  success  in  his  undertaking.  He  served  in  the  Black 
Hawk  war  in  1832.  and  was  actively  identified  with  the  pioneer  interests 
of  the  state.  In  his  political  affiliations  he  was  a  Whig  until  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Republican  party,  when  he  joined  its  ranks.  Through  her  re- 
ligious faith,  his  wife  was  connected  with  the  Society  of  Friends.  This 
Avorthy  couple  became  the  parents  of  ten  children :  William  A.,  who  died  in 
1872;  Edith  E.;  Mary  E.,  who  died  in  1875;  Joseph  A.;  Oliver  T.,  who  died 
in  infancy:  Sabina  M.;  Edward  F.,  who  died  in  1897;  Marshall  B.,  of  Morris; 
Charles  E.,  who  died  in  1893;  and  Orvil  T.,  also  a  resident  of  Morris.  The 
father  of  this  family  was  called  te  his  final  rest  in  1887,  and  the  mother's 
death  occurred  in  Morris  in  1899. 

Mr.  Wilson,  whose  name  begins  this  sketch,  came  to  Grundy  county 
during  his  infancy  and  was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm,  early  becoming  fa- 
miliar with  all  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist. 
He  continued  to  operate  the  farm  until  1881,  at  which  time  he  became  a 
resident  of  Morris,  but  though  he  left  the  homestead  he  has  since  been 
actively  connected  with  agricultural  and  stock-dealing  interests.  He  owns 
several  farms  and  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  stock-dealers  in  this  section 
of  the  country,  his  business  having  assumed  extensive  proportions,  yielding 
to  him  an  excellent  income,  and  his  prosperity  is  well  merited. 

On  the  5th  of  March,  1879,  Mr.  Wilson  was  happily  married  to  Miss 
Hattie  E.  Collins,  a  daughter  of  Joshua  and  Harriet  (Cryder)  Collins,  who 
were  early  settlers  of  Grundy  county.  They  now  have  two  children — Edna 
M.  and  Jay  C.  Mrs.  Wilson  is  a  faithful  member  of  the  Congregational 
church,  and  is  a  lady  of  culture  to  whom  the  hospitality  of  the  best  homes  of 
Morris  is  extended.  In  politics  Mr.  Wilson  is  a  Republican,  having  always 
given  an  unfaltering  support  to  the  principles  of  his  party.  He  has  served 
as  township  supervisor,  has  been  a  member  of  the  city  council  of  Morris,  and 
in  the  spring  of  1899  was  elected  mayor.  The  reins  of  the  city  government 
were  thus  placed  in  competent  hands,  for  he  is  a  public-spirited  man,  deeply 
interested  in  the  upbuilding  and  substantial  development  of  the  city.  He 
-does  all  in  his  power  to  promote  its  interests,  and  in  his  official  course  has 


574  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

won  uniform  commendation.     His  business  record  is  above  reproach,  aiid 
as  a  man  and  citizen  he  is  held  in  the  lushest  esteem  bv  all  who  know  him. 


WINFIELD     S.     PIERCE. 

On  the  roster  of  Grundy  county  ofificials  is  found  the  name  of  Mr.  Pierce, 
for  he  is  efficiently  serv'ing'  as  the  county  clerk.  He  was  born  in  Wyoming 
county.  New  York,  August  7,  1852,  his  parents  being  Carey  and  Mercy 
(Warren)  Pierce,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Empire  state,  and  were 
of  Scotch  lineage.  Their  ancestors  settled  first  in  Masachusetts,  and  later 
representatives  of  the  family  removed  to  western  New  York,  early  in  1800. 
In  that  section  of  the  coimtry  Mr.  Buell.  the  great-grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  celebrated  far  and  wide  as  an  Indian  fighter.  It  was  in  the-year 
1854  that  Carey  Pierce  and  his  wife  came  to  Illinois,  taking  up  their  resi- 
dence upon  a  farm  in  Highland  township.  Grundy  county,  where  the  father 
devoted  his  time  and  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits  until  his  death.  He 
died  in  1896.  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in 
1871,  at  the  age  of  forty-four  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  children, 
as  follows:  W.  S.,  of  this  review:  Warren,  a  farmer  of  Plankinton,  Dakota: 
Lorin,  who  is  engaged  in  the  milling  business  in  Michigan:  and  Elmer  E.. 
a  grain  inspector  of  Joliet,  Illinois. 

\Y.  S.  Pierce  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood  upon  the  home  farm  and 
acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  the  neighborhood.  At  the  age  of 
seventeen  he  left  the  parental  roof  and  started  out  upon  an  independent  busi- 
ness career  by  learning  telegraphy.  He  was  afterward  employed  in  Streator, 
Illinois,  as  a  bill  clerk,  and  for  three  years  was  the  manager  of  the  business 
of  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company,  and  the  agent  for  the  United 
States  Express  Company,  at  that  place.  In  1876  he  removed  to  Verona. 
Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  the  grain  business,  but  that  undertaking  did 
not  prove  a  profitable  one  and  in  1878  he  failed  in  business  there,  but  after- 
ward continued  to  deal  in  grain  at  that  point,  with  the  exception  of  a  period 
of  five  months,  with  good  success,  until  1896,  when  he  sold  his  interest.  Two 
years  previously  he  had  been  called  to  public  office  by  the  ballots  of  the 
Republican  voters  of  Grundy  county,  being  elected  county  clerk.  He  dis- 
charged his  duties  so  acceptably  and  promptly  that  he  was  re-elected  in 
1898  without  opposition  in  his  own  party.  He  is  most  careful  and  systematic 
in  his  work,  and  his  ability  and  faithfulness  have  gained  him  the  commenda- 
tion of  all  concerned.  Although  in  office,  he  is  not  entirely  separated  from 
connection  with  the  conmiercial  interests,  being  a  stockholder  in  the  Morris 
Grain  Company,  which  was  organized  in  1893. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  $75 

In  the  year  1875  Mr.  Pierce  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ellen  L. 
Ward,  who  died  in  1891,  leaving-  three  children,  namely:  Envin.  who  is 
the  manager  of  the  Grundy  County  Telegraph  Comjjany:  Ilda  M.,  the  wife 
of  Clare  E.  Godfrey,  who  is  serving-  as  deputy  county  clerk:  and  Carl,  at 
home.  In  1892  Mr.  Pierce  was  again  married.  Miss  Carrie  Martin  becom- 
ing his  wife.  They  have  two  children — Corinne  and  Bernice.  Mr.  Pierce 
has  spent  almost  his  entire  life  in  Gnmdy  county  and  among  his  stanchest 
friends  are  those  who  have  known  him  from  boyhood.  His  long  retention 
in  office  is  an  indication  of  his  reliability  and  able  sen-ice,  and  Grundy 
county  numbers  him  among  its  most  valued  officers. 


GEORGE    E.     TOWSLEY. 

George  E.  Towsley,  now  one  of  the  substantial  agriculturists  of  Grundy 
county,  is  a  self-made  man,  having  won  an  honored  place  in  society  and  hav- 
ing accumulated  a  competence  unaided  by  friends  or  relatives.  He  has 
conquered  more  obstacles  than  commonly  fall  to  the  lot  of  young  men.  and 
has  grown  strong  and  self-reliant  l)y  the  struggles  he  made  in  those  con- 
quests. 

A  nati\'e  of  New  York  state,  George  E.  Towsley  was  born  on  the  9th 
of  March,  1863,  on  a  farm  in  Hamilton  county.  He  is  a  son  of  George  and 
Sophia  (Shipman)  Towsley,  both  of  whom  were  of  Canadian  birth.  The 
father  came  across  the  border  into  the  United  States  about  1850,  and.  lo- 
cating on  a  homestead  in  the  county  just  mentioned,  continued  to  pursue 
liis  chosen  calling,  that  of  farming,  until  his  death,  in  1864.  His  wile  did 
not  long  survive  him.  as  she  passed  into  the  silent  land  in  1867,  and  thus 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  tender  ag-e  of  four  years. 
He  was  adopted  by  Amos  Dunning,  who,  though  reasonably  kind  to  the 
lad,  of  course  did  not  have  the  love  and  consideration  for  him  that  onlv  a 
parent  can  feel  toward  his  own  children.  The  boy  attended  school  to  some 
extent,  but  it  was  made  plain  to  him  that  it  should  be  his  chief  business  in 
life  to  perform  as  n.nich  labor  on  the  farm  as  it  was  possible  for  him  to  ilo. 
He  sturdily  endeavored  to  please,  his  foster  father  until  he  was  twenty  years 
of  age,  when  he  was  nothing  loth  to  begin  an  independent  career. 

Believing  that  better  opportunities  could  be  found  in  the  west,  he  de- 
cided to  try  his  fortunes  in  Illinois,  and  the  year  1883  witnessed  his  arri\al 
in  Grundy  county.  Here  he  worked  industriously  upon  farms  for  four 
years,  carefully  husbanding  his  earnings,  after  which  he  rented  a  farm  for 
a  period  of  three  years.  In  1890  he  bought  a  tract  of  land  in  Nettle  Creek 
township,  his  present  home  place,  and  since  that  time  he  has  gi\-en  his  whole 


576  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

time  and  energy  toward  the  cultivation  and  beautifying  of  the  farm,  which  is 
considered  one  of  the  best  and  most  desirable  in  the  township. 

]\Ir.  Towsley  has  never  been  an  aspirant  to  political  honors,  for  he 
much  prefers  to  lead  a  quiet,  independent  life.  He  uses  his  franchise  in 
favor  of  the  Republican  party  and  its  nominees,  and  fraternally  is  identified 
with  the  Knights  of  the  Globe.  He  is  a  good  citizen  and  carries  out  in  his 
daily  life  the  high  principles  which  should  animate  every  one  who  enjoys 
the  blessings  and  protection  afiforded  by  the  stars  and  stripes. 

Nine  years  ago,  in  1890,  ]\Ir.  Towsley  chose  Olive  M.  Hoge  to  be  the 
sharer  of  his  joys  and  sorrows,  their  marriage  being  celebrated  in  this  town- 
ship. She  is  a  daughter  of  Hendley  and  Sarah  (LaSalle)  Hoge,  the  former 
of  whom  gave  his  life  for  the  Union  in  the  great  Civil  war.  The  history  of 
the  family  may  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work.  Five  children  have  been 
born  to  our  subject  and  wife,  namely:  Lena  May,  whose  birth  occurred 
Way  10,  1891;  George  Hendley,  April  19,  1893;  Gertrude  Alberta,  Septem- 
ber II,  1896;  Beulah  Pearl,  born  January  15,  1898,  and  died  September  22, 
following;  and  Ivy,  born  April  17,  1899. 


FREDERICK  S.  JOHNSON. 

This  gentleman  is  serving  as  clerk  of  the  circuit  court,  and  is  a  well 
known  resident  of  }*Iorris  and  Grundy  county.  He  was  born  in  the  city 
which  is  still  his  home  on  the  19th  of  July,  1867,  and  is  a  son  of  Peter  A. 
Johnson,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  community.  His  father  followed 
farming  during  the  youth  of  Frederick,  who  was  in  consequence  reared 
upon  the  old  homestead  farm  and  attended  the  common  schools  of  the 
neighborhood.  His  preliminarj-  education,  however,  was  supplemented  by  a 
course  in  ;Morris  high  school,  where  he  was  graduated  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years.  Subsequently  he  pursued  a  course  in  Br>-ant  &  Stratton's  Business 
College,  of  Chicago,  and  thus  well  fitted  for  the  practical  duties  of  life  he 
entered  upon  his  business  career.  On  the  ist  of  October,  1889,  he  became 
deputy  county  clerk  and  acceptably  filled  that  office  until  April,  1893,  when 
he  went  to  Chicago  and  for  one  year  acted  as  a  bookkeeper  in  the  large  music 
house  of  Lyon  &  Healy.  In  January,  1894,  he  returned  to  :\Iorris  and  be- 
came associated  with  his  father  and  brothers  in  the  agricultural  business, 
from  which  he  retired  in  1896,  being  elected  in  that  year  to  the  ofifice  of 
circuit-court  clerk  as  the  Republican  candidate.  He  is  the  present  incum- 
bent, his  term  expiring  in  1900.  By  virtue  of  the  office  he  also  serves  as 
the  county  recorder.  He  is  very  exact  and  prompt  in  the  discharge  of  his 
•  duties,  and  has  won  the  approval  of  all  concerned. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  S77 

On  the  23d  of  November,  1892,  Mr.  Johnson  married  Miss  Carrie  J., 
a  daughter  of  Jacob  Gorich,  of  Morris,  and  their  union  has  been  blessed 
with  one  child,  Freda  L.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  are  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  and  he  also  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Sons 
of  Veterans,  the  Knights  of  the  Globe,  and  in  the  Masonic  fraternity  has 
attained  the  Knight  Templar  degree.  Since  casting  his  first  presidential 
vote  he  has  supported  the  men  and  measures  of  the  Republican  party  and  is 
an  active  factor  in  political  circles.  His  laudable  ambition  and  enterprise 
have  brought  him  success,  and  he  is  numbered  among  the  representative  men 
of  his  native  town. 


WILLIAM    L.     SACKETT. 

Mr.  Sackett  is  distinctively  American;  so  were  his  ancestors,  both  lineal 
and  collateral,  for  generations.  His  father,  Loren  Sackett,  is  a  direct  de- 
scendant of  the  Sackvilles,  the  English  branch  of  the  family,  which  for  many 
years  has  been  prominent  in  official  and  mercantile  circles  in  England.  The 
mother,  Sarah  (Downey)  Sackett,  is  a  lineal  descendant  of  a  family  that  was 
prominent  in  Ireland  and  that  has  figured  conspicuously  in  events  which 
go  to  form  the  history  of  the  Emerald  Isle.  Representatives  of  both  the 
paternal  and  maternal  ancestry  played  a  prominent  part  in  the  early  history 
of  America.  They  were  members  of  the  Pilgrim  band  and  lovers  of  religious 
liberty  and  independence.  The  ancestors  are  found  among  the  few  that  em- 
barked on  the  Mayflower  when  it  made  its  famous  voyage  to  the  New  World 
to  carry  the  little  band  of  settlers  who  were  to  lay  the  foundation  for  the 
development  of  New  England.  They  sought  here  liberty  to  worship  God 
after  the  promptings  of  their  conscience,  and  throughout  the  colonial  epoch 
members  of  both  families  were  concerned  with  the  important  interests  which 
go  to  form  the  records  of  that  period  of  our  national  history.  When  the 
British  tyranny  became  unendurable  and  the  colonists  resolved  to  throw 
off  all  allegiance  to  the  mother  country,  members  of  the  family  were  among 
those  early  on  the  field  of  battle  and  also  in  the  deliberations  in  the  halls 
of  the  continental  congress.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  great-grandson 
of  Lieutenant  Adnah  Sackett,  who  was  a  volunteer  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  serving  as  first  lieutenant  in  Captain  Sackett's  (Seventh)  Com- 
pany of  Colonel  John  Moseley's  Third  Hampshire  County  (Massachusetts) 
Regiment.  The  name  of  Sackett  figures  prominently  in  the  records  of  the 
Revolutionarj'  war,  and  several  of  the  family  were  engaged  with  Wash- 
ington in  his  campaigns,  two  being  upon  the  immediate  staff  of  the  father 
•of  his  country'. 


578  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

Loren  Sackett,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  boy  of  nine  years  at  the 
time  of  the  outbreak  of  the  war  of  1812.  He  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
Mexican  war,  and  gave  close  attention  to  the  events  which  led  up  to  and  at- 
tended the  Civil  war,  but  was  too  old  to  join  the  army.  Two  of  his  sons, 
however,  sen-ed  with  the  boys  in  blue,  William  Henry  becoming  the  captain 
of  Company  I,  Eleventh  Connecticut  Volunteers,  serving  until  the  last  en- 
gagement of  his  regiment  before  Petersburg,  in  1865,  when  he  was  killed  on 
the  field  of  battle.  The  other  son,  Joseph  T.,  was  a  member  of  Company 
C,  Thirteenth  Illinois  Infantry.  He  enlisted  as  a  corporal,  but  for  gallantry 
on  the  field  of  battle  at  Ringgold  Gap  was  brevetted  captain.  This  event 
concerning  the  preservation  of  the  colors  of  the  regiment  is  a  matter  of  com- 
ment in  the  state  reports. 

William  Loren  Sackett,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  bom 
at  Holyoke,  Massachusetts,  in  the  early  '60s,  and  at  the  age  of  three  years 
was  taken  by  his  parents  to  Springfield,  that  state,  where  he  lived  until 
about  eight  years  of  age.  As  the  result  of  death  and  sickness  the  family 
became  scattered,  and  William  L.  made  his  way  westward  to  live  with  an 
older  brother,  then  located  in  Amboy,  Illinois,  to  which  place  the  father 
came  after  some  years  of  travel  in  search  of  health,  his  death  occurring  in 
Amboy.  Through  the  winter  months  William  L.  Sackett  was  allowed  the 
privilege  of  attending  the  country  schools,  and  during  the  summer  months 
he  worked  upon  the  farm,  herding  cattle  or  doing  anything  else  that  he 
could  find  to  do  in  order  to  help  pay  his  way.  A  few  years  later  he  went 
to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  to  live  with  a  sister,  and  there  enjoyed  the  benefits 
of  a  grammar-school  education  and  studied  during  one  or  two  terms  in  a 
preliminary  class  of  the  Hartford  high  school.  The  circumstances  of  the 
family  at  that  time,  however,  would  not  permit  of  his  graduation,  and  he 
secured  a  position  in  a  small  job  printing  ofifice,  where  he  was  able  to  earn 
enough  to  pay  for  his  board  and  clothing.  During  the  winter,  as  oppor- 
tunity offered,  he  attended  a  night  school  and  was  thus  engaged  until  his 
strength  failed.  After  a  long  and  nearly  fatal  illness  he  went  to  Dakota, 
in  1 88 1,  spending  a  year  upon  a  ranch,  his  labors  bringing  him  his  livelihood 
and  at  the  same  time  greatly  benefiting  his  health.  The  ranch  was  situated 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  Sioux  and  Brule  Indian  resen-ations.  Upon  recov- 
ering his  health,  Mr.  Sackett  returned  to  Illinois,  in  1881,  locating  in  Spring- 
field. There  he  again  began  work  at  the  printer's  trade,  accepting  a  position 
in  a  job  office.  Subsequently  he  turned  his  attention  to  newspaper  work, 
and  was  for  a  time  a  reporter  for  the  State  Journal  at  Springfield.  Subse- 
quently he  ser\'ed  as  the  business  manager  of  other  publications  and  finally 
became  night  editor  of  the  Journal,  in  which  capacity  he  served  until  the 
paper  w-as  sold  and  reorganized  in  1884. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  579 

During  this  time  Mr.  Sackett  had  become  a  stenographic  writer,  and 
on  severing  his  connection  with  the  State  Journal  he  became  the  capitol 
correspondent  for  the  Chicago  Tribune.  He  later  served  upon  the  staff  of 
the  Chicago  Herald,  the  New  York  Tribune,  the  Philadelphia  Press,  St. 
Louis  Globe-Democrat  and  other  papers.  In  this  way  he  became  actively 
interested  in  political  affairs,  formed  the  acquaintance  of  many  prominent 
statesmen  and  politicians  and  numbers  among  his  friends  some  of  the  most 
eminent  men  of  the  day.  He  served  for  some  time  in  the  capacity  of  private 
secretary  to  Governor  John  R.  Tanner,  who  at  that  time  was  the  state 
treasurer  and  political  manager  for  Senator  Cullom.  He  was  also  at  one 
time  private  secretary  for  Cullom,  three  or  four  years  for  Chief  Justice 
Simeon  P.  Shope,  of  the  state  supreme  court,  and  for  seven  vears  for  Attor- 
ney General  Hunt.  While  thus  engaged  he  was  complimented  by  being 
selected  by  Governor  Richard  J.  Oglesby  as  his  confidential  assistant  in  the 
disposition  of  the  trying  appeals  for  clemency  made  in  behalf  of  the  con- 
demned Chicago  anarchists,  and  was  highly  complimented  by  the  governor 
in  an  autograph  letter  upon  his  success  in  outwitting  the  hundreds  of  news- 
paper correspondents  and  getting  information  of  the  governors  denial  of 
the  plea  for  pardon  to  the  officials  in  Chicago  ten  hours  before  it  became 
known  in  Springfield,  that  proper  provision  might  be  made  to  frustrate  any 
plans  for  assailing  the  county  jail  and  rescuing  the  anarchists.  Mr.  Sackett 
also  aided  Attorney-General  Hunt  in  the  preparation  and  hearing  of  this 
case  on  its  appeal  to  the  United  States  supreme  court  at  Washington. 

While  in  Springfield,  in  1887,  he  became  acquainted  with  and  married 
Miss  Ida  I.  Brown,  a  young  lady  of  culture  and  many  admirable  qualities. 
As  a  result  of  this  marriage  two  children  have  been  born,  Loren  B.  and 
Edwin,  aged  respectively  eleven  and  two  years. 

Mr.  Sackett  has  been  engaged  in  various  lines  of  newspaper  and  mer- 
cantile work  and  railroading,  and  for  a  number  of  years  has  been  active  and 
prominent  in  state  politics,  being  an  uncompromising  Republican  and  a 
fearless,  open  fighter.  In  the  McKinley  campaign  of  1896  he  was  named 
by  acclamation  as  the  presidential  elector  for  the  eighth  congressional 
district,  with  nearly  twenty  thousand  Republican  majority.  In  1891  he  came 
to  Morris  and  purchased  the  Morris  Herald.  It  has  been  a  stanch  and  un- 
compromising Republican  paper  under  his  management,  and  is  a  journal  that 
is  a  credit  to  the  city.  It  has  always  been  conducted  upon  the  broader  ideas 
gained  by  its  publisher  when  identified  with  metropolitan  papers,  directing 
its  criticisms  as  an  impersonal  advocate  of  the  people,  regardless  of  the 
personal  beliefs  of  the  individuaJs  associated  with  it.  This  idea  of  journalism 
was  new  to  the  constituency  of  the  paper,  and  many  looked  upon  it  askance 
as  a  type  of  personality.    Those  who  knew  Mr.  Sackett  best,  however,  long 


58o  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

ago  learned  that  no  matter  wliat  liis  paper  said  he  frequently  did  not  enter- 
tain the  same  views  personally,  and  personally  he  is  ever  ready  to  meet  his 
friends  or  opponents  with  the  best  of  feeling,  regardless  of  newspaper  com- 
ment. It  is  not  dif^cidt  to  find  numerous  critics  who  will  say  that,  no 
matter  what  else  they  may  think,  under  the  direction  of  its  present  publisher 
the  paper  is  always  outspoken  upon  every  proposition,  and  that  it  does 
much  by  its  policy  to  curb  the  vicious  and  promote  the  best  interests  of 
the  city. 


ALMERON     K.     KNAPP. 

The  able  man  of  afifairs  whose  name  is  above  has  been  the  most  promi- 
nent business  man  in  Minooka,  Grundy  county,  since  1865,  and  he  conducts 
the  grain,  lumber  and  banking  business  of  the  town.  He  is  a  native  of  the 
Empire  state,  having  been  born  in  Chenango  county.  New  York,  in  1836, 
and  is  of  New  England  lineage.  Simeon  Knapp,  his  father,  was  bom  in  Con- 
necticut and  went  to  New  York  state  while  yet  a  young  man  and  there  mar- 
ried Caroline  Root. 

When  Almeron  K.  Knapp  was  a  mere  lad  the  family  removed  to  Steu- 
ben county.  New  York,  and  located  near  Bath,  one  of  the  two  seats  of 
justice  of  that  county,  and  there  Simeon  Knapp  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-five 
years.  His  wife  survived  him  a  number  of  years.  Young  Almeron  received 
his  primary  education  in  the  public  schools  near  his  home  and  later  took 
an  academic  course.  He  then  entered  upon  a  business  career  and  had  con- 
siderable experience  in  merchandising  before  he  came  w'est.  He  located  in 
Illinois  in  1865,  and  was  married,  at  Lockport,  to  Miss  Pamelia  Griswold, 
who  came  from  Connecticut  to  Illinois  in  1836. 

Minooka  is  the  distributing  point  for  an  extensive  and  rich  tributary 
territory,  a  country  of  large  and  productive  farms  and  of  successful  business 
enterprises  of  all  kinds.  Mr.  Knapp  was  not  long  in  acquiring  a  monopoly 
of  the  grain  trade  at  this  point,  and  his  business  in  that  line  is  an  extensive 
one,  his  grain  shipments  amounting  to  about  seven  hundred  thousand 
bushels  annually.  He  handles  large  quantities  of  lumber,  and  the  financial 
department  of  his  enterprise  brings  him  in  close  touch  with  the  business 
interests  in  all  directions  round  about  Minooka. 

Not  only  is  Mr.  Knapp  a  successful  business  man  but  he  is  also  a  public- 
spirited  man,  a  most  estimable  citizen,  and  he  possesses  in  an  eminent  degree 
the  esteem  and  confidence  of  all  who  know  him.  His  liberality  in  the  support 
of  church  interests  and  public  enterprises  having  for  their  object  the  best 
interests  of  the  community  is  recognized  by  all. 

Politically  Mr.  Knapp  is  a  thoroughgoing  RepubHcan,  though  he  cast 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  581 

his  first  vote  for  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  the  great  war  Democrat.  He  is 
not  personally  a  seeker  for  political  preferment,  but  exerts  a  not  uncertain 
influence  upon  local  political  affairs.  He  was  made  a  Mason  many  years 
ago  and  has  advanced  to  the  thirty-second  degree,  becoming  a  Sublime 
Prince  of  the  Royal  Secret,  Ineft'able  Degrees  of  the  Scottish  rite.  Mr. 
Knapp's  only  surviving  brother,  George  Knapp,  is  a  well-to-do  farmer  living 
in  Steuben  county,  New  York.     He  has  three  sisters. 


STEPHANAS     W.     FURR. 

Stephanas  W.  Furr,  one  of  Grundy  county's  most  enterprising  business 
men,  is  of  French  de.'-cent,  his  grandfather,  Enoch  Furr,  having  been  bom 
and  reared  in  France.  At  about  the  time  of  the  Revolutionary  war  he  emi- 
grated to  America  and  settled  in  Loudoun  county,  Virginia,  where  he  was 
successfully  engaged  in  farming  until  shortly  before  his  death,  which  event 
took  place  when  he  was  one  hundred  and  four  years  of  age. 

Lewton  Furr,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  1797,  in  the  Old 
Dominion.  He  remained  with  his  parents  until  he  attained  his  majority, 
when  he  married  Pleasant  Matthews  and  started  upon  his  independent  career. 
Renting  a  farm  in  Loudoun  county,  he  cultivated  the  place  for  ten  years, 
and  then  moved  to  Frederick  county,  same  state,  where  he  purchased  a  good 
homestead.  In  1854  he  sold  out  and  came  to  LaSalle  county,  Illinois.  Here 
he  continued  his  agricultural  labors  until  death  released  him  from  his  cares, 
in  1870.  His  wife,  after  surviving  him  about  thirteen  years,  passed  to  her 
reward  February  2j,  1883.  They  were  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  of 
whom  Agnes,  the  eldest,  died  in  infancy;  Richard,  Elizabeth,  Squire,  Mar- 
garet and  Pleasant  are  deceased;  Newton  lives  in  Morris,  Illinois;  Chapman 
and  Sylvanas  W.  reside  in  Livingston  county,  this  state;  Mary's  home  is  near 
Marion.  Indiana;  S.  W.,  our  subject:  and  Martha  died  December  27,.  1899. 

The  birth  of  S.  W.  Furr  occurred  in  Frederick  county,  Virginia,  Sep- 
tember 13,  1837,  and  in  1854,  when  he  was  in  his  eighteenth  year,  he  came 
to  this  state,  and  for  five  years  aided  his  father  in  placing  his  new  farm  under 
cultivation.  In  the  spring  of  i860  he  married  and  embarked  in  agriculture 
upon  his  own  account,  living  in  LaSalle  county  for  four  years  and  in  Liv- 
ingston county  for  five  years.  Since  1869  he  has  carried  on  a  farm  in  Grundy 
county,  it  being  a  part  of  the  estate  of  his  father-in-law.  There  are  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  in  his  homestead,  all  well  improved  and  productive. 
Mr.  Furr  is  a  practical  farmer,  industrious  and  enterprising,  and  by  judicious 
management  he  has  become  well-to-do.     He  follows  in  the  political  foot- 


582  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

steps  of  his  father,  being  an  ardent  Democrat,  l5ut  he  has  never  sought  nor 
accepted  office. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Furr  and  Mary,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mafy 
Gray,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Scotland,  took  place  in  the  spring  of 
i860.  Six  sons  and  five  daughters  were  bom  to  our  subject  and  wife, 
namely:  Ida  P.,  who  married  Ira  \\'est  and  lives  in  Kendall  county;  James 
R.,  who  wedded  Josie  Johnson  and  makes  his  home  in  De  Kalb  county; 
George  N.,  of  this  county,  whose  wife  formerly  was  Flora  ISIoseman;  Mattje 
J.,  the  wife  of  John  Woodward,  of  Mississippi;  j\Iary  Josephine,  the  wife  of 
Martin  Anderson,  of  De  Kalb  county;  Belle,  deceased;  ^Margaret  V.,  who 
married  Martin  Seal  and  lives  in  the  old  Gray  home  in  Nettle  Creek  town- 
ship; and  the  names  of  the  four  youngest  boys,  living  at  home,  are  John  F., 
William  S.,  Francis  W.  and  Robert  A. 


ROBERT  SYKES. 


Grundy  county  is  fortunate  in  possessing  so  many  enterprising  young 
agriculturists,  and  numbered  among  the  progressive  farmers  of  Wauponsee 
township  stands  Robert  Sykes.  He  is  a  native  of  Morris,  his  birth  having 
occurred  April  7,  1871,  and  his  early  years  were  passed  upon  the  home- 
stead of  his  parents,  Thomas  H.  and  Betty  (Cryer)  Sykes,  whose  history  is 
printed  up>on  another  page  of  this  work. 

As  soon  as  he  was  old  enough  to  be  of  any  assistance  to  his  parents, 
Robert  Sykes  commenced  working  on  the  farm  and  before  he  was  twenty 
years  of  age  he  was  thoroughly  familiar  with  every  detail  of  agriculture. 
High  principles  of  conduct  were  early  instilled  into  his  mind,  and  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  home  district  he  acquired  a  liberal  education.  In 
later  years  he  has  constantly  broadened  his  mental  vision  by  reading  and 
study,  and  obsenation  and  experience  have  conduced  toward  the  same  end. 
It  was  his  privilege  to  attend  the  nomial  school  at  Morris  for  about  two 
years,  and  educational  affairs  are  matters  of  deep  interest  to  him.  as  they 
should  be  to  every  true,  progressive  ^American. 

Since  arriving  at  maturity,  Robert  Sykes  has  devoted  his  whole  atten- 
tion to  the  management  of  his  father's  fami.  and  for  some  time  he  has  in- 
depyendently  cultivated  a  portion  of  the  property,  where  he  has  his  home. 
In  all  of  his  manly  struggles  for  a  competence  he  is  aided  by  his  estimable 
wife,  a  lady  of  refinement  and  rare  womanly  qualities.  It  was  on  the  28th 
of  June.  1898,  that  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Sykes  and  Izora  Heather,  daughter 
of  James  and  Emma  (Wellman)  Heather,   of  this  county,  was  celebrated. 

In  his  political  standing  Mr.  Sykes  is  a  Republican.     He  has  no  desire 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  583 

to  officiate  in  public  capacities,  and  is  not  a  politician  in  the  ordinary  sense 
of  the  word,  but  he  has  well  grounded  convictions  upon  the  duties  of  the 
citizens  of  this  great  republic,  and  faithfully  adheres  to  his  high  principles. 


FRANK     N.     HULL. 


Frank  N.  Hull,  the  proprietor  and  publisher  of  the  IMorris  Post,  was 
born  in  Morris,  Illinois,  October  26,  1864,  his  parents  being  Birdsey  B. 
and  Cynthia  (Crumb)  Hull.  His  father  was  born  in  Ohio,  March  29,  1834, 
and  died  in  Morris,  March  14,  1894.  He  was  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Abigail 
(Pardee)  Hull,  and  with  his  parents  came  to  Morris  in  1847,  making  the 
journey  across  the  country.  Having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity  he  married 
Miss  Cynthia  Crumb,  a  daughter  of  Ambrose  and  Polly  Crumb,  who  re- 
moved from  New  York  to  Illinois  in  1846,  taking  up  their  abode  in  Morris. 

Frank  N.  Hull  was  one  of  a  family  of  nine  children,  but  only  four  are 
now  living.  His  entire  life  has  been  passed  in  Morris,  and  to  its  pubhc 
school  system  he  is  indebted  for  the  educational  advantages  he  received. 
At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  began  learning  the  printer's  trade  and  diligently 
applied  himself  to  the  mastery  of  the  business.  In  July,  1889,  he  joined 
Messrs.  Kutz  and  Murray  in  the  establishment  of  the  Morris  Post.  In  1891 
Mr.  Kutz  sold  out,  and  in  1894  Mr.  Murray  also  sold  his  interest,  Mr.  Hull 
thus  becoming  sole  proprietor.  He  has  since  conducted  the  publication  of 
the  Post  and  issued  both  a  daily  and  weekly  edition.  He  has  made  his 
journal  one  of  the  best  in  this  section  of  the  state.  It  is  a  clean,  bright  and 
entertaining  sheet,  devoted  to  the  local  interests  of  Morris  and  Grundy 
county,  and  has  a  large  circulation,  of  which  it  is  justly  deserving.  This 
renders  it  a  good  advertising  medium  and  the  advertising  patronage  of  the 
paper  is  large  and  adds  materially  to  the  income  which  the  owner  derives 
therefrom. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1891,  Mr.  Hull  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Helen  L.,  a  daughter  of  H.  D.  Hitchcock  and  Mary  J.  (Cutting)  Hitch- 
cock. Her  father  was  a  native  of  Champlain  county,  New  York,  and  her 
mother  of  Westport,  Essex  county,  that  state.  In  1867  Mr.  Hitchcock  came 
to  Morris  and  for  some  years  was  numbered  among  its  prominent  citizens. 
He  served  as  deputy  clerk  of  Grundy  county  for  four  years,  and  in  1877  was 
elected  county  clerk,  which  position  he  was  filling  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
April  7,  1880.  His  son,  W.  D.  Hitchcock,  served  as  his  deputy  and  after 
his  father's  death  was  elected  to  fill  out  the  unexpired  term.  In  1891  he 
became  a  resident  of  Denver,  Colorado.  Mrs.  Hull  was  born  in  Champlain 
county.  New  York,  in  1864.     Since  the  establishment  of  the  Post  she  has 


584  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

been  her  husband's  able  assistant  in  its  management  and  has  contributed 
in  no  small  degree  to  its  success.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hull  are  numbered 
among  the  valued  and  popular  citizens  of  this  community  and  have  a  very- 
large  circle  of  friends. 


SMITH  DE  LA  MATTER. 

In  pioneer  days  Smith  De  La  Matter  came  to  Maine  township,  then 
Braceville  township,  and  through  many  years  has  been  prominently  identi- 
fied with  its  agricultural  interests.  He  is  descended  from  an  old  French 
Huguenot  family,  but  for  many  generations  its  representatives  have  found 
homes  in  America.  Isaac  De  La  ^Matter,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  a  cooper  by  trade  and  resided  in  Dutchess  county,  New  York,  for 
many  years.  In  old  age  he  removed  to  Canada,  where  he  spent  his  last 
days  with  his  son  Martin.  His  children  were  Seymour,  Smith,  Martin, 
Cornelia  and  Elizabeth. 

Martin  De  La  Matter,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Dutchess 
county.  New  York,  September  8,  1795.  received  a  common-school  educa- 
tion and  early  became  familiar  with  the  labors  of  the  farm.  When  a 
young  man  he  removed  to  Canboro.  Canada,  and  was  there  married,  No- 
vember 3,  1818,  to  Sabina  Smith,  who  was  born  in  New  York,  August  6, 
1797,  a  daughter  of  Matthew  and  Mary  (Wright)  Smith.  Her  father  was 
born  April  4,  1773.  and  died  in  Ontario,  August  16.  1834.  Her  mother 
was  bom  March  18,  1777,  and  died  February  2.  1846.  They  were  married 
April  29,  1795,  and  had  sixteen  children:  Ezra,  who  was  born  in  New 
York,  January  16,  1796,  was  married  and  had  nine  children  and  died 
January  16,  1864:  Sabina,  born  August  6.  1797.  had  nine  children  and 
died  February  9,  1835;  Ferrand,  born  in  New  York,  July  26,  1799,  had  nine 
children  and  died  in  Michigan,  March  19,  1875;  ^lartha,  born  in  Port 
Erie,  Canada,  September  17,  1801,  had  six  children  and  died  January  11, 
1867;  Sabrin,  born  in  Canboro,  Ontario,  June  17,  1803,  had  nine  children; 
Matthew,  born  April  8,  1805,  in  Ontario,  and  died  September  2,  1871;  an 
infant,  who  died  unnamed;  Mary,  born  in  Canboro,  Ontario.  August  31, 
1807,  had  seven  children  and  died  May  3,  1848;  Joel,  born  September  25, 
1809.  in  Canboro,  Ontario,  had  two  children  and  died  October  12,  1832; 
Phoebe,  born  in  Ontario,  November  19.  181 1,  had  eleven  children  and 
died  November  8,  1873;  Seth  K..  born  in  Canboro,  August  2,  1814.  had 
three  children:  Elizabeth,  born  in  Canboro,  April  26,  181 6,  had  six  chil- 
dren and  died  March  22.  1868:  James  W.,  born  in  Canboro,  July  26,  1818, 
had  one  child  and  died  October  30.  1898:  Isaac,  born  July  31,  1819,  had  one 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  585, 

child;  Wesley,  born  in  Canboro,  April  5,  1822,  had  three  children  and 
died  July  20,  1872;  and  Margaret,  born  in  Canboro,  April  18,  1825,  had 
six  children  and  died  July  6,  1861.  The  father  of  these  children  was  a 
millwright  by  trade,  and  with  his  family  removed  from  New  York  to 
Ontario,  Canada,  in  1800.  About  1802  he  located  on  a  farm  at  Canboro, 
purchasing  a  tract  of  land  and  building  thereon  a  mill.  He  settled  in 
the  midst  of  the  primeval  forest,  cleared  away  the  trees  and  developed 
rich  and  fertile  fields,  becoming  one  of  the  substantial  and  well  known 
citizens  of  the  community.  His  children  settled  around  him  and  the 
family  was  one  of  prominence  there.  In  his  religious  belief  he  was  a 
Methodist  and  died  in  that  faith  in  Canboro,  at  a  very  advanced  age. 

After  his  marriage  Martin  De  La  Matter  located  on  a  farm  at  Can- 
boro, where  they  lived  for  some  years  and  then  removed  to  Pelham,  On- 
tario, now  in  Welland  county,  and  there  he  purchased  and  improved  a 
farm,  securing  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  from  which  he  cleared  the  trees. 
When  it  was  placed  under  cultivation  additional  crops  were  planted  and 
soon  abundant  harvests  rewarded  his  labors.  Ultimately  he  became  one 
of  the  prosperous  as  well  as  enterprising  farmers  of  his  community.  He 
and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  in  which  he  served 
as  a  class-leader,  and  to  the  support  of  the  church  he  made  liberal  con- 
tributions and  in  his  life  he  manifested  its  teachings.  He  held  a  number 
of  township  offices,  and  at  the  time  of  the  Canadian  rebellion  served  as  a 
sergeant,  being  stationed  at  Fort  Erie.  By  his  marriage  to  Sabina  Smith 
he  had  the  following  children :  Cyrus,  who  was  born  in  Canboro,  Sep- 
tember 10,  1820,  and  died  February  27,  1890;  Ryan  A.,  who  was  born  May 
5.  1822.  and  died  May  16,  1827;  Eben  T-.  who  was  born  April  17,  1824; 
Cornelia,  who  was  born  December  10,  1825,  and  died  October  25,  1863; 
Smith,  who  was  born  May  26,  1827;  Ferrand,  born  May  25,  1830,  and  died 
September  5.  1831;  Peter  M.,  who  was  born  in  Pelham,  February  14,  1833; 
and  Martin,  who  was  born  December  13,  1834,  and  died  March  26,  1835. 
The  mother  of  these  children  died  in  Pelham,  February  10,  1835,  and  on 
the  15th  of  September,  of  the  same  year,  Mr.  De  La  Matter  was  married 
in  Pelham  to  Mary  AL  Vanderburgh.  She  was  born  in  Ontario,  June  20, 
1806,  and  died  September  11,  1885,  and  was  of  Dutch  lineage.  The 
children  of  this  union  are :  Sabina,  who  was  born  in  Pelham,  June  2y, 
1836;  Henry,  born  July  23,  1838;  Ira,  born  January  29,  1840:  Robert  H., 
who  was  born  March  19.  1842.  and  died  June  4,  1899;  Isaac,  who  was 
born  March  24.  1S45.  and  died  July  3.  1869;  Mary  E.,  who  was  born 
March  13.  1847,  and  died  January  18,  1867:  and  Frances  E.,  born  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1850.  The  father  of  these  children  died  in  Pelham.  December 
19,   1874.     He  was  a  leading  and  influential    citizen    of    the    community,- 


586  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

whose  upright  life  commended  him  to  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  He  reared  a  highly  respected  family, 
and  the  children  of  his  second  marriage  all  received  college  educations. 
Robert  H.  became  a  physician:  Henry  is  a  teacher  in  the  high  school:  Ira 
was  educated  for  the  bar:  and  Isaac  also  prepared  for  the  legal  profession 
but  died  in  early  manhood. 

Smith  De  La  Matter,  the  subject  of  this  review,  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  Pelham  and  early  became  familiar  with 
the  work  of  the  farm,  assisting  in  the  work  of  field  and  meadow  through- 
out the  summer  months.  He  aided  his  father  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
homestead  until  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  in  1849  he  came  to  Illinois, 
locating  in  Millington.  on  the  Fox  river.  There  he  was  employed  as  a 
farm  hand  by  his  uncle,  Seymour,  and  afterward  worked  in  a  wagon  shop. 
In  1854  he  returned  to  Canada,  where  he  worked  at  the  millwright's  trade 
in  Pelham  and  other  towns.  He  was  married  in  Manchester.  New  York. 
April  30,  1859,  to  Margaret  A.  Marron.  who  was  born  in  Belfast,  Ireland. 
May  6,  1832,  and  was  of  English  and  Scotch  lineage,  her  parents  being 
James  and  Catherine  (McGrain)  Marron.  Her  father  was  the  only  son 
of  a  wealthy  man.  His  wife  was  a  daughter  of  William  and  Ellen  Mc- 
Grain, the  former  a  merchant  of  Edinburg,  Scotland,  in  which  city  he  died. 
James  Marron  and  his  wife  died  in  early  life,  leaving  their  daughter  Mar- 
garet an  orphan  at  the  age  of  three  years.  She  lived  with  her  uncle,  William 
McGrain,  in  Edinburg,  Scotland,  until  eight  years  of  age,  when  she  ac- 
companied him  on  his  emigration  to  America.  Three  years  later  he  re- 
turned to  the  land  of  hills  and  heather,  leaving  Margaret  to  the  care  of 
his  friend.  William  Aikens,  and  soon  after  his  arrival  in  Scotland  Mr.  Mc- 
Grain died.  Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been  bom  three  chil- 
dren: James,  who  was  born  February  29.  i860,  and  died  on  the  same 
day:  Truman  M..  who  was  born  March  14,  1861:  and  Martin  S.,  who  was 
born  September  8,  1863,  and  died  May  2,  1869. 

In  May,  1869,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  De  La  Matter  came  to  Illinois  and  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  wild  land  in  Maine  township,  Grundy  county,  paying 
four  hundred  dollars  for  the  tract.  This  amount  he  had  saved  from  the 
proceeds  of  his  own  labor,  and  upon  the  new  farm  he  began  life  in  the 
west.  Long  years  of  untiring  activity  followed,  in  which  he  greatly  im- 
proved his  property,  erecting  a  pleasant  home  and  substantial  outbuildings 
and  adding  other  accessories  and  conveniences  of  a  model  farm.  He  has 
also  extended  the  boundaries  of  his  property  until  the  homestead  now 
comprises  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  in  addition  to  this  he  owns 
two  hundred  acres  of  rich  and  fertile  land  in  Greenville  township,  all  under 
a  high  state  of  cultivation.     All  of  the  improvements  upon  the  place  .stand 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  587 

as  monuments  to  his  thrift  and  enterprise,  for  his  possessions  have  been 
acquired  entirely  through  his  well  directed  ettorts.  His  activity  in  the 
affairs  of  life  has  brought  to  him  a  handsome  competence  and  his  example 
should  serve  to  encourage  others  who  are  forced  to  enter  upon  a  business 
career  empty-handed,  for  America  ofYers  unlimited  possibilities  to  her  citi- 
zens if  they  be  possessed  of  energy,  ambition  and  resolution. 

His  son,  Truman  M..  has  operated  the  farm  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  acquired  his  preliminary  education  in  the  district  schools  and  after- 
ward attended  the  high  school  of  Normal,  Illinois.  Subsequently  he  en- 
gaged in  teaching  in  Maine  township,  but  has  had  charge  of  his  father's 
property  for  some  time,  thus  relieving  Mr.  De  La  Matter  of  much  care 
and  labor.  He  was  married,  in  Maine  township,  March  14,  1895.  to  Jennie 
M.  Williams,  who  was  born  in  Cook  county.  Illinois.  March  9.  1866.  and 
is  a  daughter  of  Edmund  J.  and  Mary  (James)  Williams.  Her  father  was 
born  in  Manchester.  England,  December  4,  1833,  and  received  a  common- 
school  education.  In  1852,  when  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  crossed  the 
Atlantic  to  New  York  and  resided  in  the  Empire  state  for  two  years.  He 
was  married  in  that  state,  January  i,  1856,  to  Mary  James,  who  was  born 
in  Manchester.  England,  March  4,  1835.  ^nd  came  to  America  on  the 
same  ship  in  which  Mr.  Williams  took  passage.  She  died  March  12,  1900, 
in  Gardner,  from  the  efifects  of  an  accident.  Their  children  were  as  follows : 
Mary  E.,  bom  April  14,  1857,  in  Cook  county,  Illinois,  died  July  22,  1893; 
George  H,  was  born  in  the  same  county,  February  18,  1859;  John  B.,  born 
January  8,  1864.  died  January  18,  1891 ;  Jennie  M.  was  born  March  9, 
1866,  in  Cook  county;  Ida  B.  was  born  in  the  same  county  May  5,  1868: 
Andrew  J.  was  born  in  Kankakee  county,  Illinois,  August  3,  1869;  Albert 
was  born  October  15,  1872;  Lillie  L.  was  born  May  12,  1874,  and  died 
November  2y,  1890;  and  Fred,  born  January  22,  1876,  died  in  childhood. 
Soon  after  his  marriage  Mr.  Williams  removed  to  Cook  county,  Illinois, 
locating  on  land  in  Norton  township.  In  February,  1868,  he  removed  to 
Kankakee  county,  Illinois,  locating  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  there.  He  prospered,  becoming  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of 
the  community.  In  1869  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Gardner,  Illinois,  and 
from  there  removed  to  Mazon  township,  where  he  purchased  two  hundred 
and  eighty  acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  lived  for  some  years.  He  then 
returned  to  Gardner,  where  he  now  resides.  His  wife  was  a  lady  of  many 
virtues  and  her  death  was  deeply  deplored  by  her  family  and  a  large  circle 
of  friends.  Mr.  Williams  has  always  lived  an  industrious  and  upright  life 
and  is  respected  by  all  who  know  him.  In  his  political  views  Truman 
M.  De  La  Matter  is  independent.  He  is  an  honored  member  of  the  order 
of  Knights  of  Pythias  of  Gardner  and  has  filled  all  of  its  offices,  including 


588  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

that  of  chancellor.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America  and  in  his  local  camp  has  served  as  venerable  counselor.  A 
practical  farmer  and  well  known  citizen,  he  is  straightforward  in  his  deal- 
ings and  honorable  in  all  life's  relations. 


JAMES  ^lEAD. 


The  self-made  man  is  everywhere  the  leading  citizen.  People  take  to 
him,  and  when  he  has  once  established  his  right  to  be  so  called  good  fortune 
seldom  deserts  him.  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  has  many  self-made  men  and 
Au  Sable  township  has  its  proportion  of  them,  one  of  the  best  known  of 
whom  is  the  man  whose  name  forms  the  title  to  this  sketch. 

James  [Mead,  one  of  the  early  settlers  and  well  known  citizens  of 
Au  Sable  township,  was  bom  in  Kerrv%  Ireland.  His  father  was  Michael 
;Mead  and  his  mother's  maiden  name  was  Kate  Heffern.  They  both  died 
when  their  son,  James,  was  a  child,  though  he  was  old  enough  to  remember 
them  distinctly.  They  left  four  children,  three  sons  and  a  daughter.  The 
other  sons  were  named  John  and  Patrick,  and  the  daughter  was  named 
Anna.  James  was  the  oldest  of  the  family  and  the  only  one  who  came  to 
America.  When  he  was  about  fourteen  years  old  he  crossed  the  ocean  with 
an  aunt,  his  mother's  sister,  and  went  directly  to  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
where  he  remained  about  three  years.  In  1855  he  came  to  ^Minooka,  Grundy 
county,  Illinois,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  this  county  ever  since. 

Mv.  Mead  married  Miss  IMaria  Briscoe,  who  comes  from  a  well  know-n 
early  family  of  Grundy  county,  and  [Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mead  have  been  blessed 
with  nine  children — three  sons  and  six  daughters,  named  as  follows  in  the 
order  of  their  birth :     :\Iary  Ellen.  Eliza.  James.  Annie.  Maggie,  Nicholas, 
Katie,  Agnes  and  Frank. 

Mr.  [Mead  came  to  America  a  poor  boy,  with  no  parents  on  whom  to 
depend ;  but  he  went  to  work  with  a  determination  to  succeed  in  life.  He 
has  a  fine  farm,  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  he  is  one  of  the  substan- 
tial citizens  of  Au  Sable  township.  He  has  ever  been  esteemed  as  an  honest, 
upright  man  and  possesses  the  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  and  all 
the  members  of  his  family  are  worthy  members  of  the  Catholic  church. 


FREDERICK  BURKHARDT. 

Illinois  owes  much  to  her  German  population,  which  has  long  been 
large,  influential  and  helpful  to  public  prosperity.  Among  the  German  set- 
tlers in  Grundy  county  no  family  is  more  favorably  known  than  the  Burk- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  589 

hardts,  of  whom  Frederick  Burkhardt,  of  Good. Farm  township,  is  a  worthy- 
representative. 

Frederick  Burkhardt  was  born  at  Bion.  Bavaria,  Germany,  March  5, 
1830,  a  son  of  Leonard  Burkhardt,  a  well-to-do  farmer  who  owned  forty- 
one  acres  of  good  land  and  whose  first  wife  bore  him  children  named  ^Nlar- 
garet,  Barbara,  Michael,  Leonard,  Christian,  Hans,  Frederick,  Andrew, 
Christina,  Mary,  Martin  and  Sophia.  The  mother  of  these  children  died 
and  he  married  again,  but  had  no  offspring  by  his  second  wife.  He  died  on 
his  place  at  sixty-five,  leaving  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  man  of  honor  and 
ability.  He  served  his  country  in  the  capacity  of  a  teamster  during  an  in- 
teresting portion  of  the  Thirty  Years'  war,  and  was  a  consistent  member  of 
the  Lutheran  church. 

Frederick  Burkhardt  was  reared  to  the  arduous  but  health-giving  and 
morality-encouraging  work  of  the  farm,  attending  the  public  schools  from 
the  time  he  was  six  years  old  until  he  was  thirteen,  with  good  results,  for 
he  was  a  diligent  student,  and  was  well  educated  in  the  Bible.  When  he 
left  school  he  began  to  work  out  at  farm  labor  and  learned  to  mow  with  a 
scythe,  to  cut  grain  with  a  sickle  and  to  thresh  with  a  flail.  He  was  thus 
employed  until  he  was  twenty  years  old,  and  even  then  could  get  for  a  whole 
year's  sen^ice  but  ten  dollars  in  cash,  with  no  allowance  for  clothing.  Not- 
withstanding his  paltry  wages  he  was  able  to  save  a  little  money  and  his 
father  helped  him  tO'  some  more,  and  he  was  thus  enabled  to  seek  fortune  in 
America  in  better  environments  and  under  more  favorable  circumstances. 
He  left  Bremen  Haven  on  board  a  sailing  vessel.  May  10,  1850.  antl  made  a 
voyage  to  New  York  which  consumed  twenty-eight  days,  and  upon  his 
arrival  was  quarantined  for  three  days  more,  there  having  been  some  cases  of 
small-pox  on  board.     He  was  thus  a  full  month  on  the  water. 

He  came  at  once  to  Illinois,  making  his  way  to  BufTalo  by  the  way  of 
the  Erie  canal,  thence  to  Chicago  by  lake  steamer,  thence  to  Oswego,  Iven- 
dall  county,  Illinois,  where  his  brothers,  Michael  and  Leonard,  and  John 
Hahn,  his  sister  Barbara's  husband,  had  settled  with  their  families.  Later  all 
his  other  brothers  and  sisters  came  over  from  Germany  and  settled  in  Illi- 
nois. Mr.  Burkhardt  began  his  active  career  in  America  as  a  farm  laborer 
and  later  was  employed  in  a  tavern  at  Oswego.  July  15,  1853,  he  married 
Mary  Frehwirtd,  whose  parents  were  Leonard  and  Barbara  Frehwirtd. 
He  owned  forty  acres  of  land  in  Bion,  Bavaria,  where  he  lived  out  his 
days  and  died  at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  more  or  less.  In  1852  the  widow 
of  Leonard  F.  came  to^  the  United  States  with  her  brother  Frederick  and 
settled  at  Oswego,  Illinois,  sailing  from  Havre  to  New  York  and  making  the 
journey  from  New  York  to  Oswego,  Illinois,  in  the  manner  then  in  vogue. 
In  August,  1853,  four  or  five  weeks  after  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Burkhardt, 


590  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

they  located  on  Mr.  Burkhardt's  present  farm,  in  Good  Farm  township,  not 
far  from  Dwight.  The  homestead  then  consisted  of  eighty  acres  of  Prairie 
land,  absolutely  wild  and  unimproved.  When  it  is  stated  that  this  land  was 
not  only  improved  and  put  under  cultivation  but  also  that,  by  subsequent 
purchases,  it  has  grown  to  be  a  valuable  tract  of  eight  hundred  and  eighty 
acres  of  fine  farm  land,  some  adequate  idea  of  Mr.  Burkhardt's  industry, 
economy  and  excellent  business  ability  will  be  afiforded  the  reader.  The 
home  farm  is  provided  with  a  substantial  frame  house  and  large  and  fine 
barns  and  out-buildings.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burkhardt  both  worked  hard,  early 
and  late,  both  planned  and  both  saved,  and  the  means  by  which  Mr.  Burk- 
hardt became  one  of  the  largest  land-owners  of  Good  Farm  township  were 
such  as  have  advanced  honest  and  industrious  Gentians,  and  others  as  well, 
ever  since  the  beginning  of  general  settlement  in  the  middle  west.  When 
he  arrived  at  his  brother's  in  Oswego,  after  that  long  and  memorable  journey 
from  the  Fatherland,  he  had  but  one  dollar  left,  and  during  the  first  five 
months  in  America  he  worked  for  six  dollars  a  month  and  literally  saved  all 
his  wages,  carrying  his  economy  to  the  point  of  mending  his  own  clothing, 
until  he  married.  As  he  began  to  prosper  he  continued  his  saving  and  never 
had  any  money  for  whisky,  tobacco  or  foolish  recreation.  He  had  no  time 
for  anything  but  work,  and  he  worked  with  a  will  and  to  good  purpose. 
His  career  is  an  illustration  of  what  may  be  accomplished  in  this  country  by 
a  man  of  determined  purpose,  with  hard  work,  careful  economy  and  good 
management.  Mr.  Burkhardt  had  no  aid  but  his  careful,  thrifty  and  indus- 
trious wife,  and  together  they  have  acquired  a  handsome  property,  the  value 
of  which  approximates  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burkhardt  are  members  and  liberal  supporters  of  the 
Evangelical  church,  and  Mr.  Burkhardt  has  for  many  years  been  a  church 
trustee.  In  politics  Mr.  Burkhardt  has  always  been  a  stanch  Republican, 
and  it  is  a  matter  of  local  history  that  he  was  one  of  the  original  Republicans 
of  Good  Farm  township.  The  following  facts  concerning  the  children  of 
this  worthy  couple  will  be  found  of  interest  in  this  connection :  Barbara, 
the  first  born,  died  in  infancy.  Amos  died  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years. 
Others  were  named  John  Andrew,  John  Frederick,  Thomas,  William,  Bar- 
bara, Caroline,  Sophia  and  Mina. 


SOLOMON   HOGE. 


One  of  the  remarkable  characters  of  Grundy  county  was  Solomon  Hoge, 
who,  after  an  exceedingly  busy  and  eventful  life,  passed  to  his  reward  a  few 
y,?ars  ago.      His  memorv  is  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of  a  host  of  his  lifelong 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  591 

frienc's  and  acquaintances,  many  of  whom  will  take  pleasure  in  perusing  the 
story  of  his  career. 

The  birth  of  Solomon  Hoge  took  place  in  Virginia,  October  18,  1809. 
His  parents  were  Joshua  and  Mary  (Poole)  Hoge.  Farming  and  stock- 
raising  were  the  chief  occupations  of  his  early  manhood  and  prime,  and  by 
industry  and  economy  he  amassed  a  competence  before  he  decidetl  to  come 
to  Illinois.  It  was  in  1870  that  he  permanently  located  in  Saratoga  town- 
ship, and  here  he  spent  the  declining  days  of  his  life,  loved  and  honored  for 
what  he  had  accomplished,  and  for  the  fortitude  with  which  he  had  met  and 
overcome  the  obstacles  in  his  pathway.  That  he  was  recognized  as  one 
of  exceptional  ability,  judgment  and  resource  was  manifested  in  many  ways, 
and  in  this  connection  a  quotation  from  the  "History  of  the  Sauks  and  Black- 
hawk  W^ar,"  written  and  published  by  Perry  A.  Armstrong,  of  Morris,  Illi- 
nois, in  1887,  may  be  'of  interest.  In  referring  to  the  excitement  and  alarm 
existing  at  that  time  at  Ottawa,  Illinois,  he  says :  "Captain  Solomon  Hoge, 
now  one  of  Grundy  county's  prominent  citizens,  put  in  his  appearance.  He 
is  a  man  of  cool  courage,  fine  presence  and  a  born  leader  of  men,  and  had 
been  captain  in  the  Virginia  militia.  His  quiet  demeanor  and  sensible  ques- 
tions as  to  the  cause  of  the  alarm  were  such  as  to  gain  the  confidence  of  all. 
Captain  Stadden  at  once  resigned  all  kind  of  leadership  to  Captain  Hoge, 
who,  as  if  by  magic,  brought  out  of  chaos,  confidence;  out  of  doubt  and  fear, 
security.  First,  viewing  his  surroundings,  he  selected  his  guards,  went  with 
them  to  their  places,  told  them  what  to  do.  and  how  to  do,  assured  them 
that  they  were  in  no  present  danger,  and  that  they  would  be  relieved  at  such 
an  hour  by  others.  In  this  way  he  returned  confidence  to  the  wavering, 
and  converted  cowards  into  good  soldiers,  that,  too,  in  a  few  minutes'  time. 
But  all  this  precaution  and  excitement  were  without  cause,  for  there  were 
no  hostile  Indians  near  Ottawa.  After  Captain  Hoge  took  command  of 
these  settlers  no  further  alarms  occurred,  and  the  people  felt  perfectly  se- 
cure. Such  is  the  influence  that  one  cool-headed,  brave  man  can  exert  over 
an  excited  and  badly  frightened  community." 

The  marriage  of  Solomon  Hoge  and  Sarah  Bashaw,  who  survives  him. 
was  solemnized  March  17,  1872.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Robert  H.  Bashaw, 
who  was  born  in  Virginia,  August  5,  1823,  and  whose  death  occurred  at  the 
residence  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Hoge,  January  26,  1896.  Her  mother, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Virginia  Rector,  was  born  in  1832  and  departed 
this  life  June  30.  1872.  The  only  child  born  to  Solomon  and  Sarah  Hoge 
is  Herman  Hoge,  now  on  the  old  homestead  with  his  mother.  His  birth- 
place was  in  Saratoga  township,  the  date  of  the  event  being  May  20,  1875. 
The  happy,  successful  life  of  our  subject  came  t6  an  end  at  his  home.  May 
30,   1892,  he  then  being  eighty-two  years,  seven  months  and  twelve  days 


592  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

old.  \\'i(hin  his  lifetime,  which  almost  spanned  this  wonderful  century,  he 
witnessed  the  progress  of  his  beloved  land  from  a  country  little  esteemed  or 
consi(]ered  among  the  powerful  nations  of  the  world  to  a  first  place  in  the 
councils  of  the  globe,  and,  as  he  was  a  true  patriot,  he  had  no  greater  pleasure 
than  that  of  tracing  the  epochs  of  its  growth.  Personally  he  performed  his 
full  share  as  a  citizen  toward  this  desirable  end,  and  coming  generations  shall 
find  his  name  inscribed  among  the  founders  of  Illinois  and  the  United  States. 


WILLIAM  B.  HADDEN. 

i 
From  sterling  Scotch  ancestry  Mr.  Hadden  is  descended,  and  some 

of  the  leading  characteristics  of  that  race  are  manifest  in  his  honorable 
business  career.  Thomas  Hadden,  the  original  American  ancestor,"left 
the  land  of  hills  and  heather  for  the  New  World,  taking  up  his  abode  in 
New  Jersey  during  the  early  settlement  of  the  colonies.  The  records  show 
that  he  was  a  resident  of  Woodbridge,  New  Jersey,  in  1727,  and  that  he 
died  there  in  1783.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  a  Quaker  in  religious 
faith,  taking  an  active  part  in  the  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the 
Society  of  Friends.  He  was  also  prominent  in  village  afifairs,  serving  as 
commissioner  of  highways  and  as  overseer  of  the  poor  for  many  years. 
In  the  year  1727  he  married  Margaret  Fitz  Randolph,  the  wedding  taking 
place  in  Woodbridge,  New  Jersey.  -  After  her  death  he  wedded  Margaret 
Vanquellen,  of  Bloomfield.  She  was  a  widow  and  the  wedding  was  cele- 
brated in  1750.  Afterward  he  was  again  married,  his  third  wife,  Mrs. 
Catherine  Hadden,  surviving  him.  His  children  were  all  born  of  the  first 
marriage  and  were:  Elizabeth,  who  married  William  Smith  in  1753;  Mary, 
who  became  the  wife  of  Thomas  Brown  in  1754  and  afterward  married 
Mr.  Dobbs;  Nathaniel;  Joseph;  Thomas,  who  married  Annabel  Crowell 
in  1758;  Margaret,  who  married  John  Hurd  in  1757:  and  I\Iartha,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Nathaniel  Loofburrow.  The  father  of  these  children 
was  disowned  by  the  Quakers  in  1750,  on  account  of  his  marriage  to 
Margaret  Vanquellen,  who  was  an  Episcopalian. 

Thomas  Hadden,  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Margaret  Hadden,  was  born 
in  Woodbridge,  New  Jersey,  in  1736,  and  was  the  great-grandfather  of 
our  subject.  He  spent  his  entire  life  in  his  native  town  and  was  there 
married  in  1736  to  Annabel  Crowell.  During  the  Revolutionary  war  he 
joined  the  Colonial  forces  and  fought  for  the  independence  of  the  nation 
as  a  member  of  the  First  Regiment  of  Middlesex  militia,  state  of  New 
Jersey.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  September  2,  1778.  he  was 
serving  as   a   lieutenant   colonel    in   that    command.      The   regiment   took 


^M^cu^c^^ 


V*TE-<26'Z--t./lA<f 


/tfotahl^'^z^'^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  593 

part  in  the  battles  of  Monmouth  and  Trenton  and  endured  all  the  hard- 
ships of  the  memorable  winter  of  1777  at  Valley  Forge.  His  remains  were 
interred  in  the  cemetery  at  Woodbridge,  New  Jersey,  and  his  wife  died 
there  many  years  later,  passing  away  July  28,  1821.  Their  children  were: 
Thomas,  who  was  born  June  24.  1761,  wedded  Mary  Baker  and  died  July 
30,  1803.  Nathaniel,  who  was  born  June  8,  1765,  and  died  November 
18,  1842,  was  married  first  to  Mahala  Marsh  and  in  1808  wedded  Sarah 
Marsh  Brown,  while  on  the  13th  of  July,  1819,  having  also  lost  his  second 
wife,  he  wedded  Mary  Halsey  Marsh.  Crowell,  who  was  born  March  8, 
1768.  and  died  September  11,  1833,  is  one  of  the  heroes  of  the  Revolution. 
He  married  his  first  wife,  Elizabeth,  in  1791,  and  after  her  demise  he 
married  Anna  May.  Christian,  who  was  born  March  8,  1775,  and  died 
February  6,  1840,  was  married  in  1791  to  William  Harrison.  Thomas 
Hadden,  the  third  of  the  name,  was  the  grandfather  of  our  subject.  He 
was  born  in  Woodbridge,  New  Jersey,  and  wedded  Mary  Baker.  Their 
children  were  as  follows:  John,  who  was  born  September  8,  1781,  was 
married  in  1808  to  Rebekah  Brown  and  died  August  8,  1862.  Catherine, 
who  was  born  Februarj'  9,  1783,  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Hale  and  died 
October  15,  1831.  Ephraim,  who  was  bom  March  30,  1784,  was  married 
in  1810  to  Isabel  Manning  Harriott  and  died  March  6,  1872.  Matthias, 
who  was  born  April  5,  1786,  died  December  29,  1814.  Cornelius,  who  was 
born  May  2,  1789,  died  October  22,  1793.  Jacob,  who  was  born  May 
18,  1791,  was  married  in  1816  to  Sally  Ayres  and  died  December  22,  1871. 
Thomas,  who  was  born  June  i,  1794,  died  June  30,  1833.  Cornelius,  who 
was  born  April  16,  1798,  and  died  February  27,  1895,  first  married  Eliza- 
beth Spencer  and  in  1850  wedded  Mary  Spencer  Bennett.  Mary,  who 
was  born  January  16,  1801,  and  died  April  8,  1879,  was  married  in  1825  to 
Uzziah  Bloodgood.  The  father  of  these  children  was  a  substantial  farmer 
of  Woodbridge,  New  Jersey,  where  he  owned  a  well  improved  tract  of 
land  and  a  good  home.  There  he  died  July  30,  1803,  and  his  wife  passed 
away  September  6,  1842.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  18 12,  and 
was  always  loyal  to  his  duties  of  citizenship.  His  homestead  is  still  in  the 
possession  of  his  descendants. 

Cornelius  Hadden,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Woodbridge, 
New  Jersey,  April  16,  1798,  obtained  a  good  education  for  that  day,  be- 
came a  well  informed  man  and  possessed  excellent  business  judgment.  He 
was  reared  as  a  farmer,  but  in  early  life  became  a  ship  carpenter,  working 
for  the  ship-building  firm  of  Brown  &  Bell.  When  a  young  man  he  went 
to  Athens,  New  York,  establishing  his  home  at  that  place.  Twice  married, 
he  first  wedded  Elizabeth  Spencer,  who  died  in  Athens  nineteen  years 
after  their  marriage.     He  then  wedded  her    sister,    Mary    P.    (Spencer) 


594  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Bennett,  who  was  born  at  Albany,  New  York,  August  6,  1813.  The 
Spencers  were  probably  of  Holland  lineage.  The  children  of  the  second 
marriage  were :  Charles  H..  born  February  26,  1852;  and  William  B., 
who  was  born  July  13,  1854.  Cornelius  Hadden  followed  ship-building  at 
Athens,  on  the  Hudson  river,  for  many  years,  prospering  in  his  under- 
takings and  becoming  a  substantial  citizen.  He  was  for  some  years  in 
partnership  with  William  H.  3.Iorton,  and  the  firm  not  only  carried  on 
operations  on  an  extensive  scale  along  the  line  of  ship-building,  but  also 
engaged  in  merchandising. 

On  the  2d  of  May,  1861,  Mr.  Hadden  arrived  at  Morris,  Illinois,  and  a 
few  days  later  settled  on  what  is  known  as  ^he  Hadden  homestead,  having 
purchased  the  land  in  1857.  It  was  then  a  wild  tract  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  on  which  a  log  cabin  had  been  built  and  a  few  acres  had  been 
broken.  It  was  pleasantly  situated  on  Waupecan  creek  and  is  well  tim- 
bered. I\Ir.  Hadden  improved  the  property  by  developing  the  fields  and 
erecting  good  buildings.  At  one  time  he  was  the  owner  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Iowa,  but  sold  that  and  spent  his  last  days  on 
his  Illinois  farm,  where  he  died  January  27,  1895.  He  was  a  man  of 
excellent  judgment,  of  retentive  memory,  and  was  well  informed  on  all 
general  topics.  His  sterling  characteristics  made  him  highly  respected.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Jacksonian  Democrat  and  he  was  very  firm  in  upholding 
his  honest  convictions. 

William  B.  Hadden.  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  born  in 
Athens,  New  York,  July  13,  1854,  and  with  his  parents  came  to  Illinois 
when  about  seven  years  of  age.  He  has  therefore  witnessed  much  of  the 
growth  and  development  of  Grundy  county.  He  obtained  his  education 
in  the  common  schools,  and  through  the  summer  months  assisted  in  the 
work  of  field  and  meadow.  Not  long  after  attaining  his  majority  he  was 
married,  in  Morris,  Illinois,  January  26,  1876,  by  Rev.  John  Arthur  ]Mont- 
gotnery.  to  Laura  Frances  Allison,  who  was  born  in  Stark  county.  Illinois, 
December  3,  1856,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Hiram  and  Elizabeth  (Mann) 
Allison.  Her  paternal  grandparents  were  John  and  Elizabeth  (Stewart) 
Allison,  the  former  an  Ohio  farmer  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  His  parents 
were  James  and  Barbara  Allison,  and  the  former  is  the  first  of  the  name 
of  whom  we  have  record.  John  Allison  died  in  the  Buckeye  state.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  enlisting  at  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania.  He 
served  for  two  hundred  and  seventy-four  days  under  the  command  of  Cap- 
tain Coulson  and  Colonel  Free.  He  and  his  wife  located  in  Belmont  county. 
Ohio,  in  early  pioneer  days.  He  married  Elizabeth  Stewart,  who  was  born 
June  28,  1800.  Their  children  were  James.  Jebsel,  John,  Hiram.  George, 
Susan  and  Rebecca.    The  mother  of  these  children  was  a  daughter  of  Jesse 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  595 

and  Mary  Stewart.  Her  father  was  born  October  12,  1777,  and  died  Octo- 
ber 8,  1846.  His  wife  was  born  Marcli  12,  1762.  Their  cliildren  were 
EHzabeth,  Rebecca,  Alatilda,  Mary  and  James  P.  Jesse  Stewart  removed 
to  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  in  1844,  having  for  some  time  previous  lived 
in  Marietta,  that  state. 

He  was  living  there  at  the  time  of  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of 
1812.  Responding  to  tlie  country's  call  for  troops,  he  enlisted  under  Cap- 
tain Van  Horn  with  the  attachment  that  went  northeast  to  Lake  Cham- 
plain  and  thence  by  the  Niagara  route  to  Lake  Erie.  He  participated  in 
the  battle  on  Lake  Erie,  under  Commodore  Penw,  September  9,  1813. 
He  was  the  great-grandfather  of  Mrs.  Hadden.  Hiram  Allison  was  born 
in  Ohio,  December  3,  1825,  attended  the  common  schools  and  was  married 
in  Morristown,  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  by  Alexander  Ewing,  to  Elizabeth 
ALinn,  who  was  born  in  Bedford  county,  Pennsyhania,  INIarch  4,  1832, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Catherine  (Elerick)  Mann.  Her  father 
conducted  a  tavern  at  the  foot  of  the  Alleghany  mountains,  and  there  died 
in  middle  life.  His  wife  was  of  sturdy  Pennsylvania  Dutch  stock.  They 
had  seven  children,  namely:  John,  David,  George,  Holdridge,  Mary, 
Catherine  and  Elizabeth.  Hiram  Allison  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  who 
in  1852  came  to  Illinois  and  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in 
Stark  county.  Not  a  furrow  had  been  turned  or  an  improvement  made 
upon  the  place,  but  he  carefully  developed  it  and  after  some  years  re- 
moved to  Sedalia,  Missouri,  where  he  spent  nine  years.  He  then  returned 
to  Grundy  county,  where  he  carried  on  farming  for  some  time,  but  is 
now  living  retired  in  St.  Clairsville,  Ohio,  at  the  venerable  age  of  seventy- 
five  years,  his  toil  in  former  years  enabling  him  at  the  present  time  to  rest 
in  the  enjoyment  of  a  comfortable  competence.  His  wife  died  at  the  home 
of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Hadden,  July  29,  1889.  Their  children  were:  Cath- 
erine Elizabeth,  who  was  born  January  12,  1849;  Clara  Agnes,  who  was 
born  December  16,  1850;  John  W.,  born  December  25,  1852;  Hiram  D., 
born  March  15,  1855;  Laura  F.,  born  December  3,  1856;  Joseph  A.,  born 
June  13,  1858;  James  L.,  born  May  18,  i860;  William  O.,  born  June  18, 
1862;  Margaret  J.,  born  March  29,  1864;  and  Samuel  A.,  born  July  7, 
1868. 

Mr.  Hadden  has  remained  upon  the  old  homestead  and  has  made 
many  excellent  improvements  on  the  place.  In  1896  he  erected  a  large 
and  commodious  residence,  in  the  modern  style  of  architecture,  and  the 
home  is  tastefully  furnished  and  pervaded  with  an  air  of  culture  and  re- 
finement. The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hadden  has  been  blessed  with 
the  following  named:  Lena  Belle,  who  was  born  October  9,  1877,  and 
died  June   13,    1878;  William   M.,  born   April  22,   1879;  Samuel   C,   born 


596  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

July  15,  1882;  and  Gardie  A.,  who  was  born  May  27,  1889,  and  died  June  2, 
1890.  Mrs.  Hadden  and  her  sons  are  members  of  the  Congregational 
church,  and  in  his  political  views  Mr.  Hadden  is  a  Jeffersonian  Democrat. 
The  cause  of  education  finds  in  him  a  warm  friend,  and  he  has  served  as  a 
member  of  the  school  board  in  his  district  for  one  term  and  is  at  present 
school  trustee.  He  has  lately  been  elected  to  the  office  of  highway  com- 
missioner. Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to  Mazon  Lodge,  No. 
826.  He  also  holds  membership  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp  at 
Wauponsee,  being  now  venerable  counsel.  A  well  known  and  represen- 
tative citizen  and  a  man  of  unblemished  character,  he  enjoys  the  respect 
and  confidence,  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  in  contact,  and  his 
genial  and  pleasant  disposition  has  made  him  very  popular  and  has  gained 
him  many  warm  friends. 


JAMES  B.  HOGE. 


The  Hoge  family,  of  w-hich  the  subject  of  this  article  is  a  sterling  rep- 
resentative, came  to  Illinois  from  Virginia  in  the  early  times  of  this  state, 
and  from  that  time  until  the  present  ha\-e  been  noted  for  patriotism  and  all 
of  the  other  qualities  which  constitute  loyal  citizens.  William  Hoge,  the 
father  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion,  where  he  occupied  a 
distinguished  place,  being  a  gentleman  of  wealth  and  influence,  but,  wisely 
foreseeing  the  possibilities  of  the  great  w^est,  he  determined  to  cast  in  his 
lot  with  the  people  of  Illinois,  and,  settling  in  Grundy  county,  he  spent  the 
leniainder  of  his  useful  life  on  these  prairies. 

His  son,  James  B.  Hoge,  born  May  6,  1834,  was  the  first  white  child 
born  within  the  limits  of  Grundy  county.  He  attended  the  district  schools 
and  worked  upon  his  father's  farm  until  he  reached  his  majority,  when  he 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Saratoga  township  and  embarked  in  agri- 
culture upon  his  own  responsibility.  His  home  is  located  on  the  southeast 
quarter  section  of  section  19,  and  numerous  improvements  and  modern  con- 
veniences have  been  added  by  him  to  the  place  from  time  to  time,  thus 
rendering  it  one  of  the  most  desirable  tracts  of  land  in  the  county.  He  and 
his  estimable  wife  have  reared  their  children  in  noble  principles,  and  they 
have  reason  to  be  proud  of  the  manner  in  which  they  are  meeting  the  respon- 
sibilities of  life. 

The  marriage  of  James  B.  Hoge  and  Eliza  J.  Hatcher,  of  Belmont 
county,  Ohio,  was  celebrated  March  20,  i860.  She  is  one  of  the  seven  chil- 
dren of  Elijah  and  Jane  (Craig)  Hatcher,  the  others  being  named  as  follows: 
Noah  J.,  a  wealthy  farmer  of  Lloydsville,  Ohio;  Rebecca  and  Rachel,  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  597 

latter  the  widow  of  Joseph  Pancoast,  are  residents  of  Belmont  county,  Ohio; 
John,  a  retired  farmer,  married  Mary  Jane,  daughter  of  Isaac  Hoge,  Sr.,  of 
Grundy  county,  Illinois;  Sarah  is  the  wife  of  Leander  Moore,  a  prosperous 
farmer  of  Sheridan,  Iowa;  and  Cecelia  married  Charles  Pickering,  who  is  a 
retired  farmer  of  St.  Clairsville,  Ohio. 

Seven  children  blessed  the  union  of  our  subject  and  wife,  and  three  of 
the  number  are  yet  living  at  home.  William  E.  was  born  December  13, 
i860,  and  at  present  is  engaged  in  business  in  Chicago.  For  a  wife  he  chose 
Harriet  Dillon,  of  Tarkio,  Missouri,  and  their  children  are:  Alverda  Hazel, 
Lucy  Eliza  and  James  Wilbur.  John  F.,  the  second  son,  born  December  13, 
1862,  is  now  employed  as  a  reporter  for  the  Los  Angeles  (California)  Her- 
ald. Lucy,  born  March  4,  1866,  departed  this  life  June  29,  1868.  Harry 
S..  whose  birth  took  place  October  7,  1868,  married  Millie  Kay,  of  Morris, 
Illinois,  and  they  have  two  promising  little  sons,  Frank  Thomas  and  W' alter 
Talmadge.  The  family  dwell  upon  a  farm  adjoining  the  old  homestead  be- 
longing to  our  subject.  Florence  C,  born  December  11,  1870;  Minnie  L., 
born  June  29,  1876;  and  Fred  J.,  born  September  11,  1878,  aid  their  parents 
in  the  work  of  the  household  and  farm,  and,  like  their  elder  brothers  and 
sisters,  are  respected  and  esteemed  by  all  who  know  them. 


MARSHALL  B.  WILSON. 

Marshall  B.  Wilson,  who  owns  and  occupies  one  of  the  beautiful  homes 
of  Morris,  Illinois,  is  largely  interested  in  agricultural  pursuits  and  for  some 
years  has  dealt  extensively  in  stock.  As  a  representative  citizen  of  his 
county,  a  sketch  of  his  life  is  of  interest  in  this  connection,  and  is  as  follows : 

Marshall  B.  Wilson  was  born  in  Vienna  township,  Grundy  county,  Illi- 
nois, March  11,  1859,  a  son  of  Jonathan  and  Elma  C.  (Hoyle)  Wilson,  to 
whom  further  reference  is  made  in  the  biography  of  Joseph  A.  Wilson  in 
this  work.  Mr.  Wilson  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  remained  at  the  home 
place  until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age,  the  last  few  years  of  that  time 
being  in  partnership  with  his  father.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  he  began 
farming  on  his  own  responsibility,  in  Vienna  township,  this  county,  and 
subsequently  removed  to  Erienna  township,  where  he  resided  until  Febru- 
ary 20,  1892,  since  which  time  he  has  lived  at  his  present  home  in  Morris. 
He  has  the  control  of  fourteen  hundred  acres  of  fine  farming  land,  the  farm- 
ing operations  of  which  he  superintends,  and  for  some  years  he  has  dealt  ex- 
tensively in  stock,  making  a  specialty  of  the  cattle  business. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  married  February  20,  1884,  to  Martha  Jane  Holder- 
man,  a  daughter  of  Abraham  Holderman,  one  of  the  respected  citizens  of 


598  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Grundy  county.  Their  union  has  been  blessed  in  the  birth  of  four  children, 
namely:  Mary,  who  died  in  the  summer  of  1899.  at  the  age  of  fourteen 
years;  Abbie;  Grace,  who  died  in  childhood:  and  Ella  Bird. 

Mr.  Wilson  has  always  manifested  a  public  spirit  that  is  commendable. 
He  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party,  and  while  he  has  never  been  an  as- 
pirant for  ofificial  honors  he  has  performed  with  credit  the  public  service  that 
has  devolved  upon  him.  At  this  writing  he  is  the  assistant  supervisor  of 
Morris  township.  Also  he  has  served  on  the  Morris  board  of  education. 
Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the  IMasonic  order,  being  a  Knight  Templar. 


WILLIAMS!   \V.   :\rMANN. 

Probably  the  oldest  physician  in  point  of  years  of  practice  in  Grundy 
county  is  Dr.  William  W.  McMann,  of  Gardner.  He  settled  in  the  town 
in  1864  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  in  which  he  has  con- 
tinued to  the  present  time,  during  a  period  of  thirty-six  years. 

He  was  born  in  what  is  now  the  state  of  West  Virginia,  in  1838.  His 
father,  James  McMann,  was  a  native  of  the  same  state;  and  his  mother, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Alary  Lee,  was  descended  from  one  branch  of  the 
family  of  that  name  that  produced  the  famous  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  of 
the  southern  Confederacy,  and  the  Lees  of  Revolutionar}-  fame.  Our  sub- 
ject was  a  boy  when  brought  to  Ohio  by  his  pai"ents,  who  later  removed  to 
Noble  county,  Indiana,  where  they  passed  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  He 
receixed  a  common-school  education  and  began  the  study  of  medicine  under 
the  preceptorship  of  Dr.  George  W.  Carr,  of  Noble  county,  Indiana,  who 
was  for  some  time  his  preceptor.  At  the  time  of  the  breaking  out  of  the 
war  of  the  rebellion  he  was  a  student  in  the  medical  department  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania,  at  Philadelphia. 

His  college  course  was  interrupted  by  his  determination  to  enter  the 
army,  and  on  President  Lincoln's  call  for  seventy-five  thousand  volunteers, 
in  i86i,  like  many  another  patriotic  young  man,  he  threw  aside  his  books  to 
enter  th.e  service  of  his  country.  The  first  call  for  troops  having  been  for  a 
period  of  three  months,  he  enlisted  for  that  time  in  Company  A,  McClellan's 
Dragoons,  under  Captain  Barker,  of  Chicago;  August  i,  of  that  year,  he  re- 
enlisted  in  the  same  command,  with  which  he  served  until  the  spring  of  1862, 
when  he  was  detailed  to  the  medical  department  for  hospital  service  at  Gen- 
eral Stoneman's  headquarters,  as  acting  assistant  surgeon  under  Dr.  Mc- 
Mullen.  He  rejoined  his  regiment  just  before  the  severe  battle  at  Williams- 
burg, \'irginia.  in  which  he  was  wounded,  being  shot  in  the  left  hand  and 
wrist.     The  duties  upon  which  he  entered  after  his  recover}^  in  the  medical 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD.  599 

and  surgical  department  of  the  service  were  of  greater  value  to  him  than 
would  have  been  several  courses  of  lectures  in  a  medical  college,  and  the 
value  of  the  practical  knowledge  he  there  obtained  has  been  illustrated  in 
a  most  successful  professional  career.  The  Doctor  was  sent  to  the  hospital 
at  Bnjad  and  Cherry  streets,  Philadelphia,  Pennsjdvania,  and  after  the  re- 
covery from  his  wound  he  acted  as  assistant  surgeon  for  several  months, 
and  acted  in  same  capacity  in  the  convalescent  camp,  Alexandria,  Virginia, 
several  months. 

In  1864  the  Doctor  left  the  service  of  the  United  States  and  soon  after- 
ward located  at  Gardner,  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  where  he  immediately 
entered  upon  a  most  successful  practice,  and  he  has  long  occupied  a  high 
place  in  the  medical  profession  of  this  part  of  Illinois.  An  ideal  family 
physician,  he  has  the  confidence  of  the  public  in  a  remarkable  degree.  Be- 
sides being  so  successful  in  his  medical  and  surgical  practice.  Dr.  McMann 
is  a  good  l)usiness  man  and  has  accumulated  a  competency.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Republican.     He  is  a  Royal  Arch  ^Nlason  and  a  Knight  of  Pythias. 

Dr.  McMann  has  been  twice  married.  For  his  first  wife  he  chose  Eliza 
Jane  Atkinson.  His  present  wife,  whom  he  married  October  11,  1888,  was 
Libbie  Jones,  a  native  of  Ohio.  By  his  first  marriage  he  has  a  daughter, 
named  !\Iaud  Magnolia,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Edwin  Wymer,  M.  D.,  of 
Chicago,  Illinois.  The  Doctor  is  a  lover  of  home  and  home  interests,  and 
everything  that  pertains  to  the  development  and  prosperity  of  the  commu- 
nity in  which  he  lives  has  his  generous  and  substantial  support.  He  is  no 
less  public-spirited  than  patriotic,  and  his  friendly  sympathies  have  endeared 
him  to  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in  intimate  contact;  and  those  who  know 
him  best  like  him  best,  for  thev  know  him  as  a  friend; 


REUBEN  SHERMAN   HURD. 

When  the  northern  section  of  Illinois  was  still  in  the  period  of  its  pioneer 
development,  when  its  lands  were  wild  and  the  work  of  civilization  was 
being  begun  by  those  who  were  tO'  play  an  acti\-e  part  in  the  progress  and 
improvement  of  the  state,  Reuben  S.  Hurd  came  to  the  west.  He  was 
born  in  Oneida  county.  New  York,  February  12,  1815,  a  son  of  Reuben 
and  Amanda  (Parker)  Hurd.  natives  of  Connecticut.  In  their  family  of 
ten  children  he  was  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth.  Upon  his  father's  farm  he 
Avas  reared,  and  in  1838,  at  the  age  of  twenty-three,  he  came  to  Illinois, 
locating  one  hundred  and  eight  acres  of  land  in  Kendall  county.  Later  he 
returned  to  New  York  and  married  Sophronia  S.  Keith.     With  his  wife  he 


6oo  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

returned  to  Kendall  county,  where  he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  until 
1866,  when  his  wife  died. 

The  following  year  he  sold  his  farm  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Morris. 
He  was  a  successful  agriculturist  and  although  he  was  in  very  limited  cir- 
cumstances when  he  emigrated  to  the  west  he  possessed  a  very  desirable 
competence  on  his  retirement  from  labor.  His  unfailing  energy,  strong 
determination  and  marked  enterprise  enabled  him  to  so  conduct  his  busi- 
ness affairs  that  he  secured  excellent  financial  returns.  In  the  fall  of  1867 
he  was  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Minnie  A.  Hale. 
For  fifteen  years  thereafter  he  and  his  wife  traveled  in  various  parts  of  the 
United  States,  hoping  to  benefit  his  health  through  change  of  scene.  They 
have  always  made  Morris  their  home,  however,  and  are  widely  and  favorably 
known  in  this  city. 


GEORGE  PRESTON. 


The  fitting  reward  of  a  well  spent  and  active  business  career  is  an 
honored  retirement  from  labor  in  which  one  has  opportunity  to  enjoy  the 
fruits  of  former  toil.  Such  an  opportunity  has  been  vouchsafed  to  Mr. 
Preston,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  and  substantial  citizens  of  Grundy 
county,  who  is  now  living  retired  in  ]\Iazon.  He  has  attained  the  age  of 
seventy-seven  years  and  has  the  veneration  and  respect  which  sliould  ever 
be  accorded  to  those  who  have  reached  the  downward  slope  of  life.  He 
was  born  September  22,  1822,  in  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  his  parents 
being  Elijah  and  Martha  (Wheatley)  Preston.  His  father  was  a  son  of 
William  and  Zuba  (Sweet)  Preston.  The  grandfather  was  a  native  of 
Vermont  and  by  occupation  a  farmer.  In  early  pioneer  days  he  went  to 
Ohio,  making  the  journey  by  boat  a  part  of  the  way.  In  old  age  he  lo- 
cated in  Tuscarawas  county,  on  the  farm  owned  by  his  son  Elijah,  and 
there  spent  his  remaining  days,  his  death  occurring  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
three  years.  He  was  a  very  industrious  and  energetic  man  and  belonged 
to  that  class  of  pioneers  who  have  laid  the  foundation  for  the  present 
prosperity  of  our  country.  His  children  were:  Elijah,  William,  Oliver, 
John,  James,  Sallie,  Betsey,  Polly  and  Zuba. 

Elijah  Preston,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Vermont.  April 
16,  1799,  and  received  such  educational  privileges  as  were  afforded  by 
the  common  schools  of  that  time.  He  was  reared  upon  a  farm,  and 
when  about  sixteen  years  of  age  accompanied  his  father  on  his  removal 
to  Ohio,  the  first  location  of  the  family  being  made  on  the  Ohio  river, 
not  far  from   Pittsburg.      Elijah   Preston   early   became   familiar   with    the 


^^^Q-^    0^^-£^-y^^cn^ 


yoy'Tyui  J'^H.^ijhfv^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  6oi 

arduous  task  of  developing  new  land  and  throughout  his  Hfe  engaged  in 
the  tilling  of  the  soil.  He  was  married  in  Virginia  to  Martha  Wheatley, 
a  native  of  the  Green  Mountain  state,  born  October  3,  1799,  and  a  daughter 
of  George  Wheatley.  Her  father  was  a  Virginian  by  birth  and  for  some 
time  resided  in  West  Virginia,  not  far  from  the  Ohio  river  or  from  the 
city  of  Wheeling.  By  occupation  he  was  a  miller.  In  the  '50s  he  came 
to  Illinois,  locating  just  across  the  river  from  St.  Louis,  and  his  death 
occurred  in  East  St.  Louis,  when  he  had  attained  the  age  of  seventy-one 
years.  His  life  was  characterized  by  marked  industry.  His  children  were : 
George,  born  September  22,  1822;  William,  November  6,  1825;  Samuel, 
John,  Elijah,  Nancy,  Ann,  Martha,  Mary,  Sarah  and  Jane. 

After  his  marriage  Elijah  Preston  located  in  Tuscarawas  county, 
Ohio,  on  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  timber  land.  By  hard 
work  and  close  application  he  cleared  his  fields  and  made  a  good  pioneer 
home,  to  which  he  added  by  additional  purchase  until  he  was  the  owner 
of  one  hundred  and  eighty  acres.  About  1834,  however,  he  sold  that  prop- 
erty and  removed  to  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  where  he  purchased  an 
improved  farm,  upon  which  he  lived  until  185 1,  when  he  disposed  of  that 
and  came  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois.  Here  he  secured  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  partly  improved  land  in  Mazon  township,  a  small  amount 
of  the  land  having  been  broken  and  a  little  cabin  erected  thereon.  A  week 
later  Mr.  Preston  went  by  canal  to  Chicago  and  purchased  lumber  with 
which  to  build  a  barn  and  also  to  enlarge  his  house.  He  returned  a  week 
later  and  was  then  taken  ill  with  cholera  and  died  after  fifteen  days.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  were  consistent  and  faithful  members  of  the  Methodist 
church  in  early  life  but  afterward  joined  the  United  Brethren  church.  Mr. 
Preston  ser\'ed  as  a  class-leader  in  Ohio  and  was  actively  interested  in 
whatever  tended  to  advance  the  cause  of  Christianity.  His  life  was  one 
of  activity  and  through  his  enterprising  eft'orts  he  acquired  a  good  home. 
In  politics  he  was  an  old-line  Whig  in  early  life  and  when  the  subject  of 
slavery  became  the  dominant  issue  he  joined  the  Abolition  party. 

From  the  old  family  Bible  the  following  record  of  the  children  is  ob- 
tained:  George,  the  eldest  son,  was  born  September  22,  1822,  and  was 
married  April  30,  1840,  to  Elizabeth  Carnes.  William,  born  November 
6,  1825,  was  married  May  18,  1847,  to  Phebe  Randal.  James  D.,  born 
May  7,  1828,  was  married  March  23,  1848,  to  Elizabeth  Huffman.  Jane, 
born  December  8,  1830,  became  the  wife  of  William  Keepers  on  the  19th 
of  May,  1847.  Sarah,  born  November  3,  1832,  was  married  March  27. 
185 1,  to  Alexander  Lotta.  Elijah,  born  January  4,  1835,  died  March  26, 
1848.  Finley,  born  March  22,  1837,  died  February  20,  1855.  Martha  Ann, 
born  May  9,  1839,  was  married  November  15,  1855,  to  George  Paxton  and 


•6o2  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

died  December  17,  1867.  Asbury,  born  November  21,  1841,  was  a  sol- 
dier of  the  civil  war.  He  went  to  the  front  with  an  Illinois  regiment  and 
died  at  Vicksburg  during  the  service.  Albert,  born  July  15,  1846,  was 
also  a  soldier  and  died  in  Streator,  Illinois,  December  8,  1879.  The  father 
of  these  children  died  August  15.  185 1.  In  the  old  Wheatley  family  Bible 
the  following  record  is  given:  George  Wheatley,  Sr.,  was  born  Septem- 
ber 2,  1775,  and  died  April  22,  1845.  Jane  Nelson  Wheatley,  his  wife, 
was  born  January  4,  1778,  and  died  October  3,  1829.  Their  children  were: 
Ann.  who  was  called  Nancy,  was  born  November  5,  1797:  Martha  was 
born  October  3.  1799;  John,  December  7.  1801,  and  died  June  21,  1818; 
Mary  was  born  June  20,  1804;  Sarah,  February  3,  1806;  Warren  was  born 
March  19,  1803,  and  died  August  23,  1849;  Samuel  was  born  May  16,  1810; 
William,  June  3,  1812;  Jane,  August  i,  1814;  George  was  born  Novem- 
ber 22,  1816,  and  died  March  i,  1841 ;  John  Nelson  was  born  March  23, 
1819;  and  Eliza  P.,  June  22,  1821. 

George  Preston,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  received  a  limited 
education  in  the  subscription  schools.  His  boyhood  days  were  spent  on 
the  farm  and  at  the  age  of  twelve  years  he  accompanied  his  parents  on 
their  removal  to  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  driving  a  four-horse  team  on 
the  journey.  He  married  Elizabeth  Games,  of  that  county,  and  as  he  was 
only  eighteen  years  of  age  and  his  bride  was  about  the  same  age,  their 
parents  objected  to  their  marriage.  Determining,  however,  to  unite  their 
destinies  without  delay,  they  took  the  opportunity  when  their  respective 
fathers  were  attending  court  to  run  away,  and,  crossing  the  line  into  West 
\'irginia,  where  no  license  was  required,  they  were  there  married.  Mrs. 
Preston  was  born  in  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  her  father.  John  Carnes, 
being  one  of  its  pioneers.  He  afterward  removed  to  Hocking  county, 
Ohio.  His  children  were:  John.  William,  Matilda,  Elizabeth,  Mary, 
Isabel,  Caroline  and  Margaret.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Preston  three  children 
Avere  born:  William  C.,  born  April  4,  1846;  Mary,  born  July  20,  1852;  and 
George  W.,  born  June  7,  1855. 

The  young  couple  had  begun  their  domestic  life  upon  his  father's  old 
homestead  farm  in  Tuscarawas  county,  where  they  remained  for  eight 
years.  On  the  3d  of  June,  1851,  they  started  for  Illinois  and  arrived  at 
Coal  City,  Grundy  county,  on  the  2d  of  July.  Mr.  Preston  had  two 
brothers,  William  and  James,  who  were  then  living  in  the  town.  The 
joufney  was  made  with  horses  and  the  jiarty  numbered  five  difYerent 
families  who  had  been  neighbors  in  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  and  had  come 
to  the  west  to  seek  their  fortunes.  Elijah  Preston,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, with  his  family,  was  of  the  party,  together  with  Abraham  Carter  and 
William  Keepers,  who  were  accompanied  by  their  respective  families.     At 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  603 

night  they  would  camp  out  by  the  wayside,  sleeping  in  their  wagons,  and 
the  trip  proved  a  very  pleasant  one  until  the  last  night,  when  a  hard  rain 
and  wind  storm  occurred.  Previous  to  that  there  had  been  but  one  slight 
shower.  After  reaching  Grundy  county  Mr.  Preston  established  his  home 
in  Good  Farm  township,  where  he  rented  land  for  two  years.  He  then 
purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  a  wild  tract  of  prairie  land  upon 
which  not  a  furrow  had  been  turned  or  an  improvement  made,  but  with 
characteristic  energy,  however,  he  developed  and  adtled  to  it  until  he  had 
four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  rich,  valuable  land,  all  under  a  high  state 
of  cultivation  and  all  in  Good  Farm  township.  He  erected  thereon  sub- 
stantial buildings  and  made  many  excellent  improvements.  Indolence  and 
idleness  formed  no  part  of  his  nature  and  his  untiring  efforts  brought  to 
him  prosperity  which  enabled  him,  after  many  years  of  active  toil,  to  put 
aside  all  business  cares.  His  first  serious  trouble  in  his  new  home  was  the 
death  of  his  wife.  She  was  born  March  21,  1823,  and  passed  away  De- 
cember 22,  1857,  after  fourteen  years  of  happy  married  life,  their  wedding 
having  been  celebrated  April  23.  1840.  Mr.  Preston  was  again  married,  in 
old  Mazon,  his  second  imion  being  with  Jane  Johnston,  who  was  born 
in  Richland  county,  Ohio,  April  13,  1823,  a  daughter  of  Andrew  and  I\Iary 
(Thompson)  Johnston. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Preston  were  members  of  the  Congregational 
church  and  in  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  He  has  always  taken  a  deep 
interest  in  everything  pertaining  to  the  welfare  and  progress  of  the  com- 
munity and  has  always  advocated  good  roads.  In  1882  he  purchased  prop- 
€rty  in  Mazon  and  to  each  of  his  three  children  he  gave  eighty  acres  of 
land.  He  is  one  of  the  owners  of  the  opera  house  in  Mazon  and  is  in  com- 
fortable circumstances.  All  who  know  him  esteem  him  for  his  sterling 
worth,  and  his  career  has  been  characterized  by  energy,  perseverance  and 
good  management  and  above  all  by  honorable  dealing. 


LUKE   HALE,   M.   D. 


One  of  the  pioneer  representatives  of  the  medical  profession  in  Morris 
is  Dr.  Luke  Hale,  and  the  older  citizens  of  Grundy  county  yet  remember 
him  as  a  man  of  ability  in  the  line  of  his  chosen  calling  and  as  a  citizen  whose 
upright  life  commended  him  to  their  confidence  and  regard.  He  was  bom  in 
the  old  Granite  state  on  the  8th  of  October,  1796,  and  after  preparing  for 
the  medical  profession  Isegan  practicing  in  Brandon,  Vermont.  At  length 
he  determined  to  seek  a  home  in  the  west,  believing  an  excellent  opening 
was  afiforded  in  this  new  but  rapidly  developing  country.     Accordingly  he 


6o4  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

took  up  his  abode  in  i^IcHenn,-  county,  in  1836.  upon  a  farm  on  which  the 
town  of  Ringwood  was  afterward  built.  In  1842  he  removed  to  Dundee, 
Kane  county,  IlHnois,  where  he  successfully  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine until  1857.  A  year  later  he  arrived  in  ^Morris,  and  here  he  engaged  in 
the  prosecution  of  his  profession  until  his  death.  His  knowledge  of  the 
science  of  medicine  was  thorough  and  accurate  for  that  day,  and  he  received 
and  merited  a  liberal  patronage. 

The  Doctor  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Amelia  Clifford,  a 
native  of  Connecticut,  and  their  children  were  as  follows:  Anna  Eliza  B., 
the  wife  of  Dr.  Rosencranz,  of  Elgin;  Dr.  Roscoe  L.,  now  a  druggist  of  Se- 
dalia.  Missouri:  Minnie  A.,  the  wife  of  R.  S.  Hurd,  of  Morris:  William  C; 
Martin  B.,  who  resides  in  Morris:  and  Fannie  A.,  who  became  the  wife  of 
W.  J.  Copp,  of  Hamilton.  Canada.  Of  these  children  only  Mrs.  Hurd  and 
Martin  B.  Hale  now  reside  in  Morris.  They  are  both  highly  respected 
citizens,  and  the  lady  is  an  active  member  of  the  Congregational  church. 
The  mother  died  in  Morris  in  1873.  She  was  an  ardent  advocate  of  abolition 
principles  and  rendered  effective  assistance  to  the  fleeing  slaves  who  were 
making  their  way  northward  on  the  "underground  railroad."  She  was  a 
iaily  of  many  admirable  qualities  and  characteristics,  and,  like  Dr.  Hale, 
she  enjoyed  the  friendship  and  high  regard  of  many  of  the  citizens  of  Morris 
and  the  surrounding  country. 


TOHN  BARTON. 


The  number  of  residents  of  Grundy  county  of  English  nativity  is  not 
large,  but  in  this  county,  as  elsewhere,  residents  of  English  birth  have  de- 
monstrated their  capacity  for  good  citizenship.  The  Englishman  is  usually 
enterprising,  and  he  is  always  intelligent,  liberal  and  patriotic.  He  is  imbued 
with  the  same  spirit  of  progressiveness  that  animates  his  cousin,  the  Yan- 
kee, and  readily  and  cordially  joins  hands  with  the  latter  in  the  work  of 
civilization  and  dexelopment.  John  Barton,  of  Gardner,  Grundy  county, 
Illinois,  has  illustrated  this  fact  in  his  every-day  life  and  proven  it  by  his 
success.  Proud  that  he  is  an  Englishman. — for  when  you  look  the  world 
ever  you  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is  a  good  thing  to  be  an  English- 
man,— he  is  no  less  proud  that  he  is  an  American  also, — an  American  in 
progressiveness,  in  patriotism,  in  love  for  humanity. 

He  first  saw  the  light  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  one  day  in  1844.  His 
father,  Samuel  Barton,  never  came  to  this  country.  Francis,  a  brother,  came 
previously,  and  is  now  living  at  \\'heaton.  Illinois.     John  was  educated  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  605 

his  native  England  and  learned  the  trade  of  milling.  In  1871  he  came  to 
America,  and.  making  his  way  west  to  Illinois,  located  at  Keithsburg,  in 
Mercer  connty,  where  he  lived  four  years,  and  after  that  he  engaged  in 
farming  near  that  village.  In  1881  he  became  a  resident  at  Gardner,  and 
until  1888  was  employed  by  Louis  Germain  in  the  operation  of  the  machinery 
of  the  elevator  at  that  place. 

Mr.  Barton  was  the  assessor  of  Greenfield  township  from  1891  to  1897, 
inclusive.  He  has  been  a  justice  of  the  peace  since  1892  and  notary  public 
since  1893.  He  is  a  local  preacher  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and 
in  the  year  immediately  preceding  his  coming  to  Gardner  he  was  the  pastor 
of  a  church  near  Bushnell,  Illinois.  He  still  occasionally  fills  appointments. 
In  his  political  affiliations  he  is  a  Republican.  His  public  spirit  has  caused 
him  to  take  an  interest  in  many  movements  planned  for  the  good  of  the 
public,  and  he  is  regarded  as  a  worthy  and  most  useful  citizen.  As  a  Chris- 
tian and  a  preacher  of  the  word  of  God,  he  naturally  feels  a  deep  interest  in 
all  religious  work,  which  he  aids  so  far  as  possible  whenever  opportunity 
is  presented.  The  moral  example  of  his  life  is  of  high  utility  in  the  commu- 
nitv,  and  as  a  public  ofhcial  he  perhaps  exemplifies  the  highest  conception 
of  official  integrity  and  faithfulness  as  brilliantly  as  any  public  functionary 
in  the  country. 

In  1872  Mr.  Barton  was  married,  at  Keithsburg,  Illinois,  to  Miss  Emma 
Ball.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barton  have  five  children, — one  son  and  four  daugh- 
ters,— named  as  follows:  George,  Mary,  Lizzie,  Lottie  and  Lulu.  All 
of  them  except  the  youngest  are  graduates  of  the  high  school  at  Gardner. 
George  has  been  bookkeeper  for  the  Gardner-Wilmington  Coal  Company 
since  1893. 


LEWIS   P.   LOTT. 


The  name  of  Lewis  P.  Lott  well  deserves  a  prominent  place  in  the  pages 
■of  the  history  of  Grundy  county,  for  during  the  eariier  years  of  his  residence 
in  Morris  he  was  an  active  factor  in  the  business  life  of  the  city  and  later 
held  many  offices  to  which  he  was  called  by  his  fellow  townsmen,  who  recog- 
nized his  worth  and  ability  and  felt  that  the  confidence  that  they  reposed 
in  him  would  never  be  betrayed.  More  than  fourteen  years  have  passed 
since  his  life's  labors  were  ended,  but  his  memory  is  cherished  by  all  who 
knew  him,  and  the  record  of  his  career  is  a  credit  to  the  county  of  his  adop- 
tion. 

Mr.  Lott  was  numbered  among  the  native  sons  of  the  Empire  state,  his 
liirth  having  occurred  in  Covert,  in  Seneca  county,  New  York,  August  5, 


6o6  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

1813.  His  parents  were  Zephaniah  and  Permilla  (Phelps)  Lott,  the  former 
of  Holland  lineage  and  the  latter  of  English  descent.  The  family  is  noted 
for  longevity,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  having  died  at  the 
extreme  old  age  of  one  hundred  and  four  years,  while  his  wife  passed  away 
at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  six  years.  Zephaniah  Lott  was  bom  in 
Pennsylvania  in  1775,  and  in  early  life  removed  to  New  York,  where  he 
was  married.  The  fondness  for  home  and  the  dislike  of  removing  to  a 
new  locality  led  to  his  remaining  upon  one  farm  for  sixty  years.  He  died 
in  1855,  at  the  age  of  eighty  years,  and  his  wife,  who  was  born  in  Connecti- 
cut in  1780,  died  in  1863,  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years.  This  worthy 
couple  were  the  parents  of  thirteen  children. 

In  the  common  schools  of  his  native  state  Lewis  P.  Lott  pursued  his 
education  till  his  fourteenth  year,  when  he  went  tO'  Canandaigua.  New  York, 
where  he  learnetl  the  printer's  trade,  spending  six  years  at  that  place.  At 
the  expiration  of  that  period,  in  1832,  he  removed  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and 
there  worked  for  two  years  as  a  journeyman  printer,  after  which  he  formed 
a  partnership  with  his  friend  A.  S.  Sanford  and  opened  a  general  book  and 
stationery  store  and  job  printing  office.  For  several  years  they  conducted 
a  flourishing  business,  but  in  1842  Mr.  Lott  sold  out  and  removed  to  Kirt- 
land.  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  manufacturing  pumps,  pails,  tubs,  house- 
hold furniture  and  other  wooden  ware.  This  business  was  attended  with 
indifferent  success,  and  after  carr)'ing  on  his  operations  along  that  line  for 
two  and  a  half  years  he  sold  out  and  went  to  Warren,  Ohio,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  general  merchandising.  In  the  latter  venture  he  prospered,  but 
in  1846  his  store  was  destroyed  by  fire,  which  led  to  his  removal  to  Racine, 
Wisconsin,  where  he  engaged  in  merchandising  for  two  years. 

Mr.  Lott  removed  for  the  last  time  in  the  spring  of  1848.  when  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  Morris,  bringing  with  him  his  stock  of  general  merchan- 
dise. Here  he  opened  a  store  and  successfully  conducted  the  same  until 
i860,  when  he  sold  out  to  his  partner,  Horace  Hulburd.  He  then  retired 
from  business  with  a  competency  that  he  had  accjuired  through  his  own 
efforts.  From  an  early  age  he  depended  solely  upon  his  labors  for  what- 
ever he  had  and  by  continuous  industry',  economy  and  well-directed  labor 
he  was  enabled  to  save  some  money,  each  year  augmenting-  his  capital  as  a  re- 
sult of  his  earnest  labors.  Indolence  and  idleness  were  utterly  foreign  to  his 
nature,  and  although  he  retired  from  the  commercial  world  he  was  not  con- 
tent to  have  no  care  and  in  consequence  accepted  the  position  of  deputy 
circuit  court  clerk,  in  which  capacity  he  efficiently  served  for  eight  years, 
managing  the  affairs  of  the  office  with  skill  and  discrimination.  Possessed 
of  unusual  business  tact  and  ability,  every  business  with  which  he  became 
connected  rapidly  assumed  an  orderly,  systematic  and  prosperous  condition. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  O07 

He  invested  his  capital  from  time  to  time  in  real  estate  and  tlnis  became 
an  extensive  owner  of  farm  lands,  the  management  of  which  largely  occu- 
pied his  time  through  his  later  years.  However,  he  was  frequently  forced 
to  serve  his  fellow  citizens  in  various  positions  of  trust.  In  1856  he  was 
elected  chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors  and  served  for  three  years. 
For  about  fifteen  years  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  aldermen 
and  exercised  his  ofificial  prerogatives  to  promote  the  substantial  develop- 
ment and  improvement  of  the  city.  In  1870  he  was  elected  justice  of  the 
peace,  in  which  office  he  served  until  his  death,  administering  its  afTairs  with 
an  impartial  hand.  As  the  treasurer  of  the  school  board  he  successfully 
controlled  the  financial  interests  of  education  for  several  years. 

In  Cleveland,  Ohio,  on  the  22d  of  February,  1844,  Mr.  Lott  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Delia  Lloyd  Clark,  who  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Penn- 
sylvania, September  29,  1821.  Her  parents  removed  to  Cleveland,  Oliio, 
in  1839,  where  they  spent  the  residue  of  their  days.  Mrs.  Lott  survives 
her  husband  and  resides  at  her  home  in  Morris  with  her  only  living  son, 
Edward  L.  Lott.  She  is  still  in  possession  of  good  health  and  has  always 
been  an  active  worker  in  the  church  and  in  charitable  organizations.  Her 
kindly  manner  has  won  her  the  love  of  many  friends  and  all  who  know  her 
esteem  her  highly.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lott  were  born  four  sons,  two  of 
whom  died  in  infancy,  while  Frank  Clark  died  in  his  fourteenth  year. 

The  eldest  son,  Edward  L.  Lott.  is  now  living  with  his  mother  in 
Morris,  and  for  several  years  has  superintended  the  affairs  connected  with 
his  father's  estate.  Formerly  he  was  engaged  in  the  drug  business,  having 
a  store  in  Grand  Tower,  Illinois,  for  fourteen  years,  while  for  five  years  he 
conducted  a  drug  store  in  Morris.  His  honorable  dealing  and  trustworthi- 
ness have  gained  him  an  enviable  position  in  business  circles,  and  is  a  valued 
resident  of  the  community. 

Mr.  Lott,  of  this  sketch,  also  held  a  membership  in  the  Masonic  order, 
having  attained  the  Knight  Templar  degree  and  held  almost  every  office 
in  the  lodge,  chapter  and  commandery.  For  several  years  he  was  a  promi- 
nent Odd  Fellow,  but  for  some  time  prior  to  his  death  was  a  demitted  mem- 
ber. In  early  life  he  gave  his  political  support  to  the  Whig  party,  was  after- 
ward an  Abolitionist  and  Free-soiler.  and  when  the  Republican  party  was 
formed  to  prevent  the  further  extension  of  slavery  he  joined  its  ranks  and 
was  one  of  its  heartiest  advocates  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
Although  he  held  office  several  years  they  came  to  him  unsought,  being 
given  him  in  recognition  of  his  fitness  for  public  trusts.  Endowed  by  na- 
ture with  sound  judgment  and  an  accurate,  discriminating  mind,  he  never 
feared  that  laborious  attention  to  business  so  necessary  to  achieve  success, 
and  this  unusual  quality  was  ever  guided  by  a  sense  of  moral  right  which 


'6o8  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

would  tolerate  the  employment  onl\-  of  such  means  as  would  bear  the  most 
rigid  examination,  antl  by  a  fairness  of  intention  that  neither  sought  nor 
required  disguise. 


WILLIAM  C.  HASKIXS. 

One  of  the  most  venerable  and  worthy  citizens  of  Good  Farm  town- 
.ship  is  William  Cunningham  Haskins,  who  was  born  April  26,  1818,  in 
Delaware  county.  Ohio,  the  son  of  Jeremiah  and  Mary  (Butler)  Haskins. 
The  father  was  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Haskins  and  the  family 
is  of  sterling  English  Puritan  stock.  The  original  American  ancestors  lo- 
cated on  ^lartha's  Vineyard,  on  the  Massachusetts  coast,  and  at  a  later 
day  settled  in  the  Berkshire  hills  in  the  Bay  state.  Thomas  Haskins,  the 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  farmer  in  Hampshire  county,  ^Massa- 
chusetts.  They  had  three  children :  Elizabeth,  Hannah  and  Thomas.  His 
entire  life  was  spent  in  the  Bay  state,  where  he  died  when  about  fifty  years 
of  age.  He  had  a  brother  who  served  in  the  Revolutionan,-  war  and  was 
shot  in  the  forehead  in  a  battle  near  Boston,  his  death  resulting  instantly. 

Jeremiah  Haskins,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Hampshire 
county,  Massachusetts,  on  the  i6th  of  December,  1792,  and  when  a  young 
man  he  emigrated  westward  to  Dayton.  Ohio,  the  state  being  then  on  the 
wild  western  frontier.  At  the  time  of  the  second  war  with  England  he  en- 
tered the  ser\-ice,  loyally  defending  his  country  in  that  struggle.  He  was 
one  of  the  army  surrounded  by  General  Hall  at  Detroit,  and  in  Delaware 
county,  Ohio,  he  married  Miss  Mar)'  Butler,  who  was  born  in  Berkshire 
county,  Massachusetts,  May  26,  1793,  a  daughter  of  Jethro  and  Rebecca 
(Dunham)  Butler.  Jethro  Butler  was  of  English  Puritan  descent  and  was 
born  in  Massachusetts.  In  early  life  he  went  to  sea,  sailing  on  a  number 
of  whaling  voyages  to  the  polar  regions.  In  later  life  he  became  a  pros- 
perous farmer  in  Berkshire  county,  Massachusetts.  He  lived  to  a  vener- 
able age,  dying  on  the  old  homestead  where  his  wife  also  spent  her  last 
days.  Their  children  were  Jethro,  Daniel,  David,  Cornelius,  Levi,  George, 
Mary,  Sarah,  Lydia,  Persis,  Rebecca,  Ruth  and  Lucinda.  After  his  marriage. 
Jeremiah  Haskins  located  on  a  farm  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  be- 
coming the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  seventy-one  acres  of  land,  nearly 
all  of  which  he  bought  for  three  dollars  per  acre  at  a  very  early  period  in 
the  development  of  the  county.  He  prospered  in  his  undertakings  and  was 
the  possessor  of  a  comfortable  competence  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  December  6,  1869,  when  he  had  passed  the  eightieth  milestone  on 
life's  journey.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church,  a  devout  Christian 
gentleman,  and  for  more  than  thirty  years  ser\'ed  as  a  deacon.     His  early 


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BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  609 

political  support  was  given  to  the  Whig  party  and  later  he  became  a  stanch 
Republican.  For  ten  years  he  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace.  His 
life  was  honorable,  upright  and  industrious  and  he  was  a  pioneer  of  sterling 
worth  and  integrity.     His  children  were  James,  Butler  and  William  C. 

The  last  named  obtained  a  good  common-school  education  for  that 
■day,  was  reared  to  farm  life  and  when  about  twenty-three  years  of  age,  in 
Delaware  county,  on  the  3d  of  December,  1840,  was  married  to  Miss  Martha 
W.  Eaton,  whose  birth  occurred  December  6,  1823.  Her  parents  were 
David  and  Mary  (Roloson)  Eaton.  Her  father  was  born  in  Huntingdon 
•county,  Pennsylvania,  November  4,  1798,  and  was  a  son  of  Joseph  aufl 
Bathsheba  (Sackett)  Eaton,  the  former  a  son  of  David  and  a  grandson  of 
John  Eaton.  The  last  named  was  a  son  of  Joseph  Eaton,  and  his  father, 
who  also  bore  the  name  of  John  Eaton,  was  the  founder  of  the  family  in 
America,  coming  to  this  country  from  Wales  in  1686  and  settling  in  Penn- 
syh-ania.  Joseph  Eaton  became  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Delaware  county, 
Ohio,  where  he  located  in  1805,  when  a  young  man.  Here  he  cleared  and 
■developed  a  fine  farm  and  from  time  to  time  extended  its  boundaries  by 
.additional  purchases  until  he  was  the  owner  of  twelve  hundred  acres.  He 
became  both  a  wealthy  and  prominent  citizen  of  his  community  and  gave  to 
■each  of  his  sons  a  farm.  In  the  Baptist  church  he  held  membership  and 
filled  the  office  of  deacon.  He  was  the  first  man  elected  to  the  position  of 
surveyor  of  Delaware  county,  was  three  times  a  member  of  the  state  legis- 
lature and  for  many  years  was  a  justice  of  the  peace.  His  ability  well  quali- 
fied him  for  positions  of  prominence  and  he  was  a  recognized  leader  in  the 
thought  and  action  concerning  the  welfare  of  his  state  and  county,  being  a 
thorough  student  of  economics  and  public  questions.  He  died  in  1825,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-two  years,  and  his  community  lost  one  of  its  most  prominent 
representatives.  His  children  were :  Isaac,  James,  George,  David,  Joseph, 
Ruth.  Mary,  Martha  and  Annie.  Three  of  the  sons  of  Joseph  Eaton  were 
ministers  of  the  Baptist  church,  Isaac.  George  and  Joseph.  The  first  named 
Avas  also  a  farmer  of  Iowa  and  had  six  sons  in  the  civil  war.  George  was  for 
a  time  president  of  Hamilton  College,  in  New  York,  and  went  to  the  Holy 
Land,  visiting  Jerusalem  in  the  interest  of  his  church.  Joseph  was  president 
of  the  College  at  Murfreesboro.  Tennessee,  and  was  also  an  editor. 

David  Eaton,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Haskins,  spent  a  portion  of  his  boy- 
hood in  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1805  went  with  his  parents  to  the  Buckeye 
state.  He  wedded  Mary  Roloson,  who  was  born  in  Wantage  township,  Sus- 
sex county,  New  Jersey,  January  16,  1800,  a  daughter  of  John  antl  Lydia 
(Van  Sickle)  Roloson.  Her  father  was  a  cooper  by  trade,  and,  on  removing 
to  Ohio,  located  in  Pickaway  county,  whence  he  went  to  Delaware  county. 
Avhere  he  developed  a  farm  of  one  hundred  acres,  making  his  home  there 


6io  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

until  his  death,  which  occurred  after  he  had  reached  the  advanced  age  of  over 
one  hundred  years.  His  children  were  Jacob  and  Joseph,  twins;  Levi;  Joel; 
Mary;  Eliza  and  Irene.  After  their  marriage  David  Eaton  and  his  wife 
located  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  ten  acres,  much  of  which  he  placed 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  transforming  it  into  a  valuable  tract  of  land, 
whereon  he  remained  until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  the  comparatively 
early  age  of  thirty-seven  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church 
and  was  a  good  citizen.  He  had  but  two  children. — Martha  \V.  and  Eliza 
J.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  present  generation  of  the  Haskins  family 
are  descended  from  honored  colonial  families,  largely  of  Puritan  origin. 
Several  representatives  of  the  name  were  patriots  of  the  Revolutionarv  war 
and  others  left  the  impress  of  their  individuality  upon  many  of  the  events 
affecting  the  welfare  of  the  state  and  nation. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haskins  began  their  domestic  life  in  Delaware  county,  on 
a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-six  acres,  of  which  eighty  acres  had  been 
placed  under  the  plow.  He  cleared  thirty  acres  of  the  remainder,  erected  a 
residence  and  otherwise  improved  the  farm,  making  it  a  valuable  property. 
He  there  resided  from  1840  until  1865.  when  he  came  to  Illinois,  taking  up 
his  abode  near  Gardner.  Grundy  county.  For  a  number  of  years  he  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits  in  that  locality,  and  in  1879  purchased  his  present 
property,  consisting  of  eighty  acres  of  valuable  land,  all  of  which  was  broken, 
with  the  exception  of  a  ten-acre  tract.  \\'illiam  Haskins,  assisted  by  his 
son  Jeremiah,  greatly  improved  the  farm  and  erected  commodious  and  sub- 
stantial buildings,  and  now  he  has  one  of  the  most  desirable  and  attractive 
places  in  this  section  of  the  state. 

The  children  of  I\Ir.  and  Mrs.  William  Haskins  are  Jeremiah  Eaton, 
who  was  born  October  11.  1841,  and  Eliza  Jane,  born  November  13.  1848. 
Mrs.  Haskins  and  her  daughter  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  with 
which  denomination  she  has  been  identified  since  1843.  Mr.  Haskins  is  not 
a  communicant,  but  contributes  liberally  to  the  support  of  the  church  and 
takes  an  active  interest  in  its  work. 

In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Republican.  His  first  presidential  vote  was 
cast  for  William  Henry  Harrison  in  the  famous  log-cabin  and  hard-cider 
campaign.  He  also  voted  for  John  Charles  Fremont,  the  first  Republican 
candidate  for  the  presidency,  and  for  the  immortal  Lincoln.  His  allegiance 
to  the  party  has  been  unwavering  since  its  organization,  and  he  has  done 
all  in  his  power  to  promote  its  growth  and  secure  its  success.  In  1888  he 
served  as  the  assessor  of  the  township,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  school 
board.  He  has  always  sustained  a  high  reputation  as  a  moral  and  temperate 
man.  whose  integrity  is  above  question  and  whose  upright  life  is  well  worthy 
of  emulation. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  6ii 

Jeremiah  E.  Haskins.  his  son,  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio, 
October  ii,  1841,  and  acquired  a  good  common-school  education.  Through- 
out his  business  career  he  has  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits.  Since  1865 
he  has  been. identified  with  the  farming  interests  of  Illinois,  having  come  to 
this  state  with  his  parents.  He  was  married  December  27,  1897,  in  Morris, 
Illinois,  to  Mary  Ellen  Lewis,  who  was  born  on  the  ist  of  August,  1877,  in 
England,  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Winifred  (Williams)  Lewis.  Her 
father  came  to  America  in  1878  and  engaged  in  mining  in  Braidwood.  He 
then  settled  near  Braceville,  Ohio,  on  a  farm,  where  he  is  yet  living.  His 
children  are  Mary  E.,  Jane  Ann  and  Matthew.  In  politics  Mr.  Lewis  is  a 
Republican.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haskins  have  one  child,  Martha  A.,  who  was 
born  February  17,  1899.  Jeremiah  Haskins  is  a  substantial  farmer,  who 
carefully  conducts  his  business  affairs  and  has  thus  become  the  possessor 
of  a  valuable  property.  He  holds  membership  in  the  Baptist  church,  is 
serving  as  one  of  its  trustees,  and  in  politics  is  a  Republican. 

Eliza  Jane  Haskins,  the  daughter  of  William  C.  Haskins,  was  married 
April  24,  1866,  to  Thomas  H.  Glover,  who  is  a  merchant  of  Joplin,  Missouri. 
Their  children  are  Claud  T.,  Florence  E.,  Cora  J.,  Edna  Pearl  and  Boyd  H. 


ENOS    FIELD. 


In  the  way  of  modern  improvements  Morris.  Illinois,  is  not  behind  her 
sister  towns  of  the  state,  and  among  these  improvements  is  its  electric-light 
plant,  of  which  it  has  just  reason  to  be  proud.  The  Field  Electric  Light  Com- 
l)any,  which  operates  this  plant,  was  incorporated  in  1891,  with  a  capital 
stock  of  thirty  thousand  dollars,  and  on  October  2d  of  that  year  the  plant 
was  put  in  successful  operation.  The  prime  mover  and  organizer  of  the 
above-named  company  was  Captain  Enos  Field.  He  is  still  actively  inter- 
ested in  it,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  enterprising  and  public- 
spirited  citizens  of  the  town.     Briefly,  a  sketch  of  his  life  is  as  follows : 

Enos  Field  was  born  in  Windom  Center,  New  York,  August  15,  1834, 
am'  traces  his  ancestry  back  from  the  same  source  from  which  the  dis- 
tinguished Cyrus  W.  Field  sprang.  The  parents  of  Enos  Field  were  Cyrus 
and  Alalissa  (Clark)  Field.  The  latter  was  born  in  Connecticut,  August  15, 
1806,  a  daughter  of  Jordan  Clark,  who  was  of  English  descent,  and  it  is 
supposed  was  a  native  of  Connecticut.  Cyrus  Field  was  born  in  New  York 
state  in  June,  1806.  They  were  married  in  1828;  in  1837  moved  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ohio,  and  in  1845  came  to  Illinois,  locating  at  Ottawa,  LaSalle 
conntv.  Both  died  at  this  place,  Mr.  Field  in  1885  and  his  wife  in  1886. 
Their  children  were  as  follows:     Anna;  Evander,  who  died  in  1872;  Enos. 


6l2  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

whose  name  introduces  this  sketch;  Emily,  deceased;  Norton,  deceased;  and 
Chapman,  who  was  killed  in  the  army  during  the  civil  war. 

The  father  of  these  children  was  by  trade  a  carpenter,  at  which  he 
worked  in  early  life,  but  later  turned  his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
whicii  he  followed  for  a  number  of  years.  Politically  he  was  an  old-line 
Whig  up  to  the  tinie  the  Republican  party  was  organized,  after  which  he 
gave  his  support  to  it.  W'iien  the  civil  war  came  on  he  and  two  of  his  sons 
ofTercd  their  sen-ices  to  the  Union.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Fifty-third 
Illinois  Infantry;  was  a  participant  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  and  was  in  the 
service  six  or  eight  montlis,  at  the  end  of  that  time  being  honorably  dis- 
charged on  account  of  ill  health,  he  lia\ing  contracted  a  chronic  disease  in 
the  army.  One  son,  Norton,  was  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Fourth  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  and  Chapman  first  entered  the  sen-ice  as  a  member  of  the 
Twenty-sixth  Illinois  Infantry,  later  re-enlisting  at  St.  Louis  in  the  Marine 
Brigade  on  tlie  "Autocrat,"  and  meeting  death  bravely  at  the  siege  of  \'icks- 
burg. 

When  Enos  Field  was  a  boy  he  was  bound  out  at  Cincinnati  to  a  tailor 
for  a  term  of  se\-en  years,  and  remained  with  him  three  years  of  that  time. 
In  the  meantime  the  family  had  moved  to  Illinois,  as  already  stated,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1847  Cyrus  Field  returned  to  Cincinnati  and  brought  his  son  Enos 
home  with  him.  Here  the  youth  was  for  some  time  engaged  in  farm  work. 
From  1854  to  1881  Mr.  Field's  interests  were  chiefly  on  the  canal.  He 
\\as  the  owner  of  a  steamer  and  barges  which  he  ran  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  it  was  while  he  was  thus  engaged  that  he  received  the  title  of  captain. 
In  this  business  he  got  his  start  in  the  financial  world.  In  the  meantime  he 
spent  some  months  in  Texas  and  Tennessee  in  railroad  construction  work, 
and  was  thus  occupied  in  the  former  state  at  the  time  the  civil  war  broke 
out.  He  retired  from  boating  in  1881,  and  the  next  eleven  years  was  en- 
gaged in  the  saloon  business  in  Wilmington,  Illinois.  At  that  place  he  had 
a  third  interest  in  the  Electric  Light  and  Power  Company,  which  he  sold 
just  previous  to  his  removal  to  Morris  and  his  investment  in  the  electric- 
hght  plant  at  this  place.     He  has  resided  here  since  August  28,  1891. 

Mr.  Field  was  married  January  i,  187 1,  to  Miss  Theresa  IMead,  a  na- 
tive of  Twelve-Mile  Grove,  Illinois,  and  they  have  had  four  children,  namely : 
Roy,  interested  in  business  with  his  father;  Allie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine 
years;  Frank,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two  and  a  half  years;  and  Bessie. 


JOHN  J.   BRINCKERHOFF,  M.   D. 

It  is  said  "Gray  hairs  are  honorable."  but  gray  hairs  do  not  necessarily 
imply  a  monopoly  by  those  they  adorn  of  all  the  wisdom  in  the  walk  of  life 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  613 

to  which  sucli  persons  belong'.  This  is  tlie  age  of  the  young  man,  especially 
in  professional  circles,  as  is  illustrated  liy  the  career  of  Dr.  John  J.  Brinck- 
erhoff,  of  Minooka,  who,  although  one  of  the  younger  members  of  the  medi- 
cal profession,  has  already  taken  a  prominent  place  in  the  ranks  of  the  fra- 
ternity in  Grund_\-  county,  Illinois,  notwithstanding  he  located  at  Minooka 
as  late  as  1897. 

Doctor  Brinckerhoff  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  having  been  born  in  Will 
county,  January  18,  1869,  a  son  of  John  BrinckerhoiY,  who  was  born  at 
W'atervliet,  New  York.  The  latter  was  a  son  of  IMartin  Brinckerhoff,  who 
Avas  one  of  the  pioneers  of  W'ill  county,  Illinois.  John  Brinckerhoff  mar- 
ried Rebecca  Breckinridge,  a  native  of  Canada.  Martin  Brinckerhoff,  a 
brother  of  John,  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion  and  died  in  the 
service. 

Dr.  Brinckerhoff'  is  one  of  six  brothers,  the  two  oldest  of  whom  are  also 
physicians,  viz. :  Dr.  C.  E.  Brinckerhoff,  of  Chicago,  Illinois,  and  Dr.  G.  E. 
Brinckerhoff,  of  Oakland,  California.  Martin  S.  is  next  in  order  of  birth, 
followed  in  the  sequence  of  their  names  by  Dr.  John  J.,  subject  of  this  sketch; 
Howard  H.;  Gertrude  R.,  and  Elmer  E.,  the  youngest. 

Dr.  Brinckerhoff  received  his  early  education  at  the  public  schools  and 
at  Joliet  high  school.  In  1889  he  entered  the  University  of  Michigan  at 
Ann  Arbor,  where  he  did  regular  work  for  four  years,  receiving,  in  1893, 
from  that  instittition  the  degree  of  Ph.  B.  For  a  year  thereafter  he  was 
engaged  in  teaching,  and  in  1894  took  his  first  course  of  medical  lectures  at 
the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  Chicago,  from  which  institution 
he  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1897,  with  the  degree  of  M.  D. ;  and  soon 
afterward  he  located  at  Minooka  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession. In  1898  he  established  a  drug  store,  which  he'has  developed  into 
a  mercantile  success. 

November  10,  1897,  Dr.  Brinckerhoff'  was  married  to  Miss  Julia 
Scheibe,  a  native  of  Lockport,  Illinois.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Order  of 
Modern  Woodmen  and  of  the  Court  of  Honor.  Possessed  of  a  thorough 
literary  and  professional  education,  of  winning  manners  and  exemplary  busi- 
ness methods,  public-spirited  to  an  extraordinary  degree,  he  is  achieving  a 
thorough  and  permanent  success  and  making  friends  among  all  classes  of 
people. 


EDWARD     L.     CLOVER. 

Among  the  practitioners  of  the  bar  at  Morris  is  this  gentleman,  who 
has  gained  prestige  in  the  legal  profession.  He  is  a  western  man  by  birth, 
training  and  preference,  and  possesses  the  true  western  spirit  of  diligence 


6i4  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

and  enterprise,  a  spirit  whicli  has  enabled  many  men  to  rise  rapidly  from 
humble  positions  to  places  of  considerable  prominence. 

Mr.  Clover  was  born  in  Hardin  county,  Iowa,  January  25,  1861,  and 
is  a  son  of  Gerettus  and  Susan  D.  (Maddox)  Clover.  The  father  was  bom  in 
Indiana  and  was  a  son  of  John  Clover,  who  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  became  a  pioneer  of  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  settling  on  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  Highland  township,  where  he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  until 
his  death.  He  located  in  the  midst  of  a  tract  of  timberland,  his  nearest 
neighbor  being  at  that  time  four  miles  distant.  With  the  pioneer  develop- 
ment of  the  county  lie  was  actively  identified,  and  in  an  early  day  he  served 
as  a  county  commissioner.  He  had  eighteen  children,  but  Gerettus  is  the 
only  one  now  living  in  Gnmdy  county,  he  being  a  resident  of  Gardner.  He 
accompanied  his  parents  in  their  removal  to  Illinois  and  was  married  in  1855, 
in  Iowa,  to  ^liss  Susan  D.  Maddox.  He  aftenvard  removed  to  Kansas 
and  later  returned  to  the  Hawkeye  state,  where  he  was  living  at  the  time  of 
his  enlistment  in  the  Union  anny.  In  1862  he  joined  the  boys  in  blue  of 
Company  E,  Sixteenth  Iowa  Infantry,  and  for  thirty-seven  months  loyally- 
followed  the  old  flag  and  fought  for  the  cause  it  represented.  When  the 
war  was  over  he  located  on  a  fann  near  ]\Iazon,  Grundy  county,  where  he 
made  his  home  until  1879,  when  he  removed  to  Oswego,  Kansas.  Three 
years  later,  in  1882,  he  returned  to  Illinois  and  has  since  lived  a  retired  life  in 
Gardner,  being  one  of  the  respected  citizens  of  that  locality. 

E.  L.  Clover,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  reared  in  Iowa, 
Kansas  and  Illinois.  He  spent  his  boyhootl  tlays  on  the  farm  and  in  the 
common  schools  acquired  his  preliminary  education,  which  was  supple- 
mented by  four  months'  study  in  a  private  school  and  six  months"  study  in  a 
high  school  in  Kansas.  Subsequently  he  studied  law  and  on  the  26th  of 
November,  1881,  when  twenty  years  of  age,  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He 
did  not  at  once  engage  in  practice,  however,  but  devoted  his  energies  to 
school-teaching.  For  six  months  he  had  charge  of  a  country  school  and 
then  joined  his  parents  in  Gardner,  where  he  engaged  in  teaching  for  one 
term.  He  was  also  employed  for  one  term  as  a  teacher  in  I\Iazon,  and  after 
his  marriage  he  formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother,  Thomas  F..  for  the 
practice  of  law  in  Braceville,  Illinois.  In  September,  1885.  when  his  father 
was  made  the  postmaster  of  Gardner,  he  became  the  deputy  and  filled  that 
position  until  February,  1886,  when  he  removed  to  Morris.  Here  he  served 
as  the  deputy*postmaster  until  March,  1887,  and  on  the  fifteenth  of  that 
month  he  opened  a  law  oftice,  since  which  time  he  has  been  accounted  one 
of  the  leading  representatives  of  the  profession  in  this  city.  In  April,  1887, 
he  was  elected  the  city  attorney  and  discharged  his  duties  so  ably  that  he 
was  continued  in  the  office  for  three  successive  terms. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  615 

I\Ir.  Clover  was  united  in  marriage,  May  20,  1884,  to  Jessie  M.  Coles, 
•of  Grundy  county,  and  their  union  has  been  blessed  with  one  daughter, 
Inez  T-  Mr.  Clover  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  affiliations,  and  socially 
he  is  a  Master  Mason  and  a  member  of  the  Sons  of  Veterans.  He  was  a 
candidate  for  judge  of  the  thirteenth  judicial  district,  in  1897,  and  though 
■defeated  he  reduced  the  usual  Republican  majority  from  seven  thousand 
to  two  thousand — a  fact  which  indicates  his  personal  popularity  and  the 
confidence  which  his  fellow  citizens  have  in  his  professional  ability.  His 
devotion  to  his  clients'  interests  is  proverbial,  and  he  prepares  his  cases  with 
such  thoroughness  and  precision  that  he  seldom  fails  to  win  the  verdict  de- 
sired, and  with  most  of  the  important  litigation  of  the  county  he  is  therefore 
connected. 


THOMAS     H.     SYKES. 


No  more  capable  official  could  have  been  selected  to  manage  the  interests 
■of  the  poor  farm  in  Grundy  county  than  Thomas  Herbert  Sykes,  who  since 
1882  has  been  in  charge  and  has  made  it  a  model  farm  in  every  respect. 
He  is  not  only  an  enterprising  agriculturist,  but  is  a  capable  business  man 
and  in  the  care  of  the  inmates  of  the  farm  has  the  greatest  regard  for  sani- 
tation and  comfort,  his  treatment  of  the  poor  being  both  kindly  and  just. 

Mr.  Sykes  is  a  native  of  England,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Lanca- 
shire, August  2,  1840,  his  parents  being  Joseph  and  Lydia  (Whitehead) 
Sykes,  who  were  also  natives  of  England.  In  the  public  and  night  schools 
of  that  country  our  subject  acquired  his  education,  and  in  1865,  when  twenty- 
five  years  of  age,  bade  farewell  to  the  land  of  his  birth  and  sailed  for  America. 
He  spent  a  few  days  in  New  York  city  and  then  went  to  Pottsville,  Penn- 
svlvania,  but  not  being  pleased  with  that  locality,  he  resumed  his  westward 
journey  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Morris.  By  occupation  he  was  a  coal- 
miner  and  followed  that  pursuit  till  1882,  becoming  the  owner  of  a  mine 
which  he  operated  on  a  moderate  scale.  In  that  year  he  was  selected  to  take 
charge  of  the  poor  farm  and  agreed  to  give  it  one  year's  trial.  During  that 
time  he  so  ably  managed  its  interests  that  he  was  urged  to  continue  in  the 
position  and  has  since  been  in  charge.  In  his  farming  operations  he  follows 
the  most  progressive  methods,  and  the  well  tilled  fields  and  cultivated  gar- 
dens yield  good  returns  for  his  labor.  He  undertook  the  work  of  remodel- 
ing and  beautifying  the  place,  and  his  untiring  efforts  and  excellent  ideas 
■soon  wrought  very  desirable  changes.  He  graded  the  yard,  planted  flowers, 
remodeled  the  house  and  enlarged  it  In'  building  additions.  The  large 
<linino--room,   kitchen    and    present   sitting-room   for   the   women   were   all 


6i6  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

planned  an<l  l)nilt  under  liis  direction,  while  numerous  smaller  improvements 
add  to  the  homelike  appearance  of  the  i>lace.  contributing  to  the  comfort  of 
the  inmates.  Mrs.  Sykes  personally  superintends  the  kitchen  and  the  cuisine 
and  her  economy  and  well  formed  plans  have  contributed  not  a  httle  to  the 
success  which  has  attended  the  farm  under  the  management  of  her  hus- 
band. 

In  1862  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Sykes  and  Miss  Betty  Cryer, 
who  has  indeed  been  to  him  a  faithful  companion  and  helpmeet.  She  was 
born  in  Englantl  and  her  parents,  \\"illiam  and  Ann  Cryer.  were  both  natives 
of  Lancastershire.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Airs.  Sykes  are  Edwin,  now 
deceased;  Lydia,  wife  of  Charles  Wood.  \Yho  is  living  in  Mazon,  Illinois; 
Ellen,  deceased;  Robert,  who  is  married  and  resides  in  \\'auponsee  town- 
ship, Grundy  county;  ]Mary  Anna,  wife  of  James  Wood,  of  Wauponsee 
township;  Frank,  who  is  married  and  is  a  resident  farmer  of  the  same  town- 
ship; Charles  Edward,  who  is  married  and  resides  at  home;  \\'illiam,  de- 
ceased; and  Myrtle  Ivy,  who  also  is  living  with  her  parents. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Air.  Sykes  is  a  Republican.  He  belongs  to 
the  Alethodist  Episcopal  church  and  his  life  is  characterized  by  earnest 
Christiati  principles  and  conduct.  In  his  business  he  has  met  with  credit- 
able success  and  is  now  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  fine 
land  in  Wauponsee  township.  He  is  one  of  the  most  capable  county  officials, 
and  no  more  worthy  incumbent  has  ever  occupied  the  position  of  superin- 
tendent of  the  poor  farm.  He  possesses  excellent  executive  ability,  sound 
judgment  and  indefatigable  industry — cjualities  which  have  made  him  a 
most  commendable  and  painstaking  public  official. 


WILLIAM     T.     HOPKINS. 

William  T.  Hopkins,  deceased,  was  one  of  the  founders  and  builders  of 
Morris  and  a  prominent  character  in  the  history  of  the  city  and  of  Grundy 
county.  He  was  born  in  Lincoln  county.  j\Iaine,  October  5,  1819.  His 
]jarents  were  David  and  Esther  (Trask)  Hopkins,  both  natives  of  Maine. 
His  father,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  in  1779  and  died  in  Maine 
in  i860;  and  his  wife  was  born  in  1781  and  died  also  in  Maine,  in  1872. 
These  parents  had  had  five  daughters  and  nine  sons. 

Of  the  sons,  William  T.,  the  sixth,  was  educated  in  his  native  state,  and 
studied  law  at  Bangor.  He  came  to  Morris.  Illinois,  in  1849,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  here  in  1850,  and  at  once  began  the  practice  of  law,  in  which 
he  continued  tlie  rest  of  his  life.  He  was  a  strong  lawyer  and  possessed 
an  analytical  mind.     His  knowledge  of  the  law  was  profound,  and  his  earnest 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  6i1 

and  conscientious  handling  of  matters  professional  made  him  of  strong 
influence  at  the  bar.  For  a  brief  time  (from  1853  to  1855)  he  also  followed 
merchandising-  in  Morris.  He  held  several  positions  of  honor  and  trust  and 
did  as  much  for  the  up-building  of  Morris  as  any  man  who  ever  lived  in 
the  place.  He  served  one  term  as  superintendent  of  pulilic  instruction, 
and  was  ever  a  strong  friend  of  both  school  and  church.  In  the  early  years 
of  his  residence  in  Morris  he  taught  vocal  music  a  great  deal,  and  was  a 
leader  of  singers.  For  years  he  sang  in  the  Baptist  church  choir.  In 
1863-4-5  he  was  the  president  of  the  Sanitary  and  Christian  Commission  for 
his  district.  He  became  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  Republican  party  at  the 
very  birth  of  that  organization,  and  was  a  member  of  the  first  convention 
that  organized  the  Republican  party  in  Illinois,  and  ever  afterward  bore 
conspicuous  part  in  politics.  He  was  an  intimate  friend  of  President  Lincoln 
from  1850  to  the  time  of  the  latter's  death,  and  was  at  the  convention  at 
Chicago  that  nominated  Mr.  Lincoln  for  the  presidency,  in  i860.  In  1864 
he  was  one  of  the  electors  on  the  Republican  ticket,  which  cast  the  vote 
of  Illinois  for  Abraham  Lincoln  for  president.  When  Mr.  Lincoln  came 
to  Morris  he  was  always  entertained  by  Mr.  Hopkins.  In  1861  Mr.  Hop- 
kins was  elected  the  judge  of  the  Grundy  county  court,  and  he  served  in 
this  ofifice  one  term.  In  1864  he  was  elected  a  representative  to  the  legis- 
lature from  Grundy  county  for  two  years,  and  in  1865  and  1866  served  as 
general  agent  for  the  internal-revenue  department  of  the  United  States. 
Judge  Hopkins  went  out  in  the  three-months"  service  in  the  civil  war.  He 
raised  a  Grundy  county  company,  known  as  the  "Grundy  Tigers,"  was  made 
its  captain,  and  it  was  a  component  part  of  the  Eleventh  Illinois  Regiment. 

While  a  member  of  the  state  legislature.  Judge  Hopkins  was  instru- 
mental in  securing  the  necessary  legislation  for  constructing  the  bridge 
across  the  Illinois  river  at  Morris.  He  built  the  old  Hopkins  House  at 
Morris,  the  first  good  hotel  erected  in  that  town,  and  it  was  a  good  one,  too. 
It  was  the  best  hotel  in  the  northern  portion  of  Illinois,  at  that  time,  outside 
of  Chicago. 

Judee  Hopkins  was  also  prominent  in  ^Masonic  circles.  He  was  a  Royal 
Arch  and  Council  degree  Mason,  and  held  many  of  the  oflices  of  the  fra- 
ternity. 

He  was  married  in  Maine,  in  1846,  to  Clara  H.,  a  daughter  of  Simon 
Prescott.  She  was  born  in  Maine,  September  20,  1824,  and  survived  him 
onlv  a  few  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hopkins  had  no  children  of  their  own,  but 
thev  reared  two  nieces — Hannah  Hopkins,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  .\llen  F. 
Mallory,  of  Morris;  and  Nora  J.  .\bbott.  now  deceased.  Mr.  Hopkins  and 
wife  were  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  for  many  years  numbered 
among  the   prominent   citizens  of  Morris.      Perhaps  no  other  citizen   whO' 


-6i8  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

lived  in  Morris  was  ever  held  in  higher  esteem  hy  his  fellow-citizens  than  was 
Judge  \\'illiain  T.  Hopkins. 


LY.MAN     BEECHER     RAY. 

Eyman  Beecher  Ray,  the  lieutenant  governor  of  Illinois  from  1888  to 
1892,  is  a  native  of  the  Green  Mountain  state.  He  was  born  in  Hinesburg, 
Chittenilen  county,  \'ermont,  August  17,  1831,  and  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  his  native  state,  receiving  only  the  advantage  of  a  public-school  and 
academic  education.  His  parents  were  born  and  passed  all  their  lives  in 
\'ermont. 

In  1852,  about  the  time  he  reached  his  majority,  Mr.  Ray  came  west 
to  Illinois  and  engaged  in  teaching  school,  an  occupation  he  followed  until 
1855.  That  vear  he  came  to  ^lorris,  and,  with  a  limited  capital,  opened  a 
general  store,  which  he  subsequently  merged  into  a  dry-goods  establish- 
ment, and  here  he  conducted  a  successful  business  until  1888,  when  he  re- 
tired, still  maintaining  his  residence  in  Morris. 

Mr.  Ray  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Republican  party  in  Grundy 
county,  and  his  political  career  may  be  said  to  date  from  that  ti'^ne,  he  hav- 
ing ever  since  taken  a  deep  interest  in  public  affairs.  In  1873-4  he  served 
in  the  lower  house  of  the  Illinois  state  legislature,  from  1882  to  1886  was 
a  member  of  the  senate,  and  from  1888  to  1892  he  was  lieutenant  governor 
of  the  state. 

Mr.  Ray  was  married,  at  INIorris,  in  1858,  to  Miss  Julia  X.  Reading, 
daughter  of  James  N.  Reading,  and  to  them  was  given  an  only  daughter, 
Julia  E. 


JAAIES     N.     READING. 

James  N.  Reading,  deceased,  was  a  native  of  Hamden,  New  Jersey,  the 
son  and  eldest  child  of  Joseph  Reading,  and  was  prepared  for  college  at 
the  Princeton  Academy,  then  entered  Nassau  Hall  in  1827,  and  graduated 
in  1829.  taking  the  fifth  honor  in  a  class  of  twenty-six;  studied  law  in  Tren- 
ton; was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1832,  and  became  a  counselor  at  law  in 
1836.  In  1835  he  married  Sarah  C.  A.  Southard.  From  1832  to  1850  he 
practiced  law  in  Flemington,  fifteen  of  which  years  he  was  prosecuting  attor- 
ney for  Hunterdon  county. 

In  1850  he  left  New  Jersey  and  removed  to  Jefferson  county,  Missouri, 
and  for  two  years  was  the  president  of  a  leading  mining  company.  In  the 
fall   of    1853   he  became   a   resident   of  IMorris,    Grundy   county.      He   was 


BIOGRAPHICAL  .4.VZ?    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  619 

elected  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  of  Illinois  in  the  fall  of  1856,  and 
tilled  the  position  for  two  years,  and  then  officiated  as  the  clerk  of  the 
circuit  court,  tilling  a  vacancy.  During  the  civil  war  he  was  deputy  United 
States  marshal  for  Grundy  county,  and  also  United  States  commissioner. 
In  1865  he  was  elected  the  county  judge,  which  position  he  held  for  twelve 
years,  and  then  declined  re-election,  thereafter  practicing  law  in  Morris.  He 
was  an  able  lawyer  and  jurist,  and  a  man  of  sterling  ciualities. 


THOMAS     PHILLIPS. 


Thomas  Phillips,  a  grain  merchant  of  Morris,  Illinois,  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  place  for  more  than  three  decades  and  all  these  years  has  in 
A'arious  wavs  been  prominently  identified  with  the  interests  of  the  town. 

Mr.  Phillips  is  a  Canadian  by  birth.  He  was  born  in  Montreal,  Canada, 
September  23,  1836,  and  spent  his  youthful  days  at  his  native  place.  At 
the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  started  out  in  life  for  himself,  coming  over  to 
the  United  States  and  at  Chateaugay,  New  York,  accepting  a  position  as 
clerk  in  a  mercantile  establishment.  Going  west,  he  spent  six  years  in 
California,  and  in  1868  returned  to  Illinois  and  settled  in  Morris,  and  here 
he  has  since  that  date  been  engaged  in  the  grain  business  on  Canal  street. 


JOSEPH     H.     PATTISON. 

Joseph  H.  Pattison,  a  retired  citizen  of  Morris,  Illinois,  dates  his  birth 
in  Clermont  county,  Ohio,  August  22,  1840,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and 
Martha  (Halsted)  Pattison,  both  natives  of  Ohio.  In  1842  the  Pattison 
family  came  to  Illinois  and  settled  in  Wauponsee  township,  Grundy  county, 
where,  on  a  fami.  the  parents  spent  the  rest  of  their  lives  and  died,  the 
mother  dying  in  1850,  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven  years;  the  father,  in  1882, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-seven. 

Joseph  H.  was  only  two  years  old  when  he  was  brought  to  Grundy 
county,  and  here  he  has  ever  since  lived,  with  the  exception  of  one  year, 
1863.  he  spent  in  California.  He  was  engaged  in  farming  in  Wauponsee 
township  until  1891,  when  he  moved  to  Morris,  and  here  for  seven  years  he 
was  interested  in  the  lumber  business.  Since  disposing  of  his  lumber  business 
he  has  been  retired. 

Mr.  Pattison  has  at  different  times  been  honored  with  official  position 
and  has  rendered  his  township  and  county  valued  service.  He  has  filled  the 
.offices  of  township  collector  and  supervisor,  serving  in  the  latter  about  ten 


620  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

years:  and  from  1877.  for  a  period  of  nine  years,  he  was  the  treasurer  of 
Grundy  county.    Fraternally  he  is  a  Master  Mason. 

;\Ir.  Pattison  has  been  twice  married.  In  1867  he  wedded  Jennie  Stru- 
ble,  whose  life  was  happily  blended  with  his  until  her  death  in  1885.  His 
present  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  .\llie  Hall,  he  married  in  1887. 


JAMES     CUXXEA. 

James  Cunnea  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1846.  In  Ireland,  his 
native  land,  he  was  a  storekeeper.  Upon  coming  to  America  he  settled  in 
Will  county.  Illinois,  and  engaged  in  dairy  farming.  A  few  years  later  he  re- 
moved to  Grundy  county,  where  the  rest  of  his  life  was  spent,  engaged 
in  banking  at  Morris  for  a  number  of  years.  Mr,  Cunnea  died  in  1884,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-four  years,  well  known  and  highly  respected  by  all.  He 
and  his  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Ann  I.  Gluckin,  were  the  parents 
of  the  following  children,  viz. :  John.  James.  Thomas.  George.  Ann.  Kate, 
Maria  and  Isabelle.  All  are  living  except  James  and  Isabelle.  The  latter, 
who  was  the  mother  director  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Holy  Cross.  South  Bend, 
Indiana,  died  in  1893.  George  and  his  sister,  Kate,  reside  in  a  beautiful 
home  in  Morris,  where  they  are  identified  with  the  First  National  Bank. 
Of  the  named  children,  Maria  is  the  wife  of  John  McCambridge,  a  well- 
known  citizen  of  Morris. 


JOSEPH      H.      PETTIT. 

Joseph  H.  Pettit,  who  is  engaged  in  the  abstract  and  loan  business  at 
Morris,  Illinois,  has  been  identified  with  this  place  since  his  boyhood  and  is 
ranked  with  its  leading  citizens. 

Mr.  Pettit  was  bom  in  Hunterdon  county.  New  Jersey.  For  ten  or 
twelve  years  he  clerked  in  a  general  store  in  Morris,  in  1870  and  1871  was 
the  cashier  in  the  Grundy  County  National  Bank,  and  then  for  four  years 
was  engaged  in  the  hardware  business,  with  a  partner.  In  1878  he  was  ap- 
pointed the  clerk  of  the  circuit  court  and  recorder,  in  which  office  he  served 
by  appointment  and  election  nine  years  and  as  deputy  ten  years.  Since 
severing  his  connection  with  this  office  he  has  devoted  his  attention  to  the 
abstract  and  loan  business. 

Mr.  Pettit  has  always  been  a  stanch  Republican.  Fraternally  he  is  a 
Mason,  having  advanced  through  the  various  degrees  of  the  order  up  to  and 
including  the  Knight  Templar.    Also  he  is  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.    At  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  621 

very  beginning  of  the  civil  war,  in  April.  1861,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in 
Company  H,  Third  New  Jersey  Volunteer  Infantr}-.  and  served  until  the 
expiration  of  his  tenn  of  enlistment  in  August  of  that  year,  when  he  was 
honorably  discharged  and  returned  to  Morris. 

Air.  Pettit  was  married  in  Grundy  county,  in  1873,  to  Miss  Myra  jSIassey, 
and  thev  have  one  child  living — Murriel. 


PHILIP    R.     SOUTHCOMB. 

March  6,  1850,  in  Devonshire,  England,  was  born  P.  R.  Southcomb, 
of  Morris.  Illinois,  a  well-known  citizen  and  popular  liveryman  of  this  place. 
Although  a  native  of  England.  ^Ir.  Southcomb  does  not  remember  his 
native  land,  for  in  1852,  at  the  age  of  two  years,  he  was  brought  to  this 
country  by  his  parents,  Anthony  and  Jane  (Rock)  Southcomb.  both  of 
English  birth. 

Arrived  in  this  country,  the  Southcomb  family  settled  in  Kendall  county, 
Illinois,  and  the  father,  being  dependent  upon  his  daily  toil  for  the  sup- 
port of  his  family,  worked  at  first  at  whatever  he  could  find  to  do.  The 
greater  part  of  his  life,  however,  has  been  devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
and  he  is  now.  1900.  a  resident  of  Livingston  county,  Illinois,  to  which 
place  he  moved  in  1869.  His  wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  died  several 
years  ago. 

P.  R.  Southcomb  received  a  common-school  education  in  his  youth  and 
at  an  early  age  began  hustling  for  himself,  starting  out  in  life  with  no  capital 
except  willing  hands.  Nearly  all  his  life  has  been  spent  in  the  livery  business 
and  he  has  been  engaged  in  this  line  of  business  in  Morris  longer  than  has 
any  other  man  in  the  town  now  doing  business  here.  His  first  livery  ex- 
perience was  at  Gardner,  Illinois,  where  he  joined  his  brother,  John,  who 
had  opened  an  establishment  there.  Later  John  Southcomb  came  to  Morris 
and  engaged  in  the  same  business  here,  and  in  January,  1877,  P.  R.  also 
came  to  JMorris,  the  two  again  becoming  partners.  They  conducted  the 
business  together  until  the  death  of  John,  which  occurred  in  1881,  at  which 
time  P.  R.  became  sole  proprietor  of  the  establishment,  and  has  so  con- 
tinued. In  his  livery  barn  are  found  the  best  horses  and  carriages  that  can  be 
secured  in  Morris.  He  is  honorable  and  upright  in  all  his  business  trans- 
actions, and  withal  genial  and  accommodating,  and  as  a  liveryman  his  career 
has  been  a  successful  one.  In  addition  to  owning  his  livery  establishment, 
he  has  a  pleasant  cottage  home. 

Mr.  Southcomb  was  married  in  1878  to  IMiss  Ida  E.  Spencer,  daughter 


622  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

of  George  F.  Spencer,  and  they  have  two  sons,  Harr}-  Philip  and  Leslie 
Spencer. 

In  politics  ]\lr.  Southcomh  has  always  supportetl  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party.  He  has  fraternal  relations  with  the  Masonic  order,  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.  and  the  Knights  of  the  Globe. 


ALEXANDER     MILLER. 

Alexander  IMiller,  deceased,  was  born  at  Galloway,  New  York,  April 
8,  1817,  and  died  in  Alorris,  Illinois,  March  2,  1897.  The  Miller  family 
of  wliich  he  was  a  representati\'e  had  for  many  generations  been  residents  of 
the  Empire  state. 

When  a  young  man  Alexander  Miller  went  to  New  York  city  and  for  a 
few  years  was  a  broker  on  Wall  street.  From  New  York  he  went  to  Buffalo, 
where,  in  company  with  E.  K.  Bruce  and  others,  he  built  a  ship  and  oper- 
ated several  lake  vessels,  and  at  one  time  he  and  his  partners  owned  all  the 
boats  on  the  Erie  canal.  Financial  failure  followed,  and  he  came  west  in 
1859,  joining  his  son,  Harry  L..  who'  had  located  in  ]\Iorris,  Illinois,  several 
years  before  and  had  bought  and  was  running  mills  on  the  canal.  And 
we  may  state  in  passing  that  these  mills  were  subsequently  sold  to  Nels 
]\Iorris,  who,  with  others,  converted  them  into  a  distillery.  Alexander  ^Miller 
had  traded  for  lands  in  the  west,  to  which  he  subsequently  added  until 
he  became  the  owner  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  acres  of  farming  land.  In 
the  meantime  he  and  his  son,  Harry  L.,  bought  the  old  plow  factory  of  Good- 
rich &  Company,  which  they  operated  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years,  at 
the  end  of  tliat  time  suspending  business.  During  the  rest  of  his  life  the 
senior  ]\Ir.  Miller  devoted  his  time  ami  attention  to  looking  after  his  landed 
estate.  His  was  an  active,  useful  life.  He  was  a  stanch  Republican  and  an 
enterprising,  public-spirited  man.  interested  in  all  that  pertained  to  the  gen- 
eral welfare  of  his  community,  and  he  had  the  respect  of  all  who  knew  him. 
In  New  York,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  he  married  Cynthia  Lovette, 
of  Schenectady,  New  York,  whose  life  was  happily  blended  with  his  for  a 
number  of  years,  until  her  death  in  October,  1887.  They  were  the  parents 
of  the  following  named  children:  Harry  L.,  who  has  already  been  referred 
to  in  this  sketch  and  who  died  in  Chicago  in  1897;  Mary  M.,  of  Buffalo, 
New  York:  Harriet  S..  deceased:  William  ^I.,  of  Chicago;  Fannie  L.,  de- 
ceased: Frank  C,  of  Minooka,  Illinois;  and  Chauncey  A. 

Chauncey  A.  Miller  was  born  in  Buft'alo,  New  York.  April  22,  1858,  and 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Morris  and  the  Northwestern  College 
at  Naperville,  Illinois,  being  a  student  in  the  last  named  institution  for  three 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  623 

years.  Then  for  two  years  he  was  with  Field  &  Leiter,  of  Chicago,  following 
which  he  spent  eight  years  as  a  traveling  representative  for  the  Challenge 
Corn  Planter  Company,  of  Grand  Haven,  Michigan.  At  the  end  of  this  time 
he  engaged  in  the  agricultural-implement  business  with  his  brother,  Harry 
L.  Miller,  at  Morris,  where  Chauncey  A.  has  always  maintained  his  home. 
After  the  brothers  had  been  in  partnership  a  few  years  Harry  L.  sold  his 
interest  to  Chauncey  A.  and  the  latter  has  since  conducted  the  business 
alone,  dealing  in  farm  machinery,  vehicles  and  bicycles,  and  having  a  large 
trade  that  extends  over  a  wide  territory  surrounding  Morris. 

Chauncey  A.  Miller  was  married  in  1881  to  Miss  Alice  H.  Whitney, 
daughter  of  Professor  John  C.  Whitney,  and  they  have  two  sons — \\'hitney 
C.  and  Raymond  N. 

Mr.  Miller  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  of  Morris  and  has 
served  three  years  as  the  town  clerk.  He  is  a  Republican  and  a  member  of 
the  K.  of  P.  and  M.  W.  of  A. 


SAMUEL    M.    HOENSHELL. 

The  efficient  county  treasurer  of  Grundy  county  is  one  of  Illinois'  native 
sons,  and  he  commands  the  highest  regard  by  reason  of  his  sterling  worth 
and  fidelity  to  duty.  His  birth  occurred  in  Nettle  Creek  township,  Grundy 
county,  June  17,  1867,  his  parents  being  Samuel  M.  and  Christina  (Waltz) 
Hoenshell.  His  father  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  was  of  German 
lineage.  About  i860  he  came  to  Gnmdy  county,  where  he  married  Miss 
Waltz,  who  was  born  in  Germany,  and  came  to  this  country  during  her 
childhood  with  her  parents,  who  located  in  the  Keystone  state,  whence  they 
came  to  Grundy  county  about  i860.  i\Ir.  Hoenshell  devoted  his  energies 
to  agricultural  pursuits  throughout  his  entire  life,  his  death  occurring  in 
1874.  He  left  three  children:  Nora.  Lillie,  and  Samuel  M.,  the  last  two 
being  twins.  After  the  death  of  her  first  husband,  the  mother  married 
again,  becoming  the  wife  of  Joseph  Dawson,  a  retired  farmer,  residing  in 
Morris. 

Upon  the  homestead  farm  Samuel  M.  Hoenshell  spent  his  boyhood 
days  and  early  became  familiar  with  all  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the 
lot  of  the  agriculturist.  His  preliminary^  education  was  obtained  in  the 
public  schools  and  later  he  was  a  student  in  Valparaiso,  Indiana,  and  in 
Geneseo,  Illinois.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  an  accident  caused  the 
loss  of  his  left  arm.  which  was  caught  in  a  corn-sheller.  This  somewhat 
hampering  him  in  farm  work,  he  has  devoted  his  energies  largely  to  profes- 
sional labors,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  years  he  began  teaching.     For  seven 


■624  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

years  he  was  accounted  one  of  tlie  successful  educators  in  Grundy  county, 
having  the  faculty  of  imparting  clearly  and  readily  to  others  the  knowledge 
he  had  acquired.  In  the  fall  of  1894  he  was  appointed  deputy  county  treas- 
urer, and  so  acceptably  discharged  his  duties  during  his  four-years  term 
of  service  in  that  capacity  that  he  was  elected  the  county  treasurer  in  1898. 
Although  the  youngest  nominee  on  the  ticket,  he  received  the  largest  ma- 
jority, which  was  a  merited  compliment  to  his  personal  worth  and  ability.  No 
trust  reposed  in  him  has  ever  been  betrayed  and  he  is  deservedly  popular 
in  the  locality  where  he  has  so  long-  made  his  home.  Socially  he  is  connected 
with  the  Knights  of  the  Globe. 

Februar}'  21.  1900.  Air.  Hoenshell  married  Miss  Jessie  Johnson,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  W.  Johnson,  the  sheritT  of  Grundy  county. 


EDWIN    H.    ROBINSON. 

Edwin  H.  Robinson,  one  of  the  substantial  and  highly  respected  citizens 
of  Maine  township,  is  descended  from  sterling  Huguenot  ancestry.  His 
remote  ancestors  were  witnesses  of  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  ami  on 
account  of  religious  persecution  fled  to  England  in  1772.  From  the  progen- 
itor of  the  family  in  England  ^\'illiam  Robinson  was  descended,  and  he  was 
married  on  the  6th  of  February,  1799,  to  jNIary  Taylor,  of  Oxfordshire, 
England.  She  was  of  old  English  stock,  and  the  family  were  land-owners 
and  farmers,  having  four  hundred  acres  in  Oxfordshire.  Unto  William  and 
Mary  (Taylor)  Robinson  were  born  the  following  children:  William  D., 
whose  birth  occurred  December  i,  1799:  John,  born  March  21,  1802; 
Samuel,  January  16,  1805:  Elizabeth,  September  15,  1806;  Anna,  December 
3,  1807:  Edward,  March  29.  1810;  and  Frances  Johanna,  November  15, 
181 3.  The  father  of  these  children  was  a  wood-carver  to  the  crown  of  Eng- 
land. He  was  born  and  reared  in  London,  obtained  a  good  education  in 
the  French  Huguenot  College  of  London,  and  at  the  time  of  the  invasion  of 
Napoleon  he  was  a  member  of  the  Home  Guard.  He  held  membership  in 
the  Church  of  England  and  died  in  London  at  the  age  of  forty-four  years. 
He  was  a  man  of  upright  Christian  character  and  sterling  worth. 

John  Robinson,  his  son.  and  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  at  St. 
Ann's  Court,  on  Great  Russia  street,  in  London.  March  21.  1802.  received 
a  liberal  education  and  was  graduated  in  the  French  Huguenot  College  in 
the  metropolis.  In  his  early  youth  he  learned  the  wood-carver's  business, 
and  for  many  years  followed  that  pursuit,  meeting  with  good  success.  He 
was  married  at  Box  Hill,  in  county  Surrey,  England,  August  13,  1833,  to 


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BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  625 

Elizabeth  Hays,  whose  birth  occurred  near  Bristol,  in  Gloucestershire.  April 
7.  18 12.  She  was  a  daughter  of  John  Hays,  a  carpenter  and  freeholder,  who 
lived  to  be  eighty-nine  years  of  age,  and  died  near  his  birthplace.  His 
first  wife  died  in  early  womanhood,  and  he  was  afterward  married  again. 
The  children  of  the  first  union  were :  Elizabeth.  Charlotte,  Samuel,  and 
several  others  whose  names  are  not  remembered.  After  the  death  of  her 
mother  Elizabeth  Hays  lived  with  her  sister  Charlotte,  who  had  married 
Richard  Teast.  a  well-known  ship-builder  of  Bristol.  England,  who  made  his 
home  in  London.  After  their  marriage  John  Robinson  and  his  wife  sailed 
from  London,  on  the  28th  of  October,  1833,  for  New  York,  and  after  a 
voyage  of  seven  weeks  arrived  in  the  American  metropolis,  on  the  nth  of 
December.  1833.  They  remained  in  that  city  until  June,  1834,  Mr.  Robin- 
son spending  his  time  in  looking  over  the  country  in  search  of  a  suitable 
location. 

He  finally  took  up  his  residence  at  Dublin,  in  Franklin  county,  Ohio,  in 
June,  1834,  and  in  the  following  August  purchased  a  farm,  comprising  four 
hundred  acres  of  land  which  was  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  timber. 
Bears  and  wild  turkeys  had  their  haunts  in  the  wooded  districts,  and  the  work 
of  civilization  seemed  scarcely  begun  in  that  section  of  the  state.  Mr.  Rob- 
inson, however,  began  the  development  of  his  farm,  and  with  characteristic 
energy  prosecuted  his  labors,  continuing  the  work  until  he  had  a  good  home 
there.  In  March,  1853,  he  removed  to  Union  county.  Ohio,  where  he  pur- 
chased two  hundred  acres  of  unimproved  land,  devoting  his  time  and  atten- 
tion to  its  development  and  improvement  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
December  12.  1893.  Mr.  Robinson  was  a  man  of  broad  scholarly  attainments 
and  superior  scientific  knowledge,  being  well  known  in  the  scientific  world. 
He  was  a  friend  and  associate  of  Louis  Agassiz.  Asa  Gray  and  many  otlier 
leading  scientists  connected  with  Harvard  College.  He  classified  and 
wrote  the  history  of  "The  Habits  of  Mosses."  culled  by  Dr.  Kane  in  his  Arctic 
expedition.  Mr.  Robinson  also  collected  and  classified  the  Fungi  of  Ohio, 
making  accurate  drawings  of  the  same.  He  made  a  complete  collection 
of  the  fishes  and  reptiles  of  Ohio,  which  he  delivered  to  Professor  Agassiz 
in  their  natural  state.  He  was  a  skilled  wood-carver  and  did  much  fine  work 
from  models,  many  specimens  of  which  are  on  exhibition  in  the  state  house 
at  Columbus.  He  entertained  liberal  religious  views,  and  in  politics  he  was 
an  old-line  Whig  in  early  life.  aiUocating  firmly  the  aljolition  of  slax'ery. 
He  became  one  of  the  original  supporters  of  the  Republican  party.  His 
farm  home  was  a  station  on  the  underground  railroad  ami  furnished  shelter 
for  many  fugitive  slaves  escaping  on  their  way  to  the  north.  He  was  one 
of  nature's  noblemen.  His  life  was  ever  actuated  by  strong  humanitarian 
principles,  his  sympathy  was  as  broad  as  the  universe  and  his  intellectual 


626  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

attainment  made  him  the  friend  and  companion  of  the  most  eminent  scien- 
tific men  of  the  nation. 

The  children  of  John  Robinson  were :  Edwin  Hays,  who  was  l)orn 
April  II.  1834;  Alfred  John,  who  was  born  July  24,  1836;  Reubens  \\'illiam, 
who  was  born  April  8,  1839,  and  died  April  29,  1897;  Arthur  Saul,  who  was 
born  November  9,  1841;  Marv'  C.  T.,  who  was  born  February  11,  1843; 
Edward,  born  February  13.  1845:  and  Guido.  born  March  17.  1848.  IMrs. 
Robinson  was  an  excellent  painter,  not  only  of  landscapes  and  other  scenes 
but  also  of  portraits. 

Edwin  H.  Robinson,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  born  in 
the  city  of  Brooklyn,  New  York,  April  11,  1834,  and  during  his  infancy  was 
taken  by  his  parents  to  Ohio.  His  childhood  days  were  spent  in  the  Buck- 
eye state,  and,  though  the  school  system  was  still  in  a  primitive  condition, 
he  received  excellent  educational  training  under  his  father.  His  youth  was 
spent  on  the  farm,  and  he  not  only  gained  a  coinprehensive  literary  and 
scientific  knowledge,  but  was  also  trained  to  habits  of  industry,  gaining  a 
practical  understanding  of  the  methods  of  planting  and  cultivating  cereals. 
When  twenty-four  years  of  age  he  was  married,  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio, 
on  the  i6th  of  September,  1858,  to  Lucinda  Hill,  who  was  born  June  4, 
1835,  a  daughter  of  John  A.  and  Esther  (Marsh)  Hill.  Her  father  was  born 
in  Westmoreland  county.  Pennsylvania,  August  4,  1793.  and  was  a  son  of 
Stephen  and  Marian  (Martin)  Hill.  The  former  was  a  son  of  Stephen  Hill, 
Sr..  who  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  was  descended 
from  a  Pennsylvania  Dutch  family  that  was  founded  in  America  bv  German 
ancestors  at  an  early  day.  Stephen  Hill  was  the  owner  of  a  large  farm  in 
Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  his  later  life  he  went  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ohio,  with  his  son  Stephen  and  there  died,  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
six  years.  Stephen  Hill,  Jr..  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Robinson,  was  born  in 
Westmoreland  county  Pennsyh'ania,  and  married  ^larian  ^lartin,  also  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  old  colonial  families  that  were  founded  in  Penn- 
sylvania when  the  Indians  outnuml^ered  the  white  settlers  in  that  state.  In 
1811  Stephen  Hill  and  his  family  remo\-ed  to  a  farm  in  Delaware  county,. 
Ohio,  becoming  pioneer  settlers  of  that  locality,  where  he  secured  eleven 
hundred  acres  of  land.  He  gave  a  farm  to  each  of  his  children  and  was  in- 
strumental in  clearing  a  large  tract  of  land,  thus  advancing  the  work  of 
civilization.  He  and  a  number  of  his  famil_\-  are  Ijuried  on  the  old  home- 
stead in  a  private  cemetery.  He  was  a  Methodist  in  religious  faith  and  a 
man  whose  upright  life  commended  him  to  the  confidence  of  all.  His 
death  occurred  in  1840.  His  children  were:  Joseph  V.,  George  David, 
John  H.,  Stephen,  Benjamin,  Josiah,  Betsey,  Richard  and  Sallie.  Two  of 
the  sons.  Joseph  and  George,  served  their  country  in  the  war  of  18 12. 


j 


tfy-cof . 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  627 

John  H.  Hill,  the  father  of  j\Irs.  Robinson,  was  born  in  Westmoreland 
county,  Pennsylvania,  August  4,  1793,  and  when  fourteen  years  of  age  ac- 
companied his  father  to  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  where  he  was  reared  upon 
a  farm.  He  was  married  in  Franklin  county,  that  state,  October  18,  182 1, 
to  Esther  Marsh,  who  was  born  in  Susquehanna  county,  Pennsylvania,  Sep- 
tember 13,  1799,  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Martha  (Bates)  Marsh.  Her 
father  was  a  representative  of  an  old  New  Hampshire  family  of  English 
origin,  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Ohio  at  an  early  day.  He  became  a 
prosperous  farmer,  although  by  trade  he  was  a  carpenter.  His  death  oc- 
curred in  1799.  The  Bates  family,  to  which  his  wife  belonged,  was  founded 
in  the  Empire  state  at  an  early  day.  After  his  marriage  John  Hill  and  his 
wife  located  on  land  in  Concord  township,  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  where  lie 
had  two  hundred  acres.  This  he  cleared  from  heavy  timber,  transforming 
it  into  richly  cultivated  fields.  He  built  and  operated  a  sawmill,  engaging 
in  the  manufacture  of  lumber  in  connection  with  his  agricultural  pursuits. 
In  the  Universalist  church  he  held  membership,  and  politically  he  af^liated 
with  the  Whig  party,  becoming  a  Republican  on  the  organization  of  that 
party.  He  lived  to  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-four  years,  liis  death  occur- 
ring in  Hardin  county,  Ohio,  in  1877.  He  was  twice  married,  his  children 
all  being  born  of  the  first  union.  They  were:  Joseph  D.,  born  August 
26,  1822;  Matthew  B.,  May  22,  1824;  Henry  D.,  December  15,  1825;  Clar- 
inda,  a  twin  sister  of  Henry;  Almira,  March  3,  1827;  Claud,  March  2,  1829; 
Alary  J.,  February  5,  1830;  Sarah,  November  30,  1832;  Lucinda,  June  4, 
1835;  William,  November  2,  1838;  Hugh  M.,  December  7,  1841;  and  Esther 
C,  February  13,  1846.  All  of  the  twelve  children  are  living  excepting 
Almira,  who  died  at  the  age  of  ten  years,  and  Esther,  who  died  December 
20,  1854. 

After  their  marriage  Air.  and  Mrs.  Robinson  located  in  Union  county, 
Ohio,  on  a  farm  of  one  hundrefl  and  twenty  acres,  which  was  covered  with 
heavy  timber.  It  required  arduous  labor  to  prepare  this  for  the  plow,  but 
he  cleared  away  the  trees  and  made  a  good  home,  residing  there  for  six 
years.  In  1865  he  came  to  Grundy  county,  and  on  the  21st  of  March  of 
that  year  took  up  his  abode  on  the  farm  which  is  now  his  home,  a  tract  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  The  place  was  unimproved  save  that  an  old 
house  had  been  built  thereon.  Mr.  Robinson  began  the  work  of  develop- 
ment with  characteristic  energy,  and  has  prosecuted  his  labors  so  untiringly 
that  he  has  one  of  the  best  improved  farms  in  the  township  at  this  time.  He 
owns  two  hundred  and  forty-five  acres  of  rich  land,  the  greater  part  of  which 
is  under  cultivation,  yielding  to  him  a  golden  tribute  in  return  for  his  care 
and  labor.  He  has  erected  a  substantial  two-story  frame  residence  and  has 
built  good  barns  and  outbuildings.     The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robinson 


628  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

has  l)een  blessed  with  two  children:     Alfred  D..  born  July  24,  1859,  and 
^\'illiam  R.,  born  September  23,  1863,  both  natives  of  Union  county,  Ohio. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Robinson  is  a  stalwart  Repubhcan.  having 
supported  that  party  since  John  C.  Fremont  was  its  first  candidate.  He 
served  as  school  trustee  for  nineteen  years,  and  the  cause  of  education  has 
found  in  him  a  warm  friend,  whose  labors  in  behalf  of  its  advancement  have 
been  most  effective  and  beneficial.  For  three  years  he  served  as  assessor 
and  for  two  years  as  supervisor,  discharging-  his  duties  in  a  most  creditalile 
manner.  He  is  known  as  a  progressive  and  public-spirited  citizen  and  has 
given  his  active  co-operation  to  all  movements  calculated  to  advance  the 
general  welfare.  He  was  instrumental  in  naming  the  township  of  Maine, 
and  has  ever  done  all  in  his  power  to  promote  its  upbuilding  and  progress. 
His  life  has  been  characterized  by  uprightness  in  all  business  and  social  rela- 
tions, and  he  well  deserves  mention  among  the  representative  men  of  the 
coimtv. 


CONRAD     ELERDINXi. 

The  industrial  interests  of  Grundy  county  are  well  represented  by 
this  gentleman,  who  is  now  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  rolled  oats  in 
Morris.  Success  has  attended  his  business  career,  resulting  not  from  a 
combination  of  fortunate  circumstances  or  from  aid  of  influential  friends, 
but  coming  as  the  result  of  continued  endeavor,  resolute  will  and  honorable 
dealing,  and  while  his  life  has  not  been  marked  by  striking  events  his  history 
yet  contains  valuable  lessons,  for  it  is  that  of  one  who  has  ever  been  true  to 
his  duty  to  himself,  his  fellow  men  and  his  country. 

Mr.  Elerding  is  a  native  of  LaSalle  county,  where  his  birth  occurred 
December  15.  1844:  and  his  father.  Henry  Elerding.  was  born  in  the  prin- 
cipality of  Westphalia.  Germany.  September  9.  1805.  and  like  his  father  was 
a  miller  by  occupation.  During  the  stormy  days  succeeding  the  estab- 
lishment of  French  rule  in  \\'estphalia  by  Napoleon  I.  and  while  Henry 
was  still  an  infant,  his  father  was  called  to  active  military  service  and  so 
distinguished  himself  on  the  field  of  battle  that  he  was  rewarded  with  a 
medal  of  honor  by  King  Gerome  I. — a  distinction  that  has  been  conferred 
upon  but  few.  But  war  brought  its  hardships  to  the  families  of  the  soldiers. 
for  the  land  was  over-ridden  by  the  troops.  The  sufiferings  and  privations  of 
those  terrible  days  of  the  boyhood  of  Henry  Elerding  were  such  as  to  be 
long  remembered.  The  family  property,  although  not  confiscated,  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  and  the  lifetime  work  of  his  father  was  thus  lost. 

Under  great  disadvantages  Henrj^  Elerding  secured  an  education  while 
working  in  the  mill.     At  length  he  determined  to  try  his  fortune  in  .Vmerica, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  629 

and  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven  sailed  to  the  Xew  World.  After  a  voyage 
of  sixty-eight  days  he  arrived  in  New  York  city,  November  i,  1832.  without 
a  dollar.  \\'orking  his  passage  to  Troy,  New  York,  he  secured  there  a 
position  as  a  wheelwright,  but  soon  after,  learning  of  better  opportunities 
ill  the  west,  he  started  on  foot  for  Detroit.  Michigan.  At  length  he  reached 
his  destination,  where  he  learned  for  the  first  time  of  the  hamlet  which  was 
to  become  the  future  metropolis  of  the  Mississip]ii  valley.  Chicago  at  that 
time  contained  a  population  of  only  one  hundred  and  fifty,  and  with  the 
little  town  he  became  identified  May  30,  1834.  While  there  he  formed 
the  acciuaintnnce  of  Judge  Caton.  who  advised  him  to  go  to  LaSalle  county, 
and,  acting  upon  that  suggestion,  Mr.  Elerding  there  erected  and  operated 
the  first  .sawmill  on  the  Fox  river,  its  location  being  one  mile  north  of  the 
present  site  of  Sheridan.  There  he  also  built  a  gristmill,  and  at  that  place 
a  mill  is  still  oi)erated  by  his  nephew.  Mr.  Elerding  remained  in  LaSalle 
county  until  1858,  when  in  the  fall  of  that  year  he  came  to  Morris,  where 
he  erected  a  gristmill,  which  he  conducted  till  1869,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  his  son,  Conrad.  He  was  a  very  successful  business  man  and  his  inde- 
fatigable energy  and  capable  management  brought  tii  him  a  handsome  com- 
petence. 

In  1838  Henr}-  Elerding  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary  Ann  Hollen- 
back,  who  was  born  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of  Clark 
Hollenback,  a  pioneer  settler  of  Kendall  county,  Illinois.  She  died  in  1882 
and  was  buried  in  Millington,  this  state.  Of  their  union  were  born  ten 
children:  Melissa,  William  H.  and  Sarah,  all  deceased;  Conrad,  of  this 
sketch;  Louise;  Annis,  who  has  also  passed  away;  George  B.;  Charles  F. ; 
Edward  H.;  and  Wesley,  deceased.  Conrad  Elerding  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools,  learned  the  miller's  trade  under  the  direction  of  his  father  and 
in  1869  succeeded  to  the  ownership  of  the  mill  in  Morris.  He  thoroughly 
mastered  the  business  in  all  its  details  in  early  life  and  during  the  passing- 
years  has  kept  in  touch  with  the  progress  and  improvement  that  have  been 
made  in  the  business.  He  has  a  well  equipped  plant,  supplied  with  excel- 
lent machinery,  and  since  1889  he  has  been  engaged  exclusively  in  the 
manufacture  of  rolled  oats.  His  patronage  has  steadily  increased  until  it 
has  now  assumed  extensive  proportions  and  yields  to  him  a  handsome  in- 
come, the  i)roduct  of  his  mill  reaching  many  markets,  including  England 
and  continental  Europe. 

In  1876  Mr.  Elerding  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Eliza  J.  Elerding, 
the  widow  of -his  brother,  William  H.  She  was  a  daughter  of  John  P.  and 
Rebecca  (Stone)  Ridings,  natives  of  Virginia.  Her  father  was  a  descendant 
of  Peter  Ridings,  the  first  representative  of  the  family  in  America,  who 
sailed  from  England  and  took  up  his  abode  in  the  Old  Dominion.     In  1859 


630  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Mrs.  Elerding's  parents  came  to  Grundy  county,  where  she  has  since  made 
her  home.  By  her  first  marriage  she  has  one  child,  George  W.,  who  mar- 
ried Elva  A.  Lloyd  and  has  one  child,  a  son.  Frank  Lloyd,  aged  three  years. 
This  child  represents  the  fourth  generation  of  the  Elerdings  in  America. 

For  many  years  the  subject  of  this  review  has  been  a  resident  of  Morris, 
where  he  is  highly  esteemed  for  his  sterling  worth.  Prosperity  has  attended 
his  efforts  in  industrial  lines,  and  so  honorably  has  it  lieen  won  that  even  the 
most  envious  cannot  grudge  him  his  success. 


ORVILLE     T.     WILSON. 

Orville  T.  Wilson,  secretary  of  the  Morris  Grain  Company,  of  Morris, 
Illinois,  is  one  of  the  enterprising  business  men  of  the  town,  where  he  has 
resided  for  the  past  four  years.  Briefly,  the  facts  in  regard  to  his  life  are 
as  follows : 

Orville  T.  Wilson  is  a  son  of  Jonathan  and  Elma  C.  (Hoyle)  Wilson, 
highly  respected  citizens  of  Grundy  county,  Illinois;  and  was  born  on  his 
father's  farm  in  this  county.  June  15,  1868.  He  was  engaged  in  farming 
from  his  early  youth  until  1895,  when  he  left  the  farm  and  came  to  Morris. 
From  February,  1895.  until  October,  1897,  he  was  a  member  of  the  lumber 
firm  of  J.  H.  Pattison  &  Company.  In  the  meantime,  in  1895,  he  became 
associated  with  others  in  the  organization  of  the  Morris  Grain  Company, 
and  in  the  fall  of  1897,  having  sold  his  lumber  interests,  he  assumed  the  active 
duties  of  secretary  of  the  company  he  had  helped  to  organize  and  which  is 
now  doing  a  prosperous  business.  / 

Mr.  Wilson  has  a  wife  and  three  children.  He  was  married  in  1893  to 
Miss  Alice  M.  Pattison,  daughter  of  J.  H.  Pattison,  and  their  children,  in 
order  of  birth,  are  Grace,  Jennie  Elma  and  Lois. 

Politicallv  Mr.  Wilson  is  a  stanch  Republican,  active  in  the  support 
of  his  party.  Public-snirited  and  enterprising,  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
leading  young  business  men  of  the  town.  Fraternally  he  is  identified  with 
the  Knights  of  Pythias. 


E.     B.     TAMES. 


Among  the  pioneers  of  Grundy  county  none  is  more  w'orthy  of  repre- 
sentation in  this  volume  than  the  gentleman  whose  naine  forms  the  caption 
of  this  article.    Through  the  long  years  which  have  passed  since  his  arrival  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  631 

the  community  he  lias  witnessed  wonderful  changes,  having  seen  tlie  wild 
lantl  transformed  into  rich  farms,  while  hamlets  have  grown  into  thriving 
towns,  supplied  with  the  various  business  enterprises  which  contribute  to 
the  g'eneral  prosperity  of  the  public.  The  inventions  and  enterprises  which 
are  indicative  of  civilization  ha\e  been  introduced  one  by  one,  and  through 
the  efforts  of  the  representative  citizens  the  county  has  taken  rank  among 
the  leading  counties  of  this  great  commonwealth.  At  all  times  Mr.  James 
has  been  deeply  interested  in  the  growth  of  the  locality  and  has  withheld 
his  support  from  no  measures  which  have  been  intended  for  the  pul)lic 
good. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  he  was  born  in  Hamilton  county,  November  19, 
18.24,  ^"d  at  the  age  of  ten  years  went  to  Rush  county,  Indiana,  where  he 
was  employed  as  a  farm  hand  for  eight  years.  At  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  came  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Kendall  county,  where  he  worked 
by  the  day  and  month  for  a  time  and  then  began  farming  on  his  own  ac- 
count on  rented  land,  which  he  operated  for  about  five  years.  He  then 
came  to  Grundy  county  and  settled  on  section  25,  Norman  township,  where 
he  rented  a  farm  for  two  years.  Later  he  took  a  claim  which  he  afterward 
purchased,  and  as  his  financial  resources  increased  he  added  tO'  his  landed 
possessions  from  time  to  time  until  he  is  now  the  owner  of  six  hundred  and 
eighteen  acres  of  fine  land.  He  came  to  this  country  a  poor  boy  and  by 
determined  purpose  and  unflagging  industrv  he  has  overcome  the  difticulties 
and  hardships  that  fell  to  his  lot  and  has  wrested  from  the  hand  of  fate  a 
comfortable  competence.  For  fifty-two  years  he  has  resided  on  the  farm 
which  is  now  his  home,  his  first  place  of  residence  being  a  primitive  log 
cabin,  which  in  1850  was  destroyed  by  fire,  together  with  all  its  contents. 
He  replaced  it  with  a  rude  frame  building,  but  now  he  has  a  commodious 
and  substantial  residence,  together  with  good  barns  and  other  buildings  for 
the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  He  was  very  unfortunate  in  an  attempt  to 
raise  horses,  but  was  very  successful  in  his  other  stock-dealing  venttu'es. 
Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  success  has  not  always  smiled  upon  him,  yet  he 
has  persevered  and  his  labors  have  ultimately  brought  to  him  a  desirable  and 
merited  reward. 

In  1844  i\Ir.  James  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  Pyatt,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  I^Iargaret  (Elder)  Pyatt,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia 
and  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania.  Their  children  are  John  Wesley,  who  died 
in  the  army  during  the  civil  war;  Charity,  who  also  has  passed  away;  Emily 
E.,  who  is  the  wife  of  \\'.  H.  Benson,  a  resident  of  Norman  township, 
Grundv  county,  Huldena,  deceased;  Sarah  F.,  the  wife  of  John  Whitten, 
a  resident  of  Norman  township:  M.  F.,  wdio  married  Myra  Marks  and  is 
living  in  Kansas;  and  ]Mary  A.,  the  wife  of  C.  R.  Flanders,  a  resident  of 


632  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Harvey,  Illinois.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  in  1863,  and  Mr.  James 
afterward  married  Sarah  P.  Evans,  a  daughter  of  Francis  Evans,  of  Illinois. 
They  have  but  one  child.  Dr.  Robert  L.,  who  married  Jessie  Butler,  and  is  a 
practicing  physician  at  Blue  Island,  Illinois. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  James  is  a  stalwart  Republican,  who  warmly 
advocates  the  principles  of  his  party,  for  he  believes  that  its  platform  em- 
bodies the  best  views  of  government.  He  has  held  a  number  of  local  offices, 
including  that  of  supervisor,  in  which  he  acceptably  served  four  years.  He 
is  an  earnest  worker  and  faithful  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  is  a  man  whom  to  know  is  to  respect  and  honor.  His  success  is  indeed 
creditable  and  his  life  is  an  illustration  of  what  may  be  accomplished  through 
determined  and  continued  labor. 


OLE     J.      XELSON. 

.\mong  the  well-known  representatives  of  business  interests  in  Morris 
is  this  gentleman,  who  is  connected  with  the  fire  and  life  insurance  business 
of  this  city.  He  is  also  well  known  as  an  official,  for  during  a  period  of 
seventeen  years  he  has  represented  his  township  on  the  county  board  of 
supervisors,  of  which  he  is  now  the  chairman.  In  life's  relations  his  conduct 
has  been  such  as  to  gain  him  the  respect  and  confidence  of  those  with  whom 
he  has  been  associated.  Energetic,  prompt  and  reliable  in  business  affairs, 
he  has  gained  the  well  deserved  success  which  is  the  result  of  tireless  energy 
and  keen  discrimination. 

Mr.  Nelson  is  a  native  of  Norway,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  the  land 
of  the  "midnig-ht  sun"  on  the  22d  of  January.  1847.  His  parents  were  John 
and  Anna  (Oleson)  Nelson,  and  with  them  he  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1858,  locating  upon  a  farm  near  Lisbon,  Kendall  county.  Illinois.  There 
the  father  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
1879,  when  he  had  attained  the  age  of  sixty-four  years.  In  1886  Mrs.  Nel- 
son departed  this  life,  being  then  in  the  sixty-sixth  year  of  her  age. 

Ole  J.  Nelson  was  the  second  in  order  of  birth  in  their  family  of  ten 
children.  His  boyhood  days  were  passed  in  the  usual  manner  of  farm  lads 
of  that  period.  He  assisted  in  the  work  of  field  and  meadow  and  in  the 
winter  months  he  attended  the  public  schools.  He  was  only  eleven  years 
of  age  when  the  family  arrived  in  Illinois.  His  educational  privileges  were 
somewhat  limited,  but  through  the  avenue  of  books  and  papers  and  through 
the  experience  gained  in  a  practical  business  career  he  has  gathered  a  useful 
fund  of  information,  and  is  indeed  a  well-informed   man.      He  jnirsued  a 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  633 

course  in  the  local  business  college  in  Morris,  and  was  then  well-eciuipped 
for  the  practical  duties  of  life. 

At  the  early  age  of  sixteen  years  he  offered  his  services  to  the  govern- 
ment in  defense  of  the  Union,  and  joined  the  "boys  in  blue"  of  Company 
H,  One  liundred  and  Thirty-eighth  Illinois  Infantry.  The  date  of  his  en- 
listment was  April  14,  1864,  and  the  term  one  hundred  days.  He  served 
for  more  than  five  months  in  Missouri  and  Kansas,  and  with  an  honorable 
military  record  was  mustered  out.  Although  so  young  he  displayed  the 
\-alor  and  loyalty  of  many  a  time-tried  veteran,  and  he  now  maintains  pleas- 
ant relations  with  his  army  comrades  through  his  membership  in  Darveaux 
Post,  No.  329,  G.  A.  R.,  of  which  he  has  served  as  the  commander. 

After  his  return  from  the  war  Mr.  Nelson  engaged  in  farming  for  a  year, 
and  then  turned  his  attention  to  merchandising  in  jNIorris.  For  six  years 
he  occupied  a  clerical  position  with  the  grain  company  on  Canal  street,  and 
in  1874  formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother,  Nels  J.  Nelson,  in  the  grain 
business,  which  he  continued  until  iSgi.  In  that  year  their  warehouse  was 
destroved  by  tire,  and  their  losses  were  so  great  as  to  compel  them  to  retire 
trom  the  grain  trade.  Our  subject  then  turned  his  attention  to  the  fire  and 
life  insurance  business,  in  which  he  has  met  with  pleasing  success.  He  is 
one  of  the  able  representatives  of  that  enterprise  in  this  section  of  the  state 
and  has  written  a  large  amount  of  business,  wdiich  has  gained  him  the  con- 
fidence and  commendation  of  the  company. 

In  1872  Mr.  Nelson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  A.  Erick- 
•son.  and  to  them  have  been  born  two  daughters,  Ettie  and  Josephine.  Their 
pleasant  home  in  Morris  is  the  center  of  a  cultured  society  circle,  and  their 
household  is  noted  for  its  gracious  hospitality.  In  politics  Mr.  Nelson  is  a 
stanch  Republican,  unswerving  in  his  support  of  the  principles  of  the  party 
which  stood  by  the  Union  in  the  civil  war,  which  has  ever  upheld  American 
institutions  and  industries,  and  which  is  now  advocating  the  policy  of  the 
McKinley  administration  and  the  sovereignty  of  our  flag  upon  foreign  soil. 
He  is  prominent  in  political  circles,  and  his  worth  and  ability  have  occasioned 
his  election  to  various  of^ces  of  trust  and  responsibility.  He  served  six 
years  as  city  alderman,  being-  elected  to  that  position  in  1877.  In  1883 
he  was  elected  township  supervisor  and  discharged  his  duties  so  ably  that 
he  has  since  been  continued  in  the  office — a  period  of  seventeen  consecutive 
years.  This  record  is  hardlv  equaled  in  the  city,  an  indication  of  his  fidelity 
to  duty  and  his  prompt  and  able  sen-ice.  He  is  now  the  president  of  the 
board  of  Grundy  county  supervisors,  and  by  virtue  of  this  position  he  was 
made  the  chairman  of  the  board  of  review  in  1899.  He  has  a  membership 
in  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  has  attained  the  degree  of  Knight  Templar. 
Throughout  his  life  he  has  manifested  the  qualities  which  characterize  the 


•634  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

people  of  the  Norwegian  nation,  being  energetic,  reliable  and  persevering. 
These  elements  have  brought  to  him  success  and  won  him  the  high  regard 
of  his  fellow  men. 


JAMES    E.    WILLS. 

Upon  a  farm  near  Coal  City  James  E.  Wills  makes  his  home  and  is  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  and  leading  and  influential  citizens 
of  Maine  township.  He  was  born  in  this  township,  July  i,  1857,  his  par- 
ents being  Lawrence  and  Isabel  (Honebon)  Wills.  It  is  thought  that  both 
the  Wills  and  Honebon  families  have  large  fortunes  in  Englanil.  The 
grandmother  of  our  subject  was  an  heir  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
pounds,  but  never  received  the  money,  being  cheated  out  of  it  by  a  lawyer. 
It  is  also  believed  that  a  large  fortune  belonging  to  the  Wills  is  in  the  English 
court  of  chancery.  One  of  the  ancestors  of  our  subject  was  a  naval  officer 
to  whom  large  amounts  of  prize  money  was  due  for  some  captures  which 
he  assisted  in  making.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a  seafaring  man, 
antl  his  son,  Lawrence  Wills,  was  born  in  Chardstock,  Somersetshire,  Eng- 
land, May  24,  1824.  He  obtained  a  common-school  education  and  in  early 
life  began  farming.  He  was  married  in  his  native  county  to  Isabel  Hone- 
bon, who  was  born  in  Somersetshire,  February  7,  181 5.  They  began  their 
domestic  life  there  and  for  a  few  years  Mr.  Wills  followed  farming,  after 
which  he  emigrated  to  America,  in  1848,  taking  passage  on  a  sailing  vessel 
which  weighed  anchor  at  Liverpool.  Three  months  later  he  landed  at  New 
York,  and  by  way  of  the  lakes  he  proceeded  to  Chicago  and  thence  to  Ken- 
dall county,  Illinois,  where  he  rented  land.  In  1854  he  came  to  Grundy 
county,  locating  in  what  is  now  Maine  township.  Here  he  purchased  forty 
acres  of  the  farm  upon  which  our  subject  now  resides.  It  was  then  but 
little  improved,  but  he  made  a  good  home  and  extended  the  boundaries  of 
his  farm  from  time  to  time  until  it  comprised  four  hundred  acres  of  rich  and 
arable  land.  His  life  was  one  of  untiring  industry  and  his  years  of  honest 
labor  brought  to  him  a  handsome  competence.  His  political  support  was 
given  the  Republican  party.  In  their  nati\e  land  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wills  were 
members  of  the  Church  of  England,  but  after  coming  to  America  united 
with  the  Methodist  church.  The  father  died  July  3,  1S93,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-two  years,  and  the  mother  in  1888.  They  were  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren: Sylvia,  Fanny,  Barbara,  William,  Isaac  and  James  E.,  all  natives  of 
Somersetshire,    England,  excepting  the  last  two. 

James  E.  Wills,  of  this  review,  is  indebted  to  the  common-school  sys- 
tem for  the  educational  privileges  which  he  enjoyed  and  was  reared  to  farm 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  635 

life.  He  was  married  in  Maine  township,  on  the  20th  of  February,  1881, 
to  Miss  Mary  L.  Hill,  who  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  October  7, 
i860,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  D.  and  Maria  (Stahnan)  Hill,  the  former 
a  son  of  Adam  Hill  and  a  native  of  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  where  he  was 
born  December  15,  1826.  He,  too,  made  farming  his  life  work,  and  in  his 
native  county  he  wedded  Maria  S.  Stalman,  who  was  born  in  Adams  county, 
Pennsylvania,  September  8.  1834.  Her  parents  were  Henry  Louis  and 
Maria  Sophia  (Miller)  Stalman.  Her  father  was  born  in  Hamburg,  Ger- 
many, and  there  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade.  After  arriving  at  years  of 
maturity  he  wedded  Maria  S.  Miller,  also  a  native  of  Germany,  and  in  1833 
they  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America,  taking  up  their  abode  in  Adams  county, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  followed  the  shoemaker's  trade.  Later  they  re- 
sided in  Licking  county,  Ohio,  and  afterward  removed  to  Delaware  county, 
locating  twenty  miles  north  of  Columbus  on  a  small  farm,  where  Mr.  Stal- 
man died,  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years,  and  his  wife  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
seven.  They  were  members  of  the  United  Brethren  church  and  were  peo- 
ple of  the  highest  respectability. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Hill  located  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  making 
his  home  upon  a  small  farm  until  his  removal  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois, 
in  1864.  For  a  year  he  resided  in  Mazon  township,  and  then  purchased  land 
in  what  is  now  Maine  township^ — a  tract  of  eighty  acres —  to  which  he  after- 
ward added  forty  acres.  This  place  he  improved,  making  a  good  home,  and 
his  enterprising  efforts  gained  him  a  place  among  the  substantial  farmers 
and  reliable  citizens  of  his  community.  He  died  January  26,  1900,  when 
about  seventy-four  years  of  age.  His  children  were  Clara,  John,  Mary,  Joel 
B.,  Edward,  Joseph,  Louis,  Delmar,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two 
years,  Thomas  and  Martha. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wills  spent  two  years  upon  the  farm 
which  is  now  their  home  and  then  moved  to  Good  Farm  township.  Mr. 
Wills  rented  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  there.  They  returned  to 
the  Wills  homestead  in  1890,  he  having  inherited  eighty  acres  of  his  father's 
estate.  As  the  years  passed  and  his  capital  was  augmented  Mr.  Wills  has 
increased  his  landed  possessions  until  he  now  owns  about  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  in  Maine  township,  together  with  a  well-improved  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Butler  county,  Kansas.  While  his  career 
has  been  a  prosperous  one.  his  success  has  come  as  the  result  of  many  hours 
of  hard  labor,  week  in  and  week  out.  His  steady  application  and  careful 
management  have  been  the  factors  in  his  prosperity,  and  his  competence  is 
therefore  well  merited. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wills  are:  Wesley,  Lewis,  Clarence, 
Earl,  Ray,  James,  Jesse,  John  and  Inez  Marie,  the  only  daughter.     In  his 


636  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

political  views  Mr.  Wills  is  a  Republican,  and  has  served  as  a  member  of  the 
school  board  and  as  highway  commissioner.  Both  he  and  his  wife  enjoy 
the  warm  regard  of  many  friends  and  are  numbered  among  the  leading  citi- 
zens of  their  community. 


MATTHEW  JOHNSTON. 

Matthew  Johnston,  whose  long  and  active  useful  life  is  well  worthy  of 
emulation  and  who  is  accounted  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Mazon.  was 
born  in  Uniontown,  Fayette  county.  Pennsylvania.  June  27,  1821,  his  par- 
ents being  Andrew  and  Mar}-  (Thompson)  Johnston.  The  father  was  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania  and  a  son  of  William  Johnston,  whose  birth  occurred 
in  Ireland.  The  grandfather  was  probably  of  Scotch-Irish  lineage,  and  in 
his  religious  faith  was  a  Presbyterian.  Andrew  Johnston  was  born  in  Fay- 
ette county,  Pennsylvania,  and  worked  as  a  teamster  in  the  days  when 
freight  was  transported  by  means  of  horse  power.  He  married  Mary 
Thompson,  also  of  Fayette  county,  and  to  them  were  born  the  following 
children :  William,  Matthew,  Jane.  Lorrimer,  Sidney,  Ann  and  Sarah. 
Leaving  the  county  of  his  nativity,  Andrew  Johnston  removed  with  his  fam- 
ily to  Richland  county,  Ohio,  becoming  one  of  the  pioneer  residents  of  that 
locality.  There  he  followed  farming  and  freighting  until  his  death,  his 
demise  occurring  when  he  was  thirty-five  years  of  age,  while  making  one 
of  his  trips.  His  widow  sur\-ived  him  until  eighty-two  years  of  age,  mak- 
ing her  home  with  her  son  Matthew,  in  Grundy  county,  Illinois. 

Matthew  Johnston  was  only  about  a  year  and  a  half  old  when  his  par- 
ents removed  to  Richland  county,  Ohio.  He  received  a  limited  education 
in  the  public  schools,  but  was  not  yet  eight  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his 
father's  death.  He  then  went  to  live  with  an  uncle.  \\'illiam  Thompson,  with 
whom  he  remained  until  seventeen  years  of  age.  wlien  he  went  to  Union- 
town.  Pennsylvania,  to  learn  the  brick-mason's  trade.  He  served  a  three- 
years  apprenticeship  under  \\'illiam  Meredith,  receiving  at  various  times 
four,  five  and  six  dollars  per  month.  When  he  had  thoroughly  mastered  the 
business  he  returned  to  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  where  he  worked  at  his 
trade  for  six  years,  after  which  he  spent  six  years  in  Jefiferson  county,  Ohio, 
following  the  same  pursuit. 

On  the  19th  of  April,  1842,  in  Guernsey  county.  Air.  Johnston  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Jane  Preston,  who  was  born  September 
6,  1824,  in  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Annie  (Car- 
son) Preston.  Her  paternal  grandparents  were  William  and  Zubah  (Sweet) 
Preston :  the  former  was  born  in  \'ermont,  near  Lake  Champlain.  and  was 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  637 

descended  from  English  ancestors  who  located  in  America  in  colonial  days. 
By  occupation  he  was  a  farmer,  and  at  an  early  period  in  the  pioneer  epoch  of 
Ohio  he  removed  to  Tuscarawas  county.  His  children  were  Elijah,  Sarah, 
Mary,  John,  Oliver,  Elizabeth,  James  and  Zubah.  William  -  Preston,  Jr., 
was  reared  upon  a  farm  and  was  married  in  Tuscarawas  county  to  Annie 
Carson,  a  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Jane  Carson,  the  former  of  French  line- 
age and  the  latter  of  Holland-Dutch  descent.  Andrew  Carson  was  a  farmer 
and  tanner,  and  removed  to  Sandusky,  Ohio,  locating  upon  a  farm,  where 
he  died  at  an  advanced  age.  His  children  were  Zachariah,  John,  Samuel, 
Andrew,  Margaret,  Jane  and  Annie.  For  a  number  of  years  William  Pres- 
ton, Jr.,  resided  in  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  but  afterward  removed  to 
Hancock  county,  that  state.  Their  daughter,  Mrs.  Johnston,  however,  was 
born  in  the  former  county.  By  her  marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  ten 
children:  William,  the  oldest,  born  April  9,  1843,  i"  Guernsey  county,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  civil  war.  He  enlisted  at  Mazon  in  August,  1862,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  D,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry, 
under  Captain  Chandler,  for  three  years  or  during  the  war,  continuing  at 
the  front  until  honorably  discharged  on  the  5th  of  June,  1865.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  battles  of  Lookout  Mountain,  Vicksburg,  the  Atlanta  cam- 
paign and  the  memorable  march  to  the  sea  under  Sherman.  He  is  now 
living  in  York  county,  Nebraska.  The  other  children  of  the  family  are 
Andrew  C,  who  was  born  in  Guernsey  county,  April  28,  1845;  Mary  A., 
born  October  9,  1847,  i"  Jefferson  county,  Ohio;  Harriet  M.,  born  July  4, 
1850,  and  died  in  185 1;  Sarah  M.,  born  April  5,  1853,  in  Mazon  township, 
Grundy  county,  Illinois;  Finley  P.,  born  March  4,  1856;  John  F.,  born  July 
2,  i860;  Charles  S.,  born  April  i,  1862;  Clara  B.,  bom  September  20,  1864, 
in  Mazon  township;  and  Nellie  A.,  born  January  28,  1868. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnston,  of  this  review,  located  in 
Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  and  erected  many 
substantial  buildings,  including  the  Catholic  church  in  Washington,  Ohio, 
and  many  good  residences.  In  1847  '^^  removed  to  Jefferson  county,  Ohio, 
locating  on  a  farm.  In  1852  he  came  to  Illinois,  taking  up  his  residence  in 
Mazon  township,  Grundy  county,  a  mile  south  of  the  village  of  Mazon. 
There  he  successfully  followed  farming  for  some  time.  He  bought  land 
and  became  the  owner  of  a  valuable  property,  which  he  continued  to  culti- 
vate until  1884,  when  he  removed  to  Mazon.  In  the  village  he  purchased 
a  comfortable  residence,  and  has  since  practically  lived  a  retired  life,  although 
he  has  been  the  promoter  of  various  enterprises  which  have  contributed 
to  the  welfare  of  the  town,  and  was  one  of  the  builders  of  the  opera  house, 
'of  which  he  is  still  one  of  the  proprietors.  His  wife  has  for  many  years 
heen  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  he  contributes  to  its  support. 


638  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

In  politics,  Air.  Johnston  is  a  stalwart  Republican,  served  as  supervisor  for 
three  terms,  as  assessor  for  nine  years  and  as  a  member  of  the  school  board 
for  four  years,  discharging  the  duties  in  a  most  prompt  and  able  manner. 


THOMAS    LAYMON. 


For  more  than  a  third  of  a  century  Thomas  Lamon  has  resided 
upon  his  present  farm  in  Maine  township,  Grundy  county,  locating  here 
soon  after  his  return  from  the  war,  for  at  the  time  when  hostilities  were  in 
progress  between  the  north  and  the  south  he  went  forth  in  defense  of  the 
Union  and  valiantly  followed  the  old  flag.  He  is  descended  from  colonial 
ancestry  that  resided  in  Tennessee  and  were  of  German  and  Irish  lineage. 
His  paternal  grandparents,  Abraham  and  Elizabeth  (Goodpaster)  Laymon, 
were  natives  of  Tennessee,  whence  they  removed  to  Clermont  county,  Ohio, 
in  early  pioneer  days.  They  had  a  family  of  ten  children,  namely :  James 
M.,  Elias,  David,  Will.  Cynthia,  John,  Rachel,  Frank,  Cornelius  and  Jesse. 

James  AI.  Laymon.  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Clermont 
county,  Ohio,  September  4,  1807,  and  received  such  educational  privileges 
as  could  be  obtained  in  the  subscription  schools  of  that  day.  His  training 
at  farm  work,  however,  was  not  meager,  for  in  youth  he  began  work  in  the 
fields  and  became  familiar  with  all  the  duties  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agri- 
culturist. He  was  married  in  1825  to  Mary  Sloan,  a  daughter  of  George 
and  ]\Iary  (Storey)  Sloan,  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  as  follows :  Nellie,  Thomas,  Mary,  Margaret,  John,  William  and 
Maria.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sloan  were  both  members  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  the  father  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  in  Clermont  county,  Ohio. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Laymon  located  on  a  farm  in  that 
countv.  whence  they  removed  to  Indiana,  settling  near  Crawfordsville.  where 
they  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  for  about  four  years  and  then  went  to 
Bartholomew  county,  that  state.  Subsequently  they  became  residents  of 
Miami  county,  Indiana,  where  the  father  purchased  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  heavily  timbered  land,  upon  which  no  home  had  then  been 
erected.  This  was  about  1835.  Mr.  Laymon  cleared  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  his  land,  erected  substantial  buildings,  planted  a  large  orchard 
and  made  a  good  pioneer  home.  He  was  afterward  cheated  out  of  this 
property  by  a  dishonorable  banker  who  got  him  to  exchange  it  for  worthless 
Iowa  land.  In  1856  he  removed  to  Lee  county,  Illinois,  where  he  purchased 
eighty  acres,  improving  the  farm  until  1859,  when  he  came  to  Grundy 
county  and  purchased  a  quarter  section  in  Braceville  township.  To  the 
improvement  and  development  of  that  tract  he  devoted  his  energies  until 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  639 

his  death,  and  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  industrious  and  enterprising 
farmers  of  the  neighborhood.  Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  tifteen  chil- 
dren, nine  of  whom  reached  years  of  maturity,  namely :  George,  Eliza- 
beth, Abraham,  Will,  John,  Thomas,  David,  Martha  and  Lida  J.  Both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Laymon  were  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  in  politics 
he  was  a  Democrat  in  early  life,  but  in  i860  supported  Abraham  Lincoln 
and  afterward  voted  the  Republican  ticket.  His  life  was  straightforward 
and  honorable,  and  he  reached  the  good  old  age  of  eighty-six  years,  passing 
away  upon  the  home  farm,  February  4,  1890.  His  wife  died  January  3, 
1894,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years. 

Thomas  Laymon,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  the  fifth 
child  of  his  father's  family  and  was  born  in  Bartholomew  county,  Indiana, 
May  15,  1846.  His  educational  privileges  were  limited.  He  attended  a 
subscription  school  for  three  months,  but  otherwise  is  self-educated.  He 
began  work  on  the  farm  when  very  young  and  aided  in  the  labors  of  the 
field  until  after  the  inauguration  of  the  great  civil  war,  when,  in  the  eleventh 
ward  of  Chicago,  on  the  7th  of  October,  1864,  he  enlisted  for  three  years. 
He  was  then  only  eighteen  years  of  age.  After  serving  for  a  year,  however, 
the  war  ended  and  he  was  honorably  discharged  in  Chicago,  July  12,  1865, 
having  in  the  meantime  been  promoted  to  the  rank  of  corporal  for  meritori- 
ous conduct.  He  participated  in  the  battle  of  Stone  River  and  in  the  sec- 
ond battle  at  Franklin,  which  was  one  of  the  most  hotly  contested  of  the 
war.  He  was  also  in  the  engagement  at  Nashville,  Tennessee.  At  one 
time  he  was  quite  ill,  but  did  not  go  to  the  hospital,  and  throughout  his 
service  was  always  loyal  to  the  old  flag  and  the  cause  it  represented,  doing 
his  duty  promptly  and  cheerfully.  He  also  had  two  brothers  in  the  war. 
Abraham  C.  served  for  three  years  as  a  private  of  Company  C,  Forty-seventh 
Indiana  Infantry,  and  participated  in  many  battles,  his  death  occurring  soon 
after  the  war  from  the  efifects  of  hardships  endured.  John  was  a  private  of 
the  One  Hundredth  Illinois  Infantry  and  served  for  about  ten  months. 
When  the  country  no  longer  needed  his  aid  Mr.  Laymon,  of  this  review, 
returned  to  Braceville  township  and  for  a  year  operated  a  rented  farm.  He 
was  married  April  10.  1866,  to  Esther  Alorrison,  who  was  born  November 
9,  1836,  in  Peoria,  Illinois,  and  was  a  widow  at  the  time  of  her  marriage  to 
Mr.  Laymon.  She  is  a  lady  of  culture  and  refinement.  Her  father,  Elias 
Colwell,  was  a  farmer  and  pioneer  of  Peoria  county,  Illinois,  whither  he 
removed  from  Stark  county,  Ohio.  His  children  were  Louisa,  Esther  and 
Melissa.  The  second  daughter  was  married  to  William  Morrison,  a  farmer 
of  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  two  children, 
Eliza  A.  and  Hannah,  both  of  whom  are  now  living.  ]\Ir.  Lavmon  lost  his 
first  wife  October  13,  1896,  and  in  Chicago,  on  the  24th  of  Januarv,  1899, 


640  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

he  wedded  Allie  J.  Ellyson,  who  was  bom  March  4,  1866,  in  Petersburg, 
Virginia,  a  daughter  of  James  F.  and  Jane  (Rolfe)  Ellyson.  Her  father  was 
born  at  Dinwiddie,  Virginia,  and  was  of  English  descent.  He  was  a  well- 
educated  man  and  a  coachmaker  by  occupation.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
thirty-five  years,  during  the  infancy  of  his  daughter.  He  had  been  a  soldier 
in  the  Confederate  service  during  the  civil  war,  and  his  death  resulted  from 
the  hardships  which  he  had  endured.  In  his  family  were  two  daughters, 
Allie  J.  and  Josephine,  the  latter  the  wife  of  J.  O.  Smith,  of  Raleigh,  North 
Carolina.  Airs.  Laymon  was  reared  in  Petersburg,  Virginia,  by  her  mother 
and  was  educated  in  the  city  schools.  In  later  years  she  made  her  home 
witli  her  sister,  Airs.  Smith,  of  Raleigh,  North  Carolina,  and  afterward  came 
to  Illinois. 

In  1866  Mr.  Laymon  purchased  his  present  farm,  which  he  has  greatly 
improved,  erecting  a  tasteful  and  commodious  residence  and  substantial  out- 
buildings. He  has  one  daughter,  Elva  J.,  now  the  wife  of  D.  R.  Anderson, 
a  lawyer  of  Morris,  and  they  have  one  child,  Ray.  In  his  political  views 
Mr.  Laymon  is  a  Republican,  and  he  is  an  honored  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  Post  at  Gardner.  Illinois.  Straightforward  in  business  and  indus- 
trious and  enterprising,  he  has  through  his  carefully  managed  affairs  won 
a  comfortable  competence.  He  and  his  wife  reside  on  the  old  homestead 
and  the  household  is  noted  for  its  gracious  hospitality. 


ABRAHAM    C.    CARTER. 

Among  the  honored  pioneers  who  aided  in  the  development  and  im- 
provement of  Grundy  county  in  the  days  of  its  early  settlement  none  is 
more  worthy  of  representation  in  this  volume  than  Abraham  C.  Carter. 
Though  deceased,  the  influence  of  his  honorable  and  upright  life  and  the 
memorv  of  his  industrious  career  is  stdl  felt  by  those  who  knew  him.  His 
life  was  quiet  and  uneventful  in  a  manner,  yet  at  all  times  he  was  found  faith- 
ful to  his  duty,  and  was  one  of  the  most  respected  citizens  of  Mazon  town- 
ship. 

A  native  of  the  Buckeye  state,  his  birth  occurred  in  Belmont  county, 
Ohio.  October  17,  1818.  his  parents  being  Henry  and  Sarah  (Cuppy)  Carter. 
His  father  was  a  pioneer  of  Belmont  county,  removing  to  that  place  from 
Marvland.  He  was  born  about  twenty  miles  from  the  city  of  Baltimore, 
and  in  that  locality  spent  the  days  of  his  youth.  He  married  Aliss  Cuppy. 
and  four  children  were  born  to  them,  namely:  Ann.  Rachel,  Henry  and 
Abraham.  Mr.  Carter  died  in  Ohio,  and  his  widow  afterward  became  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Tavlor.  bv  whom  she  had  two  children. — David  and  Margaret. 


(Jh,^.yi)CLA:^(lJ^^ 


m  j9,  ^c^^. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  641 

Abraham  C.  Carter  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  the  county  of  his  nativity 
and  received  there  a  hmited  education,  his  school  privileges,  however,  being 
somewhat  meager.  When  very  young  he  learned  the  glass-blower's  trade, 
at  Wheeling,  Virginia.  After  arriving  at  years  of  maturity  he  was  mar- 
ried, in  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  November  2~,  1844,  to  Margaret  Ann  Pres- 
ton, wiio  was  born  in  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  June  14,  1826.  Her  parents 
were  William  and  Ann  (Carson)  Preston,  and  the  former  was  a  son  of  Will- 
iam Preston,  who  was  of  English  descent,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Canada.  He  married  Zuby  Sweet,  and  their  children  were  Elijah,  Oliver, 
John,  Sarah,  William,  James,  Zuby  and  Mary.  The  family  removed  from 
Canada  to  the  United  States,  for  Mr.  Preston  would  not  swear  allegiance 
to  the  British  crown.  They  became  pioneer  settlers  of  Tuscarawas,  Ohio, 
where  he  followed  the  cooper's  trade,  which  he  had  learned  in  early  life. 
W'illiam  Preston,  Jr.,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Carter,  took  up  his  abode  in  Tus- 
carawas, Ohio,  after  his  marriage,  and  there  two  children  were  born  to  them, 
— Mary  Jane  and  Margaret  Ann.  The  mother  died  when  twenty-seven 
years  of  age,  and  the  father  afterward  married  Barbara  Richardson.  During 
the  civil  war  he  loyally  responded  to  the  country's  call  for  troops,  enlisting 
in  an  Ohio  regiment.  After  the  battle  of  Fort  Donelson,  in  which  he  par- 
ticipated, he  was  taken  ill  and  sent  to  the  hospital  in  Mound  City,  Illinois, 
but  died  before  reaching  home.  His  patriotic  spirit  was  most  marked.  He 
was  more  than  sixty  years  of  age  when  he  entered  the  service,  and  would 
have  been  exempt  from  military  duty  had  he  not  ardently  desired  to  aid  in 
the  defense  of  the  Union.  His  death  occurred  when  he  was  about  sixty-three 
years  of  age. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Abraham  Carter  began  their  domestic  life  in  Guernsey 
county,  Ohio,  upon  a  rented  farm,  and  in  185 1  came  to  Illinois,  making  the 
journey  by  wagon.  They  left  their  home  on  the  3d  of  June  and  on  the  27th 
of  the  same  month  arrived  in  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county.  They  iirst 
located  at  old  Mazon,  and  later  Mr.  Carter  purchased  one  hundred  and  five 
acres  of  partially  improved  land,  upon  which  was  a  small  frame  house.  By 
thrift  and  industry  he  added  to  his  property  until  the  home  farm  comprises 
three  hundred  and  fifty-four  acres.  The  well  tilled  fields  and  neat  appearance 
of  the  place  always  indicate  the  careful  supervision  of  the  owner,  who  from 
time  to  time  made  substantial  improvements  upon  his  land,  converting  it  into 
one  of  the  best  farms  in  this  section  of  the  state.  In  1867  the  little  pioneer 
home  was  replaced  by  a  more  commodious  and  substantial  residence,  and  the 
necessary  barns  and  outbuildings  were  added.  Throughout  his  life  Mr. 
Carter  was  a  man  of  industry  and  energy,  and  his  practical  and  progressive 
methods  brought  to  him  the  success  which  he  well  merited. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carter  was  blessed  with  the  following 


642  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

children:  Melvin,  born  in  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  November  17,  1845; 
Sarah  M.,  born  in  Guernsey  county,  March  2y,  1849;  Martha  A.,  who  was 
born  October  21,  1851,  in  Illinois,  and  died  on  the  24th  of  December,  1854; 
Lora  and  Flora,  twins,  born  in  Illinois,  March  29,  1854;  x\manda  J.,  born 
August  27,  1857;  Douglas  P.,  born  June  29,  i860;  William  H.,  born  Febru- 
ary 6,  1863;  Amos  A.,  born  March  11,  1865;  and  Frank  B.,  born  August  17, 
1867. 

Mr.  Carter  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  which  he  joined 
when  twenty-four  years  of  age.  His  life  was  in  harmony  with  his  professions, 
and  by  his  financial  support  and  active  efforts  he  materially  advanced  the 
cause  of  the  church  in  his  locality.  In  politics  he  was  a  stanch  Democrat, 
and  served  as  a  supervisor  of  highways  and  commissioner.  All  who  knew 
him  respected  him  for  his  sterling  worth,  his  honesty  in  business  and  his 
faithfulness  to  his  family  and  friends.  He  died  in  Mazon  township,  March 
2,  1876,  and  the  community  thereby  lost  one  of  its  most  respected  citizens. 
Mrs.  Carter  has  been  a  life-long  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  with 
which  she  became  identified  in  Ohio,  when  fifteen  years  of  age.  She  is 
one  of  the  well-known  pioneer  ladies  of  Grundy  county,  and  her  many  ex- 
cellencies of  character  have  won  her  high  regard.  She  has  also  been  an 
earnest  member  of  the  cliurch,  a  devoted  mother,  and  one  who  could  be  relied 
upon  when  sympathy  and  aid  were  needed  by  the  poor  and  distressed.  Her 
son,  William  H,  Carter,  is  now  managing  the  home  farm.  He  is  recognized 
as  one  of  the  reliable  agriculturists  of  Mazon  township,  and  is  known  as  a 
young  man  of  excellent  character.  He  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  good  land,  and  his  well-directed  efforts  in  business  are  bringing  him 
creditable  success. 


JOSEPH   F.   BURLEIGH. 

There  is  no  man  better  known  in  Grundy  county  than  Joseph  Franklin 
Burleigh,  to  whom  is  due  the  credit  of  advancing  the  material  prosperity  of 
this  section  of  the  state  in  no  small  degree.  He  has  devoted  many  years 
of  his  well-spent  life  te  producing  and  developing  a  distinct  and  superior 
breed  of  cattle,  which  are  now  rapidly  being  introduced  into  all  parts  of  the 
United  States,  and  also  into  other  countries.  He  is  the  founder  of  one  of  the 
original  herds  of  American  polled  Durham  cattle  and  has  done  more  to 
improve  the  splendid  breed  of  cattle  than  any  other  one  man  in  the  country. 
His  work  in  behalf  of  stock-raisers  has  made  him  a  public  benefactor,  for  his 
labors  have  resulted  not  to  his  individual  good  alone  but  have  also  been  of 
great  benefit  to  the  farming  community  throughout  the  nation. 

Mr.  Burleigh  descended  from  sterling  English  stock  that  was  founded 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  643 

in  Massachusetts  during  colonial  days,  his  Puritan  ancestors  being  among 
the  pioneers  of  the  old  Bay  state.  The  name  has  been  spelled  in  many 
ways,  Giles  Birdly  being  the  founder  of  the  family  in  America.  Many 
changes  have  occurred  in  orthography,  a  very  common  spelling  being  Bur- 
lev.  Giles  Birdly  was  a  commoner  in  the  English  town  of  Ipswich,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1664.  He  became  a  planter  and  for  eight  years  resided  on 
Brooke  street.  His  will  was  recorded  in  Essex  county,  Massachusetts,  in 
the  Registry  of  Probate,  volume  i,  dated  July  i,  1668.  He  makes  bequests 
to  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  and  after  her  death  the  property  is  to  be  transferred 
to  their  eldest  son,  Andrew.  He  also  mentions  his  sons  James  and  John. 
His  children  are  as  follows,  and  constitute  the  second  generation  of  the 
family  in  America:  Andrew,  who  was  born  in  Ipswich,  INIassachusetts, 
September  5,  1657.  and  died  February  i,  17 18:  James,  who  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 10.  1659,  and  died  in  Exeter,  New  Hampshire,  about  1721:  Giles, 
who  was  born  July  13,  1662;  and  John,  who  was  born  July  13,  1664,  and 
died  February  27,  1681. 

James  Burleigh  is  in  the  line  of  direct  descent  to  our  subject.  His  wife 
also  bore  the  name  of  Elizabeth,  and  their  children  were  of  the  third  genera- 
tion, the  record  being:  William,  who  was  born  in  Ipswich,  Massachusetts, 
February  27,  1693;  Joseph,  born  in  Ipswich,  April  6,  1695;  Thomas,  born  in 
Ipswich  in  April,  1697;  James,  born  in  Exeter,  New  Hampshire,  in  April, 
1699;  Josiah,  born  in  Exeter,  in  1701;  and  Giles,  born  in  Exeter.  New 
Hampshire,  in  1703.  Through  the  youngest,  Giles  Burleigh,  the  line  of 
descent  is  traced  down.  He  married  Elizabeth  Joy,  and  their  children  were 
Moses,  Anna,  Joseph,  Elizabeth,  Sarah  and  Lidia.  From  Moses  Burleigh 
and  his  wife  Ann  descends  the  fifth  generation.  Their  children  were : 
Moses,  who  was  born  in  Newmarket,  New  Hampshire;  John,  who  was  born 
in  Newmarket  and  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war;  Molly;  Rebecca; 
Nancy;  Phebe,  and  Betsey.  Of  this  family  John  became  one  of  the  valiant 
heroes  in  the  war  for  independence  and  afterward  located  in  Salisbury,  New 
Hampshire,  where  he  died.  His  children  were  Joseph,  who  went  to  sea 
when  young  and  is  believed  to  have  been  lost  on  one  of  his  voyages;  John, 
Hannah  and  Sally. 

Of  this  family  John  Burleigh  was  born  April  26,  1789,  and  was  married 
December  28,  1808,  to  Sarah,  a  daughter  of  Moses  and  Sarah  (Stevens)  Fel- 
lows, of  Salisbury,  Merrimac  county.  New  Hampshire.  She  was  born 
December  4,  1793,  and  died  at  Livonia,  New  York,  July  18,  1865.  John 
Burleigh  served  a  regular  apprenticeship  at  the  carpenter  and  joiner's  trade, 
becoming  familiar  with  the  business  in  all  its  branches  from  the  time  the 
timber  was  cut  in  the  forest  until  it  was  placed  in  the  most  elaborate  stair- 
cases, or  in  other  positions  recjuiring  superior  skill.     He  followed  his  trade 


644  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

until  the  infirmities  of  old  age  compelled  him  to  retire  to  his  farm  near 
Livonia,  where  he  died  May  27,  i86fi.  In  18 16,  the  year  memorable  for  its 
intense  coldness,  he  removed  from  Salisbury,  New  Hampshire,  to  Livonia, 
with  his  wife  and  two  small  children,  together  with  his  brother-in-law,  John 
Turrill,  and  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  making  the  journey  of  five  hundred  miles 
in  a  covered  wagon  draw  n  by  two  horses.  They  were  about  four  weeks  on 
the  way,  and  on  reaching  their  destination  Mr.  Burleigh  sold  his  horses  and 
wagon,  purchased  some  tools  and  then  built  a  house  for  Jesse  Blake,  the 
building  still  standing  in  a  good  state  of  preservation.  In  that  new  country 
dwellings  were  not  numerous  and  he  was  obliged  to  move  his  family  into  a 
log  school-house,  which  proved  a  warm  and  comfortable  home.  They  used 
the  joiner's  bench  for  a  bedstead  at  night  and  the  tool  chest  for  a  table  until 
Mr.  Burleigh  could  make  those  articles  and  other  furniture.  During  his 
active  business  career  he  built  some  of  the  best  houses  in  Livingston  county, 
and  was  a  well-known  pioneer  of  sterling  characteristics. 

His  wife  was  a  lady  of  much  prominence,  possessing  indomitable  cour- 
age and  fortitude,  and  to  her  husband  she  was  a  faithful  helpmate.  She 
could  shear  the  wool  from  the  sheep,  card,  spin  and  weave  it  into  cloth  and 
then  fashion  it  into  any  desired  garment.  Many  stories  are  told  of  her 
courage  and  love  of  justice,  among  them  her  protection  to  the  crippled  son 
of  a  neighbor.  The  little  lad,  then  only  about  twelve  years  of  age,  was  fre- 
quentlv  cruelly  beaten  by  his  drunken  father.  Mrs.  Burleigh  several  times  in- 
terfered, and  being  large  and  strong  would  make  the  drunken  father  desist. 
The  man,  however,  disliked  her  on  account  of  her  interference,  and  at  one 
time  came  to  her  house  to  attack  her,  but  she  readily  protected  herself  with 
a  red-hot  fire  shovel.  At  another  time,  when  the  man  had  cruelly  mis- 
treated his  crippled  son,  she  and  his  sister  Elizabeth  went  to  his  place,  threw 
him  down,  and  while  one  held  him  the  other  applied  a  stout  hickory  goad 
with  both  hands  until  he  begged  for  mercy,  promising  to  whip  his  son  no 
more,  a  promise  which  he  kept  as  long  as  he  lived. 

The  children  of  John  and  Sarah  (Fellows)  Burleigh  were  of  the  seventh 
generation,  as  follows:  John  L..  who  was  born  in  Salisbury,  New  Hamp- 
shire, November  17,  181 1,  and  died  in  Avon,  New  York,  August  31,  1893: 
Catherine,  who  was  born  in  Salisbury,  April  12,  1814,  and  died  in  Livonia, 
New  York,  August  30,  1869;  Harriet,  who  was  born  in  Livonia,  May  17, 
181 8,  and  died  in  Kane,  Pennsylvania.  February  18,  1889:  Joseph  Franklin, 
who  was  born  in  Livonia.  March  24,  1824:  and  Elizabeth  Ann  Maria,  who 
was  born  in  Livonia,  February  12.  1829.  The  father  of  this  family  was  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church,  as  was  his  wife.  In  politics  he  was 
a  Jeft'ersonian  Democrat,  and  was  a  stanch  Union  man  during  the  civil  war. 
His  sterling  characteristics  made  him  much  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  645 

On  the  maternal  side  Joseph  Franklin  Burleigh  is  a  representative  of 
the  Fellows  family  of  old  colonial  stock.  Three  brothers  of  the  name  came 
from  England,  one  settling  in  Connecticut,  one  at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts, 
and  the  third  at  what  was  Ipscon,  Massachusetts,  and  from  the  last  named, 
Sarah  Fellows,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  was  descended.  His  name  was 
Ebenezer  and  his  children  were  John,  Abigail,  Moses,  Ebenezer,  Joseph, 
Benjamin,  Anna  and  Elizabeth.  The  son  John  was  born  at  Kingston,  New 
Hampshire,  April  27,  1720,  and  was  married  March  6,  1746,  to  Elizabeth 
Blaisdell,  of  that  place.  She  died  at  Kingston,  in  July,  1766,  and  he  after- 
ward married  Mary  (Tucker)  Kenniston.  In  1766  he  removed  to  Salis- 
bury, New  Hampshire,  where  he  engaged  in  carpentering,  being  one  of  the 
first  representatives  of  that  trade  to  settle  in  the  town.  He  died  in  1812,  at 
the  age  of  ninety-two  years.  His  children  by  his  first  marriage  were : 
David;  Adonijah;  Hezekiah;  Ebenezer,  who  was  born  at  Kingston,  New 
Hampshire,  December  16,  1753,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  died  in  Charleston,  Massachusetts;  Moses,  who  also  was  one  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary heroes;  Sarah;  Betsey;  John  and  Hannah.  The  children  of  the 
second  marriage  were  Richard,  Daniel  and  Isaiah. 

Moses  Fellows  was  the  representative  of  the  family  in  the  third  genera- 
tion. He  was  born  at  Kingston,  New  Hampshire,  August  9,  1755,  and  when 
the  colonies  attempted  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  British  tyranny  he  aided  in 
the  struggle  for  independence.  He  was  married  May  20,  1782,  to  Sarah 
Stevens,  of  Plaistow,  New  Hampshire,  who  was  born  November  26,  1762, 
and  died  in  Salisbury,  July  18,  1863,  at  the  very  advanced  age  of  one  hun- 
dred years  and  eight  months. 

He  enlisted  in  the  Continental  Army  Alay  10,  1775,  at  Salisbury,  and 
immediately  went  to  Medford,  Massachusetts,  taking  part  in  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill  on  the  17th  of  June,  when  a  ball  fired  by  the  British  cut  off 
the  end  of  his  powder  horn,  thus  spilling  his  last  charge  of  powder.  Having 
no  ball  he  fired  his  ramrod  and  thus  killed  a  British  soldier.  He  was  after- 
ward stationed  at  Winter  Hill,  Massachusetts,  until  the  8th  of  September, 
when  he  went  to  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  in  Captain  Dearborn's  com- 
pany to  join  an  expedition  which  was  to  go  to  the  Kennebec  river,  under 
General  Benedict  Arnold,  and  through  the  wilderness,  and  make  an  attack 
on  Quebec.  The  army  provisions  became  exhausted  and  great  suffering 
ensued.  After  the  battle  of  Quebec,  in  which  the  Americans  were  defeated, 
they  went  to  Montreal,  and  Mr.  Fellows  enlisted  for  three  and  a  half  months, 
returning  home  on  the  expiration  of  that  period.  In  April,  1777.  he  re- 
enlisted  in  Captain  Gray's  company  for  three  years  and  went  to  Ticonderoga, 
where  he  kept  garrison  until  the  6th  of  July,  when  he  went  to  Fort  Ann  and 
was  in  the  battle  of  Block  House.     Later  he  went  with  his  company  to  Fort 


•■546  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Edward,  thence  to  Mount  Independence,  and  was  in  the  battle  of  Benning-- 
ton,  August  i6.  1777.  Subsequently  he  was  taken  ill  with  fever  and  ague, 
and  was  sent  to  the  hospital  at  Albany,  New  York.  He  left  there  about 
the  middle  of  October  for  Stillwater  and  fought  against  Burgoyne  in  the 
battle  near  Saratoga.  He  then  went  to  Fish  Hill  and  White  Marsh,  and 
after  joining'  General  \\'ashington's  army  marched  to  \^alley  Forge,  where 
they  spent  the  awful  winter  of  1777-8.  enduring  the  most  terrible  sufifering. 
In  the  spring  he  was  with  the  army  at  the  crossing-  of  the  Delaware  river 
and  proceeded  on  the  march  through  the  Jerseys  and  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Monmouth.  There  Mr.  Fellows  captured  a  British  soldier  with  his 
horse  and  equipments,  and  for  his  meritorious  conduct  on  this  and  other  oc- 
casions he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  sergeant.  For  some  time  he  was 
ill  in  the  hospital  at  Tarrytown.  as  the  eftect  of  the  march  to  \\'hite  Plains. 
After  his  recovery  he  was  in  General  Sullivan's  army  and  went  on  the  raid 
against  the  Indians  and  Tories  in  the  western  part  of  New  York.  On  Au- 
gust 29,  1779,  he  participated  in  the  battle  of  Chemung,  and  then  marched 
with  the  regiment  from  Conesus  lake  in  Livingston  county  to  the  Genesee 
river,  thence  in  an  easterly  direction,  destroying  forty  Indian  villages  and 
fifty  thousand  bushels  of  corn.  He  was  honorably  discharged  at  West 
Point,  April  20,  1780,  and  returned  to  his  home  in  Salisbury,  where  he  car- 
ried on  agricultural  pursuits  until  his  death,  which  occurred  January-  30, 
1846,  when  he  was  ninety  years  of  age.  His  wife  lived  to  be  over  one  hun- 
dred years  old. 

The  children  of  Moses  and  Sarah  (Stevens)  Fellows  were  as  follows: 
Hezekiah,  who  died  in  infancy;  Hezekiah,  Moses,  Reuben,  Ebenezer,  James 
S.,  Sarah,  Samuel,  Elizabeth,  Polly,  Pamelia,  Adonijah  and  Pierce.  Sarah, 
the  eldest  daughter  of  this  Revolutionary  hero,  was  the  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject. It  will  thus  be  seen  that  I\Ir.  Burleigh  is  descended  from  good  old 
Revolutionary  stock  on  both  sides  of  the  family,  and  that  his  ancestors  were 
among  the  founders  of  the  nation. 

Joseph  Franklin  Burleigh  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools 
and  in  the  Lima  Seminary,  in  Livingston  county.  New  York.  He  afterward 
taught  school  for  two  years  in  his  native  state.  During  the  greater  part  of 
his  life  he  has  given  his  attention  to  farming  and  stock-raising.  He  en- 
gaged in  the  book  business  for  a  time,  and  was  with  several  of  the  leading 
publishing  houses,  including  D.  Appleton  &  Company  and  A.  S.  Barnes  & 
Company,  of  New  York.  He  represented  the  latter  firm  for  a  long  period, 
introducing  their  school-books  in  various  sections  of  the  country.  He  trav- 
eled throughout  the  L'nited  States  and  was  a  very  successful  salesman, 
enjoying  the  confidence  and  unlimited  regard  of  the  house  which  he  repre- 
sented.    He  was  married  October  28,   1847.  to  Hannah  J.   Maynard,  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  647 

Williamson,  New  York.  She  was  born  February  5,  1826,  and  died  in 
Livonia,  New  York,  August  9,  1854,  leaving  a  daughter,  Ella  J.,  who  was 
born  in  Livonia,  on  the  26th  of  June  of  that  year.  On  the  27th  of  August, 
1856.  Mr.  Burleigh  wedded  Susan  D.  Underwood,  of  Adrian,  Michigan. 
She  was  born  in  Williamson,  Wayne  county.  New  York,  March  27,  1831,  a 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Chloe  (Durfee)  Underwood.  The  Underwoods 
were  also  old  colonial  stock  of  English  descent  and  of  Quaker  faith.  The 
Durfees  also  were  Quakers,  from  the  ]\Iohawk  \'alley.  Daniel  Underwood 
was  a  tanner  by  trade,  and  for  many  years  was  a  respected  citizen  of  Wil- 
liamson, New  York.  In  1857  he  removed  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  locat- 
ing on  land  in  Wauponsee  township,  where  he  improved  a  farm,  becoming 
a  well-known  pioneer  and  substantial  citizen.  He  was  one  of  the  original 
members  of  the  Abolition  party  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Republican 
party  in  this  locality,  supporting  its  first  candidate,  John  C.  Fremont.  In 
religious  faith  he,  too,  was  a  Quaker.  His  children  were  Susan  D.,  Stephen 
D.,  Carrie,  Catherine  and  Merritt.  In  old  age  the  parents  went  to  Lake 
■City,  Minnesota,  and  lived  with  their  youngest  son  until  death.  Mr.  Un- 
derwood was  well  advanced  in  years  at  the  time  of  his  demise,  and  his  wife 
reached  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty  years.  They  were  people  of  high  moral 
character  and  Christian  worth. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burleigh  located  in  Livonia,  New 
York,  and  he  continued  to  represent  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Company  on  the  road 
until  the  spring  of  1858,  when  he  came  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  establish- 
ing a  home  in  Mazon,  and  taught  school  through  the  winter.  In  the  fall  of 
1859  he  settled  on  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Mazon  township, 
and  improved  the  farm  from  the  wild  prairie,  all  excepting  iifty-six  acres, 
which  had  previously  been  plowed.  As  a  result  of  his  industry  and  thrift  he 
prospered  and  added  to  his  land  until  he  owned  two  hundred  and  forty-one 
acres — a  valuable  tract  upon  which  he  erected  many  substantial  farm  build- 
ings. His  land  is  well  drained  with  over  four  miles  of  tiling,  and  the  farm 
is  now  a  very  valuable  property.  Mr.  Burleigh  has  always  taken  an  active 
interest  in  fine  stock,  and  the  advantage  of  breeding  hornless  cattle  was  early 
impressed  upon  his  mind,  especially  if  possessed  of  the  excellent  qualities 
of  Durham  short-horn  cattle.  In  the  year  i860  he  became  the  owner  of  a 
polled  bull,  sired  by  a  full-blooded  short-horn;  dam  unknown,  but  supposed 
to  be  of  Durham  blood,  as  the  bull  showed  the  Durham  characteristics  well 
developed.  This  bull  was  bred  to  grade  Durham  cows,  and  their  polled 
progeny  were  bred  to  short-horn  bulls  for  several  generations;  and  in  1880 
I\Ir.  Burleigh  had  saved  only  five  of  his  best  polled  cows.  A  strong  preju- 
dice existed  against  "mooly"  cattle  among  cattle  dealers  when  he  com- 
menced breeding  this  herd,  and  red  polled  and  polled  Aberdeen  cattle  were 


648  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

scarcely  known  in  this  country,  the  English  Red  Polled  Herd  Book  being- 
started  only  in  1874. 

In  the  many  advantages  of  polled  stock,  however,  experience  has 
demonstrated  the  fact  that  horns  must  go.  The  editor  of  the  Prairie  Farmer, 
in  the  issue  of  June  22,  1889,  wrote:  "Mr.  J.  F.  Burleigh  is  probably  the 
first  breeder  who  systematically  attempted  to  breed  the  horns  off  the  short- 
horns. This  was  twenty-five  years  ago.  By  careful  selection  he  says  he  now 
has  his  herd  so  bred  that  no  vestige  of  horns  appears.  In  doing  this  he  has 
bred  his  herd  to  two  different  strains,  one  possessing  the  milk-giving  quali- 
ties, for  which  the  short-horns  were  celebrated,  and  the  other  holding  the 
distinctive  characteristics  and  early  maturity  for  which  the  short-horns  have 
later  become  celebrated.  Special  care  and  attention  has  also  been  given  in 
prolonging  the  milk-giving  qualities,  so  that  the  herd  are  now  noted  for 
giving  milk  well  up  to  the  time  of  calving.  The  herd  is  gentle  and  orderly  in 
its  disposition;  the  color  mostly  red  and  red  roan.  The  bulls  used  in  the 
herd  for  the  past  eight  years  were  blood  red,  and  their  sires  red.  The 
potency  of  the  polled  blood  is  now  so  strongly  fi.xed  and  so  potent  to  deliver 
that  a  young  bull  sold  to  Gilbert  Gowe\-,  of  Gardner,  Illinois,  got  all  his 
calves  hornless  from  horned  cows,  some  twenty  in  number." 

Mr.  Burleigh  was  one  of  the  eight  founders  of  the  American  Breeders' 
Association,  which  was  organized  to  keep  this  valuable  stock  pure  and  to 
import  it  and  place  it  before  the  people.  This  society  has  published  two 
editions  of  this  herd  book,  in  which  this  stock  is  registered.  For  many  years 
I\Ir.  Burleigh  was  associated  with  his  son.  A.  E.  Burleigh,  but  retired  from 
the  business  in  1894,  selling  his  interest  to  his  son,  C.  I.  Burleigh,  the  enter- 
prise being  now  conducted  by  A.  E.  and  C.  I.  Burleigh.  He  was  appointed 
president  of  the  American  Polled  Breeders'  Association  at  the  meeting  held 
in  Chicago  in  1889,  but  resigned  in  favor  of  Dr.  Crane,  of  Tippecanoe  City, 
Ohio.  Mr.  Burleigh  had  a  fine  exhibition  of  polled  Durham  cattle  at  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition  and  received  several  premiums  under  the 
firm  name  of  J.  F.  &  A.  E.  Burleigh. 

The  children  of  Mr.  Burleigh  by  his  second  wife  are:  Arthur  E..  who 
was  born  in  Mazon,  July  24,  i860,  and  was  married  March  i,  1888,  to  Tamie 
L.  Doud.  He  is  a  very  successful  farmer  and  cattle  dealer.  Alice  Gertrude, 
born  in  Mazon,  July  4,  1862,  was  married  February  11,  1890,  to  Hurbert 
R.  Tubbs.  who  is  now  head  bookkeeper  in  a  bank  at  Boonville,  Xew  York. 
Ida  Josephine,  born  in  Mazon,  December  6.  1S63,  was  married  April  15, 
1886,  to  Robert  H.  Dew-ey,  who  was  born  in  Xew  York,  I\Iay  28.  1862,  and 
was  a  successful  farmer  and  breeder  of  polled  Durham  cattle.  He  was 
associated  with  J.  F.  &  A.  E.  Burleigh  in  the  exhibit  at  the  World's  Fair  and 
received  a  number  of  premiums.     He  died  in  Mazon,  May  21.  1899.       He 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  649- 

was  straightforward  in  ail  liis  business  dealings  and  highly  respected  in  all 
life's  relations.  Air.  Dewey  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Grundy  County 
Farmers'  Institute  and  its  first  secretary,  which  position  he  held  until  his 
death.  He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  school  teacher.  His  widow,  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church,  still  resides  on  the  homestead.  She 
inherited  the  courageous  spirit  of  her  grandmother  Burleigh,  and  on  one 
occasion,  when  a  tramp  became  insolent,  although  she  was  sick  in  bed.  she 
directed  her  servant  girl  to  shoot  him  if  he  made  any  further  trouble.  Tlie 
tramp  threw  stones  at  the  house  and  broke  out  windows,  and  the  girl  fired 
and  shot  iiini.  He  went  away,  but  returned  the  same  night  and  set  a  barn 
afire.  Charles  Irving,  the  youngest  member  of  the  family,  was  born  in 
Mazon,  April  22,  1870,  and  was  married  November  8,  1894,  to  Clara  May 
Hill.  He  and  his  brother  succeeded  their  father  in  the  stock-breeding  busi- 
ness. 

Mr.  Burleigh,  of  this  review,  has  always  been  an  active  and  enterprising 
business  man  and  a  public-spirited  citizen,  identified  with  the  best  interests 
of  Grundy  county.  During  the  civil  war  he  was  the  supervisor  of  Mazon 
township  for  three  years  and  assisted  in  raising  the  quota  of  soldiers  for  the 
township,  so  that  no  draft  was  made.  He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for 
twenty  years,  an  assessor  for  three  years,  and  throughout  a  long  period  a 
member  of  the  school  board,  the  cause  of  education  finding  in  him  a  warm 
friend.  He  was  also  nominated  in  the  convention  for  the  state  legislature, 
but  in  the  election  was  defeated  by  one  vote.  In  politics  he  was  originally 
a  Democrat,  casting  his  first  ballot  for  Martin  Van  Buren,  but  later  he  be- 
came one  of  the  founders  of  the  Republican  part)'  in  Grundy  county  and 
voted  for  its  first  candidate,  John  C.  Fremont,  in  New  York  state.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Congregational  church,  in  which  he  has 
held  the  office  of  church  trustee.  He  is  one  of  the  most  respected  and 
sterling  citizens  of  this  community,  and  no  history  of  Grundy  county  would 
be  complete  without  the  record  of  his  life. 


CHESTER    G.    DEWEY. 

An  investigation  into  the  history  of  Grundy  county  will  disclose  the  fact 
that  the  Dewey  family  has  been  prominent  in  connection  with  the  advance- 
ment and  progress  of  this  section  of  the  state,  so  that  their  history  forms 
an  essential  part  of  the  annals  of  the  county.  Chester  G.  Dewey  was  born 
in  Leyden,  New  York,  February  2,  1831,  his  parents  being  Harvey  and 
Jerusha  (Jencks)  Dewey.  In  his  youth  he  obtained  a  good  common-school 
education  and  through  the  summer  months  worked  on  the  farm.       When 


^650  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

young  he  also  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and  was  employed  as  a  journey- 
man for  some  time. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-four  years  he  was  married  in  Boonville,  Oneida 
county,  New  York,  to  Maria  K.  Hall,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  Novem- 
ber 16,  1855.  The  lady  was  born  in  Leyden,  New  York,  and  is  a  daughter 
of  Jonathan  and  Sarah  (Jencks)  Hall.  When  this  country  was  still  num- 
bered among  the  colonial  possessions  of  Great  Britain,  her  ancestors  took  up 
their  abode  in  the  New  World.  Dr.  Isaac  Hall,  the  great-grandfather  of 
Mrs.  Dewey,  was  a  prominent  physician  of  Connecticut,  and  his  son  Isaac 
was  born  in  that  state.  The  grandfather  was  twice  married,  and  after  the 
death  of  his  first  wife  removed  to  Leyden,  Lewis  county.  New  York,  where 
he  was  again  married.  The  children  of  his  first  union  were  Isaac,  Jonathan, 
Abijah,  Mary,  Elizabeth,  Sarah,  and  Phoebe;  and  by  his  second  wife  one  son, 
named  Joseph.  Jonathan  Hall,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Dewey,  was  born  in 
Connecticut,  about  1776,  and  became  one  of  the  founders  of  the  town  of 
Leyden.  He  was  married,  in  Connecticut,  to  Miss  Hawley,  by  whom  he 
had  two  children — Jehiel  and  Daniel.  The  mother  died  and  Mr.  Hall  was 
again  married,  in  Leyden,  New  York,  to  Sarah  Jencks,  a  native  of  New 
England,  whose  birth  occurred  about  1790.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion and  cleared  a  tract  of  land  in  Lewis  county,  developing  there  a  good 
farm  of  three  hundred  acres.  He  was  one  of  the  substantial  and  respected 
citizens  of  the  community  and  for  some  time  served  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  selectmen.  His  death  occurred  in  February,  1841,  when  he  had 
reached  the  age  of  sixty-five  years.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  members 
of  the  Baptist  church.  In  their  family  were  the  following  children:  Mary, 
Abigail,  Jonathan,  Sarah.  Isaac.  Julia,  \\'illiam.  Phoebe.  Eunice.  Newton  and 
^laria. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dewey  took  up  their  abode  in  Ley- 
den, where  he  owned  a  good  farm.  He  afterward  sold  that  property,  how- 
ever, and  removed  to  Mexico,  Oswego  county,  where  he  owned  a  valuable 
dairy  farm  of  one  hundred  and  four  acres,  and  where  he  remained  until  his 
emigration  to  the  west.  His  home  was  blessed  with  the  presence  of  the 
following  children  :  Harvey  N.,  born  December  6,  1856;  Estella  S..  born  Sep- 
tember 8,  1858;  Robert  H.,  born  May  8,  1862,  and  died  May  21,  1899:  Helen 
E.,  born  August  4,  1864;  Fred  H.  and  Frank  H.,  twins,  born  February  10. 
1869.  but  the  latter  died  June  2,  1876;  Charles  H.,  born  May  28,  1871,  and 
died  November  16,  1879;  Jessie  M.,  born  July  31,  1877,  and  died  in  March, 
1880.  The  second  child,  Estella.  is  now  the  wife  of  E.  W.  Walworth,  a  farmer 
in  Mazon  township,  and  their  children  are  Lena,  Roy,  Mae,  Jessie.  Edward, 
Ralph  and  Stanton.  Robert  H.,  also  a  farmer,  married  Ida  Burleigh,  and 
their  children  are  Chester.  Carrie  and  Marion. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  651 

In  1897  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dewey  removed  to  Mazon,  Illinois,  where  they 
are  now  living  a  retired  life.  They  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  and 
while  in  Mexico,  New  York,  Mr.  Dewey  held  ofifice  in  the  church  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  He  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  John  C.  Fremont  and 
was  a  Republican  for  some  time,  afterward  became  a  Prohibitionist,  antl  in 
1896  gave  his  support  to  William  J.  Bryan.  His  life  has  been  one  of  indus- 
try, and  his  close  application  to  business  and  his  capable  management  have 
brought  to  him  creditable  success. 


DELOS    WRIGHT. 


On  the  roll  of  early  settlers  of  Grundy  county  appears  the  name  of  Delos 
Wright,  whose  ancestry  may  be  traced  back  through  several  generations 
until  we  find  that  the  family  history  began  at  the  time  of  the  early  colonial 
settlement  of  New  England  by  the  Puritans.  Israel  Wright,  the  father  of 
our  subject,  was  born  near  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  was  a  son  of  one  of 
the  patriot  farmers  who  abandoned  the  plow  in  order  to  aid  in  the  struggle 
for  independence.  He  obtained  such  educational  privileges  as  were  afforded 
at  that  day  in  the  common  schools  and  became  a  farmer.  Like  his  father, 
fie  was  a  patriot  and  served  his  country  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  par- 
ticipating in  the  battle  of  Sackett's  Harbor.  He  was  married  in  Oneida 
county.  New  York,  to  Miss  Betsey  Gridley,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  a 
daughter  of  Job  and  Mary  (Porter)  Gridley.  Her  father  was  also  one  of 
the  Revolutionary  heroes,  and  both  the  Gridley  and  Porter  families  were 
established  in  Connecticut  in  early  colonial  days.  Job  Gridley  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  fourth  generation  of  the  family  in  America,  his  father  being 
Samuel  Gridley,  a  son  of  Thomas,  whose  father,  Thomas  Gridlev,  Sr.,  estab- 
lished a  home  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  thus  planted  the  family  upon 
American  soil.  The  ancestral  history  in  England  has  been  traced  back  to 
1200  A.  D. 

Three  brothers  of  the  name  came  from  England  to  America,  probably 
from  Essexshire,  between  the  years  1630  and  1633.  Samuel  Gridley  died 
soon  after  his  arrival,  at  or  near  Boston,  leaving  no  descendants.  Richard 
Gridley  remained  at  Boston,  where  he  was  admitted  as  a  freeman  on  the  ist 
of  April,  1634.  In  1658  he  was  a  member  of  the  Boston  Artillery  Company, 
and  afterward  became  its  captain.  He  died  in  that  city,  about  1674.  His 
children  were  Mary,  Sarah,  Hannah,  Return,  Believe,  Tremble  and  Joseph. 
Thomas  Gridley,  the  third  brother,  went  to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  with 
Rev.  Thomas  Hooker  and  his  followers,  where,  in  1639,  he  was  one  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty-seven  landholders.  He  was  there  married,  September 
29,  1644,  to  Miss  Mary  Seymour,  a  daughter  of  Richard  Sevmour.     He  died 


652  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

about  1655,  at  Hartford.  His  children  were  Samuel,  Thomas  and  Mary. 
These  sons  of  Thomas  Gridley  became  two  of  the  original  eighty-four  pro- 
prietors of  Farmington,  Connecticut.  Nearly  all  of  the  people  living  in  the 
United  States  by  the  name  of  Gridley  have  descended  from  the  Hartford 
ancestor. 

Job  Gridley,  the  grandfather  of  Mr.  Wright,  had  five  children :  Sybil, 
Betsey,  Reuben,  Thomas  and  Samuel.  He  removed  to  Oneida  county.  New 
York,  becoming  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers,  and  there  in  the  midst  of  the 
forest  near  Clinton  he  developed  a  good  farm,  upon  which  he  spent  his 
remaining  days,  dying  at  an  advanced  age. 

When  a  young  man  Israel  Wright,  the  father  of  our  subject,  removed 
to  Oneida  county.  New  York,  where  he  followed  farming.  He  married 
Miss  Betsey  Gridley  when  she  was  nineteen  years  of  age.  He,  too,  devel- 
oped a  farm  in  the  midst  of  the  forest,  but  in  1847  l^ft  the  east,  removing 
to  Lawrence  county,  Illinois,  where  he  purchased  land  of  the  government. 
That  tract  was  also  in  its  primitive  condition,  but  he  succeeded  in  transform- 
ing it  into  richly  cultivated  fields.  He  was  an  old-line  W  hig  in  politics,  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  died  when  more  than  eighty  years 
of  age.  His  children  were  Sewell,  Ursula,  Prudence,  Russell,  Betsey, 
Ambrose,  Orin,  Armenas,  Delos  and  Armena,  who  died  in  childhood. 

Delos  Wright  was  born  in  Oneida  county,  at  Clinton,  New  York,  Janu- 
ary 4,  .1821,  obtained  a  common-school  education,  and,  with  his  father,  be- 
came a  resident  of  Lawrence  county,  Illinois,  in  1847.  For  twenty  years 
he  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade.  About  1848  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Kendall  county,  Illinois,  and  was  there  married,  July  3,  185 1,  to  Miss  Mary 
Hick,  born  May  11,  1832,  a  native  of  Turin,  Lewis  county.  New  York,  and  a 
daughter  of  Richard  and  Agnes  (Schank)  Hick.  Her  father  was  a  well- 
known  man  and  a  local  Methodist  minister.  He  was  born  in  England  and 
in  early  life  came  to  America.  In  Turin  he  married  Miss  Agnes  Schank, 
who  was  of  sturdy  Holland  Dutch  descent.  About  1850  he  removed  to 
Lisbon,  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  preaching  the  gospel 
and  farming.  There  he  died  when  about  the  age  of  sixty  years.  His  chil- 
dren were  Ruth,  Ann,  Agnes,  Laura,  Mar}',  Richard,  Richardson,  John  and 
Hester. 

After  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wright  they  located  near  Lisbon, 
Illinois,  where  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  from  the  government,  at  a 
dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre.  This  was  in  Nettle  Creek  township.  Of 
this  tract  of  wild  prairie  he  improved  a  farm,  which  he  rented,  in  the  mean- 
time working  at  his  trade  of  carpentering  in  Lisbon  and  Morris.  Subse- 
quently he  sold  his  land  and  removed  to  Reading,  Livingston  county,  Illi- 
nois, in  1853.     There  he  again  purchased  government  land,  at  a  dollar  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  653 

a  quarter  an  acre,  and  developed  a  good  farm,  upon  which  he  Hved  for  ten 
years,  when  he  sold  that  property  and  removed  to  Fairbury,  where  he  con- 
ducted a  furniture  store  for  six  years.  In  1877  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Verona,  lUinois,  where  he  again  embarked  in  the  furniture  business  until 
1891.  Through  the  four  succeeding  years  he  was  a  furniture  dealer  of 
Mazon  and  his  business  afifairs  were  creditably  and  successfully  conducted. 

In  1895  Mr.  Wright  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who 
died  in  Mazon  on  the  loth  of  July  of  that  year.  She  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  church  and  lived  an  earnest  Christian  life.  Her  children  were : 
Elizabeth,  born  August  20,  1852;  William  A.,  born  September  14,  1854; 
Ellery,  born  March  7,  1857;  Josephine,  born  December  11,  1861;  and  Albert 
G.,  born  April  15,  1868.  Mr.  Wright  was  again  married  April  29,  1896,  in 
Mazon,  his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Sarah  Dewey,  the  widow  of 
Joseph  Dewey.  She  was  born  in  Washington  county.  New  York,  January 
15,  1835,  a  daughter  of  \\'illiam  and  Nancy  (Dugan)  Whitlock.  Her  father 
was  a  native  of  the  town  of  Day,  Washington  county,  born  about  1818,  and 
was  of  Pennsylvania  Dutch  lineage.  He  was  a  farmer  and  stone-mason,  and 
in  Washington  county.  New  York,  he  married  Miss  Nancy  Dugan,  a 
daughter  of  Arthur  and  Sallie  Dugan.  Mr.  Whitlock  lived  in  the  town  of 
Day  and  followed  his  trade  for  many  years.  There  his  first  wife,  who  was 
a  consistent  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-two 
years.  Their  children  were  Sarah,  born  January  15,  1835;  William  J.,  born 
June  5,  1837;  Jane,  born  June  25,  1839;  and  Arthur,  born  July  4,  1841. 
For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Whitlock  chose  Janette  Gorley,  who  was  born  in 
Scotland  and  came  to  America  when  seventeen  years  of  age.  In  early  life 
she  engaged  in  teaching.  After  his  second  marriage  Mr.  Whitlock  pur- 
chased and  located  upon  a  farm,  but  later  resided  in  Salem,  New  York, 
where  his  second  wife  died.  He  passed  away  when  about  seventy  years 
of  age.  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 

Mrs.  Wright  was  reared  in  Washington  county,  New  York,  received  a 
common  education  and  was  married  January  29,  1852,  in  Washington 
county,  New  York,  when  about  seventeen  years  of  age,  to  Joseph  Dewey, 
Avho  was  born  September  30,  1825,  in  Greenwich,  same  county.  His  par- 
ents were  Daniel  and  Lucretia  (Pangborn)  Dewey,  and  their  children  were 
Polly,  Betsey,  Rhoda,  Eliza,  Amos,  Sallie,  Moses,  Phoebe,  Fannie,  John, 
Jane,  and  Joseph.  The  father  died  in  Washington  county.  New  York, 
when  about  seventy  years  of  age.  As  a  private  citizen  he  took  part  in  the 
battle  of  Lake  Champlain.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  church,  as  were  a  number  of  their  children.  He  belonged  to  one 
of  the  old  colonial  families  and  was  a  descendant  of  Thomas  Dewey,  the 
founder  of  the  family  in  America.     Joseph  Dewey,  his  son  and  the  first 


654  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

husband  of  Mrs.  Wright,  located  on  a  farm  after  his  marriage  and  resided 
in  the  Empire  state  until  i860,  when  he  sold  his  property  and  removed  to 
Norman  township,  Grundy  county,  Illinois.  After  eighteen  years  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  W'auponsee  township  and  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres 
of  improved  land.  There  he  died  when  sixty-seven  years  of  age.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  was  an  industrious  and  highly  re- 
spected citizen.  His  political  support  was  given  the  Republican  party,  and 
his  children  were:  Nancy  R.,  born  January  10.  1853;  Mary,  June  6,  1856; 
Maggie,  born  March  14,  1858;  John,  born  April  17,  i860;  Annie  L.,  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1862;  Arthur  A.,  September  21,  1865;  Jennie,  September  16,  1869; 
Estella,  August  21,  1871;  and  Lizzie,  August  18,  1874.  All  are  living,  and 
all  are  married  with  the  exception  of  Estella,  who  is  a  young  lady  at  home. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wright  are  now  living  quietly  at  their  pleasant  home  and  have 
many  friends  in  Grundy  county,  where  they  are  numbered  among  the  most 
highly  respected  citizens.  Through  an  active  business  career  our  subject 
conducted  his  affairs  carefully  and  systematically,  and  his  sound  judgment 
and  close  application  brought  to  him  a  handsome  competence,  which  now 
enables  him  to  live  retired. 


JOHN    W^\TERS. 

The  purpose  of  a  biographical  history  is  to  set  forth  the  accurate  record 
of  the  lives  of  those  men  who  have  taken  an  appreciable  part  in  the  agri- 
cultural, commercial,  literary  or  religious  development  of  the  community. 
Macaulay  has  said  that  "the  history  of  a  nation  is  best  told  in  the  lives  of 
its  people,"  and  it  is  this  fact  that  has  led  us  to  determine  upon  the  publish- 
ing of  the  records  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Grundy  county,  showing  in  what 
way  they  have  taken  part  in  the  substantial  growth  and  development  of  this 
portion  of  the  state.  Mr.  W^aters,  of  this  review,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  Maine  township  and  since  his  arrival  here  has  ever  borne  his  part  in 
the  work  of  progress  and  improvement,  so  that  he  is  to-day  numbered  among 
the  valued  residents  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Waters'  family  is  of  English  lineage.  William  Waters,  the  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  was  a  stone-mason  by  trade  and  reared  a  number  of 
children,  which  included  Joseph  and  William,  both  of  whom  came  to  Amer- 
ica; Elizabeth,  wife  of  Mr.  Sargeant;  and  Ann,  who  became  the  wife  of  Mr. 
Atkins.  The  daughters  also  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  New  World.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  born  in  London,  England,  and  received  such  edu- 
cational advantages  as  the  common  schools  of  the  time  afforded.  He 
learned  the  stone-mason's  trade  of  his  father,  and  was  married  in  England 
to  Miss  Ann  James,  whose  birth  occurred  in  that  land.     Thev  became  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  655 

parents  of  \^'illiam,  Mary  Ann,  Elijah,  John,  James  and  Robert  Waters,  all 
of  whom  were  born  in  the  mother  country  with  the  exception  of  James  and 
Robert,  whose  birth  occurred  in  the  city  of  Joliet,  Illinois.  In  March,  1825, 
the  father  came  to  the  New  World,  sailing  from  Liverpool  to  New  York, 
where  he  arrived  after  a  voyage  of  six  weeks.  Later  his  wife  came  to  the 
United  States,  and  her  last  days  were  spent  in  the  home  of  one  of  the  chil- 
dren in  Cleveland,  Ohio.  Mr.  Waters  went  direct  to  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
where  he  worked  at  the  stone-mason's  trade  for  about  seven  years,  when 
he  removed  to  Athens,  Illinois,  becoming  a  contractor  on  the  Illinois  and 
Michigan  canal.  He  afterward  built  roads  at  Joliet,  and  while  thus  engaged 
his  death  occurred,  about  the  year  1850.  He  was  an  industrious,  enter- 
prising man,  respected  by  all,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  consistent  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church.  He  passed  away  when  about  fifty-five 
years  of  age. 

John  Waters,  v.hose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  born  in  London, 
England,  May  i,  1822,  and  was  nearly  three  years  of  age  when  he  came 
with  his  parents  to  America.  He  obtained  a  common-school  education, 
and  in  early  life  worked  at  the  stone-mason's  trade.  In  1849  he  came  to 
Grundy  county  and  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  of  Robert  Gibson,  who 
had  purchased  the  same  from  the  United  States  government.  The  tract 
was  located  in  what  was  then  Braceville  township,  but  is  now  Maine  town- 
ship. As  a  companion  and  helpmeet  on  life's  journey  he  chose  Barbara 
Misner,  and  they  were  married  in  1852.  The  lady  was  born  July  19,  1833, 
in  Rush  county,  Indiana,  a  daughter  of  Christopher  and  ]\Iary  (Barber) 
Misner.  Her  father  was  of  German  descent  and  was  born  in  Dearborn 
county,  Indiana,  December  16,  1804.  His  father,  Henry  Misner,  was  a 
pioneer  of  that  locality  and  one  of  the  heroes  of  the  Revolution.  (See 
sketch  of  John  H.  Misner.)  He  was  buried  at'Millington,  Illinois,  where  a 
monument  has  recently  been  erected  to  his  memory  by  the  Society  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution.  His  children  were  Henry  Fletcher, 
Christopher,  Lewis.  John,  Harrison,  Elijah,  Elisha,  Betsy  and  Serena. 
Christopher  Misner,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Waters,  wedded  Mary  Barber  in 
Rush  county,  Indiana,  October  4,  1830.  She  was  born  in  Cumberland 
county,  Kentucky,  October  15,  1806,  and  belonged  to  one  of  the  old  colonial 
families.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Misner  located  in  Rush  county,  Indiana,  and  after 
the  birth  of  two  of  their  children  they  removed  to  Wabash  countv,  Illinois. 
A  few  years  later,  however,  they  returned  to  Rush  county,  but  in  a  short 
time  took  up  their  abode  in  LaSalle  county,  Illinois,  in  that  portion  which  is 
now  included  within  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county.  About  1850  he 
removed  to  the  old  homestead  in  what  is  now  Maine  township,  there  securing 
forty  acres  of  land,  which  he  developed  into  a  good  farm.     His  death  oc- 


■656  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

curred  May  7,  1857,  when  he  had  attained  the  age  of  fifty-three  years.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Methodist  church  and  took  an  active  part 
in  its  work  and  ser\-ed  as  one  of  the  class-leaders.  His  wife  reached  the 
venerable  age  of  eighty-two  years  and  died  at  the  home  of  our  subject.  In 
their  family  were  seven  children:  Sarah  Ann.  Barbara  F..  Simeon.  Merritt. 
Zama.  Murray  and  Zachariah. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  }vlrs.  \\'aters  located  upon  the  farm,  which 
has  since  been  his  home.  By  their  marriage  they  had  five  children :  Mary 
F.,  born  March  4,  1854;  Malinda,  February  25,  1855;  Ella  F.,  March  4.  1857; 
William  C.  December  28.  1859;  and  Merritt  F.,  September  23.  1861.  The 
mother  died  March  24.  1862,  and  on  the  21st  of  September  of  that  year  Mr. 
Waters  married  Zama  Misner.  a  sister  of  his  first  wife.  Their  children  are 
Arnold  E.,  born  May  20,  1863;  Cynthia,  who  was  born  August  12,  1866,  and 
died  December  3,  1879;  Eva  M.,  born  May  6,  1868;  Lora  M.,  born  May  27, 
1871;  and  Martha  B.,  born  March  15.  1874. 

Mr.  Waters  is  a  stalwart  Jacksonian  Democrat,  unswerving  in  his  sup- 
port of  the  principles  of  the  party.  For  ten  or  twelve  years  he  served  as 
highway  commissioner  and  his  long  continuance  in  the  office  well  indicates 
his  fidelity  to  duty.  He  is  a  man  of  straightforward  independence  of  char- 
acter and  an  honored  pioneer.  For  half  a  century  he  has  resided  in  Grundy 
county,  and  has  not  only  witnessed  its  growth  and  development,  but  has 
borne  his  part  in  the  work  of  substantial  improvement.  His  business  efforts 
ha\e  been  crowned  with  a  fair  degree  of  success,  so  that  he  is  now  the  pos- 
sessor of  a  comfortable  competence. 


RICHARD   RAMSAY. 


It  is  good  to  write  of  the  deeds  of  good  and  true  men.  and  it  is  good 
to  read  of  them.  howe\'er  unskillfully  they  may  be  presented.  'Tt  is  not  all 
of  life  to  live,"  and,  having  li\ed  and  died,  Richard  Ramsay's  influence  re- 
mains and  his  family  do  not  mourn  him  in  solitude,  for  with  their  grief  is 
mingled  the  sympathy  of  the  entire  community.  Humanity  is  the  poorer 
by  the  passing  away  of  a  noble  man.  and  Braceville.  Grundy  county.  Illinois, 
and  all  of  its  surrounding  country  suffered  an  irreparable  loss.  January  16, 
1898.  when  Richard  Ramsay  died. 

Richard  Ramsay  was  born  in  Durham,  England,  November  22,  1842. 
He  attended  school  until  his  eleventh  year,  when  by  the  death  of  his  father 
he  was  thrown  on  his  own  resources.  His  father  before  him  was  a  mine 
manager,  and  Richard  naturally  gravitated  toward  the  mines,  where  he 
became  not  only  a  practical  but  a  more  than  ordinarily  thoughtful  and  ob- 


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BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  657 

servant  workman,  and  was  noticeable  for  his  skill  and  good  judgment.  He 
Avas  the  second  born  of  seven  children  and  had  four  brothers  and  two  sisters, 
and  his  brothers  all  became  mine  owners  or  operators,  or  both.  The  eldest, 
\\'illiam  Taylor  Ramsay,  resides  at  Whatcheer,  Iowa.  He  was  the  first  of  the 
family  who  came  to  America.  George  H.  is  a  resident  of  Oskaloosa,  Iowa. 
Joseph  H.  lives  at  Des  JMoines.  John  also  resides  at  Oskaloosa  and  is  both 
mine  owner  and  superintendent.  The  sisters  are  Margaret,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Richard  Watters,  and  Marv  Ann,  who  married  Newrick  Longstaff; 
and  they  are  both  deceased. 

Mr.  Ramsay  came  to  America  in  1863,  with  his  widowed  mother  and 
other  members  of  his  family.  His  thorough  familiarity  with  coal-mining 
led  him  to  turn  his  attention  to  the  coal  fields  of  Illinois.  He  stopped  for 
a  short  time  at  ^Morris,  but  soon  went  to  Pekin,  Illinois,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed in  the  mines.  In  1870  he  took  charge  of  a  mine  in  Streator,  but  in 
1873,  during  the  big  strike,  was  removed  by  the  same  company  to  Braid- 
wood,  to  take  charge  of  their  mine  there,  his  good  judgment  and  wise 
methods  of  management  having  been  already  in  evidence  with  his  em- 
ployers. 

In  1881  Mr.  Ramsay  accepted  the  position  of  superintendent  of  the 
large  mines  of  the  Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul  Railway  Company,  at  Braceville, 
Illinois,  which  position  he  held  with  honor  to  himself  and  profit  to  the  com- 
pany from  that  time  until  he  died.  These  mines  under  his  management  ad- 
vanced to  first  place  in  the  state  for  hoisting  capacity  and  daily  output. 

This  condition  was  made  possible  by  inventions  of  Air.  Ramsay's,  which 
made  some  radical  changes  in  hoisting  and  loading  coal  into  cars.  One  of 
these  was  the  self-dumping  hoisting  buckets,  by  the  use  of  which  all  mining 
cars  remain  at  the  bottom  of  the  shaft,  instead  of  being  hoisted  to  the  surface 
to  be  unloaded.  The  Hungarian  steam  shovel  is  another,  which  will  unload 
a  ton  of  coal,  in  the  extreme  ends  of  a  box  car,  as  fast  as  it  can  be  run  down 
the  chutes.  Still  another  is  the  high  dump  for  dirt,  all  of  which,  with  manv 
others,  were  the  productions  of  his  fertile  brain.  Mr.  Ramsay  was  a  safe 
and  thoughtful  superintendent,  who  had  at  heart  not  only  the  welfare  of  the 
company  but  also  of  the  men, — such  a  man  as  neither  employer  nor  employe 
could  afford  to  part  company  with. 

At  the  time  of  his  death,  Mr.  Ramsay  was  the  president  of  the  Illinois 
State  Board  of  Examiners  for  Mine  Inspectors  and  Mine  Managers,  which 
position  he  was  filling  for  the  second  term  of  appointment.  He  was  re- 
quested to  accept  this  position  in  1891  by  the  state  board  organized  to  inquire 
into  the  character  and  pass  on  the  qualifications  of  candidates  for  appoint- 
ment as  state  inspectors  of  mines.  His  work  in  this  capacity  was  ever  gov- 
■erned  by  a  strong  sense  of  justice.     He  began  as  a  coal-miner  and  had  been 


658  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

for  twenty-seven  years  actively  engaged  in  the  management  and  de\'elopment 
of  coal  properties,  and  he  fully  understood  all  questions  attecting  the  mutual 
relations  of  owners,  operators  and  laborers  in  that  field  of  enterprise;  and 
when  he  died  the  coal  operators  of  Illinois  lost  a  safe  counselor  and  the  miners 
of  Illinois  a  true  friend.  He  was  the  president,  also,  of  the  Illinois  Mining 
Institute  and  of  the  Braceville  Bank.  He  took  an  abiding  interest  in  every- 
thing pertaining  to  the  growth  of  Braceville  and  the  welfare  of  its  people,  and 
was  in  many  ways  a  reliable  friend  of  the  town. 

Richard  Ramsay  was  married  August  15,  1867,  to  Aliss  Mary  Ann 
Bailey,  of  Morris,  Illinois.  Mrs.  Ramsay,  who  still  resides  at  her  home  in 
Braceville,  was  born  in  Staffordshire,  England,  February  13,  1850,  and  came 
to  America  when  but  seven  and  a  half  years  old  with  her  parents,  Zethan 
and  Sarah  (Evans)  Bailey,  the  first  mentioned  of  whom  is  dead.  ]\Irs. 
Ramsay  was  one  of  fourteen  children,  six  of  whom,  named  as  follows,  are 
living:  ]\Irs.  Ramsay,  INIrs.  Sarah  Fox,  William  H.,  Zethan,  Richard  L., 
and  Airs.  Laura  L.  Lewis.  Among  those  who  have  passed  away  were 
George,  James  and  Airs.  Clara  Stewart,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
years.  Others  died  in  early  childhood.  Richard  Ramsay  and  his  wife  be- 
came the  parents  of  ten  children,  six  sons  and  four  daughters,  named  as 
follows  in  the  order  of  their  nativity:  Zethan  B.,  William,  Sarah  Ann  (the 
wife  of  Richard  W.  Varley),  Jerome.  Laura  (the  wife  of  James  H.  Cumings, 
of  Aurora,  Illinois),  Clara  Al.  (the  wife  of  Wade  Eversole,  of  Joliet,  Illinois), 
Richard,  John  B.,  George  H.  and  Elsie  E. 

Air.  Ramsay  was  not  a  member  of  any  church,  but  he  was  a  liberal  con- 
tributor to  the  support  of  more  than  one.  As  a  citizen  he  was  public-spirited 
and  benevolent,  as  a  friend  he  was  cheerful,  warm-hearted  and  true;  and  as 
a  husband  and  father  he  was  loving  and  indulgent.  In  his  political  prefer- 
ences he  was  a  Republican. 

Such  in  brief  is  the  story  of  the  busy  and  useful  life  of  Richard  Ramsay, 
whose  name  was  known  and  respected  everywhere  in  the  coal  fields  of  Amer- 
ica. The  universal  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  was  evidenced  not  more 
by  the  one  thousand  and  five  hundred  to  two  thousand  people  who  attended 
his  funeral  than  bv  the  sadness  of  his  townsmen  as  they  went  silently  about 
the  streets  of  the  town  while  the  man  who  had  done  so  much  for  its  develop- 
ment lay  dead.  His  burial  senice  was  in  charge  of  the  blue  lodge  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  of  which  he  had  been  a  member,  assisted  by  the  com- 
mandery  of  Knights  Templar  of  Joliet,  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Brace- 
ville. The  Miners'  Union  also  attended  in  a  body.  The  floral  offerings 
were  not  only  beautiful  and  abundant,  but  very  suggestive,  that  of  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  having  been  a  large  shield,  betokening  the  sheltering  protec- 
tion of  their  order;  from  the  four  remaining  brothers  a  wheel  with  five  spokes. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  659 

one  of  which  was  broken;  from  his  children,  a  bleeding  heart;  and  others 
brought  many  fully  as  suggestive.  The  service  was  not  only  beautiful  but 
also  simple  and  impressive. 


DAVIS    R.    DOUD. 


There  are  few  personal  reminiscences  presented  in  this  work  more  in- 
teresting than  those  which  follow.  They  include  the  recollections  as  boy 
and  man  of  one  wjio  has  had  the  experience  of  a  pioneer  and  those  of  the 
enterprising  citizen  in  the  later  period  of  development,  and  in  a  way  they 
comprise  the  whole  history  of  civilization  from  early  settlement  to  the  present 
time. 

Davis  R.  Doud  was  born  June  29,  1826,  in  Braceville,  Trumbull  county, 
Ohio,  a  son  of  Alvah  and  Martha  (Rogers)  Doud.  His  father  was  born  in 
Connecticut,  February  22,  1790,  a  son  of  Jesse  and  Lydia  (Shipman)  Doud. 
Jesse  Doud  died  in  Milton,  Trumbull  county,  Ohio.  His  wife,  a  native 
of  Connecticut,  died  in  Lordstown,  same  county,  in  1839  or  1840.  Martha 
Rogers,  the  wife  of  Alvah  Doud  and  mother  of  Davis  R.  Doud,  was  a 
daughter  of  Davis  Rogers  (in  honor  of  whom  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  named),  whose  wife  was  a  Miss  ]\Iiner.  Mrs.  Doud  was  born  in 
Connecticut,  and  her  family  claim  descent  from  Rev.  John  Rogers,  who 
was  burned  at  the  stake,  at  Smithfield,  England,  February  4,  1555,  for  his 
religion.  Her  grandfather  on  the  maternal  side  was  Jonathan  Miner.  Her 
great-grandfather  in  the  paternal  line  was  Jonathan  Rogers,  a  descendant  of 
one  of  three  brothers  who  came  early  from  England.  She  had  six  brothers 
and  two  sisters.  Alvah  Doud  had  six  sisters  and  two  brothers.  Davis  R. 
Doud  has  seen  one  of  his  mother's  brothers  and  five  of  his  father's  sisters  and 
one  of  his  brothers. 

Alvah  Doud  went  early  in  life  to  New  York  state  and  was  married 
July  28,  181 1.  He  emigrated  to  Ohio  some  time  between  1816  and  1820, 
where  he  lived  until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  Braceville,  Trumbull 
county,  Ohio,  February  2y,  1839.  His  wife  survived  until  June  3,  1869,  and 
died  in  Morris,  Grundy  county,  Illinois.  Their  son  Davis  R.  Doud  has 
given  the  following  information  about  his  brothers  and  sisters :  Alvah  was 
born  April  22,  1813,  in  Presto:?.  Chenango  county.  New  York;  Hannah,  in 
Preston,  Chenango  county,  New  York,  February  28,  1815;  Jesse,  in  Oxford, 
same  county,  October  8,  1816;  Lydia,  in  Braceville,  Trumbull  county,  Ohio, 
April  10,  1820;  Chloe,  also  in  Braceville,  June  19,  1822;  Israel,  in  Trumbull 
county,  Ohio,  May  12,  1824;  Fayette,  in  the  same  county,  October  10, 
1828;  Martha,  also  in  that  county,  October  19,  1830. 


66o  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Davis  R.  Doud's  first  recollection  of  life  is  of  rebelling  against  a  switch- 
ing he  says  he  did  not  deserve,  at  the  age  of  two  years.  His  next  is  of  a 
memorable  ride,  at  five,  on  a  sheep,  which  ended  on  his  being  thrown  oft. 
He  used  the  sheep  as  a  substitute  for  a  fiery,  untamed  steed  which  he  had 
been  unable  to  secure.  Somewhat  later  some  men  working  for  his  father 
gave  him  cider  brandy  and  laughed  at  his  wild  talk  and  his  attempts  to  walk 
a  crack !  The  brutality  of  this  performance  was  fully  appreciated  by  his 
mother,  who  broke  the  brandy  bottles  in  the  wood-yard  and  rebuked  the 
men.  All  through  life  when  a  thought  of  his  mother's  action  has  come  to 
him,  Mr.  Doud  has  blessed  her  memory.  At  six  he  says  he  told  his  first 
lie !  Those  who  know  him  say  he  has  told  few  since.  He  admired  a  lovely 
plume  which  nodded  at  the  top  of  his  brother's  militia  training  cap,  and 
tore  it  oft'  and  threw  it  out  of  the  window,  then  went  out  and  pretended  to 
find  it  and  laid  claim  to  it.  He  has  other  interesting  reminiscences  of  his 
childhood  and  his  boyhood.  \\'hen  he  was  about  six  years  old  he  went  to 
his  eldest  sister's,  at  Warren,  Ohio,  and  while  there  took  many  surreptitious 
rides  on  a  horse  she  forbade  him  to  use.  One  day  some  of  his  playmates 
scared  the  horse  and  it  threw  him  off  and  created  such  a  commotion  that 
his  sister  was  apprised  of  his  disobedience.  She  whipped  him  and  he  fought, 
as  she  testified,  "like  a  bear!"  Later  he  was  permitted  to  ride  a  beauti- 
ful spotted  horse  to  and  from  the  pasture,  half  a  mile  from  the  house,  morn- 
ing and  night,  and  he  often  speaks  of  the  pleasure  this  privilege  gave  him. 
He  has  a  vivid  recollection  of  the  hanging  at  Warren,  in  1833,  of  a  man 
named  Gardner,  for  the  murder  of  Marie  Buel,  his  stepdaughter.  About 
1S56  Elder  Mack,  a  prominent  preacher  in  that  district  in  the  early  days, 
told  him  that  he  preached  Gardner's  funeral  sermon  from  the  text:  "Give 
an  account  now  of  thy  stewardship,  for  thou  mayest  be  no  longer  steward." 

Young  Doud  passed  much  of  his  time  then  and  later  in  fishing  along 
the  Mahoning  river,  which  washed  one  side  of  his  father's  farm,  and  in  hunt- 
ing in  the  woods  in  the  vicinity  of  his  home.  About  1836  he  went  with  his 
father  to  Ravenna,  Ohio,  to  witness  the  hanging  of  a  man  named  David 
Maquiston  for  the  murder  of  the  assassin's  brother's  wife's  sister.  In  later 
years  he  heard  that  Maquiston's  father,  just  before  his  death,  confessed  to 
the  commission  of  the  crime.  About  1837  Alvah  Doud  contracted  to  con- 
struct half  a  section  of  the  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania  canal,  on  a  cross-cut  from 
Ravenna,  Ohio,  to  Beaver,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  company  with  one  Henry 
Smith  took  another  contract  to  construct  five  locks  at  Quinby  Hill,  in  War- 
ren township,  on  the  same  canal.  He  sold  his  interest  in  the  lock  contract 
in  a  short  time,  however.  This  canal  ran  through  his  farm  and  during  its 
excavation  at  that  point  Davis  R.  Doud  worked  on  it  as  occasion  favored, 
though  his  father  did  not  live  to  finish  his  contract. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  66i 

June  19,  1845,  ■^\"ith  John  Booth  and  George  King,  young  Doud  emi- 
grated from  Ohio  to  Ihinois.  They  walked  a  part  of  the  way  to  Cleveland 
and  there  took  passage  on  a  steamboat  for  Chicago,  where  they  arrived 
June  28.  Mr.  Doud  states  that  he  could  then  have  visited  every  business 
place  in  the  town  in  two  hours.  That  same  day  they  engaged  passage  for 
Bristol,  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  where  Mr.  King  left  the  other  two  to  join 
his  brother  in  DeKalb  county.  Young  Doud  went  to  Booth's  relations  near 
Georgetown,  Kendall  county,  and  was  for  a  time  employed  in  the  harvest 
fields  and  at  other  farm  work.  The  next  September  he  returned  via  the 
lakes  to  his  old  home  to  see  his  mother  and  other  relatives.  In  October 
following,  in  company  with  his  brother  Israel,  he  started  again  for  Illinois, 
driving  with  a  horse  and  buggy  through  to  Georgetown  and  thence  to 
Ottawa.  From  Ottawa  they  went  to  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  driving  most 
of  the  way  along  the  lake  shore,  and  thence  inland  as  far  as  the  site  of 
Rochester,  Wisconsin,  at  and  near  which  were  then  only  four  log  houses. 
They  soon  returned  to  Illinois  and  bought  a  wagon  shop  a  few  miles  below 
Aurora,  and  were  soon  in  active  business.  They  soon  sold  out,  however, 
and  started  westward  on  foot.  They  went  as  far  as  Rockford  and  thence 
down  the  Rock  river  to  Grand  Detour,  Ogle  county,  where  they  remained 
through  the  winter.  There  young  Doud  became  acquainted  with  John 
Deere,  of  agricultural  machinery  notoriety,  whose  son,  then  only  about  nine 
years  old,  was  prominent  in  connection  with  the  World's  Columbian  Ex- 
position at  Chicago  in  1893.  I"  the  following  spring  (J846)  young  Doud 
went  to  a  point  on  the  Fox  river  near  Long  Grove,  Kendall  county,  where 
he  was  employed  by  Jacob  Pope  until,  about  four  months  later,  he  was 
taken  ill  with  fever  and  ague. 

July  3  following,  in  company  with  John  Booth,  he  came  to  Mazon,  in 
Grundy  county,  to  visit  his  sister  and  Booth's  brother,  who  had,  a  few 
months  before,  moved  there  from  Ohio.  There  was  sickness  in  the  neigh- 
borhood and  some  of  the  children  of  the  two  families  had  died  and  others 
were  ill.  July  4  they  crossed  Mazon  creek  and  found  on  the  site  of  Dwight 
and  Gardner  and  between  the  two  branches  of  Mazon  creek  only  five  log 
houses,  and  two  of  them  were  vacant.  In  the  fall  of  1846,  in  company  with 
Edward  and  Oliver  Booth  and  their  wives,  young  Doud  set  out  to  visit  their 
relatives  at  Big  Grove,  about  twenty-five  miles  distant.  Their  convevance 
was  a  four-ox  team  and  a  rude  wagon,  and  it  was  necessary  to  cross  the 
Illinois  river  below  the  present  bridge  on  the  road  to  Morris.  The  young 
man  had  crossed  there  before  and  knew  that  near  the  southern  shore  the 
stream  was  dangerously  deep,  and  he  insisted  that  as  a  measure  of  safety  the 
women  should  cross  in  a  canoe  belonging  to  Jacob  Claypool,  which  was 
secured  near  the  ferry  or  fording  by  a  chain.     Against  the  protests  of  the 


€62  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

two  Booths  he  loosened  tlie  canoe  and  con\'eyed  the  women  to  the  opposite 
shore,  and  the  oxen  became  frightened  and  one  yoke  of  tliem  turned  around 
and  the  wagon-box  floated  off,  and,  altogether,  the  men  encountered  much 
difhculty  and  no  little  danger  in  crossing.  It  was  not  convenient  for  Davis 
to  return  the  boat  and  he  did  not  do  so.  and  has  ever  since  believed  that, 
though  he  took  the  canoe  without  authority,  the  end  justified  the  means, 
for  he  thinks  his  precaution  that  day  saved  the  two  women  from  an  untimely 
death.  In  1850,  when  Mr.  Doud  and  Mr.  Claypool  were  both  members  of  the 
board  of  supervisors,  Mr.  Doud  related  to  him  the  incident  of  the  canoe  and 
Mr.  Claypool  had  no  recollection  of  having  missed  the  craft  at  that  time. 

Mr.  Doud  spent  the  fall  and  winter  of  1846-47  with  Mr.  John  Cook  and 
West  Mattock,  near  Long  Grove,  and  with  Owen  Murray  and  his  mother, 
north  of  old  Mazon.  In  the  spring  he  went  back  to  his  old  Ohio  home  and 
there,  his  health  having  failed  somewhat,  devoted  himself  for  a  year  or  more 
to  peddling.  During  that  period  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  worthy 
Christian  young  lady  named  Margaret  Patterson,  whom  he  married  in  the 
fall  of  1847  and  who  died  about  two  and  a  half  months  later.  July  22,  1848, 
he  married  Tamar  Easton  and  brought  her  to  Illinois  and  settled  on  gov- 
ernment land  in  what  is  now  Braceville  township,  Grundy  county.  This 
was  the  family  home  until  the  spring  of  1891,  when  Mr.  Doud  located  at 
Gardner,  where  he  now  lives.  For  one  year  (1882-1883)  Mr.  and  ^Irs. 
Doud  lived  in  Evanston,  near  Chicago,  in  order  the  better  to  educate  some 
of  their  children  at  the  Northwestern  University.  Mrs.  Doud  died  March 
I,  1885,  deeply  regretted  by  all  who  knew  her.  She  bore  her  husband  ten 
children,  six  of  whom  grew  to  maturity  and  five  of  whom  are  now  living. 
Alexander  Lee,  the  eldest,  was  born  January  11,  1851;  Florrilla  A.,  was  born 
October  8,  1855;  Frank  RolHn  was  born  August  27,  1859;  Amos  Rogers 
was  born  February  9,  1862;  Tamar  Lucinda  was  born  September  28,  1867; 
Harriet  Luella  was  born  May  29,  1864,  and  died  October  i,  1883;  and  four 
others  of  their  children  died  in  infancy.  September  6,  1888,  Mr.  Doud  mar- 
ried Mrs.  Mary  Tinsman,  a  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Mary  Showalter,  born 
in  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  in  1851,  who  has  borne  him  two  daughters:  Flor- 
ence M.,  June  4,  1890,  and  Hattie  J.,  August  5.  1891.  It  was  in  the  spring 
of  1850  that  Mr.  Doud  buried  his  first-born  in  the  \\'heeler  cemetery,  in 
which  he  erected  the  first  gravestone,  though  a  few  persons  had  been  buried 
there  before. 

Mr.  Doud  remembers  the  winter  of  1848-9  as  one  in  which  there  was 
much  snow.  It  fell  in  November  and  lay  on  the  ground  until  March,  nearly 
two  feet  deep,  with  a  heavy  crust  on  top,  which  prevented  breaking  new 
tracks.  On  account  of  the  hardness  and  the  sharpness  of  the  surface  deer 
were  unable  to  escape  from  hunters  and  an  unusual  number  were  killed. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  663 

Early  in  1850,  under  tlie  township  organization  act,  Braceville  township  was 
iormed  and  it  was  named  by  ^Ir.  Doud,  who  was  elected  its  first  supervisor, 
in  honor  of  Braceville,  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  his  birthplace  and  his  place 
of  residence  until  he  was  nineteen.  Mr.  Doud  has  a  vivid  recollection  of 
the  day  (February  22)  in  the  winter  of  1854,  when  the  first  train  ever  reached 
the  Mississippi  river,  over  the  Chicago  &  Rock  Island  Railway.  On  that 
day  he  braved  a  great  danger  and  escaped  almost  miraculously  from  what 
seemed  certain  destruction.  On  a  trip  to  Iowa  with  William  Jenkins  and 
another  man,  they  crossed  the  Mississippi  on  the  ice  with  a  team  of  horses 
and  a  wagon.  Returning  by  way  of  Davenport  they  recrossed  the  river 
between  that  point  and  Rock  Island  on  the  day  in  question,  and  in  so  doing 
came  near  going  down  to  watery  graves.  The  ice  had  softened  by  reason  of 
recent  warm  weather,  but  thousands  of  people  were  going  l)ack  and  forth 
on  foot  without  any  apparent  danger.  Mr.  Doud  and  Mr.  Jenkins  believed 
that  they  could  cross  safely  by  taking  over  one  horse  at  a  time.  The  horse 
they  set  out  with  broke  through  several  times  and  was  rescued  by  Messrs. 
Doud  and  Jenkins  and  others  only  with  the  greatest  difficulty.  In  the 
final  struggle  to  reach  the  shore,  Mr.  Doud  got  upon  thin  ice,  which  broke 
under  his  weight  two  steps  after  he  advanced  upon  it.  At  the  third  step 
he  struck  solid  ice,  and  with  great  exertion  arose  from  his  sinking  position. 
Then,  throwing  the  line  by  which  he  had  been  guiding  the  horse  over  the 
animal's  back,  he  permitted  it  to  go  on  without  restraint.  It  reached  the 
shore,  but  not  until  it  again  broke  partially  through  the  ice.  Persons  ac- 
quainted with  the  river  stated  that  the  channel  was  deeper  and  the  current 
Avas  stronger  than  anywhere  else  at  that  point.  In  1896  Mr.  Doud,  who  is 
something  of  an  artist  in  his  way,  painted  some  representations  of  dift'erent 
scenes  in  this  memorable  adventure,  which  are  objects  of  much  interest 
to  those  who  visit  him. 

In  1856  Mr.  Doud  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Protestant  Methodist 
church.  He  was  elected  a  lay  delegate  soon  after  to  attend  conference  at 
Henry,  Illinois.  His  brother,  Fayette,  also  a  preacher  of  the  same  denom- 
ination, was  employed  to  preach  on  a  circuit  that  extended  from  near  the 
Illinois  river,  a  few  miles  below  Morris,  to  some  distance  west  of  Kankakee 
by  way  of  Horse  creek,  and  Mr.  Doud  preached  on  this  circuit  also,  the 
two  laboring  together  to  save  souls  and  extend  the  dominion  of  Christ.  Rev. 
Fayette  Doud  died  at  his  home  at  Ferris,  Illinois,  July  29,  1891.  Jesse 
Doud,  another  of  Mr.  Doud's  brothers,  was  a  minister  of  the  gospel  for 
•many  years.     He  died  at  Sycamore,  Illinois,  June  16,  1875. 

Mr.  Doud  has  traveled  a  good  deal  in  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
and  has,  at  different  times,  traveled  more  than  four  thousand  miles  to  see 
and  comfort  sick  relations.     With  his  wife  he  paid  a  visit  to  his  old  Ohio 


664  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

home  in  1851,  and  he  went  there  again  about  1864.  The  season  of  1873  was 
dry  and  crops  were  poor  and  Mr.  Doud  had  more  stock  on  his  farm  than  he 
could  feed  properly,  and  he  took  some  of  his  horses  and  some  belonging 
to  another  to  Rockland,  Maine,  making  the  journey  across  the  St.  Clair 
river  and  through  Canada,  and  returned  through  the  New  England  and 
Middle  States,  well  satisfied  with  his  venture,  after  a  stay  of  five  weeks  in 
the  east.  In  1880,  with  his  sister,  Chloe  Booth,  and  her  daughter,  he  visited 
his  brother,  Israel,  in  Iowa,  and  there  met  his  sister,  j\Iartha  Booth,  from 
Kansas.  While  on  this  trip  he  went  on  a  cattle-purchasing  expedition  with 
his  brother's  son,  and  had  a  never-to-be-forgotten  experience  as  a  lonely 
cattle  herder  on  the  plains  sitting  on  his  horse  from  dawn  till  evening  two 
days.  In  1881  he  again  went  to  Iowa,  this  time  to  bring  back  his  wife,  who 
had  become  ill  at  her  brother's  there  while  returning  from  Kansas.  After 
his  removal  to  Evanston,  Illinois,  in  1882,  he  went  to  Kansas  to  see  his  sister 
and  her  daughter,  who  were  both  sick,  and  while  at  Topeka  had  pleasant 
interviews  with  ex-Governors  Click  and  St.  John  and  visited  the  various 
departments  in  the  state-house.  In  the  winter  of  1886  he  went  to  Denver, 
Colorado,  to  see  his  sick  grandchildren.  One  had  died  before  he  left  home, 
and  he  arrived  in  time  to  see  and  talk  with  two  others,  who  passed  away 
soon  afterward.  Many  more  details  of  the  good  and  busy  life  of  this  patriotic 
and  useful  citizen  might  be  given,  but  enough  has  been  related  to  enable 
those  who  read  between  the  lines  to  form  a  just  estimate  of  his  noble  char- 
acter and  high  purposes  in  life. 


PETER     E.     ERICKSOX. 

When  President  Lincoln  issued  his  call  for  troops  to  aid  in  defense  of 
the  Union,  men  started  for  the  front  from  the  workshop,  the  field,  the  oftice 
and  the  store.  Every  walk  of  life  was  represented,  and  the  united  efforts 
of  these  brave  men  resulted  in  placing  the  Union  on  a  firmer  basis  than  ever 
before.  Mr.  Erickson  was  one  who,  prompted  by  a  spirit  of  patriotism, 
offered  his  services  to  his  adopted  country  and  followed  the  starry  banner 
until  it  was  victoriously  planted  in  the  capital  of  the  southern  Confederacy. 

He  is  a  native  of  the  land  of  the  Midnight  Sun,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Bergen,  Norway.  March  10,  1844.  His  parents  were  }klads  and  Sarah 
(Lee)  Erickson.  The  father  was  born  in  Xordfjord,  Norway,  on  the  ist 
of  Januar}',  181 5,  and  his  father  was  Erick  Erickson.  The  former  was  con- 
nected with  the  mercantile  interests  in  Bergen,  being  foreman  in  a  wholesale 
store  there.  He  was  also  the  proprietor  of  a  brewery.  His  wife,  Sarah  Lee, 
was  a  daughter  of  Peter  Lee,  who  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  between 
Sweden  and  Norway.    While  still  residing  in  the  old  country  Mads  Erickson 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  665. 

and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of  the  following  children:  Peter  E.,  Susan 
E.,  Andrew  M.,  Sophia  and  Eli.  All  of  the  children  came  to  America.  Mr. 
Erickson  continued  to  reside  in  Bergen  for  many  years,  but  in  i8go  crossed 
the  Atlantic  in  order  to  live  with  his  children,  who  had  located  here.  He 
was  a  representative  and  enterprising  business  man  and  a  good  citizen,  and 
he  and  his  wife  were  consistent  members  of  the  Lutheran  church.  He  died 
in  Chicago,  at  an  advanced  age. 

Peter  Emil  Erickson,  the  subject  of  this  review,  obtained  a  good  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  Bergen  and  in  early  life  worked  in  his  father's 
brewery.  In  i860,  when  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  he  crossed  the  briny 
deep  to  the  New  World,  sailing  from  Bergen  to  Quebec,  where  he  landed 
after  a  voyage  of  twenty-one  days,  which  was  considered  very  quick  time. 
He  had  been  a  passenger  on  the  good  ship  Norge,  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Jetmonson,  reaching  Quebec  in  the  latter  part  of  May.  He  im- 
mediately proceeded  by  rail  to  Chicago  and  thence  to  Beloit,  Wisconsin, 
where  he  lived  with  his  uncle,  I.  C.  Alested,  a  farmer.  While  there  he  at- 
tended school  for  three  months  to  learn  the  English  language.  Subsequently 
he  engaged  in  farming  and  the  following  spring  went  to  Chicago.  After 
sailing  upon  the  Great  Lakes  for  a  short  time  he  removed  to  Morris,  Illinois, 
and  in  that  locality  was  employed  at  farm  labor. 

In  the  meantime  hostilities  between  the  north  and  south  had  been 
continued  until  the  country  was  precipitated  into  civil  war,  and  on  the  ist 
of  March,  1862,  Mr.  Erickson  responded  to  the  call  for  aid,  enlisting  at 
Morris  as  a  private  of  Company  H,  Fifty-third  Illinois  Infantry,  under  the 
command  of  Captain  McClenehan.  He  was  to  serve  for  three  years  or  during 
the  war  and  at  the  close  of  the  struggle  he  was  honorably  discharged;  but 
he,  however,  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran  at  Hebron,  Mississippi,  in  the  spring 
of  1864.  After  the  surrender  of  Lee  and  hostilities  were  over,  he  received 
an  honorable  discharge  and  was  mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Kentucky.  The 
regiment,  however,  was  disbanded  at  Chicago,  in  1865.  He  participated 
in  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  and  was  in  the 
Atlanta  campaign,  being  under  fire  for  four  months.  He  was  also  with 
General  Sherman  on  his  celebrated  march  to  the  sea.  While  at  Jackson, 
Mississippi,  where  the  regiment  lost  heavily,  he  was  taken  prisoner,  but 
was  soon  released  and  took  part  in  the  march  to  Washington  and  the 
grand  review  in  the  capital  city.  He  participated  in  many  hard-fought 
battles  and  received  slight  wounds  and  cuts  in  his  clothing,  but  was  not 
seriously  injured.  Ever  found  at  his  post  of  duty,  he  loyally  defended  the 
old  flag  and  throughout  the  days  of  peace  he  has  been  as  true  to  his  coun- 
try as  when  he  wore  the  blue. 

When  the  war  was  ended  Mr.  Erickson  returned  to  Wisconsin  to  see 


■666  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

his  uncle  and  then  came  to  Morris,  Illinois,  ^vhere  he  engaged  in  farm  labor. 
In  1867  he  rented  land  in  Greenville  township,  near  Gardner,  and  began 
farming  on  his  own  account.  On  the  30th  of  May.  1869.  at  Gardner,  he  mar- 
ried Celia  M.  Olsen,  who  was  born  in  Bergen.  Norway,  July  15,  1849,  a 
daughter  of  Xeils  and  Susan  (Olsen)  Olsen.  Her  father  was  a  merchant  of 
Bergen  and  in  1858  came  to  the  United  States,  first  establishing  his  home 
in  \\'isconsin,  whence  he  came  to  Illinois  in  the  early  '60s.  He  then  located 
in  Morris,  where  he  followed  various  business  pursuits.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Lutheran  church  and  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  In  his  later  life 
he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  wild  land  in  Greenville  town- 
ship, placed  it  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  extended  the  boundaries 
of  his  farm  by  the  purchase  of  forty  acres  additional.  His  well  directed 
labors,  careful  management  and  enterprise  enabled  him  to  work  his  way 
steadily  upward  and  he  became  one  of  the  well-to-do  farmers  of  the  com- 
munity. During  the  civil  war  he  served  for  three  years  with  the  Sixteenth 
Illinois  Cavalry,  and  previous  to  that  time  responded  to  the  call  for  three- 
months  men.  On  one  occasion  he  was  injured  by  being  thrown  from  a 
horse,  and  was  sent  to  Chicago,  where  he  served  with  the  invalid  corps 
engaged  in  guarding  prisoners.  No  land  has  ever  furnished  more  loyal  citi- 
zens proportionally  to  this  republic  than  Norway,  and  among  this  number 
may  be  classed  Mr.  Olsen,  who  was  a  faithful  defender  of  the  Union  cause. 
His  children  were  Ole,  Ben,  Celia  and  Josephine. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Erickson  located  on  a  farm  in  Green- 
field township.  Grundy  county,  but  afterward  removed  to  Montgomery 
county.  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  wild  land,  which  he  trans- 
formed into  a  good  farm,  erecting  substantial  buildings  and  making  other 
improvements.  After  four  years,  however,  he  sold  that  property  and  re- 
moved to  Kearney  county,  Nebraska,  where  he  took  up  his  homestead 
claim,  residing  thereon  for  two  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
returned  to  Greenfield  township,  Grundy  county.  Illinois,  where  he  rented 
land  until  1890.  when  he  purchased  his  present  farm,  comprising  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres.  But  few  improvements  had  been  made  at  that  time, 
and  there  were  no  buildings  or  trees,  but  his  efforts  have  wrought  great 
changes  and  he  now  has  a  very  desirable  country  home.  The  residence 
is  neat  and  pleasant,  good  barns  and  outbuildings  furnish  shelter  for  grain 
and  stock  and  the  latest  improved  machinery  is  used  in  the  cultivation  of 
the  fields. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Erickson  has  been  blessed  with  the  follow- 
ing children :  Neils  E.,  Severn  E..  Susan  J.,  John,  Andrew,  Emil,  Eliza, 
■Cornelius  and  Sarah.  Two  others.  Sarah  and  Martin,  died  in  early  child- 
hood.    In  his  political  views  Mr.  Erickson  is  a  Republican  and  in  religious 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD.  667 

iaith  he  is  a  Lutheran.  He  belongs  to  Sedgwick  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Gardner, 
-and  among  his  army  comrades  delights  in  recalling  reminiscences  of  the 
old  days  around  the  camj)  fires  upon  the  tented  fields.  He  deserves  great 
credit  for  the  success  he  has  gained  in  life,  for  he  started  out  empty-handed 
and  has  worked  his  way  steadily  upward,  overcoming  many  obstacles  and 
difBculties.  He  is  now  numbered  among  the  substantial  farmers  of  Grundy 
county,  and  as  such  is  well  known  to  the  residents  of  this  section  of  the 
state. 


W.     D.     HOWLAXD. 


In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  Mr.  Howland  we  present  to  our 
readers  the  life  record  of  a  worthy  representative  of  an  honored  pioneer 
family  of  Grundy  county.  The  Howlands  are  of  sturdy  New  England 
stock,  and  the  family  was  founded  in  America  in  early  colonial  days.  It  is 
thought  that  the  original  ancestor  in  this  country  was  John  Howland,  who 
crossed  the  Atlantic  in  the  Mayflower,  but  this  is  not  definitely  known.  How- 
ever, it  is  an  authentic  fact  that  the  present  generation  descended  from  one 
■of  the  old  colonial  families  of  Massachusetts.  Asaph  Howland,  the  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  was  born  at  Brandon,  Vermont,  and  was  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  1812.  In  the  Green  Mountain  state  he  was  married,  and 
the  following  children  were  born  of  the  union:  PhiHnda;  Polly;  Miranda, 
who  died  in  early  womanhood:  Asahel,  Warner,  Stephen  and  Lorenzo. 
The  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade  and  a  very  in- 
dustrious and  highly  respected  man.  In  1825  he  removed  to  Wayne  county. 
New  York,  and  there  died  when  about  seventy-five  years  of  age. 

Stephen  Howland,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Brandon, 
Vermont,  August  8,  1806,  and  acquired  a  common-school  education.  When 
nineteen  years  of  age  he  removed  to  Wayne  county.  New  York,  and  w^as 
there  employed  as  a  farm  hand  for  some  time.  When  about  thirty  years 
of  age  he  was  married,  in  Cato,  New  York,  on  the  2d  of  October,  1836,  to 
Catherine  Bosworth,  who  was  born  March  3,  1817,  in  Westfield,  Massa- 
chusetts. Her  father,  Caleb  Bosworth,  was  born  about  1792  and  was  a 
son  of  Caleb  Bosworth.  Sr.,  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  who  through  his  well 
directed  efforts  became  a  wealthy  man,  owning  considerable  real  estate.  He 
was  descended  from  old  Puritan  ancestry  of  Massachusetts,  the  family 
having  been  established  on  American  soil  during  an  early  epoch  in 
colonial  development.  Caleb  Bosworth,  Sr..  died  in  Westfield,  Massachu- 
setts, in  the  year  1819.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  the  old  school  and  a 
man  of  sterling  worth  who  won  the  high  respect  and  confidence  of  all 
who  knew  him.     His  children  were  Henry,  Caleb,  Howard,  Margaret  and 


668  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Sophia.  Caleb  Bosworth,  Jr..  inherited  land  from  his  father  in  Westfield, 
Massachusetts.  In  early  manhood  he  wedded  Mittie  Dewey,  a  native  of 
Westfield  and  a  daughter  of  Timothy  and  Asenath  (Sexton)  Dewey.  Her 
father  belonged  to  an  old  New  England  family  of  English  lineage,  was  a 
wealthy  farmer  and  a  man  of  excellent  character  whose  quiet  and  unos- 
tentatious life  gained  him  the  respect  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 
He  assisted  all  of  his  children  in  getting  a  good  start  in  business  life,  and 
died  at  Westfield,  Massachusetts,  when  about  ninety  years  of  age.  He  was 
the  father  of  eleven  children,  namely:  Clarissa,  John,  Charles,  Abigail, 
Sally,  Timothy,  Larcomb,  Mittie,  Daniel,  James  and  Rowland. 

After  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Howland  they  took  up  their  abode 
in  Cato,  New  York,  where  he  conducted  an  iron  foundry  and  also  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  potash  for  some  time.  On  selling  his  interests  there 
he  removed  to  Greene  county.  New  York,  and  was  engaged  in  merchandising 
in  the  village  of  Red  Creek.  In  July,  1855,  he  visited  Illinois  and  purchased 
a  farm  in  Grundy  county.  The  following  year  he  came  with  his  family  to  his 
new  home,  making  the  journey  across  Lake  Ontario  and  by  rail  from  Ham- 
ilton to  Chicago.  The  land  upon  which  he  located  was  wild  and  unim- 
proved, but  was  pleasantly  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Mazon  creek,  and 
comprised  a  tract  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  capable  of  high  cultiva- 
tion. With  characteristic  energy  ^Ir.  Howland  began  the  work  of  trans- 
forming it  into  rich  and  productive  fields,  and  successfully  prosecuted  his 
labors  until  February  15,  1864,  when  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest.  He 
was  a  good  business  man,  very  energetic  and  industrious,  but  had  not 
had  time  to  clear  the  farm  of  all  indebtedness  when  death  claimed  him. 
In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat,  and  was  a  man  ever  true  to  his  honest  con- 
victions. After  her  husband's  death  ^Irs.  Howland  remained  upon  the  farm 
for  two  years  and  then  rented  the  property  for  some  time,  while  she  resided 
in  Newark  in  order  that  her  children  might  avail  themselves  of  the  edu- 
cational privileges  there  afYorded.  Later  she  returned  to  the  farm,  and 
through  her  energy,  patient  industry,  good  management  and  thrift  she 
cleared  the  property  of  all  indebtedness  and  was  prospered  in  her  business 
affairs.  She  built  a  substantial  and  tasteful  residence,  good  barns  and  other 
necessary  outbuildings,  drained  the  farm  and  has  now  one  of  the  best  prop- 
erties in  the  township.  She  is  a  woman  of  strong  character,  of  marked' 
intelligence  and  very  progressive,  and  certainly  deserves  great  credit  for  what 
she  has  accomplished  in  life,  having  not  only  won  financial  success  but  also 
reared  a  family  of  children  that  have  been  a  credit  to  her  name.  In  addition 
to  the  homestead  she  now  owns  eighty  acres  of  land,  in  Livingston  county. 
She  is  now  a  well  preserved  old  lady  of  eighty-three  years,  who  enjoys  the 
esteem  and  love  of  all  with  whom  she  has  been  brought  in  contact.    Her  chil- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  669 

dren  are:  Poll_v  Jane,  who  was  born  j\lay  18.  1838:  Mola  D.,  who  was  liorn 
February  8,  1840;  Edward  B.,  born  January  20,  1842;  Charles  W.,  born 
October  7,  1844;  S.  Emmet,  born  October  13,  1845;  Catherine  I.,  born 
November  29,  1847:  Frank  F..  born  January  3,  185 1 ;  Lilhan,  born  December 
31,  1857;  and  Mittie  D.,  born  December  21,  1862.  All  were  born  in  Xew 
York  with  the  exception  of  the  last  two,  who  are  natives  of  Illinois. 

W.  D.  Rowland,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  acquired  his  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools  near  the  old  homestead  and  in  the  schools  of 
Gardner.  He  has  made  farming  his  life  work,  and  remaining  upon  the  old 
homestead  has  cared  for  his  mother's  property,  having  conducted  this  farm 
since  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age.  For  the  past  seventeen  years  he  has  rented 
it.  He  has  been  to  his  aged  mother  a  most  dutiful  and  affectionate  son, 
thus  repaying  her  for  the  care  and  devotion  which  she  bestowed  upon  him  in 
his  early  years.  JMr.  Howland  has  been  twice  married.  He  first  wedded 
Huldah  Sutton,  and  to  them  has  been  born  one  son,  Harry  D.  After  the 
death  of  his  first  wife  he  wedded  her  sister,  Susan  M.  Sutton,  who  was  born 
December  i,  1858,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  B.  and  Catherine  A.  (Camp- 
bell) Sutton.    They  have  two  children — Henry  Ernest  and  Catherine  Emma. 

After  his  marriage  J\Ir.  Howland  brought  his  bride  to  the  old  home 
place,  and  throughout  his  business  career  has  carefully  managed  the  property, 
thereby  deriving  from  it  a  good  income.  His  methods  of  farming  are  pro- 
gressive and  enterprising,  and  his  labors  have  resulted  in  bringing  to  him 
a  creditable  success.  He  is  a  man  of  high  moral  character  whose  trust- 
worthiness in  business  and  in  all  life's  relations  is  well  known  to  all  with 
whom  he  has  been  brought  in  contact.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  He  has  held  the  oflice  of  school  trustee  and 
commissioner  of  highways,  and  has  been  a  very  capable  official,  discharging 
his  duties  with  promptness  and  fidelity. 

Charles  W.,  a  son  of  W.  D.  and  Catherine  (Bosworth)  Howland,  served 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-seventh  Regiment  of  Illinois  Volunteers 
during  the  civil  war  and  participated  in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg.  He  worked 
on  the  great  trench  which  was  dug  to  the  Alississippi,  and  while  thus  en- 
gaged was  taken  ill.  After  ten  months  spent  in  the  south  he  was  sent  home, 
and  he  died  October  28,  1863. 


WILLIAM     MARSHALL. 

All  honor  that  belongs  to  the  pioneer  belongs  to  the  man  whose  name 
is  above,  and  to  his  father,  a  man  of  enterprise  who,  in  a  certain  field,  set 
ihe  wheels  of  business  going  at  one  of  Grundy  county's  centers  of  enter- 
prise.   Prominent  among  the  living,  well  known  pioneers  of  Grundy  county, 


670  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Illinois,  is  William  Marshall,  of  Braceville,  who  dates  his  coming  to  the 
county  back  to  July,  1855;  and  few  now  living  in  the  county  have  been  here 
so  long  as  he.  Mr.  Marshall  was  born  in  Canada,  December  25,  1839. 
His  parents  were  Dr.  John  and  Mary  (Dunlap)  Marshall.  The  former  was  born 
in  England  and  the  latter  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  but  both  came  to  Canada 
in  early  life.  The  parents  of  Dr.  Marshall  died  in  England.  The  parents 
of  Mary  (Dunlap)  ^larshall  died  in  Canada. 

When  the  subject  of  this  notice  was  a  boy,  the  family  removed  from 
Canada  to  the  state  of  Xew  York,  and  lived  for  some  time  at  Homellsville, 
Steuben  county.  The  family  came  to  Grundy  county  in  1854  and  Dr. 
^larshall  erected  the  first  store  building  in  the  village  of  Gardner.  Dr. 
^Marshall  was  the  first  physician  who  located  at  that  village.  He  was  a 
believer  in  the  Hydropathic  system  of  treating  diseases  and  while  residing 
in  Homellsville,  Xew  York,  previous  to  coming  to  Illinois,  he  erected 
and  operated  a  water-cure  establishment.  He  made  a  trip  to  England,  be- 
fore coming  west,  to  visit  the  scene  of  his  birth. 

As  the  pioneer  merchant  at  Gardner,  Dr.  Marshall  met  with  success 
and  he  continued  in  business  there  until  about  i860,  when  with  his  family 
he  removed  to  Missouri,  where  he  died  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year. 
The  death  of  the  husband  and  father  resulted  in  the  return  of  the  family 
to  Grundy  county  in  the  spring  of  1861.  The  mother  died  a  few  years  later. 
Their  children  are:  \\'illiam;  ^largaret,  widow  of  Dr.  Anthony  de  Xor- 
mandie,  who  was  in  the  Union  service  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion  and  later 
practiced  his  profession  in  Braceville  for  many  years,  until  his  death  in  1895; 
^lary,  who  died  three  years  ago,  unmarried;  and  Caroline  Eggleston,  of 
Hartford,  Connecticut. 

^^'il]iam  Marshall,  except  for  a  brief  interval,  has  resided  in  Grundy 
county  since  he  was  fifteen  years  old.  In  early  life  he  followed  agricultural 
pursuits  and  for  twenty-two  years  was  employed  as  a  mercantile  clerk.  For 
several  years  past  he  has  been  engaged  successfully  in  the  coal  trade  at 
Braceville.  Mrs.  Marshall  was  formerly  Miss  ^Marion  Gumming.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Marshall  had  two  children:  Mamie,  who  died,  aged  two  years:  and 
Edward  ^Marshall;  and  three  grandchildren — Leonard,  Hobart  and  Lillian. 

Mr.  Marshall  is  one  of  the  few  citizens  now  living  in  Grundy  county  who 
came  here  forty-five  years  ago.  He  remembers  when  everything  was  primi- 
tive and  crude  and  has  seen  the  country  develop  from  a  state  of  nature  to  its 
present  condition  of  advanced  prosperity.  During  all  his  residence  in  the 
county  he  has  enjoyed  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens.  In  his 
political  affiliations  he  is  a  Republican.  All  his  ideas  as  to  public  questions 
inclined  him  in  his  early  manhood  to  ally  himself  with  that  party  and.  as 
he  has  estimated  and  understood  its  work  in  all  the  years  of  its  history,  he 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  671 

has  never  seen  any  reason  to  renounce  his  allegiance  to  it.  Since  he  began  to 
have  a  part  and  an  interest  in  the  development  of  Bracevilie  he  has  given 
his  hearty  and  liberal  support  to  every  movement,  religious,  political  or 
industrial,  tending  to  the  enhancement  of  the  welfare  of  the  people  of  the 
town. 


JAMES     LONG. 

Ireland  has  contributed  to  Grundy  county  some  of  her  most  prominent 
pioneers  and  most  honored  and  substantial  citizens.  Among  the  well  known 
Irish  residents  of  Au  Sable  township  is  James  Long.  Mr.  Long  is  a  native 
of  county  Tipperary,  Ireland,  where  he  was  born  December  16,  1838.  His 
father,  Thomas  Long,  was  the  first  of  the  family  to  come  to  America.  In 
1845  the  mother  and  her  seven  children  followed  the  husband  and  father 
across  the  ocean  to  the  land  of  the  free. 

The  family  settled  in  the  town  of  \'an  Buren,  Onondaga  county.  Xew 
York,  and  there  the  mother  died.  James  Long  came  to  Illinois  after  his 
mother's  death  and  later  the  father  came  west  and  made  his  home  with 
his  son,  James,  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1896.  One  son,  William, 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion  and  was  killed  in  action. 

Mr.  Long  has  a  good  farm  of  sixty-four  acres,  and  is  esteemed  as  a 
citizen  of  more  than  common  character  and  prominence.  He  married  ]Miss 
]\Iary  Cornelius,  and  their  marriage  has  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of  two 
sons:  William,  a  resident  of  Chicago,  Illinois;  and  Charles,  who  lives  in 
New  Orleans,  Louisiana.  Mrs.  Long  is  a  daughter  of  Charles  Cornelius, 
who  was  born  in  county  Kings,  Ireland,  shortly  after  the  death  of  his 
father.  His  mother  died  when  he  was  young  and  he  came  to  the  United 
States  with  an  uncle  and  lived  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  for  some  time  and  was- 
there  employed  on  public  works  until  he  came  to  Will  county,  Illinois, 
and  secured  employment  in  the  construction  of  the  canal.  He  saved  his 
money  and  purchased  land  in  Channahon  township.  Will  county,  on  which  he 
settled  and  which  became  his  homestead  and  there  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  He  married  Kate  Dun,  born  in  Queens  county.  Ireland,  who 
died  in  1865,  and  survived  her  until  August,  1898,  when  he  died  at  the  age 
of  about  seventy-eight  years.  They  became  the  parents  of  five  children,  three 
of  whom  are  living:  James  Cornelius,  who  lives  on  the  old  homestead; 
Eliza,  wife  of  Daniel  Fisher;  and  Mrs.  Long,  the  oldest  of  the  family.  The 
two  who  died  were  Kate,  who  became  the  wife  of  Michael  Hanlon ;  and 
John,  who  died  when  about  eighteen  years  old.  Mr.  Cornelius  was  a  well 
known  and  estimable  citizen  and  all  members  of  his  family  are  connected 
with  the  Catholic  church. 


■6j2  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Mr.  Long  is  a  man  of  much  public  spirit  who  favors  good  roads,  good 
crops  and  good  Hving,  and  beheves  that  real  success  can  be  obtained  only 
under  a  liberal  government  of  the  people,  for  the  people  and  by  the  people, 
and  he  strives  patriotically  to  encourage  such  a  government  in  every  way 
at  his  command. 


ALEXANDER  CAMERON. 

Alexander  Cameron,  deceased,  came  to  Grundy  county  in  pioneer 
days,  and  as  the  result  of  his  untiring  industry  and  capable  management  in 
business  afi'airs  he  became  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  ^Maine  township. 
He  was  born  in  Scotland,  near  Glasgow,  on  the  I2th  of  April,  1820.  his 
parents  being  William  and  Jean  Cameron.  His  father,  an  agriculturist  in. 
Scotland,  in  1833  came  to  America,  taking  up  his  residence  near  Peoria.  Illi- 
nois, where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  there  carry- 
ing on  agricultural  pursuits  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1864.  when 
he  had  attained  an  advanced  age.  His  wife  died  March  2,  1867.  They  were 
both  consistent  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  he  was  a  straight- 
forward, honorable  man  who  enjoyed  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact. 

Alexander  Cameron,  the  subject  of  this  review,  was  about  thirteen  years 
of  age  when  he  came  to  America  with  his  father's  family.  He  soon  began 
work  as  a  farm  hand  in  Peoria  county,  and  for  eight  years  was  in  the  employ 
of  Henry  Stillman,  a  fact  which  plainly  indicates  his  fidelity  to  the  interests 
of  his  employer.  He  was  married  June  3,  1846.  in  Peoria,  to  Julia  A.  Mor- 
rison, who  was  born  March  28.  1825,  in  Atlas,  Pike  county,  Illinois,  in  a  new 
brick  school-house  which  had  never  been  used  for  educational  purposes, 
and  in  which  her  parents  had  taken  up  their  abode  for  the  winter,  it  making 
them  a  warm  and  comfortable  residence.  She  is  a  daughter  of  William  H. 
and  Barbara  A.  (Usong)  Morrison.  Her  father  was  an  Englishman  from 
Yorkshire,  and  when  a  young  man  came  to  America,  taking  up  his  abode  in 
Illinois.  He  was  married  in  Athens.  Pike  county,  to  Barbara  Usong.  whose 
birth  occurred  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  who  was  a  daughter  of  Daniel  and 
Mary  Catherine  (Criss)  Usong.  Her  father,  Daniel  Usong,  was  born  in 
Germany,  and  when  a  young  man  came  with  his  father  to  America.  He 
was  one  of  a  familv  of  twelve  children  and  a  location  was  made  in  Maryland. 
After  their  marriage  Daniel  Usong  and  his  wife  removed  to  Cincinnati  at  an 
early  period  in  the  development  of  that  state,  and  there  Mr.  Usong  owned 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  which  is  now  within  the  corporation 
limits  of  the  municipality.  He  was  a  millwright  by  trade,  and  followed  that 
pursuit  in  Ohio  until  his  removal  to  Pike  county.  Illinois,  in  company  with 


yUjLcA.  ^^^ .    ^^^^^->iz^^<r-2^^ . 


j^^  /^^/^-*^- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  673 

iour  Ross  brothers,  who  brought  their  respective  famihes  to  this  state.  Dan- 
iel Usong  took  up  his  abode  on  a  tract  of  wild  land,  which  he  cultivated  for 
some  time.  Subsec[uently  he  removed  to  Peoria  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
entered  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  part  of  which  was  prairie  and 
part  timber  land.  There  he  made  a  good  home  and  continued  his  farm 
Vvork  until  well  advanced  in  years.  He  died  on  the  old  family  homestead  in 
that  county  and  the  community  mourned  the  loss  of  one  of  its  valued  repre- 
sentatives. In  religious  belief  he  was  connected  with  the  ^Methodist  church. 
His  children  were  Jacob,  Daniel,  John,  Ann,  Antis  and  Mary,  .\fter  the 
death  of  her  first  husband  Mrs.  ^Morrison  married  Ira  Ackly.  a  farmer  of 
Peoria  county,  Illinois,  living  on  the  Kickapoo  prairie.  They  afterward 
removed  to  Marseilles,  Illinois.  Mrs.  Ackly  finally  died  at  the  residence  of 
Mr.  Cameron,  our  subject.  By  that  marriage  there  was  one  daughter, 
Lydia,  who  became  the  wife  of  Lewis  Olmsted,  who  was  a  farmer  of  LaSalle 
county.  Their  children  were:  Ralph:  Sever,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven 
years:  Volney;  and  George.  Mrs.  Olmsted  died  in  February,  18S5,  in  \\'al- 
nut  Grove,  Missouri.  Her  second  son  was  married  December  25,  1890,  in 
Knox  county.  Indiana,  and  is  a  farmer  of  Grundy  county.  His  children  are : 
Ira;  Perry  and  Webster,  twins:  Edna  J.:  Nora;  and  Christina,  who  died  in 
infancy.  October  22,  1899.  \\'illiam  H.  ]\Iorrison.  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Cam- 
eron, married  Esther  Colville.  of  Peoria  county,  and  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion. He  took  up  his  abode  in  Braceville  township.  Grundy  county,  but  died 
in  early  manhood,  on  the  12th  of  June,  1858.  Their  children  were  Eliza 
Ann  and  Henrietta,  who  married  John  ^laxwell.  by  whom  she  has  one 
■child,  Maud. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  [Morrison  located  in  Pittstield,  Pike 
county.  Illinois,  and  the  former  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits,  placing  his 
land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  While  on  an  expedition  to  secure 
rnore  land  he  died  at  Spoon  Grove,  Illinois.  His  wife  lived  to  an  advanced 
age  and  spent  her  last  days  in  the  home  of  Mrs.  Cameron,  being  called  to 
her  final  rest  while  in  Grundy  county,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  She 
was  a  member  of  the  Christian  church  and  a  lady  of  manv  virtues.  Their 
children  were  William,  Henry  and  Julia. 

Mr.  and  iMrs.  Cameron  began  their  domestic  life  in  LaSalle  county, 
Avhere  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land,  of  which  only  ten  acres  had  been 
improved.  He  at  once  continued  the  work  of  clearing  the  remainder,  turn- 
ing the  first  furrow  on  many  an  acre.  He  made  a  good  home,  which  con- 
tinued to  be  his  place  of  residence  for  two  years,  and  in  1856  he  came  to 
Grundy  county  and  purchased  the  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  upon 
which  his  widow  now  resides.  As  his  financial  resources  increased  he  added 
to  this  until  he  owned  two  hundred  and  forty  acres.     This  he  greatly  im- 


674  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

proved,  placing  the  fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  adding  to  his 
place  all  of  the  accessories  and  conveniences  of  a  model  farm.  He  possessed 
the  sterling  qualities  of  his  Scotch  ancestry,  being  resolute,  determined  and 
persevering,  and  these  qualities  insured  him  creditable  success.  His  busi- 
ness affairs  were  conducted  in  a  most  honorable  manner,  and  he  won  the 
high  regard  and  confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  was  brought  in  contact.  In 
politics  Mr.  Cameron  was  an  old-line  Whig  imtil  the  dissolution  of  the  party, 
when  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  new  Republican  party,  casting  his  vote  for 
Fremont  in  1856.  He  was  widely  known  for  his  thrift  and  industry  and  his 
sterling  honesty,  and  was  regarded  as  a  loyal  friend  and  neighbor.  When 
he  passed  away  he  left  not  only  to  his  widow  a  comfortable  competence  but 
also  the  priceless  heritage  of  a  good  name,  for  over  the  record  of  his  life  there 
falls  no  shadow  of  wrong  or  suspicion  of  evil. 

Mrs.  Cameron  still  survives  her  husband  and  is  living  on  the  old  home- 
stead which  he  improved;  but  she  has  recently  sold  her  farm  to  Christopher 
Mulhall,  who  is  a  practical  farmer  and  an  industrious  and  upright  man.  His 
sister,  JNIiss  Elizabeth  ]\Iulhall,  is  his  housekeeper,  and  Mrs.  Cameron  has  a 
comfortable  home  with  them.  She  is  familiar  with  much  of  the  pioneer  his- 
tory of  this  section  of  Illinois,  having  gone  to  Pike  county  with  her  parents  at 
a  very  early  age.  She  was  eight  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the  Black  Hawk 
war,  and  can  well  remember  hearing  the  news  of  the  capture  of  the  famous 
Indian  chieftain.  She  can  also  recall  many  interesting  stories  of  pioneer  life 
and  of  the  experiences  of  those  early  times  when  the  cabin  homes  of  the  set- 
tlers were  long  distances  apart  and  when  the  greater  portion  of  the  land  was 
still  in  its  primitive  condition.  She  has  an  excellent  memory,  and  thus  her 
conversation  is  enriched  by  many  reminiscences  of  her  girlhood.  Her  life 
has  been  indeed  one  of  activity  and  industry,  and  to  her  husband  she  always 
proved  an  excellent  helpmate.  She  was  reared  by  her  mother  to  the  work 
of  the  home,  and  was  taught  to  spin  flax  and  wool  and  weave  the  thread  into 
garments.  After  her  marriage  she  not  only  performed  the  work  of  the  house 
but  also  assisted  in  much  of  the  outdoor  work,  including  the  milking  of  the 
cows.  She  was  renowned  for  her  dairy  products,  which  always  commanded 
an  excellent  price  on  the  market.  Now  well  advanced  in  years,  she  is  liv- 
ing upon  the  old  homestead  and  receives  the  respect  and  friendship  of  all 
who  know  her. 


WILLIAM     W.     HILL. 


For  almost  forty  years  William  W.  Hill  has  resided  in  Grundy  county 
and  is  therefore  numbered  among  its  early  settlers.  His  labors  have  also 
won  him  a  place  among  the  substantial  farmers  of  the  neighborhood,  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD.  675 

as  a  leading  citizen  he  is  entitled  to  representation  in  the  history  of  this  sec- 
tion of  the  state.  He  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  November  21, 
1838,  and  is  a  son  of  John  A.  and  Esther  (]\Iarsh)  Hill.  He  represents  the 
old  colonial  Hill  family  of  Vermont,  from  which  state  representatives  of 
the  name  removed  in  an  early  day  to  Pennsylvania.  The  family  is  of  English 
lineage.  Stephen  Hill,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  the 
Green  Mountain  state,  and  it  is  believed  that  he  served  his  country  as  a 
soldier  in  the  Revolution.  On  leaving  Vermont  he  went  to  Westmoreland 
county,  Pennsylvania,  and  was  one  of  its  pioneer  settlers.  His  wife,  Betsy 
Hill,  was  also  a  native  of  New  England,  and  in  that  section  of  the  country 
they  were  married.  They  located  upon  a  tract  of  land  in  Westmoreland 
county,  establishing  a  home  in  the  midst  of  the  forest.  There  the  grand- 
father owned  between  ten  and  eleven  hundred  acres  and  improved  an  ex- 
cellent farm,  having  an  orchard  of  forty  acres,  from  the  product  of  which 
he  annually  made  peach  brandy.  His  children,  all  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
were  Joseph,  George,  David,  John  A.,  Stephen,  Benjamin,  Joshua,  Sarah, 
Richard  and  Betsy.  Stephen  Hill  resided  in  Westmoreland  county  for  about 
thirty  years  and  then  removed  to  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  at  the  time  when 
there  were  only  two  settlements  within  its  borders.  The  entire  country 
was  an  unbroken  wilderness  covered  with  heavy  timber,  and  the  forests 
were  the  haunts  of  deer,  foxes,  wolves,  wild-cats  and  much  wild  game. 
The  turkeys  and  deer  destroyed  the  corn  crops  so  that  they  had  to  be 
watched.  The  entire  family  went  armed,  for  the  rifle  was  a  necessary  im- 
plement. All  of  the  sons  were  expert  hunters,  and  Stephen  Hill  was  noted 
for  his  accuracy  with  the  gun.  In  this  way  they  secured  much  of  the  meat 
for  the  table,  and  their  other  food  was  largely  grown  upon  the  farm.  While 
in  Pennsylvania  Mr.  Hill  had  been  the  owner  of  a  number  of  slaves  which 
he  freed  before  going  to  Ohio,  but  two  of  his  negroes,  however,  accompa- 
nied him  and  lived  with  him  in  the  Buckeye  state.  In  religious  belief  Stephen 
Hill  was  a  Universalist,  and  a  man  of  unquestioned  honesty  and  integrity 
in  all  the  afifairs  of  life.  He  gave  to  each  of  his  children  farms,  and  thus 
enabled  them  to  secure  a  good  start  in  life.  He  died  in  Delaware  county, 
Ohio,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  Ohio  at 
about  the  same  age. 

John  A.  Hill,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  liorn  in  Westmoreland 
county,  Pennsylvania,  and  received  good  educational  privileges  for  that 
day.  He  became  a  school-teacher  and  singing  master,  and  all  of  the  family 
possessed  musical  talent.  He  was  married  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  to 
Esther  Marsh,  who  was  born  in  Genesee  county,  Xew  York,  a  daughter  of 
Benjamin  and  Sarah  Alarsh.  Her  father  was  probably  a  native  of  Cayuga 
county,  of  the  Empire  state,  and  his  father  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  that 


676  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

locality,  whither  he  removed  from  Marylaiul.  He  was  a  native  of  England 
and  was  of  English  lineage.  On  leaving  the  east  Benjamin  Marsh  took  up 
his  abode  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  casting  in  his  lot  with  its  pioneer 
settlers.  He  became  one  of  the  extensive  farmers  of  that  section  and  gave 
to  each  of  his  sons  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  and  to  his  daughters 
eighty  acres  each.  A  well  known  pioneer,  he  took  an  active  part  in  re- 
claiming Delaware  county  for  the  purpose  of  civilization,  and  was  one  of 
the  honored  pioneers  who  laid  the  foundation  for  its  present  prosperity.  In 
religious  belief  he  was  a  Presbyterian  and  a  man  of  high  moral  character. 
He  lived  to  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-five  years,  and  his  wife  was  eighty- 
four  years  at  the  time  when  she  was  called  to  the  home  beyond,  both  dying 
on  the  farmstead  in  Delaware  county.  Their  children  were  Josiah,  Joel, 
Benjamin.  John,  William,  Esther,  Sarah,  Lucinda  and  Clarinda. 

John  A.  Hill,  the  father  of  our  subject,  located  upon  a  part  of  the  old 
hoinestead  after  his  marriage,  his  share  of  the  estate  being  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres.  Clearing  away  the  heavy  timber  he  improved  an  excellent 
property  and  built  upon  his  place  a  sawmill,  which  he  successfully  operated 
for  thirty  years.  He  was  one  of  the  prominent  residents  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  through  his  capable  management  of  business  affairs  acquired  a 
comfortable  competence.  His  fellow  townsmen,  recognizing  his  worth  and 
abihty,  frequently  called  him  to  public  office,  and  he  was  one  of  the  honored 
citizens  of  the  community.  In  religious  faith  he  was  a  Presbyterian.  His 
first  wife  died  in  1854.  Their  children  were  Joseph  D..  Henry  D.,  ^^'illiam 
\V.,  Hugh  M.,  Martha,  Clarinda,  Mary  J..  Sarah.  Lucinda  A.,  Alniira,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  four  years,  and  Catherine.  All  were  born  in  Delaware 
county.  Mr.  Hill  was  again  married,  but  there  were  no  children  by  the  second 
wife.  In  the  pioneer  days  when  wild  game  of  many  kinds  abounded  in  the 
forests  of  Delaware  county,  he  became  an  expert  shot.  It  is  said  that  he 
killed  as  many  as  five  hundred  deer.  His  accuracy  of  aim  enabled  him 
to  bring  down  almost  everything  at  which  he  fired,  and  he  won  such  an  en- 
viaTjle  reputation  as  a  huntsman  that  Indians  in  the  neighborhood  greatly 
desired  to  gain  possession  of  his  gun.  One  big  specimen  of  the  red  race, 
whenever  he  saw  Mr.  Hill  in  the  woods,  would  sound  his  turkey  call,  and 
when  Mr.  Hill  approached  would  say  "Swap,  swap."  After  many  years' 
residence  in  Delaware  county  Mr.  Hill  sold  his  property  there  and  pur- 
chased land  in  Hardin  county,  Ohio — an  improved  farm  upon  which  he 
spent  his  remaining  days.  He  died  when  about  eighty-three  years  of  age, 
and  his  remains  were  interred  on  the  old  family  homestead  in  Delaware 
county. 

William  W.  Hill,  whose  name  begins  this  record,  was  born  in  Delaware 
county  and  reared  amid  the  wild  scenes  of  pioneer  life.     He  obtained  a 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD.  677' 

good  common-school  education,  and  on  attaining  his  majority  removed  to 
IlHnois,  reaching  Morris  on  the  13th  of  April,  1859.  His  brother,  Joseph 
D.  Hill,  was  then  living  in  Mazon  township,  and  having  entered  land  there 
in  1844  ^vas  the  owner  of  valuable  farms.  William  worked  for  his  brother 
for  one  year  and  then  returned  to  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  where  he  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits  for  a  year.  He  was  married  there,  on  the  loth 
of  September,  1861,  to  Thirza  A.  Lea,  who  was  born  in  Westchester  county, 
New  York,  October  11,  1844,  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Thirza  (Holmes) 
Lea. 

Her  father  was  born  in  Kidderminster,  Worcestershire,  England,  January 
9,  1807,  obtained  a  good  common-school  education,  and  became  a  carpet- 
weaver.  He  had  a  sister,  Ann,  who  married  John  Harris  and  settled  in  New 
York.  His  brother,  William,  went  to  the  East  Indies  during  the  war  there 
and  has  never  been  heard  from  since  that  time.  Benjamin  Lea  was  married 
in  England  when  about  twenty-four  years  of  age,  to  Thirza  Holmes,  and 
the  following  day  they  started  for  America,  sailing  from  Liverpool  for  New 
York,  where  they  arrived  after  a  voyage  of  seven  weeks.  Mr.  Lea  settled 
at  West  Farms,  now  a  part  of  New  York  city,  and  became  a  foreman  in 
the  carpet  factory.  In  1848  he  took  up  his  abode  on  a  farm  in  Morrow 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  purchased  one  hundred  acres  of  partially  improved 
land.  He  tinished  the  work  of  clearing  the  property  and  made  a  good 
home.  Subsequently  he  traded  it  for  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
four  acres  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  four  miles  from  Ashley,  and  clearing 
the  trees  from  that  tract  he  transformed  the  wild  land  into  richly  cultivated 
fields  and  erected  two  houses  and  substantial  barns.  He  made  a  specialty  of 
raising  sheep  on  an  extensive  scale,  and  was  a  prosperous  and  successful 
agriculturist.  He  had  had  no  experience  at  farm  work  when  he  came  to  this 
country,  but  his  practical  ideas  and  sound  judgment  enabled  him  to  readily 
master  the  principles  of  the  work  and  to  become  an  excellent  manager  and 
successful  business  man.  His  undaunted  integrity  of  character  made  him 
highly  respected  by  all.  Both  he  and  his  wife  held  membership  in  the  Pres- 
byterian church  and  were  very  regular  in  their  attendance  at  its  services. 
His  political  support  was  given  to  the  Republican  party,  and  during  the 
civil  war  he  was  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  Union  cause.  In  his  family  were  the 
following  children  :  George;  John,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen;  Alexan- 
der, Thomas,  Adella  U.  and  Thirza  A.  The  first  named  responded  to  the 
country's  call  for  troops,  becoming  a  member  of  the  Ninety-sixth  Ohio  In- 
fantry, from  which  he  was  transferred  to  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-sixth 
Ohio,  continuing  with  that  command  until  the  close  of  hostilities. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hill  rented  land  three  miles  from 
Ashley,  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  making  their  home  at  that  place  for  one 


678  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

year,  whence  they  came  to  Ilhnois,  in  November,  1863.  Our  subject  then 
rented  a  farm  in  Mazon  township,  and  after  eight  years  purchased  land  in 
Braceville  township,  becoming  the  owner  of  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  of  raw 
prairie,  upon  which  not  a  furrow  had  been  turned  nor  an  improvement  made. 
He  bought  eighty  acres  more,  and  sold  the  place  and  moved  to  the  present 
farm.  He  has  now  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  valuable  land,  well 
timbered  and  well  watered  by  Mazon  creek.  He  placed  his  fields  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  and  garners  rich  harvests  as  the  reward  of  his 
labors.  By  the  assistance  of  his  estimable  wife,  who  has  been  indeed  a  faith- 
ful helpmate  to  him.  he  has  become  the  possessor  of  a  comfortable  com- 
petence, and  they  have  a  very  pleasant  home  situated  on  the  banks  of  the 
Mazon,  at  Willmington  Ford.  Their  union  has  been  blessed  with  the  fol- 
lowing children:  George;  William,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen  )-ears; 
Mary;  Belle;  Allen  G.;  Lucinda;  Mary;  Charles  A.;  Frank;  Richard;  Row- 
land; and  Winnie.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Hill  is  a  supporter  of  Republican 
principles.  His  life  has  been  one  of  industry,  crowned  with  the  reward  which 
ever  follows  judicious  industry.  He  and  his  wife  enjoy  the  warm  friend- 
ship of  a  large  circle  of  acquaintances. 


SAMUEL    HOGE. 


This  gentleman  is  now  connected  with  the  business  interests  of  Chicago, 
but  is  well  known  in  the  town  of  Stockdale  and  county  of  Grundy.  For 
some  time  he  was  an  enterprising  member  of  the  Stockdale  Grain  Com- 
pany. 

A  native  of  Erienna  township,  this  county,  he  was  born  on  the  12th 
of  August,  1877,  and  is  a  son  of  Joshua  Hoge,  a  well  known  citizen  of  the 
county  and  prominently  connected  with  business  aftairs  here.  On  his  father's 
farm  he  spent  his  boyhood  days,  becoming  familiar  with  the  labors  and 
duties  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  His  preliminary  education 
was  acquired  in  the  public  schools  of  Morris,  and  subsequently  he  continued 
his  studies  in  the  University  of  Grinnell,  Iowa,  and  in  Ottawa,  Illinois,  where 
he  took  a  commercial  course. 

In  the  fall  of  1897,  when  the  Stockdale  Grain  Company  was  estab- 
lished, he  became  one  of  its  members  and  continued  to  devote  his  energies  to 
its  successful  conduct  until  April,  1900,  when  he  sold  out.  The  company 
does  a  large  grain  business  at  Stockdale  and  also  conducts  its  general  store. 
Before  disposing  of  his  interests  there,  Mr.  Hoge,  on  the  2d  of  October,  1899, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  679 

■entered  into  partnership  with  George  H.  Pliillips  in  the  commission  broker- 
age business  on  the  Ciiicago  Board  of  Trade,  with  his  office  at  No.  232  Rialto 
building.  He  is  a  young  man  of  marked  industry  and  of  keen  discernment, 
and  undoubtedly  a  successful  future  awaits  him. 


ROBERT     D.     MENOUGH. 

Robert  D.  Menough  was  a  representative  of  one  of  the  pioneer  families 
of  Grundy  county  and  actively  connected  with  its  agricultural  interests. 
His  highly  improved  farm  indicates  his  careful  supervision"  and  his  practical 
and  progressive  spirit.  For  more  than  half  a  century  the  family  had  been 
found  in  this  locality.  Hiram  B.  Alenough,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  a  son  of  one  of  the  pioneers  of  southern  Indiana,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  Frankfort,  Kentucky,  December  25,  1812,  and  was  of  French 
lineage.  At  a  very  early  day  his  parents  crossed  the  Ohio  river  into  the 
Hoosier  state  on  account  of  Indian  troubles  in  Kentucky,  and  were  early 
settlers  of  Vincennes,  Indiana.  Colonel  John  L.  Menough,  a  brother  of 
Hiram  B.  Menough,  was  captured  by  the  Delaware  Indians  in  181 1,  being 
taken  from  his  farm  near  Vincennes,  but  was  soon  after  recaptured.  He 
served  his  country  in  various  public  capacities  for  many  years  and  his  long 
and  useful  life  was  terminated  in  June,  1879,  when  he  was  called  to  the  home 
ieyond. 

Hiram  B.  ^lenough  was  wedded  in  Lebanon,  Indiana,  October  4,  1832, 
to  Miss  Martha  Patlock,  who  was  born  in  South  Carolina,  November  29. 
1813.  With  his  family  he  came  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  in  the  spring 
of  1844,  taking  up  his  residence  in  Mazon  township,  at  a  time  when  its  set- 
tlements were  widely  scattered.  They  located  one  and  one-half  miles  south- 
east of  ]\Iazon  on  a  tract  of  wild  prairie  and  there  Mr.  Menough  spent  his 
remaining  days.  His  children  were  as  follows :  Robert,  who  married  Harriet 
Rowen;  Elizabeth,  who  married  Charles  Nance;  James,  who  wedded  Louisa 
McKean;  Martha,  wife  of  Henry  Baird;  and  Thareby,  the  w-ife  of  William 
Howell.  The  father  of  these  children  was  a  Democrat  in  his  political  affilia- 
tions and  a  sterling  pioneer  settler  who  did  all  in  his  power  to  aid  the  de- 
velopment and  substantial  improvement  of  the  community.  He  was  among 
those  who  laid  the  foundation  of  the  present  prosperity  and  progress  of  the 
county.  He  died  August  25,  1899,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-seven 
years. 

Robert  Delone  Menough  was  born  in  Washington  county,  Indiana,  July 
21,  1823,  and  received  the  usual  common-school  education  afforded  to  the 


68o  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

farmers"  boys  of  tlie  west  at  that  time.  He  came  to  Illinois  with  his  parents 
in  the  spring  of  1844,  when  about  eleven  years  of  age,  and  was  here  reared 
amid  the  wild  scenes  of  the  frontier.  On  the  24th  of  July,  1856,  he  married 
Harriet  J.  Rowen,  who  was  born  December  4,  1833,  a  daughter  of  David  and 
Martha  Rowen.  Her  father  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  was  a  farmer 
and  local  minister  of  the  ]\Iethodist  church.  On  leaving  his  native  state  he 
removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  was  married,  and  in  1844  he  took  up  his  resi- 
dence near  Olney,  Illinois,  whence  he  came  to  Grundy  county,  e'stabHshing  his 
home  near  Mazon.  He  was  a  well  known  pioneer  Methodist  minister  who 
preached  the  gospel  in  many  districts  of  the  state,  carrying  the  glad  tidings  of 
great  joy  to  the  frontier  settlers.  In  politics  he  was  a  Republican,  joining  the 
party  on  its  organization.  He  died  in  1861.  when  about  fifty  years  of  age.  His 
children  were  Harriet.  AlcClure,  Irving,  Eliza  and  Edwin.  Two  of  his  sons, 
McClure  and  Irving,  were  soldiers  in  the  civil  war. 

.\t  the  time  of  his  marriage  Robert  D.  Alenough  located  on  his  present 
farm  in  }iIazon  township.  This  he  cleared  and  improved,  and  to  the  original 
tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  he  added  until  he  now  has  a  valuable 
property  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Menough  was  blessed  with  the  following  children:  Lora  E.,  born  August 
I,  1857:  Ora  L.,  born  August  2y.  1859:  Laura  E.,  born  March  18.  1861; 
Lida  B.,  born  June  3,  1863;  James  M.,  born  March  12,  1865;  Robert  R., 
born  May  24,  1867;  Louella  A.,  born  September  i,  1869;  Hiram  A.,  born 
October  21,  1873:  and  Volney  W.,  born  November  18,  1871.  Two  of  the 
number  are  now  deceased,  Ora  L.  having  passed  away  November  28,  1884, 
while  Volney  W.  died  April  25,  1899.  Lora  E.  was  married  in  1895  to  James 
Hanson,  a  farmer  of  Minnesota.  Laura  A.  is  the  wife  of  Joseph  Horrie. 
of  Morris,  and  their  children  are  Lalla  Rookh,  Harold  and  Massie.  Lida  B. 
is  the  wife  of  Thaddeus  Gillespie  and  they  have  a  son,  named  Parks.  James 
M.  wedded  Gertrude  Murray,  by  whom  he  had  three  children — Robert,  Rol- 
lin  and  Gail — and  their  home  is  in  Mazon.  Robert  R.,  Louella  A.  and 
Hiram  are  still  living  on  the  old  homestead,  and  the  two  sons  are  practical 
and  enterprising  farmers  and  stock-raisers.  The  children  have  all  been  pro- 
vided with  good  educational  privileges.  Some  of  the  sons  are  graduates  of 
the  Commercial  College  of  Kankakee,  and  Louella  A.  has  been  for  seven 
years  a  teacher  in  the  schools  of  Grundy  county,  while  Lora  and  Lida 
were  also  successful  teachers.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Menough  were  members 
of  the  Methodist  church,  and  in  politics,  he  was  a  Democrat.  He  died 
April  20,  1884.  and  his  wife  passed  away  September  18.  1897.  They  were 
people  of  sterling  worth  whose  many  excellencies  of  character  won  for  them 
the  confidence  and  respect  of  all  who  knew  them.  In  their  death  the 
community  lost  two  of  its  best  citizens,  and  their  family  mourned  the  loss  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  681 

father  and  mother  who  had  been  most  devoted  to  their  interests  and  untiring 
in  their  efforts  to  promote  their  welfare. 


HUGH   M.   HILL. 


For  more  than  a  third  of  a  century  Hugh  M.  Hill  has  been  a  resident 
of  Grundy  county,  and  is  one  of  the  substantial  agriculturists  of  Maine  town- 
ship. His  entire  life  has  been  devoted  to  the  work  of  the  farm,  and  in  his 
career  he  has  at  all  times  manifested  those  sterling  qualities  of  enterprise, 
industry  and  honesty  which  lead  to  success  and  win  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  people  of  worth. 

Mr.  Hill  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  December  7,  1841,  a  son 
of  John  A.  and  Esther  (Marsh)  Hill.  His  grandfather,  Stephen  Hill,  was 
a  native  of  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  was  of  Pennsylvania 
Dutch  lineage.  In  pioneer  days  in  that  county  Stephen  Hill,  Sr.,  the  great- 
grandfather of  our  subject,  cleared  a  good  farm  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  in  the  midst  of  the  forest  and  made  a  comfortable  home  for  his  family. 
On  leaving  the  Keystone  state  Stephen  Hill,  Jr.,  the  grandfather,  took  up  his 
abode  in  Concord  township,  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  where  he  purchased 
eleven  hundred  acres  of  land.  That  was  at  a  period  of  development  in  the 
history  of  Delaware  county  and  land  could  be  bought  for  a  nominal  price. 
He  cleared  much  of  the  tract  which  he  purchased,  making  a  good  pioneer 
home,  and  as  the  years  passed  by  he  gave  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
land  to  each  of  his  sons  and  sixty  acres  each  to  his  daughters.  In  the 
family  were  eight  children,  namely:  Joseph,  George,  Adam,  Stephen,  Ben- 
jamin, Joshua,  Sarah,  and  Betsy.  His  son  Joseph  bored  a  deep  well  for 
salt,  and  when  he  had  reached  a  depth  of  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  dis- 
covered a  famous  sulphur  spring,  which  has  made  the  place  known  as  a 
watering  resort.  It  is  situated  about  ten  miles  north  of  the  city  of  Delaware. 
Stephen  Hill  spent  his  remaining  days  upon  the  homestead  farm  in  Dela- 
ware county,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-six  years.  He  was  a 
well-known  pioneer  citizen  of  the  community,  having  taken  up  his  abode 
there  when  Indians  were  still  in  the  neighborhood,  but  he  always  treated 
them  kindly  and  found  that  they  gave  him  their  friendship  in  return.  He 
was  a  noted  hunter  and  skillful  marksman,  and  his  trusty  rifle  brought  down 
excellent  game.  Upon  his  farm  he  erected  a  large  stone  residence,  his  chil- 
dren all  remaining  at  home  until  they  were  married  and  went  to  homes 
of  their  own.  The  family  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  pioneer  families 
of  Delaware  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hill  were  consistent  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  were  the  friends  of  progress  along  all  lines. 
Mr.  Hill  was  particularly  well  educated  for  his  day,  and  several  of  his  sons- 


«682  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

became  school  teachers.  In  Pennsylvania  he  had  been  a  slave  owner  and 
brought  two  of  his  slaves  with  him  to  Ohio,  where  he  gave  them  their  free- 
dom. One  of  them,  William  Utter,  afterward  became  a  successful  barber 
of  Columbus,  Ohio,  where  he  lived  for  many  years.  In  the  death  of  Stephen 
Hill,  Delaware  county  lost  one  of  its  most  reliable,  enterprising  and  honored 
pioneer  citizens. 

John  A.  Hill,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Westmoreland 
county,  Pennsylvania,  near  the  Monongahela  river,  remaining  in  that  local- 
ity until  seventeen  years  of  age.  He  went  with  his  father's  family  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ohio,  and  there  became  celebrated  for  his  skill  as  a  marksman. 
He  often  entered  into  contests  with  the  Indians,  and  on  many  occasions 
demonstrated  that  he  was  a  better  shot  than  they.  They  often  hunted 
together  and  the  Indians  frequently  did  him  a  good  turn.  All  kinds  of 
wild  game  could  be  secured  during  the  days  of  his  early  residence  in  Dela- 
ware county  and  he  killed  as  many  as  seventeen  deer  in  a  single  week. 
Becoming  one  of  the  pioneer  farmers  of  the  community,  he  operated  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  the  old  Hill  farm  given  him  by  his  father,  and 
his  enterprising  efforts  brought  to  him  creditable  success.  He  married 
Esther  Marsh,  who  was  born  in  New  York  and  was  a  representative  of  an  old 
English  family,  her  father  being  Benjamin  Marsh,  who  removed  from  the 
Empire  state  to  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  in  pioneer  days.  Here  he  bought 
one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land,  becoming  one  of  the  leading  agricul- 
turists of  the  neighborhood.  He  died  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-four  years,  and  in  his  death  the  community  lost  a  citizen 
of  the  highest  respectability.  He  long  held  membership  with  the  Methodist 
church,  in  which  he  was  a  class-leader.  He  played  exceedingly  well  on  the 
fife,  and  during  the  civil  war  he  often  played  for  the  soldiers.  His  children 
were  Josiah,  Joel,  William.  John,  Esther  and  Martha,  who  married  John 
Swain,  of  Ohio. 

After  his  marriage  John  A.  Hill  located  on  the  farm  given  him  by  his 
father  and  performed  the  arduous  task  of  clearing  away  the  trees,  developing 
the  wild  land  into  richly  cultivated  fields.  His  home  was  blessed  with  the 
presence  of  the  following  children  :  Joseph,  ^Martha.  Henry  D.  and  Clarinda 
(twins),  Jane,  Sarah,  Lucinda.  Lucy,  William,  Hugh  M.  and  Esther,  all  of 
whom  were  born  on  the  old  homestead  in  Delaware  county.  The  mother  of 
this  family  died  in  1855,  and  ^Ir.  Hill  afterward  wedded  ]\Iary  Goodwin. 
He  sold  the  old  homestead  farm  in  Delaware  county  and  purchased  a  small 
timber  farm  in  Kenton  county,  Ohio,  upon  which  he  spent  his  remaining 
days,  his  death  occurring  at  the  age  of  eighty-five.  He  was  a  straightfor- 
ward, honorable  man  and  a  good  citizen  and  reared  an  excellent  family. 

Hugh  M.  Hill,  the  subject  of  this  review,  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  683 

light  of  day  on  the  old  family  homestead  in  Delaware  county.  He  was 
reared  upon  the  farm  and  in  his  youth  became  famihar  with  the  arduous 
task  of  clearing  and  developing  land,  his  labors  in  that  direction  making  him 
a  skillful  woodsman.  When  a  small  boy  he  commenced  work  in  a  sugar 
camp,  which  comprised  twenty-seven  acres,  the  manufacture  of  maple  sugar 
and  molasses  being  one  of  the  principal  departments  of  the  farm  work.  His 
labors  there,  however,  prevented  him  from  attending  school  in  the  early 
spring  time  and  his  educational  privileges  were  therefore  very  limited.  In 
1863,  when  twenty-one  years  of  age,  with  his  brother  William  he  came  to 
Illinois,  making  the  journey  by  team.  He  arrived  in  the  month  of  October, 
after  fourteen  and  a  half  days  spent  upon  the  way.  and  went  to  the  home 
of  his  brother  Joseph,  who  was  living  at  Sulphur  Springs,  in  what  is  now 
Maine  township.  For  a  time  he  engaged  in  farm  work.  He  was  married 
January  21,  1868,  in  Braceville  township,  Grundy  county,  to  Miss  Rosenah 
Mary  Fry,  who  was  born  September  9,  1845,  in  Dorsetshire,  England,  her 
parents  being  Henry  and  Betsy  (Stevens)  Fry.  Her  father  was  born  in 
Dorsetshire,  England,  August  4.  1820,  and  was  a  son  of  John  and  Emily 
Fry,  also  natives  of  that  land,  in  which  they  spent  their  entire  lives.  John 
Fry  followed  farming  and  carpentering  in  Dorsetshire,  and  by  means  of  the 
dual  occupation  supported  his  family,  which  numbered  five  children,  name- 
ly :  John,  Thomas,  Emily,  William  and  Henry.  The  last  named  was  reared 
upon  the  home  farm,  learned  the  baker's  trade,  and  in  his  native  county  mar- 
ried Betsy  Stevens,  who  was  born  in  England  and  was  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Mary  Stevens.  Her  father  was  a  well-to-do  farmer,  and  in  his  last 
years  lived  retired,  his  income  being  sufficient  to  supply  him  with  all  the 
necessaries  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life.  The  property  of  the  Stevens 
family  was  quite  extensive,  but  none  of  it  came  into  possession  of  the  rep- 
resentatives of  the  name  in  America.  The  children  of  Samuel  Stevens  were 
Mary  Ann,  Eliza,  Amelia,  Betsy,  ^Martha,  Isabel,  Samuel  and  Stephen. 
The  last  named  died  in  England.  Henry  Fry,  the  father  of  IMrs.  Hill,  car- 
ried on  farming  in  Dorsetshire  for  some  time  after  his  marriage,  and  five 
children  were  born  of  the  union  in  that  country,  namely:  Mary  R.;  Harriet 
E.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two  years;  Isabel;  Emily  and  Julia  E.  In  1856 
Mr.  Fry  came  to  America,  taking  passage  in  Liverpool  on  the  sailing  vessel 
Calhoon,  which  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  New  York  in  the  latter  part 
of  June,  after  a  voyage  of  four  weeks,  which  was  considered  a  remarkably 
quick  passage  at  that  time.  He  immediately  continued  his  journey  to 
Kendall  county,  where  he  arrived  July  3,  1856,  making  his  way  to  the  home 
of  Mrs.  jSIary  A.  Mabey,  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Fry,  who  had  located  in  Kendall 
county  four  years  previous.  There  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fry,  Isabel 
Emily,  died  three  days  later.     Her  death  resulted  from  scarlet  fever  con- 


684  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

tracted  on  the  voyage.  Mr.  Fry  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  across  the 
road  from  the  farm,  upon  which  E.  H.  Robinson  now  resides.  A  small 
house  had  been  built  and  a  tract  was  fenced,  but  otherwise  no  improvements 
had  been  made,  and  with  characteristic  energy  Mr.  Fry  began  its  further 
development.  Subsequently  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  the  farm  upon 
which  Mr.  Hill  now  resides,  and  an  eighty-acre  tract  adjoining  his  home 
property,  so  that  his  landed  possessions  aggregated  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres.  In  his  undertaking  he  prospered,  becoming  one  of  the  successful 
farmers  and  extensive  cattle  dealers  of  the  community,  but  on  account  of 
lameness  his  labors  were  hampered.  He  had  no  son  to  aid  him.  so  that  his 
daughters  worked  on  the  farm,  and  the  united  efforts  of  the  family  resulted 
in  securing  a  very  comfortable  home.  Mr.  Fry  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  church  and  in  politics  was  a  Republican.     He  died  February  22, 

1874.  at  the  age  of  fifty-three  years,  leaving  to  his  family  a  good  estate  and 
an  untarnished  name.  After  his  marriage  Mr.  Hill  located  on  the  farm 
where  he  now  resides,  renting  the  property  of  yir.  Fry  for  five  years.  After 
his  father-in-law's  death  he  lived  upon  his  farm  for  a  year  and  then  returned 
to  his  present  home.  By  hard  work  and  unflagging  enterprise  he  has  great- 
ly improved  the  property,  has  drained  it  with  tiling  and  has  extended  the 
boundaries  of  the  farm  from  time  to  time  until  he  is  now  the  owner  of  two 
hundred  acres  of  rich  and  arable  land.  The  place  is  improved  with  com- 
fortable and  substantial  buildings,  and  all  the  accessories  of  a  model  farm 
are  there  found. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hill  has  been  blessed  with  the  following 
children:  Julia  Ellen,  born  November  17.  1868;  Giles  A.,  born  December 
6,  1870;  Mary  J.,  born  December  20,  1872;  Alfred,  who  was  born  March  29, 

1875.  and  died  September  7,  1894;  Amelia,  born  June  12,  1878;  Edwin, 
born  March  17,  1881:  and  Henry  and  Emily,  twins,  born  April  28,  1884. 
Mrs.  Hill  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  Mr.  Hill  contributes 
of  his  means  to  its  support.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  unswerving  in 
his  advocacy  of  the  principles  of  the  party.  His  life  has  been  one  of  indus- 
try and  honesty,  and  he  certainly  deserves  great  credit  for  the  success  which 
he  has  achieved  and  which  has  resulted  from  his  capable  management  and 
unfailing  industry.  He  is  widely  known  among  the  residents  of  Maine 
township  and  enjoys  the  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


OWEN   H.   FULLER. 


During  the  colonial  epoch  in  the  American  history  there  came  to  the 
shores  of  New  England  a  sturdy  band  of  Puritans,  who  crossed  the  Atlantic 
in  the  Mayflower,  and  among  the  number  were  two  brothers,  Samuel  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  685 

Edward  Fuller,  who  were  signers  of  the  famous  compact  drawn  by  the 
colonists  who  had  braved  the  dangers  of  the  ocean  voyage  in  order  to  enjoy 
religious  liberties  in  the  New  World.  It  is  from  these  brothers  that  many 
representatives  of  the  name  of  Fuller  are  descended.  Matthew  Fuller,  the 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  in  1768,  and  became 
a  cooper  by  trade.  After  his  marriage  he  located  in  Salisbury,  Connecti- 
cut, and  about  1808  removed  to  New  York,  locating  in  Tully,  Onondaga 
county,  where  he  carried  on  farming.  He  secured  there  a  tract  of  timber 
land  and  cleared  the  same,  transforming  it  into  richly  cultivated  fields, 
which  yielded  him  good  harvests  in  return  for  his  labor.  Upon  that  farm 
he  spent  his  remaining  days,  dying  in  i860,  at  the  venerable  age  of  ninety- 
two  years.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1S12,  and  with  a  militia 
company  was  on  his  way  to  Plattsburg  when  news  was  received  that  the 
battle  there  had  been  fought  and  won.  He  was  a  man  of  iron  constitution, 
of  strong  principles  and  of  strict  morality,  commanding  the  respect  of  all 
who  knew  him.  His  children  were  Matthew.  Augustus,  Albert,  Hiram, 
Austin,  Philena,  Edward,  Harlow,  Permelia  and  Ruth. 

Hiram  Fuller,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  December  31,  1803. 
at  Salisbury,  Connecticut,  and  was  afforded  the  usual  common-school  privi- 
leges of  the  day.  In  Onondaga  county.  New  York,  about  1825,  he  mar- 
ried Mary  Ann  Owen,  who  was  born  in  Saratoga  county,  that  state,  on 
the  9th  of  January,  1806,  a  daughter  of  Elijah  and  Mehitable  (Nash)  Owen. 
Her  father  was  a  son  of  Jonathan  Owen,  one  of  the  officers  in  the  American 
army  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  The  family  was  founded  in  :Massa- 
chusetts  in  colonial  days,  and  representatives  of  the  name  became  pioneer 
settlers  of  Saratoga  county.  New  York.  Elijah  Owen,  the  maternal  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  died  in  middle  life.  His  children  were  Permelia, 
Amanda,  Sophia,  Lydia,  Mary  Ann,  Augustus  and  Alexander  K.  Elijah 
Owen  was  a  substantial  farmer  and  respected  citizen,  who  constructed  a  part 
of  the  Erie  Canal  under  contract.  At  an  early  period  in  the  development  of 
Onondaga  county.  New  York,  he  removed  to  that  locality. 

After  his  marriage  Hiram  Fuller  located  in  Onondaga  county,  and  there 
resided  upon  a  farm  for  about  eleven  years,  coming  to  Illinois  in  1839.  On 
the  loth  of  May  of  that  year  he  and  his  family  left  their  home  in  the  Empire 
state,  proceeding  by  team  to  Syracuse,  thence  by  canal  to  BufYalo,  by  the 
Great  Lakes  to  Chicago,  and  by  team  to  Mazon,  where  they  arrived  on  the 
31st  of  May,  1839.  Here  i\Ir.  Fuller  secured  a  tract  of  wild  land  and  im- 
proved a  farm,  upon  which  he  remained  until  1855,  when  he  took  up  his 
residence  in  the  village  of  old  Mazon,  where  he  engaged  in  general  mer- 
chandising. For  many  years  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  their  lives  were  in  harmony  with  their  professions.     His  political 


686  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

support  was  given  the  Democracy,  and  he  held  several  local  offices,  includ- 
ing that  of  township  clerk.  He  was  also  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years, 
and  discharged  his  duties  with  marked  promptness  and  fidelity.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Elizabeth,  born  November  2t,,  1828;  Owen  H.,  born  January 
19.  1834;  Velasco  L.,  born  May  10,  1836;  and  Orville  C,  born  April  10,  1850. 
Mr.  Fuller  died  in  Mazon,  April  17,  1872,  when  about  sixty-eight  years  of 
age,  and  in  his  death  the  community  lost  one  of  its  valued  citizens. 

Owen  H.  Fuller,  whose  name  introduces  this  record,  was  born  in 
Onondaga  county.  New  York,  January  19,  1834.  and  pursued  his  education 
in  Illinois,  attending  the  subscription  schools.  His  advantages  in  that 
direction,  however,  were  rather  limited,  but  experience,  obser\'ation  and 
reading  made  him  a  well-informed  man.  He  was  only  five  years  of  age 
at  the  time  of  the  removal  of  the  family  to  the  west,  and  he  can  well  remem- 
ber the  journey,  and  also  has  a  vivid  recollection  of  his  labors  on  the  home 
farm.  Subsequently  he  learned  the  carriage-maker's  trade  and,  after  his 
marriage,  he  located  on  a  farm  of  sixty  acres  in  Mazon  township. 

He  was  only  twenty  years  of  age  wiien,  on  the  31st  of  July,  1853, 
he  wedded  Miss  \\'eltha  Isham,  who  was  born  in  St.  George,  Vermont,  Oc- 
tober 23,  1836,  a  daughter  of  Gursham  and  Eliza  Ann  (Sanford)  Isham. 
Her  grandfather,  Jehiel  Isham,  was  born  in  X'ermont.  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation, and  served  his  country  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  had  his  belt  shot  off 
at  the  battle  of  Plattsburg.  After  his  marriage  he  located  upon  a  farm  near 
Williston.  and  afterward  made  his  home  at  St.  George,  ten  miles  from  Bur- 
lington, Vermont.  He  was  a  substantial  agriculturist  of  the  Green  Moun- 
tain state,  industrious,  enterprising  and  progressive.  He  lived  to  be  about 
ninety  years  of  age  and  was  accounted  one  of  the  most  respected  citizens 
of  his  community.  His  children  were  all  born  in  Williston,  \'ermont.  and 
were  named  as  follows:  Henry,  Ebbins,  Silas,  Ezra,  Amasa,  Elias,  William. 
Gursham,  Cassius,  Sophia.  Sallie,  Docia  and  Eunice. 

Gursham  Isham.  the  father  of  Mrs.  Fuller,  was  born  in  Williston,  \'er- 
mont,  on  the  31st  of  March.  1801.  received  the  usual  privileges  of  pioneer 
days,  and  was  reared  upon  the  home  farm.  He  also  learned  the  mason's 
trade.  On  the  9th  of  September,  1822.  in  Charlotte,  Vermont,  he  married 
Miss  Eliza  Sanford.  who  was  born  in  that  city,  February  22,  1802,  her  par- 
ents being  Zachariah  and  Lydia  Sanford.  Her  father  was  a  tanner  and 
shoemaker  by  trade,  and  lived  upon  a  farm.  He  was  also  a  representative 
of  one  of  the  old  Vermont  families.  Removing  to  the  Empire  state,  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  St.  Lawrence  county  about  1821.  becoming  one  of  the  pio- 
neer settlers.  There  he  cleared  and  developed  a  good  farm  near  the  town 
of  Canton  and  became  a  substantial  agriculturist  of  the  community.  In  1843 
he  removed  to  McHenry  county,  Illinois,  making  his  home  with  his  two 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  687 

sons,  Stanley  and  Xelson  Sanford.  There  he  passed  his  remaining  days, 
his  death  occurring  when  he  was  about  eighty-seven  years  of  age.  His  wife 
died  when  about  ninety  years  of  age.  They  were  both  members  of  the 
Methodist  church  and  people  of  the  highest  respectability.  Their  children 
were  Lorana,  Aurilla,  Betsey,  Sally,  Samantha.  Hepsey,  Eliza,  }»Iinerva, 
Polly,  Clark,  Israel,  Stanley,  Nelson,  one  who  died  in  childhood  and  one 
whose  name  is  not  remembered.  Nearly  all  reached  the  age  of  maturity, 
were  married  and  reared  families  of  their  own. 

Gursham  Isham,  the  father  of  Airs.  Fuller,  took  up  his  abode  in  Williston, 
\'ermont,  living  upon  his  father's  farm  for  a  time.  He  afterward  made  his 
home  in  St.  George,  \'ermont,  until  his  removal  to  St.  Lawrence  county. 
New  York,  in  1823.  He  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  early  settlers  of  that  local- 
ity, but  in  1826  returned  to  St.  George.  Some  years  later,  however,  about 
1838,  he  again  went  to  St.  Lawrence  county,  where  he  purchased  a  tract 
of  land  covered  with  heavy  timber,  only  a  small  portion  having  been  cleared. 
This  farm  was  located  in  Canton  township,  and  thereon  he  made  his  home 
until  1844,  when  he  disposed  of  his  business  interests  in  the  east  and  removed 
to  Illinois  in  the  fall  of  that  year,  making  the  journey  with  teams  and 
wagons.  His  son-in-law,  Richard  Fuller,  who  had  married  Cornelia  Isham, 
was  with  them.  The  party  were  six  weeks  in  making  the  journey  to  Mc- 
Henry  county.  They  camped  by  the  wayside,  the  women  sleeping  in  the 
wagons,  and  they  cooked  their  food  over  a  camp  fire  in  the  usual  pioneer 
style  of  the  times.  Mr.  Isham  rented  land  in  McHenry  county,  Illinois,  for 
one  year,  and  in  1846  came  to  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county,  settling  a 
mile  east  of  the  present  site  of  the  village  of  Mazon.  There  he  pre-empted 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  for  which  he  paid  a  dollar  and  a  quarter 
per  acre.  It  was  a  tract  of  wild  prairie,  but  he  made  there  a  good  pioneer 
home  and  for  many  years  maintained  his  residence  on  that  farm.  He  then 
sold  the  property  and  bought  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  school  land 
near  the  center  of  Mazon  township.  Some  years  later  he  retired  from  busi- 
ness life  and  lived  in  Mazon  village  until  his  death,  which  occurred  October 
8,  1877,  when  he  was  seventy-six  years  of  age.  His  wife  died  March  8, 
1896,  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-four.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church  and  a  woman  of  many  virtues.  Air.  Isham  was  in  politics  an 
old-line  Whig  until  the  dissolution  of  that  party,  when  he  joined  the  Re- 
publican party.  The  children  of  this  worthy  couple  were :  Cornelia,  born 
in  Chittenden  county,  Vermont,  September  i.  1823:  Albert,  born  in  St. 
Lawrence  county.  New  York,  in  April,  1825;  Edward,  born  in  Chittendert 
county,  Vermont.  January  15,  1828;  Michael,  born  in  Chittenden  county, 
June  7,  1829;  Zachariah,  born  in  that  county,  February  11,  1831;  Lydia, 
born  in  the  same  county.  May  15,  1834;  Weltha,  born  in  Chittenden  county,. 


■688  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

October  23,  1836;  Jehiel,  born  in  Chittenden  county,  October  18,  1838; 
Clarinda.  born  in  St.  Lawrence  county.  New  York.  October  5,  1842.  All 
of  the  cliiildren  were  married  with  the  exception  of  Sallie  A.  and  Eliza,  both 
of  whom  died  in  early  life. 

In  order  to  give  the  history  of  the  Sanford  family  to  which  Mrs.  Isham 
belonged  we  publish  the  following  article  which  occurred  in  the  St.  Law- 
rence, New  York,  Plaindealer: 

"Russell,  New  York,  October.  1875. 
"Editor  Plaindealer: — 

"I  noted  in  your  paper  of  September  loth  an  account  of  the  death  of 
Mrs.  Sallie  Bachellor,  of  Pierpont,  a  sister  of  my  mother.  Perhaps  a  few 
lines  in  regard  to  who  she  was  may  be  interesting  to  some  of  your  readers. 
She  was  the  widow  of  Samuel  Bachellor,  who  died  in  Canton,  New  York, 
several  years  ago,  and  the  daughter  of  Zachariah  and  Lydia  Sanford,  who 
came  from  Charlotte,  Vermont,  in  182 1,  with  their  family,  settling  in  Can- 
ton, New  York,  where  they  remained  until  1843,  when  they  removed  to 
Seneca,  McHenry  county,  Illinois,  with  three  of  their  sons,  Israel,  Nelson 
and  Stanley.  They  traveled  the  whole  distance  by  land,  the  father  and 
mother  driving  in  an  open  buggy  and  the  sons  and  their  families  traveling 
in  covered  wagons.  They  stopped  one  week  in  Ohio  to  rest.  They  were 
then  eighty  years  of  age.  They  arrived  at  their  destination  in  their  usual 
good  health.  Her  father  planted  a  peach  orchard  soon  after  their  arrival 
and  lived  to  eat  peaches  that  grew  on  his  trees.  They  were  the  parents  of 
fifteen  children,  one  of  whom  died,  but  fourteen  lived  to  rear  families  of 
their  own.  Their  parents  were  very  pious  people  and  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  church.  By  their  good  example  and  precepts  they  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  thirteen  of  their  children  members  of  the  church,  twelve 
joining  the  church  of  their  parents"  choice,  the  other,  Mrs.  Sallie  Bachellor, 
lieing  a  close-communion  Baptist.  They  were  very  industrious  and  tem- 
perate, and  the  husband  supported  his  family  by  his  trade,  being  a  tanner, 
currier  and  shoemaker.  The  wife,  whose  hands  were  never  idle,  sat  at  the 
old  family  loom  weaving  her  ten  yards  of  cloth  in  one  day  or  spinning  wool 
and  tow  at  the  great  wlieel,  or  sat  singing  at  the  little  wheel  spinning  linen 
from  the  flax  on  the  distaf¥  with  both  hands,  as  her  wheel  filled  two  spools 
at  the  same  time,  thus  doing  two  days'  work  in  one.  All  of  the  children 
were  taught  to  work  wMiile  young,  the  sons  helping  their  father,  while  the 
daughters  were  taught  to  spin,  weave,  sew,  knit  and  do  general  housework, 
each  having  their  allotted  task.  When  they  had  finished  their  day's  work 
all  gathered  around  their  evening  meal,  after  which  they  all  joined  in  the 
singing  (the  parents  being  good  singers,  the  children  were  taught  to  sing). 
After  the  singing  followed  the  evening  prayer,  led  by  the  father,  before 
retiring  for  the  night.  There  was  formed  in  that  family  circle  a  tie  which 
has  never  been  broken,  except  by  death.  There  were  at  that  time  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  of  their  descendants,  thirteen  of  their  children  and 
•one  hundred  and  fifty-seven  of  their  grand  and  great-grandchildren.       Their 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  689 

oldest  son  lived  to  be  eighty  years  old,  and  the  second  seventy-nine.  One 
daughter  died,  having  been  the  mother  of  six  children.  On  the  ist  of 
February,  1874,  there  were  still  living  eleven  of  the  children.  Mrs.  Hepsi- 
bah  BarlDar  died  in  February,  1874,  in  Massachusetts,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
five  years.  Mrs.  Sallie  Bachellor  died  September  5,  1874,  aged  eighty-three 
years  and  ten  months.  There  are  nine  children  still  living  (1875),  the  oldest 
is  eighty-eight  and  the  youngest  sixty-six.  The  united  age  of  those  still 
living  is  six  hundred  and  eighty-one  years.  Their  father  and  mother  were 
aged  respectively  eighty-seven  and  ninety  years  when  they  died.  The 
record  is  correct  and  true,  as  I  have  the  old  family  record  lying  before  me 
while  I  write,  and  my  mother  is  sitting  beside  me  as  prompter.  She  is 
seventy-one  years  old  and  enjoys  the  best  of  health  and  her  mental  faculties 
are  unimpaired.  She  is  the  youngest  of  seven  daughters  in  a  row,  six  of 
whom  are  still  living,  three  in  St.  Lawrence  county,  New  York, — Mrs. 
Aurilla  Olin,  of  Canton;  Mrs.  Samantha  Lincoln,  of  Sabin  Corners;  and 
Mrs.  Minerva  Crary,  of  Pierpont.  All  attended  Mrs.  Sallie  Bachellor's 
funeral  in  Pierpont,  September  6th.  Mrs.  Marcia  A.  Royce." 


To  return  to  the  family  of  Gursham  Isham,  father  of  Mrs.  Fuller,  we 
note  that  he  was  a  farmer  of  St.  George,  Vermont,  but  removed  from  the 
Green  Mountain  state  to  St.  Lawrence  county.  New  York,  whence  he  came 
to  Illinois  in  1844,  settling  in  McHenry  county.  T\Vo  years  later,  in  1846, 
he  came  to  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county,  where  he  spent  his  remaining 
days.  A  tract  of  wild  land  he  transformed  into  a  rich  farm  and  became  one 
of  the  successful  agriculturists  of  the  community.  During  his  boyhood  he 
witnessed  from  an  adjoining  hill  the  battle  of  Plattsburg,  one  of  the  most 
important  engagements  of  the  war  of  1812.  His  political  support  was  given 
the  Whig  party,  and  on  its  dissolution  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  Republican 
party. 

The  land  upon  which  Mr.  Fuller  located  at  the  time  of  his  marriage 
was  a  tract  of  wild  prairie,  on  which  not  a  furrow  had  been  turned  or  an 
improvement  made,  but  he  at  once  began  its  development  and  soon  trans- 
formed a  portion  of  it  into  rich  fields.  .  On  selling  that  property  he  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  wagons  in  old  Mazon,  carrying  on  the  business  for 
fifteen  years.  In  1875  he  began  dealing  in  coal  and  lumber,  and  in  1878 
he  enlarged  the  field  of  his  operations  by  the  purchase  and  sale  of  grain.  In 
this  enterprise  he  was  associated  with  A.  O.  Murry  from  December,  1875, 
until  1883.  The  firm  did  an  extensive  business,  its  members  being  the  first 
to  engage  in  operations  along  those  lines  in  Mazon.  In  the  spring  of  1876 
Mr.  Murry  built  the  present  elevator  and  Mr.  Fuller  purchased  the  property 
in  1883.  He  became  one  of  the  best  known  men  in  his  line  of  business  in 
Grundy  county,  and  successfully  carried  on  operations  on  an  extensive  scale 
until  1896,  when  he  sold  out  to  his  son,  Olney  B.,  who  still  conducts  the 


690  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

business.  Air.  Fuller  has  since  lived  retired,  enjoying  the  rest  which  lie  has 
truly  earned  and  richly  deserves. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fuller  have  been  born  the  following  children  :  Olney 
B.,  born  December  18,  i860,  was  married  October  25,  1883,  to  Josie  Wright, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Ancona,  Illinois,  December  11.  1861.  Their  chil- 
dren are  Earl  D.,  born  April  i,  1885:  Ray  E.,  born  May  30,  1887;  and  Carrie 
Feme,  born  January  23,  1893.  -'^'ta  A.,  born  November  i,  1863.  is  the 
wife  of  O.  S.  Mner,  a  farmer  of  blazon  township,  and  their  children  are 
Flossie  and  Fred.  R.  Dale,  born  December  10,  1865,  married  Lulu  Kelt- 
ner,  by  whom  he  has  three  children,  Ethal,  Hazel  and  Eulalia.  He  is  now 
engaged  in  the  grain  business.  Olin  M.,  born  December  30,  1867,  died  in 
August,  1887,  at  the  age  of  twenty  years.  Erlan  G.,  bom  December  25, 
1875,  's  a  graduate  of  the  medical  department  of  the  Northwestern  Uni- 
versity at  Chicago,  Illinois,  and  is  now  a  practicing  physician  of  Chicago. 

In  his  political  afifiliations  Mr.  Fuller  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  and  his 
fellow  townsmen,  recognizing  his  worth  and  ability,  elected  him  justice  of  the 
peace,  in  which  position  he  served  for  three  years.  He  has  also  been  notary 
public  and  village  president  five  terms.  He  has  prospered  in  his  business 
affairs,  his  industry,  sagacity  and  capable  management  winning  him  success. 
He  sustains  a  high  reputation  for  reliability  and  is  known  as  an  enterprising 
and  loyal  citizen,  who  gives  his  support  to  every  measure  which  he  believes 
will  prove  of  public  good.  Mrs.  Fuller  is  a  member  of  the  Alethodist 
church,  and  a  pioneer  mother  of  many  virtues. 


WILLIAM    D.    BRIDEL. 

The  specific  history  of  the  west  was  made  by  the  pioneers;  it  was  em- 
blematically emblazoned  on  the  forest  trees  by  the  strength  of  sturdy  arms 
and  gleaming  ax,  and  written  on  the  surface  of  the  earth  by  the  primitix'e 
plow.  These  were  strong  men  and  true  that  came  to  found  the  empire  of 
the  west — these  hardy  settlers  who  builded  their  rude  domiciles,  grappled 
Avith  the  giants  of  the  forest,  and  from  the  sylvan  wilds  evolved  the  fertile  and 
productive  fields  which  have  these  many  years  been  furrowed  by  the  plow- 
share and  traversed  by  rejoicing  harvest  hands.  The  red  man  in  his  motley 
garb  stalked  through  the  dim,  woody  avenues,  and  the  wild  beasts  disputed 
his  dominion.  The  trackless  prairie  was  made  to  yield  its  tribute  under  the 
effective  endeavors  of  the  pioneer,  and  slowly  but  surely  were  laid  the  stead- 
fast foundations  upon  which  has  been  builded  the  magnificent  superstructure 
of  an  opulent  and  enlightened  commonwealth.  To  establish  a  home  under 
such  surroundings,  and  to  cope  with  the  many  privations  and  hardships 


^g^  f  ^yu.M^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  691 

Avhich  were  the  inevitable  concomitants,  demanded  invincible  courage  and 
fortitude,  strong  hearts  and  willing  hands.  All  these  were  characteristics  of 
the  pioneers,  whose  names  and  deeds  should  be  held  in  perpetual  reverence 
by  those  who  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  toil. 

]\Ir.  Bridel  is  numbered  among  the  early  settlers  of  Grundy  county  who 
took  up  their  abode  in  Maine  township  at  an  early  day.  He  was  born  in 
Southchard,  Somersetshire,  England,  June  5.  1826,  and  is  a  son  of  Robert 
and  Mary  (Diment)  Bridel.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Richard  Bridel,  was 
a  cooper  by  trade  and  owned  a  small  property  in  England,  consisting  of  a 
home,  his  shop  and  about  five  acres  of  orchard  and  meadow  land.  His  in- 
dustry brought  to  him  a  comfortable  competence  and  he  lived  to  a  ripe  old 
age,  his  death  occurring  when  he  had  passed  the  ninetieth  milestone  on  life's 
journey.  By  his  first  marriage  he  had  two  sons,  John  and  Richard,  and  by 
his  second  union  he  had  a  son  and  daughter,  Robert  and  Rachel. 

Robert  Bridel,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Somersetshire, 
about  1805,  and  received  a  common-school  education.  Lender  his  father's 
direction  he  learned  the  cooper's  trade  in  early  life  and  followed  that  busi- 
ness in  his  native  land.  In  the  county  of  his  birth  he  married  Mary  Diment, 
wdio  was  born  in  Somersetshire,  and  by  their  marriage  they  became  the 
parents  of  the  following  named:  William  D.;  Richard;  Mary,  who  died  in 
England  when  about  six  years  of  age;  Isabel;  Mary,  the  second  of  that  name; 
Rachel;  Robert;  and  a  daughter,  Alice,  who  died,  aged  about  nine  years, 
\vhen  on  the  journey  to  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  having  been  bitten  by  a 
rattlesnake. 

In  1841  Mr.  Bridel  determined  to  seek  a  home  in  the  New  World  and 
secured  passage  on  the  sailing  vessel  Europe,  which  weighed  anchor  in  the 
harbor  at  Liverpool,  and  after  a  voyage  of  six  weeks  and  three  days  reached 
New  York  city,  and  Mr.  Bridel  made  his  first  location  in  Plymouth,  Luzerne 
county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  About  five  years  later 
he  came  to  Illinois,  by  canal  and  steamboat,  locating  in  Kendall  county,  Oc- 
tober 14,  1846.  He  secured  one  hundred  and  one  acres  of  government  land, 
which  he  transformed  into  a  good  farm.  Later  he  came  to  Grundy  county, 
but  did  not  sell  his  farm  in  Kendall  county.  His  wife  died  in  1858,  in  what 
was  then  Braceville  township  but  is  now  Maine  township,  and  her  death  was 
widely  mourned,  for  she  was  a  woman  of  many  virtues,  having  the  respect 
and  friendship  of  all  who  knew  her.  Mr.  Bridel  afterward  returned  to  Ken- 
dall county,  where  he  was  again  married,  to  Alice  Sutliff,  a  widow,  but  by 
the  second  union  he  had  no  children.  His  death  occurred  in  that  county, 
when  he  was  aljout  eighty-two  years  of  age. 

William  D.  Bridel  obtained  a  common-school  education  in  England, 
and  when  about  fifteen  years  of  age  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  journey 


692  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

across  tlie  briny  deep.  He  remained  with  his  fatlier  until  he  had  attained 
his  majority,  when  he  entered  eighty  acres  of  government  land  in  Kendall 
county,  Illinois,  ten  miles  south  of  Oswego,  and  began  farming  on  his  own 
account.  In  1854,  however,  he  came  to  Grundy  county  and  purchased 
three  hundred  and  twenty-one  and  a  half  acres  of  land,  at  five  dollars  per 
acre.  It  is  well  watered  by  Mazon  creek  and  is  a  rich  and  arable  tract,  which 
returns  to  the  owner  a  good  tribute  for  the  care  and  cultivation  he  bestows 
upon  it.  He  erected  a  comfortable  and  commodious  residence,  made  other 
needed  improvements  and  engaged  in  raising  horses,  cattle,  hogs  and  grain. 
His  thorough  understanding  of  his  business,  his  capable  management  and 
close  application  enabled  him  to  win  prosperity.  During  the  early  years  of 
his  business  career  his  sister  Rachel  acted  as  his  housekeeper,  but  when 
thirty-six  years  of  age,  in  April.  1862.  he  was  married,  in  Maine  township, 
Grundy  county,  to  Caroline  R.  Towns,  who  was  born  in  Kendall  county, 
Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Aaron  and  IMary  (Green)  Towns.  Her  father  was 
an  early  settler  in  Kendall  county,  and  also  took  up  his  abode  in  Grundy 
county  at  an  early  period  of  its  development.  He  was  a  native  of  New 
York  state  and  was  of  New  England  ancestry.  His  children  were  Joshua, 
Edward,  William,  Sarah,  Caroline  and  Clarinda.  ^Ir.  Towns  died  in  this 
township  at  the  residence  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Bridel,  with  whom  he  had 
made  his  home  for  fifteen  years.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bridel  have  been  born 
the  following  children:  \\'illiam  H..  born  in  1863:  Mary  R..  1865:  George 
W.,  1867;  Robert,  April  21,  1869:  Lillie  E.,  August  11,  1876;  and  a  daugh- 
ter, Belle,  who  died  when  about  seven  months  of  age. 

Our  subject  has  successfully  engaged  in  farming  operations  and  is  to- 
day the  owner  of  a  valuable  and  productive  farm,  comprising  three  hundred 
and  twenty-one  and  a  half  acres  of  the  rich  land  of  central  Illinois.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  he  has  held  the  oftice  of  school  director,  but 
has  never  sought  or  desired  political  preferment,  wishing  rather  to  give  his 
entire  time  and  attention  to  his  business  interests,  in  which  he  has  met  with 
creditable  success. 


GEORGE    W.    BOOTH. 

George  W.  Booth,  now  living  a  retired  life  in  Gardner,  was  for  many 
years  actively  connected  with  the  business  interests  of  Grundy  county, 
making  a  specialty  of  the  breeding  of  fine  stock.  He  was  also  connected 
with  the  banking  business  in  Onaga,  Kansas,  for  a  time.  Hi^  birth  occurred 
on  a  farm  on  the  Western  Reserve  in  Trumbull  county,  Ohio.  He  is  descended 
from  one  of  the  old  colonial  families  of  Puritan  stock,  his  ancestors  being 
among  the  first  settlers  around  Massachusetts  Bay,  coming  to  this  country 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  693 

■between  1630  and  1635.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a  farmer  of 
Litchfield  county,  Connecticut,  and  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war. 
He  participated  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  The  story  goes  that  he  was 
plowing  in  the  field  with  his  little  nine-year-old  son,  Moses,  when  news 
was  brought  to  him  of  the  advance  of  the  British.  He  was  at  that  time 
driving  a  yoke  of  oxen  across  the  field,  but  he  immediately  removed  the 
oxen  from  the  plow,  and,  leaving  them  standing  in  the  furrow,  started  with  his 
little  son  to  the  scene  of  activity,  expecting  to  place  the  boy  in  some  secure 
spot.  This  he  did  not  do,  however,  and  Moses  Booth  accompanied  his  father 
to  the  field  where  the  patriot  army  succeeded  in  checking  the  advance  of 
the  British,  and  although  they  met  defeat  it  was  a  defeat  which  amounted 
to  a  victory.  This  story  of  the  manner  in  which  he  took  part  in  the  battle 
of  Bunker  Hill  was  often  told  by  Moses  Booth  to  his  children  in  his  old 
age.     One  of  his  brothers  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

Moses  Booth  was  a  farmer  and  was  married  in  Litchfield,  Connecticut, 
to  Sarah  Judson,  by  whom  his  children  were  Truman,  Moses,  Samuel, 
and  several  others  whose  names  are  now  forgotten.  In  1825  Mr., Booth  re- 
moved to  the  Western  Reserve  in  Ohio,  locating  on  land  in  Trumbull  county, 
-where  he  cleared  a  fine  farm,  upon  which  he  spent  his  remaining  days. 
His  first  wife  died  in  Ohio  and  he  afterward  wedded  Myra  Hubbell,  who 
was  born  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  probably  at  Bridgeport.  Her  father, 
Elijah  Hubbell,  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  18 12,  and  was  the  father  of 
Charles  P.  Hubbell,  a  well  known  carriage  manufacturer  and  business  man  of 
Bridgeport.  Among  his  other  children  were  Levi;  Silas  Liberty,  who  was 
killed  in  the  Seminole  Indian  war  in  Florida,  when  Colonel  Dade  and  his  com- 
mand were  massacred;  Harriet;  and  a  daughter,  Lucy,  who  became  the 
wife  of  ISIr.  Dorman.  Elijah  Hubbell,  the  father,  followed  the  blacksmith's 
trade  in  Connecticut  and  died  in  that  state  at  an  advanced  age.  His  wife 
lived  to  the  venerable  age  of  ninety  years. 

After  his  marriage,  Moses  Booth  made  his  home  in  Trumbull  county, 
Ohio,  and  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  there 
and  were  most  highly  respected  citizens.  He  lived  to  be  eighty-nine  years 
of  age  and  passed  away  on  the  old  homestead,  in  February,  1856.  In 
politics  he  was  an  old-line  Whig  and  afterward  became  a  supporter  of  the 
Free-Soil  party.  Straightforward  in  all  his  business  dealings  and  of  up- 
right character,  he  was  greatly  respected  as  a  man  and  a  citizen.  His  wife 
long  survived  him  and  passed  away  in  July.  1882.  She  was  a  lady  of  many 
virtues  and  enjoyed  the  warm  regard  of  all  who  knew  her.  The  children 
of  Moses  and  Myra  (Hubbell)  Booth,  were  George  W.;  Terressa,  the  wife  of 
Henry  Waters;  and  Emma,  the  wife  of  Robert  Brisco. 

George  W.  Booth,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  born  on 


694  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

the  13th  of  January,  1837,  in  Trumbull  county,  Ohio.  He  acquired  a  com- 
mon-school education  and  has  since  added  greatly  to  his  fund  of  knowledge 
by  practical  experience  in  the  business  world  and  through  reading  and 
observation.  He  has  also  been  a  great  reader  of  newspapers  and  of  standard 
literature.  \\"hen  twenty  years  of  age  he  left  home  and  began  farming  on 
his  own  account.  He  soon  became  a  cattle  drover  on  the  Western  Reserve, 
in  Ohio,  being  in  the  employ  of  F.  N.  Andrews,  one  of  the  most  extensive 
cattle  dealers  in  this  section  of  the  state. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmeet  on  life's  journey,  ]\Ir.  Booth  chose  IMiss 
Caroline  Rainey,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  in  Howland,  Trumbull  county, 
Ohio.  The  lady  was  born  in  that  county  in  1838,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
William  Rainey,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Ireland.  He  was  of  Scotch-Irish 
descent  and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  Unto  i\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Booth  were  born 
two  children,  but  one  died  in  infancy.  The  other,  Mary,  married  Lyman 
Hawley,  and  died  in  1888,  leaving  two  daughters — Maud  and  Edith. 

In  April.  1863,  Mr.  Booth  removed  to  LaSalle  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  conducted  a  stock  farm  owned  by  Elias  Trumbo.  He  managed  that 
farm  for  about  five  years,  but  in  the  latter  part  of  1868  removed  to  Brace- 
ville  township,  now  Maine  township.  A  few  years  later  he  bought  the  farm 
which  is  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Lyman  Hawley.  That  place  he  re- 
claimed from  the  wilderness,  placing  it  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and 
erected  a  substantial  dwelling  thereon.  He  was  extensively  engaged  in 
stock-raising,  making  a  specialty  of  the  breeding  of  Durham  short-horn 
cattle  and  Poland  China  hogs.  He  was  very  successful  in  the  business  and  be- 
came well  known  in  Illinois  and  the  surrounding  states  as  an  extensive  and 
successful  stock-raiser,  feeder  and  shipper.  For  about  nine  years  he  was 
associated  in  business  with  Lyman  Hawley.  Improving  the  farm,  he  also 
added  to  it  from  time  to  time  until  he  became  the  owner  of  two  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  rich  land,  which  he  carefully  cultivated  and  improved, 
making  it  a  very  valuable  property.  In  1886  his  nephew,  O.  J.  Booth,  who 
was  engaged  in  a  private  banking  business,  died  in  Onaga,  Kansas,  and 
Mr.  Booth,  of  this  review,  was  called  upon  to  settle  his  estate,  which  was  val- 
ued at  sixty  thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Booth  discharged  his  duties  to  the 
utmost  satisfaction  of  all  concerned,  and,  while  in  the  west,  he  became  a 
partner  in  the  Onaga  City  Bank,  in  which  he  served  as  assistant  cashier  for 
some  years.  He  still  retains  his  ownership  in  the  bank,  although  he  is  not 
now  actively  connected  with  its  business  management. 

Mrs.  Booth  died  December  18,  1891,  in  Onaga.  She  was  a  member  of 
the  Baptist  church  and  a  lady  of  many  virtues,  highly  esteemed  by  her 
friends.  On  the  6th  of  September,  1893.  in  Joliet.  Illinois,  Islr.  Booth  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Harriet  L.  Hunt,  of  ]\Iontpelier, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  695 

\'ermont,  a  sister  of  ]\Irs.  Lyman  Hawiey.  3.1r.  and  Mrs.  Booth  spent  the 
first  three  years  of  their  married  hfe  in  Onaga,  Kansas,  but  are  now  resi- 
dents of  Gardner.  In  poHtics  he  is  a  stalwart  Republican,  becoming  one 
of  the  earliest  supporters  of  the  party,  his  first  ballot  being  cast  for  Abraham 
Lincoln.  He  served  as  chairman  of  the  board  of  county  supervisors  for 
many  years  and  is  still  one  of  its  members.  Fraternally  he  is  connected 
with  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Gardner,  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Episco- 
pal church.  His  has  been  an  active,  useful  and  honorable  career,  character- 
ized by  loyalty  to  every  manly  principle  and  to  those  duties  which  go  to 
make  up  good  citizenship.  He  has  steadily  ad\anced  to  his  present  enviable 
position  in  social  circles,  but  he  started  out  in  life  empty-handed. 


HIRAM    JONES. 


Hiram  Jones,  a  veteran  of  the  civil  war  and  an  intelligent  and  enter- 
prising farmer  of  Greenfield  township,  Grundy  county,  was  born  in  Somer- 
set county,  Maine,  at  the  town  of  Athens,  ilay  4,  1840,  his  parents  being 
Thomas  J.  and  Harriet  (Small)  Jones.  The  paternal  grandparents  were 
Samuel  and  Eleanor  (Gray)  Jones.  The  grandfather  was  a  native  of  the 
Pine  Tree  state  and  served  his  country  as  a  soldier  during  the  war  of  1812. 
By  occupation  he  was  a  farmer  and  owned  a  valuable  tract  in  Brighton, 
Maine.  He  was  three  times  married,  his  first  union  being  with  Eleanor 
Gray.  They  had  a  son,  Thomas  J.,  and  a  daughter  who  lived  to  mature 
years.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  Mr.  Jones  was  again  married,  and 
the  children  of  the  second  union  were  Calvin,  William  and  Eleanor.  His 
third  wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Olive  Wiggins,  and  their  children  were 
Olive,  Hannah,  Orrin  and  Charles.  The  father  died  in  Maine,  after  passing 
the  ninetieth  milestone  on  life's  journey. 

Thomas  J.  Jones,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Somerset  county, 
Maine,  and  became  a  farmer  by  occupation.  In  his  native  state  he  wedded 
Harriet  Small,  whose  birth  occurred  in  the  Pine  Tree  state,  and  who  was 
a  daughter  of  Nathan  and  Susan  (Corson)  Small.  Her  father  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation,  and,  enlisting  for  service  in  the  war  of  1812,  was  stationed 
at  Edgecomb,  on  the  coast  of  Maine.  Later  he  became  a  substantial  farmer 
and  respected  citizen.  He  died  on  his  farm  in  Somerset  county,  when  more 
than  eighty  years  of  age.  His  children  were:  Alvin,  Cushman,  Nathan, 
Harrison,  Franklin,  Susan,  Phoebe.  Harriet  and  Lois.  After  their  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  began  their  domestic  life  upon  a  farm  in  Somerset 
county,  Maine,  and  for  some  years  they  lived  near  Athens.  Somerset  county, 
j\Iaine.  and  there  died  aged  about  fifty-si.x  years.     His  political  support  was 


696  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

given  the  Democracy,  and  lie  was  a  man  whose  sterHng  quahties  gained 
him  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellow  men.  His  children  were : 
Freeman,  Henry,  Hiram.  Frank,  Jefferson,  Mary,  Ann  and  Paulina.  Two 
of  the  sons,  Henry  and  Hiram,  were  soldiers  in  the  civil  war.  The  former 
served  for  three  years  and  was  a  corporal  of  Company  G,  Thirty-sixth  Illi- 
nois Infantry.  He  participated  in  many  battles,  but  escaped  without  in- 
juries, and  was  honorably  discharged  at  the  close  of  his  three-years  term. 

Hiram  Jones,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  born  May  4, 
1840.  He  was  also  trained  to  habits  of  industry  and  economy  on  the  home 
farm,  and  early  became  familiar  with  all  the  duties  and  labors  of  field  and 
meadow.  After  the  inauguration  of  the  civil  war,  when  it  w-as  found  that 
the  south  was  not  easily  quelled,  he  joined  the  Union  army  at  Athens, 
Maine,  when  twenty-three  years  of  age,  enlisting  on  the  20th  of  July,  1863, 
as  a  private  of  Company  E,  Seventeenth  Maine  Infantry,  under  command  of 
Captain  Sawyer.  With  that  regiment  he  served  until  honorably  discharged 
at  Augusta,  Maine,  July  10,  1865,  but  on  account  of  sickness  was  held  until 
the  1 6th  of  October  following.  He  served  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Locust  Grove,  Culpeper  Court  House, 
Bermuda,  James  River,  North  Ann  River,  Cold  Harbor,  the  Wilderness, 
and  the  several  engagements  in  front  of  Petersburg.  This  list  includes  some 
of  the  most  hotly  contested  engagements  of  the  war.  On  account  of  ill- 
ness he  was  sent  to  City  Point  hospital,  where  he  remained  for  about  four 
weeks,  being  then  sent  to  a  hospital  in  \\'ashington,  where  he  continued 
for  three  weeks.  For  thirty  days  he  remained  at  home  on  a  furlough,  and 
on  the  expiration  of  that  time  he  received  an  extension  of  thirty  days,  con- 
tinuing at  home  until  discharged.  He  was  always  found  at  his  post  of  duty 
and  took  part  in  all  the  campaigns,  marches,  battles  and  skirmishes  of  his 
regiment  until  illness  prevented  further  duty.  The  hardships  of  war  un- 
dermined his  health,  and  he  has  never  fully  recovered. 

Mr.  Jones  was  married  in  Bingham,  Maine,  August  20,  1863,  just  be- 
fore his  enlistment.  Miss  Hannah  Collins  becoming  his  wife.  She  was  born 
in  Athens,  Maine,  October  28,  1839.  and  is  a  daughter  of  David  and  Abigail 
(Nichols)  Collins.  Her  father  belonged  to  an  old  New  England  family 
and  was  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Nancy  (Jewell)  Collins,  the  former  a  native 
of  New  Hampshire.  He  served  his  couiUry  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812. 
In  the  old  Granite  state  he  wedded  Miss  Jewell  and  they  became  the  parents 
of  six  children,  namely:  Calvin,  Johnson,  Franklin.  Phoebe.  Lydia,  and 
David.  Thomas  Collins  was  a  farnjer  of  Somerset  county,  Maine,  where 
his  father  had  located  when  the  country  was  new  and  developed  a  farm  in 
the  midst  of  the  forest.  He  died  in  the  Pine  Tree  state  when  about  sixty- 
three  vears  of  age.     David  Collins,  the  father  of  ^Nlrs.  Jones,  was  born  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  697 

Somerset  county,  about  1812,  and  became  a  farmer  and  blacksmith.  He 
married  Abigail  Nichols,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Monmouth.  Maine,  in 
1807.  They  then  located  on  a  farm  in  Athens,  where  they  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  their  days.  Their  children  were :  Sarah,  Hannah,  Almatia, 
Phoebe  and  Darius.  The  father  was  a  member  of  the  Advent  church  and  the 
mother  of  the  Methodist  church. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Jones  enlisted  in  the  army,  his  wife  remaining 
in  Athens  until  his  return.  In  December,  1867,  they  came  to  Illinois  and 
rented  land  in  the  northern  part  of  Highland  township.  Grundy  county,  for 
seven  years,  after  which  Mr.  Jones  purchased  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  in 
Greenfield  township,  in  1875.  This  was  the  nucleus  of  his  present  valuable 
property.  As  the  result  of  his  industry,  economy  and  careful  management 
he  has  year  by  year  added  to  his  possessions,  and  has  now  one  of  the  valu- 
able farms  of  the  community.  He  owns  two  hundred  acres  of  rich  and 
arable  land,  upon  which  he  has  erected  large  and  commodious  farm  build- 
ings, his  residence  being  a  two-story  frame  structure.  The  home  of  our 
subject  and  his  wife  has  been  blessed  with  six  children:  Leland  E.,  a 
farmer  of  Grundy  county,  married  Rose  E.  Bennett,  and  they  have  one 
child,  Harley;  Bertram  P.,  an  insurance  agent  of  Kankakee,  Illinois,  mar- 
ried Minnie  Petrow  and  they  have  two  children,  Eveline  and  ^^'arner:  Alillie 
B.  is  the  wife  of  William  Lees,  a  farmer  of  Greenfield  township,  by  whom 
she  has  one  child.  Alta:  and  Byron  C.,  Luella  ]\I.  and  Annie  E.  are  still  at 
home. 

In  politics  Mr.  Jones  is  a  stanch  Republican,  giving  an  invincible  sup- 
port to  the  principles  of  the  party.  The  cause  of  education  has  always  found 
in  him  a  warm  friend,  and  during  fourteen  years  service  as  school  director  he 
"has  largely  promoted  the  welfare  and  efifectiveness  of  the  schools  through 
the  employment  of  good  teachers  and  has  encouraged  all  progressive 
methods.  He  is  a  public-spirited  man  who  gives  a  generous  support  to  all 
measures  which  he  believes  will  prove  of  public  benefit.  During  the  civil 
war  he  was  a  loyal  and  faithful  soldier,  has  reared  an  excellent  family  and 
lias  worked  his  way  upward  to  a  place  among  the  prosperous  farmers  of  his 
neighborhood. 


EDWARD    C.    CRAGG. 


Edward  C.  Cragg,  a  resident  farmer  of  \\'auponsee  township,  Grundy 
county,  was  born  in  Indiana,  August  17,  1864,  and  is  a  son  of  Martin  and 
Helen  N.  (Cavelly)  Cragg,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Grundy  county. 

The  subject  of  this  review  was  educated  in  the  country  schools  and  in 
the  high  school  at  Gardner,  this  county,  where  he  pursued  his  studies  for 


698  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

two  years.  His  training  at  farm  labor  was  not  meager,  for  as  soon  as  old 
enough  to  handle  the  plow  he  began  to  assist  his  father  in  the  cultivation  of 
the  fields.  He  remained  upon  the  old  homestead  until  1894,  managing 
the  property,  on  which  he  raised  garden  vegetables  and  the  cereals  best 
adapted  to  this  climate. 

In  that  year  Mr.  Cragg  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Laura  Shier, 
a  daughter  of  Nicholas  and  Mary  (Dunlavey)  Shier,  of  Grundy  county. 
The  following  year  they  removed  to  the  farm  in  Mazon  township,  where  they 
remained  until  1S97.  Mr.  Cragg  then  purchased  his  present  farm  and  has 
since  devoted  his  energies  to  its  cultivation.  During  the  summer  season 
he  acted  as  a  thresher  and  corn-sheller,  and  in  this  way  added  materially  to 
his  income.  He  is  practical  and  progressive  in  his  methods  of  farming,  and 
these  qualities  have  brought  to  him  quite  a  gratifying  success.  The  home 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cragg  has  been  blessed  with  one  child,  Helen  ]\Iay,  who 
was  born  in  May,  1898.  In  politics  ]Mr.  Cragg  is  a  Republican,  having  sup- 
ported that  party  ever  since  attaining  his  majority.  He  advocates  all  meas- 
ures for  the  public  good,  but  has  never  sought  political  ofifice,  preferring  to 
devote  his  time  and  energies  to  agricultural  pursuits  that  he  may  thus  provide 
a  good  living  and  comfortable  home  for  himself  and  family. 


OLNEY    B.    FULLER. 


One  of  the  busy,  energetic  and  enterprising  men  of  Mazon  is  Olney 
B.  Fuller,  a  very  successful  grain  merchant,  whose  well-directed  efforts  are 
bringing  to  him  creditable  prosperity  in  the  world  of  trade.  He  was  born 
in  this  town,  on  the  i8th  of  December,  i860,  and  is  a  son  of  Owen  and 
Weltha  (Isham)  Fuller,  whose  history  is  given  on  another  page  of  this  work. 
He  was  reared  in  the  usual  manner  of  farmer  lads,  obtaining  his  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  the  neighborhood  and  in  the  normal  school  at 
Morris,  where  he  pursued  a  commercial  course  for  one  term,  his  instructor 
being  the  now  eminent  Judge  Orrin  Carter,  of  Chicago.  His  business  train- 
ing was  received  under  the  direction  of  his  father,  a  grain  and  lumber  mer- 
chant, and  when  young  he  was  noted  for  his  industry  and  close  application 
to  his  business  duties.  Their  trade  relation  was  maintained  for  a  number 
of  years,  but  in  1897  Mr.  Fuller,  of  this  review,  purchased  his  father's  inter- 
est and  has  since  conducted  the  business  alone,  meeting  with  very  creditable 
and  enviable  success.  He  is  a  well-known  grain  dealer  and  enjoys  a  splendid 
record  for  integrity  and  straightforward  dealing.  The  volume  of  his  busi- 
ness is  constantly  increasing  and  he  now  handles  grain  on  an  extensive  scale, 
making  large  shipments. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  699^ 

On  the  25th  of  October,  1883,  Mr.  Fuller  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Josie  Wright,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Ancona,  Illinois,  on  the  nth  of 
December,  1861,  her  father  being  Delos  Wright,  whose  sketch  appears  else- 
where in  this  work.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fuller  now  have  three  interesting  chil- 
dren: Earl  D.,  who  was  born  April  i,  1885;  Ray  E.,  who  was  born  May 
30,  1887;  and  Carrie  Feme,  who  was  born  January  23,  1893. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Fuller  is  independent,  supporting  the  men 
whom  he  thinks  best  qualified  for  ofifice,  regardless  of  party  affiliations. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to  the  blue  lodge  at  Mazon  and  the 
chapter  at  Morris.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica and  holds  membership  with  the  Royal  Neighbors.  A  friend  of  temper- 
ance and  morality,  he  favors  all  public  enterprises  and  movements  that  are 
calculated  to  prove  of  general  good.  He  is  especially  interested  in  the  cause 
of  education  and  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  six  con- 
secutive years.  During  his  incumbency  the  new  and  substantial  school 
building  was  erected,  he  giving  an  earnest  support  to  the  work.  He  is  still 
serving  on  the  board  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  board  of  village  trustees. 
He  does  a  large  share  of  the  grain  business  in  this  section  of  Grundy  county, 
owning  one  of  the  elevators  in,  Mazon.  He  stands  deservedly  high  as  a  man 
and  as  a  citizen.  He  and  his  wife  enjoy  the  warm  regard  of  many  friends 
in  social  life.  They  occupy  a  very  tasteful  and  beautiful  residence,  which 
was  erected  in  1899,  in  modern  style  of  architecture.  It  is  an  ornament  tO' 
the  town  and  is  noted  for  its  hospitality.  Courteous,  genial,  well  informed, 
alert  and  enterprising,  Mr.  Fuller  stands  to-day  as  one  of  the  leading  repre- 
sentative men  of  Mazon — a  man  who  is  a  power  in  his  community. 


JOHN    C.    WFIITMORE. 

John  C.  Whitmore  has  long  been  connected  with  the  development  and 
progress  of  Grundy  county.  He  is  numbered  among  the  leading  agricul- 
turists and  pioneer  settlers,  and  as  the  years  have  passed  he  has  taken  cog- 
nizance of  the  needs  of  the  county,  giving  his  support  to  all  measures  which 
he  believes  to  be  of  public  benefit.  Such  a  course  has  made  him  known  as 
one  of  the  representative  citizens  of  his  community,  and  it  is  therefore  witlr 
pleasure  that  we  present  the  record  of  his  life  to  our  readers. 

The  Whitmores  are  of  old  Puritan  ancestry  and  were  among  the  early 
settlers  of  New  England.  Stephen  Whitmore,  the  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  a  farmer  of  Middletown,  Connecticut.  Ev  his  first  marriage  his 
children  were  Stephen  and  Mabel.  For  his  second  wife  he  married  a  Miss 
Clark,  and  to  them  was  born  a  son,  Daniel  C.       The  grandfather  was  one- 


700  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

of  the  soldiers  of  the  Revolutionary  war  and  valiantly  aided  in  the  struggle 
for  independence.     He  died  at  ]\Iiddleto\vn,  Connecticut. 

Daniel  C.  Whitmore.  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  at  Middletown, 
and  received  such  educational  privileges  as  the  common  schools  of  that  day 
afforded.  At  the  age  of  twenty  years  he  became  a  sailor  and  followed  the 
sea  for  seven  years,  his  trips  being  made  mostly  from  Boston  to  the  West 
Indies.  He  was  married  in  Middletown,  Connecticut,  to  Sarah  Roberts, 
a  native  of  the  Charter  Oak  state,  and  a  daughter  of  Comfort  Roberts. 
Their  children  were  :  Lucy  A.,  who  was  born  in  Middletown,  April  6,  1830; 
John  C,  born  also  in  Middletown;  Stephen,  born  in  Summit  county,  Ohio; 
and  Albert  and  Alary  E.,  who  were  natives  of  Charleston,  Ohio.  It  was  the 
year  1833  that  witnessed  the  arrival  of  Daniel  C.  Whitmore  and  his  family  in 
Ohio.  The  year  previous  he  visited  this  state  in  order  to  secure  a  location, 
and  on  the  trip  rode  on  the  first  railroad  ever  constructed  in  the  United 
States.  When  he  went  with  his  family  in  1833,  however,  the  trip  was  made 
by  wagon.  He  took  up  his  abode  in  Summit  county,  Ohio,  and  resided  at 
Silver  Lake  for  one  year,  living  with  his  father-in-law.  Comfort  Roberts, 
who  had  settled  there  some  time  before.  His  home  was  near  Cuyahoga 
Falls,  in  Summit  county,  and  there  he  lies  buried.  He  was  a  well-known 
pioneer  and  a  man  of  the  highest  respectability. 

In  1834  Daniel  C.  Whitmore  removed  to  Charleston,  Portage  county, 
Ohio,  locating  on  a  tract  of  land  of  one  hundred  acres  in  the  midst  of  the  for- 
est. There  he  cleared  a  farm  and  made  a  good  home,  but  in  1841  removed  to 
Middlefield,  Geauga  county,  where  he  purchased  land,  again  becoming  the 
owner  of  a  heavily  timbered  tract.  Cutting  down  the  trees  and  grubbing 
up  the  stumps,  he  at  length  placed  his  land  under  a  condition  of  cultivation 
and  made  a  good  home,  which  continued  to  be  his  place  of  abode  until  1851, 
■when  he  removed  to  Coshocton  county,  Ohio.  A  year  later  he  went  to 
Wood  county,  where  he  again  purchased  a  farm  in  the  midst  of  the  forest. 
After  living  there  some  years  he  sold  that  property  and  cleared  another 
farm  in  the  same  county.  Subsequently  he  took  up  his  abode  in  North 
Star  township,  Gratiot  county,  Michigan,  and  again  purchased  land  in  the 
Avoods.  Clearing  and  improving  a  farm,  he  made  his  home  thereon  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  at  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-two  years.  He  was 
a  man  of  very  strong  constitution.  When  a  sailor  he  was  twice  shipwrecked 
and  endured  many  hardships,  and  after  becoming  identified  with  farming 
interests  he  endured  all  the  trials  and  ditificulties  experienced  by  pioneer  set- 
tlers. He  was  never  ill  in  his  life  until  over  fifty  years  of  age,  and  after  that 
endured  but  little  sickness.  His  first  wife  died  at  Charleston,  Ohio,  in 
February,  1839.  She  was  a  worthy  pioneer  woman  of  many  virtues  and 
had  a  large  circle  of  friends.     In  1840  Mr.  Whitmore  was  again  married, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  701 

his  second  union  being  with  Betsy  E.  Phillips.  Their  children  were : 
Sarah,  Emma,  Daniel,  Warren,  Maria,  Charles,  Emerson  and  Helen.  Mr. 
Whitmore  was  a  typical  pioneer,  strong  and  vigorous,  and  at  all  times 
reliable  and  honest.  In  politics  he  was  a  Republican  and  in  religious  faith 
was  a  Baptist. 

John  C.  Whitmore,  whose  name  introduces  this  record,  was  born  in 
Middletown,  Connecticut,  April  25,  183 1,  and  was  three  years  old  when  his 
parents  removed  to  Ohio.  At  the  age  of  ten  he  became  a  resident  of 
Geauga  county,  that  state,  and  in  the  public  schools  he  acquired  a  limited 
education,  for  his  attentlance  at  school  was  necessarily  cut  short,  as  his  ser- 
vices were  needed  in  the  development  of  the  home  farm.  He  attended  school 
only  three  winters,  but  he  studied  at  home  as  opportunity  afforded  and  thus 
gained  a  practical  English  education.  He  was  reared  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits, and  throughout  his  entire  life  has  followed  that  calling.  He  worked 
with  his  father  until  he  had  attained  his  majority,  after  which  he  was  em- 
ployed for  four  seasons  as  a  farm  hand  in  Summit  and  Geauga  counties,  Ohio. 
In  1854,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  he  came  to  Illinois,  making  the 
journey  by  railroad  to  Morris.  He  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Mazon 
township,  one  mile  north  of  the  village,  paying  five  dollars  per  acre  for  the 
wild  prairie.  He  had  carefully  saved  the  money  which  he  had  earned  in 
Ohio  and  had  four  hundred  dollars  with  which  to  purchase  his  farm.  For 
a  time  he  worked  at  farm  labor  in  Livingston  county  and  then  returned  to 
Grundy  county,  where  he  was  employed  for  two  years,  after  which  he  began 
the  operation  of  his  own  land. 

Mr.  Whitmore  has  been  twice  married.  On  the  26th  of  August,  1859, 
in  Mazon  township,  he  wedded  Emma  Siterly,  a  widow  whose  maiden  name 
was  Underwood.  She  was  born  in  Pomfret,  Connecticut,  a  daughter  of 
Lester  and  Hulda  (Medbury)  Underwood.  The  Underwoods  and  Med- 
burys  were  both  old  colonial  families.  Lester  Underwood  was  a  farmer  and 
carpenter,  who  in  pioneer  times  removed  to  Illinois.  He  first  located  at 
Wheaton  and  afterward  came  to  Grundy  county,  where  he  purchased  a 
farm  north  of  Mazon,  becoming  one  of  the  substantial  pioneer  agriculturists 
of  the  community.  Pie  had  but  one  child,  Emma,  who  first  married  Silas 
Siterlv,  who  died  soon  afterward.  Mr.  Underwood  died  in  Ottawa,  Illinois, 
in  the  prime  of  life. 

After  their  marriage  ]Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  Whitmore  located  in  Mazon  town- 
ship, two  miles  north  of  the  village,  and  there  lived  for  one  year.  They  then 
took  up  their  abode  upon  a  farm  a  mile  and  a  quarter  west  of  the  village- 
and  afterward  lived  in  Ottawa,  where  ]\Ir.  Whitmore  engaged  in  teaming  for 
eighteen  months.  He  then  returned  to  Mazon  township  and  settled  upon  the 
farm,  which  he  purchased  of  his  father-in-law,  Mr.  Underwood.    This  was  a 


;702  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

tract  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  which  up  to  that  time  had  never  been 
improved,  but  by  hard  work  and  untiring  labor  he  developed  a  good  prop- 
erty. 

While  living  there  his  first  wife  died,  on  the  13th  of  March,  1S77.  She 
was  born  December  19,  1839,  ^^'^s  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church 
and  a  woman  of  many  virtues.  Their  children  were:  Hattie  E.,  born  in 
Ottawa,  November  19,  1862;  and  Harry  C,  born  on  the  home  farm,  Octo- 
ber 7,  1866.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Spanish-American  war  for  the 
liberation  of  Cuba,  enlisting  as  a  private  in  May,  1898,  in  Indianola,  Ne- 
braska, becoming  a  member  of  Company  L,  Third  Nebraska  Regiment, 
under  command  of  Colonel  W.  J.  Bryan.  He  was  in  Camp  Cuba  Libre,  at 
Jacksonville,  Florida,  and  at  Savannah,  and  sailed  for  Cuba,  January  i, 
1899,  being  stationed  seventeen  miles  from  Havana.  He  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  corporal  and  quartermaster  sergeant,  and  returned  in  good  health 
May  13,  1899.  Mr.  Whitmore  was  again  married,  June  6,  1882,  in  Brook- 
field,  New  York,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Mrs.  Mary  M.  Moore,  the 
widow  of  Frank  O.  Moore.  She  was  born  April  2,  1839,  in  North  Brook- 
field,  New  York,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Joseph  H.  and  Mary  J.  (Sweet) 
Blanding.  Her  father  was  born  in  Connecticut,  September  22,  1803,  ob- 
tained a  common-school  education  and  was  a  farmer.  Tradition  says  that 
the  Blandings  were  originally  of  French  origin.  The  name  was  probably 
De  Blandin  and  the  ancestors  lived  in  either  the  province  of  Alsace  or  Lor- 
raine. They  were  Huguenots  and  had  that  firm  integrity  and  inflexible 
adherence  to  their  religious  faith  which  marked  the  Protestants  of  that  day. 
During  the  wars  of  Spain,  France  and  the  Netherlands  in  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury— between  1545  and  1567 — members  of  the  Blanding  family  with  thous- 
ands of  others  were  exiled  and  driven  from  France.  They  found  refuge  in 
England  and  in  1640  we  have  a  record  of  three  brothers  of  the  name,  Ralph, 
William  and  John,  whose  family  homestead  was  at  Upton  on  the  Severn  in 
Worcestershire,  England.  Ralph  remained  unmarried  and  devoted  his  life 
to  literature.  John  was  in  command  of  His  Majesty's  ship.  Lion,  of  London, 
and  William  came  to  America,  becoming  the  progenitor  of  the  Blanding 
family  in  this  country.  It  was  about  the  year  1640  that  he  and  his  wife, 
Phebe,  crossed  the  Atlantic  from  Upton  on  the  Severn  and  settled  in  Boston. 
They  became  members  of  "The  First  Church  of  Boston"  and  several  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them.  The  father  died  June  15,  1662,  and  his  widow 
was  afterward  licensed  to  keep  an  inn  in  the  town.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  grand  inquest  of  the  colony  from  1643  until  1648  and  was  deputy  of 
the  Plymouth  courts  from  1646  to  165 1.  His  son,  William  Blanding,  Jr., 
-emigrated  to  Rehoboth,  Massachusetts,  about  1660  and  was  married  to 
Bethia  Wheaton,  September  4,  1674.    The  numerous  descendants  of  William 


BIOGRAPHICAL   AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  703 

Blanding,  of  Boston,  are  now  scattered  all  over  the  country.  William,  the 
second,  left  a  sum  of  money  to  the  town  of  Rehoboth,  about  1675,  to  carry 
out  an  expedition  against  the  Narraganset  Indians,  which  fact  was  men- 
tioned in  the  town  records  of  May,  1680.  William  and  Bethia  (Wheaton) 
Blanding  were  the  parents  of  seven  children. 

One  of  this  number  was  also  given  the  name  of  William  and  repre- 
sented the  family  of  the  third  generation.  He  was  married  in  October,  1708, 
to  Elizabeth  Perry  and  they  had  seven  children,  including  William  Blanding, 
the  fourth  of  the  name.  He  was  married  on  December  25,  1740,  to  Sarah 
ChafTee  and  by  their  union  there  were  born  seven  children.  One  of  their 
sons,  Christopher,  was  a  colonel  in  the  civil  war,  but  the  line  of  descent 
came  down  through  another  William  Blanding,  who  was  of  the  fifth  gener- 
ation. He  was  married  July  5,  1772,  to  Lydia  Ormsbee  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  nine  children.  George  Ebenezer,  of  the  sixth  generation,  was 
married  August  29,  1773,  to  Nancy  Wheeler,  by  whom  he  had  six  children, 
and  after  her  death  was  married  March  5,  1788,  to  Elizabeth  Ingalls,  by 
whom  he  had  seven  children,  namely:  Nancy,  who  was  born  February  6, 
1789;  James,  born  in  1790;  Franklin,  born  in  April,  1791;  Elizabeth,  born 
April  8,  1793;  Rachel,  born  April  30,  1795;  William,  born  April  11,  1797, 
and  Lois,  born  July  13,  1799.  The  Blandings  have  always  been  noted  for 
their  loyalty  and  patriotism  and  the  family  was  represented  by  various  mem- 
bers in  the  Revolutionary  war,  including  Noah,  Lamech  and  Daniel,  grand- 
sons of  William  Blanding  of  the  third  generation.  Four  sons  of  William 
Blanding  of  the  fourth  generation  were  also  Revolutionary  soldiers,  namely : 
Ebenezer,  William,  Shubal  and  Christopher.  There  were  also  others,  some 
of  whom  held  official  rank  and  the  family  was  likewise  represented  in  the 
war  of  1 81 2  and  in  the  civil  war. 

Franklin  Blanding,  the  representative  of  the  family  of  the  seventh  gen- 
eration, was  the  grandfather  of  our  subject.  He  married  Nancy  Holbrook 
and  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade.  He  removed  to  the  Empire  state,  and  for 
many  years  was  a  resident  of  East  Hamilton,  New  York,  where  he  died  at 
the  age  of  sixty-eight  years.  His  children  were:  Joseph  H.,  Franklin,  Wil- 
liam, Adolphus,  Oscar,  Freeman,  Jefferson,  Nancy,  Eliza,  Lucina,  Amanda 
and  Mary.  The  father  of  these  children  was  a  Universalist  in  his  religious 
belief.  He  possessed  a  strong  mind,  a  natural  sense  of  justice,  and  was  a 
man  of  strong  convictions  and  independent  character.  In  politics  he  was  a 
Democrat. 

Joseph  H.  Blanding,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Whitmore,  accompanied  his 
father  on  the  removal  to  New  York.  He  was  married  in  North  Brookfield, 
that  state,  to  Mary  J.  Sweet,  a  native  of  that  town  and  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
G.  and  Sally  (Stetson)  Sweet.    After  their  marriage  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Blanding 


704  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

took  up  their  abode  on  a  farm  in  North  Brookfield.  Their  children  were 
Man,-  AI.  and  Marion  J.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  Mr.  Blanding  was 
married,  in  North  Brookfield,  to  Lucy  M.  Beebe,  and  their  children  all  died 
in  early  life.  In  1849  Joseph  H.  Blanding  removed  to  Grundy  county, 
Illinois,  locating  in  Vienna  township,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  for  a 
year  and  a  half.  He  then  returned  to  the  Empire  state  and  was  engaged  in 
the  cultivation  and  sale  of  hops.  He  became  one  of  the  substantial  citizens 
of  the  community  and  made  for  himself  a  good  home.  He  was  a  man  of 
broad  and  liberal  views  and  an  honored  and  valued  citizen.  His  political 
support  was  given  the  Democracy.  He  died  in  1885,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
two  years. 

After  his  second  marriage  Mr.  Whitmore  continued  upon  the  old  home- 
stead, living  there  with  his  second  wife  for  seventeen  years.  He  made  sub- 
stantial improvements  upon  the  place,  erected  commodious  and  tasteful 
buildings,  planted  a  good  orchard  and  developed  and  improved  one  of  the 
most  desirable  country  homes  in  Grundy  county.  His  wife  was  first  married 
to  Frank  O.  Moore,  at  New  Beriin,  Otsego  county.  New  York,  October 
30,  1862.  He  was  a  farmer  and  owned  a  tract  of  land  in  Eaton,  Madison 
county,  New  York,  where  he  lived  until  failing  health  caused  his  removal 
to  North  Brookfield,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  forty-two  years.  !Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Moore  were  the  parents  of  one  daughter,  Marian  F.  Frank  O.  Moore 
was  previously  married  to  Hattie  Duncan,  and  there  was  one  child  by  this 
marriage — Hattie  E.  Moore.  In  February,  1899,  our  subject  and  his  wife 
left  the  farm  and  removed  to  Mazon,  where  he  purchased  a  pleasant  resi- 
dence. They  are  now  comfortably  installed  in  their  new  home  and  are  re- 
garded as  sterling  citizens  of  the  community.  Their  friends  in  the  county 
are  many,  and  their  many  excellent  characteristics  have  gained  for  them  the 
confidence  and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  they  have  come  in  contact.  Mr. 
Whitmore's  retirement  from  labor  gave  him  a  well  merited  rest,  for  through 
many  long  years  he  was  actively  connected  with  the  agricultural  affairs 
of  the  county  and  was  an  industrious  and  indefatigable  worker.  His  well 
directed  and  honorable  efforts  brought  to  him  a  handsome  competence  that 
now  supplies  him  with  all  of  the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 


JAMES    McCALL. 


The  business  of  mining  seems  to  be  a  good  developer  of  manhood  and 
of  men.  There  have  been  some  shining  examples  of  this,  and  in  all  of  the 
coal  fields  of  America  there  have  been  many,  less  conspicuous  individually, 
but  in  the  aggregate  confirming  this  statement  incontrovertibly.     In  nearly 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  705 

every  mining  town  in  Illinois  men  have  come  to  the  front  in  public  affairs. 
They  have  made  their  advent  in  the  towns  and  earned  their  living  and  won 
the  respect  of  their  fellow  citizens  as  wielders  of  the  pick  and  shovel.  Such 
a  progressive  miner  is  the  gentleman  whose  name  appears  above. 

James  McCall,  justice  of  the  peace  at  Braceville,  Illinois,  and  a  well 
known  citizen  of  Grundy  county,  was  born  in  county  Antrim,  in  the  north 
of  Ireland,  July  8,  1838.  a  son  of  William  and  Alice  (Lindsay)  McCall.  His 
parents  never  came  to  America,  but  lived  and  died  in  Ireland.  His  maternal 
grandmother,  Agnes  Loughen,  came  to  America  when  she  was  ninety  years 
of  age,  to  spend  her  last  days  with  her  children,  all  of  whom  had  come  across 
the  ocean  except  her  daughter,  Mrs.  McCall.  She  died  at  the  home  of  her 
son,  Samuel  Lindsay,  at  Cherry  Valley,  New  York,  at  the  great  age  of  one 
hundred  and  eight  years. 

When  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  about  fourteen  years  old,  he  went 
to  Scotland  and  engaged  in  coal  mining  and  continued  in  that  occupation 
there  until  1865.  He  married  Mary  English  in  1863.  In  1865,  thinking 
to  better  his  condition,  he  determined  to  come  to  America.  He  accord- 
ingly crossed  the  Atlantic  to  Nova  Scotia,  and  for  two  years  was  steward  on 
a  vessel  called  the  King  of  Tyre.  His  wife  had  remained  in  Scotland,  and  in 
1867  he  returned  to  that  country.  But  in  1879  he  came  back,  and  went 
to  Morris  Run,  Tioga  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  engaged  in  his  former 
business  of  coal  mining.  He  removed  thence  to  Coal  Creek,  Fountain 
county,  Indiana,  and  from  there  in  1880  to  Braceville,  Grundy  county,  where 
he  has  since  resided,  and  where  for  some  years  he  was  employed  in  the  coal 
mines. 

Mr.  ]\IcCall  has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  since  1896  and  has  dis- 
charged his  duties  with  honor  and  credit.  In  his  native  country  he  belonged  to 
the  Conservative  or  Tory  party  in  politics  and  since  coming  to  America  he 
has  affiliated  with  the  Democratic  party,  with  which  he  has  been  in  full  ac- 
cord. In  all  ways  he  commands  the  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  has 
shown  himself  industrious,  honest,  persevering  and  capable  in  business  af- 
fairs. Every  trust  confided  to  him  has  been  met  so  well  and  faithfully  as  to 
increase  the  esteem  in  which  he  has  always  been  held  by  those  who  have 
known  him  and  been  familiar  with  his  opportunities  and  the  manner  in  which 
he  has  improved  them. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCall  have  seven  children,  two  sons  and  five  daughters; 
the  eldest  daughter,  Jane,  is  the  wife  of  George  Gray.  Alice  is  the  wife  of 
George  Powers.  Mamie  is  the  wife  of  Lewis  Ackerman.  The  other  daugh- 
ters are  Lizzie  and  Agnes.  The  sons  are  named  James  and  David  McCall. 
Two  other  sons,  William  and  Samuel,  are  dead.  David  McCall  is  a  brakeman 
on  the  Northwestern  Railroad.     In  a  wreck  of  a  freight  train,  caused  by 


7o6  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

the  breaking  of  a  wheel,  sixteen  cars  telescoped,  and  David  was  thrown 
from  the  head  car  of  the  train  over  the  top  of  a  telegraph  pole,  and  after  this 
high  flight  and  heavy  fall,  escaped  with  but  few  bruises.  It  was  a  marvelous 
escape,  especially  as  he  weighs  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  pounds.  So- 
cially the  McCalls  are  favorites  wherever  they  are  known.  Of  sterling  char- 
acter which  inspires  confidence,  they  possess  a  hearty  geniality  that  is 
winning  and  exhibit  a  real  sympathy  for  the  troubles  of  others  that  has 
won  them  numerous  friends. 


GEORGE    H.    CRAGG. 


Cause  and  effect  find  exemplification  in  the  life  of  George  H.  Cragg, 
who  owes  his  success  to  his  own  industry,  enterprise  and  capable  manage- 
ment. These  qualities  never  fail  to  bring  but  one  result.  It  is  possible 
not  to  win  prosperity  when  one  of  them  is  lacking,  but  the  possessor  of  all 
these  cannot  fail  to  gain  prosperity.  It  is  in  this  manner  that  Mr.  Cragg 
has  become  one  of  the  successful  agriculturists  of  Maine  township,  where 
he  owns  a  valuable  farm  of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres. 

John  Cragg.  his  father,  was  born  in  Cheshire.  England,  March  6.  1803. 
and  when  about  twenty  years  of  age  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  Xew  Jersey.  In 
the  mother  country  he  had  served  a  long  apprenticeship  in  the  machinist's 
trade  and  had  become  an  expert  workman,  being  able  to  handle  all  kinds 
of  tools.  He  worked  at  his  trade  in  Xew  Jersey,  thus  becoming  identified 
with  the  business  life  of  the  Xew  \\'orld.  In  Bergen  county,  that  state,  he 
married  Agnes  Litchult,  who  was  born  January  7.  1813.  in  Bergen  county, 
and  was  of  Holland  lineage,  the  family  having  been  founded  in  Xew  Jersey 
in  early  colonial  days.  For  a  number  of  years  John  Cragg  followed  his  trade 
in  that  state,  and  on  account  of  his  health  finally  left  the  east,  removing  to 
Illinois  in  1832.  He  took  up  his  residence  in  Ottawa,  but  after  a  few  months 
went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade.  Soon  afterward  he  re- 
turned to  Ottawa,  where  he  was  employed  as  a  machinist  until  1834,  when 
he  came  to  Grundy  county,  locating  on  a  farm  which  is  now  the  home  of  our 
subject,  in  Maine  township,  which  was  then  a  part  of  Braceville  township. 
He  entered  the  land  from  the  government,  securing  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  which  he  purchased  at  the  land  sale  in  Chicago  for  a  dollar  and 
a  quarter  per  acre.  He  had  then  been  settled  on  his  land  between  one  and 
two  years.  Xot  a  furrow  had  been  turned  nor  an  improvement  made  on 
the  place,  but  with  characteristic  energy. he  began  to  develop  the  farm, 
cleared  away  the  timber  and  placed  the  fields  under  a  very  high  state  of 
cultivation.     In  the  first  year  of  his  arrival  here  he  built  a  log  cabin,  which  is 


_^#^-^ 


^ 


!x2^^ 


^9S 


\^^ 


^c 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  707 

still  standing  as  one  of  the  landmarks  of  pioneer  days.  It  is  the  only  log 
cabin  built  in  that  epoch  which  still  remains  to  indicate  the  onwartl  march  of 
civilization.  By  thrift  and  industry  Mr.  Cragg  secured  a  good  home,  be- 
coming one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  his  community.  His  children  were 
Edward,  who  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  September  13,  1830;  Joseph,  who 
was  bom  May  31,  1833,  in  St.  Louis;  Martin,  who  was  born  on  the  pioneer 
homestead,  January  21,  1836;  Charles,  born  Alarch  6,  1838;  George  H., 
born  April  5,  1840;  Frances  L.,  born  May  26,  1843:  and  John  N.,  born  Janu- 
ary II,  1853,  on  the  old  homestead.  Mr.  Cragg  was  an  old-line  Whig  in 
his  political  aliiliations  and  hekl  the  offices  of  township  clerk,  trustee,  and 
justice  of  the  peace.  The  first  election  of  the  township  was  held  in  his 
cabin  and  he  was  intimately  associated  with  pioneer  events  which  form  the 
early  history  of  the  county.  He  died  on  the  old  family  homestead,  October 
9,  1853,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  Gardner,  Illinois,  April  27,  1895.  She 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  a  lady  greatly  esteemed  for  her 
many  excellencies  of  character. 

George  H.  Cragg  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  April  5,  1840, 
in  the  old  log  cabin  built  by  his  father  in  pioneer  days.  He  received  such 
educational  advantages  as  were  afforded  by  the  common  schools  of  the 
neighborhood,  and  he  also  pursued  his  studies  for  a  time  in  Mazon.  His 
father,  with  a  just  appreciation  of  the  need  of  an  education,  provided  his 
children  with  the  best  opportunities  he  could  af^'ord  and  was  accustomed  to 
employ  a  teacher  to  instruct  the  children  in  his  own  home.  Our  subject 
also  spent  six  months  as  a  student  at  Wilmington,  Illinois.  He  also  learned 
habits  of  industr\%  perseverance  and  economy  upon  the  home  farm.  His 
father  died  when  George  was  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  the  following  year 
he  began  earning  his  own  livelihood  as  a  farm  hand.  He  inherited  thirty- 
two  acres  of  the  old  homestead  and  on  that  tract  began  farming  on  his  own 
account.  He  was  wedded  February  17,  1861,  in  Chicago,  to  Rachel  L. 
Bridel,  who  was  born  April  30,  1840,  in  England,  a  daughter  of  Robert  and 
Mary  (Diment)  Bridel.  To  them  have  been  born  four  children:  Alice 
Mary,  born  October  14,  1862;  Robert  Nelson,  born  March  21,  1865,  on  the 
old  homestead;  Cora  Belle,  born  in  Morris,  Illinois,  October  20,  1867;  and 
Emma  Lilly,  born  October  12,  1870,  on  the  old  homestead. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cragg  began  their  domestic  life  on  the  farm,  where  he 
remained  until  his  enlistment  in  the  civil  war,  February  25,  1865.  He  was 
enrolled  at  Joliet  as  a  member  of  Company  F,  Fifty-sixth  Illinois  Infantry, 
and  remained  at  the  front  until  honorably  discharged  at  Nashville,  Tennes- 
see, on  the  i8th  of  May  of  the  same  year,  on  account  of  disabilitv.  In  April 
of  that  year  he  had  been  sent  to  the  hospital,  where  he  remained  until  his 
return  to  the  north.     Once  more  locating  on  a  farm,  he  gave  to  it  his  time 


-08  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

and  attention  until  1866,  when  he  embarked  in  the  grocery  and  butchering- 
business  in  Morris,  Illinois,  in  company  with  Marshall  Cassingham.  under 
the  firm  name  of  Cassingham  &  Cragg.  They  enjoyed  a  good  trade  until 
1867,  when  Mr.  Cragg  sold  his  interest  and  returned  to  the  old  homestead, 
where  he  has  since  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits.  He  is  to-day  the  owner 
of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  valuable  land,  on  which  he  has  erected  a 
substantial  residence  and  good  outbuildings. 

Mr.  Cragg  has  given  his  political  support  to  the  Republican  party  since 
casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  i860.  He  takes 
an  active  interest  in  the  welfare  and  growth  of  the  party  and  has  served  as  a 
township  trustee  and  as  school. director,  his  labors  being  practical  and  eft'ec- 
tive  in  the  promotion  of  the  educational  interests  of  the  community.  He  is 
very  systematic  and  enterprising  in  his  farming  operations,  and  his  capable 
management  and  unflagging  industry  have  brought  to  him  very  creditable 
and  satisfactory  success.  Throughout  his  life  he  has  been  true  to  every 
manly  principle,  and  his  record  is  in  many  respects  well  worthy  of  emulation. 


W.     E.     HOM.\N. 


W.  E.  Roman  is  one  of  the  practical  business  men  and  respected  citizens 
of  Maine  township,  devoting  his  energies  to  agricultural  pursuits  and  to  the 
purchase  and  sale  of  grain.  When  we  examine  into  the  life  history  of  suc- 
cessful men  to  determine  the  secret  of  their  prosperity  we  find  that  it  is  not 
the  outcome  of  genius  or  talent,  but  is  the  direct  result  of  unflagging  in- 
dustry, guided  by  sound  judgment  and  practical  common  sense.  It  is  these 
qualities  which  have  won  ^Ir.  Homan  a  place  among  the  substantial  residents 
of  his  community. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  he  was  born  in  Union  county,  on  the  iith  of  March, 
1863,  his  parents  being  William  and  Martha  (Hill)  Homan.  He  represents 
an  old  family  of  Virginia.  The  great-grandparents  were  Joseph  and  Mary 
Homan,  and  the  former  carried  on  wagon-making  in  Rockingham  county, 
Virginia.  Emigrating  westward,  he  became  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Mus- 
kingum coimty,  Ohio,  and  in  Xashport  he  followed  his  trade,  supporting  his 
family  in  that  way.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  Delaware  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  also  conducted  a  wagon  shop  for  some  years.  He  was  a  sub- 
stantial citizen  whose  well  directed  eftorts  gained  for  him  a  good  property. 
He  was  much  respected  for  his  sterling  worth,  and  died  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years,  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him.  His  children  were  Jonathan,  William, 
Elizabeth  and  Lvdia. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  709 

Joseph  Hotnan,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Rockingham 
county,  Virginia,  in  1800,  and  was  of  German  hneage.  He  learned  the  black- 
smith's trade  in  the  Old  Dominion  and  was  married  there  to  Martha  Miller, 
who  also  was  a  native  of  Rockingham  county,  born  in  1805.  The  Millers 
were  of  Irish  descent.  About  1833  Joseph  Homan.  Jr.,  moved  to  Mus- 
kingum county,  Ohio,  and  while  en  route  witnessed  the  remarkable  phenom- 
enon of  shooting  stars  which  occurred  that  year.  They  made  their  journey 
westward  with  team  and  wagon,  and  one  night  took  refuge  in  a  school-house, 
in  which  place  they  saw  the  wonilerful  astronomical  display.  Locating  in 
Nashport,  Mr.  Homan  continued  his  residence  there  for  about  five  years, 
after  which  he  removed  to  Licking  county,  Ohio,  where  he  lived  for  ten 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Dela- 
ware county,  Ohio,  where  he  purchased  the  farm  upon  which  he  spent  his 
remaining  days.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  in  poli- 
tics was  a  Jacksonian  Democrat.  He  held  a  number  of  township  of^ces, 
discharging  his  duties  with  promptness  and  fidelity,  and  in  the  community 
where  he  lived  was  recognized  as  a  man  of  sterling  worth.  In  his  family 
were  the  following  named:  William;  Richard;  Elizabeth  A.;  John,  who  was 
born  in  Virginia:  \\'alter:  Benjamin,  who  was  born  in  Muskingum  county, 
Ohio;  Ira  and  Joseph,  natives  of  Licking  county,  Ohio;  and  Allen,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio. 

Mr.  Homan,  the  father  of  our  subject,  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of 
day  in  Rockingham  county,  Virginia,  in  1825,  and  was  a  lad  of  eight  summers 
when  the  family  removed  to  ^^luskingum  county,  Ohio,  driving  three  two- 
horse  teams  hitched  to  huge  covered  wagons.  He  witnessed  the  falling 
stars  before  mentioned  and  never  forgot  the  memorable  sight,  the  hea\'ens 
being  ablaze  with  the  light  of  these  meteors.  He  received  a  common-school 
education  and  in  early  life  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  He  was  married  in 
Delaware  county,  Ohio,  to  Miss  Martha  Hill,  a  daughter  of  Adam  Hill. 
They  began  their  domestic  life  in  that  county,  where  Mr.  Homan  worked 
at  his  trade  for  some  time,  after  which  he  removed  with  his  family  to  L^nion 
county,  where  also  he  followed  carpentering.  In  1869  he  came  to  Illinois, 
locating  in  Grundy  county,  upon  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
partially  improved  land.  He  continued  the  work  of  further  developing  and 
cultivating  the  fields,  and  lived  upon  that  farm  for  many  years.  He  was  for 
four  years  a  hardware  merchant  of  Coal  City,  and  spent  a  short  time  in 
Colorado  on  account  of  his  health.  After  his  return  to  Illinois  he  made 
preparations  to  remove  to  Kansas,  and  was  engaged  in  merchandising  in 
that  state  for  one  year.  He  then  returned  to  the  old  home  farm  in  Grundy 
-county,  upon  which  he  spent  his  remaining  days,  his  death  occurring  August 
II,  1898,     He  exercised  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and 


710  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

measures  of  the  Democracy,  and  by  popular  ballot  was  appointed  to  fill  a 
number  of  township  positions.  He  held  to  the  religious  faith  of  the  fam- 
ily, being  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  He  was  long  recognized  as 
a  substantial  farmer  and  respected  citizen  of  Grundy  county. 

Mr.  Homan  of  this  review  is  the  youngest  of  three  children,  the  others 
being  Joseph  and  Emma.  He  received  the  usual  common-school  advantages 
and  was  reared  to  farm  life.  Later  he  engaged  in  merchandising  in  Coal 
City,  in  connection  with  his  father,  and  went  with  him  to  Kansas,  where 
also  they  conducted  a  store  for  one  year.  Upon  the  return  to  Grundy  county 
he  resumed  the  work  of  the  farm,  and  has  since  devoted  his  energies  to  the 
care  and  cultivation  of  its  fields.  His  property  is  the  okl  family  homestead, 
a  very  valuable  tract  of  land.  He  is  also  engaged  in  the  grain  business  at 
Gorman,  for  Fuller  &  Keltner.  having  carried  on  operations  along  that  Hne 
since  1898. 

On  the  24th  of  November.  1S87.  in  Osborne,  Kansas,  was  celebrated 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  Homan  and  Miss  Libbie  De  Puy,  who  was  born  in 
Xew  York,  December  29.  1867.  Her  grandfather.  John  De  Puy.  was  born 
in  Orange  county.  New  York,  and  was  descended  from  French  Huguenot 
ancestry,  who  located  in  the  Empire  state  in  colonial  days.  He  married 
Caroline  Russell,  who  was  of  Scotch  descent  and  whose  mother  belonged 
to  the  De  Witt  family.  John  De  Puy  was  a  wagon-maker  by  trade  and 
followed  that  pursuit  in  order  to  support  his  family.  For  many  years  he 
resided  in  Accord,  New  York,  and  died  in  Newburg.  that  state,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  lived  a 
consistent.  Christian  life.  His  children  were  Ann.  Edgar,  Alexander,  Nancy, 
Jane,  Elizabeth,  Jacob,  William,  Blendinah,  John,  Thomas,  Russell  and 
Abel.  Five  of  the  sons.  Jacob,  William,  Thomas.  John  and  Russell,  served 
in  the  civil  war,  all  being  members  of  New  York  regiments.  Jacob  par- 
ticipated in  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  and  both  he  and  William  were  killed  in 
the  service.  John  De  Puy,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Homan,  was  born  in  Accord, 
New  York,  Alarch  23,  1838,  acquired  a  common-school  education  and 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  He  is  now  a  merchant  and  business  man  of 
considerable  wealth.  He  removed  to  Kansas  about  1875,  locating  in  Glen 
Elder,  where  he  was  engaged  in  milling  and  general  merchandising.  He ' 
also  dealt  in  real  estate,  with  ot^ces  in  Kansas  City,  and  was  the  owner 
of  a  large  farm  w-hich  materially  increased  his  income.  He  is  now  an  act- 
ive and  enterprising  business  man  of  Perry  county,  Missouri.  A  man  of  strong" 
force  of  character,  of  sound  business  judgment  and  incorruptible  integrity, 
he  well  deserves  the  prosperity  which  has  crowned  his  efforts.  In  his  political 
affiliations  he  is  a  Republican. 

He  was  married  in  Newburg,  New  York,  April  15,  1859,  to  Eleanor 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  711 

Polhamus,  who  was  born  in  the  Empire  state  and  was  a  daughter  of  John 
Polhamus.  Her  father  was  of  sturdy  Holland  Dutch  ancestry  and  the  fam- 
ily was  established  on  American  soil  prior  to  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 
John  Polhamus  was  born  in  New  York  city,  became  a  sea  captain  and 
made  many  voyages.  He  had  a  brother  who  served  in  the  United  States  navy 
during  the  war  of  1812.  His  entire  life  was  spent  in  New  York  and  he  died 
there,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years.  His  children  were  Eleanor  and  John, 
and  the  latter  enlisted  for  service  in  a  New  York  regiment  during  the  civil 
war  and  was  killed  in  battle.  After  his  marriage  John  De  Puy  resided  in 
Newburg,  New  York,  where  he  engaged  in  carpentering  and  cabinet-making 
until  the  death  of  his  first  wife,  in  1874.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  by  her  marriage  became  the  mother  of  the  following  children : 
Blendinah,  Elmer,  Libbie,  George,  John  and  William.  ]\Ir.  De  Puy  was 
again  married,  April  7,  1889,  his  second  union  being  with  Etta  iNIoffet. 
The  wedding  took  place  at  Glen  Elder,  and  their  children  are  Russell,  Emma, 
Mary  and  William. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  IMrs.  Homan  has  been  blessed  with  five 
children,  four  of  whom  are  now  living,  namely:  Bertha  A.,  William,  Rus- 
sell, Martha  and  Allen.  After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Homan  located 
on  the  old  homestead  in  Maine  township,  where  they  are  still  living.  Their 
household  is  celebrated  for  its  hospitality,  which  is  enjoyed  by  their  many 
friends.  In  politics  ^Ir.  Homan  is  independent,  his  last  presidential  vote 
being  cast  for  William  J.  Bryan  in  1896.  His  wife  belongs  to  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  A  practical  business  man,  he  has  carried  on  his  labors 
along  well  defined  lines  and  is  known  to  be  strictly  honorable  in  all  trade 
transactions.  His  steriing  qualities  have  gained  him  high  regard,  and  as  a 
representative  citizen  of  Grundy  county  he  well  deserves  mention  in  this 
volume. 


ABRAHAM     STAMM. 


In  a  history  of  the  representative  farmers  of  Greenfield  township,  Grundy 
county,  Abraham  Stamm  certainly  deserves  creditable  mention,  as  he  belongs 
to  the  class  of  honored  American  citizens  who  owe  their  prosperity  entirely  to 
their  own  well  directed  and  honorable  efiforts.  He  belongs  to  one  of  the  old 
Pennsylvania  Dutch  families.  His  great-grandfather,  Conrad  Stamm,  em- 
igrated to  the  New  World  from  Hesse-Cassel.  Germany,  in  an  early  day, 
being  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  two  children,  Daniel  and  John.  The 
wife,  however,  died  ere  the  voyage  was  completed,  and  with  his  two  sons 
Mr.  Stamm  continued  on  his  way  to  Beaver  county,  Pennsylvania,  where 


712  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

he  cleared  a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  in  the  midst  of  the  forest,  developing 
a  good  home  there.  In  Germany  he  was  connected  with  the  Catholic  church, 
but  did  not  attend  any  church  after  arriving  in  America.  He  died  in  Beaver 
county,  Pennsylvania,  May  27,  1838,  at  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-one 
years,  and  was  buried  on  his  own  homestead  there.  Our  subject  now  has 
in  his  possession  a  rifle  which  belonged  to  Conrad  Stamm.  It  was  brought 
by  him  from  Germany  and  is  a  well  made  fire-arm,  with  silver  mountings, 
having  been  manufactured  by  Kramer,  of  Schmalkalden.  Germany. 

Daniel  Stamm.  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  about  sixteen  years 
of  age  when  he  accompanied  his  father  to  the  Xew  World.  He,  too.  be- 
came a  farmer,  and  was  married  in  Beaver  county,  Pennsylvania,  to  Eliza- 
beth Shearer,  who  was  born  in  the  Keystone  state.  After  their  marriage 
they  located  on  the  old  homestead,  which  had  been  developed  by  his  father, 
and  there  Daniel  Stamm  passed  his  remaining  days,  his  death  occurring  at 
the  age  of  sixty-one.  He  was  a  substantial  farmer  and  owned  and  success- 
fully operated  two  hundred  acres  of  land.  An  industrious  and  hard-working 
man,  his  life  was  honorable  and  upright.  He  belonged  to  the  Lutheran 
church  and  was  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  His  children  were :  Conrad, 
Jacob,  Daniel,  Polly,  Susan  and  Eliza. 

Jacob  Stamm,  the  father  of  him  whose  name  introduces  this  review, 
was  born  on  the  old  family  homestead  in  Pennsylvania,  in  September.  181 1. 
That  property  is  still  in  the  possession  of  descendants  of  the  original  Amer- 
ican emigrants.  Jacob  Stainm  received  very  limited  educational  privileges, 
and  became  an  enterprising  business  man.  He  learned  the  tanner's  trade, 
which  he  followed  for  a  year  and  then  turned  his  attention  to  other  pursuits. 
In  1836  he  wedded  Susan  Ziegler.  the  ceremony  being  performed  in  Beaver 
county,  Pennsylvania.  The  lady,  however,  was  born  in  Bucks  county,  that 
state,  March  31,  1810,  a  daughter  of  Christopher  and  Susanna  (Shelly) 
Zieeler.  Her  father  was  a  cabinet-maker  and  farmer  who  owned  a  valuable 
tract  of  land  in  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  married  Miss  Shelly. 
Subsequently  he  removed  to  Beaver  county,  when  his  daughter,  Susanna, 
was  six  years  old.  He  manufactured  many  coffins  in  those  early  days  and 
was  a  well  known  citizen  of  Beaver  county.  \\'hen  an  old  man  he  removed 
to  Medina  county,  Ohio,  to  Hve  with  his  son,  Abraham.  In  religious  belief 
he  was  a  Mennonite  and  served  as  deacon  of  his  church  for  many  years. 
His  death  occurred  in  Medina  county,  when  he  had  attained  the  very  ad- 
vanced age  of  nearly  ninety-eight  years.  His  children  were :  Andrew, 
Abraham.  Henry,  Catherine,  Susanna.  Elizabeth  and  Deborah,  who  died 
in  childhood. 

After  his  marriage  Jacob  Stamm  located  at  Harmony.  Butler  county, 
Pennsvlvania.  where  he  lived  for  one  year  and  then  removed  to  Evans  City, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  713 

twenty-seven  miles  north  of  Pittsburg,  where  his  father  had  purchased  two 
hundred  and  twelve  acres  of  land,  having  also  a  tract  of  six  hundred  acres 
in  Muddy  Creek  township,  Butler  county,  and  two  hundred  acres  in  Middle- 
sex township,  that  county.  This  land  he  gave  to  his  children,  Jacob  Stamm 
securing  the  tract  of  two  hundred  and  twelve  acres.  Only  a  small  portion 
had  been  cleared,  the  remainder  having  been  covered  with  heavy  timber. 
This  land  was  purchased  of  Alexander  Martin,  who  had  entered  it  from 
the  government.  Clearing  away  the  trees,  Jacob  Stamm  developed  a  good 
farm,  erected  substantial  buildings,  and  there  spent  his  remaining  days, 
his  death  occurring  May  27,  1892,  when  he  had  attained  the  age  of  eighty 
j'ears.  He  was  a  member  of  the  German  Reformed  church  and  in  politics 
was  originally  a  Democrat,  but  in  1864  supported  Abraham  Lincoln  and 
\vas  afterward  a  stanch  Republican.  He  was  known  as  a  substantial  farmer 
and  became  the  owner  of  a  valuable  property  of  three  hundred  acres.  His 
wife  is  still  living  on  the  old  homestead  and  is  past  ninety  years  of  age. 
She  is  a  member  of  the  Mennonite  church  and  a  woman  of  many  virtues, 
whose  life  has  indeed  been  well  spent.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacob 
Stamm  were :  Abraham,  Solomon,  Jacob,  Deborah,  Keziah,  Elizabeth, 
Mary  and  Susanna. 

Abraham  Stamm,  whose  name  introduces  this  record,  was  born  in 
Butler  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  old  homestead,  June  25,  1838.  He  re- 
ceived the  usual  common-school  education  and  was  reared  to  agricultural 
pursuits.  In  1866,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years,  he  came  to  Illinois 
.and  purchased  160  acres  of  unimproved  prairie  land  in  Good  Farm 
township,  of  which  he  broke  and  fenced  thirty  acres.  He  never  lived  on  the 
place,  however,  and  on  selling  it  he  bought  a  cjuarter  section  south  of 
Gardner.  After  a  few  years  he  also  disposed  of  that  property  and  purchased 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  near  where  the  school-house  now  stands  on 
section  6.  It  was  also  a  tract  of  undeveloped  prairie,  but  his  continuous 
work  placed  it  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  It  was  to  that  farm  that 
he  took  his  bride,  his  marriage  being  celebrated  in  Grundy  county,  October 
7,  1869,  when  Miss  Ellen  Halteman  became  his  wife.  She  was  born  in 
Miami  county,  Ohio,  April  5,  1845,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Sarah 
(Kitzmiller)  Halteman.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Bucks  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, who,  having  received  the  usual  common-school  training,  turned  his 
attention  to  farming.  When  a  young  man  he  accompanied  his  father  to 
Miami  county,  Ohio,  and  there  married  Sarah,  a  daughter  of  Emanuel 
Kitzmiller.  Their  union  was  blessed  with  seven  children,  namely :  David. 
Annie,  Sarah,  Ellen,  Emma,  Lucy  and  Caroline.  Mr.  Halteman  removed 
to  Illinois,  and  after  residing  in  Lee  county  for  some  time  spent  a  number  of 
years  in  Perry  county.     About  1867  he  came  to  Grundy  county,  where  he 


714  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  improved  land,  making  his  home, 
however,  in  Gardner.  His  last  days  were  spent  in  Smith  county,  Kansas, 
where  he  died  in  1898,  at  the  age  of  eighty  years.  In  politics  he  was  a  Re- 
pul)lican  and  in  religious  belief  was  a  Mennonite. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stamm  located  on  the  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which  he  still  owns.  Some  time  afterward  he 
purchased  forty-nine  acres  where  Abraham  Bookwalter  now  lives,  and  re- 
sided there  for  six  years,  when  he  sold  that  property  and  removed  to  the 
Parker  farm  in  Greenfield  township.  In  1892  he  took  up  his  abode  upon  his 
present  farm  in  Greenfield  township,  and  is  to-day  one  of  the  extensive 
land-owners  of  the  community,  having  four  hundred  acres  of  fine  farming 
land,  upon  which  he  has  made  excellent  improvements.  He  is  regarded 
as  one  of  the  substantial  and  progressive  farmers  of  his  neighborhood,  and 
he  certainly  deserves  great  credit  for  the  success  which  he  has  achieved. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stamm  were  born  six  children :  Jacob,  Charles,  Pliny, 
Clifford  (who  died  in  infancy),  Ida  and  Chloe.  In  1897  the  family  were 
called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  the  wife  and  mother,  who  died  September 
23.  1897.  She  was  a  lady  of  many  virtues  and  was  a  consistent  member 
of  the  Alethodist  church.  ]\Ir.  Stamm  also  belongs  to  that  church,  in  which 
he  has  served  as  a  trustee  and  steward.  He  has  managed  his  business  inter- 
ests with  great  care  and  precision,  and  at  all  times  his  methods  have  been 
characterized  by  the  strictest  integrity.  His  honesty  is  above  question  and 
his  word  is  as  good  as  his  bond  in  the  community  where  he  is  known. 


BENJAMIN    BOOKWALTER. 

Benjamin  Bookwalter  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  pioneer  families 
of  Greenville  township  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  substantial 
farmers  of  Grundy  county.  He  is  of  Pennsylvania  Dutch  lineage,  his  an- 
cestors having  been  among  the  early  settlers  of  Lancaster  county.  John 
Buchwalter  was  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  and  since  that  time  the 
orthography  of  the  family  name  has  been  changed.  He  was  born  in  Lancas- 
ter county,  Pennsylvania,  and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  owning  and  cul- 
tivating one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land.  A  man  of  sterling  honesty 
and  high  moral  character,  he  took  great  interest  in  religious  matters  and 
was  a  member  of  the  Mennonite  church.  He  served  as  the  tax  collector  of 
his  township  for  many  years,  and  was  highly  respected  for  his  genuine 
worth  and  marked  ability.  His  children  were  Benjamin,  Abraham,  Mattie, 
Christina,  Elizabeth  and  Hester. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 


/!> 


Abraham  Buchwalter,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Lancas- 
ter county,  Pennsylvania,  in  February,  1794,  twelve  miles  east  of  the  city 
of  Lancaster.  He  acquired  the  usual  common-school  education  and  added 
to  his  knowledge  by  his  extensive  reading  in  later  years.  He  possessed 
an  observing  eye  and  retentive  mind,  and  these  qualities  enabled  him  to- 
gain  an  excellent  fund  of  knowledge.  He,  too,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation, 
making  that  pursuit  his  life  work.  In  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  he 
married  Elizabeth  Witwer,  whose  birth  occurred  in  that  county.  Her  father 
was  Rev.  Witwer,  a  minister  of  the  Mennonite  church  and  a  highly  respected 
man  who  for  many  years  devoted  his  energies  to  the  work  of  the  gospel.  His 
services  were  especially  demanded  on  the  occasion  of  funerals,  and  his 
marked  sympathy  and  broad  acquaintance  made  him  particularly  capable  in 
delivering  addresses  on  such  occasions.  He  was  one  of  the  best  known 
Mennonite  ministers  of  his  day,  and  was  also  a  wealthy  farmer  of  Lancaster 
county,  owning  an  extensive  and  valuable  tract  of  land.  He  died  in  his 
native  county  in  middle  life.  His  children  were  Isaac,  David,  Benjamin, 
Michael,  Daniel  (who  became  a  physician),  Elizabeth  and  Barbara. 

After  his  marriage  Abraham  Buchwalter  located  on  the  old  homestead 
farm  near  New  Holland,  where  he  lived  for  a  number  of  years,  removing 
to  Mercer  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1843.  There  he  purchased  a  farm 
of  over  four  hundred  acres,  making  his  home  thereon  for  about  eight  years, 
when  he  sold  his  property  and  bought  three  hundred  acres  of  land,  on 
which  there  was  a  flouring-mill.  After  three  years  spent  on  his  property  there 
he  came  to  Illinois,  in  the  spring  of  1854,  making  the  journey  by  rail.  In 
the  previous  autumn  he  had  started  westward  and  had  spent  the  winter  of 
1853-4  in  Elkhart  county,  Indiana,  whence  he  came  to  Grundy  county  in 
the  spring.  Here  he  purchased  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land, 
including  the  quarter  section  upon  which  our  subject  now  resides  and  a  tract 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Maine  township.  Forty  acres  of  the  land 
had  been  fenced  and  a  small  frame  house  had  been  erected,  but  otherwise 
there  was  no  improvement  upon  the  property.  The  country  around  was  a 
wild  and  undeveloped  prairie,  on  which  wolves,  deer,  prairie  chickens  and 
quails  were  frequently  killed.  Mr.  Buchwalter  began  improving  his  land, 
and  his  untiring  industry  enabled  him  to  develop  a  good  farm,  upon  which  he 
spent  his  remaining  days.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  old  Men- 
nonite church  in  this  vicinity  and  served  as  one  of  its  deacons  for  many  years. 
In  politics  he  was  an  old-line  Whig,  but  severed  his  allegiance  with  that 
party  in  order  to  aid  in  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party  in  this 
locality.  He  became  a  substantial  and  well  known  citizen  as  the  result  of  his 
industry  and  honest  effort.  All  who  knew  him  esteemed  him  for  his  high 
moral  character  and  his  genuine  worth.     In  his  family  were  the  following 


7i6  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

children:  John,  Mary.  David,  Samuel,  Annie,  Benjamin.  Elizabeth,  Michael, 
and  one  that  died  in  infancy.  All  were  born  in  Lancaster  county.  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  during  the  civil  war  David  entered  the  country's  ser^-jce,  remaining 
at  the  front  for  two  years. 

Benjamin  Bookwalter,  the  subject  of  this  review,  was  born  July  31, 
1 83 1,  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  has  adopted  the  more  modern 
method  of  spelling  the  family  name.  He  acquired  a  good  common-school  edu- 
cation, and  when  about  twelve  years  of  age  went  with  his  parents  by  wagon  to 
Mercer  county,  Pennsylvania.  At  the  age  of  twenty-three  he  came  to  Illinois, 
arriving  in  Grundy  county  in  April,  1854.  He  and  his  brother,  Michael, 
drove  two  horses,  hitched  to  a  wagon,  from  Elkhart  county,  Indiana,  spend- 
ing four  days  upon  the  way.  He  worked  for  his  father  through  the  follow- 
ing year  and  in  the  succeeding  year,  when  his  father  retired  from  active 
business,  Benjamin  and  his  brother  Michael  assumed  the  management 
of  the  home  farm,  which  they  conducted  for  five  years.  After  the  marriage 
of  our  subject  the  brothers  dissolved  partnership,  each  engaging  in  business 
for  himself.  Benjamin  took  the  old  homestead  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  and  here  he  has  since  lived.  He  improved  his  farm,  built  a  residence 
upon  it  and  has  made  many  other  substantial  improvements  which  add  to 
the  value  and  attractive  appearance  of  the  place.  Through  his  own  well- 
directed  efforts  and  the  capable  assistance  of  his  wife  he  has  steadily  pros- 
pered and  is  now  the  owner  of  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  fine  farming 
land,  all  in  one  body.  For  many  years  he  has  been  engaged  in  raising 
cattle  and  fine  trotting  horses,  and  has  been  the  owner  of  some  of  the  best 
horses  in  the  state. 

On  the  31st  of  October,  1858,  Mr.  Bookwalter  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Susan  Barkey,  and  their  children  are:  Emma  L.,  born  August  3. 
i860;  Abraham  L..  born  ^March  28,  1862;  and  two  who  died  in  infancy. 
The  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Butler  county,  Pennsylvania,  October  12, 
1837,  her  parents  being  Enos  and  Eve  (Ziegler)  Barkey.  Her  father  was 
born  in  Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania.  October  20,  181 5.  and  the 
mother  was  born  in  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania.  December  15,  18 14.  They 
were  married  in  Beaver  county,  that  state,  about  1835.  Mrs.  Barkev  was 
a  daughter  of  Christopher  and  Susanah  (Shelley)  Ziegler,  natives  of  Bucks 
county,  Pennsylvania,  and  representatives  of  good  old  Pennsylvania  Dutch 
stock.  Her  father  was  for  many  years  a  deacon  in  the  Mennonite  church 
and  was  a  most  highly  respected  man.  He  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of 
over  ninety-eight  years,  and  died  in  Mahoning  county,  Ohio.  His  children 
were  Abraham.  Andrew,  Henry,  Eve,  Susan,  Elizabeth,  Catharine,  and  two 
who  died  in  infancy. 

Enos  Barkey  was  the    son  of    Abraham    and    Elizabeth    (Borneman) 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD.  717 

Barkey.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania,  and 
a  representative  of  one  of  the  old  Pennsylvania  Dutch  families.  Through- 
out his  life  he  followed  the  profession  of  school-teaching.  His  children 
were  Henry,  Daniel,  Enos,  John,  Mary  and  Kate.  Enos  Barkey  obtained 
a  common-school  education  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Butler  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, whence  he  removed  to  Beaver  county  and  later  to  Defiance  county, 
Ohio.  He  worked  at  the  shoemaker's  trade  in  Independence,  Ohio,  for 
some  years,  and  then  removed  to  Elkhart  county,  Indiana,  settling  near  the 
town  of  Elkhart,  where  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  timber  land.  There 
he  built  a  home  and  made  some  improvements,  but  sold  the  farm  and  removed 
to  Illinois  in  1851. 

He  settled  in  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county,  where  he  purchased 
sixty  acres  of  wild  land,  upon  which  not  a  furrow  had  been  turned  or  an 
improvement  made,  but  his  industry  soon  wrought  a  great  transformation 
in  its  appearance.  As  his  financial  resources  increased  he  bought  more 
land  and  engaged  in  the  cattle  business,  driving  his  cattle  from  Indiana, 
where  he  purchased  them  very  cheaply.  He  prospered  in  his  undertaking 
and  continuously  added  to  his  land  until  he  owned  about  nine  hundred 
acres,  becoming  one  of  the  wealthy  farmers  and  energetic  stock  dealers  of 
Grundy  county.  Straightforward  in  all  his  dealings  and  honest  to  a  fault, 
he  was  highly  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  Removing  to  Nebraska, 
he  located  in  Gage  county  about  twenty  years  ago,  and  there  purchased 
fifteen  hundred  acres  of  land,  to  the  improvement  of  which  he  devoted  his 
energies  until  his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was  about  seventy-eight 
years  of  age.  He  left  to  his  children  a  good  property  and  the  more  desirable 
heritage  of  an  honest  name.  In  his  old  age  he  was  a  member  of  the  Church 
of  God.  His  children  were:  Daniel,  who  was  born  August  9,  1836,  and 
died  in  infancy;  Susan,  born  October  12,  1837;  Mary,  October  24,  1839; 
Judith,  May  12,  1843;  Zeigler,  July  30,  1844;  John  Henry,  ]\Iay  4,  1848;  and 
Enos,  November  i,  1852.  Enos  Barkey,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Bookwalter, 
died  January  15,  1895,  and  his  wife  passed  away  j\Iarch  18,  1884.  He  was 
a  stanch  Republican  in  his  political  views,  and  an  earnest  advocate  of  the 
Union  cause  during  the  civil  war.  He  had  one  son  who  joined  the  "boys 
in  blue"  and  served  throughout  the  war  with  an  Illinois  militia  company, 
participating  in  a  number  of  important  engagements,  but  returned  to  his 
home  in  safety. 

Benjamin  Bookwalter  is  a  man  well  known  in  Grundy  county  for  his 
sterling  honesty  and  upright  character.  Besides  the  property  which  he  now 
owns  he  has  given  to  his  children  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land.  In 
politics  he  was  an  old-line  Whig  until  the  dissolution  of  the  party,  when  he 
joined  the  Republican  party  and  voted  for  John  C.  Fremont  and  Abraham' 


7i8  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Lincoln.     He  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  substantial  and  valued  citizens 
of  his  community  and  well  deserves  representation  in  this  volume. 


FREDERICK   SECK. 


The  tales  of  battle  have  been  a  theme  of  song  and  story  since  the  earliest 
ages,  and  the  public  ever  yields  its  tribute  of  respect  and  admiration  to  the 
man  who  risks  his  life  in  defense  of  country  or  of  principle.  Mr.  Seek  is 
one  of  the  honored  veterans  of  the  civil  war  who  "wore  the  blue"  and  aided 
in  the  defense  of  the  Union  until  the  national  government  at  Washington 
established  its  authority  and  the  Confederates  were  overthrown.  He  was 
born  in  Baden,  Germany,  November  7,  1843.  ^"^  i*  ^  son  of  Michael  and 
■Catherine  (Boner)  Seek.  His  father  was  also  a  native  of  Baden,  where  he 
owned  and  operated  a  sawmill.  He  had  two  brothers  who  sen-ed  in  the 
German  army.  In  1853  he  started  with  his  family  for  America,  sailing  from 
Havre,  France,  to  New  Orleans  on  the  vessel  Mercy,  which  reached  the 
■Crescent  City  after  a  voyage  of  forty-eight  days.  Two  days  later  Mr.  Seek 
died  of  cholera,  and  eight  days  after  their  arrival  Mr.  Boner,  the  maternal 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  also  died  of  the  same  disease.  Mrs.  Seek,  with 
her  three  children, — Lena,  Frederick  and  Michael. — came  to  Ottawa.  Illi- 
nois, and  a  few  years  later  she  married  Lawrence  Duttenhoffer,  a  farmer, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Germany.  After  his  arrival  in  Illinois  he  took  up 
his  abode  in  what  is  now  Rutland  township,  LaSalle  county,  upon  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  acres.  There  he  and  his  wife  spent  their  remaining  days,  the 
mother  of  our  subject  dying  in  1892,  at  a  very  advanced  age. 

Frederick  Seek  was  a  lad  of  ten  summers  when  he  came  with  his  parents 
to  America.  He  had  attended  school  in  the  Fatherland,  where  he  had 
learned  to  read  and  write.  As  soon  as  his  mother  married  he  began  work 
on  his  stepfather's  farm  and  assisted  in  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of 
the  place  until  after  the  inauguration  of  the  civil  war,  when,  prompted  by 
a  spirit  of  patriotism,  he  enlisted,  in  July,  1862,  as  a  private  in  Company  C, 
Eighty-eighth  Illinois  Infantry,  or  the  Second  Chicago  Board  of  Trade  Regi- 
ment, continuing  at  the  front  until  honorably  discharged  at  Nashville,  Ten- 
nessee, in  May,  1865.  He  participated  in  a  number  of  important  battles, 
-including  the  engagements  at  Perryville,  Kentucky,  Stone  River,  Tennes- 
see, Chickamauga,  Missionary  Ridge  and  the  engagements  of  the  famous 
Atlanta  campaign.  At  the  battle  of  Resaca  he  was  shot  in  the  forehead, 
his  skull  being  fractured  by  the  ball,  and  for  some  weeks  thereafter  he  was 
forced  to  remain  in  the  hospital.  He  rejoined  his  regiment  at  the  battle 
of  Kenesaw  mountain,  and  was  also  in  the  engagements  at  Peach  Tree  creek 
and  Jonesboro,  after  which  his  regiment  joined  General  Thomas'  command 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  719 

and  participated  in  the  hard-fought  battles  of  FrankHn  and  Nashville.  He 
was  never  taken  prisoner  and  was  always  engaged  in  active  service,  with  the 
exception  of  the  few  weeks  spent  in  the  hospital  on  account  of  his  wounds. 
Loyally  and  cheerfully  he  performed  his  service  for  his  country,  following  the 
old  flag  until  it  was  planted  in  triumph  in  the  capital  of  the  southern  Con- 
federacy. 

When  the  country  no  longer  needed  his  service  Mr.  Seek  returned  to 
Illinois,  where  he  resumed  farming.  He  was  married  in  Grundy  county, 
October  10,  1866,  to  Miss  Louisa  Colwell,  who  was  born  November  22, 
1847,  in  Chillicothe,  Illinois,  her  parents  being  Elias  and  Annie  (Starkey) 
Colwell.  Her  father  was  born  in  Kentucky  and  was  a  representative  of  one 
of  the  colonial  families,  his  grandfather  having  been  a  soldier  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  A  native  of  England,  he  had  come  to  America  when  this 
country  was  still  numbered  among  the  colonial  possessions  of  Great  Britain. 
Robert  Colwell,  the  father  of  Elias,  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and 
was  a  pioneer  of  Kentucky.  He  married  Esther  Dornan.  and  their  children 
were :     Robert.  Henry,  John,  Willie  and  Lucretia. 

Leaving  Kentucky,  Robert  Colwell  became  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  Peoria  county,  Illinois,  where  he  owned  a  good  farm  which  he  obtained 
from  the  government.  His  son,  Elias  Colwell,  was  born  in  Kentucky,  and 
throughout  his  life  engaged  in  farming.  In  Hocking  county,  Ohio,  he  mar- 
ried Hannah  Starkey,  and  their  children  were  Melissa,  Esther,  Louisa,  and 
several  who  died  in  childhood.  Elias  Colwell  also  came  to  Illinois  and  se- 
cured a  wild  tract  of  land  in  Peoria  county,  transforming  it  into  a  richly 
developed  farm.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  Grundy  county,  where  he 
made  his  home  for  a  few  years,  and  for  a  short  time  he  was  a  resident  of 
Livingston  county.  He  then  returned  to  Peoria  county  and  died  at  the 
home  of  our  subject,  on  the  26th  of  October,  1891.  He  was  twice  married, 
his  second  union  being  with  Mary  Deffenbaugh,  by  whom  he  had  one  son, 
Samuel. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seek  took  up  their  abode  on  a  farm  in 
LaSalle  county,  where  they  remained  two  years,  and  in  1868  they  removed 
to  Grundy  county,  settling  in  what  is  now  Maine  township.  Their  present 
farm  was  purchased  in  1869,  a  tract  of  eighty  acres,  on  which  Mr.  Seek  has 
made  good  improvements,  adding  thereto  all  the  accessories  and  conven- 
iences of  a  model  farm.  His  home  has  been  blessed  with  six  children : 
Lellie  May,  who  was  born  in  Grundy  county,  June  12,  1868;  Frederick,  who 
was  born  in  Grundy  county,  September  7,  1869,  and  died  October  27,  1889, 
at  the  age  of  twenty  years:  William  H.,  who  was  born  July  19,  1871 ;  Minnie, 
born  November  7,  1874;  Louisa,  born  September  18,  1877;  and  Nathan, 
born  June  29,  1879. 


720  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Mr.  Seek  is  an  honored  and  valued  member  of  Sedgwick  Post,  No. 
305,  G.  A.  R.,  and  is  the  present  commander,  having  filled  the  office  for  twa 
terms.  He  has  also  occupied  other  official  positions  therein.  In  politics 
he  is  a  stalwart  Republican,  and  has  served  on  the  school  board  nine  years, 
during  which  time  his  labors  and  efforts  have  been  very  effective  in  promot- 
ing the  cause  of  education.  His  thrift  and  energy  are  numbered  among  his 
most  marked  characteristics  and  have  been  the  means  of  bringing  to  him  a 
comfortable  competence,  so  that  he  is  now  enabled  to  enjoy  the  comforts 
and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life.  As  a  citizen  he  is  public-spirited  and  pro- 
gressive, withholding  his  support  from  no  measure  which  he  believes  will 
advance  the  general  good. 


CASSIUS    C.    EASTON. 


Cassius  C.  Easton  is  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  Maine  township 
and  the  representative  of  a  highly  respected  family.  He  was  born  in  Farm- 
ington.  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  March  21.  1845,  his  parents  being  Alex- 
ander and  Rhoda  (Plum)  Easton.  His  father  was  born  in  Massachusetts, 
September  25,  1801,  and  was  a  son  of  Joseph  Easton.  who  was  descended 
from  colonial  Puritan  ancestry,  the  family  having  been  founded  in  ]\Iassa- 
chusetts  at  a  very  early  period  in  its  history.  His  children  were  John,  James, 
Luman,  Justus.  Joseph.  Alexander.  Tamar,  and  one  who  wedded  a  Mr. 
Strong.  There  was  also  another,  but  the  name  is  now  forgotten.  Alex- 
ander Easton,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  reared  in  the  old  Bay  state, 
received  a  good  common-school  education  antl  early  learned  the  trade  of  the 
carpenter  and  joiner.  In  his  early  years  he  became  a  local  minister  of  the 
Methodist  church  and  preached  for  a  long  period. 

He  was  three  times  married. — first  to  Hannah  Lee.  of  Farmington, 
Ohio,  by  whom  he  had  six  children:  Tamar,  born  July  10,  1830;  Harriet, 
October  30.  1832;  Mack.  April  20,  1835;  Alcinous,  July  25,  1837;  Marion, 
September  9.  1840;  and  Cyrus  M.,  October  23.  1842.  All  of  these  children 
were  born  in  Farmington,  Ohio,  where  the  mother's  death  occurred  Decem- 
ber 7,  1843.  ^I""-  Easton  was  again  married  about  1844,  i"  Farmington, 
his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Rhoda  Lee,  the  widowed  daughter  of 
Elisha  Plum.  Her  father  was  a  farmer  and  at  an  early  day  removed  to  Hills- 
dale. Michigan.  By  the  second  marriage  of  Mr.  Easton  there  were  but  two 
children.  Cassius  C.  and  one  who  died  in  infancy.  Their  mother  passed  away 
in  Farmington,  Ohio.  June  20,  1851.  and  Mr.  Easton  afterward  married 
Eliza  Hogan,  of  Brecksville.  Ohio.  He  purchased  land  from  the  govern- 
ment at  Farmington  for  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre  and  thus  obtained  one- 


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BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  y2\ 

hundred  acres,  which  he  cleared  from  the  wiUlerness,  making  a  good  home. 
He  was  well  known  as  a  pioneer  settler  and  minister,  and  served  as  a  delegate 
to  the  national  convention,  held  in  Pittsburg,  of  the  Free-soilers,  who  nomi- 
nated John  P.  Hale  and  George  W.  Julian.  He  filled  a  number  of  local  offi- 
ces of  trust  and  was  a  much  respected  citizen.  In  1868  he  came  to  Illinois 
to  make  his  home  with  his  son  Cassius  and  died  twelve  years  later,  at  the 
age  of  sevent3^-nine. 

Cassius  Clay  Easton  was  reared  in  Farmington,  Ohio.  He  received  a 
good  common-school  education  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  came  to  Illi- 
nois, having  in  the  meantime  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  of  his  father,  who 
gave  his  set  of  tools  to  his  son.  Nix.  Easton  is  especially  successful  in  me- 
chanical lines  and  has  done  much  carpenter  work  in  the  neighborhood. 
?Iere  he  followed  both  carpentering  and  farming  in  early  life.  He  was 
married  September  27,  1S66,  in  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county,  to  Miss 
Mary  Jane  Spiller,  who  was  born  in  Devonshire,  England,  May  19,  1849,  ^ 
daughter  of  John  and  Joanna  (Wakley)  Spiller.  Her  father  was  born  in 
Devonshire,  England,  November  28,  1808,  obtained  a  good  education,  and 
during  his  boyhood  followed  farming.  He  was  married  in  his  native  land 
to  Joanna  Wakley,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Devonshire,  England,  and  there 
they  became  the  parents  of  eight  children:  Ann,  who  was  born  March  11, 
1840;  William,  April  19,  1842;  Joel,  November  26,  1843;  Thomas,  Febru- 
ary 20,  1845;  Elizabeth,  March  13,  1847;  :\Iary  J.,  :May  19,  1849;  John,  Feb- 
ruary 7,  185 1 ;  and  Ellen,  July  24,  1853. 

Mr.  Spiller  came  with  his  family  to  America  in  1851,  sailing  from 
Liverpool  to  New  York,  where  they  arrived  after  a  vovage  of  nine  weeks  and 
three  days.  He  continued  his  westward  journey  to  Kendall  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  worked  on  a  farm.  For  a  year  he  was  very  ill  and  his  wife  had  a 
hard  struggle  to  provide  for  the  family,  her  children  being  all  small  at  that 
time.  After  his  recovery  Mr.  Spiller  took  up  his  work  with  renewed  energy, 
and  about  1861  succeeded  in  gaining  some  land  in  Mazon  township.  This 
he  improved  and  also  extended  its  boundaries  until  it  comprised  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres.  He  had  a  good  house  and  lot  in  Gardner,  and  successfully 
carried  on  agricultural  pursuits,  being  known  as  one  of  the  reliable,  indus- 
trious and  progressive  farmers  of  the  neighborhood.  During  the  civil  war 
he  was  a  strong  Union  man  and  his  son  William  and  his  son-in-law,  James 
Livingston,  both  served  for  three  years  in  an  Illinois  regiment  in  order  to 
maintain  the  supremacy  of  the  national  government  at  Washington.  From 
the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  party  Mr.  Spiller  was  a  stalwart  Repub- 
lican. He  died  at  his  home  in  Gardner,  April  30,  1887,  and  his  wife,  who 
was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  passed  away  February  3, 
1893. 


722  BIOGRAPHICAL  A.\D    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Easton  resided  for  a  year  after  their  marriage  in  Green- 
field township,  Grnndy  county,  and  then  in  Kankakee  county,  where  he 
purchased  one  hundred  acres  of  partially  improved  land,  on  which  was  a 
small  "shanty."  Through  the  succeeding  six  years  he  devoted  his  energies 
to  the  cultivation  of  his  farm  and  built  a  good  residence  there.  He  then 
removed  to  Gardner,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  two  years,  and  in 
March,  1876,  he  came  to  his  present  home  in  Maine  township,  where  he 
secured  a  tract  of  land  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  and  by  additional 
purchase  became  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres. 
He  also  erected  a  substantial  two-story  frame  residence  and  added  all  the 
other  accessories  and  conveniences  of  a  model  farm  and  now  has  a  very 
valuable  property.  He  also  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  rich  and 
arable  land  in  Butler  county,  Kansas,  which  his  son  Addison  is  now  occupy- 
ing. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Easton  have  been  born  four  children :  Addison 
Monroe  was  born  in  Greenfield  township,  Grundy  county.  January  2,  1868, 
educated  in  the  common  schools  and  high  school  of  Gardner,  and  is  now 
engaged  in  teaching  in  this  county.  He  married  Emma  C.  Wessel  and  with 
their  two  children.  Hazel  W.  and  Wendel  A.,  they  reside  in  Kansas.  Rowland 
Joseph,  born  in  Norton  township,  Kankakee  county,  Illinois,  October  4, 
1 87 1,  married  Winnie  Small  and  is  living  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Butler  county,  Kansas.  Belle  R.  was  born  on  the  homestead, 
July  28,  1880;  and  Clift'ord  C.,  June  14,  1885.  They  are  still  with  their 
parents.  Belle  R.  graduated  at  the  district  and  high  schools  at  Gardner,  in 
1898,  and  is  a  young  lady  of  refinement. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Easton  was  a  stalwart  Re]nil)lican  for  some 
vears,  and  voted  for  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  became  one  of  the  ardent  Pro- 
hibitionists of  his  township,  but  in  1896  he  cast  his  ballot  for  Bryan.  He 
served  on  the  school  board  for  twelve  years,  acting  as  its  secretary  and 
president  for  a  part  of  the  time.  He  has  always  been  a  strong  advocate  of 
temperance  principles,  and  is  a  man  of  high  moral  character,  whose  well- 
directed  business  efforts  have  brought  him  creditable  success,  for  his  reliab'e 
dealing  has  secured  to  him  the  unqualified  regard  of  his  fellow  men. 


ALBERT   BABCOCK. 


Albert  Babcock,  one  of  the  veterans  of  the  civil  war  and  an  honorel 
pioneer  of  Grundy  county,  has  been  a  resident  of  this  section  of  the  state  for 
more  than  half  a  century  and  is  familiar  with  its  history  from  the  days  when 
its  wilds  were  traversed  by  deer  and  prairie  chickens,  and  when  the  greater 
part  of  the  land  had  not  yet  been  reclaimed  for  the  purposes  of  cultivation. 


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BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  723 

The  Babcocks  are  of  sterling  English  descent,  their  ancestors  being 
among  the  Puritans  who  came  to  the  New  World  in  colonial  days.  Seven 
brothers  of  the  name  sought  homes  in  America  and  were  among  the  earliest 
settlers  of  Stonington,  Connecticut.  Johnson  Babcock,  the  great-grand- 
father of  our  subject,  became  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Empire  state,  and 
his  son  Johnson,  the  grandfather,  was  a  farmer  of  Rensselaer  county.  New 
York,  where  he  died  between  the  years  of  1820  and  1826.  His  wife  bore 
the  maiden  name  of  Zilpha  Green,  and  was  a  representative  of  the  old  colonial 
family  of  Greens  that  figured  so  conspicuously  in  connection  with  the  colon- 
ial and  Revolutionary  history  of  this  country.  To  this  family  belonged 
Nathaniel  Greene,  the  famous  American  patriot  and  general  in  the  war  for 
independence.  Unto  Johnson  and  Zilpha  (Green)  Babcock  were  born  eleven 
children,  namely:  Johnson,  Hiram,  Linas,  Darias,  George,  Ransom.  Ira, 
Matilda,  Louisa,  Fannie  and  one  whose  name  is  forgotten. 

Johnson  Babcock,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  August  12,  1800, 
in  Rensselaer  county,  New  York,  acquired  a  good  education  in  the  schools 
of  his  native  state  and  became  a  farmer.  He  was  married  October  29,  1826, 
in  his  native  county,  to  Dorcas  Messinger,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Mary 
Messinger.  The  Messinger  family  are  of  Welsh  origin.  Daniel  Messinger 
was  born  in  1769  and  died  November  13,  1838,  in  the  Empire  state,  while 
his  wife  passed  away  February  14,  1828,  at  the  age  of  forty-eight  years.  The 
names  of  their  children  now  remembered  are  Dorcas,  Lewis  and  Betsy. 

After  his  marriage  Johnson  Babcock,  the  father  of  our  subject,  took  up 
his  abode  in  New  York,  where  he  remained  until  1831,  when  he  emigrated  to 
Ohio,  locating  in  Cuyahoga  county,  where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  timber  land.  Clearing  away  the  trees  he  placed  the  fields 
under  cultivation  and  made  a  good  pioneer  home,  but,  selling  his  farm,  he 
came  to  Illinois  in  the  spring  of  1846,  renting  land  in  the  vicinity  of  Aurora 
for  three  years.  In  1848  he  purchased  the  farm  upon  which  our  subject  now 
resides,  and  took  up  his  abode  thereon  in  April,  1849,  residing  there  until 
his  death.  This  tract  comprised  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  wild 
prairie,  which  he  bought  of  Stephen  Davenport.  When  he  settled  on  the 
land  there  were  no  buildings,  and  his  first  home  was  a  log  cabin,  which  he 
replaced  by  his  present  residence  in  1854.  As  his  land  was  broken  and 
planted,  good  harvests  rewarded  his  labors  and  he  thus  became  the  owner  of 
an  excellent  farm.  He  was  a  well-known  pioneer,  much  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him,  and  in  early  days  his  house  became  the  home  of  land-seekers  who 
sought  locations  on  this  western  prairie.  Being  well  acquainted  with  the 
country  for  miles  around,  he  was  often  employed  to  locate  land  for  others. 
The  township  had  not  been  laid  out  at  the  time  when  he  established  his  home 
here,  his  hoiise  being  the  second  one  bujlt  in  Braceville  township,  in  that 


724  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

portion  which  is  now  Maine  township.  Cattle  drovers  a'so  visited  his  home 
when  on  tlieir  way  from  Bloomington  to  Chicago,  for  he  resided  near  the 
Hne  of  the  old  state  road. 

In  the  work  of  pubHc  improvement  and  progress  he  took  an  active  inter- 
est. He  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace  in  his  townsliip,  and  for  many 
years  held  that  otBce.  He  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  township,  the 
first  meeting  for  the  purpose  being  held  at  the  home  of  John  Cragg,  which 
stood  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  where  Milton  Butler  now  resides.  Later 
Mr.  Babcock  served  as  the  supervisor  of  the  township  for  some  years,  was 
also  the  township  clerk  and  held  other  offices,  discharging  his  duty  with 
marked  promptness  and  fidelity.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  the  town- 
ship treasurer,  and  the  cause  of  education  found  in  him  a  warm  friend.  His 
fellow  townsmen  placed  great  confidence  in  him,  and  he  was  universally 
respected  by  the  pioneer  settlers.  In  politics  he  was  originally  a  Democrat, 
but  became  a  Republican  on  the  foundation  of  that  party  and  voted  for  John 
C.  Fremont.  During  the  civil  war  he  was  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  Union 
cause.  His  life  was  characterized  by  untlagging  industry,  and  by  his  straight- 
forward dealing  he  commanded  the  confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  came 
in  contact.     He  died  in  April,  1886,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  I\Irs.  Johnson  Babcock  were  as  follows:  Lucy, 
who  was  born  in  Rensselaer  county,  Xew  York,  July  13,  1827;  Alartin  R., 
]\Iay  22,  1828;  John,  July  20,  1829;  Lewis,  December  3,  1830;  Hiram,  April 
17,  1833;  Henry  F.,  November  17,  1S34;  Mary  L.,  August  25,  1836;  Fred- 
erick J.,  October  29,  1837;  Albert,  June  6,  1839:  Henry,  December  17. 
1841;  Eleanor,  August  26,  1843:  and  Ralph,  April  30,  1845.  The  first  five 
children  were  born  in  Rensselaer  county,  Xew  York,  and  the  others  in 
Cayuga  county,  that  state. 

Three  of  the  sons  were  soldiers  in  the  civil  war,  namely :  Frederick 
J.,  Albert  and  Ralph.  Two  of  the  sons-in-law,  Dennis  Harding  and  \\'illiam 
Spiller,  were  also  numbered  among  the  "boys  in  blue."  Frederick  J.  en- 
listed for  one  year  at  Morris,  Illinois,  in  August,  1864,  as  a  member  of  Com- 
pany G,  Thirty-sixth  Illinois  Infantry,  and  served  for  eleven  months,  when, 
the  war  having  ended,  he  returned  to  his  home  in  safety.  Ralph,  a  private 
of  Company  E,  Thirty-ninth  Illinois  Infantry,  enlisted  at  Wilmington,  Will 
county,  Illinois,  for  three  years,  and  served  until  killed  in  battle  in  front  of 
Richmond,  a  ball  piercing  his  head,  causing  instant  death.  Previous  to  this 
time  he  had  participated  in  a  number  of  battles.  Dennis  Harding  enlisted 
in  1862  as  a  private  in  the  Eighth  Missouri  Infantry  for  three  years,  and 
was  honorably  discharged  in  1865  on  account  of  wounds  received  in  battle. 
He  participated  in  several  of  the  leading  engagements,  and  on  one  occasion 
was  shot  through  the  hips.     William  Spiller  enlisted  at  Morris,  Illinois,  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL   AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD.  725 

August,  1862.  as  a  private  in  Company  C.  Seventy-sixth  Illinois  Infantry, 
to  serve  for  three  years,  and  he  remained  at  the  front  until  the  expiration 
of  his  term,  when  he  was  honorably  discharged.  He  participated  in  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg  and  the  engagement  at  Blakely,  Alabama,  being  in  the 
last  charge  there,  which  was  the  last  battle  of  the  civil  war.  In  this  desperate 
charge  seventeen  of  his  company  were  either  killed  or  wounded  in  ten  min- 
utes! 

Albert  Babcock,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  born  in 
Cuyahoga  county,  Ohio,  June  6,  1839,  and  was  seven  years  of  age  when  he 
came  with  his  parents  to  Illinois.  \\'hen  a  lad  of  ten  years  his  father  settled 
■on  a  farm  in  what  is  now  Maine  township.  The  work  of  civilization  had  but 
recently  been  begun  and  there  were  no  schools  in  the  neighborhood,  so  that 
Mr.  Babcock's  educational  privileges  were  quite  limited.  His  father,  how- 
ever, employed  a  teacher,  so  that  his  children  were  instructed  in  their  own 
home.  For  a  short  time  .Albert  Babcock  attended  the  first  district  school 
in  Rensselaer  township,  but  experience,  reading  and  observation  have  made 
him  a  well-informed  and  capable  man.  His  memory  serves  to  recall  many 
interesting  incidents  of  pioneer  life.  He  can  well  remember  the  prairie 
scenes  when  the  country  for  miles  around  was  covered  with  grass,  dotted 
here  and  there  with  bright  flowers.  He  saw  in  the  neighborhood  the  old 
Chief  Shabbona,  together  with  his  wife  and  other  members  of  the  tribe,  for 
they  frequently  passed  through  this  section  of  the  country  on  their  way  to 
their  hunting  grounds.  The  country  and  woods  abounded  in  game,  and 
Mazon  creek  with  fish.  Mr.  Babcock  has  seen  as  many  as  seventy  deer  in  a 
"herd;  wild  turkeys,  prairie  chickens  and  quails  were  very  abundant;  wolves  and 
wild-cats  were  often  seen  in  the  timber:  and  otter  were  found  on  the  banks 
of  Mazon  creek.  The  settlers  lived  in  log  cabins,  crudely  furnished,  and 
Avorked  hard  in  order  to  establish  homes;  but  genuine  hospitality  reigned 
supreme  and  many  pleasures  were  then  enjoyed  that  are  unknown  at  the 
present  day. 

When  a  young  man  of  twenty-three  years  Mr.  Babcock  enlisted  at 
Morris,  Illinois,  on  the  7th  of  August,  1862,  becoming  a  private  in  Com- 
pany C,  Seventy-sixth  Illinois  Infantry,  to  serve  for  three  years,  or  during 
the  war.  On  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  was  honorably  discharged  at 
Galveston,  Texas,  on  the  22d  of  July,  1865,  and  was  mustered  out  at  Chi- 
cago a  month  later.  His  duty  called  him  to  Kentucky,  Missouri,  Tennessee, 
Mississippi,  Alabama,  Louisiana  and  Texas,  and  in  the  course  of  the  three 
years  he  marched  several  thousand  miles.  He  participated  in  many  skirm- 
ishes, especially  in  Tennessee,  was  in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  for  thirty-nine 
days  and  was  present  at  its  surrender,  on  the  4th  of  July,  1863.  At  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg  he  was  taken  ill  and  remained  in  the  hospital  for  a  week, 


726  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

after  which  he  returned  home,  where  he  continued  for  fifteen  months.  When 
he  had  sufficiently  recovered  he  returned  to  the  army  and  joined  his  regi- 
ment at  New  Orleans  in  January,  1865.  He  also  participated  in  the  charge 
on  the  rebel  earthworks  that  brought  on  a  hand-to-hand  fight,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  capture  of  the  fort  at  Blakely,  Alabama,  and  was  the  last  battle 
of  the  civil  war.  His  company  carried  the  flag,  and  therefore  received  the 
hardest  fire,  seventeen  men  being  killed  and  wounded  within  a  few  moments. 
Mr.  Babcock  was  struck  by  a  ball  in  a  joint  of  his  left  foot.  He  served  until 
the  close  of  the  war,  when  he  returned  to  the  farm  in  Braceville  township. 

On  the  6th  of  June,  1867,  in  Braceville  township,  Mr.  Babcock  was 
married  to  Elmira  S.  Stallman,  who  was  born  November  14.  1844,  in  Lick- 
ing county,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of  Augustus  C.  and  Lydia  (HufYman)  Stall- 
man.  Her  father  was  born  in  Germany  and  was  a  son  of  Henry  L.  and 
Sophia  D.  (Piim)  Stallman.  The  rest  of  the  children  of  Henry  L.  Stallman 
were  born  in  this  country.  Henry  Louis  Stallman,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Babcock,  was  born  in  Germany,  July  29,  1791,  and  married  Sophia  Piim, 
also  a  native  of  that  country.  Mr.  Stallman  was  a  participant  in  the  famous 
battle  of  Waterloo,  as  a  private  under  Prince  William  of  Brunswick.  He 
emigrated  to  America  about  1834,  and  died  July  27,  1870,  in  Delaware 
county,  Ohio,  nearly  eighty  years  of  age,  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren 
church,  and  his  wife  died  July  22,  1873,  aged  nearly  seventy-nine  years. 
Their  children  were :  Louisa,  who  married  Jesse  Holmes,  and  died  Febru- 
ary 13,  1880,  at  the  age  of  about  fifty-six  years;  Ricca,  who  married  Benja- 
min W'ollom,  and  died  December  6,  1856,  aged  about  twenty-nine  years; 
Rebecca,  who  married  Orrin  Powers,  and  died  in  1892,  aged  nearly  fifty- 
eight  years;  Wilhelmina,  who  married  Gideon  Houser  and  died  in  1863; 
Augustus  C.,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Babcock;  and  Henry  L.  and  Maria,  twins. 
Henry  L.  Stallman,  the  son  of  Henry  L.,  Sr.,  was  a  soldier  in  the  civil  war, 
as  a  private  in  Company  H.  of  the  Forty-fifth  Regiment  of  the  Ohio  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  enlisting  under  the  first  call,  for  three  months,  and  re-enlisting 
for  three  years,  and  served  to  the  close  of  the  war,  participating  in  many 
battles. 

Augustus  C.  Stallman  obtained  a  good  common-school  education,  and 
in  his  later  life  was  able  to  speak  in  several  languages  which  he  learned  by 
carrying  on  business  with  people  of  different  nationalities.  In  his  youth  he 
learned  the  shoemaker's  trade  and  conducted  a  shop  in  Etna.  Licking  county, 
Ohio,  for  a  time.  Subsequently  he  engaged  in  merchandising,  conducting 
a  dr)--goods  and  merchant  tailoring  establishment  in  Coshocton.  Ohio,  where 
he  met  with  good  success  in  his  undertakings.  His  last  years  were  spent 
in  Columbus,  Ohio,  where  he  died  in  1897.  His  wife,  Lydia  (HuiTman) 
Stallman,  was  of  Dutch  lineage.     In  early  life  she  was  left  an  orphan  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  727 

was  reared  by  Abraham  Winters,  a  farmer  of  Licking  county,  Ohio.  She 
had  two  brothers,  Jacob  and  John,  and  a  sister,  Ann.  Unto  Augustus  C. 
and  Lydia  (Hufifman)  Stallman.  in  Licking  county,  Ohio,  were  born  the  fol- 
lowing children:  Elmira  S.,  born  in  Etna,  November  14,  1844;  Leah,  born 
in  Etna;  John  J.  and  Lyman  E.,  twins;  and  Lewis  H..  who  was  a  soldier  in 
the  civil  war,  who  served  as  a  private  in  Company  L,  Second  Ohio  Infantry, 
and  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service  February  9,  1864,  for  three 
years.  His  death  occurred,  however,  on  the  i6th  of  August,  the  same  year, 
in  Charleston,  Tennessee.  Mrs.  Stallman,  who  was  a  member  of  the  United 
Brethren  church  and  a  lady  of  many  virtues,  died  in  Etna,  Ohio,  and  Mr. 
Stallman  was  afterward  married  there  to  Miss  Nancy  Neff.  Their  children 
were  Charles,  William.  Nettie.  Frank,  Kate  and  Jesse.  The  father  of  these 
children  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church.  He  served  as  provost 
marshal  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  during  the  ci\il  war.  and  was  an  energetic  and 
successful  business  man,  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Babcock  located  upon  their  present 
farm  in  Maine  township,  Grundy  county,  where  he  owns  one  hundred  and 
four  and  a  half  acres  of  land.  Their  children  were  Jesse,  who  was  born  on 
the  farm  November  13.  1869,  and  died  in  infancy;  Minnie  E.,  born  January 
I,  1871;  and  Orrin  E.,  born  March  26,  1873. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Babcock  is  a  stanch  Republican,  having  sup- 
ported that  party  since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lin- 
coln. He  served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  three  years,  was  the 
overseer  of  highways  for  several  terms,  and  for  two  years  has  been  a  justice 
of  the  peace,  being  the  present  incumbent.  Socially  he  is  an  honored  mem- 
ber of  Sedgwick  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Gardner,  in  which  he  has  held  the  ofifice 
of  chaplain,  and  of  which  he  is  now  the  junior  vice  commander.  He  also 
belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity  of  Mazon,  and  is  a  represent- 
ative pioneer  citizen  of  Grundy  county,  who  loyally  served  as  a  patriot  during 
the  civil  war,  and  has  at  all  times  been  as  true  to  his  duty  to  the  country  as 
when  he  followed  the  starry  banner  upon  the  southern  battle-fields.  In  his 
business  he  has  prospered  and  has  ever  commanded  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  his  fellow  men  because  of  his  well-spent  and  honorable  life. 


HENRY  B.  SUTTON. 


On  the  list  of  the  leading  and  practical  farmers  of  Braceville  township  is 
found  the  name  of  Henry  B.  Sutton,  who  was  born  May  15,  1828,  in  Sussex 
county.  New  Jersey,  and  is  of  French  and  English  lineage.  His  parents 
were  Nathan  and  Martha  (Beardslee)  Sutton.     The  father  was  born  in  New 


728  BIOGRAPHICAL  A.\'D    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Jersey  and  was  a  son  of  a  Revolutionarj-  soldier,  whose  children  were  Lewis, 
Mark.  Nathan  and  Polly.  Nathan  Sutton  was  a  farmer  and  stock-buyer, 
and  removed  from  New  Jersey  to  Susquehanna  county,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1835.  In  1859  he  became  a  resident  of  Gardner,  Grundy  county,  Illinois, 
living  a  retired  life.  He  was  married  in  New  Jersey,  November  12.  181 2, 
to  ]\Iartha  Beardslee,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Sussex  county.  New  Jersey, 
October  6,  1795.  Their  children  were :  Susan  M.,  born  November  8,  1813; 
John  B.,  January  13.  1816;  Edward  L..  March  12.  1818;  Phoebe  Ann,  March 
6.  1820;  Nathaniel  K.,  March  8.  1822;  Sybil  C..  April  20,  1824;  Martha  J.. 
March  i,  1826;  Henry  B.,  May  15,  1828;  Mark  T..  June  6.  1830;  Margaret 
F..  August  14.  1832;  Albert  D.,  July  4,  1836;  William  A..  November  6.  1838; 
and  Huldah,  May  13,  1841.  The  father  was  an  industrious,  enterprising 
man  whose  attention  was  given  almost  exclusively  to  his  business  affairs, 
and  his  honesty  in  all  trade  transactions  won  him  high  regard.  He  was 
born  April  12.  1789.  and  died  in  Grundy  county,  March  30.  1879,  when 
nearly  ninety  years  of  age.  His  wife  passed  away  in  Gardner,  ]May  4,  1883, 
when  about  eighty-eight  years  of  age.  Both  were  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  and  Mr.  Sutton  gave  his  political  support  to  the  Democracy. 

Henry  B.  Sutton,  whose  name  introduces  this  record,  obtained  a  limited 
education  in  the  district  schools  of  Pennsylvania,  to  which  state  he  removed 
with  his  parents  during  his  early  boyhood.  When  quite  young  he  began 
work  on  a  farm,  and  throughout  his  entire  life  he  has  been  connected  with 
agricultural  pursuits.  He  was  married  October  26,  1856.  in  Susquehanna 
county,  Pennsylvania,  to  Catherine  A.  Campbell,  who  was  born  January  9, 
1832.  in  Orange  county.  New  York,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Sophia  (Wheel- 
er) Campbell.  Her  father  was  of  Scotch  descent,  and  was  born  May  28, 
1802,  in  New  York.  On  the  maternal  side  he  was  of  Dutch  lineage.  After 
receiving  meager  education  he  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade,  and  for  many 
years  he  followed  that  pursuit.  His  death  occurred  in  Orange  county.  New 
York,  November  11,  1870.  He  was  twice  married,  his  first  union  being 
with  Sophia  \Mieeler.  by  whom  he  had  the  following  children :  John  A., 
who  was  born  November  9,  1827;  Sarah  E.,  January  8.  1830;  Catherine  A., 
January  9.  1832;  Theodore  W.,  November  13,  1836:  and  Lewis  W..  March 
II,  1839.  The  mother  died  May  11,  1854,  and  the  father  afterward  wedded 
Maria  \\'heeler.  His  political  support  was  given  the  Democracy,  and  in 
religious  belief  he  was  a  Presbyterian. 

Mr.  Sutton,  whose  name  introduces  this  record,  took  up  his  abode 
upon  rented  land  in  Susquehanna  county,  Pennsylvania,  at  the  time  of  his 
marriage,  but  in  December.  1862.  he  came  to  Grundy  county.  Illinois,  rent- 
ing a  farm  in  Greenville  township  for  two  years.  In  1868  he  purchased  his 
present  farm,  becoming  the  owner  of  eighty  acres,  which  he  has  placed  under 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  729 

a  good  state  of  cultivation,  the  well  tilled  fields  yielding  to  him  an  excellent 
tribute  in  return  for  the  care  and  labor  he  bestows  upon  them.  He  and  his 
wife  have  also  reared  excellent  children,  who  do  credit  to  their  name :  Susan 
M.,  who  was  born  December  i.  1858:  Martha  G.,  born  November  5,  i860, 
died  I^Iay  23.  1873;  Huldah.  born  January  7,  1863,  married  William  D.  How- 
land,  a  farmer  of  Grundy  county,  and  they  had  one  child,  Harry;  the 
mother  died  August  17,  1886,  and  Mr.  Howland  afterward  wedded  her  sister, 
Susan  M.,  by  whom  he  has  two  children, — Ernest  and  Erma.  Mary  S., 
the  next  of  the  Sutton  family,  was  born  March  18,  1864.  Sarah  M.  was 
born  April  24.  1866,  formerly  lived  with  Mrs.  Alexander  Cameron  for  eight 
years,  and  by  whom  she  was  greatly  trusted,  having  almost  the  entire  charge 
of  the  business  interests  of  Mrs.  Cameron.  John  A.,  born  March  31,  1868, 
married  Eva  Foster,  and  is  an  enterprising  farmer  of  Kankakee  county,  Illi- 
nois.    They  have  five  children :     Lester,  Elsie,  Roy,  Veda  and  Henry. 

Mr.  Sutton  gives  his  political  support  to  the  men  and  measures  of  the 
Republican  party,  and  is  well  informed  on  the  issues  of  the  day.  He  has 
never  been  an  aspirant  for  office,  however,  preferring  to  devote  his  energies 
to  his  business  af^'airs,  in  which  he  has  met  with  creditable  success.  He 
follows  very  progressive  methods  in  managing  his  farm  and  is  one  of  Brace- 
ville  township's  progressive  agriculturists,  well  deserving  of  representation  in 
this  volume. 


C.  \V.   BURROUGHS. 


One  of  the  large  land-owners  and  prosperous  business  men  of  Grundy 
county,  C.  W.  Burroughs,  comes  from  sterling  Irish  and  German  stock,  his 
paternal  grandfather,  John  Burroughs,  having  been  a  native  of  the  Emerald 
Isle,  while  his  maternal  grandfather.  Captain  J.  B.  Shurman,  was  born  in 
Germany.  The  former  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  both  in  his  native  land 
and  in  Washington  county.  New  York,  where  he  located  after  coming  to 
America,  residing  there  until  his  death.  The  seafaring  life  which  the  worthy 
German  captain  led  came  to  a  sudden  and  extremely  unpleasant  end,  the 
story  being  as  follows :  He  was  the  captain  of  a  ship  which  plied  between 
his  native  land  and  the  United  States,  and  on  one  of  these  voyages  the  vessel 
was  sunk  in  a  terrible  storm.  Only  six  persons,  including  the  gallant  cap- 
tain, were  saved,  and  they  drifted  on  the  ocean  for  six  days,  without  food  or 
anything  to  drink.  When  just  on  the  verge  of  starvation  one  of  the  men,  as 
a  last  resort,  drew  cuts  to  determine  which  of  them  should  be  killed  in  order 
to  furnish  food  for  the  others !  Fate  showed  the  captain  favor  in  this  dread- 
ful ordeal,  and  he  was  saved,  but,  needless  to  say,  he  had  no  further  desire  to 
follow  the  seas,  and  he  was  g!ad  to  settle  ciuietly  upon  a  farm  in  the  Empire 


730  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

state.  From  tliat  time  until  his  death  he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  in 
the  vicinity  of  Eagle  Ridge.  Xew  York. 

John  Burroughs,  father  of  our  subject,  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  the 
Empire  state,  and  early  embarked  in  farming  and  dealing  in  live  stock.  He 
was  remarkably  successful,  accumulating  what  was  then  considered  a  great 
fortune,  but  in  1850  he  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  lose  sixty  thousand  dollars, 
through  a  forgery,  and  was  thus  left  penniless.  Two  years  later  he  bravely 
determined  to  try  to  establish  himself  again  in  business,  and  this  time  in 
the  west;  so  he  removed  to  Belvidere.  Boone  county,  Illinois.  He  continued 
to  manage  a  farm  there  for  a  few  years,  but  death  put  an  end  to  his  ambitious 
labors  and  plans,  both  he  and  his  wife  dying  in  i860.  He  had  married  Sarah 
Shurman  in  New  York  state,  and  they  had  children. 

C.  \V.  Burroughs  was  born  in  Marshall  county,  Xew  York.  March  21, 
1836.  \\'ith  his  father  he  removed  to  the  west,  and  it  was  not  imtil  1865 
that  he  came  to  Grundy  county.  Here  he  bought  and  located  upon  a  part 
of  his  present  farm  in  Xorman  township,  and.  in  addition  to  raising  a  large 
variety  of  crops,  he  has  made  a  specialty  of  feeding  live  stock.  In  these 
lines  of  business  he  has  met  with  something  of  the  success  which  his  father 
formerly  achieved,  and  by  judicious  investments  he  has  further  increased 
his  wealth.  He  now  owns  seven  hundred  and  eighty-one  acres  of  finely 
improved  land,  and  has  other  valuable  investments. 

In  1867  ^Ir.  Burroughs  married  Mary  E.  McMurry.  a  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Zada  Mc^Iurry.  natives  of  Xew  York  state.  Their  eldest  child, 
Xellie  M.,  is  the  wife  of  L.  W.  Claypool,  and  resides  in  Chicago.  Dr.  \V.  M. 
Burroughs,  the  only  son.  is  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
Chicago,  where  he  has  built  up  a  large  practice.  Delia,  the  second  daugh- 
ter of  our  subject,  is  the  wife  of  J.  H.  Whitman,  of  Sioux  Falls,  South  Dakota, 
and  Lillie,  unmarried,  now  makes  her  home  in  Chicago. 


XELS   L.    NESS. 


Grand  old  Xorway  has  contributed  many  of  the  best  citizens  that  .Amer- 
ica, and  particularly  Illinois  and  the  great  northwest,  can  boast.  Almost 
without  exception,  the  sons  of  that  far-away  land,  upon  their  arrival  in  the 
United  States,  enroll  themselves  under  the  banner  of  the  stars  and  stripes 
and  loyally  support  the  laws  and  institutions  of  this  country,  both  in  peace 
and  in  war.  And  it  is  a  fact  too  well  known  to  need  pointing  out.  that 
there  are  no  more  honest,  industrious  and  universally  upright  citizens,  both 
in  their  native  land  and  in  the  land  of  their  adoption,  than  the  strong,  sturdy 
sons  of  Norwav. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  731 

The  fatlier  of  our  subject.  Lars  Ness,  was  a  farmer  in  Norway,  and  there 
married  Martha  Ness.  They  had  five  children,  of  whom  only  one,  the  eldest, 
John  L.,  still  makes  his  home  in  the  land  of  his  birth.  Anna,  the  only 
daughter,  is  the  wife  of  John  Felow.  of  Nettle  Creek  township,  and  the  two 
youngest  members  of  the  family,  Oliver  and  Ole.  are  deceased.  In  1865 
Lars  Ness  and  wife  came  to  America,  and  thenceforth  made  their  home  with 
their  son,  Nels  L.  The  mother  departed  this  life  in  March,  1890,  and  the 
father  died  in  September,  1892. 

The  birth  of  Nels  L.  Ness  occurred  in  Norway,  July  25,  1833,  and  his 
education  was  such  as  the  common  schools  afforded.  He  began  to  be  of 
material  assistance  to  his  parents  in  the  care  of  the  farm  when  he  was  a 
mere  child,  and  from  that  time  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age  he  re- 
mained at  home.  The  attractions  of  a  sea  life  had  always  appealed  to  him, 
and  at  length  he  could  no  longer  resist  his  inclination.  Shipping  aboard  a 
vessel  engaged  in  trade  along  the  coasts  of  Norway,  he  continued  to  follow 
the  calling  of  a  sailor  for  fifteen  years,  during  which  time  he  became  thor- 
oughly familiar  with  the  ports  of  Sweden,  Norway  and  Denmark,  and  all  of 
the  seas,  bays  and  fiords  of  that  celebrated  region.  In  1862  he  crossed  the 
Atlantic  ocean,  with  a  view  to  taking  up  his  permanent  residence  here.  Lik- 
ing the  country,  he  stayed,  and  for  about  two  years  worked  for  farmers  in 
Nettle  Creek  township.  Then,  for  the  ensuing  eight  years,  he  rented  a  farm, 
at  the  end  of  which  period  he  had  accumulated  sufficient  money  to  permit  of 
his  purchasing  a  homestead.  This  place,  of  which  he  became  the  owner  in 
1872,  comprises  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  is  situated  in  Nettle  Creek 
township,  and  has  been  his  home  ever  since. 

In  all  of  his  struggles  to  gain  a  livelihood  and  competence  Mr.  Ness 
has  been  aided  by  his  estimable  wife,  whose  fortunes  were  united  with  his 
in  1 86 1.  She  formerly  bore  the  name  of  Rachel  Onvek,  her  parents  being 
Jim  and  Mary  Onvek,  all  natives  of  Norway.  The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ness  has  been  blessed  with  six  children,  named  as  follows:  Ole,  Jim,  Lars, 
Nels,  Mary  and  Oliver.  Ole  married  Jane  Thompson,  who  is  deceased;  Jim 
wedded  Susie  Hanson,  and  lives  in  Iowa;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Hans  S.  Hanson, 
also  is  a  resident  of  Iowa;  Lars  chose  Leverine  Hanson  for  his  wife,  and 
their  home  is  near  Lisbon,  Illinois;  and- Nels,  who  wedded  Carrie  Nelson, 
dwells  in  the  same  locality.  The  father  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  re- 
ligiously he  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church. 

Oliver  N.  Ness,  the  youngest  child  of  our  subject,  was  born  on  this 
farm,  on  the  22d  of  December,  1876.  He  received  a  good  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  this  neighborhood,  and  under  his  father's  instruction 
mastered  the  details  of  agriculture.  He  has  always  resided  upon  the  home 
farm,  and  is  a  practical  business  man.     In  1896  he  married  Julia  Gunder- 


732  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

son.  a  daughter  of  Gunner  and  Stena  (Burson)  Gunderson,  natives  of  Nor- 
way. The  father  is  still  Viv'mg  in  this  county,  but  the  mother  is  deceased. 
One  child,  a  little  daughter.  Ruth,  was  born  to  the  young  couple  on  the  24th 
•of  July,  1898. 


HARRY  E.  SNYDER. 


The  pioneer  in  business  is  as  interesting  a  character  as  the  pioneer  in 
agriculture.  There  are  many  pioneer  farmers  to  each  pioneer  man  of  afi'airs. 
and  the  business  man  often  supplies  advice  to  other  classes  of  men  which 
makes  him  an  invaluable  memlier  of  the  community:  and  the  sons  of  such 
pioneers  who  are  able  to  take  up  the  burden  of  enterprises  raised  to  the 
plane  of  success  represent  the  best  business  brain  of  this  age  of  advancement. 

Harry  E.  Snyder,  a  grain  merchant  at  Gardner,  Grundy  county,  repre- 
-sents  one  of  the  oldest  business  interests  of  that  town,  he  being  the  successor 
to  his  father,  Chester  K.  Snyder,  in  the  business  which  the  latter  had  estab- 
lished in  1875.  Among  the  representative  men  of  Gardner  and  of  Grundy 
■county  who  have  passed  away  Chester  K.  Snyder  was  conspicuous.  His 
residence  at  Gardner  dated  from  1854,  the  year  the  town  was  laid  out  and 
the  Chicago  and  Alton  Railroad  was  constructed  to  that  point.  He  was 
therefore  a  pioneer  of  the  town  and  no  man  was  more  closely  identified  with 
•early  and  later  business  interests  than  he. 

Chester  K.  Snyder  was  born  in  Wayne  county,  New  York,  April  23, 
1832.  His  parents  were  natives  of  the  Empire  state.  His  father,  Amos 
Snyder,  was  born  in  1801,  and  his  death  occurred  in  1875.  His  mother, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Sally  Enos.  was  born  in  1806  and  passed  away  in 
1873.  Amos  Snyder  was  a  prominent  man  in  the  community  in  which  he 
lived,  and  at  one  time  was  the  county  judge  of  Wayne  county.  Chester  K. 
Snyder,  the  fifth  in  a  family  of  six  children,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  place  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years  learned  the  business  of 
telegraphy,  and  for  a  period  of  three  years,  immediately  preceding  his  com- 
ing to  Illinois,  was  telegraph  operator  in  his  native  state,  and  also  for  a  time 
in  Canada  and  Kentucky. 

Soon,  after  his  arrival  in  Gardner,  in  1854,  Mr.  Snyder  became  the  first 
railroad  agent  here  and  he  was  also  the  agent  at  Dwight  and  Williamsville. 
In  1857  he  engaged  in  the  lumber  and  grain  business  at  Williamsville,  but  in 
1861  returned  to  Gardner  and  took  up  the  cultivation  of  a  farm  that  he  had 
previously  purchased.  He  continued  farming  and  railroading  until  1875, 
Avhen  he  engaged  in  the  grain  and  lumber  business  at  Gardner.  He  carried 
on  this  enterprise  until  he  retired  from  active  life  in  1887.  He  died  in  April, 
1891. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  733. 

Mr.  Snyder  was  a  successful  business  man  and  in  all  respects  a  most 
useful  citizen,  patriotic  and  public-spirited  to  an  unusual  degree  and  gener- 
ously helpful  to  all  worthy  local  interests.  He  was  married  November  17. 
1857,  to  Polly  J.  Holland,  who  was  born  in  Cayuga  county,  New  York,  in 
May,  1836,  and  is  still  living. 

Harry  E.  Snyder,  son  of  Chester  K.  and  Polly  J.  (Holland)  Snyder, 
and  his  father's  successor  in  business,  was  born  on  his  father's  farm  near 
Gardner,  September  15,  1861.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  at 
Gardner  and  at  a  business  college  at  Chicago,  Illinois.  He  engaged  in 
business  with  his  father,  in  1882,  under  the  firm  name  of  C.  K.  Snyder  &: 
Son.  In  1887,  upon  the  retirement  of  Chester  K.  Snyder  from  the  busi- 
ness, his  interests  were  purchased  by  Harry  E.  Snyder  and  Henry  Leach. 
Harry  E.  Snyder  became  sole  proprietor  in  1897.  Mr.  Snyder  married  ^liss 
Laura  Leese.  and  they  have  two  children,  named  Ira  and  lone. 

There  is  no  movement  tending  to  the  improvement  of  public  interest 
that  does  not  receive  Mr.  Snyder's  prompt  and  earnest  indorsement  and 
helpful  assistance,  for  he  has  inherited  somewhat  of  his  father's  public  spirit 
along  with  the  business  abiiitv,  which  has  not  only  insured  his  own  advance- 
ment but  also  contributed  to  that  of  the  community  at  large. 


JOHN    S.    WATSON,    M.    D. 

The  influence  in  anv  community  of  the  reputable  and  conscientious  fam- 
ily phvsician  is  not  an  uncertain  or  a  circumscribed  one.  The  family  doctor 
has  more  intimate  re'ations  with  the  people  than  any  one  else,  not  excepting 
even  the  clergyman.  Among  the  well-known  physicians  and  surgeons  of 
Grundy  county  and  of  a  large  part  of  Illinois  is  Dr.  John  S.  Watson,  of 
?vIinooka. 

Doctor  Watson  was  born  at  Ottawa,  in  the  province  of  Ontario,  Can- 
ada, in  1845.  Ke  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  place  and  received  a  liberal 
literary  education  at  McGill  University,  at  Montreal.  In  1865  he  came  to 
Chicago  with  his  parents,  and  there  the  latter  passed  the  rest  of  their  lives. 
Dr.  Watson  is  one  of  six  children,  comprising  three  brothers  and  three  sis- 
ters. Southwell  Watson,  the  oldest  of  the  brothers,  is  a  resident  of  Atlantic, 
Iowa.  Joseph  T.  is  a  resident  of  Chicago,  as  are  the  three  sisters. — Helen, 
Lydia  and  Fanny.  For  some  time  previous  to  the  great  Chicago  fire  Dr. 
Watson  was  engaged  in  the  drug  business  in  that  city,  partly  as  a  prepara- 
tion for  his  medical  education,  and  was  a  victim  of  that  destructive  conflagra- 
tion.    The  first  course  of  medical  lectures  which  he  attended  was  at  Rush 


734  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

Medical  College,  which  was  followed  by  two  more  courses  at  Bennett  Col- 
lege, at  which  institution  he  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1875. 

He  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Chicago,  but  soon  afterward 
located  at  Minooka  and  has  for  twenty-five  years  been  the  leading  physician 
in  that  part  of  Grundy  county  and  adjoining  sections  of  bordering  counties. 
His  rides  have  covered  a  radius  of  many  miles  with  Minooka  as  a  center. 
His  professional  career  has  been  a  remarkably  successful  one  and  he  occupies 
a  place  in  the  front  rank  of  the  physicians  and  surgeons  of  Illinois.  In  con- 
nection with  his  practice  he  manages  a  fine  drug  store  at  Minooka. 

Dr.  Watson  was  married  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  in  1867,  to  Miss  Anna 
Bell,  of  that  city.  They  are  the  parents  of  five  daughters,  all  of  whom  have 
been  given  excellent  opportunities  for  culture  and  are  accomplished  ladies 
of  many  graces  and  the  most  substantial  intellectual  equipment.  The  eldest 
two.  Franc  and  Lottie  B.,  are  graduates  of  the  Northwestern  University,  and 
Lorine  is  a  graduate  of  the  school  of  oratory  which  is  connected  with  the 
above  mentioned  institution.  Mildred,  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth,  is  now  a 
student  of  the  university.  Ethel,  the  youngest,  is  a  pupil  of  the  Minooka 
public  school. 

Besides  being  a  prominent  physician.  Dr.  Watson  is  a  successful  busi- 
ness man,  and  is  numbered  with  the  substantial  citizens  of  the  county  in  a 
financial  way.  He  is  the  owner  of  valuable  town  property  and  several  fine 
farms.  As  a  citizen  he  is  helpful  and  enterprising,  and  personally  as  well  as 
professionally  is  held  in  high  esteem.  He  was  made  a  Mason  many  years 
ago  and  is  well  advanced  in  the  order. 


GEORGE     HEROLD. 


George  Herold  is  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  Mazon  township 
and  is  a  highly  respected  man.  He  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  in 
the  village  of  Ansbach,  near  Lerberg,  April  28,  1823,  his  parents  being 
Leonard  and  Amelia  (Behaker)  Herold.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Bavaria, 
where  the  family  had  lived  for  many  generations,  as  had  his  wife's  people. 
He  was  a  butcher  by  trade  and  his  father-in-law  followed  the  same  pursuit. 
as  did  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Herold,  it  being  the  family  trade  of  the 
Behakers.  Leonard  Herold  was  th«  owner  of  some  property,  including  a 
small  farm.  He  had  two  brothers  who  served  in  the  war  with  Napoleon. 
He  was  a  hard-working,  industrious  man,  respected  for  his  sterling  worth. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church.  His  death  occurred  in  Bavaria. 
when  he  was  about  seventv-five  vears  of  age.     His  children  were  Leonard, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  735 

Michael,  John,  George,  Magdalene,  Barbara  and  Margaret.     Of  this  family 
George  was  the  only  one  who  came  to  America. 

George  Herold,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  acquired  his  education  in 
the  common  schools  and  remained  on  his  father's  farm  until  thirteen  years 
of  age.  When  young  he  learned  the  butcher's  trade  and  worked  with  his 
father  until  eighteen  years  of  age,  after  which  he  worked  for  a  Mr.  Weber 
in  his  native  city.  On  attaining  his  majority  he  began  working  at  the 
butchering  business  in  various  Bavarian  cities,  including  Wurtzberg,  Kis- 
singen  and  Schweinfurt.  Subsequently  he  returned  to  his  old  home  for  a  short 
time  and  then  came  to  America,  when  about  thirty-one  years  of  age,  leaving 
Bremen  in  June,  1854,  on  the  sailing  vessel.  Crown  Prince,  which,  after  a 
voyage  of  forty-nine  days,  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  New  York. 
The  passage  was  a  stormy  one,  the  ship  being  blown  so  far  out  of  her  course 
to  the  north  that  they  saw  icebergs  and  were  almost  caught  in  the  ice. 
However,  they  reached  the  port  of  New  York  in  August,  1854. 

Mr.  Herold  worked  in  a  butcher  shop  in  that  city  until  March,  1855, 
when  he  made  his  way  to  Chicago,  where  he  was  employed  in  a  similar 
capacity  until  1857.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  made  his  way  to  Aurora,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  formed  a  partnership  and  engaged  in  the  butchering  busi- 
ness. In  the  spring  of  1858,  however,  he  came  to  Morris,  where  he  engaged 
in  business  along  that  line  on  his  own  account.  In  the  spring  of  1866  he 
removed  to  Braceville  township,  where  he  remained  until  1894  or  1895, 
when  he  took  up  his  abode  upon  his  present  farm,  comprising  eighty  acres 
of  rich  land  in  Mazon  township.  He  has  prospered  as  the  result  of  his  unflag- 
ging industry  and  enterprise  and  the  assistance  of  his  wife,  who  has  been 
indeed  a  capable  iielpmeet  to  him.  They  now  each  own  eighty  acres  of 
valuable  land  and  have  a  comfortable  home  for  their  old  age. 

Mr.  Herold  was  married  January  27,  1857,  in  Chicago,  to  Babeta  Rein- 
lasoeder,  who  was  born  in  Bavaria,  February  20,  1826,  in  the  same  locality 
as  her  husband,  a  daughter  of  Leonard  and  Jacobina  (Gier)  Reinlasoeder. 
Her  father  was  a  butcher  in  Ansbach  and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  natives  of 
that  country,  belonging  to  old  Bavarian  families.  Their  children  were 
Jacobina,  Hannah,  Margaret  and  John,  who  came  to  America;  and  Fred- 
erick, who  remained  in  Ansbach.  In  1858  the  father  crossed  the  Atlantic, 
when  sixty-nine  years  of  age,  accompanied  by  liis  wife  and  daughter  Mar- 
garet. Mrs.  Herold  had  come  to  America  in  1854,  alone,  and  on  reaching 
this  countrv,  her  father  made  his  home  with  her.  as  he  was  too  old  to  do 
any  business.  He  died  on  the  farm  upon  which  our  subject  resided  in 
Braceville  township,  being  then  seventy-two  years  of  age.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Lutheran  church  and  was  always  an  industrious  and  upright 
man.     He  owned  a  small  farm  of  twenty  acres  in  Bavaria  and  reared  a  good 


736  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

family.  His  wife  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years,  in  the  home  of  her 
son,  John,  in  Good  Farm  township,  Grundy  county.  As  before  stated,  their 
daughter,  Babeta,  came  to  America  alone,  when  twenty-seven  years  of  age, 
sailing  from  Bremen  in  June.  1854.  on  the  Dolphin,  which  reached  New 
York  after  a  voyage  of  forty-two  days.  She  made  her  way  to  Chicago, 
where  she  secured  work,  there  remaining  until  her  marriage  in  1857.  The 
children  of  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Herold  are  Jacobina.  who  was  born  January  21. 
1858,  and  died  at  the  age  of  five  years  and  six  months;  and  Amelia,  who 
was  born  March  10.  1863,  and  is  the  wife  of  L.  Dujarrick,  who  works  the 
home  farm.  They  have  two  living  children.  Florence  R.  and  Inez  Emma. 
In  their  religious  faith  ^Ir.  and  Mrs.  Herold  are  Lutherans,  and  in 
politics  ^Ir.  Herold  is  independent,  but  cast  his  last  vote  for  W.  J.  Bryan  and 
free  silver.  He  and  his  wife  have  succeeded  in  securing  a  good  home,  al- 
though they  came  to  America  without  capital  and  with  no  knowledge  of  the 
English  language,  and  in  the  face  of  many  difficulties  they  have  steadily 
worked  their  way  upward  until  they  now  have  a  comfortable  competence. 
They  certainly  deserve  great  credit  for  their  success  and  are  entitled  to  the 
high  regard  which  is  given  to  them. 


ALLEX   H.   FOSTER. 


Among  the  veterans  of  the  civil  war  who  at  the  call  for  troops  responded 
and  went  forth  to  battle  for  the  Union  is  Allen  Horton  Foster,  a  highly  re- 
spected citizen  of  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county.  His  life  record  has 
indeed  been  an  honorable  one.  characterized  by  fidelity  to  duty  not  only 
upon  the  battle-fields  of  the  south  but  also  in  all  the  relations  of  his  public 
and  private  career.  It  is  believed  that  his  ancestry  on  the  paternal  side  is 
Scotch-Irish.  The  founders  of  the  family  in  America  came  here  in  very  early 
colonial  days,  and  afterward  became  pioneers  of  Pennsylvania.  Richard 
Foster,  the  first  of  whom  we  have  authentic  record,  was  a  well-to-do  farmer 
of  Maryland. 

In  1 710  Basil  Foster,  one  of  his  descendants,  emigrated  to  the  Key- 
stone state.  In  1779  he  and  his  family,  together  with  twelve  other  families, 
met  in  Prince  George  county,  ^Maryland,  and  signed  a  compact  agreeing  to 
penetrate  the  forests  on  the  Broad  Top  mountains  of  Pennsylvania  and  make 
permanent  settlements.  In  this  colony  were  Richard  and  Benjamin  Penn 
and  Lewis  Fluck.  "the  guide  of  1776."  together  with  other  families.  This 
little  band  of  emigrants  moved  up  the  river  to  where  the  town  of  Saxton 
now  stands  and  there  built  a  block-house  and  surrounded  the  tract  of  land 
with  a  stockade.     That  same  ground  is  now  the  site  of  the  Fock'er  cemeterv. 


<^j!6yi^.  7i^^  ej^>o£Z 


(7(Si  Oji^x^m^jCX^  'J^^LaJ^-^U^^  TV-^i'^^^i^zv 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD.  72,7 

W  hen  July.  1780.  rolled  around  they  had  a  considerable  crop  of  grain  to 
harvest  and  were  engaged  in  that  work  on  a  certain  Saturday  on  the  15th  of 
July,  1780,  when  alarm  was  spread  through  the  little  colony  by  the  sight  of 
smoke  arising  from  Shy  Beaver  block-house,  six  miles  down  the  river.  This 
was  an  indication  that  the  Delaware  Indians  were  on  the  war-path.  An 
attack  had  been  expected  and  by  a  code  of  signals  the  settlers  were  called  to 
the  Shoup  block-house,  and  ere  the  dawn  of  Sunday.  July  16,  1780.  the 
twelve  families  that  had  made  their  way  to  the  Juniata  valley  had  started  on 
their  way  back  to  Maryland.  There  were  forty  persons  in  the  party.  Seven 
years  later,  in  1787,  the  same  twelve  families  and  several  other  families  in 
addition  returned  to  the  Juniata  valley,  and  the  Fosters  pushed  their  way 
into  the  wilderness  six  miles  southeast  of  where  they  had  made  their  first 
settlement.  In  1789  Basil  Foster  and  his  son,  Richard  L.,  built  a  hewed-Iog 
house  in  Bedford  county,  Pennsylvania,  which  has  since  sheltered  six  gen- 
erations of  the  family,  and  is  still  occupied. 

Richard  L.  Foster,  one  of  the  sons  of  Basil  Foster  and  the  grandfather 
of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Maryland.  September  16,  1770,  and  was  therefore 
about  nine  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the  tirst  emigration  to  Pennsylvania. 
\\  hen  the  settlers  were  driven  from  their  new  home  through  fear  of  the 
Indians  he  and  Charity  Johnson,  then  a  little  maiden  of  ten  summers,  were 
placed  upon  the  same  horse  and  thus  traveled  to  the  Potomac  river.  The 
little  girl  was  born  in  Maryland,  September  27.  1769.  In  the  seven  years 
which  followed  their  return  to  their  native  state  their  friendship  continued 
to  grow,  and  ultimately  ripened  into  love.  In  1793  they  were  married  by 
the  famous  Bishop  Asbury  of  the  Methodist  church.  Their  union  was 
blessed  with  the  following  children:  Wealthy,  born  April  8,  1794,  died  in 
Bureau  county,  Illinois,  in  1879;  Sarah,  born  September  26,  1795,  died  in 
Bureau  county,  in  1885:  Ephraim,  born  January  12,  1797,  died  in  Fulton 
county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1877;  Eli,  born  July  10,  1799,  died  in  Grundy 
county,  Illinois,  in  1875;  Richard,  born  August  29,  1801,  died  at  Wallace, 
Knox  county,  Illinois,  August  29,  1888;  Lewis,  born  February  9,  1803,  was 
living  in  Lucas  county,  Iowa,  in  1888,  but  since  that  time  has  not  been 
heard  from;  Thomas,  born  September  30,  1805,  died  in  Bedford  county, 
Pennsylvania,  June  8,  1886;  Ruth,  born  July  10,  1808,  was  living  in  Decatur 
county,  Iowa,  in  1888:  Josiah.  born  Alarch  28.  1810.  was  living  in  Highland 
county,  Ohio,  in  1888;  and  Septimus,  born  October  2,  1813,  was  living  in 
Fulton  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1888.  After  their  marriage  the  parents  of 
these  children  moved  into  the  old  log  house  in  Pennsylvania  that  Richard 
L.  Foster,  the  father,  had  erected.  Richard  Foster  was  renowned  as  a 
hunter,  and  many  interesting  stories  have  been  told  of  his  exploits.  It  is 
believed  that  both  he  and  his  father  were  in  the  battle  of  Bloody  Run,  Penn- 


738  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

sylvania.  He  lived  to  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-eight  years,  passing  away 
November  30.  1853.  ^vhile  his  wife  died  October  22,  1843.  Many  of  their 
descendants  are  scattered  throughout  the  United  States,  the  representatives 
of  the  family  being  particularly  numerous  in  Illinois. 

Eli  Foster,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  July  10.  1799,  in  Mary- 
land, became  a  pioneer  carpenter  and  cabinet-maker  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
was  married  in  Bedford  county,  that  state,  April  29.  1827.  to  Catherine 
Steele.  Tlieir  marriage  occurred  where  the  original  settlement  of  the  family 
was  made,  on  the  Raystown  branch  of  the  Juniata  river.  The  lady  was 
born  in  that  locality.  April  24,  1810.  The  Steeles  were  an  old  Pennsylvania 
Dutch  family,  and  the  father  was  a  pioneer  of  Bedford  county,  that  state. 
where  he  cleared  and  developed  a  large  farm  and  became  a  well-to-do  agri- 
culturist. His  children  were:  Jacob,  a  Dunkard  minister,  was  the  father 
of  eleven  children,  and  after  giving  to  each  one  of  them  eight  hundred  acres 
of  land  he  had  eleven  hundred  acres  left.  He  also  owned  a  sawmill  and  grist- 
mill, and  was  a  prominent  and  influential  citizen,  who  enjoyed  the  confidence 
of  the  entire  community.  He  transacted  business  for  the  entire  neighbor- 
hood, and  no  trust  reposed  in  him  was  ever  betrayed.  The  other  children 
of  Mr.  Steele  were  George,  Solomon,  Catherine  and  Lydia,  all  of  whom  be- 
came well-to-do  farming  people. 

Eli  Foster  and  his  wife,  the  parents  of  our  subject,  took  up  their  abode 
in  Bedford  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  the  father  worked  at  the  trades  of 
carpentering  and  cabinet-making.  He  conducted  a  shop  for  many  years, 
manufacturing  furniture  and  coffins.  In  1840  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
Highland  county,  Ohio,  making  the  trip  in  the  fall  of  that  year  with  wagons. 
They  were  several  days  on  the  way.  but  at  length  took  up  their  al:)ode  in 
\'ienna.  Highland  county,  where  Mr.  Foster  conducted  a  cabinet-making 
shop  for  many  years.  His  wife  died  in  Ohio.  January  14.  18S6.  She  was 
a  lady  of  many  virtues  and  a  sincere  member  of  the  Methodist  church.  The 
children  of  that  union  were:  Reuben,  born  January  5.  1828;  Cyrus,  born 
October  25,  1829;  Lucinda,  born  October  31.  1831:  Levi,  born  September 
23,  1833;  Alfred  L..  born  March  8,  1836;  Allen,  born  April  8,  1838,  in  Penn- 
sylvania, as  were  all  those  named  above;  George  F..  born  in  Ohio.  July  23. 
1840;  Minerva,  August  23.  1S42;  and  Sarah  E..  July  5.  1844.  After  the 
death  of  his  first  wife  Mr.  Foster  was  again  married,  the  wedding  taking 
place  in  Highland  county,  Ohio,  August  21.  1849.  the  lady  of  his  choice  being 
Mary  Claypool.  who  was  born  November  30,  1819,  and  was  the  widow  of 
Perry  Claypool.  Her  maiden  name  was  Halsted.  The  children  of  this  mar- 
riage were:  Juliana,  who  was  born  in  1853  and  died  October  8,  1854: 
and  Catherine,  born  January  29.  1854.  In  1849  Mr.  Foster  removed  with 
his  family  to  Illinois,  making  the  journey  with  wagons  and  horses  and  reach- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  739 

ing  his  destination  after  three  weeks  of  travel.  He  settled  in  W'auponsee 
township.  Grundy  county,  and  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
wild  prairie  land,  which  he  improved,  making  a  good  pioneer  home.  He 
erected  substantial  buildings  and  transformed  the  wild  tract  into  richly  cul- 
tivated fields.  His  death  occurred  on  that  farm  January  23,  1874,  when  he 
had  attained  the  age  of  seventy-four  years,  six  months  and  thirteen  days. 
In  his  political  views  he  was  a  Democrat,  and  held  the  of^ce  of  supervisor 
and  other  township  positions.  In  religious  faith  he  was  a  Methodist,  and 
was  well  known  as  a  highly  respected  citizen. 

Allen  Horton  Foster,  the  subject  of  this  review,  was  born  in  Stoners- 
town,  Pennsylvania,  April  8,  1838,  acquired  a  common-school  education  and 
was  reared  to  farm  life.  He  came  with  his  father  to  Grundy  county  when  a 
lad  of  ten  vears,  and  can  well  remember  the  journey.  They  camped  at  night 
by  the  wayside  in  true  pioneer  style,  sleeping  in  the  wagons.  There  were 
three  two-horse  teams  and  three  weeks  had  passed  ere  they  reached  their  des- 
tination. Amid  the  wild  scenes  of  .the  frontier  Mr.  Foster  was  reared,  and  well 
can  he  remember  the  incidents  of  pioneer  life. 

He  aided  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm  until  after  the  inauguration  of 
the  civil  war.  when,  prompted  by  a  spirit  of  patriotism,  he  joined  the  Union 
army,  enlisting  as  a  private  at  Morris,  Illinois,  August  10,  1862.  He  be- 
came the  tenor  drummer  and  afterward  the  base  drummer  of  Company  D, 
Ninety-first  Illinois  Infantry,  under  command  of  Captain  E.  J.  Fosha.  He 
served  for  three  years  and  was  honorably  discharged  at  New  Orleans,  on  the 
5th  of  June,  1865.  The  Ninety-first  Illinois  Infantry  was  organized  at  Camp 
Butler,  Illinois,  in  August,  1862,  by  Colonel  Henry  M.  Day,  and  was  mus- 
tered in  on  the  8th  of  September,  following.  They  left  Camp  Butler  on  the 
1st  of  October  for  the  front  and  arrived  at  Shepherdsville,  Kentucky,  on 
tlie  7th  of  that  month.  They  did  scouting  duty  in  that  state,  following 
Morgan's  troops  and  guarding  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad  from  the 
8th  of  October  until  the  20th  of  December.  On  the  morning  of  the  latter 
day  the  rebel  general,  John  Morgan,  appeared  with  his  forces  at  Elizabeth- 
town,  Kentucky,  where  the  Ninety-first  was  then  stationed,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Harry  S.  Smith.  Three  companies  of  the 
regiment  had  been  detached  and  were  captured  the  day  before  while  guard- 
ing railroads  elsewhere.  The  remainder  of  the  regiment  was  armed  with 
the  old-fashioned  flint-lock  muskets,  and  as  their  ammunition  was  exhausted 
after  a  short  engagement,  at  i  130  P.  M.,  they  were  forced  to  surrender,  seven 
men  having  been  killed,  while  several  were  wounded.  The  rebel  loss  in 
killed  and  wounded  exceeded  two  hundred.  The  Ninety-first  was  soon 
afterward  paroled.  On  the  28th  of  December,  1862,  its  men  scattered,  mak- 
ing- their  wav  to   Benton  barracks,   St.   Louis,  Missouri.     Many  of  them 


740  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

returned  home  on  short  visits,  but  on  the  28th  of  February.  1863,  two- 
thirds  of  the  regiment  answered  to  roll  call  at  Benton  barracks  and  were 
given  six  months'  pay. 

On  the  5th  of  June  of  the  same  year  they  were  exchanged  and  were 
furnished  with  new  arms  and  equipments.  In  July  they  were  stationed  at 
Vicksburg  where  many  were  ill,  while  others  died,  the  result  of  poisoned 
water  which  had  been  contaminated  by  the  dead  who  had  fallen  in  the 
memorable  siege  of  Vicksburg.  From  the  25th  of  July  until  the  13th  of 
August,  1863,  the  regiment  engaged  in  scouting  duty  near  Port  Hudson, 
after  which  they  were  stationed  at  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  until  Septem- 
ber 5,  1863.  On  the  "th  of  that  month  they  were  engaged  in  battle  with 
the  enemy  at  Atchafalaya  river,  and  on  the  following  day  succeeded  in  driv- 
ing the  rebels  across  the  river  and  captured  two  hundred  prisoners.  On 
the  23d  of  October  the  Xinety-first  started  for  Texas,  arriving  at  Point 
Isabel  in  that  state  on  the  3d  of  November.  On  the  6th  of  the  same  month 
they  started  for  Brownsville,  Texas,  and  on  the  way  were  engaged  in 
skirmishing  with  the  enemy  during  the  three-days  march.  On  the  31st  of 
December,  1863,  the  regiment  made  its  famous  raid,  capturing  Salt  Lake, 
and  on  the  9th  of  January,  1864.  they  again  arrived  at  Brownsville,  after 
marching  two  hundred  miles.  On  the  nth  of  September  of  the  same  year 
the  regiment  was  attacked  by  the  enemy  at  Bagdad,  on  the  Rio  Grande 
river,  and  afterward  took  an  active  part  in  the  siege  and  capture  of  Spanish 
Fort  and  Fort  Blakely,  The  same  command  was  also  engaged  in  the 
skirmish  with  the  enemy  on  Eight  Alile  creek,  which  was  the  last  engage- 
ment on  the  Mississippi.  Mr.  Foster  was  ill  in  a  hospital  in  Xew  Orleans 
for  a  month.  He  was  a  loyal  and  faithful  soldier,  performing  his  duty 
promptly  and  cheerfully.  He  is  now  an  honored  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  Post  at  Morris. 

Returning  to  his  home,  Mr.  Foster  engaged  in  farming,  and  in  Mazon, 
on  the  1st  of  January,  1867,  when  twenty-eight  years  of  age,  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Hattie  Fuller,  whose  birth  occurred  December  28. 
1847.  in  Mazon  township,  one  mile  southeast  of  the  village,  her  parents 
being  William  and  Sarah  (Royal)  Fuller.  Her  father  was  born  in  Jefferson 
county,  near  LeRay,  Xew  York.  February  21.  181 1.  and  was  a  son  of  Perley 
and  Rebecca  (Rogers)  Fuller.  Her  great-grandfather  was  Porter  Fuller. 
Avho  was  born  in  \'ermont  and  was  of  English  descent.  He  removed  to 
Xew  York  during  the  pioneer  settlement  of  that  state.  The  Fullers,  how- 
ever, were  representatives  of  an  old  colonial  family  connected  with  the 
Puritan  emigrants,  one  of  their  ancestors  having  come  from  England  with 
the  Pilgrims  in  the  Mayflower  in  1620,  when  a  settlement  was  effected  at 
Plvmouth.      Perlev   Fuller  was  a  farmer  of  Jefferson  county,   Xew  York. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD.  741 

and  there  reared  his  family,  his  children  being  William.  Rebecca,  Almeda, 
Richard,  Fannie,  Julia.  Hattie  and  Perley.  All  were  born  in  the  Empire 
state,  after  which  the  grandfather  of  Airs.  Foster  removed  to  Ohio,  dying  in 
Garrettsville.  The  year  of  his  emigration  westward  was  1833.  He  settled 
upon  a  tract  of  heavily  timbered  land,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  forest  de- 
veloped a  large  and  valuable  farm,  containing  about  five  hundred  acres.  He 
served  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  18 12  and  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.     His  wife  died  in  1874,  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years. 

Their  son,  William  Fuller,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Foster,  left  his  home  in 
JS'ew  York  when  about  thirty  years  of  age  and  removed  to  Chicago,  where 
he  lived  for  one  year.  He  purchased  an  acre  of  land  at  Joliet,  but  came 
to  Mazon,  living  with  Owen  Fuller  for  a  year.  He  then  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  wild  land  in  Mazon  township,  for  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre, 
and  paid  for  the  property  with  money  gained  by  splitting  rails  for  thirty- 
seven  and  a  half  cents  per  hundred.  On  the  10th  of  January,  1846.  in 
Mazon,  he  married  Sarah  Royal,  who  was  born  in  Ohio,  December  11, 
1824,  a  daughter  of  Charles  and  Mary  Royal.  Her  father  was  of  English 
lineage,  a  son  of  William  Royal,  who  had  come  to  this  country  from 
England.  Leaving  the  Buckeye  state.  Charles  Royal  emigrated  to  Illinois 
and  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Mazon  township.  About 
1852  he  removed  to  Oregon,  crossing  the  plains  with  wagons,  and  died 
in  the  Sunset  state  when  about  seventy-eight  years  of  age.  His  children 
were  W'esley,  John,  Sarah,  Eliza,  Fletcher,  William,  ]\Iary,  Elizabeth  and 
James.  After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fuller  located  upon  his  farm 
of  eighty  acres,  and  his  business  interests  were  successfully  conducted.  He 
prospered  in  his  undertakings,  becoming  a  substantial  pioneer  and  the 
owner  of  a  well  improved  and  valuable  farm  of  three  hundred  and  sixty 
acres.  He  also  gave  to  each  of  his  children  one  hundred  acres.  These 
were:  Hattie,  now  Mrs.  Foster:  Gilbert,  who  was  born  January  28,  1850: 
and  Mary  R.,  born  August  10,  1855.  In  his  religious  views  the  father 
was  liberal,  but  was  a  man  of  high  probity,  honorable  in  all  life's  relations. 
He  died  March  11,  1875,  on  the  old  homestead,  when  sixty-four  years  of 
.age. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foster  began  their  domestic  life  in  Mazon  township,  on 
a  part  of  the  Fuller  homestead,  and  there  lived  until  their  removal  to  the 
village  of  Mazon,  in  1897.  He  prospered  in  his  business  undertakings, 
being  ably  assisted  by  his  wife,  who  proved  to  him  a  faithful  and  capable 
helpmate.  He  now  owns  three  hundred  and  ten  acres  of  land  three-fourths 
of  a  mile  east  of  the  village  and  from  his  property  derives  a  handsome 
income.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foster  was  blessed  with  seven 
children,  namely:     Cora  May,  who  was  born  May  19,   1868:  Grace,  born 


742  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

June  30,  1870;  Blanche,  born  July  29,  1872;  Pina,  born  January  11,  1874; 
Daisy,  born  July  4,  1876:  Hattie,  liorn  May  9,  1881 :  and  Roy  A.,  born  June 
4,  1886. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foster  are  Methodists  in  religious  faith  and  take  an 
active  interest  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  church  in  which  they  hold  member- 
ship. In  his  political  views  he  is  a  Democrat,  but  has  never  sought  office,  pre- 
ferring that  his  time  and  attention  should  be  given  to  his  business  affairs,  in 
which  he  has  met  with  creditable  and  well  merited  success.  He  is  now  living- 
retired  in  Mazon.  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest.  Upon  the  battle-fields  of 
the  south  he  displayed  his  loyalty  to  the  government,  and  at  all  times  has 
been  true  to  his  duties  of  citizenship,  taking  an  active  interest  in  every- 
thing tending  to  promote  the  welfare  of  county,  state  and  nation. 


LAZENBY  WALKER. 


Lazenby  Walker,  deceased,  was  one  of  the  brave  soldiers  of  the  civil 
war  who  upon  the  altar  of  his  country  laid  down  his  life  in  defense  of  the 
Union.  In  response  to  President  Lincoln's  call  be  donned  the  "blue"  and 
upon  the  battle-fields  of  the  south  manifested  his  patriotic  spirit  by  his  devo- 
tion to  duty.  He  was  a  man  of  unblemished  character,  widely  and  favorably 
known  in  Grundy  county  at  the  time  when  he  enlisted  under  the  stars  and 
stripes.  He  founded  here  an  excellent  family  that  is  still  represented  by  the 
widow  and  children. 

Mr.  Walker  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  near  Bellville,  Ohio,  June  i, 
1825,  and  was  a  son  of  Robert  and  Harriet  (Lazenby)  Walker.  The  par- 
ents were  natives  of  England,  in  which  country  they  were  married.  The 
father  became  a  local  Methodist  minister  in  Monroe  county,  Ohio,  where 
he  located  with  his  family  in  early  pioneer  times.  There  he  owned  and 
operated  a  farm  and  for  many  years  he  also  engaged  in  preaching  the  gospel. 
About  1849  he  removed  to  Morris,  Illinois,  and  after  a  short  time  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  about  a  mile  south  of  Mazon,  a  part  of  this  property  now 
being  occupied  by  his  grandson,  Eddie  Walker.  Rev.  Robert  Walker  con- 
tinued the  work  of  the  ministry  and  carried  the  "glad  tidings  of  great  joy" 
to  the  early  pioneer  settlers  of  Grundy  county.  He  was  largely  instrumental 
in  founding  the  Methodist  churches  of  the  county,  and  the  influence  of  his 
life  was  as  a  grateful  benediction  to  all  who  knew  him.  In  his  later  year  he 
retired  from  farming  and  removed  to  Morris,  wliere  he  died  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty  years.  His  residence  was  always  the  home  of  the  early  pioneer 
circuit-riders,  and  his  earnest  devotion  to  the  cause  of  Methodism  was  most 
effective  in  promoting  the  work  of  his  church  in  this  section  of  the  state. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  743 

In  his  early  life  he  gave  his  political  support  to  the  Whig  party  and  later 
voted  with  the  Republican  party.  His  children  were  Lazenby,  John,  Will- 
iam W.,  Thomas  and  Mary  L.,  wife  of  Thomas  Widney,  now  of  Chicago. 
Three  of  the  sons, — Lazenby,  William  L.  and  Thomas, — were  Union  soldiers 
during  the  civil  war. 

Lazenby  Walker  acquired  a  common-school  education,  was  reared  upon 
the  home  farm,  and  near  Bellville,  Monroe  county,  on  the  i8th  of  March, 
1852,  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ann  Clithero,  who  was  born  August  4, 
1829,  near  Bellville,  her  parents  being  John  D.  and  Jemima  (Rush)  Clithero. 
Her  father  was  born  November  25,  1803,  and  was  a  son  of  John  and  Ann 
(Dixon)  Clithero.  Her  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Wales  and  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade.  After  his  marriage  he  came  to  America,  bringing  with  him 
his  family,  and  taking  up  his  abode  in  Bellville,  Ohio.  In  that  locality  he 
developed  an  excellent  farm  in  the  midst  of  the  forest  and  made  a  good 
pioneer  home,  becoming  a  substantial  citizen.  He  and  his  wife,  Ann,  were 
the  parents  of  several  children,  but  only  two  lived  beyond  infancy,  and  Mary 
died  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years.  John,  the  other  member  of  the  family, 
became  the  father  of  Mrs.  Walker.  Her  grandfather,  John  Clithero,  Sr., 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  an  industrious  and  highly  re- 
spected pioneer  citizen.  He  lived  to  old  age  and  died  in  Bellville,  Ohio. 
John  D.  Clithero,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Walker,  obtained  a  common-school 
education  in  the  Buckeye  state  and  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits.  In 
Ohio,  on  the  7th  of  October,  1824,  he  married  Jemima  Rush,  who  was  born 
in  Pennsylvania,  March  6,  1806,  a  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Elizabeth  Rush, 
who  also  were  natives  of  the  Keystone  state.  Her  father  was  a  farmer  and 
became  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Monroe  county,  Ohio,  where  he  cleared  a 
farm  in  the  midst  of  the  heavy  timber  region.  His  home  was  a  log  cabin, 
and  so  wild  was  the  country  that  it  was  no  infrequent  thing  to  hear  wolves 
howling  around  their  house  at  night.  Mr.  Rush  held  membership  in  the 
United  Brethren  church  and  was  a  man  whose  energy,  enterprise  and  relia- 
bility made  him  a  highly  respected  citizen  of  his  community.  He  died  in 
Monroe  county,  Ohio,  near  Antioch,  when  well  advanced  in  years.  His 
children  were:    John,  Slater,  Rachel,  Elizabeth  and  Jemima. 

After  their  marriage  John  D.  and  Jemima  Clithero  located  on  a  farm 
in  the  midst  of  the  forest  and  energetically  devoted  his  time  and  attention 
to  the  work  of  developing  his  land.  He  made  an  excellent  pioneer  home. 
All  of  his  children  were  born  in  Ohio,  and,  with  the  exception  of  two  who 
died  in  early  life,  all  became  a  credit  to  the  family.  Selling  his  farm  near 
Bellville,  Mr.  Clithero  took  up  his  abode  near  Woodsfield,  in  Monroe  county, 
Ohio,  where  he  purchased  a  large  farm,  upon  which  he  lived  for  many  years, 
his  death  there  occurring  March  9,  1880,  when  he  had  attained  the  age  of 


744  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

seventy-nine  years.  A  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  he  long  served  as 
class-leader,  filling  that  position  until  advanced  age  prevented  his  regular 
attendance  at  the  church  services.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  also  a 
licensed  exhorter  in  the  church.  Plain-spoken,  straightforward  in  all  his 
dealings,  he  carefully  reared  his  children  to  have  strict  regard  for  truth 
and  morality,  and  in  these  respects  he  set  them  an  excellent  example.  His 
life  was  indeed  an  exemplary  one  and  he  enjoyed  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  all  who  knew  him.  In  politics  he  was  an  old-line  Whig  until  after  the 
dissolution  of  the  party,  when  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  new  Republican 
party.  His  wife,  a  most  estimable  lady,  passed  away  June  19,  1881.  This 
worthy  couple  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children :  Joseph,  who 
was  born  July  25,  1825,  was  married  May  14,  1850,  to  Caroline  Jones,  and 
died  July  8,  1896;  Elizabeth,  born  May  25,  1827,  was  married  December  13, 
1849,  to  Fletcher  Starr,  and  died  March  24,  1893;  Ann,  born  August  4,  1829. 
was  married  March  18.  1852;  John,  born  July  2,  1831:  Isaac,  born  June  13, 
1835,  was  married  March  8,  1857,  to  Sarah  Taylor,  who  was  born  May  30, 
1835,  and  afterward  he  was  a  second  time  married,  on  the  28th  of  January, 
1869;  Rachel,  who  was  born  May  20,  1837,  died  June  7,  1839;  Edward,  who 
was  born  May  18,  1839,  was  married  in  August,  1861;  Jemima,  who  was 
born  March  19,  1841.  was  married  June  17,  1862.  and  died  March  7,  1871: 
Ivy  J.,  was  born  April  9,  1843;  an  infant,  unnamed,  died  January  14,  1845, 
the  day  succeeding  its  birth;  Citizen  was  born  February  i,  1846,  and  was 
married  January  26,  1869;  and  Cyrus  W.,  born  December  i.  1847,  ^^"^s  mar- 
ried September  6,  1877.  Sarah  Clithero  was  married  November  6,  1856, 
to  Samuel  Gilmore,  and  died  March  30,  1863. 

Lazenby  Walker  and  his  wife,  Ann  Clithero,  located  on  a  farm  about 
a  mile  from  Bellville,  Ohio,  renting  land  in  Monroe  county  until  they  came 
to  Illinois.  On  the  6th  of  December,  1S5S,  they  arrived  in  Morris  and  took 
up  their  abode  in  old  Mazon,  where  they  Hved  for  one  year.  In  the  spring  of 
i860  Mr.  Walker  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  south  of  the  village. — the 
farm  upon  which  his  son  Eddie  now  resides.  This  was  a  tract  of  wild  prairie, 
upon  which  not  a  furrow  had  been  turned  or  an  improvement  made.  He 
at  once  erected  a  home  and  began  the  improvement  of  the  farm,  but  his 
labors  were  soon  afterward  interrupted  by  his  enlistment  as  a  private  in  the 
civil  war. 

Feeling  that  his  country  needed  his  services  and  that  it  was  his  duty  to 
aid  in  behalf  of  the  Union,  he  enlisted  at  Morris,  on  the  nth  of  August, 
1862,  as  a  member  of  Company  D,  Ninety-fourth  Illinois  Infantry.  He 
served  for  three  years.  He  took  part  in  a  number  of  skirmisiies  and  was 
always  found  at  his  post,  faithfully  discharging  any  task  assigned  to  him. 
Death  came  to  him  at  Brownsville.  Texas,  on  the  14th  of  December,  1863, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  745 

and  his  remains  were  laid  in  the  soldiers'  cemetery  at  Fort  Brown.  He  died 
for  his  country,  leaving  to  his  family  a  record  of  an  heroic  and  well-spent  life. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  all  who  knew  him  esteemeil 
him  for  his  sterling  worth.  Upon  the  farm  he  was  an  industrious  and  hard- 
working man,  and  as  a  soldier  he  was  noted  for  his  accommodating  disposi- 
tion, being  ever  ready  to  aid  a  comrade  who  was  ill  or  in  distress.  He  often 
took  another's  place  on  guard  duty  and  thus  won  the  love  of  all  who  wore 
the  blue. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walker  were:  William  D.,  who  was 
born  January  7,  1853,  and  died  when  about  six  years  of  age;  Isaac  Benson, 
who  was  born  January  18,  1855:  Harriet  Jane,  born  March  8,  1857,  and  died 
in  infancy;  Thomas  Wilbur,  born  April  16,  1859;  Eddie  W.,  born  October 
31,  i860;  and  Oliver  L.,  born  December  8,  1863.  After  the  enlistment  of 
her  husband  Mrs.  Walker  took  charge  of  the  home  farm  and  worked  very 
hard  to  bring  up  her  family  and  care  for  them.  The  children  were  small 
and  the  struggle  was  a  very  dif^cult  one.  However,  she  resolutely  faced 
the  conditions  before  her,  and  by  her  thrift,  industry  and  good  management 
succeeded  in  keeping  her  little  ones  together  and  in  providing  for  them  a 
comfortable  home.  At  the  time  of  the  father's  death  but  little  improvement 
had  been  made  upon  the  farm.  Only  a  small  payment  had  been  made  on 
the  farm,  and  the  mother  was  obliged  to  pay  the  entire  amount  agreed  upon 
to  perfect  the  title.  Bravely  she  struggled  on,  supporting  her  family,  pro- 
viding for  them  a  good  home  and  giving  them  a  good  common-school  edu- 
cation. As  their  financial  resources  increased  she  purchased  more  land  and 
added  to  the  property  until  she  owned  a  valuable  tract  of  two  hundred 
acres.  Upon  this  she  erected  good  farm  buildings  and  thus  liecame  the 
owner  of  one  of  the  most  desirable  properties  in  the  township.  She  is  one 
of  the  honored  pioneer  women  of  Grundy  county,  and  certainly  deserves 
great  credit  for  what  she  accomplished  in  bringing  up  her  family  and  provid- 
ing for  them  a  comfortable  home  under  such  difficult  circumstances.  Her 
own  educational  privileges  were  limited,  but  she  had  a  naturally  bright  and 
active  mind  and  excellent  business  qualifications.  When  only  twelve  years 
of  age  she  united  with  the  Methodist  church,  of  which  she  has  since  been  a 
faithful  and  earnest  member,  doing  all  in  her  power  to  advance  its  work  and 
rearing  her  children  in  the  fear  and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 

Thomas  W.  Walker,  a  son  of  Lazenby  and  Ann  (Clithero)  Walker,  was 
reared  in  Grundy  county  upon  the  old  home  farm,  and  having  arrived  at 
years  of  maturity  he  was  married,  September  17,  1879,  to  Martha  Preston, 
the  wedding  taking  place  in  Good  Farm  township.  She  was  born  in  Grundy 
county,  May  20,  1861,  her  father  being  James  Preston,  a  son  of  Elijah  and 
Martha  (Weakly)   Preston.       James  Preston  was  a  native  of  Tuscarawas 


~a('>         biographical  axd  genealogical  record. 

county,  Ohio,  ami  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  was  married  in  Guern- 
sey county,  Ohio,  to  Elizabeth  Huffman,  who  was  of  sturdy  Pennsylvania 
Dutch  ancestry.  In  1849  Mr.  Preston  removed  with  his  family  to  Grundy 
county,  Illinois,  locating  in  Felix,  where  his  father  had  purchased  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  land.  Upon  this  tract  William  and  James  Preston, 
brothers,  established  their  home,  and  the  latter  improved  the  farm  and 
added  to  it  until  he  had  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  land.  He  was 
recognized  as  one  of  the  valued  and  representative  citizens  of  the  commu- 
nity. Twice  married,  the  children  of  his  first  marriage  were:  Eliza;  Frank, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years;  Randolph;  Sarah;  Mary  Adeline;  and 
Martha.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  Mr.  Preston  wedded  Rachel  Martin, 
nee  Bailey,  and  they  had  one  son,  James. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Walker  began  their  domestic  life  upon  the  farm 
now  occupied  by  Oliver  Walker,  and  there  they  lived  until  the  death  of  the 
wife,  on  the  17th  of  August,  1880.  She  was  a  woman  of  many  virtues  and  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church.  Their  only  child  was  Maud  M.,  who  was 
born  August  18,  1880,  and  was  therefore  only  five  days  old  at  the  time  of 
her  mother's  death.  Her  grandmother,  Mrs.  Ann  Walker,  then  took  charge 
of  her  and  has  carefully  reared  and  educated  her.  She  is  a  graduate  of  the 
high  school  of  Mazon  and  has  enjoyed  excellent  musical  advantages.  She 
has  taught  music  to  some  extent,  but  does  not  make  it  a  business.  A  young 
lady  of  culture  and  refinement,  she  is  a  credit  to  the  family  and  has  brought 
many  happy  hours  to  the  old  homestead.  For  his  second  wife  Thomas  W. 
Walker  chose  Miss  Florence  Beckwith,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  in 
Plainville,  Will  county,  Illinois.  After  their  marriage  they  resided  for  a 
few  years  in  Plainville  and  then  removed  to  oMazon,  where  Mr.  Walker 
erected  an  attractive  and  substantial  two-story  brick  residence.  Their  home 
has  been  blessed  with  the  presence  of  one  child,  Albert  Vernon. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Walker  is  a  stalwart  Republican  and  has  held 
the  office  of  treasurer  of  the  school  board.  He  holds  membership  in  the 
Methodist  church,  and  is  a  public-spirited  and  progressive  citizen  who  gives 
his  aid  and  co-operation  to  all  measures  calculated  to  prove  of  benefit  to  his 
town,  county  and  state.  A  practical  business  man,  he  has  won  success  in 
his  undertakings,  and  throughout  an  active  business  career  his  honorab'e 
efforts  have  gained  for  him  the  confidence  of  his  fellow  men. 


EDDIE     W.     WALKER. 

On  the  roll  of  enterprising  farmers  and  stock-raisers  of  Grundy  county 
appears  the  name  of  Eddie  W.  Walker,  who  is  engaged  in  the  cultivation 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  7A7 

of  a  valuable  tract  of  laiul  and  the  breeding  of  fine  horses  and  cattle,  his 
home  being  in  Mazon  township.  He  is  a  man  of  excellent  education  and 
well  known  as  a  progressive  and  public-spirited  citizen.  He  was  born  in 
Mazon  township,  October  31,  i860,  and  was  reared  to  farm  life.  He  began 
his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  his  district  and  afterward  continued 
his  studies  in  the  commercial  department  of  the  normal  school  at  Valparaiso, 
Indiana,  in  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1872.  Subsequently  he 
attended  the  normal  college  at  Dixon,  Illinois,  and  later  engaged  in  teaching 
school  in  Mazon  township.  He  was  very  successful  in  his  labors  as  an 
educator  and  acted  as  the  principal  of  the  graded  school  in  Mazon  during 
the  fall  and  winter  of  1888.  Altogether  he  taught  school  for  eight  winters, 
while  during  the  summer  season  he  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  His 
labors  in  the  school-room  were  very  etTective  and  beneficial,  for  he  had  the 
ability  to  impart  clearly  and  concisely  to  others  the  knowledge  he  had  ac- 
quired. 

Mr.  Walker  was  married  September  25,  1885,  in  Gardner,  Illinois, 
at  the  residence  of  the  bride's  parents,  to  Miss  Myrtle  H.  Keepers,  a  daugh- 
ter of  J.  J.  and  Mary  (Kimball)  Keepers.  She  was  born  February  15,  1865, 
in  Jefi'erson  township,  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  and  was  brought  by  her 
parents  to  Grundy  county  when  only  fourteen  months  old,  the  family  locating 
in  Good  Farm  township.  She  was  therefore  reared  in  Grundy  county  and 
in  the  common  schools  began  her  education,  her  early  privileges  being 
supplemented  by  study  in  the  Morris  Normal  School  through  one  winter 
and  in  the  Gardner  high  school.  She  thus  acquired  a  good  education  and 
when  only  seventeen  years  of  age  began  teaching.  For  five  terms  prior 
to  her  marriage  she  followed  teaching,  with  excellent  success.  She  is  a  lady 
of  superior  culture  and  innate  refinement,  and  to  her  husband  has  been  a 
faithful  companion  and  helpmate  on  life's  journey.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walker 
began  their  domestic  life  upon  the  old  homestead  and  Mr.  Walker  continued 
to  rent  land  from  his  mother  for  about  five  years.  On  the  division  of 
the  estate  he  received  forty  acres  as  his  share,  and  to  this  he  has  added 
from  time  to  time  until  he  now  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  fine 
farming  land,  which  he  has  improved  with  tile  drainage  and  by  excellent 
cultivation  until  he  now  has  one  of  the  most  desirable  farming  properties  in 
the  community.  He  has  erected  upon  the  place  good  substantial  buildings, 
and  the  well  tilled  fields  give  evidence  of  his  careful  supervision.  He  is  a 
well  known  and  prominent  breeder  of  Percheron  horses  and  short-horn 
Durham  cattle.  He  is  a  well  known  dealer,  having  some  very  fine  stock. 
A  practical  business  man,  his  industry  and  enterprise  have  been  salient 
features  in  his  success,  and  to-day  he  stands  among  the  well-to-do  farmers 
of  Grundv  countv. 


748  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walker  have  been  born  the  following  children: 
Floyde  E.,  who  was  born  July  24,  1886;  J\lyr  J.,  born  ISIarch  26,  1890; 
•Ollie  L.,  born  May  16,  1892;  and  Dayre  K.,  who  was  born  July  13,  1897,  and 
died  February  8,  1898,  at  the  age  of  seven  months. 

The  parents  are  both  earnest  Christian  people.  Mr.  Walker  belongs 
to  the  Methodist  church,  with  which  he  united  when  fourteen  years  of  age, 
.and  his  wife  became  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  when  twelve  years  of 
age.  He  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  cause  of  education  and 
the  public-school  system  finds  in  him  a  warm  friend.  He  has  done  effective 
service  in  the  interests  of  the  schools  while  serving  as  director  and  trustee, 
and  his  co-operation  has  been  given  to  many  other  movements  and 
measures  calculated  to  prove  of  public  benefit.  Fraternally  he  is  connected 
with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Mazon.  Honorable  in  business,  straight- 
forward in  all  life's  relations,  he  commands  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his 
fellow  men  and  is  justly  classified  among  the  representative  agriculturists 
of  his  community. 


TOHN   H.   COLES. 


The  writer  may  be  in  error,  but,  having  been  for  many  years  a  close 
■observer  of  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men,  and  having  to  some  extent 
studied  the  influence  of  occupation  on  character,  he  has  long  been  of  the 
opinion  that  the  daily  life  of  the  shoemaker  is  conducive  to  thought. 
Thought  is  conducive  to  right  understanding,  and  hence  the  fact  that  shoe- 
makers are  exceptionally  well  informed  upon  all  public  questions  would 
appear  to  require  no  further  explanation.  It  should  be  understood,  how- 
ever, that  shoemakers  who  work  in  their  own  shops  are  referred  to,  shoe- 
makers who  are  masters  of  all  parts  of  the  trade,  not  "operatives"  who  do 
odd  bits  of  shoemaking  in  big  factories  and  know  little  about  any  other 
portions  of  the  work.  In  his  idle  intervals  the  shoemaker  reads,  and  while 
he  works  he  thinks  and  argues,  and  he  is  usually  able  to  give  a  good  reason 
for  any  opinion  he  may  advance.  As  a  consequence  his  humble  shop  be- 
comes the  center  of  local  political  discussion  and  is  a  point  from  which 
political  opinion  of  a  sensible  type  is  disseminated  throughout  his  neighbor- 
hood. Usually,  as  with  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  the  shoemaker  is  entrusted 
with  responsible  ofiice. 

John  H.  Coles,  notary  public,  justice  of  the  peace  and  police  justice, 
has  been  a  resident  of  Gardner,  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  since  1857.  He 
was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Pennsylvania,  February  5,  1822,  and  his 
father,  Enoch  Coles,  was  a  native  of  Westchester  county.  New  York.  The 
family  is  of  English  origin  and  the  original  American  ancestor  came  over  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  749- 

1642.  Two  brothers  came  at  that  time  and  one  of  them  settled  in  New 
York  and  the  other  in  New  Jersey,  and  from  the  former  the  subject  of  this 
notice  descended.  Enoch  Coles  was  married  to  Margaret  Henderson,  a 
native  of  Delaware,  and  about  1818  he  removed  to  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
lived  out  the  remainder  of  his  life.  After  her  husband's  death,  the  wife  of 
Enoch  Coles  and  the  mother  of  John  H.  Coles  removed  to  Germantown, 
Pennsylvania,  where  she  died. 

John  H.  Coles  was  one  of  sixteen  children,  only  seven  of  whom  were 
living  in  1899.  He  was  reared,  educated  and  married  in  Pennsylvania.  His 
first  wife,  who  was  Mary  Elizabeth  Hart,  died  in  Gardner  in  1861.  In  1863 
he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Martha  J.  Dunmore,  whose  maiden  name  was  Sut- 
ton. Mr.  Coles  was  the  father  of  five  children  by  his  first  wife,  three  of  whom 
are  living;  and  four  by  his  second  wife,  all  of  whom  are  living.  The  eldest 
by  his  first  marriage  now  living  is  Mrs.  Mary  Van  Dusen,  of  Pontiac,  Illi- 
nois. The  others  are  John  Alfred,  of  Clay  county,  Kansas,  and  William  F.,. 
of  Ottumwa,  Iowa.  George  and  Henry,  children  by  this  marriage,  are  dead. 
The  eldest  by  his  second  marriage  is  Elwood  A.,  of  Greenfield  township. 
The  second  is  Mrs.  Jessie  M.  Clover,  of  Morris,  Illinois.  The  others  are- 
Herbert  M.  and  Nathan  E.,  both  of  Morris,  Illinois. 

John  H.  Coles  learned  the  trade  of  shoemaking  of  his  father,  who  fol- 
lowed that  trade  as  the  business  of  his  life,  and  has  worked  at  it  most  of  the 
time  since.  He  has  been  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  police  magistrate  for 
nearly  thirty  years,  was  the  first  police  magistrate  of  Gardner,  the  first  presi- 
dent of  the  board  of  trustees  of  his  town  and  has  been  town  clerk  for  twenty- 
five  years.  He  was  the  first  notary  public  in  Greenfield  township  and  now 
has  his  ninth  consecutive  commission.  Politically  he  has  been  a  Repulilican 
since  the  organization  of  that  party.  All  his  life  he  has  been  a  pronounced 
temperance  man  and  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  since  1843. 


SAMPSON     H.    REDFIELD. 

Sampson  Henry  Redfield,  one  of  the  venerable  and  respected  pioneer 
citizens  of  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county,  was  born  in  Winchester, 
Worcester  county,  Massachusetts,  January  9,  1814,  a  son  of  Sherman  and 
Elsie  (Warner)  Redfield.  Both  the  Warners  and  the  Redfields  were  of  the 
old  New  England  Puritan  stock,  the  remote  founders  of  the  families  having 
come  from  England,  at  the  time  of  the  foundation  of  the  Massachusetts 
colony. 

William  Redfin — or  Redfen,  as  the  name  was  first  spelled  in  America 
and  which  was  gradually  changed  to  Redfield — was  the  founder  of  this  family 


750  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

in  this  country,  coming  from  England  between  1630  and  1639  and  settling 
on  the  south  side  of  Charles  river,  about  six  miles  from  Boston,  one  of  the 
first  to  locate  on  that  side  of  the  river.  But  little  is  known  of  him,  how- 
ever. From  his  son  James  the  branch  of  Redfields  with  which  we  are  con- 
cerned has  descended.  James  learned  the  art  of  tanning  in  New  London, 
Coimecticut,  serving  five  years  from  April  i,  1667,  at  which  latter  date  he 
was  si.xteen  years  of  age. 

Theophilus,  the  eldest  son  of  James,  next  in  the  line  of  descent  to  the 
relatives  of  our  subject,  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  probably  settled 
at  Killingworth,  Connecticut,  after  becoming  of  age.  He  bought  a  home- 
stead, which  was  afterward  named  Clinton,  and  is  now  one  of  the  pleasantest 
of  those  villages  which  border  on  Long  Island  sound.  About  1717  or  the 
the  next  year  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  of  about  a  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  on  Chestnut  Hill,  North  KillingAvorth,  where  several  families  of  the 
name  still  reside,  and  here  Theophilus  passed  his  remaining  days.  He  was 
known  as  Sergeant  Redfield,  was  a  member  of  a  military  company  and  of 
several  town  committees,  and  was  a  prominent  citizen.  He  married  Priscilla 
Greenel,  or  Greinel,  who  at  the  time  was  aged  seventeen  years:  she  was  a 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Lydia  Greenel.  The  children  were  Daniel,  Eliza- 
beth, Richard,  Ebenezer,  Lydia,  Theophilus,  Priscilla,  Peleg,  George,  Will- 
iam, Josiah,  Jane  and  James. — thirteen  in  all,  and  all  of  whom  lived  to  have 
families  of  their  own.  From  this  stock  are  descended  nine-tenths  of  those 
bearing  the  name  of  Redfield  in  this  country. 

George  Redfield,  the  sixth  son  of  Theophilus,  resided  at  Killingworth, 
Connecticut,  and  in  1750  married  Trial  Ward,  of  that  place.  She  died  in 
1762,  and  January  8.  1767,  Mr.  Redfield  married  Abigail  Stone,  who  died 
April  15,  1769.  He  died  at  Killingworth,  May  30,  1812,  in  his  eighty- 
seventh  year.  His  children  were  all  by  his  first  marriage,  namely : 
Ambrose,  born  December  13,  1750;  Jeremy,  August  21,  1752;  Sylvanus. 
December  30,  1754:  Seth,  January  17,  1757:  Jane.  December  19,  1759:  and 
Peleg,  May  14,  1762. 

Seth.  the  fourth  son  of  George  Redfield.  the  next  in  our  line,  resided 
at  Killingworth  until  about  1800,  when  he  removed  to  Claremont.  New 
Hampshire.  December  2.  1779,  he  married  Sarah  Pierson,  a  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Rachel  Pierson,  of  Killingworth.  She  died  at  Claremont,  Sep- 
tember 5,  1802,  and  he  afterward  married  a  widow  named  Parmalee,  and 
returned  to  Killingworth,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days.  The 
children  by  his  first  v.-ife  were  Truman,  born  at  Killingworth.  September 
23,  1780,  became  a  blacksmith  and  died  at  Guadaloupe,  West  Lidies,  in  1801 : 
Seth,  born  also  at  KilHngworth,  July  17.  1780,  and  died  July  iS.  1782;  Sher- 
man, born  June  26,   1783;  Sheldon,  June  24,   1785;  Cleveland,  October  6, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  A.\D    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD.  751 

1787;  Samuel  Ashford,  born  July  23.  1790,  became  a  sailor,  was  impressed 
by  the  British  while  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  escaped,  and  died  in  1813, 
at  Woodstock,  Vermont;  Anthony  Chauncey,  born  October  7,  1791;  Sarah, 
January  7,  1793,  died  August  28,  1795;  Seth,  born  February  10,  1796;  Mar- 
vin. February  16,  1799;  and  Clermont,  born  in  1800  and  died  in  1802. 
The  children  by  the  second  wife  were :  Adeline,  born  at  Claremont,  New 
Hampshire,  in  1804;  William,  born  in  1806,  moved  west  and  became  a 
ship-builder  at  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin. 

Sherman,  the  third  son  of  Seth  Redfield,  and  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  a  gunsmith  and  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  married  at  Claremont,  in  1805, 
Elsie  Maria  Warner,  a  daughter  of  Abijah  and  Elsie  (Fuller)  Warner,  of  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut.  In  1814  he  served  as  a  musician  in  the  war  with  Great 
Britain,  under  Captain  Warren,  and  was  in  one  battle.  From  Claremont 
he  moved  to  Fitzwilliam,  New  York,  afterward  to  Rochester,  same  state. 
and  finally  to  Canton,  same  state,  in  1820,  where  he  died  June  3,  1850,  aged 
sixty-seven  years.  His  children  were  Lola  Almira,  born  April  12,  1806; 
Frances  Maria,  born  November  3.  1808,  and  died  October  12,  181 1;  Sarah, 
born  March  27,  181 1;  Sampson  Henry,  born  January  9,  1814;  Elsie  Maria, 
April  28.  1816:  Orrin  Sherman.  October  6,  1819;  and  Emily,  December 
29,  1824.  Mr.  Sherman  Redfield  and  wife  w'ere  both  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist church.  In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat,  and  in  his  general  character  he 
was  an  industrious  and  highly  respected  citizen. 

Abijah  Warner  was  also  of  the  old  Puritan  stock  and  a  soklier  in  the 
war  of  the  Revolution.  He  married  Ellen  Fuller,  a  daughter  of  John  Fuller, 
of  the  old  New  England  stock,  who  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade  and  also  a 
soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Abijah  Warner  was  a  well  known  tavern- 
keeper  in  Winchester  for  many  years.  He  moved  to  St.  Lawrence  county. 
New  York,  in  1820,  and  passed  his  remaining  days  on  his  farm  in  that  county, 
where  he  died  in  1832,  a  prominent  and  respected  citizen.  His  children 
were  Abijah,  Elsie,  Betsy,  Sampson  and  Nathaniel. 

During  our  Revolutionary  period  the  Redfield  family  took  a  prominent 
part  in  behalf  of  American  independence,  and  the  sons  of  George  Redfield, 
the  great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  were  noted  for  their  patriotism.  Am- 
brose, the  eldest  son  of  Seth,  was  a  corporal  in  1775,  in  Captain  Samuel 
Gates'  company,  which  was  a  part  of  the  Sixth  Regiment,  serving  at  the 
siege  of  Boston  in  General  Putnam's  brigade  and  in  several  other  engage- 
ments. Jeremy  Redfield.  the  second  son  of  George,  was  a  resident  of 
Killingworth,  was  a  fifer  in  that  war.  succeeded  by  his  brother  Peleg.  The 
last  mentioned  entered  the  continental  army  as  a  fifer  in  1777.  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  years  and  rendered  a  long  continued  service.  There  were  many 
Redfields  in  the  Revolutionarv  war  and  seven  in  the  war  of  1812. 


75^  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

Sampson  Henry  Redfield,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  notice,  was 
six  years  old  when  his  father  went  to  Canton,  New  York.  He  received  but 
very  little  education,  there  being  no  schools  of  any  account  in  his  day;  but  he 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  thoroughly  with  his  father  and  afterwacd 
farming,  having  a  natural  love  for  agricultural  life  and  being  determined 
when  young  to  become  the  owner  of  broad  acres.  Mr.  Redfield  married,  in 
St.  Lawrence  county,  New  York,  February  17,  1848,  Mary  Alaria  Hutchin- 
son, who  was  born  in  Canton,  New  York,  March  8,  1822,  a  daughter  of 
William  and  Mary  E.  (Clark)  Hutchinson.  William  Hutchinson  was  born 
in  England  in  1790.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Ireland  and  his  mother 
was  an  English  lady.  William  came  to  America  when  young,  leaving  his 
native  country  on  account  of  the  severe  military  laws.  He  settled  in  Canton, 
New  York,  and  there  married  Mary  E.  Clark,  of  New  England  Puritan 
stock,  and  bought  a  farm  in  St.  Lawrence  county,  New  York,  where  he 
passed  all  his  remaining  days  and  died  in  i860,  aged  about  seventy  years. 
Politically  he  was  a  Democrat  and  he  was  an  industrious,  much  respected 
man.     His  children  were  IMary  AL,  Clark,  Louisa,  Ira  and  Laura. 

After  marriage,  ^Ir.  and  Mrs.  Sampson  H.  Redfield  lived  near  Canton, 
New  York,  where  he  bought  seventy  acres  of  land,  until  November,  1858, 
when  they  moved  to  Illinois.  They  made  the  journey  by  w^ay  of  the  lakes 
to  Chicago  and  drove  from  there  to  Grundy  county  and  settled  in  Mazon 
township  on  forty  acres  of  land  which  Mr.  Redfield  bought,  for  eighteen 
dollars  an  acre,  upon  which  there  were  some  improvements,  including  a  small 
frame  house.  He  set  himself  diligently  to  the  task  of  improving  this  farm 
and  putting  it  under  cultivation,  and  he  was  so  successful  that  he  was  enabled 
to  add  to  his  landed  property  by  judicious  investment  of  his  savings  until  he 
now  owns  two  hundred  acres  of  as  good  and  productive  land  as  the  sun  ever 
warmed  into  fertility,  with  fine  and  ample  buildings  and  the  best  appliances 
of  all  kinds.  Mrs.  Redfield  died  October  28,  1880,  after  having  been  long  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  with  which  Mr.  Redfield  has  been  identified 
for  forty-five  years.  He  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  a  strong  temperance  man 
and  a  citizen  of  the  highest  character. 

The  children  of  Sampson  Henry  and  Mary  Maria  (Hutchinson)  Redfield 
are  Mary  E.,  ^ilalvina  J.,  and  Emily  E.  They  all  received  an  excellent  edu- 
cation, acquired  largely  at  the  High  School  Institute,  a  select  school  in  Mor- 
ris, and  all  became  teachers.  Mary  E.  has  taught  in  the  schools  of  Grundy 
county  for  ten  years  and  has  become  known  as  an  efficient  and  popular 
teacher.  A  lady  of  much  energy  and  ability,  she  went  to  Dakota  and  taught 
school  near  Alexandria  and  took  up  a  government  land  claim  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  Douglas  county.  South  Dakota,  which  she  sold  a  few- 
years  later  for  one  thousand  dollars.     She  returned  and  is  now  living  on  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  753 

old  homestead.  She  is  a  lady  of  excellent  financial  ability.  Malvina  J. 
married  George  Burnham,  a  farmer,  and  they  had  four  children  named  Le- 
land  R.,  Mabel  M.,  Amanda  L.  and  Ida  E.  Mrs.  Burnham  died  aged  about 
forty-four  years.  She  was  a  teacher  in  Grundy  county  for  several  years. 
Emily  E.  married  Joseph  E.  Keepers  and  he  farms  the  homestead.  Mrs. 
Keepers  was  also  a  school-teacher  in  Grundy  county. 


RHONELLO    G.    THOMPSON. 

The  Thompson  family  of  which  our  subject  is  a  representative  was 
founded  in  New  England  in  colonial  days.  His  grandfather,  James  Thomp- 
son, was  born  in  the  Pine  Tree  state  and  was  twice  married,  his  first  union 
being  with  Sarah  Bacon.  After  her  death  he  wedded  Matilda  Stiles,  and 
both  ladies  were  representatives  of  old  New  England  families  that  were 
established  in  Maine  at  an  early  day.  The  children  of  the  first  union  were : 
Timothy,  a  cooper  and  carpenter;  Osgood;  Samuel,  who  died  in  1850;  and 
James,  who  is  still  living  on  a  farm  in  Maine.  The  mother  died  in  1832  and 
the  father  wedded  Matilda  Stiles,  by  whom  he  had  six  children :  Sarah,  wife 
of  Benjamin  Moody;  Hannah  J.,  wife  of  Robert  Shaddock;  John,  a  resident 
farmer  of  the  Pine  Tree  state;  Mary  E.,  who  is  married  and  lives  in  Maine; 
Lydia,  wife  of  Albert  Small;  and  Arietta,  who  is  married  and  lives  in  Maine. 
James  Thompson  removed  to  Athens,  Maine,  after  his  marriage  and  became 
a  well-to-do  and  respected  citizen  of  that  locality,  his  death  occurring  there 
in  1865,  when  he  had  attained  a  venerable  age.  He  held  the  ofifice  of  select- 
man and  served  as  an  officer  in  the  war  of  1812,  while  one  of  his  sons  became 
a  member  of  a  Maine  regiment  during  the  civil  war.  He  was  incarcerated 
in  Andersonville  prison. 

Osgood  Thompson,  the  father  of  our  subject,  obtained  the  usual  school 
privileges  afforded  in  his  native  state  at  that  time.  He  was  born  in  Somer- 
set, Maine,  December  30,  1821,  and  was  married  there  on  the  i8th  of  De- 
cember, 1842,  to  Hannah  W.  VVentworth,  whose  birth  occurred  near 
Camden,  Maine,  June  2,  1823,  a  daughter  of  Reuben  and  Sarah  Wentworth. 
Her  father  was  descended  from  old  New  England  Puritan  ancestors  who 
came  from  the  mother  country,  where  the  family  was  one  of  prominence. 
Hon.  John  Wentworth,  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  Chicago,  is  a  member 
of  the  same  family.  Reuben  Wentworth  was  a  farmer  near  Camden,  Maine, 
and  was  accounted  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  the  community.  He 
lived  to  an  advanced  age,  his  death  occurring  in  the  Pine  Tree  state.  His 
children  were  Enoch,  John,  Daniel,  Joseph,  Jane,  Evangeline  and  Sarah. 

After  his  marriage  Osgood  Thompson  located    in    Somerset    county. 


754  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Maine,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade,  maintaining  his  residence  in  Athens 
tlirough  a  long  period.  In  early  Hfe  lie  served  as  a  captain  in  the  old  state 
militia,  was  a  selectman  of  his  town,  and  held  other  local  offices.  In  April, 
1866,  he  came  to  Illinois,  where  in  the  following  August  he  was  joined  by  his 
family,  who  took  up  their  abode  on  a  farm  in  Highland  township,  Grundy 
county,  upon  which  our  subject  now  resides.  The  father  rented  the  land  at 
first,  but  afterward  purchased  it.  It  had  been  broken  only  the  year  previous 
to  his  arrival  in  the  county,  and  all  of  the  improvements  upon  it  were  placed 
there  through  his  own  efforts.  The  following  year  he  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Wall  township.  Ford  county,  locating  upon  that  property 
in  1870  and  making  it  his  home  until  his  death.  By  additional  purchase 
he  extended  his  boundaries  until  it  comprised  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres. 
He  improved  that  farm  from  the  original  prairie,  erected  good  buildings 
thereon  and  made  an  excellent  home,  being  regarded  as  an  industrious  and 
capable  man,  who  was  highly  respected.  He  died  September  23,  1898.  at 
the  age  of  seventy-seven  years,  and  his  wife  passed  away  July  4,  1897.  Both 
were  consistent  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  Mr.  Thompson 
served  as  a  class-leader  for  twenty-five  years,  and  took  an  active  part  in 
promoting  the  growth  and  upbuilding  of  the  congregation  with  which  he 
was  connected.  A  few  years  prior  to  his  death  he  put  aside  business  cares 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  Melvin,  Ford  county,  where  he  owned  a  pleasant 
home.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  town  council  and  was  an  infiuential 
citizen  of  that  locality,  greatly  respected  for  his  sterling  worth.  His  chil- 
dren, seven  in  number,  were  all  born  in  Maine,  namely:  William  H.,  born 
May  21,  1842;  Frederick  G.,  born  March  29,  1844;  Anna  B.,  born  November 
9,  1846:  Rhonello  G.,  born  September  4,  1848;  May  F.,  born  June  24,  1854; 
James  S.,  born  July  9,  1858;  and  Vion  O.,  born  May  16,  1862.  •  Of  this 
family  two  of  the  sons,  William  and  Fred,  were  members  of  the  Seventh 
Maine  Infantry  during  the  civil  war.  They  went  to  the  front  with  Com- 
pany F,  for  three  years,  and  at  the  close  of  that  period  were  honorably  dis- 
charged, having  participated  in  many  battles,  including  the  engagements 
at  Gettysburg  and  the  Wilderness,  where  Frederick  was  wounded. 

Rhonello  G.  Thompson,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  born 
September  4,  1848,  at  Athens,  Maine,  and  enjoyed  the  usual  common-school 
privileges.  He  assisted  in  the  working  of  his  father's  farm  near  his  native 
town,  and  in  1866,  when  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  came  with  his  parents 
to  Illinois.  He  was  married  when  nearly  twenty-two  years  of  age  in  High- 
land township,  Grundy  county,  to  Alice  Matilda  Waite,  the  wedding  being 
celebrated  December  22,,  1869.  The  lady  was  born  in  that  township  March 
26,  1851,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Philip  and  Nancy  (Bryant)  Waite.  Her 
father  was  born  in  New  York,  January  6.  1819,  a  son  of  Walter  Waite,  who 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  755 

represented  one  of  the  old  New  England  families  of  English  lineage,  repre- 
sentatives of  the  name  being  pioneer  settlers  near  Buffalo,  New  York. 
Walter  Waite  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  with  his  family  he  removed 
to  Kane  county,  IlHnois,  where  he  died  at  about  the  age  of  fifty  years.  His 
children  were  Philip,  Benjamin,  Simon,  Lydia,  Clark  and  Hiram.  Philip 
Waite,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Thompson,  was  educated  in  the  common  schools, 
reared  on  a  farm,  and  in  1842  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  was  married  No- 
vember 6,  1845,  to  Nancy  Bryant,  of  Dresden,  that  state.  Her  father, 
Joseph  Bryant,  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  became  one  of  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  establishing  his  home  in  Dresden.  By 
trade  he  was  a  tailor.  His  children  were  John,  Martin,  Letitia,  Maria,  Nancy 
and  Matilda. 

Philip  Waite  and  his  wife  located  on  a  farm  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio, 
and  in  1849  came  to  Illinois,  making  the  journey  by  team.  They  were  six 
weeks  upon  the  way  and  passed  through  Chicago  when  it  was  a  mere  village, 
Mr.  Waite  being  oftered  a  tract  of  land  in  what  is  now  the  heart  of  the  city 
in  exchange  for  his  team  of  horses.  He  refused  the  offer,  however,  and 
continued  on  his  way  to  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county.  Not  long  after- 
ward he  purchased  land  of  the  government  in  Highland  township,  a  mile 
north  and  a  mile  west  of  the  present  home  of  our  subject.  This  was  wild 
prairie  land  upon  which  not  a  furrow  had  been  turned  or  an  improvement 
made,  and  not  a  house  was  in  sight  of  their  pioneer  cabin.  The  country 
abounded  in  wild  game,  including  deer,  and  venison  was  a  frequent  dish 
upon  the  family  table.  Mr.  Waite  prospered  in  his  undertakings  and  added 
to  his  land  until  he  became  the  owner  of  a  valuable  property  of  one  hundred 
and  ninety  acres,  all  of  which  he  placed  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
He  labored  under  many  difficulties  in  his  early  settlement,  but  with  charac- 
teristic determination  conquered  all  obstacles.  His  horses  were  killed  by 
lightning  the  first  year  and  he  was  obliged  to  buy  oxen.  He  also  experi- 
enced the  other  hardships  incident  to  the  establishment  of  a  home  upon 
the  frontier,  but  as  the  years  passed  by  prosperity  rewarded  his  labors.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Universalist  church  and  his  wife  belonged  to  the 
Christian  church.  An  honorable  and  straightforward  business  man  and  a 
representative  citizen,  he  was  frequently  called  to  public  office,  and  for  twenty 
years  served  as  the  supervisor  of  his  township.  His  children  were :  Alvilda 
Maria,  who  was  born  March  10,  1842;  Romanzo  Walter,  who  was  born  in 
Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  December  20,  1848;  Alice  M.,  who  was  born 
March  6,  1851,  in  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county;  Emma  Caroline,  Sep- 
tember II,  1853;  Edna  Bryant,  January  11,  1855;  and  Newton  John,  No- 
vember II,  1858. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and   Mrs.  Thompson  located  on  a  farm   in 


756  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

Wall  township,  Ford  county,  but  the  following  year  returned  to  Highland 
township,  Grundy  county,  and  in  April,  1871,  purchased  their  present  farm, 
then  comprising  eighty  acres,  partially  improved.  By  thrift  and  industry 
Mr.  Thompson  has  prospered  and  has  added  to  his  property  until  he  now 
has  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  which  is  under  a  high  state  of  culti- 
vation, constituting  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  his  township.  In  1885  he 
erected  an  attractive  residence  and  has  erected  other  substantial  buildings, 
which  add  to  the  value  and  attractive  appearance  of  the  place.  The  home 
has  been  blessed  with  three  children :  Edna  C,  who  was  born  June  7,  1874, 
and  died  April  19,  1875;  Charles  Osgood,  born  April  19,  1876;  and  Leslie 
Eugene,  born  April  18,  1881.  The  elder  son  married  Louie  Greenwalt.  of 
Buffalo,  New  York,  who  resides  in  Massillon,  Ohio.  They  have  one  son. 
A'ernon  R. 

Mr.  Thompson  has  always  followed  farming,  with  the  exception  of  a 
short  time  which  he  spent  in  Chicago,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  feed 
business  in  connection  with  his  brother  William.  He  still  retains  an  interest 
in  that  store.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and  fraternally  he  is  cqnnected 
with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge  of  \'erona. 


CHARLES  FILLMAN. 


On  the  list  of  Grundy  county's  substantial  farmers  appears  the  name 
of  Charles  Fillman,  who  is  one  of  the  practical  and  progressive  agricul- 
turists of  Good  Farm  township.  He  was  born  in  Dwight,  Livingston 
county,  Illinois,  August  28,  i860,  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Mary  Fillman.  His 
father,  Jacob  Martin  Fillman.  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Good  Farm 
township  and  a  worthy  representative  of  the  Fatherland,  whence  have  come 
so  many  of  the  substantial  American  settlers.  He  was  born  in  Nassau, 
August  29,  1826,  his  parents  being  John  George  and  Anna  Sevilla  (Stark) 
\'illman,  for  thus  the  name  was  spelled  in  Germany.  The  grandfather  was 
a  native  of  Germany,  the  family  having  for  generations  resided  in  that  lo- 
calitv.  John  George  Fillman  was  a  miller  by  trade  and  resided  in  the 
city  of  Kaube.  For  some  years  he  held  membership  in  the  Lutheran 
church,  but  afterward  united  with  the  Evangelical  church.  He  owned  a 
home  and  some  horses  and  cattle  and  carried  on  farming  on  land  which 
belonged  to  the  town  and  was  rented  to  the  people  for  raising  small  crops. 
His  death  occurred  in  Germany,  when  he  had  attained  the  age  of  sixty- 
three  years.  His  children  were  Nicholas,  Christian,  Henrietta,  Philip. 
George  and  Jacob  Martin. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  7S7 

The  last  named  attended  school  hetween  the  ages  of  six  and  fourteen 
years,  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  early  life  and  came  to  America 
when  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  sailing  from  Germany  to  Hull,  England, 
and  from  Liverpool  to  America,  arriving  in  New  Orleans  in  November, 
1852.  after  a  voyage  of  forty-two  days.  He  then  proceeded  by  steamer 
to  St.  Louis,  where  he  lived  for  one  year,  devoting  his  energies  to  the 
blacksmith's  trade.  For  his  first  week's  work  he  received  five  dollars  in 
gold.  He  was  married  in  that  city  to  Mary  Eberhardt.  and  they  became 
the  parents  of  a  daughter.  Bertha.  The  mother  died  a  short  time  after- 
ward, and  from  St.  Louis  Mr.  Fillman  removed  to  Ottawa.  Illinois,  where 
his  daughter  was  reared  by  her  maternal  grandfather,  Joseph  Eberhardt. 
who  is  now  deceased.  Air.  Fihman  worked  at  the  lilacksmith's  trade  from 
September  30.  1854.  until  February  i,  1855,  when  he  went  to  St.  Paul 
on  a  prospecting  tour.  He  located,  however,  in  Galena,  Illinois,  where 
he  followed  b'acksmithing  and  wagon-making.  Subsequently  he  spent  some 
time  in  Elgin.  Illinois,  after  which  he  went  to  Ottawa.  He  was  married 
August  7,  1855,  to  Eva  Maria  Burger,  of  Morris.  Illinois,  who  was  born 
in  the  village  of  Kaudorf,  Bavaria,  on  the  17th  of  June,  1834,  and  came 
to  America  in  185 1,  with  her  brother,  George  S.  Burger.  They  left  Ham- 
burg on  a  new  sailing  vessel  and  from  New  York  came  to  Illinois,  locating 
in  Good  Farm  township,  Grundy  county. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fillman  located  in  Ottawa,  where 
he  worked  at  his  trade  until  March  5,  1856,  when  he  established  a  black- 
smith shop  of  his  own  at  Marseilles,  Illinois,  being  employed  there  until 
December  5,  1857.  Subsequently  he  purchased  a  farm  of  forty  acres  in 
LaSalle  county  and  in  1858  he  bought  a  second  tract  in  Good  Farm  town- 
ship, for  which  he  paid  ten  dollars  per  acre.  Removing  to  Dwight,  he 
opened  a  blacksmith  shop  in  which  he  carried  on  business  for  seven  years. 
He  then  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  just  across  the 
road  from  his  present  home.  There  were  few  improvements  upon  the 
place,  yet  he  carried  on  the  work  of  cultivation,  making  it  his  home  for 
many  years.  As  his  financial  resources  increased  he  extended  its  boundaries 
from  time  to  time  until  he  owned  six  hundred  acres,  which  came  to  him 
as  the  result  of  hard  work  and  untiring  thrift.  By  his  second  wife  Mr. 
Fillman  had  the  following  children  :  George  Stephen,  born  January  3,  1857; 
John  William,  born  January  ti,  1859,  and  died  at  the  age  of  four  years; 
Charles,  born  August  28,  i860;  Ludwig  Leonard,  born  July  12,  1862; 
Catherine  Marietta,  born  September  28,  1864;  John  Jacob,  born  January 
27,  1867;  and  Barbara  Maria  Louise,  born  October  25,  1869.  The  parents 
are  members  of  the  Lutheran  church  and  he  held  the  office  of  elder  and 
church  librarian.     In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat  and  for  three  years  he 


758  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

served  as  the  road  commissioner  for  Good  Farm  township.  He  has  led 
d  very  busy,  industrious  Hfe,  earning  his  property  by  his  own  unaided 
efforts.  His  Hfe  has  ever  been  honorable  and  upright,  characterized  by 
common  sense  and  good  judgment  in  all  private  and  public  relations.  He 
has  never  used  either  whisky  or  tobacco,  and  his  career  has  been  charac- 
terized by  fidelity  to  those  principles  which  ennoble  and  elevate  men. 

In  the  common  schools  Charles  Fillman,  of  this  review,  acquired  his 
education  and  upon  the  home  farm  he  was  early  trained  to  the  work  of 
field  and  meadow.  At  the  age  of  twenty-three  he  was  married,  in  Good 
Farm  township,  to  Lizzie  Klughardt,  the  wedding  taking  place  April  u, 
1883.  She  was  born  in  Livingston  county,  Illinois,  May  2,  1864,  a  daughter 
of  Christian  and  Lavina  (Burk)  Klughardt.  Her  father  was  born  in  Ba- 
varia, April  23,  1836,  and  was  a  son  of  John  and  Katherine  (Xarles)  Klug- 
hardt. His  father  was  born  in  the  same  locality,  in  1808,  and  the  ancestors 
had  resided  in  Bavaria  for  many  generations.  John  Klughardt  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade,  and  was  married  in  his  native  town,  the  children  of  their 
union  being  Christian,  Katherine,  Julia.  John,  Mary,  Emma  and  Leo.  The 
father  of  these  children  came  to  America,  bringing  with  him  his  wife  and 
son,  Christian,  who  was  then  three  years  old.  He  left  his  home  in  August, 
1839,  sailed  from  Hamburg  and  after  a  stormy  voyage  of  sixty-five  days 
reached  the  harbor  of  New  York  in  October.  He  made  a  settlement  near 
Schenectady,  Montgomery  county.  New  York,  where  he  followed  shoe- 
making  among  the  Holland  Dutch  of  this  locality,  meeting  w-ith  prosper- 
ity during  the  five  years  in  which  he  followed  his  trade  there.  On  coming 
to  Illinois  he  settled  in  Oswego  township,  Kendall  county,  where  he  pur- 
chased twenty-two  acres  of  land,  making  his  home  there  for  nine  years. 
He  came  to  Good  Farm  township  in  July,  1853,  settling  on  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  wild  land,  which  he  improved  and  cultivated  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  January  9.  1839.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  held  the  office  of  class-leader  and  was  an  upright  and  respected 
man.  All  of  his  children  were  born  in  America,  with  the  exception  of 
Christian  Klughardt,  wlx)  was  born  in  Bavaria. 

The  lad  attended  school  for  one  winter  in  New  York  and  for  eight 
winters  in  Oswego,  Illinois,  and  in  early  life  he  became  familiar  with  the 
work  of  farming,  performing  the  arduous  task  of  clearing  the  new  land 
and  preparing  it  for  the  plow.  He  was  married  to  Louisa  Burk.  after 
which  they  located  upon  the  old  homestead  in  Good  Farm  township,  still 
later  removing  to  his  present  home.  His  wife  is  a  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Elizabeth  (Smith)  Burk.  Her  father  was  bom  in  Nassau,  Germany,  in 
1810,  and  was  married  in  that  country,  where  two  children.  Lavina  and 
Adolph,  were  born  of  their  union.     He  followed  farming  and  carpentering 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  759 

until  1855,  when  he  came  to  the  United  States.  locating  in  Piano.  Illinois, 
where  he  had  a  farm.  In  the  fall  of  1859  he  came  to  Grundy  county,  pur- 
chasing eighty  acres  of  land,  transforming  it  into  a  good  home.  His  life 
was  one  of  honest  toil,  and  his  labors  were  ended  in  death  when  he  had 
attained  the  age  of  seventy-three  years. 

Christian  Klughardt.  the  father-in-law  of  Mr.  Fillman,  located  upon  a 
part  of  his  father's  farm  of  eighty  acres,  in  1866.  and  placed  the  land  under 
a  high  state  of  cultivation.  His  children  were:  Elizabeth,  born  May  2, 
1864;  Mary,  born  April  16,  1866;  Julia  Matilda,  born  July  25.  1870;  and 
George,  born  August  4,  1872.  Mrs.  Klughardt  was  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  church,  and  died  March  29,  1898.  Mr.  Klughardt,  however,  is 
still  living  and  is  an  enterprising,  straightforward  farmer  of  Grundy  county. 

After  his  marriage,  Charles  Fillman,  of  this  review,  located  on  an 
eighty-acre  tract  of  land  belonging  to  his  father  and  has  since  operated 
this  farm.  He  is  to-day  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land,  improved  with  substantial  buildings  and  all  modern  accessories  and 
conveniences.  He  is  successfully  carrying  on  general  farming  and  at  the 
same  time  is  a  practical  mechanic,  possessing  much  mechanical  ingenuity. 
He  has  invented  a  wagon-lifter,  which  is  to  lift  a  wagon  loaded  with  corn 
from  the  fields  and  saves  the  hard  labor  of  unloading.  It  is  an  excellent 
labor-saving  device. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fillman  have  been  born  the  following  children : 
Frederica  Mary,  born  October  20,  1882;  Ella  Julia,  born  June  4.  1887; 
Annie  Matilda,  born  December  2,  1888:  Lillie  Julia,  born  May  19,  1892: 
Franklin  John,  born  November  25,  1896;  and  Leslie  Arthur,  born  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1899.  Three  died  in  infancy.  The  parents  are  members  of  the 
Lutheran  church,  and  in  politics  Mr.  Fillman  is  a  stanch  Democrat.  The 
cause  of  education  finds  in  him  a  warm  friend  and  for  several  terms  he 
has  served  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  education,  acting  as  president  of 
the  board  at  the  time  a  new  school-house  was  erected,  and  it  was  through 
his  efforts,  largely,  that  this  was  secured  and  ecjuipped  with  modern  ac- 
cessories and  appointments.  He  is  very  public-spirited  and  progressive 
and  withholds  his  support  from  no  measure  or  movement  which  he  be- 
lieves would  be  of  public  good. 


FRANK     H.     CLAPP. 


Frank  H.  Clapp.  the  son  of  Orrin  and  Aurelia  (Belding)  Clapp.  was  born 
February  4,   1862,  on  the  old  family  homestead,  and  in  the  district  school 


76o  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

acquired  his  preliminary  education,  which  was  supplemented  by  study  in 
the  normal  school  at  Morris  through  one  year.  He  then  entered  upon  his 
business  career  as  a  clerk  in  Mazon  in  the  general  store  owned  by  T.  Rankin, 
and  there  he  remained  for  about  three  years  as  a  trusted  employe  of  the 
house.  His  close  application  soon  enabled  him  to  master  the  business  princi- 
ples and  in  1883  he  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  business,  at  which  time 
the  firm  name  was  changed  to  F.  H.  Clapp  &  Company.  In  1887  Donald 
Rankin  purchased  an  interest  in  the  business  and  the  firm  name  was  changed 
to  Clapp  &  Rankin.  In  1889  these  enterprising  and  progressive  business 
men  extended  the  field  of  their  operations  by  adding  a  private  banking 
business.  In  1899  Mr.  Gapp  sold  his  interest  in  the  mercantile  department 
in  order  to  devote  his  entire  attention  to  banking  and  ndw  does  a  general 
banking,  insurance  and  real-estate  business,  and  his  institution  is  considered 
one  of  the  most  reliable  financial  concerns  of  the  county,  for  he  is  known 
as  a  most  trustworthy  business  man,  straightforward  in  all  his  dealings,  his 
efforts  being  guided  by  sound  judgment  and  practical  common  sense.  His 
is  the  only  bank  in  Mazon  and  his  patronage  comes  from  a  wide  area. 

Mr.  Clapp  was  married  in  November,  1885,  in  Mazon,  to  Miss  Dora 
Riggall,  who  was  born  in  Rockford,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Harriet 
(Porter)  Riggall.  On  the  paternal  side  Mrs.  Clapp  was  descended  from 
English  ancestors  and  on  the  maternal  side  is  a  representative  of  an  old 
colonial  Puritan  New  England  family.  Her  father,  John  Riggall,  was  born 
at  Hull,  England,  November  8,  1835,  a  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Fidler) 
Riggall.  His  father  was  born  in  Lincolnshire,  in  September,  1790,  but 
though  reared  on  a  farm  became  a  shoemaker.  By  his  marriage  to  Elizabeth 
Fidler  he  had  the  following  children:  Sarah,  born  March  20,  1828:  Miles, 
born  in  1831:  John,  born  in  1835:  George,  born  in  .August,  1838:  and 
Thomas,  born  August  3,  1840.  John  Riggall.  the  father  of  Mrs.  Clapp, 
came  with  his  family  to  America  in  1840,  sailing  from  Liverpool,  England, 
for  New  York,  where  they  arrived  in  November,  after  a  voyage  of  three 
months,  on  an  old-fashioned  sailing  vessel.  Mr.  Riggall  purchased  a  farm 
in  Madison  county.  New  York,  and  there  passed  his  remaining  days,  his 
death  occurring  in  1866.  when  he  had  attained  the  age  of  seventy-six  years. 
His  wife  died  in  1874.  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight.  She  was  born  in  London, 
England,  in  1796,  and  was  a  daughter  of  George  Fidler.  She  held  member- 
ship in  the  Methodist  church.  Mr.  Riggall  gave  his  support  to  the  Repub- 
lican party. 

John  Riggall,  Jr.,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Clapp,  was  about  five  years  old 
when  brought  by  his  parents  to  America,  but  he  can  well  remember  the  voy- 
age. He  pursued  his  education  in  the  pioneer  log  school-house  in  Madison 
county,  was  reared  upon  a  farm  and  was  married  in  Albany,  New  York,  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  761 

Harriet  Porter,  whose  h\nh  occurred  July  25.  1844,  at  Northville,  Fulton 
county,  New  York,  a  daughter  of  Hiram  and  Sarah  (Gifford)  Porter.  The 
latter  was  born  in  April.  1804.  in  Fulton  county,  and  the  former  was  born 
in  April,  1800.  He  was  probably  a  native  of  Vermont  and  was  descended 
from  New  England  Puritan  ancestry  that  located  in  that  section  of  the  coun- 
try in  colonial  days.  His  father  was  Felix  Porter.  Unto  Hiram  and  Sarah 
(Gifford)  Porter  were  born  six  children,  namely:  Sumner,  George.  Selah, 
Angeline,  Elizabeth  and  Harriet.  The  father  of  this  family  owned  and  re- 
sided upon  a  farm  and  there  died,  at  the  venerable  age  of  eighty  years.  He 
has  two  sons,  Elias  and  Sumner,  who  were  valiant  soldiers  in  the  civil  war 
as  members  of  the  New  York  Infantry.  The  former  was  killed  at  the  battle 
of  Pine  Bluff,  Arkansas,  but  the  latter,  although  he  participated  in  a  number, 
of  engagements,  escaped  injury.  After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Riggall 
removed  to  Washtenaw  county,  Michigan,  near  Ann  Arbor,  where  the 
father  engaged  in  farming  until  1866,  when  he  removed  to  Rockford,  Illinois. 
He  there  devoted  his  energies  to  the  cultivation  of  hops.  Subsequently  he 
removed  to  Kansas  and  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in 
Saline  county,  making  a  number  of  valuable  improvements  upon  the  place 
during  the  five  years  that  he  maintained  his  residence  there.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  sold  the  property  and  returned  to  Madison  county. 
New  York,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  for  a  year.  In  the  spring  of  1876 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  Mazon,  where  he  began  business  as  a  mason.  He 
was  also  in  the  butchering  business  for  six  years,  and  was  connected  with 
the  furniture  and  undertaking  business  for  ten  years.  His  life  has  been  an  en- 
terprising and  industrious  one,  characterized  by  straightforward  methods. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat  and  is  accounted  one  of  the  valued  citizens 
of  his  community.  His  children  are  Sarah,  who  was  born  in  Michigan,  Feb- 
ruary 14,  1863;  Dora  v.,  born  near  Rockford,  Illinois,  in  August,  1866; 
Nellie,  born  near  Rockford,  Illinois,  August  25,  1868;  Algie,  born  in  Saline 
county,  Kansas,  December  28,  1873:  Isie,  born  in  Madison  county.  New 
York,  November  8,  1875;  Ivy,  born  in  Mazon,  June  15,  1877;  and  Hattie, 
born  July  27,  1881. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clapp  has  been  born  a  son,  Gardie,  whose  birth 
occurred  in  Mazon,  AugMSt  25,  1886.  The  parents  enjoy  the  hospitality  of 
the  best  homes  in  the  community  and  their  circle  of  friends  is  only  limited 
by  their  circle  of  acquaintances.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Qapp  is  a  stanch 
Republican  and  fraternally  is  a  prominent  Mason,  holding  membership  in 
Blaney  Commandery,  K.  T.,  of  Morris.  He  is  also  an  unaffiliated  Odd  Fel- 
low. A  practical  and  successful  business  man,  great  confidence  is  reposed  in 
him  on  account  of  his  conservative  and  safe  methods.  He  has  always  main- 
tained a  reputation  as  a  man  of  unblemished  character,  strong  integrity, 


762  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

and  a  public-spirited  citizen  who  witliholds  his  support  from  no  measure  or 
movement  which  he  l:ielieves  will  prove  of  public  benefit. 


LEMUEL   SHORT. 


It  is  probable  that  there  never  lived  in  Grundy  county  a  better  example 
of  the  self-made  man  than  the  late  Lemuel  Short,  of  Goose  Lake  township, 
some  account  of  whose  useful  and  busy  career  it  will  be  attempted  to  give 
in  the  following  paragraphs.  The  life  of  such  a  man  affords  a  useful  lesson 
to  young  men  of  the  rising  generation  and  should  form  a  part  of  such  a 
.work  as  this,  which  is  devoted  to  the  lives  and  achievements  of  the  men  who 
have  redeemed  Illinois  from  a  wilderness  state  and  promoted  its  important 
interests  and  developed  its  natural  resources  until  they  have  made  it  in  many 
respects  the  leading  state  of  the  Union. 

Lemuel  Short  was  born  in  Allegheny  county,  Pennsylvania,  August 
15,  1819,  a  son  of  James  and  Ellen  (McFarland)  Short,  natives  of  the  Key- 
stone state.  In  1824,  when  he  was  about  five  years  old,  the  family  removed 
to  a  point  within  the  present  limits  of  Ashland  county,  Ohio,  where  his  par- 
ents both  died,  his  father  in  1863.  The  summer  of  1836  was  spent  by  young 
Short,  then  seventeen  years  old,  in  Michigan.  He  returned  to  Ohio  and 
remained  there  until  1838,  when  he  emigrated  to  Illinois  and  located  in 
Lake  county,  where  he  soon  purchased  a  farm  and  busied  himself  with  its 
improvement  and  in  hunting  and  trapping.  He  managed  his  aflfairs  with 
so  much  care  and  thrift  that  he  soon  paid  for  his  land. 

In  1856  Mr.  Short  came  to  Grundy  county  and  bought  the  property  in 
Felix  (now  Goose  Lake)  township,  where  his  widow  now  lives.  He  was 
industrious  and  enterprising,  and  possessed  good  judgment  and  business 
ability  of  a  high  order,  and  he  accumulated  property  rapidly,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  wdiich  occurred  at  his  home  in  Goose  Lake  township,  January 
13,  1895,  he  owned  more  than  twenty-five  hundred  acres  of  farm  land  in 
Goose  Lake  township  and  a  farm  of  three  hundred  and  seventy-three  acres 
in  Lake  county,  and  was  one  of  the  leading  stock-raisers  of  the  county.  This 
property  he  gained  by  the  most  commendable  methods.  He  gave  strict 
attention  to  every  detail  of  his  business  and  accorded  to  everv  man  with 
whom  he  dealt  the  fullest  rights  and  advantages  in  every  transaction  con- 
sistent with  equity  and  good  business  practice.  His  success  was  won  openly 
and  in  a  fair  fight  with  the  world,  and  every  one  who  knew  him  rejoiced 
with  iiim  in  it.  for  all  knew  that  it  was  richly  deserved.  Dying,  he  left  not 
only  wealth  but  the  better  heritage  of  a  good  name. 

December  31,  1845,  when  he  was  in  his  twenty-seventh  year,  Mr.  Short 


BIOGRAPHICAL   AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  763 

married  Sarah  Burr,  daughter  of  Warham  and  Nancy  (Cummins)  Burr,  wlio 
was  born  in  Shelby  county,  Indiana,  February  10,  1826,  and  was  then  nine- 
teen years  old.  Her  father  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York  and  died  in 
Will  county,  Illinois,  September  6,  1861.  Her  mother  was  a  native  of  Ohio 
and  died  in  Will  county,  Illinois,  March  31,  1862.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burr  came 
to  Illinois  in  1833  from  Shelby  county,  Indiana,  and  brought  their  daughter 
with  them.     Mrs.  Short  was  then  seven  years  old. 

Lemuel  and  Sarah  (Burr)  Short  had  children  named  as  follows,  in  the 
sequence  of  their  nativity :  James  was  born  in  Will  county,  Illinois,  No- 
vember 14.  1847.  He  married  Frances  M.  Lattimer,  June  11,  1874,  and 
one  child  was  born  to  them,  July  i,  1876,  a  daughter,  who  was  named 
Frances  M.  in  honor  of  her  mother.  Mrs.  Short  died  on  the  day  of  her 
daughter's  birth.  Frances  M.  Short  married  Charles  S.  Dudgeon,  a  pros- 
perous farmer  of  Goose  Lake  township,  and  they  have  one  child,  Mildred 
v.,  born  June  22,  1895.  August  3,  1881,  James  Short,  after  having  been  a 
widower  for  more  than  five  years,  married  Mrs.  Caroline  Clark,  a  daughter 
of  William  Moore,  who  settled  in  Grundy  county  among  the  pioneers.  His 
second  wife  died  at  Denver,  Colorado,  August  8,  1899.  He  is  now  living 
in  Kansas,  where  he  is  prospering  as  a  farmer  and  wields  much  influence  as  a 
citizen.  Warham  B.  Short,  second  child  of  Lemuel  and  Sarah  (Burr)  Short, 
was  born  in  Will  county,  Illinois,  August  9,  1849,  ^^'^  married  Mary  Hey- 
decker,  January  i.  1878,  and  they  have  one  child,  Mary  Sarah,  born  August 
18,  1887.  Charles  F.  and  Mary  Heydecker,  parents  of  Mrs.  Warham  B. 
Short,  were  married  May  11,  1845.  Her  father,  a  native  of  Germany,  came 
to  this  country  in  1844  and  located  in  Lake  county,  Illinois,  where  he  died 
April  14,  1896,  leaving  an  excellent  record  as  a  farmer  and  citizen.  Her 
mother,  a  native  of  New  York,  died  at  the  old  family  home  in  Lake  county, 
Illinois,  January  24,  1884.  They  had  seven  children,  all  of  whom  are  living. 
Christian  T.  Heydecker  was  born  in  Lake  county,  Illinois.  September  4, 
1846,  and  became  prominent  as  a  lawyer  and  is  now  state's  attorney  of  Lake 
county.  He  married  Louisa  Townsend,  who  died  without  issue,  November 
14,  1873.  April  14,  1875,  he  married  Carrie  Gousley,  of  Springfield,  Illinois, 
and  they  have  three  children. — Coral,  Bessie  and  Alice.  Charles  W.  Hey- 
decker was  born  December  22,  1847,  '"  Lake  county.  Illinois,  and  married 
Eliza  Crawford,  of  Lake  county.  May  22,  1872.  They  have  three  children: 
Roy,  who  married  Cora  Pelliphant,  of  Lake  county,  Illinois,  and  has  a 
daughter  named  Ruth;  William  and  Mabel.  Mary  Heydecker  is  Mrs.  War- 
ham B.  Short,  as  has  been  stated.  Edwin  J.  Heydecker  was  born  in  Lake 
county,  Illinois,  and  is  a  leading  lawyer  of  that  county,  where  he  married 
Sarah  Crittenden.  Clara  P.  Heydecker,  born  March  20,  1857,  married 
Lemuel  Short,  Jr.     Emma  Heydecker,  born  in  Lake  county,  Illinois,  March 


764  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

12.  1859,  is  still  living  there,  unmarried.     Adolph  Heydecker,  born  Fel^ru- 
ary  22,  1861,  is  a  well-to-do  farmer  of  Lake  county. 

Alvina,  third  child  of  Lemuel  and  Sarah  (Burr)  Short,  was  born  in 
Lake  county.  Illinois,  May  25,  1852.  and  was  married  July  4,  1871,  to 
Mathew  Gafifney,  a  farmer  and  stock-raiser  of  Hamilton,  Kansas,  and  they 
have  had  twelve  children,  eleven  of  whom  are  living.  Of  these  John  married 
Ann  Adams,  of  Hamilton.  Kansas,  and  had  three  children :  Ellen,  who  is 
now  Mrs.  Honeycup.  of  Hamilton.  Kansas,  and  has  a  son  named  Vivian; 
Lucy  and  Mary  live  at  Hamilton,  Kansas;  Alvina  died  in  Will  county,  Illi- 
nois: and  others  are  named  James.  Edward.  Rowley.  Sarah.  Lillie.  George 
and  Hubert.  Lemuel.  Jr.,  the  fourth  child  of  Lemuel  and  Sarah  (Burr) 
Short,  was  born  in  Lake  county,  Illinois.  January  24.  1855,  and,  as  has  been 
stated,  married  Clara  P.  Heydecker,  a  sister  of  the  wife  of  his  brother. 
Warham  B.  They  live  at  Hamilton.  Kansas,  where  Mr.  Short  is  a  success- 
ful farmer,  and  have  eleven  children,  as  follows:  Lida.  Clara  E.,  Orrin. 
Lottie.  Elmer.  Pearl,  Emma,  Lemuel,  Cora.  \'alentine  and  an  infant.  \\"\\\- 
iam.  the  fifth  child  of  Lemuel  and  Sarah  (Burr)  Short,  was  born  in  Lake 
county.  Illinois.  July  17,  1856.  and  died  there  on  February  i,  1859.  ]\Irs. 
Lemuel  Short,  in  her  widowhood,  lives  on  the  family  homestead  in  Goose 
Lake  township,  with  her  son.  Warham  B.  Short,  who  has  succeeded  to  the 
management  of  the  farm  and  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  young 
men  of  the  township. 


JOHN    HAMILTON. 

The  life  history  of  a  self-made  man  is  always  of  interest,  and  when  we 
analyze  his  career  in  order  to  find  the  secret  of  his  success  we  usually  learn 
that  it  has  been  acquired  as  the  direct  result  of  indefatigable  labor.  In  fully 
ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred  this  is  so.  Capable  management,  en- 
terprise and  sound  judgment  bear  a  part  in  the  desired  result,  but  labor  is 
the  foundation  of  prosperity.  It  is  in  these  lines  that  Mr.  Hamilton  has 
become  one  of  the  most  extensive  land-owners  of  Grundy  county. 

He  is  of  sterling  Scotch  ancestry,  although  his  birth  occurred  in  Canada. 
His  father.  Samuel  Hamilton,  was  born  in  Scotland,  about  1808.  acquired  a 
common-school  education  and  learned  the  weaver's  trade.  When  a  young 
man  he  removed  to  county  Tyrone.  Ireland,  and  soon  afterward  crossed  the 
Atlantic  to  Canada  on  a  sailing  vessel  which  weighed  anchor  at  Liverpool, 
England.  The  voyage  continued  for  six  weeks,  at  the  end  of  which  time 
he  landed  at  Quebec, — a  young  man  of  eighteen  years,  who  had  come  to 
America  to  try  his  fortune.  He  located  on  the  island  of  Chateaugay,  which 
was  formed  by  the  rivers  Chateaugay  and  the  Utard.     It  is  located  forty 


BIOGRAPHICAL   AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  705 

miles  southwest  of  Montreal.  Mr.  Hamilton  was  led  to  seek  a  location  there 
by  reason  of  the  fact  that  his  brother  John  had  settled  on  land  on  that 
island  about  three  years  prexiously.  With  him  Mr.  Hamilton  made  his 
home  for  three  years,  and  then  purcliased  fifty  acres  of  land  covered  with 
heavy  timber.  Clearing  away  the  trees,  he  transformed  the  tract  into  well- 
developed  fields  and  successfully  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  there.  He 
married  Miss  Jane  Ann  McNown,  whose  sister,  Fanny  McNown,  was  the 
wife  of  his  brother  John.  Their  father,  James  McNown,  was  of  sterling 
Scotch-Irish  ancestry  from  the  north  of  Ireland,  and  was  an  Episcopalian 
in  religious  faith.  Leaving  the  Emerald  Isle,  he  crossed  the  briny  deep  to 
Canada,  locating  in  the  midst  of  the  forest,  where  he  cleared  a  tine  farm, 
becoming  one  of  the  substantial  settlers  of  the  community.  There  he  spent 
his  remaining  days,  dying  upon  his  farm  when  about  eighty-nine  years  of 
age.  When  a  young  man  he  went  to  Dublin,  Ireland,  and  while  there  was 
pressed  into  the  British  navy  and  put  on  board  a  British  man-of-war.  His 
family  heard  nothing  of  him  for  several  years,  but  when  liberated  he  rejoined 
them  in  Ireland,  after  having  spent  seven  years  in  the  naval  service.  He 
was  a  very  strong  and  hearty  man,  a  typical  Canadian  pioneer,  who  in  the 
midst  of  the  forest  "hewed  out"  his  home  by  main  strength.  The  Canadian 
pioneers  were  of  the  class  who  could  endure  great  privations,  for  during  the 
long  winters  the  snow  fell  to  the  depth  of  five  or  six  feet  and  many  fences 
were  entirely  buried.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McNown  were  :  Bessie, 
Fannie,  Hugh,  William,  Robert,  Christie  and  Ann. 

After  his  marriage  Samuel  Hamilton,  the  father  of  our  subject,  con- 
tinued to  reside  upon  the  tract  of  fifty  acres  which  he  had  cleared  in  the  midst 
of  the  heavy  timber  in  Canada.  He  built  a  substantial  pioneer  cabin  of 
hewed  logs  and  made  a  good  home  for  liis  family.  His  children  were: 
Matilda,  John,  James,  Samuel,  William,  Eliza,  Margaret,  Robert,  Henry, 
Sarah,  Ann,  Ellen,  William  and  Susan.  All  lived  to  years  of  maturity 
with  the  exception  of  Samuel,  who  died  in  infancy,  and  James  and  W'illiam, 
who  died  of  scarlet  fever  at  the  age  of  four  and  six  years  respectively. 
William  Hamilton,  the  father  of  this  family,  died  when  about  fifty-one  years 
of  age.  He  was  small  in  stature,  but  was  a  very  strong  and  rugged  man, 
and  his  life  was  characterized  by  unflagging  industry.  He  held  member- 
ship in  the  Episcopal  church. 

John  Hamilton,  whose  name  introduces  thfs  review,  was  born  on  the 
old  home  farm  in  the  hewed-log  cabin  in  the  midst  of  the  Canadian  wilder- 
ness, on  the  2d  of  December  1835.  He  can  well  remember  the  forest  countrv 
and  the  pioneer  scenes  and  experiences,  and  his  recollection  presents  to  his 
mind  events  that  occurred  when  he  was  in  his  third  year.  Canadian  woods 
were  full  of  wild  animals,  including  brown  bears,  large  timber  wolves,  wild- 


766  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

cats,  moose  and  deer.  His  early  experiences  were  those  of  most  pioneer 
settlers.  The  family  lived  in  simple  and  frugal  style.  Their  fare  was  plain, 
and  their  clothing  was  good  but  unpretentious.  His  educational  privileges 
were  limited  to  two  years'  attendance  in  a  log  school-house.  This  period 
of  study  was  not  continuous,  but  was  carried  on  at  intervals  of  a  few  weeks 
during  the  winter  seasons.  He  never  attended  school  after  he  had  attained 
the  age  of  thirteen,  for  his  services  were  needed  on  the  farm.  He  began 
to  work  when  very  young.  His  father  was  a  weaver,  and  therefore  did  not 
understand  the  care  and  use  of  horses;  so  that  John  had  to  harness  the  horses 
when  he  was  so  small  that  he  had  to  stand  upon  the  manger  in  order  to  put 
bridles  on.  He  learned  to  plow  when  he  was  only  twelve  years  of  age,  using 
a  heavy,  old-fashioned  Scotch  plow,  and  from  that  time  until  leaving  home 
he  did  much  of  the  plowing  on  the  farm.  However,  he  did  not  work  at  home 
to  any  great  extent  until  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age,  procuring  employment 
on  neighboring  farms. 

When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  assisted  in  the  work  of  building  a  dam 
and  sawmill,  carrying  the  heavy  stone  used  in  construction  work.  He  re- 
gards that  as  the  hardest  labor  he  ever  performed,  for  he  worked  twelve 
hours  a  day  for  four  months.  He  was  employed  to  a  considerable  extent  in 
sawmills  in  Canada  and  in  getting  out  heavy  timber.  When  he  was  nineteen 
years  of  age  he  was  thus  employed  in  the  woods,  and  also  engaged  in  driving 
logs  and  rafting  them  down  the  St.  Lawrence  river  to  Montreal.  He  re- 
ceived one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars  for  that  work  and  saved  one  hundred 
dollars  of  it.  The  exposure  and  dangers  of  such  work  were  very  great,  for 
the  rafting  was  done  in  the  early  spring  when  the  river  was  very  high.  Tjie 
men  were  thoroughly  drenched  each  day  in  the  cold  water,  and  a  mis-step  on 
the  rolling,  slippery  logs  would  probably  have  meant  death  in  that  rapid 
current.  The  log  crews  were  largely  composed  of  French  Canadians,  and 
as  many  rafts  were  floated  down  the  river  in  the  spring  these  crews  would 
crowd  the  small  French  Canadian  taverns  almost  beyond  their  capacity,  and 
the  little  bar-rooms  were  so  full  that  standing  room  could  hardly  be  ob- 
tained. It  was  the  only  place,  however,  in  which  the  loggers  could  remain 
through  the  nights,  and,  though  cold,  wet  and  tired,  they  were  often  forced 
to  remain  standing  all  night:  so  overcrowded  were  the  rooms  that  there  was 
no  opportunity  for  them  to  lie  down  to  sleep.  It  was  the  custom  of  many  of 
those  French  Canadians  to  get  drunk  on  whisky,  which  was  freely  sold  at  a 
low  price.  Such  actions  so  completely  disgusted  Mr.  Hamilton  with  the 
use  of  tobacco  and  liquors  that  he  has  never  tasted  either  in  his  life.  This  is 
a  record  of  which  he  may  certainly  be  proud. 

When  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  came  to  the  west,  leaving  home  in 
October.  1857.     He  made  the  trip  to  Chicago  by  way  of  the  Grand  Trunk 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL   RECORD.  767 

Railroad,  and  thence  to  Morris.  He  worked  by  the  montli  for  two  years  and 
seven  months  in  the  employ  of  Deacon  Hills,  of  Kendall  county.  Illinois,  and 
during  that  time  lost  only  twelve  days.  He  carefully  saved  his  money,  and 
on  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  rented  a  tract  of  land  of  Deacon  Hills, 
cultivating  the  same  for  one  year.  He  then  purchased  eighty  acres  near 
Newark,  Kendall  county,  and  began  the  further  development  of  this  land, 
which  was  but  partially  improved.  His  sister  Matilda,  who  had  come  from 
Canada  two  years  previously,  acted  as  his  housekeeper  and  remained  with 
him  until  his  marriage. 

On  the  23d  of  February,  1861,  in  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  he  wetlded 
Miss  Susan  Saddler,  who  was  born  in  Lower  Canada,  on  the  ist  of  April, 
1836,  and  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Ann  (Mason)  Saddler.  Her  father  was 
born  in  Ireland  and  was  of  Irish  lineage.  In  that  country  he  married,  after 
which  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Belfast,  where  he  worked  at  the  weaver's 
trade.  In  1831  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  Quebec,  Canada,  and  ])urchased 
land  near  the  Hamilton  location,  on  the  banks  of  the  Chateaugay  river. 
There  he  cleared  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres,  making  his  home 
thereon  until  his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was  eighty-four  years  of 
age.  His  wife  died  when  she  was  about  fifty  years  of  age.  In  religious 
faith  he  was  an  Episcopalian.  His  children  were  Margaret,  Jane,  Joseph, 
Susan  and  John.  The  elder  two  were  natives  of  Ireland  and  the  younger 
two  became  residents  of  Grundy  county,  Illinois. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamilton  are  Maria  J.,  born  September 
23,  1861;  Samuel  R.,  born  March  30,  1863;  Lillie,  born  February  25,  1865; 
Walter  S.,  born  December  10,  1867;  and  Annie  E.,  born  July  28,  1873. 
After  their  marriage  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Hamilton  removed  to  Grundy  county, 
Illinois,  renting  a  farm  on  section  30,  Mazon  township,  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres.  Three  years  later  Mr.  Hamilton  purchased  this  and  continued 
its  cultivation  and  improvement  until  1894.  He  built  a  substantial  brick 
residence  and  good  barns,  drained  the  place  with  tiling  and  made  it  one  of 
the  best  improved  and  most  valuable  farming  properties  in  Grundy  county. 
As  a  result  of  his  steady  thrift  and  industry  he  prospered,  and  as  his  financial 
resources  increased  he  added  to  his  land  until  he  became  one  of  the  most 
extensive  land-owners  in  Grundy  county.  He  had  at  one  time  about  one 
thousand  acres  of  land  in  Grundy  county,  of  which  he  has  given  his  children 
four  hundred  and  thirty  acres,  retaining  possession  of  the  remainder.  He 
now  owns  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Osceola  county,  Iowa,  and  other  lands, 
making  in  all  about  fourteen  hundred  acres,  so  that  he  is  now  the  owner  of 
about  two  thousand  acres  altogether. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Hamilton  is  a  Democrat.  While  he  always 
exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  that 


768  BIOGRAPHICAL  A.\'D    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

party,  he  has  never  taken  any  interest  in  office-holding,  preferring  to  devote 
his  time  and  energies  to  iiis  business  affairs,  in  which  he  has  indeed  met  with 
creditable  success.  He  is  certainly  a  self-made  man,  for  when  he  arrived  in 
Morris  he  had  only  about  twenty-five  cents  in  his  pocket.  A  thousand  miles 
from  home,  among  strangers  and  with  no  capital,  a  young  man  of  resolute 
will  and  determined  purpose  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account  and 
steadily  worked  his  way  upward,  overcoming  the  difficulties  and  obstacles 
by  resolute  will  and  capable  management.  He  aided  other  members  of  the 
family  who  came  to  Illinois,  and  his  mother  made  her  home  with  him  in  her 
old  age,  dying  at  his  residence.  His  sisters  also  lived  with  him  until  they 
were  married.  He  now  has  eight  sisters  living  in  Grundy  county,  all  mar- 
ried and  with  families  of  their  own.  The  hardships  and  experiences  which 
Mr.  Hamilton  underwent  in  his  youth  and  early  life  and  the  humble  manner 
of  living  among  the  pioneers  developed  in  him  physical  strength  and  also  the 
determination  to  overcome  the  obstacles  which  he  met  in  later  life.  His 
straightforward  dealing  and  his  unflagging  industry  have  been  the  factors 
in  his  success,  and  to-day  he  stands  among  the  wealthy  men  of  Grundy 
county  who  bear  an  unassailable  reputation  in  business  circles,  being  highly 
esteemed  wherever  he  is  known  for  his  genuine  worth. 


OLIVER   S.    VINER. 


Oliver  S.  Viner  was  of  sterling  English  descent,  the  original  home  of 
the  Viner  family  being  at  Bristol,  Somersetshire,  England.  John  Viner,  the 
great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of  that  county  and  became  a 
florist,  carrying  on  business  in  the  city  of  Bristol,  where  he  resided  for  many 
years,  his  death  occurring  there  between  the  ages  of  sixty  and  seventy  years. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Church  of  England  and  a  man  of  much  worth  and 
ability.  He  married  Miss  Mary  Wescot  and  they  became  the  parents  of 
the  following  children :  Thomas,  John,  Elizabeth,  William  and  Charles,  all 
natives  of  Bristol. 

Charles  Viner,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  born  May  6,  1797, 
in  Bristol,  obtained  a  common-school  education,  and  when  fifteen  vears  of 
age  enlisted  in  the  British  army,  becoming  a  member  of  the  Light  Dragoons. 
But  on  account  of  his  extreme  youth  his  father  objected  to  his  entering  the 
army  and  he  accordingly  returned  home.  In  18 12,  however,  he  re-enlisted 
in  the  regular  British  infantry  and  went  with  his  regiment  to  Canada, 
landing  at  Quebec.  The  English  forces  were  stationed  at  Prescot,  Canada, 
and  thence  he  came  to  America  when  sixteen  years  of  age.  One  night, 
wlii!e  he  was  serving  as  a  corporal  of  the  guard,  he  deserted  with  six  of  his 


BIOGRAPHICAL   AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  769 

comrades,  comprising  the  entire  watch.  Tliey  stole  a  skiff  by  breaking  the 
lock  and  all  seven  crossed  the  St.  Lawrence  river  in  the  early  morning.  The 
St.  Lawrence  at  that  point  is  two  and  a  half  miles  wide,  but  tliey  rowed  to 
the  opposite  bank  and  landed  in  the  woods  near  Ogdensburg,  on  the  Amer- 
ican side.  They  lost  their  way  in  the  forest,  however,  and  traveled  all  day 
without  reaching  any  habitation,  when  one  of  them,  who  had  been  a  sailor, 
climbed  a  tall  tree,  from  which  vantage  ground  he  could  see  the  town  of 
Ogdensburg  about  three  miles  away.  They  had  traveled  all  day,  yet  were 
not  far  from  the  place  where  they  landed.  They  found  protection  among 
the  farmers  of  that  locality,  and  traded  their  red  coats  and  muskets  for  citi- 
zens' clothes  and  hired  out  as  farm  hands.  Mr.  Viner  continued  to  work 
in  that  region  until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age,  when  he  was  married, 
in  St.  Lawrence  county.  New  York,  to  Miss  Sarah  Banister,  who  was  born 
in  Rutland,  Vermont,  March  4,  1797,  a  daughter  of  Jason  and  Mary  Banister. 
Her  father  belonged  to  one  of  the  old  colonial  families  of  the  Green  Moun- 
tain state,  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  He  had  served  this  country  in 
the  war  of  the  American  Revolution,  and  afterward  followed  farming  near 
the  Green  mountains  in  the  state  of  his  nativity.  He  lived  to  be  over  eighty 
years  of  age  and  died  upon  his  farm,  respected  throughout  the  community 
where  he  was  known.  Of  his  children  the  names  of  only  Oliver,  Polly  and 
Sarah  are  now  remembered. 

Charles  Viner  and  his  wife  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  in  the  woods 
near  Parisville,  St.  Lawrence  county.  New  York,  and  the  husband  cleared  a 
portion  of  that  property,  but  afterward  sold  it  and  removed  to  Madrid,  New 
York,  where  he  worked  in  a  distillery  for  four  years.  He  then  purchased  a 
farm  in  St.  Lawrence  county, — a  tract  of  timberland  which  he  improved  and 
transformed  into  a  valuable  property.  His  children  were  all  born  in  St. 
Lawrence  county,  and  were  as  follows:  William  L..  born  February  20, 
1820;  Albert  L.,  February  6,  1822;  Varnum  V.,  May  2;^.  1824;  Roswell  M., 
October  15,  1826;  Mary  E.,  December  21,  1828;  John  T.,  March  24,  1831; 
Martha  M.,  July  20,  1833;  Susan  S.,  November  22,  1835;  and  Josephine  P., 
born  April  18,  1838. 

Charles  Viner  removed  with  his  family  toJllinois  in  1844,  making  the 
journey  with  horses  and  wagon.  He  left  his  old  home  on  the  loth  of  Sep- 
tember and  arrived  in  McHenry  county  on  the  22d  of  October.  The  party 
consisted  of  Mr.  Viner,  his  wife  and  all  of  their  children  with  the  exception 
of  William  and  Albert.  Their  youngest  child  was  not  then  six  years  of  age. 
William  had  come  to  the  west  in  1842  and  secured  farm  work  near  Galena, 
Illinois.  He  wrote  home  once,  but  was  never  heard  from  after  that  time. 
His  father  after  arriving  in  the  Prairie  state  made  a  journey  to  Galena  to 
learn  something  of  his  whereabouts,  but  found  no  trace  of  him  except  that 


770  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

he  learned  that  a  man  by  the  name  of  "X'ining"  was  reported  to  have  been 
murdered  some  years  before.  Albert,  the  other  son,  came  to  Illinois  in  1843. 
On  reaching  this  state  Charles  Viner  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Mc- 
Henry  county,  Illinois,  that  had  been  cleared,  and  with  characteristic  energy 
he  began  to  improve  the  property,  which  he  afterward  sold  to  his  son  Var- 
num.  He  then  came  to  Grundy  county  in  the  spring  of  1850,  making  the 
journey  by  team.  Here  he  purchased  twenty  acres  of  land  of  his  son  Albert, 
upon  which  tract  the  Mazon  cemetery  is  now  located.  He  and  his  family 
took  up  their  abode  in  a  log  cabin  which  his  sons,  Albert  and  \'arnum.  had 
built,  and  later  Mr.  Viner  purchased  forty  acres  on  a  school  section,  which 
is  now  a  part  of  the  village  of  Mazon.  There  he  spent  his  remaining  days, 
being  killed  in  a  cyclone  on  the  i8th  of  April,  1863.  The  frame  house  which 
he  erected  in  the  meantime  was  struck  by  the  storm  and  moved  from  its 
foundations.  He  was  caught  by  the  house  as  it  swung  around  and  instantly 
killed  while  trying  to  reach  his  cellar.  His  wife  escaped,  as  he  had  forced 
her  to  go  to  the  cellar  a  few  minutes  previously.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  \'iner 
were  both  consistent  and  respected  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  he  served  as  its  class-leader  for  a  number  .of  years.  He  was  also 
a  well-known  and  able  exhorter  and  served  as  a  local  preacher  through  a 
long  period.  In  politics  he  was  a  Jacksonian  Democrat,  and  held  the  office 
of  road  commissioner  in  ]\IcHenry  county.  He  was  a  most  highly  respected 
citizen,  an  honored  pioneer  and  over  the  record  of  his  life  there  fell  no  shadow 
of  wrong  nor  suspicion  of  evil. 

Roswell  M.  Viner,  a  son  of  Charles  Viner  and  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  St.  Lawrence  county.  New  York,  October  15,  1826,  and  with 
his  father's  family  came  to  McHenry  county  in  1844.  He  received  the  usual 
school  privileges,  was  reared  to  farm  work,  and  throughout  his  life  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits.  He  was  married  on  the  23d  of  September,  1854,  to 
Caroline  Thayer,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Chenango  county,  New  York. 
January  24,  1839,  a  daughter  of  Oliver  and  Betsy  (Williams)  Thayer.  Her 
father  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  March  22.  181 2,  and  was  a  descendant  of 
an  old  colonial  family  of  that  state.  His  ancestors  were  Puritans  who  lo- 
cated in  Massachusetts  in  1636.  Oliver  Thayer  was  a  farmer  and  mechanic, 
and  for  many  years  resided  in  Chenango  county.  New  York,  but  in  1848 
emigrated  westward  to  DeKalb  county,  Illinois,  where  he  purchased  a  farm 
upon  which  almost  no  improvements  had  been  made.  He  afterward  sold 
that  property  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Pierce  township.  In 
1867  he  removed  to  Iowa,  settling  on  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  acres 
of  land  in  Cedar  township,  Black  Hawk  county,  but  later  he  returned  to  Illi- 
nois, where  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-six.  In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat. 
His  children  were  Caroline;  Oscar  H.;  Oliver  W.,  who  died  at  the  age  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL   AXD    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  771 

twenty-four  years;  Martha  M.;  Lucretia  B.;  and  Kneeland  D.,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  years. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roswell  Viner  located  on  a  farm 
wliich  was  very  near  the  eastern  corporate  limits  of  Mazon.  He  was  a  suc- 
cessful and  practical  agriculturist,  being  very  industrious  and  displaying  ex- 
cellent powers  of  management.  Although  he  was  lame  all  his  life,  his  sturdy 
industry  and  thrift  and  the  assistance  of  his  faithful  and  capable  wife  enabled 
him  to  overcome  all  obstacles  in  his  path  and  steadily  worked  his  way  up- 
ward to  affluence.  He  gradually  added  to  his  land  until  he  owned  two 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He  erected 
good  and  substantial  buildings  upon  the  place  and  had  one  of  the  best  im- 
proved farms  in  Mazon  township.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  character  and 
sterling  worth,  and  enjoyed  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  all  who  knew 
him.  His  political  support  upheld  the  men  and  measures  of  the  Republican 
party.  His  children  were  William  L.  and  Oliver  S.,  who  reached  mature 
years:  Betty  S.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine  years;  and  Fred  P..  who  died  at 
the  age  of  twelve  years.  After  the  death  of  her  first  husband  Mrs.  Viner 
was  married  again.  On  the  20th  of  October,  1890,  in  Joliet,  Illinois,  she  be- 
came the  wife  of  Varnum  V.  Viner,  a  brother  of  her  first  husband,  and  in 
1894  removed  to  the  village  of  Mazon,  where  they  now  reside. 

William  L.  Viner,  the  elder  surviving  son  of  the  family,  was  born  in 
DeKalb  county,  Illinois,  and  was  only  a  year  old  when  taken  by  his  parents 
to  Mazon  township.  The  common  schools  of  the  neighborhood  afforded 
him  his  educational  privileges,  and  practical  training  at  farm  work  fitted  him 
for  his  business  career.  He  has  always  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  and 
now  resides  on  the  old  Viner  homestead.  His  land  is  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  yields  a  good  return  for  the  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon 
it.  He  was  married  in  Mazon  township,  December  24,  1879,  to  Miss  Luella 
Somers,  who  was  born  August  22,  1856,  in  Goodhue  county,  Minnesota,  a 
daughter  of  George  H.  and  Lucy  (Lockhart)  Somers.  They  now  have  two 
children, — Lucy  May,  born  February  7,  1889,  and  George  R.,  born  in  1893. 

Oliver  S.  Viner,  whose  name  introduces  this  record,  is  a  son  of  Roswell 
and  Caroline  (Thayer)  Viner,  and  was  born  September  9,  1858,  in  Mazon 
township,  on  the  old  Roswell  Viner  homestead.  The  days  of  his  boyhood 
and  youth  were  quietly  passed.  Through  the  summer  months  he  worked  in 
the  field  and  meadow,  and  in  the  winter  season  he  devoted  hxS  time  to  master- 
ing the  branches  of  English  learning.  He  was  married  when  about  twenty- 
four  years  of  age,  the  marriage  being  celebrated  on  the  nth  of  June,  1882, 
Miss  Alta  Amelia  Fuller  becoming  his  wife.  She  was  born  in  old  Mazon, 
November  i,  1863,  a  daughter  of  Owen  H.  and  Weltha  (Isham)  Fuller. 
After  their  marriage  this  worthy  couple  took  up  their  abode  upon  the  old 


772  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

family  homestead  belonging  to  Mr.  Viner's  father,  and  there  remained  for 
nine  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  they  removed  to  the  village  of 
Mazon.  There  Oliver  Viner  engaged  in  the  grain  and  lumber  business  in 
connection  with  Owen  H.  Fuller  until  1893,  when  he  took  his  family  to  the 
hot  springs  of  South  Dakota,  hoping  that  the  health  of  his  wife  and  children 
would  be  thus  benefited.  They  spent  one  year  in  that  locality  and  received 
much  benefit  from  the  sojourn.  They  then  returned  to  Mazon  and  Mr. 
Viner  resumed  his  former  business.  He  now  enjoys  a  liberal  patronage  as 
a  grain  and  lumber  merchant,  his  trade  steadily  increasing. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Viner  have  been  born  the  following  children:  Flos- 
sie A.,  born  March  4,  1887;  and  Fred  O.,  born  January  21,  1890.  The 
parents  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  Mrs.  Viner  is 
serving  as  its  steward.  She  has  filled  this  ofifice  at  different  times  for  several 
years,  and  has  ever  given  her  earnest  support  to  the  church,  doing  all  in  her 
power  to  promote  its  welfare  and  growth.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican 
and  fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  at  Mazon,  in 
whose  lodge  he  holds  the  ofifice  of  exchequer.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  Mazon  and  for  that  organization  is  serving  as  banker. 
He  is  one  of  the  most  respected  citizens  of  the  village,  a  man  of  unblemished 
character,  who  in  all  life's  relations  has  been  found  true  and  faithful  to  his 
duty.  He  is  a  worthy  representative  of  an  honored  pioneer  family,  and  his 
own  sterling  qualities  of  character  commend  him  to  the  confidence  and  re- 
gard of  all  who  know  him. 


OLE  SEVERSON. 


Ole  Severson  is  a  native  of  the  land  of  the  Midnight  Sun.  Among 
the  representatives  of  that  nation  who  have  sought  homes  in  America  are 
found  men  of  the  most  substantial  and  reliable  citizens  of  our  land.  Thrift, 
enterprise,  loyalty  and  fidelity  are  numbered  among  the  chief  characteristics 
of  these  sons  of  the  Scandinavian  Peninsula,  and  it  is  such  qualities  that  have 
gained  Mr.  Severson  his  place  among  the  substantial  farmers  of  Greenfield 
township,  Grundy  county.  He  was  born  in  Schonwick,  Norway,  in  August. 
1845,  and  is  a  son  of  Sever  and  Mary  (Knutson)  Lawson.  The  father  was  a 
farmer  and  a  very  hard-working  man.  His  children  were :  Ivnut,  Laws, 
John,  Knut  (the  second  of  the  name),  Ole.  and  Valia.  Mr.  Lawson  died  in 
Norway,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  church,  of 
which  he  had  long  been  a  member. 

Ole  Severson  was  reared  on  the  little  farm  in  Norway  on  which  his 
parents  resided,  and  received  such  educational  privileges  as  the  common 
schools  of  that  country  afforded.     He  was  trained  to  habits  of  industry  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  773 

economy,  and  became  familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors  of  field  and 
meadow.  In  early  life,  however,  he  went  to  sea,  sailing  on  fishing  and  mer- 
chant vessels.  When  thirty-five  years  of  age  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to 
America,  taking  passage  on  a  westward  bound  steamer  at  Bergen,  and  land- 
ing at  Xew  York  in  1880.  Taking  up  his  abode  in  Morris,  Illinois,  he  se- 
cured employment  on  a  farm  in  Grundy  county,  and  throughout  his  residence 
here  has  been  connected  with  its  agricultural  interests.  He  was  married  in 
Morris,  about  1888,  to  Elizabeth  Sampson,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Nor- 
way in  1844,  liei"  parents  being  Mauns  and  Gusta  (Yonson)  Sampson.  Her 
father  was  a  farmer,  and  on  emigrating  to  America  took  up  his  abode  in 
Greenfield  township.  Grundy  county,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-five 
years.  His  wife  passed  away  at  the  age  of  eighty-three.  They  were  highly 
respected  people,  and  were  consistent  members  of  the  Lutheran  church. 
Their  children  were :     Sarah,  Annie,  Elizabeth  and  Senie. 

]\Ir.  and  Airs.  Severson  have  one  son,  Eli.  After  their  marriage  they 
took  up  their  abotle  on  a  rented  farm  in  Greenfield  township,  and  in  1891 
Mr.  Severson  purchased  his  present  farm,  a  tract  of  eighty  acres,  for  which 
he  paid  fifty  dollars  per  acre.  He  has  greatly  improved  the  property,  placed 
many  rods  of  tile  upon  it,  and  now  has  a  rich  tract  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation,  the  well  tilled  fields  yielding  to  him  a  golden  tribute  in  return 
for  his  care  antl  cultivation.  His  life  has  been  one  of  hard  labor,  and  he  has 
had  many  difficulties  and  obstacles  to  overcome.  It  was  particularly  diffi- 
cult for  him  and  his  wife  to  gain  a  start,  as  they  were  unfamiliar  with  the 
English  language:  but  as  the  years  have  passed  they  have  steadily  worked 
their  way  upward,  the  enterprise,  capable  management  and  untiring  industry 
of  the  husband  being  supplemented  by  the  labors  of  his  wife,  who  in  the  care 
of  her  household  displayed  excellent  judgment  and  strict  economy.  In  this 
way  they  obtained  a  start,  and  to-day  they  are  in  comfortable  circumstances. 
They  may  well  be  proud  of  their  success,  for  it  has  been  worthily  won,  and 
their  home  stands  as  a  monument  to  their  thrift  and  ability.  Mr.  Severson 
exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the 
Republican  party,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Lutheran 
church. 


ORRIN  CLAPP. 


Orrin  Clapp  is  one  of  the  honored  pioneers  of  Mazon  township  and 
a  valuable  and  respected  citizen,  whose  life  has  been  one  of  usefulness 
and  value.  On  the  paternal  side  he  springs  from  sterling  Welsh  ancestry 
that  inter-married  with  the  old  Puritan  families  of  New  England.  His 
grandfather,  Benjamin  Clapp,  was  a  farmer  of  Vermont,  his  home  being 


774  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

about  thirty  miles  east  of  Plattsburg  on  the  boundary  line  between  Moncton 
and  Bristol  townships,  in  Addison  county.  He  married  Miss  Hanna  Smith, 
a  representati\'e  of  one  of  the  old  colonial  families  of  the  Green  Mountain 
state,  and  their  children  were  Samuel.  David  and  Phoebe.  Throughout  the 
years  of  his  early  manhood,  Benjamin  Clapp  resided  upon  his  farm  in  Addi- 
son county  and  was  an  industrious  and  highly  respected  man  and  worthy 
citizen.     ?Ie  died  when  about  eighty  years  of  age. 

Samuel  Clapp,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  on  his  father's  farm 
in  Vermont  in  September,  1786,  and  received  the  usual  school  privileges 
of  that  day.  He  was  married  in  Bristol,  Addison  county,  to  Miss  Olive 
Brooks,  who  was  born  on  the  old  Brooks  homestead  in  Bristol  township. 
Her  father  was  a  farmer  and  belonged  to  one  of  the  old  colonial  families 
of  Vermont.  His  children  were  John,  Olive,  and  Lucinda.  He  lived  to 
the  venerable  age  of  ninety  years  and  enjoyed  the  warm  regard  of  all  who 
knew  him.  After  his  marriage,  Samuel  Clapp  took  up  his  abode  upon  a 
farm  which  he  purchased  in  Moncton  township,  Addison  county.  He  im- 
proved that  property,  erecting  substantial  buildings  and  placed  the  fields 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  In  February,  1833,  he  started  for  St. 
Lawrence  county.  New  York,  with  a  team  of  horses  and  a  sled.  He 
employed  several  of  the  neighbors  to  assist  him  in  making  the  removal 
and  they  drove  through  with  the  oxen,  cows  and  other  farm  stock.  They 
were  four  days  in  making  the  journey  of  one  hundred  miles.  On  reaching 
St.  Lawrence  county,  Mr.  Clapp  made  a  settlement  at  Stockholm,  four 
miles  east  of  Potsdam,  where  he  purchased  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  acres.  It  had  long  been  claimed,  but  the  most  of  the  land  was  in  its 
primitive  condition.  By  his  sturdy  thrift  and  industry,  however,  he  trans- 
formed it  into  richly  cultivated  fields,  thus  becoming  the  owner  of  one  of 
the  fine  farming  properties  in  the  neighborhood.  He  erected  a  commodious 
and  pleasant  residence  and  other  substantial  farm  buildings  and  as  the 
result  of  his  untiring  labor  and  capable  management  he  prospered  in  his 
undertaking.  To  this  farm  he  added  twenty-five  acres,  making  it  a  tract 
of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres,  upon  which  he  spent  his  remaining 
days,  his  death  occurring  when  he  was  about  sixty-two  years  of  age.  His 
children  who  reached  mature  years  were  Sawyer  S.,  Mary  M.,  Nelson,  Orrin 
and  Henry. 

Orrin  Clapp  was  born  in  Addison  county,  Vermont,  on  the  old  family 
homestead  December  3,  1820,  and  was  a  lad  of  thirteen  summers  when 
his  parents  removed  to  St.  Lawrence  county,  New  York;  and  he  can  well 
remember  the  journey.  His  brother  Sawyer  had  charge  of  the  ox  team 
and  the  stock.  The  sleighing  was  good  and  Lake  Champlain  was  crossed 
on  the  ice.     Orrin  acquired  the  usual  common-school  education  and  was 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  77s 

reared  upon  a  farm,  early  becoming  familiar  with  all  the  duties  and  labors 
that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  He  was  trained  to  habits  of  thrift 
and  industry  and  assisted  in  the  development  of  the  home  farm.  When 
he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  his  father  gave  him  a  share  in  the  products 
of  the  farm  in  return  for  his  labor;  and,  being  thus  compensated  for  his 
services,  Orrin  Clapp  remained  at  home  until  he  was  twenty-four  years  of 
age.  He  then  went  to  Connecticut,  in  1844,  and  was  employed  for  about 
ten  months  near  the  Connecticut  river.  He  then  returned  to  the  Green 
Mountain  state  and  worked  on  the  home  farm  or  in  the  neighborhood  until 
he  was  twenty-eight  years  of  age,  when  he  came  to  Illinois,  taking  up  his 
abode,  in  October,  1848,  in  McHenry  county,  where  his  brother  Nelson 
was  then  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  For  about  a  year  he  was  em- 
ployed as  a  farm  hand  in  that  locality.  In  the  meantime,  in  connection 
with  Isaac  Doud,  who  had  come  to  the  west  from  New  York,  he  pur- 
chased in  Chicago  for  one  hundred  dollars  a  soldier's  warrant  for  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land.  His  brother  Nelson  with  this  warrant  located 
the  land  on  section  32,  Mazon  township,  Grundy  county,  the  tract  up  to 
that  time  having  been  in  possession  of  the  United  States  government.  It 
was  all  wild  and  unimproved  but  was  capable  of  high  cultivation.  Orrin 
Clapp  came  to  Grundy  county  in  October,  1849,  and  was  accompanied  by 
his  brother  Henry.  Upon  the  claim  they  built  in  a  few  days  a  pine-board 
shanty  and  there,  amid  the  wild  scenes  of  frontier  life,  our  subject  resided 
for  five  years,  making  improvements  upon  his  place  and  converting  the 
wild  prairies  into  rich  fields.  In  1854.  however,  he  exchanged  that  prop- 
erty for  eighty  acres  of  school  land  north  of  the  village  of  ?\Iazon,  and 
there  he  developed  a  good  farm  from  a  tract  of  land  which  was  in  its 
primitive  condition  when  he  took  possession  of  it.  He  erected  a  good 
residence,  substantial  barns  and  outbuildings  and  added  all  modern  acces- 
sories and  conveniences. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1850,  in  Mazon  township,  Mr.  Clapp  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Aurelia  Belding,  who  was  born  in  St.  Lawrence 
county.  New  York,  and  w^as  a  daughter  of  William  and  Lorena  (Sanford) 
Belding.  Her  father  belonged  to  one  of  the  old  Puritan  families  of  Vermont 
and  was  numbered  among  the  pioneer  farmers  of  Grundy  county.  In  the 
Green  Mountain  state  he  married  Miss  Sanford,  and  in  the  fall  of  1848  they 
emigrated  westward,  locating  on  a  tract  of  wild  land  adjoining  the  present 
site  of  the  village  of  Mazon  on  the  east.  There  he  improved  his  property, 
making  a  good  pioneer  home,  and  upon  this  farm  he  died,  at  the  venerable 
age  of  eighty-three  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church 
and  a  highly  respected  citizen.  His  children  were  Nelson,  William,  Mor- 
timer, Fidelia,  Amanda,  Clarinda  and  Aurelia. 


7/6  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Clapp  located  upon  his  farm  and  entered  upon 
a  prosperous  business  career.  He  prosecuted  his  labors  with  great  energy 
and  determination,  and  as  a  result  of  his  well  directed  and  persevering  efforts 
he  acquired  a  handsome  competence  which  now  enables  him  to  live  retired. 
In  1883  he  erected  an  attractive  residence  in  Mazon.  where  his  son,  Frank 
Clapp,  now  lives.  On  putting  aside  business  cares  in  that  year,  our  sub- 
ject has  since  rested  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clapp  were  born  two  children:  Ada  M..  who  was  born 
February  i,  1854,  in  Mazon  township;  and  Frank  H..  who  was  born  in  the 
same  township,  February  4,  1862.  The  daughter  was  married  in  Mazon 
February  8,  1876,  to  Oscar  Davis,  and  they  have  one  child,  Frank  F., 
who  was  born  in  April,  1883.  Frank  H..  the  son  of  our  subject,  is  a 
banker  in  Mazon. 

In  his  political  views,  Mr.  Clapp  is  a  Republican  and  was  one  of  the 
first  in  the  county  to  vote  the  Republican  ticket,  supporting  John  C. 
Fremont  for  the  presidency,  and  afterward  voting  for  Abraham  Lincoln. 
His  lovalty  to  the  duties  of  citizenship  has  ever  been  one  of  his  marked 
characteristics  and  he  has  always  done  everything  in  his  power  to  pro- 
mote the  welfare  of  county,  state  and  nation:  yet  he  has  never  been  an 
olifice-seeker,  nor  has  he  sought  official  reward  at  any  time  in  recognition 
of  his  services.  He  is  truly  a  self-made  man  whose  prosperity  has  been 
won  by  his  own  unaided  efforts.  His  honesty  is  above  question  and  his 
fine  moral  character  has  won  him  the  unqualified  confidence  of  those  with 
whom  he  has  been  brought  in  contact,  while  among  those  who  know 
him  his  word  is  as  good  as  any  bond  that  was  ever  solemnized  by  signature 
or  seal. 


JOHN  H.  MISNER. 


During  the  civil  war  Mr.  Misner  manifested  his  loyalty  to  the  gov- 
ernment by  going  to  the  front  with  the  boys  in  blue.  He  is  a  grandson 
of  one  of  the  heroes  of  the  Revolution,  and  his  patriotic  spirit  has  always 
been  manifested  in  support  of  all  movements  and  measures  which  he  be- 
lieved would  prove  of  public  benefit.  The  Misners  are  of  sturdy  Penn- 
sylvania Dutch  stock,  the  ancestors  of  our  subject  being  early  settlers  of 
the  Keystone  state.  His  grandfather  was  a  son  of  Conrad  Misner,  and 
was  born  in  Berks  county,  Pennsylvania.  September  22,  1759.  He  was 
married  in  1787  to  Miss  Barbara  Stacker,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Germany 
January  13,  1773.  She  remained  in  the  Fatherland  until  eleven  years  of 
age,  when  she  came  with  her  parents  to  the  Xew  World.  The  marriage 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Misner  occurred  in  Pennsylvania,  but  early  in  their  married 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  777 

life  they  removed  to  Kentucky  and  afterward  to  Ohio,  whence  tliey  went 
to  Indiana  and  later  to  Illinois,  locating  near  Newark,  this  state,  about  the 
year  1840.  There  Henry  Misner  died,  September  25.  184S,  and  his  wife 
passed  away  May  20,  1847. 

He  was  a  valiant  soldier  in  the  service  of  his  country  and  took  part  in 
the  Indian  war  against  the  Six  Nations,  serving  under  General  Sullivan. 
When  the  colonies  attempted  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  British  oppression,  he 
joinetl  the  American  army,  enlisting  as  an  Indian  spy,  at  the  age  of  seven- 
teen years  and  six  months.  Later  he  served  in  the  North  Cumberland 
company  in  a  militia  regiment,  in  which  he  remained  for  fifteen  months,  as 
a  private  under  Captain  Green.  On  the  2d  of  September,  1832,  when 
seventy-three  years  of  age  and  while  a  resident  of  Pickland,  Indiana,  he 
applied  for  a  pension. 

In  his  family  were  sixteen  children,  thirteen  sons  and  three  daughters, 
and  with  one  exception  all  were  married  and  had  families.  Two  of  his 
sons,  Henry  and  Demarquis,  came  to  Illinois  in  1832,  bringing  with  them 
their  families.  Demarquis  and  his  family  lived  in  a  tent  during  the  month 
of  November,  until  the  trees  could  be  cut  down  and  a  log  cabin  erected. 
He  took  up  his  claim  near  Lisbon,  Illinois,  and  he  served  in  the  war  of 
1812  under  Captain  Sloan  and  General  Hull  in  an  Ohio  regiment,  being 
with  Hull's  army  at  the  time  of  the  surrender  at  Detroit.  He  was  after- 
ward a  pensioner  of  that  war.  Subsequently  to  the  arrival  of  Henry  and 
Demarquis  in  Illinois,  two  daughters  and  seven  sons  of  the  same  family 
came  to  this  state.  These  were  ]\Irs.  Elizabeth  Scoggins,  Mrs.  Serena 
Hauck,  Elijah,  Elisha,  Christopher,  Ransom.  Harrison,  Abraham  and 
Fletcher.  Elijah  afterward  went  to  Missouri  and  died  there,  but  Elisha 
spent  his  last  days  in  Grundy  county  and  they  were  farmers.  Abraham 
took  up  his  residence  near  Springfield,  Illinois,  where  he  spent  his  remain- 
ing davs.  Fletcher  was  for  si.xty  years  a  resident  of  Millington,  Illinois, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  wagons  and  agricultural  im]ile- 
ments.  at  one  time  doing  a  large  business.  He  is  still  living,  making  his 
home  with  his  son  in  Anderson,  Indiana.  The  remains  of  Henry  Misner. 
the  Revolutionary  hero,  were  interred  in  the  Millington  burying  ground 
where,  three  years  ago,  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  erecte  I 
a  monument  to  his  memory.  It  is  believed  that  he  was  the  second  Revolu- 
tionary soldier  to  die  in  Illinois. 

Ransom  Misner,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Ohio,  May  21, 
18 10,  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and  was  married  in  his  native  state  to 
Miss  Margaret  Cromwell,  who  was  bom  Februar}'  7,  1810,  and  died  May 
12,  1839.  Immediately  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  Mr.  Misner  established 
a  home  in  Kendall  countv,  Illinois,  where  he  followed  his  trade  until  I8^o, 


778  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

when  he  started  across  tlie  plains  to  California  with  a  party  formed  at 
Quincy,  Illinois.  While  hunting,  in  May  of  that  year,  he  was  killed  by 
Comanche  Indians.  His  life  had  been  an  honorable  and  upright  one  and 
he  was  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  His  children  were  George  D., 
born  November  8,  1833;  John  H.,  born  December  22,  1834:  Mary  F., 
born  December  22,  1836,  and  Martha  A.,  born  September  14,  1838. 

John  H.  Misner  was  born  in  Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  and  was  about 
four  years  old  when  brought  by  his  father  to  Illinois.  His  educational 
privileges  were  limited,  but  his  training  at  farm  labor  was  not  meager  and 
throughout  his  life  he  has  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits.  In  185 1  he 
came  to  Grundy  county,  where  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  until  April  27, 
1862,  when  he  enlisted  at  Ottawa,  Illinois,  as  a  member  of  Company  G, 
One  Hundred  and  Fourth  Illinois  Infantry,  under  command  of  Captain 
Salem  White.  When  hostilities  had  ceased  he  was  honorably  discharged 
June  6,  1865,  near  Washington,  D.  C.  At  the  battle  of  Hartsville,  Ten- 
nessee, where  the  regiment  was  captured,  he  succeeded  in  making  his  escape, 
although  the  rebels  tired  at  him.  After  four  days  spent  in  the  woods  when 
there  was  about  six  inches  of  snow  on  the  ground,  he  succeeded  in  reaching 
the  Union  troops  at  Gallatin,  Tennessee.  During  his  wanderings  he  had 
been  protected  by  the  colored  people.  His  exposure,  liowever,  brought  on 
illness,  and  after  six  weeks  spent  in  the  hospital  at  Gallatin  he  was  sent 
home  with  the  sick  and  wounded  men  of  his  regiment,  remaining  in  the 
north  during  the  winter.  The  following  April  he  rejoined  his  regiment 
at  Chicago,  Illinois,  where  the  troops  were  engaged  in  guarding  prisoners. 
In  the  spring  he  went  with  them  to  Nashville  and  participated  in  the  Tulla- 
homa  campaign  and  in  the  battles  of  Chickamauga,  Missionary  Ridge, 
Lookout  Mountain  and  the  Atlanta  campaign,  where  his  regiment  was 
under  fire  for  one  hundred  days.  He  was  also  with  Sherman  on  the  cele- 
brated march  to  the  sea  and  campaigned  from  Savannah  through  the 
Carolinas.  In  North  Carolina  he  and  sixty  comrades,  who  had  been  de- 
tailed to  forage,  were  taken  prisoners  and  sent  to  Johnston's  headquarters 
and  from  there  to  Richmond,  being  confined  in  the  famous  Libby  prison 
for  four  days,  after  which  he  was  paroled.  They  were  then  sent  to  Grant's 
lines  at  City  Point  and  to  Annapolis,  Maryland,  and  to  the  paroled  camp 
at  St.  Louis.  On  the  close  of  the  war  they  were  transferred  to  Washing- 
ton city  to  be  mustered  out.  When  the  country  no  longer  needed  his 
services,  Mr.  Misner  returned  to  Braceville  township,  where  he  resumed 
farm  work. 

He  was  married  December  12,  1S67,  in  what  is  now  Maine  township, 
to  Miss  Esther  C.  Hill,  who  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  Feb- 
ruarv  13,  1847,  a  daughter  of  John  A.  and  Esther  (Marsh)  Hill.     She  was 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD.  779 

fourteen  years  of  age  when  she  went  to  live  with  her  sister  Lucy,  tlie 
wife  of  E.  H.  Robinson,  and  with  them  she  came  to  Ilhnois  in  March,  1865, 
making  her  home  with  them  until  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Misner.  Unto  our 
subject  and  his  wife  have  been  born  two  children,  Emma  S.  and  Arthur  H. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Misner  began  their  domestic  life  upon  a  farm  in  Maine 
township,  but  after  two  years  removed  to  their  present  home,  our  sub- 
ject here  having  eighty  acres  of  land,  which  he  cleared  and  improved, 
making  it  a  valuable  proper!}'.  In  addition  to  this  he  has  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Pawnee  county,  Kansas.  In  his  lousiness  deal- 
ings he  is  very  reliable  and  his  success  may  be  attributed  entirely  to  iiis 
own  work. 

Mr.  Misner  belongs  to  Sedgwick  Post,  No.  305,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Gardner. 
He  voted  for  John  C.  Fremont,  the  first  Republican  candidate  for  the 
presidency,  and  has  since  supported  its  presidential  nominees.  Some  minor 
ofiices  have  been  filled  by  him  and  by  popular  choice  has  served  as  a 
meiuber  of  the  school  board  of  his  township,  and  was  a  constable  of  Coal 
City  during  his  residence  in  that  place.  His  military  career  and  his  public 
and  private  life  are  alike  abo\-e  reproach,  and  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
representative  men  of  his  neighborhood. 


CHARLES  E.  SOULE,  M.  D. 

The  true  western  spirit  of  progress  and  advancement  finds  exemplifica- 
tion in  Charles  E.  Soule,  who  is  one  of  the  leading  physicians  of  Morris. 
lii  his  profession  he  keeps  thoroughly  abreast  of  the  times  and  is  familiar 
with  all  the  discoveries  made  in  connection  with  the  medical  science  and  the 
theories  advanced  as  to  its  use  in  administering  to  the  needs  of  suft'ering 
humanity.  He  is  a  very  able  practitioner  and  has  a  large  patronage,  which 
indicates  his  position  in  the  front  rank  of  the  medical  fraternity. 

Dr.  Soule  is  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Roches- 
ter, Racine  county,  June  11.  1S63.  His  parents  were  Elvirus  and  Mary  J. 
(Thomas)  Soule,  the  former  a  native  of  Schoharie  county.  New  York,  the 
latter  born  in  Wales.  The  paternal  grandfather,  George  Soule,  was  a  native 
of  the  Empire  state,  and  was  descended  from  French  ancestry.  When  four 
years  of  age  Mrs.  Soule  came  to  the  United  States  with  her  parents,  who 
located  in  Racine  county,  Wisconsin,  where  they  resided  until  1871,  at 
which  time  they  removed  to  Kansas,  where  their  last  days  were  spent. 
Elvirus  Soule  accompanied  his  parents  to  Racine  county  in  1845,  and  after 
attaining  his  majority  was  married.  He  was  l)orn  in  1830,  and  died  in  that 
county  in  1898.     However,  he  spent  considerable  time  in  the  west,  crossing 


/So  BIOGRAPHICAL  AXD    GEXEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

the  plains  to  California  in  1849  ^n^'  remaining  upon  the  Pacific  slope  until 
1861,  when  he  returned  to  the  Badger  state.  In  1864  he  responded  to  his 
country's  call  for  troops,  enlisting  in  the  Thirty-ninth  Wisconsin  Infantry, 
with  which  he  served  one  year.  Upon  his  return  from  the  south  he  resume  I 
farming,  devoting  his  energies  to  that  occupation  until  his  death.  His 
widow  still  resides  on  the  old  homestead  in  Wisconsin.  There  were  three 
children  in  their  family.  Edith  A.,  Stella  A.  and  Charles  E. 

Under  the  paternal  roof  Dr.  Soule  was  reared  to  manhood.  He  early 
became  familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agricul- 
turist, and  having  acquired  his  preliminary  education  in  the  district  schoos 
he  attended  the  Rochester  Seminary,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1884. 
Subsequently  he  engaged  in  teaching  for  three  years  and  then  devoted  three 
years  to  the  study  of  medicine,  being  graduated  at  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons  in  Chicago  on  the  26th  of  February,  1889.  He  then  located 
in  Mount  \'ernon,  Wisconsin,  where  he  practiced  until  1892.  when  he  opened 
an  office  in  Sheridan.  Illinois.  In  May,  1899.  he  came  to  Morris,  where  he 
has  already  secured  a  liberal  patronage.  He  is  a  member  of  the  LaSa  le 
County  Medical  Society,  the  North  Central  Illinois  Medical  Association, 
the  Illinois  State  Medical  Society  and  the  American  Medical  Association. 

In  1885  Dr.  Soule  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Hollister, 
a  native  of  Wisconsin,  and  their  union  has  been  blessed  with  two  children — 
Eula  E.  and  Edgar  ]\I.  In  politics  Dr.  Soule  is  a  Republican,  and  socia.ly 
a  Master  Mason.  He  seeks  no  public  office,  preferring  to  devote  his  energies 
to  his  profession,  in  which  he  has  attained  a  position  of  distinction. 


GEORGE  W.  MYERS. 


George  W  .  Myers,  who  was  a  substantial  pioneer  farmer  of  blazon 
township,  Grundy  county,  was  born  in  Ohio,  in  October,  1822,  and  on  the 
maternal  side  was  descended  from  the  Fox  family.  Upon  the  home  farm 
he  was  reared,  becoming  familiar  with  all  the  labors  and  duties  that  fall  to 
the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  He  obtained  a  common-school  education  and 
when  about  thirty  years  of  age  came  to  Grundy  county. 

In  this  county  ^Ir.  Myers  was  married  to  Harriet,  who  was  bom 
Januarv  13.  1839.  in  Michigan,  a  daughter  of  Enoch  and  Elizabeth 
(Gant)  Buck.  Her  father  was  of  English  descent  and  was  a  pioneer  farmer 
of  the  Badger  state,  residing  in  Pokagon,  Cass  county.  Michigan.  About 
1855  he  removed  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  locating  upon  a  farm,  which 
he  made  his  home  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is  now  living  with  his  son 
Frank  in  Indian  Territory,  and  is  a  venerable  man  of  about  eighty-six  years. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  7^i 

His  father  was  one  of  the  heroes  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  The  children 
of  Enoch  Buck  were  Harriet:  Martha;  Charles:  Orlando:  James;  Emily,  who 
died  in  early  womanhood:  Olive;  Jesse  and  Francis. 

After  locating  in  Grundy  county  George  Myers  devoted  his  time  and 
energies  to  the  improvement  of  his  farm  and  added  to  it  until  he  became 
the  owner  of  a  verv  valuable  property,  pleasantly  located  one  mile  and  a  half 
southwest  of  the  village  of  Jvlazon.  He  died  June  13,  1876,  respected  by  all 
who  knew  him,  for  he  was  a  man  of  unblemished  character  and  an  honored 
citizen.  In  politics  his  support  was  given  the  Republican  party.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Francis,  born  November  6,  1855;  Marion,  who  was  born  Sep- 
tember 13,  1857,  and  died  January  21,  1864:  and  Caroline  Belle,  born 
February  15.  1866.  The  mother  of  this  family  is  still  living,  is  a  lady  of  high 
character  and  resides  with  her  daughter.  Airs.  Dr.  Bell,  of  Chicago. 

The  daughter,  Caroline,  was  married  October  25,  1888,  in  Chicago  to 
Dr.  James  Johnston  Bell,  one  of  the  leading  physicians  of  the  city.  He 
was  born  in  Chicago,  January  24,  1861,  a  son  of  James  and  Susan  (Ferguson) 
Bell.  His  father  was  born  in  county  Monaghan,  Ireland,  in  the  town  of 
Glasslough,  April  2;^.  1822.  and  was  a  son  of  Alexander  Bell,  who  v.as  of 
sterling  Scotch-Irish  lineage  and  was  for  twenty-five  years  a  soldier  in 
the  British  army.  James  Bell  received  the  usual  educational  privileges  of  the 
common  schools  of  this  country.  He  married  Aliss  Susan  Ferguson, 
who  was  born  in  the  county  of  Monaghan  in  1825,  and  in  1844  he 
emigrated  to  the  New  World,  residing  in  New  York  city  for  some  years. 
In  1855  he  arrived  in  Chicago,  where  he  made  his  home  for  fifteen  years. 
and  in  1870  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  there  beco'vin-^; 
the  owner  of  six  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  unimproved  land.  Tie  located 
on  his  property,  which  he  improved,  continuing  the  work  of  development 
and  cultivation  until  1885,  when  he  removed  to  Minooka.  Illinois,  where  he 
died  March  i.  1893,  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years.  James  Bell  was  of 
sterling  Scotch-Irish  ancestry  and  was  an  excellent  representative  of  that 
hardy  and  intellectual  race  which  has  furnished  to  America  many  of  her  most 
successful  men.  He  possessed  rare  prudence  and  sagacity,  was  a  man  of 
highest  integrity  of  character  and  of  noble,  honorable  sentiments,  greatly 
beloved  by  his  children  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  His  children 
were;  Annie  J.;  Carrie  S. :  John  A.;  William  A.;  James  J.;  Lottie,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  nineteen  years:  and  Maggie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  foufteen 
years.  The  mother  passed  away  in  September,  1889,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
seven. 

When  eight  years  of  age  Dr.  James  J.  Bell  removed  with  the  family  to 
Kendall  county,  Illinois,  where  he  acquired  the  usual  common-school  educa- 
tion.    He  also  pursued  a  full  course  in  the  normal  school  at  Morris,  Illinois, 


7^2  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL   RECORD. 

wliere  he  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1884.  Determining  to  make  the 
practice  of  medicine  his  life  work,  he  then  entered  Rush  Medical  College,  at 
Chicago,  and  after  completing  the  course  immediately  began  practice  in  the 
metropolis.  He  has  since  secured  a  large  and  lucrative  patronage,  and  his 
marked  ability  has  gained  him  prestige  among  the  members  of  the  medical 
fraternity  in  the  city. 

Unto  the  Doctor  and  his  wife  ha\'e  been  born  three  children :  Forest 
Gunn,  who  was  born  February  28,  1891 ;  Stewart  L.,  who  was  born  Decem- 
ber 25,  1892;  and  Warren  W.,  who  was  born  January  27,  1894.  In  his 
political  views  the  Doctor  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  fraternally  he  is  a  well- 
known  Mason,  belonging  to  Lake  View  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  Lincoln  Park 
Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  and  the  Apollo  Commandery,  K.  P.,  also  the  ^ledina 
Temple  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  is  a  man  of  strong  mentality,  has  been  a 
close  and  discriminating  student  of  his  profession  and  has  won  an  enviable 
degree  of  success  as  a  medical  practitioner  of  Chicago. 


WINFIELD  S.  ALLISON. 

The  Allisons  are  a  sterling  Scotch-Irish  family,  and  early  representatives 
of  the  name  were  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  New  England  and  Penn- 
sylvania, and  were  also  among  those  who  have  carried  civilization  to  the 
western  districts.  Members  of  the  family  were  soldiers  in  the  Colonial  and 
Revolutionary  wars,  and  in  the  war  of  1812.  "The  History  of  the  Allison 
Family,"  by  L.  A.  Morrison,  published  in  1893  by  Damrell  &  Upham,  of 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  gives  the  following  account : 

"The  name  Allison  occurs  quite  frequently  among  the  Scotch-Irish  set- 
tlers in  the  southwestern  part  of  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  from  1718  to 
1740,  at  about  the  same  dates  as  the  emigration  from  the  same  localities  in 
the  north  of  Ireland  to  New  Hampshire,  Massachusetts  and  Maine  occurred. 
The  surnames,  with  the  same  Christian  names  of  the  early  Scotch  settlers 
in  New  Hampshire,  were  often  duplicated  at  the  same  dates  in  the  Scotch 
settlements  in  Pennsylvania,  and  among  them  are  Allison,  Park,  Morrison, 
Cochran,  Boyd,  Dickey,  McAllister,  Stewart,  Wilson,  Mitchell,  Steele,  Camp- 
bell and  others.  Nor  is  this  strange  when  we  remember  that  as  early  as  1718 
not  less  than  five  vessels  of  emigrants  from  the  north  of  Ireland  arrived  on 
the  coast  of  New  England,  but,  forbidden  to  land  at  Boston  by  the  intolerant 
Puritans;  went  up  the  Kennebec  and  there  settled.  The  winter  of  1718-19 
being  one  of  unusual  severity,  the  great  majority  of  these  settlers  left  the 
Kennebec  and  came  overland  into  Pennsylvania,  settling  in  Northampton 
county." — Letter  of  William  H.  Egle,  M.  D.,  of  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  7^3 

dated  April  13,  1878.  He  is  the  author  of  the  "Illustrated  History  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania."  published  in  1876. 

Of  this  hardy  band  of  Pennsylvania  pioneers  Winfield  Scott  Allison  is 
descended.  His  great-grandparents  were  James  and  Barbara  Allison,  of 
Pennsylvania.  They  had  two  sons  and  three  daughters,  and  James  Allison 
died  in  Indiana.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  John  Allison,  who  was 
born  in  Washington  county.  Pennsylvania,  in  1793,  and  died  in  Belmont 
county,  Ohio,  in  1866.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Stewart,  or  Stuart,  as 
the  early  memljers  of  the  family  spelled  the  name.  She  was  born  at  Red- 
stone, Pennsylvania.  June  28.  1800.  and  died  Feljruary  24,  1886.  Their  chil- 
dren were  James,  born  August  5.  1818;  Jehiel.  born  May  5.  1821 ;  John,  born 
April  8,  1823;  Hiram,  born  in  1825;  one  whose  birth  occurred  April  18,  1828. 
but  whose  name  is  not  decipherable  on  the  old  record;  Joseph,  born  Decem- 
ber 28,  1830;  Susanna,  born  October  26,  1834;  Mary,  born  February  3,  1838; 
George  W.,  born  November  11.  1840:  and  Rebecca,  born  March  15,  1845. 
The  above  record  was  taken  from  the  old  family  Bible. 

John  Allison,  Sr.,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  and  the  father  of  this 
family,  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  Pennsylvania  militia  in  the  war  of  18 12 
and  served  for  two  hundred  and  seventy-four  days,  part  of  the  time  under 
Captain  Coulson  and  Colonel  Free.  Removing  to  Belmont  county,  Ohio, 
he  spent  his  last  days  there.  His  wife.  Elizabeth  Stewart,  was  a  daughter  of 
Jesse  and  Mary  (Creig)  Stewart.  Her  father  was  a  son  of  James  P.  and 
Barbara  (Taylor)  Stewart  and  was  the  great-grandfather  of  Winfield  Scott 
Allison.  He  was  born  October  12,  1777,  and  died  October  8.  1846.  He 
lived  in  Marietta,  Ohio,  in  181 2,  and  there  volunteered  under  Captain  Van 
Horn  in  the  detachment  that  went  northeast  through  Lake  Champlain, 
thence  by  way  of  Niagara  to  Lake  Erie,  where  he  participated  in  the  battle 
of  Lake  Erie,  under  Captain  Perry.  He  was  a  millwright  and  ship  carpenter 
and  had  worked  in  a  printing  office.  Both  a  soldier  and  a  sailor,  he  was  a 
man  of  fine  military  deportment  and  of  soldierly  bearing,  was  six  feet  in 
height  and  capable  of  much  endurance.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneer  mer- 
chants of  Mount  Pleasant,  Ohio,  from  1816  to  1818.  Many  relics  of  him 
have  been  preserved,  including  the  uniform  he  wore  in  1812.  He  was  twice 
married,  his  first  union  being  wifh  Elizabeth  Creig,  by  whom  he  had  five 
children,  namely:  Elizabeth,  Rebecca.  Matilda.  Mary  and  James  P.  His 
second  wife  was  Miss  Lydia  Hart  and  their  children  were  Maria,  born  No- 
vember 10,  1835.  and  died  August  2,  1858;  Barbara,  who  was  born  October 
9,  1839.  and  died  July  9.  1845;  L.  D.  Jesse,  born  February  15,  1842;  and  J. 
T.  H.,  born  June  23,  1844. 

John  Allison,  Jr.,  a  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Stewart)  Allison,  was 
born  April  8,  1823.  in  Belmont  county.  Ohio,  was  reared  on  the  home  farm. 


7^4  BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD. 

received  the  usual  common-school  educational  pri\'ileges  and  learned  the 
tailor's  trade  in  the  country  of  his  nativity.  He  was  married  in  Belmont 
county,  September  2,  1846,  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Turk,  who  was  reared  on  the 
banks  of  the  Susquehanna  river,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  (Smith) 
Turk.  Her  father  was  a  pioneer  farmer  of  Richland  township,  Belmont 
county,  and  married  Sarah  Smith,  who  was  born  in  Loudoun  county,  Vir- 
ginia, in  1794,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Martha  Smith.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Turk  became  the  parents  of  several  children,  as  follows :  Smith,  ]Martha 
Ann,  Eliza,  Mary,  Sarah  A.,  Terressa,  Margaret,  David,  John,  Thomas,  and 
two  whose  names  are  not  remembered. 

John  Allison  and  his  wife  lived  in  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  until  1834 
or  1855,  and  then  came  to  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  settling  on  wild  land  in 
Vienna  township.  He  improved  the  farm  and  prospered  in  his  undertaking, 
adding  to  his  land  imtil  he  owned  four  hundred  and  ten  acres.  In  1869  he 
removed  to  Gardner,  where  he  engaged  in  the  banking  business,  being  alone 
until  1870,  when  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Isaac  McClure,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Allison  &  McClure.  They  did  a  profitable  business  until 
June,  1875,  when  Mr.  Allison  bought  out  his  partner's  interest  and  con- 
ducted the  business  alone  in  Gardner  until  his  death.  Mr.  McClure  went  to 
Scandia,  Republic  county,  Kansas,  and  in  1879  formed  a  partnership  with 
Mr.  Allison,  who  conducted  a  banking  business  at  that  place,  the  latter  being 
represented  by  E.  D.  Scott:  but  in  1881  they  sold  out  the  business.  In 
politics  John  Allison  was  an  old-line  \\  hig  and  became  one  of  the  original 
Republican  party,  voting  for  John  C.  Fremont  and  Abraham  Lincoln.  Be- 
ing devoted  to  his  business  interests,  he  always  refused  to  hold  office.  He 
was  a  progressive  and  successful  business  man,  and  was  in  favor  of  all  public 
improvements.  Of  a  liberal  and  generous  disposition,  he  withheld  his  sup- 
port from  no  measure  which  he  believed  would  prove  of  public  gootl  and 
was  ever  ready  and  willing  to  aid  his  friends  to  the  extent  of  his  ability.  In 
all  his  dealings  he  was  straightforward  and  honorable,  and  was  regarded  as 
one  of  the  most  highly  respected  citizens  of  Gardner.  Fraternally  he  was 
connected  with  the  Gardner  Lodge,  No.  573,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  and  Iris  wife 
were  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  he  served  as  a  trustee. 

Their  children  were:  Sarah  E.  S.,  who  was  born  June  20,  1847:  Martha 
A.  E.,  October  i,  1849:  John  A.,  October  i,  1851;  Joseph  S.,  March  18,  1833: 
Margaret  T.,  May  11,  1856:  Mary  E.,  who  was  born  in  Grundy  county,  Janu- 
ary 12,  1859,  and  died  February  22,  1880:  Winfield  S.,  born  in  Grundy 
county,  August  8,  1861:  and  Capitola  B.,  September  19,  1864.  The  first 
four  were  born  in  Belmont  county,  Ohio:  the  others  in  Grundy  county,  Illi- 
nois. The  mother  of  these  children  died  January  12,  1875,  at  the  age  of 
forty-eight  years,  and  John  Allison  afterward  wedded  Mrs.  A.  D.  Gardner, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND    GENEALOGICAL  RECORD.  785 

the  widow  of  Charles  Gardner,  who  in  her  maidenhood  was  Miss  West.     By 
this  marriage  there  was  one  child,  Georgia. 

Winfield  Scott  Alhson,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Vienna 
township,  Grundy  county,  and  with  his  parents  came  to  Gardner,  wlien  about 
eight  years  of  age.  He  accjuired  his  education  in  the  pubhc  schools  here  and 
in  the  Northwesterji  Academy,  at  Evanston,  IlHnois.  He  began  his  business 
hfe  at  the  early  age  of  seventeen  years  as  he  clerked  in  his  father's  banking 
house  and  remained  there  until  his  father's  death,  wdien,  by  the  terms  of 
the  will,  he  was  made  the  administrator  of  the  estate.  He  has  continued  the 
banking  business  under  his  own  name  until  the  present  time  and  has  been 
very  successful,  his  capital  being  invested  in  the  bank  and  in  real  estate. 

On  the  1 8th  of  April,  1882,  in  Grundy  county,  j\Ir.  Allison  was  married 
to  Miss  Emma  L.  Bookwalter,  the  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Susan  Book- 
waiter,  and  they  have  three  interesting  children, — Wade  S.,  Mamie  and  John. 
Mr.  Allison  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  he 
is  serving  on  the  board  of  trustees,  while  for  the  past  ten  years  he  has  filled 
the  position  of  elder.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Knight  Templar  Mason,  belonging 
to  the  commandery  at  Morris,  and  in  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  but,  like  his 
father,  seeks  no  public  preferment.  He  is,  however,  known  as  a  public- 
spirited  citizen  whose  aid  is  liberally  given  to  advance  all  measures  calculated 
to  promote  the  material,  educational  and  moral  welfare  of  his  community. 
The  banking  house  which  his  father  established,  and  of  which  he  is  now 
the  honored  proprietor,  is  the  oldest  financial  institution  in  the  southern  part 
of  Grundy  county.  Its  well-earned  reputation  for  reliability  he  has  main- 
tained by  his  conservative  methods  and  honorable  dealing,  and  he  has  made 
the  institution  a  very  successful  one,  gaining  for  himself  an  unassailable  repu- 
tation in  financial  circles.  He  has  ever  enjoyed  in  a  marked  degree  the 
confidence  and  regard  of  his  fellow  men  and  is  justly  regarded  one  of  the 
leading  citizens  of  Gardner. 


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