/r-vu%st^^ 
 
 
 t^liUij;. '■ ■;■"-,■,:. V - ■■",'-:s 
 hn:)ft<Sl-r-j!-:'.!.-:"u~;. 
 
 
 ''J'~i 
 
 JB^-,MY^^I■.^s»...>i.?■1^rJ:■A^.:': 
 

 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 U N IVtRSlTY 
 or ILLINOIS 
 
 K4-5t> 
 
 mm MiuKicAL liMki
 
 } 
 
 p;\sr AM) PKr:sr:nT 
 
 OF 
 
 IROQUOIS COLIXnX ILLINOLS 
 
 Bv J. W. KERN. M. A. 
 
 TOGETHKK WITH 
 
 f^lOr.KAPIIICAL 5KI:TCHE5 
 
 OF MANY OF ITS PROMINENT AM) LEADING CITIZENS 
 AND ILLLSTRIOUS DEAlJ. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 t'HI(A(;<): 
 
 THE .S. J. CLAHKK FIBLISHING CO. 
 
 1'JOJ
 
 
 "H>e^icatc^ to tbe 
 IPlonccvs 
 ox llroquoii? (loimtB
 
 ' 'L 
 
 UNIVEKiiliy u^ ILLINOIS
 
 q; 
 
 RIOCPwAPIIIC/AL. 
 
 iiox. ADDisux guodi:ll. 
 
 Hon. Addison Goodell was for many years 
 ]-oda's foremost citizen. Almost countless are 
 llic individuals who unite in expressions of praise, 
 gratitude and honor in speaking of him. and his 
 memory is today enshrined in the hearts of all 
 who knew him. Althou.nh his success was great 
 it was his strong and sterling traits of character 
 which gained for him the place that he occupied 
 in the affections of his fellowmen. Said one who 
 knew him well, "He was cast in the same mold 
 of nohle manhood, physically, mentally, morally 
 and intellectually, as was .\braham Lincoln." 
 He possessed too that entire freedom from osten- 
 tation which characterized tlie martyred presi- 
 dent, and it is improbable that he ever weighed 
 an act of his life in the scale of policy. The 
 course which he followed in all of his relations 
 with his fellowmen was ])rompte(l by a spirit 
 "i kindly consideration for others and a desire 
 to do the right as he saw and understood it. 
 
 Addison (loodell was born near Mentor in 
 Lake county, Ohio, on the i6th of July. 182J. 
 and was a representative in both the pateriril 
 and maternal lines of old Xew England families. 
 His parents, Xathan P. and Hannah M. (Ciris- 
 wold) Goodell. were natives of Windham county. 
 Connecticut, and further mention is made of the 
 ancestral history of the family in connection with 
 the sketch of Warren S. Goodell on another i)a.t;e 
 of this work. But in this writing we are more 
 closely concerned with the life record of .\ddison 
 GiTodell, who left such an indelible imjiression 
 upon the roniniiri-i.il niid financial historv of 
 
 Iroquois ct)unty and e.xerted so strong and bene- 
 ficial an inlluence over the lives of those with 
 whom he came in contact. On leaving Xcw Eng- 
 land his parents removed to Ohio, becoming pio- 
 neer residents of that section of the Western Re- 
 serve which is now included within the borders 
 of Lake county. The father was a woolen manu- 
 facturer and in coimection with business inter- 
 ests of that character was identified with farm- 
 ing and milling. Public spirited and energetic, 
 he t<jok a prominent and active part in all that 
 pertained to the welfare of the community in 
 which he made his home. His political alle- 
 giance was given to the whig party, subsefjuently 
 to the free soil party and later to the republican 
 party. He and his wife were members of the 
 Christian church and in the early days of Mor- 
 mon influence Sidney Rigdon, then pastor of 
 the church to which Mr. and Mrs. Goodell be- 
 longeil. succeeded in carrying off all of the mem- 
 bers of his flock to the new religion save Xathan 
 P. and Hannah Goodell. Arousing the ire of the 
 Mormon leaders by his expose of some of their 
 deceitful practices, Joseph Smith, their leader, 
 claimed to have received the revelation "that the 
 earth woidd drink Mr. Goodell's blood within 
 a year." His life thus threatened Mr. Goodell 
 disposed of his interests and removed to Paines- 
 ville, Ohio, where he operated the city flouring 
 mills until his demise, which occurred when he 
 was seventy-six years of age, while his wife was 
 seventy years at the time of her death. 
 
 Farm life early became familiar to Addison 
 Goodell and while spending his boyhood days 
 under the parental roof he aided in the work of 
 
 I 109479
 
 8 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 he died, and feel yet, a sense of personal be- 
 reavement and loss that makes it seem an im- 
 possibility to say why I loved him so. I never 
 knew of his doing a littje or mean thing. The 
 mould in which he was rim was too large for 
 small things or mean things. If courage in 
 convictions of right, if nobleness of character, if 
 kindness of heart, if goodness of intention, and 
 success in putting an abstract intention into con- 
 crete definite and kindly action, if all the charac- 
 teristics that make people lovable, so richly 
 possessed by him, are assets for this life and of 
 value in the life he has now entered, then he 
 was a rich man in the esteem, affection and love 
 of his fellowmen here, and now enjoying the 
 enduring riches and fellowship of that life that 
 shall never know a close." 
 
 From Hon. Horace Russell, member of the 
 forty-third general assembly, came the following: 
 "I have appreciated the honor he conferred on 
 me by being friendly to me always, for back in 
 the past when he was a younger man I became 
 acquainted with him. He was always kind to 
 me and while he was aware of my many failings 
 and shortcomings he always passed them by and 
 encouraged me to do better. He has left to you 
 boys a name that few can have. It was not local 
 by any means, but was linked with all of eastern 
 Illinois and especially of our county. There is 
 no one man in our county who was so well and 
 favorably known as was Mr. Goodcll. His name 
 meant all that was honorable and good." 
 
 Writing of their father to the sons. W. R. 
 Jewell said : "Through a period of a generation 
 I have known .\ddison Goodell as one of the best 
 men with whom I have ever associated. He had 
 all the elements of one of the Lord's noblemen. 
 As a citizen he was a devoted patriot. In the 
 day of his country's deepest need he was on the 
 side of the Union and for freedom. He was 
 one of the best supporters of the martyred presi- 
 dent. .\braham LincDhi. and was cast in tlic same 
 mold of noble manhood physically, mentally, 
 morally and intellectually, as was Mr. Lincoln. 
 He was a man of the common ])e(>ple, above llie 
 small tricks of small men. .\s a husband and 
 father he filled to fullness the siiirit of IIolv 
 Writ and the laws of the land. His children will 
 cherish his memory while their lives shall last. 
 The older they grow, and the more thev recede 
 
 by lapse of time from the days when they were- 
 in their childhood, in their good old home, the 
 more will the noble fatherhood of their father 
 shine upon them, full of all precious memories- 
 of simple going, coming, working, providing,, 
 thinking and planning for them, for their future- 
 happiness and well-being. I saw him often 
 about this fatherly duty, and even to me the 
 memory is now a sacred possession. He was re- 
 ligiously devoted to home — to making it happy ,. 
 to filling it with peace, unpretentious but solid 
 love, and all physical comforts. He was public- 
 spirited and worked and planned for the prog- 
 ress of his town, his community. We believe that 
 all the people of Loda will join me in saying that 
 he was the father of your beautiful place. That 
 he was one of the foremost of its citizens in build- 
 ing up the churches, your library, your school 
 houses, parks, and that all good and useful move- 
 ments found in him a ready, cheerful helper. 
 Soon after I became acquainted with Mr. 
 he became a member of the constitutional 
 convention which framed the present constitu- 
 tion of this state. I was told by Governor Bev- 
 eridge and others that he was one of the most 
 useful members of that body of distinguished 
 men on account of his great common sense and 
 business ability. He had the elements of practical 
 statesnianship and had he devoted himself to 
 statecraft instead of to business he would have 
 made an able constructive statesman. While in 
 the constitutional convention he did service for 
 the people which has lasted and served to this 
 day and will last and serve for many years to 
 come. Mr. Goodell was really a professional 
 business man ; the soul of honor, an example of 
 industry, exactness and thrift. He belonged to 
 that nvighty host of business nien who have 
 pushed this country along for almost three 
 quarters of a ccntm-y. until it has become the 
 greatest in the world. His word was as good 
 as his bond, liis name was a synonym of honor 
 and confidence, .\ddison Goodcll is a household 
 word for miles and miles around Loda, and the 
 circles of business men in Chicago. New York 
 and other centers. It is a great triumph to gain 
 a fair competency by sobriety, inilustry. honesty, 
 persistence, and Mr. Goodell achieved that vic- 
 tory. Besides all this he was a liberal, charitable 
 Christian gentleman. On that side of his life I
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 owe him iiuicli, tor lie did imicli to leach me, 
 when I was a young man and somewhat arrufjant 
 and dogmatic in botli pohtics and religion, how 
 to be tolerant to other men's views while firmly 
 holding my own. He seems to me as an older 
 brother, and I sincerely mourn his loss. IJut I 
 believe in the future life most fully and stead- 
 fastly. I believe that He who brought us here 
 has made the noble service of this life to fit us 
 for the future life in the highest degree. In 
 this service Mr. Goodell had a long and noble 
 discipline, and he has gone onward and upward 
 with all the beauty, the sweetness, the nobleness, 
 the love and service through which he has 
 passed in this life, gathered into his great heart, 
 as a store of joy in the other life. He has not 
 left this world empty or naked, but there is a 
 house not made with hands, eternal in the 
 heavens, into which he passes, clothed in the 
 righteousness of a noble life. His soul has be- 
 come as vast as a world, and into it is gathered 
 all things that are holy and true. His soul lives 
 in God's heavens : his deeds of goodness live in 
 this life." 
 
 HON. A. M. jnXES. 
 
 Hon. .\. M. Tones has left and is leaving the 
 impress of his individuality njjon public life in 
 Iroquois county. He is distinctively a nian of 
 affairs and one who has wielded a wide influence, 
 and while he is known in political circles he is 
 equally respected and honored as an enterprising 
 and reliable business man, successfully controlling 
 important and growing business interests in Mil- 
 ford, where for over a (juarter of a century he has 
 dealt in hardware, lumber and farm implements. 
 His life record is in contradistinction to the old 
 adage that a "prophet is never without honor 
 save in his own countrv," for Mr. Jones is a na- 
 tive son of the coui.cy in which he has so directed 
 his lalx)rs as to gain more than local distinction 
 and honor. 
 
 He was Iwrn in .'^tockland townshij). .May 15. 
 1857, and is a son of the Hon. John H. and Han- 
 nah ( Pugh ) Jones, both of whom were natives 
 of Oliio. The father was born in Miami county, 
 October 30. 1823. but was reared in Warren 
 
 count\, Indiana, and it was there that he wedded 
 Miss I'ugh. He removed to Illinois in 1850, set- 
 tling on a farm in Stockland township, Iroquois 
 county, where he ])urchase(l a tract of raw land. 
 It was entirely destitute of improvements and not 
 a furrow had been turned, but with characteristic 
 energy he began the arduous task of develo])ing 
 a new farm and brought the place under a h ^h 
 state of cultivation. He was one of the most 
 prosperous agriculturists of this portion of the 
 state and to his ])ossessions added from time to 
 time until his holdings aggregated sixteen hun- 
 dred acres of well improved and valuable land. 
 He was indeed one of the ]>rominent and success- 
 ful agriculturists of Iroquois county, and in his 
 business life manifested a s|>irit of energy and bus- 
 iness integrity that commended him to the confi- 
 dence and won for him the admiration of all who 
 knew aught of his industry. He exerted, too. a 
 wide influence in public aflairs and was well fitted 
 for leadership because of his known ability, his 
 thorough understanding of the jiroblems relative 
 to the general good and his marked rievotion to 
 the interests of the people at large without the 
 display of class distinction. Again an<l again 
 he was called to positions of public honor and 
 trust. He served for a number of years as super- 
 visor, was township school trustee and township 
 treasurer for several years, filling the office at the 
 time of his demise. In 1883 he was elected to 
 the general assembly, where he represented his 
 district with credit to himself and satisfaction to 
 his constituents, being appointed on a number of 
 im[)ortant committees and doing valuable work in 
 connection with instructive legislature. He was 
 faultless in honor, fearless in conduct and stainless 
 in rcinitation, and his life of business activity and 
 public service well entitled him to mcnt'un with 
 the foremost men that Iro{|uois county has pro- 
 duced. He died at his old home, OctolxT 27, 
 1893, at the age of seventy years, and for about 
 three years was survived by his wife, who passed 
 away in December, i8ty>- The family of this 
 worthy couple numbered six sons and two daugh- 
 ters, and in that number no death has yet oc- 
 curred. 
 
 • .\. M. Jones was reared upon the old home- 
 stead. The usual experiences of the l)oy upon 
 the farm were his. .\s age and strength jiermit- 
 teil he worked in the fields from the time of earlv
 
 10 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 s]jring planting until crops were harvested in 
 the late autumn but he was also given opportu- 
 nity to attend school and mastered the element- 
 ary branches of English learning in the district 
 school near his father's home. He completed his 
 studies at the Northern Indiana Normal College, 
 at X'afparaiso, and thus well equijjped for the 
 respons'fole duties of life he entered the field ol 
 business activity as an employe in a hardware 
 store in A\'atseka, where he received ])ractical 
 training in mercantile life. He was ambitious 
 for advancement and success, and eagerly im- 
 proved every opportunity toward that end. In 
 1879, in connection with his twin brother, E. S. 
 Jones, he embarked in the hardware and imple- 
 ment business at Milford. The firm of Jones 
 Brothers carry a large and well selected stock of 
 hardware and farm implements, valued at twenty- 
 five thousand dollars, and have built up an exten- 
 sive trade. They are recognized as leading busi- 
 ness men of broad capability, keen insight and un- 
 faltering determination, ant! in connection with the 
 hardware and implement business they also have 
 a lumberyard and carry a large stock of lumber 
 and building materials, for which they find a 
 ready sale. 
 
 .'\. M. Jones has gained equal prominence in 
 political circles, in which connect'on he has 
 wielded a wide influence, having made a close 
 study of all those problems which divide the two 
 great political organizations. His position has 
 never been an equivocal one. for he has always 
 been known as a stalwart republican. He was 
 elected and served for eight consecutive years as 
 supervisor, being chosen to that office when he 
 had scarcely attained his majority, so that he was 
 known as the ''boy supervisor." While a member 
 of the honorary county board he served for two 
 years as its cha'Tman. When choice was made 
 for a candidate for the thirty-eighth general as- 
 sembly the delegates to the cnnvenlion agreed 
 upon Mr. Jones and he was elected. He gave 
 such uniform satisfaction in discharging the du- 
 ties of the office that he was re-elected and thus 
 served for four consecutive years, giving to each 
 question which cune up for settlement "n the 
 Igislatnre his careful and thoughtful considera- 
 tion, lie has filled numerous official ])ositions 
 and has always been deeply interested in the 
 cause of ])ublic instruction, serving as a member 
 
 of the school board of Milford for a long period 
 and as :ts president for twelve years. He also 
 .served on the town board as trustee, was president 
 of the board, has been township treasurer for sev- 
 eral years and in all these offices has rendered effi- 
 cient aid and made an untarnished record. 
 
 In 1881, in Milford, occurred the marriage of 
 A. M. Jones and Miss Frances Monett, who was 
 born and reared in Ohio, and is an accomplished 
 and cultured lady, a daughter of John Monett. 
 She is one of the acti've members of the Methodist 
 church at Milford and has done much to advance 
 its growth and extend its influence. Mr. Jones is 
 an exemplary representative of the Masonic lodge 
 at Milford. and he and his wife are connected with 
 the Eastern Star. He has also taken the degrees 
 of capitular and chivalric Masonry in the com- 
 mandery and chapter at Watseka. As an Odd 
 Fellow he has filled all of the chairs in the local 
 lodge and is a past grand at Milford. He has 
 likewise been district deputy and a representative 
 to the Grand lodge of Odd Fellows in the state. 
 He and his brother have contributed in substan- 
 tial measure to the development of the town in 
 which they reside and have here erected a two- 
 story business block, while each has built an at- 
 tractive modern home. They are among Mil- 
 ford's most prominent and public-spirited men. 
 To evei\v enterprise calculated to advance the 
 prosperity of Milford, A. M. Jones is a contribu- 
 tor and is justly accounted one of the prominent 
 and pojnilar citizens. 
 
 IIOX. MATTHi:\\' HEXRY PETERS. 
 
 Among tlie residents of Iroquois county the 
 public service of few have extended over so long 
 a period as that of ^Matthew Henry Peters and 
 none have been more faultless in honor, more 
 fearless in conduct or more stainless in reputa- 
 tion. As mayor and legislator he has rendered 
 far-reaching and eft'ective service to the city of 
 Watseka and the district at large and as a busi- 
 ness man his efforts have been a factor in pro- 
 moting commercial progress and prosperity, 
 while viewed in any light he is a strong man — 
 strong in his honor and his good name, while 
 his life record should .serve as a source of inspi-
 
 u 
 
 f:^cLlI^f^ ^in^'^i^ 
 
 7 
 
 7^.0. 
 
 £^U U>
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLIMOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COrXTV. 1 1. 1. 1. Vol. s. 
 
 1.^ 
 
 ration and cnciiiira,ij^cnii.'iU to others, sliouinj^j 
 that without tlic advantages of family, wt-altli or 
 position at tliu outset of one"s career an individual 
 may rise to prominence and success, winning the 
 esteem :uul resjiect of all with wlioni he is asso- 
 ciated. 
 
 A native of (iermany, .Major I'elers was horn 
 in Rhenish ISavaria, June (>, 1843. and his par- 
 ents, (.ieorse and Mary (Moock) I'eters, were 
 also natives of that country. 'I'hc father in tlie 
 year 1843 brought his family to America, land- 
 ing at New Orleans, but tlie climatic conditions 
 of the city were detriment.al to the health of the 
 family and within a few years the mother and 
 two sisters of Major I'eters died, leaving two 
 small hoys to the care of the father, who was 
 unfamiliar with the language and customs of the 
 people among whom he had come to dwell. His 
 limited financial resources were .soon com])letely 
 exhausted through the expenses occasioned by 
 sickness and death and a short time afterward 
 he suffered an attack of yellow fever which ter- 
 minated his life, .so that the two little liovs were 
 left or])hans. Samuel, the younger brother, was 
 cared for in an oriiiian asylum. 
 
 .\ conteni]>orary biograi)her in a hisiory of 
 Major I'eters said, concerning his early life, "Mat- 
 thew, then but ten years of age, was taken by 
 an acquaintance to bring up. Instead of finding 
 the comforts of a good home and the tender 
 care of a humane and worthy guardian, the lit- 
 tle orphan fell a victim to the grasjiing cupidity 
 of a cruel and heartless monster. He was poorly 
 clad, nearly starved, beaten. ;inil instructed in 
 criminal processes that would have done credit 
 to the Jew I'agan, made famous by the pen of 
 Dickens as the tutor of little ( )livcr Twist. This 
 man kept a small tailoring shoji, where the boy 
 was compelled to work from early morn until ten 
 or eleven o'clock at night. A small slice of bread 
 three times a day constituted bis entire rations, 
 so that be never knew while there what it was 
 not to be hungry. Ilccoming desperate, be re- 
 solved to make bis escape, feeling that any 
 change must be an improvement; so early one 
 morning in the winter of 1854-55 he, without the 
 trailitional bundle that the small aiiprentice is 
 supposed to carry when he runs away, made a 
 start for liberty and fortune. The rags on bis 
 back and the welts and bruises under them were 
 
 all he had to take exce|)t a b,'ih'-iloli,'ir that had 
 been entrusted to bis care overnight for market 
 purposes, b'eeling that be could justly appropri- 
 ate that amount of capital in consideration of his 
 um-e(|uitted service and privation, he niaile the 
 most of it by soon getting sonielbing substan- 
 tial with which to satisfy a mucb-.abuseil stom- 
 ach. \\ ith fear ami trembling, be sought safety 
 in a distant |>art of the city. His nights were 
 spent sleeping among the cotton bales and sacks 
 of coffee, or in other places where rest could be 
 .secured. In the daytime he ran the streets, mak- 
 ing a meal from anything he could find that was 
 edible, the waste from partially decayed fruit 
 and the refuse from hotel tables being his prin- 
 cipal fare. 
 
 "In the succeeding March, by good lortinic, the 
 little lad secured empKniuent on a Mississippi 
 river steamboat as assistant cook, and for once 
 in many years he was well fed. This change 
 marked an era of improvement in bis fortune, 
 for shortly afterward a traveling gentleman, 
 Henry S. Roberts, attracted by the intelligent 
 face of the boy and learning his sad story, took 
 a fancy to bini and offered him a home. This 
 kind off'er was gladly accepted, ancl in company 
 with his new-ft)und friend, Matthew went to 
 ( )hio. For a time everything went well ; he 
 made himself u.sefnl to bis benefactor and was 
 given sdmol advantages; but misfortune again 
 befell him with the death of Mr. Roberts, which 
 happened only a few weeks after young I'eters 
 had found a bonx' with him. He left the boy 
 with his widowed mother, whose kindness and 
 motherly love have found a full recompense in a 
 lifelong devotion and care on the part of the 
 befriended boy. Since he has grown to manhood. 
 Major Peters has given her a home in bis f,im- 
 ilv. where she was loved and revered as though 
 indeed his real mother. Mrs. Roberts attained 
 the remarkable age of one hundred and three 
 vears." Her death occurred at Maior I'eters' 
 home January 6, 1894. 
 
 .\fter Itecoming a rcsi<lent of ( )hio Major 
 I'eters devoted his time and energies at different 
 periods to farm labor and the trade of brick- 
 making an<l bis leisure hours were largely de- 
 voted to rea<ling aiul study. His school privi- 
 leges had been very limited but with laud.iblc 
 ambition he desired an education and improved
 
 I-t 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 everv oppormmtN mr liroaiknmy li:s knowlcilyc 
 and promuting his mental culture. Oftentimes 
 he studied by the light of the burning kiln that 
 he was watching while wt)rking in the brickyards. 
 In this way he gained sufticienl knowledge to 
 enable him to successfully pass a teachers e.xam- 
 ination and entered actively upon the work of 
 the profession, at the same time pursuing his in- 
 dividual studies. It was in i860 that he became 
 a rejiresentative of the work of public instruc- 
 tion, in which he continued until the outbreak 
 of the Civil war. 
 
 In the meantime Mr. I'eters had watched with 
 interest the trend of modern thought, noting the 
 events which were shaping the history of the 
 country. He saw the threatening attitude of the 
 south and resolved that if a blow was struck to 
 overthrow the Union he would .stand loyally in 
 its defense. Accordingly on the 2^<\ of .\pril, 
 1861, he joined the Jefferson Guards of Spring- 
 field. Ohio, becoming a member of Company E, 
 Sixteenth Ohio Infantry, for three months' serv- 
 ice. The regiment was assigned to duty in \'ir- 
 ginia and with his command he took part in the 
 engagements at Philippi, Laurel Hill and Car- 
 rick's Ford, at which place the first Confederate 
 general, Garnett, was killed. Having served 
 out the term of his first enlistment Mr. Peters 
 re-enlisted in November of the same year at 
 Nenia, Ohio, as a private of Company F, Sev- 
 enty-fourth Regiment, under Colonel Granville 
 Moody, the fighting parson ; Walter Crook, 
 brother of General George Crook, of Indian no- 
 toriety, being his captain. .\t this time, Mr. 
 I'eters was made sergeant, soon afterward was 
 chosen lieutenant by the company and was com- 
 missioned by Governor Todd of C)hio on the 
 7th of January, ii^>2. During that year, he was 
 in active service and j)articipated in all the bat- 
 tles and engagements in which his regiment took 
 part. 
 
 .\t the battle of Stone River, Tennessee, De- 
 cember 31, \SC>2. our subject was severely 
 wounded and was thought to have been killed ; 
 indeed, was so reported, his comrades being 
 ol)liged to desert him on the field. However, he 
 received attention in time and was eventually 
 able to rcsmne his post of duty. lie particijjated 
 in the battles of a hundred d;iys' <hir.iti(in before 
 .\tlanla. On the «jth of Ma\, iSiq. l.itiiteii.int 
 
 Peters, who had been made adjutant of the 
 Seventy -fourth by his colonel on the reorganiza- 
 tion of the regiment as veterans, was again 
 wounded, while charging a rebel battery on Buz- 
 zard Roost Mountain, being struck by a frag- 
 ment of a shrapnel shot in the right leg. He 
 was left lying on the field two days. On the 
 13th of July following, by the recommendation 
 of his colonel, he was commissioned captain for 
 "gallant and meritorious services." During the 
 greater part of that summer, he was confined 
 to his hospital cot by the serious nature of his 
 wound, but as soon as convalescent he rejoined 
 his regiment in Savannah. Georgia, though very 
 feeble. During the remainder of the campaign, 
 he was on active duty and participated in the 
 closing battles of the war in the Carolinas under 
 Sherman. He took part in the battles of Ben- 
 tonville. Averysboro and Greenville, North Car- 
 olina, and the surrender of General Joseph E. 
 Johnston, April 26, 1865. The proudest day of 
 his military career was enjoyed at the Grand 
 Review of the armies at Washington, May 24 
 and 25. 1863. when he was detailed by General 
 George I'. lUiell. commanding the brigade on 
 his staff, as assistant inspector-general. Captain 
 Peters was retained on General Buell's staff un- 
 til notified that his regiment was about to be 
 mustered out. when he asked to be relieved, re- 
 joining his comrades in their march homeward, 
 and was mustered out July 12. 1865. But just 
 prior to that happy event he was complimented 
 l)y being conimissioned major of his regiment, 
 the regiment in which he had enlisted as a pri- 
 vate in the first year of the war. The compli- 
 ment was the more gratefully received as it was 
 unsought and came as an appropriate recognition: 
 of merit and faithful and gallant service in the 
 field. 
 
 Major I'eters" identification with the interests, 
 upbuilding and progress of Watseka dates from 
 .\|)ri]. 18U1, at which time he became interested 
 in the hardware tr.'ide in this city in partnership 
 with Alexander .\rchibald. but he did not find 
 the business congenial and in the course of a 
 year dis|)osed of his interest to his partner. In 
 the spring of 18(17 he opened the first book and 
 stationery sture in Watseka and from the be- 
 ginning success attende<l the new venture. I le 
 condncteil the business until November. iSr*),
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 when lie suld out to Henry 11. Alter, wliu liml 
 been in his employ as a salesman for more th.m 
 a decade. Major Peters had met with a jjoodly 
 measure of success while conductintj his mer- 
 cantile interests and in the meantime he extended 
 his operations into the field of journalism, as- 
 suming control of the Iroriuois Times in De- 
 cember, 1872. lie remained in charge of the 
 paper for eighteen months and then sold out, 
 but again became owner in June. 1878. conduct- 
 ing it ably and successfully until January i, 
 1891, when he again disposed of his interest. He 
 gained for the Times a widespread and envialile 
 reputation, making it one of the leading papers 
 of this part of the state, and its editorials were 
 ever read with interest and did nnich toward 
 molding public thought and action. He has ever 
 been recognized as a fearless champion of what- 
 ever he has believed to be right and moreover has 
 ever stood for reform, progress and improve- 
 ment, while community interests have found in 
 him a stalwart champion. His has been a potent 
 influence in political circles and tiie «talwart hon- 
 esty of his character has been found in his flexi- 
 ble adherence to principles in which he has be- 
 lieved, even though greater personal honors and 
 popularity could have been gained in other ways. 
 When the republican party was formed to pre- 
 vent the further extension of slavery and became 
 the champion of the Union cause, he advocated 
 its purposes and its principles and supported it 
 by his ballot. At the time of the liberal move- 
 ment of 1872 he followed the lead of Horace 
 Greeley and other eminent republicans in oppo- 
 sition to the leaders of the old party and in that 
 year was nominated for clerk of the circuit court 
 of Iroquois county and received the endorse- 
 ment of the democrats, .\lthough defeated it 
 was a defeat which amounted almost to a vic- 
 tory because of the largely reduced rcpublicni 
 majority. In 1875 he was called by the vote of 
 his fellow citizens to the office of mayor of Wat- 
 seka and gave such a practical, businesslike and 
 public-spirited administration that in October. 
 1877, he was re-elected to fill out the imexpired 
 term of the Hon. Franklin Blades, who had re- 
 signed to accept elevation to the circuit bench. 
 In .\ugiist, 1878, Major Peters was made the 
 nominee of the national party for the office of 
 representative to the Illinois legislature and in 
 
 November Iniluwrng was elected by a very flat- 
 tering majority. .\s a meml>er of the house he 
 gave thiiughtful and earnest consideration to 
 every question which came up for settlement and 
 was connected with considerable imiK>rtant con- 
 structive legislation. In 1884 he was the demo- 
 cratic candid.ite for state senator and in 1886 
 was that i>arl\s candidate for congress, but his 
 district is strongly republican and although he 
 received a com])liment:iry vote was nt)t elected. 
 He has never ceased, however, to exert a strong 
 and widely felt influence in political affairs and 
 was chairman of the Iroquois county democratic 
 central committee in the campaign of 1884, which 
 resulted in the election of Cirovcr Cleveland. 
 
 Major Peters has never ceased to feel a great 
 interest in military aflfairs and was largely in- 
 strumental in organizing the first militia com- 
 pany of Inxjuois county in May, 187.4. He was 
 honored with election to the captaincy and when 
 under the military code of the state the various 
 companies were organized into regiments and 
 battalions, the Watseka Rifles were designated 
 as Company A, Ninth Itattalion, Illinois National 
 Guards, and Captain Peters was elected to com- 
 mand the battalion by the line officers who met 
 at Champaign, October 10, 1877, for that pur- 
 pose, thus gaining the later title of colonel, by 
 which he is often called. 
 
 Of various fraternal and civic organizations 
 Colonel Peters has been a valued and prominent 
 member. He is identified with Williams post. 
 No. 23, (i. A. R.. which he joined on the 28th 
 of August, i8<'i7. He was its first adjutant and 
 has many times filled the office of conunander. 
 He belongs to the Illinois Commandery of the 
 Military Order of the Loyal Legion and has been 
 a member of the Society of the Army of the Cum- 
 berland since its organization. He is a past 
 chancellor commander of Mon Ami lodge. No. 
 2^1. K. P.. and is prominent in Iroquois lodge. 
 No. 74, I. O. (). F., ami in InM|uois encampment. 
 .No. 81. reiiresenting both organizations in the 
 grand bodies of the fraternity. He holds mem- 
 bership in Watseka lodge. No. 1(18^1, Knights 
 of Honor, of which he is a past dictator, and 
 has represented the l<xral organization in the 
 grand lodge of the state, while in 1880 he repre- 
 sented Illinois in the sujireme lodge of the L^nited 
 States. He also belongs to Watseka lodge. No.
 
 i6 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 446, A. F. & A. yi., and W'atseka chapter, Xo. 
 114, R. A. M. He was likewise connected witli 
 the Illinois Press Association while a member 
 of the journalistic fraternity, with which he i.e- 
 came connected in 1874. 
 
 Since disposing of his journalistic interests 
 Major Peters has returned to that line of trade 
 in which he was formerly engaged and is now 
 conducting business as a book and stationery 
 merchant at Watseka. He has contributed to 
 the material improvement of the city through 
 the erection of the Times building in 1884 and in 
 various ways has been one of the promoters of 
 the business life of the town and with those in- 
 terests which work for civic virtue and civic 
 pride. 
 
 Fortunate in his home life. Colonel Peters was 
 happily married on the 19th of June, 1867, at 
 Sycamore, Illinois, to Miss Clara ]\I. Lyon, who 
 was born in Ontario county, New York, and is 
 a daughter of Oliver and Matilda (Hills) Lvon. 
 Mrs. Peters, whose natural culture and refine- 
 ment, combined with her opportunities for edu- 
 cational advancement, have made her a most es- 
 teemed lady, presides with gracious and warm 
 hearted hospitality over their home, which is 
 always open for the reception of their many 
 friends. They have one son, Arthur \"an Lisle, 
 who was born May 10, 1886, and until dcatli 
 claimed her Mrs. Roberts was a member of the 
 household. 
 
 Major Peters is broad gauged and liberal in 
 all his views, political, religious and social. In 
 other words, he looks at life in its momentous 
 phases from every possible standpoint and does 
 not form a speedy or biased judgment. Yet 
 when once he has determined upon a course that 
 he believes to be right neither fear nor favor can 
 swerve him therefrom. He is a man of action 
 rather than theory. While others might argue 
 and debate he has gone to work and demon- 
 strated. He has aided in pushing forward the 
 wheels of progress in \\'atseka and this part of 
 the state. Through the whole course of his ca- 
 reer the prime spirit that has prompted all of his 
 actions .seems to have been improvement and 
 advancement. The idea and intent of leaving 
 whatever he has touched better than he found it. 
 and this even when his personal gain might 
 often have been better advanccfl bv an opposite 
 
 course, has been dominant with him. He is a 
 man whose true character, to be rightly under- 
 stood, must be studied beneath the surface and, 
 thus e.Kamined, the unselfish and commendable 
 purpose and object of his life becomes apparent 
 and in fact unquestionable. It is usual that under 
 the ])ressure of adversity and the stinuilus of op- 
 position the best and strongest in men are brought 
 forth and developed and while the hardships of 
 his early life were many, thereb}' was awakened 
 in him a laudable desire for .something better, 
 and this spirit has been manifest throughout his 
 entire career. 
 
 O. F. MORGAN. 
 
 ( ). F. Morgan, a practitioner at the W'atseka 
 bar. with broad and comprehensive knowledge 
 of the science of law. as is demonstrated by the 
 able manner in which he has handled important 
 litigated interests, was born in \Miite county, 
 Indiana, September 11, 1859, a son of David S. 
 and Magdalene L. (Layman) Morgan, the for- 
 mer a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. 
 The father was a farmer by occupation and after 
 many years devoted to agricultural pursuits 
 passed awav on the 22d of November, 1903. at 
 the age of seventv-one years! His family num- 
 liered two sons and a daughter, of whom ( )rlando 
 yi. Morgan died when thirty-five years of age, 
 Init the daughter, Magdalene L., is still living. 
 
 O. F. Morgan, the eldest of this family, was 
 educated in the public .schools and at Purdue 
 L'niversity, in Indiana, where he completed his 
 more .specifically literary education. In 1879 his 
 parents removed to Kansas and he took up the 
 study of law in that state under the direction 
 of the firm of Fierce & Kline, of Rush county. 
 After thorough and careful preliminary read- 
 ing he was admitted to the bar in 1884 and en- 
 tered at once upon practice in Rush county, 
 where he remained for five years. In 1889 he 
 located for i)ractice at Covington, Fountain 
 county, Indiana, and in February. 1892, he re- 
 moved to ^^'atseka, being admitted to practice in 
 Illinois by the supreme court in 1893. The fol- 
 lowing vear he formed a partner.ship with David 
 A. Orebaiigh. .\t that time ^Ir. Morgan was
 
 O. F. MORGAN'.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQL'OIS COUXTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 •9 
 
 nut in aclivc pnicticc Init was associate editor uf 
 the Iroquois Times and the Kankakee Sun. The 
 firm of Mortjan & ( )rel)au;.ili. however, was estab- 
 lished and liad a continuous and prosperous exist- 
 ence until Iip3, when Mr. Orehaugh became 
 connected with the law department of the Inter- 
 national Harvester Company, and Mr. .Morsjan 
 has since been alone. His success at the bar 
 came soon because his e(|uipment was unusually 
 good. He has broad and accurate knowledge 
 of the principles of jurisprudence, is logical in 
 his deductions and sound in his reasoning. In 
 the application of a legal principle to a contested 
 point he is seldom, if ever, at error and in pre- 
 senting his cause he martials the points in evi- 
 dence with the ]>recision of a military comniantl- 
 •er. giving to each its tlue weight and prominence, 
 yet never losing sight of the important point 
 ujion which the decision in every case finally 
 turns. I le has thus gained a large and distinct- 
 ively representative clientage that has connected 
 him with the most important litigation tried in 
 the courts of his district during the ])ast decade. 
 In December, 1893. Mr. Morgan was united 
 in marriage with Miss Louise V. liarnliouse. a 
 daughter of Henry and Harriet X. (Straight") 
 Piarnhouse, of Ironton. Missouri, who, however, 
 were natives of X'irginia. They have two chil- 
 dren, lierwyn E. and Harriet M. Morgan. 
 
 -Mr. Morgan is a Mason and a member of the 
 M(xlern Woodmen of .\merica. His ])olitical 
 allegiance is given to the democracy. 1 le served 
 for one term as county superintendent of .schools 
 in Rush county. Kans;is, and in W'atseka he has 
 fdlefl the offices of alderman and citv attorney. 
 He enjoys the popularity which comes to those 
 generous spirits who are ever genial and affable, 
 while in his profession he has gained recogni- 
 * tion, and he is ranked among the foremost rep- 
 resentatives of the bar in Iroquois county. 
 
 E. C. .XXD S. I. \'.\XI)RRi'()(")RTEX. 
 
 The name of \'anflerp(x>rten is an honored one 
 in commercial circles in Irof|uois county and E. 
 C. \'anderpc)orten of this review has made a 
 creditable record as a financier in both private 
 life and public service. .\t the present time he 
 
 is at the head of the .Martinion Dank, which has 
 had a successful existence of four years. Uorn 
 in Clifton, lnK|uois county, March 4, 18^)7, he is 
 a son of Jo.seph X'anderpoorlen, a native of Bel- 
 gium, who in 1S34 crossed the .\tlantic to Xew 
 York. The following year he became a resident 
 of Chebanse township, Iro<juois county, Illinois, 
 and for many years was closely associated with 
 agricultural interests. In i8<;o he was elected 
 county treasurer and served for four years dur- 
 ing which time he made his home in the county 
 seat. He then returned to his farm, comjirising 
 two hundred and forty acres in Chebanse town- 
 ship, but in 1897 removed to W'atseka. at which 
 place Mrs. \'anderpoorten died July 3, 1900. 
 She bore the maiden name of .Vmelia lUmker and 
 was born in Canada. They became the parents 
 of si.x children, of whom three are living. 
 
 E. C. \'ander])oorten su])])lemcnted his pre- 
 liminary education by study in ( )narga Seminary 
 and through the periods of vacation and after 
 the completion of his school days he worked on 
 the home farm for some time. He was afterward 
 em|)loyed as clerk in a store and also had charge 
 of a creamery wagon. Following his father's 
 election to the office of county treasurer he filled 
 the position of deputy for four years and upon 
 his retirement engaged in the abstract business in 
 W'atseka until the 1st of May, i>jo^. when he 
 came to MartiiUon and entered the banking busi- 
 ness. The Martinton Piank was e.'Stablished in 
 1902 by R. F. Cummings. Thomas McSorley and 
 J. .\. .\rmfield. (On the 1st of December of that 
 year the bank was sold to \'anderpi«)rten Broth- 
 ers and at the present writing its officers are E. 
 C. X'anderpoorten. president ; S. I. \'andeq)oor- 
 ten. cashier; and J. .X. \'anderpoorten, assistant 
 cashier. The institution is capitalized for ten 
 thousand dollars and they do a general banking 
 and exchange business and are also fire insur- 
 ance agents. 
 
 E. C. \'anderpoortcn was married in Chebanse, 
 in i!*)5. to Miss Jennie I'ranklin. who was born 
 in that citv in 1871. They now have two chil- 
 dren. Ruby and Franklin. Mr. \'ander|)oorten 
 is a democrat in his political views, while his fra- 
 ternal affiliation is with the Masons, the Odd 
 Fellows an<l the Modern Woodmen. 
 
 .S. I. \'anderpoorten was born in Clifton, this 
 County. Xovembcr Q, 1874. and was educated in
 
 20 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 Watseka and in the Xorthcni Indiana Xornial at 
 Valparaiso. After completing his education he 
 entered the office of his brother, assisting; hini in 
 the abstract business until 1897, when he engaged 
 in the shoe business in Watseka for three years. 
 He then sold out, came to Martinton and has 
 since been interested in banking here as a mem- 
 ber of the firm of Vanderpoorten Brothers. S. 
 I. \'anderpoorten was married to Miss Florence 
 Meinhard, who was born in Gilman, Illinois, in 
 October, 1884, and they have one son, Leland. 
 
 Like his brother, S. I. \'anderpoorten is a Ala- 
 son and both are prominent in fraternal circles 
 and public life, standing as champions of many 
 interests which have direct bearing upon the gen- 
 eral welfare. In connection with his other in- 
 terests S. I. Vanderpoorten owns a half section 
 of land in Minnesota. The A'anderpoorten 
 Brothers have not confined their attention alone 
 to one line but have extended their efforts into 
 various fields of activity which have resulted in 
 direct benefit to their localit}- as well as to them- 
 selves. They organized the Martinton Build- 
 ing & Loan Association in April 1903, with John 
 Euchner, Thomas McSorley, OUver Bunker, 
 Ernest Treischel, Octave Tatro and Thomas W. 
 Mayo as directors. The last named is secretary 
 of the concern, which has proved a strong ele- 
 ment in building operations and the improve- 
 ment of property in Martinton. In January, 
 1906, S. I. \*anderpoorten was elected secretary. 
 In 1903 the Local Telephone Company was 
 formed with J. L. Shaw as president, E. C. Van- 
 derpoorten, secretary ; S. I. Vanderpoorten, 
 treasurer ; and L. PI. Baron, manager ; and the 
 local office of the company is in the bank. They 
 have an exchange at Chebanse, Clifton, Ashkum 
 and Pittwood, and are connected with the Cen- 
 tral Union long distance service. This company 
 has a capital stock of ten thousand dollars. Van- 
 derpoorten Brothers are also owners of one 
 hundred and thirty acres of land on section 16 
 and one hundred and twenty acres on section 17, 
 Martinton township. They are most alert and 
 energetic business men and the wise system of in- 
 dustrial economics which they have followed, 
 combined with their unfaltering perseverance and 
 diligence, has brought to them a gratifying meas- 
 ure of prosperity. Moreover their interests are 
 of such a character that the comnumitv has been 
 
 directly benefited thereby. They have never 
 sought to acquire wealth through the inflation 
 of the values but have depended upon judicious 
 investment and the promotion of legitimate busi- 
 ness concerns, and along these lines have gained 
 a gratifying measure of prosperity and won an 
 honorable name. 
 
 WILLIAAI P. PIERSOX. 
 
 The name of William P. Pierson is so closely 
 associated with the growth and upbuilding of 
 Onarga that no history of Iroquois county would 
 he complete without extended mention of his 
 life. He was the first merchant of the city — 
 when it was a little crossroads village, and for 
 many years business interests here felt the stim- 
 ulus of his enterprise, energy and sound judg- 
 ment. His co-operation has been an active fac- 
 tor in many measures and movements that have 
 proven of direct and permanent good here, and 
 the beauty of the city has been largely enhanced 
 by the trees which he caused to be planted along 
 its highways, transforming it into a veritable 
 grove. Moreover he is the oldest resident of 
 Onarga and the most honored — honored by rea- 
 son of his years, his success and his strong traits 
 of character, which have ever been such as to 
 command respect and admiration. 
 
 His life record began in Leroy, Genesee 
 county. New York. December 8. 181 1, and he has 
 tlicrefore passed the ninety-fifth anniversary of 
 his birth. Pie comes of English ancestrv and 
 the first of the family to emigrate to the new 
 world was the Rev. Abraham Pierson, who ar- 
 rived on the shores of Xew England in 1639. He 
 was a graduate of Cambridge University, Eng- 
 land, and he labored as a minister of the gospel 
 at Southampton, Long Island, and at Bradford, 
 Connecticut. Mr. Pierson of this review is a 
 descendant in the seventh generation of the Rev. 
 Aljraham Pierson, who was among the first to 
 sow the seeds of Cliristianity and civilization in 
 the new world, and who was the founder of 
 Newark, New Jersey. Abraham Pierson, second, 
 was the first president of Yale College, while 
 Abraham Pierson, third, was for forty years
 
 >'\J^-
 
 OF THE 
 
 L'fv!V';RSin OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 23 
 
 justice of the peace at KilliiiRworth. Connecti- 
 cut. 
 
 I'liiln Picrsuu, fatlier of our .--ubejcl, died wlicn 
 liis .sou William was only nine years of a}.;e. In 
 the family were si.x children, of whom William 
 was the eldest and is the only one unw living-. 
 At the ape of fourteen years he plowed one 
 hundred acres of land with oxen in <irder to aid 
 in the support of his mother and yountjcr l)rolh- 
 ers and sisters. His mother, who bore the 
 maiden name of Lucretia Buell, was born in Kil- 
 linjjworth, Connecticut, in 1792, and was a 
 daughter of .\sa I'.uell. who served in the Revolu- 
 tionary war with the rank of captain, while 
 Philo Pierson and his three brothers were sol- 
 diers of the war of 18 12. 
 
 Reared to manhood in his native state William 
 P. Pierson was jtrovided with liberal educational 
 advantages, cominc; from a family of intellectual 
 worth, who valued rightly the opportunities of 
 mental development. In 1833 '^"^ became a stu- 
 dent in the University of Vermont and although 
 his course there w'as not continuous he was 
 graduated from that institution with the class 
 of 1839. He worked his own way through col- 
 lege, — thus showing the elemental strength of 
 his character and giving evidence of the laud- 
 able ambition which was to secure substantial 
 successes for him in later life, .\fter complet- 
 ing his collegiate course he went to Kentucky 
 and there took up the study of law, being admit- 
 ted to the bar in due course of time and success- 
 fully practicing in that state for some years. 
 His legal knowledge also proved to him a step- 
 ping-stone fr'Mii which he climbed upward, as it 
 enabled him to carefully direct his business af- 
 fairs in later years. From Kentucky he came to 
 the north. ;md in order to recu])crate his health, 
 which was then somewhat impaired, he settled 
 upon a farm, near Fairfield. Towa. which he op- 
 erated for a few years. 
 
 In Fairfield. Iowa, Mr. Pierson formed the ac- 
 (|uaintance of Miss .Mary T. Condit. of ( )swego. 
 New York, a daughter of Rev. W. W. Condit. 
 D. D., who for forty years was pastor of the 
 First Presbyterian church of Oswego, and later 
 went to Iowa as a teacher in a seminary. The 
 young couple were happily married .\pril 18. 
 1853. and Mrs. Piers<tn proved a most loyal and 
 devoted wife and companion to him through 
 
 many years, her assistance and encouragement 
 often ])roving iiis insi)iration. Siie was closely 
 identified with church and Sunday-school work 
 in ( )narga, and organized the first Sunday-school 
 in the town with only four pupils, and holding 
 the little meeting in her own home. The mun- 
 ber of pupils, however, increased rapidly, an<l in 
 time there were two hundred in attendance at 
 the school which she established and of which 
 she was long the guiding spirit. She was one 
 of ( )narga"s devoted Christian la<lies, was untir- 
 ing in her work for the moral development o{ the 
 community and the infiuence of her life remains 
 as a blessed benediction to many who knew her. 
 The greatest sorrow that has ever come to Mr. 
 Pierson was in the death of his wife December 
 30, 1890, after they had traveled life's journey 
 together for thirty-seven years. 
 
 For about a year after their marriage Mr. 
 Pierson was engaged in the lumber business in 
 Chicago, and with wonderful prescience he dis- 
 cerned the possibilities for development in this 
 section of the state and came to Onarga, June 
 22, 1854, arriving at what was then a little cross- 
 roads village of four houses on the Illinois Cen- 
 tral, which had then been comi^leted to a point 
 four miles south of Onarga. Here Mr. Pierson 
 erected a business house and was the first mer- 
 chant to make a permanent location in Onarga. 
 He engaged in dealing in lumber, hardware and 
 farm implements and was a very active and pn:)- 
 gressive business man, following methods even 
 in advance of his time. He practiced a most lib- 
 eral advertising policy and sold goods in numer- 
 ous towns in this section of the .state. < )n one 
 occasion, after extensively advertising, he sold 
 three carloads of implements at Middlejiort. now 
 Watscka. at .n single sale. His trade const;uitly 
 increased in volume and importance with the 
 growth of the town and the settlement of the 
 surrouniling country, and his business became 
 an extensive one, yielding him large profits. A 
 man of resourceful ability, he was continually 
 watchful of opportunities giving him wider 
 scope, and thus he extended his efforts into vari- 
 ous fields of activity. He laid out Pierson's ad- 
 dition — a twenty-acre tract — to the town of 
 Onarga and in other ways materially improved 
 the city. He built a commodious and tasteful 
 residence for his own home, and he set out lutn-
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 dreds of evergreen and forest trees, all through 
 the city until it now has the appearance of a 
 grove, while the trees, grown to large size, af- 
 ford ample shelter along the streets, and add 
 much to Onarga's well deserving reputation of 
 being one of the beautiful cities of Illinois. The 
 erection of various buildings by Mr. Pierson 
 has also been a source of Onarga's growth 
 and improvement. He built the first brick busi- 
 ness block in the city and continued actively in 
 business until 1873, when with the substantial 
 rewards of his previous labor, he retired to en- 
 joy life amid the peace and prosperity which 
 he had well earned. Never has he been known 
 to take advantage of the necessities of his fel- 
 lowmen in any business transaction, his success 
 being won through close application, capable 
 management and judicious investment. 
 
 Since retiring to private life Mr. Pierson has 
 traveled extensively in Europe, both on the con- 
 tinent and through Great Britain, visiting many 
 places of historic, modern and scenic interest. 
 In his home town he has figured prominently in 
 coimection with the work of upholding the polit- 
 ical and legal status of the community and in 
 promoting its intellectual and moral development, 
 contributing liberally to the support of schools 
 and churches. Politically he was formerly an 
 old-line whig and upon the organization of the 
 rc|)ublican party in 1856 he joined its ranks 
 and served as a delegate to the fourteenth na- 
 tional convention. In i860 he was a delegate to 
 the convention which nominated .\braham Lin- 
 coln for the presidency, and he has taken an ac- 
 tive part in various campaigns in support of the 
 principles in which he believes, but has never 
 aspired to office for himself. He and his wife 
 were among the charter members and organizers 
 of the First Presbyterian church of Onarga, and 
 he is now the only survivor of those who assisted 
 in its founding. Ho lias helped to build tlireo 
 different Presbyterian churches in this city, the 
 last one, erected in kjjA, being a fine large, 
 brick structure, which was completed and a pipe 
 organ installed at a cost of twenty-five thousand 
 dollars. 
 
 Wliile Mr. and Mrs. Pierson never lind 
 any children of their own they adopted Janet 
 Breyt Spraak, when she was eight years of age. 
 She was born near Amsterdam, Holland, and 
 
 was reared and educated by Mrs. Pierson. She- 
 was cared for and loved as their own child and 
 now repays Mr. Pierson by filial devotion. She 
 is a lady of great intelligence and culture, and 
 now gives her time to the care of Mr. Piersoa 
 and his home, over which she presides with gra- 
 cious hospitality. 
 
 Mr. Pierson has now been a resident of Onar- 
 ga for more than fifty years and has not only 
 assisted in upbuilding the town but also has- 
 largely aided its people in many ways. He has- 
 ever kept abreast of the times and for fifty-three 
 years has been a reader of the Chicago Daily 
 Tribune. His has not only been a long but also- 
 a most useful life and while he has never sought 
 to figure prominently in any public light his la- 
 bor and influence have been of benefit to his fel- 
 lowmen, and constitute an example well worthy 
 of emulation. Considering his long years, his 
 splendid business successes, his public-spirited 
 assistance to his town and county and his co- 
 operation in those movements for the bettermen 
 of mankind, many who know him entertain for 
 him the feeling expressed by the bard of Avon : 
 
 "He was a man. Take him for all in all 
 I shall not look upon his like again."' 
 
 T. N. BOUE, M. D. 
 
 Dr. T. N. Boue, engaged in the practice of 
 medicine and surgery at Loda. and one of the- 
 oldest representatives of the profession in Iro- 
 quois county, has remained at his present place 
 of residence for over forty-two years, and 
 throughout this period has administered to the 
 needs of the sick and suffering with an ability 
 that has made him the loved family physician in 
 many a household. A native of Indiana, he 
 was born in Fountain county. May 18, 1837, and' 
 is a son of L. D. and Eleanor (Moffett) Houe. 
 In the state of his nativity the Doctor was reared 
 and his literary education was acquired in the 
 academy at Waveland and Ladoga. He began 
 the study of medicine under the direction of 
 Dr. Jehu .\dkins, of .Scotch Prairie, and pursued' 
 his first course of lectures at Rush Medical Col- 
 lege, Chicago, in the winter of 1863-4. He then:
 
 Dr. T. N. BOUE.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROOLOIS COfXTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 27 
 
 located at Loda, where lie entered iipnii the ac- 
 tive practice of his profession, but hiter he re- 
 turned ti> Rush, wliere he remained as a stu- 
 dent in the winter of i8<)5-(i, bciuj,' j^raduati-d in 
 the spring of the latter year. 
 
 After completing the regular course Dr. Iloue 
 returned to Loda and has since continucnisly 
 practiced here, his active identification with the 
 profession at this place covering more than four 
 decades. His friends gave to him an agreeable 
 surprise on the forty-second anniversary of his 
 arrival in Loda, Jul\ 27, 1906. Many of his ac- 
 quaintances gathered at his home to conuiiem- 
 orate the event, to extend him hearty congratula- 
 tions for what he had accomplished and to ex- 
 press their wish that he might long be permitted 
 to remain here in useful and successful practice. 
 He has drawn his patronage from a wide terri- 
 tory, being called for miles around to exercise 
 his skill and ability in alleviating human suffer- 
 ing and restoring health. He is probably the 
 oldest physician in years of continuous practice 
 in the countv and none more tboniugbly merit 
 the confidence and respect accurded liim he- 
 cause he has ever maintainetl a high standard 
 of professional ethics and through the ])assing 
 years has kept abreast with the advancement of 
 the medical fraternity. 
 
 Dr. Boue was married June 3. 18^17, to Miss 
 Effie L. Burnette, who died December 29, 1875. 
 In i8~Q. in Chicago, he wedded Emma J. Kelsey. 
 who was born and reared at Oregon. ]llin<iis. 
 There were two children by that union. \'era 
 June and Eleanor May. who are young ladies 
 at home. The second wife jjassed away in 1888. 
 and on the 6th of March, 1890, Dr. Boue was 
 married in Loda to Miss Minnie Carrington. 
 
 The Doctor belongs to the Masonic fraternity, 
 his membership being with the lodge at Loda, 
 with P'axton chapter and I'axton commandery, 
 K. T. He has filled all of the chairs in the blue 
 lodge, serving for twenty-two consecutive years 
 as master and afterward for another year, an 
 honor which has been conferred upon no other 
 member. He and bis wife hold membership in 
 the Eastern Star, of which Mrs. lioue is past 
 worthy matron. She is also a member of the 
 Congregational church and served as chorister 
 for a numlier of years. The Doctor has held 
 membership in the Christian church since his 
 
 y<iuth. lie belongs to the Inniuiiis and l-'<ird 
 Medical Society, the Illinois State Medical Soci- 
 ety and the .\meric;in .Medical .\ssiiciation. His 
 political endorsement is given to the democracy 
 and he cast his first ballot for Stephen A. Doug- 
 las in iS(K> and for each nominee of the party 
 since that time. He votes inde|iendently, how- 
 ever, at local elections, nf)r has he been an as- 
 pirant for office, yet his worth and ability have 
 been recognized by his fellow townsmen who 
 have called him to some positions of political 
 preferment, lie has served as highway commis- 
 sioner for twenty-four consecutive years, as pres- 
 itlent of the town board for a number of years 
 and has also been a member of the school board. 
 His interest in community affairs is deep and 
 sincere and arises from genuine devotion to 
 the public good. His efforts have been discern- 
 ingly directed in behalf of the general welfare 
 and he is a public-spirited citizen, standing for 
 progress and improvement along all lines. He 
 and his familv are held in highest esteem and 
 it would he difficult to find any who have more 
 friends than Dr. Boue. 
 
 .\.MES E. OWEX. 
 
 The industrial interests of Onarga find a 
 worthy reiiresentative in James E. ( )wen. who 
 owns and conducts an electric light plant. He 
 is, moreover, entitled to representation in this vol- 
 ume as one of the pioneers of the county and state, 
 and as one of the few remaining veterans of the 
 Civil war. He has resided in Iroquois county 
 since 1855. having arrive<l when a youth of twelve 
 vears. He was born in P>irmingham. l-"ngland. in 
 1843. a son of James Owen, whose birth occurred 
 in the same city. Xovembcr 13. 1815. The father 
 was there reared and married, the lady of his 
 choice being .\nn EUiman. who was likewise a na- 
 tive of England. James ( )wen. Sr.. was a black- 
 smith by trade and followed that pursuit in his 
 native country until after the birth of four of their 
 children, when with his family he emigrated to 
 the new worhl. arriving in i84<>. He sjK-nt about 
 one year in Brooklyn. .New York, a;id then came 
 west to Illir.ois by way of the l'>ie canal to Buf- 
 falo and arornd the lakes to Chicago. H- !■ -
 
 28 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 cated first in Mason county, Illinois, where he 
 took up his abode upon a farm which he culti- 
 vated for about five years. In 1855 he removed to 
 Onarga, where he again worked at the black- 
 smith's trade, establishing his first shop at this 
 place and he did work for patrons of Illinois at 
 a distance of twenty or thirty miles. Subse- 
 quently he again turned his attention to farming, 
 developing a raw tract of land, which he cleared 
 and cultivated until 1868, when he once more 
 took up his abode in Onarga, spending h s last 
 years here. He died in 1898, at the venerable age 
 of eighty-three years, while his wife survived him 
 and passed away in 1905, at the age of eighty- 
 five years, having spent her last days in the home 
 of her son, James E. Owen. 
 
 The educational privileges which James E. 
 Owen received in his boyhood days were quite lim- 
 ited, for in his youth he began work upon the 
 farm or in assisting his father in the shop and 
 his minority was therefore largely a period of 
 earnest toil. When a young man he also worked 
 at farm labor, and in 1861. when seventeen years 
 of age, he joined Company C. of the Fifty-sev- 
 enth Illinois X'olunteer Infantry. The regiment 
 went to the south and was attached to the Army of 
 the Tennessee. Mr. Owen was first under fire at 
 Fort Donelson, and later at Shiloh, where he sus- 
 tained a gunshot wound in the left leg. He was 
 sent to the hospital at Savannah, where he re- 
 mained for about three months on account of his 
 injuries. He then returned home on a furlough 
 of sixty days, after which he rejoined his regi- 
 ment at Corinth. He afterward participated in a 
 number of battles, including those of the Atlanta 
 campaign and went with Sherman on the cele- 
 brated march to the sea. being honorably dis- 
 charged on the expiration of his term of service 
 at Savannah. Georgia, on the 3nth nf nocembcr, 
 1864. 
 
 Mr. Owen then started on the return trip, mak- 
 ing the voyage up the .Atlantic coast to New York 
 city. He crossed the country to Iroquois county, 
 arriving in January, 1865. After recuperating 
 from the hardships and rigors of war he began 
 work on a farm and was thus employed by the 
 month. Subsequently he engaged in the manu- 
 facture of brick and tile as an employe and after- 
 ward as proprietor of a plant. In connection 
 with F. P. P>cach. he owneil and operated a brick 
 
 and tile yard at Dclrey, where he remained for a 
 number of years, after which he sold his interest 
 to Mr. Peach and entered into a partnership with 
 Horace Barnes in the manufacture of brick and 
 tile near Onarga. That business was conducted 
 successfully for several years, subsequent to which 
 time Air. Owen turned his attention to the grain 
 trade, in which he continued for four or five 
 years, when he sold out and in connection with 
 L. J. Risser established a canning factory, which 
 he operated for some time. On disposing of his 
 interest in that business he established the electric 
 light plant in Onarga, which is connected with 
 the electric light plant at Oilman, the power house 
 being at the latter place. He has the lighting 
 of the city and public buildings, which are well 
 illuminated, having about two thousand lamps 
 used for the city. He also furnishes light to 
 many private residences and the business is prov- 
 ing a profitable one. 
 
 I^Ir. Owen was married in Iroquois county, in 
 1867, to Miss Xancy H. Coblentz, who died Octo- 
 ber 5, 1868. There is one daughter by this union, 
 X'annie, now the wife of F. M. Chaney, who 
 resides at Longwood, Pettis countw Missouri. 
 On the 27th of August. 1873. Mr. Owen was 
 again married, his second union being with Mar- 
 tha Harper, who passed away about 1882, leaving 
 one son, Frank, who is now connected wkh his 
 father in the operation of the electric light plant. 
 In 1884 Mr. Owen wedded Emma Harper, a sis- 
 ter of his second wife, who was born and reared 
 in Onarga. 
 
 In his political views Air. Owen is a stalwart 
 republican and served as postmaster under Presi- 
 dent Hayes and again under Presidents Garfield 
 and Arthur. Tlis second incumbency covered a 
 period of about six years, when he resigned. He 
 also served on the board of trustees for five years 
 and for two years acted as its president. He was 
 for five years a member of the board of educa- 
 tion and is now a candidate on the rejiublican 
 ticket for the office of county treasurer, to which 
 lie will (kniluless be elected. I Us official service 
 has ever been characterized liy a conscientious zeal 
 in the |)erformance of his duties and over the rec- 
 ord of his pul)lic lite there falls no shadow of 
 wrong or susjncion of evil. He has been a mem- 
 ber of the Odd Fellows society at Onarga since 
 1869. lias filled all of the cha'rs and is a past
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 granil. He is likewise connected witli tlie en- 
 campment and has served as gfrand patriarch and 
 lias been a dekgjate to the .urand lodf^e and the 
 ^rand encanipment, serving; in the latter fur four 
 terms. Both he and his wife are identified with 
 the Rehckah degree and Mr. Owen holds niem- 
 bersliip relations with the tirand Army post at 
 Onarga, which he assisted in organizing and of 
 which he is the present commander, serving for 
 two terms. From his youth Mr. Owen has been 
 a resident of Iroquois county and has lived a most 
 active and useful life, jiromoting and conductiTig 
 numerous business enterprises, which have i)roven 
 factors in the business development and prosper- 
 ity of the community as well as a scurce of indi- 
 vidual profit. He is well known in the county 
 as a man of sterling character and worth, having 
 the confidence and trust of the entire community. 
 for in business he has made an unassailable repu- 
 tation and in private life has gained that warm 
 personal regard which arises from the possession 
 •of those traits which in every land and clime com- 
 mand confidence and admiration. 
 
 J. A. I'RUITT. 
 
 J. A. Pruitt, living retired in Goodwine, is fa- 
 miliarly and affectionately known throughout 
 Iroquois county as L'ncle Allen. Few residents 
 of the county have more friends, for during a 
 half century here passed he has so lived as to win 
 esteem and respect, while his kindliness and 
 geniality have brought him the closer ties of 
 friendship and love. His opinions have carried 
 weight and he has long been accounted an influ- 
 ential and leading citizen. For many years he 
 was actively engaged in farming but has now put 
 aside business cares and is living retired in 
 Goodwine. 
 
 Mr. Pruitt was born in Tippecanoe coimty, In- 
 diana, August 21, 1832, and is largely a self- 
 educated as well as a self-made man. His fa- 
 ther being in limited circumstances and with a 
 family of eleven children l<> su])port, our subject 
 went to live with his maternal grandfather 
 Beekcr when nine years of age and remained 
 with him about seven vears, or until the latter's 
 
 death, when he went to live with his uncle Daniel 
 Beeker. After attaining his majority he engaged 
 in the manufacture of lumber for a number of 
 years and in 1854 removed westward to Iro- 
 quois county, Illinois, where he worked by the 
 day or month for three years. 
 
 Mr. Pruitt then returned to Indiana for his 
 bride, being married in Carroll county, that stale, 
 in 1857, to Miss Barbara Heiney, who was born 
 in Indiana and remained there until she came 
 with her husband to Illinois. They began their 
 domestic life u|)on a rented farm in this county 
 but in iStKt Mr. I'ruitt was able to purchase 
 eighty acres of wild prairie land in Ash Grove 
 township, which he broke and improved, his 
 labors soon transforming it into a good farm. 
 \'ery industrious and energetic, these qualities 
 were manifest both in the tilled fields and in the 
 stock-raising interests which claimed his atten- 
 tion. In the early days there were many hard- 
 ships and privations incident to the establishment 
 of a home on the frontier, but as the fields were 
 cultivated and the state became more thickly set- 
 tled so that there was a better market for crops, 
 the financial resources of Mr. Pruitt increased 
 and he increased his acreage from time to time 
 by additional purchases until he owned eight 
 hundred acres in Milford and Lovejoy town- 
 ships and also bought land in Indiana, whereon 
 he engaged in farming for four years, begin- 
 ning in 1887. He then bought property in Wat- 
 seka, where he made his home until 1891, and 
 then removed to Goodwine, where he has since 
 lived, enjoying in well earned rest the fruits of 
 his former toil. Indolence and idleness, how- 
 ever, are utterly foreign to his nature and he 
 finds it impossible to put aside business interests 
 entirely, but he drives out almost daily to his 
 farm and thus keeps the place in good condition. 
 He has the entire farm enclosed with woven wire 
 fence, attacheil to red cedar ]x>sts, shipped from 
 .\labama. There are good buildings and an 
 (orchard and the farm is a valuable properly. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Pruitt have become the parents 
 of four children : Mrs. Mary M. Hickman, of 
 Lovejoy township : Elias, who is living in Ur- 
 bana, Illinois: .\nnis, the wife of J. P. Hoffman, 
 a farmer of .\sh Grove township; and James 
 IT., who is engaged in the practice of law at 
 Sumpter, Oregon.
 
 30 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Pruitt are members of the Chris- 
 tian church and he served as elder in the church 
 while living at \\'atseka and also at Milford. In 
 the work of the church they have been actively 
 interested and have labored earnestly for the ad- 
 vancement of the cause. Mr. Pruitt is a de- 
 mitted ]\Iason. having belonged to Milford lodge, 
 No. i68. His political allegiance was long 
 given the republican party but for some years he 
 has supported the men and measures of the pro- 
 hibition party, the cause of temperance having 
 ever found in him a stalwart exemplar and ad- 
 vocate. He has always refused to accept office. 
 yet he has ever been a progressive and public- 
 spirited citizen, and his advocacy of many meas- 
 ures has been an intiuencing factor in securing 
 them further support. In his business he has 
 been straigh forward and thoroughly reliable, his 
 success — -which is most desirable — coming 
 through legitimate business channels, and no 
 one more fully merits the confidence and respect 
 so uniformly tendered than does Uncle Allen 
 Pruitt and his estimable wife. 
 
 • JUDGE ROBERT W. HILSCHER. 
 
 Judge Robert W. Hilscher, who at the time of 
 .r» his death was serving for the second term as cir- 
 v\ cuit judge and who was accounted one of the 
 distinguished citizens of Watseka, was richly 
 endowed with all those traits of character which 
 work for intellectual development, the growth 
 of high moral purpose and of a kindliness of 
 spirit which results in consideration for the 
 rights antl interests of others. His life was so 
 unselfish, his motive so honorable and his public 
 usefulness so widely recognized that the news 
 of his death was received with a sense of personal 
 bereavement by all who knew him. 
 
 Robert Winfield Hilscher was born in Ly- 
 coming county, Pennsylvania. March 8. 1853, a 
 son of Joseph and I.ouisa Hilscher. The famil\- 
 comes of German lineage but has been repre- 
 sented in America througli several generations. 
 The father, a blacksmith by trade, followed that 
 pursuit in early life in the cast and in 1855 re- 
 moved westward to Indiana, .\ftcr two years 
 passed in that state he took up his abode upon a 
 
 farm near Lincoln, Illinois, and it was there- 
 amid rural surroundings that Judge Hilscher 
 spent the days of his boyhood and youth, working 
 in the fields as necessity demanded and attending 
 school when opportunity oflfered. Ambitious for 
 further knowledge than could be acquired in 
 the district schools near his father's home, he 
 entered the college at Adrian, ^lichigan, when 
 eighteen years of age and was graduated there- 
 from with the class of 1875. He then attended 
 the law school at Albany, Xew York, and follow- 
 ing his graduation was admitted to the bar in 
 1876. 
 
 His course as a lawyer was marked by steady 
 progress due to his thorough preparation in his 
 college days, his devotion to the interests of his 
 clients and his clear and cogent reasoning before 
 court or jury. He located for practice at 
 Hoopeston, Illinois, where he remained from 
 1876 to 1879, when he removed to Watseka, 
 where he continued to make his home until his 
 death. 
 
 The same year he was married on the 8th of 
 October. 1879. to IMiss Clara ^IcGill, and unto- 
 them were born a daughter and son, Elma and 
 Ralph, who with the mother still survive Judge 
 Hilscher. Theirs was largely an ideal home life, 
 for the Judge was devoted to his family and con- 
 sidered no personal sacrifice on his part too great 
 if it would enhance the happiness or promote the 
 welfare of his wife and children. 
 
 From the beginning of his connection with the 
 Iroquois county bar he rapidly rose to promi- 
 nence. In 1880 he was elected state's attorney 
 and discharged the duties of the office with such 
 fidelity and ability that he was re-elected in 1884, 
 remaining as the incumbent for eight years. He 
 was afterward master in chancerv for one term 
 and all this time his private practice was growing 
 and he was gaining a wider acquaintance and 
 a stronger hold upon the confidence of the people, 
 so that it was but the logical sequence of events 
 when in 1897 '^^ was nominated and elected cir- 
 cuit judge for a term of six years. I lis course 
 ii])nn the liench was distinguished liv a masterful 
 grasp of every problem presented for solution. 
 His decisions were models of judicial soundness 
 and lie had the endorsement of the liar as welt 
 as the general public. So creditable and satisfac- 
 tory was his record that in 1903 he was re-elected
 
 1
 
 OF iHt 
 UUIVEKl'lTY OF ILLIKOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLIXolS. 
 
 3J 
 
 without ojipositioii. He had in the highest de- 
 gree the judicial teniperaiuent. His knowledge 
 of the fuiulaniental principles of law was pro- 
 found and he was thoroughly grounded in the 
 practice and procedure of the courts. His judg- 
 ment was sound and his industry and conscien- 
 tious devotion to the duties of his position were 
 proverbial. He was recognized as one of the 
 ablest jurists in the state. 
 
 Judge Hilscher was, moreover, a leader in ])o- 
 litical thought and action becau.«e of his well- 
 known devotion to high ideals in citizenship and 
 his stalwart championship of republican prin- 
 ciples. As a public speaker he stood very high. 
 His appearance on the rostrum was dignified and 
 impressive. His manner was deliberate and gen- 
 erally argiuiientative, but his speeches always 
 commanded attention and his language often rose 
 to periods of impassioned eIo(|uencc. 
 
 Aside from the intellectualitx with which na- 
 ture endowed him and which he cultivated to the 
 best of his ability Judge Hilscher had other 
 strongly marked characteristics, among which 
 was his fidelity to the Christian religion. He was 
 a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal 
 church, closely followed its teachings, and that he 
 was honored in the denomination is indicated by 
 the fact that he was made a delegate to the na- 
 tional conference of the church at Los .\ngeles in 
 1904. This honor came unsolicited and he was 
 not even present at the session of the body when 
 chosen. Fraternally he was comiected with the 
 Masons, belonging to Wat.seka lodge. No. ^fi. 
 A. F. & A. M.; Wat.seka chapter, \o. 114, R. A. 
 M. ; and .Mary commandery. Xo. 67, K. T. 
 
 Perhaps no better summary of the life and 
 
 character of Judge Hilscher can be.^en than l)y 
 
 quoting from the W'atseka I'ijjptfljlican, which at 
 
 ■ </ihc time of his death sai^^c^A strong man has 
 
 ''- '^ fallen. In the death of Robert \\'. Hilscher, Tro- 
 
 C/- 
 
 quois county has lost her foremosi citizen, one 
 who has for many years stood as a splendid type 
 of all that was best and highest in the lives of her 
 peo])le. He was the embodiment of vigorous, up- 
 right, sterling manhood. His personality com- 
 bined the dignity of conscious power with the 
 simplicity of a pure and untainted life. He was 
 warm hearted, courageous and loyal. His char- 
 acter was true as steel, steadfast as granite. His 
 mind was clear, logical and vigorous. He was 
 
 incapable of fal.sehood or double dealing and he 
 possessed that instinctive honesty and straight- 
 forwardness that turned to truth as the needle 
 to the pole. His conscientiousness was inherent. 
 Honesty and justice and right dealing were the 
 natural result of the habitual bent of his mind. 
 He loved his fellowman with broadmindedness 
 and charity for human. frailty, sorrowing deeply 
 over misfortune and suffering. I'ew men have 
 ever enjoyed more completely the confidence and 
 respect of their fellow citizens — none have ever 
 more richly deserved such confidence nor more 
 sacredly respected it. His passing away in the 
 prime of manhood and at the zenith of his pow- 
 ers is felt as a personal loss by thousands in this 
 and iitluT counties.'' 
 
 HON. GEORGE H. HAMILTON. 
 
 George 11. Hamilton, altorney-al-law at \\ at- 
 seka and vice president of the First National 
 Bank, also connected with cattle-raising in Texas, 
 is numbered among the native sons of Iro<|Uois 
 county, his birth having occurred upon a farm' 
 near Wellington on the 4th of .\pril, 1875. He 
 is a son of John L. Hamilton, whose sketch ap- 
 pears on another page of this volume. 
 
 Mr. Hamilton supplemented his early educa- 
 tional privileges by study in the W'atseka high 
 .school from which he was graduated with the 
 class of 1891. He afterward matriculated in 
 (Olivet College. Olivet, Michigan, where he won 
 the bachelor of Science degree ui)oti his gradua- 
 tion in i8«)4, and in Harvard University he won 
 the flegree of Hachelor of .\rts in 1896. On 
 leaving college he accepted the position of book- 
 keeper in the First National Hank at Watseka, 
 where he remained for two years, when he be- 
 gan prci)aration for a professional career as a 
 '.student in 'the Northwestern "La-W School at 
 Chicago. 
 
 His course completed. Mr. Hamilton was ad- 
 mitted to the bar in i»joi and entered upon active 
 practice in Watseka. where he has already gained 
 a large clientage and demonstrated in his hand- 
 ling of iiuportant litigated interests his ability 
 to solve intricate legal problems. With a mind 
 naturallv analvtical and imluctive he has found
 
 34 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 great interest in liis law work and liis devotion 
 to his clients is proverbial. 
 
 His law practice, however, does not comprise 
 the extent and scope of his business interests 
 and activities, for he is also a factor in financial 
 circles here, having in 1904 been elected vice 
 president of the First National Bank, of which 
 he has been a director for a number of years. 
 Associated with his two brothers, John L. and 
 AV. A. Hamilton, of Hoopeston, he is likewise 
 connected with cattle-raising interests in Texas, 
 from which state the cattle are shipped north 
 and fattened for market upon his farm of eight 
 hundred acres near Wellington. This business 
 has reached extensive proportions and is a profit- 
 able source of income. 
 
 Mr. Hamilton is a republican in politics and 
 •on his party ticket was elected to the forty-fifth 
 general assembly of the legislature on the 6th 
 ■of November, 1906. He is a member of the 
 Masonic fraternity, in which he has taken the 
 degrees of the lodge, cliapter and commandery. 
 He is also president of the Iroquois Club and as 
 •chairman of the building committee has taken a 
 most active part in the erection of the new club 
 house, which is now in course of construction 
 and will be ready for occupancy about the ist of 
 February, 1907. The cost of the building and 
 furnishings is fifteen thousand dollars. Mr. 
 Flamilton is a man in whom nature and culture 
 have vied in making an interesting and entertain- 
 ing gentleman, while the development of his 
 latent powers and energies, combined with close 
 application, have gained him a goodly measure 
 of success in his professional life and financial 
 interests. 
 
 B.\RTON BISHOPP. 
 
 Among the earnest men whose depth of char- 
 acter and strict adherence to principle excite 
 the admiration of his contemporaries is Barton 
 Bishopp, who, moreover, fi,gures promincnth in 
 the business life of Sheldon in connection with 
 the e.stablishment and conduct of an important 
 industrial enterprise, for the Bishopp Hominy 
 Company is a factor in the business activity and 
 prosperity of the city, furnishing employment to 
 
 a number of workmen, while at the same time 
 bringing success to the individual stockholders. 
 
 Mr. Bishopp was born in Kent county, Eng- 
 land, November 28, 1838, a son of Edward B. 
 and Matilda Elizabeth Bishopp. The father's 
 birth occurred in En,gland in 181 1 and in 1853 
 he emigrated with his family to America. The 
 year after his arrival in this country he settled 
 in Iroquois count}-, Illinois, where he spent his 
 remaining days, and in his death, which occurred 
 in February, 1883, the community lost one of its 
 valued and most respected citizens. 
 
 Barton Bishopp is the eldest of a family of 
 nine children. The first fifteen years of his life 
 were passed in his native country and he then 
 crossed the briny deep with his parents, remain- 
 ing at the family home in Sheldon township for 
 fifteen years, during which time he learned and 
 followed the carpenter's trade. Since a lad of 
 sixteen years he has resided in this community 
 and has therefore witnessed almost the entire 
 growth and development of the county. He 
 has assisted in many ways in its progress and ad- 
 vancement and most particularly through the 
 conduct of his business interests, for the growth 
 and prosperity of any community depends upon 
 its active and prosperous business men. 
 
 On the 4th of September. 1867, Mr. Bishopp 
 \vas united in marriage to Miss ^Martha A. 
 Moore, a native of Iroquois county and a daugh- 
 ter of John B. and Sarah I\I. (Fleming) Moore, 
 both of whom were natives of Ohio. In the 
 spring of 1831 they emigrated to Illinois, set- 
 tling in what is now Belmont townshi]), Iroquois 
 county. The father entered a quarter section 
 of land from the government and through his 
 industrious efforts the wild tract of prairie was 
 converted into rich and fertile fields. He added 
 to the property as his financial resources would 
 permit until he owned four hundred acres, thus 
 becoming one of the substantial residents of the 
 county. His death occurred November 20, 1870. 
 Eight children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. 
 Moore, six of whom are yet living: Joseph 
 B. : Micajah S., who died in Alay, 1863 ; Flem- 
 ing R. : Mrs. Martha A. Bishopp : William F. ; 
 Nancy J., who died in infancy ; Z. \'. ; and 
 John A." 
 
 Following his marriage Mr. Bishopp removed 
 to Stockland township, where he resided for four
 
 BARTON lilSIK U'l'
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IRt)(U"()IS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 years and tlu'ii took up his almilc in Slulddn. 
 where he became connected wit!) the hnnher 
 trade. He also took contracts for the erection of 
 huiMin.iis for a nninher of years but eventually 
 sold out that business and became inlereste<l in 
 the grain trade, with which he iias since been 
 connected. In i8<ji he orj^anizid the liisliopp 
 Hominy Company, of Sheldon, of which he is 
 now manager. This company is dning a very 
 extensive and constantly increasing business and 
 has a most excellent trade. In 1905 another 
 large mill four stories in height, adjoining the 
 old one. was crectetl in order to meet the in- 
 creasing demands of the trade. In the year 
 1888 Mr. Bishopp was made president of the 
 Building and Ix>an .\ssociation of Sheldon, in 
 which capacity he has continued for several 
 vears. He is a man of resourceful ability, who 
 in the recognition and utilization of his ojiportii- 
 nities has made steady advancement in the com- 
 mercial world, .\lthough his life has been a very 
 busy one he has yet found time to devote to pub- 
 lic interests and in 1868 was elected su])ervisor 
 of Slieklon township, which position he filled 
 until 1886. He has been a member of the town 
 council for a number of years and was a member 
 of the board of education from 1882 until i8<^o, 
 doing effective service in tlie interests of the 
 schools. Politically he is a republican, greatly 
 interested in politics affecting both national and 
 local conditions. 
 
 Mr. liishopp and his wife have a family of 
 eight children: Edward I'.arton, deceased; \V. 
 Frank, who is now a stockholder and secretary 
 of the P.ishopp Hominy Com]>any : \irginia Mi- 
 nerva : Harry I'..: John D. : .\rthur .\. : .Martha: 
 and Benjamin. The family arc pleasantly sit- 
 uated in a comfortable home and the members 
 of the household occujiy an enviable position in 
 the social circles in which they move. Tlial 
 they are enabled to enjoy the comforts and stime 
 of the luxuries of life is due to the fact that 
 Mr. Bishopp has been very active in business 
 since attaining his majority, utilizing his time 
 and talents to the best advantage. In manner 
 he is courteous and pleasant, winning friends by 
 his genial disposition and honorable character, 
 which commands the resj)ect of all. Through 
 the years of his residence in Ir<K|uois county he 
 has given his support to whatever is calculated 
 
 to proiiiiiu- tin.- j;iiieral welfare and in all the re- 
 latinns of life he has been faithful and true, while 
 over his life work there falls no siiadow of wrong 
 or susjMcion of evil doing to darken his honored 
 ])athway. 
 
 JOHN Wll.Ll.X.M /,E.\, 
 
 John William Zea has contributed in large and 
 substainial measure to the upbuilding of La 
 Hogue and the improvement of this portion of 
 the county. His mind bears the impress of the 
 early historic annals of this part of the state and 
 since pioneer times he has borne his full share 
 in the work of progress and improvement that 
 has converted tlvB locality into a rich agricultural 
 and commercial district. He was born October 
 '•^' ''^.^.v '" Cazenovia. Madison county, New 
 York, aiifl is descended from one of three broth- 
 ers of the name of Zea who were natives of Ger- 
 many and crossed the .\tlantic to Manhattan 
 Island (luring the colonial period in the history 
 of this country. Two of the number afterward 
 retuiiKil 111 the fatherland, but the great-grand- 
 father of our subject remained on Manhattan 
 Island. William Zea. father of John William 
 Zea of his review, was bi>rn in Schoharie county, 
 Xew York, and became a resident of Madison 
 county, that state, where he met and married Miss 
 Laura I'llackman. who was lx>rn in Connecticut 
 and was descended from Puritan ancestry. Mr. 
 Zea followed the occupation of farming, which 
 was the life work of his ancestors, and in 1846 
 he sought a home in Illinois, carrying on general 
 agricultural pursuits for many years in La Salle 
 county. The journey westward was made by way 
 of the lakes to Chicago and thence by wagon to 
 his destination. His early political support was 
 given the whig party and upon its dissolution he 
 joined the ranks of the new republican party. 
 Both he and his wife held membership in the 
 Methodist church and he passed away in that 
 faith when about seventy years of age. while his 
 wife dei)arteil this life at the age of alxiut eighty 
 vears. Their fam'Jy numbered six sons and three 
 daughters, of whom John W. was the second in 
 order of birth. 
 
 In the usual maimer of farm lads Mr. Zea of 
 this review spent the days of his boyhood and
 
 38 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 youth. He was but eleven years of age when the 
 family came to Illinois and after that time was 
 never able to attend school for more than three 
 months in a year. From the age of eleven years 
 he has practically been dependent upon his own 
 resources in life, so that whatever success he has 
 achieved is entinrely the reward of his labor and 
 industry. He was first employed as a farm hand 
 at five dollars per month and remained on one 
 farm until nineteen years of age. He was then 
 married and established a home of his own. 
 
 It was on the 17th of March, 1855, that Air. 
 Zea wedded Mary E. Arris, at Ottawa, La Salle 
 county. She is a native of Maine and a daughtei 
 of James and Hannah Arris, who came to Illi- 
 nois in 1850. Soon after their marriage the young 
 couple removed to Brenton township. Ford coun- 
 ty, where Mr. Zea engaged in the hay business. 
 The first land which he ever owned was a tract 
 of twenty acres in La Salle county, but he sold 
 tliat in 1868 and removed to Ford county, where 
 he purchased eighty acres, improving it and mak- 
 ing his home thereon until 1872. When the To- 
 ledo, Peoria & Warsaw Railroad was built 
 through Iroquois county he was made station 
 agent at La Hogue, but at that time there was only 
 a railroad switch there. He built the first dwelling 
 in the town and continued to act as station agent 
 until he was succeeded by his son Sherman. He 
 likewise extended h'ss efforts into other fields of 
 activity, for in the fall of 1872 he began dealing 
 in grain and hay and has since continued in that 
 line. For the first five years he was in partner- 
 ship with James O. Barnard and for twenty-nine 
 years he has represented the firm of P. B. and 
 C. C. Miles, of Peoria, in the grain and coal busi- 
 ness, in which he has secured a liberal patron- 
 age. He has moreover promoted the growth and 
 improvement of La Hogue through the building 
 of several houses and in addition to this property 
 he owns a farm just outside the corporation lim- 
 its. 
 
 As the years passed the family of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Zea nnnihcrcd nine chiJdren : John C, who 
 is engaged in merchandising at Manchester. Kan- 
 sas ; Clara E., the wife of .\dam Laub, of La 
 Hogue; Charles E., who is living in Minnesota; 
 Mary Alice, the wife of George Hill, of La 
 Hogue ; Frank E. ; Harry E., who died January 
 17, 1897, at the age of twenty-eight years, four 
 
 months and eleven days ; James A., a resident 
 farmer of Ridgeland township ; Sherman L., who 
 is a graduate of the Onarga Commercial College 
 and is connected with his father in business and 
 is station agent at La Hogue; and Lester M., 
 who completes the family. On the 17th of 
 March, 1905, the parents celebrated their golden 
 wedding. It was a most enjoyable occasion, at 
 which all of their living chiJdren were present 
 save their son Charles. 
 
 Since casting his first presidential vote for John 
 C. Fremont Mr. Zea has been continuously a stal- 
 wart advocate of republican principles and has 
 frequently attended the conventions of his party. 
 He is rniterested in the growth and success of the 
 political policy that he endorses, yet he has never 
 sought or desired office for himself. Fraternally 
 he is an Odd Fellow and a Alason, having at- 
 tained the Royal Arch degree in the craft. Both 
 he and his wife are active and helpful members of 
 the Alethodist church, in which he has served as 
 steward and trustees. He is well known in the 
 business life of the community and La Hogue 
 numbers him among its founders and promoters, 
 his efforts being of great benefit in the improve- 
 ment of this section of the county. In all of his 
 dealings he has been straightforward and reliable 
 and his life has been one of continuous activity, 
 in which has been accorded due recognition of 
 labor, so that he is numbered among the substan- 
 tial citizens of the communitv. 
 
 J. M. SIBBITT. 
 
 J. M. Sibbitt, a veteran of the Civil war, who 
 dates his residence in Iroquois county since 1871, 
 owns and operates a well improved farm of two 
 hundred and forty acres situated on section 17, 
 Prairie Green township, his postoffice being Wel- 
 lington. He was born in Carroll county. In- 
 diana, November 22, 1848, a son of Benjamin 
 Silibiit. a native of Ohio, where he was reared 
 and married to Miss Melinda Schoficld, also a 
 native of the Buckeye state. The father then re- 
 moved to Carroll county, Indiana, where he be- 
 came one of the early settlers and followed farm- 
 ing until about the year 1850, when he removed 
 to Jasper county, that state, where he bought a
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ll.I.IXoIS. 
 
 39- 
 
 large farm of eight liuiulrcil acres, ami llieri 
 reared his family, his death occurring in the 
 latter connty in 1869. His wife had preceded 
 him several years before, her death occurring in 
 1852. Three of their sons served in the Civil 
 war, one of the number, ( )liver Perry, having 
 lost his life in the battle of Fair Oaks. The 
 eldest son, Joseph, passed away in Indiana, lien- 
 jamin died at the age of si.xteen years, and the 
 only daughter of the family, Nancy, died after 
 she had reached mature years. The second son, 
 Richard, and J. M. of this review are the only 
 surviving members of the father's family. 
 
 J. M. Sibbitt was but two years of age when 
 taken by his parents from Carroll county to 
 Ja.sper county, Indiana, so that he was reared 
 and educated in the latter place, lie was early 
 trained to the duties of the fields, and when not 
 thus engaged, pursued his studies in the common 
 schools, wherein he was afforded good advant- 
 ages. He remained with his father, giving him 
 the benefit of his services until he had reached tlie 
 age of twenty-three years, when in 1871, he came 
 to Irocjuois county, where he was first employed 
 in breaking land for others, breaking in all five 
 hundred and si.xty acres. He then rented that 
 property and made many improvements thereon, 
 building five and a half miles of fence, erected 
 good outbuildings and otherwise improved the 
 place, making his home thereon for fifteen years. 
 Having prospered in his work, he then felt justi- 
 fied in making purchase of land, and accordingly, 
 in 1878, he purchased one hundred and sixty 
 acres, a portion of which had been cleared. He 
 soon had the entire tract cleared and cultivated, 
 drained the land by the use of tiling, and thus 
 owing to practical methods which he followed in 
 his farm labor he annually harvested good crops. 
 He further improved the place by the erection 
 of a good residence and outbuildings necessary 
 for the shelter of grain and stock. He divided 
 his land into fields of convenient size by the use 
 of both hedge and wire fencing, and altogether 
 has made it a valuable property. He later added 
 an additional tract of eighty acres to his original 
 purchase, so that he now owns two hundred and 
 forty acres in his home place, and here he is 
 carrying on general fanning and also raises high 
 grades of stock, this branch of his business prov- 
 ing a gratifying source of income to him. 
 
 Choosing a companion and helpmate for life's 
 journey, Mr. Sibbitt was married in Carroll 
 county. Indiana, December ii>. 1873, to Miss 
 l"'lora Stretch, who was born anil reared in that 
 county, a daughter of Jonathan Stretch, an nld 
 settler of that state. Their marriage lias beea 
 blessed with three sons and one ilaughter; lien- 
 jamin J., who is married and is a mail clerk on 
 the Toledo, I'eoria & Warsaw Railroad, making 
 his home in I'eoria, Illinois; J. .\rthur, a farmer 
 residing near Hoopeston, in X'ermilion county ; 
 Jessie, who is a successful teacher in the schools 
 of Inxjuois county; and James II., who assists, 
 his father in the operation of the home place. 
 
 Mr. Sibbitt gives his political support to the 
 re])ublican party, and cast his first presidential 
 ballot in sup]5ort of General U. S. Grant, in 1872, 
 and has supported each candidate of that party 
 since that time. He has taken an active and 
 helpful part in local political ranks, and is popu- 
 lar with his fellow townsmen, having been called 
 to fill a number of positions of public honor and 
 trust. He has served as town clerk, as assessor 
 for two terms, was school trustee for several 
 years, and in 1901 was elected supervisor of his 
 township, to which office he was re-elected, so 
 that he has now serveil for five vears in that 
 office. He is an honorary member of the county 
 board of supervisors and has served on a num- 
 ber of important committees, having been on the 
 committee on building of roads and bridges, and 
 has acted as chairman of the committee on print- 
 ing, lie has also been a ilelegate to county and 
 state conventions, and in many ways has given 
 excellent service in the various offices, the duties 
 of which he has ever discharged with prompt- 
 ness and fidelity. Not the least important of 
 his public service, however, was that given in 
 defense of the Union at the time of the Civil 
 war, when, in 1864, he joined Comjiany K. One 
 Hundred and Thirty-fifth Indiana \oluntcer 
 Infantry, and was in active service in Kentucky, 
 Tennessee, .\labama and Georgia, and jiartici- 
 patcd in the important engagement at Nashville 
 He served until the close of the war, being mus- 
 tered out in the spring of 1865, returning home 
 with a most honorable military record, and in 
 the discharge of his public duties since that tim. 
 he has been equally loyal to the best interests of 
 the community at large.
 
 40 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 Both Mr. and Mrs. Sibbitt are devoted and 
 loyal members of the Presbyterian church at 
 Hoopeston, and he holds membership with the 
 Knights of Pythias at that place. He has made 
 his home in Iroquois county for the past thirty- 
 five years, and therefore enjoys a large acquaint- 
 ance, and during that period has witnessed the 
 many changes that have here been wrought, for 
 when he came to this county few settlements 
 had been made, and much of the land was still 
 wild and unimproved, but in the years that have 
 since come and gone the land has all been set- 
 rtled, fine homes have been erected, thriving 
 towns and villages have sprung into existence, 
 and altogether this is one of the most prosper- 
 ■ ous sections in the great state of Illinois. 
 
 ORLAXDO BUSH. M. D. 
 
 Dr. Orlando Bush, who during the years of 
 his residence in Iroquois county occupied a prom- 
 inent position in business circles and won the 
 
 ■entire respect and confidence of his fellowmen 
 bv reason of an upright life, honorable business 
 practices and fidelity to high principles, passed 
 away February 20. 1889. when in the si.xtieth 
 year of his age. He was born in Tippecanoe 
 
 .■county, Indiana, November 28, 1829, and was a 
 son of William Bush, whose birth occurred in 
 Berkshire county, ^lassachusetts. and who re- 
 moved to Tippecanoe county at a \-ery early 
 epoch in the development of that part of the state. 
 He was a son of Captain Daniel jjush, who 
 fought with the American army in the battle of 
 Bunker Hill and was a valiant defender of the 
 
 •cause of liberty in the Revolutionary war. 
 
 Dr. Busli, reared after the manner of the fron- 
 tier at his home in Indiana, supplemented his 
 more specifically literary education b\- a course of 
 study in St. Louis Medical College at St. Louis, 
 Missouri, then one of the leading medical col- 
 leges of this country, liaving a high ri]nitation 
 for the proficiency and ability of its aUnnni. 
 Following his graduation he located at Dayton, 
 Indiana, where he practiced his profession for 
 twenty-five years near his boyhood home. He 
 
 "kept abreast with modern thought and ]irogress 
 in ctinncction with the practice of medicine ami 
 
 surgery and his ability was widely acknowledged 
 and indicated in the liberal patronage which was 
 extended him. .-Vs he prospered he began to in- 
 vest money in western lands in Indiana and Illi- 
 nois and in 1871 he removed to Sheldon in order 
 to more directly supervise his business interests 
 in this part of the state. He then spent his 
 remaining days in Sheldon, one of its most hon- 
 ored and respected citizens. He never resumed 
 the practice of medicine after coming to Illi- 
 nois but devoted his entire time and attention 
 to his landed interests, which were very exten- 
 sive, for he had made many investments in prop- 
 erty in this part of the state. His farms were 
 purchased with the intention of devoting them to 
 stock-raising and he always saw that they were 
 well supplied with living water. He purchased 
 his first tract of land in Iroquois county in 1859. 
 In later years he bred Hereford cattle to a great 
 extent and became well known in that connection. 
 His judgment was rarely, if ever, at fault in 
 any matter of business. He formed his plans 
 readily and was determined in their execution. 
 He seemed to solve intricate business problems 
 with ease and facility and his investments were 
 so judiciously made that they brought to him a 
 splendid financial return. 
 
 In 1867 Dr. liush was united in marriage to 
 Miss Ada Davis, who was born in Butler county, 
 Ohio, but was taken in early girlhood to Tip- 
 pecanoe county, Indiana, by her parents, Samuel 
 and .\bigail (Lindley) Davis, both natives of 
 \'ermont. The father removed from the Green 
 Mountain state to ( )hio at a verv early day and 
 subsequently went with his family to Indiana, 
 settling near Dayton, where he became the owner 
 of a fine and well improved farm. He had two 
 children: .Mrs. Ihish; and Mrs. Julius liull, 
 who was a resident of Lafayette, Indiana, until 
 her death. Unto Dr. and Mrs. Bush were born 
 two daughters. Clara P>. became the wife of Dr. 
 Horace Gib.son, of Sheldon, and died in Novem- 
 ber, 1905, leaving one child, Genevra. Rosa- 
 mond P.. is the wife of H. Clayton Dowell, a re- 
 tired attornev of Sheldon, and tliey reside with 
 Mrs. r.ush. 
 
 In his iiolitical views Dr. P.ush was a stalwart 
 democrat but never held or sought office, as he 
 believed in every man having an equal chance. 
 IK' \\;is a broad-minded gentleman, of wide in-
 
 ..... ^^ f^E 
 
 ^'-".:.'^:.'n' or uircn
 
 Oh^i^.^^^
 
 'yUi 
 
 J-^ ^ Jo . fi,^ ^ .
 
 OF THE . 
 UUlVCfiClTY 01- ILLIKOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUXTV. II.I.I .\< )IS. 
 
 43 
 
 telligciicc. who kept tlioroug:lily informed on llie 
 questions of the day, jjohtical and otlierwise. 
 Moreover he jjosscssed a kind and synii)athetic 
 nature tliat responded readily to any tale of (hs- 
 trcss or of need./MIis benevolence was one of the 
 stronjj elements in his nature and in its disi)lay 
 he was entirely free from ostentation. A liiy;h 
 type of manhood, lie st(K)d for all that is iionor- 
 able and ui)ri,i;ht in man's relations with his fel- 
 lowmen and in liis home dis|)layed those traits 
 of character which constituted him larijely an 
 ideal husband and father. The brea<llh of his 
 mind and his intellectual resources were such 
 as to render liim a cherished companion of many 
 of the lea<linjj thinkers of the a.i;c. Robert ti. 
 Ingersoll, who was a long-time friend, wrote to 
 Mrs. Bush shortly after her husband's death : 
 "Dr. Piusli was one of my best and truest friends 
 and I held him in the highest esteem, liis head 
 was clear and his heart was on the right side. 
 Xo one had greater courage. He said what 
 he thought was true, and he did what he thought 
 was right." Mrs. Bush was left by her husband 
 large tracts of land, which she has managed with 
 care and good judgment. She also owns a beau- 
 tiful residence in Sheldon, where she resides, it 
 being one of the most attractive homes of the 
 town. She spends the winter seasons in l-'lorida 
 and the summer months in Illinois. ( )f kind 
 and loving disposition, she has a ho.'it of friends 
 in tlie community in which she lives and de- 
 served and receives the respect and esteem of all. 
 
 JOHX R. .McMAIIoX. 
 
 John !•-. McMahon, whose ]x)sition in financial 
 and political circles in Chebanse is one of leader- 
 .ship, is the president of the .State Bank of C'he- 
 banse and has continuously served as mayor of 
 the city since 1897. One of Illinois' native sons, 
 he was born January 24. 1864. at Kankakee, be- 
 ing the eldest in a family of four children burn 
 unto Michael and Klizabeth ( Maloney ) Mc- 
 Mahon, who were natives of Ireland and came 
 to the I'nited States in 1848. The brothers of 
 our subject are: T. J. McMahon, assistant 
 • cashier of the State Bank of Chebanse and a real- 
 restate dealer, and W. H.. who is eiiLr.iiri'd in the 
 3 
 
 grain and elevator business at Otto, Illinois. 
 The sister is Mrs. 11. .\. Mlvin, i>i Chebanse 
 township. 
 
 Brought to Chebanse in his boylxjod days, 
 Mr. McMahon completed his education by gradu- 
 ation from the |)ublic schools here and afterward 
 engaged in teaching school in Chebanse lown- 
 shi]). .\lert and enterprising, he has figured 
 prominently in business circles here for a num- 
 ber of years, is a director and manager of the 
 firm of R. I". Cummings Grain Coiupany, incor- 
 p(jrated, (nvners of an elevator at Chebanse. .\s 
 l)resi<lent of the State Bank of Chebanse he is 
 associated in the enterprise with II. C. Burns, 
 vice ])resident : Thomas Ferris, second vice 
 president; William .M. llickey, cashier: and T. J. 
 McMahon, assistant cashier. These gentlemen 
 are all members of the board of directors to- 
 gether with \. .\llen, J. C. Beardsley. 11. 1'. 
 Xordmyer, l-'rank Peters, J. C. Kerin. W. !•". 
 .\der. II. J. Legris, Thomas Hickey, I). Iloran 
 and William Mur])hy. The State Bank of Che- 
 banse was established September 12, 1906, with 
 a capital of twenty-five thousand dollars and at 
 present has seventy-four stockholders. It was 
 organized by T. J. McMahon, now assistant 
 cashier. The company own the building in 
 which the business is carricil on and it is valued 
 at seven thousand dollars. They conduct a gen- 
 eral banking and loan business and success has 
 attended the new enterprise, a liberal patronage 
 having already been secured. 
 
 Mr. McMahon has been called to various pub- 
 lic offices of honor and trust. In i88<) he was 
 elected collector of Chebanse and from iSt/) until 
 1898 inclusive was town clerk. In i8«97 he was 
 elected mayor and .still fills the office, his re- 
 election standing in imcontrovertible evidence of 
 the trust reposed in him by his fellow townsmen 
 and the cr»p;diility which he has displayed in the 
 discharge of his duties, lie is watchful of the 
 needs and opportiuiities of the city for substantial 
 growth and advancement and in the discharge 
 of his duties in coiuiection with municii)al busi- 
 ness he has displayed marked enteri^rise and 
 keen discernment. 
 
 Mr. McMahon was marrie<l June 16, i8i>7. at 
 Chebanse, to Miss Mary J. McGivney, of this 
 place. Fraternally he is connected with Che- 
 banse lodge. Xo. (>)4, M. W. A., which he joiiu-d
 
 46 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 in 1895. Both he and his wife have a wide ac- 
 quaintance in the city where the\' have long re- 
 sided, while the circle of their friends is almost 
 co-extensive with the circle of their acquaint- 
 ance. Of cordial, genial manner as well as of 
 excellent executive and business ability. ^Ir. Mc- 
 Mahon proves a popular officer in the bank as 
 well as in municipal interests and his labors are 
 directly beneficial in the management of those 
 affairs which are matters of civic virtue and of 
 civic pride. 
 
 WILLIA.AI H. SHEDD. 
 
 The business life of a community and its con- 
 sequent prosperity depends upon the enterprise 
 and energy of those who control its industrial 
 and commercial interests in which connection 
 William H. Shedd made a creditable record dur- 
 ing his residence in Watseka. He became wide- 
 ly known as a thoroughly reliable merchant who 
 kept in touch with the trend of modern progress 
 and who well merited the liberal patronage that 
 was accorded him. In his death therefore the 
 community lost one whom it could ill afford to 
 spare because he not only was a promoter of the 
 commercial interest.s of the town but also con- 
 tributed in substantial measure to the further- 
 ance of those movements which have tiirect bear- 
 ing upon the general welfare. 
 
 Born in Pepperill, Massachusetts, October 8, 
 1821, his youth was passed in the east, where 
 his parents always resided. He acquired his 
 early education in the public schools of his na- 
 tive town and afterward went to Boston, where 
 he had the benefit of instruction in some of the 
 best schools of that city. Attracted by the 
 broader business opportunities of the growing 
 west, he made his way to Michigan City, Indi- 
 ana, where he engaged in the dry-goods business 
 for a few years. He then went to Chicago in 
 company with his brother Joshua and in that 
 city they established and for a few years con- 
 ducted a lumber and stove business, but the dis- 
 covery of gold in California led Mr. Shedd to 
 di.spose of his commercial interests in the mid- 
 dle west and seek his fortune upon the Pacific 
 coast. Accordingly in 1849 ^^ started for the 
 
 mining region and was there engaged in a search 
 for gold for several years. He was much more 
 fortunate than many and in fact was very suc- 
 cessful in his mining operations, after which he 
 returned to the east and settled at Deep River, 
 Indiana, where in connection with his brother- 
 in-law, Mr. Wood, he conducted a dry-goods 
 business for a few years. His next place of resi- 
 dence was at \'alparaiso, Indiana, where he also 
 engaged in the dry-goods business for several 
 years and in 1866 he located at [Middleport, Illi- 
 nois, where he remained until iSCx), when he 
 came to Watseka. 
 
 Believing that there was an advantageous 
 opening for a furniture store, Air. Shedd secured 
 a stock of goods in that line and at once began 
 business. From the beginning the new enter- 
 prise prospered and after a brief period he ex- 
 tended the scope of his activities by also engag- 
 ing in the undertaking business, owning the first 
 hearse in Watseka. He afterward also engaged' 
 in the marble business, dealing in fine marble 
 and granite monuments and gravestones. In 
 these various lines he continued with good suc- 
 cess until 1889, when impaired health caused 
 him to close out his business and for two years 
 he was an invalid. 
 
 Air. Shedd was, first married in Deep River, 
 Indiana, to Miss Abbie Wood, of that place, who 
 died three years later, leaving a daughter, Abbie. 
 For his second wife Mr. Shedd chose Miss Jo- 
 sephine Blachley, a native of Ohio, and they 
 became the parents of two sons. The elder, 
 William T- Shedd, is a leading business man of 
 Chicago, being vice president and general mana- 
 ger of the Knickerbocker Ice Company and one 
 of its largest stockholders, in which connection 
 he controls a large share of the ice trade in the 
 citv. He also owns a large plantation in Cen- 
 tral America. He married Miss Alice M. Till- 
 inghans. of a prominent Watseka family, and 
 they reside at No. 4033 Mncennes avenue, Chi- 
 cago. He is a prominent member of the Ma- 
 sonic fraternity there and the extent and impor- 
 tance of his business connections makes him well 
 known in commercial circles in the metropolis. 
 Cornelius Orton, who died at the age of forty 
 vears. was also president and general manager 
 of a large ice company in St. Louis, Missouri, 
 for manv vears. He wedded Aliss Fannie H.
 
 WILLIAM II. SHEDD.
 
 OF fHt 
 UKlVEKiJiTY Of ILLlKUkS
 
 IR(.1QU()IS COUNTY, ILLIXUIS. 
 
 49 
 
 llaniiltoii, whose people were also |)roniinent in 
 Watscka. 
 
 The death of Mr. Shedil occurred April 22. 
 1891, and he left to his faniil\ an initaniislieil 
 name and a comfortable competence. He was a 
 prominent member of tiie Masonic fraternity in 
 \\'atseka and exemplified in his life the benefi- 
 cent .spirit of the craft, which is based ujxm mu- 
 tual helpfulness an>l brotherly kindness. lk)tli 
 he and his wife were members of the .Methodist 
 Episcopal church and his i)olitical allet^iance was 
 given to the republican party. His fraternal, 
 church and social relations thus indicate much of 
 the character of the man, who full\ merited the 
 esteem in which he was uniformly held. In his 
 business life he never made en,s;aijements that 
 he did not fill nor incurred obligations that he 
 did not meet and nis word became synonymous 
 with commercial integrity in W'atseka. 
 
 Mrs. Shedd .still survives her hu.sband and 
 maintains the family home on West Walnut 
 street, where she owns a large and beautiful resi- 
 dence, which was built by Mr. Shedd a number 
 of vears ago. She spends the winter months 
 with her son in Chicago or with her sister in 
 Topcka. Kansas, but always passed the summers 
 in Watseka. where she occupies a very prominent 
 and enviable position in social circles. 
 
 R( )i'.i:RT 11. ri:kRV. 
 
 Robert H. Perry, deceased, was one of the 
 leading fanners and landowners of Iroquois 
 county, at one time having a large farm near 
 the village of Crescent, upon which he resided 
 until he t«x)k up his abode in Wat.seka. where 
 his last (lavs were passefl. .Ml who knew him — 
 and his acquaintance was a large one — enter- 
 tained for him resjicct. confidence and good will 
 and thus his death was deeply regretted by many 
 friends, while his life record will be received 
 with interest by all who knew him. He was 
 born in Clarkson. Monroe county. Xcw York. 
 February 17. 1830. his parents being Samuel .\. 
 and .\nna (Hoy) I'errv. who were likewise 
 natives of New 'S'ork and resided in Clarkson 
 for several years. In early manhood, however. 
 Samuel .\. Perrv removed to a farm near I.ock- 
 
 port, .\ew York, when that section of the lomi- 
 iry was largely wild and unsettled. He cleared 
 a tract of lanri and converted it into farming 
 purposes, residing thereon throughout his re- 
 maining days, his time and energies being de- 
 voted to general agricultural i)ursuits. The olil 
 homestead also remained the i)lace of residence 
 of his wife until she t(Xi was called from this 
 life. There they reared their family of twelve 
 children. .\lr. I'erry was recognize<l as one of 
 the inlluential and leading resiclents of his com- 
 nnmitv and he left the im])ress of his individu- 
 ality upon public life and ]>rogress. serving for 
 twenty years as justice of the peace, in which 
 office he rendered decisions that were strictly fair 
 and impartial. 
 
 Robert 11. I'erry was educited in the common 
 schools of Lockport and began farming on his 
 own account in early manhood, but thinking to 
 find other ])ursuits more congenial he went to 
 Xiagara I'alls, where he accepted a ])osition in 
 the employ of the Erie Railroad Company as 
 ins])ector of cars, acting in that capacity for eight 
 \ears. In the meantime he inve.sted his money 
 in coal lands in Cirundy county, Illinois, and on 
 severing his connection with the railroad com- 
 pany he came to the middle west to look after 
 his interests in this state. Locating at Coal City 
 in (irundy county, he there purchased more land, 
 which was imderlaid with bituminous dei)osits 
 and thus became the owner of .several thousand 
 acres. .\s the mines were operated the lan<l 
 became more valuable year by year and Mr. 
 I'erry continued to reside there until he had sold 
 off most of the property, which proved to be a 
 splendid investment, bringing to him handsome 
 financial resources. On leaving Grundy county 
 he came to Iro(|uois countv and .settled u])on a 
 farm near Crescent. 
 
 .Mr. I'erry had been married in 1850, in Lock- 
 port, Xew ^'ork. to .Miss Esther Soper, a native 
 of that city, born July 15. 1832. ."^he was a 
 daughtir of Isaac and Phoebe (Pennington) 
 i^oper. both of whom were natives of Xew York 
 and early settlers of Lockport. where the father 
 engaged in farming for many years. He then 
 removed to the middle west, purchasing a farm 
 near Woodstock in McHenry countv, Illinois, 
 where both he and his wife spent their remaining 
 days. Mr. and Mrs. Perry became the parents
 
 50 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 of three sons : Arthur, who married Miss Ger- 
 trude Smith and resides at Gardner. Illinois, 
 where he is now bookkeeper for a mining com- 
 pany ; George, who wedded Anna Cotton, of 
 Grundy county, Illinois, and makes his home in 
 Denver, Colorado, where he is engaged in the 
 grocery and market business ; and Eugene H., 
 who married ]\Iiss Emma Plowman, and resides 
 on the old Perry farm near Crescent. He has 
 four children, while George Perry has five chil- 
 dren. 
 
 On coming to this county the father. Robert 
 H. Perry, purchased a farm of three hundred and 
 twenty-five acres near Crescent and there devoted 
 his energies to general agricultural pursuits fnr 
 five years. About the same time he invested in 
 another valuable tract of land of one hundred and 
 twenty acres near Creston, Iowa. His health 
 becoming impaired, he abandoned farming and 
 removed to \\'atseka to live retired and for sev- 
 eral years he was in poor health. For man\- 
 years he was president of the Alutual Insurance 
 Company of Iroquois covuity and throughout his 
 business career he displayed excellent powers of 
 management and keen discernment in placing his 
 investments. He formed his plans readily, was 
 determined in their execution and carried for- 
 ward to a successful termination whatever he 
 undertook. After removing to \\'atseka he 
 erected a beautiful residence on South Fourth 
 street and there he passed away May lo. 1898. 
 He was never an office seeker but was a stanch 
 democrat in jiolitics and though not connected 
 with any religious denomination he always at- 
 tended the Presbyterian church, of which his 
 wife was a member. Mr. Perry could well be 
 termed one of the t\pical business men of the 
 middle west, possessing in large measure the 
 spirit of dcterniinaliim and progress which liave 
 been the dominant factor in the upbuilding nf 
 this section of the country. He was watchful 
 of oppdrtunities and seemed to recognize when 
 and where and how to use his native talents to 
 the liest advantage. Thus his efforts were dis- 
 cerningly directed and brought to him a measure 
 of prosperity that classed him with the sub- 
 stantial residents of Watseka. Moreover he ])i)s- 
 sessed a kindly and genial spirit that wim him 
 warm friendship and made him a devoted hus- 
 band and father. Mrs. Perrv still resides in 
 
 Watseka in the home built by her husband and 
 she also owns the farm near Crescent upon which 
 her son resides and also the farm property in 
 Iowa. 
 
 WILLIAM H. MARTIX. 
 
 William H. Martin, prominent in the public 
 life of Belmont township, was born and reared 
 on the farm where he now resides on section 34. 
 His natal day was September 5, 1870. His 
 father. John J. Martin, a native of \\'ashington 
 county. Pennsylvania, was born in 1837 and was 
 only three years old when brought to Illinois by 
 his parents, who purchased what is now known as 
 the Martin homestead. Upon this place John J. 
 Martin has resided continuously, recognized for 
 man\- years as one of the leading agriculturists 
 of the community. He was married here to 
 Miss Elizabeth John, a native of Iroquois county 
 and a daughter of William John, one of the 
 early settlers who came from Adams county, 
 Ohio, to Illinois. Following his marriage John 
 Martin engaged in buying and trading in land 
 and at one time owned over four hundred acres. 
 He built a comfortable residence and substantial 
 outbuildings upon his place and actively carried 
 on farm work, placing many rods of tile in the 
 fields and thus draining the land and adding 
 greatlv to its productiveness. He has since sold 
 a part of his property but still retains die owner- 
 shi]) of two hundred acres. 
 
 William H. Martin was the only child born 
 unto his parents and upon the home farm he was 
 reared, being accorded good school privileges. 
 He has never left the farm and his parents now 
 make their home with him. On the 3th of May, 
 1897. It-' ^\'«is united in marriage to Miss Myrtle 
 I >. .Strain, a native of Milford. Iroquois comity. 
 1)1 irn in iSSo, and a daughter of J. M. Strain, 
 of Milford township. Mrs. Martin died .\ugust 
 23, 1906. leaving three children : Eliuer \\'ar- 
 ren. Ruth Elizabeth and Jessie Fay. Mr. Mar- 
 tin's mother now takes care of the gramlchildren. 
 
 Reared to farm work in all of its departments, 
 William H. Martin is regarded as one of the 
 enterprising a,griculturists of this part of the 
 state. He raises full blooded Poland China hogs 
 and also good grades of cattle and sheep, and
 
 IR(K)rt)IS COUXTN' II I IVi il< 
 
 in connection witli liis stock-raising interests and 
 the cultivation of cereals he also owns and oper- 
 ates a thrcshintj outfit, havinj; enjjaRed in the 
 business for fifteen years. He is also aj,'ent for 
 farm machinery and in the season of kjcXj sold 
 two steam threshers. He is well known through- 
 out the county as a business man of enterprise 
 and energy, who forms his plans readily and is 
 determined in their execution. He cultivates the 
 old homestead farm of two hundred acres, which 
 is highly improved, and through modern meth- 
 ods of farming, the rotation of crops, the ju- 
 dicious use of fertilizers and the utilization 
 of the best improved farm machinery he is meet- 
 ing with excellent success in his undertakings. 
 
 Politically Mr. Martin is independent at local 
 elections, but where political issues are involved 
 he gives his support to the republican ])arty, be- 
 ing in thorough sympathy with its principles. He 
 has served his ])arty in public life for ten years, 
 acting for four years as constable and six years 
 as justice of the peace, still filling the latter 
 office. His decisions are strictly fair and im- 
 partial, being based upon the law and the equity 
 in the case pronounced without fear or favor. 
 
 Mr. Martin is a member of Woodland lodge, 
 Xo. 649. I. O. O. F., of which he served for three 
 terms as noble grand and secretary for four 
 terms. He has also been a member of the Mod- 
 ern Woodmen of America at Woodland and is 
 serving as venerable consul. The higher and 
 holier duties of life are not neglected by him. for 
 he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
 church. By the faithful performance of each 
 day's duty as it comes to him he finds encourage- 
 ment and inspiration to take up the work of the 
 succeeding day, conscientiously meets every ob- 
 ligation that rests upon him and. with true 
 appreciation of life's values and responsibilities, 
 he apportions his time between the business, 
 social, political, home and moral interests. 
 
 GEORGE SWARTZ. 
 
 George Swartz is one of the largest land- 
 owners in Iroquois county, owning five hundred 
 and forty acres of valuable land, which is situ- 
 ated on sections 16. 21 and 24, Prairie Green 
 
 luwujliip, and i.-. divided inlci three farms, lie 
 is a native son of Illinois, his birth having oc- 
 curred in lUiKjmington. .\pril 16, i8<io, a son of 
 IMiilip Schwartz, a native of Germany. The 
 father was there reared and educated, and 
 when a young man crossed the .\tlantic to the 
 new world, landing in New York, where he li> 
 cated. He was there married to Miss Mary 
 Hartzog, a German lady. In 1857 he took up his 
 abode in the west, settling at liloomington. Il- 
 linois, where he was engaged in farming for a 
 number of years, when, in 1867, he came to 
 Iroquois county and settled on a farm in Prairie 
 Green township. He first purchased one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres of land, to which he after- 
 ward added from time to time until he was the 
 lX)Sscssor of eight hundred acres, and was the 
 largest landowner in his township. He there 
 reared his family and continued to follow agri- 
 cultural pursuits throughout a long period, but 
 he later took up his aljode in Dunnington, In- 
 diana, where his death occurred August 16, HJ04, 
 when he had reached the very advanced a.ge of 
 eiglUv-two years. His wife still survives and 
 makes her home in Dunnington, Indiana. 
 
 George Swartz. whose name introduces this 
 review, is the second in order of birth in a fam- 
 ilv of five sons and one daughter born of his 
 father's niarria.ge. He was reared in much the 
 usual manner of farm lads of his period, assist- 
 ing his father in the various tasks of carrying 
 on the home farm, and when not thus engaged 
 pursued his studies during the winter mcmths in 
 the Prairie Green school. He remained on the 
 home farm until he had reached maturity, when 
 he established a home of his own by his mar- 
 riage, on the 2d of December, 1886. to Miss 
 Emma Fields, a native of Illinois, born near 
 Danville, where she was reared and educated. 
 
 Following their marriage the young couple 
 located on the farm which has since been their 
 home, but his first purchase comprised but eighty 
 acres, which he tiled and fenced, and in course 
 of time placed his land under a high state of 
 cultivation. He set out considerable fruit on his 
 place and further improved the property by the 
 erection of good buildings. .\s he prospered he 
 added to his property from time to time, and also 
 inherited some land, so that he has now alto- 
 gether a tract of five hundred and forty acres, 

 
 PAST AND PRESEXT OF 
 
 which is divided into three farms. In addition 
 to his general farming pursuits he also raises 
 good grades of stock and this branch of his busi- 
 ness is proving a profitable source of income to 
 him. 
 
 The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Swartz has 
 been blessed with four children, Susie, Lester, 
 Claude and Lillian, all still under the parental 
 roof. Mr. Swartz adheres to the faith of the 
 democracy where national issues are involved but 
 at local elections votes an independent ticket, 
 supporting the men whom he believes best quali- 
 fied for office, regardless of party affiliation. He 
 has never been active as an office seeker, but is 
 a believer in good schools and competent teach- 
 ers, and served as township trustee for two or 
 three years. Fraternally he is connected with 
 the Modern Woodmen of America. 
 
 Mr. Swartz was but a little lad of six years 
 when the family home was established in Iro- 
 quois county and has therefore spent the greater 
 part of his life in this section of the state, so that 
 he has a very wide and favorable acquaintance 
 and is today numbered among the progressive 
 and well-to-do agriculturists of Prairie Green 
 township. 
 
 < r W ( 
 
 V 
 
 GEORGE C. HARRINGTON. 
 
 J^ George C. Harrington was born in St. Law- 
 /"VxiJ rence county. New York, June 30, 1834, the son 
 ^ of Benjamin O. and Harriet E. (Langdon) Har- 
 rington, both natives of WTmont. When three 
 years of age he came witli his parents to Jolict. 
 Illinois, where the family made their permanent 
 home. At the age of thirteen he entered the of- 
 fice of the True Democrat ( now the Joliet Re- 
 publican ) to learn "the art preservative of all 
 arts." Here he ap])lied himself industriously ami 
 faithfull\- 111 his chosen vocation and acquired a 
 thorough knowledge of the printer's trade. Hav- 
 ing served out his a])prenticeship in the compos- 
 ing rooms of the True Democrat he went to 
 Skowhcgan Falls, Maine, and there, by a proper 
 course of study, prepared himself for college. He 
 afterward entered I'liiiin College, Schenectady, 
 New York, tlun under the i^residency of the dis- 
 tinguished Dr. i'liphalct Nntt. His career in this 
 
 celebrated institution of learning was a series of 
 marked triumphs, standing at the head of his 
 class in the classics, and in point of literary ability 
 ranking first among the many able students then 
 in attendance. From Schenectady he returned to 
 the great west and rested at Davenport, Iowa, 
 which presented an inviting field to the young 
 student all aglow with enthusiasm and ambitious 
 to carve out for himself a useful and worthy ca- 
 reer. In connection with Franc B. Wilkie ( Poli- 
 uto), then of the Chicago Times, he established 
 the Davenport Daily News, which soon took rank 
 as one of the leading democratic journals of 
 Iowa. 
 
 In 1859 Mr. Harrington came to Iroquois 
 county and associated himself with the Iroquois 
 Press, a democratic newspaper. In the follow- 
 ing year the democracy of Iroquois covmty placed 
 him in nomination as their candidate for circuit 
 clerk and although defeated at the ensuing elec- 
 tion, he ran largely ahead of his ticket. He still 
 contimued his connection with the Press until 
 1862. The country was then writhing in the 
 agonies of the Civil war. and as a patriotic son 
 he felt that his services were retpiired in the field. 
 He consequently abandoned his editorial duties 
 and began recruiting for the service, and after 
 taking the first company into camp at Kankakee 
 for the Seventy-sixth Illinois Regiment, assisted 
 in filling up two other companies for the One 
 Hundred and Thirteenth. He enlisted as a pri- 
 vate soldier, but his superior ability being recog- 
 nized, the members of his company (A) elected 
 him captain. In January, 1863, he was promoted 
 to major. He was. however, not permitted to 
 serve long after this. On July 4. 1863, near 
 \'icksburg, Mississippi, he w'as reluctantly 
 obliged to resign on account of disease contracted 
 in the army. 
 
 On his return from the army he engaged in 
 the hardware business at Watseka, in the firm of 
 \\'oodford & Company. He was soon appointed 
 collector of internal revenue for Iroquois, Ford 
 and Champaign counties, in which capacity he 
 discharged his duties conscientiously, so that at 
 the close of his official term not one cent of the 
 large amounts of money handled by h'tu was 
 missing, and he turned over the tooks to his suc- 
 cessors with ;i clean record. In i8(k) Major Har- 
 rinsfton was olecteil niavor nf \\'atseka, and re-
 
 jCH <& 
 
 ^^ JL^. &. Ji a^^'y oo, o -< <^
 
 LIdiRAi-Y 
 OF THE 
 
 i;v:v:!;siTY cf illikois
 
 1RI)QU)1S CUfXTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 55 
 
 elected the followinj; year, declining; the office 
 after havinji served tliree terms, tlionjih iirj;cntly 
 pressed to accej)! a fourth term. Tliis eviilences 
 the hipli esteem in which he is lield l)y the people 
 of \\atseka.,' In the vear 1870. in connection with 
 several other enteri>risiT)g' citizens. Major llar- 
 ringfton organized the First National I'.ank of 
 Watseka. of which corporation he was promptiv 
 chosen as cashier, which office he still holds. 
 This institmion is one of the stanchest anil most 
 flourishing in the county, havintj. from its or- 
 ganization, won the confi<lence of the jH'opk'. 
 
 -Major Harrington was married to .\[ary L. 
 Hutchinson, at Crawfordsvilli-. Indiana, in i8(')4. 
 and has two children living. \ery domestic in 
 his habits, his home is a model of comfort and 
 good taste. He has taken considerable interest 
 in politics, though not an active politician in the 
 usual sense of that term. He is recognized 
 throughout the state as a prominent democrat, 
 prominent more for his ability than his activity. 
 Though never an office-seeker. Ik- was, in 1876, 
 without his consent, mentioned by several ])apers 
 and prominently spoken of by eminent democrats 
 as a candidate for secretary of state but he induced 
 his friends to withdraw his name from the state 
 convention. He presided over the democratic 
 congressional convention held at Fairbury in 1878, 
 and on invitation of that tody addressed them, 
 making a masterly speech, which was published 
 and scattered broadcast as a cami)aign document. 
 The same convention would have nominated him 
 as their candidate for congress, but he emphatic- 
 ally declined the proffered honor. In 1878 he 
 was elected a member of the democratic state cen- 
 tral committee: in 1880 chosen delegate to the 
 national democratic convention at Cincinnati, 
 which nominated General Hancock as its candi- 
 date for the presidency : and in 1884 was presi- 
 dential elector from Illinois on the democratic 
 ticket. 
 
 Mr. Harrington as a financier ranks among the 
 leading men of the state, while his views on finan- 
 cial questons, expressed by speech and in the 
 press, command general attention among bankers. 
 He is an active member of the Inde|)endent ( )r- 
 der of Odd Fellows and nyich esteemed by his 
 x brethren of the fraternity/ .\ gentleman of cul- 
 " turc. a fine scholar and still a student from habit, 
 a man towering high among his fellows, all recog- 
 
 nize his superior ability and worth of character, 
 and pay deference to his excellent qualities. A 
 democrat in i)rinci])Ie and practice, he believes 
 with a faith born of conviction in the e(|uality 
 and brotherhood of man. He is ])ublic-si)irited, 
 liberal and charitable, ever ready to assist, with 
 his purse or his pen. in any cause that ])romises 
 g(Xid to his fellowman or the public. A man of 
 broad and com])rehensive views, he looks upon 
 the world as he finds it and is therefore conserv- 
 ative rather than radical. The people of Watseka 
 look u])on him as an exem]>lary man an<l arc 
 ])r()ud to call him their own. 
 
 I'lR.^r XA ri( »x AL r.AXK oi- \\.\isI':k.\. 
 
 The I'irst National Bank of Watseka was or- 
 ganized in the year 1870, with a capital of fifty 
 thousand dollars, the stockholders representing 
 some of the best known and wealthiest citizens 
 of the county. .-\t the first election of officers 
 Hon. Samuel Williams was chosen president, 
 David McGill. vice president, and George C. 
 Harrington, cashier. Xot knowing whether the 
 enteqirise would receive immediate recognition 
 by the public, the bank made its first office in 
 the second story of the Willoughby building. 
 However, meeting with unexi)ecte<i favor, it was 
 soon necessitated to seek more accessible and com- 
 modious quarters and shortly erected a wooden 
 structure. This building not proving adequate, 
 the bank, in connection with the lodge of ( )dd 
 Fellows, erected a building in t875. This latter 
 building was sold by the bank and in connection 
 with the Masonic fraternity erected its present 
 fine building. 
 
 During the financial ]ianic of 1873. when most 
 of the banks of the country were necessitated 
 to close their doors, the h'irst National I'.ank of 
 Watseka kept open doors and honored every de- 
 maud ma<Ie upon it. It is recognized as one of 
 the institutions of the county in which the people 
 feel a just i)ridc.— solid and safe beyond <|ues- 
 tion. and its management conservative enough to 
 keep it so. The officers of ]()oC> are. David Mc- 
 Gill. president. George II. Hamilton, vice presi- 
 dent, (ieorge C. Harrington, cashier, and II. II. 
 .Mter and H. T. Riddell assistant cashiers. Its
 
 56 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 capital and surplus is over one hundred thou- 
 sand dollars at the commencement of its thirty- 
 seventh year, 1906. 
 
 JAMES O. FREEMAN. 
 
 James O. Freeman is an honored veteran of 
 the Civil war and for years was a prominent 
 farmer of Iroquois county but is now living re- 
 tired in Milford, for his former toil brought to 
 hin: a competence sufficient to enable him to en- 
 joy the comforts of life without recourse to fur- 
 ther labor. He has lived in the county since 
 1852, having arrived here when a youth of ten 
 years. His birth occurred in Warren county, 
 Indiana, April 21, 1842. His father, George \V. 
 Freeman, was born in Chatham county. North 
 Carolina, in July, 1818, and removed thence to 
 Ohio and subsequently to Warren county, Indi- 
 ana, where he met and married Aliss Rebecca 
 Hooker, a native of Ross county, Ohio. He be- 
 gan farming in the Hoosier state and there 
 cleared up a tract of land, which he converted 
 into fertile fields, making his home thereon until 
 1852, when he came to Iroquois county, Illinois. 
 The work of development, settlement and im- 
 provement had scarcely been begun here, as is in- 
 dicated by the fact that a part of the land was 
 still in possession of the government. Mr. Free- 
 man entered a claim in Stockland township of 
 one hundred and sixty acres and began to culti- 
 vate the hitherto wild tract, turning the first 
 furrows in the fields and continuing the work of 
 plowing, planting and harvesting until rich 
 crops rewarded his efforts. In later years he re- 
 moved to Columbia county, Oregon, where he 
 joined a son and daughter and there he passed 
 away in September, 1894. His wife died on the 
 •old homestead in Iroquois county, in February 
 of the same year. The family of this worthy 
 cou[ile numbered three sons and three daughters 
 and with the exception of one daughter all are 
 yet living. 
 
 James O. I'rceman was reared in the usual 
 manner of farm lads in a frontier district and 
 a common-school education qualified him for the 
 work of life. He was only twenty years of age 
 when, his patriotic spirit aroused, he oflfered his 
 
 services to the government and on the 9th of 
 August, 1862, was enrolled as a member of Com- 
 pany E, Seventy-sixth Illinois \'olunteer In- 
 fantry. The regiinent was attached to the West- 
 ern .\rmy and he participated in the Tullahatchee 
 campaign, the ^'icksburg campaign, the battles 
 of Jackson, Black river bridge and numerous 
 others. Later he took part in the engagements 
 at Mobile and at Fort Blakely, Alabama. He 
 was wounded at Jackson's crossroads, this oc- 
 curring from an accident, a comrade's gun dis- 
 charging as he fell wounded by a shell. Islr. 
 Freeman continued at the front until the war 
 ended and he was mustered out with the rank 
 of corporal at Galveston, Texas, July 22, 1865. 
 He returned home with a creditable military 
 record, for on many a hotly contested battle-field 
 he had given proof of his loyalty and was equally 
 faithful when on the lonely picket line or in the 
 di.scharge of any military duty assigned him. The 
 war ended, he returned home and resumed farm- 
 ing. 
 
 Mr. Freeman was married in this county in 
 February, 1868, to i\Iiss Clara Hunter, a daugh- 
 ter of S. P. Hunter, an old settler from Indiana, 
 who was originally from Ohio. Mrs. Freeman 
 was born in Warren county. Indiana, but spent 
 the greater part of her girlhood in this county. 
 Following their marriage they settled on a farm 
 in Stockland township, commencing with forty 
 acres. ^Ir. Freeman cultivated that and other 
 lands and as his capital increased as the result 
 of his industry and economy he added to his 
 property until he was the owner of one hundred 
 and twcnt\- acres. On this he erected a comfort- 
 able residence and good barn, put up a wind 
 pump, set out an orchard and made the farm a 
 productive place, well ci|uip|ied in its \'arious de- 
 partments. There he successfully carried on the 
 work of tilling the soil until 1901, when he rent- 
 ed his land, purchased a residence in Milford 
 and has since lived retired in the town. Unto 
 him and his wife has been born but one child, 
 Rosa Belle, who died in infancy. 
 
 Mr. Freeman's political jiosition is never an 
 equivocal one, as he has always stanchly sup- 
 I)orted the republican party wdiere state and na- 
 tional questions are involved, while locally he 
 votes independently. While on the farm he was 
 elected and served for fourteen consecutive vears
 
 MR. AM) MRS. J. U. I-Kl-IK.MAX.
 
 LlbKrtKY 
 
 OF fHt 
 
 UNIVEK6I1V OF ILLINOIS
 
 IKOQUOIS COUN'TV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 59 
 
 as siipervisDr ami was a member ol' the commit- 
 tees on claims ami the poor farm, acting as cliair- 
 nuin of the former for two or three years. Me 
 has also Tilled the office of township collectur, 
 has been director and township school trustee for 
 four vears. and in these various positions ha * 
 manifested an unquestioned loyalty to the public 
 g<Kid. He also maintains pleasant relations with 
 his old army comrades throui^h his mem- 
 bership in \ennum post. No. 471, G. A. K. More 
 than a half century has come and gone since he 
 was brought to lro»|uois county and as the years 
 have advanced he has kept pace with the gen- 
 eral growth in his business life and in his devo- 
 tion to the public good. He has been a capable 
 officer, a reliable and progressive business man 
 and a citizen whose loyalty is today as markca 
 as when he followed the old flag upon the bat- 
 tle-fields of the south. 
 
 FRANK A. CAN I:N1-:V. 
 
 l-'rank .\. Caveney. filling the office of sui)er- 
 visor of Iroquois township, was born in Kendall 
 county. Illinois, February 11, 1861. his parents 
 being John L. and Fsther (Lincoln) Caveney, 
 both of whom were from New York. They came 
 to Illinois at an early period in the settlement 
 and development of this state and both are now 
 deceased. Two daughters of tlie family are yet 
 living, Mrs. Edgar Harrown, a resident of W'at- 
 seka. and Mrs. Mary F. Leonard, who is living 
 in Mayfielil. Washington. 
 
 Frank A. Caveney was educated in the com- 
 mon schools and always folhiwed farming. He 
 bought his first farm, which consisted of eighty 
 acres, in Crescent townshi]). in iKi)i, but never 
 lived there, the property being his father's old 
 home place, lie now has a valuable farm of one 
 hundred and eighty-five acres in Irotpiois town- 
 ship, where he now resides, eighty acres in a 
 second tract and fifty-three acres in a third tract. 
 His holdings therefore aggregate more than three 
 Inmdrefl acres and the land is rich and i)roduct- 
 ive because of the care and labor which has been 
 bestowed upon it. .Mr. Caveney carries on gen- 
 eral farming and stock-raising. He tills his 
 fields acforiling to the mo<t niii(lern methods ami 
 
 aimiially harvests gixid crops. His sl<Kk. too. is 
 an important source of income to him. and he 
 is likewise a large sluireholdcr in the I"irst Na- 
 tional I'.ank. at Crescent City. 
 
 In l-ebruary. 1884. Mr. Caveney was married 
 to Miss Sophia .\luller. of Ircxpiois county, and 
 mito them have Ix-en born four children: Lula. 
 who was educated at ( »narga and is a graduate 
 from the art dei)artmenl of the ( >narg3 Sem- 
 inary, is now the wife of W. S. Malany. of Iro- 
 (juois township : Maud also attended school in 
 ()narga: Frank .M. is attending the State L'ni- 
 versity : and Clara is in school at Crescent City. 
 The chililren have thus been |)rovide<! with ex- 
 cellent educational privileges. The family home 
 is pleasantly and conveniently situated two and 
 a half miles from Crescent City and is attractive 
 by reason of its warm-hearted hospitality. 
 
 In his political affiliation Mr. Caveney is a 
 democrat, recognized as one of the local leaders 
 of the i)arty, and for five years he has done ef- 
 fective service in behalf of the general welfare 
 as supervisor of Irtx(uois township. He is also 
 a member of the school Ixiard and there is no 
 more stalwart champion of the cause of public 
 instructi<jn. .\ gentleman of excellent personal 
 worth, well liked by all who know him, he is 
 regarded as one of the prominent residents of 
 Ir(X|uois township. He is also accounted one of 
 its most successful agriculturists, having so di- 
 recte<l his business interests that the legitimate 
 outcome of labor is his and he is now a pros- 
 perous farmer. 
 
 TIIOMA.'^ .\1. 1, \NN( iN. 
 
 Thomas .M. ( iannon. of Middleport township, 
 was born March i. i8''/j, in Kankakee county, 
 his father. Thomas (iannon. entering lan<l on 
 both sides of the Kankakee-Iroquois countv line. 
 There his boyhood and youth were spent u]>on 
 a I'arnt and when his parents removed to Kan- 
 kakee he went to Chicago. His father and 
 mother, however, died and lie burie<I at Kanka- 
 kee. 'There were three sons in the family, the 
 brothers of our subject being Kolx'rt 1'. and 
 William H. (Iannon. who live in the west. He 
 .'dsit has five sisters: Mrs. Julia Hollanrt Mi«
 
 6o 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 Ellen Lamm, Mrs. Alargaret Ariiitt. Mary and 
 Mrs. Catharine Cleary. 
 
 As stated, Thomas il. Gannon went to Chi- 
 cago when his parents removed to Kankakee, 
 but on the ist of March, igoo, he bought the 
 land upon which he now lives. Here he is en- 
 gaged in farming and stock-raising, handling 
 cattle, hogs and sheep and shipping dressed 
 meats to the Chicago market. He leases other 
 land for pasture and has a convenient shipping 
 point at Pittwood, only one mile from his home. 
 His land is well adapted to grazing purposes 
 and he keeps the farm well stocked, does his 
 own butchering and by reason of his capable 
 management, enjoys prosperity. 
 
 On the 13th of October, 1891, Thomas M. 
 Gannon was united in marriage to j\Iiss Jo- 
 sephine Alartin, whose death occurred August 17, 
 1898. There were two children of that mar- 
 riage: Josephine, who died at the age of two 
 years; and Forest Glenn. On the ist of March, 
 1900, Mr. Gannon was again married, his sec- 
 ond union being with ]\Iiss Hattie ]\IcCue. and 
 they have two daughters : Catharine, born Au- 
 gust 7, 1904 ; and Marcella, born December 5, 
 1906. 
 
 Mr. Gannon has a comfortable home and 
 takes pleasure in country life. He is disposed 
 to help a neighbor and is interested in the atTairs 
 of the county that is his chosen abiding place. 
 Public-spirited, he is glad to be of use to his 
 fellowmen in matters of citizenship and he votes 
 with the democratic party but does very little 
 campaign work, preferring to concentrate his 
 energies on his business affairs, in which he is 
 meeting with good success. 
 
 FRED WEBER. 
 
 Fred Weber, living retired in Buckley after 
 long, close, successful and honorable connection 
 with farming interests in Artcsia township, 
 where he still owns two valuable tracts of land, 
 was born in Germany, July 23, 1833, and has 
 therefore reached the seventy-third milestone of 
 life's journey. He was reared to manhood in 
 his native country and is indebted to its educa- 
 tional system for the school privileges he en- 
 
 joyed. He was also trained to the work of the 
 farm and remained in his native country until, 
 about twenty-five years of age, when the favor- 
 able reports which he had heard concerning the 
 new world and its advantages influenced him to 
 seek a home on this side of the Atlantic. Ac- 
 cordingly in 1858 he bade adieu to friends and 
 fatherland and took passage on a sailing ship at 
 Bremen, which six weeks later dropped anchor 
 in the harbor of New York, reaching that port 
 in June. 
 
 Mr. Weber flid not tarry long in the east but 
 came at once to Illinois, locating in Dupage 
 county, where for a year or two he was employed 
 by a friend whom he had known in the old coun- 
 try. He continued to work as a farm hand by 
 the month until after the inauguration of the 
 Civil war. Many were the German-American 
 citizens who responded to the call of the coun- 
 try for aid and Mr. \\"eber was among the num- 
 ber who flocked to the standard of the Union 
 and fought in the defense of the stars and stripes 
 on the battle-fields of the south. He enHsted 
 August 23, 1862, as a member of Company I, 
 One Hundred and Fifth \'olunteer Infantry, the 
 regiment being assigned to the Army of the 
 Cumberland. For eight months he was ill and 
 in the hospital at Gallatin, Tennessee. Upon his 
 recovery he joined a regimental train on de- 
 tached duty engaged in guarding the railroads 
 in Kentucky and Tennessee until the close of the 
 war. He was then mustered out and honorably 
 discharged in Chicago in June, 1865. He never 
 faltered in his allegiance to the cause which he 
 espoused and he deserves classification with those 
 to whom the country owes a debt of gratitude 
 that can never be repaid. 
 
 Once more returning home Air. Weber was 
 employed at farm labor until 1867, when he 
 came to Iroquois county. He purchased one hun- 
 dred and twenty-four acres of land, of which 
 forty acres had been broken and fenced and at 
 once he began the task of further developing and 
 improving this property. As his financial re- 
 sources increased he added to llie farm from 
 time to time. He further made arrangements 
 fcir liaving a home of his own by his marriage in 
 1 )ii])age county in the spring of 1868 to Miss 
 Dora Neiman, who was born and reared in Ger- 
 many. The young couple began their domestic
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ll.I.IXt US. 
 
 6i 
 
 life on the farm two miles cast of lUicklex . LatiT 
 .Mr. \\el)cr boiiglit cit;hty acres adjoining and 
 sul)sc(|UiiUly line hundred and eighty-two acres 
 and lor twenty-eight years he followed general 
 agricultural pursuits there, erecting good build- 
 ings and making all the substantial modern im- 
 |)rovements which go to facilitate the work on 
 the farm. His time and energies were concen- 
 trated ui)on the task of tilling the soil and caring 
 for his stock until 181^5. when he bought seventy 
 acres of land, fourteen acres lying within the 
 cor])oration limits of I'.uckley, while the remain- 
 der adjoins the town. This constitutes a neat 
 and well improved farm. u|)on which lie makes 
 his home. He started out in life not only emi)ty- 
 handed but in debt, but a resolute spirit and stal- 
 wart determination have enabled him to over- 
 come difficulties and obstacles, to make judicious 
 investment and to work his way steadily upward. 
 He has a valuable farm and good home and he 
 has also won an honored name in his business 
 life. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Weber are the parents of eight 
 children, to whom three sons and three daugh- 
 ters are yet living: Henry, who is engaged in 
 business as a dealer in hardware and farm imple- 
 ments in Buckley ; \\'illiam, who is married and 
 resides on one of his father's farms ; Ella, the 
 wife of Professor John Schader, who is teaching 
 in the German schools of Cincinnati, Ohio; Min- 
 nie, the wife of Fred Lcetz, a partner with Henry 
 Weber in the hardware and implement business 
 in Buckley ; Tillie. the wife of Rev. Theodore 
 Blanken. a minister of the Lutheran church at 
 Uillsboro, Indiana; and Fred H. W., who is now 
 a student in the German schools at Edison, Illi- 
 nois. Those who have passed away are: Louis, 
 who died at the age of two years : and Mary, who 
 became the wife of Albert Ecker, at Woodworth, 
 Illinois, and died two years later. 
 
 Politically Mr. Weber was formerly a repub- 
 lican but now votes the democratic ticket. Ik- 
 has served as highway commissioner for several 
 years and as school trustee for a number of years, 
 yet has never been a politician in the sense of 
 office seeking, preferring to do his public service 
 as a private citizen. He was born and reared 
 in the Lutheran faith and has always stood for 
 advancement and progress in those lines which 
 lead to material, intellectual and moral develop- 
 
 ment. He has been greatly interested in the 
 changes which have transformeil Inxjuois county 
 from a wilderness and swamp into one of the 
 richest agricultural counties of this great state 
 and he has borne his full share in this task. .\s 
 the years passed by he gatliered a comfortable 
 competence from his labors and ior eleven years 
 has now lived retired in Buckley, enjoying the 
 fruits of his former diligence. 
 
 GUST MALRITS. 
 
 A well im|)roved farm of eightv acres on sec- ' 
 tion 15. Beaver township, constitutes the home 
 of (iust Maurits, wlio has improved and made 
 the property what it is today, for when it came 
 into his possession it was still in its wild and 
 unimproved state. He is a native of Sweden, 
 born in 1852, a son of John and .\nna ( Poultes) 
 Maurits, who were farming peojile of that coun- 
 try, and the father held public office there. 
 
 Mr. Maurits had heard favorable reports con- 
 cerning the opportunities which were here of- 
 fered to young men of ambition, and when a 
 youth of seventeen years he decided to try his 
 fortune in the new world, and accordingly, in 
 1869, took passage on a sailing vessel bound 
 for American shores, where lived two uncles, 
 who had emigrated to this country from 
 Sweden. L'pon arriving in tlie United States, 
 Mr. Maurits at once made his way to Iroquois I 
 countv and rented a farm in Beaver township, 
 which he conducted for five years. He had prac- 
 tical knowledge of the best methods of carrying 
 on a business of this character, so that his labors 
 brought to him the sum whicli in 1886 enabled 
 him to purchase the farm which is his present 
 place of residence. As time has passed he has 
 made added improvements on the place. In 1896 
 he built a fine barn, while two years ago he 
 erected a modern country residence, containing 
 eight rooms, which is supplied with every con- 
 venience and comfort for the family. He has 
 laid many rods of tiling on his land, thus mak- 
 ing his fields very productive, so that he annually 
 harvests good crops as a result of the care and 
 labor which he bestows upon them. In addition 
 to his farm work, he is likewise engaged in rais-
 
 '62 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 iny; cattle, horses and hogs, which, when placed 
 upon the market, command high prices. 
 
 In 1896 Mr. Maiirits was happih- wedded to 
 Miss Minnie Johnson, who was born and reared 
 in lieaver townshi]). and by her marriage has 
 become the mother of four children: Earl Sigs- 
 bee ; lone Caroline, who is attending school ; and 
 Ruby Irene and Emma ( )rpha Medora. at home. 
 Mr. Maurits gives his political support to the 
 republican party, for his study of the important 
 events of the day has led him to lielieve its prin- 
 ciples are most conducive to good government. 
 He holds membership in the Swedish ]\Iethodist 
 church of Beaver. 
 
 Mr. Maurits took up his abode in a strange 
 land when but a youth but in the years which 
 have since come and gone he has demonstrated 
 his ability to rank with the best citizens of 
 America, and his well improved farm in its neat 
 appearance, indicates that his life has been a 
 .success. 
 
 JUDGE STEPHEN G. BOVIE. 
 
 In the interpretation and execution of the laws, 
 as attorney and county judge, Stephen G. Bovic 
 was long accorded a position of distinction in 
 connection with the Iroquois county bar, and the 
 strength and breadth of his intellect and powers 
 made him well fitted for leadership in the public 
 life of the community. In his political work in 
 those da)s which gave incc])tinn to the repub- 
 lican party, he was the fi-ieml ami co-laborer of 
 Abraham Lincoln, David Davis and others who 
 attained national fame, and with whom he was 
 also associated at a period whrn the practice of 
 law meant "riding the circuit" in order to engage 
 in the trial of cases at the clift'ereni centers in 
 vvliich the court convened. 
 
 Coming to Iro(|uois count\ in iS5_^. judge 
 Bovie was a factor in the life of the county at the 
 most dramatic. pictnre.sc|ne and thrilling e]ioch 
 in the hislorx- (if the state, lie was burn in Liv- 
 ingston county, Xew York, November 21, 1827, 
 a son of John E. and Amy (Gardner) Bovie. 
 The father a farmer by occupation spent his en- 
 tire life in the east and both he and his wife 
 passed away there many years ago. In the com- 
 
 mon schools of his native county Judge Bovie 
 received his early mental discipline, pursuing his 
 studies through the winter seasons, while in the 
 summer months he assisted in the labors of the 
 farm. In early manhood, having made marked 
 progress in the work of the schoolroom, owing 
 to his special aptitude in his studies, he engaged 
 in teaching in his native county, and his naturally 
 strong intellect prompted him to a professional 
 rather than an agricultural life, so. while con- 
 ducting his classes in the schoolroom, he utilized 
 his leisure hours for the study of law and follow- 
 ing his admission to the bar. engaged in the 
 practice in the east for several years. Admitted 
 in Monroe county. New York, in 1851. he re- 
 mained there as a member of the legal fraternity 
 imtil 1853, when he came to Watseka. Here for 
 a year he engaged in teaching school, when, be- 
 lieving there was favorable opportunity for law 
 practice, he entered actively upon the work of the 
 profession for which he had prepared and for 
 many years was regarded as one of the strongest 
 practitioners of Iroquois county. In the un- 
 settled condition of Illinois at that time, it was 
 necessary that the attorneys should travel the 
 circuit with the court and thus Judge Bovie 
 passed froiu one county seat to another in the 
 prosecution of his profession, going at various 
 intervals to Kankakee. Grundy, La Salle, \\"\\\. 
 Iroquois, Chami)aign and Ford counties. On this 
 circuit he often met Abrahaiu Lincoln. David 
 Davis and others who afterward became famous 
 in state and national politics. 
 
 In 1856 Judge Bovie was made a delegate to 
 the convention at Bloomington. Illinois, where 
 was organized the re|)ublican ])artv of the state. 
 and he remained throughout his remaining days 
 a stalwart cham])ion of its principles. He was 
 master in chancery at \\'atseka for several years 
 and in 1S80 he was elected county jud,ge to fill 
 nut the unexpired term of Judge M. B. Wright. 
 divoased. In his law practice he enjoyed a 
 liberal and distinctively representative clientage, 
 by reason of his ability to successfullv solve in- 
 tricate legal ]>roblenis and present his cause in 
 the strong, clear light of reason, correctly ap- 
 plying the |)rinci|jles of law and seldom failing 
 to win a verdict favorable to his clients. I'pon 
 the bench his decisions were so entirely the em- 
 liodiment of judicial wisdom and knowledge that 
 
 y-
 
 Of THE 
 '-'1^ Of ILUmiS
 
 i
 
 Mf^^ LJ, iB.
 
 Li- 
 
 Or 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLIMOIS
 
 IROQL'OlS COUNTY. IIJ.IN'OIS. 
 
 67 
 
 at tlie rtpublican conventions of 1882 and i88(j 
 1k' was n<iniinatc<t by acclaniatiun and at cacli 
 election received increased majorities, runninj; 
 far ahead of his ticket. His decisions were 
 inoilels of jndicial sonndness and liis compre- 
 hensive \vfin\ knowledge coinniandetl the respect 
 of the bar and of tile general pnbHc. His private 
 practice t(X) was extensive and his attention to 
 the duties of his office was unremittinfj. Much 
 important legal work aside from that of the 
 ciiMrtriH)m was enlru.sted him and he seemed to 
 fHjsscss a special faculty for directing the settle- 
 ment of estates with as little loss as i)ossible. 
 It is remarkable \v<w few were his decisions from 
 which an appeal was taken and how little litiga- 
 tion grew out of the vast business that passed 
 through his court. In him the widows and or- 
 phans of the county found a trustworthy advisor 
 anil true friend and the assistance which he 
 rendered them i)i a legal capacity was often of 
 the utmost value in their affairs. 
 
 Happy in his home life. Judge IJovie was mar- 
 rie<l in 1^5.2. in Monroe county. New York, to 
 Miss Julia .\. Symson, a native of the Knipire 
 state, and they traveled life's journey in most 
 congenial conipanionship until his death, which 
 occurred Xovember 30, 1888, after a brief illness. 
 
 Judge I'xivie was a prominent and honoretl 
 member of the Masonic lodge at Wat.scka and 
 his brethren of the craft had charge of the 
 funeral services held here prior to the removal 
 of the remains to his old home at Rochester, Xew 
 York, for interment. The news of his death 
 ■causetl a sensation of jjrofound regret through- 
 out Iro<|uois county, for no man witliin its bor- 
 .ders had a wider accjuaintance or enjoyed more 
 general popularity. There were few indeed with 
 whom he diti not have more or less personal ac- 
 quaintance and the news of his demise brought 
 to the vast majority a sense of jK-rsonal bereave- 
 ment : to the community, where he was a value<l 
 citizen : to his clients who recognized in him a 
 trustworthy counselor and advisor; to the 
 widows and orphans, whose cause he had so 
 often befriended ; to his close personal acc|uaint- 
 ances, who cherished his friendship ; and to her 
 upon whom the wealth of his love and attention 
 was Ix'stowed. .Since the death of her husband 
 Mrs. IJovie has continued to make her home in 
 "Watseka. owning a Iwautiful home on West Wal- 
 4 
 
 nut street, but she also s|>en<is much time in 
 travel and in visiting relatives in ditTerent parts 
 of the countrv. 
 
 .\UMS .S. CHAI'.M.W. 
 
 Arms S. Chapman, editor and publisher of the 
 ( iiliuan Star, is a representative of une <>! the 
 old families of Iro<|uois county, and in his pres- 
 ent business cai)acity is giving to the public a 
 journal which has had ilirect and im])ortant bear- 
 ing u])on the welfare and improvement of this 
 portion of the state. The press has not only 
 recorded the histi)ry of advancement but has also 
 ever been the leader in the work of progress — 
 the vanguard of civilization. The j>hil<jsopher 
 of some centuries ago proclaimed the truth that 
 "The i)en is mightier than the sword." and the 
 statement is continually being verified in the af- 
 fairs of life. In molding |)ul)lic opinion the power 
 of the news])aiKT cannot be estimated but at all 
 events its influence is of greater force than that 
 of any other single element and the Star has been 
 a potent force in the life of Gilman. 
 
 Mr. Chapman was a youth of twelve years 
 when he became a resident of lr<K|uois c<)unty, 
 his birth having occurred in Chicago in 1864. 
 The family comes of Irish lineage and was es- 
 tablished in .\merica by the great-great-grand- 
 father of our subject, who left the luuerald isle, 
 crossed the .\tlantic to the new world and estab- 
 lished a home in Xew ICngland. It was in that 
 part of the country that the great-grandfather 
 was born, while Henry D. Chapman, the grand- 
 father, was a native of .New Lebanon. Xew York. 
 He became a contractor and builder after learn- 
 ing the carpenters trade and was thus iilenti- 
 fied with industrial life in the east. His political 
 allegiance was given to the whig ])arty. He 
 wedded Maria .Arms, who was born in Conway, 
 Massachusetts, while her father was also a native 
 of Xew luigland and came of Knglish ancestry. 
 In i8,V) Mrs. Maria .\rms Chapman started with 
 her four sons for Michigan, driving through 
 C'anada and across the coiuitry with an ox teain 
 to Washtenaw county. The family opened up 
 two farms in Michigan, and Mrs. Chapman 
 sjunt her last days there.
 
 68 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 Her son, Foster .M. Chapman, the second in 
 a family of five children numbering four sons 
 and one daughter, was born in old Sodus, Wayne 
 county. New York, September 19, 1819, and was 
 therefore a youth of seventeen years at the time 
 of the removal to Michigan. His educational 
 privileges were very limited and he earned his 
 first money by digging potatoes for a neighbor, 
 but his father collected his wages. He shared 
 with the family in the hardships and privations 
 of early residence in Michigan and in the winter 
 of 1839 engaged in teaching school in Living- 
 ston county, Illinois. He was married IMarch 
 20, 1845, to Miss Charlotte E. Spafard, a daugh- 
 ter of Thomas L. Spafard, who became a resi- 
 dent of Michigan in 1838. Mrs. Chapman was 
 born in the Empire state and was a maiden of 
 si.xteen years at the time of the removal of the 
 family to the middle west. For several years 
 after his marriage Foster M. Chapman followed 
 farming, and in 1851 began the sale of small 
 farm implements, making his headquarters in 
 Chicago. He handled the first John H. Manney 
 reapers which were brought to that city and for 
 a time he also conducted a branch house at De- 
 troit, enjoying an extensive trade in farm imple- 
 ments in [Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin, con- 
 tinuing in the business until 1866, when he ac- 
 cepted the agency for the Manney reapers for 
 the territory of southern Indiana, Kentucky and 
 Tennessee. In 1867 he became a real-estate 
 dealer of Chicago and carried on an extensive 
 business there until 1876. 
 
 That year witnessed his arrival in Iroquois 
 county, where he invested his capital in six hun- 
 dred acres of land in Danforth township. The 
 farm was in an unimproved condition but by 
 judicious tiling and ditching and the erection of 
 good buildings he converted it into one of the 
 best kept and most fertile farms of the county. 
 In fact he was a pioneer in drainage in this sec- 
 tion of the state and to his efforts and the labors 
 of a few other enterprising men is due the splen- 
 did condition which is found in the agricultural 
 districts in Iroquois county, owing to the tiling 
 and ditching that has been carried on. At times 
 the whole surface of the country seemed cov- 
 ered with water. Prairie creek several times a 
 stop to planting or cultivating. An inclTcctive 
 
 ditch was dug prior to 1878, in which year Mr. 
 Chapman, in company with W. J. and C. G. 
 McUougall, George W. Decker and others, 
 started the enterprise uf cutting a ditch from 
 Prairie to Spring creek, thus giving a short out- 
 let for this entire flat country. That was the 
 first extensive effort to furnish a system of drain- 
 age and to this work Mr. Chapman gave time, 
 mone_\- and effort. Contracts for ditches were let 
 averaging from four to eight feet in depth and 
 forty feet wide, surface measure. As soon as 
 water would run they put a riding plow in the 
 ditch and teams on each bank. Mr. Chapman 
 managed the plow and often rode in water up 
 to his armpits. Day after day he worked in that 
 soaked condition until the completion of the 
 ditch. Xothing has done more to add to the 
 advantage of flat land in this section and the men 
 who persevered to obtain the enterprise deserve 
 much credit. Mr. Chapman also spent consider- 
 able time and money in lobbying at Springfield 
 for the law which finally passed, enabling the 
 lands of non-residents to be taxed for the bene- 
 fits they would receive. Today drainage has 
 made this one of the richest agricultural dis- 
 tricts of the entire countrv with farming lands 
 offered at from one to two hundred dollars per 
 acre. 
 
 In politics Air. Chapman was a whig in early 
 life and when the question of slavery became a 
 dominant one joined the abolition party, while 
 a further progressive step was made by him in 
 allying his interests with the republican party 
 when it was formed to prevent the further ex- 
 tension of slavery. He has always stood for 
 advancement and improvement in the various 
 interests relating to the public welfare yet has 
 never sought office for himself. After living for 
 many years upon the farm he removed to 
 Gilman in i8go, there to enjoy retirement from 
 further labor. 
 
 Arms S. Chapman, the only son and child, 
 was a youth of twelve years when he came with 
 his parents to Iroquois county. .\ short time 
 previously he had visited the farm with his 
 father. There were still many evidences of pio- 
 neer life to be seen here for the land was un- 
 drainecl and therefore untilled, and often times 
 the floods rendered further work of cultivation 
 impossible. The lakes and rivers abounded in
 
 JRlJQL'OIS OJLNTY. I!.!.!N'0|S 
 
 60 
 
 fish and there was ample opportunity lor tlic 
 huntsman to indulge his love of sport where 
 countless tliousands of ducks, brants and Canada 
 geese were to be had. Prairie chickens were also 
 to be found. 
 
 Arms S. Chapman attended the public schools 
 and later the University of Illinois. In 1888 he 
 left college to begin newsjjaper work, practiadly 
 his first experience being as city editor of a morn- 
 ing paper at Little Rock, Arkansas. Later in 
 the line of service he became telegrapii editor of 
 the St. Paul News. In 1895 he married Miss 
 Minnie Cross, a daughter of one of the old resi- 
 dents of Gilman. After his marriage he worked 
 on Chicago daily papers until he returned to 
 Gilman in 1898 to acquire an interest in the Star. 
 Aside from his editorial work, Mr. Chapman has 
 contributed to eastern magazines, such as the 
 Century and the Outlook. He has three chil- 
 dren, two sons and a daughter. He is a Mason, 
 a Knight of Pythias and a member of the Press 
 Club of Chicago. 
 
 TOHN SMITH. 
 
 John Smith, of Unarga, is one of the largest 
 landowners and most active and enterprising 
 business men of Iroquois county. He owns 
 farms in the vicinity of the city, all well im- 
 proved and valuable, aggregating fourteen hun- 
 dred and forty acres. His residence in the county 
 dates from 1865 and throughout this period he 
 has maintained an unassailable reputation for 
 business integrity and at the same time has be- 
 come most widely known by reason of his un- 
 flagging diligence. cIikc aj>y>Iii-.iiiiin .tihI idiit- 
 prise. 
 
 Mr. Smith is a native of Imliaiia. having been 
 born in Hendricks county on the 26th of Decem- 
 ber, 1830. His father, .\bel Smith, was born in 
 Xorth Carolina, whence he removed to Kentucky 
 in his childhood days in company with his 
 parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Smith. He was 
 reared in Owsley county, Kentucky, and when 
 a young man removed to Indiana. He was mar- 
 ried in Hendricks county to Miss Sarah Bales, 
 a native of the Blue Grass state and a daughter 
 of .Me.xander Bales, who removed to Kcntuckv 
 
 when tin mill. Ill- wen nnui- iiimiirini> tiiail the 
 white settlers and the warfare between the two 
 races had earned for the state the name of the 
 dark and bloody ground. Jolin Smith is one 
 of a family of two sons and si.\ daughters who 
 reached mature years and seven of the number 
 are still living, namely : James Smith, who re- 
 sidi-s in Warren county. Inwa; Mary, who is 
 living u|x)n the old home place in Warren 
 county; Susan, the wife of Thomas McClellan, 
 a resident of Washington; Mrs. Kmeline l!ick- 
 ford, a widow, of Warren county. Iowa; Mrs. 
 Louisa Jane Lewis, of the same cnunty ; Amanda, 
 the widow of Taylor Judkins: and John. 
 
 John Smith, whose name introduces this rec- 
 <ird. was reared upon the home fann in Hen- 
 ilricks county, Indiana, to the age of nineteen 
 years and then removed with his father to Iowa, 
 the family home being established in Warren 
 county. His school privileges were quite lim- 
 ited, so that he is largely a self-educated as well 
 as a self-made man. but in the school of experi- 
 ence he has learned many valuable lessons and 
 reading and observation have also added largely 
 to his knowledge, making him a man of good 
 business capacity and sound judgment. He re- 
 mained with his father in Iowa for one year 
 and then returned to Warren county, Indiana, 
 making the journey on foot. There he rented 
 land and engaged in farming for six years, dur- 
 ing which period he was married on the i8th of 
 Xovcmber, 1853, to Miss Hannah .^tarry, whose 
 birth occurred in that county. In 1856 he re- 
 turned to Iowa, settling in Hamilton county, 
 where he purchased a tract of raw land which 
 he broke and converted into a good farm. He 
 did his breaking witii ox teams and in the course 
 of years he improved an excellent farm prop- 
 erty, on which he erected good buildings and 
 added many modern cf|uipments and accessories. 
 He bought more hnd from time to time there 
 until he owned four hundred acres, residing upon 
 his farm until i8ri3. when he sold the pro|Hrty 
 and came to Iro<|uois county. Illinois. His first 
 investment in lan<l here made him owner of two 
 hundred acres which was jiartially improved. 
 He at once took up the work of further develop- 
 ment and cultivation and as his financial re- 
 sources increased he Ixiught other tracts of land 
 adjoining. He contiiund tin- work of f.-irmiiK'
 
 70 
 
 PAST AXl) PRESENT OF 
 
 and luriher improving the property until the 
 old home place now comjjrises six hundred and 
 forty acres, ui)on which he has a good residence, 
 barns and corn crii)s. lie likewise invested in 
 three hundred and thirty-eight acres south of 
 the home place on the same section and improved 
 that. As opportunity has afforded he has con- 
 tinued his purchase of land and has over seven 
 hundred acres across the creek near Onarga, con- 
 stituting a well improved farm. He continued 
 to engage actively in farming until 1901, when 
 he removed to Onarga and hnilt the residence 
 which he now occupies. It is a commodious, 
 neat and substantial home and is one of the evi- 
 dences of the thrift and industr\- which have 
 ever been characteristic of Mr. Smith and wliich 
 have enabled him to advance from a htmilile 
 financial position to one of wealth and affluence. 
 His success has come as the result of careful in- 
 vestment, of keen discernment in business af- 
 fairs and of unfaltering energy and thus he has 
 accumulated a large fortune and is today one of 
 the well known and prosperous men of the 
 county. He is still very active and gives i)er- 
 sonal supervision to his extensive farming in- 
 terests. 
 
 L'nto J\Ir. and Mrs. Smith have been born 
 five children: James, who follows farming 
 in ( )narga township, is married and has 
 three children, Mabel, Prank and John. ( )scar 
 resides upon a farm in Kansas. He has si.\ chil- 
 dren: I'earl, of ( )narga ; Ralph, who resides in 
 Utah; Millie, who is living in this county; Har- 
 lan, who is residing upon one of the farms be- 
 longing to his grandfather; Hazel and Edith. 
 Margaret .\nu is the wife nf John Xielmlds, a 
 retired business man of ( )narga. and they have 
 one son, William. Mnlex'. who is operating one 
 of his father's farms, is also married. .Mr. ;uid 
 Mrs. Smith also lost one child, their first born. 
 Sarah IClizabelh, who reached womanhood and 
 became the wife of Alpheus Keiuiedy. She died 
 in 1877, lea\-ing a daugliter. who also reached 
 womanhood and passed away in the fall of H)04. 
 .She was reared by Mr. .-md Mrs. Smith. .Mr. 
 Snn'th gives his politic-al allegiance to the repub- 
 lican ])arty but cast his first ])resi(!ential ballot 
 for a democratic candidate. I'"ranklin I'iirce. in 
 1852. He has, however, for a niuuber of vears 
 been identified with the republican organization. 
 
 He has never sought or desired office, although 
 he .served as town clerk in Iowa and as a member 
 of the school board. He was formerly identified 
 with the Odd Fellows society and his wife is a 
 member of the Christian church. He has been a 
 resident of the county for forty-one years, wit- 
 nessing its wonderful growth and development 
 and at the same time has kept pace in his busi- 
 ness career with the progress of the county until 
 he is now one of its largest landowners and most 
 successful business men. There has been no esot- 
 eric phase in his life record. On the contrary his 
 history is as an open book which all may read. 
 He was trained to habits of industry and economy 
 and he early learned the value of unremitting la- 
 bor, and it is through his close application and 
 his watchfulness of opportunities for judicious 
 investment that he has advanced by gradual yet 
 l)rogressive stages to his present position. 
 
 willia:\i 'm. hickey. 
 
 William M. Hickey is a young man who has 
 gained a creditable place in financial circles, serv- 
 ing at the present time as cashier of the State 
 Bank of Chebanse and also as a member of its 
 board of directors. Roth he and his father are 
 largelv interested in this institution and also in 
 the Liank of Irwin at Irwin, Illinois, of which 
 William 'SI. Hickey is manager. Born in Che- 
 banse on the 25th of September. 1882, he is a son 
 iif Thomas and Beeze (Conley) Hickey, of Brad- 
 ley. Illinois. He is the eldest of three sons, the 
 others being John, a graduate of St. Viateurs 
 College at Bourbonnais, Illinois ; and Richard, 
 who is a student in the public schools of IJrad- 
 ley. 
 
 .Vftcr obtaining his preliminary education in 
 the ])ublic schools of Chebanse William M. Hick- 
 ey spent two years as a student in St. X'iateurs 
 College, of P.ourbonnais Grove, Illinois, and three 
 years in .St. Ignatius College at Chicago. FoUriw- 
 ing his graduation from the last named institu- 
 tion he inirsued a commercial course in the Atli- 
 enaetnn business college in Chicago, and was 
 thus well (|ualified b\' liberal training for life's 
 ])ractical and res])(insil)le duties. When he had 
 permanently put aside his text-books he connect-
 
 WILLIAM M. lilt Ki:V.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNI\'FRP!rv Of ILLINOIS 
 
 ^3^
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 7i 
 
 c<l himself with the National L'ank at Uliatswortli, 
 Illinois, as assistant cashier and bookkct-ptr and 
 thns served nntil Scptiniber. 1906, \>hen he en- 
 tered njjon his present position as cashier of the 
 Stale r.ank of Chebanse upon its organization. 
 He is a young man typical of the progressive 
 spirit of the times and his diligence and la1)or 
 constitute him a rejiresentative factor in the busi- 
 ness life of the town. 
 
 Mr. Hickcy is a member of St. Mary's and 
 Joseph's Catholic church at Chebanse and since 
 i8<)2 he has affiliated with the Knights of Co- 
 lumbus at Kankakee. Illinois. His political views 
 accord with the principles of the republican party 
 and at the polls he always gives endorsement to 
 its candidates. The place which he has already 
 made fur himself in business circles argues well 
 for the future, for his qualities arc such as will 
 brook no obstacles if they can Ik overcome bv per- 
 sistent and straightforward effort. 
 
 HERBERT E. IWCEV 
 
 Herbert E. Pacey, residing on section 6. Pigeon 
 Grove township, operates a good farm of one 
 hundred and forty-two acres, belonging to his fa- 
 ther's estate, upon which he was 1)om February 
 7, 1870. He is a son of John and Eliza (Harms- 
 ton) Pacey. both of whom were natives of Eng- 
 land. The father was born, reared and married 
 in Lincolnshire and carried on agricultural pur- 
 suits there before his marriage, or until 1S56. 
 when he came to the new world. He made his 
 first location in Peoria county, Illinois, where he 
 engaged in farming rented land for twelve years 
 and on the expiration of that period he removed 
 to Iroquois county in 1868. With the money he 
 had saved from his earnings he invested in fifty- 
 eight acres of land, which he bought at twelve 
 dollars per acre. Today this same property is 
 worth about one hundred and fifty dollars per 
 acre. He built a home and Iwgan to till the soil, 
 which in due course of time brought forth rich 
 and abundant harvests. He later Imught eighty- 
 four acres adoining and thus made a givxl farm. 
 He lived here until i8<>8. when he removed to 
 Paxton, Illinois, where he died January 23. i<K>4. 
 at the age of seventy-two years. His wifi- -nr- 
 
 vives him and yet lives in Paxton in her seventy- 
 first year. This worthy cou|)le were the parents 
 of seven children, and Herlx-rt E. and Walter 
 still reside upon the old homestead, Walter oper- 
 ating a rented farm near this place. 
 
 Herl)ert E. Pacey at the usual age became a 
 student in the public schools anrl afterward pur- 
 sued a commercial course in the college at Onar- 
 ga. He has always lived on this place and has 
 helpeil to carry on the home farm from his early 
 youth to the present time. When but a boy he 
 lK>gan plowing, planting and liarvesting and on 
 attaining his majority he rented the place from 
 his mother and has since conducted it, its well 
 kept appearance indicating his careful supervi- 
 sion and practical methods. 
 
 On the 15th of .\pril, 1897, Mr. Pacey was 
 married to Miss Hattie Hall, a native of Iro- 
 quois county and a daughter of John Hall, who 
 was Ixirn in northern England and came to this 
 county about 18^)0. He served in defense of the 
 I'nion in the Civil war and reside<l here until his 
 death. I'nto Mr. and .Mrs. Pacey have been born 
 two children, but one died in infancy, the sur- 
 viving son being Cuy Harold. 
 
 The parents attend the Methodist Episcopal 
 church at Buckley. Mr. Pacey is a stalwart re- 
 publican, giving earnest allegiance to the party 
 when are involved the questions that divide the 
 two great political organizations but at local elec- 
 tions he casts an independent ballot. He has 
 served on the school l)oard as trustee, but other- 
 wise has never consented to hold office. His time 
 and energies are fully occupied by his business af- 
 fairs, which are bringing to him signal success. 
 He raises good graded hogs, also some cattle and 
 <lraft horses and is now conducting a profitable 
 business. 
 
 HON. JdllN I.. II.\Mll.r( )X'. 
 
 Hon. John L. Hamilton, whose life record was 
 one of signal usefulness and honor, his distin- 
 guished service and personal characteristics gain- 
 ing him a place in public regard that caused his 
 death to come as a per.sonal bereavement to the 
 great majority of citizens in Iroquois county, 
 |)assed awav in K/X). Few indeed have been the 
 ri~M.i!t> t.f the county that have occupied .so
 
 74 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 prominent a position in public esteem and no liis- 
 tory of this section of the state would be com- 
 plete without the record of his life. He was born 
 of Scotch parents in County Armagh, Ireland. 
 November 9, 1829. and was a young man of twen- 
 ty-two years when he sought a home in .America, 
 attracted to this country by the favorable reports 
 which he had heard concerning its business op- 
 portunities and advantages. The year 1851 wit- 
 nessed his arrival. 
 
 He landed at Xew Orleans and soon after- 
 ward came to Illinois, settling in Jersey county. 
 where he began work as a common laborer on a 
 farm. Carefully saving his earnings he soon 
 became enabled to make a payment on one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres of land, arranging for the 
 purchase in 1861. On selling out there he came 
 to Iroquois county and settled on section 11, Love- 
 joy township, purchasing the entire section and 
 also the north half of section 14. on which the 
 village of Wellington was afterward built. He 
 watched his opportunities for judicious invest- 
 ment and owned other farms in Pigeon Grove, 
 Prairie Green and Middleport townships, until 
 at his death his realty holdings had reached the 
 extensive figure of twenty-five hundred acres in 
 this county, besides seventeen thousand acres in 
 Texas. He was seldom at error in matters of 
 business judgment and thus his investments were 
 carefully placed and were to him an excellent 
 source of income. He was also vice president 
 of the First National Bank of Watseka, and presi- 
 dent of the private banking institution of Hamil- 
 ton & Cimningham at Hoopeston. In all that he 
 did he displayed an aptitude for successful man- 
 agement together with a fertility of resource and 
 a native sagacity that constituted him a pre-em- 
 inently a man of affairs. 
 
 Mr. Hamilton aside from the successful con- 
 duct of extensive and important business inter- 
 ests filled many local ofiices of honor and trust, 
 being three times chairman of the hoard of county 
 supervisors and four times treasurer of Iroquois 
 county. His re-elections were indicative of his 
 capability and fidelity in office and the unfaltering 
 confidence reposed in him by his fellowmen. Still 
 higher honors awaited him, for he was called to 
 represent the people of the sixteenth district in 
 the state legislature, where he served with fidel- 
 ity and honesty u]) to the time of his death. He 
 
 gave to each question which came up for settle- 
 ment his earnest consideration and was swerved 
 
 by no personal prejudice or partisan feelings in 
 his legislative service. 
 
 Mr. Hamilton was married February 24, 1857, 
 to Miss Ann Eliza Leemon, a native of County 
 Armagh, Ireland, and they became the par- 
 ents of nine children, of whom seven are liv- ^, 
 ing, namely : John L., of Hoopeston. Illinois ; J-"'^ 
 Mrs. Fannie Ayres, of St. Louis, ^Missouri : ^Irs. 
 Nettie Morse, of Troy, Pennsylvania ; William 
 A. : Edward C. : Edith : and George H. 
 
 Mr. Hamilton was an exemplary member of 
 the Masonic fraternity^ It is a difficult task to 
 offer a fitting memorial to the life and accom- 
 plishments of a man of his character — remark- 
 able in the breadth of his wisdom and in his in- 
 domitable perseverance and his strong individu- 
 alitv, and _\'et one whose entire life had not one 
 esoteric phase, being an open scroll, inviting the 
 closest scrutiny. True his were "massive deeds 
 and great" in one sense and yet his entire life ac- 
 complishment but represented the result of the 
 fitting utilization of the innate talent which was 
 his and the directing of his efforts in those lines 
 where mature judgment and rare discrimination 
 lead the way. He carved his name deeply on 
 the record of the political, agricultural and finan- 
 cial history of the county which owes much of 
 its advancement to his efforts. X 
 
 ENXAN CLARK. 
 
 Evlan Clark has since 1848. or for a period 
 of six decades, been a resident of Iroquois county, 
 and for many years he carried on the work of 
 tilling the soil and raising crops, which in course 
 of time brought him an excellent annual income 
 and enabled him to add yearly to his competence 
 until it is now sufficient to permit of his living 
 retired. He makes his home at the present writ- 
 ing in Sheldon and is one of its worthy and 
 rej)resentative citizens. He was born in St. Jo- 
 sei)h county, Michigan, .\ugust 18, 1838, and is 
 a .son of Ouartus and Nancy (Nye) Clark. The 
 father came with tlic family to Iroc|uois county 
 in 1848. locating in P.cavcr township, which at 
 that time had few inhabitants. Hardships and
 
 t^^irWut^ Wr'^i/^
 
 OP THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IRoOroiS COUNTY, H.I.INolS. 
 
 n 
 
 privations siidi as are al\va\s incidi-m in iroiuicr 
 life were the Int <>f the family in those early days. 
 The father was luit long periniiled tn enjov his 
 new Ihiine, for he was called to his final rest 
 in 1851. leaving his wife with four young chil- 
 dren, three of whom still survive, namely : l-'vlan. 
 of this review: Xiles. who was nanieil for the 
 town of Xiles. Michigan, and who is now living 
 in lienton county, Arkansas: and Mrs. Sarah 
 Nordyke. a resident of (Oakland, L'alifornia. 
 
 I'-vlan Clark ac<iuired his education in the dis- 
 trict schools of this county but his opix)rtimities 
 in that direction were very limited. He was 
 ten years of age at the time of the removal to Illi- 
 nois and was a little lad of only thirteen when his 
 father died. He began to earn his own living when 
 verv young and always had to work hard, so 
 that his youth was largely a perio<l of unremit- 
 ting toil. \\'hen he was twenty-four years of 
 age, feeling that his first tluty was to his coun- 
 try, he enlisted in .\ugust, 1862, and joined the 
 br)ys in blue of Company E, Seventy -sixth Illi- 
 nois X'olunteer Infantry, under Captain Irving, 
 serving for three years in Tennessee, Louisiana, 
 Mississippi. .Mabama and Florida. He partici- 
 pated in the siege of \icksburg. the charge on 
 I'ort r.lakely near Mobile. .Mabama. and many 
 other engagements of minor importance, and for 
 a few days he was ill in the camp hospital at 
 \'icksburg. During his service he was appointed 
 first sergeant an<l as such was honorably dis- 
 charged on the 5th of August. 1865. after three 
 years devoted to aiding his country in the sup- 
 pression of the rebellion and the preservation of 
 the Union. 
 
 When the war was over .Mr. Clark returned to 
 his home and for one year etigaged in cari)enter- 
 ing. He afterward spent i>ne year at work as a 
 farm hand by the month, and in i8(>8 he began 
 faruiing on his own account, having previously 
 purchased eightv acres of land in I'eaver lown- 
 shi|). He made other investments during the 
 war and still owns the property which became 
 the nucleus of his [ireseiit extensive and valuable 
 |H)ssessions. for he has addetl to his original hohl- 
 ings from time to time until he is now the owner 
 of four hundred and eighty acres of giwid land 
 in I'.eaver township. The im]>rovcments on the 
 j)lacc as seen in the well tilled fields and sul> 
 stantial buildings were placed there by him and 
 
 lie also tiktl his land, thus adding greatly to its 
 l»roductiveiiess. He followed general farming 
 and stiKk-rai.sing for a long jH'riod ami then at 
 length retired from business cares. 
 
 Iiefore entering the army Mr. Clark was mar- 
 ried, on the 0th of December, i860, to Miss 
 Llarissa K. Watkins. who was l)orn in Imliana. 
 .■\ugust 1;, 1843. and is a daughter r»f Jonathan 
 Watkins, whose birth occurred in Montgomery, 
 Indiana, in 1820, and who is now living retired 
 in .SheMon, having taken up his alMwIe in that 
 city in 1854. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have three 
 children. .MlK-rt W., who was educate<l in Shel- 
 don .ind in the Chicago Commercial College, is 
 now with the Cleveland firain Company, at 
 Cleveland, ( >hio. Charles K., who was educated 
 in I'.loomington and in Cham])aign, Illinois, is 
 now professor of architecture in the State Uni- 
 versity. Mary K.. who was educate<l in Hloom- 
 ington and in the State University at Champaign, 
 from which she was graduated, is at home with 
 her father. 
 
 Mr. Clark retired from the farm and removed 
 to (iridley in I'ebruary, 1888. He afterward 
 went to Donovan as representative of the grain 
 finn of Watkins & Company for three years but 
 in the meantime established his home in BlfM>m- 
 ington, residing there and in Champaign. Illinois, 
 for seven years in order to provide his children 
 with the cducatif)nal advantages that could be 
 enjoyed in those cities. While living in liloom- 
 ington he established a lumberyard at Sheldon. 
 forming a partnership in !8<)5 with H. H. l^ast- 
 burn under the firm style of Rastburn & Clark. 
 They conducted this enterprise for some time, 
 after which .Mr. Clark .sol<l out and permanently 
 |nit aside business cares, now living in honorable 
 retirement. In 1895 the family rfniiived to Shel- 
 don and now occui>y one of the fine homes of the 
 city, which was built by Mr. Clark. 
 
 In his political views Mr. t'lark is independent. 
 His first Vote was cast for Stephen .\. Douglas, 
 the nominee of the democratic parly in i8^)0. He 
 has held various local offices, serving as assessor, 
 collector, school treasurer, highway commis- 
 sioner and town clerk, and many years ago was 
 commissifiner of the drainage canal. He is a sur- 
 veyor and does considerable work in that line. 
 l"raternally he is connccte<I with the Cirand Army 
 of the Republic, and he and his wife and chil-
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 dren arc all members of the Methodist church. 
 At the time of his marriage he was empty-handed 
 and all that he has since possessed and enjoyed 
 has been acquired through his own labors. He 
 is strictly a self-made man, deserving of all the 
 praise which that term implies and as the archi- 
 tect of his own fortunes he has builded wisely and 
 well. Moreover, the accumulation of wealth has 
 not been his sole aim and purpose, for he has 
 recognized his duties and obligation to his fel- 
 lowmen. to his friends and to his family, has 
 been honorable and just in his treatment of all 
 with whom he has come in contact, while in his 
 home he has regarded no personal sacrifice on 
 his part as too great if it would promote the 
 welfare and happiness of his wife and children. 
 
 A. L. PEARCE. 
 
 One of the well improved farm properties of 
 'Concord township is in possession of A. L. 
 Pearce, an enterprising and practical agricul- 
 turist. He was born in Warren county, Indi- 
 ana, September 9, 1835, and is numbered among 
 the early residents of Iroquois county, having 
 for almost a half century resided within its bor- 
 ders. His father, Andrew Pearce, was born in 
 Kentucky and removed to Indiana in 1826. He 
 cast his lot with the pioneer residents of War- 
 ren cotmty and entered from the government 
 two hundred and forty acres of land. Not a 
 furrow had been turned nor an improvement 
 made upon the place but with characteristic en- 
 •ergy he began its development and in course of 
 years the raw tract was converted into very pro- 
 ductive fields. He married Marinda Lewis, a na- 
 tive of ( )hio, ancl they became the parents of 
 eleven children. 
 
 The boyhood and youth of A. L. Pearce were 
 quietly passed in the state of his nativity. He 
 became familiar with farm work in all of its de- 
 partments, as he rendered active assistance to his 
 father in carrying on the home place. Having 
 arrived at years of maturity, he was married 
 in Warren county, Indiana, in 1857, to Miss 
 Esther Armstrong, who was there born in 1840. 
 The following year they started for Illinois, trav- 
 ■eling by wagon to Milford, for it was before 
 
 the era of extensive railroad building and many 
 of the journeys throughout the country were 
 made by wagon or other private conveyance or 
 by stage. On reaching this county ^Ir. Pearce 
 rented land and so continued to engage in farm- 
 ing until 1865, when with the money that he had 
 managed to save he purchased forty acres of land 
 from Henry Sherl on section 6, Concord town- 
 ship. Ambitious, however, to have a much larger 
 farm, he added to the property as opportunity 
 offered. In 1866 he bought forty acres more 
 land, in 1868 an additional tract of forty acres 
 and in 1872 sixty acres on section i, Aliddleport 
 township. In 1884 he invested in another tract 
 of forty acres and still later bought one hundred 
 and forty acres. In 1872 he erected a good 
 dwelling on his place on section 6, Concord 
 township, and in 1875 built a barn, while in 
 1900 he built a fine new barn, forty-two by sev- 
 enty-two feet. He has ditched and tiled the land 
 and fenced all of it himself. Only fifteen acres 
 had been broken when the farm came into his 
 possession, but, being a man of diligence and 
 resolute spirit, he has continued the work of 
 placing the farm under cultivation and has made 
 it a valuable property. He was actively and 
 successfully engaged in general farming and 
 stock-raising until the last few years, when he 
 has lived retired, leaving the active work of car- 
 rying on the farm to his sons, although he still 
 gives to the business his general supervision. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Pearce became the parents of 
 five children, of whom three are yet living : N. 
 S., who runs the home farm ; Rosa Lee, the wife 
 of Charles Shaw : and Arthur M., at home. The 
 wife and mother died .\|iril 13, 1887, and her 
 death was deeply regretted by many friends, for 
 she was verv widelv and favorably known in 
 this jiart of the county. Their son, Newton, who 
 was born in IMilford in 1861. has always fol- 
 lowed farming and stock-raising and has been 
 at home with his father since 1892, now having 
 charge of the farm. In that year he was mar- 
 ried in Chicago to Miss Etta Piarriball, who was 
 liorn in Cook county, Illinois, and died May 6, 
 
 1904- 
 
 ]\Ir. Pearce exercises his right of franchise in 
 
 support of the men and measures of democracy 
 
 and has served in several local offices, acting as 
 
 road commissioner and for three terms as su-
 
 A. L. I'EARCE.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQL'OIS COUXTV. 1I.I.IX( »IS. 
 
 8i 
 
 pervisor of Concord townsliip. He has likewise 
 l)een school dircclor lor tweiitv years and his 
 interest in conniuinity affairs is that »jt a pultlic- 
 spiriled citizen, wlio lias piven active co-opera- 
 tion to many ))laiis anil nioveinenls for tile gen- 
 eral g;<x)d. He has been a nieniiier of the Chris- 
 tian church since 1874 and lias cuntrilnited lib- 
 erally to its support. His life has been honor- 
 able, his actions manly and sincere and his poinl 
 qualities have won for him the favorable regard 
 mill trust i>f his fellowmeii. 
 
 TOHX ()\ kr.\cki:r. 
 
 While there is truth in the cry that corru|)tioii 
 «xists in political circles in the city, it is equally 
 true that in the rural districts an election to of- 
 fice is an expression of popular approval and 
 popular choice. .Abraham Lincoln said. "Vou 
 may fool all of the people some of the time and 
 some of the people all of the time, but you can't 
 fool all of the people all of the time," and when 
 a man has lonjj been continued in the public 
 service it is unmistakable ])roof of his fidelity 
 to duty and the confidence reposed in him by his 
 fellowmen. We are led to this train of reflec- 
 tion in considering the fact that John ( )veracker 
 has for twenty-seven years served as collector 
 of Danforth township, and has been elected for 
 the twenty-eighth year. He resides in the vil- 
 lage of Danforth. where be has made his home 
 for the past thirty-six years, carrying on busi- 
 ness as a contractor, carpenter and builder, so 
 that bis laliors have been a material elenuiit in 
 the improvement of the town and surrounding 
 country. .\ native of St. Lawrence county. Xew 
 York, his birth occurred .\pril 1. 1841. his par- 
 ents being John W. and Susan (Howes) ( )ver- 
 acker, both of whom were natives of the Ijiiiiirc 
 state. They were farming ))eo|)le ami contiinifd 
 their residence in Xew York until called to their 
 final rest, the father passing away in li^/t. at 
 the age of seventy-six years, having long sur- 
 vived his wife, who died in 1855. In their fam- 
 ily were seven children but with the exception of 
 our subject none ever came to the west. Two (»f 
 the number are now dcceasetl. while the others 
 reside in the old home town in St. I-awrcncc 
 
 County, .New \ ork. Having lust his lirst wiic 
 the father wedded Miss ZuUer, and they had 
 seven children, six of whom are residents of the 
 lMn])ire state, while one has passed away. 
 
 John Dveracker was reared in the county of 
 his nativity and though in iiis youth he worked 
 upnn the farm, he preferred iither occupation 
 and in early life learneil the carpenter's trade. 
 He has since been identified w ith building o]>era- 
 tiuns and one of the elements of his success is 
 undoubtedly the fact that he has continuously 
 devoted his energies to that occupation in which 
 he embarked as a young tradesman. He soon 
 Ix'came an excellent workman and his capability 
 and his fidelity to the tenns of a contract have 
 secured him liberal pain mage and won him 
 gratifying success. He dates his residence in 
 Illinois from i8(j3. at which time he took up his 
 abode in Kendall county with his bride. He 
 had lieen recently married in the Empire state 
 to Miss Jane I'ringle. who was born in Roxboro, 
 Scotland, in .\ugust, 1841, a daughter of James 
 and Catherine Pringlc, who came to .\merica in 
 May. 1S50, settling in St. I^wrence county. 
 Xew York, where their subsequent years were 
 passed. The father died during the early girl- 
 hood of Mrs. Overacker, and the mother after- 
 ward married a Mr. Ireland, and passed away in 
 i<^4. at the very advanced age of eighty-si.x 
 years. I'y her first marriage she liad two chil- 
 dren, the son being George I'ringle. a resident 
 of Michigan. By the second marriage there were 
 sons and daughters who are now living in the 
 east. .\s staled, in the year of their marriage 
 .Mr. ami Mrs. ( )veracker became residents of 
 Kendall county, Illinois. He had visited the 
 state two years before and had determined upon 
 locating here. He came from Kendall county to 
 lr<K|uciis county, settling in the village of Dan- 
 forth, where for thirty-six years he has made 
 his home, being closely connected with its build- 
 ing operations throughout this period. Many 
 important contracts have been awarded him and 
 he lias erected substantial public buildings and 
 residences Ixuli in the town and thningh the 
 surrounding country. 
 
 I'lito Mr. and Mrs. (Overacker have been born 
 three sons, who are yet living, while four chil- 
 dren have passed away. .Ml are natives of Iro- 
 (|iniis county and those who still .survive are:
 
 82 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 John W., who is proprietor of an elevator at 
 Danforth and resides with his father ; \\ilHam, 
 who is in business with his father, and Lyman, 
 who is connected with the elevator at Dan- 
 forth. Those who have passed away are : 
 Lester, Hattie, Charles and George, the last 
 named dying in 1903, at the age of twenty-nine 
 years, while Lester and Hattie died at the age of 
 four and six years respectively, while Charles 
 was a child of three years at the time of his 
 demise. 
 
 John Overacker is widelv recognized as one 
 of the leaders in the ranks of local democracy 
 and served for four years during President 
 Cleveland's administration as postmaster of Dan- 
 forth. As stated, he has for twenty-seven years 
 been collector of Danforth township and not a 
 cent entrusted to his care has ever been used for 
 other than its legitimate purposes. He was one 
 of the organizers of the town of Danforth, and 
 was a member of the board until 1905, during 
 one year of which time he served as its presi- 
 dent. He is thoroughly reliable, his political in- 
 tegrity being above question, while his honesty 
 in business life is also unassailable. Socially he 
 is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Ash- 
 kum and of the encampment at Onarga. In 
 his religious views he favors the Methodist Epis- 
 copal church, and his wife, the Presbyterian 
 church. During the long years of their residence 
 in Danforth they have ever occupied an honor- 
 able position in social circles, enjoying the es- 
 teem and confidence of all with whom they have 
 been associated and none are more \vi:)rthy of 
 honorable mention in this volume. 
 
 THOMAS L. CLIFTON. 
 
 Thomas L. Clifton is an agriculturist living on 
 section 2, Ash Grove township, and upon this 
 farm his birth occurred October 28, i860. His 
 father, John Clifton, was born in Delaware and 
 when a lad of seven years became a resident of 
 Indiana, being reared near Attica, \Varrcn coun- 
 ty, amid the wild scenes of frontier life. There 
 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Kennard, a 
 native of Pennsylvania, who was reared, however, 
 in Ohio and Indiana and engaged in teaching 
 
 prior to her marriage. In 1856 Mr. and Mrs. 
 Clifton removed westward to Illinois, where he 
 purchased raw land, upon which not a furrow 
 had been turned or an improvement made. He 
 resolutely took up the task of developing a new 
 farm, which in the course of years became very 
 profitable and productive. Upon it he reared his 
 family and spent his last years, passing away in 
 1886. His wife still survives him and resides 
 upon the old home place. After her husband's 
 death Mrs. Clifton purchased the interest of the 
 other heirs in the property and her son, Thomas 
 L., has carried on the farm. He was the eldest 
 of six children, the others being : Mary Lou, 
 the wife of A. E. Wilson, of Edgerton, Minne- 
 sota ; Sadie E., a teacher in the high school at 
 Crescent City, this county ; Emily C, twin sister 
 of Sadie E. and the wife of John Grunden, of 
 Oklahoma ; Eliza K., at home ; and John W., who- 
 assists in carrying on the home farm. 
 
 The farm upon which our subject was born re- 
 mained his playground in his boyhood and was 
 also his training school for business life, for he 
 early began assisting in the work of field and 
 meadow and soon became familiar with all de- 
 partments of farming. His more specifically liter- 
 ary education was acquired in the public schools 
 and when not busy with his text-books he aided 
 his father, continuing with him until the latter's 
 death, when he took charge of the farm and busi- 
 ness. Since taking charge of the property Mr. 
 Clifton has rebuilt and added to the residence, 
 which is now a neat and pleasant home. He has 
 also put up a good barn and granary, has set out 
 fruit and has drained his land by modern proc- 
 esses of tiling. He has also built many rods of 
 fence and in fact has carried on farm work along 
 the most progressive lines. In connection with 
 the tilling of the soil he raises full blooded Jersey 
 cattle and has some fine stock upon his place. 
 The farm embraces one hundred and twenty-five 
 acres of land and is an excellent property, which 
 from pioneer times has been in possession of the 
 family. 
 
 In his political allegiance Mr. Clifton is a demo- 
 crat and has been elected and served in several 
 local offices. In 1906 he was chosen supervisor 
 bv a good majority in a strong republican town- 
 ship and against a prominent re]niblican farmer, 
 and his election was certainlv an indication of his-
 
 iRoQL'ois rorxTV. iii i\<>i< 
 
 «3 
 
 pcrsiinnl pii])iilarit\' antl ilu- con(i<k'ncc uimim-iI in 
 him by his fdlovvmcn. lie has also Ixcii noniinci; 
 of his party for sheriff of lro(|iiois couiitv. As a 
 member of the board of siiiH-rvisurs he is sirvinj^ 
 on the road and bridge cnniiniltce and also on 
 the cnnnty farm committee. Mrs. Clifton and her 
 daii|;hters are mend)ers of the McthiMlist ICpiscfi- 
 pal cluirch and the family is well known in this 
 locality. Thomas Clifton lias a wide actpiaint- 
 ance in Watseka and throujihout the county where 
 he has spent his entire life, and he has a host of 
 warm friends. He is a man of ).;ood business 
 ability, of exemplary habits and ui>ri}j^ht charac- 
 ter, is worthy the trust of his fellownien and fully 
 merits the good will which is uniforndy extended 
 him. 
 
 JOHN' FROBISH. 
 
 .Among the residents of Onarga who are now 
 living retired, enjoying a well earned rest after 
 many years of active, earnest and honorable toil. 
 John Frohish is numbered. He was in fornn'r 
 years identified with agricultural pursuits in Iro- 
 quois and Livingston counties. He is moreover 
 a native son of this state, having been born in 
 Marshall county, near Lacon, on the 28th of 
 March, 1864. His father, John M. Frobish, 
 was a native of Gennany and was reared and 
 educated there. Coming to the new world, he 
 located in Monroe county, Ohio, and was mar- 
 ried there to Elizabeth Krunnner, a native of 
 Switzerland, in which land she spent her girl- 
 hood days and with her parents came to the new 
 world, settling first in Wheeling, West \'irginia. 
 It was in the year i86j that Mr. Frobish cainc 
 to Illinois, taking up his aljode in Marshall coun- 
 ty, where he 0|X'ned up a new farm, upon whicli 
 he believed for five years. It was during that pe- 
 riod that the birth of our subject occurred. lie 
 afterward removed with his family to Livingston 
 county, locating about ten miles west of Pontiac, 
 where he purchased and improved a large tmct 
 of land, adding to it many modern equipments 
 and accessories. There he died five years later, 
 or in 1869. His wife survived him and cai)ably 
 reared the family, spending her last days upon 
 the old homestead. She was the mother of seven 
 
 Suns and three daughters, ui whom five siin> 
 and the daughters are yet living. 
 
 John Froi)ish, reared to manhood in Livingston 
 County, enjoyed oidy common-schi«il advantages 
 in his youth. He was trained to the active work 
 of the fann and remained with his mother, as 
 did the other members of the family, until all 
 were of age. Mrs. Frobish was a woman of su- 
 perior l)usincss ability and iirit only paid oflf a 
 large indel)tedness u|)on the farm and reared her 
 family, but was also enabled to place good im- 
 provements upon the land. Under her direction 
 the farm was tiled and fenced and she success- 
 fully managed the financial interests of the busi- 
 ness until success resulted. Wherever known 
 she was esteemed for her ability and enter])rise 
 and she had the confidence and respect of all. 
 .Subsapient to attaining his majority John l-'ro- 
 bish traveled for the greater |)art of a year, go- 
 ing east to Ohio and Wheeling, West N'irginia. 
 also to Pittsburg and .Allegheny City, Pennsyl- 
 vania. He then returned home and for one year 
 engaged in operating a part of the old home- 
 stead farm. The estate was then divided, after 
 which he operated his own and his mother's 
 share and later his eldest brother bought out the 
 interest of the other heirs and has one half of the 
 homestead. For four years John Frobish carrie<I 
 on general agricultural pursuits there, or until 
 the death of his mother, after which the remain- 
 der of the estate was sold' and Mr. Frobish came 
 to Iroquois county. After farming for seven 
 years he bought land seven miles southeast of 
 Onarga on section 36, Onarga township, thus 
 becoming owner of two hundred and forty acres 
 He located thereon and at once Ixgan the further 
 development and improvement of the jilace. He 
 has since added to and remodeled the residence, 
 has built a liarn. cribs and granary and has laid 
 some eighty thousand tile on the place. He has 
 also fenced the fields and set out a young or- 
 chard. Thus year after year the work of im- 
 provement was carried forward along modern 
 lines of agricuhuml progress. Mr. Frobish re- 
 mained on the place for nine years, on the expira- 
 tion of which period he rented his land and took 
 uj) his alxide in Onarga, purchasing a lot on 
 which he erected a commodious modern resi- 
 dence, heated with furnace. lighted by eli-ctricity 
 and supplied with water. This is one of the 1h-.i
 
 «4 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 residences of the town and would be a credit to 
 any city of much larger size. 
 
 It was on the 12th of January, 1888, in Living- 
 ston county, that Mr. Frobish was united in mar- 
 riage to Miss Ida Alice Dutoit, who was born in 
 that county. Four sons graced this marriage: 
 \\'alter E., Ralph E., Charles L. and Bert E.. but 
 the second son died at the age of eighteen 
 months. 
 
 Fraternally -Mr. Frobish is connected with the 
 Odd Fellows, having joined the order in Onarga, 
 and both he and his wife arc identified with the 
 Rebekah degree. His political allegiance is 
 given to the republican party and for eight years 
 he served on the school board while residing 
 upon the farm. He has also been district clerk 
 and while residing in Livingston county he filled 
 the office of township collector. He was also a 
 delegate to \^rious county conventions at Pon- 
 tiac and was known as one of the stalwart advo- 
 cates of republican principles. In the manage- 
 ment of his business affairs he has shown keen 
 discernment and sagacity, being rarely at fault 
 in a matter of business judgment. The value of 
 industry and close application he has fully under- 
 stood and by reason of the exercise of these 
 qualities he has advanced in his agricultural and 
 financial undertakings until his success makes 
 him one of the prosperous retired residents of 
 ■Onarga. 
 
 CHARLES D. DISOSWAY. 
 
 Charles D. Disosway, living just outside the 
 corporation limits of Sheldon, has a beautiful 
 Ikiiiic. standing in the midst of five acres of 
 ground. The house and all of the surroundings 
 and cfjuipments constitute a most attractive pic- 
 ture in the landscape. Pleasantly situated in life 
 Mr. Disosway was fornn-rly actively (.n.Liaged in 
 farming and his toil and labor brought to him the 
 capital that now enables him to (.-ujoy a well 
 earned rest. 
 
 He was born in ninwiddic- couiitN, \'ii-ginia. 
 April 16, 1851. and is a son of M. R. lJis(jsway. 
 whose birth occurred in Xew York city in 1818. 
 l-roin the nietrojiolis he removed to .\e\v Jersey 
 and 1,-iter to \irginia. He was a farmer b\- oc- 
 
 cupation and at the time of the Civil war joined 
 the Confederate army and advocated the south- 
 ern cause. In 1867 he came to Illinois, settling 
 first in ^larshall county, where he lived until 
 1876. That year witnessed his arrival in Iro- 
 quois counts-, where he purchased one hundred 
 and sixty acres of land, residing thereon until 
 1890. He had then retired and removed to Shel- 
 don, where he spent his remaining days, passing 
 away in February, 1901. His widow still sur- 
 vives and is living in Sheldon, at the age of 
 eightv vears. Thev were the parents of seven 
 children, of whom six are yet living, namely : 
 Charles D.. whose name introduces this record; 
 Mrs. Mary E. Gantz, a resident of Wenona, Illi- 
 nois: Airs. Willie A. Wright, residing in N'arna, 
 this state; Mrs. Letitia B. Slife, residing near 
 Milford, Illinois; Alark Randolph, who is a resi- 
 dent of Sheldon and is mentioned on another 
 page of this work; and Mrs. Louisa Turner, a 
 resident of Piper City, Illinois. The father gave 
 his political allegiance to the democracy and his 
 fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and 
 abilitv. called him to several local offices. He 
 served as supervisor of Sheldon township, being 
 the first democrat elected to that office in years, 
 lie s\as also a member of the school lioard and 
 gave loval support to many measures and move- 
 ments for the general good. Both he and his 
 wife were faithful members of the Alethodist 
 Episcopal church, living in harmony with their 
 professions. 
 
 Charles D. Disosway acquired his education in 
 the common schools of \irginia and through in- 
 struction received from his mother during the 
 ])eriiid of the war. He afterward attended the 
 common schools of Marshall county but is largely 
 indebted to his mother for his intellectual ac- 
 c|uirements. Mrs. Disosway being a lady of su- 
 perior culture and attainments. Farm work 
 largely occupied his attention through the period 
 of his boyhoinl and youth and he worked at home 
 while in .Marshall county. After coming to Iro- 
 (|uois county he bought a farm of eighty acres, 
 which he still owns. This jiroved the nucleus 
 of his present extensive jjossessions, for as the 
 vears have come and gone he has added continu- 
 allv to his pro])erty interests until he has six hun- 
 dred and forty-five acres of fine land in Sheldon 
 and C"oncord townships. There is no richer land
 
 OF IHf
 
 ^. H). 3. 
 
 '/t4^/U/
 
 C
 
 LIBRARY 
 OF THE
 
 IROOrolS COrXTY. II.I.I.\')1: 
 
 89 
 
 ill all the cuiintry tliaii in Illinois and thus his 
 proptTty is very valuable. He has made all of 
 the iini>rovenients and erected all of the build- 
 ings on his two famis, together with the build- 
 ings at the place where he now resides. These 
 stand as monuments to his thrift, enterprise and 
 labor, and his persistency of purpose and unfal- 
 tering diligence constitute the secret of his suc- 
 cess, and enabled him to advance from an humble 
 position to one of affluence. He retired in 1898 
 and took up his abode at his present home, a<l- 
 joining the corporation limits of Sheldon. While 
 .on the farm he raised cattle, hogs and horses ami 
 was widely known as a successful stockman, 
 making a specialty of fine horses. 
 
 Mr. Disosway was married January 1, 1884, to 
 Miss Hulda 1!. Slife, of Huntington county, In- 
 <liana, and they have three sons. Mark D. is a 
 graduate of the Sheldon high school and will 
 complete the niechanical engineering course in the 
 University of Illinois with the class of KpJ. 
 Dan S. is a graduate of the high school of Shel- 
 ■don and of the Quincy (Illinois) Business Col- 
 lege, and for one year was a student at the State 
 University. Charles Wilbur is now in his second 
 year in the Sheldon high school. 
 
 Mr. Disosway is a republican, and he keeps 
 well informed on the questions and issues of the 
 ■day and is a stalwart advocate of the principles 
 in which he believes. He was elected supervisor 
 of Sheldon township in 1902 and served for one 
 tcnn. He has been a member of the board of 
 education since taking up his abode in the city 
 and he previously served on the school board 
 while living upon his farm. He is now one of 
 the directors of the Farmers Elevator Coinpany 
 at Sheldon, and in community affairs is deeply 
 interested to the extent of giving hearty support 
 and co-operation to many movements which have 
 direct bearing ujion the welfare and ujibuilding 
 of the county. He and his wife and their young- 
 est sons are members of the Methodist Episco- 
 pal church. The family home is a fine two-story 
 residence. On the place is a large barn and he 
 keeps two horses for driving purposes. There 
 is also nnich small fruit upon the place. Their 
 home is one of comfort and hospitality, and their 
 friends greatly enjoy the entertainment which is 
 furnished them, noth Mr. and Mrs. Disosway 
 have a large circle of friends who esteem them 
 5 
 
 highly for their many good qualities. Without 
 sjiccial advantages at the outset of his career Mr. 
 Disosway has put ilue valuation upon life's opjxjr- 
 tunitics, has utilized his advantages to the best 
 of his ability and is now enabled to live retired, 
 surrounded by many of the comforts of life and 
 some of the luxuries. 
 
 THO.M.VS J. McM.MlOX. 
 
 liusiness records are largely the standards by 
 which men are judged today. This is a utili- 
 tarian age and the pmminent man is he who suc- 
 cessfully establishes or controls growing enter- 
 pri.ses which contribute to general development 
 and prosperity in the community in which he lives. 
 .\n able representative of the business life of Che- 
 banse is Thomas J. McMahon, assistant cashier 
 of the State Uank and a real-estate dealer, and 
 in the control of his interests he lias not only 
 shown an aptitude for successful management but 
 also has closely followed methods which neither 
 seek nor require disguise. 
 
 His life record began in Chebanse township, 
 October 17, i?/Ct~. his parents being Michael and 
 Elizabeth (Maloney) McMahon. He pursued his 
 education in the public schools of the village, of 
 which he is a graduate an<l, entering commercial 
 life, he was for three years employed as a clerk in 
 the general store of Hickey Brothers of Chebanse. 
 He afterward went to Chicago, where for two 
 vears he was a salesman in the establishment of 
 11. R. Eagle & Company, wholesale and retail 
 grocers, and on the expiration of that period he 
 returned to his native townshi]). where he en- 
 gaged in farming until March. i8(>3. In March. 
 1893, he took charge of the general store of Mrs. 
 Porter in Chelwnse and served as manager for 
 ten years. When that decade had passe<l he 
 turned his attention to the real-estate and insur- 
 ance business, in which line he has since l)een 
 very successful, negotiating annually many ini- 
 |)ortant realty transfers and at the same time 
 writing a large amount of insurance each year. 
 In (October, njo6, he closed the largest deal in 
 real estate ever consummated in the county — the 
 sale of five hundred and thirty-seven acres of land 
 in Chebanse township, for which sixty-two thou-
 
 90 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 sand dollars cash was paid. Mis commissions, 
 because of the iiuniher and matjnitiide of his sales. 
 have been larjje and gratifying- and he has made 
 judicious investment in property, so that he now 
 owns a good farm near Heron Lake. Minnesota, 
 together with a house and lot in Chebanse. He 
 also holds forty shares in the State Bank of Che- 
 banse, in which he is filling the office of assistant 
 cashier. He was the organizer of this institution, 
 which is proving of great value in the business 
 life of the town. 
 
 Mr. McMahon is recognized as one of the lead- 
 ers in the local ranks of democracy and in 1892 
 he served as tax collector in Otto township, Kan- 
 kakee county. Illinois, while living upon the 
 farm. In 1902- 1903 he was collector of taxes 
 in Chebanse township. He served as a member 
 of the village council for six years and at the 
 present writing is a member of the central com- 
 mittee of Chebanse township. He keeps thor- 
 oughly informed concerning the questions and is- 
 sues which divide the two great parties and is in 
 thorough s}-mpath\- with those political ideas and 
 plans which constitute the platform of democracy. 
 
 Mr. Mc^Iahon is identified with various frater- 
 nal and civic societies, belonging to ^Modern 
 Woodmen camp, No. 994, of Chebanse, to St. 
 Man-'s Court, No. 485, of the Catholic Order of 
 Foresters at Chebanse, to the Royal Arcanum at 
 Chicago, to the Knights of Columbus at Bour- 
 bonnais Grove. Illinois, to the Illinois Central 
 Land Agents Association and to St. Mary's and 
 Joseph's Catholic church of Chebanse. In these 
 different organizations he has won warm friend- 
 ship of nianx' who recognize his genuine persona! 
 worth as well as his business ability and his public 
 spirit. 
 
 THOMAS JOHN. 
 
 The name of John has figured in connection 
 with the history of this county for a period 
 equalled by few, for when Indians still inhabited 
 this section of the state, when the homes of the 
 white settlers were very widely scattered and the 
 work of developing the land for the uses of 
 civilization had scarcely begun, Lemuel John, 
 father of our subject, took up his abode in Mil- 
 ford township, and the work which he instituted 
 
 is now being carried forward by Thomas John,, 
 who is justly accounted one of the leading agri- 
 culturists of the county. 
 
 Lemuel John, a native of Adams county, Ohio, 
 was born May 8, 1807. and was a son of Thomas 
 and Nancy John. His childhood and youth were 
 spent in the usual manner of farm lads of that 
 period and locality and. while he had the oppor- 
 tiniitv of attending the common schools, his 
 advantages in that direction were somewhat lim- 
 ited, because of the inferior condition of the 
 schools at that time. Thinking that it would 
 not be so difficult to obtain a farm upon the 
 frontier, yet realizing fully the hardships and 
 difficulties which he would meet in a pioneer lo- 
 cality, Lemuel John came to Iroquois county 
 when twenty-four years of age, and entered a 
 claim from the government. This was in 1831, 
 and his land lay in !Milford township. He at 
 once began to develop the farm, which up to this 
 time was entirely destitute of improvements and 
 after living upon the place for some years he 
 sold out to Air. \'ennum and removed to Bel- 
 mont township. In the latter township, about 
 1836, he married Aliss Catherine Williamson, a 
 native of Adams county, Ohio, and they became 
 the parents of three sons and two daughters : 
 William, who died in childhood ; Sarah, the wife 
 of George Wilson, of Nebraska: Nancy, the wife 
 of Robert Clifton, a resident farmer of Ash 
 Grove township; Thomas; and Samuel, who is 
 living retired in Woodland. As the years passed 
 Mr. John reared his familv and carried on the 
 work of the farm, advancing by reason of his 
 intense and well directed industry from a humble 
 financial position to one of affluence. In the 
 early days the family endured all the hardships, 
 privations and trials incident to the establish- 
 ment of a home upon the frontier, and at the time 
 of the Black Hawk war, they were forced to 
 flee to the fort in Danville for protection. The 
 father died in Belmont township, November 30, 
 1847, at the age of forty-one years, while the 
 mother survived until the loth of May. 1867. 
 
 The old homestead farm in Belmont township 
 was the birthplace of Thomas John and his 
 natal day was October 29, 1841. His environ- 
 ment in youth was such as is usually met on the 
 frontier. When but a small boy he began w^ork 
 in the fields, for he lost his father when only
 
 TIIu.MAS JOIIiW
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILUNOIS
 
 IROgiUlS c. ilXTV, 11,1. 1.\i >\ 
 
 03 
 
 six years of age. and as his years aiul .^tniijiili 
 increased more and more of the work of the 
 farm devolved upon liim and wlien still (|nite 
 younp he assumed its entire manajjemenl. With 
 the assistance of his mother he carried on tiie 
 farm and attended to all of the business interests. 
 He has never sought to change his occupatiim 
 but has always carried on the work of the fields 
 and also raised stock. He owns today four 
 hundred and forty-five acres of valuable land. 
 A commodious and attractive residence and sub- 
 stantial barns, sheds and cribs are leading fea- 
 tures of the place and the farm is one of the 
 desirable properties of Belmont township, with 
 its richly cultivated fields and good grades of 
 stock. 
 
 On the ^3d of October. 1867. Mr. John was 
 united in marriage, in Milford township, to Miss 
 Elizabeth \'. Webster, a native of Ohio, and a 
 daughter of Robert and Mary J. Webster, who 
 came with their family to Illinnis from Indiana. 
 Unto Mr. and Mrs. John were born six children. 
 Elizabeth \'., the wife of Guy Davis, was for 
 some time prior to her marriage a successful 
 teacher. She died at the age of thirty-one years, 
 leaving two children, Lavern and Elizabetli. 
 The oldest living member of the family is Cath- 
 erine Edith, now the wife of Isaac Kirby. a 
 resident fanner of Scotland county, Mis.souri. 
 Lillian, who also engaged in teaching, is the 
 wife of Ed Hawk, a farmer of Iroquois town- 
 ship. Eloise is the wife of Louis Benson, a 
 farmer of Belmont township, who is mentioned 
 elsewhere in this volume. Sarah Maud is the 
 wife of C. .\. Long, a railroad contractor at 
 Dayton. C)hio. Lemuel C. a graduate of ( )nar- 
 ga Seminary, is operating the home farm. The 
 mother died March 30. 1891, at the age of forty- 
 five years and Mr. John and his son Lemuel em- 
 ploy a housekeeper to take care of the home. 
 
 With the exception of one year spent in the 
 Idaho gold-fields. Mr. John has continuously re- 
 sided in Iro(|uuis county, and the pioneer home of 
 the family, a log cabin of a typical character, is 
 now in possession of the Old Settlers' .Association 
 of Watseka. He has cleared land and s])lit rails 
 for fences. The old homestead stood on Sugar 
 creek and as was the custom in pioneer times, 
 the cabin was built near the water. They suf- 
 fered much from fever and ague rather than 
 
 brave the wiiuers on the prairies. The wi>rk 
 of development and cultivation has been carried 
 forward with the advancing years according to 
 modern ideas of agricultural progress. There 
 is today fifteen hundred rods of tile on the 
 place and the farm is well fenced and ecjuipiu'd 
 with the latest improved machinery. 
 
 Mr. John is a stanch advocate of the democ- 
 racy but votes independently at local elections. 
 He served his township as highway commis- 
 sioner for seven years and was school director 
 and trustee for over twenty years. He i.^ a 
 valued member of the ( )dd I'ellows society, at 
 Woodland, and the Masonic lodge, at Watseka. 
 and is trustee of the W<Midland Methodist h'pis- 
 copal church. His life has been characterized 
 by honorable principles and manly conduct, by 
 faithfulness to duty in frieiidslii]) and by trust- 
 worthiness in his business. The family name 
 lias ever been a resjU'Cted one of this county, 
 where from the earliest period in the develop- 
 ment of the locality, the naine has been known. 
 The life record of Thomas John is in harmony 
 with that of others of the name and as a repre- 
 sentative citizen we ])resent his record to our 
 readers. 
 
 JOH.X 1). WEBSTER. 
 
 John D. Webster is one of the active business 
 iiien of Woodland, where he is engaged in deal- 
 ing in grain, lumber and coal. He has thus 
 been identified with the interests of the town 
 for the past four years and previously he was 
 classed with the prosperous farmers of Milford 
 townshiji for more than four decades. His long 
 residence in the county makes him one of its old 
 settlers for here he has lived since 1861. .Mr. 
 Webster was born in Ireland and came to the 
 new world with his father and his family, settling 
 first in ( )hio, while subsecpiently they removed 
 to Montgomery county, Indiana, locating near 
 Crawfordsville. In 1861 they came to Ir<K|uois 
 county, Illinois, and the father purchased a farm 
 upon which he spent his remaining days, passing 
 away on the old home j)!ace on the 29th of Octo- 
 ber, i<)Oi. His wife had died some years he- 
 fore.
 
 94 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 John D. Webster, whose name introduces this 
 review, was but a younsj lad when brought to the 
 United States, and in Indiana he was reared. He 
 received only common-school advantages and re- 
 mained with his father until his death. His train- 
 ing at farm labor was not meager, for at an early 
 age he began work in the fields and soon became 
 familiar with all of the duties and laljors that 
 fall to the lot of the agriculturist. As the years 
 passed by he took charge of the farm and busi- 
 ness and in due course of time succeeded to the 
 old homestead, comprising three hundred and six- 
 ty acres of rich land, in the midst of which 
 stands a good residence and substantial barns 
 and outbuildings. He has tiled the place and 
 thus added to its productiveness, and fenced the 
 fields, while several artesian wells furnish an 
 exhaustive supply of flowing water for the stock. 
 At one time he was also the owner of a farm of 
 one hundred and thirty-one acres two .and a half 
 miles west of Milford. Later he sold that place 
 and in 1902 he put aside the more active work 
 of the fields and removed to Woodland, where 
 he purchased the elevator, lumberyard and coal 
 business. He has been quite successful as a mer- 
 chant and has secured a liberal patronage here 
 which makes his trade a profitable one. 
 
 Air. ^^'ebster was married in 1877 to Miss 
 Ella Williamson, who was Ijom and reared here 
 and died February 13, 1884. There were four 
 children by that union, three sons and a daughter : 
 Nellie Grace, a graduate of the state normal 
 school and now a teacher in the public schools 
 of Decatur, Illinois ; Robert P)., who is now con- 
 nected with mining interests in Arizona ; John 
 Wesley, who is the manager of the grain and 
 lumber business for his father : and George, who 
 is married and carries on the home farm. After 
 losing his first wife Mr. Webster was again 
 married, when in Milford townshi]5, in i8gi, he 
 wedded Miss Mary E. Goodyear, who was also 
 born and reared in Iroquois coiuuv. 'i'here arc 
 four children of this union, of whom three are 
 living: Alice Mabel, Jennie D. and .Mary llelen. 
 They also lost one child, Olive G. 
 
 Mt. Webster affiliates with Watseka lodge 
 A. F. & A. M., and is in thorough svmpathy with 
 the teachings and tenets of the craft. He is un- 
 faltering in his advocacy of republican princii)les. 
 believing that the ])art\- jjlatfurm cnntains the 
 
 best elements of good government. When on 
 the farm he served as district clerk for thirty 
 years and he is a stanch advocate of the public 
 schools. He is highway commissioner in Wood- 
 land, and has been re-elected. His life has 
 been one of continuous activity, in which has been 
 accorded due recognition of labor. He has been 
 practical in all that he has undertaken, working 
 toward results that are gratifying, and in his 
 business life has manifested a spirit of devotion 
 to wearisome details, without which success can 
 never be achieved. 
 
 ED\\'ARD ELAIING. 
 
 Although born in Sweden in 1863. Mr. Elming 
 was brought by his parents, Andrew and Bertha 
 (Anderson) Elming. to the United States when 
 he was two years of age, and with the exception 
 of about a decade has resided in Iroquois county 
 since that time. Coming to America in 1866, the 
 father located in Beaver township, Iroquois 
 county and in 1874 purchased a farm of eighty 
 acres on section 14. He developed and cultivated 
 the farm, made all of the improvements upon 
 the place and followed farming and stock-raising 
 there throughout his active business career. His 
 family numbered a dau.ghter and two sons, name- 
 ly : Airs. Emma Swanson : Edward, whose name 
 introduces this record ; and Albert, deceased. 
 The wife and mother has also passed away. 
 
 As stated, Mr. Elming was brought to Amer- 
 ica in 1866. being then but two years of age. 
 He was here reared and educated, remaining with 
 his parents until twenty-two years of age, when 
 he went to Kansas, and later to Chicago, Illi- 
 nois, where he worked for one year at the under- 
 taking business. He then engaged in the gro- 
 cery business, which he followed for nine years, 
 after which he came again to Iroquois county 
 and took up his abode on the old homestead farm, 
 which he rented and operated tor three years. 
 He then bought an improved farm of eighty 
 acres on section 14. I'.eaver township, and in ad- 
 dition to the cultivation of his own land he leases 
 a tract of eighty acres from his father, thus culti- 
 vating altogether a tract of one hundred and 
 sixtv acres. In addition to raising the cereals
 
 IROOUOTS COUNTY. II.I.IN'OIS. 
 
 95 
 
 bi>i a<lapti'd to soil ami climate In hkismsc cn- 
 pajii-s in the raisinjj of cattle and hfijjs. 
 
 It was (luring his residence in Chicago that 
 Mr. Miming met ami married Miss Minnie I'os- 
 tcr, a resident of that city, their marriage being 
 celebrated in iS<>5. They have become the par- 
 ents of two children, both still under the ])arenlal 
 roof, these In-ing .\lbcrt Foster and Aura Chris- 
 tine. 
 
 Mr. l-;iming's siuil\- of the current lojjics and 
 events of the day has led him to give his sup- 
 port to the prohibition party. His religious faith 
 is indicated by his mcmbershi]) in the Methodist 
 church, of which he is a trustee and the secretary, 
 while in the Sunday-school he is now acting as 
 superintendent. Mr. Elming and his family are 
 highly esteemed in the community where they re- 
 side and are prominent in church and social 
 circles. 
 
 D.WTD I.. PARKER. 
 
 David L. Parker, who I>ecame a resident of 
 Iroquois county in 1876 and made his home here 
 until his death in 1889, became clo.sely associated 
 with agricultural and manufacturing interests 
 and in his business career manifested those traits 
 and qualifications which contribute to general 
 commercial progress as well as to individual suc- 
 cess. All who knew him — and his friends were 
 many — respected him and thus his death was 
 the occasion of deep and widespread regret. Born 
 in Jcflferson. Indiana. December 23, 1844. he was 
 a son of Samuel and Lydia (Adelott) Parker, 
 both of whom were natives of the Keystone state, 
 whence they removed to Indiana at an early day. 
 The father purchased a large tract of land near 
 Jcflferson, where he engaged in general farming 
 until his death, which occurred when he was at 
 the coinparatively early age of thirty-eight years. 
 His widow also died there. 
 
 Having mastered the branches of learniuR 
 taught in the common schtxils. David L. Parker 
 continued his education in the high school of 
 Jefferson and was thus well qualified for the 
 practical and res[)onsihle duties of business life. 
 As his |)arents died when he was quite young 
 he was reared by his uncle. David Parker, upon 
 a farm near Linden. Indiana, and from him re- 
 
 C' \ hill) wen- 
 
 "'i c<l with his 
 
 uncle until after the inauguration of hostilities 
 iK'tween the north and the south am' !k- 
 
 latter part of the war, when alioul ci};i .ira 
 
 of age, Davi<l L. Parker, of this review, enlisted 
 in the < hie Hundred .ind Thirty-fifth Indiana 
 Regiment, with which he serveil for a short time. 
 His cominny was in no engagcnH*nts but while 
 they were in the south Mr. Parker was taken 
 fll and did not recover his health until after his 
 return liome. He was honorably discliargcd at 
 Indiaiia])oIis, Indiana, in 1865. 
 
 l-ollowing the close of hostilities he located iti 
 Lafayette, Indiana, where he began the manu- 
 facture of brooms and while residing there he was 
 married. He wedded Miss Eva Tunkey. a na- 
 tive of that state and a daughter of William an<l 
 Angeline (Gould) Tunkey. the former a native 
 of Canada and the latter of the state of New 
 York. Mr. Tunkey removed to I^fayctte, In- 
 diana, at an early day and there engaged in the 
 grocery business for many years or until his 
 death, while Mrs. Tunkey died at the home of 
 her son. at Ash Grove, Illinois. 
 
 Following their marriage Mr. ami .Mrs. I'arker 
 resided in I-afayettc for three years and in 1876 
 removed to Irrxpiois cojmty. He iK-gan f.inning 
 on what is known as the old James farm, east 
 of W'atseka. where he resided for two years, and 
 then took up his abode on a farm near Crescent 
 City in this county, where he continued in active 
 agricultural pursuits for a few years, but failing 
 health caused him to abandon that liiK of work 
 and he removed to W'atseka. locating in the west- 
 ern |>art of the town, where he again engaged 
 in the maimfacture of brooms. He employed 
 several men and diti an extensive business in that 
 line, continuing in the trade throughout the re- 
 mainder of his life. 
 
 I'nto Mr. and .Mrs. Parker were Ixirn five 
 children: Harry C, who married .Myrtle Davis 
 and resi<k's in W'atseka.. is one of the leading 
 business men of the town, being the senior part- 
 ner in the retail slux" store of Parker & .\sh. 1 Ic 
 is alsMJ engaged in the n-al-estate and insurance 
 business. Charles H.. who married Miss Helen 
 I lenning. is manager for the Bell Telephone Com- 
 pany, at W'atseka. Laura L.. who <lied at the 
 age of twenty-two years, was the wife of Dr.
 
 96 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Fred E. Corless, a dentist of Chicago. Fred, 
 who resides with his mother, is a rural mail car- 
 rier. Robert, also at home, is connected with 
 the telephone business in Watseka. The first 
 death in the family was that of the husband and 
 father, who passed away June 16. 1889, and he 
 was laid to rest by the Grand Army Post of Wat- 
 seka, of which he was a valued member. He 
 was always very much interested in political 
 questions and gave stalwart allegiance to the 
 republican party. Both he and his wife were 
 members of the Presbyterian church. For ten 
 years Mr. Parker was in ill health but he con- 
 tinued in business to the last, and the persever- 
 ance, energy and enterprise which he displayed 
 in his business affairs won him the admiration 
 and respect of all. In his death the community 
 lost a good citizen, his associates a faithful friend 
 and his family a devoted husband and father, 
 who always reserved the best traits of his char- 
 acter for his own fireside. Mrs. Parker now 
 owns a nice residence at 502 North Third street, 
 where she and her two sons reside. 
 
 DAVID BRUiMBACK. 
 
 David Brumback, supervisor of Danforth 
 township, is serving for the twenty-fourth year 
 in that office and is the present chairman of the 
 board of Iroquois county. No higher testi- 
 monial of his capability and trustworthiness 
 could be given than the fact that he has been 
 so long continued in this office, and the county 
 numbers him among its leading and valued resi- 
 dents. He makes his home on section 20, Dan- 
 forth townsliip, where he owns a half section of 
 valuable land and elsewhere in the county he has 
 fine farms, liis ])osscssions aggregating over six 
 Inuidred acres of land. He is still interested in 
 the care of .grass lands but leases some of his till- 
 able land and from this he derives a gratifying 
 income. 
 
 Mr. Brumback is one of the native sons of 
 Illinois, his birth having occurred in Sangamon 
 county, August 31, 1832. His parents were 
 Henry and Elizabeth (Pitzer) Brumback, who 
 came to Illinois from Newark, Licking countv. 
 
 Ohio, and settled in Ottawa, La Salle county, irt 
 1829. The father was born in the Shenandoah 
 valley, ^'irginia, and removing to Ohio at an 
 early date, made his home in Licking county, 
 where he was married. The journey westward 
 to Illinois was made with an o.k train with a 
 party of twenty-nine pioneer families, only one 
 of whom is now living, — Jesse Green, of Ottawa. 
 They drove through Iroquois county and took 
 up their abode in La Salle county. During the 
 Indian troubles Henry Brumback, like many 
 other settlers, took his family to Sangamon coun- 
 ty because of the more numerous population there 
 that offered better protection against the red man 
 and there it was that David Brumback first 
 opened his eyes to the light of day. When the 
 danger from the Indian outbreak was over his 
 parents returned to La Salle county and lived 
 about nine miles east of Ottawa until they were 
 called to their final home. The old homestead 
 is now in possession of two of the brothers of our 
 subject, .^s soon as the land came into market 
 the father secured claims, paying a dollar and 
 a quarter per acre for his homestead, and as the 
 y'ears passed he converted the property into 
 richly productive fields and assisted materially 
 in the substantial development and improvement 
 of the locality in which he made his home. His 
 death ocurred June 24, 1885, when he had 
 reached the age of eighty-three years, three 
 months and thirteen days, for he was born on the 
 nth of March. 1802. His wife, whose birth oc- 
 curred in Licking county, Ohio, August 11. 1805. 
 passed away September 19, 1869. 
 
 They were the parents of nine cliiUlren, of 
 whom the eldest two died in infancy, while 
 Richard, who was born in 1827, passed away at 
 the age of fourteen years. The eldest daughter, 
 Elizabeth, whose natal day was February 13, 
 1829, was the first white child born in Rutland 
 township. La Salle county, Illinois. She was 
 married in that county, January 22, 1855, to 
 Franklin Bruner, and pas.sed away October 10, 
 1896. David Brumback is the next of the fam- 
 ily. Jacob, born December 28, 1837, in La .Salle 
 county, died there January 3, 1877. Elton, born 
 November 26, 1844. '^ living retired at Mar- 
 seilles. LaSalle county. Tie was married Jan- 
 uary 3, 1867, to Cordelia Cate. Theodore, born 
 July 22, 1846, resides with his sister, .\lmira, on
 
 ^^^^X^r:^ (
 
 OF THE 
 
 UMivEftsiry OF laiNois
 
 IROQL'ot^ rnr-XTV. II F IV'-IS 
 
 W 
 
 the old homestead. She was born July S. ii<4\), 
 and is the youngest of the family. 
 
 David Urumhack was reared in La Salle coun- 
 tv amid pioneer surroundings anil enviroinncnts 
 and his memory compasses a period in the early 
 development in this portion of Illinois. His pre- 
 liminary e<lucation was acquired in the public 
 schools and he afterward spent one year as a 
 student in Jacksonville, Illinois. In his youth 
 lie was trained to the work of the farm, assist- 
 ing in the task of plowing, planting and harvest- 
 ing, and after reaching nian"s estate he carried 
 on general agricultural pursuits in La Salle coun- 
 ty until his removal to IrcKjuois county. For 
 the past thirty-nine years he has resided at his 
 present home, which is a finely improved prop- 
 erty, situated on section 20. Danfortli township. 
 He owns the south half o{ this section, and a 
 glance at the place indicates his careful supervi- 
 sion and practical methods, for it is neat and 
 thrifty in appearance, and gives every evidence 
 of progressive management. He also owns other 
 farms in Douglas and Danforth townshijis, his 
 holdings embracing altogether six hundred acres 
 of rich and valuable land of Iroquois county. 
 
 On the 2d of .March, 1858, in La Salle county, 
 was celebrated the marriage of David Hrumback 
 and Miss Helen G. Barnes, who was born in 
 Westmoreland, Oneida county. New York, March 
 12, 1841, a daughter of Hider V. and Lucia M. 
 (Goodwin) Barnes. The father was born in 
 Lanesboro, Massachusetts, and the mother's birth 
 occurred near Hartford, Xew York. They came 
 west in 1856, arriving in Illinois on the 20th 
 of March, at which time they took up their abode 
 in La Salle county and later si)ent the evening of 
 their days in Iroquois county, making their home 
 with our subject. The father died July 18, 1881, 
 at the age of seventy-four years, five months 
 and two days, and the mother's death occurred 
 February 20, 1888. when she was seventy-two 
 years of age. Mrs. Brumback was their only 
 child, and by her marriage she became the mother 
 of two sons and a daughter, .\llcn, the eldest, 
 born .April 25, 18^)3, is now residing in Califor- 
 nia. Lucia R., born November 17, 1867, is the 
 wife of C. E. Bogardus. and lives in Seattle, 
 Washington. Their children are .Mmon E.. born 
 September 28, i8<^5; Wallace D., born Deccmlx'r 
 21, 1896: and Helen E.. January 17, i8<>«>. \1- 
 
 mun Brumback, the youngest member of the 
 family. l)orn May 8, 1874, is at home. 
 
 Mr. Brumback is an active factor in comimi- 
 nity affairs and interests. He was one of the 
 organizers of the Iro«|Uois I-'armcrs .\gricultural 
 Institute and its president for a great many years. 
 He is president of tiie Farmers Mutual I''ire and 
 Lightning Insurance Company at Buckley, Illi- 
 nois, which in its operations covers nine town- 
 ships and has over two and a half millions of 
 insurance in force. The success of this comjjany 
 is largely attributable to the efforts of careful 
 planning and business management of Mr. Brum- 
 back, who in his farming operations also has dis- 
 played keen discernment and unllagging enter- 
 prise — qualities which always constitute a firm 
 foundation upon which to build the superstruct- 
 ure of success. Politically he is a democrat with 
 somewhat independent tendencies, usually voting 
 for the men and measures of the party yet not 
 considering himself Ixjund by jiarty tics. He has 
 served in various local offices of the township 
 and county and n<i resident of this part of the 
 state has so long been a member of the county 
 board as has Mr. Brumback, who is now serving 
 for the twenty-four year. In his official capacity 
 he discharges his duties with i)roniptncss and 
 fidelity and with a public spirit which indicates 
 his devotion to the general g<x)d. In political 
 thought and action he has always Ix'cn inde- 
 pendent, carrying out his honest views without 
 fear or favor. In business he has achieved suc- 
 cess through honorable effort, untiring industry 
 and capable management, and in private life he 
 has gained that warm [K'rsonal regard which 
 arises from true nobility of character, deference 
 for the opinions of others, kindness and geniality. 
 
 ALMET POWELL 
 
 .Almet Powell, who has l)een a resident of Gil- 
 man, Iroquois county, since 1871, has had marked 
 effect in shaping the public policy and in promot- 
 ing general prosperity, the former through his 
 service in jxilitical circles and as a member of 
 the state legislature, the latter as a business 
 man of broad activities and keen discernment 
 who has prf>moted and conducted several enter-
 
 lOO 
 
 PAST AND PRESEXT OF 
 
 prises. Close application and thoroughness are 
 strong characteristics of his in every department 
 of life and have been essential elements in his 
 advancement. 
 
 ^It. Powell was born in Alljany connty. Xew 
 York. March 20. 1846. and was bronght to Illi- 
 nois when nine years of age by his parents, who 
 settled in Peoria county. His father. Leander 
 Powell, was engaged in merchandising for a 
 number of years in that coi.nity and eventuall_\' 
 came to Iroquois county early in 1871. Here 
 they engaged in business under the firm name 
 of L. & A. Powell, general merchants, which 
 connection was continued for several years in 
 the conduct of an enterprise that proved very 
 successful. After the withdrawal of the father 
 the firm became Almet Powell & Company, with 
 H. C. Mosher as a partner, and in 1896 Mr. 
 Mosher retired from the business and was suc- 
 ceeded by B. B. Powell, a son of our subject. 
 The general mercantile store in Cilman is still 
 conducted under the firm style of Almet Powell 
 & Company, while a second commercial interest 
 is conducted under the name of the Oilman Im- 
 plement & Transfer Company, incorporated. Of 
 this A. Powell is president, B. B. Powell, secre- 
 tary and treasurer, and John H. Gleason, mana- 
 ger. The Almet Powell Bank is a private insti- 
 tution, managed largely by the subject of this 
 review. The bank was organized in 1898 and 
 the implement business was founded in 1904. 
 These varied interests which claim the time and 
 attention of Mr. Powell are now very important 
 elements in the commercial life and prosperity 
 of Oilman and no one has been more closely asso- 
 ciated with the business development here in the 
 past third of a century. 
 
 It is but natural that a man of strong mind 
 and broad outlook like Mr. Powell should 1)e 
 deei)ly interested in those questions which are 
 guided by pulilic legislation and which have such 
 direct and important bearing upon the welfare 
 and prosperity of connty. state and nation. Mr. 
 Powell has ever kept thoroughly informed con- 
 cerning llie issues and (|uestions which have di- 
 vided the country into great ]iolitical organiza- 
 tions and has never faltered in his allegiance to 
 republican ]n-inci])les. He has been called to vari- 
 ous positions of honor and trust, having been a 
 mem])er of the board of trustees of the Illinois 
 
 Eastern Hospital for the Insane, at Kankakee, 
 appointed by Governor Tanner, and re-appointed 
 by Oovernor Yates, and during the latter part 
 of Oovernor Yates' administration he was made 
 ])resident of the board. He also held the office 
 for a vear under Governor Deneen, so that his 
 incumbency in the position covered seven years. 
 He was elected to represent his district in the 
 fortieth general assembly of Illinois, where he 
 served on a number of important committees and 
 took an active interest in legislative matters dur- 
 ing the session. 
 
 Mr. Powell married Miss Cordele Borthwick, 
 of Albany. Xew York, and they have one son, 
 B. P). Powell, who is now closely associated with 
 his father in business. In his fraternal relations 
 Mr. Powell is an exemplary Mason and has at- 
 tained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish 
 rite. He is now a member of Oilman lodge. X'o. 
 591, A. F. & A. M. : Oilman chapter, X'o. 217, 
 R. A. M. : Ivanhoe commandery, K. T.. of Kan- 
 kakee : Oriental consistory, of Chicago : and the 
 Medinah Temple of the Mystic Shrine of Chi- 
 cago. He has thus taken the degrees of York 
 and Scottish rite of Masonry save for the thirty- 
 third or last degree and is well known in the craft 
 in this state. He comes of a family of William 
 Penn Quakers but in his religious views is lib- 
 eral. He is not in anv sense an office seeking 
 man in public life yet he has nevertheless exerted 
 immeasurable influence in the city of his resi- 
 dence ; in business life as a financier and promot- 
 er of extensive commercial enterprises ; in social 
 circles by reason of a charming personality and 
 unfeigned cordiality : in politics by reason of his 
 ])ublic s])irit and devotion to the general good 
 as well as his comprehensive understanding of 
 many of the ([uestions affecting state and national 
 welfare. 
 
 WTl.T.IAM XATIOX. 
 
 \\'illiam Xation. who for many years figured 
 as one of the most prominent and successful 
 business men of Chebanse. and in whose death 
 the comnuniity lost a valued citizen, was born 
 in F.xeter, Devonshire. England. June j8. 1831, 
 but when he was only about a year old his par- 
 ents brought their familv to the new world and
 
 ^^B#^^ ^H 
 
 
 
 H ^^H 
 
 W II.LIAM NATION.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNlVERSiry OF ILLINOIS
 
 IRugUUlS COUXTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 103 
 
 settled ill Xcw Vnrk. Later »1kv removed to 
 Lajiorte. Indiana, and lie remained un<ler the 
 jjarental roof until about 1835. when at the a^e 
 of twenty-four years he came to Chebanse and 
 l)re-em])ted the southeast ([uarter of section ly. 
 Chebanse townshi]). l-'rom that time he owned 
 real estate in Iro(|nois county, and much of ins 
 fortune was made throng^h judicious and careful 
 investment in property, l-'or thirty years he was 
 eiijiaj;ed in tlie real-estate business in Chebanse 
 and negotiated many imporlant real-estate trans- 
 fers for others, at the same time improvinij his 
 opportunity to make purchases for himself tiiat 
 promised to prove profitable. The ra])id settle- 
 ment of the county and the improvement made 
 upon his land caused the substantial ap])recia- 
 tion of the value of his property and made him 
 one of the most prosperous landowners of the 
 county. In the earlier years of his residence 
 here, however, he was actively engaged in fann- 
 ing and converted wild land in productive fields. 
 He continued the work of tilling the soil until 
 1869, when he put aside the active work of the 
 farm and removed to Chebanse, where he lived 
 until his death, save for the vear 1897. which 
 he spent in California for the benefit of his 
 health. 
 
 Mr. Nation was married .March 16. 1865, to 
 Miss .\nna M. Eason. a daughter of J. D. and 
 Rliza ( Carr I Lason and a native of Williams- 
 port, Cumberland county. Pennsylvania. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Nation became the parents of six chil- 
 dren, as follows: Mrs. G. E. Mc.Vfee. who is 
 locatetl at Freei)ort. Illinois, her husband being 
 an official of the Illinois Central Railroad: W. 
 ( >.. a farmer of Chebanse towiishij): Mrs. J. L. 
 Morrison, whose husbanil is engaged in the coal 
 and oil business at Doddsville. Wisconsin, where 
 they reside: J- Leroy. a resident of Loveland. 
 Colorado : Ethel, who is now attending the Slate 
 University at Champaign, Illinois, and will com- 
 plete the course in H)o8: and Eloise, at home 
 with her mother. 
 
 Mr. Nation, when in health, regularly attended 
 the services of the Congregational church and 
 was always a contributor to the support of the 
 various churches in Chebanse, although not a 
 member. He was a stalwart adv<Kate of the 
 republican party for many years and afterward 
 was equally loyal to the prohibition party, for 
 
 he was a strong temperance man and did all 
 in his power to aid in the suppression of the 
 li(|uor traffic. He p<jssessed excellent business 
 (|ualifications, keen foresight, indomitable ener- 
 gy and executive force, and the success of his 
 life was attributed to his own efforts, nor was his 
 pathway strewn with the wrecks of other men's 
 fortunes. He died March 7. icpi, at the age of 
 sixty-nine years and ten months, at his home at 
 Chebanse, and the community and his family 
 mourned the loss of a progressive citizen, a 
 capable business man and a devoted husband 
 and father. ^Irs. Nation still makes her home 
 in Chebanse, where she has gained many warm 
 friends during the long years of her residence 
 here. 
 
 THOM.AS TEMPLE. 
 
 Thomas Temple is living a retired life in Buck- 
 ley, but for a half century was an active repre- 
 sentative of business interests as a contractor and 
 builder of Iroquois and Ford counties. Since 
 1867 he has occupied the home which is now his 
 ])!ace of residence and therefore he is well known 
 in r»uckley and throughout this iX)rtion of the 
 state. His natal day is .\pril 2. 1830, and the 
 |)laco of his birth Chester county. Pennsylvania. 
 His father. Richard Temple, was also a native 
 of that county and a son of Thomas Temple, who 
 was likewise born in that locality and who served 
 as a soldier of the Revolutionary war. The Tem- 
 ple family is of Ivnglish lineage and was founded 
 in America during the earliest epoch in the colo- 
 nization of the new world. William Temple, the 
 first of the name in this country, braved the dan- 
 gers incident to an ocean voyage at that period 
 and became a resident of Massachusetts. Later 
 members of the family were pioneer nsidcnls of 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 Richard Temi)le. father of our subject, was 
 reared in the Keystone state and was married 
 there to Miss Mary Hart, who was Ix)rn in Bucks 
 county, Pennsylvania, and was a daughter of 
 Barney Hart. He, too, was one of the heroes of 
 the war for independence and two of his sons 
 likewise served as members of the .\merican army 
 ill the Revolution. Richard Temple was a farm- 
 er by occupation and followed that pursuit in his
 
 I04 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 native county until 1844. when, at the age of thir- 
 t}'-six years, his life's labors were ended. His 
 wife survived him for about half a century and 
 reared their family. Three sons yet survive : 
 John, who resides in Chester county. Pennsyl- 
 vania; Thomas, of this review : and Richard, who 
 is also living in Chester county. 
 
 Thomas Temple was reared in the place of his 
 nativity. He is practically a self-educated as 
 well as self-made man, for in his youth he had 
 few advantages, owing to his father's early death 
 and the limited financial circumstances in which 
 the family were left. When nineteen years of 
 age he began learning the trade of a carpenter 
 and joiner, serving a four years' apprenticeship. 
 He then followed the trade in the city of Phila- 
 delphia for sixteen years and throughout his en- 
 tire business life he carried on building operations. 
 Undoubtedly one of the strong elements in his 
 success is the persistency of purpose which he 
 displayed in following that pursuit in which he 
 embarked as a young tradesman. He thereby 
 gained a mastery and efficiency in business that 
 secured him a liberal patronage. 
 
 While still living in Philadelphia Air. Temple 
 was married on the 2d of July, 1856, to Miss 
 Anna Elizabeth West, who was born and reared 
 in that city and was a daughter of Richard West, 
 a native of England. In 1867 Mr. Temple re- 
 moved with his family from Philadelphia to Iro- 
 quois county, Illinois, settling at Buckley, where 
 he purchased ten acres of land. He built a house 
 there, where he now resides, upon what was 
 then the open prairie. The town contained but 
 two .small stores and a few residences. Mr. Tem- 
 ple began his building operations here and as a 
 contractor did an extensive business in Trcxinois 
 and Ford counties for thirty years. In many 
 localities are seen evidences of his skill and handi- 
 work and he gained an excellent reputation in 
 building circles by reason of his fidelity to the 
 terms of a contract and the excellent work that 
 was done under his direction. At length he de- 
 termined to retire to private life, and all ac- 
 knowledge that his rest has been well won. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Temple were the ])arcnts of 
 seven children, of wliom three sons arc living: 
 Edwin F., who is married and lives on a farm at 
 Longview, Texas; Frank, a carpenter, who is 
 married and resides in P.ucklev. where he is now- 
 
 engaged in the 'conduct of a lumber business ;. 
 and Rev. X. M. Temple, a minister of the IMeth- 
 odist Episcopal church, now acting as pastor at 
 South Bend, Pacific county, Washington. They 
 also lost four children, of whom Thomas died in 
 Philadelphia in infancy. Professor Richard Tem- 
 ple was a graduate of the Xorthwestern Uni- 
 versitv at Evanston, Illinois, and became a teach- 
 er in ancient languages, holding that chair in 
 Fayette, Iowa, and later at Grand Junction, Colo- 
 rado, where he died in 1886, at the age of twenty- 
 nine years, ^^'illiam was a lawyer by profession- 
 and engaged in practice at San Antonio, Texas. 
 Anna died at the age of twenty years. 
 
 Politically Mr, Temple is a republican with 
 strong prohibition principles, giving earnest sup- 
 port to the cause of temperance, although he does 
 not believe its adoption can be secured through 
 political measures. He and his wife are devoted 
 members of the Methodist church, with which 
 they have both been identified for more than a 
 half century. Mr. Temple is a ^Master Mason, 
 having become one of the charter members of 
 Buckley lodge, X^o. 634. He and his wife cele- 
 brated their golden wedding July 2, 1906. when 
 most of their children and grandchildren gath- 
 ered at their home, together with numerous 
 friends. Many substantial and beautiful tokens 
 of esteem were given and congratulations and 
 good wishes were extended to them by many 
 friends who could not be present on that occasion 
 but who sent the message in writing. For nearly 
 fortv vears this worthy couple have been resi- 
 dents of Iroquois county and they are most wide- 
 ly and favorably known. His life has been one 
 of great activity and usefulness and through his 
 diligence and labor he has done much to develop 
 and inijirove the county. His life has been exem- 
 plary in many resjoects, being guided by high 
 ])rincii)Ies and exevniilifying honorable purposes. 
 
 AUGUST ^kfUEHLEXPFORDT, M. D. 
 
 Dr. August Muehlenpfordt. engaged in the 
 ])ractice of medicine and surgery and in the con- 
 duct of a drug business at .Xshkum, has been 
 activeh' connected with the citv in these lines of 
 business for a longer period than any other busi-
 
 IR(')OUOIS COUXTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 '05 
 
 ness man of the vil!at;c. He was burn at Kairde, 
 (icrnianv. Soptcntbtr i<>. iSv), a son of Auiiusl 
 and Minnie .\L Muehlcnptordt. LilK-ral oliica- 
 tional privilt'Kfs were afforded him, for after ac- 
 qiiirinj,' his early eihicalion in the common schools 
 he attendeil Georjjia Augerstine University at 
 Hanover, of which he is a graduate. He came 
 to the I'nited States in i8<>7 when about twenty- 
 eijiht vears of ape, and located at reolone, Illi- 
 nois, where he entered upon the practice of med- 
 icine. The followini; year he removed to .\sh- 
 kum and established a dru},' store, which he has 
 since conducted in connection with the practice 
 of medicine and surij;ery. He is the oldest busi- 
 ness man in years of consecutive connection in 
 Ashkum and from the beginning of his residence 
 here has occupied a foremost position in profes- 
 sional and commercial circles. He has a well ap- 
 pointed store, carries a carefully selected stock 
 and in his professional life he has kept abreast 
 with progressive thought and invention whereby 
 the efficiency of the medical fraternity has been 
 so greatly increa.sed in the ])asl third of a century. 
 Dr. Muehlenpfordt was married in Monee, 
 Illinois, in 1868, to Miss Henrietta Kruse, a na- 
 tive of Oldenburg, Germany, and their family 
 numbered six children: .\ugust H.. who is pro- 
 prietor of a furniture and undertaking estab- 
 lishment in .\shkum : Emma, the wife of Henry 
 Morrell. of the firm of Morrell & Company, gen- 
 eral merchants of .\shkum and of Clifton. Illi- 
 nois; Adele, who is a graduate of Grand Prairie 
 Seminary at Onarga and is now a music teacher 
 living at home ; I'rieda. the wife of I'raiik .Meents. 
 cashier in the bank of M. R. Meents & Sons at 
 Clifton; Johanna, deceased: anil Carl, who oc- 
 cupies a clerical position in a bank which has a 
 capital of three million dollars, at Mitchell, South 
 Dakota. 
 
 Since becoming a naturalized .\merican citizen 
 Dr. Muehlen|)fordt has given unfaltering al- 
 legiance to the democracy, believing that its plat- 
 form contains the best elements of good govern- 
 ment. He served as postmaster of .Vsiikum 
 under President Cleveland's second administra- 
 tion but on account of the stress of business and 
 professional duties he turned the management of 
 the postoffice over to his daughters, who ])roved 
 to be very efficient assistants, discharging the 
 <luties of the office in such a painstaking way as 
 
 to give perfect satisfaction to the public. 1 >r. 
 .Miielilenpfordt has also served as sciiool director 
 and township trustee at various times and has 
 i)een a member of the board of health for the 
 past ten years. He regards it as the duty as well 
 as the ]>rivilcge of every true American citizen 
 to iiromote the interests of his community to the 
 extent of his ability and he has therefore been 
 a co-t)perant factor in many ])lans and measures 
 for the general good. He is a member of the 
 (lerman Lutheran church of .\shkum and has 
 reared his family in that faith. The years have 
 brought him a gtKxily measure of prosperity and 
 in addition to his professional interests and com- 
 mercial business in .\skum he is also the owner 
 of a quarter of a section of land on sections 15. 
 and i(>. .\shkum township. 
 
 L. T. HL'TCHI.VS. 
 
 The record of L. T. Hutchins is that of a man 
 who has by his own unaided efforts worked his 
 way upward to a position of atYiuence and is to- 
 day a prominent representative of the grain tra<le 
 in Iro<|uois county. His life has been one of 
 industry and perseverance and the systematic and 
 honorable business methods which he has fol- 
 lowed have won him the sup|)ort and confidence 
 of many. Without the aid of influence or wealth 
 he has risen to a position among the i)roniinent 
 men of the county and his native genius and ac- 
 f|uire(l ability are stepping-stones on which he 
 mounted. 
 
 Mr. Hutchins was born March 2, 1851, in 
 Richmond, Indiana, a son of Thomas and Letitia 
 Hutchins, who were also natives of that state, 
 the former of English descent and the latter of 
 German lineage. The father was a farmer by oc- 
 cupation and thus provided for his family. In 
 his youth L. T. Hutchins of this review attcndeil 
 the common schools and worked on his father's 
 farm. It lias always been the greatest regret of 
 his life that he was unable to secure a college 
 education and yet it is a well known fact that it 
 is under the pressure of adversity and the stimu- 
 lus of opposition that the best and strongest in 
 men are brought out and developed and tints ii 
 has been in the case of Mr. Hutcliins. %\hen
 
 io6 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 .only seventeen years of age he began teaching in 
 the country schools, following that profession in 
 the winter seasons, while in the summer months 
 he was employed at farm labor, ^^'hen eighteen 
 years of age he came to Iroquois county and se- 
 cured a school, devoting his attention to teaching 
 for three winter seasons, while in the summer 
 montlis ho labored in the fields. When twenty- 
 one years of age he took up the study of teleg- 
 raphy, was employed at Middletown, Indiana, 
 rand afterward became night operator at Watseka 
 on the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Railroad. 
 He was thus engaged for almost a year, after 
 which he worked for R. G. Risser for eight years, 
 buying grain at Donovan. In 1885 he came to 
 Sheldon, where he was also in the employ of ?ilr. 
 Risser until he formed his present partnership 
 with O. G. Smith in the grain trade. This is 
 now one of the strong firms of the county, oper- 
 ating four elevators — two at ^Milford, one at Don- 
 ovan and one at Iroquois. The business is car- 
 ried on under the firm style of L. T. Hutchins 
 & Company and the trade has constantly in- 
 creased until it has now reached an extensive vol- 
 ume. 
 
 On the 26th of Xovember, 1879, at Donovan, 
 Mr. Hutchins was united in marriage to Miss 
 Mary Jones, a daughter of Anson Jones, one of 
 the early settlers of Kankakee county, Illinois. 
 Their children are Myrtle, Laura and Verne. 
 The daughters are graduates of the Woman's 
 
 ■College at Baltimore, Maryland, for Mr. Hutch- 
 ins, realizing the need of education in his own 
 life has provided them with excellent school ])riv- 
 ileges. 
 
 His political allegiance is given to the repub- 
 lican party and for eight years he served as post- 
 master at Donovan, filling the office from 1875 
 until 1883. He has Ijeen president of the vil- 
 lage board of Sheldon for three years and trus- 
 
 •tee for eight years. He was also president of the 
 board of education for four years and its secre- 
 tary for eleven consecutive years. He is like- 
 wise a trustee of the Grand Prairie Seminary at 
 Onarga, in which capacity he has served for six 
 years. Thus has he been called to various official 
 positions of honor and trust, slmwing that he 
 occupies a high position in public regard and 
 enjoys in large measure the confidence of his fel- 
 lowmen. His career has ever been such as also 
 
 to warrant the trust of the business world, for 
 he has ever conducted all transactions on the 
 strictest principles of honor and integrity. His 
 devotion to the public good is unquestioned and 
 arises from a sincere interest in the welfare of 
 his fellowmen. Sheldon has benefited by his 
 efforts in her behalf and he is, without invidious 
 distinction, classed with her foremost representa- 
 tives. 
 
 JOSEPH WARREX COXARD. 
 
 Joseph \\'arren Conard, a prosperous citizen 
 who has retired from active farm life, now lives in 
 Buckley but is yet the owner of three hundred 
 and sixty acres of valuable farm land in Artesia 
 township. Upon this there are two sets of good 
 buildings and he also owns a pleasant home in 
 Buckley, where he has resided for four years. 
 His real estate is the visible evidence of a life 
 of close application, energy and discriminating 
 management. Coming to Illinois in 1847, he 
 located in La Salle county. He is a representa- 
 tive of one of the old families of Virginia, where 
 resided his grandfather, David Conard. His fa- 
 ther, Anthony Conard, was born near Richmond, 
 \'irginia. October 16, 1799, and was reared in 
 that state. While still within its borders he 
 wedded Xancy Gregg, who was likewise born 
 and reared there and was a daughter of George 
 and Elizabeth Gregg. Soon after their marriage 
 Mr. and Mrs. Conard removed to Licking 
 county. Ohio, casting in their lot with its early 
 settlers. There Mr. Conard cleared a tract of 
 land and opened up a farm, upon which he made 
 his home until 1847, when he brought his family 
 to Illinois and settled on a farm which he se- 
 cured near Ottawa in Rutland township. La Salle 
 county. He spent his remaining da\s there and 
 passed away in 185 1. when his son Joseph W. 
 was a lad of ten years. His wife died in La Salle 
 county in 1847. They were the parents of four- 
 teen children, eight sons and six daughters, and 
 with tlie exception of one of the sons all reached 
 adult age. After the death of the parents the 
 younger children went to live among strangers 
 and four sons and one daughter of the familv 
 vet survive.
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY o^ ILLINOIS
 
 ^ 
 
 .^
 
 'S. 
 
 n 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 >
 
 LIBRARY 
 OF THE. 
 
 uNivFRsiry OF Illinois
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. II.I.INOIS. 
 
 1 1 1 
 
 Josepli Warren Conard was born in l.ickinj,' 
 •connty, Ohio, March 17, 1842, hut was rearcil 
 on a farm in La Salic connty. He was al)lc U> 
 attend school only abonl lour weeks during the 
 year from the age of eight to sixteen years, but 
 he improved his o])portunitics, so that after 
 reaching early manhood he was well i|ualiticd 
 for teaching, and followed that profession in Ui 
 Salle county lH)th ])rior to and after the Civil 
 war. He had no other thought during the strug- 
 gle, however, than to aid his country, for his 
 spirit of patriotism was aroused, and on the I4tli 
 of August. 1802. he offered his services to the 
 government, as did his brother, William H. Con- 
 ard. .Another brother. Ceorge Conard, served in 
 the Mexican war and also entered the Civil war 
 from California. The subject of this review be- 
 came a member of Company K, One Hundred 
 and Fourth Illinois \'olunteer Infantry, the regi- 
 ment being raised in La Salle county. He went 
 south to Kentucky, arriving at Louisville, and 
 thence proceeded on the raid after John Mor- 
 gan. The entire regiment, however, was caji- 
 tured at Hartsville by the Confederates under 
 General Morgan and |)rior to that time had lost 
 one hundred and .sevent\-five of its men. .\fter 
 being held for about a week the Union troops 
 were jiaroled and were thus out of active service 
 fi>r about three months, .\fter returning to duty 
 Mr. Conard was wounded at C'hickamauga on 
 the 20th of September. i8f>.V :i"<l after being in 
 the hospital for a time was sent home on a fur- 
 lough, being away from his regiment for aliout 
 nine months. When able to rejoin his commanti 
 he took part in the battles of Kenesaw Mounl;iin 
 and Peach Tree Creek, also the Atlanta com- 
 paign. and assisteil in the ca])ture of Jonesboro 
 anil .\tlanta. He went with .Sherman on the 
 march to the sea and on the campaign througii 
 the Carolinas and on to Richmond, while subse- 
 quently he ])roceeiled northward to Washington 
 and there participated in the grand review at 
 the close of the war. being honorably disch:irged 
 in the capital city. June 5. 18^)5. after which he 
 returned to Oiicago, where he was mustered out. 
 He carries a scar, the result of a gimshi.t wouinl. 
 in his left shoulder, and he was aUo hit with a 
 sjtent ball in the forehea<l. although this rlid not 
 prove a serious wound. The long marches, h.ird 
 campaigns, the privations <if army lif- 'H 1"- 
 
 came familiar t>i bim iliirinir bi-. :ictivc service 
 at the front. 
 
 Mr. Conard returned to La .^alle county and 
 subsequently |)urchased a farm there in .Mien 
 township comprising eighty acres, which he cul- 
 tiv.-ited an«l improved until 1874. He then sold 
 that propert\ \.u his brother and removed to Ar- 
 tesia township, Irrxpiois ccninty, where he pur- 
 chased one hundred and sixty acres of raw land, 
 lie then l>roke this and opened u() the farm. 
 Later he erected go<.>d buildings and tiled and 
 fenced his land. He also extended the bound- 
 aries of his |)roperty by additional purchase from 
 time to time until he was the owner of six hun- 
 dred and forty acres, all of which was cultivated 
 and im])roved un<ler his ininiediate su])crvision. 
 The years passed and success came to him, owing 
 to his careful management of his farming in- 
 terests and the excellent crops which he raised 
 owing to the care anil labor which he Ixjstowed 
 upon the fields. He has since disposed of some 
 of his land and now owns a farm of three hun- 
 dred and sixty acres, which is a well improved 
 propertv. there being two sets of good farming 
 buildings upon it. He continued actively in 
 f.inn work until about i«p2. when he put aside 
 the more arduous cares of business life and is 
 now living retired in Buckley. 
 
 Mr. Conard was married < )ctol)er i>. iS<)7. to 
 Miss Ada T. Tucker, a native of I-'reedom town- 
 ship. La Salle connty, where she was reared and 
 educated, .^he was a teacher prior to her mar- 
 riage. I ler father, Levi Tucker, was a native of 
 New Ham|ishire and an early settler of La Salic 
 counlv. where he weilded Mary lieem. an ( )hio 
 lad\. Unto .\Ir. and .Mrs. Conard have been 
 born seven children, of whom five are living, h'l- 
 len. who became the wife of John .'^troup. of Iro- 
 quois county, died in igo.V leaving a daughter, 
 Cdadvs. and since that time Mr. Strouj) has mar- 
 ried again. \'ina became the wife of (Jcorge 
 Moore and is also deceaseil. The living meml>ers 
 of the family are: Mary N., the wife of Wal- 
 lace Moore, of Columbus, Ohio; Ceorge .\.. a 
 farmer, who is married and resides at Lennox, 
 Iowa: Rosa, the wife of George Hull, a farmer 
 living near I'nckley : Charles W.. who owns and 
 operates a farm in Artesia : and Josephine, the 
 wife of Charles M. Crane, who operates the Con- 
 ard f.irm.
 
 112 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 Mr. Conard is a member of the Methodist 
 church and is serving on the board of trustees. 
 He also belongs to the Grand Army post. His 
 political allegiance is given to the democracy 
 where national issues are involved but at local 
 elections he regards only the capability of the 
 candidate for the discharge of the duties of the 
 olifice. He has served as township school trustee 
 and highway commissioner and has been a school 
 director for many years. He has a wide ac- 
 quaintance in Buckley, Watseka and Iroquois 
 county and has manifested in his life many 
 traits of character which have commended him 
 to the friendship and regard of those with whom 
 he has come in contact. Almost his entire life 
 has been passed in Illinois and he is known as a 
 valued and representative citizen. It is usually 
 found that a veteran is ever loyal and progres- 
 sive, for the sacrifice which he made in days of 
 war for his country brought to him a realiza- 
 tion of the value of patriotism and a love of coun- 
 try and he ever continues true to the old flag. 
 
 ALBERT ECKER. 
 
 Albert Ecker, a prosperous merchant of Wood- 
 worth, carrying a complete line of hardware, 
 buggies, wagons and all kinds of farm imple- 
 ments and undertakers' supplies, is a native of 
 Germany, his birth having there occurred April 
 8, 1870, a son of August Ecker, likewise a na- 
 tive of the fatherland. He followed farming in 
 that country and was there married to Miss Au- 
 gusta Wagner, and in the spring of 1871 the 
 family emigrated to the new world, hoping to en- 
 joy better business advantages in this country. 
 They made their way direct to Iroquois county, 
 where the father purchased one hundred and 
 five acres of land in Loda township, and he there 
 engaged in agricultural pursuits, thus providing 
 a good living for himself and family. He added 
 many valuable improvements to his land and 
 thereon built a good house and reared a family 
 of six children, of whom our suljject is the 
 eldest. Both the parents are still living and now 
 make their home in the village of Buckley. 
 
 .Albert Ecker was less than a vear old when 
 brought by his parents to this country. He was 
 
 reared to the occupation of farming, assisting his 
 father in the work of the fields during his boy- 
 hood and vouth, and when not busy in the fields, 
 he pursued his studies during the winter months 
 in the district schools near his father's home, and 
 later attended the schools of Watseka for two 
 terms, thus acquiring a liberal education which 
 fitted him for carrying on business when he la- 
 ter started out in business on his own account. 
 During the period that he was pursuing his stud- 
 ies in \\'atseka. he was employed outside of 
 school hours as a clerk in a store ?.r that place. 
 He then returned home and secured employment, 
 as a clerk in the store of Fred Meyer, at Wood- 
 worth, with whom he remained during the suc- 
 ceeding four years. In. 1887 he and Henry Mun- 
 stermann purchased the stock of goods belonging 
 to Mr. Mever, the relationship being continued 
 for two years, when Mr. Ecker purchased his 
 jiartner's interest, and has conducted the business 
 alone since that time. He carried a complete line 
 of hardware, buggies, wagons and farm imple- 
 ments, and in addition to this has a stock of fur- 
 niture, and is also engaged in the undertaking 
 business, having a full line of caskets, and he- 
 owns one of the finest funeral cars in Iroquois 
 countv. He employs four men in his establish- 
 ment the year round, and has built up a large- 
 and increasing patronage in his mercantile enter- 
 prise, for he is ever found honorable and straight- 
 forward in all his business dealings. His serv- 
 ices are also in great demand all over the county 
 in connection with burial services, for he is well 
 fitted for conducting a business of this char- 
 acter. 
 
 Mr. Ecker has been twice married, his first 
 union being with Miss Mary Weber, their wed- 
 ding being celebrated June 6, 1897. She was. 
 born in Artesia township, Iroquois county, a 
 daughter of Fred Weber, a native of Germany,, 
 whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. 
 Mrs. Ecker died in 1898, and on the 6th of Octo- 
 ber, iQoi, ]\Ir. Ecker was again married, his 
 second union being with Miss Clara Hartman, 
 a native of this county and a daughter of John 
 Hartman, a native of Will county, this state, 
 and a prosperous farmer of Ash Grove town- 
 ship, Tro(|uois county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ecker 
 have been born an interesting little son and 
 dausrhter, Leonard and Elma.
 
 AIJ'.KRT ECKER.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQL'dlS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 I i: 
 
 In his political views .\lr. I-'ckcr is a stalwart 
 re|iiiblican but lias never been active in local po- 
 litical atTairs. preferrinj; to >jive bis niidivideil 
 attention to bis business interests, in wbicti be 
 bas met witb tiratifvinjj success. Tbe only pub- 
 lic office be bas ever belt! was tbat of notary jnil)- 
 lic. servinjj in tbat capacity for six years, llotb 
 be and bis wife are value<l members of the < icr- 
 man Lutberan cburcb of W'oodwortb. 
 
 KnterinLj Inisiness life in tbe bunilile capacity 
 of a clerk. .Mr. Rcker bas worketl bis way stead- 
 ilv upward to tbe topniost round of tbe ladiler 
 and is now conductinj^ a good payinsj business 
 in tbe village of W'oodwortb. where be is a.'- 
 counted one oi tbe leading citizens in mercantile 
 life. lie possesses those <|ualities .if industry 
 and worth of character which are ever to be 
 found in the (ierman race ami both be and his 
 wife arc highly esteemed in the community 
 where thev make their home. 
 
 geok(;e m. sa.m.moxs. 
 
 The ])rogress and prosperity of a town or city 
 depend u]>on its commercial and industrial activity 
 and the real promoters and ui)buil(kTs of a com- 
 munity therefore are they who are actively con- 
 cerned in its business life, in which connection 
 Mr. Sammons is well known in .Milford. having 
 for ten years figured prominently in mercantile 
 circles. He is one of the worthy citizens tbat tbe 
 neighboring state of Indian^ has furnished to 
 IrrK|uois county. Me was born in .Newton 
 county. .Vugust 2-t. 1864. and con:cs of Canadian 
 ancestry, for his jiarents. .Nicholas D. and Mar- 
 garet ( Woolnnugb ) Sammins. were both natives 
 of Canada. The father was reared and td'.icated 
 in that country, after which he came to lllir.ois. 
 spen<ling about a year in Kar.kakec coi;r.ty. He 
 then removed to Newton countx. Indiana, where 
 he followed farming and engaged in otlur lin. 
 of business for several years. .\l;iuit 1SS5 be n 
 turned to Illinois and jiurcbased a restaurant in 
 which business he co;Uinued for tb.ree or four 
 years in the village of Milford. and then engaged 
 in the hotel business, being an active representa 
 tive of business life in the town for some years. 
 Thus bis death was tlu occa.'si^in of deep a;ul 
 
 widis])read regret when in .\pril. m;<j«i. bis labors 
 were ended ami he was calleil from this life. 
 His wi<!ow survives him and vet resides in .Mil- 
 ford. and of their family of four cl'.ildren, three 
 sons and a daughter, all arc yet livinfj with tbe 
 exception of one soil. II. I,. Sammons. the young- 
 est of the family, is a resident of Kentland, Inili- 
 ana. while tbe sister, Mrs. !")arnjcb, is also living 
 there. 
 
 ( ieorge .M. .*>annnons spent tbe first seventeen 
 years of his life in the county of his nativity and 
 during tbat i)iriod devoieil nuicb of bis time to 
 the master\ of the studies taught in the |)ublic 
 schools. In 1S84 he came to .Milford witb bis 
 jiarents and worked on a farm until 18S8, when 
 Ik went to Chicago, being in tbe employ of Wil- 
 liam IXering & Company until itp». He then 
 returned to .Milford, where be clerked for .Mar- 
 -Inll iS: Mogg for about four years. .\t the end 
 of tbat time be cmljarkcd in business for himself, 
 establishing a dry-goods and grocery store, in 
 which he placed a new stock, valued at alK>iit two 
 tbofsand tlollars. This was tbe beginning of bis 
 prestnt large and profitable mercantile enterprise. 
 .\.s his trade has increased he bas added to his 
 stock from year to year until it is now valued 
 at ten or twelve thousand ilollars. The store is 
 commodious, is neatly and tastefully arranged, 
 and he well merits the liberal ])atronage which 
 is accorded bim because he puts forth cirnest 
 efforts to please bis patrons, is reasonable in bis 
 prices and honoral)le in his dealing. .Mert and 
 enterprising, be is watchful of every indication 
 ])ointing to success and his efforts are discern- 
 ingly directed along well defiiH'd lints of labiT. 
 
 .\ ]ile;i f life for Mr. Sammons began 
 
 in Iro;|i-iis I. .miiy on tbe tjtb of .May. i8</), 
 when was celebrated his marriage to Miss Helen 
 Pruitt, a daughter of |ose|)h Pruitt. Sr., who is 
 mentioned elsewhere in this volume. She was 
 born near W'ellirgton. Irocp-ois county, ami is a 
 lady of culture and refinement, who in her girl- 
 1 days w:ls afforde<l liberal educational privi- 
 .■^he presides with gracious and cordial 
 hospitality over their pleasant home and in sv 
 ciri! circle> botb. .Mr. and Mrs, Sammons occupy 
 ;n er\"':iMc i>!ace. 
 
 1 1 lb tbe democracy ami, as every true 
 
 .\m> ' ''! <lo, keeps well informed 
 
 on :1 n of the cotmtr\. \et bas
 
 ii6 
 
 I'AST AXU PRESEXT nP 
 
 no aspiration for office. However, he is now serv- 
 ing on the town board as one of the trustees. 
 He has attained the degree of a Master Mason 
 in Milford lodge and is an exemplary representa- 
 tive of the craft, being in hearty sympathy with 
 its teachings and its principles. He is adaptable, 
 accords to all the courtesy of an interview, and 
 while leading a busy life yet finds time to devote 
 to the public welfare, so that in his business and 
 social relations he has maintained a character and 
 standing that has impressed all with his sincere 
 and manly purpose to do by others as he would 
 have others do l)v him. 
 
 CAPTAIX GEORGE WEST. 
 
 When growth and development have been car- 
 ried forward to a condition which is worthy of 
 note it is always of interest to look back and 
 learn something of the begining of things — the 
 establishment of those plans and movements 
 which have resulted in the progress and develop- 
 ments bringing about existing conditions. The 
 pioneer history of a community is always one 
 which awakens attention, standing as it does in 
 marked contrast to the elements of life as found 
 at the present time. It was during the pioneer 
 epoch in the history of Iroquois county that 
 Captain George West became identified with 
 this section of the state, settling here about 1848. 
 He was closely associated with early industrial 
 and agricultural life here as a millwright and 
 farmer and when the great struggle for the su- 
 ])remacy of the L'nion involved the couutrv in a 
 mighty war he demonstrated his loyalt\- by ])Ut- 
 ting aside all business and ])ersonal considerations 
 and serving as a captain in defense of the stars 
 and stripes. 
 
 A native of Ohio, he was born in Champaign 
 county, May 2y, iSuj. his ])arents being John and 
 .\zuga (Wilson) West. 'i"he father, a native of 
 Georgia, became a resident of Champaign coun- 
 ty, Ohio, when it was a frontier district and there 
 engaged in farming until 1S33, when be removed 
 to Warren county, Indiana, where he carried 
 on general agricultural pursuits until his death. 
 His wife also ])assed away in th;U luealily. 
 
 Captain West of this review began his educa- 
 tion in the common schools of his native county 
 and continued his studies in Warren county, 
 where he acquired a good education. Putting 
 aside his te.xt-books, he began preparation for 
 a business life by learning the millwright's trade, 
 it being arranged that he should work only on 
 the wheel parts. He entered the employ of a 
 Mr. Dunlap at Rainsville, Indiana, and subse- 
 quently was with Eli HavVkins, with whom he 
 began building mills throughout that part of In- 
 diana. He assisted in the construction of the 
 old and well known Parker water wheel and was 
 employed at his trade at various places until his 
 removal to Iroquois county about 1848. This 
 was largely an undeveloped section of the coun- 
 try, with only here and there a pioneer cabin 
 or a little group of houses to show that the work 
 of progress and improvement had been begun. 
 Captain West took up his abode in the village 
 of Texas, in .Middleport township, where he 
 entered into partnership with Joseph Thomas. 
 He purchased the old Courtright gristmill and 
 began its operation. As the county became more 
 thickly settled their business developed and in 
 1855 and 1856 they built two sawmills, which 
 they conducted in addition to the gristmill. Dur- 
 ing this period Captain W>st also engaged in 
 building mills throughout this part of the coun- 
 try, his handiwork Iseing seen in sixteen differ- 
 ent structures of that character. 
 
 It was while he was engaged in the milling 
 business that the Civil war was inaugurated and 
 his spirit of patriotism prompted his enlistment 
 as a member of Company I, One Hundred and 
 Thirteenth Illinois Infantry. He was first cap- 
 tain of a ccimpan\- with Colonel Hoag, of Kanka- 
 kee. Illinois, in command of the regiment. Not 
 long after his enlistment Captain West became 
 ill and was therefore assigned to guard duty. 
 I le suffered a severe attack of typhoid pneu- 
 monia, which necessitated his resignation in May, 
 i8f)_^. after which he returned to Iroquois county, 
 lie never again enjoyed the robust health which 
 had been his prior to his military service, .\gain 
 locating in Texas, he continued in the milling 
 business, operating both the grist and saw mills 
 until 18^)6. when he sold out and ])urchased 
 a tarni in Middleiinrt township about four and 
 a half miles northeast of Watseka. There he
 
 7 f c ' '/ ( /y^c 
 
 y'
 
 LiL 
 
 Of int 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IRugLtjLs HJUMV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ii<> 
 
 carried on general agriciiltiiral pursuits for more 
 than twenty years, brinj^ini; his land under a 
 high state of cultivation and also successfully 
 conducting stock-raising interests, liis manage- 
 ment of his farm showed keen discernment and 
 marked business enterprise and the work of till- 
 ing tile soil and raising stock claimed his undi- 
 vided attention until April 19. 18S7. when on 
 account of ill health he retired from hii-iiuss lifi- 
 and took up his abode in Watscka. 
 
 Captain West was married twice. In Ja.ipcr 
 county, Indiana, he wedded Miss Rachel J. Marl. 
 a native of Wayne county, Indiana, born August 
 30, 1830, a daughter of Phillip and Mary 
 (Hawkins) Earl, the former a native of Xew 
 Jersey and the latter of Ohio. At an early 
 period in the settlement of Indiana Phillip liarl 
 became a resident of Jasper county, where he en- 
 gaged in farming for several years. He after- 
 ward removed to Wayne county, that state, where 
 he also carried on general agricultural pursuits. 
 His wife died there in i<%() and he afterward 
 wedded Mrs. Lydia Hawkins, who is also de- 
 ceased. Mr. Earl continued to make his home 
 upon a farm in Xewton county and during his 
 old age, while on a visit at the home of Captain 
 West in Watseka. he passed away at the vener- 
 able age of eighty-eight years. In 1849 Cai)tain 
 West was called upon to mourn the loss of his 
 first wife, who died in Middleport township on 
 the 4th day of November of that year. There 
 had been but one child of that marriage, Henry, 
 who died at the age of eighteen months. On the 
 -8th of June, 185 1, Captain West married Miss 
 Phebe Ann Earl, a sister of his first wife and a 
 native of Wayne county, Indiana, born June 6, 
 1832. There was one child of this marriage, 
 Thomas W., who was born March 2-j, 1852, and 
 married Ruth A. Moore. They resided on a 
 farm in Middleport township until his death 
 May 30, 1888, when he was thirty-seven years 
 of age. They had one child. Ray. who was 
 accidentally killed in the grain elevator in Wat- 
 scka. The widow of Thomas West afterward 
 became the wife of John Zuwalt, a retired farmer 
 now living in Watseka. 
 
 The death of Captain West occurred Novem- 
 ber 25, 1890, and he was laid to rest with military 
 honors in Oak Hill cemetery, the interment Ixring 
 in charge of the Grand .\rmy post of Watseka. 
 
 He had served for one term as township su|)er- 
 visor of Middleport township, was road Cllmnli^- 
 sioncr for two and a half years and had helil 
 other township offices, rendering active and ca- 
 ])able service. He took much interest in ]>oliiical 
 ipiestions anil was well informed on those issues 
 which divided the two great parlies. His study 
 of the i>olitical situation of the country led him 
 to give an earnest sui)iK)rt to the republican 
 party. In addition to his meml)ershi|) in tiie 
 (irand .\rmy post he was identified with the < ><ld 
 I-'ellows lodge- at Watseka. anil both he and his 
 wife were devoted members of the Christian 
 church, taking an active and helpful part in its 
 work. 
 
 His long residence in the county made him 
 widely known and no man was more closely as- 
 sociated with the industrial development in early 
 days than he. He also figured prominently for 
 many years as an agriculturist but shortly before 
 his death .sold his farm. His business interests 
 had been carried on in accordance with progres- 
 sive ideas and his success was the legitimate out- 
 come of his perseverance, close application and 
 capable management. In all life's relations he 
 manifested those sterling traits of character which 
 in every land and clime awaken confidence and 
 resjiect and his life was of such signal service 
 to his fellownien in many directions that his 
 death came as a personal bereavement to many. 
 Mrs. West still resides in Watseka. owning and 
 occupying a nice home at the corner of Fifth 
 and Oak streets. 
 
 THEOPHILE GERBER. 
 
 The spirit of diligence ;md perseverance which 
 dominates Theophile Gerber has made him one 
 of the prosperous agriculturists of .Ash Grove 
 township, where he owns a fann of about two 
 hundred and fifty acres, his home Ix-ing situated 
 on section 24. He is one of the more recent 
 arrivals in Iroquois county but had been here 
 ff>r only a brief peril k1 when he demonstrated his 
 right to be classed with the i)rogressive agricul- 
 turists of the community. .\ native of i'rance, 
 he was born near Paris, February 17, i8r'>3. He
 
 I20 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 reached adult age in that country and was 
 afforded good school advantages in both the 
 French and (ierman languages. He emigrated 
 to the new wnrld in 1883, when a young man of 
 twenty years, and came at once to Illinois, set- 
 tling in I^eoria county. His capital was very 
 limited and as it was necessary to obtain imme- 
 diate employment he began making fence rails, 
 thus following the illustrious example of our 
 Lincoln. Subsequently he engaged in ditching 
 in the summer months and in the fall he w^orked 
 in a Peoria distillery, continuing there for three 
 winters. Saving his earnings, he resolved to en- 
 gage in farming on his own account by renting 
 land in Woodford county, where he tilled the 
 soil for three years. 
 
 ^Ir. Gerber was married in Peoria in 1889 
 to ]\Iiss Julia Bach, also a native of France, and 
 for four years thereafter he continued to follow 
 farming in Woodford county. In 1894 he came 
 to Iroquois county and has since been identified 
 with agricultural pursuits in Ash Grove town- 
 ship. For the first five years he was upon a 
 rented farm in that township and subsequently 
 cultivated rented land in Artesia township for 
 five years, but during that time he carefully hus- 
 banded his resources antl in 1902 he made pur- 
 chase of two hundred and fifty acres of land on 
 section 24. .\.sh (Jrove township. Locating there- 
 on at a later date, he at once began to further 
 develop and improve the property and has r.>- 
 cently erected a pleasant home. There is also 
 a good barn which he built and he has tiled and 
 fenced the land and put up a granary and coi-u 
 crib. I'ruit has lieen set nut b\' him and the wnrk 
 of the farm is carried forward along pr<igressivc, 
 modern lines, so that he is deriving therefrom an 
 excellent income and has worked his way up- 
 w^ird until he is accorded recognition as one of 
 the substantial and leading farmers of Iroquois 
 county. His present financial position is in 
 marked contrast to his condition wlun lie came 
 to the new world. 1 lis onlv capil il tlun w;is a 
 strong bean and willing hands, and he tmik up 
 any work tliat would yield him an honest living. 
 .\s the years have gone b\ he has prospered 
 and may wi'll be ])roud of what he has acCDUi- 
 ])lished. In addition tn his home projx'rty he 
 also owns one humlred and sixty acres of lanrl in 
 Kansas. 
 
 L'nto .Mr. and .Mrs. Gerber have been born 
 nine children: Emily. Oscar, Minnie, Louis, 
 Emil, Nettie. Ernest, Ethel and Theophile. Po- 
 litically Mr. Gerber is a stanch republican. He 
 was elected and served as a member of the school 
 board and also as highway commissioner, and 
 in the discharge of his pul)lic duties has mani- 
 fested his loyalty and progressive spirit. 
 
 HENRY L. MEYER. 
 
 Henrv L. Meyer, one of the prominent Ger- 
 man fanuers of Middleport township, is a native 
 of Cook county, Illinois. His parents, Louis and 
 .\llwina Meyer, were German emigrants and 
 were among the pioneers of Cook county. There 
 were only a few houses in Chicago when they 
 arrived and the city gave little evidence of fu- 
 ture greatness. Although natives of Germany 
 thev were married in Cook county, in 1862, and 
 the subject of this review, who was their first 
 child, was born there, .\pril 2^. 1864. Later 
 other children were added to the family, namely: 
 Louis, Emma, Fred, ^^'illianl, Alma and .\nna. 
 The mother, now a widow, still occupies the old 
 family homestead. 
 
 .Mr. Mever was married February 9, 1890, to 
 Miss Meta Degner, a daughter of Charles and 
 Marv Degner, both of German descent, while 
 the later was a native of the fatherland. Their 
 marriage was celebrated on the anniversary of 
 the bride"s birth, which occurred February 9, 
 18O7, and before the end of the month in which 
 thev were married in 1890 they removed to the 
 site of their present home in Iroquois county. 
 While Mr. Meyer did not h;ive money enough 
 to pay for the land, both he and his wife were 
 strong and energetic and resolutely set about 
 making a home. Today they have a fine farm 
 of two hundred and thirty-six acres of well ini- 
 l)roved land, all under si)lendid cultivation. .Mr. 
 Mever also does all of his own mason and car- 
 penter work and every year does a great deal 
 of ditching. He has lived a life of unremitting- 
 toil and diligence but in the end success has 
 crowned his labors. While he was keei)ing up 
 the interest and making ]ra\nients on his land 
 he found it necessary to practice rigid economy
 
 IRuyLUlb COLMA. ILLINOIS. 
 
 121 
 
 but alter lie had cleared tlie first tract ol indebted- 
 ness he purcliased other land and now has a 
 beautiful country lionie. He realized tlie truth 
 of the old adage that a penny saved is a penny 
 earned and his dilij,'eiice was therefore su]>ple- 
 niented by frujjality. He i)ractices croj) rota- 
 tion in the cultivation of his fields and tlnis en- 
 hances tiicir productiveness. He raises stock 
 each year and also sells grain in the market, as 
 do most of the Iroquois county farmers. I-'cono- 
 niy and tlirift Iiave been characteristics of the 
 home life and Mr. .Meyer's ability in mechanical 
 lines as well as in the <lepartment of agriculture 
 has been an element in his success. His wife 
 too. has been a most able helpmate to him. Ix-ing 
 particularly skilled with the medle as well as in 
 the management of the household affairs. They 
 keep a herd of dairy cattle and ship crean\ to 
 Chicago, finding it more jirofilable than manu- 
 facturing butter and selling it in the local market. 
 The children in the Meyer family are: .\11- 
 wina. born November 7. i8<p: Louis, born June 
 7. 1892: Lydia, who was born December 7. 1898. 
 and died (October 23. i8i>j: Lina. who was born 
 December 31. njoi : and Lillian. Ixirn .\ugust 25, 
 1906. The elder children all com])leted the dis- 
 trict-schtKjl work and they have attendctl a Cier- 
 man school in Cook county. The ])arents ex- 
 pect to give all of their children the same educa- 
 tional advantages. Mr. Meyer votes with the 
 republican jiarty and he and his family are mem- 
 bers of the (jcrman Lutheran church at .\sh 
 Grove. He deserves much credit for what he 
 has accomplished in a business way. owing his 
 success entirely to his own labors and well di- 
 rected etTorts supplemented by the able assist- 
 ance of his wife. 
 
 H. S. rJOSS.XRT. -M. 1). 
 
 Dr. H. .S. liossart. one of the active and pro- 
 gressive jihysicians of Iroquois county, who for 
 the past si.vteeii years has ])racticed in l'.nckle>. 
 was born in Voungstown, Pennsylvania. January 
 29. iSCit, and is a representative of one of the old 
 families of the Keystone state. His iiaternal 
 grandfather. Henry ISos.sart, wl;o was born in 
 Penn.sylvania, drove a stage coach from Malti- 
 
 more to Pittsburg l)eff)re the era of railroad build- 
 ing and travel. He served as a soldier in the 
 war of 1S12 and was a noted figure in the early 
 history of the locality in which he lived and 
 labore<l. His death occurred when he had 
 reached the venerable age of ninety-four years. 
 The I'.ossarts came of (jerman ancestry but the 
 family has Ix-en represente<l in Pennsylvania 
 through many generations. 
 
 Paul Bossart, the father of our subject, was 
 also a native of Peimsylvania, where the 
 days of his Ixnhood and youth were passed. 
 He was there married in 1854 to .Miss Mary 
 Kuhns, of (jerman ancestry, who was Ixjrn in 
 the Keystone state and was a daughter of I'hilip 
 Kuhns. Mr. IJossart was a farmer by occupation 
 and has s|Knt almost his entire life in I'nity 
 townshi]). Westmoreland county. He has re- 
 sided uiion one farm since his marriage an<l in 
 1904 he and his wife celebrated their golden 
 wedding. He served as a musician in the war 
 of the Rebellion and he is now about eighty 
 years of age. His family numlx-red ten children, 
 five sons and five daughters. 
 
 Dr. I'ossart was reared in Westmoreland 
 county, Pennsylvania, and received liberal e<luca- 
 tional advantages in the common and higher 
 schools at that locality. He entered upon his 
 ]jrofessional i)rcparation in the Pliiladel))hia 
 .School of Pharmacy, where he took his first 
 course of lectures in 18K3, but determining to en- 
 gage in the practice of medicine rather than 
 pharmacy he matriculated in JefTerson Metlical 
 College at Philadelphia and was graduated with 
 the class of iSSTi. He is also registere<l pharma- 
 cist, having been licen.sed by both the Pennsyl- 
 vania and the Illinois boards, .\fter com|)Ieling 
 his course in the me<lical college he did hospital 
 wurk in Philadelphia for two years, putting his 
 iheorttical knowledge to the practical tcNt and 
 greatly promoting his efficiency through the 
 broad and varieil experience that comes in hos- 
 pital work. He ]>racticed medicine in Philadel- 
 phia for five years and on the expiration of that 
 |ieri'irl came to P.nckley. making a permanent 
 iMcatimt here in |8</J. He is now the oldest prac- 
 titioner of the town and the most succcssfid, 
 although he has had eight Competitors. He pur- 
 sued a post-graduate course at Phihulelphia and 
 he is a member of the Sricictv of Kailwav Sur-
 
 122 
 
 PAST AND PRESEXT OF 
 
 geons. He keeps thoroughly abreast with the 
 profession in the progress that has characterized 
 the medical fraternity, especially during the last 
 quarter of a century, and his practice covers a 
 wide territory in Iroquois and l-'ord counties. 
 He owns an automobile, which he uses in making 
 his professional visits through the country and 
 thus he greatly economizes time. 
 
 Dr. Bossart was married in Indiana county. 
 Pennsylvania, on the 7th of May, 1887, to Miss 
 Ida M. Alter, a native of that state and a daugh- 
 ter of James .\. Alter, who belonged to one of 
 the old families there. Four children have been 
 ■burn unto Dr. and Mrs. Bossart : La Rue R., a 
 machinist at Greenville, Pennsylvania ; Emil S., 
 who for three years has been a student in the 
 Paxton high school ; and Raymond and Leola, 
 both at home. 
 
 Dr. Bossart has been a lifelong republican 
 ■and he and his wife are members of the English 
 Lutheran church, of which he was one of the 
 promoters and founders. Fraternally he is con- 
 nected with the Modern Woodmen camp and is 
 examining surgeon. He is also examiner for 
 some of the old-line insurance companies and is 
 one of the physicians for the Illinois Central Rail- 
 road Company, having acted in this capacity 
 for ten or twelve years. He has built up a large 
 and increasing practice and is a well known and 
 successful physician. Great have been the 
 changes which have occurred with the passing of 
 time and nothing more plainly illustrates this 
 than the fact that his grandfather drove a stage 
 coach between I'.altimore and Pittsburg before 
 the advent of railmads, while the Doctor now 
 travels over the country in his i)rivate motor car, 
 covering a distance which would have seemed 
 miraculous two generations a,go. He is a man 
 ■of good business ability as well as a learned and 
 alile physician and thus is meeting with success. 
 
 R( )I1KRT CALDWELL. 
 
 Robert Caldwell, one of Sheldon's most high- 
 ly respected citizens, is deserving of mention in 
 the history of Iroquois county, where for forty- 
 five years he has been in public service as jus- 
 tice of the peace. In public office and in busi- 
 
 ness life he has made a reputation alike unas- 
 sailable, for he has been true to every principle 
 that workeil lor honorable, upright and strong 
 manhood. 
 
 Born near Circleville, Pickaway county, Ohio, 
 on the 22d of February, 183 1. he is descended 
 from Irish ancestry though of a somewhat re- 
 mote i)erio(l. The Sheldon Journal in a recent 
 article concerning Mr. Caldwell said : "The 
 name Caldwell comes down throu,gh traditional 
 history as eminating from an officer among the 
 Huguenots in France during the early crusade 
 for the Protestant religion. This officer used 
 neither trunipet nor horn in directing the maneuv- 
 ers of his army, relying on nothing more than 
 his own natural Inud, high-keyed, powerful voice. 
 The)^ said of hini : 'He called well.' The two 
 words were subsequently combined and this offi- 
 cer was known as 'Caldwell,' the legendary his- 
 torv fixing him as the remotest antecedent of 
 the now numerous Caldwell family. There were 
 certain characteristics in this ancestor that corre- 
 spond with those existing in the Caldwells of 
 the present day. The term 'Huguenot' was ap- 
 plied in derision by the Roman Catholics of 
 France and elsewhere to those who espoused the 
 cause of the Protestant religion, particularly to 
 those who followed the teachings of Galvanism. 
 The Caldwells were of the European class known 
 as 'landed nobility,' were in good circumstances 
 and had a coat of arms as a mark of distinction 
 for financial responsibility and honor. Mr. 
 Caldwell's .great-grandfather, Joseph Caldwell, 
 and his brother, Jonathan, were captains in 
 Colonel Patterson's re.giment in the Colonial 
 .\rmy, and were members of the "Flying Canip,' 
 an organization of soldiers similar to that of the 
 'Rough Riders' in the Spanish-American war. 
 In passing through Kent county, Delaware, they 
 appropriated a coop of chickens, consisting of 
 an old blue hen and a large brood of blue chicks. 
 These they carried along on the march for the 
 amusement they aoti'rded when in camp. In 
 time Captain Caldwell's company came to be 
 known as the 'lUue Hen's Chickens.' No doubt 
 exists as to the origin of the nickname given to 
 the state of Delaware." 
 
 John e'aldwell, the father of Robert Caldwell, 
 was born in Huntingdon county, Pe!insylvania, 
 Februarv 5, 1800, and when only eight vears of
 
 > 
 
 D 
 
 IS. 
 
 O 
 
 n 
 > 
 r 
 
 m 
 r 
 r
 
 UBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 0( !! I INOIS
 
 iixi )()!■( u^ CiM'xry HI iv.li>. 
 
 3^1' accnmpanifd his parents on tlicir rviiioval 
 to Ohio, where land was entered from the ^ov- 
 emmcnt and the farm whicli was there devel- 
 0|>ed remained the liume n| the }jran<lparents of 
 our snhject tlirmif^hout tlieir suhseijuent vears. 
 After attaining his majority Jolm Caldwell was 
 married in i82'>, to Miss IClizalKth Moimett, wln' 
 was horn in ( )hio. of iVench parentage. Her 
 father was one of the jjioneers of the Uncke\e 
 state and served as a captain in the war of iSu. 
 Mr. and .Mrs. Caldwell became the parents of 
 six children: Elizaheth jane, the wife of 
 Dwight Lalhoun. now of Minneapolis, Minne- 
 sota; Isaac .M., who died at .Memphis. Teimesscc. 
 in i8<)3. while serving in the Civil war; William 
 I... who died on the old homestead farm in ( thin, 
 July 8, iS/f); .\mos. who resides at X'ermilion. 
 Illinois: John W.. of Chicago: and Robert, of 
 this review. The mother departed this life June 
 22. iS^S. and the following year John Caldwell 
 was married to Rebecca McClellai.d. a native of 
 Pennsylvania, by whom he had one daughter. 
 Anna .Maria, now the wife of \V. If. rrankum. 
 of .Marysville. .Missouri. The father died in 
 August. 1884. He was a valued member and 
 active worker in the Methodist I'piscopal church 
 and was a very highly resi)ccted citi/en. Trinr 
 to the war he was a stanch abolitionist and was 
 among the first to become interested in the un- 
 dergromul railroad. 
 
 Robert Caldwell enjoyed the ailvantages of a 
 ciimmon-school education. ;ind at the age of sev- 
 enteen years starterl out in life on his own ac- 
 count by selling mercbaiulise. Me has since de- 
 pended entirely upon his own resources, and the 
 success which he has achieved is the merited re- 
 ward of his laljor, diligence and capable manage- 
 ment. He may justly be pmud of what he has 
 accom])lishe<l. for he lias worked bis way steadily 
 upward from a humble tinancial {position to one 
 of affluence, and thmughout all the years has 
 maintained an imassailable reputation for busi- 
 ness integrity, enjoying the confidence and ad- 
 miration of his contemporaries. He cau'e to 
 Iroijuois county in 1852 in com])any with his 
 brother Isaac, and for one \car was a resident 
 of the village of "nunkuin." now IpX|uois. He 
 then ma<le his way to .'^heldon and took up his 
 alx)clc on the farm now owned by the Har«lesty 
 I'.rothers, southwest of the town. .\s a farmer 
 
 lie was very successful, and for twenty-two yearn 
 he has resi<lcd on what became known as tlie .>ld 
 homestead pro|)crty. his attention U-ing devnted 
 to the tilling of the soil and to the raising of 
 crops. Those who are familiar with his enter- 
 prising spirit will readily understand without Ih.-- 
 ing told that through those years he brought his 
 farm un<ler a high state of cultivation and 
 eipiippetl it with all modern accessories and con- 
 veniences. .\t length, retiring from the active 
 work of the fields, he t(Kik up his abode in Shel- 
 don in the fall of 1878. an<I began dealing in 
 grain. Twenty years were devoteil to that busi- 
 ness and he met with an equal measure of suc- 
 cess as he had in his farming operations. He 
 then retired from commercial pursuits and has 
 since given his attention to office work, In-ing a 
 notary [>ublic. conveyancer, dealer in real estate 
 and collection agent. 
 
 -Mr. Caldwell regards as pcrhajjs the most mi- 
 ixirtant event in his life that which iKXurred <in 
 the 12th of .\ugust. iS>Sf>. when Miss Cynthia 
 .\. I'imu'o became his wife. She was Ixirn in 
 SjiringfieM. Clark county. Ohio, February 4, 
 1837, a daughter of Getirge and Katie ( liarnett) 
 I'inneo. who were natives of N'ermont, and in 
 1S55 remove<l from Ohio to Ir(K|Uois county, 
 Illinois, settling on a farm three miles northwest 
 of Sheldon, which property is known as the .\s- 
 bury (."lark farm. .\lr. and .Mrs. Caldwell Ik;- 
 c.ime the parents of four children. Orlando itcn- 
 ton is now in Colorado, where he owns a ranch 
 and is there also engagerl in dealing in horses in 
 comiection with Dr. Hartman, of Columbus, 
 ( )liio. His f.imily, however, are residing in Chi- 
 cago. John I-eroy is engaged in the grain busi- 
 ness in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the Cleveland 
 Cirain ("ompany. F.Imer (i. die<l in infancy. 
 ( )live C. is the wife of Or. V. t'. W'arne. now of 
 Giicago. 
 
 Mr. C.nldwell .-innbutes iiuich of his success 
 to the assistance and encouragenient which be 
 rcceiveil from his estimable wife. Ff>r a half 
 century they have travelecl life's journey happily 
 together, sharing with each other its joys an<l 
 sorrows, its a<lvcrsity an<l its success. < )n the 
 nth of .\ugiist, ii^/i. they celelirate<I their gold- 
 en wedcliiig. which was ;i memorable event in 
 their history an<l in Sheklon as well. As the an- 
 niversarv fell on Stnidav thev chose to celebrate
 
 126 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 it on Saturday. It was first planned to send out 
 personal invitations but when it was considered 
 that every person in this vicinity was a wann 
 friend of this worthy couple, the attair was made 
 public and young and old, rich and poor to the 
 number of five hundred gathered to take their 
 part in the festivities and to wish for ^Ir. and 
 ]Mrs. Caldwell many happy returns of the day 
 with all the blessings and jileasures that life can 
 bring. The event was also notable in the fact 
 that it was the tenth wedding anniversary of Mr. 
 and JMrs. J. L. Caldwell, their son, of Galesburg, 
 Illinois, who were present, and that on this date 
 at the home of his grandparents was celebrated 
 the marriage of Frank Eugene Caldwell, son of 
 Mr. and Mrs. Orlando Caldwell, of Denver, Colo- 
 rado, and Miss Edith Foster, of Chicago, the 
 ceremony being performed by his grandfather, 
 Robert Caldwell. The home was most beauti- 
 fully decorated in gold and white, with many 
 wedding bells. The reception was held in the 
 afternoon and again in the evening hours, when 
 the lawn was decorated with Chinese lanterns. 
 The occasion was one never to be forgotten by 
 those who participated therein. ]\Iany reminis- 
 cences of the olden times were called up and 
 music was a delightful feature of the occasion, 
 both through the afternoon and evening hours. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell have so endeared them- 
 selves to all who know them that most sincere 
 were the wishes for their continued life and 
 happiness. Many congratulatory letters were re- 
 ceived from those who could not be present, in- 
 cluding one from Hon. Joseph G. CanudU. 
 speaker of house of congress. 
 
 In his fraternal relations Mr. Caldwell is con- 
 nected with the Patriotic Order of the .Sons of 
 America, ^\'hcn age conferred ujion him the 
 right of franchise he cast his first ])residential 
 vote for General \\'inficld .S. Scott, the old whig 
 candidate, and at the organization of the repub- 
 lican party he supported John C. I<"rcniont, and 
 has voted for each republican ncimince at the 
 head of that ticket since that time. He is recog- 
 nized as one of the prominent party leaders in 
 Iroquois county and had the honor of entertain- 
 ing at his home Hon. Joseph G. Cannon, who ad- 
 dressed a great political meeting in Sheldon. 
 September 21, 1906. Mr. Caldwell has never 
 been a politici.'ni in the commonlv acce])ted sense 
 
 of the term and yet he has frequently responded 
 to the desire of his fellow citizens that he should 
 hold office. He is undoubtedly one of the oldest 
 justices in Illinois in years of continuous service, 
 for he has acted in that capacity for forty-five 
 years. Xo word of eulogy could more strongly 
 indicate his capability in office and the fairness 
 and impartiality of his decisions than the fact 
 that by popular suffrage he has been called again 
 and again to this ofiice. He has also served as 
 school director for man\- years and the cause of 
 education has greatly benefited by his co-opera- 
 tion in its behalf. He has ever been a liberal 
 contributor to the churches, aiding every church 
 in Iroquois county. His membership is with the 
 ]\Iethodist church, to which his wife also be- 
 longs, and they have put forth every effort in 
 their power to promote the growth of the church 
 and extend its influence. Their home is a beau- 
 tiful brick residence in Sheldon, in addition to 
 which Mr. Caldwell owns some good farming 
 propertv in this coimty. He is a man of fine 
 personal appearance, a gentleman of the old 
 school, courteous, genial and considerate, and is 
 a most entertaining companion. He talks flu- 
 ently and most interestingly of the olden times 
 as well as of modern events, and he keeps in 
 touch with the trend of modern thought. Hon- 
 ored and respected by all, in the comnnmity 
 where he lives he has that warm personal re- 
 gard which one may term friendship or love, and 
 which is expressed whenever an individual 
 speaks of Robert Caldwell. One who has known 
 him long and intimately wrote "Tod nuicli gdiul 
 cannot be said of him." and what higher praise- 
 can man desire than to be so regarded by the 
 people among win mi his years of active lifi. have 
 been |iassed. 
 
 JOHN W. MEIER. 
 
 All well merited and honorable prosperity 
 conies as the direct result of individual effort. 
 The ijathway that John ^^^ Meier has trod has 
 not been strewn with the wrecks of other men's 
 fortunes, for in all his business affairs he has 
 liecn straightforward and reliable, griining suc- 
 cess bv honorable methods, through close appli- 
 cation and unremitting diligence, and it is there-
 
 ^ H^bi^Jiyi
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVn<SIT> OF ILLINOIS
 
 IRDOl'olS COrXTY. 11.1. 1N( lis. 
 
 tj>) 
 
 fore a iiiattiT oi iinij^ratiilaiion that lie is IimI.in 
 the owner of three humlred and twenty acres ol 
 Ko<m1 farming land on section 3, Ash (jrovc 
 township. His birth occurred in Will county, 
 Illinois, June 22, 1849. 
 
 Mis father, John O. Meier, was a native of 
 Germany and was there reared, comin}.; to this 
 country when a young man of twenty years. He 
 made his way at once to Chicago, when thai 
 city was a small village, aiul subsctjuently he 
 took up his abode in Will county, where ho 
 bought wild land and developed a farm. He 
 was one of the first to buy and settle upon the 
 prairie and he began with eighty acres of land, 
 to which he added from time to time until his 
 holdings embraced three hundred and fifty acres, 
 constituting a well improved farm, owing to the 
 modem resources and equipments which he 
 placed upon it. He was married in Chicago to 
 Miss Anna Rinnc, a native of Germany, and 
 both parents died in Will county. Their family 
 numbered five sons and eight daughters, and 
 five of the number are yet living: William and 
 Henry, who remain upon the old home place ; 
 Sophia, the wife of Henry Wasman, of W'ill 
 county; and Mary, the wife of William I'eipen- 
 bring, of Will county. 
 
 The other member of the family is John W., 
 of this review, who was reared in the county of 
 his nativity and is indebted to the public anfl 
 jjarochial schools for the educational privileges 
 that he enjoyed. He worked in the fields from 
 the time of early planting until crops were har- 
 vested in the late autumn and continued to as- 
 sist his father in carrying on the home farm 
 until twenty-five years of age. .Xbout that time 
 he was married and started out in life on his 
 own account. On the 9th of July, 1874, in Will 
 county, he was joined in wedlock to Miss Sophia 
 Sheiwe, with whom he traveled life's journey 
 happily until her death in 1888. 
 
 They removed to Iroquois county in 1874. lo- 
 cating on land which his father had previously 
 purchased. He commenced with three hundre<l 
 and twenty acres of raw prairie, not a furrow 
 having been turned nor an improvement made 
 upon the place. The breaking plow was soon 
 at work and the seed was sown, which in due 
 course of time brought forth rich harvests. Year 
 after vear the labor has 1>ecn continued unremit- 
 
 iingl\ ami the work has been carried lorward 
 that makes a valuable farm with modern equip- 
 ments. Much of the land licing low and wet, 
 he has tiled it and has also fcnce<l it. Cpon the 
 farm he erected a go<.Hl two-story residence and 
 afterward built a large barn and granary. He 
 has set out an orchard and nearly the entire 
 jdace is fence<l with a neat and well trimmed 
 hedge of his own planting. In 1905 he invested 
 nearly fourteen hundred dollars in tile and he 
 now has one of the Ik-si improveil .uid inosi ara- 
 ble farms in the township. 
 
 Mr. .Meier had eight children In his lirst mar- 
 riage: John, who is a business man living in 
 Minneapolis. Minnesota; William, a fanner of 
 that state; Herman, who is assix'iated with his 
 brother William and is the owner of four hun- 
 dred and eighty acres of land in Minnesota; 
 .Martin, Henry and Otto, who assist in the oper- 
 ation of the home farm; Lena, the wife of J. 1). 
 Meyer, a farmer of Ash Grove township; and 
 limma. at home. .Mr. Meier was again married 
 in Will County on the 9th of July, 1890, his sec- 
 ond union being with Freda Daus. a native of 
 Gcnnany. who was brought to this country by 
 her parents when two years of age, the family 
 locating in Indiana. Five children have been 
 born of this marriage. Louisa H., Fdward (.'., 
 Walter T., .\ll>ert .A. and .Mice Ruth. 
 
 When age conferred upon Mr. Meier the right 
 of franchise he allied his interests with the re- 
 publican party and has supported each of its 
 presidential nominees since casting his first bal- 
 lot for General Grant in 1872. In local jxilitics 
 he has lieen particularly interested and has l>een 
 recognized as a leader in the ranks of his party. 
 He has been elected and re-elected supervisor of 
 his township until his service has covered eight 
 consecutive years. He serve<i on the finance 
 committee, equalization committee, printing and 
 other committees. He has l)ecn and is now the 
 township school trustee and at a former day he 
 was for two years .assessor. He has likewise 
 l)een justice of the peace for six years and his 
 decisions were fair and impartial, being baseil 
 upon the law and the equity in the case. He and 
 his wife were reared in the Lutheran faith and 
 arc now members of the Woodworth Lutheran 
 church. Mr. Meier has long l>een regarded as 
 one of the popular men of .'\sh Grove township.
 
 13° 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 his services having been of the utmost vakie in 
 the promotion of community interests. He has 
 made a faithful and efficient officer and has the 
 confidence and esteem of the community. His 
 business affairs have been carefully conducted 
 and at all times he has shown himself worthy of 
 the trust which is unifornilv accorded him. 
 
 PETER DTSRIEX. 
 
 Peter O'Brien is one of the venerable citizens 
 of Iroquois county, who for many years followed 
 general agricultural pursuits but since 1900 has 
 lived retired in the enjoyment of a rest which 
 he has truly earned and richly deserves. He was 
 born in Kings count}'. Ireland, in 1830. His fa- 
 ther. Darby O'Brien, was a native of Ireland 
 and a farmer by occupation. Thinking to enjoy 
 better business opportunities in the new world 
 he started for America but died while on the 
 voyage. His wife, who bore the maiden name 
 of Bridget White, was also born on the Emerald 
 Isle, and they became the parents of seven chil- 
 dren, all of whom came together to the United 
 States but only one is now living. 
 
 To this family belonged Peter O'Brien, who 
 has been a resident of the new world since 1849. 
 He went first to Chicago and afterward to \M11 
 count\ . Illinois, where for thirteen years he 
 rented land from the John Davison estate. In 
 I 1872 he removed to Sheldon township, Iroquois 
 county, and purchased two hundred and forty 
 acres of land on section ^S- of which one hun- 
 dred and twentv acres had been imjiroved. He 
 put all the buildings upon the place, however, 
 including a comfortable dwelling, good barns and 
 corn cribs. He has likewise laid many rods of 
 tile and has divided his place into fields of con- 
 venient size by well kept fences. Thus he carried 
 on the work of improving the farm but he has 
 never made his home on that place. In 1874 he 
 ])nrchased the farm upon which he now resides, 
 securing eighty acres from David Caldwell on 
 section 3, Sheldon township. This had been im- 
 ])rove(l to some extent but the buildings now seen 
 upon it are monuments to the thrift and labor 
 of the present owner. He also has forty-two 
 acres on section 2 in his daughter's name but 
 
 rents that land. He continued actively in farm- 
 ing until 1901, since which time he has lived 
 retired, for he is now well advanced in years. 
 In connection with the work of tilling the soil 
 he has raised cattle, sheep and hogs. He like- 
 wise has forty acres of land in Concord town- 
 ship on sections 20 and 21 and his diflferent 
 holdings indicate his life of thrift and industn.-, 
 for he started out on his own account empty- 
 handed, so that whatever success he has achieved 
 and enjoyed is the merited reward of his own 
 labor. His political views are in accord with 
 the principles of demoracy, but he has never 
 sought or desired office, preferring to concentrate 
 his energies upon his business affairs. 
 
 Mr. O'Brien was married in Jasper county, 
 Indiana, in 1876, to Miss Pauline Spitznagel, a 
 native of Germany. They have two children, 
 Lula and Edward, at home. 
 
 ORMAX M. MILLER. 
 
 Ornian M. Miller, one of the few surviving 
 veterans of the Civil war and a jirosperous farm- 
 er, owning and operating a tract of one hundred 
 and sixty acres, situated on section 13, Prairie 
 Green township, dates his residence in Illinois 
 from 185'), and in Iroquois county since 1877. 
 He is a native of Ohio, born in Hamilton county, 
 near Cincinnati, May 24, 1841. His paternal 
 grandfather was Stanfield ^liller, who was bom 
 in (iermany and was one of the first settlers of 
 Hamilton county, locating there when Cincinnati 
 was only a crossroads village. He was a soldier 
 in the war of the Revolution. His son, George 
 Miller, was born in North Carolina but was 
 reared in Hamilton county and was there mar- 
 ried to Miss Hannah \'an Blangan. imd they be- 
 came the parents of Orman 'SI. Miller of this 
 review. The father always followed farming in 
 order to provide for himself and faniilv. and his 
 death occurred in Hamilton county, after which 
 his widow removed with her family near Toulon, 
 in Stark county. Illinois, where she bought a 
 farm, which she ojierated by the assistance of her 
 sons. O. M. and George. Her death there oc- 
 curred in lanuarv. 1861.
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 '31 
 
 Ornian M. Miller was reared in the Buckeye 
 •state to the aj;c of fifteen years and then accom- 
 panied his mollier t)n the removal to this state, 
 and he assisted her in the nianaKement of her 
 farm until her demise. On the 12th of .\u>;ust. 
 1862, his patriotic spirit l)einj^ aroused hy the 
 continued attempt of the south to overthrow the 
 L'nion. he enlisted as a niemher of the t )ne Hun- 
 dred and Twelfth Illinois N'oluntcer Infantry, un- 
 der Colonel J. Henderson. The regiment Ix'inp 
 sent to the south, lie participated in the hattle at 
 Knoxvillc. Tennessee, and was captured at Cleve- 
 land and held as a prisoner of war for six months 
 at Richmond and Belle Isle, after which he was 
 exchanged. He rejoined his regiment and took 
 part in the fight at Kenesaw Mountain, was ir. 
 the Atlanta campaign, the hattles of Nashville, 
 Franklin. Goldsboro. and Greensboro, and was 
 later mustered out at the latter place, and was 
 honorably discharged at Chicago, in July, 1865. 
 He then returned to his hcjme in Stark county 
 and again resumed farming, but later went to 
 McLean county, where he purchased a farm, 
 whereon he made his home for a decade, when he 
 sold that projK'rty and in 1877 removed to Iro- 
 quois county and purchased the farm on which 
 he has made his home to the present time. He 
 has here one hundred and sixty acres of land, and 
 all of the improvements which are here seen have 
 been made by the present owner. He built fences, 
 tiled his land and soon placed the fields under a 
 high state of cultivation, each year harvesting 
 good crops in return for the care and labor he 
 had lx;stowed u()on the soil. He has a good sub- 
 stantial house, bam. cribs and other outbuildings 
 necessary for the shelter of grain and stock, and 
 ever\-thing about his place is kept in gnod rei)air 
 and the place in its neat and attractive appearance 
 indicates the careful management and goo<l busi- 
 ness judgment of Mr. .Miller. In addition to his 
 agricultural interests he also raises gocKl grades 
 of stock and finds this to be a profitable source 
 of revenue. 
 
 Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Mi.<;s Km- 
 ily Long, their wcd<ling being celebrated in Giari- 
 ton, Iowa, March 9, iSTx). She was Iiorn in Ni> 
 ble county, Indiana, but wtjs reared in Stark 
 county, this state, from the age of seven or eight 
 years. I'nto our subject and his wife have l)een 
 born seven chihiren : Ernest Rov, who is mar- 
 
 ried and follows fanning at Crab Apple Grove, 
 Illinois ; .\ll)ert Lloyd, wl» is also married ana 
 is a resident farmer of I^i Grange county, Indi- 
 ana; I'rank and .\rthur, who assist their father 
 in carrying on the work of the home fanii ; Lillie, 
 the wife of Charles Thompson, a resident farmer 
 of BeiUoii county, Indiana: Myrtle, now the wife 
 of l-ifayettc Jelt, a fanner of Prairie Green 
 township ; and Nora, the wife of Trank Wilkin- 
 son, who resides at Wellington, Illinois. 
 
 .Mr. .Miller formerly adhered to the principles 
 of democracy but is now a prohibitionist, thus 
 indicating his views on the temperance (picstion. 
 He is a lx*licver in gixxl schools and comjKrtcnt 
 teachers and has lieen a memlx-r of the school 
 Iward for twelve years and president of the dis- 
 trict for several years. Both lie and his wife 
 hold memlx-rship in the Christian church, in 
 which he has served as elder for the past twelve 
 or fourteen \ears. He maintains pleasant rela- 
 tions with his old army comrades by his mcmber- 
 shij) in the Grand .Army |K)st at Hooj)eston. He 
 has spent the greater part of his life in IrcKjuois 
 county, and has been a valuable assistant in much 
 of the ])rogress and deveIo[)meiit that has here 
 been made in the line of agricultural pursuits. 
 He is a progressive and well known farmer and 
 a veteran of the Civil war. and is honored and 
 respected wherever known. 
 
 IloKACK GIBSON, .M. D. 
 
 Dr. Horace Gibson has gained in his profession 
 a i)osition of prominence among the representa- 
 tives of the calling in Inxpiois county and, more- 
 over, he is concerned in practical politics, his 
 worth and ability leading to his selection for 
 various |n)Iilical honors. M this writing he is 
 serving as mayor of Sheldon and as supervisor 
 of Sheldon township, and his official service has 
 ever Ixen of a character that is proof of his pub- 
 lic spirit and his sense of conscientious obli- 
 gation in the performance of all the duties that 
 thus devolve upon him. 
 
 Dr. Gibson was l)om in F^ockport. New York. 
 I'ebruar>- 5. 1858, and is a son of Thomas Gib- 
 son, who came to this coimty in 18^15, settling 
 in Sheldon. He was a fanner by occupation
 
 132 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 and followed that pursuit throughout the period 
 of his active business career. For thirty-eight 
 years he continued a resident of Sheldon, where 
 his death occurred in 1903, when he had reached 
 the venerable age of eighty-two years. He was 
 of English descent and became a resident of 
 Xew York in 1850. In early manhood he wedded 
 Jane Pope and unto them were born seven chil- 
 dren, but Dr. Gibson is the only one now living. 
 
 In the common schools the Doctor acquired 
 his early education and worked upon the home 
 farm until nineteen years of age. He after- 
 ward spent three years as a student at Onarga, 
 Illinois, and subsequently attended Wabash Col- 
 lege in huliana for one year. He then engaged 
 in teaching at Wabasha, Minnesota, for three 
 years and during that period spent the summer 
 seasons in Alinneapolis. Desirous for further 
 educational advancement, he matriculated in the 
 University of Wisconsin, where he won the mas- 
 ter degree, after which he taught for three years 
 at Alayville, that state. He regarded teaching, 
 however, as an initial step to other professional 
 labor and at length found opportunity to gratify 
 his ambition, he becoming a medical student. He 
 entered the Chicago Medical College, from which 
 he was graduated in the class of 1892 and was 
 further equipped for the duties of the profession 
 by hospital work. Dr. Gibson made his own 
 way through college, having previously earned 
 the money necessary for his tuition and the ex- 
 penses of a college course. Following his grad- 
 uation he went to Colorado, where he engaged 
 in practice for three and a half years and on re- 
 turning to Illinois he located at Sheldon, where 
 he has since resided. While in college he 
 made a specialty of the diseases of children and 
 has been very successful in his practice along that 
 line. He also does gynecological work and has 
 an extensive general practice indicative of the 
 trust and confidence reposed in him. He has 
 constanti}' broadened his knowledge and pro- 
 moted his efficiency by reading and in\-estigatiiin 
 and is a physician and surgeon of wide erudi- 
 tion and practical skill. 
 
 Dr. Gibson has been married twice. He first 
 wedded Cora Merrill, of Minnesota, who died in 
 1894, and subsequently he married Clara Bush, 
 of Sheldon, who departed this life in Xovcmber, 
 1905, leaving one daughter, Genevra. now five 
 
 years of age. The family home is a beautiful 
 residence and its hospitality is one of its attract- 
 ive features. 
 
 Dr. iiibson belongs to Sheldon lodge, Xo. 609, 
 A. ]•". & A. M., and is a man of influence in 
 local political circles. He votes with the democ- 
 racy where state and national questions are in- 
 volved but casts an independent local ballot and 
 holds the opinion that municipal and county busi- 
 ness would be better performed if politics was 
 not allowed to enter into the selection of men 
 for office. That his fellow citizens recognize 
 his fitness for leadership and appreciate his fidel- 
 ity in positions of public trust is indicated by the 
 fact that he has been elected and re-elected to 
 the office of mayor, in whicli he has served since 
 1903. He has also been supervisor of Sheldon 
 township since that time. ( )f limited financial 
 resources in youth, he has throughout his life 
 eagerly availed himself of the opportunities which 
 have presented and thus has advanced steadily 
 in those walks of life demanding keen intellectual- 
 ity, a clear vision and steadfast purpose. Both 
 in his professional and political life his efforts 
 have been of great benefit to his fellownien and 
 Sheldon has profited by his progressive citizen- 
 ship and his skill in the practice of medicine and' 
 
 T- D. RIGGS. 
 
 J. D. Riggs is one of the substantial business 
 men of Iroquois county and his eflforts are of 
 material benefit to the city of Buckley, in which 
 he makes his home. He has been a resident of 
 the county for a half centur\, ha\ing located 
 here in 1856 when a youth of about twelve vears. 
 He was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, 
 -August 15, 1844, a son of W. G. Riggs, whose 
 birth occurred in the same locality and who was 
 a son of William Ri,g.gs. The father of our sub- 
 ject was reared to manhdod in I'emisylvania and 
 there wedded Miss Mary Davis, also a native 
 of that state. He was a carpenter and joiner 
 1)\ trade and cnnducted otlicr business interests 
 as well. In 1856 he brought his family to Illi- 
 nois, locating first on a farm in Iroquois county, 
 where he engagccl in the tilling of the soil for 
 a few \ears. He erected the first business house-
 
 I. D. KICCS.
 
 LIBRARy 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS
 
 IROUI ' " 
 
 ^ TV. 11.1. INt il>. 
 
 «35 
 
 in lUicklev in 1859, put in a stivk of jjchmIs anil 
 iKX-anic the first merchant of the town. Tin- 
 present fine two-story hrick business lilock of |. 
 D. Kiujjs occupies the site u\Hm which the father 
 built the first store. The latter continued in ac- 
 tive business for twenty years and prospered in 
 his undertakinps. becoming; one of the well 
 known and leadinjj merchants of the county. He 
 continued to reside in lUickley until calle<l to his 
 final rest in .April. i8<j7, his wife survivinp him 
 for aliout two years and passin^j away in Jan- 
 uary, 1899. 
 
 J. D. kigps s|}cnt the first twelve years of his 
 life in the place of his nativity and then came 
 with his parents to Illin«)is, continnintj his edu- 
 cation in the common schools of Irotpiois comity 
 and in ( Jnargn Seminary. In March. 18/^14. when 
 not yet twenty years of ape. he offered his serv- 
 ices of the government, joining Company E of 
 the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Illinois \'oI- 
 imteer Infantry, lie was then sent south to Ken- 
 tucky and was kept on puard duty. Uecominp 
 ill he was granted permission to return home on 
 a furlough and because of his physical disability 
 was honorably dischargctl in the fall of i8^>4. 
 
 After sufficiently recuperating Mr. Riggs 
 joined his father in business and assisted him in 
 the conduct of the store, receiving practical busi- 
 ness training during that ]ieriod. He was thus 
 engaged for several years, after which lie became 
 cashier of the Muckley I'.ank. serving for aliout 
 twenty years. I'rcvious to this time, however, 
 he had acted as <ieputy in the office of the cir- 
 cuit clerk for al>out one year. He t<x)k an in- 
 terest in his father's business and after his long 
 Ijanking experience he returned to the store and 
 is now senior partner of the fimi of Riggs & Mc- 
 Clave. They carry a large stock of general mer- 
 chandise, including hardware an<l implements. 
 an<l have built uj) an extensive and constantly 
 increasing trade, lieing known as substantial 
 business men of IrcKjuois county. 
 
 In i8'')7, in .Xrtcsia township, was celebrated 
 the marriage of Mr. Riggs and Miss Mary F. 
 McClave. who was born in Ohio and in i8<i4 Ik- 
 camc a resident of this county. They now have 
 two living children: Lee ).. a well educatol 
 young man who is connected with the railroad 
 serv'ice of the Illinois Central; an«l William T.. 
 who is with his father in the store. The\ also 
 
 lost one son, Joe! P.. who reached adult ,nge jmd 
 died in July, i8<;)3. at the age of twenty-three 
 \ears. 
 
 .Mr. Riggs votes with tlie republican party, of 
 which he has Iwen an indexible adv<H:ate since 
 casting his first proidential vote for (ieneral 
 (irant in iW»8. He h.ns never missed a presi- 
 dential election and at each has given his alle- 
 giance to the nominees at the head of the ticket. 
 Without aspiration for office, he has nevertheless 
 been called to jMisitions of public trust by his 
 fellow townsmen, acting as town clerk and 
 trustee, as schtM)! treasurer, as township clerk 
 and in other local offices. He has likewise l>een 
 a delegate to numerous county conventions. He 
 and his family are meml)ers of the .Methoilist 
 l-'piscopal church of Ituckley, in which Mr. Riggs 
 is now serving as trustee and steward. an<l in the 
 work of church and Sunday-school takes a most 
 active and helpful interest. He affiliates with 
 the .Masonic fraternity, belonging to the Knlge 
 at I'.nckley, to the chapter and commandery at 
 I'axton. while his wife is a member and one of 
 the officers in the Mastern Star Imlge. The busi- 
 ness record of .Mr. Riggs has Ixrcn characterized 
 by consecutive |irogre-.s and by a spirit of en- 
 ergv and perseverance that lias enabled him to 
 work his way upward until he is now one of the 
 prosperous nwrchants, not only <if lluckley but 
 f>f this rlistrict. His record is <Mie which any 
 man might be proud to possess, for he has never 
 made engagements that he has not met nor in- 
 curred obligations that he has not discharge<l. 
 Integrity is .snionymous with his name in trade 
 circles in this l<K-ality and he enjoys the respect 
 and admiration of his contem|K)raries and the 
 good will of the majority of those who know him. 
 
 TKt.t.K IlKorilhKS. 
 
 The history of the Tegge family is clo.sely 
 identified with the busini-ss and social interests 
 of i'apinerm. Its representatives have been in 
 Irtxpiois county for almost a half century and the 
 name has figurerl c(Mitinnously in connection with 
 the business life of the town. Tegge I'irothers, 
 now engaged in general merchandising and in 
 the grain trade in Papineau. are well known in
 
 136 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 commercial circles. The members of the firm 
 are William F. and Edward J. Tegge, who for 
 ten years have been buying and shipping grain 
 and live stock and have prospered all of the time. 
 They are sons of Fred Tegge. who was born in 
 Germany and came to America with his jmrents 
 in the sjjring of 1859. settling on wild land in 
 Martinton township. Irociuois county, llinois, 
 where lie continued to live until the fall of 1875. 
 lie then went into business with his brother, Wil- 
 liam Tegge. a ])artnership which was continued 
 until the fall of 18S7. when William Tegge re- 
 tired from the firm and the business was con- 
 tinued by F. Tegge until the time of his death, 
 which occurred January 25, 1895. For five 
 \cars afterward it was conducted as his estate 
 and then the present firm of Tegge Brothers 
 came into existence. 
 
 Fred Tegge was born in Germany, February 
 27, 1847, ^"fl '" i'*^5<^ crossed the Atlantic to 
 America. It was in Martinton township, on the 
 2d of July, 1870, that he married Miss ^largaret 
 Friendt, who was also born in Germany, De- 
 cember 21, 1848, and who crossed the Atlantic 
 about 1868. Thev began housekeeping in Mar- 
 tinton and five years later removed to Papineau, 
 where Airs. Tegge still resides in a comfortable 
 home amid pleasant surroundings. The children 
 born of this marriage are as follows: Emma, 
 wh<5 was born .\pril 13, 187 1, and whose death 
 occurred .\pril 30, 1902: William V.. who was 
 born February 17, 1876; Edward J., born .\o- 
 vember 26, 1878; and Hattie, July 26, 1889. ( )f 
 this family W. !•". Tegge was married October 
 1, 1902, to Miss Bertha Voss, who was born 
 .\pril (S, 1878. Thcv had two children: Leona, 
 Ixjrn Xoveiubcr 17, 1903 ; and Lawrence, who 
 was born June 13, 1905, and who died on the 
 7th of December of that year. E. J. Tegge was 
 married .Se])tember 24, 1901, to Miss Emma 
 llahnke. who was born in November. 1878. and 
 they have a daughter, Mildred, born Julv 14, 
 i()03: and a son, Freddie, born December 23, 
 1904, the father frequenth- commenting on the 
 fact that he was a most acceptable Christmas 
 gift. 
 
 Reared in Iro(|uois county, the Tegge brothers 
 have made a creditable record in the business 
 circles of their home locality and ])rosperity has 
 followed tluir efforts. Tlie\' are conducting an 
 
 excellent store, well equipped with a large and 
 carefully selected line of goods, and their posi- 
 tion in commercial circles is a prominent one. 
 They enjoy the entire confidence of the trading 
 community and the house sustains an unassail- 
 able reputation for business integrity and fair- 
 ness. The labors of the one ably suijplement 
 and round out the labors of the other and in ad- 
 dition to general merchandising they carry on a 
 good trade as shippers of grain antl live stock, 
 in which connection their business has assumed 
 large proportions and brings them a gratifying 
 profit. They also deal in coal, lumber and farm 
 implements at Papineau and carry on a grain, 
 coal and implement business at .St. .\nne, Illinois. 
 
 WILLIAM LLOYD FASTBURX. 
 
 \\'illiam Lloyd Eastburn has the distinction 
 of being the first white child born in Irofjuois 
 county and that he has found this section of the 
 state an attractive place of residence, affording 
 good opportunities to the settlers is indicated by 
 the fact that he has always made his home within 
 the borders of the county. His birth occurred 
 in Concord township. February 22. 1836. His 
 paternal grandfather. Jesse Eastburn, came to 
 Sheldon in 1832, and there made his home. That 
 was the year in which the Black Hawk war oc- 
 curred, which practically ended the Indian do- 
 main in Illinois. 
 
 Joseph Barton Eastburn, father of our subject, 
 was born in Ohio, and came to Concord town- 
 shi]) by wagon in 1830. He entered land in 
 Concord and .Sheldon townships, broke the virgin 
 soil and carried on the work of ini])rovement 
 until he had brought the fields under a high state 
 of cultivation. L'pon his farm lie built a cabin 
 of round logs, the little pioneer home being only 
 eighteen by twent\- feet, and across one end of 
 the room was ,'i tlreidace. In that primitive 
 dwelling the family li\-ed for a number of \ears. 
 In those early days oiled ])aper was used instead 
 of window glass in log houses and all the fur- 
 nishings were very meager and ])riniitive. while 
 the farm iiii|)lenunls were extremely crude as 
 comp;ired to the improved niachiner\- used at the
 
 LIBRARy 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS 
 
 ^
 
 IROQl' 
 
 ! iJ.l.M.MS. 
 
 "J«> 
 
 ])rcsciU lime. Cluirch was held in the (lillerciit 
 houses wlieii an itinerant minister would visit the 
 ncii^hborlux-xl, and scIickiI was conductid on the 
 subscription plan. Une winter a loy chicken- 
 house, fourteen by sixteen feet, which Mr. Kast- 
 burn had built, was used for school ]»ur|H>ses as 
 no other buildin^j could be secured, in those 
 early days crops had to Ik hauled to Chica;;o and 
 other distant markets. .\s the years passed, 
 however, Joseph U. Eastburn prospered in his 
 undcrtakiiifjs and. investing; in land from time to 
 time as his fuiancial resources increased, he ulti- 
 mately became the owner of about five hundred 
 acres, which he had in his possession at the time 
 of his death in lS<io. His wife, who in her maid- 
 enhiMxl was .*>arali Truitt. was a native of ( )hio, 
 and they were the |)arents of six children but only 
 three are now livin;^: William Lloyd, of this 
 review: .Mien Miner, a retired farmer livinj^ in 
 Sheldon: and Parker 'P.. who has also retired 
 but still lives on his farm near l-'aslburn station. 
 Those deceased arc Jesse, the oldest of the fam- 
 ily, who died when about nineteen years of a^e ; 
 David, the younj^est, who died at his home in 
 Kansas in nj02; and one dauj;hter who died in 
 infancy. 
 
 William IJoyd ICastburn assisted his father in 
 the work of the home fami until he was twenty 
 years (.)f age. when he Ix-fjim business life on his 
 own accoimt, operatinjj some of his fatiier's land. 
 Later he boupht a quarter section in Sheldon 
 township and has added to this ])lace until he now 
 owns tive hundred acres there. He has also 
 
 ' fann land in Concord, Middleix^rt. IJelmont and 
 Sheldon townships, and his landed possessions 
 
 ; apgrcjjate seven hundred and forty acres. He 
 has built three sets of buildings on his land, has 
 tiled the entire farm and has added many other 
 substamial and modern imi>rovements Through- 
 out his entire life he has carried on famiinp and 
 stock-raisinp, and has alsii boujjfht and ship|)ed 
 cattle and hops. In 1870 the town of Eastburn 
 was establishal and nametl in honor of the fam- 
 ily, as was the I-'astburn I'nited Mrethren church. 
 Ten years ago W. L. Eastburn retired from ac- 
 tive farm work and has since rented his land to 
 his sons. Five years apo he lK)npht the home of 
 Ci. W. Rrown and four acres in Watseka and 
 has resided here continuously since, enjoyiiiR a 
 well carncfl rest. 
 
 Mr. Eastburn wa.s married in Concord town- 
 ship. May 12, 1856, to Miss Massi Ho.ipland, 
 who was Ixim in Coshocton county, t >hio, .March 
 15. 1838, a daughter of Charlc& Huagland, who 
 was born in ( )hio, and came l»y wapon with a 
 party to Concord township in 184^1. Her lather 
 enteretl s<.>nie land and Ixutpht more, having in 
 all eipht hundred acres. His wife, who Uire 
 the maiilen name of Susan Clark, was Imrn in 
 (Jliio and died in 1848. .Mr. Hoapland died in 
 iifx). at the very venerable ;ipe of ninety->evcn 
 \ears. I>eiiip the oldest resident of the county at 
 that time. He had lived lure from jiioneiT <lays 
 anil had a very wide acipiaitttance and the favor- 
 able regard of all with whom he came in contact. 
 Mr. and Mrs. h^istburn celebrated their golden 
 we<ldiiig on the iJth of .May, I<KJ5. Cnto them 
 have been l>orn eight children, Charles, Joseph, 
 James. .Mrs. Ella Mackkimpson, (ic<irg«, Mrs. 
 -Maggie I'leming. Mrs. Cynthia Kelley, and 
 I'ark W.. who resides on the home fann. 
 
 Mr. Eastburn has served as road commissioner, 
 as school ilirector and treasurer and has always 
 been interested in matters pertaining to general 
 jirogress antl improvemeiTt, giving his support to 
 many movements for the general go<xl. He be- 
 longs to the Cnited I'.rethren church and his life 
 has been ever honorable and upright. As the 
 oldest native son of the county he has most inti- 
 mate knowledge of its history and its develop- 
 ment. \'ery few evidences of civilization could 
 here Ik.- found at the time of his birth. There 
 were still many traces of Indian rule here and 
 only at w ide intervals was to be found a home of 
 the white settler to show that the seetls of civ- 
 ilization had Ix-en |>lanted. Much of the land 
 was wild and swampy and the prairies were un- 
 cullivatetl. Deer, prairie chickens and other 
 wiM game were j)Ientiful and many wolves were 
 also .seen. Many hardships and privations were 
 to be endured in the early days Ix-cause of their 
 remoteness fn»m towns of any size, where they 
 could obtain needed sup|)lics. The only way they 
 couM get shiH's in the i-arly days was to have 
 a shoemaker come to the house, when he would 
 take measurements and make shoes for all the 
 family. The O'»oking was done over a fireplace 
 and the bread was \>akct\ in pans which were 
 covered by hot coals. In sulxlning the wilder- 
 ness an<l exten<ling the frontier Mr. Eastburn
 
 I40 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 bore his part and as the years advanced he kept 
 in touch with the steady progress made along 
 agricukural Hnes. He is now one of the pros- 
 perous residents of the county with large landed 
 holdings and his property interests return him a 
 very gratifying annual income. 
 
 ABRAHAr^r R. LA BOUNTY. 
 
 Abraham R. La Bounty is the owner of a fruit 
 farm near Crescent City and a life of industry 
 and thrift has brought him the measure of suc- 
 cess which he has enjoyed. His life record be- 
 gan in Clinton county. New York, February 24, 
 1850. His father, Abraham La Bounty, was a 
 native of that county, while the grandfather, Jo- 
 seph La Bounty, was born in New York and was 
 of French lineage. In the place of his nativity 
 Abraliam La Bounty was reared and having ar- 
 rived at years of maturity he wedded Sarah Ray- 
 mond, also a native of New York. They began 
 their domestic life uf)on a farm and for several 
 years the father carried on general agricultural 
 pursuits in the Empire state, but thinking to enjoy 
 better business opportunities in the new and grow- 
 ing middle west, he came with his family to Iro- 
 quois county, Illinois, settling in Douglas town- 
 ship. There he carried on the work of the farm 
 until he met his death by accidental drowning 
 in Sugar creek in May, 1869. His wife still sur- 
 vives him and is now residing in Nebraska. 
 
 Abraham R. La Bounty was but a young lad 
 when brought by his parents to Illinois and has 
 since remained a resident of Iroquois county. He 
 attended the public schools to some extent and 
 through experience, observation and reading in 
 later years has added largely to his knowledge. 
 His training at farm work was not meager, for 
 from an early age he assisted in the work of the 
 fields from the time of early spring planting un- 
 til crops were harvested in the late autunui. His 
 entire life has been devoted to agricultural and 
 horticultural pursuits and he remained with his 
 mother until her second marriage and carried on 
 the home farm. For a number of \cars he con- 
 tinued to operate the old home property and sub- 
 sequently he conducted the Lyman farm until 
 February. i8</i, when he purchasoil his ])nseni 
 
 home in Douglas township. Here he is engagecf. 
 in general horticultural pursuits and annually 
 gathers good crops of fruit. 
 
 On the 29th of August. 1888, Mr. La Bounty 
 was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Lyman,. 
 a daughter of Jacob Lyman, who died Septem- 
 ber 28, 1890. He was for many years a repre- 
 sentative farmer of Martinton township and was- 
 a native of Stark county, Ohio, born January 24,. 
 1832. He was a representative of an old Penn- 
 sylvania family of Dutch descent and his great- 
 grandfather was a native of Holland, whence he- 
 crossed the Atlantic, becoming one of the first 
 residents of the Keystone state. John Lyman, 
 the grandfather of Jacob Lyman, was born in 
 Pennsylvania and Samuel Lyman, the father, was. 
 born in Buffalo \'alley. Union county, Pennsyl- 
 vania, in 1810. In 1819 he accompanied his par- 
 ents on their removal to Ohio and was married- 
 in that state to Mary Schneider, a native of Ger- 
 many, who had come to the United States when- 
 sixteen years of age. After living for some years 
 in Stark county, Ohio, Samuel Lyman removed' 
 with his family to Iroquois county, Illinois, in 
 1837 and there broke the prairie and developed a. 
 farm. In 1850 he removed to Martinton town- 
 ship and developed an excellent farm whereon he- 
 made his home until his death in October, 1877,. 
 while his wife died in February, 1868. 
 
 Jacob Lyman, the elder of their two sons and 
 the father of Mrs. La Bounty, was only five- 
 years old when in 1837 he accompanied his par- 
 ents to Iroquois county. Almost his entire boy- 
 hood and youth were spent on the home fan-n. 
 For four months he worked elsewhere in the- 
 neighborhood but returned home and in connec- 
 tion with his brother took charge of the father's 
 farn-i and cared for his parents until their death. 
 He and his lirother succeeded to the ownership 
 of the farn-i, but Jacob afterward purchased his- 
 brother's interest and resided thereon almost con- 
 tinuously from 1850 until his death almost a 
 half century later. In 1867 he married Cather- 
 ine A. Ciibson, a native of Indiana and a daugli- 
 ter of John Gibson, a pioneer resident of Iroc|uois 
 cninitN. Mr. -md Mrs. Lyman had four children, 
 of whom Mrs. La liounty is the eldest. The- 
 others are Martha May. Rachel and Jessie Pielle 
 Blanche. They also lost a daughter, Emma Ber- 
 tha .'-!ni>w, who died in infancv. Mr. Lvman was-
 
 IROQLui.^ LOUNTV. ILl.iMjl.^. 
 
 14c 
 
 a stalwart democrat and he and his wife were 
 members of the Christian church and were most 
 hiphly respected jK'ople. 
 
 Tlic home of Mr. and Mrs. I-a Bounty has 
 been blessed with four children: Lyman J.. lK)rn 
 Septeniljer 10. 1889; P.ertie May Itelle. Iiorn No- 
 vember 17. 1893: and Oscar Charles, November 
 II, 1895. They also lost one child. Hertha Ra- 
 chel, wlio was Iwrn November 8, i8<ji, and died 
 September 5, 1893. 
 
 Mr. La Bounty jjives his |)oIilicaI allegiance to 
 the democracy and has served as school director 
 for the past four years, but has never sought the 
 honors nor emoluments of public office, content 
 to do his duty as a private citizen. He has lived 
 a life of activity and enterprise and both he anrl 
 his wife are representatives of prominent pio- 
 neer families, wiiile in the community where they 
 live their sterling personal traits of character 
 have pained for them warm esteem and 
 friendship. 
 
 ARR.\IL\M RUNDI^E. 
 
 Abraham Rundle has reached the Psalmist's 
 allotted span of three score years and ten and is 
 now enabled to live a retired life, owing to his 
 well directed and unremitting business activity 
 in former years, for during three decades he was 
 classed with the active and prosperous farmers of 
 Pigeon Grove township. For a long period he 
 has been a witness of the changes that have oc- 
 curred in northern Illinois. He saw Chicago in 
 the days of its early development, having taken 
 up his abode there in 1843. and his memory com- 
 passes the perio<l when much of this portion of 
 the state was an undevelope<l wilderness or un- 
 improved tract of wild prairie. 
 
 Horn near Cornwall, England, .\ugust 15. 
 1835, he was brought to the L'nited States when 
 a lad of eight years by his parents. Mr. and Mrs. 
 John Rundle. There were thirteen in the family. 
 and continuing their journey across the country 
 after reaching the eastern coast of America they 
 became residents of Chicago in 1843. the father 
 spending his remaining days there, his death oc- 
 curring about 1845. His wife survived him un- 
 til 1872. 
 
 Nine of their children reached afhilt age but 
 Abraham Rundle and his brother Thomas are 
 now tlie only survivors of the family. The latter 
 ser>'ed for four years as a soldier in the Civil 
 war an<l sustained two severe injuries. He is 
 now at the Soldier's Home at Danville. Illinois, 
 but for twenty-five years was a farmer of Iro 
 quois county. 
 
 .Abraham Rundle was reared in Oiicago and 
 was married there in 1856 to Miss Caroline 
 Townsend. a (laughter of Ricljard Townsend. one 
 of the first settlers of the metroj)olis, having a 
 homestead at Chicago in an early day. Follow- 
 ing his marriage Mr. Rundle engagc<l in farm- 
 ing in C(M>k county for a numlxrr of years and in 
 1865 came to Irorjuois county, purcliasing land 
 ill what is now Pigeon Grove township. He 
 commenced with eighty acres and began to farm 
 and further improve this property, afterward 
 adding to it a tract of eighty acres adjoining. 
 The farm Ix-came the scene of much activity. 
 GcKxl buildings were erected thereon, ditches 
 were dug in which many rods of tile were laid 
 and fences were built to apportion the farm into- 
 fields that could be more easily worked. An or- 
 chard was also set out and the farm work was 
 energetically carried on by .Mr. Rundle until 1890^ 
 when he rentetl his place and removed to Loda, 
 pitrcliasing a residence projierty there. 
 
 While living on the farm. -Mr. Rundle lost his 
 first wife, who died February 28, 1869. and was 
 laid to rest in Loda cemetery. There were four 
 children by that marriage: Jane, who died af 
 the age of fourteen years; Carrie Laura, the wife 
 of Louis Randolph, of Beatrice, Nebraska; .Nel- 
 lie, the wife of Perry Divlebliss. of Zion City, 
 Illinois ; and Frank C, a farmer of .Aurora, Ne- 
 braska. < )n the I9lh of January. 1870 in Pigeon 
 (irove township. Mr. Rundle wedded Mary Wil- 
 son, a native of New York, who was reared in 
 Chicago, a daughter of John Wilson, who re- 
 moved from the metropolis of tlie east to iK'come 
 one of the first settlers of the metropolis of the 
 west. He and his wife were of F.nglish birth 
 an<l lineage. Into the second marriage of Mr. 
 Rundle were bom four children, three of whoni 
 survive: Mary, the wife of Ora C. Mitchell, of 
 Irysial I^ike, Iowa: Delia, the wife of Frank 
 Hogg, a farmer of near .\urora, Nebraska ; and 
 .\. G.. who is a notetl base Iwll player and is al.so
 
 142 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OI- 
 
 with the American Radiator Company, in Chi- 
 cajjo. They lost one dau^-hter. AHce. who died 
 at the age of fourteen years. 
 
 Politically Mr. Rundle is a republican and his 
 first vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln in i860. 
 He and his brother Thomas were republicans, 
 while the others of the family were supporters 
 of the democracy. While on the farm Mr. Run- 
 dle served on the school board for six years. He 
 and his wife have been members of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal church for about a third of a cen- 
 tury and for nearly thirty years he has been on 
 the official board. It is within his memory when 
 Chicago was a small village and he has been 
 much interested in its growth and development. 
 He lias also witnessed the wonderful transforma- 
 tion in the country and has borne his part in the 
 work of public progress, especially along agri- 
 cultural lines. His work has been a resultant 
 factor in the acquirement of a desirable success 
 and now he is enabled to enjoy a well earned rest, 
 his competence gained in former years of toil be- 
 ing sufficient to supply him with the comforts 
 and some of the luxuries of life. 
 
 WILLIA^I AHLLER. 
 
 Through the improvement of his opjJDrtunities 
 for advancement along agricultural lines William 
 Miller has won for himself a ])lace among the 
 leading and prosperous farmers of (3narga town- 
 ship. His home is on section i . not far from Del- 
 rey, and he has an excellent tract of land of one 
 hundred and forty-eight acres, which has been 
 brought under a high state of cultivation. No 
 history of this part of the state would be complete 
 without mention of him, for he is one of its oldest 
 settlers, having made his home within the borders 
 of Iroquois county since May, 1834. Great have 
 been the changes which have occurred in the 
 meantime, for pioneer conditions have been re- 
 placed by those of modern civilization and the 
 old log cabin has long since given way before 
 the comfortable and commodious farm residence, 
 the crude farm machinery has been rejilaced by 
 modern agricultural implements and in all de- 
 partments of industrial and commercial life simi- 
 lar ])rogress has been instituted and carried for- 
 
 ward. .Mr. -Miller has at all times borne his full 
 share in the work of upbuilding and is therefore 
 an honored and valued pioneer resident. 
 
 Born in Covington. Indiana. May 3, 1833. he 
 is a son of John Miller, a native of Augusta 
 county, \'irginia, born in 1801. The paternal 
 grandfather of our subject was born in Germany. 
 John .Miller was reared in the CMd Dominion 
 and was married there to Margaret .Stewart, also 
 a native of X'irginia. Removing westward in 
 tlie fall of 1829, he spent the winter at Mad River 
 and in the spring of 1830 became a resident of 
 Fountain county. Indiana, where he lived for 
 about four years. Two children had lieen born 
 unto him and his wife in \irginia and two were 
 born in Indiana. In 1834 they came with their 
 family to Illinois and were the second familv to 
 locate in (.)narga township. Iroquois county. 
 The father entered two hundred and forty acres 
 of land from the government, whereon his son 
 William now resides, securing a part of this for 
 a dollar and a quarter per acre and the remainder 
 for two dollars and a half per acre. He broke 
 the raw prairie and opened up the farm. Later 
 the Illinois Railroad divided the farm into almost 
 equal parts. Before the building of the road Mr. 
 Aliller hauled his produce to Chicago and did 
 his marketing there, making the trips to and 
 from the city with o.x teams. He would take a 
 load of oats or com, selling the latter for four- 
 teen cents per bushel. Hardships and ]irivations 
 innumerable were to be endured because of the 
 frontier conditions which existed, but the family 
 resolutely continued the work of developing the 
 farm property and the father spent his entire life 
 thereon. His political su]3port was given to the 
 democracy from the time when he cast his first 
 presidential liallot for .Andrew Jackson. He was 
 a wagonmaker by trade and after coming to Illi- 
 nois he opened up a blacksmith and wagonmak- 
 ing shop and followed his trade to a large extent, 
 while his sons carried on the work of the farm. 
 Thus all were busy and the life which they led 
 was a most useful one, results being soon seen 
 in the well developed farm and in the prosperity 
 which attended their labors. Mr. Miller passed 
 away May 12. 1882, at the advanced age of 
 eighty-one years and three months. His first 
 wife died in 1840 and in 1853 he married Mrs. 
 Liggett, r.v his first marriage there were seven
 
 WILLIAM .\iILLHk AMJ lAMII.V.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 US 
 
 cliildri-ti. tlircc sons and fuur clauKlitcrs. win 
 rcachi'il adult ajjc. and oi this nun)l)cr \\ illian; 
 Miller and three of his sisters are yet living. The 
 oldest, .\ndrew. married and died in tiiis county 
 in 1859. while Robert passetl away in early nian- 
 liood in 1 85 J. I'he sisters are Mrs. Jane Reed, 
 who is a widow and is now livinj; in I'ord comi- 
 ty. Illinois, at the ajje of eifjlity years; Matilda, 
 the wife of William Swiber. of I'neblo, Colo- 
 ratio: and Mrs. Catherine (Juirk. a widow who is 
 livint; at (irand Crossinjj. a suburb of Chicago. 
 
 William Miller spent the days of his boyhood 
 and youth n])on the home farm and worked with 
 his father as his years and strenjjth increa.sed 
 and as the father pave more and more attention 
 to industrial pursuits William .Miller and his 
 brother carried on the farm work. In early days 
 they hunted deer all over this jiart of the statj 
 and saw them in fjreat numbers, brinj^infj back 
 many a dish of venison for the family board. 
 He still has in his possession his old rifle, which 
 is over fifty years old and was made in Middle- 
 port by Mr. Tarry, who was one of the best 
 ginismiths in whole country. He killed deer, 
 wild peese. cranes and prairie chickens and thus 
 game was furnished for many a meal. Mr. Mil- 
 ler bought out the interest of one of the si.sters 
 in the home farm and subse(|uently purchascti 
 forty acres adjoining. He built thereon a resi- 
 dence and made the improvements where he re- 
 sides and the farm, owing to his careful su|)er- 
 vision and practical management, became a valu- 
 able i)roperty. 
 
 In May. i8<io. in Delrey. .Mr. .Miller was mar- 
 ried to Miss Margaret Lefrance. who was of 
 French ancestry and was burn in Canada. Slu- 
 died July 23. 1870. leaving four children. The 
 eldest, Jane, is now the wife of Thomas Raines, 
 of Crawford county. Kansas. Marill is the wife 
 of James WtMMlard. of ( )narga : Winfield .'^. is 
 married and is engaged in clerking in Delrey: 
 and Mrs. Matilda Kniver. a widow, is now a 
 traine(l nurse in Chicago. There were also two 
 children by the first marriage, now decea.sed. 
 
 On the i8th of March. 1875. Mr. Miller was 
 again marrie<l, his second union In-ing with ICliza- 
 beth Woodard. who was harw in Indiana but 
 was reared largely in McLean county. Illinois. 
 Of this marriage there are five living children: 
 Ries, the wife of John Toin. an Englishman by 
 
 birth, now living in Indiana : Kva, who <locs 
 dressmaking and millinery and resides at home ; 
 Illlen. the wife of Howard .\ustin, a farmer of 
 I'ord county : John S.. also at home ; and .Malx-I. 
 the wife of l-'iidey I'oul.-on, a farmer of Iro- 
 quois count). There were two children of that 
 uiarriage who have also ])assed away. 
 
 .*^ince age conferred upon him the right of 
 franchise Mr. Miller has never faltered in his 
 support of the democratic party, casting his first 
 presidential ballot for James ISnchanan in i85r». 
 He has never sought or desired office for himself, 
 but has always manifested those traits which 
 characterize the public-spirite<l citizen. ( )ne of 
 the earliest residents of the county, he has for 
 .seventy-two years resided upon the same farm 
 and has seen this part of the state changed from 
 a wilderness an«l swamp into one of the most 
 highly develojx'd and richest agricultural dis- 
 tricts of the I'nion. He has helj)ed to improve 
 and make the county what it is tinlay. When 
 a lad of ten years he herded cattle over the broio 
 prairies, there Ix-ing no fences to prevent this be- 
 ing used as an open range. He has .seen the 
 railroad built through and towns spring up ani| 
 develop and has been thoroughly in sym|)athv 
 with the growth and j)rogrcss. doing all in h'.f 
 ])ower to promote the advancement of this sec- 
 tion of the state, .\lthongh he had comparative- 
 ly little opfK)rtunity for the acquirement of an 
 etlncation. attending private and subscription 
 schools, he has throughout his entire life studied 
 and read broadly and is a well posted man. H? 
 is also active and well ])reserved. His life has 
 been ever honorable and upright and wherever 
 kni>wn he ctunmands the res|K'Ct and confidence 
 of those with whom he comes in contact. From 
 early days when he helped to subdut; the wilder- 
 ness he has continuously lieen a resident of the 
 count V atid his record is most creditable. 
 
 I.F.MUFI. D.WFORTH SNOW. 
 
 Lenniel Danforth Snow, cashier and the pres- 
 ent manager of the I tank of Sheldon, was liom 
 in Washington, Illinois. .April 20. 1873. aixl is 
 a son of the Hon. Herman Walter .^now. who is 
 mentioned on another i>age of this volume. In
 
 146 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 1875 his parents removed to Sheldon. Illinois. 
 The strong traits of his character arc largely in- 
 herited from his maternal grandfather and he is 
 known as a cool, cautious, deliberate and far- 
 sightetl man. He accjuircd a common and high 
 school education, and in 1S90 he removed to 
 Washington, D. C. where he acted as ])rivatc 
 secretary to his father, who was then a member 
 of congress. In 1894 he returned to Illinois and. 
 the family home being established in Kankakee, 
 he there opened au insurance and real-estate of- 
 fice, continuing in that business until after his 
 appointiTient in September, 1895. by Governor 
 Altgeld to the office of state grain inspector. He 
 acted in that capacity until 1897. when he re- 
 signed and entered the Bank of Sheldon, owned 
 by his father and established by him in 1875. 
 This bank has now had a continuous existence of 
 thirty-two years and has made consecutive and 
 substantial progress, being regarded as one of 
 the safest and most conservative moneyed insti- 
 tutions of Iroquois county and this part of the 
 state. In 1899 the firm name of the bank was 
 changed to H. W. Snow & Son by the admission 
 of L. D. Snow as a partner, and the Bank of 
 Sheldon is now undei^ his management, while his 
 official capacity is that of cashier. 
 
 In 1898 occurred the marriage of Mr. Snow 
 and Aliss \^irgil M. Bishopp. the dau.ghter of 
 liarton Bishopp. of Sheldon. The young couple 
 are prominent socially and have many friaids in 
 Sheldon, while Mr. Snow's position in business 
 circles is among the foremost. 
 
 CHARLES X. WAITV. 
 
 Charles X. Waity is one of the most prominent 
 and enterprising farmers of Sheldon township, 
 lie owns a very tine farm in the midst of which 
 stands a large and attractive residence, being 
 e(|ualled by few country homes in the entire 
 countw He was born in Sheldon townsliij). ( )c- 
 tober 3, 1875, and was reared to agricultural pur- 
 suits but is now le;iving tlie active work of the 
 farm to others, wliile he is assisting in the furni- 
 ture .store of P. \V. Miner, in .Sheldon. 
 
 Mr. Waity is a son of Nelson II. Waity, who 
 was born in .X'cirwav, and canu' to the I'nited 
 
 States in 1837. His people were among the tirst 
 settlers of Sheldon township. Xelson H. Waity 
 was a farmer by occupation and after coming to 
 the United States spent his subsequent years in 
 this county. He worked persistently and ener- 
 getically to obtain a start and to promote his 
 business interests and successes, and as the years 
 passed by he accumulated an estate of four hun- 
 dred and ten acres. He t(X)k raw land which 
 he converted into rich and productive fields and 
 as the \ears passed by his work was crowned 
 with a measure of success most gratifying. He 
 died upon the old homestead farm April 16, 
 1897. when seventy-one years of age. His wife. 
 who in her maidenhood was Rosanna Coughe- 
 nour. was born in Pennsylvania, and died on the 
 3d of September, 1880. In the family of this 
 worthy couple were six children, of whom three 
 are now living, namely : Mrs. Frank Zumwalt, 
 of • Sheldon ; Charles N., of this review ; and 
 Frank, who is engaged in general farming in 
 Sheldon township. 
 
 In taking up the personal history of Charles 
 X. Waity we present to our readers the life 
 record of one wdio is widely and favorably known 
 in this part of Iroquois county. He was edu- 
 cated in the Sheldon school and his time w^as di- 
 vided between the duties of the schoolroom, the 
 pleasures of the playground and the work of the 
 fields upon the farm. After putting aside his 
 text-books he remained upon the farm until 
 1902. when he went west to Colorado for one 
 year. He also spent a year in St. Louis. Mis- 
 souri, and since that time has been in Sheldon. 
 He secured one hundred acres from his father 
 and has purchased one hundred and nineteen 
 acres adjoining. He likewise has good build- 
 ings upon the farm and his home is a most com- 
 modious and beautiful residence, containing four- 
 teen rooms. He has recently erected a large 
 barn and everything about his place ])resents a 
 well kept appearance and indicates his careful su- 
 ])ervis(iii. In additinn to his nther business 
 allairs he has mining interests in Colorado. 
 
 Mr. Waity exercises his right of franchise in 
 sup]iiirt iii the men and measures of the repub- 
 lican party. In Masonry he has attained the 
 thirt\-second degree of the Scottish rite and he 
 is also a member of the Mystic Shrine of Chi- 
 cago. He affiliates with the Knights of Pvthias.
 
 i£2^^1S£. r-'^^^,-' :-

 
 IRogLOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 •49 
 
 at Slicldon and the Klks at Kniik;iki-c. ami is 
 lH)i)iilar with his brcthnii i>f these tlilTcrcnt far- 
 temitics, for he is a young man of enterprising, 
 progressive spirit, genial in disposition, kindly 
 in manner, winning friends wherever he goes. 
 
 Mr. Waity gives his |jolitical supjujrt to the 
 repiililican party. In his fraternal relntii^ms he is 
 identified with the Knights of I'ythias and tlie 
 Mfxlem Woodmen of America, and in Uitii tiiesc 
 organizations is p<^pular with the brethren of the 
 craft. 
 
 FRANK WAITY. 
 
 FKKD W. RANZ. 
 
 Frank Waity, an enterprising young fanner, 
 owning and o|)crating one hundred and twenty 
 acres of land on section 3. Sheldon township, was 
 born on the farm which is now his home, July 
 12, 1878. The family was founded in America 
 by Holson Waity, who emigrated from Norway 
 to this country in 1837, and located in Heaver 
 township. Inxjuois county, lie lived but two 
 years after coming to the new world. His son. 
 Nelson Waity, the father of our subject, located 
 tlie tract of land which has since been the fam- 
 ily homestead, and he made all of the improve- 
 ments which are here seen. The first home was 
 a log house, which was later replaced by a more 
 modern and substantial frame residence, and he 
 also erected many outbuildings for the .shelter 
 of grain and stock, and placed his land under a 
 high state of cultivation. He was married to 
 Miss Rosanna Coughenour, a native of Ohio, and 
 the father followed farming until 1897. when he 
 gave the property to his son Frank, who has con- 
 tinued the work of improvement and cultivation 
 which was begun by his father, up to the present 
 time, and today it constitutes one of the valua- 
 ble tracts of Sheldon township. 
 
 Frank \\'aity acquired his early education in 
 the district schools near his fathers home and 
 later completed the high-school course at Shel- 
 don. He was early trained to the duties of the 
 farm and gave his father the benefit of his ser- 
 vices until he had reached the age of nineteen 
 years, when, as stated, he inherited the home 
 place and is now engaged in its ojMiration on his 
 own account. He is very successful in all that 
 he undertakes and follows only the most modern 
 and practical methods in carrying on his lalwrs 
 and is today accounted one of the leading and 
 progressive young fanners of this part of Iro- 
 quois county. 
 8 
 
 Fred W. Ranz, who for seven years has been 
 engaged in the grain trade in Claylonville, own- 
 ing and oiK-rating the elevator, also deals in coal, 
 and the extent of his operations in both lines 
 have won him a place among the representative 
 young business men of this part of the county. 
 He was born in Muscatine, Iowa, Novanber 24, 
 1866, a son of Joseph I^nz, who with his family 
 came to Ir<x|uois county in 1868 and settled u|x>n 
 a farm in Ash Grove township, where he yet 
 resides. 
 
 Upon the old homestead fami Fred W. Ranz 
 spint the days of his youth and in the district 
 schools acquired his preliminary education, which 
 was sup])lcmented by study in Grand Prairie 
 Seminary in Onarga. Thinking to find conuner- 
 cial ijursuits more congenial than agricultural, 
 Mr. Ranz engaged in clerking in Crescent City, 
 where he remained for a few years and then 
 went to Goodwinc, where he took charge of the 
 Farmers Elevator, continuing there for four 
 years. On the expiration of that period he 
 purchased an interest in the elevator at Claylon- 
 ville and in May, 1899, took charge of the grain 
 and elevator business at this point. He also 
 handles coal and in both lines has built up a 
 good trade. This being one of the rich agri- 
 cultural districts of the state, there is excellent 
 opportunity offered the grain merchant, and in 
 the conduct of the business Mr. Ranz annually 
 handles thousands of bushels of grain, thus fur- 
 nishing a market to producers and also con- 
 ducting a profitable business for himself. 
 
 On the 1st of March, i8»;3, at Crescent City, 
 Mr. Ranz was united in marriage to Miss Ida 
 May Kern, who was born and reared in that 
 place. They now have five daughters: Hazel. 
 I'reda, Beatrice, Ruth and Beulah. The parents 
 arc well known sociallv in Clavtonville and other
 
 ISO 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 parts of the county and have a large circle of 
 warm friends. Politically Mr. Ranz has fol- 
 lowed in his father's footsteps and is a 
 stanch republican, but has always been without 
 aspiration for office, preferring to concentrate his 
 energies upon his business interests and in con- 
 nection with the grain and coal trade he is also 
 interested in the breeding of Arabian horses, 
 while formerly he was engaged in the breeding 
 of heavy draft horses. He is a great lover of 
 fine horsts and is well known as a breeder and 
 dealer. He is connected with the Knights of 
 Pythias lodge, the ^Modern Woodmen camp and 
 the Fraterna.1 Insurance Association, and his 
 wife is a member of the Christian church. He 
 belongs to that class who are the real upbuilders 
 and promoters of a community by reason of the 
 business activity upon which the growth of every 
 town and city depends and Claxtonville therefore 
 finds in him a leading citizen. 
 
 HON. THOMAS \'EXXU.M. 
 
 No adequate memorial of the Hon. Thomas 
 \'ennum can be written until many of the use- 
 ful enterprises with which In- was connected have 
 coiiipleted their full measure of good in the world 
 and until his personal influence and example 
 shall have ceased their fruitage in the lives of 
 those who were about him when he was yet an 
 actor in the busy j^laces of the world : yet there 
 is much concerning him that can with pnifit he 
 set down as an illustration of what can be done 
 if a man with a clear brain and willing hands but 
 sets himself seriously to the real labors and re- 
 sponsibilities of life. He was known for many 
 years as a successful banker but it was not alone 
 through his business interests that he contril)- 
 nted to the progress and prosperity of the coun- 
 ty, for in man\- ])rivate ways and through a co- 
 operation with measures instituted for the public 
 good he advocated those plans and purposes 
 which work for civic virtue and civic jjride. He 
 came to the county in ])ioneer times and frnm its 
 earliest days until his demise was an active factor 
 in its growth and development. ^>'''^' 
 
 His birth occurred December 25, 1833. in Wash- 
 ingtiin county, i'ennsylvania, and his ])arents 
 
 were Christopher C. and Rosanna (Paul) \'en- 
 num. The spring of 1835 witnessed the arrival 
 of the family in Illinois, the journey being made 
 down the Ohio and up the Wabash rivers. The 
 father entered land from the government on sec- 
 tion 4 in what is n.ow Milford township, Iroquois 
 county, and later by additional purchase in- 
 creased his acreage until he was one of the ex- 
 tensive landowners of the county. 
 
 As he advanced in years and strength Thomas 
 X'ennum aided more and more largely in the work 
 of the home farm through the suminer month.s, 
 while in the winter seasons he attended the jjublic 
 schools and thus qualified for the performance of 
 life's daily duties. Furthermore he spent one 
 year as a student in \\'ashington College in Penn- 
 sylvania and also attended Asbury University, 
 now De Panw- University, at Greencastle, In- 
 diana. Farm work continued to occupy his time 
 and attention when not busied with the work of 
 the schoolroom until 1856, at which time he be- 
 came a more active factor in public interests of 
 the county as clerk of the circuit court and ex- 
 officio recorder. He was at that time a young 
 man of twenty-three years, who brought to his 
 new duties a spirit of resolution, enterjirise and 
 political integrity that made him a most capable 
 oiTicial. He was re-elected in i860 and again in 
 1864, so that his incumbency covered twelve 
 years, and at the time of the removal of the 
 county seat to ^\'atseka in 18(13 l^^ changed his 
 place of residence and remained there until his 
 demise. 
 
 Three years after takin.g u]5 his abode in Wat- 
 seka Mr. \'ennum retired from office as he had 
 entered it — with the confidence and good will of 
 all concerned, lie then became a factor in finan- 
 cial circles in Iroquois count v by entering into 
 ])artnership with John L. Donovan and (George 
 A. Woodford in establishing the first liank of 
 Watseka under the firm style of Donovan. Wood- 
 ford &■ Coni])any. That connecti(ni was con- 
 tinued until ( kiober, 1874, when Mr. \'ennuni 
 went to Tennessee and for si.xteen months was 
 engagcfl in mining and shippin,g coal at Tracy 
 City, iiu ciiiUract with the Tennessee Coal & Rail- 
 way Ct>mpany. This did nut prove very profit- 
 able, however, and he returned to Watseka. 
 where in 1876 he again formed a partnership with 
 J<ihn F. Odndvan in the banking business, open-
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 '51 
 
 inj; ihi- first bank in Milfonl. IJoth nlaincil 
 their rcsidi-nccs in Wats«ka but niann^al tl)c hank 
 at Milford. wliicli l>ccainc one i>f the strong ami 
 substantial financial institutions of the county. A 
 safe conservative policy was inau^iratcd that has 
 always Ik-cu maintained and the institiuion has 
 been one of the iitniosl value to the community as 
 well as a source of pratifyinp profit to the stcKk- 
 holders. .\ man of resourceful ability and marked 
 enteri)rise, Mr. \'cinium did not confine his atten- 
 tion entirely to one line but c.\tend«l his efforts 
 into other fieUls of activity with the result that they 
 profited by his wise couu.sel and co-operation. 
 While a resident of Middleport he was a mem- 
 ber of the firm of H. .V. Tillinjjhast & Com|)any. 
 druRKists. The business was subsequently trans- 
 ferred to Watseka and on Ur. Secrcst becoming a 
 partner the firm name was chanjjji-d to Secrest, 
 Tillinghasl & Company. Mr. \ ennum remaining 
 as the silent partner for a number of years, after 
 which he withdrew. Durinj; his incumbency in 
 the office of circuit court clerk he ttwk up the 
 study of law and was admitted to the bar, but 
 never actually enpagcd in the ])ractice of the 
 profession because of the fact that he became 
 interestetl in banking and other business enter- 
 prises. 
 
 On the 8th «)f .\|iril. iHttj. was celebrated the 
 marriage of Thomas N'ennum and Miss Lucia 
 .\. Tullar. who was Inirn in l>ri>wnsville. Le- 
 nawee county. Michigan. The wedding was 
 <elebratcd in Detroit, Michigan, and the marriage 
 was bles.sed with five children : Ella Jeanette, 
 now the wife of Otis W. Johnson, a son of < )tis 
 R. Johnson, the well known millionaire lumber- 
 man of Racine, Wisconsin; Irving T., who is 
 -connected with the linking business at Milford: 
 Fred D.. president of the First National Hank 
 at .Milford; and Thomas ("i.. who is an attorney 
 of V\'atseka. One (laughter. .\lal>cl. who was the 
 eldest of the family, died in infancy. 
 
 Mr. V'ennum attaincrl his majority alxnit the 
 time the republican ])arty s|)rang into existence 
 and he became one of the stalwart supporters of 
 the new organization. In the fall of 1870 he 
 was elected to represent his district in the state 
 legislature and became a memln-r of the twenty- 
 seventh general assembly, where he was apjx'int- 
 ed on the committees of finance, congressional 
 a[>pointment and contingent ex|)enses. He tlici 
 
 active and important work in the committee- 
 rooms an<l was connected with consiilerablo 
 constructive legislation. ilis official scrvici^ 
 also covered an incumlK-ncs in the ofhc< 
 of mayor of Watseka and linth as legislator and 
 mayor he renderecl signal service to his fellow 
 townsmen and his constituents. He held meni- 
 IxTship in lr(ic|Uois hnlgc. No. 74, I. O. O. F,. 
 and in the Presbyterian church, of which his wife 
 is also a member, and his ci>-o|H.-ration was always 
 a factor in the intellectual and moral progress of 
 his conununity as well as in its business life and 
 political circles. 
 
 The death of Thomas X'ennum occurred 
 |8<>8. The conununity regarded him as a citizen 
 whom it could ill afford to lose, so important had 
 Ikcu his public service, and so many were his 
 good traits that he had endeared himself in large 
 measure to the majtirity <jf its citizens and his 
 death was therefore regardetl as a personal be- 
 reavement. He represented one of the oldest 
 pioneer families of the county. His grandfather 
 and his father were both closely associate<l with 
 the early development of this part of the state 
 and as he a<lvanccd from l>oyhootl to manhood 
 he too became actively and helpfully interested 
 in all those movements and measures which work 
 out in the progress. advanceiiK-nt and prosperity 
 of the county. His memory comjiassed the |)e- 
 rio<l of piomvr life here when the homes were 
 largely log cabins and when much of the land 
 was still uncultivated. He lived to see this be- 
 come one of the n»ost flourishing districts of the 
 great conunonwealth, situated as it is in the 
 midst of the richest agriculltiral Ix-lt of the entire 
 coimtry. His Id-nevolence was unostentatious 
 and genuine and there is nothing in the story of 
 his life to show that he ever for a moment sought 
 to com|>ass a given end for the pur|>ose of ex- 
 alting himself. He champione<l measures and 
 aidetl men and accepted as his rewani that thrill 
 of delight which always accompanies victories 
 achieveil. Lndowetl by nature with a sound 
 judgment and an accurate, discriminating mind, 
 he feared not that laborious attention to the de- 
 tails of business so necessary- to achieve success 
 and this es.seutial quality was ever guided by a 
 sense of nv>ral right which would tolerate the 
 employment oidy of those nvans that would 
 In-ar the most rigid examination by a fairness
 
 i=;2 
 
 PAST AXD PKESEXT OF 
 
 of intcntiiin tliat neitlier sought nor require<l dis- 
 guise. It is but just and merited praise to sa\' 
 of ]\lr. \'cnnum tliat as a business man he ranked 
 with the ablest ; as a citizen he was honorable, 
 prompt and true to every engagement ; as a man 
 he held honor and esteem of all classes of people, 
 of all creeds and political proclivities ; as a hus- 
 band and father he was a model worthy of all 
 imitation ; unassuming in his manner, sincere in 
 his friendships, steadfast and unswerving in his 
 loyalty to the right. His memory is a sacred 
 inheritance to his children ; it will long be cher- 
 ished by a multitude of friends. 
 
 PETER AIcDERMOTT. 
 
 Peter McDermott is engaged in buying and 
 shipping grain at Crescent City and also deals in 
 coal and farming implements. He has been as- 
 sociated with the grain trade here since 1894 
 and, moreover, figures prominently in financial 
 circles as president of the First National Bank. 
 Keejaing in touch with the trend of modern 
 thought and progress as manifest in the business 
 world, he is recognized as one of the valued 
 factors in commercial life in his community and 
 belongs to that class of representative American 
 men who while promoting individual success also 
 contribute to general prosperity. 
 
 A native of Will county, Illinois, Mr. McDer- 
 mott was born March 8, 1866, and is a son of 
 John McDermott. Following the removal of the 
 family he was reared and educated in Ford 
 county, early becoming familiar with all the du- 
 ties and labors that fall to the lot of the agricul- 
 turist. At the age of seventeen years he began 
 teaching school, which profession he followed 
 for several years during the winter months, while 
 through the summer he worked on the farm. He 
 followed farming on his own account for some 
 time and then turned his attention to the grain 
 business, being thus engaged at Piper City, Illi- 
 nois, from 1891 until 1894. In the latter year 
 he purchased an elevator at Crescent City, where 
 he has since carried on the grain trade, and also 
 owns a half interest in an elevator at Black, Illi- 
 nois, his brother M. J. being his partner in this 
 enterprise. He now handles about four hundred 
 
 thousand bushels of grain at Crescent City an- 
 nuallx-. This rich agricultural district furnishes 
 excellent opportunity to the producer and to the 
 grain merchant and Mr. McDermott's business 
 has constantly grown in volume and importance. 
 He likewise deals in coal and agricultural imple- 
 ments, finding a ready sale in those lines, and 
 he became one of the organizers of the First Na- 
 tional Bank of Crescent City, of which he has 
 continuously served as president, making this a 
 safe, strong and valuable financial institution. 
 
 Mr. IMcDermott wedded Miss Mary E. O'Neill, 
 of Iroquois county, a daughter of Edmund 
 O'Neill, now residing in Crescent City and one 
 of the old settlers of this part of the state. They 
 have three children : John E. and Mary E., 
 twins, nine years of age ; and Francis O., five 
 years of age. 
 
 Politicallv Mr. McDermott is a democrat and 
 for some time was president of the village board, 
 while at the present writing he is acting as presi- 
 dent of the school board of Crescent City. His 
 interest in community affairs is deep and sincere 
 and is manifest in his unselfish devotion to the 
 general welfare. Any movement for the good 
 of his town receives his hearty endorsement and 
 his active co-operation. He and his wife are 
 memljers of the Catholic church. The circle of 
 their friends is extensive and Mr. McDermott is 
 well known throughout the county as a business 
 man of ability and prominence, well meriting the 
 success that he has achieved. 
 
 WILLIAM T. IRELAN. 
 
 There is no better criterion of the spirit which' 
 dominates a community than its newspaper and' 
 it is a widely acknowledged fact that the Oilman 
 Signal, of which William T. Irelan is editor and' 
 proprietor, has been one of the potent influences 
 in the progress and upbuilding of the city, for 
 this paper has ever been the champion of those 
 interests which are a matter of civic virtue and 
 civic pride, and its editorials have done much tO' 
 mold public thought and opinion. 
 
 .\ native of Mercer county, Ohio, Mr. Irelan 
 was born September 29. 1868, and comes of Puri- 
 tan and Revolutionary ancestry. Representatives
 
 *f^ 
 
 MR. AM) MKS. 1'I-".TI:R M. DI-.KMnTT.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS
 
 IROQI- ' '!> HH.\1\. ILLi.MUS. 
 
 «55 
 
 of the name soltlol at W'iiulliain. (.'cninrctictit. 
 early in the scvcntecntli century ami in later grn- 
 trrations the family furnished to the wars ni the 
 country various brave and loyal s«ildiers. some of 
 whon) were officers that foujjht for the libertv 
 and ri(;hls of the nation, while some f;ave their 
 lives in defense of the interests of the republic. 
 
 Silas Dowler Irelan. father of our sub- 
 ject, was a native of (Ihio and having arrived 
 at year* of maturity was married there to Miss 
 Mary itidlack. who wa^ also born in that state. 
 He was a farmer by occupati<in. clevoiinp the 
 jfreater part of his life to peneral auricultural 
 pursuits, and he died in l8<n. at the a^e of sixty- 
 eight years, while his wife survived him for a 
 decade arnl passed away in mk)4. at the ape of 
 seventy -one years. 
 
 Reared un<ler the parental HHif. William T. 
 Irelan acquired a ])ublic-school e<ludBtion and 
 early ln'came familiar with newspaper work in 
 its various phases. In early manhood he taupht 
 sch(X)l to some extent but the greater part of his 
 life has hcvu spent in the field of jounialism. 
 
 Mr. Irelan dates his residence in ( iilman from 
 l8g6. He had met with financial reverses in 
 the newspaiK'r field in < )hio and K'vinpr up all 
 that he possessed, he came to Illinois with only 
 a knowledpe of his trade to serve as the capital 
 with which to hepin life in a new community. 
 Here he became e<litor of the lro<|uois County 
 Siptial and his advaiKement has been both rapid 
 and consecutive. The pajHT had iK-en trviiij.^ for 
 a year to fill the trailitional 'lonj,' felt want" but 
 without success, and was at that time entirely 
 without influence, .\lmost immediaely after .Mr. 
 Irelan assumed control a decided change was 
 manifest. He began a series of weekly letters in 
 rural dialect, which he had learned as a Ixiy on 
 the farm, and in these letters he satirized the 
 hide-boiind element that op|x>se<l public im|)rovc- 
 ments. This was an innovation in joiirnalisni 
 in Iro(|uois county and while the progressive ele- 
 ment rallied to the s«pj)ort of the new editor 
 tlvise who received his unwelcome attentions were 
 surprised and sluKketl ami naturallv Ix-came an- 
 tagonistic. Mr. Irelan. however, continued writ- 
 ing humorous farnuT talk for his i)a|>er. using 
 the nom-dc-guerre of Reuben Hardscrabble. and 
 in a year his victory was complete. The circula- 
 tion of the pa|)er constantly increased and the 
 
 Signal also became an excellent adveriiiing mc- 
 <li«nn. The influence which he ban exerted m> 
 |H)litical circles lias also been wnlelv fell. 
 
 Mr. Irelan has ever Ixa-n a stalwart ailvocate 
 of rr|inlilican principles and he presenteil his 
 cause throuj;h the columns of the pa|>er in a clear, 
 concise, logical and convincing manner. The in- 
 rtiieiK-e f>f his writings is immeasurable but all 
 acknr)w ledge that il lias been a potent element 
 in re]iul>lican successes in Iroquois county and 
 the party, acknowledging his worth and ability, 
 have called him to ptiblic office. I'reviirtis t<i iX^r) 
 he had never figured in |>olitical circles as a can- 
 didate for office, but in that year he was elected 
 by his fellow townsmen to the (nisition of jxilice 
 magistrate. Previous to that time lawlessness 
 was practically imcheckeil owing to niysteriou-* 
 and subtle influences, but it was now fbtmd that 
 "influence" no longer meant imnuinity an<l of- 
 fenders .Tgainst the ordinances made ami pnv 
 videil. but seldom enforced, foimd themselves 
 lalMiring under penalties of unheard-of severity. 
 .\gain Mr. Irelan was called to public office. Ix- 
 ing appointed to an important clerkship in the 
 forty-second general assembly of Illinois. an<l 
 in I")ecemlK'r. i<^i. he receive<l ap|)oinlment 
 through the influence of Congressman Joseph (i. 
 Cannon as assistant enrolling clerk in the house 
 of representatives at VN'ashington. 
 
 On the i6th of July, i<X)2. .Mr. Irelan was 
 married to Miss Helen .Vhxire. of Mercer coun- 
 ty. Ohio, a daughter of l-'nincis M. and .^arah 
 (Toner) .Moore. Her father, who devoted his 
 life to ap;rictdtnral i)ursuits. tlie<l in i8f)3. but her 
 mother is still living in * thio. Mrs. Irelan ac- 
 (juired her education in the public schools and in 
 Coldwater ( ( )hio ) .Academy and for f<Hir years 
 engaged in leaching. She has become the mother 
 of two I'liililnii /cll.i Mih.n- :oii! l).il!:is 
 
 liidlack. 
 
 Mr. Irelan is a member of the .s,ins ol the 
 .Xmerican Revolution and the Modern Wixnlmen 
 of .America, while his religiou.s faith is indicated 
 bv his connection with the Methodist churcli. He 
 is a man of most geni:d nature and while he Ins 
 taken an aggressive |Ni$ition on matters of pub- 
 lic moment he is at the same time never abusive 
 (tf adversaries. His own [M^silion is never an 
 i-ipiivocal one and the conunnnity acknowledges 
 its imiebtedness to him for his cliantpionship of
 
 156 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 many plans and movements which have been of 
 direct benefit to Gilman. He is a man of Hterary 
 tastes, who finds dehghtful companionship among 
 the master minds of present and former ages, 
 and this gives him rest and recreation from the 
 demands made upon his time and energies by 
 his journalistic interests and his political work. 
 
 SAMUEL BUCKLEY. 
 
 Samuel Buckley, a retired farmer and con- 
 tractor making his home in Sheldon, was born 
 in Tippecanoe county, Indiana, April 4, 1849, 
 his parents being Stephen and Eliza Jane (Har- 
 per) Buckley. The paternal grandparents were 
 James and Sarah (Lincoln) Buckley, the former 
 a native of North Carolina and the latter of 
 Ohio. Mrs. Sarah Buckley died in Tippecanoe 
 county, Indiana, in 1844 '^"'1 James Buckley 
 afterward wedded ]\Irs. Jacobs. In 1854 he came 
 to Iroquois county, Illinois, where he lived for 
 about eighteen months and then removed to 
 Carroll county, Indiana, where he spent his 
 remaining days. His son. Stephen Buckley, was 
 born in Preble county. Ohio, January 2, 1823, 
 and was two years of age when his parents re- 
 moved to Tippecanoe county, Indiana, where he 
 lived until 1856. He was married on the 3d of 
 June, 1848, to Miss Eliza Jane Harper, a 
 native of Montgomery county, Indiana. On leav- 
 ing the Hoosier state they came to Iroquois 
 county, Illinois, and settled on land which Mr. 
 Buckley had purchased from the government in 
 1854. Here he was very successful in his busi- 
 ness life, adding to his original holdings until 
 he owned at one time fourteen hundred and sixty 
 acres of land in this county. He always followed 
 farming and through the careful husbanding of 
 his own resources and his wise investment he 
 won the splendid success which crowned his 
 labor. He died in June, 1904, at the advanced 
 age of eighty-one years and five months, while 
 his wife passed away at the a.ge of sixty-nine 
 years. They were continuous residents of Iro- 
 quois county from 1856 until called to their final 
 rest and were most worthy and esteemed pioneer 
 people. They became the patents of six chiidrcn, 
 five nf whom arc now living: Samuel, of this 
 
 review ; Mrs. Delilah Amos, who resides in Shel- 
 don ; Mrs. Sarah A. Boatman, a widow, living 
 in Chicago: Alonzo, of Sheldon, and Mrs, Maria 
 Elizabeth Roberts, a resident of California. 
 
 Samuel Buckley spent the first seven years of 
 his life in the state of his nativity and then ac- 
 companied his parents on their removal to Iro- 
 quois county in 1856. He was educated in the 
 \\'illow Grove school near his father's home and 
 was early trained to habits of industry, economv 
 and perseverance upon the farm, working dili- 
 gently and persistently and thus becoming well 
 qualified to take up farm work on his own ac- 
 count when he attained his majority. He was 
 continuously engaged in general agricultural 
 pursuits until 1884, when his wife died and he 
 removed to Sheldon. Here he took up carpen- 
 tering and contracting and was thus busy until 
 he retired from active life. He is now one of 
 the wealthy residents of Sheldon and owns a 
 beautiful two-stor\- residence two blocks from 
 Main street. He has here three good lots with 
 cement sidewalks, and the home stands in the 
 midst of a well kept lawn. His farming inter- 
 ests comprise two hundred and sixty acres of 
 good land in Sheldon township and upon this 
 also stands a good two-story dwelling. His 
 farm returns to him a gratifying annual income 
 and provides him with the comforts and some 
 of the luxuries of life. 
 
 Mr. Buckley was married to Edna E. Cana- 
 day, a native of Mrginia, and they became the 
 parents of one daughter, Nellie, who is now the 
 wife of Ora Smalley, of Sheldon, by whom she 
 has three children, Harold, and Blendine and 
 Geraldine, twins. Tlie wife and mother passed 
 away in February, 1884, and Mr. Buckley was 
 again married, Au,gust, 1904, to Agnes A. Cole- 
 man, a native of Indiana. 
 
 His political support is given the republican 
 party, of which he is a stalwart advocate. He 
 served as city marshal of Sheldon for four years, 
 was school director while on the farm and is 
 now filling the position of constable. Almost his 
 entire life has been passed in this county and 
 while carefully directing his business interests 
 so as to win success he has also l)een an inter- 
 ested witness of the changes which have occurred 
 here and the progress that has been wrought, 
 and as a good citizen be has ahva\s endeavored
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVBISII^ OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 '59 
 
 to uphold the poHtical ami legal status and to 
 advance the material, intellectual and inciral 
 interests of the countv. 
 
 ALONZO I. HALL. 
 
 .Monzo J. Hall, who has won lor himself a 
 creditable place as a citizen and as an agricul- 
 turist in Iroquois county and who for some years 
 was a factor in the business life of Milford, 
 where he owned and o|)erated a grain ele\-ator. 
 is now living retired. His birth occurred in Coles 
 county. Illinois, .\ugust 24. 1852. his parents 
 being David A. and Mary M. (Lemmoii) Hall, 
 natives of Ohio and Indiana respectively. With 
 his |)arents the father removed to Vermilion 
 county. Indiana, in his childhood days, the family 
 home being established there about 1848. and 
 when he had reached manhood he was married 
 there to Miss Mary M. Lemmon. In 1862 he be- 
 came a resident of Chicago, where he engaged 
 in the live-stock and commission business, spend- 
 ing his last days in that city. His death oc- 
 curred in 1884 and liis wife passed away in 1876. 
 
 Consequent upon the removal of the family 
 from Cities county to Chicago .\lonzo J. Hall was 
 reared in the western metropolis and is indebted 
 to its public-school system for the educational 
 privileges he enjoyed. .Arriving at years of ina- 
 turity, he worked at the stockyards with his fa- 
 ther from 1869 until 1874, or for a period of five 
 years, but thinking to find agricultural life more 
 congenial and profitable he came to Iroquois 
 •county and Ixiught land in I-ovejoy township. 
 After his father's death he succeeded to a part 
 ■of the estate and eventually added to his property 
 through judicious investments and as the result 
 of careful business manageinent until he now 
 -owns si.x hundred acres of land in two famis in 
 Milford and Lovejoy townships. Both places are 
 improved with good buildings and are well fenced 
 and altogether constitute fine farming property. 
 He tilled the soil for many years according to 
 modern ideas of agricultural development and 
 raised good crops. He also raised and fed stock 
 and that branch of his business proved profitable. 
 In 1888 he removed to Milford. where he erected 
 an attractive modern residence, but lie did not 
 
 cease to carry on the farm work until several 
 years tiiereafler, when he rented his land. In 
 .Milford he engaged in the grain business, owning 
 and conducting an elevator fur three years, when 
 he .sold out. His time is now given only to the 
 su])ervisi(>n of his invested interests and his rest 
 from further active labor is well merited. 
 
 ( >n the 22d of January. 1876. occurred the mar- 
 riage of Mr. Hal! and Miss .Sarah .\. Wilson, a 
 native daughter of Irof|uois covinty. her father, 
 John Pi. Wilson, having come from Indiana to 
 cast in his lot with the early settlers here. There 
 arc two children by this marriage: Quincy A.. 
 who is a student in the state university, pursuing 
 the mechanical engineering course ; and .Mice W.. 
 at home. .\ lifelong republican in politics, Mr. 
 Hall has done effective service for the party as 
 a champion of its principles and for twelve con- 
 secutive years he was elected and capidily ser\'ed 
 as road commissioner and was al.so township col- 
 lector for one term. He has frequently been a 
 delegate to the conventions of his party and takes 
 a deep interest in politics as every true American 
 citizen should do. His wife is a member of the 
 Methodist church and he affiliates with Milford 
 lodge. A. F. & A. M.. and with Watseka com- 
 mandcry. K. T. His residence in Iroquois coun- 
 ty covers more than a third of a century, where 
 he has become well known because of the extent 
 and importance of his business dealings and by 
 reason of the fact tliat he has been called to nu- 
 merous offices of honor and trust, in which he 
 has been recognized as a man of tried integrity 
 and worth, meriting and receiving the confidence 
 and esteem of the community. While he inherit- 
 ed some property much of his success is attribut- 
 able entirely to his own labors and the capable 
 management of his business affairs. 
 
 JACOB J. WIENRANK. 
 
 Belmont township has its full proportion of 
 energetic, wide-awake and alert farmers, which 
 numlx-r includes Jacob J. Wienrank, who is liv- 
 ing on section 27, where a valuable tract of land 
 of two hundred and forty acres pays annual 
 tribute to his care and labor in rich crops. A 
 native of Illinois, he was born near Benson,
 
 i6o 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 W^oodford county. Xovember 8, 1870, and in 
 1876 was broiig-ht to Iroquois county by his par- 
 ents. John and Antje (Duitsmann) Wienrank, 
 both of whom were natives of Germany. The 
 father's birth occurred in Hanover and he came 
 to America with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ja- 
 cob Wienrank, when a youth of twelve years. 
 The family home was established near Peoria 
 in Tazewell county, where John Wienrank was 
 reared upon a farm. He was married in ^^''ood- 
 ford county to Miss Duitsmann and afterward 
 engaged in the cultivation of rented land for five 
 years. He then came to Iroquois countv and in- 
 vested the capital which he had saved from his 
 earnings in o!ie hundred and sixty acres of land. 
 He then began farming in Ash Grove township 
 and converted his property into rich and pro- 
 ductive fields. 
 
 Jacob J. Wienrank, the eldest of his father's 
 family of six children, was reared upon the old 
 homestead farm in Ash Grove township and ac- 
 quired a good common-school education, his time 
 being divided between the work of the school- 
 room, the pleasures of the playground and the 
 tasks incident to the development of the farm. 
 He remained at home with his father until he 
 had attained his majority and then started out 
 in life on his own account by renting land. After 
 nine years thus passed he purchased one hundred 
 and sixty acres where he now resides on section 
 27. Belmont township. In 1905 he erected a large 
 barn, fifty-eight by fifty-eight feet. His place is 
 well tiled and well fenced, he having laid three 
 thousand rods of tile on the farm. He has since 
 purchased eighty acres adjoining his original 
 tract and now has two hundred and fortv acres 
 of valuable and well improved land, constituting 
 one of the excellent farms of the countv. He is 
 a breeder of good graded stock and makes a spe- 
 cialty of draft horses. Duroc Jersey hogs and 
 polled Angus cattle. 
 
 On the i8th of .April, 1901. Mr. Wienrank was 
 united in marriage to Miss Hattie M. Shivclv. 
 a native of Ohio, born March 6, 1873, and a 
 daughter of Daniel Shively, who was also born 
 in that state. Mr. and Mrs. Wienrank are the 
 parents of two cbiMren. Leah Madeline, Inirn 
 June 15, 1902; and Gladys .-\nna, born Otober 7. 
 1904. He votes with the democracy but does 
 not consider himst-lf bnund by party tics at local 
 
 elections, nor has he ever desired office as a re- 
 ward for party fealty. Uoth he and his wife are 
 members of the Methodist Episcopal church of 
 Woodland and are vyorthy people whose lives are 
 actuated by high and honorable principles and 
 who by their earnest endeavor to follow the 
 teachings of their denomination have awakened 
 the respect and good will of all witli whom they 
 have been associated. 
 
 ELLIS T. LINDSEY. 
 
 Ellis J. Lindsey. who is successfully conduct- 
 ing farming interests on section 25, Onarga 
 township, owns an excellent tract of land of 
 two hundred acres adjacent to the city limits of 
 Onarga. He is, moreover, one of the native sons 
 of the county and one whose life record well en- 
 titles him to representation among its leading' 
 agriculturists. He was born in Onarga. August 
 8. 1874, and is a son of B. F. Lindsey and a 
 brother of Ira M. Lindsey, mentioned on another 
 page of this work. 
 
 Ellis J. Lindsey was reared to manhood on the- 
 old home farm and his educational privileges 
 were afforded by the Onarga schools. He has- 
 been an active man on the farm and since the 
 age of fifteen years has carried on farm work 
 on his own account. In the fall of 1897 he 
 located where he now resides and his energies 
 and attention have since been given to the con- 
 trol of the place. In this farm he has two hun- 
 dred acres and also owns another tract of seventy 
 acres. He has been watchful of opportunities 
 for development and has so conducted the work 
 of the fields that his labors have brought forth 
 rich crops and success has attended him. The 
 residence, a large, neat, two-story dwelling, was 
 erected by him and is thoroughly modern in its 
 ai^pointments, being heated by furnace and sup- 
 plied with every accessory which adds to the com- 
 fort and conveniences of a model home. For 
 three years Mr. Lindsey has rented the land but 
 gives supervision to his farm and his other busi- 
 ness interests, and from these he derives a good 
 i!icome. 
 
 Mr. Lindsey was married in Danforth. Illi- 
 nois, December J<i, T8t)7, to Miss Olive Kindig,
 
 IRUQLOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 i6t 
 
 who was born in W'oodwortli, Illinois, but was 
 reared and cdnraicd in Ir(H|ui>is county, sjn-nd- 
 in>j her school days in t )narj;a. Tliree cinldriii 
 grace this marriaKc: Virginia. Lloyd I*", and 
 Lester J. 
 
 Politically Mr. Lindsey is a democrat where 
 national isstics are involved but at local elections 
 casts an indei^endt-nt ballot. He has never as- 
 pired to office, preferring to give undivide<l at- 
 tention to his business affairs, in which he has 
 met with signal success. His wife is a member 
 of the Christian church of Onarga and he be- 
 longs to Onarga lodge, K. F*., in which he is 
 serving as an officxT. He is a man of g<¥Kl busi- 
 ness ability, who (|uickly recognizes and utilizes 
 his opportunity and his integrity has l>ecn one 
 of the salient features in his business life. He 
 has always resided in the vicinity of ( )narga an<l 
 is well known in the city and throujjhonl the 
 surrfumding district, being jH)|)ular with his fel- 
 lowmen by reason of his genial nature and affa- 
 bility, combined with his close adherence to a 
 high standard of conduct. 
 
 J.\.MES PORCH. 
 
 James Porch is a self-made man who without 
 special family or pecuniary advantages at the 
 outset of his career lias worked his way steadily 
 upward from a humble financial position to one 
 of afHuence. and his business reconi is one that 
 any man might be j)rou<l to possess, for he has 
 ever been faithful in meeting his obligations and 
 commands the admiration ami respect of his con- 
 temporaries. .\ native of Rngland. he came to 
 Iro<{uois county in \^)~. His educational priv- 
 ileges were limited and his means were small. 
 He was haiulica|>i)ed in manv ways, yet he has 
 achieved greater success socially and financially 
 than the |,'reat majt)rity of residents of this sec- 
 tion of the county. (Jn taking up his abode 
 within its borders he engaged in the hardware 
 and tinware business and from the Ix'KinninK 
 met with prosperity, his sales annually increas- 
 ing until his business had assumed large pro- 
 portions. In 1875 he turned his attention from 
 trade to finance and purchased the private Iwnk 
 
 of Robert Nation, of Chclianse. which had been 
 established in 187.?. He als«^» h.xs a half interest 
 in bank and elevator of Porch & .\dams at 
 L'aliery. Illinois. .Moreover, he has made judi- 
 cious investments in property and is now the 
 owner of four hundred and titty acres of land 
 in Kankakee county. Illinois, eighty acres in 
 .Milks (irove township. Iroquois county; two 
 hundred acres in Wright coimty. Iowa; six hun- 
 dred and forty acres in Itutler county. Kansas; 
 and one hundred ami sixty acres in Iron county. 
 Wisconsin. From his fanning properly he tie- 
 rives a good income. 
 
 In itV>7. at Wilmington. Illinois. Limes Porch 
 was married to Mi.ss Lffie Tracy, a resi<lcnt of 
 that place. They are now tin: parents of three 
 children : Carl, Kitty and Nellie. The son was. 
 born I-'ebruary 25, iS/jH. at Chcbaiise, ac<juired 
 a common-school education in his native towa 
 and has since been connected with his father irr 
 business. He now owns a half interest in the 
 general store of Porch & WulfTe at Lliebanse. 
 although his attention is more largely given to 
 the conduct of the harware store of Porch & 
 Porch, in which he also holds a half interest. He 
 makes his home in Otto township. Kankakee 
 county. Illinois, where he has a new residence '\n 
 course of construction. He is a wide-awake and' 
 enterprising young business inan. who ckKi'ly ap- 
 plies himself to the duties in hand so that the best 
 results follow. Fraternally he is connected with 
 the .Masonic lodge of Chelwnse. in which he lias 
 held meml)ership for ten yi-ars. ami he is also 
 connected with the Modern Woodmen at Chc- 
 banse. The elder daughter. Kitty, is the wife of 
 F. W. Elliott, a farmer of Otto township. Kanka- 
 kee county. Nellie is the wife of Henry WultTe.. 
 of the firm of Porch & Wulffe. of Chelianse. 
 
 .\t the time of the Civil war James Porclr 
 manifested his loyalty to his adopted country by 
 service in the Fifth cavalry of United ."states \'oI- 
 unteers. enlisting at .\ndover, Ohio. He went to 
 the front and did active service in support of the 
 stars and stripes ami the cause they represented 
 and after the war he came to Iroquois county. 
 In politics he has always been a stanch repub- 
 lican and was once a candidate for state repre- 
 sentative but was defeate<l by a small majority, 
 altli'iujjh the deiiMKratic strength in this locality 
 is verv marked.
 
 1 62 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 A little thoughtful consideration of the career 
 of James Porch brings one to the conclusion that 
 in all of his business undertakings he has been 
 impelled by an indomitable spirit of progress and 
 enterprise. His life has been one of continuous 
 activity, in which has been accorded due recog- 
 nition of labor and today he is numbered among 
 the substantial citizens of the county. His in- 
 terests are thoroughly identified with those of 
 northern Illinois and at all times he is ready to 
 lend his aid and co-operation to any movement 
 calculated to benefit this section of the country 
 or advance its development. In private life he 
 has gained that warm personal regard which 
 arises from true nobility of character, deference 
 for the opinions of others, kindliness and 
 geniality. 
 
 MILTON ANDERSON. 
 
 Milton Anderson, whose life has been marked 
 ■by steady progress, by recognition and utiliza- 
 tion of opportunity and by fidelity to every duty, 
 figures prominently in the business life of Shel- 
 don, as president of the Citizens Bank. He was 
 born in Jefferson county, Indiana, March 23, 
 1838, and is a representative of one of the old 
 families of the east. His grandfather, W. G. 
 Anderson, was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 
 in June, 1788, and married Anna Whitaker. who 
 was born at Fort Duquesne, now Pittsburg. 
 Pennsylvania, January 7, 1787. Their son, 
 Elijah W. Anderson, was a native of Shelby 
 county, Kentucky, born in 1812, but owing to 
 the removal of the family from the Blue Grass 
 state, was largely reared in Indiana, and his 
 •education was acquired in the common schools. 
 He married Lucinda Lott. .\lthough a miller 
 by trade, he followed farming throughout the 
 greater part of his life and thus provided for 
 his family. In politics he was an old-line whig 
 and the organization of the republican party 
 elicited his attention and co-operation and he 
 became an active worker in its ranks. He was 
 a devout member of the Christian church, while 
 his wife held membership in the Baptist churcii. 
 "She was a native of Kentucky and died when 
 her son Milton was onlv three years of asic. 
 
 He is now the only survivor of the family of 
 three sons and a daughter. 
 
 In his early youth ^lilton Anderson attended 
 the comiuon schools but is largely a self- 
 educated man, having learned valuable lessons 
 in the school of experience and through reading 
 and observation. He remained in his native 
 state until fourteen years of age. when he came 
 ' alone to Illinois, settling at Bloomington in 1850. 
 Since that time he has been dependent upon his 
 own resources, and the prosperity that he has 
 achieved and enjoyed has come as the direct 
 reward of his own labors. In early youth he 
 accepted any emplo\ment that would yield him 
 an honest living. For a time he worked as 
 grade teamster for the Chicago & Alton and 
 the Illinois Central Railroads, and he continued 
 a resident of Bloomington until the outbreak 
 of the Civil war. He had watched with con- 
 siderable interest the progress of events that 
 denoted its approach, and in 1861 he enlisted 
 in the Union Army in the company commanded 
 by Captain McNulta but as the quota of his 
 county was full his company was rejected. 
 
 Not being able to go to the front Mr. An- 
 derson went to Indianapolis and entered the 
 employ of the Bee Line Railroad Company as 
 a conductor and was thus employed for eight 
 years, his run being between Indianapolis and 
 Crestline. Ohio. After eight years devoted to 
 that service he entered the employ of the Pan- 
 handle Railroad Company, with which he con- 
 tinued for the long period of sixteen years, being 
 one of its most faithful and trusted employes. 
 
 On the 1st of May, 1872, occurred the mar- 
 riage of ]VIr. Anderson and Miss Arminda 
 J. Fleager, who was born in Carlisle, Pennsyl- 
 vania, September 28, 1851, and is a daughter 
 of Charles and Mary (W'etzell) Fleager. The 
 father, who was born in Pennsylvania, Augfust 
 9. 1800, died March 5, 1875, and the mother, 
 whose birth occurred in the Keystone state, No- 
 vember II, 1807, passed away March 15, 1866. 
 Both were faithful and consistent members of 
 the Lutheran church, and Mr. Fleager was one 
 of its officers and devoted adherents for twenty- 
 eight years. Unto this worthy couple were 
 born thirteen children but only two arc now 
 living, the brother being ^^'illiam B. Fleager, 
 of Sheldon. Mr. and ]\lrs. Anderson have be-
 
 .\in/n >.\ .\M)i:us(j\.
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILUNOIS
 
 1R()QL(^1S CUL'NTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 i^'5 
 
 Clime the |K»rcnts of fmir cliiltlrcn : Marx L., 
 who is a praihiatc of the Nonhwcstcrn I'nivcr- 
 sitv at l*"vaiistiiii. Ilhnois: llcli-ii. a i^railuati- uf 
 the Shililiiii hin^h school: Harry, a j;ra<luatc of 
 tile Stale Iniversity : and ISertha. a f;radiiate of 
 the Northwestern L'niversity. 
 
 A stalwart republican in his |)olitical allegi- 
 ance. Mr. .Vndcrson has been identitied with 
 the party since his first presidential ballot was 
 cast for .\brahani Lincoln. Me Ir-Iouks to David 
 Crockett camp. No. 502. M. W. .\., and to the 
 Patriotic ( )rder of the Sons of .\mcrica in Shel-» 
 <lon. He was instrumental in successfully estab- 
 lishing in 1888 the I'"armers Co-Opi-rative lirain 
 .\ssociation of Sheldon, which built an elevator 
 that has been one of the successful business 
 undertakings of the town, lie is a large land- 
 owner, having one hundred and si.\ty-six acres 
 near Colfa.x. Illinois, three hundred and sixty 
 acres near Kentland. Indiana, and three hun- 
 dred and forty-seven acres in }Iumboldt county. 
 Iowa, in addition to his beautiful residence in 
 Sheldon. He is. moreover, president of the 
 Citizens Hank of Sheldon, and is one of the 
 most successful men in this part of the county. 
 His labors have been so discerningly directed 
 along well defined lines of labor and enterprise 
 that he seems to have realized at any one point 
 of progress the ])ossibility for successful ac- 
 <omplishment at that point. He has been a man 
 of action rather than of theory, has laid his 
 ])lans carefully and has jtrosecuted them with 
 diligence and. moreover, he has had strict re- 
 gard for the rights of others in all business 
 transactions and thus has maintained an unassail- 
 able reputation. His life record, therefore, soulfl 
 I)rove a source of inspiration to others, showing 
 that success is ambition's answer. 
 
 JOHN WEST. 
 
 John West, who is now living retired in l.oda. 
 was ixirn in Lincolnshire. I'-ngland. June 21. 
 iR.^f'i. His father. Thomas West, was likewise a 
 native of that country and wa.>. reared in Lincoln- 
 shire, where he wedded Mary Fauthorp. likewise- 
 a native of England. Thomas West reared his 
 family and spent lii> intiri' lifr in that countrv 
 
 His .son, John West, when a \oulh of sixteen 
 years, emigrate*! to the new world in the fall 
 of 1852, crossing the .\tlantic on a sailing vessel 
 which reached .New \ork on tile 28th of ( )clo- 
 Ikt. He went to l'p|KT Canada ami for alxmt 
 two \i-jirs was eni|»lo\e<l in comjection with the 
 construction of the Welland canal. .\lM)ut 1854 
 he went to Chicago ami in the vicinity of that 
 city was employed at farm laUir. He spent a 
 summer near Naperville and for iliree winters 
 he attended school in Chicago. Securing a i)0- 
 sition as maltman with a brewery, he was thus 
 employed until i8/'>2. wiien he came to l.oda and 
 occiiiiied a sinnlar position with a large distil- 
 lery here. He was thus employed for twelve 
 years, or until 1877. when he located ujion a farm 
 in l-ake county. Illinois, carrying on agricultural 
 pursuits there for eight years. In 1885 he re- 
 turned to Loda and bought a fann here, his time 
 and energies lieing given to its further improve- 
 ment and development until i8<<i. He owned a 
 comfortable home and good tract of land of one 
 hundred anfl sixty acres but at length he re- 
 tired from active farm life and bought a resi- 
 dence in I^ida. where for five years he has made 
 his home. He has since sold his farm but has 
 purchased land in Calhoun county. Iowa, neat 
 Daisy, where he has one hundred an<l sixty 
 acres of well improved an<l valuable land. 
 
 < >ii the 5th of November. 1862. in Chicago, 
 .Mr. West was married to .Miss Retsy Kemp, a 
 native of Lincolnshire. England, who came to 
 the new world on the .same vessel on which hei 
 husband crossed the .\tlantic. They have become 
 the ])arents of four sons and two daughters : 
 John T. and William James, who are mentione*! 
 elsewhere in this work : fieorge Edward, who 
 operates the elevator at Thaw villc and is a ]>art- 
 ner with his elder brothers in the grain business; 
 I'rancis Henry, who is living in (iranrl Rapids. 
 Michigan. Ix-ing secretary of the Young Men's 
 Christian .\ssociation there; Mary H.. at home, 
 who is an assistant in the postoffice at Loda: and 
 Maud Isal)ella. a teacher. 
 
 Politically Mr. West and his sons are rejiub- 
 licans and his first jiresidential vote was cast for 
 Abraham Lincoln in l8rio, since whicli time he 
 has supported every nominee at the head of the 
 ticket. He has never sought or desired office, 
 although at one tinie he served as a member of
 
 i66 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 the town board. He and his wife are members 
 of the jMethodist Episcopal church of Loda, in 
 which he is serving as one of the trustees, and 
 his wife is connected with the Foreign ^lission- 
 ary Society and the Ladies Aid Society. During 
 his residence in this part of the county Air. West 
 has supported all the various measures which 
 contribute to general progress and improvement 
 and is known as a public-spirited man. His life 
 has been characterized by unfaltering diligence, 
 by faithfulness in the performance of duty and 
 by recognition of his obligations to his fellow- 
 men and to his country. 
 
 JOHX A. AIcCURTAIN. 
 
 John A. McCurtain. now deceased, was for 
 many years a prosperous farmer of Iroquois 
 county, and the success which gained him place 
 among the substantial residents of the commu- 
 nity was attributable entirely to his own diligence 
 and perseverance. Moreover, he was strictly re- 
 liable in all his business transactions and thus 
 he left an honorable name as well as a comfort- 
 able competence to his family. 
 
 Mr. McCurtain was born in Champaign coun- 
 ty, Ohio, September 6, 1831. He was reared 
 to farm life and lived at home until twenty-one 
 years of age but worked out by the month for 
 some time before he attained his majority. He 
 saved his earnings and at length bought twelve 
 calves. These he fed for some time and when he 
 sold them the proceeds helped him to make a 
 payment on eighty acres of new land, which he 
 bought at the usual purchase price of a dollar 
 and a quarter per acre. This land was just 
 across the Illinois border in Indiana, and the 
 year following his marriage he began breaking 
 and cultivating it. Two years later he built a 
 log cabin and took up his abode upon the farm. 
 During the winter months he made rails, which 
 was the only way of making ready money at that 
 time. He received a dollar per hundred for 
 splitting rails and this supplied him with funds 
 sufficient to meet the demands of daily existence, 
 while at the same time he carried on farm work 
 and in the course of years his harvests became 
 large and ])rofitalile. 
 
 In 1855 he sold that place and bought one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres in Iroquois township, which 
 was entered from the government by Airs. AIc- 
 Curtain's brother, Benjamin Aloore. This, too, 
 was a tract of wild prairie land, raw and unculti- 
 vated. He erected thereon a hewed log house 
 of one room and lived there for many year^^^ 
 in the meantime making fine improvements which 
 converted the farm into a valuable place. He 
 brought the fields under a high state of culti- 
 vation, erected commodious and substantial 
 modern buildings and secured the latest improved 
 farm machinery to facilitate his labors. He lived 
 upon the farm until 1893, when he removed ""O 
 Watseka and bought eleven acres in the city 
 limits, on which he erected a fine residence and 
 lived retired from business. His widow still 
 owns two hundred acres of the old homestead, 
 together with two hundred and forty acres in 
 Beaver township. 
 
 In September, 1852, Air. AlcCurtain was- 
 united in marriage to Miss Sarah Moore, who 
 was born in Shelby county, Ohio, January 17, 
 1834, and is a daughter of William and Eliza- 
 beth (Lewis) Moore, the former a native of 
 Kentucky, and the later of Ohio. They removed 
 to Jasper county, Indiana, in 1841, making the 
 journey with three horses and a wagon. They 
 also brought with them two saddles, four cows^ 
 and two calves, and thus traveling westward in 
 true pioneer style they became identified with 
 the development of Indiana during the period 
 when it was a frontier district. 
 
 There were four children born imto Air. and 
 Airs. McCurtain : Emma, wlio became the wife 
 of Joseph Young and is now deceased ; Addison, 
 who lives in Salt Lake City, where he is en- 
 gaged in the practice of medicine and surgery : 
 Irene, the wife of L. D. Brown, of Guthrie. 
 Oklahoma ; and Celnira, the wife of Herbert 
 Potter, of South Dakota. 
 
 After removing to Watseka. Air. and Airs. Mc- 
 Curtain spent considerable time in traveling, vis- 
 iting California, Alcxico and various points in 
 the west, and thus enjoying the fruits of their 
 fiirmer toil. The death of Air. AlcCurtain oc- 
 curred on the 25th of June, 1902. He had lived 
 a life of industry, perseverance and honor, and 
 his own labors and the assistance of his estimable 
 wife [jroved the basis of his success. At the-
 
 LIBRAKY 
 
 OF THt 
 
 UNIVERSITY Uh ILLirJUlS
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROOL'UIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 I7» 
 
 lime of the Civil war he enlisted in Company I'. 
 C)ne Iluiulred and I''itty-tiltli Illinois X'olunteer 
 Infantry in i8<35 and served until the dose, l)einR 
 on fO'S""'! <l"ty most of the time. In jwlitics he 
 was a republican but never soufjht or desired 
 ])ublic office, jjreferrinp to concentrate his ener- 
 pies nixin his business interests. He and his 
 wife were members of the Christian church for 
 over forty years and were most earnest i)eople. 
 faithful to their professions and maintaining; a 
 hi.ijh standard not only of belief but ni conduct. 
 Mrs. McCurtain still lives in Watseka and her 
 life is enriched by many memories of her hus- 
 band's kindliness and his numerous jjood 
 ■*lualitios. 
 
 r.ENLX.MIX CHILD. 
 
 I'etijamiu Giild. who departed this life May 
 20. 1896, was a resident of Dan forth township 
 from ifV)^ and was widely and favorably known 
 in that locality. He was born in liristol, Rhode 
 Island, ( )ctober i<). i<^^.^. his parents beinsj I'.en- 
 jamin and Phoebe .\. (Chami)lin) Giilil. The 
 father tlied when his son lienjamin was a little 
 lad, and the mother passed away about twenty- 
 five years af,'o in Rhode Island. Tlicy were both 
 representatives of old New Enjjland families and 
 ihe men were generally seafaring people. Hen- 
 jamin Child was one of/ two sons, his brother be- 
 ing James, who spent his life in Rhode Islanil, 
 •and they had tw-o sisters, Mrs. Maria M. Hoar 
 and Phoebe .\. C'hild. but all are now deceased. 
 
 In the stale of his nativity Iknjamin Giikl was 
 reared and educated. He removed with his par- 
 ents from Piristol to Warren, Rhode Island, when 
 aNiut two years of age and his father died sixjn 
 ■afterward. In his youth the son learned the 
 C(V)per's trade and as a young man he went to 
 California by way of the isthmus route about 
 1840. attracted by the discovery of gold on the 
 Pacific slope. He spent five years in the mines 
 and was (|uite successful in his search for the 
 precious metal, so that he returned home with 
 a very desirable competence. ( )n again locating 
 in Rhode Island he followed coof)cring for some 
 time and alxiut 1853 he came westward to Illi- 
 nois, malting a location in Peoria county, where 
 
 he purchased and began the improvement of a 
 small farm. 
 
 Mr. Child was married there SeptemlKr 25. 
 1856, to Miss Mary C, Johnston, who was born 
 in Peoria county, January 22. i8,Va and is a 
 daughter of Samuel and Maria (Tantlinger) 
 Johnston. Ijoth of whom died there fifty years 
 agn. They ha<l come to this state from Johnston, 
 Cambria county. Pennsylvania, about 1835. and 
 secured a farm in Peoria county but subsequently 
 removed to P.rimfield. Illinois, where their sub- 
 se(|uent years were passed. In their family were 
 six children ami the four sisters are vet living 
 but the brothers, Thomas and William Theodore, 
 have both passed away. The sisters of .Mrs. 
 Child are: Klvira N.. who married Cyrus Mar- 
 shall, and is living in I'utler county. Kansas; 
 Harriet C. who is the widow of William Cur- 
 ren, now of Pirimfield. Illinois: and Maria Jane, 
 the wife of Joseph Ingall. who resides at .\sh- 
 kum. Iroquois county. 
 
 Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Child 
 removed to Iro(|uois comity, taking up their 
 aUide here in 1868. Here Mr. Child first pur- 
 chased one hundred and sixty acres of land in 
 Danforth township ami it is now a jiart of the 
 ]iresent fine farm which comprises three hundred 
 and twenty acres of rich lan<l. He nia<le excel- 
 lent improvements thereon and continuously fol- 
 lowed general farming until his death, covering 
 a period of twenty-eight years. He possessed 
 cinsi<kTal)le skill and iiigemiity along mechani- 
 cal lines and was thus enabled to keep everything 
 about his place in excellent condition. In dis- 
 jjosition he was rather fpiiet and retiring. Fond 
 of reading his leisure hours were largely devoted 
 to the perusal of books and papers and he became 
 a well informed man, keeping in touch with the 
 trend of modern thought. 
 
 .\ stanch republican in his political views Mr. 
 Child sui)|)orled the party from its organization. 
 At the time of the Civil war he espoused his 
 country's cause, enlisting in Peoria county in 
 iSTq. He served for thirteen months, or until 
 after the war was over as a member of Company 
 D. Figlith Illinois Infantry, and his arduous mili- 
 tar\ exjHTience partially undermined his health 
 although he was not seriously disabled. While 
 at the front he was alt.ichcd to the western army. 
 He was reared in the faith of the F.piscopal
 
 175 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 church but did not bccouie a member of any de- 
 nomination. Mrs. Child, however, is a membei 
 of the Methodist church. In all life's relations 
 Mr. Child was straightforward and honorable, be- 
 ing thoroughly trustworthy as well as active and 
 enterprising in his business life, so that through- 
 out the community where he was known he en- 
 joyed the confidence and good will and the warm 
 friendship of many with whom he came in con- 
 tact. 
 
 Unto :\Ir- and Mrs. Child were born four chil- 
 dren : Mary Alma and Maria Amalia, twins, now 
 at home; James Walter, who died April 21. 1887, 
 when a young man of twenty-seven years ; and 
 Emma E., who is the widow of William A. Kidd, 
 and resides at Oilman. Mrs. Child and her 
 daughters are yet upon the home farm in Dan- 
 forth township, which is a valuable property of 
 three hundred and twenty acres, improved with 
 all modern equipments and under a high state of 
 cultivation. 
 
 FREDERICK D. \'ENNUM. 
 
 Frederick D. \'ennum. president of the First 
 National Bank of Milford, is in business circles 
 in Iroquois county ranked with the ablest and 
 has displayed in the management of financial in- 
 terests a keen discernment and broad outlook that 
 argue well for greater usefulness and success 
 in the future. 
 
 Born in Watseka, July 10, 1868, he is a son of 
 Thomas Vennum. who is mentioned elsewhere in 
 this work. Passing through successive grades 
 in the public schools he was graduated from 
 the high school of Watseka with the class of 
 1886, after which he attended the University of 
 Illinois until he had completed the work of the 
 sophomore year. Putting aside his text-books to 
 become an active factor in business life, he then 
 went to Chicago, where he accepted a position 
 in the First National Bank, remaining there for 
 five years and gaining an intimate knowledge of 
 banking as conducted in that foremost financial 
 institution of the state. On leaving the metropo- 
 lis he went to Milford. where his father was en- 
 gaged in the banking business under the firm 
 name of Donovan & Vennum. On the death of 
 the father in 1898 the bank was re-organized and 
 
 became the I'irst National Bank of Milford, \\h\t 
 Frederick 1). X'ennum as vice president. Mr. 
 Donovan retired in 1900. at which time Mr. \'en- 
 num became president and such has been hii 
 connection therewith continuously since. The 
 safe, conservative policy established by his father 
 has been maintained by him and the volume of 
 business annually transacted over the counters, 
 of the institution is constantly increasing. 
 
 On the 28th of February. 1900, Mr. Vennum 
 was married to Miss Maud M. Coney, a daugh- 
 ter of William M. Coney, of Watseka. They 
 have three children : Ella Jeannette. who was 
 born October 22. 1902 ; Frederick C, December 
 12. 1903: and ^lary Elizabeth, December 11, 
 1905. 
 
 The political principles as embodied in the re- 
 publican platform receive the endorsement of Mr. 
 \'ennum, who, how-ever, has never sought or de- 
 sired office. He is a gentleman of broad mind 
 and popular in the city of his nativity, where al- 
 most his entire life has been passed. He is a 
 loyal friend of Watseka, who has done much for 
 her welfare, but his influence in this regard has 
 never been inspired by a sense of personal im- 
 provement. He stands as a typical representative 
 of the business life of the times, alert and enter- 
 prising, watchful of opportunities and recog- 
 nizing and improving advantages as they come. 
 
 CHARLES W. ANDERSON. 
 
 The commercial interests of Donovan find a 
 worthy and active representative in Charles W. 
 -Anderson, who is engaged in dealing in hard- 
 ware and farm implements there and who in his 
 business life manifests a spirit of determinatiort 
 and progress such as never fails to overcome dif- 
 ficulties and obstacles and make substantial ad- 
 vancement. 
 
 He was born on a farm in Beaver township. 
 Iroquois county, September 24, 1857. and was 
 educated in the common schools. He lived at 
 home until twenty-two years of age and during 
 that period assisted in the labors of the farm, 
 early becoming familiar with the duties that de- 
 volve upon the agriculturist. On leaving home 
 he went to Minnesota, where he spent one year.
 
 IROQUOIS CorN-TV. II I.I\(»IS. 
 
 '73 
 
 after which he returned to Inxjiiois county ami 
 accepted a clerkship in tlie hardware store of 
 Scari^ht & Santlell. with whom he remained for 
 alxuit two years. Later lie spent fourteen years 
 in tlie Kankakee insane asylum, first as attendant 
 for two years and afterward as suiK'rvisor, and 
 alwiut seven years ajjo, in coiuu'ction with Mr. 
 Swan.son, he purchased a general hardware and 
 implement Inisiness at Donovan. He has since 
 continued in this line of trade and in addition to 
 the goods carried in those lines the firin also han- 
 dles wagons, buggies, paints and oils. The build- 
 ings which they occupy are owned by Mr. Swan- 
 son. They liavc two buildings one hundred by 
 fifty feet and a warehouse. The firm is enjoying 
 an excellent trade, their patronage increasing 
 year by year, and they belong to that class of men 
 who promote the material development of the 
 community througn their well directed and en- 
 terprising eflforts. 
 
 Mr. .\nderson was married in ( )iiarga in the 
 year i8</). to Miss Minnie B. Crider, a native of 
 that place, and they have two children, W. Cri- 
 der and I'.rainard I"., aged respectively four and 
 one and one-half years. In community affairs 
 Mr. .\nderson has been actively and helpfully 
 interested. He has served three years as asses- 
 sor of his township but has preferred to do his 
 public service as a ])rivatc citizen an<l in many 
 ways has co-operated in the general development 
 and upbuilding of this locality. He votes with 
 the republican party atid holds membership with 
 the Masonic loflge at Kankaki-e and with the 
 Methodist church associations which indicate 
 much of the character of the man. showing his 
 strong i)ur[)ose and the honorable motives which 
 •characterize him in all life's relations. 
 
 when he secured a position as attendant in the 
 hospital for the insane at Kankakee. There he 
 remained for nine months, after which he re- 
 moved to Donovan for three years engaged in 
 clerking for the firm of Johnson & I'rainard. He 
 ne.xt bought grain for Kisser & liutchins for 
 five years and on the ex])iration of that i)eriod 
 bougiit out .Mr. lirainard's general mercantile 
 business, which he has since conducted. He car- 
 ries a carefully selected line of goods and his 
 enterprise and close apjilication constitute the 
 strong elements in the success which is now at- 
 tending him. He also has charge of the under- 
 taking business for Mr. Miner, of .Sheldon. 
 
 .Mr. .\nderson was married in \S*)~. at Wal- 
 nut Lodge, Indiana, toMiss .\nna L. Howe, who 
 was born in Tippecanoe county, that state, and 
 is a daughter of [ames L. and Mary C. (Repose) 
 Howe, of Xew York, who in an early day re- 
 moved to the Hoosier state. Mr. and Mrs. .\n- 
 dcrson have become the parents of one child, 
 Raymond, now four years of age. They are 
 ])rominent socially in the village where they re- 
 side and Mr. .Anderson has, moreover, taken an 
 active and helpful part in community affairs, 
 .serving as collector of the township and as town 
 clerk for two years. He was also a member of 
 the village board for two terms and his political 
 allegiance is given to the republican party, which 
 finds in him a stalwart advocate. The public 
 duties that have devolved ii]K)n him have been 
 discharged with promptness and fidelity and with 
 a conscientiousness of nbligatioii. 
 
 CH.ARLES F. O.XTHOUT. 
 
 FRAXK W. .WDKk.So.V. 
 
 Frank W. .\nderson. who is engaged in gen- 
 eral merchandising in Donovan, was born May 
 30, i}V)4, upon a farm in I leaver township, and 
 his early youth was passed in the usual manner 
 of farmer lads of the period. He mastered the 
 branches of Fnglish learning as a student in the 
 district schools and assisted in the operation of 
 the home farm until twenty-six years of age. 
 
 Charles F. ( lathnut, living on section 20, 
 Pigeon Grove township, not far from the village 
 of Cissna Fark, owns a farm of eighty acres and 
 in addition cultivates another tract of similar di- 
 mensions owned by liis father. From an early 
 epoch in the history of Irofjuois county he has 
 resided within its iKirders. having Ix'en but five 
 years of ape, when, in 1858, the family home was 
 cstablislu'fl in Illinois. He was born in Albany 
 county. Xew York, .\ugust 16. 1853. His father, 
 Isaac Oathout. was also a native of that county 
 and. having reached adult age, was married there
 
 174 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 to Charity Weaver, who was born in Wayne 
 county, Xew York. Removing westward about 
 1858. he developed a new farm in Pi'peon Grove 
 township and thereon reared his family, sharing 
 in the hardships and privations incident to the 
 establishment of a home upon the frontier and 
 performing all of the arduous labor necessary to 
 the cultivation and improvement of wild land. 
 He now lives with his son Charles and has 
 reached the venerable age of eighty years. The 
 only daughter of the family is Etta L, the wife 
 of Joel Augsperger. of Cissna Park. 
 
 Amid the environments of pioneer life Charles 
 F. Oathout spent the days of his boyhood and 
 youth. He attended the district schools in the 
 winter months and in the summer seasons aided 
 in the work of the farm, remaining with his 
 father and assisting him to carry on the home 
 place, which they brought under a high state 
 of cultivation. Here he wedded Miss Ellen J. 
 \\'illis, on the ist of August. 1874. She was a 
 daughter of Thomas Willis, of Loda, who is men- 
 tioned on another page of this volume. The 
 young couple began their domestic life upon the 
 farm where they now reside, on section 20, 
 Pigeon Grove township. The first work which 
 Mr. Oathout did was to build a dwelling and 
 staljlc and as time passed by he set out fruit and 
 helped to break up the virgin soil. There is now 
 a good corn crib and elevator upon his place 
 and all modern equipments, including the latest 
 improved machinery. The farm in all of its ap- 
 pointments is modern and productive and its ex- 
 cellent appearance is an indication of the life 
 of thrift and industry which the owner has led. 
 Unto Mr. and Mrs. Oathout have been born 
 six children : Professor Charles Hubert Oat- 
 hout, who is married and resides in Urbana. Il- 
 linois ; Edna Mabel, who is a graduate of the 
 state normal school at Normal, Illinois, and is 
 now a teacher at McNabb, Putnam oiunty; Em- 
 ily Ada, wife of Carl Smith, of Loda : Lulu Ellen. 
 who is a graduate of the state normal school and 
 is teaching at Aledo, Mercer county; and llcrtba, 
 Leo and Claude Leslie, at home. 
 
 In his fraternal relations Mr. Oathout is con- 
 nected with the Modern Woodmen, liis member- 
 ship being with Loda camp. He votes with the 
 republican party but has never desired office. lie 
 has, however, rendered signal service to the cause 
 
 of education by effective work as a member af 
 the school board. From his childhood days down 
 to the present he has lived continuou.sly in Iro- 
 quois county, and great have been the changes 
 that have occurred during this period. The 
 splendidly cultivated farms with their fine homes 
 and good buildings and the enterprising towns 
 and cities present a picture that bears little re- 
 semblance to the county into which he came in 
 his boyhood days, for at that time comparatively 
 few roads had been laid out and much of the 
 land was an undrained swamp. The Oathout 
 family at once became active factors in bringing 
 about the changes which have been wrought and 
 Charles F. Oathout of this review has borne his 
 full share in the work of general improvement. 
 
 H. C. HENDERSON. M. D. 
 
 The medical fraternity has a worthy and ca- 
 pable representative in Milford in Dr. H. C- 
 Henderson, who through comprehensive study 
 and investigation has become well (|ualified for 
 the onerous duties of the profession. He was 
 born in Dorchester, Nebraska. Julv 30. 1874, 
 and when a small lad accompanietl his parents 
 on their removel to Illinois, the family home be- 
 ing established in Macoupin county, where he 
 acquired his preliminary education in the com- 
 mon schools. He afterward had the benefit of 
 several years' study in college and subsequently 
 took up the study of medicine, being graduated 
 at Rush Medical College, with the class of 1896. 
 Thus well equipped for the work which he had 
 chosen he located for practice in Milford, where 
 he has since remained, covering a period of ten 
 \ears. His practice has constantly increased in 
 viiliune and importance and he has kept in touch 
 with the best thinking men of the age connected' 
 with the medical fralcrnit\-. His business comes- 
 not only ivinn .Milford Inn from the adjacent 
 countryside as will, and his professional labors- 
 have been attendwl with a measure of success 
 that shows him well fitted to solve the intricate- 
 and cumi)lex ]:roblems. which continuall\- con- 
 front the physician. 
 
 Dr. llenders(5n was married in Iroquois coun- 
 ts', in iSi)f). to .Miss Minnie l.imli'ren, who was.
 
 D«. II. ( . iii:\ni;Rss()\.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IRoOrOIS COUXTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 born and reared in this connty. Tlicy now liavc 
 three children. Louise. Dun'tliy and liarlin. 
 Their home is justly celehrateil for its jjracious 
 and warm-hearted hospitality and both Ur. and 
 Mrs. Henderson are eajjerly welcomed into 
 those circles where true worth and intellifience 
 are received as passports itUo ji»xid society. 
 Genial and courteous in manner Dr. Henderson 
 is personally (xipular. while in his |)rofession he 
 has pai'ift' 'I'c respect of his brethren of the fra- 
 ternity by his close OHilormity of ])rofessional 
 ethics and the consensus of |)ublic opinion is 
 alto}jcther favorable. He is a member of the 
 Inxpiois. I-'ord and Illinois ."^tate Medical 
 Societies. 
 
 Ill \KLI-S M \l.l.( >RV. Ii;. 
 
 Charles Mallory. Jr., one of the earl\ settlers 
 of Iroipiois county, owninj; and operatin<j a well 
 improved and valuable farm of one hundred and 
 tweiUy acres, situated on sections lo and ii. Prai- 
 rie Green township, is a native of Connecticut, 
 his birth having occurred in Litchfield county, 
 March 15. 1848. His father. Charles .Mallory. 
 Sr.. was l)orn in .Massachusetts, where he was 
 reared, and when he reached man's estate he was 
 there married to Miss Caroline Lock wood, a na- 
 tive of Connecticut, in which state the father fol- 
 lowed farming for a number of years and in 1834 
 removed with his family to the west, establishini; 
 his home in I-a Salle connty. Illinois, locating on 
 a farm in Deer Park township, Ix-ing numbered 
 among the first settlers there. He there reared 
 his family and s|)ent liis remaining days, his 
 death occurring in i8</>. while his wife ha<l pre- 
 ceded him to the home beyond many years be- 
 fore, her death occurring in i860. 
 
 Charles Mallory, Jr., was reared and educate<l 
 in I^ Salic county, sharing with the family in 
 all the hardships and trials of life on the fron- 
 tier. He remained with his father until he at- 
 tained his majority, and then starting out in life 
 on his own account, he came to Irofjuois county 
 in iSfx). an<l rented a farm, which he operated 
 for three years. subse(|uent to which time, hav- 
 ing accumidated a nice com])etence. he pur- 
 chased a tract of forty acres, which was all wild 
 and uncultivated. He broke the land, and di- 
 
 vitlcd it into fields of convenient size and Itcrc 
 opened up a gooil farm, on which he has made 
 many substantial improvements. He built a gooil 
 residence, liarns and cribs, tiled his land, .set out 
 many fruit and sha<Ie trees, an<l he has since 
 added a tract of eighty acres to his original pur- 
 chase, so tliat he now owns a tract of one hun- 
 dred and twenty acres. In addition to carrying 
 (jn general agricultural pursuits he als<j raises 
 good grades of stock, and he is quite successful in 
 his business affairs. 
 
 .Mr. .Mallory was united in marriage, Deceni- 
 l)er 21, 1871, to Miss Kate Hobble, who was Ixirn 
 in ( )hio :md was reared there and in Indiana. .She 
 is a il:uighter of George Hobble, wlu) died in the 
 latter slate during her early childhood. The 
 marriage of Mr. and Mrs. .Mallory has In-en 
 blessed with three sons, two of whom survive: 
 Roy C. who is married and resides on a farm in 
 Jasper county, Illinois; Ira L., who is a young 
 man at hf)nie : and Fred, who died January 30, 
 1895, when a young man of twenty-one years. 
 They have also reared two adopted daughters: 
 Sadie Mallory, who became a member of their 
 household at the age of thirteen years, and who 
 has been reared and educated by them ami is 
 now a student at the Fisk Missionary Training 
 School in Kansas City, where .she will complete 
 the course with the class of up-; and Faith Mal- 
 lory, whom they are .ilso re.iring ami educ:iting 
 as an own child. 
 
 Ill his political views .Mr. .Mallory is independ- 
 ent, supporting the men whom he regards as best 
 fitted for office, regardless of party affiliation. 
 He has served as road commissioner for three 
 vears and is a believer in good schcmls and com- 
 _ petcnt teachers. His wife and children are mem- 
 bers of the Methodist Fpiscopal church. 
 
 Mr. Mallory has lived in Illinois for more than 
 a half century and has been actively interested 
 in nnich of the progress and development that 
 has here been made. When he first took up his 
 alxMle in Inxjuois county the nearest market was 
 Sheldon, to which place the products of the farm 
 had to be hauled, and tiiere were many incon- 
 veniences to be met at that early i)eriod. Mrs. 
 Mallorv is a well educated and accomplished 
 ladv and has acted as a corres|>oudent for the 
 Watseka Republican for many years and for- 
 merlv was correspondent of the Danville Daily
 
 1-8 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 Democrat. This \vorth\ couple have made their 
 home in Prairie Green township for more than 
 a third of a century and are therefore well known 
 and his;lilv esteemed bv their many friends. 
 
 1. S. BETZER. 
 
 More than a century a,s:o (ieorge \\'ashington 
 voiced the sentiment that "farming is the most 
 useful as well as the most honorable occupation 
 of man." Moreover history shows us that it is 
 the source of all business prosperity. It has been 
 the agricultural countries that are the prosperous 
 countries and Illinois therefore is particularly for- 
 tunate in that her lands are rich and productive, 
 responding readil\- to the care that is bestowed 
 upon field and meadow. In this line of life I. .'^. 
 Betzer won the measure of success that now en- 
 ables him to live retired. For many years he 
 followed farming in Onarga township, where he 
 still owns a well improved tract of land oi one 
 hundred and sixty acres. He left his farm, how- 
 ever, in September, 1902, and has since resided in 
 the city of Onarga. 
 
 His life record began in Ross county, Ohio, 
 May 10, 1838. His parents were Anthony G. and 
 Nancy (Smith) Betzer. The father was born in 
 Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, in 1808 
 and was a son of Conrad Betzer, a native of Ger- 
 many, who became one of the early settlers of 
 the Keystone state, whence he removed with his 
 family to Ross county, Ohio, casting in his lot 
 with the early residents of that locality. There 
 he secured a tract of timber land from w-hich he 
 hewed out a farm, and it was upon the old home- _ 
 stead property there that Anthony G. Betzer was 
 reared. Having arrived at years of maturity he 
 wedded Xancy Smith, a native of Maryland, and 
 in order to ])rovide for his family he at different 
 times engaged in farming, merchandising and 
 hotel keeping. Almost his entire life was spent 
 in Ross county, where he died in 1883, at the age 
 of seventy-seven years, while his wife passed 
 away in 1844. He later married again and con- 
 timied his residence in Ohio until his life's la- 
 bors were ended in (U'atli. \'i\ his lirst marriage 
 he had five sons and two daughters, of whom I. S. 
 Betzer is the only one now living. One brother, 
 
 C. S. Betzer. was a soldier of the Civil war and 
 laid down his life on the altar of his country, be- 
 ing shot at the battle of Gettysburg. The eldest 
 son, Conrad Betztr. was reared and married in 
 Ohio. He lived for some time in Pickawav 
 county, that state, and subsequently took up his 
 abode in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he followed 
 merchandising initil his death. William Betzer, 
 another son of the family, grew to manhood in 
 ( )hi() and was a farmer and blacksmith of Ross 
 county, where his last days were passed. Win- 
 field Betzer became an agriculturist of X'ermilion 
 county, Indiana, where his death occurred : and 
 Aaron Betzer, who was fond of travel, went from 
 the old home and nothing is known now concern- 
 ing his whereabouts. The two sisters of the fam- 
 ily were Rebecca, who became the wife of Ste- 
 ]5hen W^ebster, a farmer of \'ermilion county, In- 
 diana, where she died: and Mrs. Mary Phillips, 
 who has also passed away. 
 
 The old homestead farm in Ross county. Ohio, 
 was the playground of I. S. Betzer in his boy- 
 hood days and it was also his training school 
 for active, earnest labor, for there he was taught 
 to grub out the stumps, make rails and perform 
 other arduous toil incident to the improvement 
 and settlement of a new farm. He also engaged 
 in general agricultural pursuits on his own ac- 
 count in Pickaway county for nine years. He 
 was married January 26, i860, to Miss Isabella 
 •Miller, a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, and 
 a daughter of Jesse Miller, who was one of the 
 first settlers of that county, to which he removed 
 from Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Betzer con- 
 tinued to reside in the Buckeye state imtil 1868, 
 when they came to Iroquois county. Illinois, pur- 
 chasing land in Onarga township. Xo improve- 
 ments had been made on the property but he 
 broke the prairie, tiled the fields and jilaced his 
 land luider a high state of cultivation. He also 
 erected a good residence and substantial barns 
 and iiutbuildings, planted an orchard and adde 1 
 the modern accessories and im]jrovements of a 
 model farm to his ])roperty, whereon he continued 
 to engage in general agricuhural pursuits mitil 
 ig02. He then rented the farm and ]n\rchased 
 two residence properties in Onarga, where he has 
 since made his home. In connection with his 
 two sons he also owns a farm of two hundred 
 and forty acres in Barton county, Missouri. At
 
 iR< »f)r( )is corxTV. Illinois. 
 
 17^ 
 
 the time nf ihcir inarria>;o Mr. ami Mrs. Mi'l7cr 
 wiTc in !iiiii(i-il tinaiicial circmustanccs but 
 throiijjh tluir uiiiti-il itTnrls tluv have scoiiiiui- 
 latod \-ahial)l(.' real estate aiitl are nciw comfort- 
 al)l\ situated in an attractive Imire in ( Inarjira. 
 their tinancial resources heiu^ sufficient t<i supply 
 them with all of the necessities anil many of the 
 luxuries of life. 
 
 In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Itetzer are 
 the followinp children: Mary, at home; Wil- 
 liam, of ( )nar)ia : Jesse Sherman. \vhi> is livinj; 
 near Jo|)lin. .Missouri; Harvey. \vh.> is carrying 
 on farming in I'arton county : and lames, who is 
 married ami resides in Onar^ja. The (lareiiis at- 
 tend the I'resbyterian church and in his political 
 views Mr. Hetzer is a stalwart re])ul)!ican. While 
 on the fanu he served as school trustee and hijjh- 
 way commissioner and was also member of the 
 schtx)! hoard. For thirty-eight years he and his 
 wife have continued to reside in this county and 
 have witncsse<l its transformation from a wilder- 
 ness and swamp into one of the rich and fertile 
 districts of this jjri-at state with splendid agri- 
 cultural possibilities, in the midst of which arc 
 thriving towns and cities. .\t all times Mr. Het- 
 zer lias co-operated to the extent f>f his means 
 and ability in measures and movements for the 
 general good and is classed with the representa- 
 tive and valued residents of Irocpiois county. 
 Moreover his business career has been character- 
 ized by the possession of those sterling traits 
 which awaken confidence and command admira- 
 tion. He has always been prom|)t in meeting 
 financial obligations and in keeping engagements 
 and has thus made a business record that any 
 man might be proud to possess. 
 
 CH.\RJ.ES CHRLSTLW niRTZ. 
 
 Charles Cliristian Dietz is a retired farmer who 
 since 1893 has resi<led at (iilman, although he 
 still owns his farm on the southwest ijuarter of 
 section 31. Crescent township. He likewise has 
 twenty acres of land within the corporation lim- 
 its of Ciilman, of which he carries on gardening 
 and fruit-raising and in this connection he is con- 
 ducting a goKl business. ( )ne of the oldest resi- 
 <lcnts of Iro<iuois county, he came to the middle 
 
 west in i85(>. making his way to Iowa City, Iowa, 
 then the lermiinis of the railroad. It was his 
 intention to go to I )regon but owing to Indian 
 troubles in Nebraska he returned to Matlison 
 coimty, lndiat\i. where he lived for nine years. 
 
 Mr. Dietz is a native of Philadelphia. I'ennsyl- 
 vania. lx)rn September 21. 183.1. and wiien he was 
 but six years old his parents removed with their 
 family to the Pennsylvania Dutch setlUineiu in 
 Lebanon county north of l^ncaster City, Penn- 
 sylvania. He is a son of John (i<ittlieb and Chris- 
 tine Caroline (Krantzi Dietz. who were natives 
 of Wurtemberg, (iermany, and came to .\merica 
 in I S3 1. The lather was a laljorer in Pennsyl- 
 vania, and in 18(14 '1*^ ma<le his way westward to 
 I^igansjxirt, Indiana, where he purclwsed three 
 hundred and twenty acres of fann lau'i. ujMin 
 which he resided until his death a <|u:irter of a 
 century later. He was born September 17. 1806. 
 and died in |88<). while his wife passed away irr 
 Pennsylvania ami was buried I'ebruary 22. 184J. 
 In tluir family were four sons and a daughter, 
 all of whom are yet living. Charles C.. of this 
 review, iK-ing the eldest. The others are Theo- 
 dore, John. Christine and Henry. After losing 
 his first wife the father marrieil again in Peim- 
 sylvania liefore the vnMiir i.t tliis rixiiw ••.mu- 
 to the west. 
 
 Charles Giristian Dietz had very little opi>or- 
 tunity to ac(|uire an education but has react 
 broadly, thinks deeply and is a self-educated man 
 who has ac(|uired practical knowledge and is now 
 well informed. He wtjs a young man of alwut 
 twenty-four years when he came to the middle 
 west and as stated, he located in .Madison county, 
 Indiana, where he remained for nine years. In 
 1865 he came to this county and for more than 
 four decades has Ik-cu closely associated with 
 events which have left their impress u|Kin the 
 history of this ]>art of the state. He was one 
 of the first jurors of the first term of court held 
 in the <ild courthouse after its erections and he 
 did much to shape the public |>olicy and mold 
 public opinion at an early day. For two years 
 he resided on the Joe James farm, which is now 
 tlie county farm, and he then purchased from 
 David Mctiill one hundred and twenty acres of 
 land in CVescent township, for which he paid 
 eight dollars [H-r acre. .\s time passetl and his 
 financial resources increased owing to his in-
 
 i8o 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 diistry and economy he added to his property 
 until now he owns two hiuidred acres of excellent 
 farm land in Crescent township beside the twenty- 
 acre tract in Oilman, upon which he resides and 
 ten acres of timber. 
 
 Air. Dietz was married in Indiana in 1857 to 
 Miss Eliza Cannany. who died in Crescent town- 
 ship about 1870. Their children were as fol- 
 lows : Melissa Jane, who married John Burk- 
 halter and died aliout five years ago. leaving- one 
 daughter, Rosa, who is grown and is now keep- 
 ing house for her father in Crescent township : 
 Charles, a graduate of Grand Prairie Seminary, 
 who after studying physiology at Kankakee ])re- 
 pared for the practice of medicine, wliich he now 
 follows at Carson. Iowa : John, who is married 
 and follows agricultural pursuits upon his fa- 
 ther's farm in Crescent township; [Milton, who 
 Tias a half section of land in South Dakota : Ella, 
 the wife of William Holz, living near Delrey, Illi- 
 nois : and Annie, the wife of Henry Forbes, a 
 farmer of Pottawattamie county. Iowa. 
 
 For his second wife Mr. Dietz chose Mrs. 
 Emma E. (Orth) Thompson, who was born in 
 Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, a representative 
 •of a prominent old family there. Her great- 
 grandfather, Balsor Orth. was born in Austria. 
 May 5, 1702, and died October 20, 1788. He 
 •came to America prior to the Revolutionary war 
 ■and aided the colonies in achieving their inde- 
 pendence, Orth Fort being upon his place in Leb- 
 anon county, Pennsylvania. On the maternal side 
 Mrs. Dietz's great-grandparents were both killed 
 and scalped by the Indians. In early womanhood 
 she removed with her father to Keithsburg, Mer- 
 cer county, Illinois, and was first married to Wil- 
 liam Thompson, who died while in the army in 
 1864. To them was born a daughter. Fannie, 
 now the wife of Frank Bedford, chief engineer 
 on railroad transfer on the Mississippi at Vicks- 
 burg. Mr. and Mrs. Dietz have two sons: (iott- 
 lieb Orth. an attorney of Chicago, who was gradu- 
 ated from the (jrand Prairie Seminary at Onarga 
 and from the Xorthwestern L'niversity at Evans- 
 ton. Illinois ; and Cyrus Edgar, who is married 
 and practices law in Aloline. Illinois, being an 
 :ablc member of the liar there. He. too. is a gradu- 
 ate of the Grand Prairie Seminary and of tlie 
 Northwestern University, and botli brothers were 
 :noted footl)all players in college, tlie younger act- 
 
 ing much of the time as coach for various teams 
 in this and other states. }ilr. and Mrs. Dietz also 
 have an adopted daughter, Maude. 
 
 Politically Mr. Dietz has given his support 
 to a greater or less extent to the democratic 
 ])arty, although he is somewhat independent. He 
 has refr.sed nomination for office, preferring to 
 concentrate his energies upon his business affairs 
 and he has been capable and progressive in all 
 that he has done. He was the first man to de- 
 horn cattle in this section of the county and in 
 all of his business life he has manifested a spirit 
 of leadership that made him a prosperous and 
 successful agriculturist. He was reared in the 
 Lutheran church but he and his wife both favor 
 the Presbyterian cluirch and to a large extent 
 attend its services in Gilman. From an early age 
 he has been dependent upon his resources and 
 with a realization that merit is the basis of all 
 genuine and desirable success he has put forth 
 his efforts along lines of intense and well directed 
 activity and through former toil has gained a 
 competence sufficient to enable him now to live 
 retired. 
 
 ALONZO BUCKLEY. 
 
 Alonzo Buckley, who in former years was ac- 
 tively connected with agricultural interests in 
 Iroquois countv but is now living retired in Shel- 
 don, is a native son of Sheldon township, born 
 on the 8th of February, 1859. His parents were 
 Stephen and Eliza Jane (Harper) Buckley. The 
 father was born in Preble county, Ohio, January 
 2, 1823, and was but two years of age when his 
 ]iarents removed to Tippecanoe county, Indiana, 
 being among its earliest settlers. He there re- 
 sided until 1856, when he came to Iroquois 
 county. Illinois, and settled on land which he had 
 taken up from the government two years before. 
 He became one of the most extensive landown- 
 ers and prosperous farmers of the comity, in- 
 creasing his holdings from time to time until he 
 was the owner of fourteen hundred and sixty 
 acres in this county. His own labor was tlie basis 
 of his success and added to his diligence was a 
 sound judgment seldom at error in any business 
 transaction.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS
 
 W 
 
 u
 
 
 r. 
 
 y.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IKOOLOIS COUNTY. lUJNOIS. 
 
 »85 
 
 On the 3d of June, 1848, Stephen I'.ucklev 
 wedded Miss liliza Jane Mar]>er. who was Ixirn 
 in Montgomery county. Indiana. They came tn 
 Ir<K|nois County among its early residents 
 an<l sliare<l in the liardships ot the pio- 
 neer life in the early days but later were 
 enabled to enjoy all <jf the annforts and 
 many of the luxuries which jjo to make life worth 
 livinjj. Mrs. I'.uckley pas.-^ed away at the age of 
 sixty-nine \ears. while Mr. iiuckle\ died in Shel- 
 don in June, 1<;04. in the eiKhty-secon<l year of 
 his age. ( )f their family of six chiUlren five still 
 survive: Samuel, of Sheldon; Mrs. IX'lilah .\nios. 
 who resides in Sheldon: Mrs. Sarah .A. Hoatman. 
 a widow, livinp in Chicago: .\lonzo. of this re- 
 view ; and .Mrs. Maria ElizalK'th Roberts, a resi- 
 dent of California. 
 
 The ancestry of the family can be traced 
 back to a still more remote period, as rej)rcsenta- 
 tives of the name were residents of North Caro- 
 lina in an early day. James I'.uckley. the grand- 
 father, was born in that state and married Sarah 
 Lincoln, a native of Ohio, who died in Tippeca- 
 noe county. Indiana, in 1&44. He afterward wed- 
 de<l a Mrs. Jacobs and in 1854 came to Iroquois 
 county, but remained here for only einhteen 
 months, when he tix)k u|i his abode in Carroll 
 county. Indiana. His last days, however, were 
 passed in Teimessee. 
 
 .After accpiiring a common-school education 
 .Monzo lUickley started out in life for himself at 
 the age of twenty-one years. He worked for his 
 father for wages for some time and in 1882 
 l)ought one hundred and sixty acres of land in 
 Sheldon township, which he still owns. I^ter he 
 increased his holdings until he now has two hun- 
 dre<I and thirty-seven acres of good land in Shel- 
 don and Concord townships, which he has im- 
 proved and ni.ide into gorid farms. He also owns 
 three hunrlred and twenty acres in Jasper county. 
 Indiana. In connection with the tilling of the 
 soil he also engaged in the raising of cattle, hogs 
 and horses, and both branches of his business 
 proved remunerative. He continued in the active 
 management of the farm until 1900, when he re- 
 moved to Sheldon, where he owns a commodious 
 and attractive twtvstory residence built in mod- 
 ern style of architecture. 
 
 The lady who presides over his home was in 
 her maidenhood Miss Calista M. Hickman, of 
 10 
 
 Concor<l township, a daughter of K. Hickman, 
 who lived in this county for some years, lioth 
 he and his wife are now dece.xsed. I'nto .Mr. and 
 Mrs. Mucklex have l>cen iKjrn three children: 
 .Nina 15.. who is attending the (ient Cit> lUisiness 
 College in (Juincy, Illinois; Free M., and lidgar 
 .\llen. lM)th at home. Mrs. Hiickley is a devoted 
 memlK;r of the Methodist Kpiscojial church and 
 for two years has been worths matron of Shel- 
 don chapter. No. 483. ( ). K. S.. which she joine<l 
 in i<n)2. and which her daughter joined in !<><)<). 
 .Mr. Muckley is a democrat in jmlitics and has 
 serveil for seven years as scluxtl director, while 
 fraternally he is connected with Sheldon lodge. 
 -No. (icxj. A. !•". & .A. M. He has now pnictically 
 retired from business life, but is one of the stock- 
 holders in the I-"armers ^levator at Sheldon. In 
 his business aflTairs he has been very successful 
 and is now a prosperous resident of the county, 
 having accumulated the competence which en- 
 ables him to live retired in tile enjoyment of the 
 comforts of life. He is a native .son of the county 
 and a representative of one of its pioneer fami- 
 lies. His interest in jtublic affairs is deep and 
 sincere and is manifest in substantial co-opera- 
 tion which he has given to plans and measures 
 for the public good. 
 
 JOSEPH II. I'i:ltikk. 
 
 Joseph H. Peltier, merchant and postmaster of 
 .Martinton. was Iwrn in this town. December 31, 
 1874. He is a son of \'ictor Peltier, a native of 
 t'ana<la. who came to this county in the year 
 i860 and for many years followerl general ag- 
 ricultural (lursuits as a life wr>rk. He afterwarri 
 took up his at>ode in the town and filled the piv 
 sition of postmaster and was also justice of the 
 peace. He married Miss Florence Faucher. of 
 Canada, who still survives him. his death hav- 
 ing occurred in May. 1895. His political allegi- 
 ance was given to the republican partv an<l he 
 was an exemplary memlH-r of the IiuU-|)endent 
 Orrler of Odd Fellows. 
 
 Joseph H. Peltier was educated in the .Martin- 
 ton schools and afterward engaged in teaching 
 school for two years. Subsc(|uently he was em- 
 ployed as a clerk in a store in Momence and on
 
 1 86 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 returning to Martinton he embarked in business 
 on his own account after clerking for six years. 
 In i8q7, however, lie was api)ointed postmaster 
 I)y William McKinlev — a position which his 
 father had previously held. This is a fourth- 
 class office and he handles three mails a day and 
 there are two rural routes. In connection with 
 managing the office Mr. Peltier is also engaged in 
 merchandising, having in 1898 bought out the 
 store of J. L. Ducharme, dealer in drugs, paints, 
 oils, wall paper and stationery. He has a well 
 equipped store and carries a good stock. The 
 building which he occupies is twenty-five by 
 ninety feet, two stories in height with basement. 
 He also owns the opera house in the town, which 
 was originall\- built by his father but was de- 
 stroyed by fire and rebuilt by .Mr. Peltier. In 
 communitv interests he has been quite active and 
 influential and for one term has served as village 
 clerk. 
 
 Air. Peltier was married in Martinton in iijoo 
 to Miss Allic Money, who was born in Middle- 
 port townshi]i, Iroquois county, in 1880. They 
 are well known young people of Martinton and 
 this section of the county and the hospitality of 
 the best homes is freelv accorded them. 
 
 HERM.\N \\'.\LTER SNOW. 
 
 Although no longer a resident of Iroquois 
 county, for at the present time he is living re- 
 tired in Kankakee, Herman Walter Snow de- 
 serves honorable mention in this volume. No 
 citizen of Sheldon or of Iroquois county com- 
 mands more genuine respect and his life record 
 is a splendid example of what may be accom- 
 plished through the force of character, through 
 laudable aml)ition, strong determination and hon- 
 est purpose. Starting in life without any of the 
 advantages of the schools or of fortunate envi- 
 ronment which are so often considered necessary 
 to success, he has arisen from a humble and even 
 obscure position to one of affluence and promi- 
 nence — winning success in the business world 
 and gaining political honors, not through the 
 methods of many modern politicians but in recog- 
 nition of his sterling personal worth and public 
 spirit. 
 
 His life record began in northern Indiana, 
 July 3. 1836. and during his infancy he was 
 taken by his parents to Kentucky, where he re- 
 mained for thirteen years, spending a part of that 
 time upon a farm. The family then removed to 
 Illinois, locating on a farm near Peoria, where 
 for four years Mr. Snow did a man's work, rais- 
 ing and harvesting crops, opening a coal mine, 
 using the pick and shovel, digging and hauling 
 coal. ( )wing to the death of his father he was 
 left without educational privileges and when six- 
 teen years of age was unable to read a letter 
 which he received from his elder brother, but he 
 hunted up an old speller with the script alpha- 
 bet, deciphered the letter in a week and in a few 
 weeks was able to answer it. This effort 
 awakened in him a desire to know more and he 
 studied from that time on, working by day and 
 poring over his books by the blaze of the coal 
 which his hands had dug. He was already a 
 fair reader, could write some and was making 
 fair progress in grammar and arithmetic while 
 still working in the coal mines. 
 
 While on the farm with his mother and sisters 
 their house was destroyed by fire and the already 
 harvested crops were consumed. The death of 
 the best horse and the sweeping away of nearly 
 all the fences by a torrent of water completed 
 his misfortune, so that with his mother and 
 sisters he removed to Peoria, where he secured 
 a position as janitor of a school building. All 
 his leisure time at night was devoted to study 
 until he qualified himself for the position of a 
 countn' school teacher and. entering upon that 
 work, he "boarded 'round" as was then the cus- 
 tom. He continued teaching for three years, 
 during which period he embraced every opportu- 
 nity for the study of algebra, geometry and sur- 
 veying. .\ kind friend then offered him a posi- 
 tion in the circuit clerk's office, where he recorded 
 deeds and did other clerical work and later he 
 was given a position in the office of the county 
 clerk, extending taxes and doing other such 
 duties. One day Hon. Judge (laic, of Peoria, 
 accidentally caught him reading Ca;sar in Latin, 
 talked with him and finally ottered him a small 
 school in the city — the judge being at tliat time 
 city superintendent. He remained at the school 
 for only (inc term, for lie gave such satisfaction 
 that he was then placed at the bead of the old
 
 IRuyLUli, Le)L'XTV, II.I.IXDIS. 
 
 187 
 
 second ward schtHjl witli two Iniiuircd pupils 
 aiui tliri'c assistants. lie remained there seven 
 years and reached the liit;lu-st sal:ir\ jiaid for 
 principals. 
 
 .\l\vays a student from llie time when lie t<Mik 
 up the speller in order to read his hrotlier's letter, 
 he had while enuaj^ed in educational work in 
 I'eoria prosecuted his studies in prei)aratiiin for 
 the lejjid jirofession and on beinj; admitted to 
 the bar resigned his school and opened a law 
 office in Peoria. There he was wailed on by 
 a dozen or more of his former pupils, who said 
 that they would enlist for service in the Civil 
 war if he would do so. He |)rumptly threw 
 down his law books and all marched to the re- 
 cruiting office and enlisted. Mr. Snow was sent 
 out for further recruiting service, helped tn fill 
 up the company, which he drilled, having him- 
 self privately drilled, and, wholly unexpected to 
 himself, was elected captain, though carrying a 
 musket as a private only the day before, .\fter 
 this term of service was over he again raised a 
 Company, was again elected captain and subse- 
 quently was promoted lieutenant colonel of his 
 regiment. It was to this regiment and the im- 
 nifdiate su|>ervision of Major (ieneral Stead- 
 man that Brigadier General Wofford, with ten 
 thousand four hundred Confederates, surrendered 
 at Kingston, Lleorgia. CJeneral Steadman was 
 so pleased with the excellent condition of his 
 regiment, at that time untler charge of Colonel 
 Snow, after a most exhaustive march of over 
 thirty miles on a hot day to ri'ach Kingston in 
 time, that the Colonel was sent for and men anti 
 officers complimented. 
 
 Some months later Colonel .Snow was detailed 
 on the staff of Major-( ieneral Steadman and 
 made provost marshal general of the state of 
 Georgia, relieving Brigadier General ( irosvenor. 
 of flhio, who was ordered home with his regi- 
 ment to be mustered out. Colonel Snow filled 
 the offices with credit and satisfaction until it was 
 alKilislu-d by order of the war dei)artment. when 
 he returned to his regiment at Columbus, Georgia. 
 The regiment saw but little fighting, being on 
 detached service most of the time, but was a 
 part of the First Brigade of the .Second sepa- 
 rate Division of the .\rmy of the Cmnberland. 
 Colonel .Snow has twt) honorable discharges for 
 his two terms of service, though short oni-s. and 
 
 has two commissions as captain and one as lieu- 
 tenant Colonel. He also has a certificate signed 
 by .\bndiam Lincoln, thanking him for special 
 -ervices after his term of enlistment had expire<l, 
 and a ])rivate letter from the secretary of the 
 treasury thanking him for saving a large sum of 
 money for the L'nited States by his vigilance. 
 
 On his return home Colonel Snow, owing to 
 sickness and death in his mother's family, whom 
 he ha<l mainly supiKirted while in the army, was 
 compelled to resume teaching and for several 
 years thereafter was thus connected with the 
 Chicago high school, having been one of four 
 that passed the examination out of seventy-five 
 applicants for the situation. At length he re- 
 signed and removed to Washington, Illinois. 
 While in th.it city he became the junior partner 
 of the banking house of Danforth, Snow & 
 Company and acted as bookkee|)er for four years. 
 Desirous of going into business for himself, he 
 removed to .Sheldon, where land was cheap and 
 the country new and wholly undrained. Here 
 in the mi<lst of what seemed in some ways un- 
 promising conditions he established the Bank of 
 .Sheldon on the 2fith day of January. 1875, be- 
 giiuiing business in a little frame buililing one 
 story in height and fourteen by twenty-six feet. 
 His capital had been saved from his laliors in 
 other fields of activity. The first depositor was Dr. 
 I.. B. Brown, who made a deposit of five hundred 
 dollars. He was (piickly followed by Dr. Barrv' 
 and one by one others came in and opened ac- 
 counts. It ref|uired ()erseverance and determi- 
 nation to establish the bank u])on a paying basis, 
 owning to the fact that many of the early set- 
 tlers were \hxk and needed to tmrrmv money 
 rather than to de|x>sit it. but the Bank of Shel- 
 don prosi)ered. It was careful, economical and 
 conservative. It weathered the financial stonns 
 that followed the L"ivil war and in the course of 
 years found it advisable to seek more commo- 
 dious and better quarters, removing in the '80s 
 to the center of the brick block on the west side 
 of l-'ourth street. During this time Mr. Snow, 
 finding the business increasing rapidly, admitted 
 I. I--. Crandall to a partnership under the firm 
 style of .Snow & Crandall and under this n.ime 
 the bank was conducted vmtil 1885. when Mr. 
 ■(.'randall removwl to the .south. He was s<K-)n 
 afterward succeeded bv ID. W'atkins under the
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 firm name of Snow & Watkins. which relation 
 was maintained until 1899, when ^Ir. Watkins 
 withdrew and the firm became H. W. Snow & 
 Son, the junior partner being; L. D. Snow, who 
 is the present cashier and manager of the bank. 
 In 1900 the present fine fire proof brick building 
 was erected and equipped with the most modern 
 accessories for the conduct of a safe banking 
 business. The firm also has an insurance de- 
 partment, makes loans and does other business 
 of a similar character. 
 
 Mr. Snow was married while living in Wash- 
 ington, Illinois, to Miss Hattie C. Danforth, a 
 daughter of an old settler and well known citizen, 
 Asa H. Danforth. Deprived of practically all 
 school advantages in his youth Mr. Snow, how- 
 ever, is now a man of extensive education, well 
 versed in English literature, well read in law 
 and a fair classical scholar in Latin, (ireek and 
 French. He has traveled extensively in this 
 country, there being but few states or territories 
 that he has not visited, and he has been a close 
 observer of our institutions and a broad reader of 
 our literature. The great political problems 
 which eflfect the country in its various relations 
 have also claimed his time and consideration and 
 his ability for leadership has led to his selection 
 to several positions of prominence. While in 
 Washington he was elected to represent his dis- 
 trict in the state legislature and in the fall of 
 1890 was elected to congress from the ninth 
 Illinois district, going in on the "tidal wave" by 
 about one thousand majority in a district that 
 was hopelessly regarded as republican. After 
 taking his seat in congress he proved himself 
 an earnest, hard working member, scrupulously 
 honest and careful in all his official acts. In 
 1892 he was again a candidate for congress but 
 was defeated by Hon. IT. K. Wheeler. In Au- 
 gust, 1893, at the beginning of the special ses- 
 sion, he was elected sergeant-at-arms of the house 
 of representatives, which office he filled with 
 credit until the close of the fifty-third congress. 
 
 In 1894 Mr. Snow removed with liis family 
 from his old home in Sheldon to Kankakee, Illi- 
 nois, where he now resides. He is retired from 
 active business but is still part owner in the Hank 
 of Sheldon, which is conducted by his son under 
 the firm name of li. W. Snow & Son. Mr. 
 Snow is about five feet eight inches in height. 
 
 of rather light complexion, blue eyes" and brown: 
 hair. His temperament is sanguine and nervous 
 He is a man of good character, strictly honest, 
 somewhat reserved and distant but very social 
 with those who are intimately acquainted with 
 him. He is quick tempered but very just, never 
 judging any one harshly without hearing both, 
 sides and always ready to make amends whea 
 convinced that he has been wrong. His habits- 
 are in a marked degree domestic and he loves 
 the home circle. While religiously inclined and 
 broad in his views, he has but little regard for 
 the mere forms of worship and judges men by 
 their actions rather than by their words. Creed 
 is little to him — life much. He is fond of good 
 literature, especially poetry, and takes the keenest 
 delight in fine scenery, in forest and mountain 
 rambles and in traveling. The unbroken tran- 
 quility of his domestic life and his fondness for 
 wife and children are more to him than the dig- 
 nities and honors of political or public service. 
 
 WILLIAM B. FLEAGER. 
 
 William 1!. Fleager, whose life is a living illus- 
 tration of what ability, energy and force of char- 
 acter can accomplish, is numbered among the 
 leading men of Sheldon, and the city and state 
 have been enriched by his example. It is to such 
 men that the west owes its prosperity, its rapid 
 progress and its advancement. At fotirteen years 
 of age he started out in life on his own account 
 as a clerk in a mercantile estblishment and from 
 that humble position he has worked his way 
 steadily upward until, in the control of large 
 and important commercial and industrial inter- 
 ests, he has gained a place among the prosperous 
 residents of Sheldon and at the same time has 
 contributed thereby to general advancement and 
 prosperity. 
 
 Mr. Fleager was horn in Carlisle, Pennsylva- 
 nia, Se])teniher 20, 1830, and is a son of Charles 
 and Mary Ann (Wetzel) Fleager, lioth of whonr 
 were natives of Pennsylvania and spent their 
 entire lives there. The father was born .\ugust 
 <;, iSoo. and died Alarch 5, 1875. while the 
 mother's birth occurred November 11, 1807, and' 
 her death occurred on the I sth of March, 1866..
 
 w. i;. iLi:.\t.i:K.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNWERSIHf OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COl'NTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 Ujl 
 
 IJiitli were faitlil'ul and consistent nicnil)t.i> i>i 
 tlic LullK-raii church and Mr. l-"lcaf;cr was one 
 of its officers for the lonjj period of twenty-eiglit 
 years. William 1!. I"kaj;er was tlie eldest in 
 their family of thirteen children, and with the 
 exception of the youngest is the only one now- 
 living, his sister being .\rminda J. .Anderson. 
 She was Ixirn in C arlisle. I'ennsylvania, Septem- 
 ber 2i<. 1831, anil is the wife of Milton .Andersfjn. 
 of Sheldon. 
 
 .\t the usual age William 1'.. 1-leager began 
 his education in tlie public .schools, pursuing his 
 studies until he reacbeil the age of fourteen, 
 when be began i)riividing for his own su|)i)ort 
 as a clerk in a general mercantile store, where 
 he remained until twenty ye;irs of age. He then 
 entered the establishment of his lather, who w;is 
 a wagonmaker, and under whose direction the 
 son soon became familiar with the use of tools. 
 In 1851 he removed to I'eoria, Illinois, and be- 
 came clerk for John II. b'loyd, at first receiving 
 only eight dollars ])er month for his services. 
 but his em])loyer soon recognized his value and 
 his wages were gradually increased to forty dol- 
 lars |ier month. He remained with Mr. Floyd 
 for four years and then returned to his father's 
 home with four hundred dollars in gold, which 
 he had saved from his earnings while iii the 
 west, .\fter a two weeks' visit in I'ennsylvania 
 he returned to Peoria and established a confec- 
 tionery store, but this did not prove a ])rotit;ible 
 investment and he Itist all his capital. He then 
 removed to Cruger. Illinois. an<l in the interest 
 of others he carried on the store and also con- 
 ducted a grain business, besides serving as the 
 first postmaster of the place. He was likewise 
 made agent for the Toledo. IVori:i & Warsaw 
 Kailroa<l. and in 1857, at the recpiest of that road. 
 he accepted the position of agent at ( iilma'i. be- 
 ing the first representative of the cor])oratinn in 
 both Cruger and (iilman. In the latter pl.ice he 
 was also the first agent for the Illinois Central 
 Railroad Company. 
 
 While living in Ciilman. .Mr. I-"leager was mar- 
 ried in December. 1858. to Miss Maria I'.rubaker. 
 a daughter of Henr\- I'.rubaker. of Lancaster. 
 Pennsylvania, and unto them were born four 
 children, two of whom are now living. George, 
 who is employed in the First National Hank in 
 Cliicago; and .\rthur P... who was gradu.iled 
 
 from the .Xorthwesteru University, at Fvan.ston. 
 Illinois. June i(>. ii<t.)i, and is now in Chicago. 
 In 1875 Mr. IMeager was called to mourn the 
 loss of his first wife, who died on the 15th of 
 .May of th.it year. On the 1st of March, 1877. 
 he married Frances .M. Millimau, a native of 
 .\ew York, and they are the ])arents of four 
 children. Clarence l\.. Harry. Lva and Sam. 
 
 In March, i8f)0. Mr. Fleager removed to Shel- 
 don, casting in his lot with the early settlers. 
 >ince which time he has been promiueiuly iden- 
 tified with the history and upbuilding of the 
 town. ( ioing to Chicago he purchasetl one him- 
 dred thousand feel of lumber and established a 
 lumberyard. He erected the first building in the 
 town, and opened a grocery store in which be 
 Continued for some time. He also engaged in 
 general merchaujlising and became a dealer in 
 coal and grain. Thus bis activities have extend- 
 eil to various fields of labor, whereby the com- 
 munity has profited, anil at the same time his in- 
 dividual success has been ])romoteil. In 1873 
 he sold his general mercantile establishment and 
 engaged in the bankmg business as proprietor of 
 the Sheldon I'.ank. with which he was connected 
 until .M;iy 10. 1891. when be siild out ;m<l the 
 institution has since been known as the Citizens 
 Piank. He was likewise instrumental in estab- 
 lishing the Perfection I'.ag Holder Com]);uiy in 
 i8<^i. which was organized as a stock company 
 with Mr. Fleager as ])re'iident ; Mr. Wilkinson as 
 treasurer; and .Mr. Whitson as secretary. Mr. 
 Fleager is also operating quite extensively in real 
 estate. He is a man of resourceful business abil- 
 ity and is a self-made man in the fullest sense of 
 that oft misused term, his prosperity in life being 
 due to his industry and integrity. 
 
 Mr. Meager was the first postmaster of .Shel- 
 don, and the third, and in everything pertaining 
 to the upbuilding of the town he has taken an 
 active part and is a liberal contributor to the en- 
 terprises which insure its progress. He owns 
 several large business l)locks in the town besides 
 his beautiful residence, which he and bis family 
 occupv. .\ consistent member of the Methodist 
 church, he contributes generously to its supi)ort 
 and does all in bis power to promote its advance- 
 ment. I le has been the architect of his own for- 
 tune and has builded wisely and well. Starting 
 out at an earlv age. he has met competition, ba-;
 
 192 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 overcome difficuUies and obstacles and has 
 achieved a gratifying measure of success as the 
 reward of earnest labor, at the same time en- 
 joying the confidence and esteem of all who know 
 liim by reason of the straightforward methods 
 he has followed. He is a worthy example for 
 young men to pattern after, as showing what in- 
 telligence and probity may accomplish in the way 
 of success in life. 
 
 THOMAS McSORLEY. 
 
 Thomas McSorley, who has been engaged suc- 
 cessfully for a number of years in buying and 
 handling grain, coal and seeds at Martinton and 
 who is widely recognized as one of the foremost 
 busine^ men of the town, was born in Beaver- 
 ville, September 17, 1854, his parents being 
 James and Fannie (Woods) McSorley. the for- 
 mer a native of Scotland and the latter of Texas. 
 James McSorley came to America in early life 
 and located in Beaver township, Iroquois county, 
 Illinois, where he purchased two hundred and 
 forty acres of land, which he improved and 
 brought under a high state of cultivation, trans- 
 forming it into a fine farm, whereon he made 
 his home until his death. Of his children, five 
 in number, three are still living. 
 
 Thomas AlcSorley is indebted to the district 
 schools for the educational privileges which he 
 enjoyed. In his yorth he lived at home, assist- 
 ii:g his parents in various departments of farm 
 labor. He aided in the task of plowing, plant- 
 ing and harvesting as the years went by and con- 
 tinued under the jjarental roof unti' twenty-five 
 \ears of age, when he started out upon an in- 
 dependent business career. He began dealing 
 in hav and grain in Alarlintnn in connection with 
 P. S. Dewitt, with whom he was associatetl for a 
 short time, after which he liought out Mr. De- 
 witt's interest and conducted the business alone 
 for two years. He was afterward in jiartnershiii 
 with Mr. .Swindeman and in i8(j5 he built an 
 elevaliir with a capacity of thirty-nve thousand 
 bushels. In 1899 he Ijought out his partner's 
 interest and was again alone for two years, when 
 he sold out to R. !•". Cummings, who enlarged 
 the elevator to a capacity of one hundred thou- 
 
 sand bushels. Mr. McSorley has since been man- 
 ager and is thus engaged in buying and handling 
 grain, coal and seeds. In 1902 he inirchased a 
 farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Min- 
 nesota. He has long figured prominently in busi- 
 ness interests of Martinton and his efforts have 
 been of material benefit to the town as well as 
 a source of individual profit. 
 
 In 1879 ;\Ir. McSorley was married in Kanka- 
 kee, to ]\Iiss Alma Brown, who was born in Iro- 
 quois county in 1856. They became the parents 
 of seven children, 01 whom three are still liv- 
 ing, Nellie, Blanche and Ruth. 
 
 In his political views Mr. AlcSorley is a stal- 
 wart democrat and has served as president of 
 the town board, in which capacity he has ren- 
 dered signal aid in advancing the general wel- 
 fare. He belongs to the Alasonic lodge, to the 
 Independent Order of Odd Fellows and to the 
 ^Modern Woodmen camp, and during the long 
 years of his residence in Martinton and Iroquois 
 county his many good traits of character have 
 become familiar to his fellow townsmen and have 
 won him friendly consideration and warm 
 regard. 
 
 A. P. SINGLETON. 
 
 A. P. Singleton, who for four years has en- 
 gaged in the manufacture of brick and tile at 
 Buckley, is controlling a profitable business and 
 his energy and perseverance constitute the strong 
 elements in his success. He is one of the old- 
 time residents of this part of the state, having for 
 fifty-six years made his home in lUiniMS. He 
 was but six years old when brought to the state, 
 and as he has advanced in years and strength 
 he has also extended the scope of his activity, 
 thus becoming a valued and rejiresentative citi- 
 zen. He was born in Hocking count)-. Ohio, 
 March <), 1844, a son of Jaures Singleton, who 
 was likewise a native of Ohio, where he was 
 reared and married, the lady of his choice being 
 Hannah Arnold, a native of Oonuecticut. He 
 was a meciianic and stone-cutter by trade and 
 also devoted some time to agricultural pursuits. 
 In 1830 he removed westward to h'ulton county. 
 Illinois, where he worked at liis trade for a con-
 
 Ikonl . .K <'>U\TV. ILI.Iv, ,iv 
 
 «93 
 
 sidtTaWe perifxl. hut his last years wi-rc s|)ciu 
 ■on the farm. He died alxiiu iWrf). while his wife 
 siirviwd until iSi/>. t )f their family of six sons 
 and three daii>;luers. five stuis and two daugh- 
 ters reached mature years, while A. !'. Sinpleton 
 and one sister arc the only survivors. 
 
 Hroujjht to Illinois in 1850, .\. 1'. Sinjrlelon 
 was reared in I-'ulton county ti]x»n the home farm 
 and remained with his father until he attained 
 his majj>rity. He then enlisted, in the s|)rinj; oi 
 i8<)5. at the last call that was made for troops 
 iK'Cominjj a memher of Company H. I'-ijjhty-thirci 
 Illinois \'oIuntcer Infantry, and siil)se(|uentlv 
 was transferred to Comjiany F. Sixty-fifth \icn'\- 
 ment. He was sent south, where he enj.;a),'e<l in 
 j^uard duty and in Inmtinfj Riierillas in Kentucky 
 and Tennessee until the close of the war, Ix-inji 
 honorably discharjfed in SeptemlH.»r. iS^'i.s. 
 
 Mr. Singleton at once returned ti> I-"ulton 
 county and was marriecl there, Decemher J5. 
 iJVxj, to Miss Celinda .Mclntyre. a native of Il- 
 linois, liorn and reared in l*"uIton county. The 
 following spring they removed to Irot|unis 
 county, locating on a farm east of F-oda. which 
 Mr. Singleton o[H"rated for several years. Suh- 
 se(|nently he took up his abode on a farm in 
 .■\rtcsia township, near I'.uckley. where he car- 
 ried on general agricultural pursuits for seven- 
 teen years. He had, in the meantime, purchased 
 twenty-five acres adji>ining I'lUckley, together 
 with other property, and in I<j02 he purchased 
 the brick and tile business, a OHiipkte mami fac- 
 tory, supplied with nifxlern machinery. He now 
 makes and burns about thirty-two kilns per year, 
 and the tile nianufacture<l is from three and a 
 half to fifteen inches in diameti-r. The local 
 trade takes the entire output of the factory. 
 
 .As the years have gone by seven chililren have 
 come to the Singleton household, five yms and 
 two daughters: F-'rank S., who married Clain 
 Patcrson, of F-ostant. F-a Salle comity, a sister of 
 Mrs. F. E. ^Fe^ritt. and is cashier of the F^anforth 
 I'lank ; J. A., who is his father's partner in the man- 
 ufacture of brick and tile an»l who married Cora 
 Hull, a daughter of Filwin FInll. a ()rominent 
 farmer of .Artcsia township; L. \V„ who was for- 
 merly cashier of the Ruckley FJank and is now en- 
 gaged in the grain tr;ide; llerl)ert, a student in 
 the theological department of the Xorthwestern 
 Universitv. at Evanston. Illinois: William, at 
 
 home; Jennie, the wife of <'ieorge IJothwell, a 
 fanner of .\rtesia township; and .Maliel, at home. 
 F'olitieally .Mr. Singleton is indeiKrndent and 
 sup|>orts canditlates regardless of party affiliation. 
 F^e is a prohibitionist in principle. Fie and his 
 family are all memlxTs of the .MetlnMlist Kpis- 
 copjil church, in which he is serving as trustee 
 and steward, and is als<i a worker and teacher in 
 the .Sunilay-schiNil. He takes a mo.st helpful 
 part in the interests of the church ami his life 
 has been characterized by fidelity to its teachings 
 in his business and social relations. Tlius he 
 c<immands uniform confidence and gcMxF will an<1 
 his life embc«liis the elements of the worthy aiul 
 representative citizen. 
 
 nWll) I)KA\". 
 
 David iJean. a resident of ( )narga, is one of 
 the prosperous farmers and business men of the 
 city. He owns a well improved and valuable 
 tract of land in ( )narga township and which 
 in its successful control <lemonstrates his exec- 
 utive ability and keen discrimination. FFe dates 
 his residence in IrrKpiois county from iWiQ and 
 is a native of .*^ullivan county. New York, where 
 his birth occurred June 11. iX2<». IFis father. 
 Ueul)en Dean, was Ixirn in ( )range county. New 
 York, and lost his father when a small Fioy. FFe 
 was reared in the place of his nativity and after- 
 ward weiu to Sullivan county. .Vew York, where 
 he married ElizalK-th Devine. who was Ixirn in 
 the F.mpire state. .Mr. Dean was a farmer by 
 occupation and reared his family of fourteen chil- 
 dren upon the home farm in Sullivan county. 
 The family numbered six sons and eight daugh- 
 ters, all of whom reached mature years and 
 were married. David. J<ihnson an<l ficorge 
 Dean are now the surviving memF>ers of this 
 large family. 
 
 Cpon the old homestead proj>erty David Dean 
 was reared and in his youth he attendi-d the com- 
 mon schools of the neighlxirliiKxl but he is large- 
 ly a sclf-e<lucate<I as well as self-maile man, F^e 
 was married in .Sullivan county, \ew York, on 
 the joth of .\pril, 1831, to Miss Hann.di Davis, 
 who was Fvirn an<l rearetl in that county, a daugh- 
 ter of Flenrv V\'. Davis, .\fter his marriage he
 
 194 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 owned and operated a farm there for some years 
 and he had three children born there. In 1869 
 he removed westward to Iroquois county, Illi- 
 nois, purchasing land in Onarga township, where 
 he also began farming. He at -first had but 
 eighty acres, to which he afterward added until 
 he owned two hundred acres in that farm. There 
 he carried on general agricultural pursuits for 
 twenty-seven years and he placed many substan- 
 tial buildings there and conducted his work along 
 lines of modern progress. At length he sold that 
 property and took up his abode in Onarga, where 
 he purchased seven acres of land, erecting there- 
 on a comfortable and attractive residence and 
 good barn. His attention is now given to the 
 management and further improvement of this 
 propertv and he keeps some stock for his own 
 use. He purchased another farm in Onarga 
 township of one hundred and twenty-four acres 
 about two miles from Leonard, and he now rents 
 that place. Although he started out in life a 
 poor man he has steadily climbed the ladder of 
 success and is now in afiluent circumstances. He 
 has been a hard worker, industrious and ener- 
 getic and careful in his management. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Dean are the parents of three 
 children. Charles A., who reached mature years 
 and married, became a business man of Syca- 
 more, De Kalk county. Illinois. He was a travel- 
 ing salesman and died in Vicksburg, Mississippi. 
 He had one daughter. Aha. Irving ^I. is mar- 
 ried and is engaged in business in Indianapolis, 
 Indiana. He has two children, Bessie A. and 
 Vera. Cora May is the wife of F. W. Seyforth. 
 of Chicago, where he occupies a business posi- 
 tion, and they have four children : Dorothy, Isa- 
 belle Louise, Eleanor and Robert Seyforth. 
 
 Mr. Dean votes with the prohibition party, 
 of which he has been a stanch advocate for thirty 
 years, while throughout his entire life he has been 
 an earnest temperance man, never using intoxi- 
 cants nor tobacco. He has been without aspira- 
 tion for office for himself but he desires the best 
 interests of the county, state and nation and is 
 always rejoiced to sec good men put in office. 
 He and his wife are members of the ( )narga 
 Presbyterian church and the\- are highly esteemed 
 in the city and throughout the county, where fur 
 many years they have made their home. The\- 
 have both displayed traits of character, of heart 
 
 and mind which have endeared them to all with 
 whom they have been associated and which have 
 gained for them the confidence and good will 
 of the entire community. 
 
 JAMES W. KAY. 
 
 James W. Kay. one of the well known busi- 
 ness men of Iroquois count)- has for thirt}--five 
 years been engaged in the real-estate business, 
 controlling a business which at times has been 
 quite extensive. Moreover he has figured prom- 
 inently in public life, holding various offices to 
 which he has been called by the vote of his fel- 
 low townsmen and in which he has given proof 
 of his public spirit and devotion to the general 
 good. One of the native sons of the county, 
 he was born February 26. 1838. His father, 
 ^^'illiam D. Kay, was born and reared in Ohio 
 and in 1826 married Ruth Wright. Subsequent- 
 ly he removed from Cincinnati. Ohio, to Indi- 
 ana, and was engaged in the manufacture of 
 lumber at Perrysville until his death in 1837. . 
 His widow, seven years after his demise, married 
 the Hon. Isaac Courtright, both of whom died 
 in Iroquois county of cholera in 1854. 
 
 James W. Kay was reared in Iroquois county 
 and began his education in the common schools, 
 while later he attended the old Middleport high 
 school. He engaged in teaching in 1S58 and 
 taught three years. On the 22d of July, 1862, 
 while writing in the recorder's office at Middle- 
 port, he put aside all business and personal con- 
 siderations, prompted by a spirit of patriotisnt 
 which caused him to enlist in the defense of his 
 countrv is a member of Company A, Seventy- 
 sixth Illinois Infantry, under command of ]\Iajor 
 Harrington. He went south, serving three 
 years, during which time he ]jartici])ated in the 
 siege and capture of X'icksburg and also of Mo- 
 liile, Alabama. He was on detached dnl\- a parr 
 of the time and served as sales clerk in the post 
 commissary department in \"icksburg after the 
 surrender of the city, nearly sixty thousand dol- 
 lars passing through his hands as a private sol- 
 dier. Later he became a clerk in the quarter- 
 master's department. In the last campaign, re- 
 sulting in the capture of Mobile. Alabama, he
 
 MR. AND MRS. TAMRS W. KAV.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 "'T 
 
 was brigade forape master. He lost iid time 
 on accnunt of illness or other causes, serviiij; 
 until tlie close of the war. heinj,' mustered out 
 July 22. 1865. ami h<nioral)ly discharged at < lal- 
 veston. Texas, lie was war correspondent for 
 The * )ld Iroquois County Rei)ublican. 
 
 Returninn; to his home Mr. Kay was elected 
 in the fall of the same year to the office of county 
 clerk, receiving fifteen hundred votes out of the 
 two thousand cast, and after serving one term, 
 he served two years as deiuity county treasurer. 
 On his retirement from that office he was chosen 
 public administrator, his incumbency continuing 
 for eight years. He was for eleven years sch(M>l 
 treasurer at Watseka and he made the second 
 Set (»f abstract IxKiks of Ir<H|uois county, which 
 he later sold. His public service has been of the 
 utmost benefit to the county, being always char- 
 acterized by unfaltering devotion to the general 
 good and by faithfidness and ability in the dis- 
 charge of the specific duties of the office. 
 
 Mr. Kav has also been engaged in the real- 
 estate business for years, i-'or twelve years he 
 conducted land excursions to Texas, where he 
 made many large sales of land, lie has con- 
 tinued his real-estate operations and has de- 
 veloped a g(X)d business since his removal to 
 Onarga. January 6. n/X). handling much val- 
 uable property and negotiating many important 
 real-estate deals. During this period he has also 
 served as notary public for eight years and pen- 
 sion attorney. He has been identified with the 
 prohibition party since 1880. previous to which 
 time he acted with the republican party, and it 
 was as the candidate of the latter that he was 
 elected to the offices he has filled, although many 
 supporters of other parties have given him their 
 votes because of their l)clief in his political 
 integrity and cajjability. 
 
 Mr. Kay has been married three times. He 
 first wedded Mrs. Kmma C. Connell, of .Attica, 
 Indiana. < )ctober 16, i86r>, and on the 7th of 
 August, l8r>8. her death occurretl. < )n the nth 
 of May. i86c>. Mr. Kay was married in Kanka- 
 kee. Illinois, to Miss Xdaline I-lllingwtMid. who 
 died February 18. |88<>. leaving four children: 
 Wendel P.. an attorney of Watseka. Illinois; 
 Howard L.. who is engaged in the real-estate 
 business in Spcnccville. ( )hio : \\'illK-r Jones, who 
 is a teacher of oratory in Washington and JetTer- 
 
 soii College, at Washington, IVnnsylvania ; :ind 
 Miriam Ruth, the wife of Ralph 1-. I'aine. of 
 Saginaw. .Michigan. ( »n the 6th t>f January, 
 HK>o. -Mr. Kay was married in ( >narga to Mrs. 
 LlizalKth 11. Lindsey. the widow of Thomas 
 Lindsey, who was a prominent farmer of this 
 county. Mr. and Mrs. Kay are meml)ers of the 
 MetlwHlist Episcopal church, with which he has 
 been identified for forty years, and he also be- 
 longs to the Cirand .\rmy of the Republic. ( )ne 
 of the few surviving veterans of the Civil war, 
 he has also helped to make history in Iroquois 
 couiUy, leaving the impress of his individuality 
 for g(>)d upon its official life and business inter- 
 ests, while his influence has even been exerted in 
 behalf of truth, justice and right. 
 
 STF.PHFV CISSV A. 
 
 In a history of pioneer tiniis in Irotiuois 
 county mention should Ik- made of Stei>hen 
 Cissna, who came to this part of the state when 
 it was emerging from primitive frontier condi- 
 tions and taking on the advantages and improve- 
 ments of civilization. He l)ore an active part in- 
 the developiuent of the county, especially along 
 agricultural lines, and for many years was one 
 of its most extensive and prosperous farmers and 
 stock-raisers. Arriving in the county in 1856, 
 he took up his aliode in Pigeon Cirove township, 
 where he purchased six hundred and eighty 
 acres of land. He was a native of Cliillicothe, 
 Ohio, lK>rn I'ebruary 9, 181 5. His jKirents were 
 Stephen and Sarah (King) Cissna. who were 
 likewise natives of the I'.uckeye state. The father 
 served as a s«>ldier in the war of 181 J an<I 
 throughout his entire business life engaged in 
 fanning, making his home near Chillicothe, where 
 he died during the early youth of his son and 
 namesake. 
 
 Stephen Cissna of this review had only the 
 e<lucational a<lvantages afTorded by the connnon 
 schools of his native county and when still but 
 a boy he began learning the tanner's tmde, w Inch 
 he followed for a few years, in 1837 he re- 
 moved to Lafayette, Indiana, and was connected 
 with mercaiuile interests there for several years, 
 after which he took up his alvide in Williams-
 
 198 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 port, Warren county, Indiana, continuing' in the 
 same line of business. 
 
 It was while residing; in \\'illianis]jort that Mr. 
 Cissna was first married, on the 13th of April, 
 1848, to Miss Elizabeth Miller, a native of that 
 place. She died in Pigeon Grove township, Iro- 
 quois county, on the 2d of August, 1858. There 
 were three children of that union : Sarah Fran- 
 ces, who always resided with her parents and now 
 makes her home with her stepmother in W'at- 
 seka ; George C, deceased; and Charles, who 
 died in infancy. \\'hile residing upon his farm 
 in Pigeon Grove township, this county. Mr. 
 Cissna was again married, his second union be- 
 ing with Miss Clara Hawk, whom he wedded 
 November 6, 1864. She is a native of Erie. Penn- 
 sylvania, and a daughter of Erastus Hawk, who 
 always resided in Erie, where his wife likewise 
 passed away. 
 
 After his first marriage Mr. Cissna continued 
 to engage in general merchandising in Williams- 
 port. Indiana, until 1856. when with his family 
 and his brother \\'illiam he came to Iroquois 
 county. He was the founder and promoter of 
 the town of Cissna Park, which he named and 
 which is now a prosperous village in Pigeon 
 Grove township. ]\Ir. Cissna and his brother 
 purchased over a section of land, or six hundred 
 and eighty acres in Pigeon Grove township and he 
 concentrated his energies upon the work of gen- 
 eral farming' and stock-raising. The latter wa> 
 his principal business but he engaged in both 
 lines upon his original farni until 1867. when 
 he exchanged that property with his brother Wil- 
 liam for four hundred and seventy-one acres of 
 land in Middleport township, two and a half 
 miles east of Watseka. There he carried on .gen- 
 eral farming and stock-raising until 1877. when 
 he took up his abode in the town, although he 
 still retained the ownership of the farm. This 
 property is now owned by Mrs. Cissna and her 
 daughter. In Watseka he gave his attention to 
 no business interests save the supervision of his 
 "investments but enjoyed throughout his remain- 
 ing days a rest which he had truly earned and 
 richly merited. For niany years he was one of 
 the prominent stock-dealers of the county, car- 
 rying on his business on an extensive scale that 
 made it a gratif)ing source of revenue. As the 
 years j)assed his labors added to his financial w- 
 
 sources until he became a wealthy nian and no 
 word was ever uttered against his honor or his 
 good name, for in all of his business dealings 
 he was strictly reliable and his commercial in- 
 tegrity stood as an unquestioned fact in his life 
 record. 
 
 In politics Mr. Cissna was a very stanch re- 
 publican and kept well informed on the questions 
 and issues of the day. \Miile residing in Mid- 
 dleport townshi]) he served as supervisor for one 
 term and he held other local offices, acting as 
 road commissioner, while during the greater 
 period of his residence on the farm he was a 
 school director. He was interested in community 
 affairs and was always willing to aid in ]Dro- 
 gressive ]Miblic measures. He attended and con- 
 tributed to the support of the Methodist Episco- 
 pal church, of which his wife is a member and 
 he was one who in his life upheld the legal and 
 political stability of the county and endorsed its 
 intellectual and moral developnient. He died 
 April 26, 1900, at the veneralile age of eighty- 
 five vears, leaving a life record which in its sa- 
 lient characteristics was well worthy of emulation. 
 ;\Irs. Cissna and daughter own a ])alatial resi- 
 dence on Hickory street near Third street, which 
 was erected by Mr. Cissna upon their removal to 
 the town. She and her daughter usually spend 
 the winter months in the south, generally at Day- 
 tona, Florida, and have traveled extensively. 
 Thev are prominent in social circles here and 
 with excellent resources at hand are able to dis- 
 pense a hospitality which is most liberal and 
 gracious. 
 
 ALFORD PRUTSMAN. 
 
 Alford Prutsman, controlling one of the im- 
 portant industrial enterprises of Milford, being 
 engaged in the manufacture of brick, is a busi- 
 ness nian of marked enterprise and determina- 
 tion, who keeps in touch with the trend of mod- 
 ern progress and develoiiment. A native son of 
 the countv he was born in Prairie Green town- 
 shi]!, February 12, 1S38, and is a son of Jasper 
 Prutsman, who was born near .Xttica, in Foun- 
 tain comity, Indiana, Fel)ruary 12, 1836. He was 
 one of the twelve children of David and Maxey 
 M. I McMillan) I'rntsman. natives of Peinisvl-
 
 IRliQUM.S rni-\'TV. Ill IVoI' 
 
 •w 
 
 vaiiia and Kentucky respectively. The urantl- 
 tather ol our subject died in Indiana in 1837. 
 and his widow continued to reside in that state 
 until 185^, when she came ti) Illinois and made 
 her home with her son Jasper, who in that year 
 entered eighty acres of land from the govern- 
 ment in Inxpiois county. He had no s|K-ciaI 
 advantages at the outset of his career but lie 
 jjosscssed a strong character and resolute will 
 and as the years passed achieved a pooilly meas- 
 ure of success. On ccnjing to this county lie 
 at once taik up the task of transforming his 
 wild land in Prairie (ireen township into a pro- 
 ductive farm, and after nine years he removed to 
 Milford township, where he engaged in furnish- 
 ing timlKT in large (|uantities to different cor- 
 porations and firms. In 187.2 he turned his at- 
 tention to the establishment and conduct of a 
 brick and tile factory in Milford, operating it suc- 
 cessfully until i8<>4. In 185C he married Lu- 
 cinda Crow, a native of Kentucky and a daugh- 
 ter of David and Mary Crow, who became early 
 settlers of this county in 1850. Mr. Prutsman 
 died .\pril 7. 1906, but Mrs. Prutsman still sur- 
 vives her husband and is living on the old liome 
 place in Milford township. lie was a member 
 of .Milford lodge. No. 168, .\. P. & .\. .M.. and 
 held membership in the Methodist Episco|)a! 
 church, to which his wife yet belongs. His po- 
 litical allegiaiKe was given to the republican 
 party. He was truly a self-ma<le man and de- 
 served all the praise which that term implied. 
 In addition to his manufacturing interests he 
 owned an excellent fann of one hundred ami 
 twelve acres a half mile west of Milford and 
 there he made his home. 
 
 .Mford Prutsman of this review is the eldest 
 of a family of seven children, five of whom are 
 yet living, while two liave passed away. .Mary 
 M., lK)rn .\pril 2t). iSfo. JR'came the wife oi 
 George Gibbs. who died al)out 1888, leaving three 
 children. Walter C. George and Leila, and by 
 a second marriage she has two daughters, .\ngie 
 and Nellie. The other members of the IVutsman 
 household arc Malinda E., born February <>. 
 1862: Ora. March 8. 18^4; Walter K., .\prii jf,. 
 i8r>5; Frank. July f>. 18^(7; and .\rata, .\pril 11. 
 1870. 
 
 The educational privileges which .Mford 
 Prutsman enjoyed were those afforilcd by the 
 
 public »cli(i>i». riic tlays of his boyhood anci 
 youth were |jas.sed under the parental riM^f, while 
 at an early age he was associated with his fatlicr 
 in business, first in fann work and afterward in 
 the conduct of the brick and tile factory. Since 
 1894 he lias been proprietor of the business ami 
 afterward for three years was ass«xiated in the 
 conduct of the enteq)ri.se with his brother but 
 is now sole proprietor. He has twenty-two acres 
 ujKjn which has lK*en built a plant having a ca- 
 pacity of twenty thousand brick «laily and from 
 four to eight thousand tile. The factory is now 
 equipped with the latest improved machinery for 
 carrying on this work and the buildings are well 
 tracked. Nine men are employed during the busy 
 season and the output finds a ready sale. Ixring 
 largely u.seil by the local trade. Tiiis factory 
 has furnished tJie brick used in the construction 
 of the great majority of the buildings in .Milford 
 and the surrounding district an<l the product of 
 the tile works is found on many farms, the fer- 
 tility of which has been greatly augmented 
 through this method of drainage. 
 
 On the loth of May. 1893, .Mr. Prutsman was 
 married to Miss Ida Carr, a native of this county 
 and a daughter of .Mexander and .\manda J. 
 C^rr. who were born in X'irginia but Ixcame 
 early settlers of Irf>f|uois county, ^[r. and Mrs. 
 Prutsman are the parents of one daughter, Hat- 
 tie, born July 7, i8<>+. who is attending school in 
 -Milfonl. ' 
 
 Politically .Mr. Prutsman is a republican, and 
 brtad reading and investigation have kept him 
 in touch with the im|x>rt:uit issues which have 
 direct l)earing upon the welfare of the country 
 yet he is without political aspiration. He be- 
 longs to the Odd I'ellows Unlge at Milford, in 
 which he has passed all of the chairs, and he is 
 likewise connected with the encampment, which 
 was organize<l in i<a/>. while l)oth be and his 
 wife are coimecteil with the Order of Kelnrkahs, 
 in which he lias served in various offices. They 
 are much esteemed people with a large circle of 
 warm friends who hold them in high regar<l and 
 extend to them conlial hospitality. Mr. Pruts- 
 man is classed with the prominent anil enter- 
 prising business men of Milford and Irtx|uoi.s 
 county an<l is honored and respected by all not 
 onlv liecausc of the success he lias achieved but 
 also by rea.son "•' ''" ^'rn'-In forward, honorable
 
 U200 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 methods he has ever followed. It is true that 
 he entered upon a business already established 
 but in early manhood he set to work to thoroughly 
 master the business in principle and detail, and 
 as the years have gone by has been an active 
 factor in enlarging its scope. He has given to 
 the public a good product with reasonable prices 
 and has thus secured a liberal patronage and, 
 moreover, while winning a creditable measure of 
 success he has sustained an unassailable reputa- 
 tion in business circles. 
 
 GEORGE M. WILLIAMS. 
 
 A man of considerable natural ability, George 
 11. Williams has been uniformly successful in 
 Ijusiness from the beginning of his active con- 
 nection with agricultural, commercial and finan- 
 cial interests in this county, and the methods 
 which he has followed make his history one of 
 interest to the busines world. He has persevered 
 in the pursuit of a persistent purpose and gained 
 a most satisfactory reward. He is energetic, 
 prompt and notably reliable, and a genius for 
 devising and executing the right thing at the 
 right time, joined to everyday common sense, 
 are his chief characteristics. 
 
 He is a son of Judge Samuel and Catherine 
 (Bodv) Williams. The father's birth occurred 
 in Adams county. ( )hi(i, July n. 1X20. lie was 
 a son of Thomas Williams, who was born in 
 Maryland, in 1707. and the latter was a son of 
 Captain John Williams, a native of Maryland, 
 who in 1 80 1 removed to Adams county, Ohio, 
 remaining there until 1836, when he came to 
 Illinois, niaking the journev with ox teams, for 
 it was Ijefore the era of railroad travel and only 
 comparatively few pioneers had penetrated into 
 this region. Captain Williams timk up his abndc 
 at Rockford, which was then a hamlet contain- 
 ing but two cabins, one on each side of the river. 
 He remained tlu're for six years and in iSjj 
 came to Iroc)U()is county, locating in what is now 
 Belmont township, then a sparsely settled district. 
 The Williams family were true pioneers of the 
 county and bore an active and helpful ]iarl in 
 the work of development and progress as the 
 county emerged from frontier conditions and 
 
 took on all of the evidences of an improved and 
 modern civilization. Thomas Williams entered 
 land from the government and took up the task 
 of developing the farm, which up to that time 
 was entirely destitute of improvements, the land 
 being wild and uncultivated. In politics he was 
 a prominent democrat and did much toward 
 shaping the early political history of this section 
 of the state. He was also an influential worker 
 in the Methodist Episcopal church and thus con- 
 tributed to the moral development of the commu- 
 nity. He continued to make his home in Iro- 
 quois county until his death, which occurred Au- 
 gust 18. 1857. while his wife survived him and 
 passed away in 1880. She bore the maiden name 
 of Elizabeth Swim and was a native of Ken- 
 tucky, born January 2, 1800, so that at her death 
 she was eighty years of age. 
 
 Samuel Williams was the eldest in a family of 
 ten children, all of whom were reared to adult 
 age u]Kjn the old homestead farm in Iroquois 
 county. He spent fifteen years of his life in the 
 state of his nativitv and then came with his 
 parents to IlHnois. He worked in the fields and 
 upon the home farm until twenty-four years 
 of age. when he learned the carpenter's trade, 
 which he followed for two years. In 1844 he 
 purchased a homestead of one hundred and 
 twenty acres of raw, wild land upon which the 
 town of Woodland now stands. There he 
 built a house and began the task of farming 
 the projierty, making his home there for more 
 than a half century. He bought additional land 
 from time to time as his financial resources per- 
 mitted luitil at his death he was the owner of 
 over one thousand acres. He was a verv suc- 
 cessful man, of sound judgment and fertility of 
 resource, and whatever he undertunk lie carried 
 f(irw;ird tu successful completion. 
 
 In early manhood Samuel ^^'illiams wediled 
 Miss Catherine Rody, the marriage being cele- 
 brated March 20, 1846. She was a daughter 
 of Isaac llody, who went fnim Mifflin county, 
 1 '(.■nnsylvania. tn Indiana in 1830, and ten vears 
 later, ill 1S40, removed to Iroquois county. Illi- 
 nois. .Mrs. Williams was born in Pennsylvania 
 and was a little maiden of four summers when 
 with her parents she left her native state. Fol- 
 lowing his marriage Sanniel Williams carefully 
 conducted his business interests with the added
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIvrfvsiiy OF ILLINOIS
 
 SAMUEL WILLIAMS.
 
 (.Ki )K<;i-: M. W ll.l.l AMS. 
 
 II
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IRf>Or<)IS tV^rVTY. !I.!.I\<>IS 
 
 •W5 
 
 stinuilu> "1 h.iMii;; a family i'it uiiniii t" jir^'Mm. 
 He became one nl tlie iirjpinizers i*l' ll>e I*"irst 
 National I'lank at \\ alselci aiul was cho!>en its 
 first president, with lieor^e C liarrintjton as 
 its cashier. He was also one tif the organizers 
 of the Citizens Stale IJank of Watseka and 
 served as its vice ; ' r In iS7<» he laid 
 
 olT the village oi \\ . njHm his fann and 
 
 conducted the first store there for st)ine years 
 in jtartnership with Mr. (iiMHiyear. Me also 
 Iniilt and endowed the first church in W'lKidland 
 -a Methiwlist Episcopal cluirch. Readily did 
 he reco)^iize the nee«ls and <>pi>ortnnitii-s of the 
 town and county and liis elTorts were of the 
 utmost value in pr«>motin^ n)aterial. intellectual 
 and moral progress, l-'ew «>f the pioneers t<Kik 
 so helpful or active a part in the wurk of jjeneral 
 improvement and his name is honored by all who 
 knew him. lie was for ten years sui)ervisor of 
 Itelmont township and for twelve years justice 
 of the pi-acc. rendering decisions which were 
 strictly fair and impartial. In 18^0 he was 
 elected judge of tin- county court and filled that 
 position for four years. Ihe family uumliered 
 four children and all were reared upon the home 
 farm and were educated in ( inarga ."Seminary. 
 These are: Josiah Ci.. who is mentioned on 
 another jiage of this work: (ieorge M.. of this 
 review ; John S.. of ( )narj;a ; and l-'rank I... who 
 is living in Guthrie. ( 'klahoma. 
 
 (ieorgc M. Williams, whose nanu- introduces 
 this rex-iew. was lx)rn .May 7. 1H5!, on the old 
 family homestead in Melmont township, where 
 he has resi<le<l continuously since, lie mastered 
 the elementary branches of |-".nglish learninj; in 
 the public schools an<l subsetpiently matriculated 
 in ' >narga Seminary, from which he was grad- 
 uated. .\fter putting aside his te.xt-bcKiks he 
 Ijegan buying and shipping live stock, which 
 business he follow (.' -fnly for some \ears. 
 
 The father built a c .md Ji>hn S.. tieorge 
 
 M. and Frank I., engaged in the mantifacturc 
 of butter ;r ■ ■ for a mimlKT of yiiirs. but 
 
 owing !■• • n they sold out and resuine<l 
 
 fanniii ;,'e M. Williams first Imught two 
 
 hun<lre.'. aero of hnd : the villa-^'e of 
 
 WiMKlJand and this he . cultivate and 
 
 improve, transfoniiing it into fields which arc 
 prcxiuctive and bring forth g<Mvl animal har- 
 vest*, lie has alsi) made a s|K-cialt\ of fruit- 
 
 r.iisiii;^ .iMU lias imi sinu .h i i s planted to 
 
 IK-ache.N. |>ears, plums and apples, liis is the 
 oldest and most extensive frtiit farm in Iroquois 
 count} and his ■ ' ' !y received as 
 
 authoritx ujiou <.rs. while his 
 
 fruit-raising interests are to hint a gratifying 
 .source of inojiue. He has from time to time 
 bought more land and he now owns and operates 
 over si.x hundred acres of very valuable and well 
 improveil farm projKrty in this county. I le is 
 al.so his father's successor as vice president of 
 the Citizens State I tank at Watseka, which office 
 he has held since iS<;5. and he is likewise one of 
 the l)oard of directors. 
 
 In I'ebruary, 1SS3, was celebrated the marriage 
 of (ii-orge .M. Williams and Miss IJnnu Mc- 
 (iavick, a native of ( )hio and a daughter of 
 Henry Mciiavick, who was also Ixjrn in that 
 state an<l who in iSfo became a resident of .Mc- 
 Lean County, Illinois. .Mr. and .Mrs. Williauis 
 are now the parents of nine chiMren but they 
 lost two in infancy. Those who still survive are: 
 Cornelia, who was a student in the We.sleyan 
 Seminary at IlltMiutington, Illinois, and is now 
 a school teacher, living at home; Jessie, a young 
 lady at home; llenjamin. who is a student in 
 ( )narga Seminary; Josiah. Mary. 1 )ra .\nna an<l 
 Donald, all at home. 
 
 When age conferred upon .Mr. Williams the 
 right of franchise he supiMirted Horace (ireeley 
 for the presidency but since that time has ;i' 
 voted with the republican party and is .■ 
 wart champion of its interests. He .served his 
 township as su|K-rvisor for four years and has 
 been sch««>l director for a quarter of a century. 
 He is also president <>f the village Imard, having 
 belli office for two years, and WiHwIland has 
 profited by his lalmrs in its liehalf, for in tin- 
 office of chief executive of the village li 
 lalwired for 1 nil substantial ini|' 
 
 He holds nil ' willi the bine lo<i 
 
 sons at Watseka and liis wife is connected with 
 the ■ ' He is also a memlu-r 
 
 of ti lainp, the Royal Neigh- 
 
 Ix^rs and the I^yal .\mericans, ami his wife 
 hoi'" ' '1' in the Christi.-m church, while 
 
 his ill is indicated by his meinU-r- 
 
 ship in the .MetluHlist MpiscofMl church, of which 
 he -lee. .Mr. Williams is a 1 ■ ' 
 
 reji' .1- of an honored pionn
 
 PAST AND PRESEXT OF 
 
 Decades ago when this district was a wild region 
 of swampy land, unclaimed and uncvdtivated, his 
 grandfather came to this section of the state 
 and from that time to the present the name of 
 Williams has been closely and honorably as- 
 sociated with the work of progress and improve- 
 ment here. The career of George M. Williams 
 has reflected credit and honor upon the un- 
 tarnished family name, for in all life's relations 
 he has shown himself a manly man, actuated 
 by high principles in all of his business and so- 
 cial relations. 
 
 WILLL\M GOOSEY. 
 
 William Goosey is the owner of eighty acres 
 of good farming land, situated on section 6, Shel- 
 don township, and in addition to this property he 
 likewise owns forty acres on section 36, Concord 
 township. He was born in Cambridgeshire, 
 England, in 1850, a son of Leavett Goosey, who 
 was likewise a native of that country, and on 
 his emigration with his family to the new world 
 established his home in Concord township, oper- 
 ating rented land, for six years. Prospering in 
 his business affairs, he at length accumulated a 
 sum sufficient to enable him to invest in eighty 
 acres of land on section 36, Concord township. 
 Of this tract only ten acres had been cleared and 
 there was not an improvement upon the place but 
 the father aiWvated the land and in due time 
 gathered good crops as a reward for the care and 
 labor he has bestowed upoij the soil. He is now 
 deceased, his death having occurred in Concord 
 township, August 21, 1881. 
 
 William Goosey was a lad of ten years when 
 he accompanied the family on their emigration 
 from England to the United States. He was 
 educated in the schools near his father's home 
 and aided in the work of developing and improv- 
 ing new land, giving his father the benefit of his 
 services until he had attained liis majority, when 
 he began business on his own account, engaging 
 in the occupation to which he had been reared. 
 As he prospered in his labors, he was in due time 
 enabled to purchase land, in 1875 becoming own- 
 er of a tract of eighty acres, which was owned 
 bv Joiner nnil Vennum. This land was iniini- 
 
 proved but Mr. Goosey was not unfamiliar with 
 the arduous labor required in the development of 
 a farm, and thus with energy and perseverance 
 he set to work to make a valuable property. He 
 first tiled the land, built fences, and in due course 
 of time brought the fields under a good state 
 of cultivation. He likewise erected a good resi- 
 dence, containing seven rooms, built a barn thirty 
 bv thirty-si.x feet, corn cribs and other outbuild- 
 ings necessary for the care of grain and stock. 
 He has here engaged in farming to the present 
 time, in addition to which he raises good grades 
 of cattle as well as Poland China hogs, and in 
 both branches of his business he is meeting with 
 gratifying results. 
 
 Mr. Goosey has been twice married, his first 
 union being with ?\Iiss Lillian Clayton, who was 
 a native of England, but their marriage was 
 celebrated in Michigan. She became the mother 
 of one son, Charles, who is now a resident of 
 Chicago. For his second wife J\Ir. Goosey chose 
 Jane Davis, whom he wedded in Concord town- 
 ship. She was born in Dearborn county. Indi- 
 ana, and by her marriage she became the mother 
 of two sons, George and Frank. 
 
 Since coming as a lad to the United States, 
 INlr. Goosey has resided in Iroquois county, cov- 
 ering a period of almost a half century^ so that he 
 is familiar with the events which have shaped 
 the history of this section of the state, and he 
 has given valuable aid in the development of its 
 agricultural interests. He is a democrat in his 
 political faith, and his wife holds membership in 
 the Presbvterian church. 
 
 BENJAMIN P. COWAN. 
 
 Benjamin P. Cowan, one of the active and 
 prosperous farmers of Prairie Green townshiji. 
 also having farming interests in South Dakota, 
 is numbered among the pioneer sgttlers of Illi- 
 nois, for he took up his abode within the borders 
 of the state in 1855, at which time he established 
 his home in Grundy county. A native of Eng- 
 land, he was born in Lancashire, on the 12th of 
 January, 1837, and there remained tmtil he at- 
 tained the age of eighteen years, in the meantime 
 acquiring a fair education in the public schools.
 
 IR<^QlOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 207 
 
 In 1855 he emigrated to the new world and made 
 his way at once to Illinois, settlintj in Grundy 
 coimty. He had previously learned the carpen- 
 ter's trade and in this state he was identitkd with 
 builtling operations for a numl>er of years. 
 
 .\lr. Cowan was married in Morris, (irundy 
 county. Illinois, in .Xu^ust. iS<n. to Mary .\. 
 I'ride and unto them were born two sons, W. 11. 
 and i5cn 1'. Mrs. Cowan was a native of Scot- 
 land, where she was reared to the age of twelve 
 years, after which she was brought to the I'nited 
 States. I'ollowing the death of his first wife 
 Mr. Cowan was married alK>ut twenty-.seven years 
 ago in Prairie lireen township, this county, to 
 Martha J. (aiest. a native of Indiana, and by 
 this union there are four suns and one daughter. 
 
 Following his first marriage Mr. Cowan rented 
 land in Gnmdy county and in connection with 
 his farming ])ursuits also carried on carpentering. 
 He came to Iroc|uois county in 1870 and pur- 
 chased one hundred and twenty acres of raw 
 land. u|)on which he erected good buildings, while 
 he fenced the place and transformed the land 
 into priKluctive fields, lie also set t)Ut a grove 
 of mai>le trees and planted much fruit. lie like- 
 wise tiled the land and added much to its value 
 through systematic drainage. There is now no 
 waste land on the place. He also put n() a g(jiid 
 windmill and pump and carefully su])erintended 
 his farming ojKTations in this county until 1882. 
 when he left the farm and with his wife and sons 
 went to South Dakota, where he established a 
 tree claim. He also bought land there for him- 
 self and for his sons. He put gof>d buildings 
 upon the farms and has artesian wells, from 
 which he has an unfailing source of (lowing 
 water. The water is i)i]ied to the houses 
 and barns an<l is thus very convenient for 
 the uses of the stock as well as for do- 
 mestic pnrjKises. His principal crop is wheat 
 and he and iiis sons farni alK)Ht seven hundred 
 acres of land devoted to the cultivation of wheat. 
 fla.\ and barley. In the year 190^1 he had one 
 hundred and ten acres in fla.x and secured there- 
 from a g(M3d yield. He lives upon a place of two 
 hundred and seventy acres in Day county. South 
 Dakota, which he homesteaded and improved, 
 and he also owns the old home projierty of one 
 hundred and twenty acres in I'rairie < ireen town- 
 ship, carrying on his farming operations with the 
 
 assistance of his sons. The two sons of his first 
 marriage are l>oth married and live in Sot. ii Da- 
 kota. The children of the second marriage are 
 John, who is a druggist at (irafton, .North Da- 
 kota ; James, also living in South Dakota ; .\rchic, 
 a student in < )narga Seminary ; Joe, a \ximg man 
 at home; and Mary, who is now attending col- 
 lege at Fargo. North Dakota. 
 
 In former years Mr. Cowan gave stalwart sup- 
 port to the democracy but is now e(|ually earnest 
 in his a<lvt)cacy of rei>ublican principles. He has 
 ser\-ed as highway commissioner for three years 
 and has been a memlnrr of the sch«H)l lioard. 
 Community interests always receive his endorse- 
 ment and supiiort and his labors have been of 
 marked benefit to the locality in which he has 
 lived. He liclongs to the Maptist church, while 
 his wife holds membership in the (."hristian 
 church, anil both are highly esleemecl in Iro«|uois 
 county, where they have many friends, and also 
 in .South Dakota. 
 
 THO.\l.\S LEGCOTT 
 
 .•\ valuable farming property of two lumdred 
 anil forty acres on section 30. t'hebanse township, 
 yields yearly tribute to Mr. Leggott. who for a 
 long [H-riod was engaged in general agricultural 
 l)ursuits uiHin that farm but is nmv living in 
 Clift<»n. where he also owns five acres of land. 
 in the midst of which stands his comfortable 
 residence. A son of John and I'llizabcth (Skclls) 
 Leggott. he was born in Luddington. Lincoln- 
 shire. Fngland. December 7. 1826. and was the 
 fifth in order of birth in a family of ten children, 
 namely : J(jse|)h. William. Ino. Henjamin. Thom- 
 as. George. Mary. Sarah, Susan ancl Maria. 
 
 Mr. Leggott spent the first twenty-seven years 
 of his life in the land of his birth and is indebted 
 to its public-school system for the educational 
 privileges he enjoyed. Investigation into busi- 
 ness conditions in .\inerica led him to .seek a 
 home in the new world an<I he sailed from Liver- 
 p<H>I on the I4tli of .\pril. 1833. landing at New 
 ^'ork on the 29th of May following. He was 
 employed at difTerent ])laces in the cast for a 
 few vears and finally made his way westward to 
 Illinois, eventually kx-ating in Clifton on March
 
 208 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 I, 1861. Securing land in Chebanse township, 
 he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, 
 in which he was very successful, as his present 
 accumulation of property indicates. He worked 
 diligently in the cultivation and development of 
 his land, brought his fields under a high state 
 of improvement and therefore annually harvested 
 large crops, the sales of which added materially 
 to his income and in the course of years made it 
 possible for him to put aside all active business 
 cares and enjoy life in comfort and ease. 
 
 In 1858 Mr. Liggott was married to Miss Anna 
 Orton. and unto this union three children have 
 been born, but Lizzie died in infancy and Henry 
 has also passed away. The surviving son. Oliver, 
 is a resident of Clifton. The wife and mother 
 died in 1891 and Mr. Leggott now makes his 
 home in Clifton with his brother Benjamin. In 
 politics he is an independent republican — that is, 
 he endorses the principles of the republican party, 
 but at local elections does not consider himself 
 bound by party ties and casts an independent 
 ballot. He contributes to the support of churches 
 and to all worthy movements which have for their 
 object the welfare and upbuilding of the com- 
 munity, and his life may well serve as a source 
 of Inspiration and encouragement to others who 
 have regard for the true value of character and 
 who desire to win honorable success. 
 
 CLASS ANDERSON. 
 
 Class .\nderson is the owner of a line farm of 
 one hundred and twenty acres, situated on sec- 
 tions II and 12, Beaver township, where he is 
 engaged in farming and stock-raising, being 
 numbered among the practical and ])rogressive 
 citizens of this part of the stale. As the name 
 indicates, he is of .Swedish birth, his natal day 
 being December i. 1832. His parents, John and 
 Rreta (Lawson) Anderson, were likewise natives 
 of Sweden, and on emigrating to the new world 
 the family made their way to Yorktown. Indiana, 
 where they remained for one year, when they 
 removed to Iroquois county, where the father 
 entered one hundred and twenty acres of Liml. 
 on sections 11 and 12, Beaver townsliiji, the year 
 of their arrival being 1853. This land was all 
 
 wild and unimproved but the father at once de- 
 veloped and cultivated the land and he built a 
 double rail pen. which furnished shelter for him- 
 self and family during the first winter, and 
 which was subsequently replaced by a more sub- 
 stantial frame dwelling. In the family of this 
 worthy couple were four sons and one daughter 
 but the only surviving member is Class, whose 
 name introduces this record. The father passed 
 awav in this county in 1864. 
 
 .Mr. Anderson was reared and educated in the 
 land of his birth, and in 1852, when a young 
 man of twenty years, accompanied his parents 
 on their emigration to the new world. When 
 he arrived in this country he had but fifteen cents 
 in his pocket, but he was an ambitious young 
 man, determined in his purpose, and through 
 hard work and close application worked his way 
 upward until he was enabled to engage in busi- 
 ness on his own account. On arriving in the 
 United States he made his home in Lafayette, 
 Indiana, where he worked on the construction 
 of the railroad which was being built between 
 Lafavette and Indianapolis. He was then en- 
 gaged in farming in Warren county, Indiana, 
 for three years, operating rented land. He then 
 came to Iroquois county in 1836 and rented his 
 present home farm, comprising one hundred and 
 twentv acres. He afterward bought the interests 
 of the other heirs in his father's home farm. He 
 has made all of the improvements which are here 
 found, has laid four hundred rods of tiling and 
 added nianv accessories necessary to farm prop- 
 ert\-. In 1884 he erected a good barn, while 
 in 1898 he built a modern country residence, con- 
 taining eight rooms and supplied with all con- 
 veniences and comforts, this being one of the 
 nice homes of the locality. 
 
 On the 23d of October, 1856, in Warren 
 county, Indiana, Mr. .\nderson was united in 
 marriage to ^liss Kngahurg Nelson, who was 
 likewise liorn in Sweden, and on the 23d of Oc- 
 tober, KjOf'), they celebrated their golden wed- 
 ding, at which time all of their children and 
 grandchildren were jirescnt, together with about 
 one hundred neighbors and friends. Of the eight 
 children born to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson three 
 ■ire now deceased, namely: Augusta A., Cora 
 M. and John G. Those still living are : Charles; 
 I'rank ; Emma \'., who resides in Clricago; Jo--
 
 MK. AM) MRS. n.ASS ANDKKSoN.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IRoOUOIS COUNTY. ii.i.i.\mi> 
 
 .M t 
 
 scphinc, at home: aiul Krnot, wlm is attending 
 collcfje at I-'vanston, Illinois. 
 
 Mr. .Xiulcrson jj'^t^* I''* ix'litical si)|)|Mirt to 
 the republican |i.irty and has scrvc<l as school 
 director, In-inp deeply interested in the cause of 
 education and providiii).; his children with )^immI 
 ailvantages in that tlirection. lie and his family 
 all hold ineinlK-rship in the Methi«li>t K|)iscoi>al 
 church, in the work of which he takes an active 
 and helpful part. He has now made his home 
 in Iro(|uois county for more than four decades 
 and is therefore widely and favorahlv known as 
 one of the substantial and leadinj; citizens of 
 this section of the state. 
 
 \VILLI.\M T. NOLl.V. 
 
 \\ liliam 1". Xolin, a native son of InKpiois 
 county and one of its extensive landowners, his 
 real-estate possessions aRgrepatinp fen hundred 
 and sixteen acres, of which two hundred and 
 eighty acres are in \'an I'.uren county, Iowa, re- 
 sides on section to, Stockland towiishii). ami il 
 was upon this place that he was Ixirn June 17. 
 i8fi6. His father, i^amuel K. Xolin. was a na- 
 tive of Ross county, Ohio, and a son of Thomas 
 N'olin, who was Inrn in the I'uckcye state. The 
 great-^nind father of our subject was Richard 
 Nolin. a native of NMrginia. who removed from 
 the Old Dominion to Kentucky and t1eil from the 
 Indians to Ross county, < )hio. In 1831 his son. 
 ThoiTtas Xolin. removed from Ohio to Fountain 
 county. Indiana, and four years later became a 
 resident of Uenton county, Indiana where his 
 children were reared. He died in 1840. 
 
 Samuel K. Xolin was one of eijiht children and 
 the year 1849 witnessed his arrival in Illinois. 
 He .settled in Stockland township, where Ik- lo- 
 cated four hmidred acres of governmeni land. 
 Not a furrow had lieen turned or an imj)rovement 
 made u|x)n the place and thus the arduous task of 
 developing new land devolved upon him. .\s the 
 years passed he prospered in his undertakings 
 and added to his property from time to time 
 until he Ijccame the Viwner of fotirteen hun»lred 
 acres, of which three Inindretl and sixty lay in 
 Rcnton ctHinty. Indiana, and the remainder in 
 Illinois. .Samuel Xolan thus in his life demon- 
 
 strated his exrelleni business ca|>acity antl marked 
 energ\. He won his success b\ careful iiu -■ 
 ment and by untiring efTort, his pathway i ■ \ t 
 l>eing strewn with the wrecks of other men's 
 fortunes. He was twice married, having in 185,^ 
 wedded Miss Rachel I")aw,son, a <hiighter of 
 Elisha and FV>Ily Dawson. Her death occurred 
 in 1854 and in .\ugust, 1857, Mr .Xolin was 
 unitctl in marriage to Miss Clarissa Cf>lTelt. They 
 became the parents of four children but the sec- 
 r>nd died in inf.'iucy. Those still living are : Mrs. 
 Mary X'oliva ; William, of this review; and .Mrs. 
 Matilda J. Xickel. The wife and mother dieil 
 in January. 1800. at the age of sixty-three years, 
 and .Mr. Xolin, long surviving her, passe<l away 
 in 1902. at the venerable age of eighty-one years. 
 
 William T. Xolin was reare<l upon his father's 
 fann and his educational advant;iges were those 
 afrnrde<l by the district schools. When not busy 
 with his text-l)ooks he worked in the tiel<ls and 
 when a young man of twenty years he began 
 working by the month as a farm hand. He was 
 thus employed for three years, after which he 
 rentid land and engaged in fanning on his own 
 p.ccornt near Moopeston for four years. On the 
 expiration of that perio<I he entered into partner- 
 ship with his father and the relation was con- 
 tinued for nine years. Inheriting the old home- 
 stead of three hundred and thirty-six acres, and 
 purchasing four hundred acres in Milford town- 
 ship, he now owns seven hun<Ired and thirty-six 
 acres of valuable land in Inx^uois county. With 
 his farming he raises goo<l stixk of all kin<ls. 
 having thoroughbred Duroc Jersey hogs, Per- 
 cheron and Shire horses and registered Hereford 
 cattle. He also breeds, raises and deals in regis- 
 tcreil .^Shropshire sheep, and at the present writ- 
 ing has sixty-five head of registered Hereford 
 cattle in his herd. He has large and substantial 
 buildings ujion his place, including two good 
 barns on the home farm and goml buildings an'l 
 tenant houses on his other farms. He has marie 
 steady and consecutive progress in his business 
 life, working persistently al<ing lines of labor that 
 always accomplish desired results. 
 
 In January, i88g, Mr. Xolin was married to 
 Miss HuliLi v.. Peters«>n, a native of Sweden, who 
 was an orphan and had made her Ivime with Jessv 
 Sumner for ten years, Mr. and Mrs, Xolin are 
 now the parents of seven children : Garissa, w ho
 
 212 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT (3E 
 
 is attending- school in Hoopcston : Grace AL, Rul)y 
 E.. Samuel K.. John M.. Lester W. and Ruth 
 Edith, all attending school with the exception of 
 Ruth Edith. 
 
 Mr. and Airs, \olin hold nienibershi]) in the 
 Alethodist Episcopal church at Stockland. in 
 which Air. Xolin is a trustee, and fraternally he 
 is connected with the Knights of Pythias of Alil- 
 ford. His political allegiance is given to the 
 democracy and he keeps well informed on the 
 questions and issues of the day as every true 
 American citizen should do. He was elected and 
 served as supervisor for one term. At local elec- 
 tions he casts an independent ballot and he 
 stands for reform, progress and improvement in 
 citizenship as well as in other relations of life. 
 In his farm work he has made steady advance- 
 ment, and he heartily believes in raising high 
 grade stock and in utilizing the improved methods 
 of farming, realizing that the best results are 
 thereby obtained. He has a reputation for busi- 
 ness integrity and activity that is most commend- 
 able and therein lies the secret of his success. 
 
 JOHN PAUL I'ALLISSARD. 
 
 John Paul Pallissard, state's attorney of Iro- 
 quois county and a resident of Watseka, was born 
 in the town of Aroma, Kankakee county, Illinois, 
 January 3, 1871. He is a son of Jean Cecile 
 Edward Pallissard, a native of France, who, 
 when a young man, emigrated to Illinois in the 
 early '50s with his father. Paulin Xarcisse Pal- 
 lissard. who became one of the early settlers of 
 that town. The grandfather had selected land 
 in central Illinois, upon which he settled and 
 which is still in possession of the familv. The 
 mother of our subject, Herminie ( Lemoine ) 
 Pallissard. is a native of Canada and a daughter 
 of John l'>. r_. Lemoine, a man well known 
 among the early settlers from Canada. 
 
 John Paul Pallissard of this review was reared 
 ujjon his father's farm and continued to follow 
 the vocation of farming with intermissions until 
 he reached the age of twenty-five. His early 
 education was received in the district school on 
 his father's farm, and he afterward attended the 
 ]nil)lic schools at Kankakee, St. \"iateurs College, 
 
 and the Xorthern Indiana Normal School at 
 X'alparaiso. He pursued his studies in those 
 different institutions in the winter months and 
 in the summer seasons his time and energies 
 were de\oted to the work of the fields. Aluch 
 of his education, however, was obtained by study 
 while he was following the plow. In 1891 he 
 was .granted a license to teach school, and fol- 
 lowed that profession for some time, at finst de- 
 voting only the winter months to it, while after- 
 ward he .gave his entire time to educational ser- 
 vice for five years. During the latter part of the 
 time he took up the study of law under the di- 
 rection of W. G. Brooks, at St. Anne, and subse- 
 quently matriculated in the Bloomington Law 
 School, from which he won the degree of L. L. 
 B. in June, 1898. He then entered the law office 
 of I^aniel H. Paddock and Bert L. Cooper, at 
 Kankakee, remaining with them for some time. 
 
 Air. Pallissard was instrumental in establish- 
 ing the First National Bank at St. Anne, and 
 became its first cashier, remaining with that in- 
 stitution for two years but in 1900 he was ad- 
 mitted to the bar, and preferring the practice of 
 law as a life work, he removed to Watseka in 
 1901 and has since prosecuted his profession here. 
 In the fall of 1904 he was elected state's attorney 
 by the people of Iroquois county and has since 
 occupied that position. He has much natural 
 ability but withal is a hard student and is never 
 contented until he has mastered every detail of 
 his cases. He believes in the maxim "there is no 
 excellence without lalior" and follows it closely. 
 He is seldom surprised at an unexpected dis- 
 covery by an opposing law'yer for in his mind he 
 wei,ghs every point and fortifies himself as well 
 for defense as for attack. He convinces by his 
 concise statement of law and facts rather than 
 I)y word-painting and the profession as well as 
 the ])ublic acknowledge his ability. 
 
 Mr. Pallissard was united in marriage, in 1897, 
 to .Miss 1 .ida 1 )tn-and, of St. Anne. Illinois, and 
 unto them have been born two daughters: .An- 
 nette, who was born February 5, 1900; and 
 Rosclla, Ixirn September 30, 1902. Mr. Pal- 
 lissard has taken considerable interest in social 
 matters, being a member of several fraternal or- 
 ganizations and of the Iroquois Club as well. In 
 ])olitics he is a re])ublican, having been more or 
 less active in political circles since attaining his
 
 IRUQUUIS COUNTY. II.MV. .i> 
 
 213 
 
 majority. He is a great iKlicvcr in oinmoii 
 [x?o|)lc with whose cause he has been assitciatc<l 
 all his life and is known as a sturdy opixtnent of 
 monopoly and of misrule in municipal affairs. 
 
 U". R. K» »1;1".K1S, .\1. 1). 
 
 Dr. \V. R. RolK-rts. engagetl in the practice of 
 medicine and surgery at (."issna I 'ark. is one of 
 the i)romii)ent representatives f)f the meilical fra- 
 ternity in this iKirt of IrcKpiois county, where 
 he has practiced continuously for about ten years. 
 .\ native of Illinois, he was born in .McLean 
 county, January 3. 1873. His father. Dr. Wil- 
 liam Roljcrts. was one of the pioneer physicians 
 of that county but for some yc-ars has lived re- 
 tired at Corpus Christi, Texas. 
 
 Dr. Roberts of this review was reared to man- 
 hood in the state of his nativity and at the usual 
 age began his education, passing through suc- 
 cessive grades until he had completed a high- 
 school course. He then took u|) the study of 
 medicine and pursued his first course of lectures 
 in the Kentucky Schrx)l of Medicine at Louis- 
 ville, from which he was graduated in the class of 
 1894. He then located for practice in Got)dland, 
 Indiana, where he remained for two years, and 
 in !><</) came to Iroquois comity, settling at 
 Woodworth. where he resumed practice and so 
 continued for four years. In n^oo he took up 
 his ai)ode at Cissna Park, becoming the successor 
 of Dr. McCIintock, and during the intervening 
 years he has made steady and gratifying prog- 
 ress in his professional career. He has now an 
 extensive patronage and is regarded as one of the 
 most skilled and capable members of the medical 
 profession in this county, fur his ability has been 
 demonstrated in the excellent results that have 
 followed his professional service. 
 
 Dr. Roberts was married in Woodwfirth, on 
 the 28th of February. 1897. to Miss Jennie Leath- 
 eniian. a daughter of Joseph Leathcrman. of 
 Irfx|uois county, and their home is now blessed 
 with the presence of four children, Paul. I'arl. 
 Joseph aufi Rhoda. 
 
 In public life and local political circles the 
 Doctor has exerted a wide-felt influence. He is 
 a demrKrat. yet without aspiration for office. 
 
 As a publie-spiriiid citizen, however, he has re- 
 s|Hinded to the call of his fellow townsmen who 
 have Sought his services in public life and he is 
 now acting on the village board, lie and other 
 members of the Ixord are working harmoniously 
 and effi-ctively for the iK'tlermenl of llie town. 
 In 1906 they made arrangements to entertain 
 the old Settlers at Cissna Park and made prepa- 
 rations to care n<it only for the old settlers but 
 for all who visited here on that occasion. Dr. 
 Roberts was one of the most active in the work 
 of making this meeting a success and all pro- 
 claimed it to be the most enjoyable ever held in 
 the county. The Doctor is also interested in the 
 cause of education, serving now as a memlK-r of 
 the .school Ixjard an«l doing everything in his 
 power to ]>rom(rte the interests of public in- 
 struction and to arlvance the standard of the 
 schools. He has filletl all of the offices in the 
 Knights of Pythias lodge to which he belongs 
 and is a past chancellor. He is also connected 
 with the Modern Woodmen of .\merica and is 
 cam]) physician. Thus in community interests 
 he takes an active and heljiful jtart. He is, more- 
 over, well known to the me<lical profession in 
 Ford, \'eniiilion and Inxiuois counties and is 
 accfirdcd a place of prfuninence in its ranks by 
 rea,son of his knowledge and his conscientious 
 discharge of the duties that devolve u])on him in 
 the practice of his profession. 
 
 FRF.EM.W P. MORRI.^. 
 
 I>eeman P. .Morris, lawyer and law-maker, 
 whose connection with the legal profession has 
 won him distinction, while his services in the 
 state legislature have reflected honor upon the 
 community that has honoreii him. is leading a 
 life of signal activity and usefulness. He wa- 
 born in (.ook county, Illinois, March if). 1854. 
 His father. Charles Morris, was a native of Penn- 
 sylvania. an<l. reuMiving westward. located on a 
 farm in Cook county, Illinois, at an early perifKl 
 in the development of that portimi of the state. 
 There he ma<le his home until his death. His 
 wife, who lK>re the maiden name of Sarah Thom- 
 as, was also born in Pennsylvania, and was a' 
 (laughter of I'reeman Thomas, who discovered
 
 214 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 the value of anthracite coal and operated the first 
 coal mine. He left the Avondale and Grand Tun- 
 nel inines to his children and their descendants. 
 The family of Charles ^Morris numhered five 
 children, all of whom are living. 
 
 Mr. Morris of this review was reared and edu- 
 cated in Cook county, and his preliminary educa- 
 tion was supplemented by study in Cook Counts- 
 Normal, the old Chicago University and the Chi- 
 cago Northwestern Law School. Thus having 
 prepared for the bar, he was admitted to prac- 
 tice in 1874 and came to Watseka, where he 
 opened a law office, practicing alone for a time. 
 He then formed a partnership witli Robert Do\ie, 
 which connection continued for about ten vears. 
 and for the past fifteen years he has been a part- 
 ner of Judge Hooper, practicing law in Iroquois 
 county and elsewhere and being connected with 
 nearly all of the noted cases of this section of the 
 state. For many years he has been attorney for va- 
 rious important business interests and counsel for 
 the various railroads of the county. His knowl- 
 edge of the principles of jurisprudence are broad, 
 comprehensive and accurate, and as advocate and 
 counselor he has won distinction, the utmost con- 
 fidence being placed in his legal abi!it\- — a confi- 
 dence of which he has shown himself worthy in 
 the successful conduct of the litigated interests 
 entrusted to his care. 
 
 Mr. Morris has gained equal distinction in pub- 
 lic life, where he has figured prominently in con- 
 nection with democratic interests. He has repre- 
 sented his district in the state legislature six 
 times, his work there becoming a matter of his- 
 torical record. That he has embodied the views 
 of the county at large in his legislative work is 
 shown by the fact that he has so often been re- 
 elected, and as a member of the general assem- 
 bly he has commanded the respect and honor of 
 his political opponents by reason of his fidelity 
 to duty and the spirit of unselfish patriotism 
 which he has manifested. He has also been 
 mayor of Watseka and president of the library 
 for ten years. He is strongly opposed to misrule 
 in nnmicipal affairs and to the machine ])oIitics 
 which serves the purposes of the individual or 
 works to the detriment of the people at large. 
 On the contrary he is interested in all those plans 
 and purposes which are a matter of civic virtue 
 and of civic pride, and his labors have been di- 
 
 rectly beneficial to his city and county in many 
 ways. 
 
 Mr. Morris was married in Colorado, in 1882, 
 to Miss Minnie A. Lott, who was born in La 
 Salle county. Illinois, and they have one son, 
 Eugene, who is now a student in a law school in 
 Chicago. In addition to the home property Mr. 
 Morris owns farm lands in Iroquois county and 
 realty in Chicago. Fraternally he is connected 
 with the Masons and the Knights of Pythias. 
 Carlisle wrote that "history is the essence of in- 
 numerable biographies" and it is therefore fitting 
 that the sketches of the distinguished citizens of 
 the county should find a place in this volume, 
 in which connection Mr. Morris, by the consen- 
 sus of public opinion, is rated. He stands today 
 as a high type of our American manhood, who 
 has won success in a useful field of business and 
 gained the respect and honor of his fellowmen 
 by his public service and private life. 
 
 WILLIAM S. HTSLOP. 
 
 ^^'illiam S. Hislop, a representative of the agri- 
 cultural interests of Ash Grove township, his 
 home being on section 10, where he owns and 
 cultivates a farm of two hundred and forty acres, 
 was born in Milford township, this county, Jan- 
 uary 30. 1865, His father, Ninian Hislop. was 
 a native of Scotland, having been born at Rox- 
 bury, on the boundary line between England and 
 Scotland. There he was reared, residing in 
 Great Britain imtil 1842, when he took passage 
 at Liverpool on a westward bound vessel which 
 sailed for Quebec. Landing there, he made his 
 way at once into the middle Mississippi valley 
 and settled in Milford township, Iroquois county, 
 Illinois, in 1859. Much of the land was at that 
 time still uncultivated and Mr. Hislop opened 
 up a new farm, which he operated for a number 
 of years, or until 1889. In 1878 he removed to 
 Ash Grove township and established his home on 
 the farm where his son William now resides. 
 There he tilled the soil and produced his crops 
 for a number of years, when he retired from 
 active business life and is now making his home 
 with a son in Milford township, enjoying in well 
 earned retirement the fruits of his former toil.
 
 WILLIAM. S. HISLOr.

 
 IROorolS COUNTY. M.F.IVols 
 
 William S. Hi'-li'i) lar^cl\ s\K-\n lii> >> '11111 upon 
 tlu- I'anu which is \ct liis ])laci- i>l ri->iili-iicc ami 
 in thf coinnuM) sch<K>ls of the nciKlil>orh(Mj<l he 
 mastcrcil the hraiichis of leamiiin. which arc 
 iisiiall\ tauj^ht in such institutions. He remained 
 with his father until he iiad reached his majority 
 and afterwanl workol for him as a farm hand 
 for al«>nt two veirs. t >n tiie expiration of that 
 l)eritKl he iKUijjht a half interest in one lumdre<l 
 and sixty acres nf laiul. making a payment there- 
 on <)f one hiuidred and tifty dollars, lie reso- 
 lutely set to work to remove all inilebti"<lness and 
 has since purchaseil eighty acres in another tract, 
 which he now rents, lie has heen a j;<kxI busi- 
 ness man. careful in his mana.t;enient. sagacious 
 in his investments, and contmllini.; his interests 
 witit an ability that has hrnufiht him }.jralifyinjj 
 prosperity. Purchasinp the interest of the other 
 lieirs in the old home jilace, he nnw has the en- 
 tire pro|KTty and has expended larj^e sums in 
 its im|)rovenient and development. He has put 
 in one thousand dollars worth of tile, has built 
 a jjihhI barn and cribs and has kept up the place 
 in accordance with ideas of miKlcrn pro^jrcss as 
 is indicated in its well ke|)l ajjpcarance and its 
 productive fields. 
 
 .Mr. Ilislop was married in .\sh (irove town- 
 shi]) iin the t>tli of December. |S<).V to Miss Dora 
 .\. Hickmun. a daui;;hter of [•.. (i. Hickman, one 
 of tl'.e extensive lan<lowners of .\sh < irove town- 
 .shi|). They now have four children. Jessie, Lil- 
 lia I)., Kdith and .\rthur W. 
 
 .Mr. Hilsop votes with the republican jiarty 
 and has <lone efTective an<l valuable service for 
 the County durinfj two terms in tl'.e "office of 
 drainage commissioner. He helped to put in 
 some of the big ditches (if the county, one being 
 tnade at a cost of ten thousand ilollars. He has 
 served on the school board and is a stalwart 
 champion of the cause of education. He liL-lieves 
 in the employment of gond teachers, rcilizing 
 that there is no prqjaration so valuable in the 
 prosecution of responsible duties as intellectual 
 training. In seeking for the causis which have 
 contributed to his success ard led to his present 
 prMUunence in the community we find that they 
 are not unusual and that they are such as an\ 
 man might cultivate. He has displayed stalwart 
 principles and unremitting diligence, has been 
 watchfii' "'' •'" Sii.li.- It!. .11- |iointing '■■ -nti-.-- 
 
 and iia» miii/tii iiis i'pp<'niini!:c-. t'> the In-st ad- 
 vantage. His life has been une\enlful as far as 
 startling incidents or adventure is concerned yet 
 it has beei\ il -iied l)y the most sultstantial 
 
 qualities >i| > 
 
 IIKNKV L. DIXKKK. 
 
 Henry C". Decker, uperating a farm of one 
 hundred and twenty acres, of which he is the 
 owner of eighty acres, which is the old Deiker 
 homestead, situati-d on section S, I'rairie tirnn 
 township, was l>orn in .Milford township, Iro- 
 <|iiois county, December 7, 1S5-. ;i sfm of Chris- 
 ley Decker, who was born in I'age county, \'ir- 
 ginia, in iSi_v He was there reared and mar- 
 ried to .Miss .Mary .\nn Ri>>enlKTger, who was 
 likewise a native nf the t Md Domininn. The fa- 
 ther removed with his family to Illinois about 
 184S, locating on a farm in Lovejoy township, 
 InKpiois County, where he spent one winter, after 
 which he removed to a farm in .Milford township, 
 where he purchased land, which he s<jld in 
 i8<>3, and |)urchased the farm in I'rairie (ireen 
 township, on which the son now makes his home. 
 His first purchase comprised a tract of eighty 
 acres, which he cultivated anil improved anil to 
 which he added an additional tract of forty acres, 
 thus making altogether a tract of one luwulred 
 and tweiny acres. He built a goinl residence, 
 a barn and other outbuildings for the shelter of 
 grain and slock, and here carried on general 
 agricultural pursuits throughout his remaining 
 days. His death here occurre<l in March. 1881. 
 while bis widow still survives and has now 
 reached the venerable age of eight) -nine >ears. 
 being one of the highly rcs|K'cted pioneer women 
 of lro(|uois County. 
 
 H. (.". IX'cker, the youngest in a family of ten 
 children of whom five are now living, was 
 brought to this farm by his ]>arents when a lad 
 of six years and was here riared and eilucated 
 in the district .schools near the home. He spent 
 bis bo\Ii 1 ami youth in nuich the usual m in- 
 ner of frirui lads. I)eing assigned to the various 
 tasks of the fields as his age and strength per- 
 mittnl. an<l he remained on the home farm innil 
 
 hi- 'jri'U til tii.'iiilii M mI, wllin lir siiiiiiil iiiin'.n-
 
 2l8 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 ment at farm labor for others, working in that 
 way for two years, subsequent to which time he 
 returned to the home farm and worked with his 
 father for one year, or until the latter's death, 
 when he purchased the interests of the other heirs 
 in the homestead property and succeeded to the 
 ownership, and here he has since continued to 
 make his home. Since taking possession of the 
 property he has tiled the land and further im- 
 proved the property, which is today a valuable 
 farm. He has also installed a stock scale and 
 built a feed mill, and in connection with his farm- 
 ing interests raises and feeds stock for the mar- 
 ket, including good grades of horses, cattle and 
 hogs. In 1904 Air. Decker purchased a thresh- 
 ing machine and a corn sheller and in connection 
 with his eldest son, Merle, he is carrying on op- 
 erations along this line, and they have a large 
 patronage not only in their immediate locality but 
 throughout a large portion of the county, and 
 during the threshing season are kept very busy. 
 They have already shelled about one hundred 
 thousand bushels of corn and are meeting with 
 gratifying success in this new venture. 
 
 Mr. Decker was married in Watseka. Illinois 
 June 23, 1881, to ]\Iiss Emma T. Fidler, who 
 was born in Indiana, but was reared and edu- 
 cated in Iroquois county, Illinois, a daughter of 
 Andrew Fidler. Unto our subject and his wife 
 have been born four children, of whom one is 
 deceased: Henry Guy, who died when in his 
 sixth year; Merle F., who is a young man at 
 home and assists his father in the operation of the 
 home farm and also in operating the thresher 
 and corn sheller ; ]\Iusette, who has been afforded 
 liberal educational advantages and was formerly 
 a teacher in the schools of Iroquois county but 
 is now a student in the Gem City Business Col- 
 lege, at Quincy, Illinois; and Ivan J., who is also 
 a student in that institution. 
 
 Politically Mr. Decker is a stalwart repub- 
 lican and has taken an active and helpful interest 
 in local affairs, having served as township school 
 trustee for two years, township clerk for two 
 years and for the same period was tax collector, 
 while for six years he has been clerk of the dis- 
 trict schools. He and his wife hold membership 
 in the Christian church in which Mr. Decker 
 is acting as a deacon, clerk and treasurer. Hav- 
 ing resided in Iroquois count\- throughout his 
 
 entire life, Mr. Decker is familiar with much of 
 the development and progress that have been 
 made in this section during the last half century, 
 and he has been an active factor in making the 
 countv what it is todav. 
 
 JEREMIAH DAWSOX. 
 
 Jeremiah Dawson, who for a long period was 
 prominently known in Iroquois county as an ag- 
 riculturist and breeder of Xorman Percheron 
 horses and shorthorn cattle, is now living re- 
 tired in Milford, where he has made his home 
 since 1900. His residence in Iroquois county, 
 however, covers a period of more than a half 
 century, for it was in ]\Iarch, 1851, that he took 
 up his abode within its borders. His memorv, 
 therefore, compasses the period of its earlv pio- 
 neer development, for at the time of his arrival 
 the work of improvement had been carried for- 
 ward to only a slight degree and much of the land 
 was still uncultivated, the swamps undrained and 
 the timber uncut. }ilr. Dawson aided in the task 
 of reclaiming the wild land for the uses of civili- 
 zation and deserves prominent mention among 
 the honored pioneers and successful agricultur- 
 ists and stock-raisers. 
 
 A native of ^^'arren county, Indiana, he was 
 born January 16. 1836. His father, Elisha Daw- 
 son, was likewise a native of that state, his birth 
 having occurred in Dearborn county, W'here he 
 spent a portion of his youth, while the remain- 
 der of his minority was passed in Warren coun- 
 ty, following the occupation of farming. He was 
 married in the latter county to Polly R. Davis, 
 a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, and subse- 
 quently he carried on general agricultural pur- 
 suits in Warren county for a number of years, 
 or until his removal to Iroquois county with his 
 family in 1851. He died in this county at the 
 advanced age of eighty-one years, and his widow 
 is still living at the ripe old age of ninety-four 
 years, being the oldest lady in Iroquois county. 
 
 Jeremiah Dawson was one of a family of twelve 
 children and was reared under the parental roof, 
 largely acquiring liis education in the common 
 schools of Indiana, in which state he remained 
 until sixteen vears of age. when the familv came
 
 IROQl-olS COUNTY. HI 
 
 Ml) 
 
 to IlliiH>is. Merc he assisted in the arduous task 
 of developing and improving new land. 
 
 ( )n the 1st of Si-ptenilKT, lS5<^ occurred llie 
 niarriaj;c of Mr. Dawson ami Miss Mary M. Cof- 
 filt. also a native of Warren county, Indiana, and 
 a dau>;hter of .Michael Coffelt. who removed from 
 the Hoosier state to Kankakee county, Illinois, 
 l-'ullowiiifj his marriage .Mr. I>aw.son purchased 
 forty acres of land and later IxuiRhl forty acres 
 more which he be^jan to farm and improve. He 
 encted a j;oo<l two-stopi resilience and also vari- 
 ous o\itl)uilclin|.;s for the shelter of jjrain and 
 stock. He tiled and ditched his place and broupht 
 the entire farm under a goixl state of cultivation, 
 while eventually he extended its bttundaries by 
 the purchase of an adjoininj^ eighty acres until 
 he had one hundred and sixty acres in his home 
 farm anil three hundred and three acres in Con- 
 cord township, Iroquois county, holding that 
 property for some years. He later .sold that and 
 purchased six hundred and forty acres in Daviess 
 county, Missouri. He was a breeder of pure 
 blooded Norman horses for many years and also 
 full blotxled shorthorn cattle an<l his stock-rais- 
 ing interests constitute an important branch of 
 his business. 
 
 I'nto .Mr. and Mrs. Dawson were born five 
 children, but they lost their second born, Eva, at 
 the age of nineteen months. Edgar .\., the eldest. 
 a resident farmer of Daviess county. .Missouri, 
 married Savannah Jones, who died, leaving two 
 children. Homer LeKoy and Ciwyneth. The lat- 
 ter wediled .Mellie .\lexander. of Newton countv. 
 Indiana. Emma J., the eldest living ilaughter. i> 
 the wife of John English, and they have one 
 daughter. Loie Edith, who is with !hem at their 
 home in Daviess county. Missouri. Ira I)., a res- 
 ident farmer of Iro<|iiais county, marrii-d Mattie 
 Laird, and they have four children. C'lyde I'., 
 Clarence, N'elta May and Ira Lee. and they also 
 lost their second child. Daisy .\. Ivan l-'ranklyn 
 Dawson, the youngest of the family, is al-o a 
 farmer of Iroquois county, who wedded Emma E. 
 Love, and they have one sim. Floyd \V. 
 
 On removing to .Milford in nx)0 Mr. Daw.son 
 purchased a good piece of ground, on which he 
 erected an attractive and comfortable residence. 
 where he antl his wife reside. He has always 
 given his political allegiance to the republican 
 party since he proudly cast his first vote for .\bra- 
 
 12 
 
 ham Lincoln and for four years, from 1861 until 
 l8t)5. he was constable. t)therwise be has nci-'rr 
 .sought nor desired office, yet the duties of cit.. 
 ship are always faithfully perfornn-d by him and 
 he has co-operated in many movements which 
 have had direct Ix-aring u|)on the welfare and 
 substantial improvement of his community. His 
 memory goes back t'"> the ilax s when comparative- 
 ly few of the roads in the county had been laid 
 out. when nnly here and there was a dwelling to 
 indicate that the seeds of civilization had In-en 
 jilnnted in the district. .Many evidences of fron- 
 tier life were seen and on the farms the work was 
 done by very primitive nwchinery as conijared 
 with that in use at the present tiay. The stock, 
 too. bail not Ix'en graderl up to its present high 
 state of |x-rfection anil in every department of life 
 were seen indications which show a remoteness 
 from old and imp<irtnnt commercial centers. The 
 early products of the farm had to Ik- hauled long 
 distances to market but as the years passed and 
 settlement increased all this was changed and 
 Mr. Dawson was anK>ng those who were foremost 
 in bringing alniut development in agricultural 
 lines. His enterprise and well directed lalwrs 
 gained him a gratifying nu-asurc of success in 
 the conduct of his personal interests and he is 
 now classed with the substantial citizens wlK>se 
 possessions are sufficient to ])ennit them to live 
 retired without recourse to further active lal)or. 
 
 H. r. SYKES. 
 
 H. 1'. Sykes. a druggist and grocer of Che- 
 banse. was born I'ebruary 17. 1873. and is a 
 son of Oscar .'^. and Josephine (Keys) Sykes. 
 His preliminary educatinn was supplemented by 
 a course of .special study preparing him for a 
 chosen life work. He was graduateil from the 
 Northwestern I'niversily of Pharmacy at Chi- 
 cago with the degree of Ph. (i. on the 4th of 
 I\bruary. 1800. aiid after receiving practical 
 training as clerk in a drug store in Chebanse 
 he Iwiught out the establishment in which he was 
 ein|>l.iyed and is today the proprietor of the 
 iinl\ drug store in the village. He carries a 
 large and well selected stock and his store is 
 characterized l)v a neat and tasteful arrange-
 
 220 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 ment. In 1904 he established a grocery store 
 and has been very successful in its conduct, re- 
 ceiving a liberal share of the trade of the town. 
 In connection with this he has a truck farm of 
 two and a half acres within the corporation lim- 
 its of Chebanse and his triple business interests 
 are successfully carrried on by himself and his 
 father, Oscar Sykes. The building in which the 
 store is conducted is owned by the latter. 
 
 On the 9th of June, 1897, in Chebanse. was 
 celebrated the marriage of H. P. Sykes and Aliss 
 Lena E. Wakeman, a daughter of B. J. Wake- 
 man, a prominent nurseryman of Chebanse town- 
 ship. They have two children : Donald, born 
 January 4, 1902; and Hazel, January 4, 1904. 
 The parents are members of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal church, are interested in its various ac- 
 tivities and contribute generously to its support. 
 Air. Sykes is serving as one of its trustees and 
 for eleven years he has been an exemplary mem- 
 ber of the Masonic lodge at Chebanse. His po- 
 litical allegiance has ever been given to the re- 
 publican party but he has never been an aspirant 
 for office. He has earned for himself an enviable 
 reputation as a careful man of business and in 
 his dealings is known for his prompt and honor- 
 able methods, which have won him the deserved 
 and unbounded confidence of his fellowmen. 
 
 FREEDUS POE BEACH. 
 
 Freedus Poe Beach, connected with agricul- 
 tural and industrial interests in Iroquois county 
 for many years, is now living retired in Onarga. 
 The extent and importance of his operations at a 
 former date gave him a position of prominence 
 scarcely equaled by any in the county and he has 
 ever been a representative of that class of Ameri- 
 can citizens who while promoting individual in- 
 terests also contribute to the general welfare. He 
 dates his residence in the county from 1852 and is 
 therefore one of its oldest settlers. 
 
 A native of Ohio, Mr. Beach was born near 
 Columbus on the 15th of October, 1827. His 
 father, Samuel Beach, was a native of Connect- 
 icut, born in 1774, and was a son of Samuel 
 Beach, Sr., likewise born in the Charter Oak 
 state. The grandfather was a drum major in 
 
 the Revolutionary war and was a son of Samuel 
 Beach, who was the founder of the family in 
 America. Born in the little rock-ribbed country 
 of Wales, he came from the old world to New 
 England during the pioneer epoch in the history 
 of our country and established his home in Con- 
 necticut. Samuel Beach, the father of our sub- 
 ject, was reared in Connecticut and served as a 
 soldier in the war of 1812, also acting as a drum 
 major and carrxing a musket a part of the time. 
 Subsequently he removed to Ohio, where he was 
 married to Miss Violet Case, a native of Con- 
 necticut. He opened up a farm in Ohio and, 
 being a surveyor, he laid out the city of Co- 
 lumbus. He felled the first trees in what is now 
 the state house yard and was closely associated 
 with the work of establishing the capital city. 
 In Ohio he reared his family and spent the great- 
 er part of his life. The family numbered seven 
 children, six of whom reached years of maturity. 
 
 Freedus Poe Beach, the youngest of the family 
 and the only surviving member, was reared to 
 manhood upon a farm near Columbus, Ohio, and 
 his time was early occupied exclusively with the 
 work of the fields. He is almost wholly a self- 
 educated as well as a self-made man, but broad 
 reading, experience and observation have brought 
 him wide information, while untiring activity and 
 keen discrimination have gained him a gratifying 
 measure of prosperity in the business world. He 
 was married in his native state on the 27th of 
 March, 1849, to Miss Nancy Lewis, also a native 
 of Ohio, and one child was born to them ere their 
 removal to Illinois. 
 
 In 1852 they came to this state, settling first in 
 AIcLean county, Mr. Beach entering land from 
 the government in Yates township. This was 
 the first entrv of the township and he thereby 
 became owner of three hundred and twenty 
 acres. Immediately he took up the arduous task 
 of opening up a farm, breaking the prairie with 
 ox teams, and for several years he carried on 
 general agricultural pursuits there. He is a car- 
 penter and joiner by trade and he worked in that 
 line, building houses and barns for the first set- 
 tlers along the timber for about two years. He 
 then concentrated his energies upon his farming 
 operations. Well fitted by nature for leadership 
 in public affairs, he took an active and influential 
 part in framing the early history of the county
 
 C 
 
 f/ 
 
 > 
 
 r-.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OFTHt 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IRuyUOlS COLNTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 -•-•3 
 
 anil ill ]iroinutiiij; its pioneer progress an<l ilcvcl- 
 opmi-nt. Kcalizinjj the value of education, he or- 
 )jaiiize<l the township into sclnxil districts in 185O 
 and luiih the first sc1hh)1 house of the townshii) in 
 1S57. In iit)S, he removed to ( Jnarpa, where he 
 established a l>rick and tile yard. He manufac- 
 tured over five thonsaml dollars' worth of tile 
 hefore sellinp one hundred dollars" worth, hut 
 when once he had made a sale the i|uality of his 
 prfKluct hrouRht him other patrons and his husi- 
 ness sixiii iK'came a very |>rofital)le enter|>r'se. 
 Later he huilt the first hrick husiness block in 
 Onarjia and two years later erectetl the first 
 hrick business bl<K-k in (lilman. both structures 
 lK.inn two stories in heijiht. He also built the 
 first hrick school house in ( )nar>;a and two of 
 the first hrick build inps in llucklcy and all of 
 these were constructed from brick of his own 
 manufacture. In this way he has contributed 
 in substantial measure to the material develoj)- 
 ment of the county and at the same lime his la- 
 bors have bnnif^ht him a fjratifyinp measure of 
 prosperity. 
 
 In iS^f) .Mr. I'icach removed to Delrey. where 
 he continued in the mamifacture of brick and 
 tile. He also built the first elevator there and 
 conducted a urain business and also a store for 
 nineteen years. lie was tiuis closely associated 
 with the business enteqjrise and activity whereon 
 the tifrowth and development of a city always de- 
 pend. In i8<)5 he returned to ( )nar!L;a and pur- 
 chased an ;ittractive residence here, in which 
 he has since lived retired. In 1S71 he built the 
 first brick residence in ( )narpa. it being the finest 
 home of the city. 1 le has been lartjely instrumenfd 
 in improving and makiujj; this part of the count \ 
 what it is totlay and has led a life r)f great activity 
 and energy, resulting beneficially to the comnui- 
 uit\ as well as to himself. 
 
 In 1904 Mr. Meach was called to mourn the 
 loss of his wife, with whom he bad long trav- 
 eled life's journey hap|)il\, and who was laid to 
 rest in Onarga cemetery. Right children had 
 Ix-en Inirn imto them in this county, biit only fonr 
 of the number are now living. Martha, the eld- 
 est, is the wife of Dr. .\. I.. W'hitcomh and the\ 
 have three children. Ivlwiu Ileach. Pwi^ht and 
 Lewis. The Whitcomb faniil\ reside in Rogers, 
 Arkansas. Libhie is the wife of Rev. H. D. 
 Brown, now pastor of the Methodist Episcopal 
 
 church at .Seattle, Washington. I^vann is the 
 wife of (^"harles Iverson. now of Los Angeles, 
 California, and they have one child, ("icrard. 
 Clifford I'larl. an attorney at law at I'axton, Illi- 
 nois, is married and has two children, .\ita and 
 Leola. .Mr. and .Mrs. Meach had two daughters 
 who reached mature years and were married. 
 Mary became the wife of L'alvin Clark and died 
 in .\rizona. leaving four children. Carrie l>ecame 
 the wife of a .Mr. W'hitam and i)assed away in 
 Nebrask-a. The other chihlren of the family die<I 
 in infancy. .Mr. Meach was ag;iin married in 
 ( >narga in ii>04 to .Mrs. .Mary Hunt, a widow, 
 who died in May, i</y>, and on the 15th of .Au- 
 gust, ii//), he we<lde<l .Mrs. Lucina R. Haves, 
 of Scott, ( )hio. a daughter of Wesley J. -Mford. 
 
 Politically .Mr. Meach has In-en a republican 
 since the organization of the party and was a 
 delegate to the first rejHiblican state convention 
 of Illinois in iS5'>. He was the friend antl asso- 
 ciate of Lincoln, Lovcjoy, Yates and other men 
 who were |)rominent in molding the |«licy of the 
 ]:irty and figured conspicuously in framing the 
 history of the nation during that period. He has 
 served as a delegate to numerous county, con- 
 gressional and state conventions and continued 
 his affiliation with the republican party luitil 
 1886, when believing that the cpiestion of tem- 
 perance was the dominant issue befire the peo- 
 ple he joined the ])rohibition party and calleil the 
 first prohibition convention held in Iroquois 
 comUy. He was the first delegate sent to the 
 |irohil>ition conventions from his county and is 
 still a chamj)ion of the orgrunzation which stands 
 for the sup|>ression of the liipior traffic. He has 
 never sought, nor would he hold <iffice. but has 
 given his time and energies to his business af- 
 fairs and to such public service as he could per- 
 form in a |)rivate ca|)acity. 
 
 l-'or sixty-one years he has been a member of 
 the Methodist F.piscopal church, which he joineil 
 in ( )hio, anil he has served as a delegate to the 
 three animal conferences. Taking a ii«)St active 
 l)art in church work, he has served for thirty 
 vears as •superintendent of the ."simday-school in 
 iMith McLean ami Ir<x]uois counties ami has put 
 forth untiring effort in In-half of the upbuilding 
 of the cause of Christianity. He was one of the 
 organizers and builders of the first Methodist 
 Rpi.scopal church at IX-lrey. built in i.**S2 For
 
 224 
 
 PAST AXD I'RESEXT OF 
 
 fifty-four years he has been a resident of the 
 state and throughout the entire period has com- 
 manded the respect, confidence and friendship 
 of people not only of his own locahty but 
 throughout Illinois. He is a man of marked in- 
 dividuality and force of character and his fidel- 
 ity to principle has made him honored wherever 
 he is known. He deserves to be ranked with 
 those men who have distinguished themselves 
 by the possession of those qualities of character 
 which mainly contribute to the success of pri- 
 vate life and to the public staljility and who have 
 therefore enjoxed the esteem and confidence of 
 those around them. For a half century he has 
 participated in the business life of Iroquois 
 county and during all that time he has so 
 conducted the affairs entrusted to him as to merit 
 the full trust of the entire community and no 
 word of censure has ever been uttered against 
 his actions. 
 
 JOSEPH A. (iRAHAM. 
 
 The history of business development and prog- 
 ress ill \Vatseka would be incomplete without 
 mention of Joseph A. Graham, who was one of 
 the most active and influential residents of the 
 city and also one of the pioneers of Iroquois 
 county. He figured prominentli' in prunuil- 
 gating republican doctrines at a time when it 
 was unpopular to do so and yet he lived to see 
 the triumph of the princijiles fur which he stood. 
 He published the first republican newspaper in 
 Watseka and in fact brought forth the first 
 newspaper printed in Iroquois county. Joseph 
 A. Graham was born in Augusta county, \'ir- 
 ginia, Xovember 26. 1823, a son of James C. 
 and Isabella (Henderson) Graham, w lin were like- 
 wise natives of the Old Dominion, where the 
 father engaged in farming until 1833. He then 
 removed to Montgomery county, Indiana, where 
 he purchased land and engaged in general agri- 
 cultural pursuits until his death, while his wife 
 also passed away in the same locality. 
 
 Joseph A. Graham was a student in the com- 
 mon schools of his native county and afterward 
 of Montgomery county, Indiana, and his mental 
 discipline well qualified him for the res]ionsi- 
 
 bilities of an active business life. His school 
 days ended, he assisted his father on the home 
 farm for a few \ears, but thinking to find other 
 jiursuits more congenial, he entered a printing 
 office in Crawfordsville. Indiana, and learned the 
 trade. Subsequently he entered the field of 
 newspaper work on his own account. ( joing 
 to Danville, Indiana, he there engaged in the 
 publication of the Danville Weekly News in 1847 
 and 1848, after which he returned to Crawfords- 
 ville and established the Indiana Christian Her- 
 ald, which has since been merged into the Chris- 
 tian Herald, now published at Cincinnati, Ohio, 
 and one of the leading religious journals of the 
 country. After a short period spent as editor of 
 the above mentioned paper Mr. Graham went 
 to Danville, Illinois, where he became foreman 
 in a leading newspaper oflice, retaining the po- 
 sition there until January, 183 1, w^heii he came to 
 Iroquois county. Here he settled in ^liddleport, 
 now a part of the town of Watseka, and entered 
 upon the publication of the Iroquois County 
 Journal, the first newspaper published in this 
 county. It was devoted to the interests of the 
 whig party and started with a circulation of 
 about three hundred subscribers. For about 
 three \ears Mr. Graham was editor and publisher 
 of the Journal and then sold out to the firm of 
 Scott & Keady, who immediately made it a 
 democratic paper. At that time ^Ir. Graham re- 
 moved to Janesvillc, Wisconsin, where he was 
 connected with the Janesville Weekly Gazette and 
 at the same time he published the Wisconsin 
 Educational Journal, a leading monthlv paper 
 issued in Janesville. He was thus associated 
 with both enterprises until 1856, when he re- 
 turnetl to Watseka and began the publication of 
 the Iroquois County Republican, the first issue 
 of which was given out in Mav, 1856. The 
 ])aper has since had a continuous existence and 
 is now one of the leading jjapers of the county. 
 Mr. (^.raliani was associaterl therewith until after 
 the Xcneniber election, when he sold out to Rob- 
 ertson & .Sheward. This ])aper wielded a wide 
 innuence in political circles and has ever been a 
 factor in the upbuilding and progress of the 
 county. During the time in which Mr. Graham 
 had editorial charge great and momentous ques- 
 tions were being discussed and Mr. Graham, not 
 only in his editorial cajiacity but also as a private
 
 IROyUOlS O^l'N'TV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 225 
 
 citizen, slmnl fur those principles wliicii nuir 
 years later were to receive vindication in the 
 election of Ahraiiani Lincoln. 1 le was recognized 
 as a leader of the repnblican parly in this coun- 
 ty and in 1857 was placed on the republican 
 ticket for the office of county clerk, but the party 
 strength was then insufficient for the election of 
 any of its cantlidates and Mr. (irahani was de- 
 feated by Daniel Fry, although he received a vote 
 ill excess of the regidar party ticket. In 1858 
 and 1859 he served as deputy sheritT and con- 
 stable, and thus in active jwlitical and official 
 service time passed on until the era of the Civil 
 war was upon the country. 
 
 -Mr. tirahani had been a close and earnest stu- 
 dent of the signs of the times and of the <|ues- 
 tions which divided the country, lie stixxi as a 
 stalwart champion of the I'nion cause and in 
 i8<>i enlisted as a member of Company 1", Twen- 
 ty-tifth Regiment of Illinois \ olunteers, for three 
 years, but in January. 18^12. was discharged on 
 account of disability caused by typhoid fever. 
 
 Mr. (iraham had been married on the 24th 
 of January. 1848. to Miss Elizal)cth Wilbite. a 
 native of Crawfordsville. Indiana, while her ]iar- 
 cnts were of Hardin county. Kentucky. They 
 removed to Montgomery county, Indiana, at an 
 early day when Crawfordsville was a small ham- 
 let and .Mr. Wilhite luirchasel a farm in that 
 vicinity, there carrying on general agricultural 
 pursuits until his death. 1 lis wife likewise passed 
 away in that locality. 
 
 When discharged from the army Mr. (iraham 
 rejoined his family at W'atseka and continued to 
 make his home in "( )ld Town." There he en- 
 gaged in the real-estate and in legal business 
 throughout his remaining days and he owned 
 various pieces of ])roperty in W'atseka. his realty 
 hohlings being sufficient to supply him with a 
 g(xid income. He maintained his interest in ])ub- 
 lic affairs up to the last and was town assessor 
 here for many years. He was also notary public 
 and remained one of tlie most stalwart champions 
 of the republican party until his demise. When 
 he issued the first number of the Irotpiois Re- 
 publican in 1856 the county contained only five 
 or six thousand inhabitants and only about thir- 
 teen hundred votes were cast. The democratic 
 party then had almost unbroken record for su- 
 premacy in the county and state. It was an era of 
 
 political revolution. The old things were passing 
 away. New men were coming to the fnmt and 
 old political watchwords had lost their potency. 
 Immigration and the logic of events were work- 
 ing together to shatter oUl combinatiuiis and 
 break down old traditions. Mr. (iraham was a 
 part of this revolution, established the first re- 
 publican paper of the county and had the satis- 
 faction of seeing the efforts of himself and his 
 associates rewarded by the first republican vic- 
 torv. He was a man of many good impulses, 
 who held malice toward none. His instincts and 
 sympathies were all on the si«le of whatever was 
 good and jnire. His gcxvl traits of heart and 
 mind were many and the great majority of those 
 who knew him entertained for him genuine re- 
 gard and warm friemlship. 
 
 The death of Mr. (iraham occurred December 
 2. 1888. and the funeral services were held in 
 the ( )ld Town church, being conducted by the 
 Rev. L. I". Cullom under the aus])ices of the 
 (irand .\rmy of the Republic. His wife passed 
 away at the old home .\pril 13. K^ii. -Mr. 
 Graham had long been a devoted member of the 
 ( Irand .\rmy post of W'atseka and in his earlier 
 years was identified with the IndeiJcndent ( )rder 
 of Odd Fellows. 15oth he and his wife were 
 memlx-rs of the Presbyterian church and they 
 stood for those inlhleiU' - ulii.b wi.rk- fi>r tin- 
 betterment of mankind 
 
 In his will Mr. Cirahaiii left all of lii» properly 
 to his wife's niece. Mrs. Loui.sa (tJaleyl Carroll, 
 for whom he always had the deepi-st affection. 
 She was birn in Crawfordsville. Indiana. Jtdy 
 12. 1844. a daughter of William W. and Lucy 
 (Wilbite) (ialey. both of whom were natives of 
 ( >l<lham county. Kentucky, the former born .\n- 
 gust 31. 180.V and the latter December 18, 1809. 
 .'\t an early day they removed to Crawfordsville, 
 Indiana, and the father, who was a tailor by 
 trade, foIlowe<l that ])ursuit during the greater 
 ]iart of his life but in the evening of his «lays 
 retired from active business cares. He died in 
 Crawfonlsville. May 27. 1871. while his wife 
 passed away there September i<j. 1853. Mrs. 
 Carroll is the mother of two children. Kath- 
 erine. the younger, is the widow of Dr. Farl 
 Maker and resides at Hickory. North Carolina. 
 She had three children, Richard Ik'vcrly, Charles 
 Carroll and Katherine Ileverlv. but all are <le-
 
 226 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 ceased. Charles W. Carroll, born in 1867. died 
 August 14, 1874. Mrs. Carroll resides at the 
 old Graham home in Old Town, where she owns 
 many building lots. She always spends the 
 winters with her sister. Mrs. George D. Hurley, 
 in Crawfordsville. Indiana, but the summer 
 months are passed in W'atseka. 
 
 SAMUEL H. EDWARDS. 
 
 Samuel PI. Edwards, living on section 22, Cres- 
 cent township, is one of the pioneers of Iro- 
 quois county, having since April 9, 1856, made 
 his home within its borders. Thus for a half 
 century he has been a witness of the events which 
 constitute its history and have molded its policy. 
 He has seen highly cultivated farms take the 
 place of the swamps and the unbroken prairie 
 and has witnessed the building of the railroads 
 and the introduction of the telegraph and the 
 telephone, while the work of improvement has 
 been carried forward along all agricultural, in- 
 dustrial and commercial lines, bringing about 
 the present degree of prosperity which the coun- 
 ty now enjoys. 
 
 Mr. Edwards was born in Scioto county, Ohio, 
 January 14, 1836, and is a son of Jesse B. and 
 Mary (Brown) Edwards, who were likewise na- 
 tives of the Buckeye state, the former born in 
 Scioto county and the latter in Adams county. 
 Mrs. Edwards was the daughter of John Brown. 
 After the death of her parents she made her home 
 with Oliver Smith in her native county until her 
 marriage. The young couple began their domes- 
 tic life u|)on a farm which Mr. Edwards im- 
 proved and cultivated, bringing it under a high 
 state of development. Six children were born 
 unto them, Samuel H. being the eldest of the 
 sons. The wife and mother died when her son 
 Samuel was fourteen vears of age and Mr. Ed- 
 wards afterward married Mrs. Angelina Smith 
 Freeman, a widow. There were three children 
 bom of that miion. In April. 1856. the family 
 removed westward to Illinois and Mr. Edwards 
 purchased railroad land, investing in one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres. He lived upon that prop- 
 erty for several years or until iSC^y, when he 
 
 removed to Macoupin county, Illinois, where his 
 last days were passed. 
 
 Samuel H. Edwards is indebted to the public- 
 school system of Ohio for the educational privi- 
 leges he enjo\'ed. He was a young man of twenty 
 years at the time of the removal to Illinois and 
 he started out in life on his own account, work- 
 ing by the month as a farm hand for two seasons. 
 
 bn the 4th of February, 1858, Mr. Ed- 
 wards was married to Miss Elizabeth Oppy. a 
 native of Iroquois county and a daughter of 
 Jesse E. Oppy, one of the pioneer residents here. 
 Mr. Edwards rented land and engaged in its 
 cultivation for ten years. During that time, how- 
 ever, his business interests were interrupted by 
 his service as a soldier, for, aroused by a spirit 
 of patriotism, he offered his aid to the govern- 
 ment and on the 15th of August, 1862, was en- 
 rolled as a member of Company F, One Hundred 
 and Thirteenth Illinois \^olunteer Infantrv, at 
 old Middleport, now Watseka. He joined the 
 regular army at Alemphis, and at Holly Springs, 
 while on the sick list, was taken prisoner btit 
 was recaptured by the Union troops. For three 
 months he was in ill health, unable to take part 
 in active field service. In the meantime his regi- 
 ment went to Arkansas Post and later to Spring- 
 field, Illinois, doing guard duty at that point for 
 fourteen months. Mr. Edwards was on guard 
 and provost duty nearly the entire time of his 
 three years" service. He participated in the en- 
 gagement at Eastport, Tennessee, and at the 
 close of the war was mustered out at Memphis 
 and received his discharge at Chicago. The war 
 ended, he immediately rejoined his familv and for 
 three years thereafter continued to operate rent- 
 ed land. 
 
 Carefully saving his earnings during that pe- 
 riod, Mr. Edwards was at length enabled to pur- 
 chase forty acres of land where he now resides. 
 He has since built thereon a good home and 
 made a good farm. He has made a specialty of 
 raising high grade stock of all kinds and his 
 cattle, horses and hogs have proved to him a 
 profitable source of income, while at the same 
 time his fields have produced rich crops in re- 
 turn for the care and h\bnr he has bestowed upon 
 them. 
 
 Mr. Edwards was called u]ion to mourn the 
 loss of his first wife in Fcliruary, 1S74, and on
 
 UBRARy 
 
 OF THE 
 
 mmSiVf Of lU.INO/<;
 
 MR. AXD MRS. S. H. EDWARDS.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IKonLDlS COUNTY. U.l.l.NDLS. 
 
 ■23' 
 
 the 14th day of Ma\. iSjd, lie was a^aiii mar- 
 ried, his scCKiid iiiiiiiii liein^j with .Mrs. Kchccca 
 Anil l-'leiiiiii);. His children were six in miin- 
 bcr hut four are ileccascd — Joel 11.. Nancy Jane, 
 David L. aiul one who tlied unnamed in infanc\. 
 The living are Mary J., the wife of II. H. Look, 
 of Iroquois township: and Iva I-"., the wife of 
 Harvey L. Roll, of I'lue l-'arth county, Minne- 
 sota. 
 
 Politically Mr. Kdwards is a stalwart repub- 
 lican, never niissin;,' a presi<lential election since 
 casting his first hallot for chief m;ij;istrate in 
 support of .\hraham Lincoln, lie has served 
 as hij;hwa\ comniissiniier for four years and has 
 been a nx-mlier of the school hoard for twenty 
 years. His religious faith is indicated by his 
 nieniliershi)) in the L'nited lircthrcn church and 
 he aftiliates with Williams post. .\o. 25, (\. A. R., 
 of W'atscka. thus maintaininj^ pleasant relations 
 with his old anny comra<Ies. He is an industri- 
 ous man, whose success is attributable entirely 
 to his own efforts and is a typical pioneer set- 
 tler, whose memory embraces almost the entire 
 period of the county's development, for half a 
 century apo the county j^ave little evidence of 
 what it w.'is tn become in the next tiftv vears. 
 
 \ W IIOCI.R 
 
 The Hoj;le fainil\ wu.^ e.-»iablishe<l in Illinois 
 in 1837 by I-eonard Hojjle, who removed from 
 Ohio to Irn(|uois county, the journey being made 
 by wagon. He piirchisi'd two Iv.uidrifl acres of 
 land in Concord township, built a log cabin, and 
 there took up his abode, carrying on general 
 agricultural ])ursuits until his death. I le was a 
 very prominent and inlluential man in those early 
 days, aiding in the development and progress of 
 this portion of the state. 
 
 I lis son, William Hogle, was born in I'ushoc- 
 ton county. Ohio, in 183;, and accom|)anied the 
 family on the removal to this state. He re- 
 mained with his father throughout the |K-riod of 
 his boyhood and youth, and starting out ui«in an 
 indej)cndcnt business career, rented land in t'oii- 
 conl town.ship, and further made arrangements 
 for having a home of his own by his marriage 
 to Miss F.lizabeth Montgomery, who was liorn in 
 
 I'ountain county. Indiana, a daughter of Sam- 
 uel W. .Moiitgonier) , a native of \ irginia. He 
 lollowe<l farming in l!elmont lovMiship. this coun- 
 ty, where he servwl as justice of the jK'ace and 
 also as Mii»ervisor. William H " 
 endured all the |>rivations and i 
 to life on the frontier, and there nearest mar- 
 keting jioint was Chicago, to which city the ]>r< Ki- 
 nds of the farm had to be hauled by wagon 
 from 1844 to 1850. He followed farming 
 throughout a long period and then retired from 
 active business life, taking up his ab.xle in the 
 village of Sheldon, where his last days were 
 passed. He was a republican in his ])oliticaI 
 views and wa> a liiuhb ri-^picti-il ciii/i-n of Iro- 
 quois county. 
 
 A. W . llogle. the Son ol \\ liham and l.li/a- 
 bcth (.Montgomery) llogle, was reareil to farm 
 life and acquired his education in the district 
 schiKiIs near his father's home. I'pon starting 
 out in life on his own account, he was employed 
 by the month at farm labor, during which time 
 he carefullx saved his earnings so that at length 
 he was enabled to engage in farming for himself 
 by renting a tract of land. He worked diligently 
 in the accumulation of a competence, and alter 
 a few years was justified in the purchase of land, 
 l)ccoming owner of a tract of eighty acres, which 
 he secured from the Uarry estate. To this he 
 afterward added a tract of forty acres on sec- 
 tion 12. .Sheltlon townshij), which he purchased 
 from Miss Chaniberlin. He has made all of 
 the improvements u|xjn his j)r(jperty. having 
 erected here a mo<lern eight-room house, a goo<l 
 barn twenty-four by thirt\-two feet, as well as 
 other substantial outbuililings. He has also tile«l 
 and fenced the land and altogether has a good 
 farm jiroiierty. He is a business man of good 
 ability and sound judgment, ever watchful of 
 o])|H)rtuiiities leading to success, and in addition 
 to his agricultural interests he is also e!i:.;age<I in 
 raising stock to some extent, and in Ixith branches 
 of his business is meeting with desirable success. 
 
 ( )n the 7tli of ( >ctober. i8<)i. occurreil the 
 marriage of .Mr. llogle and Miss llattie M. 
 (i(«)ding. who was bom in Middleport township. 
 Iroquois county, in 1871. Her father, .\very 
 <iiHHling. came to this county from Indiana, and 
 until more recent years was here engaged in 
 firming. The marriage of Mr. and .Mrs. llogle
 
 232 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 has been blessed with five children : Claud L., 
 Lena ilay. William Carl. Edna and Sainuel. 
 
 Mr. Hogle follows in the political footsteps 
 of his father, thus giving his support to the re- 
 publican party, while fraternally he is identified 
 with the ^lodern Woodmen of America and in 
 his religious faith is connected with the United 
 Brethren church. Mr. and Mrs. Hogle are both 
 natives of Iroquois county and therefore have a 
 wide circle of friends, among whom they occupy 
 an enviable social position. 
 
 ROBERT H. DIAL. 
 
 Robert H. Dial is the owner of a valuable farm 
 property of two hundred and sixteen acres in 
 Douglas township and in addition to the devel- 
 opment of the fields he breeds and raises regis- 
 tered Percheron horses and W^elsh ponies. He 
 also gives some attention to hogs and cattle and 
 has become recognized as one of the leading- 
 stockmen of this part of Iroquois countv. 
 
 His parents were Elias and Ann Dial, who 
 came to Illinois from South Carolina about 1840 
 and settled in the vicinity of Aurora where the 
 father engaged in farming. On one occasion he 
 returned from Illinois to his old home in the 
 south, walking the entire distance, while his chil- 
 dren drove in a one-horse wagon. He then again 
 came to Illinois, covering the entire distance on 
 foot and, locating in Kendall county, he once 
 more took up general agricultural pursuits. In 
 i860 he removed to Iroquois county, settling on 
 Spring Creek in Douglas township, where he 
 purchased a small tract of land of forty acres. 
 In connection with its development and cultiva- 
 tion he also followed the carpenter's trade and 
 was thus identified with the industrial interests 
 of the community. He was twice married and 
 it was after losing his first wife that he made 
 the return trij) to South Carolina. He first wed- 
 ded Miss Eliza Dean and there were four chil- 
 dren by that union. In 1847 he was again mar- 
 ried, his second union being with .Ann Thomas, 
 a native of .Aberdeen. Scotland. They had four 
 sons and three daughters and there are now three 
 of the sons and two of the daughters vet livintr. 
 
 The father departed this life in 1876, while the 
 mother survived until 1S83. 
 
 The birth of Robert H. Dial occurred in Kane 
 county. Illinois, February 9, 1856. and he was 
 therefore a little lad of only four summers when 
 he came with his parents to Iroquois county in 
 i860. .At the usual age he became a pupil in the 
 country schools and thus acquired the education 
 that has fitted him for the duties of a practical 
 life. He was early trained to the work of the 
 farm and has never desired to change his occupa- 
 tion, continuously carrying on farming on his 
 own account since he attained his majority. He 
 now has two hundred and sixteen acres of land in 
 Douglas township and the soil is verj- rich and 
 productive, responding readily to the care and 
 labor that is bestowed upon it. In addition to till- 
 ing the soil he breeds registered Percheron horses 
 and Welsh ponies. All of his stock is registered 
 and for fifteen years he has follovi'ed this pursuit. 
 He also raises hogs of high grade and cattle that 
 are standardbred and has been very successful 
 as a stockman. 
 
 Mr. Dial was married on the 3d of April, 
 1884. to Aliss Florence Eva Hallam, of Doug- 
 las township, a daughter of Salathiel and Eva- 
 line (King) Hallam. The mother, who was a 
 native of Marshall county, Illinois, died in Penn- 
 sylvania, at the age of twenty-five years, when 
 Mrs. Dial was only about a year and a half old. 
 The father, who was a farmer by occupation, 
 came from Pennsylvania to Illinois in 1854 and 
 throughout his entire life engaged in general 
 farming and also devoted considerable time and 
 energy to the purchase and sale of horses, which 
 proved to him a profitable source of income. He 
 was for a half century a resident of Iroquois 
 county, passing away on the 27th of November, 
 1904. I'nto Mr. and Mrs. Dial have been bom 
 six children but they have lost four. Those still 
 living are Hiram Earl, born August 31, 1891 ; 
 and Mildred Elizabeth., born January 7, 1902. 
 
 Mr. Dial is a member of the Modern Wood- 
 men can;p at Crescent City, and his ])oliticaI al- 
 legiance is given to the democracy. He has been 
 road commissioner for the past nine years and 
 also school director for the same time. No public 
 trust rejiosed in him has ever been l>etrayed in 
 the slightest degree and his official duties are 
 therefore performed with (promptness and fidel- 
 ity. His entire life has been passed in Illinois
 
 IRo<_jL'ii> i_<'L.Mi. II.I.INi lis. 
 
 2ii 
 
 and during the greater part of tlie time lie has 
 lived in IriKiuois cuinity, where he is widely 
 known as a representative business man, wiiose 
 success is well merited owing to the business 
 principles he lias always employed and his activ- 
 ity and entcq>rise in carryini; forward iiis agricul- 
 tural interests. 
 
 W ll.Ll.V.M U. AK.ii 1 IXdAl.l-;. 
 
 William R. Xightingale, the pojiular and effi- 
 cient cashier of the i-irst National llaiik of Cres- 
 cent Citv. which |)osition lie lias occupie«l since 
 August IJ, njoji. was Ixjrn in Crescent town- 
 ship. December 25. 1H75. His father, John \V. 
 Xighting:de, was Ixjrn in Kngland, Seittember 3. 
 1850, and in 1859 left his native ctnmtry, accom- 
 panying his parents on their emigration to 
 America, the family home being established in 
 Dutchess county. New York, where they resided 
 for seven years. They then went to Kendall 
 county, Illinois, and during a ten years' resi- 
 dence in that part of the state John \V. Nightin- 
 gale was married to Miss .Mice ISaker on the 
 i8th of February, 1875. The following month 
 they came to Iroquois county and began their 
 domestic life up<in a farm here. Si.x children 
 were born unto them, of whom fi>ur are yet liv- 
 ing, namely: Frederick G.. Paul .\., Otto F. 
 and William R., of this review. The father 
 was a very successful man and broke the ground 
 and improved seven hundred and sixty acres 
 of land in Crescent townshij). I le erected sub- 
 stantial buildings and tiled and drained his place 
 until he had one of the best farms in the county. 
 He was a very prominent man and well known 
 and well liked by all. His business interests 
 were carefully conducted and his methods would 
 bear the most rigid examination and closest 
 .scrutiny. He continued to reside upon his farm 
 five miles south of Crescent City until called to 
 his final rest May Ji. !8<)8, when forty-eight years 
 of age. Mrs. Nightingale still survives Iut Inis- 
 band and is living in Crescent City. 
 
 In the common .schr»ols William R. Nightin- 
 gale pursued his elementary education and aittr- 
 ward attended Dixon College at Dixon, Illinois, 
 and a business college at Kankakee, this state, 
 from which lu- was graduated on tlii- JUt of 
 
 February, lyoi. Fntcring business life, he con- 
 ductwl a livery barn at Cri-scent City for three 
 years and since that time has been cashier of the 
 I'^irst National liank, entering u|)on the duties 
 of the office on the organization of the institu- 
 tion. Augu.st \2, 1903. The bank inaugurated a 
 safe conservative jwlicy that has won uniform 
 Confidence and the business has steadily increa.sed. 
 That it is a strong financial concern is indicated 
 b\ the statement which was issued September 
 4. i')<yj. 
 
 The officers are: I'eter McDermott, presi- 
 dent; Charles A. Calkin, vice president; J. B. 
 .Sayler. second vice president ; and W. R. Night- 
 ing;ilc-. cashiir. The bank is well housed in a 
 substantial little brick building, especially 
 e(|ui|)]K'd for the piirpuse used. 
 
 Mr. Nightingale was married to Miss Corinnc 
 Savoie, of Crescent City, a daughter of F'rank 
 .Savoic, who resides near Crescciu City. Two 
 cliililren have been Ixirn of this marriage: John, 
 Decemlx-r *>. i«j03 : and William, ( )ctober 19, 
 
 Mr. Nightingale exercises his right of fran- 
 chise in support of the men and measures of the 
 democracy and his fellow townsmen, recognizing 
 his worth and ability, have called him to several 
 local offices. He has served as justice of the 
 pe.icc. as village clerk and as collector and is 
 deeply interested in community affairs. He be- 
 longs to Standard lodge. No. 607, I. O. O. F., 
 and to Crescent camp. No. 1429. M. W. A. He 
 is a liberal contributor to the churches and his 
 aid and co-operation are w ithheld from no meas- 
 ure or movement that he deems will prove of 
 general giX)d. 
 
 ()IJ\RR ADSIT CLEMENTS. 
 
 A well improved farm of one himdred and 
 twenty acres situated on sections 7 and 8, in 
 Prairie dreen township, is the home of Oliver 
 .\dsit Clements, who is a native son of Illinois, 
 his birth having occurred on the old Gements 
 homestead fann in Lovejoy township. February 
 17. 1880. His father. J. N. Clements, was a na- 
 tive of Atliens county, Ohio, Iwrn in 1840. He 
 served for three years in the war of the Rclx"l- 
 lion, and following the rlosf of lii>stilitii< l.>iMtiiI
 
 234 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 in Muncie, Indiana, where he remained for a 
 time but later made his way to Iroquois county, 
 where he was married to :\Irs. Julia Bradford, 
 nee Adsit, whose first husband enlisted for serv- 
 ice in the army and died during his service. Mrs. 
 Clements was born and reared in .Muncie, Indi- 
 ana, and her father removed from that place to 
 Iroquois countw where he became a very large 
 landowner, having some two thousand acres. 
 J. N. Clements in 1867 located on a farm belong- 
 ing to his father-in-law, and later made purchase 
 of three hundred and twenty acres, and was ac- 
 counted one of the prosperous and influential 
 men of this part of the state. He devoted his 
 active life to agricultural pursuits, and on retir- 
 ing from business interests removed to the vil- 
 lage of Wellington, where his wife died in De- 
 cember, 1897. He still survives and makes his 
 home in Hoopeston, with his son, Thomas Clem- 
 ents. 
 
 O. A. Clements was reared in much the usual 
 manner of farm lads, working in the fields during 
 the busy season, and when not thus engaged pur- 
 sued his studies in the schools of Wellington, 
 completing the high-school course there in 1896. 
 Subsequent to that period he remained on the 
 farm with his brother for one year, after which 
 he clerked in a store at Hoopeston. being thus 
 employed for one year, after which he again re- 
 sumed operations on the farm, and is now the 
 owner of one hundred and twenty acres situated 
 on sections 7 and 8. Prairie Green township. He 
 has tiled the land, erected good buildings and has 
 made it a valuable piece of property, for he fol- 
 lows the most modern and practical methods in 
 the prosecution of his farm work. 
 
 Establishing a home of his own. .Mr. Clements 
 was married November 27, 1902, in Wellington. 
 to Miss Edna i'.ower, who was born in the tiiwn- 
 ship in which slie still resides, and i)ursued her 
 studies in the schools at Wellington. Her father. 
 J. H. Bower, is now living retired in that village. 
 The marriage of Air. and Mrs. Clements has 
 been blessed with two interesting little sons and 
 a daughter. Wendall 11.. Edna E. and Jnhn Le- 
 Roy. 
 
 Mr. Clements has always given his jiolitical 
 allegiance to the republican ])arty. and both he 
 and his wife are members of the Methodist E]5is- 
 co]3al church at Wellington. Mr. Clements has 
 
 spent his entire life in Iroquois county, and there- 
 fore has a large acquaintance and both he and 
 his wife are highly esteemed and hospitable young 
 people. 
 
 PETER GARXER. 
 
 Peter Garner, who some years since left the 
 farm to enjoy the advantages of town life in a 
 quiet and honorable retirement from active la- 
 bor was, however, numbered among the leading 
 farmers, stock raisers and feeders of Iroquois 
 county for a long period, during which time he 
 resided upon a farm of three hundred and twenty 
 acres in Stockland township. His home is now 
 in Milford and he is highly esteemed in the 
 town and county. 
 
 Born in \\'arren county. Indiana, March I, 
 1848, he is a son of John Garner, a native of the 
 Hoosier state, where his youth was passed and 
 where his marriage to Miss Sarah Smiley, a 
 native of Ohio, was celebrated. In 1856 he 
 removed w^estward to Illinois and took up his 
 abode in Alilford township, Iroquois county, 
 where he made purchase of one hundred and 
 twenty acres of land at twelve dollars per acre. 
 Soon, bow-ever, he sold that and bought one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres in Stockland township, open- 
 ing up a new farm there. He afterward pur- 
 chased one hundred and sixty acres of raw land 
 which he also improved, placing upon it good 
 buildings and modern improvements. He reared 
 his family there and carefully and energetically 
 prosecuted liis work. In his later years he re- 
 moved to Milford, purchased a residence and 
 made his home in the town until his death, which 
 occurred January 17, 1891. His wife is still 
 living at the old home there. 
 
 Peter (iarner was a farmer boy of Stockland 
 townshio and in retrospect one can see him as 
 a pupil in the country schools and later pursuing 
 his studies in Milford. In the jieriods of vaca- 
 tion he worked in the fields and thus earlv be- 
 came familiar with all tlie duties and labors that 
 fall to the lot of the agriculturist, remaining with 
 his father until twenty-six years of age. He was 
 then married in ]\lilford township. Jamiarv i. 
 1874. to Miss Sarah ]M. Dawson, a daughter of
 
 H 
 
 
 > 
 
 r 
 
 13
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ^i7 
 
 Wall Daw sun, wlin was Ixirn in Ohio ami came 
 from Indiana to Illinois, lie was married in 
 the Mnckc\c stale, however, to .Mary Jane II 
 cr, a native of kos> county. ( )hio, and lie \« 
 one of the pioneer residents of Iroijuois county. 
 Mr. and Mrs. ("larner estalilislu-d tlu-ir home on 
 a fann in Milford lowii^hiii. which he rente<l 
 for two years, lie afterward ojierated a rented 
 farm in I'lelmont lownship for a ye;ir and also in 
 Sheldon to\\n>hip. and ahoni 1875 removed to 
 Stockland township, where he hej^an with one 
 hnndreil and sixty acres of land which uj) to 
 that time was larjjely undeveloped, but he im- 
 prove«l the farm. e<|uipped it with substantial 
 I)uildinj;s. set out a ^^rove and an orchard and 
 added to the fertility of the soil liy layini; many 
 rods of tilinp. He also fenced the fann and in 
 the same manner apportione<l it into fields. .\s 
 the years i>assed by and prosi)erity accrued he 
 bought one hundre«I and sixty acres more from 
 (k'orjje \eninnn and bejjan the further cultiva- 
 tion and development of that place. lie also 
 raisetl st<Kk. havinjj pood prades of horses, cat- 
 tle and hops upon his place. :md lie fe<I consider- 
 able stock for the market. >liipi)inp two carli'.ids 
 of cattle and a carload of hops annuall\. I le 
 thus continued in business until iSi;5. when he 
 rented his farms and came to Milford. where for 
 eleven years he has made his home in the en- 
 jovment of a rest which he has irulv earned and 
 richly <le.serves. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Garner are the i)arents of four 
 children: lf>hn. who is married and is a travel- 
 inp salesman; Torter. who is married and fol- 
 lows farminp in Milford township: I'earl. the 
 wife of Rev. Roscoe W. Thome, a minister of 
 the r.;iptist church now located in Wolcoti, Indi- 
 ana ; and Nellie, who became the wife of John 
 Snider and die<l .\upust 7. iWV^i. 
 
 .Mr. and .Mrs. ( iarner are people of the hiphest 
 respectability, prcatly esteemed by all who know 
 them. Thev are devoteil members i>f the Mil- 
 ford Metb(Mlist Iqiiscopal church, in which .Mr. 
 Gamer is ser\inp as a trustee, and they are l>oth 
 affiliated with the I»yal .\mericans. a fraternal 
 insurance orpanization. His politictl views ac- 
 cord with the principles of democracy and f<ir 
 six vears he has rendered effective service as 
 hiphway commissioner and has l)een a memlKT 
 of the schfMil Ixiard for a n«ml>er of years \1 
 
 most his entire life has la-en passed in IrcM|tiois 
 county and he has a wide .'icipiaintance in Wat- 
 ^eka, Milford an<l other section>. His name is 
 synonymous with activity and honesty in busi- 
 ness life, with fidelity in office and with propres- 
 siveness in all lh:it |>ertains to citizenship, ami 
 he is most loyal to the ties of the home :ind of 
 friendshij). 
 
 WILLI. \M J. MiDorti.M.L. 
 
 For nvire than a third of a century the name 
 of McDoupall has fipurcd conspicuously and 
 honorably in connection with the apriciiltnral <U- 
 velopnient and business interests of Inxpiois 
 county, and the fimi of McDoupall I'rothers is 
 a stronp business combination in Daiiforth and 
 this part of the st:ile. It is com|H)sed of William 
 J. and C. G. McDoupall. Ix>th enten>risinp men 
 of keen iliscemment. of nnllappinp industry and 
 perseverance, and of iiiicnu-ticuK'd luisiiic--- in- 
 tcprity. 
 
 W. J. .McDoupall came to tlii> ■ouiily wiili Ins 
 parents on the 1st of .\pril. |}V>8. iK-inp at tlut 
 time a younp man of eiphtcen years. He was 
 born in Jamestown, Kentnck\. January 1. 1850. 
 his parents iK-inp John and .Mary { l^jiperson) 
 McDoupall. who were married on the uth of 
 .\l)ril. i84(>. The father, a native of Fort Ed- 
 ward, New York, was l)orn < )clober 18. 181.V 
 and in the place of his nativity was reare<l, after 
 which he removed to Tennessee when .-dxiut twen- 
 ty-seven years of ape. He cnpapetl in te.nchinp 
 in the collcpc M LelniKMi. that state, of which 
 his brother. Professor William McDoupall. was 
 president, and for several years he devoted his 
 enerpies to educational work but later turned his 
 attention to nierchandisinp, which he followeil 
 near Jamestown, Kentuck). Sufferinp heavy 
 losses throuph a fire which destroyed his store, 
 he .-ifterward Imnphl a farm in Kentucky and 
 resided thiTeon until his removal to Illinois in 
 18^14, at which time he took up his alxMle near 
 Sandwich, in DeKalb county. There he resideil 
 until iS/18. when he broupht his familx to Dan- 
 forth townshij), Irrnpiois county, and made pur- 
 chase of a farm of eiphty acres on section 22. 
 whereon he resideil until his death, passinp away 
 ■ >ii the ')th of June. rS"7. His wife, who was
 
 238 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 born near Columbia, Adair county, Kentucky, 
 March 12, 1820, was reared in that state, and is 
 still living, making her home with her sons, at 
 the age of eighty-seven years. In the family of 
 this worthy couple were five children, two sons 
 and three daughters, of whom William J. is the 
 eldest. Charles G., the second of the family, born 
 September 12, 1852, is a member of the firm of 
 McDougall Brothers. He was married June 6, 
 
 1893, at Ashkum, to Miss Mar>' Ruckrigel, of 
 that place. She was born November 20, 1868, 
 and died in Stuttgart, Arkansas, in 1902. Their 
 children are: Mabel I., who was born Jime 3, 
 
 1894, at Danforth, Illinois ; Charles, who was 
 bom in Danforth, June 28, 1895 ; and Gilbert, 
 bom September 26, 1898. Losing his first wife 
 Charles G. McDougall has wedded Miss Anna 
 Patten, of Edmunds, Oklahoma. Margaret Ann, 
 the third member of the family, born January 13, 
 1855, died January 30, 1882. Sarah Elizabeth, 
 bom January 11. 1858. was married at Kankakee, 
 Illinois, ]\Iarch 14, 1888, to Ernest Severy, an 
 attomey of Chicago, where they reside. Emma 
 J., born April 30, 1862, became the wife of Dr. 
 C. F. Smith, of Kankakee, Illinois, February 10, 
 1881, and they have one son, Charles K. Dr. 
 Smith is president of the board of education and 
 is one of the prominent physicians of the city in 
 which he lives. 
 
 William J. McDougall acquired a public-school 
 education and was fourteen years of age when he 
 came with his parents to Illinois. Four years la- 
 ter the family home was estaWished in Danforth 
 township and the sons aided the father in carry- 
 ing on the work of the farm and in extending its 
 acreage. There was some indebtedness upon the 
 place at the time of the father's death. The 
 sons took up the business of clearing all financial 
 obligations and have added largels- to their ]M-op- 
 crty holdings, having today four luuidred acres 
 in Iroquois county and eight hundred acres in 
 Arkansas. They were among the first to lay tile 
 in this section of the state and have put a large 
 amount of money in drainage. They find, how- 
 ever, that the capital is well invested in this way, 
 for the swamp land is reclaimed and made rich 
 and productive. As the years have passed they 
 have added Id their pro]-)erty until they n^w own 
 four hundred acres of very valuable land in Iro- 
 quois countv which yields to them large crops. 
 
 They are also interested in the elevator at Leon- 
 ard, known as the Farmers elevator, and this en- 
 terjjrise is largely due to the eftbrts of Charles G. 
 McDougall, who acted as its manager for seven 
 years. The brothers are men of excellent busi- 
 ness capacity and enterprise, manifesting both 
 business ability and fidelit}^, which command for 
 them the esteem and confidence of their commu- 
 nity and all who know them throughout the 
 .state. They now operate two hundred acres of 
 their land and lease the remaining two hundred 
 acres in Iroquois county. 
 
 The present home of William J. McDougall is 
 situated on section 23, Danforth township, where 
 he has lived since 1890. He has greatly improved 
 the farm, adding to it all modem equipments and 
 accessories, and none of the elements of a mode! 
 farm are today lacking. His political allegiance 
 is largely given to the prohibition party, although 
 he at times votes for the candidates on the other 
 tickets, and his first presidential ballot was cast 
 for Hayes. The family have usually been Pres- 
 byterians but William J. McDougall attends the 
 Evangelical church of Danforth because of its 
 proximity to his home and assisted in building 
 the house of worships and now contributes gener- 
 ously to the support of the church. 
 
 JOSEPH PRUITT, Jr. 
 
 Joseph Pruitt, Jr. is a prosperous and pro- 
 gressive young farmer, operating the old family 
 homestead, which comprises three hundred and 
 twenty acres of fine land, situated on sections 23 
 and 24, Lovejoy township, Iroquois county. He 
 was born on the farm which is still his home, his 
 natal day being February 13, 1880. His father, 
 Joseph Pruitt, Sr., is one of the early settlers 
 of Iroquois county, having been through a long 
 ]ieriod connected with the agricultural develop- 
 ment of this section of the state, and more ex- 
 tended mention is made of him on another page 
 of this work, 
 
 Mr. Pruitt, whose name introduces this record, 
 was reared to the occupation of farming, and 
 his ])riinary education, begun in the district schools 
 near his father's home, was later supplemented by 
 a high-school course in Wellington and Hoope-
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ^39 
 
 ston. stibsc(|iicnt to which time he piirsuctl a 
 course of study in tirccr (."iillcRC aiul later in 
 Grand Prairie Seminary, .\fter completing his 
 studies he returneil to the home farm, l>ein(j for 
 six years connected with his father in the opera- 
 tion of the home place and for the past two years 
 the son has had entire charge of the ])roperty. 
 He follows the most practical and in<Klern 
 mcthtKis of carrying on his a>;ricultnral pursuits, 
 and each year gathers IxnnUeous harvests as a 
 result of the care and lalwr he licstows upon the 
 fields. In addition to his farm work he is also 
 enpaKcd in breediuK and raising pure blfxided 
 Poland thina hofjs and h<ni(1 prades of horses, 
 and this branch of liis business is j)r<>vin(j a 
 protitablc source of income to him. 
 
 Cli<x)sinp a companion and helpmate for life's 
 journey, Mr. Pruitt was happily married on the 
 1 2th of February. i«jo6. the lady of his choice 
 beinf; Miss Leona Eckman, an accomplislutl 
 younp lady, who is al.so a native of Inxjuois 
 county, where she was reared and educated and 
 has s|K-nt her entire life. She is a daughter of 
 John Kckman. a well known resident of this part 
 of the state. Mr. Pruitt holds membership re- 
 lations with the Presbyterian church at Weilinj;- 
 ton. Both he and his wife, havinp sjK-nt their 
 entire lives in this county, are well known and 
 highly esteemed younp [K'ople, and Mr. Pruitt 
 is also well known in N'ermilion county. They 
 have a host of warm friends and move in the 
 best circles of socictv. 
 
 .<i.\.ML:i:L J. SLo.XN. 
 
 Samuel J. Sloan, livinn on section 28. .Stock- 
 laiul tosynship. is one of the enterjirisinp agricul- 
 turists of his jiart of the county. He ojierates one 
 hun<lre(l and sixty acres of land and also engages 
 in bu>ing. feeding an<l shipping live st(Kk and 
 his diuil interests constitute an element in the 
 success which has made him one of the leading 
 farmers of the community. He has made his 
 home in Iroquois county since 1886 an<l is a na- 
 tive son of Illinois, his l)irth having occurred at 
 Chicago Heights in Cook county, .\pril j8. i8^>j. 
 His parents were William J. anrl Caroline (.Scott) 
 Sloan. The father, a native of Harrisburg. 
 
 Pennsylvania, went to Qticago when a young 
 man and was married there to .Miss Scott, a na- 
 tive of C<x)k county an<l a daughter of John Sc<»tt, 
 who was t)orn in Sotbiid and liecame a resident 
 of Ciiicago in 1850. Prior to her marriage Mrs. 
 Sloan engage<l in teaching for several w-ars. 
 Mr. SKian was well known as an extensive ilealer 
 in fine horsi-s, handling im|Hirted ilr.nft ami coach 
 horses for forty years, in which connection he 
 iKJcame widely known. I'nto him and his wife 
 were Ixirn seven chiMren, six of whom readied 
 adidt age. The father is now living at the age 
 of seventy-four years, while his wife died in 
 OctojK-r, 1906, at the age of seventy years. 
 
 Sanniel J. Sloan was reared in Chicago Heights 
 and enjoyed goinl educational privileges. .\t the 
 early age of sixteen years he began buying draft 
 horses for the market and in that capacity was in 
 the employ of one man for six years. Througout 
 his entire life he has l>een engaged in stock deal- 
 ing and for sixteen years he has operated the 
 I la/let farm of one lum<lred and sixty acri-s in 
 coimection with his stock buying. In iqc/t he 
 liought and shipj)ed to Kohn l'>n>thers, of .\'ew 
 York, eight draft horses averaging in weight 
 fourteen hundred anil fifty jMiunds and which 
 brought two thousand twenty-five dollars. Mr. 
 .'^loan is well known throughout the county for 
 his excellent judgment of good animals and as a 
 stock dealer has made money for him"''' c"! 
 others. 
 
 On the 27th of Xovemlnr, 188^1, occurred the 
 marriage of Samuel J. Sloan and Miss .Vila M. 
 Dazey, a native of IrtKpiois county ami a daugh- 
 ter of Aaron Dazey. who was lK)rn in I'ountain 
 county. Imliana, and came to Illinois with her 
 parents in i8r>«>. the family honte being estab- 
 lishc<l in Milford township. I'nto Mr. and Mrs. 
 .'^iiMn have Inrn Ixirn three children. Homer, Por- 
 ter and .Meta. all of whom are attentling school. 
 
 The parents and family attcml the services of 
 the .Metho<list l-'piscopal church at .'^tockland. 
 Mr. Sloan is a stalwart republican and has filled 
 the offices of school diri-ctor and tnistee for sev- 
 eral years, while at the jjresent writing he is ser\'- 
 ing as supervisor of Sttx'kland township. Fra- 
 ternally he is connected with the Foresters of Mil- 
 ford. The occupation to which he was reared 
 he has nvxilv his life work and his persistency in 
 following out one line of business is undoubtedly
 
 240 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 a strong element in his success. He early learned 
 to know the good points of horses and his judg- 
 ment is rarely, if ever, at fault in this particular, 
 so that in the purchase and sale of stock he has 
 conducted a good business. 
 
 WILSON S. KAY. 
 
 Wilson S. Kay. who for many years was one 
 of the distinguished and able lawyers of central 
 Illinois and at the time of his death was the 
 oldest member of the Iroquois county bar, pos- 
 sessed in large measure the qualities that com- 
 mand honor and respect and that win success. 
 In all of life's relations, whether as educator, 
 lawyer, political leader or friend, he displayed 
 sterling traits of character that supplemented 
 strong intellectual force and marked ability. He 
 was the associate and friend of many of the 
 distinguished sons of Illinois, who regarded him 
 in every way as a peer. 
 
 A native of Indiana, Wilson S. Kay was born 
 near Greencastle, in Putnam county, on the 31st 
 of October, 1831, and was a son of William D. 
 and Ruth ( ^^'right) Kay. the former a native of 
 ]\Iar\land, while the latter was born near what 
 is now known as Little Mills, in West \'irginia. 
 The father removed with his parents from Mary- 
 land to Pittsburg. Penns_\'lvania, and. being left 
 an orphan when only si.x or seven years of age. 
 he was ajiprenticed to the glass-blower's trade, 
 which he followed for some time after complet- 
 ing his term of indenture. Subsequentlv he be- 
 came a resident of West Mrginia. in which 
 state he was married and later he lived at dif- 
 ferent times in West Virginia and ( )hiii, remov- 
 ing eventually to Terre Haute. Indiana, and 
 afterward to a farm near Greencastle, in I'ut- 
 nam county, that slate. When a few months had 
 pas.sed. however, he returned to \'irginia and 
 soon afterward went to Cincinnati. Ohio, where 
 he conducted business as a furrier. .\t a later 
 date the family took up their abode upon a farm 
 in Clermont county, Ohio, where thev lived 
 until 1837, when William I). Kay sold his prop- 
 erty and at the .solicitation of a friend invested 
 his money in a .steam-mill outfit, which he in- 
 tended to oix-rale in Illinois. L'])on his arrival 
 
 in this state, however, he found conditions so 
 entirelv different from what had been represented 
 that he took his engine no further than Perrys- 
 ville on the Wabash river, a place about four- 
 teen miles east of Danville. The following sea- 
 son he set about erecting a sawmill on the east 
 side of the Wabash and two and a half miles 
 below Perrysville. When he had nearly com- 
 pleted it he became ill with what was termed 
 milk sickness and passed away. His widow 
 with her children later removed to Iroquois coun- 
 tv. Illinois, where her father. Jonathan Wright. 
 lived. Xo portion of her husband's estate ever 
 reached the widow or any of the children. When 
 about seventeen years of age \\'ilson S. Kay 
 began an investigation concerning his father's 
 affairs by going to Covington, Indiana, where 
 the estate was settled and there he found that 
 the administrators had caused the whole of the 
 estate, eighty acres of excellent timber land with 
 plenty of coal on it together with the steam saw- 
 mill, to be sold. It was then bought in by the 
 administrators for the sum of eleven dollars. 
 About 1845 Mrs. Ka\' married again, becoming 
 the wife of Isaac Courtright. a prominent pio- 
 neer settler of Iroquois county. Her death oc- 
 curred in Texas, a small town in ]\IiddIeport 
 township, in July. 1854. She died of cholera 
 and her luisband died of the same disease the 
 following day. 
 
 Wilson S. Kay was a little lad of seven years 
 when with his widowed mother and his brothers 
 and sisters he returned to Iroquois county in the 
 summer of 1838. He and one of his sisters, who 
 were the two oldest members of the family, found 
 homes with strangers. Wilson S. Kay living with 
 .Samuel Harper near Onarga for a few months, 
 after which he spent four years with Thomas 
 \'ennum, Sr., near Milford-on-the-Mound. At 
 intervals as opportunity offered he attended the 
 district schools and later had the licnefit of a 
 year's instruction in the Milford school. He was 
 fourteen years of a.ge when he went to the home 
 of his sister near IMilford. there working for his 
 bo.ard and the opportunity of continuing his edu- 
 cation. He displayed special aptitude in his 
 studies and. using his advantages in the best pos- 
 sible way, thus became ec|uipi)ed for the profes- 
 sion of teaching, which he followed at r)unkum 
 for a vear. The mone\ thus earned enabled him
 
 W II. SON" S. KAV.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS
 
 IR()QL\)IS " ' •' ^ ! V, ILLINOIS. 
 
 -'4.? 
 
 to {x-conic a student in Moinit Morris Seminary 
 in ( t^lc county. lIliihMs. and latter he a^ain en- 
 ffaned in teacliin^ for a few years, tliis heiiiK 
 folluwcd by a course- of study in Asbury ( now 
 De Pauw ) University, of (ireencastle, Indiana. 
 He was endowed by nature witli strong mentality 
 and he tlevelo|x-d iiis latent |)ower> tbrou);li close 
 application while in schtnil and by broad readini; 
 and investigation in his leisure hours. 
 
 On the i8th of July. 1832. .Mr. Kay was mar- 
 ried in lriM|uois county to Miss Susannah Lrilch- 
 field, who diid in .Si|»tember. 1855. and they be- 
 came the parents of a son. William, who died 
 in infancy. ( )n the 6th of March. i€S58. Mr. Kay 
 weilded .Miss Livonia M. I'.urlin^nnc. of ( »nar- 
 ga. Illinois, a daughter of .\bner and Livonia 
 (Turner) Hurlinjjame. She was lx>rn in New 
 Berlin, Chenango county. Xcw York, and in 1835 
 came with her widowed mother, two sisters and 
 a brother to Illinois. The second marriage wai; 
 blessed with five children. William .\l)ner. who 
 was l)orn .\pril 2. iWo. die<l at the age of eight- 
 een months. McClellan. who was born t )ctobcr 
 18. 1861. for many years jiracticed law with his 
 father. He was educated in the Watseka public 
 schixjl. the ( )narga Seminary. Michigan State 
 L'niversity and the .Vorthwestern University of 
 Evanston. Illinois, and was admitted to the bar 
 in 1884, when he entered into partnershi]> with 
 his father and Judge Ivvans. the firm later be- 
 coming Kay & Kay. He married Llla .Martin, 
 of Watseka. Wilson S.. born IXvember I'l, 
 i8(._^. diol .May 21. 1872. Livonia Ruth. Ixirn 
 October 2. iS^'i", was graduated from the N'orth- 
 western University at I'"vasiiin in i8<;i and now 
 ovMis and occupies the beautiful Kay homestead 
 on West Walnut streil in Watseka. Donaltl 
 Rurlingame. Ixirn June ij. 1874. died in Novem- 
 ber of the same year. 
 
 When first married .Mr. Kay lived in a cabin 
 near Itunktun and taught school in tliat village. 
 Subse<iuently he removed to Middle]>ort. then tlte 
 county seat, and in i8frfi he made his home alK>ut 
 midway l)etween the old and new town, now 
 Watseka. Ambitious to enter other professional 
 life, he t<Kik up the study of law in Middleport 
 under the flirectioii of James l-"letcher and in 
 1837 was admitted to the bar. after which he 
 entered upon active practice in Watseka. From 
 that time until his death he remained in active 
 
 practice and was accordetl a |)osition of promi- 
 nence seconci to no member of the Innjuois coun- 
 ty bar. In fact his thorough umlerstanding of 
 the principles of jurisprudence, his correct ap- 
 plication of his legal knowledge to the [Xiints at 
 issue, his strength in argument and his logical 
 deductions nude him the peer of many of the 
 ablest memlKTs of the |)rofession in Illinois. .\ 
 coiUemporary biographer said of him: "He |>os- 
 .sessed certain eleiueius of dis|>osition without 
 which success in the legal profession is hardly 
 attainable — industry, energ> . ability, tact and 
 last, but not leiist. comb.itiveness and true cour- 
 age. He trusted nothing to chance that his sa- 
 gacity deemed necessary to his case when care 
 and work would insure success; consequently he 
 won the reputation of Ix-ing a conservative and 
 safe man to entrust with important cases and 
 his success in court fully justified the general 
 popular o|)inion of him." 
 
 Mr. Kay's prominence was not limited alone 
 to the profession in which he gained a ])osition 
 of marked distinction, for he became a recognized 
 leader in other walks of life. He was a member 
 of the state central c<»nunittee of the national 
 democratic party and supported Palmer and 
 r.uckner iluring the campaign of !8«/). He was 
 one of the three judges of the court of claims 
 apiwinted by Ciovernor Fifcr in 1880. He was 
 long recognized as one of the leading repri-senta- 
 tives of denuKracy in his portion of the state 
 and his o]iininns were frit|ueiuly decisive factors 
 in the councils of his |)arty. In .Masonry he 
 attained the Knight Templar degree. In-longing 
 to Watseka liMlge. No. 44<>. .\. F. & .\. M.; 
 Watseka clia|)ter. .\o. 114. R. .\. M: and Ivan- 
 hoe commandery. K. T.. of Kankakee, while 
 later his membership was transforme<l to Mary 
 coinmantlery of Watseka. He was also ctin- 
 necte<l with the t )rder of the Eastern Star and 
 with the Odd l-'ellows and at the time of his de- 
 mise was one of the oldest Masons of the county. 
 That he <lisj)layed business ability asiile from his 
 ]»rofession is indicated by his jutlicious invest- 
 ment in pro|K-rty and he In-canK- the owner of 
 over five hundred acres of farming land, aliout 
 four hundred acres of which was adjacent to 
 Watseka on the southwest, while thirty acres lay 
 inside the corjxiration limits. Mr. Kay at all 
 times displayed sound judgment, whether in mat-
 
 244 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 ters relating to his profession or to public or 
 private interests. He stootl tor progressive and 
 public-spirited citizenship and was the opponent 
 of misrule in all niunici]3al or state affairs. He 
 had high ideals of right and wrong and his life 
 exemplified his principles. Moreover the strong 
 traits of his character were manifest in the way in 
 which he faced the hardships and privations of 
 his earlier \ears and molded opportimitv to his 
 own ends, gradually working his way upward 
 until he occupied a prominent position among 
 the sucessful residents of Iroquois county, com- 
 manding at the same time the respect and honor 
 of the people of intellectual force, who regarded 
 him as an equal, while from the great mass of 
 humanity he received the deference which is al- 
 wavs accorded true worth. 
 
 DAXIEL M. .MARQUIS. 
 
 Daniel 2vl. Marquis is one of the old-time resi- 
 dents of Iroquois county, and is successfully con- 
 ducting a brick and tile factory at Mil ford. He 
 also mantifactures cement blocks for building 
 purposes and there is large demand for these. 
 His energies are directed along well defined line? 
 of labor leading to success and the years have 
 brought him a gratifying measure of prosperitv. 
 
 Born in Logan county, Ohio, February 14. 
 1836, Mr. ]\Iarquis is a son of Samuel Marquis, 
 a native of \'irginia. The father accompanied his 
 parents on their removal to Knox count\-, ()hio. 
 where he followed farming, and in that county 
 he married Lucinda Axtel, a native of Washing- 
 ton county. Pennsylvania, .^ubseciuently he car- 
 ried on general agricultural pursuits in Knox 
 county for two years and then removed to Logan 
 county, where he spent his remaining days, pass- 
 ing away on the 12th of April, 1865. when fifty- 
 six years of age. His wife died in 1884, at the 
 age of eighty-two years. 
 
 Daniel ^M. Mar(|uis was one of a family of nine 
 children, eight of whom reached years of matu- 
 rity. He was reared upon the home farm, and 
 when a young man followed carpentering for ten 
 years. He was early trained to habits of indus- 
 try and economy and the lessons wliich he thus 
 learned in youth have been of much jiraclical 
 
 value to him in his business life. In 1858 he 
 made a trip westward to Omaha, Nebraska, trav- 
 eling part of the way by stage, and for three years 
 he followed carpentering there. Returning to 
 Ohio, he was married on the loth day of Septem- 
 ber. 1862, to Miss Sarah B. Downs, a native of 
 ( )hio, and a daughter of Jesse Downs, who was 
 born in New Hampshire and became an early 
 resident of Logan county, Ohio. Soon after his 
 marriage Mr. Marquis removed westward to Illi- 
 nois and purchased si.xty acres of prairie land in 
 Iroquois county. He there built a house, which 
 he improved and he bought more land from time 
 to time until he had become the owner of two 
 hundred and five acres, constituting a valuable 
 property in Milford township, owing to the care 
 and labor which he had bestowed upon the fields 
 and which brought them under a high state of 
 cultivation. 
 
 Air. Marquis lost his first wife in 1881, and on 
 the loth of September, 1884, he was again mar- 
 ried, his second union being with Alary Louisa 
 Strain, a native of this county and a daughter of 
 David Strain, one of the old settlers of Iroquois 
 county. He was a native of Washington cotmty, 
 Pennsylvania, born in 1818, and there he grew to 
 manhood. In 1834 he came to Illinois and estab- 
 lished his home in Iroquois county, where he fol- 
 lowed the occupation of farming. In 1840 he 
 was married here to Aliss Sarah Haney, whose 
 birth occurred in Washington county, Indiana, in 
 1823. She is now in her eighty-fourth year and 
 makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. .Marcpiis. 
 Her husband died January 12. 1866. at the age 
 of fort)-seven years, after which she carefully 
 reared their family of eight children, all of whom 
 reached vears of maturity. Mrs. Marquis is the 
 eldest of this family of two sons and six daugh- 
 ters. She has one sister in this county — Mrs. 
 I'rank Fndsley, of Milford. 
 
 Mr. Man|uis continued to engage actively in 
 farming until 1884. when he sold his land and 
 turned his attention to industrial pursuits, ])ur- 
 chasing a brick plant, which in ]Ht)j hv removed 
 to its present location in .Milford. lie has in- 
 stalled new and iniprnved machinery and is ])re- 
 pared to make eighteen-inch tile. \\'hen running 
 to the full capacity the output is fifteen thousand 
 brick per day, and from two to four thousand tile 
 dailw while employment is furnished to from
 
 IRugUOlS COUNTY. II.I.INc »1S. 
 
 245 
 
 eipht to ton men in tlie busy soason. Mr. Mar- 
 quis is thi>roiijjhly conversant with the Ix'si nictli- 
 otis of pnnhiciiiR these proilucts. keeping in touch 
 with tile iniproveinents that liave In-en made 
 thnuifih invention and experiineiu and he fintis 
 an excellent sale for his output. He also manu- 
 factures cement lil<x-ks for building purposes and 
 this part of his business is jjrowinK ra|>idly. 
 
 In his fraternal relations Mr. Manpiis is a .Ma- 
 son. belt>npinjj to the lodjje at .Mil ford, and his 
 wife is connected with the l-'asteni Star. .She is 
 also a memlK'r of the .Metho<list Episcopal church 
 and is a lady of many pood (|ualities. .Mr. Mar- 
 quis votes with the ilemocracy on national ques- 
 tions. He has never .sought or cared for public 
 office, serA'inp at i>ne time as road commissioner 
 for two terms but otherwise holding no ])ositions 
 of |)olitical preferment. I le belongs, however, to 
 that class of representative .\merican citiy.ens 
 who, while advancing individual interests con- 
 tribute also to the public welfare. He has now 
 reached the Psalmist's allotted span of three 
 score years and ten and his has lx?en an active 
 life characterized by stalwart pur|K)se, by fidelity 
 to principle and by honor in all his relations with 
 his fellowmcn. He is a genial and c<iurteous gen- 
 tleman and his position in i)ublic regard is one of 
 prominence. 
 
 HIR.\M H. HOTALl.\(l 
 
 Hiram H. Hotaling is a retired farmer residing 
 in Crescent City and his intense and well directed 
 activity in former years onstituted the basis of 
 a success that now enables him to live comfort- 
 ably without recourse to further lalxir. .\ na- 
 tive of N'ew York, he was born in ( )nondaga 
 county, Septenil)er 22, 185^). and is a son of (iar- 
 rett H. and Harriet (Wallace) Hotaling. The 
 father was a miller in Haldwinsville, New York, 
 but both he and his wife are now deceased, the 
 latter having dei«rted this life when their son 
 Hiram was only eleven years of age. The father 
 long survived and passed away in January, 1905. 
 Hiram H. Hotaling was educatcfl in the common 
 schools of Xew York, in the high schiM)l of Syra- 
 cuse and in Haldwinsville .Academy, and thus was 
 well equipped by liberal intellectual training and 
 
 culture for the responsible and practical duties of 
 life. in 1870, wlien twenty years of age, he 
 came to the west, living in Chicago for one wm- 
 ter, after which, in the spring of 1877. he went to 
 Colorado. .\ few months later, however, he re- 
 turned to Chicago and in July, 1877, came to 
 lro<|uois county, establishing his home u]M)n a 
 farm in Danforth township near <iilman. His 
 first purchase of land in this county comprised 
 seventy-six acres and came into his jMissession 
 in 1881. .\t a later date he sold that and iKiught 
 three hundred and eight) acres, also in Ifcmfnrth 
 lownshi]). which he still owns. He im|»roveil all 
 of his land, tiled it and converted it into rich and 
 ]>roduclive fields, raising the cereals Ix-st adapted 
 to soil and climate. He also raised, Ijought, fed 
 and shipped sttx'k. In fact, his farm is largely 
 devoted to live-st<x"k interests and he Ix-came well 
 known in the county as a leading stockman. 
 
 .Mr. Hotaling was married in i8S<j to .Miss 
 Frances K. Ilallam. a daughter of Doc S. Hal- 
 lam, a pioneer settler of Irocpiois county and a 
 well known character in an early day. He came 
 to Illinois from \\'ashingti)n. Pennsylvania, and 
 in the Keystone state was a chum to Major Har- 
 rington, of Watseka. He was a great lover of 
 dogs and horses an<l was a typical pioneer set- 
 tler, widely known in the county and having the 
 warm friendship of many with whom he came in 
 contact. I'nto Mr. and .Mrs. Hotaling have been 
 born ten children : Harriet, the wife of Charles 
 A. Lee, of Danforth township: Crace and Garrett 
 H., who are living at home: (ieorge E., who is 
 in the livery business at Crescent City : Homer, 
 -Mbcrt, Jeanette. Edith and Mal)el, all of whom 
 are still under the parental rtHif: and one child, 
 who died unname<l in infancy. 
 
 Mr. Hotaling gives his political allegiance to 
 the rejniblican party and is prominent in its lo- 
 cal ranks, while his opinions have fre<piently been 
 decisive factors in its councils. He has served 
 as assessor and supervisor of I")anforth and was 
 the only republican supervi.sor Danforth township 
 has ever had. the fact of his election indicating his 
 ))ersonal popularity and the confidence ami trust 
 re|M»sed in him by his fellow townsmen. .Socially 
 he is comiecte<l with Crescent Citv lotlge. N'o. 
 ('>oj. I. ( ). ( ). F., also with the Inxpiois encamp- 
 ment at Watseka. He is likewise a memln-r of the 
 Mo«lern WiwKlmen camp at Crescent City and
 
 246 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 he and his wife are connected widi the Royal 
 Neighbors there. He has filled all of the chairs 
 in the Odd Fellows lodge and has been president 
 of the Iroquois County Agricultural Society for 
 ten years without drawing any salary for his 
 services. He has discharged the duties of the 
 position with marked capability because of his 
 deep interest in agricultural progress and be has 
 helped to make the fair held by the society one 
 of the best in the state. For twenty years he act- 
 ed as superintendent of the horse department and 
 has done much to stimulate an interest in high 
 grade stock and thus promote the value of live- 
 stock interests in the county. 'Mr. Hotaling has 
 justly earned the proud American title of a self- 
 made man, as with limited capital he came to the 
 west, dependent practically upon his own re- 
 sources for all that he has achieved and enjoved in 
 life. His close application to his business, his 
 unremitting diligence and his ability in control- 
 ling agricultural interests have been an ele- 
 ment in a success which is as honorable as it is 
 gratifying-. 
 
 JAMES F. HARWOOD. 
 
 Among the lo_\-al soldiers of the Union that 
 Iroquois county furnished to the government 
 during the darkest hour of the historv of the 
 country, James F. Harwood is numbered, and 
 for three years he served as a valiant defender 
 of the stars and stripes, participating in many 
 of the important Iwttlcs in which that emblem of 
 the Union cause led the troops forward to vic- 
 tory. He is now successfully farming in Iro- 
 quois township. He is a western man by birth, 
 training and perseverance, and the spirit of en- 
 terprise and progress which has been dominant 
 in the upbuilding of this section of the country 
 is manifest in him. 
 
 He was born near Cincinnati, Dearborn 
 county, Indiana, March 21. 1834, and was a lad 
 of eight years when he came to Iroquois county, 
 Illinois, in company with his parents. His fa- 
 ther, Frederick Harwood, drove across the coun- 
 try with horses and carriage, arriving in the 
 month of April, 1842. He established his home 
 near Crescent City, trading his horses and the 
 carriage for a farm. He also entered govern- 
 
 ment land adjoining the tract which he pur- 
 chased and with characteristic energy he began 
 to clear and cultivate the land, transforming the 
 wild prairie in course of time into rich and pro- 
 ductive fields. When he arrived here there were 
 only three cabins within miles of his place. It 
 seemed that the work of development and civil- 
 ization had scarcely been begun in this part of 
 the state, for much of the land was still un- 
 claimed and was raw or a swamp. He had a 
 farm where the town of Crescent City now 
 stands and died upon that place when sixty-six 
 \ears of age. Local advancement and national 
 progress were always causes dear to his heart. 
 His wife long survived him and died at the age 
 of seventy-eight vcars. 
 
 James F. Harwood was largely reared amid pi- 
 oneer scenes and environments in Iroquois coun- 
 ty, and his memory bears vi\-i(ll\- the imj^ress of 
 many of the early historic annals of this part 
 of the state. He was a student in the common 
 schools and in the summer seasons worked in the 
 fields, thus gaining practical knowledge of the 
 best methods of carrying on the farm. He has 
 always devoted his time and energies to gen- 
 eral agricultural pursuits and in early life 
 worked out as a farm hand for ten dollars per 
 month. Saving his earnings, he at length ac- 
 cumulated capital sufficient to enable him to pur- 
 chase forty acres of land at two dollars and a 
 half per acre. He made this purchase in 1856 
 and subsequently he bought the farm whereon 
 he now lives at four dollars per acre. All of the 
 buildings upon it have been erected by him and 
 the work of improvement has been carried for- 
 ward until he now has a fine farm property 
 of one hundred and twenty acres. He has sold 
 his other farms and still deals in real estate, 
 adding materially to his income in this way. He 
 is a good business man, sagacious and far-sighted, 
 and through the careful direction of his efforts 
 has met with gratifying success. 
 
 In 1862 Mr. Harwood enlisted in the army 
 as a member of Company A, Seventy-sixth 
 Regiment of Illinois Volunteers under Captain 
 Harrington. He served for three years with 
 that command and the nature of his service is in- 
 dicated by the fact that he was a participant in 
 the sanguinary battles of \'icksburg and Jackson, 
 Mississippi, Rlakelx'. Alabama, and man\' others.
 
 MR, WD MRS. JAMES F. HARWOOU.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 -249 
 
 Alth<>uj;li lu" was iK'vcr wmiiidcil he framciitly 
 was in tlic thickcsl of the f^hl aiul at one time 
 was in the rejjiment hospital witli measles. He 
 reci'iveil an houoralile disch.ir^e at (iaiveston. 
 Texas, in iS<i5, ami \wi»g sent tlience to Chica^jo. 
 was imistiTed out and |>aid otT in tliat city, after 
 which he returned home. In iiis citizenship he 
 has since manifested the same loyalty which he 
 (lisplaved when upon southern hattle-fields he 
 followed the starrv hanner of the nation. 
 
 Mr. Harw<x>d was marrietl to Miss I'aimie 
 Kerh\. of Iro<|Uois coimty. and they have three 
 children: James, who we<lded (iertrude Lamp- 
 Ik'II and lives near his father: Peter and Helen. 
 Ixith at home. Politically .Mr. Ilarwood is ;i 
 democrat hut not an active politici:in. lie he- 
 lonjjs to the tirand .\rmy of the Rcpnhlic hut 
 his time and ener^es have larijely throutrhout 
 his life lieen centered upon his farmin^j inter- 
 ests, and his close application and unfallerin).; 
 cncrjjy have made him a successful man. 
 
 CAPTAIN" KLK.WAII DOOLITTLE. 
 
 Captain Llkanah Doolittle. who ileparted this 
 life in ( )narjja, November n>. i!^;". won his title 
 hy valorous service in the Civil war and for many 
 years was counted with the re])resentative citi- 
 zens of Ir(X|iiois county. Me was horn July iCt. 
 iS2t). in New York city, whence his father re- 
 moveil to Oneida county. .\'iw York, and later 
 to Newark. New Jersey. Captain Dixilittle re- 
 ceived liberal educational advantages in the east- 
 ern metropolis and In-came a civil cnyini-er by 
 profession. I-'ollowing that ])i;rsuit. he was en- 
 gaged with railroad survey anil construction work 
 between Ojjdensburjj and Plattsburg. New York, 
 and in 1831 he came west to Illinois, making his 
 way to Chicago, where he soon entered into busi- 
 ness relations with the Illinois Central Railroad 
 Company as a civil engineer. Hstablishing his 
 home in Irocjuois coimty. he was elected to the 
 office of county surveyor, which ])osition he ac- 
 cei)tably filled until 1858. when he returned to 
 Connecticut, where his people were then living. 
 He remained in New England until after th. out 
 break of the Civil war. 
 
 When the call for triK>ps was made ami men 
 from all stations of life Hocke<l to the standard 
 of the nation, going from the workshop. . 
 room, the offices and the fields, he too j' 
 army, enlisting in 18(1.2 in the Twentieth Connec- 
 ticut N'olunteer Infantrv. in which he was com- 
 missioned first lieutenant, l-ater he was pro- 
 moted to the rank of captain and served for eight- 
 een months, when he resigne<l and returned 
 home. He was in a lunnlKT of iu)|iorlani engage- 
 ments but suffered a sunslnjkc on the fieUI of 
 <iettysburg and this incapacitated him for fur- 
 ther duty, so that he gave up his ]Kisition and re- 
 turned to the north. He tiKik part in a nmnlnT 
 of the hotly contestid engagements of the war, 
 incluiling the sangumary conflict at (iettysburg 
 where cliarge after charge was made by the 
 Union troo])s and repulsed until at last they were 
 able to hold their ground ami another 4th of July 
 prix-Iaimed a victory for the Union an<l the re- 
 |>ublic. the birth of which had been celebrated 
 eighty-seven years In-fore. 
 
 In i8<i«i Captain Doolittle again came to Illinois, 
 settling at < )n:irga. where he engaged in merchan- 
 ilising. Ill became one of the prosperous busi- 
 ness men of the county and was widely known in 
 conmiercial circles. He had been married dur- 
 ing his earlier residence in < )narga. Miss Try- 
 phenia Pangborn becoming his wife in 1832. She 
 was a native of ( )hio but was reared in IriHpiois 
 comity, her father. Thomas .\l. Pangborn. hav- 
 ing been one of the first settlers of the county, lo- 
 cating here in 1837. He entered land from the 
 government, broke the prairie and develo|H'd a 
 farm which is still in possession of the faniily. 
 It was after the return of Captain I")c)olittle to 
 < )narga that he lost his first wife, who passed 
 away in i8(')S. There were four chiMren by that 
 marriage, of whom two arc living: Milton, who 
 is married an<l resides in Nebraska; and Thonias 
 K., who is marrie<l and lives with his brother in 
 northern Nebraska. The ebler brother. Milion. 
 has two children, Charles .Marston and Helen .\., 
 while Thomas K. Doolittle has six children: Mil- 
 ton F... Warren .\.. Thomas P.. .\daline .\., Em- 
 ily J. and I losmer. ( )n the 26th of .\ugust, i8<h;. 
 Captain Doolittle was again married, his second 
 union iK-ing with Miramla Panglxirn. who was 
 Uirn. reared and educated in lriH|iiois county. In 
 his [Kilitical views the Captain was a democrat
 
 250 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 where national issues were involved but at local 
 elections cast an independent ballot, supporting 
 the men whom he regarded as best qualified for 
 office. After his marriage he located on the old 
 home farm, where he resided for several years, 
 when his residence was destroyed by fire about 
 1884. He then took up his abode in Onarga, 
 where he purchased residence property that is 
 now occupied by his widow, it being her father's 
 old home. He was reared in the faith of the Epis- 
 copal church, while his wife was reared in the 
 Methodist church and is a member of the con- 
 gregation of that denomination at Onarga. Cap- 
 tain Doolittle belonged to the Masonic frater- 
 nity and held membership in the lodge, chapter 
 and commandery, becoming a Knight Templar at 
 New Haven, Connecticut. Both he and his wife 
 were members of the Order of the Eastern Star. 
 From the time of his return in 1866 Captain Doo- 
 little continuously made his home in Iroquois 
 county, either upon his farm or in the county seat. 
 He was well qualified for the profession of civil 
 engineering and he was equally able in his farm- 
 ing operations, w'hich were carefully managed 
 and brought to him a good financial return. In 
 citizenship he was ever loyal and progressive, 
 manifesting the same fidelity to the country that 
 he displaved when on southern battle-fields he 
 followed the stars and stripes. In every relation 
 of life he was honorable and reliable and his death 
 was therefore the occasion of widespread regret. 
 Mrs. Doolittle, since the Captain's demise, has 
 traveled to some extent in the west, visiting the 
 Pacific coast on two different occasions and also 
 Nebraska. At her husband's demise she took 
 charge of the farm and business. She now has 
 with her her husband's grandson, Milton E. Doo- 
 little, whom she is educating, he being now a stu- 
 dent in the Dakota \\'esleyan University, at 
 Mitchell, South Dakota. 
 
 W. O. CARRINGTON. 
 
 W. O. Carrington, a farmer of Loda town- 
 ship, living on section 22, his land adjoining the 
 village of Loda, has made his home in Iroquois 
 county since 1864. He is a native of the neigh- 
 boring state of Indiana, where his birth occurred 
 
 in Putnam county, on the 17th of March. 1847. 
 His father, ^lilton Carrington, was a native of 
 Kentucky and was there reared and married, set- 
 tling afterward in Indiana, where he lost his wife. 
 Subsequently he was married in Henry county, 
 Indiana, to Nancy Sears, a native of Kentucky, 
 and to provide for his family he followed agri- 
 cultural pursuits. In 1864 he came to Iroquois 
 county, settling in Ash Grove township, but he 
 was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, 
 for his death occurred the following year. His 
 wife long survived him and died in Loda in 1899. 
 
 \\ . O. Carrington was a young man of seven- 
 teen years at the time of the removal of the fam- 
 ily to this county. He had attended school to 
 some extent in Indiana but his educational priv- 
 ileges were somewhat limited and he is largely 
 indebted to the school of experience and reading 
 in leisure hours for the knowledge that he has 
 acquired and which makes him a well informed 
 man. Reared to the occupation of farming he 
 has made it his life work. For several years 
 he operated rented land, and he completed his 
 arrangements for having a home of his own by 
 his marriage, on the ist of April, 1871, in Loda 
 to Miss Havannah Willis, who was born in 
 Michigan but was reared in Iroquois county. 
 For three years thereafter Mr. Carrington was 
 employed by the year at farm labor, after which 
 he rented land and was engaged in farming on 
 his own account for a number of years. Care- 
 fully saving his earnings, in 1903 he purchased 
 a neat and well improved farm of forty acres 
 on section 22, Loda township. In the midst of 
 this stands a large residence and in the rear of 
 the dwelling there is a good barn and other build- 
 ings affording ample shelter to grain and stock. 
 The farm adjoins the corporation limits of Loda 
 and in its care he displays good management and 
 practical methods. 
 
 Unto Mr. and Mrs. Carrington have been born 
 four children : Charles M. ; Frances A., the wife 
 of C. L. Whittaker, of Buckley, by whom she has 
 four children ; Edward Otis, who is married and 
 is a telegraph operator and station agent at 
 Birkbeck, Illinois ; and John Wesley, at home. 
 Fraternally a Mason, his membership being with 
 the blue lodge at Loda, Mr. Carrington is also 
 connected with the Tribe of Ben Hur and the 
 Knights of Pvthias. In the last named he has
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. Ikl.IXOIS. 
 
 25' 
 
 served through all of the chairs ami is a past 
 chancellor. His wife is a memher of the Chris- 
 tian church. He votes with thi- republican party 
 and although he is not a politician in the sense 
 of office seeking he has servetl as highway coni- 
 niissioner of I'igeon (irove tcnvnship and has 
 been on the school board for several vears. 
 
 nil ».\iA.s 1-. w ii..M)\. 
 
 Thomas V. Wilson, engaged in general fann- 
 ing and stock-raising on section ^^. Ashknni 
 township, has in addition to this proi>erty, one 
 hundred and sixty acres of land located along 
 the Ircxpiois river and a fine home and other 
 residence property in the village of Ashkum, all 
 of which indicates that he is one of the sub- 
 stantial residents of the county and his position 
 has been gained by close application, earnest 
 purpose and commendable business methods. 
 
 liorn in Danville, Illinois. June 5. 1850, he 
 was only two years of age when brought to Iro- 
 quois county by his parents. John and Amy (Car- 
 son) Wilson, who located in Iroquois township. 
 The father was born in Baltimore. Maryland, and 
 when a yoimg man came to Illinois, being mar- 
 ried in Danville, where he engaged in teaching 
 school. He was a surveyor by profession and 
 followed that pursuit throughout his entire life 
 although to some extent he also engaged in other 
 vocations, and in this capacity he became well 
 known throughout the state as well as locally. 
 He did survey work for the Illinois Central Rail- 
 road and also in the city of Chicago, and his 
 business contracts called him into various sections 
 of the country. He served for years as county 
 surveyor of Iroquois county, proved a most ca- 
 pable official as was indicated by his retention 
 in the position through a long period. He was 
 also postmaster at Plato, this county, for a great 
 many years but had to give up the office just 
 before his death, being at that time the oldest 
 postmaster in the state. He died fin his farm 
 on the Iroquois river. July l. iS*j\. at the age of 
 seventy-seven years and ten months, while his 
 wife survived him for but three months. She 
 was a representative of an fild Xew England 
 family. In the Wilson family were eight 
 14 
 
 children, five sons and three daughters: John 
 and .\lfrtd. who are living u|M)n the hume 
 farm; Uruce. who follows farming near Wat- 
 seka : Joseph, who is connected with the live- 
 stock business in Chicago at the Union Stuck 
 Yards; Mrs. i'auline Greenwoixl, a resident of 
 Washington; Isabella, the wife of William Dixon, 
 of this county; and a half-sister. Mrs. liliza 
 lieynolds. who is .1 vvid. lu-. now living in the state 
 of Washington. 
 
 Thomas F. Wilsuu was reared in Iro<iu<iis 
 county. Mis educational privileges were rather 
 limited but his training at farm labor was not 
 meager. He has followed farming during much 
 of his life and for the past thirty-eight years 
 has resided in Aslikum township, wlure he luiw 
 owns and controls good propirty on section ^i. 
 The soil is very rich and productive and brings 
 forth good crops in reward for the care and 
 labor which he bestows upon the fields. 
 
 Mr. Wilson has been twice married. He first 
 wedded Miss Melissa Fulford. l-'or his second 
 wife hechose Miss Ca/rie Hurley, of Chebanse, 
 Illinois, who was born in Pennsylvania, in 1870, 
 but in her girlhood days came to this state with 
 wife he chose Miss Carrie Hurley, of Chebanse, 
 Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have five children, all of 
 whom were born in .\shkum and all are at home, 
 namely : Agnes, Fremont, Richard. Helen and 
 ( )rville. 
 
 In his political views Mr. Wilson is a democrat 
 but without aspiration for office. He belongs to 
 the Congregational church of Ashkum and his 
 interest centers in those lines of life and public 
 activity which have for their object the welfare 
 and substantial development of the community. 
 
 MILTON' H. COX. 
 
 Milton H. Cox. who has retired from agricul- 
 tural life and makes his home in the village of 
 Chebanse. was born in Marshall county, \'ir- 
 ginia, October 17, 1850, and is a son of Samuei 
 and Rho<la (Gray) Cox. wlio were natives of 
 that county and in 18^)5 became residents of Belle 
 Plain township, Marshall county. Illinois. The 
 father departed this life in 1880. since which time
 
 252 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 the mother has Hvcd witli her son. .MiUon H. 
 Cox, and is now eighty-three years of age. 
 
 In the state of his nativity Mr. Co.x of this re- 
 view spent the lirst fifteen years of his life and 
 then accompanied his parents on their removal to 
 the middle west. He was afforded a common- 
 school education but he started out in life with 
 verv limited financial resources. He was reared 
 to the occupation of farming and resorted to that 
 department of activity as a means of livelihood, 
 continuing to engage in general farming pursuits 
 up to the time of his retirement from active life. 
 He worked persistently and energetically, plac- 
 ing his fields under a high state of cultivation 
 and adding many modern improvements to his 
 farm. As the years passed he harvested good 
 crops and thus added to his income from the 
 sales of both grain and stock. He is still the 
 owner of five hundred and seventy-five acres of 
 rich and productive land in Lincoln township, 
 Calhoun county, Iowa. 
 
 Mr. Cox was married on the loth of Novem- 
 ber, 1869, in lielle Plain township, Marshall 
 county, Illinois, to Miss Cynthia Perry, a resident 
 of that place, and they have become parents of 
 eight children : Franklin P., who is ojjerating 
 one of his father's farms in Calhoun county, 
 Iowa : T, \\'illard, who is farming in North Da- 
 kota ; Gertie P.., the wife of J. H. Nordhausen, 
 who is operating a part of her father's land in 
 Iowa ; Mary, who makes her home with her par- 
 ents ; Cora, the wife of George Blaney, a farmer 
 of Chebanse township: Lillian, the wife of 
 Harvey Allen, who is farming a part of her fa- 
 ther's land in Iowa; .\rthur M.. a printer of 
 Chebanse; and Oma, still at home. 
 
 Mr. Cox has always given his political sup- 
 ]xjrt to the democracy but in more recent years 
 has had strong prohibition tendencies because of 
 his attitude on the temperance question. He was 
 police magistrate of Chebanse in 1903 and 1904 
 and served as school director for eight years. 
 In early life he held membership with the Chris- 
 tian church but, as there was no congregation 
 of that denomination in this part of the county, 
 after his removal to Illinois he placed his mem- 
 bership with the Congregational church, of which 
 he is now a trustee. He affiliated with the 
 Knights of Pythias lodge. No. 570, of Chebanse, 
 and passed through all of the chairs but the lodge 
 
 has since been disbanded. He belongs to Iro- 
 quois camp. No. 994, ^I. W. A., in which he has 
 also filled most of the offices. His life has been 
 characterized by the performance of each day's 
 duty as it has come to him and. brooking no 
 obstacle that honest effort can overcome, he has 
 steadily worked his way upward until, having 
 long since left the ranks of the many, he today 
 stands among the successful few. 
 
 W. T. WARD. 
 
 W. T. Ward, who for the past nine years has 
 lived retired in ( )narga. but for nearly forty 
 \ears was actively engaged in farming in Wood- 
 ford and Iroquois counties, Illinois, is a native 
 son of West Mrginia. His birth occurred in Mar- 
 shall county, November 15, 1839. His father, 
 John Ward, was born in the Old Dominion and 
 was a son of Joseph Ward, also a resident of 
 \'irginia. In the state of his nativity John Ward 
 was reared and after arriving at years of ma- 
 turitv he was married there to Harriet Wheeler, 
 a native of .Maryland. Mr. Ward followed the 
 occupation of farming in \"irginia, reared his 
 familv there and made the place his home until 
 about 1856. His wife survived him and came to 
 Illinois in 1860. settling in Woodford county. In 
 their famil\- were two sons and five daughters 
 who reached adult age : John S.. who is living 
 in Des Moines, Iowa : W. T., of this review : 
 Emma, the wife of Perry Beckelhymer, also of 
 Des Moines, Iowa; Henrietta, the wife of W. S. 
 Wayman; Mary A. and Ellen W., who died in 
 West Virginia; and Elizabeth, who died in 
 Woodford county, Illinois. 
 
 In his native state W. T. Ward spent the days 
 of his childhood and youth and when a young 
 man came to Illinois. 1 Te was married in Wood- 
 ford county, September 26, 1869, to Miss Mar- 
 tha Ellen Burnham, who was born and reared 
 in Tazewell county, this state. They began their 
 domestic life upon a farm in Woodford county, 
 where for many years he carried on general ag- 
 ricultural pursuits and also engaged in the rais- 
 ing and feeding of .stock. In 1882, however, he 
 sold his property there and in the spring of 
 1883 came to Iroquois county, purchasing an im-
 
 UBRARy
 
 W. T. WARD.
 
 MRS. W. T. WARD.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS
 
 IR()QLX)IS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ■»57 
 
 proved farm of ihrcc Iniiulrcil ami twenty acres 
 in .\rtcsia township. Locating thereon he took 
 up tlK* task of furliier tlevclopinj,' anil iinprov- 
 ini; tlie property. He tiled and fenced the land, 
 brought his fields under a high state of cultiva- 
 tion and in coiniection with the raising of cereals 
 iK'st adapted to the soil and climatic conditions 
 he al.so engaged in niising high gr.tile horses and 
 cattle. He continued to live upon the farm until 
 i8</>. when he removed to ()narga, where he 
 purchase<l a residence that he has since occupie<I. 
 I'or the past ten years he has lived retired in 
 the enjoyuKnt of the fruits tif his former toil, 
 having actjnired a comiK'tency sufficient to sup- 
 ply him with all the comforts and many of the 
 ki.xuries of life. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Ward Ix-came the parents of five 
 children : Charles \\'.. who is now a teacher 
 of linglish ant! elocution at the Jacoh Tome In- 
 stitute at Fort Deposit. Maryland; Isaac H.. of 
 Onarga, who is niarried ;md h;is one child, .\lar- 
 jorie .Mice; Mary Lllen, the wife of C .M. Can- 
 non, a farmer of this county. l>y whom she has 
 five children. ( irace .\.. l'rl)an \\'.. Ward, 
 Charles R. and Wendell; W illelta. the wife of 
 Dr. J. C". De I'ries, of Thawvillc. by whom she 
 has one son. Walter; and Walter T. W;ird. who 
 was a student in the high scIiikiI and also in 
 the seminary at Onarga. completing Iwth courses 
 and now taking a ctmimcrcial course in the (iran<l 
 I'rairie Seminary. 
 
 The parents are consistent memlxrrs of the 
 Methodist Rpisco|)al church, in which .Mr. W'anl 
 is now serving on the ollicial Ixiard. and formerly 
 he was superintendent of the Sunday-schixjl 
 while on the farm. He has taken a most active 
 and helpful part in matters relating to the general 
 welfare as well as to the upbuilding of the 
 church and his intUience has been a imtent ele- 
 ment for public j)rogress. A life long republican 
 since casting his first presidential Iwllot for 
 .\braham Lincoln in |W<4. he has supported each 
 presidential nominee of the |)arty since that 
 time. He has never sought or desired office for 
 hinjself an<l while on the farm gave his undi- 
 vided attention to its development and manage- 
 ment. He is now serving, however, for the 
 fourth year as jus-tier of the ]>cace ami his de- 
 cisions are strictly fair and impartial. He ha< 
 liccn a delegate to coimty conventions and his in- 
 
 terest in (Kiliiical afTairs is that of a public- 
 spirited citizen. Mr. Ward has s|>cnt the greater 
 part of his life in this section of Illinois and for 
 ftnir decades was accounted one of the leading 
 representatives of agricultural interests. Invcs- 
 tig.ition into his business career show- 
 that are worthy of ailmiration and < 
 :md proves that success is not a nuitter of genius 
 but is the outcome of clear judgment. exiK-rience 
 and imiustrv. 
 
 l-R.WK D.\kLL\<.. 
 
 I'rank Darling, a resident fanner of Concord 
 township, where he was lx»rn July 15. 1870. is 
 now meeting with a gratifying measure of success 
 in his chosen life work. He is a son of Lyman 
 Darling, who is mentioned on another pafjc of 
 this Work, and umler the |>arenta! r<.»ii he siK-iit 
 the days of his lioyhiHwl and youth, entering the 
 public schools at the usual age and therein ac- 
 •piiring a go<Kl Lnglish education. When not 
 busy with his text-l>ooks he worked for his fa- 
 ther ami riinained at home until i8<)2, when at 
 the age of twenty-two years he started out in life 
 on his own account. He first rented eighty acres 
 of land from bis father and cultivated it for one 
 year. I le afterward livwl on the TihUI farm 
 for five years and for one year on the farm 
 owned by Mrs. Fry. On the expiration of that 
 ]teri<Kl he removed to his father's farm of one 
 lumdred and fifty-five acri-s in (."oncord town- 
 shi|), on which he has since resided, here carrying 
 on the work of tilling the soil an«l raising stock. 
 He is practical and >ystemalic in his metlnKls. 
 progressive in all that he undertakes and as the 
 result of his carefully directetl laUjr is meeting 
 with desirable success. 
 
 .Mr. Darling was marrie<l in Concord town- 
 ship, in i8i)i, to Miss .\nnie .Maggs, who was 
 Ixjrn in < )hio in iWh>. They have iK-conu- the 
 parents of six children: Wclthy. Herschel. Wil- 
 liam, N\ta. Maynar<l and Koyal. The p.irents 
 hold membership in the Fresbyterian clnircli ami 
 are people of genuine worth, enjoying in large 
 measure the friendship and regard of those with 
 whom the> have come in contact. .Mr. Darling 
 is a member of the MorlctTi Woodmen camp and
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 his political support is given to the democracy. 
 For two years he served as tax collector but he 
 has never had ambition for office, preferring to 
 concentrate his energies upon his business aft'airs 
 and thus provide a comfortable living for his 
 familv. 
 
 L. T. STOUTEMYER. 
 
 L. T. Stouteniyer, well known throughout the 
 community as Deacon Stoutemyer, resides on sec- 
 tion 30, Onarga township, and his time and at- 
 tention are given to farm work, for he owns and 
 cultivates a tract of land of eighty acres within 
 a half mile of the city of Onarga. His residence 
 in Iroquois county covers a period of only seven- 
 teen years but he has lived in Illinois since 1865, 
 coming to this state when a young man in his 
 twenty-fourth year. He was born in Aliami 
 county, Ohio, near New Carlisle, December 8, 
 1841. 
 
 His father was W. B. Stoutemyer, whose birth 
 occurred in Page county, Virginia, in 181 5, and 
 the grandfather was Bernard Stoutemyer. a na- 
 tive of Germany and one of the early settlers of 
 the Old Dominion. In 1827 he removed to Ohio, 
 settling in Miami county, where in pioneer times 
 he opened up a farm and there W. B. Stoutemyer 
 was reared to manhood amid the environments 
 of frontier life. Having reached adult age he 
 wedded Nancy Ross, who was born in Pennsyl- 
 vania but was reared in the Buckeye state. To 
 provide for his family Mr. Stoutemyer followed 
 farming in Miami county for some years and in 
 that locality four children were born unto him 
 and his wife, three sons and one daughter, but 
 the latter died in infancy. In 1864 he came with 
 his family to Illinois, settling first in McLean 
 county upon a farm near Bloomington. He lost 
 his wife there in February, 1879, ''"fl 'i*-" 'ifter- 
 ward spent his last days with his sons at Chats- 
 worth, Illinois, passing away in April of the same 
 year. In the family were three sons who reached 
 years of maturity, the surviving members of the 
 family being L. T. and John B. Stoutemyer. 
 The latter, who" is a resident of Maminoth Spring, 
 Arkansas, married Virginia Craft, of Little 
 Rock, that state, and theyhave one' child, Glover. 
 
 Edwin Stoutem\er, the third son, who died at 
 Carson City, Nevada, in 1905, married Imogene 
 Brooks, of Chatsworth, Illinois, and they had five 
 children still living, while their eldest, a daughter, 
 is deceased. 
 
 L. T. Stoutemyer, whose name introduces this 
 record, was largely reared upon a farm in Logan 
 county, Ohio, and in July, 1862, his patriotic 
 spirit being aroused by the attempt of the south 
 to overthrow the Union, he joined Company E, 
 of the Forty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. 
 Going to the south, the regiment was attached to 
 the Twenty-third Army Corps under General 
 Schofield. It did duty as mounted infantry for 
 a vear and served in the raid after ^Morgan in 
 Indiana and Ohio. The troops then proceeded 
 to Knoxville, where they were hemmed in for 
 some time and in the engagement there ?klr. 
 Stoutemyer was wounded by a gun-shot wound 
 in the head, a glancing shot which cut his skin 
 and bruised the scalp. He participated in the 
 battles of Franklin and Nashville against Hood 
 and was with General Burnside through Ken- 
 tuckv and Tennessee, participating also in all of 
 the battles of the Atlanta campaign, including 
 the capture of the city. For some time he was 
 ill with fever in the hospital at Lexington, Ken- 
 tucky, but he remained with the army until the 
 close of the war, being mustered out at Nashville 
 and honorably discharged at Columbus. Ohio, on 
 the 1st of July, 1865. He then returned home, 
 joining his father's family at Bloomington. Illi- 
 nois, on the 2d of July. He spent the remainder 
 of the year under the parental roof and then went 
 to Chatsworth, Illinois, where his father had 
 purchased land. He began breaking the prairie 
 on that tract of one hundred and sixty acres and 
 opened up a farm there. 
 
 Mr. Stoutemyer was married first in Logan 
 county. Ohio, in February, 1868, to Miss Sarah 
 Kinnan, who was born and reared in that state 
 but her death occurred in 1869, the year fol- 
 lowing her marriage. Later Mr. Stoutemyer was 
 married at Towanda, Illinois, to Miss Mary 
 Esther Newman, by whom he had a daughter, 
 Emma, now the wife of F. L. Clark, of Memphis, 
 Tennessee. They have seven children : Earl, 
 Raymond, Helen, Esther, Carl, Emma and Jes- 
 sie. Following his second marriage Mr. Stoute- . 
 myer continued to engage in farming near Chats-
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 ■^5') 
 
 worth until i8yo and it was tluTc that he lost 
 his second wife. ( Mi the I'rtli of February. 1S75, 
 at MliKMuinjjt"". Illinois, he wedded .\iuia J. l-it- 
 tlc. a native of Lonansjxirt, Indiana, where she 
 was reared and educated, .\fter the death of her 
 parents she joined an aunt in Itlooniinnton, Illi- 
 nois. I?y this marriage there are five children: 
 Mae. who is a pradiiae of the ( Jnarfja .Seminary 
 and has successfully en^ajjed in teachiiij; for 
 sonic years; Xanna E.. who is engajjed in tcach- 
 inj; music ; lulwin K.. who is operating the old 
 home farm at Chatsworth and is married to Nel- 
 lie Sterne, of Dwight, Illinois, by whom he has 
 one son. X'crnon : Rev. John Howard Stoute- 
 niyer. who is a minister of the l'ia])tist church and 
 a well educated man ; and Marjjaret L.. who was 
 jiratluated from tlic .Northwestern I'nivcrsity in 
 the class of n/y). .\11 the children were pro- 
 vide<I with excellent educational privileges and 
 are graduates of academies or colleges. 
 
 Mr. Stoutemyer continueti to reside upon his 
 farm near Chatsworth until i8«jo. when he re- 
 moved to his pres<.-nt ])lace of residence i;n sec- 
 tion 30. ( )narga township, lie has since added 
 to and improved the dwelling, has built a barn 
 and tiled and fenced the place, continuing in 
 the work of cultivation, improvement and devel- 
 opment until he now has a very valuable farm 
 property here. 
 
 Mr. .Stoutemyer has cast his ballot for every 
 presidential nominee of the rej)ublican party since 
 voting for the first time in ifV>4. when he sup- 
 fHjrted .\braham Lincoln. While at Chatsworth 
 he served as township trustee for nine years, was 
 also commissioner of highways for nine years 
 and did much to improve the roads in that ])art 
 of the state. lie likewise served on the school 
 board for twelve years and has been district clerk 
 and president of the Ixiard. The cause of educa- 
 tion has always fotmd in him a stalwart champion 
 and his efforts have l>een far-reaching and 
 effective in its iR-half. He has been a delegate 
 to various conventions of his party and is in- 
 tereste<l in its growth and success. He and his 
 wife and their family are members of the Ma])tist 
 church, in which he has served as deacon for a 
 number of years, while at Chatsworth he was su- 
 perintendent of the Sunday-school for a num- 
 ber of years. He Ixlongs to the Grand .\rniy 
 post at Onarga and thus maintains pleasant re- 
 
 lations with his old army comrades. His life 
 has been one of activity in businesss affairs, of 
 patriotism in citizenship and of progressiveness 
 in all other relations tending to jjromote the in- 
 tellectual and moral progress of the imlividual 
 and of the communitv. 
 
 JOHN MYRtXN .S.XYLER. 
 
 John IJyron Sayler is a stock buyer and ship- 
 per of Crescent City, conducting a successful and 
 growing business. His birth rKrcurred on the 
 25th of .\pril. i85(j, in Marion county. ( Jhio. 
 His father, Barnhart Sayler. came to Ir<H|iiois 
 county with his family in 1883 and settled south 
 of W'atseka on a farm of two hundred and thirty- 
 five acres, where he carried on general agricul- 
 tural pursuits and stock-raising. The land was 
 rich and fertile and therefore large crojjs were 
 gathered as a reward for the care and labor he 
 bestowed on the fields. He had twelve children 
 an<l also reared an adojjted child. Four of the 
 number are now living in the comity : John 
 r.yron. f)f this review; Mrs. Myrtle Greene, of 
 Woodland: Mrs. Ida M. Smead, of W'atseka; 
 and W. O., who is engaged in teaching school at 
 Thawville. One brother. .\. L. .Sayler. died at 
 W'atseka. leaving three chililren. Arab. Wallace 
 and \'ena. 
 
 .\t the usual ;ige Jolm I'.yron >a\ier began his 
 education in the common schools, and after mas- 
 tering the branches of learning therein taught 
 he profited by thrtr years' instruction in the 
 Northwestern I'nivcrsity of ( )hio. The occu])a- 
 tion to which be was reared claimed his attention 
 after he had com])leted his schod life and he fol- 
 lowed farming anti stock-raising in Irotpiois 
 county until i8<>4. when he resolved to turn his 
 attention to commercial interests and removed 
 to Crescent City, where he has since Ix'cn buying 
 and shipping live stock. The rich pasture lands 
 of Illinois offer ample opportunity to the stock- 
 raiser and Mr. Sayler is doing an excellent busi- 
 ness in the purchase and sale of stock, being the 
 only buyer at Crescent City. His business has 
 constantly gmwn and he now ships fifty car- 
 loads of stock per year. 1 le still owns and inter- 
 est in the old homestead in Belmont township.
 
 26o 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 A man of resourceful business ability, he has 
 extended his eflforts into other fields of activity 
 and is a director and the second vice president of 
 the First National Bank of Crescent City. The 
 years of his residence in the county and his close 
 connection with its business interests are suffi- 
 cient to have demonstrated to his fellow towns- 
 men the fact that he is a reliable and enterpris- 
 ing man and therefore a citizen of value to the 
 community because it is upon the industry and 
 progressive spirit of its residents that the pros- 
 perity and growth of every town or city depend. 
 
 Air. Savler married Miss Lucy Grunden, who 
 resided near Watseka and is a daughter of John 
 Grunden, one of the old settlers of Iroquois coun- 
 ty but now a resident of the Indian Territory. 
 Both Air. and Airs. Sayler are well known in this 
 locality and their hospitality is greatly enjoyed 
 by many friends. They have one child, Golda 
 Evangeline, born Alarch 6, 1892. 
 
 Mr. Sayler belongs to the Odd Fellows lodge. 
 No. 649, at Woodland, and is also a member of 
 Crescent camp. No. 1429, M. W. A., while both 
 he and his wife are connected with the Ro\-al 
 Neighbors. At the polls his political endorse- 
 ment is given to the republican party and he is 
 one of the prominent representatives in Iroquois 
 county and serving now on the central committee. 
 For six years he filled the office of mayor of 
 Crescent City and has also served as alderman 
 and village clerk. It was through his efl:'orts 
 that the city secured the water power which is 
 one of the best in the county. .As chief execu- 
 tive officer he gave a public-spirited and busi- 
 nesslike administration and has always been very 
 active in local affairs, his efforts being far-reach- 
 ing and beneficial. Pleasantly located in Cres- 
 cent City, he is a factor in business and public 
 life in the town and his opinions carry weight in 
 settling many questions of moment to Crescent 
 Citv. 
 
 ROBERT CLIFTON. 
 
 Robert Clifton, who carries on genera! agri- 
 cultural piu-siiits, making his home on section 
 I, Ash Grove township, was born in Warren 
 county, Indiana, February 26, 1838. His par- 
 ents were TIi()nias and .Sarah (Gullet) Clifton, 
 
 both natives of Delaware, from which state they 
 removed to Warren county, Indiana, in 1833, lo- 
 cating in the midst of the forest, where the fa- 
 ther hewed out a farm. He died there at the age 
 of eighty-two years, and his wife at the age of 
 seventy-nine. They were earnest and consistent 
 members of the Alethodist church. 
 
 In his youth Robert Clifton had but common- 
 school advantages and his most valuable lessons 
 have been learned in the school of experience, 
 where eventually every individual becomes a stu- 
 dent. Reading and observation have also broad- 
 ened his mind and he is now a man of practical 
 business education. He came to Illinois in 1865 
 and has since lived in Iroquois county, purchas- 
 ing land upon which he now makes his home. 
 He first bought one hundred acres of raw prai- 
 rie, on which no improvements had been made 
 nor a single furrow been turned, but he broke 
 the sod and developed the farm, bringing it un- 
 der a high state of cultivation. He later bought 
 eighty acres adjoining and afterward fifty acres 
 more and still later one hundred and sixty acres 
 more in Crescent township, which also adjoins 
 the former tracts. The home farm comprises one 
 hundred and ninety-three acres and his posses- 
 sions in Crescent township cover two hundred 
 and ten acres, so that he now has more than four 
 hundred acres. Some of this land was swampy 
 and all was wild and unimproved when it came 
 into his possession. The digging of ditches and 
 the placing of many rods of tiling have greatly 
 enhanced the fertility of his fields, while the ro- 
 tation of crops has made the soil very product- 
 ive. Mr. Clifton has put up good buildings and 
 the beautiful grove of shade trees which now 
 adorns the place was set out by him. Year after 
 year, from the time of early spring planting until 
 crops were harvested in the late autumn, he 
 worked diligently and persistently in the fields 
 and in connection with the cultivation of cereals 
 best adapted to soil and climate he has also 
 bought and fed stock, shipping annually a num- 
 ber of carloads of cattle and hogs. Thus his life 
 for a long period was a most bus\- and useful 
 one hut eventually he rented the farm and now 
 looks after and keeps up the place, but leaves the 
 active work of the fields to others. 
 
 j\lr. Clifton was married in Belmont township, 
 Iro(|Uois county, November 20. 1867, to Miss
 
 MK. AM) MKS. R015ERT CLIFTOX.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY Of IIIINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. II.I.INOIS. 
 
 263 
 
 Nancy C. John, who was Imrn and roared in tl>is 
 county. Her lathi-r, Lcnuid John, came to Illi- 
 nois with an older !)rother alniut iS_^j. ln-in^ one 
 of the first settlers of Ir(K|uois county. The jour- 
 ney was niatle from Ohio, his native state, in 
 which he sihmU his youth. The year of his ar- 
 rival was the one in which the I'lack Hawk war 
 occurred and practically ended the rule of the 
 red race in this state, altliouj^h for s<nne years 
 thereafter Indians could still he seen in various 
 sections of Illinois. The forests were lujcut, the 
 rivers unhrid^ed and the land undainieil and 
 uncultivated and the settlers had to hear all the 
 hardships incident to pioneer life. Mr. John 
 was married here to Catherine Willianisoii, a 
 tiative of Indiana, wlm. however, spent her fjirl- 
 hood days in Illinois. Mr. John f<jllowed farm- 
 infX in I'.elniont township and dieil there while 
 in the prime of life. His widow survived him for 
 a inuiilier of years, carefully reared her family 
 and passed away in May. iS^^i". Mrs. Clifton 
 was one of four ciiildren who reached adult a^e. 
 while two are yet livinp. The elder dautjhter. 
 Sar:di J., married denrpe Wilson, removed west- 
 wartl to .Nebraska and afterward to Idaho and 
 died in the latter .stale in n^J5. .Mrs. Clifton is 
 the next of the family. Thcimas Jnhn is a fanner 
 of r.elinont township, owning; and operating the 
 old honw place. Samuel Ji>hn is a merchant at 
 WiMxlland. 
 
 Mr. and .Mrs. Clifton iiave two daiijjhters : 
 Mrs. l-'rances Hanunann. who is a widow and 
 resides with her parents; anil .Mary, the wife of 
 Frank I-'lemin;^. ;i farmer of C'rescent township. 
 The older daughter has two children. l3oris Ruth 
 and Cilad\s C. Hammami. and .Mrs. I'leminp has 
 two children. I.illis J. ami Morris C. 
 
 Mr. and .Mrs. Clifton are w<>rth\ Christian 
 people, holdinjj memhership in W'lHKllanil Meth- 
 o<list Kj)iscopal church, in the work of which 
 they are deeply interested. .Mr. C'lilton is serv- 
 ing as one of the trustees. He also l)eli>ngs t<> 
 the .Masonic l<i<lge at W'atseka and in jxilitics is 
 a democrat who cast his first vote for Stephen 
 A. Douglas, the little giant of Illinois, in i8/>o. 
 He has ln-en without aspiratinn for puhlic office, 
 although he servetl tor twelve years on the scho<»l 
 Imard and has Ik-cu <listrict clerk. The peril hI 
 of his residence in lriK|uois county covers nearly 
 fortv vcars, so that he is one of tlie few remain- 
 
 ing early settlers who have hroken the virgin soil 
 and made the ditches that drained the swamps 
 and sloughs. His efforts have In-en a factor in 
 developing and improving the county and mak- 
 ing it what it is tixlay and he well deservetl class- 
 ification with the valued, progressive and dili- 
 gent citizens. His life has In-en at all times an 
 honorable and useful one and he and his estima- 
 ble wife have the warm regard of niany friends. 
 
 HKNKV 1! II \K\ 1".Y 
 
 Henry I!. HarM_\ m.i> I'l ■•mi -in years filled 
 the office of |)o.stmaster at Ci.ssna Park and is one 
 of its representative men. .\ native son of Iro- 
 quois county, he was born in .\sh lirove town- 
 .ship. March J\. i8<>5. and at the u.sual age \k- 
 came a pupil in the puhlic schools. He after- 
 ward ]>rotited bv instruction in the I'ryant & 
 Stratton Kusine.ss College, in Chicago, and suh- 
 seipiently was engagetl in merchandising with 
 his father at .\sh (irove. where they continued 
 fi>r several years. In i8i;o they removed the 
 business to Cissna Park and continued the con- 
 duct of their store there. 
 
 Mr. Harvey was api>ointeil |)ostmaster in i<)OC> 
 and ri-a])|M?tnteil in 11JO4 and i<x>'^t, so that his ir.- 
 cuml)ency will continue for ten years. He has 
 serveil in other jKisitions of public honor and 
 trust, having la-en township asses.sor for three 
 vears in Ash Grove township, township collector 
 of Pigeon (irove township for two years an<l 
 village clerk for ten years. He is most active 
 and influential in local political circles and has 
 Inen a meniUr of the central conunittee in 
 Pigeon Grove township for four consecutive years 
 and had previously served in that capacity for 
 two years. He has Iikewi>e bivn a delegate to 
 numerous conventions of his party and docs all 
 in his ]»ower to promote its growth and insure 
 the adoption of its principles. He is one of the 
 active and puhlic-spiritwl citizens of Cissna 
 Park and a |)rominent man who uses his influ- 
 ence to improve and advance the interesis of the 
 conuiumity. 
 
 Mr. Harvey \\a> marrmi 111 v i-mim I'.nk. 
 Jime 10. |S<K>, to .Miss Minnie Densniore. a na- 
 tive of Illinois, who was bom and reareil at
 
 264 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Hoopeston. Her fatlier, John Deiismore. was a 
 pioneer settler and business man of Cissna Park. 
 Mrs. Harvey is acting as assistant to her hus- 
 band in the postoffice and helps him conduct the 
 business there. He belonfjs to the Masonic 
 lodge at Rankin and is also identified with the 
 Knights of Pythias at Cissna Park, has served 
 in all of the chairs and is now past chancellor. 
 He is president of the Building and Loan As- 
 sociation here and has been a promoter of many 
 interests which have had direct bearing upon the 
 welfare and upbuilding of his locality. In all 
 life's relations, whether in public office, in busi- 
 ness or in social circles he has gained the good 
 will and regard of those with whom he has been 
 associated and his friends speak of him in terms 
 of high praise and kindly esteem. 
 
 GEORGE H. CLARK. 
 
 George H. Clark, a worthy representative of 
 the industrial interests of Crescent City, where he 
 is successfully conducting a blacksmith shop, was 
 bom in Iroquois county, July 8, i86r. His par- 
 ents were Henry and Martha ( Parcel ) Clark, the 
 former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter 
 of Ohio. In early life each removed to Indiana, 
 and subsequently they came to Iroquois count\', 
 where Henry Clark, who was an agriculturist, 
 owned and operated a fine farm in Ini(|uois town- 
 ship. He brought his land under a high state of 
 cultivation and manifested great thoroughness 
 and system in his work. He hewed trees for the 
 Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Railroad at the time 
 it was building, hauling ties and rails used in its 
 construction, and in fact aided in buihUng the line 
 through Crescent City. Unto him and his wife 
 were born five children : George H. : Arthur, a 
 resident of Kansas ; John, of Oklahoma : Bertha, 
 of Kansas : and one who is deceased. The father 
 died in 1906 at the ripe old age of eighty years, 
 and the mother is still living in the Sunflower 
 state. 
 
 The public-school system of Iroquois countv 
 afiforded Mr. Clark his educational privileges. 
 He learned the black.smith's trade with Cal Burk- 
 halter. of Gilman, prior to which he engaged in 
 farming and threshing for ten \ears. U was 
 
 when twenty-eight years of age that he began 
 learning the blacksmith's trade, being employed in 
 (iilman until 1891. He then engaged in busi- 
 ness on his own account, and in August, 1893, 
 built a new shoji in Crescent City. He is one 
 of the best workmen in his line in this part of 
 the county and is now the oldest representative 
 of the business in the town in years of continu- 
 ous connection therewith save one. He does 
 general blacksmithing, carriage and rubber-tire 
 work, and being an expert in his line, receives a 
 liberal patronage. 
 
 In 1885 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. 
 Clark and Miss Hattie F. Kern, of Iroquois 
 county, a daughter of Owen Kern, who was born 
 in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, in 1834. and 
 went to Indiana in 1839 with his father, Henry 
 Kern, who resided in Tippecanoe county. They 
 removed to Iroquois county in 1855, and Owen 
 Kern Imilt a barn on a farm in Crescent township. 
 He then returned to Indiana, and in 1858 he re- 
 moved to Iroquois county with his wife, Mrs. 
 Catherine (Peters) Kern. He here followed car- 
 pentering until i860, when he turned his atten- 
 tion to farming, being associated with agricul- 
 tural interests in the countv umil 1900, when he 
 retired. He is still living upon the farm but 
 rents the land. He owns two hundred and forty 
 acres in Crescent township, upon which he has 
 made all improvements, transforming the tract 
 into a very valuable and productive farm. Mrs. 
 Kern is also living and is a devoted member of 
 the Congregational church. Mr. Kern gives his 
 political allegiance to the republican party and for 
 one year served as assessor, for eighteen years as 
 school director, for twelve years as road commis- 
 sioner and for six years as school trustee. He 
 is a man of genuine, personal worth, alert and 
 enterprising in business and public spirited in 
 citizenship, and thus in the conmiunity where he 
 resides has become highly esteemed. 
 
 Both ]\Ir. and Mrs. Clark are members of the 
 Congregational church and fraternally he is con- 
 nected v^'ith Crescent camp. No. 1425. M. W. .\.. 
 and also with the Yeomen in Crescent City. His 
 political allegiance supports the men and meas- 
 ures of the republican partx' and for two years 
 he was city clerk of Crescent City. He owns a 
 nice two-story residence, which he occupies, be- 
 ing pleasantly located in life as the result of hi.<j
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 265 
 
 indiistn- ami diligence in fonner yi-ars. He has 
 always live<l in this cotnify, so that his acquaint- 
 ance is a wide one, ami that he is lu'^t liki-d whore 
 best known is an indication that his salient char- 
 acteristics are those which command respect and 
 good will. 
 
 KinVAKl) K. I'.KKI'.K. 
 
 Edward R. Beebe. who is successfully engaged 
 in general fanning and stock-raising in I'ountain 
 Creek township, his home In-ing on section 10. 
 was born May 21, i}<57. in Litchfield county. 
 Connecticut, an«l is a son of Charles and .\lniira 
 ( Lockwoo<l ) IJeebe. Me was only two years old 
 when he lost his father, who was also a native 
 of Litchfield county. In the family were five 
 children and those still living are Charles, a farm- 
 er of Prairie (ireen townshij). IriKpiois county; 
 Edward K.. of this review ; and .Stanley, who is 
 conducting a store in Clayton ville. Illinois. 
 
 It was during the infancy of our subject that 
 the family came to Illinois in i8<ij and locatetl 
 in I^ Salle county, where he was reared upon 
 his grandfather's farm, early becoming familiar 
 with agricultural pursuits, lie came to Iro- 
 quois county in 1875 antl has since been identi- 
 fied with its farming interests. ( )n starting out 
 in life for himsi-lf he engagetl in the operation 
 of rental land and as time passed has prospered 
 in his undertakings, eventually boconu'ng the 
 owner of a valuable farm of i-ight hundred acres. 
 which he has placed under a high state of culti- 
 vation and improved with good and substantial 
 buiUIings. Throughdut his business career he has 
 given considerable attention to stock-raising, 
 making a specialty of Norman horses, lie has 
 not confined his attention, however, whollv to 
 agricultural pursuits, but In-came interested in 
 general merchandising at Gaytonville in part- 
 nershi|) with his brother .'^tanlex . and alxi buys 
 grain at that place, owning a third interest in an 
 elevator. He is a wide-awake, jirogressive busi- 
 ness man of known reliability and the success 
 that he has achieved in life is due entirely to his 
 own well directe<l efforts and gix^l management. 
 
 In i8<>3 .Mr. I!ee-lx' was uniteil in marriage 
 to Miss l^ura .Mav Smith, who was Ixirn in 
 
 Fountain Creek township and was a daughter 
 of .\aron W. .'^mith. one of the pioneers of the 
 townshi]). .*^he died in .May. iX«)3. and in De- 
 cember. tHtiX. .Mr. MeelK' was again married, his 
 second union In-ing with Miss Litmie May Wise, 
 a daughter of Jacob J. Wise, whose sketch ap- 
 jK-ars on another j>age of this volume. l-"our 
 children bless this union: Howard M.. l'"orrest 
 E.. Charles Jacob and an infant yet unnamed. 
 
 Mr. Meebc is a member of the MethcMlist 
 church, while his wife Ix-longs to the United 
 I'.relhren denomination. I'raternally he is con- 
 nix-ti-<l with the .Ma.sonic order, iK-longing to the 
 Unlge at Rankin, and politically he is identifie<l 
 with the republican party, taking an active an<l 
 commendable interest in public affairs. He has 
 been a delegate to the conventions of his party 
 and has bi-en honored with local office, serving 
 as |>ostmaster of Claytonville for about eight 
 years. He has also been roail commissioner fif- 
 teen years, is the present schrxil treasurer of his 
 ilistrict and has served on the Ixiard for several 
 vears. 
 
 EU(;ENE LIloTE. 
 
 Eugene L'Hote. editor aiul publisher of the 
 Herald at .Milford and postmaster of the tiiwn. 
 has Contributed in large and substantial measure 
 to the growth and develo]iment of the city, utiliz- 
 ing practical methods while working toward the 
 icieal and accomplishing results the value of 
 which is acknowledged by all. He was bom in 
 Marshall, Illinois. .May 7. iW>2. and was given 
 the name of luigene l'a\ne L'Hote but never uses 
 either the middle name or initial. His |)arents 
 were K<lward and Charlotte ( Whaley ) L'Hote. 
 The father wa> Imrn on the island of Guadalu|K' 
 in the West Indies and worked on the New 
 I )rleans I'icayime when it was printed on a hand 
 press an<l workeil by hand balls. Removing to 
 Illinois, he locate<l at .Marshall in an early day 
 anil was married while there. During the Lin- 
 coln campaign lie published a pa|>er callitl the 
 Hornet and was afterward posiuuister imder 
 President Lincoln, He came to Milford in 1S70 
 and purchased the Herald, which he coiitimu-<l 
 tmtil |W<8. when he was succeeded bv his son.
 
 266 
 
 PAST A\D PRESENT OF 
 
 Eugene L'Hote, educated in the public schools, 
 entered his father's printing office at the age of 
 sixteen years and has since been identified with 
 journalism in Milford. For ten years he was 
 an employe in the office, mastering the business 
 in every department, and in iS88, bv purchase, 
 he became his father's successor and has since 
 published the Herald, which is one of the strong- 
 est country newspapers of eastern Illinois. The 
 office was destroyed by fire on the 25th of Janu- 
 ary, 1905, entailing a loss of five thousand dol- 
 lars less fifteen hundred dollars insurance. Noth- 
 ing was saved from the ruins but the spirit i>t 
 the proprietor was shown by the fact that while 
 the fire occurred on ^^'ednesday the paper was 
 issued on the following Friday. He has today 
 a new office and building and the best equipped 
 plant in the county. The postoffice is also in the 
 building and both the newspaper and the Iniildin^- 
 which it occupies would be a credit to a town of 
 five thousand population. Mr. L'Hote was ap- 
 pointed postmaster in 1900 and has held commis- 
 sions under President McKinley and Roosevelt, 
 filling the position at the present time and giving 
 a businesslike and systematic administration 
 highly satisfactory to the public. 
 
 In his political views Mr. L'Hote is a stalwart 
 republican and a warm champion of "L^ncle 
 Joe" Cannon. He publishes the paper in the 
 interests of the party and through its columns 
 champions many progressive public movements. 
 He was the originator and became secretary of 
 the Milford Improvement Association, whereby 
 the interests of the town have been greatly en- 
 hanced. He was the promoter in the movement 
 toward securing the rubber factory here, an im- 
 portant addition to the industrial interests of the 
 city, and it was he who secured a gift of seven 
 thousand dollars from Andrew Carnegie for a 
 library, keeping the movement secret until it was 
 successfully accomplished and the announcement 
 was made in the paper. He put in a public 
 drinking fountain and flowers in the public purk 
 were secured through entertainments given by 
 his eflforts. Mr. L'Hote has also been secretary 
 for years of the Great Afilford Horse Fair, one 
 of the big fall festivals of eask-ni Illinois. 
 While not a member of any religious organiza- 
 tion he contributes to the support of all churches 
 and has been verv generous in aid of the erection 
 
 of new buildings. His columns are open to all 
 churches and his belief is that of a broad humani- 
 tarianism that believes in week-day as well as 
 Sunday Christians and exemplifies the gospel of 
 helpfulness and brotherly kindness. He has been 
 an Odd Fellow since twenty-one years of age and 
 is also identified with the Modern \\'oodmen. 
 
 Mr. L'Hote was married in ^lilford, Septem- 
 ber 24, 1884, to IMiss Elda Fairman. Her fa- 
 ther built the first elevator in Milford and was 
 a leading grain merchant here for years. Their 
 children are Lulu E., Ray F. and Elda P. Mr. 
 L'Hote and his family are prominent socially. 
 While taking a very active and helpful interest 
 in public affairs, he has never sought to figure 
 prominently before the public in connection with 
 political office and the only position that he has 
 ever filled is that of postmaster, in which he is 
 now .serving. The spirit of public improvement, 
 however, actuates him in all his life and his 
 efforts have been directly beneficial, his worth as 
 a citizen placing him among the foremost repre- 
 sentatives of Milford. 
 
 THOMAS WAND. 
 
 In a history of the county embracing its pio- 
 neer epoch and devoted to those who in early 
 days became residents of this portion of the state 
 and aided in shaping its policy and molding its 
 destiny mention should be made of Thomas 
 \\'and, of Onarga, who, since the fall of 1856. 
 has been a resident of that city. In the years 
 which have since come and gone he has borne 
 his full share in the work of development and 
 upbuilding here and while neglectful of no duty 
 of citizenship he has at the same time carefully 
 directed his individual business interests along 
 well defined lines of labor until he is now one 
 of the prosperous residents of Onarga. 
 
 .V native of Scotland, his birth occurred in the 
 town of Dolar, on the 17th of May, 1832, and 
 in early life he learned the tailor's trade in that 
 land, after which he worked as a journeyman 
 in different towns. The favorable reports heard 
 concerning America and its opportunities awak- 
 ened his desire to become a resident of the new 
 world and when a young man he took passage
 
 Ill* >.\I.\S W AND.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IR(X>1'01> LULNTY. II.I.IN'OIS 
 
 269 
 
 at Livcr|K«>l uiKMi a wt-stward ImiuiuI sailing vc!.- 
 si'l, wliicli was li>iir wri-ks in inakiii^ the vnvai;*.- 
 across tlu- Atlniuic. diirinf; wliicli timr a >iMrc 
 storii) was ciKouiiliTcd. I^iulinjj at New 
 t >rliaiis. Mr. W aiul tlicmv made liis \va\ up ilic 
 Mississippi river to St. L^mis ami afterward to 
 Chicagi>. where lie worked at liis trade for two 
 years. 
 
 lit the fall of i85(» he came to t »nar(,'a. where 
 he was employed at his trade for aliont a year, 
 on the e.\pirati">n of whicii periixl he estahlished 
 a merchaiit-t:iiiorinn Inisiiiess. wiiich he coii- 
 ilucied a nnmlK-r of years. He then extended 
 the scojK- of his eiiterpri>e liy aildin^ a stock 
 of jieneral merchandise, carrying on his store 
 with constantly incrcasinj; success until 18S8. 
 He thus fi^:ured prominently in commercial cir- 
 cles in the city for almost a third of a century 
 anti on selling out he {K'rmanently put aside busi- 
 ness cares an<l is now liviufC a retired life. He 
 has erectetl ei^jht fjoo<l residences and also owns 
 a farm alxiut three miles from Onarpa. His 
 property interests therefore are to him a sub- 
 stantial source of revenue and enable him to en- 
 joy many of the comforts and luxuries of life. 
 
 In i85«j Mr. Wand was united in marriajie to 
 Miss Mary l-"ickle. a native of Indiana, in which 
 state she was reared. They traveled life's jour- 
 ney tojjether for twenty-four years and were then 
 se|)arati-<l by the death of Mrs. Wand in 18S3. 
 They had become the ])arcuts of three children, 
 of whom the eldest, .\ndrew Wand, is a travel- 
 ing salesman residing in Sullivan. Illinois. He 
 is niarric*! and has two sons. William and I'red. 
 Thomas C. Wanrl. the second member of the 
 father's family, was married at .\ew I'hiladel- 
 phia, Illinois. December 30. i88/», to Miss l""lizti 
 Harris, who was l>)rn and reared in this state 
 and is a daughter of Michael Harris, also a na- 
 tive of Illinois. They have two sons. Walter 
 and Thomas H.. and the father. Thomas C. 
 Wand, is engaged in business as a traveling sales- 
 man. The only daughter of our subject reached 
 womanh(Kxl and passed away Decemlxr iS. iKS/i. 
 
 Mr. Waml is a re|>ul)lican in his political views. 
 but v\as formerly ideiuitied with tlic democracy, 
 and later with the prohibition party. The |K>si- 
 tion of the dcmi>cratic party upon the money 
 question led him to transfer his allegiance and 
 for some years he has now snpjxirted republican 
 
 principles. He was elected to the office of mayor 
 and served on the town bo:ird, but not <inl\ in 
 iitVice ha> he proven his public-spirited devi>tiiiii 
 to the general gixxl. In fact he has always 
 stoiMl for progress and improvement in town and 
 county and has Uen a liUral contributor to the 
 sup|K>rt of many plans and movements for the 
 iK-nefit of the couinuinitv. He was the prime 
 mover in incorporating the town of ( )narga au<l 
 s|)ent considerable time and money in accomplish- 
 ing it. of which fact he has ever reason to Ik- 
 proud. He has given freely for the building of 
 different churches ami has lent his aid and in- 
 rtuence to many measures that have had direct 
 Inaring u|>on the general welfare. His religious 
 faith is indicated by his membership in the .Meth- 
 odist ICpiscopal church of ( >narga and he is also 
 a valued representative of the < )dd I'ellows ,si>- 
 ciety. in which he has filled all of the chairs and 
 is a past grand. He has likewise Inen a repre- 
 sentative to the grand lo<lge «if the state and is 
 thonjughly in sympathy with the purposi-s an«l 
 l)rinciples of this organization. Living in Iro- 
 (|uois county lliroughout the pericHl of his man- 
 hcKHl. his life record is familiar to many of our 
 readers and the fact that he is be-st liked where 
 best known is an indication of an honorable, up- 
 right career. In this country, where lal)or is 
 king, he has Ix-eii a faithful follower of that 
 sovereign and it has been through his diligence 
 and |ierseverance that he has gained the cred- 
 itable jMisition which he now occupies as a man 
 of affluence. 
 
 I \Mi:s 1:1,1 •. 
 
 James i:iu is one of the public-spirited citizens 
 of Ir<K|uois county who was long associated with 
 agricultural interests to the Ijctternunt of farm 
 life in general. He is a typical representative of 
 the middle west, alert and enterprising with true 
 valuation of |>ossibilities and op|>ortunities and 
 of the love <if character as well. Horn in Menard 
 county. Illinois, on the 22d of May. 1852. he is 
 a son of Harrison and Margaret C (. Alexander ) 
 lUu. The father, a native of Virginia, was 
 rearetl in tlie Old Dominion, and when a young 
 man came with his parents to Illinois. He w.is
 
 270 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 married in Menard county, to Miss Margaret C. 
 Alexander, who was born in Sangamon county, 
 this state, and was a daughter of John Alexan- 
 der, a native of North Carolina. To provide 
 for his family Harrison BIu followed agricutural 
 pursuits in ^lenard county, where he died in 
 April, 1855, at the age of twenty-eight years, 
 leaving three children to the care of his wife, who 
 conducted the farm alone for several years. She 
 then married again, becoming the wife of George 
 Martin, of ^lenard county, and there were three 
 children by that union. Her death occurred in 
 1887 upon the home farm near ^Nlilford, Mr. 
 Martin having removed to Iroquois county in 
 1870, at which time he purchased land. 
 
 James Bin, whose name introduces this record, 
 was reared upon the old home place. His edu- 
 cational privileges were somewhat meager but in 
 the school of experience where eventually all 
 become students he has learned many valuable 
 lessons. Ambitious to engage in farming on his 
 own account, when twenty-one years of age he 
 bought fifty acres of land in Milford township, 
 which he farmed for two years, when he sold 
 that property and purchased eighty acres on sec- 
 tion 5, ]\Iilford township. It was a tract of raw 
 land but he brought it under a high state of cul- 
 tivation, adding many modern equipments and 
 accessories. He further made arrangements for 
 having a home of his own by his marriage on 
 the 3d of November, 1878, to Miss Maggie Crink, 
 a native of Tippecanoe county, Indiana, and a 
 daughter of Patrick Crink, who was born in 
 Ireland and came to Illinois at an early epoch in 
 the development of this state. Mr. Bin owned 
 land in j\Iilford township, where he continued 
 to carry on general agricultuarl pursuits for 
 thirty-six years, and in 1890 he removed to JMil- 
 ford, from which place he has superintended his 
 farm, leaving the more active work of the fields, 
 however, to others. He made a creditable record 
 as an agriculturist and attained a measure of suc- 
 cess most gratifying, lie has recently purchased 
 three hundred and twenty acres of land in South 
 Dakota near Huron, which he intends to improve. 
 
 Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bin were born three chil- 
 dren, of whom one, James Walter, died in in- 
 fancy. The oldest living is John Harrison, of 
 Danville, who has followed the drug business for 
 a year. He was graduated in pharmacy at the 
 
 Northwestern University of Illinois, and he is 
 a Knight Templar Mason. Elmer F. is now a 
 senior in the law department of the Northwestern 
 University, at Evanston, and still makes his home 
 with his parents. Mr. Blue and his wife attend 
 the Christian church, of which he is a member 
 and he also fraternizes with the ^lodern Wood- 
 men of America. Since voting for U. S. Grant 
 at file first presidential election after he attained 
 his majority, he has since stanchly supported the 
 republican party. He served as assessor for two 
 terms and as tax collector for three terms and 
 the trust reposed in him as an official has been 
 well placed because he is ever tiiost loyal in pub- 
 lic service. A native son of Illinois, he is one 
 whose life record is as creditable to the state and 
 in the years of his residence in Iroquois county 
 he has won uniform confidence and regard be- 
 cause of his fidelity to a high standard 'of con- 
 duct, his loyalty in citizenship and his progress- 
 iveness and reliabilitv in his business life. 
 
 FRANKLIN CLARKE. 
 
 Franklin Clarke, after many years of active, 
 honorable and successful connection with agri- 
 cultural pursuits, is now living retired in Sheldon 
 in a beautiful home which he purchased here. 
 His life record began in Coshocton county, Ohio, 
 January i, i860, his parents being S. K. and 
 Mary (Darling) Clarke. The father was born 
 in Coshocton county, September 25, 1833, and 
 when six years of age was left an orphan. He 
 afterward lived with a relative for about nine 
 years and was employed at farm labor until he 
 reached the age of eighteen. He was married 
 October 13, 185 1, to Miss Susan Burrell, who 
 was also a native of Coshocton county, Ohio, and 
 died in March, 1852, After his marriage ^Ir. 
 Clarke continuetl working by the month until 
 February I, 1856, when he was a second time 
 married. Afiss Mary Darling, also of Coshocton 
 county, becoming his wife. He then rented a 
 farm which he operated until 1867, when he re- 
 moved to Iroquois county, Illinois, and rented a 
 farm from Dr. Fowler in Concord township. He 
 lived thereon for three years and during that 
 period lost his wife on the 5tli of July, 1870.
 
 IR(3QUOIS COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 
 
 They had four children, of wliom two are now 
 living: Franklin; and Mrs. Isaac McCoy, of 
 Stockland township. On the 15th of October, 
 187J. S. K. Clarke was married to Miss laniisa 
 Baird. who was also bom in Coshocton county, 
 Ohio, and they became the jiarents of six chil- 
 dren. In the spring uf 1876 .Mr. Clarke pur- 
 chased a farm in Concord township and has add- 
 ed thereto until he now owns three hundred and 
 twenty acres of good land upon which he yet 
 makes his home. He has placed many modern 
 improvements upon it. inchnling goofl buildings 
 which stand as nnnunienls to his thrift, enter- 
 prise and lalwr. 
 
 Franklin Clarke was educated in the common 
 schools of Illinois, having l)cen brought to Iro- 
 quois county in his early boyhooil. He has since 
 live<l within its borders and he was reared to the 
 work of* the fann. early becoming familiar with 
 the duties and lalx)rs that fall to the lot of the 
 agriculturist. .Xmbitious to engage in farming 
 on his own account and to own a grnid tract of 
 land, he carefully saved his earnings and made 
 his first purchase in 1893. Ix'coming owner of 
 two hundred and forty acres in .'^lieldon township 
 which is still in his possession. With character- 
 istic energy he lx;gan the further deveIo])mcnt 
 and improvement of that place and carried on 
 the work of the farm there until February, IQ03. 
 when he retired and removed to Sheldon, pur- 
 chasing a beautiful and attractive residence that 
 he has since occupied. 
 
 Mr. Clarke wedded Miss Orpha Fleming, a 
 daughter of John and Susan (Perkins) I'leming. 
 of whom further mention is made on another page 
 of this work. Her parents arc now deceased. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Garke have one daughter. Susie. 
 born February 22. 1892. 
 
 The political allegiance of Mr. Clarke has Ik-cu 
 given to the democracy since age conferred uiK)n 
 him the right of franchise. He served as town 
 clerk of .Sheldon township for two years, was roarl 
 comnnssioner for six years and while living in 
 the country served on the school Ixord. He has 
 also been administrator of a numl)er of large es- 
 tates and. having l)ccn chosen for this f)fhce. it is 
 indication of the confidence and tnist rqxiscd in 
 him by his fellow townsmen — a trust of which he 
 is well worthy. .Socmlly he is connected with 
 the Masons and with the Royal Arcanum, of 
 15 
 
 Sheldon, and he and his wife hold membership 
 in the Methodist Episcopal church. In all of his 
 business dealings he las displayed the strictest 
 integrity and honor and at all times he has stood 
 for advancement and improvement in those lines 
 of life leading to intellectual, politii-al, social ami 
 moral progress. He is a most worthy citizen 
 of the conununity in which he lives and in which 
 he is now enjoying life. He keeps two Iwrses 
 for driving purposes and is most comfortably sit- 
 uated in a pli-asant and commodious home tliat 
 is an indication of his business ability and his un- 
 faltering enterprise in foniKT vears. 
 
 Ik \\"K I iiM( )I'i-:r. 
 
 Frank L. I looper, of W .itseka, judge of the cir- 
 cuit court, is one whose successful career stands 
 in contradistinction to the old adage thai a 
 prophet is never without honor save in his own 
 c<juntry, for in the county of his birth he has won 
 prominence and honors in the profession which 
 stands as the conservator of human rights and 
 liberties. .\ native of Helmont townshi|), he was 
 born on the 2ist of .\pril. i8/>4. of the marriage 
 of John R. and .Sarah M. (Harter) Hoof>er, 
 who were pioneer residents of this county. The 
 father was Iwrn in .Seneca county. New York, in 
 1825, and when a lad of seven years accompanied 
 his parents, Pontius and Lydia (Clark) Hooper, 
 natives of Saratoga cmmty. New York, on their 
 renxjval to Clinton, Michigan, where he ac(juircd 
 a conniion-sch<iol education an<l was reared to 
 mercantile pur.suits. He resided at West Point, 
 Intliana, from 1840 until i84() an«l then went to 
 Ohio, where he engaged in merchandising until 
 1849. H"-' spent the last mentioned year in Day- 
 ton, Ohio, and was afterward a resident of In- 
 diana until 1861. when he came to InKjuois coun- 
 ty, Illinois. He then engaged in the cattle busi- 
 ness in Watseka until 1871 and spent the ten 
 succeeding yrars in Danville, returning in 1881 
 to Watseka. He was luarried .\pril 21, 1852. 
 in Tippecanoe county, Indiana, to Miss Sarah 
 -M. Harter, who was born in Lafayette, that state. 
 Mr. Hoo()cr voteil with the democracy and was 
 a Roval .\rch Mason.
 
 2/2 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Frank L. Hooper, one of a family of four 
 children, accompanied his parents on their re- 
 moval to Danville, Illinois, in 1871, and after 
 spending some time as a student in the hi,2:h 
 school there took up the study of law in the 
 office and under the direction of Tracy B. Harris, 
 of Watseka. He afterward pursued a full law 
 course in the University of Michigan at Ann 
 Arbor and subsequent to his graduation from 
 that institution was admitted to the Illinois bar 
 when twenty-one years of a.ge and entered into 
 partnership with T. B. Harris for the practice of 
 law in Watseka. That connection continued 
 until broken by the death of Air. Harris and in 
 January, 1891, Mr. Hooper entered into partner- 
 ship relations with Hon. Free P. Morris. He 
 has reached his majority in the length of his con- 
 nection with the Watseka bar and has long been 
 accorded a foremost place in the ranks of the 
 legal profession here, for in the trial of causes 
 he has displayed clear and cogent reasoning, a 
 thorough imderstanding of the law, a correct 
 knowledge of precedent and marked ability in the 
 application of legal principles to the points in 
 litigation. The ability which he has displayed 
 in practice led to his selection for judicial honors 
 and in 1905 he was elected judge of the circuit 
 court, following the death of Judge Hilscher, 
 and is now sitting upon the bench. His opin- 
 ions indicate a breadth of jiulicia! wisdom and a 
 freedom from personal bias that ranks him with 
 the able men who have sat upon the circuit bench 
 in eastern Illinois. 
 
 IMr. Hooper has not confined his attention en- 
 tirely to the practice of law and yet it has been 
 his main life work. The firm of Morris & 
 Hooper, however, became proprietors of the 
 \\'atseka electric light plant and are also inter- 
 ested in farm lands in Iroquois county. Mr. 
 Hoo]jer is a man of excellent business judgment 
 and keen sagacity as well as of broad judicial 
 knowledge. He is a democrat with little aspira- 
 tion for office, yet for two years filled the posi- 
 tion of city attorney of Watseka, the duties, how- 
 ever, being in the direct path of his chosen pro- 
 fession. Fraternally he is connected with Wat- 
 seka lodge. No. 446, A. F. & A. M. 
 
 Mr. Hooper was married September 2i), i8i;i. 
 in \N'atseka, to Miss Grace Willoughby, who was 
 born in this city and is a daughter of .Aaron and 
 
 Nancy \\'illoughby, early residents of this place. 
 In social circles Mr. and I\Irs. Hooper have long 
 occupied a position of prominence, being readily 
 accorded recognition wherever true worth and in- 
 telligence are received as the passports into good 
 society. Since coming to the bench he has won 
 the favorable criticism of the public and the pro- 
 fession in the conduct of the litigation of his 
 court and since entering upon the practice of law 
 his career has been marked by steady progress 
 indicative of devotion to the interests of his 
 clients, of close reasoning and of thorough un- 
 derstanding of the principles of the law. 
 
 PETER B. STRICKLER. 
 
 Peter B. Strickler, now one of the venerable 
 citizens and honored pioneer settlers of Concord 
 township, has had a varied and interesting ex- 
 ]ierience which embraces a sojourn in California 
 during the days of early mining excitement 
 there as well as active participation in various 
 phases of life on the frontier in Illinois. Few 
 residents of the county have longer resided with- 
 in its borders, for it was in 1835 that he took 
 up his abode on section 12, Concord township. 
 
 Born in Virginia April 6, 1827, Peter B. 
 Strickler was a son of Henry D. Strickler, of the 
 Shenandoah valley of X'irginia. The father's 
 birth occurred in 1796 and on leaving the Old 
 Dominion he traveled in a northwesterly direc- 
 tion until he reached Iroquois county, Illinois, 
 bringing with him his family of nine cliildren. 
 The journey was made by wagon from the old 
 home in N'irginia. They proceeded by slow 
 stages, for the roads were very poor at that time, 
 and at night for si.\ weeks thev cam]:)e(l (Hit by 
 the wayside. At length reaching his destina- 
 tion, Flenry D. Strickler entered from the .gov- 
 ernment one hundred and sixty acres of land on 
 section 12, Concord township. The land office 
 was at that time located at Danville. Mr. 
 Strickler built a hewed log cabin and barn. The 
 linuse was twenty- four by thirty feet, was two 
 stories in height and had a split floor. It also 
 contained glass windows, although some of the 
 early dwellings had greased paper windows. 
 There Mr. Strickler made his home until his
 
 ill 
 
 Ml.' \.\I) MRS. I'KTI-.k 1!. STUIeKl.KK.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSn> Of ILLINOIS
 
 IRtJQLOlS COUNTY. UJ.INOIS. 
 
 275 
 
 <lcath, which L>ccurrc«l in the year 1883 after a 
 residence of almost a half century in the county. 
 He hail |)riis]>iTc<I in hi-- nn(lertakinj;s, so that 
 he had extendeil the houiularies of his fann un- 
 til it conipriseil four hundred and eighty acres. 
 For some time he ser%e<! as cun>ner of the county 
 and ||j:ive his j>«>litical aliej,'-iaiice to the demi>c- 
 racy. His wife. Catherine liruhaker. was Inirn in 
 \'irpinia and liy her marriaj;e iH-canie the ninther 
 of tiiirteen ol)il<!ren. of wii«Mn f<>nr ;ire now 
 livinp. 
 
 I'eter K. ."^irukler was a \outh ol cij.;lil years 
 when he left the ( )ld IXmiinion and w ith his par- 
 ents made the lonp and tetlious journey across 
 the country to Illinois. Hi-- edncatii'iial privi- 
 leges were such as were alTorded in a log sciioul 
 house with grea.sed pajMjr windows and the 
 scluxil session covered only three nvrnth-i of the 
 year, for in those early days the services of the 
 sons anil (laughters were needctl ujjon the farm 
 throughout the remainder of the season. He as- 
 siste<l in the arduous task of developing new and 
 unhroken land and cultivating a farm which 
 hitherto had heen an unclaimed prairie tract. lie 
 lived at home until twenty -one years of age and 
 then learned the car|)enter's trade, which he fol- 
 lowed imtii twenty-nine years of age. being thus 
 closely identified with early building operations 
 in Irmpiois county. The discovery of gold in 
 California and the tales of the fortunes that were 
 made in that state lol him in 1852 to make his 
 way to the Pacific coast. He journeyed by way 
 of the water route and was absent for two years 
 in the < ioldcn state. 
 
 Mr. Stricklcr then returned to Illinois and 
 again tfM>k up caqK-nter work. .\s soon as possi- 
 ble, however, he made investment in property and 
 in 1857 located on his present farm on section i. 
 Concord township, purchasing eight) :icres of 
 lanti from Daniel Strickler. This was all raw 
 land, but he broke it and in course of time gath- 
 cre<l goo<l harvests. He aNo built a house and 
 other buildings and laid man\ pkIs of tile in 
 order to drain the land, thus reclaiming the 
 swampy portions until he had converted them 
 into rich fields. He likewise fenced the entire 
 fami himself and as the years passed by he care- 
 fully, energetically and successfully carried on 
 the work <>i general farming and also engage<l 
 in stock-raising, making a sjjccialty of hogs and 
 
 cattle. He likewise added to his holdings by the 
 ])urchase of seventy- four acres of the old home- 
 stead on section u. C'oucord township, a part of 
 which is pasture land and a part of which he has 
 tiled au<l cidtivated. His father entered this land 
 from the government and it has never passed out 
 of the family. 
 
 .\lr. ."strickler was married in Rensselaer, In- 
 diana, in 185^1. to .Miss Mary .\nn Kline, a na- 
 tive of Virginia, and they have become the par- 
 ents of five chiWIrcn, of whom three are now liv- 
 ing: Lewis. .Mrs. I'lla Klanska and (irace. The 
 wife and mother die<l in 1870 anti in 1871 .Mr. 
 Strickler was marrie<l in Concord township to 
 Miss .Martha Thaqi. wlui was Inirn in Clinton 
 County. Indiana. They now have three children: 
 I'rank T. : .Mrs. .Mattic I'earce; and Edward, who 
 married .Miss Dnllie ."-^iiiith. 
 
 .Mr. Strickler has served as sch<«>l director for 
 twenty-six years and in this connection has done 
 elTective service in behalf of the cause of public 
 eilucation in his flisirict. His political allegiance 
 has long been given to the democracy, for he be- 
 lieves that the platform of that |»arty contains the 
 best elements of good govermr.eiU. His religious 
 faith is that of the Cnited lirethren church. In 
 I'ebruarv . 18/15. .Mr. Strickler enli->ted in C'oin- 
 pan\ I". ( »ne Hundred and I"ift\ -filth Illinois 
 X'olunteer Infantry, and after being nuislercd in 
 at ."Springfield went to Tullahonia. Tenne-see. un- 
 <ler ( leneral Thomas. He did guard dul. . giianl- 
 ing railroads, etc.. until mustere<l out of service 
 in September. i8<i5. He joined < ). H. .Miner 
 lodge. No. 5(y>. .\. I". & .\. .M.. of Ir<¥|uois. in 
 18^18. and has filled various offices in the same. 
 
 .\s one of the honored pioneer residents of the 
 Count V he deserves prominent mention in this 
 volume, for in the early days when few settlers 
 lived in this jiart of the state he broke the prairie 
 with wo<Mlen plows ami carried on the farm work 
 with primitive machinery. Tlierc was plenty of 
 wild game here, including deer, prairie chickens 
 and turkeys. In the cabin home was a fireplace, 
 over which himg the crane, while the brea<l was 
 baked in the a>hes. .\ comprehensive descrip- 
 tion of |iioneer life woid<l be to give in detail the 
 carlv exjieriences of Mr. Strickler in Inxiuois 
 county. He has witnessed almost the entire up- 
 building and development of this section of the 
 state and relates in interesting manner many
 
 276 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 incidents of the early days before the railroads 
 had brought the state into close communication 
 with the east. There were broad stretches of 
 unclaimed land, some of which was swampy. 
 while other was covered with the native prairie 
 grasses or the timber. The most far-sighted 
 could scarcely have dreamed of the changes 
 which were to occur with great rapidity and 
 transform this into a rich agricultural district 
 with flourishing towns and villages in its midst 
 and all of the evidences of an advanced civili- 
 zation in its churches, schools, libraries and busi- 
 ness interests. 
 
 SOLOMOX MYERS. 
 
 A good farm of three hundred and forty-eight 
 acres is the property of Solomon Alyers. It is 
 situated on section ly. Iroquois township, and 
 indicates in its splendid appearance his care and 
 supervision. 'Sir. ]Myers was born in Pickaway 
 county, Ohio, near Circleville, May 17, 1850. and 
 was brought to Illinois in his boyhood days. I le 
 is a son of Peter Myers, who in 1861 removed 
 with his family to this state, settling in McLean 
 county, where he followed farming for some 
 time. In 1866 he removed to Iroquois county, 
 where his remaining days were passed, and when 
 he was called to his linal rest the community 
 mourned the loss of an honored and re]3resentntive 
 citizen. 
 
 Solomon Myers acquired a commim-school 
 education, coming to Iroquois county with his 
 father in 1866, when a youth of sixteen years. 
 He earlv received practical training in the work 
 of the home farm, and lessons of industry- and 
 diligence were earl}- instilled into his mind and 
 have borne rich fruit in his later life. In i8<)4 
 he bought two htmdred and twenty-eight acres 
 of his present farm of three hundred and forty- 
 eight acres on sections 18 and ig, Iroquois town- 
 ship, the remaining one hundred and twenty 
 acres being purchased in 1901. In the nn'dsi of 
 the farm stands a fine, two-story residence. Iiuilt 
 in modern .style of architecture. It stands back 
 some distance from tlie road and has a wide 
 sjireading lawn in front. It is one of the attract- 
 ive features of the- landscape and the farm jire- 
 
 sents an excellent appearance in all departments, 
 the fields giving promise of rich harvests. He 
 has some fine Durham cattle ujjDn the place and 
 his stock-raising interests are an important ele- 
 ment in his success. In 1868 be took up the last 
 piece of railroad land in Onarga township, this 
 being a tract of forty acres for which he paid 
 nine dollars per acre. 
 
 Mr. Myers was married to ^liss Mary Web- 
 ster, who was born at Buckley, this county, and 
 unto them have been born three sons. Burt 
 married Stella Weagant. and they have one son, 
 Lloyd A. Edward C. is at home. Charley \\'. 
 is also under the parental roof. The mother of 
 these children died in December, 1889, and ^Ir. 
 Alj'ers afterward married Mrs. Hilterbrick, of 
 Onarga. widow of Samuel E. Hilterbrick and a 
 daughter of E. W. Swaft'ord. Slie had one 
 child by her first marriage, Gertrude Hilterbrick. 
 
 Noting with the republican party, Mr. ^Nlyers 
 thus expresses his views upon the questiotis and 
 issues of the dav which concern the general ]iub- 
 lic, and he is now serving for his fourth year 
 as road commissioner of Iroquois township. He 
 has been a member of the Odd Fellows lodge 
 at ( )narga since 1874. and also affiliates with 
 the Modern Woodmen of .America at Crescent 
 City. His religious faith is indicated by his 
 membership in the Congregational church. ]\Iat- 
 ters secular and religious that have for their 
 object the benefit of the eoninnmity receive his 
 endorsement and co-operation, and he is a man 
 who in his life has been actuated by high and 
 honorable principles, while in his business career 
 he has manifested a laudable ambition and un- 
 faltering energy that have gained him place with 
 tile men of affluence in the township. 
 
 GEORGE BURY. 
 
 ( Icorge r.ury has during his re>idenci' in this 
 countr\- demonstrated the characteristics of the 
 Irish race — industry and ])erseverance, for 
 tlmugh starting out in life a poor boy without 
 capital or assistance frmn friends and with limited 
 educational advantages, he has worked his way 
 u])ward until he is today one of the largest land- 
 iiwners in Iroquois county, liaxing here a tract
 
 iki K)r( »is corN'TV ii.i.ixi iis 
 
 ol five huiulrcd ;iiul >iM> aero, lucaUil mi m:c- 
 tinn 4. I'rairic (irci-n townsliip. 
 
 Mr. r.iiry was brouBlit to the L'liitcd Stali-> 
 by his pan-iits when uiily two \cars of ai^e. the 
 family home iH-iiijj cstalihslicd in TipjacamK- 
 cuunty, Indiana, where lie was reared as a fann 
 la<l. Me ha<l hmiied educational ailvantaKe> in 
 his youtli biit tlirouj^li readin^; and observation 
 in later life has be-come a well informed man. 
 He came to Illinois in iW/) when a youn>j man 
 and secured employment at farm labor. iK-iiiK 
 thus ennajj^'d for two or three years, in Iroquois 
 county. He was married here in 1871 to Miss 
 Ellen .Merritt. who was born in .Madison coun- 
 ty. Indiana, a daujihter of John Merritt. who 
 became one of the early settlers of Iroquois 
 county, and tlm^ tlii- dauj;luer w;i> rran-il anil 
 educated here. 
 
 I'ollowinjj his inurriajie .Mr. \\m\ locaietl on 
 a rented farm, which he ojxrrated for several 
 years, and, prospering in his undertakings, he 
 was at lenjrth enahlol to purchase land, first be- 
 coming jHtssessed of a tract of eighty acres, which 
 was but partially improved and whereon had 
 been built a small house. Taking up his alxxle 
 thereon he further develope«l and improved the 
 property, placing his lan<l under a high state 
 of cultivation, and he also erected a gooti two- 
 story residence, substantial barn and other out- 
 buildings for the shelter of grain and stock. He 
 tiled and fenced his land, set out a gonl orchard 
 and made it a valuable tract. .\s time jjassed 
 and he accunuilate<l a c^impetencc he added to his 
 pri>|K'rty from time to time until he is now the 
 owner of five hundred and si.xty acres, which 
 constitutes one of the valuable and well im|)roved 
 farms oi Irorpiois county. He has recently 
 erivted a new residence on his farm, whicji is 
 now iK-cupied by his son, and there are two go«nl 
 sets of buildings, such as are found ujioii a model 
 pro|)erty. In aildition to his agricultural interests 
 he is engaged <|uite extensively in raising stock, 
 and he also buys and ships cattle an<l hoj;s to 
 the city markets, having \>ccn thus engaged for 
 the past fourteen _vcars, and this has Ik-cu no un- 
 inqMirtant branch of his business. 
 
 L'nto our subject and his wife have been horn 
 five sons and one daughter, namely : (.harles, 
 wIk) resides on the home farm and is married ; 
 John, who is also married anil resides on the 
 
 liuiiie larui. and ;s uha servnig a* tax inlKitur ul 
 I'rairie tjrevn township; Mattie, the wile of John 
 Wall, who o|>erates a (lortion of her father's 
 farm: tieorj;e K.. Ilarr\ aiwl Clarence, all yet 
 under the parental tin if. 
 
 Mr. Bury has alwa>s l>ecn a stalwart advocate 
 of republican principles but has never Ikxu active 
 in local |)olitical atVairs for his extensive business 
 interests have claimiHl his full time and attention. 
 .Mrs. lUiry is a memlK-r of the (."hrisliau church. 
 Having lived in lr<K|Uois county through four 
 decadi-s, Mr. Mury is largely familiar with the 
 jirogress that has here iK-eti made in agricultural 
 life, and he has not only been an interested wit- 
 ness but an active ]>articipant in the county's 
 development, .\lthough starting out in business 
 life in the humble cajKicitv of a farm laborer, 
 having limited educational advantages 1h- lias 
 jiersevered in his work and by the assistance of 
 his estimable wife, he has accumulated the val- 
 uable projKTty which today is evidence of the 
 success that has rewarded his eflforts. 
 
 |( )ll\ III d \!l"< 
 
 John Holmes, a practical and progressive 
 farmer living on .section jti. I'rairie (jrtvn town- 
 ship, has three lumdre<l and twenty acres of rich 
 and productive land within five miles of Htxiix.'- 
 ston. He was born in Surrey, Kngland. June 8, 
 1852. and is a son of Henry Holmes, who was 
 likewise a native of that count), and he niar- 
 rietl there .Miss .\im Thompson, who was also 
 Ixjrn and rearetl in l-jigland. They came to 
 the new world in 1S7J and spent aliout a year in 
 New York city, after which they renioveil west- 
 ward to \ ermilion county. Illinois, establishing 
 their home at Kossville. where Mr. Holmes spent 
 the last years of his life, passing away in i8<^. 
 His wife had ilied some years previous. 
 
 John Holmes was rearetl to manhiHwl in the 
 lanil of his birth. s|)cnding his Ixiylu-KMl and 
 youth largely in I^ondon. In early life he worked 
 at teaming and expressing. l>ecoming one of the 
 most capable and trusted drivers for IHckford, 
 whi> comlucted one of the most extensive transfer 
 enterprises of the world. In 1873. when twenty- 
 one years of age. Mr H.-Imes accompani'-'l Ii'-«
 
 278 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 parents on their emigration to the United States, 
 reaching New York harbor in Xoveiiiber of that 
 year. He remained in New York for eight 
 months and was a driver for the Adams Express 
 Company. In 1874 he came westward to IIH- 
 nois. making his home in Iroquois county, where 
 lived his brother, Tom Holmes. For three years 
 he was employed by the month at farm labor 
 and thus gained a start in the new world. 
 
 In 1886 Mr. Holmes was united in marriage 
 to Miss Julia E. Daugherty, a native of Orange 
 county, Indiana, where she was reared. The 
 young couple began their domestic life upon a 
 tract of rented land and thus !Mr. Holmes car- 
 ried on farming for several years, during which 
 time they carefully hoarded their earnings and 
 at length were enabled to purchase land in 1890, 
 becoming owner of one hundred and sixty acres, 
 on which was an old house and bam. Air. 
 Holmes at once undertook the task of further 
 developing and improving this property and laid 
 many rods of tile, thus draining the place. He 
 also bought more land as opportunity offered and 
 is now the owner of three hundred and twenty 
 acres, constituting a rich and valuable property. 
 He also rents another eighty acres, so that he 
 is now cultivating four hundred acres of land. 
 He has erected a commodious two-story frame 
 residence, built in modern style of architecture, 
 and likewise has two big barns upon the place 
 and two sets of farm buildings. He has put 
 in stock scales and uses the latest improved ma- 
 chinery in carrying on the work of the fields. 
 He has also planted much fruit and altogether 
 has a model farm property, equipped with all the 
 accessories which indicate a spirit of enterprise 
 and activity in the individual. Air. Holmes 
 started out in life in the new world with a cash 
 capital of twenty-five cents. He has made his 
 own way in the world from his youth to the 
 present time and I>\- his thrift an<l enter])risc 
 has become the owner of a large and valuable 
 farm and good home. 
 
 Unto Air. and Airs. Holmes have been licirn 
 ten children, James A., Elma .\., Rosa. John, 
 Olive P>lanch, Daisy, Floyd and Xeliie, still under 
 the parental roof, and two died in infancy. 
 
 Politically Air. Holmes is a rciiublican but has 
 never been an aspirant for office. He belongs 
 to the < )dd I'l-llows lodge at Hoopeston and is in 
 
 hearty sympathy with its basic principles. He is 
 well known in Hoopeston and in Iroquois and 
 \"ermilion counties, and is one of the progressive 
 and enterprising sons of old England, who in 
 Iroquois county have made an independent 
 fortune and an honorable name. He may truly 
 be called a self-made man and his life record is 
 indicative of the opportunities that are here 
 aft'orded to ambitious voung men. 
 
 WILLIAAI L. RAXTON. 
 
 William L. Ranton, whose death was the oc- 
 casion of deep regret in Sheldon, where he was 
 serving as postmaster at the time of his demise 
 on the 4th of January, 1902. was born in Bel- 
 fast, Ireland, in 1869, and was brought to Amer- 
 ica by his father, who now lives in Hoopeston, 
 this state. He came to Iroquois county about 
 1870 and was educated in the common schools 
 and in Gem City Business College at Quincy, Illi- 
 nois, of which he was a graduate. Taking up 
 his abode in Sheldon, he edited and published the 
 Sheldon Journal from 1895 until 1899 and made 
 it a successful business enterprise as well as an 
 entertaining newspaper. He also did some bank 
 work and was well known in this part of the 
 county as a man worthy the esteem and trust 
 of all who knew him. In 1898 he was appointed 
 postmaster at Sheldon and in that office gave a 
 businesslike administration, capably and faith- 
 fully discharging his duties until he was called 
 to liis final rest. In politics he was alwa\-s a 
 stalwart republican and was prominent in the 
 local ranks of the party, serving as one of the 
 committeemen at the time of his death. 
 
 In 1895 ^Ir. Ranton was united in marriage 
 to Aliss Jessie Hockett, of Sheldon, Illinois. 
 They had one child, Bessie, who was born April 
 24, 1896. Airs. Ranton has lived in Sheldon 
 for twenty years. She is a graduate of the high 
 schnol and for some time engaged in teaching in 
 the city schools here. Immediatelv after her 
 husbands death she was appointed postmistress 
 of Sheldon and was rc-appointcd for a second 
 term in 1905. so that she is now filling the office, 
 in which she has one assistant. .She owns a nice 
 hoiiH- in Sheldon anrl she is one of the few ladv
 
 W. I.. RA.\l«t.\ AND DAltiHTER.
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNtVERSITV Of ILLINOIS
 
 IRiJQLOlS COUNTY. IU.INdIS. 
 
 ^8i 
 
 inciiibcrs of the National Association of Second 
 and Third Class I'ostmasttTs. Mr. Kantmi hchl 
 nH-ntlK-rslup in tlu- MaM>nic UkIhc and aU<> with 
 the Kninhis of I'ythias and was rcKardcd as an 
 exemplary n-jtrcscnialivt of iKith orL is. 
 
 bein^ trne to the teachinn> of the oiw, . ch 
 
 are l>asi-d u|H>n mutual lul|)fulness and brotherly 
 kindness. He was well liked wherever known 
 and he had a wide aojuaintance in Ir— !"'i- 
 Count V. 
 
 AUGUST LUHKSKN. 
 
 .\uj;u>t Luhrsen is a worthy and prosin-rous 
 re|)resentative of mercantile anil aj^ricnltnral 
 interests. For fifteen years he was identifie<l 
 with the commercial life of Muckley and for a 
 considerable jx'riinl has represented the farming 
 interests of Inxjuois county. It has always Ik-cu 
 found that the s*jns of the fatherland have con- 
 stituted an inijHirtant element in the civiliza- 
 tion of the world and in the various localities in 
 which they have live<l they have l)orne a help- 
 ful and Ix-neficial jKirt in advaiicinj; those inter- 
 ests which contribute to material intellectual, po- 
 litical and moral proRn-ss. 
 
 The life record of Mr. I.uhrsen is another 
 proof of this statement. He was Uirn in tier- 
 many. May i8. 1856. and is a son of l"re<lerick 
 Luhrsen. who in the fall of 1S5- enjijjrated with 
 his family to the Uniteil stales. He settled first 
 in Cook county, Illinois, where he resided until 
 1873 and then came to Iroi{uois county, juirchas- 
 ing one hundred and sixty acres of land in .\rtesia 
 township, which our subject now owns. He here 
 joineil his Son. |-"rederick Luhrsen. Jr.. who is 
 mentioned on another pa^e of this work, and the 
 father sjK-nt his last years in Hucklcy, where he 
 <lic<l < k'tolKT 1. K105. when ahnost ninety -five 
 years of ajje. His wife had passe<l away in 1877. 
 
 .\un\ist Luhrsen was reared in Cook county, 
 Illinois. an<l lar^elN ac(|uired his education in the 
 common scIkxiIs there, although his opjmrtunities 
 were somewhat meaner, and since reachini; man's 
 estate he has jjreatly liroa«lened his knowledge 
 throURh exix-rience. ol»servation and research. 
 He was married in .\rtesia township, Noveinl>cr 
 18. 1883. to Miss .Mwine X'olberdinn. a native 
 
 of Illinois, boni in Cook county and a dauKhtcr 
 of I.udwiK \ ollH-rdtnj;- 
 
 I'ollowinn his maria^e .\uj;nst Luhrsen op- 
 erated bis father's fann and also land which he 
 himself owned fi>r several \ears. He then riiited 
 the farm and Imiu^jIu an interest in a general 
 mercantile store, devoting ten years to the sale 
 of );o<.kIs. l)is|Misin^ of the >tore. he aflerwanl 
 conducteil the Inmlx-ryard at Ilnckley for several 
 years and for fifteen years he likewise gave his at- 
 tention to the .sn|x-rvision of his farir 
 ests. He has a jjoixl residence tin his • 
 built a substaiuial barn and has made many 
 moilerii improvements, converting the place into 
 one of the valuable properties of the district. 
 
 L'nto .Mr. and .Mrs. Luhrsen have been born 
 si.\ children: l.ydia. .Matilda, .\manda. Laura 
 and .\rnold. They alstt lost their first iK.rn. 
 .Mvin. who dial in his fifth year. 
 
 I'olitically Mr. Luhrsen has Ixen a stalwart 
 democrat, yet the honors and emoluments of 
 office have had no attraction for him. He and 
 his family holil memlx-rship in the Lutheran 
 church. He is widely recoj;niznl as a capable, 
 successful and reliable business man and farmer 
 and is well known throUKhoui lr>>«|Uois county. 
 His busines> inte^jrity is uni|Uesti<Mie<l and the 
 confidence and esteem of the connnunity are uni- 
 fornily accorded him. Wherever known he has 
 won friends and his life record demonstrates the 
 (Possibilities for successful accomplishment to 
 those who are denied many ad\antn(.;es in \".mh 
 and who have to start out for tlu-iusehes witlinut 
 financial assistance. 
 
 H)L Ls UL.N.si ).\. 
 
 .\ spirit of enterprise and progress character- 
 izes Ijiuis Itenson in his farmin).; o|xrations. 
 He lives on section iy. I'.elmont township, and 
 in his life has accomplished a measure of suc- 
 cess which is indicative of close application and 
 earnest pur|»<>se. He now owns two huiulred 
 and .sixty acres of valuable land, which has Itcen 
 secured since he came to the comity in 1885. He 
 was Ixirn in Sweden. Decemlx-r Uf. i8<i'>, and is 
 a son of B. P. Benson, who was a fanner of that 
 countrv and in his native land weilded Christina
 
 282 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Pierson. They became the parents of six chil- 
 dren, inchiding Louis Benson of this review, 
 who was reared upon the home farm, no event 
 of special importance occurring to vary the 
 routine of such a life for him in his boyhood 
 days. 
 
 He heard favorable reports concerning Amer- 
 ica and its opportunities and this aroused in him 
 a desire to try his fortunes in the new world. 
 Accordingly he made his way to the United 
 States and located first in South Dakota but after 
 three months he removed to Iroquois county, 
 Illinois, where he began providing for his own 
 support by working in a creamer_v at Woodland. 
 A year was spent in that position, after which he 
 worked out by the month at Sheldon, being in 
 the employ of one man for five years. He was 
 in the employ of Thomas John for two years and 
 then began renting land, which was a forward 
 step in his business career, as his labors now 
 more directly benefited himself. In 1894 he 
 bought one hundred acres with capital that he 
 had acquired through his own labors. It was the 
 nucleus of his present fine farm and he has 
 greatly improved the property by erecting 
 thereon a two-story frame residence built in at- 
 tractive style of architecture. He has also built 
 a good barn and carried forward his agricultural 
 interests along most progressive lines. His 
 place is well improved, modern methods of drain- 
 ing have been employed to enhance the produc- 
 tiveness of the fields and the farm is surrounded 
 by well kept fences. He raises full blooded short- 
 horn cattle and is a breeder and dealer in Per- 
 cheron horses, keeping an imported stallion. He 
 also raises Poland Cliina hogs and his live-stock 
 interests are an im|>ortant branch of his business. 
 
 On the 4th of November, i8g6, Mr. Benson 
 was united in marriage to Miss M. Eloise John, 
 daughter of Thomas John and a native of Bel- 
 mont township. Further mention of her parents 
 is made on another page of this work. For a 
 year after their marriage Mr. Benson rented 
 part of the John farm and then took up his 
 abode at his present place of residence. Both he 
 and his wife attend the Methodist Episcopal 
 church at Woodland. 
 
 Since becoming a naturalized American citizen 
 he has voted with the republican party at state 
 and national elections but casts an independent 
 
 local ballot nor has he ever been a politician in 
 the sense of office seeking. He certainly de- 
 serves much credit for what he has accomplished. 
 He came to the new world without capital save 
 for determination, strong purpose and unflag- 
 ging industry. He soon proved his willingness 
 to work, never found it difficult to obtain em- 
 ployment and by reason of his economy and in- 
 dustry at length secured the capital that enabled 
 him to purchase land and begin farming on his 
 own account. He has made steady progress, has 
 won a goodh" measure of prosperity, and his life 
 has at the same time been another exemplifica- 
 tion of the statement that "Sweden is the home 
 of the honest man." 
 
 lAAIES CRIXK. 
 
 James Crink. of ]\Iilford. needs no introduc- 
 tion to the readers of this volume, for he has 
 been a resident of the county for more than 
 four decades, being long classed with the pro- 
 gressive and representative farmers. He owns 
 a well improved tract of land of one hundred 
 and sixty acres pleasantly located within four 
 a half miles of the city of Milford. His birth 
 occurred in Tippecanoe county. Indiana. ^larch 
 22, 1855. His father. Patrick Crink, was a na- 
 tive of Ireland and spent his boyhofid days 
 there. Crosing the Atlantic to the new world, 
 he resided for some years in the state of New 
 York, during which time he was married to Miss 
 Elizabeth Chuite. He afterward removed with 
 his family to Indiana, settling in Tijipecanoe 
 count\ . where he carried on farming, and the 
 spring of 1864 witnessed his arrival in Iroquois 
 county, Illinois, at which time he took up his 
 abode in Ash ( irove townshi]). There he car- 
 ried on general agricultural pursuits for several 
 }ears and subsequently he settled in Milford 
 tdwnship. where he also farmed for a number of 
 \ears. His last days, however, were spent at 
 the home of his son, John Crink, and he departed 
 this life in 1894, haying for aljout two years 
 survived his wife, whu died in May, 1892. 
 Five of their children are yet living: Philip, a 
 resident farmer of Douglas county, Nebraska;
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 283 
 
 Mag^jie. llic wife of James Mln. wlio follows 
 farming in .Milforil township; James and John, 
 wlio are twins, the latter a farmer of Milfonl 
 township; and Mrs. .\nna Compton, a widow 
 residing in Nebraska. 
 
 \\ hen a youth of ten years James Crink be- 
 cante a resident of Iro»]iiois comity and he re- 
 mained in his father's home until he liad at- 
 tained his majority. .\t the usual age he entered 
 the common scIuxjIs and is indebted to the system 
 of public instruction for the eilucatiniial privi- 
 leges he enjoyed. When not busy with his texl- 
 IxKjks his time was largely occu]}ictl in the work 
 of i)lnwing. planting or harvesting according to 
 the season of the year. an<l thus he became 
 familiar with the practical work of the farm. 
 
 In .\sh (irove township, on the 24th of Decem- 
 ber. i8</), was celebrated the marriage of Mr. 
 Crink and Miss Sallie Stimpson, and they located 
 on a farm, commencing with eighty acres of land, 
 in the midst of which Mr. Crink built a good 
 dwelling, barns, cribs and granary. He also 
 fencctl the ])lace and by tiling greatly enhance<l 
 the fertility of the soil. He led a most active 
 and strenuous life and his unremitting diligence 
 constituted the secret of a success which enabled 
 him in the course of years to purchase an addi- 
 tional tract of eighty acres, so that his farm 
 covered one hundred and sixty acres. There he 
 carried on general agricultural pursuits until 
 1904. when he rented his ])lace and i)urchased 
 the residence ])roperty in Milford which he now 
 occupies. Me has not retired altogether from 
 business life, however, for his time is given to 
 looking after and keeping up his farm. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Crink have two sons and a 
 daughter: Elmer S., Mary Klizal)eth and Wilbur 
 E. Mrs. Crink holils membership in the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal church at Milford and Mr. 
 Crink was reared in the Catholic faith. His po- 
 litical views harmonize with the principles of the 
 democratic party but he has never been an aspir- 
 ant for office. .-X Ixiy of ten when he came to 
 this county he has assisted in its material growth 
 and progress, aiding in the task of clearing and 
 cultivating new land and developing fertile fields. 
 He is known as a man of good busines capacity, 
 of ready recognition of opportunity, and in his 
 utilization of the chances which have conic to 
 him he has shown a ready adaptability and keen 
 
 foresight. He and his wife are greatly respected 
 in the community and are well known in .Mil- 
 ford. Watseka and throughout the county. 
 
 EDW.\RD G. ECH.Xkl). 
 
 Etlward (j. Echard. who is engaged in general 
 agricultural pursuits in I'rairic Green township, 
 having made his home in this countv since 1886, 
 was born in Rockingham c<innty, in the Shen- 
 andoah valley <jf X'irginia, .\|tril 5, 1852. He is 
 a son of I'rank I-'chard. also a native of 
 X'irginia. where he was reared and married, 
 the lady of his choice Ix-ing .Miss Eveline 
 R. HnfTman. who was also born in X'irginia. The 
 father followed farming in the Old Dominion, 
 devoting his life to that work until his labors 
 were ended in death in 18*^)2. His wife long sur- 
 vived him and passed away in 181/). 
 
 Edward G. Echard was largely reared in the 
 state of his nativity, remaining at home until 
 after he hail attained his majority. He learned 
 the trade of a caqx-nter and joiner and was iden- 
 tified with buililing operations in X'irginia and to 
 some extent in Illinois. He came to the middle 
 west in 1886. joining friends in Irotjuois county, 
 and for one year he workerl as a farm hand by 
 the month. 
 
 r.efore leaving his native state Mr. Echard 
 had been niarried in X'irginia on the 27th of 
 October. 1881. to Miss .Xnna Downey, a sister of 
 T. J. Downey, whose sketch appears else- 
 where in this volume. .Mr. Echaril then operated 
 a rented farm for several years, after which he 
 purchased one hundred and sixty acres, where 
 he now resides. Subsequently, however, he dis- 
 posed of forty acres of this. He was the first 
 to pay as high as .seventy-five dollars per acre 
 for land in this locality but to<lay the farm is 
 worth double that amount. He at once Ix^gan 
 to till the soil and further improve the place and 
 by tiling and fencing he has converted the farm 
 into rich and productive fields. In its midst 
 stands a neat residence ami he has a large vari- 
 ety of fruit u[)on his place. He has also built 
 cribs and sheds and the land is mostly enclose<l 
 with woven wire fence. He has also rented 
 other farm land and in addition to his home
 
 284 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 property of one hundred and twenty acres he is 
 now cuhivating the Greer College lands of three 
 hundred and twenty acres, having for ten years 
 been in charge of that property. He is an active 
 and diligent man who works while others talk 
 and who by his unremitting perseverance and 
 energ\- has advanced to a prominent position 
 among the prosperous agriculturists of Prairie 
 Green township. In addition to cultivating the 
 cereals best adapted to soil and climate he also 
 raises pure blooded Aberdeen Angus cattle and 
 has a fine registered male at the head of his 
 herd. He also raises good grades of hogs and 
 other stock and feeds a large lumiber of hogs 
 annually. 
 
 Unto i\lr. and Airs. Echard have been born 
 two children, Hubert \V. and Goldie M. 'Sir. 
 Echard formerly gave his political allegiance to 
 the democratic party but is now a strong ad\-o- 
 cate of prohibition principles. He has served as 
 a member of the school board, has been school 
 clerk for several years, and has likewise served 
 as justice of the peace of Prairie Green township. 
 He and his wife hold membership with the 
 Methodist Episcopal church at Wellington, in 
 which he is acting as steward and a trustee, and 
 both are active in the work of the Sunday-school, 
 and their .son Hubert is a teacher in that organ- 
 ization. 
 
 Mr. Echard is one of the progressive and pub- 
 lic-spirited men from the Old Dominion and is 
 today one of the honored and highly esteemed 
 agriculturists of Iroquois county, where he and 
 his family have a large circle of friends, and 
 their home is a very hospitable one. 
 
 ALSON V. BROCKWAY. 
 
 In the quota of citizens that agricultural life 
 has furnished to Sheldon Alson V. Brockway 
 is numbered, having in former years been identi- 
 fied with farming interests in Iro(|uois county. 
 He was born in Elk county, Pennsylvania, July 
 23, 1839, and is a son of Vine S. Brockway, who 
 was born in the state of New York, whence he 
 removed to Elk coimty, Pennsylvania, while sub- 
 sequently he took up his abode in Will county, 
 Illinois, where his death occurred. Pie was a 
 
 physician and a man of marked ability and local 
 prominence. He served as county judge in Elk 
 county, Pennsylvania, for nine years and was 
 a very prominent man there. His family num- 
 bered five children who reached adult age and 
 are still living, and Alson and his brother, 
 Alonzo Brockway, are now residents of Sheldon. 
 
 Alson \'. Brc)ckway is indebted to the public- 
 school s\-stem of his native state for the educa- 
 tion,-d jirivileges which he enjoyed. He worked 
 in the lumber woods in Pennsylvania until 1864, 
 when he went to Will county, Illinois, where he 
 purchased a farm, carrying on agricultural pur- 
 suits there until 1868. He then sold that prop- 
 erty, that year witnessing his arrival in Iroquois 
 county, where he purchased three hundred acres 
 of land in Sheldon township. Upon this farm 
 he resided until 1891, when he retired, removing 
 to Sheldon, where he has since resided. He also 
 owns eighty acres of land in Sheldon township. 
 While upon the farm he carried on the general 
 work of the fields and also engaged in stock- 
 raising. He added many modern improvements 
 and equipments to his place, erected two good 
 dwellings and two barns and in fact added all 
 of tlie necessary outbuildings for the shelter of 
 grain and stock. He brought his fields under 
 a high state of cultivation and thus as the years 
 passed his property became very valuable. \Mien 
 on the farm he bred the best stock he could find 
 and this branch of his business proved to him a 
 profitable source of income. On removing to 
 .Sheldon he erected a fine residence at a cost of 
 three thousand dollars. 
 
 Air. Brockway was married in 1864 to Jane 
 S. Bly, who was born in Tioga countv, Penn- 
 sylvania, and removed to Elk count)- with her 
 parents in her girlhood days. Two children 
 gracetl the union of our subject and his wife but 
 one died at the age of five years. The surviving 
 daughter. Flora, is the wife of Charles Bowen, 
 who lives upon a farm near her father's prop- 
 erty. They have three children : Huneta, 
 Dorathy : and Charles Alson, born Jamiar\- 12, 
 1907. 
 
 The parents are members of the Christian 
 church and are ]:)romincnt socially, having many 
 warm friends in Sheldon and in other parts of 
 the county. .Since age conferred upon him the 
 right of franchise and he proudly cast his first
 
 A. V. i;k(kk\vay.
 
 OF THE 
 UNlVERSnV Of ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 jS: 
 
 vote fi>r Ahraliam Lincoln. Mr. I'.ruckway ha> 
 iK'cn a stanch republican and for two viars he 
 served as suiK-rvisor. He has also filled the of- 
 fices of school trustee and schiMil ilirector and 
 has iK-en a nu-mher of the town board for thrie 
 terms. lie is a man of much influence in local 
 affairs and his suiiport is jjiven to all those meas- 
 ures which are of <Iirect K-nefit to the connnu- 
 nity. The stroui; traits of his character are such 
 as win for him uniform confidence anrj estirm 
 and whereviT known he is honored. 
 
 loILV 1-L1:.M1N(;. 
 
 John i'lenun^'. \\U<< lieii.irled this life .\u).;ust 
 22, li/Mt. s]R-nt his last years as a retired farmer 
 in Sheldon and was rcs])ected and honored by all 
 who knew him. He was born in County Tyrone. 
 Ireland. May 2t). iS,Vi. and was only three 
 years of ape when bron^ht to .\nierica by 
 his parents. John an<l Mary Fleminj;. who set- 
 tled in .^tanho|>e, N'ew Jersey, where they resided 
 for seven years. They then removc<l to the vi- 
 cinit\- of Lock])ort. New York, where they re- 
 mained until their son John had re.iched man- 
 hood. In 1 85'^! they aj;Tiin made their way west- 
 ward and on reachinj; Indiana settled not far 
 from the state line in I'.enton county. The sur- 
 viving members of their family are Thomas and 
 William. wIkj are residents of Raub. Illinois: 
 Robert, who is livinjj^ at I"reeland I'ark. this 
 state; Sampson, of tht same place; James, of 
 Crawfordsville. Indiana: and Mrs. Matkin. also 
 of Raub. 
 
 In that locality and in Shehlon John l*"lemin|i 
 of this review spent his remaining; days. .No 
 event of special imiM)rtance occurre<l to vary the 
 routine of fann life for him in his youth. On 
 the igth of November. |8<>3. he was married to 
 Miss Susan Perkins, of ( inencaslle. Indinna. 
 and their only child, a dau>;hter. < >rpha. is now 
 the wife of Franklin (larke. a pronnnent and 
 representative citizen of Sheldnn. The wife and 
 mother died July (*. 1871. an<l on the 22i\ of (Oc- 
 tober, 18" .V Mr. Fleming was apain marrie<l. his 
 second union lK'in{j with Julia ."^lavens. who waN 
 born in Greencastlc, Indiana. They l)ecaine the 
 16 
 
 parents of one son. Horace, who is now residing 
 <in the olil homestead fann southeast of Sheldon. 
 Throughout his business life .Mr. Fleming car- 
 ried on general agricultural pursuits, closelv ap- 
 plying himself to his work and manifesting un- 
 faltering i«.rseverance. diligence and capable 
 management. Thus as the years passed he atldcil 
 to his possessions until he ha<l accumulated a 
 competence sufficient to enable him to retire from 
 active life and yet enjoy the comfnrts and luxu- 
 ries which go to make life worth living. He then 
 built a beautiful home in Sheldon, in which to 
 spend his remaining days, erecting this in iHij2. 
 .Mr. l-'leming was a member of the Metho<list 
 church ;md also affiliated with the Masonic lodge 
 at Sheldon. His ])olitic.il allegiance was given 
 to the republican party and for thirteen years he 
 served as commissioner of public roads. He was 
 likewise a member of the sc1i<m)1 lioard for vears 
 and a member of the town board of Sheldon for 
 some time. He owned two hundred and twenty 
 acres of gcHxl land four miles from the city and 
 derived from the property a gratifying income. 
 Well liked by all. he possessed thi>se traits of 
 ch:iracter which everywhere command confi- 
 dence, esteem and friendship. .Among the con- 
 spicuous traits of his character were his truth- 
 fulness, hi-i tenderness and the simplicity of hii 
 life. He was a friend well worthy of the name. 
 He had a sincere ajjiireciation and respect for the 
 giMid in other men anil his regard could always 
 be won by genuine personal worth without tak- 
 ing into consideration the financial standing of 
 the intlividual. .Men and wnmen of wealth and 
 inlluence were proud to class him with their 
 friends. He jiossesscd a most cheerful, sunshiny 
 disposition, which carried him thrnugh not niily 
 the serene .-uid ha[)|)y da\s but also enabletl him 
 to meet courageously and smilingly the hard 
 places in life. He was active in those things 
 which tend toward the g<Mtd and the pros|>erity 
 of the cfimmimity and was unfaltering in his sup- 
 jiort of what he believed to In- right. In all of 
 his de.ilint;s he w.is upright and conscientious 
 and he lived a life of gemiine helpfulness. The 
 poor and needy not only found in him a friend 
 but wherever sickness and sorrow were known 
 he was rea<ly with a word of sympathy and en- 
 couragement or with more material aid if it w.is 
 needed. He contributed generously toward the
 
 288 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 support of the church and in all life's relations 
 whether in church, in business life, or in social 
 and home circles, he carried with him an atmos- 
 phere of joyousness thai was contagious. Surely 
 the world is better for his havinir lived. 
 
 .MARTI.X f. RUSH. 
 
 Years of continuous and well directed activ- 
 ity have resulted in placing Mr. Rush in a finan- 
 cial condition that enables him now tn live com- 
 fortable upon his farm, which is pleasantly and 
 conveniently situated about a quarter of a mile 
 west of Milford. The attractiveness of Irocjuois 
 county as a place of residence is indicated by 
 the fact that many of her native sons have re- 
 tained their residence within her borders, enjoy- 
 ing its opportunities and its advantages and find- 
 ing here full scope for business activity and win- 
 ning therein a gratifying degree of prosperity. 
 To this class belongs Martin J- Rush, whose birth 
 occurred in ?klilford township. January 6. 1861. 
 
 He is descended from one of the oldest fam- 
 ilies of Pennsylvania, his grandfather and his 
 father, both of whom bore the name of Samuel 
 Rush, having been natives of the Keystone state. 
 The latter came to Illinois when a young man and 
 followed farming in Iroquois county. Here he 
 wedded Miss Nancy Martin, a native of Iroquois 
 county. Having now a wife for wliom he must 
 provide. Mr. Rush thus had an added stimulus 
 for business activity and energv and he reso- 
 lutely took up farm work, wliich he dili^jently 
 followed and carefully managed until he becanu- 
 one of the most pros]:)erous and extensive land- 
 owners of this pari cif the state, his holdings 
 aggregating fourteen hundred acres. It was a 
 splendid success, for it was all acquired by the 
 time he reaclK-(l the prime of life and the methods 
 wh.ich he followed were most honorable and 
 straightforward. lie passed away in 1874, at 
 the age of fi fly-five years, being long survived 
 by his widow, who reared her family and man- 
 aged the property. She died in June. 1905, at 
 the age of sevenly-lwo \ears. and her death was 
 greatly regretted by many friends as well as 
 lier immediate family, for she had endeared 
 herself to man\- with whom she came in contact. 
 
 Martin J. Rush was one of eight children and 
 was reared to farm life, working in the fields 
 through the sunnuer months, while in the winter 
 seasons he pursued his education. ( )n attaining 
 his majority he was given his share of his 
 father's estate. com])rising one hundred acres of 
 land, ar.d thus he started out on his own account. 
 He built a good liouse and barn, together with 
 other outbuildings for the shelier of grain and 
 stock, and carried on farm work along progres- 
 sive lines. Realizing that the fertility of the soil 
 could be greatly increased by draining the land, 
 he laid manv rods of tiling and also made ditches 
 for the further purpose of carrying of¥ the ex- 
 cess water. He likewise built fences to mark 
 his boundaries and to apportion the fariu into 
 fields, and thus the work of farming was carried 
 on vear after year and more land was purchased 
 until his holdings now embrace three hundred 
 and ninety-seven acres, all in a high state of 
 cultivation. In 1903 he purchased thirty-seven 
 acres where he now resides within the city limits 
 of ]\niford. and built an attractive two-story 
 residence. It is largely a model home and Mr. 
 and Mrs. Rush are now occupying it for the jnir- 
 pose of educating their children in the city 
 schools. 
 
 The lady who now bears the name of Mrs. 
 Rush was in her maidenhood Miss Minnie Mote, 
 a native of ^lontgomery county. Indiana, and a 
 daughter of James H. ^Mote. who came to Iro- 
 quois county in 1876. It was on the 24th day 
 of March. 1884, that his daughter Minnie gave 
 her hand in marriage to Mr. Hush, and their 
 home has since been blessed with four children: 
 llarry L., Charles M.. Laura -\. and Cieneva. 
 The parents attend the Methodist E])iscopal 
 church at .Milford and are freely accorded the 
 hos])itality of the ])est homes in the cil\- and 
 throughout the surrounding district. 
 
 Without as]iiration for office. .Mr. Rush is 
 ne\erlheless ardent in his republicanism, ior he 
 believes that the ])latform of the ])arty contains 
 the best elements of good govenimcnt. I'or 
 several years he has served on the school board 
 and the cause of public education has l)een ad- 
 vanced thr(.)ugh his efforts, lie has always lived 
 in lroc|uois county and has witnessed much of 
 its growth and develo]jment. for in the ])eriod 
 of his \oiUh there were still various evidences of
 
 IRt)QU01S COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 289 
 
 frontier life lii-rc. Tlu- cliaii^jcs wliicli liavi- oc- 
 curred have iK'eii many and Mr. Rush has carried 
 forward tile work wliich was instituted l>y his 
 father in an a^jricuhural develoniuent that lias 
 resulted in making; this county a splendid farmini; 
 district, while the tillers of tile soil are ainon^ its 
 most suiistantial citizens. Duriti).; the lon^ 
 I)eri<M| of his residence here .Mr. Kush lias l)c- 
 comc widely known and no hi^;hi-r testimonial 
 of his ]>er>onal worth and character could l)e 
 Hiven than tiie fact that many of his stancliest 
 friends are those with whom lie has been ac- 
 (|u:iinted from his Ik ly hood <la\s. 
 
 W. K. M 11.1. Ilk. I " 
 
 Dr. \\ . 1\. .Miller cnfjajjcd in tiie practice of 
 medicine and siir^rery at Crescent City, manifests 
 in iiis connection with various medical societies 
 liis desire for broader knowledjje and greater efti- 
 cicncy and has already demonstrated in his work 
 an ability to cope successfully with the complex 
 ijucstions which continually confront a j)liysician. 
 A native of ( )liio. lie was born in ii<Hi and when 
 only two weeks old was taken iiv his parents to 
 Pennsylvania. He is a son of Dr. S. (1. Miller, 
 an old practitioner of tiie Keystone state, who for 
 fifty vears has been an active representative of 
 the nie<Jical fraternity there and is still pnicticin- 
 
 Dr. W. R. .Miller pursued iiis stuflies in tile 
 public schiMils of Johnstown. IVnnsylvania. jiass- 
 injj tbroupii successive prades until lie com])Ieteil 
 file work of the hij^b school. He was afterwanl 
 graduated from tiie \\e>tern Cniversity at I'itts- 
 burp, Pennsylvania, and coni|>leted tiie course in 
 what was then known as tlie West IVnnsylvania 
 .Medical College but is now a part of the Western 
 University, of Pittsburfj. Pennsylvania, witii the 
 class of ifU)j. Followinj^ his j^'radnaticpii from 
 the iiiedicai collene lie located for practice in 
 liiairsvillc. reniainini; tlicre seven years, after 
 wliicb be moved to Danfortb. Illinois, where he 
 remained for three years. He then returned to 
 South .Sharon. Pennsylvania, where lie pr.icticed 
 for four years, init on account of illness he jjave 
 up his practice in Sharon and went to Hot 
 Sprinps. South Dakota. He then came apain to 
 
 Illinois, locating at Crescent City in November. 
 icxJj. and here he is practicing witli marked suc- 
 cess, bis !■ i<lily increasing, lie owns 
 one of til' liuildings in Crescent City, 
 constructed of cement iiiocks, and he lias every 
 ei|uipment and facility for the successful prose- 
 cution of his professional lalK)rs. His practice 
 lias iKfConie very extensive and of tiie jfrinciplcs 
 and science of medicine lie is a deep and dis- 
 criniiiialing student, being ipiick to adopt any 
 new metiiods wliich promise to prove of real 
 practical benefit in tile work of the medical fra- 
 ternity, yet be is slow to discard any of the old 
 and time-tried metlnHls. the value of which has 
 been proven, lie is a member of the Indiana 
 County .Medical Society of Pennsylvania, the 
 State .Medical Society of IVnnsylvania and the 
 .Mercer County Medical .Society of IVnnsylvania. 
 Dr. Miller was married to .Miss Cora L. Alter, 
 of I'.lairsville. Pennslyvania. ;md tiiey have one 
 ciiild. Krriiigton, nine years of age. Politically 
 the Doctor is a re])uiilican and fraternally is con- 
 nected with tile ( )(M l-'cllows in Pennsylvania 
 ami with tiie .Modern Woodmen camp at Cres- 
 cent City, lie also belongs to the Masonic liwlgc 
 at ( iihiian. Me is |K>pular Ijotii .socially and pro- 
 fessioiudly. for he is a gentleman of gi-nial man- 
 ner. Cordial disposition ami unfailing courtesy 
 and at the same time manifests a .skill in his 
 chosen calling that has gained for him wide 
 
 11 iTll'liliIlfi-. 
 
 (iKokCK I'lDLKK. 
 
 (ieorge l-"idler, who has departed this life, left 
 behind him an ex.inipie well worthy f>f emula- 
 tion, for he proved that success and an honored 
 name may Ik* won simultaneously. He was Ivjrn 
 in Ross county, Ohio, in 1821. and in 1825, wlien 
 only four years of age. accompanied bis parents 
 on their remov:d to Indiana, where the <iays of 
 his iMiyliwKl and youtli were passed and his edu- 
 cation was acquired. He was married in that 
 slate, and at an early period be came to this state, 
 settling in Irtxptois county. That pioneer condi- 
 tions existed here is indicated by the fact that 
 lie was enableil to enter a claim from the gov- 
 eninient. He thus i)egan the development of a
 
 290 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 farm, upon wliich he spent his subsequent years. 
 His first purchase of land made him owner of 
 two hundred acres, for which he paid cash, hav- 
 ing earned the money through the operation of 
 rented farms in Indiana. His widow still owns 
 the home place, which has never had a mort- 
 gage upon it. Mr. Fidler added to his property 
 from time to time as his financial resources in- 
 creased until he became the owner of three hun- 
 dred and twenty acres. He broke the sod, tilled 
 the fields and carried forward the work of im- 
 provement, making this farm very productive 
 and valuable. He also erected all of the build- 
 ings. He hauled the lumber for their first house 
 from thirty-five miles south of Lafayette, Indi- 
 ana, at which time there was no such a town as 
 Watseka known here. One had to go long dis- 
 tances to mill and to market. From earlv pio- 
 neer times until his death he followed general 
 farming and stock-raising and he always had 
 good grades of cattle, horses and hogs upon his 
 place. In all of his business dealings he was 
 strictly reliable and honorable, being never 
 known to take advantage of the necessities of 
 others in any business transaction. 
 
 In early manhood Mr. Fidler married Miss 
 Hattie Parker, of Indiana, and thev became the 
 parents of ten children, five of whom are now 
 living namely: D. A., a retired farmer of Wat- 
 seka, who has a family of four sons and four 
 daughters; Mrs. Joseph IMiller, who resides near 
 Watseka ; Mrs. David Miller, also of Watseka ; 
 William M.. a well-to-do fanner living near 
 IMartinton, who is married and has two children ; 
 and Owen, who wedded Caroline Ortman and 
 operates the home farm. 
 
 Mr. Fidler voted with the democracy and kept 
 well informed on the questions and issues of the 
 day. Both he and his wife attended the Chris- 
 tian church and they also contributed to the sup- 
 port of other denominations. Mr. Fidler was 
 ever interested in the development and progress 
 of this community and aided in laying the foun- 
 dation for the present prosperity and progress 
 of this part of the state. He lived to see many 
 changes here as the wild swamp land was re- 
 claimed for the uses of the white race and con- 
 verted into productive farms, while here and 
 there thriving towns were built, the railroad, the 
 telegraph and the telephone were introduced, and 
 
 thus Iroquois county was brought into close con- 
 nection with the older settled portions of the 
 country. In all of his business life ^Ir. Fidler 
 was honest and upright. He was considerate in 
 his opinions of others and kindly in manner, and 
 his good qualities won him many friends. He 
 died December 12, 1881, leaving behind him an 
 honorable name as well as a goodly heritage. 
 Mrs. Fidler now owns eighty acres of good land 
 which is operated by her son Owen, and her 
 home is on sections 4 and 5, Iroquois township. 
 
 AQUILLA C. CAST. 
 
 Aquilla C. Cast, who since 1886 has been liv- 
 ing retired, occupying one of the most beautiful 
 homes in the county at Crescent City, was born 
 in Clinton county, Ohio, March 13, 1837, and 
 is a son of Hiram V. Cast, of the Buckeye state, 
 who in 1840 became a resident of Danville, Illi- 
 nois, where he spent his subsequent years. He 
 devoted his time and energies to farming. Three 
 of his brothers are still living — William, who 
 resides at Danville and passed his eighty-fifth 
 milestone on life's journey in April. 1906; John 
 E.. eighty years of age, living in Clinton county, 
 Ohio ; and Jackson, seventy-eight years of age, 
 a resident of Blanchester, Ohio. 
 
 Aquilla C. Cast is the only survivor of his 
 father's family. The common schools of this 
 county aiTorded him his educational privileges. 
 He came to Iroquois county with his mother and 
 stepfather, Henry Alexander, who also went to 
 Crescent City, where he spent his remaining 
 (lays. Farm work and the duties of the school- 
 room divided the time and attention of Mr. Cast 
 in his boyhood and youth, and after his educa- 
 tion was completed he spent two years as a farm 
 hand. In 1858 he purchased forty acres of land 
 which he still owns but from time to time he has 
 added to his property until liis possessions now 
 aggregate three hundred and twenty acres of the 
 rich farming land of this section of the state. 
 ( >f this a quarter section is situated a mile and a 
 half west of Crescent City in Trociuois township, 
 while one hundred and sixty acres is near Del- 
 rey, in Onarga township, which is his wife's 
 sliare of jicr father's estate, the land having been
 
 UNIVEKLIIY ul- ILLINOIS
 
 A. C. CAST.
 
 MKS. A. r. CAST.
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINDIS. 
 
 2>)5 
 
 cntcrcij by Mr. Kubinsnii. .Mr. Cast broke iIk- 
 laiul, i)lacc(l it nii<kr tlio plow, CKiitinuctl ihc 
 work of cultivation throut^li manv years and now 
 has two jjood farms, lie successfully carried on 
 fanning and stock-raisinj;, niakin;^ a steady 
 progress, and in Ixjtli branches of his business 
 met with jj;ratifyinjj success. l"or twenty years 
 he has lived retired, havinji put aside the active 
 work of the farm in iStVi. in whicli >ear he re- 
 moved to Crescent City, where he lias since lived. 
 He there built a comniodious <lwellint^. sur- 
 rounded by broad ])(>rches and constitutinj; one 
 of the beautiful homes of Iroquois county, it 
 was erected in 11/35 and in its furnishings shows 
 rej^'ard to both taste and comfort. 
 
 .Mrs. Cast, who lias for many years traveled 
 life's journey by his si<le, was in her maiilenhcxxl 
 Miss Isabellc J. Robinson, a native of Indiana, 
 and a dauj^hter of William D. Robinson, who 
 came to this county at an early day. settling near 
 Delrey. Eight children have been bt>rn to this 
 union, of whom four have passed away, whil'.- 
 four are yet living. The family record is a> 
 follows: Xcttie is the wife of Theodore Gi'.- 
 christ. who resides near her father in Crescent 
 City, and who is sujiervisor of the Crescent towi,- 
 ship. They have three children. Carrie is the 
 wife of Charles C. rarkman. a resident of Wash- 
 ington and they have two sons, l-'lnier .\.. who 
 is a professor in a college in Spokane. Washing- 
 ton, married Xora Torbut. and they have six 
 children. Aha E. is resiiling at home and de- 
 votes her time to teaching and to music. .\lma 
 Grace became the wife of Isaac I Sudd and died 
 leaving a daughter, who is living with her fatlur 
 near lMiiladel])hia. I'ennsylvania. William died 
 at the age of nine years. aii<l two children die<l 
 in youth. 
 
 Mr. Cast votes an indeiiendent ticket and has 
 serve<l as collector, assessor and in other local 
 positions. He is a member of Standard lodge, 
 Xo. f)07, 1. O. (). F., at Crescent City, and his 
 wife belongs to the Methodist Ejiiscopal church, 
 to which he contributes generously. Investiga- 
 tion into his life iiistory — and it will bear the 
 closest scrutiny — shows that in his business he 
 has ever lx;en careful, sy.steniatic. energetic and 
 reliable. These are always essential qualities of 
 success and have brought him a measure of pros- 
 perity that classes him with the substantial resi- 
 
 dents of the county and enables him now to en- 
 joy many of the comforts and luxuries of life 
 in honorable retirement in a pleasant home in 
 Crescent Citv. 
 
 JolIX T. KIDD. 
 
 The Kidd family has been well known and 
 ]>rominent in agricultural circles in InKpiois 
 County for many years and John T. Kidd is now 
 a well known and sucessful farmer and stock- 
 man of Danforth town.ship. He was l)orn in 
 Peoria county, Illinois, in i8r/>, a son of Richard 
 and Mary .\. (Twichell) Kidd. The father, who 
 died here in 1S73, was lK>rn in Winchester, West 
 N'irginia, in 1810. Having been reare<l in the 
 state of his nativity, he came to Illinois about 
 1833. when a young man of twentx-tliree years, 
 and located at Peoria. Subse<|uently he ])ur- 
 chased a farm which remained his home until 
 his removal to Irocptois county in 1874. He then 
 rented a farm in Danforth townsbiji, u])on which 
 he made his home until his death. In business 
 life he was active and energetic and in commu- 
 nity aflfairs was influential. He served for ten 
 vears as lownshii) treasurer and al.so acted as 
 school director in Peoria county. He als<i as- 
 sisted in dividing that county into townships 
 and his public life was of material benefit to the 
 community, as he stood for development an<I 
 progress along all lines. The township elections 
 were held at his home for some ten years before 
 a township hall was erected. That he was a man 
 in whom his fellow citizens reposed trust and 
 confidence is shown not only by the fact that he 
 was often called to public office but also by 
 reason of the fact that he was administrator in 
 in m;m\ estates. Xo trust reposed in him was 
 ever betrayed in the slightest degree and he was 
 fair and honorable in all relations. 
 
 Richard Kidd was marrieil to Miss Mary .\. 
 Twichell. who w;is born in < )swego county, Xew 
 York, in 1823. a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Sawyer Twichell. Her father died in the Empire 
 state, but her mother passed away in Peoria 
 county. Illinois. Mrs. Kidd had four sisters 
 who came to this state: Hannah, the wife of 
 ludge W illiani H.ill. .1 vit\ pii ■iiilinnl .uicl i-.irh
 
 296 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 resident ol I'eoria: .Mrs. Rinh Eastoii. who re- 
 niovcd to Jowa and is now ileceased : Mrs. W. 
 Holmes. wli<> has passed away: and Ann, wlio 
 was the second wife of Mr. Mohnes and has 
 also departed this life. 
 
 Unto Richard and .Mary Kidd were born nine 
 cliildren. Hester is the wife of A. Harrison, liv- 
 inij in I'eoria county, Illinois. Mary H.. who is 
 at home, has lau.s,dil school for fortv years in 
 both Peoria and Jroquois counties, and also in 
 Ford and Stark counties. She is still in the pro- 
 fession though not teaching at the present time. 
 James R., living in Peoria county, is a blacksmith 
 by trade but is now retired from active business. 
 Amanda is the wife of George W. IMc.Millan, 
 who is residing in Richland totwnship. Iroquois 
 county. Haimah is the wife of C. \\ . Davis, of 
 Eldorado. Kansas. Emma is at home. W. A., 
 who died at his home in Gilman in 1902. owned 
 a farm near ( )narga and at his death left a widow 
 who is residing in Gilman, Ida .A. is the wife 
 of \\\ J. Peters, of Calhoun county, Iowa. 
 
 The other member of the family is John T. 
 Kidd. whose name introduces this record. He is 
 the youngest of the family and is an enterpris- 
 ing and energetic farmer of Danforth township, 
 operating the old home place in addition to which 
 he owns eighty acres of land on section 3. Dan- 
 forth township, which he is cultivating. He is 
 l)ractical in all his methods of farm work and 
 carries on his tasks in the same energetic, deter- 
 mined manner, so that gratifying success is at- 
 tending his labors. Politically he and his brothers 
 are all republicans, stanch in support of the partv, 
 and he has served for two terms as school di- 
 rector. In religious I'aiih ])art of the familv are 
 connected with the .MethiMlisi Episcopal church 
 anrl others with the I'reslnlerian church. 
 
 ALO.XZO F. G()(^DVEAR. 
 
 .Among the strong and able members of the 
 Iroquois county bar at W'atseka who have won 
 public recognition as indicated bv a liiieral and 
 growing clientage, is inmibered .Monzo h'. tiood- 
 year. He was born .\ugtist 30. i86i, in Taze- 
 well counts, mini lis, and is a re])resentali\e nl 
 one of the old .\merican families, his ancestors 
 
 coming originally from Cumberland, England, 
 while for generations previous the family had 
 been residents of that country. The Goodyears 
 of .America are descended from a branch of the 
 family which had settled in Middlesex, England, 
 George Stephen Goodyear having been born in 
 Monken Hadley. that county. He was the first 
 of the family in the new world, having crossed 
 the .Atlantic to .-\merica in 1^38, and he served 
 as deputv governor of New Haven colony from 
 1643 until 1658. His son was Lieutenant John 
 G. Goodvear, and the line of descent is traced 
 down through Timothy, Seymour. Marks and 
 .\lonzo Pryor (ioodyear to our subject. 
 
 The father, .Monzo Pryor Goodyear, was born 
 in New York and wedded !\Iary Humphrey, of 
 an old family prominent in the history of the 
 Empire state in colonial times. In 1837 --^lonzo 
 P. Goodyear came to Illinois with his father. 
 Marks Goodyear, the familv settling at Tremont. 
 In 1874 he removed to Iroquois county, Illinois, 
 where he enga.ged in farming imtil 1901. He 
 then retired from active business life and now 
 resides at Woodland. He has for many years 
 been a highly respected resident of this part of 
 the state and while not an office seeker he has 
 been a man of considerable activity and influence 
 in public alifairs. 
 
 .\lonzo F. Goodyear was educated in the pub- 
 lic schools of Illinois and after thorough prelinii- 
 uarv training engaged in teaching, w-hich profes- 
 sion he followed in Iroquois county for several 
 vears, recognized as one of the able educators of 
 the locality. He also acted for two years as 
 assistant countv superintendent of schools and 
 while following the profession of teaching he 
 took up the study of law, while later he matric- 
 ulated in the Northwestern Law School at Chi- 
 cago. .\dmitted to the bar in 1886. he began 
 practice in connection with the late Judge Hil- 
 scher and has made steady ])rogress in a profes- 
 sion where advancement dei)ends entirely upon 
 indixiihial merit and ability. In 1888 lie was 
 elected to the office of state's attorney. His part- 
 nership with Judge Hilscher was continued until 
 ihe latter"s elevation to the bench, since which 
 lime Mr. (ioodyear has practiced alone. .\ large 
 ;nid distinctively representative clientage has 
 been accorded liini. and in the trial of causes he 
 has been found strong and forcefid. ]iresenting
 
 llliiiMttvnii 
 
 I .' I ^ I I 1 1 \ ,
 
 uf I HE 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 *W 
 
 his case in clear niicl li>^ical iiiaiiiicr. so that lic 
 nevcr fails t«» impress o>urt or jury aiui schtuni 
 fails tu win the vcrilict ilosirol. Mo has licen 
 master in chancery, has served «>n llie ^chiHil 
 board and has acted as alderman of W'atseka. 
 in all i>i which [Misitiims he has rentlered signal 
 service to his fellow citizens. Me is hij^hly re- 
 spectetl as a man of loyalty of patriotism and 
 piihiic spirit ami is l>i»th jvopiilar and succi'ssfiil. 
 Mis |Militical alle^^iance is };iven to the repnhlican 
 party and as a champion of its principles he 
 has done effective service in its hehalf. 
 
 In January, iSXy. .\lr. (■io<H|year was niarrieil 
 to Miss .Stella .M. Myers, a daughter of M. D. 
 Myers, of lriK|uois count), and they have two 
 children: KolK-rt. who was Ixtrn .\u>just J<^. 
 1803; and I-awrcncc. Ivirn September 5. 1897. 
 The parents are members of the .Methodist 
 church and fraternally .\tr. (itMxIycar is con- 
 nected with the Masons and other societies. Me 
 has attained the Knijjht Temi)lar ilej^ree in the 
 craft and is one of the worthy representatives nf 
 that or{<^anization. 
 
 lOHN LFAIF.. 
 
 The name of Levie has lon^j figured conspicu- 
 ously and honorably in comiection with the his- 
 tory of aj;ricultural development and progress in 
 Iro(|uois county. John I^cvie was Iwni in \'ir- 
 ginia, Augusa 19. iSjo. and came to Illinois 
 about 1840. This was the jjioneer epoch in the 
 history of the state and antedating the era of rail- 
 road construction. In early days he drove a stage 
 iK'twcen Chicago and Morris. Illinois, In-ing thus 
 engagitl until .nlK)ut iWio. when he came to Iro- 
 (|Uois county and invested his savings in forty 
 acres of land. Me has since lived in Douglas 
 township and has long ranked with the lea<ling 
 and representative agriculturists of the commu- 
 nity, known and honored for his sterling worth 
 and his fidelity to honorable principles. 
 
 < )n the 4th of < >ctolx'r. |H4<;. John Levie was 
 united in marriage to .Miss .Martha Dial, of 
 Kendall county. Illinois, a daughter of l-'lias and 
 KlizalK-th (Dean) Dial, who came to this state 
 alxuit 1S40 from .South Carolina. They at first 
 settled near .\urnra, where Mr. Dial eng.iged in 
 
 farming, .\fter losing liis wife he walke<l frouj 
 lUinois tu his old home in South Caroliiu and 
 the chiMren drove in a oiu-horse wagon. lie 
 also made the return trip on foot. In i860, he, 
 too. became a resident of Douglas township, 
 lriM|u.iis County, anci for a long |)erii«l was asso- 
 
 ciateil with the au'riiiillnr.il iiilirr>.iv nf tliis ii.irt 
 
 of the state. 
 
 Unto .Mr. anil .Mr.-.. J«>lni Levic were Uirn I'our 
 children who are yet living, and they also lust 
 one sun, Mlnier. who was Ixrn .\pril 8, 1868, and 
 de])arted this life .SeptemlK-r 5. l8<>4. The mem- 
 Ikts of the family still living are .ts follows: 
 Carrie, eldest, is the wife of l\dwar<l K. Dyer, 
 who is engaged in the insurance l)usiness in 
 Aurora, .\lvin follows farming in .Nebraska. 
 I'rank. Inirn DecemlnT i<;. i83<j. has devoted his 
 entire life to agricultural pursuits in Douglas 
 township, living u]>on the old home place. In 
 connection with his brother Charles he conducts 
 the farm of thrir hundntl and four acres of 
 rich and arable land. They are enterprising 
 .igriculturists and stock-raisers, having brought 
 their fields under a high state of cultivation, so 
 that rich crops arc annually produced. Their 
 stock-raising interests are also pri>ving a profit- 
 able source of income to tlu-m and. In-ing men of 
 marked business ability and enterprise, they have 
 also extended their effcjrts into other fields of ac- 
 tivity and are now conducting a sawmill and 
 buying considerable timber. bVank Levie has 
 filled the office of school director for the past 
 fifteen years and is a stalwart champion of the 
 cause of eilucation. Mis |>olitical alli-giance is 
 given to the republican part\ and in all matters 
 of citizenship he is progressive and public- 
 spirited. 
 
 Charles Levie, who is a partner of his brother 
 in various business ventures, was l»orn Septem- 
 lier 22, iHlil>, in Ir(N|uois comity. an<l was edu- 
 cated in the public schools. Me early receivcti 
 thorough training in the practical work of the 
 farm on the old homestead and. as stated, is in 
 partnership with his l)rother I'rank in the fann- 
 ing and stoik-raising interests and in the sawmill 
 business. Me married .May (>, i8<),i, .Miss .\daline 
 Kees. of MnKidland. Illinois, a daughter of Rob- 
 ert M. Rees, a farmer by occupation. .Mr. and 
 .Mrs. Charles I,evie now have three children: 
 Ivsther .\renea. Ixmi January 21, i8i>4; Henja-
 
 300 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 mill Curtis, September 5. 1895; and Charles 
 Franklin. July 21, 1897. 
 
 Like his brother, Charles Levie is a stalwart 
 republican and has served as school director for 
 six years. Both brothers are progressive business 
 men. diligent and industrious, and through the 
 utilization of the opportunities that have come to 
 them they have made steady progress in the 
 business world. In all trade transactions they 
 are found thoroughly reliable and trustworthy 
 and the name of Levie has been an honored and 
 respected one in agricultural circles since the 
 father, John Levie, established his home in Iro- 
 quois county forty-six years ago. He is now a 
 venerable man of eighty-six years, being one of 
 the oldest residents of his township. 
 
 JOHN MILTOX r.ALTIIlS. 
 
 The measure of success which John Alilton 
 Balthis has attained as the result of close appli- 
 cation and unfaltering diligence enables him now 
 to live retired and he leaves the active work of 
 the farm to others. He owns two hundred and 
 eightv acres on section 11, Chebanse township, 
 in the midst of which .stands a convenient and 
 comfortable residence with modern appoint- 
 ments. It is .surrounded by a magnificent grove 
 of trees, which were planted by Mr. ilalthis. the 
 grove containing three thousand maple, six hun- 
 dred apple and one hundred cherry trees. l;eside 
 manv other varieties in smaller (|uantities. He 
 has prohal)l\- ])lanted the largest collection of 
 trees of any man in the county. The home farm 
 is one of the attractive features of the landscajjc 
 and indicates in its excellent a])pearancc the care- 
 ful supervision of the owner. 
 
 Mr. ISalthis has now reached the veneral)le age 
 of almost eighty year>, his birth having occurred 
 in Zanesville. Ohio. ( )ctober 5. 1827. His par- 
 ents were Major John and Lenity (Morton) ilal- 
 this. early residents of the Buckeye state, ihe 
 father was born at Strasburg, Shenandoah 
 coiuity, \ irginia. in 1798 and died in Zanesville. 
 Ohio. August 17. 1872. His wife was born in 
 Eastport. Maine. July 4, 1794. and ])assed away 
 in Zanesville. Ohio. September 22. 1872. Colum- 
 
 bia Balthis, our subject's sister, born May 1, 
 1843, '^I'C'l September 14. 1858, when more than 
 fifteen vears of age and was buried in the beauti- 
 ful Woodlawn cemetery at Zanesville. A cousin 
 of Mr. Balthis, John W. Hardin, was born in 
 Zanesville and at the time of the Civil war be- 
 came a member of Company E, C)ne Hundred 
 and Ninetieth \'olunteer Infantry, under Captain 
 ^lartin Bean and Colonel Samuel Beatty. The 
 regiment was assigned to the Fourth Army 
 Corps of the Army of the Cumberland. Young 
 Hardin was shot bv sharpshooters at Culps Farm 
 on Stone river Vvhen a mere boy seventeen years 
 of age, and a tablet inscribed with his name and 
 record has been set in Memorial Hall in Zanes- 
 ville. Ohio. 
 
 Reared in his native city, the subject of this 
 review was educated in the old Mclutyre Insti- 
 tute of Zanesville. and after his graduation from 
 that institution he developed into an amateur 
 woodcut engraver, showing such ability along 
 that line that he was advised to continue in that 
 work and did so by connecting himself with the 
 firm of Doolittle & ]\Iunson. banknote engravers 
 of Cincinnati. Ohio. After completing his ap- 
 prenticeship with that firm he engaged in engrav- 
 ing for several years but had to give it up on 
 account of failing eyesight. During that time, 
 however, he illustrated a Mexican historical pub- 
 lication called the Twelve Months \'olunteers, 
 also the Robinson series of school arithmetics. 
 
 While still living in Zanesville, Ohio, Mr. Bal- 
 this was married in that city, on the ist of May, 
 1849, to ^liss Susanna Olivia Hamilton, a daugh- 
 ter of the Rev. .'-^amuel Hamilton, a noted cler- 
 gyman of tliat place. Her mother was Mrs. 
 lulith (Harrison) Hamilton, of Harrisonburg. 
 \irginia. who was related to William Henry 
 Harrison, who in 1840 was elected president of 
 the L'nited States. Tier father received from the 
 i'.ritish government a large grant of land, on 
 wliich ll:irris(inhurg was laid out. It bordered 
 the James river and there he develoi)ed a good 
 plantation, and the old home stands there today 
 ••IS n\ old. .M.nny interesting letters giving side- 
 lights u])on the lamilv history are still in posses- 
 sion of re])resentalives in the present generation. 
 I'ntd this marriage were born six childi,-en : Al- 
 tha \'. is the wife of Zack Smith, of Redlands, 
 California: .\lberta E. first married Louis W'al-
 
 IRogiOlS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 Jto« 
 
 ttiii. Ill I liitiiii. ami i> luiw llic wife of l5iTt Sin-n- 
 ccr, a miTchaiit ni k(.-niin|L;tnn, Indiana. I'anny 
 is till- wile of Rev. Tlioiuas Onavle. of St. 
 •Marx's. I )hio, now secretary of tlie l-aw ami 
 ( >r<ler Leajjne of l,;»ke counl\. Illinois. Me re- 
 ceived a classical edncation. I»einj; a pnulnate of 
 Trinily Ct>ilene hul>lin, Ireland, and is descended 
 from one of the old families of the Isle of .Man. 
 .After attending; school in tlifton .Mrs. (Jnavle 
 tan^ht in the district schools of the townshi)). also 
 in the scIkmiIs of liinsdale, Illinois, and of Lirl- 
 in>n"'i. Kentncky. She was also a memlK-r of a 
 nuisical organixation. Jeiniy Lind is the wife of 
 (leor^e I l.ir^jreaves. traveling aj^cnt for the 
 hou.sc of .Mc.N'eil & lii).:Kins of C'hica^o. .\ft(.r 
 leavini^ sch<Mi| in (.'lifton she look a course in 
 \\ esleyan I'niversity at lilooininnlon an<l siih- 
 se<|uently tau).;ht in the hi^h scIvhi] at Hinsdale. 
 Dnpai^'e conntv. Illinois, .-md at Ivarlinijlon. Ken- 
 tucky. .*she likewise taught at W'atseka when the 
 .schools were under the sniK-rvision of Major 
 Harrinj.r'"". tl'«-" '••li' .Im'vTt' Hilscher and .\lexan- 
 der U hitehall. She was also a student at Dear- 
 Ixirii .Seminary in Chicago, whose thoronj;h .sys- 
 tem turned out some very accomplished women, 
 iucludiu^ .Mrs. I'olter Talmer. who was a stu- 
 dent there at the same time as Mrs. Hargreaves. 
 'I"he latter is an accomplished and cultured lad>. 
 who is fre<|uently .sent as a dele}.;ate to im)M)rtant 
 ii)eeti!i;;s an<l is often chosen to jjrcpare and read 
 I)apers on such occasions. Harry IL. who is a 
 ^:raduate of the .\nnai«.lis Naval .\ca<lemy of 
 the class of |SX_<. is now paymaster in the I'uited 
 States naval station at the navy yanis at .\or- 
 folk, X'iryinia, and all thrnufjh the Japanese an<l 
 Russian war was paymaster on the famous hattle- 
 ship ( )re}ioii. 1-ldith ( >. is tin wife <if J. C". (ilea- 
 snn. of the liim of (ileason & .Morrell, of Clifton. 
 She tau^Iit in the annix of the Clifton puhlic 
 .schools and is <|nite accomplished in nv.i--' \i ■••■ 
 ifii-il at the ajje of four years. 
 
 .Mr. I'lalthis continued his studies in < )hio until 
 the "'los. when he went to Iowa and purchasi-d a 
 tract of jjoveriunent land of fourteen hundred 
 acres. Melievin^ that that w;i> the l»est field for 
 his enter|>rise he settle«l on a Ix-autiful farm in 
 ("opley township. Kuox county, where he was 
 residintj when the Civil War broke out. .\11 his 
 life he had iK-en a stanch whi^j and repuhlican. 
 The firinj; u|>on I'ort Sumter was the call for 
 
 every man to show his colors. Ileatol discus- 
 sions followeil lietween loyal men and so calleil 
 copperheads, and .Mr. Itallhis was found as an 
 earne-l cham]iiou of the I'nion cau.se. S<j pro- 
 nounced was he in his denunciations of the dis- 
 loxal •<entiments of those who op|Mised the war 
 that the republicans of his township unanimously 
 nominatetl him for the office of sujKTvisor. It 
 was at a time when supplies ha<l to Ik- voted for 
 the sup|>ort of the families of the brave soldiers 
 at the front. It was also the earnest task of tlie 
 supervisors to crush out disloyal utterances. 
 When the election w.is held and the votes were 
 counted it was foinid that .Mr. Ilalthis received 
 the su|)]Kirt of every loyal man of the township. 
 He t<M)k his seat on the Uiard and the minutes 
 show that not a vote of his Rave aid and com- 
 fort to the enemies of his country. To show the 
 estimation in which Mr. Ilalthis was held diirint:; 
 these tryinp times by the loyal people of Knox 
 county we insert here a connuent published in 
 the Knoxville (iazette. a leadinj; I'nion jinftr. 
 concerninir a convention held at the courtli' 
 at Knoxville in defense of the I'nion cause, of 
 which J. I). Hr»ward was made president and 
 John .M. ISalthis was chosen secretary. The |<a- 
 |K"r said. "The unconditional I'nion convention 
 which was held at the courthou.se last .'Saturday 
 to nominate candidates to Ik- sup|M>rted at the 
 .Vovember elections was comimsed of ninetv- 
 three delegates representing eighteen of the 
 twenty townshi])s of the county. The delegates 
 were men of intellijience, fully comprehendinj; 
 the situation of the county and firmly determined 
 to throw the whole inlhience of the county on the 
 side of the administration in their efforts to pre- 
 •serve its di^jnity and unity by viRoniusly prose- 
 cutiiiR the war for the suppression of the rebel- 
 lion. The convention was a L'nion convention in 
 name, spirit and fact : not a pro<luction like that 
 by which the attempt to entrap the jteople of the 
 county was made as it was a year ago, and the 
 people of the county may implicitly rely mi the 
 assurance that its nominees l»efore and after 
 election will not be foun<l weariup disloy:il 
 bad^iCN in the shaiK.- of copiK-rhead pins or takiny' 
 p:irt in traitorous assemblages and passing; in- 
 famous resolutions of resistance to the author- 
 ities in putting down the relH-llion. They are all 
 for the countrv all the time. The\ are I'nion in
 
 302 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 heart aiul in backbone and will default in no 
 demand made upon them for a pure patriotism." 
 Mr. Balthis repre.sented his township in the con- 
 vention and held the office of supervisor for a 
 number of years, after which he resigned and 
 removed to Chicago, where he engaged in the 
 wholesale iron business for several years. He 
 then came to Iroquois county in 1867, removing 
 to his ihree-hundred-and-twenty-acre farm of 
 wild land near Clifton, thus carrying out a long 
 cherished desire to realize the "deep pleasure of 
 a rural life." He identified himself with agri- 
 cultural interests, carrying on farm work for a 
 number of years but now living retired, leaving 
 the more active duties of the fields to others. 
 His farm is one of the valuable and best im- 
 proved properties of Chebanse township, embrac- 
 ing two hundred and eighty acres of very rich 
 and productive land on section 11, township 28, 
 range 14 west. The farm yields a good finan- 
 cial return for the care and labor that is be- 
 stowed upon the fields and everything about 
 the place presents a neat and thrifty appearance, 
 while the splendid grove makes this one of the 
 valuable farms of the county. He is a remark- 
 ably well preserved man, retaining the activity 
 usuallv fi)und in the prime of life to a remarkable 
 degree. He walks from his orchard farm to 
 Clifton, a distance of one and a quarter miles, 
 nearly every week-day, so th.it in ten years he 
 has thus covered a distance of fourteen thousand 
 four hundred miles. He attributes his strength 
 and vitalit\' largeh- to the fact that he has always 
 been abstemious, never using intoxicants, and he 
 asks the question. "Does it not ])ay?" Surely he • 
 is a splendid example of such a course of life. 
 
 In early life ]\Ir. Balthis was an old-line whig, 
 casting his first presidential vote for General 
 Zachary Taylor. He then continued t(.i support 
 the candidates of the whig [larty until its disso- 
 lution, when he joined the ranks of the republican 
 l)art\ ;ind he has voted for each of its presiden- 
 tial nominees down to the present time. For 
 seventy-nine years he has been a witness of the 
 growth and development of the country, living 
 through the period of many historic events. He 
 can remember a time when there were no rail- 
 roads through the middle west, travel being done 
 by stage or private conveyance, and when the 
 uncultivated condition of the prairies indicated 
 
 that few settlers had penetrated into this part of 
 the country. He has lived to witness many re- 
 markable changes in the great Mississippi valley 
 and he feels the just pride of an American in his 
 country and her accomplishments. 
 
 [AMES A. HALL. 
 
 The most envious can scarcely begrudge the 
 success of a man who has gained his prosperity 
 through years of close application and deter- 
 mined eflfort and who has throughout his busi- 
 ness career followed methods that neither seek 
 nor require disguise. Such has been the life rec- 
 ord of James A. Hall, who in former years was 
 identified with building operations and business 
 interests in Onarga and Iroquois cotmty and who 
 is now living retired in the enjoyment of a well 
 earned rest, ^iloreover he dates his residence 
 in the county from May, 1856. and is therefore 
 classed with the old settlers. 
 
 He was born in Xew London, Connecticut, 
 May II, 1828. His father, Henry Hall, was 
 born in Connecticut and w-as a representative of a 
 family of English and French ancestry. The 
 great-great-grandfather of our subject became a 
 resident of Connecticut, where he took up a sec- 
 tion of land, being one of the first settlers of that 
 locality. He married a lady of English ancestry 
 and they were founders of the family in the new 
 world. The faniih- lived for a long period in 
 Xew England and James A. Hall of this review 
 inherited land that had been in possession of the 
 faniih- for over two hundred years. His father 
 was a farmer and reared his family upon the old 
 homestead which was so long in possession of 
 his ancestors, spending his entire life upon that 
 place. He had four sons and three daughters, 
 all of whom reached adult age. Joshua Hall, 
 the eldest, is now living in Ionia, Michigan, at 
 the venerable age of ninety-one years. Henry, 
 the second son, died in California at the age of 
 eighty-four years. James A. is the third in or- 
 der of birth. Samuel died in Connecticut. Ruth 
 was married and at her death left two daughters, 
 one of whom is now living. Frances is the wife 
 of ]'"ranklin Randall, of Connecticut, and has two 
 children, who are married.
 
 Mk. AND MRS. JAMES A. HAIX 
 
 >7
 
 UNIVERSITV OF ILLINOIS
 
 IRiKjUOIS COUNTY. HJJVoh 
 
 305 
 
 J;iiiic> A. Hall was rcarcil in the place i>l' his 
 nalivily ami in \\i-> \utith learned tite car|K-ntcr's 
 tra<lc. As a c<>tn|ianion and helpmate for life's 
 JKuriicy he \\e<l(lecl Miss Mary A. Sherman, a na- 
 tive i>i 0>nnecticnt. In 185*1 they removed to the 
 west, coniin^; at once to ( Inar^a. Illinois, where 
 Mr. ilall Ikti^ui husiness as a contnictor and 
 builder. lie was conneetol with the erection of 
 some of the first residences here an<l continued iu 
 caqicnterinji for alxiut ten years, after which he 
 pnrchasetl eijjhty acres of laud situated alx'Ultwo 
 and a half miles west of ( )uarKa. Me then Ir-- 
 ^an to break the prairie and fence the land, 
 which he transformed into a jtrixluctive farm. 
 He als4i erected a house there and matle other 
 sultstantial iinproveuK-nts. Subse<|uently he sold 
 that pri>i)erty and bought eii^hty acres, of which 
 forty acres lie within the cor|Miration limits of 
 ( hiarjja and the remaining forty .ncres adjoin the 
 town. Me then erecte«l a comfortable residence 
 thereon, made improvements there ami now has 
 a valuable place worth two hundred dollars |)er 
 acre. He has Ixiu^ht other land which he has 
 further improved and then sold and has loUfi 
 been recojjiiizeil as a successful farmer of the 
 county. 
 
 In 1871 .Mr. Hall was called u|M>n t<i mourn 
 the loss of his wife, who died on the <>th of 
 June of that year. There were three children 
 by that marriajre : (iertriule. the wife of .\lonzo 
 Lyons, a business man now residing in Danville: 
 Jennie, the widow of J;icob Hankey and a resi- 
 dent of .\rlin>;ton. New York; and .Mary, the 
 wife of John L. Hamilton, of H(Mi|ieston. On 
 the loth of .\pril. 1S7.V Mr "all was ajjain 
 married, his second union Ikmuj; with .Mary .\. 
 (l.<iudon) Ix-e. whom he wedded near ( >iiar(;a. 
 She was first marrieed at the a>^e of twenty years 
 to William I.ee on the .'7th of Jamiary. tH3«>. 
 .Mr. Iax was a farmer here and iKvame a s-il- 
 «licr of the Civil war. dyinn while in the arnr 
 near \icksburjr. There was one s<in of tb.i: 
 niarriat;e. William I-ee. who is now a business 
 man of .New York city. I'nto Mr. ami Mrs. Ilall 
 has lieen Ixirn one son. (ieorKe I... who is niarrieil 
 and resides u|xin a farm in lro(|Uois count>. own- 
 ing and <i|HTatin^ two hundrc<l acres of land. 
 
 James .\. Hall, whose name intrfxluces this 
 reconl. jpive his early |K>litical allegiance to the 
 whij; |>arty ami on its dissolution he voted for 
 
 John » 1 ivni- iii i.i 1856, aftrrwanl for .M'rn 
 ham Lincoln and fur each presidential noii :: < ' 
 of the republican party since that time. He has 
 iK-en without political aspiration for himself but. 
 as every Inic .Anjerican citizen shoubl »lo, ha^* 
 kept woll informed on the (piestioiis and in-'I' > 
 of the day. He was reared in the Haptist i.tiiii 
 ami his wife in the Presbyterian church. l*or a 
 half century he has lived in the county and .Mrs. 
 Hall ha> U-en a resident here for a still lonjjer 
 |>erii><l. He has witnessed the iipbuildiii); of the 
 town and county ami is <ine of the few renuiin- 
 inj; old settlers who for a half century have l>eeu 
 identifie<l with public proj;ress here. Wherever 
 known he is esteemed and houoretl. for investi- 
 gation into his history brings to li(;ht many 
 strong characteristics that everywhere command 
 confiilence ami esteem. In his business career 
 what he has undertaken he has accomplished and 
 be therefore ttwlay is numlK-red amoiifj the men 
 of aftluence who owe their success to their own 
 labors. 
 
 II. .\\ \K|i \ Vi .V 
 
 lloward Lyon, living on m-cUoii i. < Miarjja 
 township, is one of the old settlers of the county, 
 havinj; lived within its l)t»r<lcrs since 1856, so 
 that the history of settlement, tjrowth and devel- 
 opment here is largely familiar to him. nor has 
 he failed to do his full share in promoting its 
 aj^ricultural ]>roj;ress. .X native of \"ennont. he 
 was Ixirn in the town of Slockrifljje. Wind.sor 
 county. March 1. 18,^1. ami his father, .\iuasa 
 Lyon, was also a native of that place. The Lyon 
 family is of Kn^lish ancestry, ami in colonial 
 days was established in Connecticut, whence later 
 representatives of the name remove«l to the 
 (ireen Mountain state. .Xma.sa Lyon was reared 
 in X'ermont. where he followe<l the occn|>ation 
 of farmiii);. and he was married there to Polly 
 I'.arnes. also a native of X'erinont. They s|H.'nt 
 their entire lives there, the father surviving his 
 wife for some years. Howard Lyon was rearerl 
 in his father's home and the public scIukiIn af- 
 forded him his e(luc:ilional ]irivile).:es. while u|xin 
 the home fanu be was taught lessons of industry, 
 economy, diligence and honesty. < )n the j.»d <■( 
 April. i8_Vi. he was married to Miss l',eise\
 
 7,o6 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 Brown and the same year removed with liif 
 bride to lUinois. He secured land in Iroquois 
 county and began to farm and further improve 
 the place upon which he still resides. As time 
 has passed and his labors have brought him 
 prosperity, he has added to his holdings and now 
 ownis four good famis in Onarga townsliip. 
 AH of the land is arable and the care and labor 
 bestowed upon it has transformed it into rich 
 fields, making his business a paying one and 
 classing him with the prosperous farmers of the 
 township, his holdings comprising nearly six 
 hundred acres. 
 
 Mr. Lyon lost his first wife by accidental 
 drowning while they were crossing the Detroit 
 river, at Detroit. Michigan, while on tlieir way 
 back to \'ermont. ^Ir. Lyon remained in his 
 native state for a year and a half and then came 
 again to Illinois. He married his second wife 
 in St. Louis. She was Mrs. Caroline Sanders, 
 who was bom and reared in St. Louis, and was 
 the widwv of Richard Sanders. She died in 
 Onarga township. ^lay 12. 1879. Mr. Lyon has 
 five children : James, on the home fami : Ed- 
 ward, a farmer of Ridgeland township; \Mlliam 
 H.. of Artesia township ; Parry, a farmer of 
 Onarga township : and Robert, at home. On the 
 3d of March, 1880. ^Ir. Lyon married Mrs. 
 Eveline Libhart. 
 
 With the ^lethodist Episcopal church at Del- 
 rev Mr. Lyon holds membership, and while 
 not an office seeker he is an ardent republican, 
 giving unfaltering support to the party principles 
 since casting his first presidential ballot for 
 Abraham Lincoln in i860. A resident of the 
 county for half a century, he has seen the raw- 
 prairie converted into rich farms, in the midst 
 of which towns and cities have sprung up, bring- 
 ing industrial and commercial development. All 
 through the years he has been an exemplary 
 citizen and wherever known he is honored and 
 esteemed. 
 
 TAMES A. LYOX. 
 
 and the fields indicate his careful supervision and 
 unflagging industry. The house which is his 
 home was also his birthplace his natal day 
 being March 29, 1865. The life history of his 
 father. Howard Lyon, is given above. The son 
 was reared to farm labor, acquired a good Eng- 
 lish education in the common schools and 
 remained with his father until his mother's death, 
 when he started out upon an independent busi- 
 ness life. For two years he was in the street 
 car service in St. Louis and for about a year 
 worked in a tobacco factory in St. Louis. He 
 returned to the farm about 1895 and assuming 
 the management has since carried on the work 
 of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. It 
 is a well developed tract of land, the fields being 
 used advantageously for the production of large 
 crops and through modern methods he has in- 
 troduced the yield has been greatly increased. 
 
 James A. Lyon was married in Onarga. Ma\' 
 3. 1900. to Mrs. Mary Crowley, a widow, who 
 was born in Chicago and is of Italian parentage. 
 They now had one son, Charles Howard Lyon. 
 The mother died October 16, 1903. 
 
 ;Mr. Lyon has always voted the democratic 
 ticket, casting his ballot for Grover A. Cleve- 
 land and his last for Judge Parker, but he has 
 never sought or desired office for himself. 
 
 He belongs to the Odd Fellows lodge at 
 Onarga. in which he has passed all of the chairs 
 and is a past grand. He is also a past chan- 
 cellor in the Knights of Pythias lodge and he 
 holds membership with the Fraternal Order of 
 Eagles. He is classed with the enterprising 
 voung farmers of the county. Both father and 
 son have long been valued residents of the com- 
 munity and as pioneer citizens are particularly 
 worthv of the mention in this volume. 
 
 James A. Lyon is operating the old family 
 homestead of the Lyon family on section i, 
 Onarga township, having in charge a well im- 
 proved and valuable farm of two hundred acres, ren of Edwin B. and Cherrie (Healey ) Morgan- 
 
 CHARLES SIDNEY MORGAN. 
 
 Charles Sidney Morgan, wide-awake, alert and 
 enterprising, is operating the old Morgan home- 
 stead farm of two hundred and forty acres on 
 section 22, Loda township. His birth occurred 
 upon this same section, his natal day being 
 October 24. 1879. He is one of the four child-
 
 S'- 
 
 yr
 
 3o8 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 since 1850. Mr. ]Main drives from his home in 
 Sheldon ahnost every day to his farm, giving to 
 it personal supervision and carefully watching 
 the interests connected with its profitahle devel- 
 opment. General farm work is carried on and 
 he also raises some stock, including horses, cattle 
 and hogs. The greater part of his life, however, 
 is devoted to the raising of the grain and his 
 fields give promise of golden harvests. He like- 
 wise feeds stock for the market. In 1896 he left 
 the farm and took up his abode in Sheldon, 
 where he owns a beautiful residence. 
 
 Mr. Main was married Feliruary 16, 1879. to 
 Miss Helen King, a daughter of Orren King, of 
 Sheldon, who was a very prominent resident of 
 the town. They have no children of their own 
 but have reared an adopted son and daughter. 
 Ethel Main, who came to them at the age of two 
 and a half years, is now the wife of Edward 
 W'inslow. who resides near Donovan, Illinois, 
 and they have one child. Orlando Moon, who 
 became a member of the household when a lad 
 of nine years, is now with the Bell Telephone 
 Company, at Springfield, Illinois. 
 
 I\Ir. ;\Iain is an ardent republican, keeping well 
 informed on the questions and issues of the day, 
 yet never seeking office as a reward for party 
 fealty. He belongs to the Masonic lodge, Xo. 
 609. at Sheldon, and has filled all of the chairs 
 in the order, while in his life he manifests the 
 beneficent spirit of the craft. His wife is a 
 member of the Presbyterian church. Air. Main 
 has been a very successful man and c|uite promi- 
 nent. The mctliods he has followed in his busi- 
 ness career are such as will bear the closest 
 investigation and scrutinv and he is known 
 throughout the community as one whose salient 
 qualities render biiii ;i Naltied and respecteil cit- 
 izen. 
 
 ELIAS ii. S.MITII. 
 
 Elias I!. Smith, living on section 2-j . Loda 
 township, is a rejjresentative agriculturist and 
 stock-raiscT. who owns and conducts a farm of 
 two hundred and forty acres adjoining tlie cor- 
 poration limit- <.t' the village nf Loda. His litV 
 rec(3rd liegan in Wnudfiinl cnnnty, lllinnis, April 
 
 6, 1859, '^"'^ '^^ '* o"'^ °^ '^'^^ three living children 
 of George and Rachel (Richardson) Smith, the 
 former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter 
 of \'irginia. The father was a farmer by occu- 
 ])ation and at an early day came to Illinois, set- 
 tling in Woodford county near Metamora, 
 where he died in 1864, having survived his wife 
 for only a few months. The father was carried 
 oft" b\ an attack of smallpox and all of the chil- 
 dren were ill with the same disease. The sur- 
 A'iving members of the family are: William H., 
 who is an active and prominent man. owning a 
 section of land in Woodford county ; and Caro- 
 line, the wife of Justin ^^'ilcox, formerly of Gil- 
 man, this county, but now living in AlcCook, 
 .Nebraska. 
 
 F.lias li. .Smith was reared in the usual man- 
 ner nf farm lads upon the homestead property 
 in Woodford county and mastered the branches 
 of learning taught in the coiumon schools. Hav- 
 ing reached years of maturity, he sought a com- 
 panion and helpmate for life's journey and was 
 married March 20, 1880. to ]\Iiss Belle Kice, 
 of Tazewell county, Illinois. Mr. Smith was at 
 that time the owner of a farm of eighty acres 
 which he tiled and improved. He established a 
 good home there and unto him and his wife were 
 born two sons, Carl H. and ( )rlo L.. who are 
 at home. Tiie wife and mother, however, passed 
 away in ( )ctober, 1884. and later Mr. Smith 
 was marrii'd in Woodford countv to Miss Dena 
 Camp, wiio was liorn and reared in Woodford 
 county. 
 
 I'^illowing their marriage .Mr. Smith engaged 
 in farming in that county until 1891. when he 
 sold tile pro])erty there and purchased the ])lace 
 wliicli he now owns. He has since resided there- 
 on, liaving two hundred and forty acres of rich 
 and ])roductive land. He has added many im- 
 ])rovements to it and ilie tilling of the soil has 
 ni;uK' this ;i valuable farm. He has also built a 
 good barn, corn cribs and other buildings for 
 the slielter of grain and stock, has put in stock 
 scales, a feedmill and windpunqi and has laid 
 eighty-seven thousantl tile, so that the land is 
 well drained, and altogether the farm is one of 
 the best in tjie countx'. He uses the latest im- 
 proved machinery for tilling the soil and caring 
 for the crops and he also keeps good grades of 
 stock npi m his ]ilace.
 
 X 
 
 'f. 
 
 •/.
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSllY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IR< )(~)riM^ (■( )fVTV TI T t\. 
 
 n I 
 
 Mr. Stimli lus. iwn clijUlrcn In lii> mc..iii; 
 marriage, Ki-m I,l<i\tl ami \ era Marie. Ilic |).ir- 
 cnts hold iiKMiilKT^Iiip in the MethiKhsi l-lpis- 
 ci>|>al (.•hnrcli. will) which thev have huih Ixvii 
 idiiititiol lor alKnit a <|nartcr 'if a ivimiry, ami 
 thtir childnii are also mcmlHT>. IK i-. sorvinjj 
 till liic Ihtard nt >ti-\\ar<ls and i> pr^•^i^U•^l <>f tlu- 
 Ulard ul trii>tci> and in the work of tlu- clnirch 
 the family arc actively and helpfully interested, 
 duinn all in their (mwer to promote it> growth 
 and e.xtend it> inlhience. Mr. Smith is also con- 
 nected with MiMlern W'oiHlmen and with the C<Nle 
 of lloiuir. He Votes with the democracy where 
 state and national issues are involved hut where 
 the only (|uestion is the cajiahiliiy of a candidate 
 for the efficient discharjje of local pid)lic iluties 
 he does not rcfiard party atVdiation. In WOoil- 
 fonl county he served as hij^hway connuissioncr 
 and was on the scIuhiI Imard for nine years. He 
 has also Ixen sch«nil director of Loda and j)resi- 
 dent of the l.uda school hoard, and he is a stal- 
 wart champion of the cause of education, the em- 
 ployment of pKid teachers and the utili/ation of 
 all means that will promote the schinil interests. 
 
 (iKOKtJK C. STKINKK. 
 
 (ieorge C Steiner. who heyan life in !riK|uois 
 county as a farm ham I in 1S84 and is now a lead- 
 in^j merchant of (.issna Park, having: for thirteen 
 years Ix-en identitied with mercantile interests 
 here, was Iwirn in Wurtemlterjj, (iermany. Au- 
 gust 4. iW)S. His father. (ici>rne .\l. Steiner. 
 likewise a native of (ieniiany. was rcarc<l to 
 manhiMxl in that country and in early life learned 
 the shoemaker's trade. His family mtmhered six 
 sons and six daughters, all of whom reached 
 adull ajje and are now residents f»f this country 
 namely : C"hris. whu is a husiness man at Cissna 
 I'ark : John, who is clerkinjj for his hrother 
 (ieorge: .\u^Mist. of I'hicavro: C"arl. who is a 
 caqx-nter at (.'issna Park : William K.. who is 
 clerkinjj for his hnther ("ieorge: Mrs. Mary 
 ilohnint;: Mrs. Tena l-'j:olf; Rosa, at home: 
 .Mrs. Patdine Hin»er and .Mrs. lunma Schcnk. 
 Imth residents of Peoria; and .\nna. als<i at 
 home. The )>arents with their chihiren. William, 
 .\nna and Kosa. cante to the new world in iS'.- 
 
 i Ik oilier iiieiiilicrs of the f.i- ^ 
 
 crossed the .\tlantic and the ; d 
 
 their Itomc at Cissna Park, where the father 
 died Jaimary 15, Hio'i. The mother still sur- 
 vives and yet lives in Cissna Park. 
 
 (ieofjje C .Steiner was jjiven rikhI educational 
 privileges in his native countr\ hut h 1- 
 
 ed^e of Ilnnlish has all Ixxn acquired v 
 mn to the new world. It was in 1KS4, when a 
 \outh of sixteen year>, that he crosse«l the .\t- 
 lantic to .\nierica and made his way at once t'l 
 lro<|uois county. Here he In-j^an work on a 
 farm hy the month and was thus employed for 
 seven years. ( )n the expiration of that iK-ri<Kl 
 he s|KMU a year as a clerk in a store in Rankin 
 and then entere<l the employ of Simon (loldstine. 
 who was proprietor of a larjfe general mercan- 
 tile e.stahlishment at Cissna Park and for man\ 
 years figured prominently in husiness circles 
 here. Mr. Steiner clerke<l for .Mr. tioldstine 
 until Hjpo. when he purchased the husiness of his 
 employer and has since continued to carry on the 
 store, heing recognized as one of the lea<ling 
 merchants •>( the town. He has a large huilding. 
 twenty-four hy one hundred and fifty feet, and 
 he carries an extensive .stock of general mer- 
 chandise. He has huilt up an excellent trade and 
 his patronage is steadily increasing, so that he 
 is now one of the prosperous merchants of the 
 place. He connnenced life in lrcM|uois county as 
 a yf)ung man withoiU a <|ollar and ami<l a |ie<iple 
 whose language an«l customs were totally \inf:i 
 miliar to him. hut hy earnest lalxtr ami 
 husiness ability he has stea<liK advanced. :u\ii- 
 nuilating a competence and iK-coming one of the 
 suhstantial and prosjicrous residents of Cissna 
 Park. 
 
 Mr. .Steiner was married in i8«)<t to Miss 
 Knuna F-. Harnu-ger. a native of this count), 
 where she was re.'iriil ami educated while pri-T 
 t«j her marriage she engage<l in te.iching. Into 
 .Mr. and Mrs. Steiner have Ix-en liorn three chil- 
 dren : I.oval. Malx-I ami (ieorge. 
 
 Since l>econung a naturalized .\nierican citi- 
 zen .Mr. .Steiner has given a stalwart support to 
 the repuhlican p;irt\. nor has he ever sought or 
 desired office. He is. however, a memln-r of the 
 town Uard. having l»een clecte<l in the spring 
 of ii|(i<i h\ his fellow townsmen, who • -I 
 
 Ills «..iili .iMiiil aliilitx ;oid desired hi^ m
 
 312 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 public office. Socially he is connected with the 
 Knight of Pythias lodge at Cissna Park and he 
 is also a member of the ^lodern \\'oodmen and 
 the Fraternal Insurance Society. His present 
 financial condition is in marked contrast to that 
 of twenty-two years ago, when he arrived in 
 this country without capital but possessed of 
 strong determination and energy. Willing hands 
 and a stout heart enabled him to meet conditions 
 and til shape them to his own ends and his life 
 record may well serve as a source of inspiration 
 and encouragement to others, showing what may 
 be accomplished when one has determination 
 and uses his opportunities to the best advantage. 
 
 REX". GEORGE liLAXKEX. 
 
 Rev. George Blanken, spoken of b\- his par- 
 ishioners and by manv others in his localit\- as 
 "one of the best loved citizens of Iroquois 
 county," is now pastor of the Evangelical Lu- 
 theran church of ISuckley. His life has been de- 
 voted to this holy calling and his influence has 
 been of no restricted order. On the contrarv it 
 has been a strong force in the lives of many wh(5 
 have come under his teaching and his work has 
 borne rich fruit in the moral develo|)ment of the 
 different communities in which he has labored. 
 
 Rev. Pilanken was born in the kingdom of 
 Hanover, ( lermany. December 7, 1850, and is a 
 son of Henry and Margaret (Holsten) Blanken, 
 both of whom were also natives of Germanv. 
 The mother died in that country in 1S61 and 
 twenty years afterward Henry lUanken crossed 
 the Atlantic to the new world, si^ending his last 
 days in Morgan county. ^lissouri, where he died 
 in 18S5, when about si.xty-lwo years of age. 
 
 The family numbered seven children, includ- 
 ing Rev. Cjeorge Blanken of this review, who for 
 seven and a half years was a student in the puli- 
 lic schools of his native country. He heard nian\ 
 favorable reports concerning the new world and 
 its opportunities and, becoming attracted thereto, 
 he bade adieu to friends and native land in 1867 
 and crosscfl the lirinv deep. He lived for a time 
 in Missouri and was em])loyed at f;inii labor in 
 Morgan and Lafavette counties. He also de- 
 
 voted a part of his time to teaching school until 
 the fall of 1872, when, determining to devote his 
 life to the ministry, he began studying with that 
 end in view, entering Concordia Seminary, an 
 b'vangelical Lutheran school of St. Louis, where 
 be studied for two and a half years. On the ex- 
 piration of that period he went to Springfield, 
 Illinois, and became a student in Concordia Sem- 
 inary, of that place, in which he spent a similar 
 period, being graduated therefrom on the 22d of 
 March, 1877. On the 2d of April following he 
 was ordained to the ministry by Rev. G. A. 
 Mueller, of Kankakee, assisted by Rev. F. Lin- 
 demann, of Champaign. He has continuously 
 served as pastor of the church in Buckley, cov- 
 ering a period of thirtv \ears, and the strong and 
 sterling traits of his manhood, together with the 
 words of wisdom, of admonition, hope and en- 
 couragement that he has oiifered in his ministe- 
 rial capacity, have made him loved and honored 
 throughout the entire community. 
 
 Rev. Blanken was married on the 27th of 
 February, 1878, to Aliss Lydia Rabe, a daugh- 
 ter of John F. and Dora (Oetting) Rabe. They 
 now have eight living children : William, who is 
 a dealer in musical instruments, jiaints and wall- 
 paper at Buckley ; Rev. Theodore L. Blanken, 
 who is a minister of tlie Lutheran church, now 
 located at Galesboro, Indiana; Matilda, the wife 
 of Ernest .'schroeder, a farmer of Iroquois 
 C(nmty : Clara, who is a well educated young 
 lady, now engaged in teaching ; Walter, a young 
 man wlio is following the painter's trade : Eddie : 
 Dora: and Renata. They lost two children, The- 
 odora, when about two years of age. and Lydia 
 when about five years of age. 
 
 .\fter coming to Buckley Mr. iUanken en- 
 gaged in teaching in a private German school 
 and has been identified with educational work 
 throughout all these vears, now maintaining a 
 scho<]l with two teachers, louring the winter 
 months he li.is charge of the confirmation class. 
 He started here with a congregation of but si.K- 
 teen members and tliere is now a membershi]) of 
 ninety-seven voting members with one bmidred 
 and twenty families. lie lias conl'irnieil four 
 hundred and thirty-four in .-ill since taking 
 charge of the church. There are now on an 
 .'uerage of ;iboul one hundred and twenty stu- 
 dents in the >-ebooI ;ni(l a fine new scln^ol build-
 
 IRoorc^IS COUNTY. ILI.IXolS. 
 
 313 
 
 iiifl is being erected, the corner-stone havinj; 
 Ipcim laid on the -J2d of July. x^joCf. for a brick 
 Innldinp two stories in heij^lit with hascnieiit. 
 There are to be two schoolrooms in the base- 
 ment and the entire buildinj:; is to be heated witli 
 furnace. The church is free fmm all indebtetl- 
 ness and in its various activities is doini; i^ood 
 work. Mr. Ulanken is an able minister, who is 
 continually studying and thus broadening his 
 knowledge upon theological (juestions and topics 
 of general interest which affect the welfare of 
 his fellowmen. He has worked most earnestly, 
 conscientiouslv and zealously and he has won the 
 dee]) and abiding love of his ])eo])le and the re- 
 spect of all denominations in r.nckIi-\ and wher- 
 ever he i known. 
 
 lolIX II 
 
 ki'.\.\i:K. 
 
 The home fann of John II. Urennir is located 
 on section 2<>. I'ountain Creek townslii]). and it is 
 a i)lace where the spirit of activity, enterjjrise an<l 
 diligence are rife. lie dates his residence in the 
 county from i8<j2. and has been a lifelong res- 
 ident of Illinois, his birth having occurred in 
 Tazewell county, June 11. iS(>2. His father. 
 John I'renner, Sr.. was born in (iermany and 
 when a voung man came to the new world, set- 
 tling in Tazewell ctnmty, where he subsetiuently 
 married Rachel Cieischwind, also born in Ger- 
 many. The father followed farming as a life 
 work and thus i)ruvide(l for the sui)]Jort of his 
 family, which numbered four children. He lost 
 his first wife when their son John was only four 
 years of age, and he afterward married I-"lizabeth 
 Steinberg, of Tazewell county, by wliom he had 
 ten children. In 1S85 he removed to X'ermilion 
 County. Illinois, and now resides u|)on a farm 
 near Rankin. 
 
 John H. I'renner of this review was reared 
 under the parental roof. His educational priv- 
 ileges were limited and were those afforded by 
 the clistrict schools. He received ani])le training 
 at farm labor and when twenty-four years of age 
 iK'gan farming on his own account, renting land 
 for this ])nr]M3se. Making the best use of his 
 opiK)rtunities and saving his earnings lie at 
 length purchased three hnndre<l and twenty acres 
 
 of land in Indiana, which he rents, while he 
 himself leases land in Inxiuois county, having 
 been on the Sheridan farm on section 2tj, Foun- 
 tain Creek township for fourteeen years. He 
 conducts this as though it was his own. The 
 place Comprises two hundred acres oi land and 
 he has been very successful in carrying on farm 
 work here. 
 
 ( )u the 9th of .November, iXij2. .Mr. I'.renner 
 was married to Miss Lizzie France, a native of 
 l.a Salle countx ami a claughter of Henry I'rance. 
 They are the i)arents of two children. Ray and 
 b'loyd. In the connnunity where they reside 
 thev have won many frieiuls and the hospitality 
 of the best homes of the neighborhood is freely 
 and cordially extended them. 
 
 Mr. I'renner belongs to the l )ild hellows 
 lodge at Rankin and is likewise connected with 
 the Modern Woodmen camj) atid the Tribe of 
 l!en llur at Rankin. His wife is al.so identified 
 with the latter and is a member of the Presby- 
 terian church. His political support endorses 
 the i)rinciples of democracy but at local elections 
 where no issue is involved Mr. IJrenner voles 
 in(lei)endently. We would always have better 
 public service if such a course was followed. 
 The selection of candidates for local oftice should 
 depend entirely upon their merit and not upon 
 ])olitical affiliation as they are chosen merely to 
 take charge of the business necessary for the 
 conduct of county and municipal affairs. In 
 Kjoo -Mr. I'.renner was elected assessor and has 
 served continuously in that office for six years, 
 while for two years he has been collector, and the 
 duties of the positions have been discharged with 
 a promptness and fidelity that makes him a pub- 
 lic-s])irited man. 
 
 \ICT()R C,EK.\RD. 
 
 There are in .\slikuiu manv representative and 
 valued citizens who in former years were pro- 
 moters of the agricultural develoimient of the 
 countv and to this class belongs X'ictor (Gerard, 
 a retired farmer who, thoui^h living in the vil- 
 lage of .\shkum, is still the owner of a good 
 tr.'ict of land of eighty-seven acres on section i''), 
 Ashkum township. He likewise has a block and
 
 314 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 a half of real-estate in the village, in the midst 
 of which stands the comfortable and commodi- 
 ous home which he occupie>. 
 
 iMr. Gerard was born in Dianen Kapple. 
 France (now German}). October 19. 1840, and 
 was the fifth of the six children born unto Ste- 
 phen and Rosa Lee Gerard, wlio were farming 
 people of France, living thirty-six miles north- 
 west of Strasburg. The other members of the 
 family were Mina. Julian, Rosa Lee. ]\Iary and 
 Edward, but Mctor is the onlv one who ever 
 came to the L'nited States and he therefore 
 knows nothing of the whereabouts of the other 
 members of his father's household. August 15. 
 1863, witnessed his arrival in America. He was 
 at that time a young man of thirt\'-three vears 
 and the hope of profiting by the better business 
 opportunities of the new world led him to cross 
 the Atlantic. He made his way to Lacon, Illi- 
 nois, where he arrived with a cash cai)ital of 
 only fifty cents. From Lacon he went to ]\Ieta- 
 mora. Woodford countv. Illinois, where he re- 
 sided for four years. In 1869 he came to Iro- 
 quois county, where he has since resided and 
 through the greater part of the period has been 
 closely comiected with its agricultural interests. 
 In 1895. he rented his farm since which time 
 he has lived a retired life in Ashkum. His ear- 
 nest purpose and unfaltering diligence consti- 
 tuted his sole capital and upon these he has 
 builded the superstructure of his prosperitv. 
 
 Mr. Gerard was married to ]\Iiss Anna Hu- 
 guet. a daughter of Nicholas and Sophia Huguet. 
 of Washington. Illinois. With the passing of the 
 years nine children were added to the family : 
 Nicholas G.. now a farmer of Ashkum town- 
 ship, who married Lizzie Zimering. by wdiom he 
 lias four children. Anna. Tracy, John and Lil- 
 lian : Edward G.. a farmer of Ashkum township, 
 who wedded Lucy Gleason and has three chil- 
 dren, Florence, P.elle and Irene: Mary, the wife 
 of Henry Francis, a farmer residing in the vil- 
 lage of Ashkum, by whom she has one son, 
 Dewey: John G. and Joseph G., who follow 
 farming and are still at home; Frances, the wife 
 of Fred l);ividson. who operates her father's 
 farm in .\shkum township and liy whom she has 
 two children, .\ndrcw and Iva: Ida. the wife of 
 r.ert \'andervlict. who is clerking in Kankakee 
 and bv whom she has one daughter. I'earl: Tu- 
 
 lian. who is a bookkeeper in a commission house 
 in Kankakee : and Elizabeth, at home. 
 
 In his political affiliation \ictor Gerard has 
 continuously been a democrat since coming to 
 the United States and he and his family are 
 members of the Catholic church at Ashkum. The 
 hope that led him to seek a home in America has 
 been nK)re than realized, for as the years have 
 jjassed he has embraced the opportunities which 
 have been presented and has advanced from a 
 humble position until his competence is now suf- 
 ficient to enable him to rest from further labor. 
 
 L. C. .MARSH. 
 
 The real founders and promoters of a town 
 are not those who put in motion the wheels of 
 the city government but those who establish and 
 conduct business interests of extent and impor- 
 tance — for the commercial and industrial activity 
 and prosperity are the real foundation of a city's 
 growth and development. In this connection 
 therefore Mr. !Marsh is deserving of more 
 than passing mention for he figured for a num- 
 ber of years as one of the leading merchants of 
 Watseka. where he engaged in the hardware and 
 implement business. He was born in Xew Hart- 
 ford. Connecticut. June 17, 1828, a son of Mr. 
 and ]\Irs. Daniel Marsh, who were also natives 
 of the Charter Oak state, where the father fol- 
 lowed farming the greater part of his life. His 
 wife died in Rochester. Xew York, and he after- 
 ward came to the middle west with his son, L. 
 C. Marsh, at whose home in Wilmington, Illi- 
 Udis. he lived retired until called to his final rest. 
 
 At the usual age L. C. iMarsh began his educa- 
 tion as a common-school student in his native 
 county and later attended an institute in .\lfred, 
 .\cw York, so that liberal mental discipline well 
 (|ualified him to meet and solve the intricate prob- 
 lems of a business career. He started in life on 
 his own account as proprietor of a general store 
 in ( )ranK'l. Xew York, and while thus engaged 
 he came to tlie middle west to look over the 
 country. He finally jjurchased a farm near Wil- 
 mington. Illinois, and in course of time this 
 proved to be a very valuable tract of land, for it 
 was found that it was underlaid with rich coal
 
 L. C. MARSH.
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ,V7 
 
 1k«1>. AitiT i>l:icin',' his iiivcslimnt. Mr. Marsh 
 ri-tiiriu-(l 111 ( •raiiR-1. N'l-w \'<>rk. whiri- hi- c;>ii- 
 liiiiii.-<l the ciintlnct of liis ^ciKTal slori.- fur a fuw 
 years, aiul then, ihspnsini.; of his husiness iiitir- 
 ists ill tlie east, he took up his abode in Wihnini;- 
 lon. where lie eiii,':i,irc<l in tlie dry-^oods l)nsine» 
 for two years. ( >n llie e.xpiration of that ptrind 
 he sold ont there and went to .Morris, Illinois, 
 where he a!.;aiii conducted a dry-},'oods store for 
 a short time. At a subsei|iient date he estab- 
 lished a jjrocery store in Carbondale. Illinois, car- 
 rvinfi on the business successfully for four years 
 or until 1S72. when Ik- -"Id ■■ui ;ind vcmovdl to 
 Watseka. 
 
 .Mr. .Marsh was married in Schenectady. .\ew 
 York, to Miss Larrie 1!. Meeker, a native of 
 New York, where her parents lived until tliev 
 were called to the home beyond. Three children 
 were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Marsh. Jennie 
 K.. the eldest, is the wife of Millard V. Dunlap. 
 a banker of Jacksonville. Illinois, lie is a ])er- 
 .sonal friend of William Jeiinin.ii.s ISryan. with 
 whom he has recently been on a tri]) abroad, 
 j'annie, the second daujihter. died in Carbondale. 
 Illinois, when Inil cipht months old. Lylta N. 
 is with her mother in Watseka. 
 
 ( )n coniin<j to Watseka Mr. M.ush purchased 
 the Doyle hardware store on Main street and 
 there carried a line of •;eneral shelf and lieavx 
 hardware and farm implements, continuiii:^ in 
 the business for several years, but at lenijth on 
 account of his health lie dis])osed of his hard- 
 ware but continued to enjra^e in the sale of farm 
 implements until January. i8(;S. when he sohl 
 out and lived retired until his death, lie was 
 never a robust man and during fifteen years of his 
 life he spent the winters in the south. He jiassed 
 away ( )ctober 26. i8<jS. amid the deej) regret 
 of his many friends as well as his immediate 
 family. 
 
 He voted the re|)ub!ican ticket and always 
 kept well infornieil on the (piestions which divide 
 the tw<» great parties but was never an office 
 seeker. He was a |)rominent member of the .Ma- 
 sonic fraternity and the Knights of Honor, both 
 of Watseka. and he always attended the IVesby- 
 terian church, of which his wife is a member. 
 He possessed sujjcrior musical ability and was a 
 leader in the church choir in Watsek-i and also in 
 other tf>wns in which he resided, both in Illi- 
 
 nois and in the east, and his services were greatly 
 appreciated. In his business he displayeil an 
 aptitude for successful management and a spirit 
 of trustworthiness that won him success and 
 honor and causes his memory to be cherished 
 by all who knew him. .Mrs. Marsh owns a beau- 
 tiful home on l-"a>t Mulberry street, where she 
 and her daughter reside, but she spends the 
 winters in Louisiana or I-"lorida. leaving Watseka 
 in the latter piiri of November and returning in 
 the s])ring. 
 
 LVMLS W \SS( )N. 
 
 ( 'ne of the most straightforward, energetic 
 and successful business men who ever lived in 
 Watseka was the late James Was.son. who en- 
 gaged in real-estate dealing and in the manufac- 
 ture of brick for many years. He came to Iro- 
 (|Uois county in 18^15. and first .settled in .\sli 
 (Irove township, where he purchasetl a farm. He 
 was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, Januarv iS. 
 iS_>7. His father, John W'asson. also a native t^f 
 ( )hio. reside<l on a farm near Cincinnati for sev- 
 eral years, after which he removed to Delaware 
 county. Indiana, where he engaged in general 
 agricultural pursuits until his death. 
 
 In the public schools of Delaware countv. 
 Jan;es W'asson accpiircd his education. ;md when 
 a young man he began learning the brick-making 
 trade, thoroughly mastering the business, and 
 after a short time engaging in the same line on 
 his own account. He owned a brickvard ;it 
 .Muncie. Indiana, where he continued in the cou- 
 duct of the business for several years, and at the 
 same time c.irried on farming operations near 
 th.it place. He resided :it .Muncie until his re- 
 n;oval to Iro(|Uois county, at which time he |)ur- 
 chased a f;irm in .\sh (Irove township, where he 
 carried on general agricultural pursuits for si.\ 
 months. Selling that pro|)erty. he removed to 
 W atsek;i. where his widow now resides in th;it 
 section 111 the city known ;is ( Mil Town. Here 
 he began investing in re.il esl.ite and at the same 
 timi; rdso established ;i brick manuf:ictorv. own- 
 ing one of the first brickyards at Watseka, in 
 the conduct of which enteri)rise he em|)lo\ed sev- 
 eral men. He maun fact lued the brick that was
 
 3>« 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 usetl ill the construction of the Iroquois county 
 courthouse and also tlie public schools of \\"at- 
 seka. anil different structures which add much 
 to the appearance of the city. He had purchased 
 four blocks in Old Town, and likewise made 
 other investments in property in W'atseka, en- 
 ijai^ing quite extensivelv in real-estate dealing;, 
 in which he continued in connection with his in- 
 dustrial interests up to the time of his death. 
 
 Mr. \\ asson was married three times. He first 
 wedded Miss Clarissa Taylor, who died a few 
 years later, leaving one daughter, now Mrs. 
 Flora James, a resident of Kansas. For his sec- 
 ond wife Mr. Wasson chose ^liss Susan Car- 
 michael, who died in Delaware county, Indiana. 
 There was also one child by that union, Pjenja- 
 min Franklin Wasson. who married Margaret 
 Zimmerman and now resides at Everett, Wash- 
 ington. The mother passed away a few years 
 after her marriage and for his third wife ^\r. 
 Wasson chose Mrs. .\rabella (Peterson) \'each, 
 whom he wedded in Henry county, Indiana. 
 Her father, Aaron Peterson, was a resident far- 
 mer of Henry county, where he spent his last 
 years. Two children have been born of this 
 marriage: Mark \\'.. who married Mamie Ly- 
 inan and is a farmer residing near Ocean 
 Springs, ^lississippi ; and Richard M.. who wed- 
 ded Naomi Erickson and is a railroad engineer 
 on the Frisco road residing at Forth Worth, 
 Texas. Mrs. Wasson w-as first married to Isaac 
 F. \^each, of West ^'i^ginia. who was a farmer 
 and also engaged in the lumlier business in 
 llenrv county, Indiana, where his death oc- 
 curred. There were three children l^orn to Mr. 
 and ]\Irs. \*each. Kate, the eldest, is the widow 
 of John S. Pumyea, of Fulton county, Illinois, 
 who died at his home in Guthrie, Oklahoma. His 
 widow now resides with her mother, Mrs. Was- 
 son, in W'atseka. Doak Veach married .\dda 
 Mead, and they reside in Marion, Illinois, where 
 he is engaged in business as a brick-mason. Ada 
 \'cach became the wife of Franlv Romine and 
 resides in Cham])aign, Illinois. 
 
 Mr. Wasson was a republican in his political 
 views and was thoroughly conversant with the 
 political situation of the cmnitrv, alth'niL;h he 
 never sought or desireil nffice. He served, how- 
 ever, in a few minor positions and was school 
 director for manv vears. Throughout the greater 
 
 ]jart of his life he was identified with the Masonic 
 fraternitv and took a deep and active interest in 
 the craft. Pie was also one of the charter mem- 
 bers of the Christian church of Watseka, and his 
 widow holds membership in the Methodist Epis- 
 copal church. He was a very genial, jovial man 
 and was a most entertaining companion, so that 
 he was very pojnilar in social circles. He died 
 after a brief illness of only six days, on the 26th 
 of l-"ebruary, 1885, and his death was the occa- 
 sion of sincere and widespread regret. Cour- 
 teous, genial, well informed, alert and enterpris- 
 ing, he stood as one of the leading rejaresentative 
 men of his citv and county — a man who was a 
 power in his community. He had a remarkable 
 facultv for the conduct and dispatch of business, 
 and his interests were of such a nature as con- 
 tributed to general prosperity as well as to indi- 
 vidual success. He was pre-eminently a man of 
 action and did what others think about doing. 
 He was a man amon,g men and was recognized 
 as such by all who knew him. Mrs. Wasson still 
 owns the family residence at (^Id Town and the 
 four blocks which were left her by her husband 
 and there she and her daughter. Mrs. Pumyea, 
 now reside. 
 
 E. J. COBB. 
 
 E. J. Cobb, station a.gent for the Toledo, Pe- 
 oria & Warsaw Railroad Company at Crescent 
 City since November 6, 1889. is one of the trusted 
 officials of that road, as his long continuance in 
 its service indicates. He was born near Wood- 
 land in Iroquois county, Januarv iS. 1864. and 
 is a son of J. Cobb, who removed from Ohio in 
 1842 and settled on the prairie, where he engaged 
 in farming. He became the owner of a good 
 tract of land on section 27, Crescent township, 
 which he tilled and cultivated until he had made 
 it a very ])roductive tract. Both he and his wife 
 have now departed this life. Of their ten chil- 
 dren six are yet living, four daughters and two 
 ^iins. but E. J. Cobb of this review is now tlie 
 only one in Iroquois county. 
 
 .\fter mastering the branches of a preliminary 
 education in the common schools E. J. Cobb 
 s|>cnt one year as a student in Onarga and also 
 attended a business college at Ann .Vrbor, Mich-
 
 lKnnLT)IS COUNTY, ll.l.l \m|S. 
 
 .V') 
 
 ii;;in. Iruni whidi be \v;is iir;iiliiat(.il witli llu- 
 cl.nss of |J^3. Ill ii^5 1h" i-iUercd the employ of 
 the I'oleilo, IViiria iv: \\ arsaw Ivailmail Company 
 aii<l has since remained with lliat coqxiration as 
 one of its faithful and valued employes. He has 
 acted as station a^ent at Crescent City since 
 .Vovember <i. iSS<;. and is popular here because 
 of the imfailinji courtesy which he extends to the 
 patriMis of the road and his oblisjinj^ manner 
 Combined with his unremittinji can- <il the inter- 
 ests of the company. 
 
 .Mr. Cobb was married to C'or<lelia Kaler, of 
 lrcM|uois, who was born in \ irtjinia ami was 
 l)roiij.jht by her ])arents to lilinnis when onlv two 
 \ears old. .She is a daughter of S. Kalcr, who 
 in iS<>8 removed from the ( )ld Dominion to ihi.- 
 state and s])ent his remaining days here. I lis 
 widow still survives and is now livinij with .Mr. 
 and .Mrs. Cobb. The other members of the fam- 
 ily are their two children : (Gladys, twelve years 
 of a^je; and I'aul. a youth of cijjht years. 
 
 I*oliticall\ .Mr. C'obb affiliates with the repub- 
 lican ])arty and he is a member of .Standard 
 lodj^e. .\n. fKjj. 1. ( ). ( ). 1-'., and of the Crescent 
 camp, .Vo. 14J9. .M. W. .\. His wife holds 
 membership in the Methodist Kpiscojial church. 
 Their h<ime is a fine two-stor\ residence in Cres- 
 cent City which be erected, and the air of culture 
 and refinement which pervades the ])lace makes 
 it attractive to their manv friends, while its hos- 
 ltitalit\- is one of its pleasinj; features. Mr. Cobb 
 is rc^'arded as a cajiable telef^rapb oi)erator and 
 station agent and is well likeil in the community. 
 
 TIIORXTOX I. now \ FY. 
 
 Thornton J. Downey, operating a farm of 
 four hundred ;ind forty acres, one hundred and 
 sixty acres of which he owns, is a self-made man. 
 for, starting out in life ;i poDr man. he ba- 
 worked earnestly and persistentlv until today 
 bis well improved farm, which is situated on sec- 
 tion 25. Lovejoy township, is the visible evidence 
 f>f the success wliicb he has made in his labors. 
 He was born in Shenandoah conntw X'irginia, 
 CJctober 17, 1855, a son fif Rleazer Downey, also 
 a native of Shenandoah county, where he was 
 reared an<l mnrriid the I;idv of his clinii-i' lniiiL: 
 18 
 
 .Mis- L\dia llahn, also a native of that slate, 
 'i'he father followed farming throughout his en- 
 tire life, .and died in bis native state, in July. 
 iS<i.^ His wife survived for a long period, her 
 death occurring in July, lyc/), at the home of a 
 daughter in Rockingham county. \ irginia. They 
 were the parents of eight children, n.imely : Ja- 
 cob, a farmer of .Mount Jackson, \irgini:i; .Mrs. 
 .Martha .Strole, a widow, residing at I'.nvik, In- 
 diana: .Mary, the wife of H. Liskey, a resident 
 of Rockingham county, X'irginia: Thornton J., 
 of this review; ICIi, also a resident of Rocking- 
 ham county: .\ima, the wife of E. ( i. i-lckard, of 
 Inxptois county, residing in I'rairie (jrcen town- 
 ship: Turner .\.. a resident farmer of I'rairie 
 < ireen township: ami I'amiie, who died in 
 infancy. 
 
 Thornton J. Downey, the eighth in order of 
 birth in his father's family, was reared to the 
 occupation of farming, assisting his father in 
 the work of the home place until he reached 
 man's estate. During the winter months when 
 n<it busy in the fields be pursued his studies in 
 the district schools, :ui<l thus actpiircd the edu- 
 cation which fitte<l him to later begin business 
 on his own account. He remained in his native 
 state until he reached the age of twenty years, 
 when, in 1875, he made his way to Illinois, com- 
 ing at once to Inxpiois county, where he worked 
 as a farm b.iml for eight months, subsequent to 
 which time he went to F'.rnok, Indiana, being cm- 
 ployed there at f;irm labor dtn-ing the succeeding 
 two vears. He tlun came again to Inxpiois 
 county, where he was emjiloyed in a similar man- 
 ner for five years, when, having saved from his 
 earnings a sum sufficient for the establishment 
 of a home of bis own, he was married, Decem- 
 ber 2,^ 1SS4, to .Miss I.illie M. I'.arritt. who was 
 bnni and reared in this county, a daughter of L. 
 I'.arritt. 
 
 I'cillowiug his marriage .Mr. Downey tof)k up 
 his alxxle on the Crawford farm, which he rented 
 for fourteen years. In the meantime, having 
 |)ros|)ered in his undertakings, he made purchase 
 of one hinidred and sixty acres, which he rented, 
 however, for two years. .Since that time he has 
 w I irked his land, and has since built a good barn 
 and has otherwise improved the place and ma<le 
 it ;i valu.'dile property. In addition to operating 
 his own l.inil. be .ilso rents .n frnet of two bim-
 
 320 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 dred and cifjhtx' acres where lie resides, thus 
 farmiiiji' ahoijether four hundred and forty acres, 
 which he manages with the assistance of liired 
 help. He is also engaged quite extensively in 
 raising stock, having gcjod grades of cattle, 
 horses and hogs, feeding and shipping for the 
 market. He is practical and jjrogressixe in all 
 that he does and is accounted one of the leading 
 farmers and stock-raisers of Iroquois count\ . 
 
 Unto our subject and his wife have been born 
 eight living children. Harry. Edgar. I.illie. Mau- 
 rice, Irby. \"era. Anna and P>ernice. all of whom 
 are }et at home with their parents. They have 
 also lost one son. Hiram A., who died in infancy. 
 In his political allegiance Mr. Downey has been a 
 lifelong democrat but has never been active as 
 an office seeker, the only public office he has held 
 being that of school director. 
 
 Tile life of Mr. Downey shows what can be ac- 
 complished by energy, economy and determina- 
 tion, for he started out in life a poor boy. in the 
 humble capacity of a farm laborer, but through, 
 his close application and careful management of 
 his business affairs he has worked his way stead- 
 ily upward year by year, and through the assist- 
 ance of his estimable wife, who has indeed proved 
 to him a faithful companion and helpmate, he is 
 today in possession of a valuable pro])erty com- 
 prising one hundred and sixtv acres, which con- 
 stitutes one of the excellent farms of this sec- 
 tion of the state. He dates his residence in the 
 countv from 1875. and is therefore widely and 
 favorably known, for he has ever been honorable 
 and trustworthy in all his trade transactions anfl 
 has therefore won the confidence and high re- 
 yard of all with will nil he has been associated. 
 
 0\Vi;.\ KlvRX. 
 
 Owen Kern, living on section i<). Crescent 
 township, is numbered among the old settlers of 
 the county. .\ life of toil in the Illinois |jrairie 
 country, to wliich he came as a young man w hen 
 it was a frontier district, has made him one of 
 the substantial residents of the county, where 
 he is still actively engaged in a,gricultin-al pur- 
 suits, owning and operating two hundred and 
 fortv acres of well improveil land, lie has lived 
 
 in the count\ since 1855 and many events which 
 are matters of history to otliers are known to him 
 through personal ex])erience or as a witness. 
 
 Mr. Kern was born in Lehigh count). Penn- 
 sylvania. Xovember 5. 1834. His father, Henry 
 Kern, was also a native of that county, where he 
 followed the occupation of farming. He was 
 married there to Miss Elizabeth Weir, whose 
 birthplace was likewise in Lehigh county, and 
 in 1839 he removed westward to Indiana, set- 
 tling with his family in Tippecanoe county, 
 where he entered land from the government, de- 
 veloping a good farm there, lloth he and his 
 wife spent their subse(|iient years in that county 
 and upon the farm reared their family of eight 
 children. 
 
 Like the other sons of the houseliokl, Owen 
 Kern earlv became familiar with the duties and 
 labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist 
 and wdien seventeen years of age he took up car- 
 pentering, following the trade for four years. 
 He then came to Illinois and bought sixtx' acres 
 of land in Onarga township. Iroquois county, 
 thus wiselv investing his earnings in real estate. 
 He did not remove to Illinois, however, until 
 1858. 
 
 In the meantime, on the 28th of September, 
 1856, he had married ]\liss Catherine Peters, a 
 native of Tippecanoe county. Indiana, and a 
 tlau.ghter of Daniel Peters, who was born in 
 Pennsylvania. For two years after their mar- 
 riage the\^ remained in the Hoosier state and 
 then took up their abode permanently in Iro- 
 quois countv. For a year their home was a 
 t\pical log cabin on the frontier and ;it the end 
 of that time Mr. Kern built a good dwelling in 
 ( )narga township and developed a |iro(luctive 
 farm, upon which he liveil for eight years. ( )n 
 selling that jH-operty he bought eighty acres 
 where he now resides, adjoining one hundred and 
 sixtv acres which he had purchased in 183(1 and 
 which has been the Kern homestead since i8')'i. 
 His is one of the best ini])roved farms in tlie 
 countv and forms a most attractive feature of 
 the landscape. His residence is a beautiful and 
 commodious dwelling. There are many other 
 buildings necessary for the shelter of grain, stock 
 and farm implements and he uses the latest im- 
 ])roved machinery in carrying on the work of 
 the fields. The land is well tilled and he also
 
 MR. AXI) .MRS. ()\\ i:.\ K1".R.\.
 
 UNIVERSriY UF ILLINOIS
 
 iRonrnis couxTv. 
 
 i.\i ii>. 
 
 323 
 
 raises j;<«icl jjradcd sttick. Ills lilc lia^ hccii hik- 
 111 iiidiistn characterized by ]>irscv<.rancc aiul 
 »ln>M;i purjmso. and in all tlial In- lias undertaken 
 he has shown an aptitude for successfid ntan- 
 aj;en;ent and a strict confurniitx to a liiyh staml- 
 ard <il liusiness ethics. 
 
 In iiy<H. Mr. and Mrs. Kern celetirateil tlieir 
 ;ii)lden weildiniT. nn which nccasion many friends 
 and relatives feathered to ex|)ress ti> tlii> wurthy 
 an<l honored couple their conj^ratnlations and 
 yoixl wishes. .\s the years passed their home 
 was Itlessed with eleven children, nine of whom 
 are yet living. The t>l(lcst survivin^j nicniher 
 of the family is Mary IClizalieth. the wife of Les- 
 ter L. Stuhhs. a resident farmer of t'oldwater. 
 Kansas. Iiy whom she has one child, l-'lossie. 
 Leah .Malinda is the wife of 1). I'. I'.ircel. also 
 a farmer of L'oldwater. Kansas, and they have 
 tl'ree children. I'.essie lona. Meivin ( ). and Ray- 
 u'ond K. Maria Theresa, the third memher of 
 the family, is at home. Dora .\nn is the wife 
 of James R. I'.relsford. a farmer oi descent City, 
 and they have tliree children, l-llmer V... Jessie 
 .\. and (iertrude .M. Harriet !•". is the wife of 
 (ieortje 11. Clark, of Crescent City, who is men- 
 tionc<l elsewhere in this work; Melissa C. is the 
 wife of J. IVank Jelly, a carpenter of Crescent 
 City. Ida May is the wife of l-'red Ranz. of 
 Claytonville. also mentioned on another i)a.i;e 
 of this volume. Henry S. died when only tiiree 
 weeks old. Calvin luij^ene died at the ajjc of 
 twenty-one years. Effie l.eona is the wife of I'. 
 S. Humphreys, who assists Mr. Kern in the op- 
 eration of the farm, and they have one chil<l. 
 Hazel Irene. Mabel C. is the wife of IVancis 
 Hartman. of .Miann' county. Indirma. 
 
 .Mr. and .Mrs. Kern are nuw old-tiiiie residents 
 of the county and have witnessetl much of its 
 t;rowth ami develii|)n)ent. I-'or a half centur\ 
 they have traveleil life's journe\ tojj^ether. shar- 
 iu},' with each other its jo\> and sorrows, il-^ 
 adversity and its successes and miw they are en- 
 joying; the fruit of their former labors surround- 
 ed by lovinp children and !.;randchildren. Mr. 
 Kern has always stiHxl for pruj^ress and improve- 
 iieiit. He was amoni; the lirst to recoi^nize the 
 value of tilinj; the l.md and U> i>nt that course 
 in |)ractice. Politically he is an e.irnest republican 
 and he cast his first ]>resiilenti;d ballot for John C. 
 I"reirc>nt. since which time lu' has never faileil to 
 
 vote at a i)residential election. He has been 
 honored bv his fellow townsmen with various 
 local offices, servinj.; as school director for eight- 
 een \ears. as hijjluvay commissioner for eleven 
 years, as school trustee >ix years, assessor one 
 year and i)atlimaster for three years. He helped 
 to construct the Toledo. I'eoria & Warsaw Rail- 
 road acro.ss the county in i>^y) but. like the oth- 
 ers who as>isted in the work, received no com- 
 |)ensation for that service. He was also one of 
 the promoters ;uid orijanizers of the I'ir>t Na- 
 tional Uank at Crescent City antl was the first 
 man nominated for president, but refused to ac- 
 cei)t that office. He was then chosen its vice 
 jiresident. serving two years, at the end of which 
 time he sold his interest in the bank. He and 
 his family attend the Congrej^^Jitional church, fif 
 which .Mrs. Kern is a member, hew men are 
 more widely known in this jiart of the county 
 than ( )wen Kern and none are held in higher 
 esteem or more justly deserve mention in this 
 volun-.e anions'^ the re|)rcsentative citizens. 
 
 .M.ITloXSh: C.\kR( ).\. 
 
 .\lphonse Carroll, who in early life learned 
 the shoemaker's trade which he followed for a 
 long ])eriod but has 11 iw ])Ui aside business 
 cares to spenil the evening; of life in ease ami 
 comfort, makes his home in Clifton. He was 
 born in i)rovince of Onebec. Canad'i. on the 5th 
 of May. 1838, his father being Jo.-iejih T. Carron. 
 a farmer of that locality. In early life .\lphonse 
 learned the shoemaker's trade in his native 
 country and in 1S57 he cr(-)ssed the border into 
 the L'nited States, making his way southward 
 to Kankakee. Illinois.. He there worked at his 
 trade until 1<^«.V when he removed to Clifton, 
 where he has now made his home for more than 
 four decades. He establi.>ihed a shoe shoj) here 
 and continued to engage in making and repair- 
 ing shoes for many years, receiving a liberal 
 l)atronage that enable<l him as time passed by to 
 put aside annually a goodly sum from his earn- 
 ings until he is now in comfortable financial 
 circumstances. He made juilicious investment in 
 property, owning eighty acres of land in (.'he-
 
 324 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 banse township, together w ith a huusc ami lui mi 
 Third avemie in Clifton, where he resides. 
 
 On the 28th of July. 1862. in Kankakee. Ilh- 
 nois. was celebrated the niarriaije of Mr. Carron 
 and Miss Philenienc Laroch, of that ]jlace. They 
 have two children: Xellie. now the wife of 
 Thomas Hobson of the firm of Hobson & Sutton, 
 grocers of Clifton; and .Anna, the wife of Fred 
 P)rock, a farmer oi Chebanse township. 
 
 Zealous and emphatic in his advocacy of re- 
 jmblican ])rinciples. ^Ir. Carron has continuously 
 supported the party since custing his first presi- 
 dential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. and he 
 has never seen occasion to change his opinion 
 concerning the superiority of the party principles 
 as elements in good government. He was a 
 trustee of his village for three terms, discharging 
 his duties with credit to himself and satisfaction 
 to his constitutents. Both he and his wife are 
 communicants of the Catholic church, and in 
 Clifton, where they make their home, they have 
 manv friends. 
 
 JAMES O. WEST. 
 
 This is a utilitarian age and the successful man 
 is he who recognizes and sizes all of the ad- 
 vantages which surround him and who utilizes 
 every opportunity so as to accomplish maximum 
 results with mininnmi effort — that is without use- 
 less expenditure of time, energy or money. 
 James O. West is a typical representative of this 
 sjjirit as manifest in farming life and as the re- 
 sult of his own labors he now owns and operates 
 one hundred and ninety-five acres of valuable 
 land, one hundred and twentv acres of which is 
 in his home place on section 7. P.elmont town- 
 ship, lie was born in this township near Wood- 
 land on section 18, November 26, 1862. and is 
 a representative of one of the old families of the 
 east. His father. Thomas West, was a native 
 of Delaware and with his parents removed west- 
 ward to Indiana, whenci' tluy came to Illinois in 
 1840. Attracted by the discovery of gold in Cal- 
 ifornia. Thomas West made his way to the Pa- 
 cific coast in 1841). remaining there for three 
 \ears. during which time he worked to a consid- 
 eral)le extent in the mines. He then returned to 
 Illinois and in this state t'ollowcd farming, be- 
 
 ginning with one hundred and sixty acres of 
 land. His first wife died leaving no children and 
 he afterward wedded Mary Longshore, a native 
 of this state. I-'ollowing his marriage Mr. West 
 began developing and improving his farm, which 
 he placed under a high state of cultivation. 
 Adding to his property from time to time as his 
 financial resources increased, he became the 
 owner of four hundred and forty acres and there- 
 on resided throughout his remaining da\s. pass- 
 ing away in 1887. at the age of sixty-nine years. 
 His widow still survives and is now in her sev- 
 enty-second year. 
 
 This worthy couple were the parents of nine 
 children, five of whom reached years of maturity. 
 James ( ). West was reared to farm life, early 
 becoming familiar with the work of field and 
 meadow. He also had good common-school ad- 
 vantages and spent two terms as a student in 
 ( )narga Seminary. After completing his educa- 
 tion he worked for his father until the latter's 
 death and then inherited his share of the home- 
 stead and purchased the share of one of his 
 brothers. 
 
 On the 5th of February. i888. Mr. West was 
 united in marriage to Miss Anna Warren, a na- 
 tive of Middleport township and a daughter of 
 Wesley Warren, who was born in Indiana but 
 Iiecame a jjioneer settler of Iroquois county. 
 After his marriage James West built a home on 
 section 7. P)elmont township. He also put up a 
 good barn, thirty-six by forty-eight feet, and 
 sheds and cribs have been built for the shelter of 
 stock and grain. He has also set out shade and 
 ornamental trees and has two good orchards con- 
 taining one acre of apples and peaches. There 
 are also plum and cherry trees on the place and 
 in season he gathers considerable fruit. The 
 farm is well tiled and fences divide it into fields 
 of convenient size. In i8g8 he bought sixty 
 acres adjoining the home place and he now has 
 a valuable and highly improved farm, owning 
 altogether one lumdred and ninety-five acres. 
 1 le raises good grades of stock, including Nor- 
 man Percheron horses. 
 
 The home of Mr. and Mrs. West has been 
 blessed with hvr children: Dwight. who assists 
 in the o|)eration of the farm; Mary, at school; 
 rjnnie. who is in Watscka at school ; Benjamin. 
 also in school; and Hernie. who com]iletes the
 
 IRtHjLulS CuLMV. ll.l.INi tis. 
 
 3^5 
 
 familv. Tlic paroiits attiiul ilic Miilindist l{|)is- 
 ic'i»al dinrcli. of which Mrs. Wist is a nuiiibir. 
 Mr. West affiliati's with tlif .\Ii«Iirn Wo.xlmiii 
 cain]). No. 3ji)- 3' Walst-ka. ami in imliiics he 
 is a stalwart republican but at lucai elections votes 
 without reference to i)arty ties. He has been 
 tlitch commissioner for si.\ years and school di- 
 rector ft)r ten years and every |>ublic trust re- 
 poseil in him is faithfully met. in citizenshi]). 
 in public office, in home and social life, he is a 
 man worthy of the confidence anil j;ood will 
 which are uniformly tendered iiim. 
 
 I-RAXK I. Rll'l.l'.V. 
 
 The si)iril of proijress and enterprise is man- 
 ifestcil by IVank J. Kiple> in his farm work, 
 lie owns one hundred and sixty acres on section 
 JO. 1'rairie ( ireen township, and al.so u])erates 
 anniher tract of two hundred and forty acres 
 adjoininij. He is one of the more recent arrivals 
 in lriK|uois county, where he has lived since 1S93. 
 l)ut is a native son of illin<jis. his birth havin;,'- 
 occurretl in Kendall county. Seiitember 2. 1S63. 
 He Comes of Kn^lish ancestry, his ])arents. W'il- 
 liain and iUizal)eth (Stamper) Ripley, .havin.ij 
 been natives of i-"n.t,'Iand. where thev were rearetl. 
 I-'ollowintj their marriaj^e tliey crossed the Atlan- 
 tic to the L'nited States and made their way into 
 tile interior of the country, castinij their lot with 
 the early settlers of Kendall county, 'i'lure the 
 father purchased land and opened u|> a new 
 farm, performing all the arduous labor neces- 
 sary to the development of the fields antl the care 
 I'f tlic .stock. He became owner of two hundred 
 and eighty acres and upon that |)lace reared iiis 
 family an<l remaine<l until called to iiis final rest. 
 which was in 1S73. Iiis wife survived him for 
 aliout twenty years. 
 
 i-'rank J. Ripiey was a youth of only ten years 
 at the time of iiis father's deaili. i ie was reared 
 in Ken<lali county and at the usual ape entered 
 the public sciiools there. i,ater he spent two 
 winter seasons as a student in the .\urora Sem- 
 inary and when not in school he remaineil upon 
 the farm with his niotlier. assistiuj:; iter in the 
 development and improvement of the place until 
 
 liis marriage, while later he carried on the farm 
 for her. 
 
 .Mr. Ripley was married in Kendall county, in 
 1SS4. to Miss Jennie \ ri-elaurl. who.se birth 
 occurred in that county, where slie sjient lier 
 RirliiiKid days and ac(|uired her education. 
 After farminjT for a lime in Kendall county, and 
 for one year in ( irundy county. .Mr. i'iipley 
 removed to iroijuois county in iS'j^. and <lurinij 
 the succcedinjj year cultivated a tract of rented 
 land, in iS<)4 he located where he now resides 
 and has since workeil dilijiently in further ini- 
 proviuf^- and developing; the place, lie now has 
 one of tile neatest homes in the townsiiip. liavinj:^ 
 remodeled and rebuilt the house, wliich stands in 
 the midst of a lar^e and well ke])t lawn, adorned 
 by a number of fine i)ine and cedar trees, 
 tof^ether with rtowerin^j and ornamental shrubs. 
 The .urass is well trimmed and the jilace is most 
 attractive in its apiiearancc. Xot far distant 
 from the house Mr. Ri])ley has built a lar^je corn 
 cri!) and lias other buildiniis for tiie shelter of 
 j^raiii and >tnik. lie has tileil and fenced the 
 l)lace and altogctlier has made a good farm, 
 whereon he raises the cereals best adapted to 
 the conditions of the soil and climate, also rais- 
 ing; horses, cattle and lio.ijs to some extent. His 
 attention. iKjwever. is princi|iall\- s^'iven to the 
 cultivation of fjrain. 
 
 L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Ri|ile\ have been born five 
 cliildren. (.'Iiarles. Illanche. Irviny;, i.yle and 
 Willie. Mr. liipley and his son Ciiarlcs affiliate 
 with the Modern Woodmen ami a fraternal in- 
 surance order. He votes with the republican 
 l)arty but has never bad time nor inclination 
 for ])ublic office. |)referrin}; to concentrate his 
 1 iiiri,'iis npnn liis business alt'.iirs. 
 
 W. A. Rt iS|:\-i;1-:R(1KR. 
 
 W. A. Roseni)erner. the senior nienilier of the 
 firm of I'iosenlierjjer & Miller, dealers in lumber, 
 buildinj; materials and farm iniptemeiits. was 
 born in Papineau township, Irotpiois county, Xo- 
 vemiier 2-i, i!^75. i Ie is a son of Kmil and 
 Amand l^oseniierger, who were natives of (ler- 
 nianv and on coniiu},' to America settled in I'api-
 
 326 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 neau township. Iroquois county, Illinois, in 1854. 
 Eiiiil Rosenbergor purchased a farm which he 
 continued to cultivate for some time. He after- 
 ward engaged in the hardware business with 
 Mr. Engleburt. uf Papineau. and later he sold 
 out and entered the firm of Rosenberger Broth- 
 ers, grain dealers of F'apineau. This relation 
 was maintained for a few years, when Emil 
 Rosenberger sold out to his brother August, and 
 removed tu Woodland, wliere he began dealing 
 in grain, lumber and coal in connection with 
 Robert Zemple. .Sub.'^equently thev dissolved 
 partnership but Mr. Rosenberger continued in 
 the coal and grain business and after a few years 
 formed a partnership with .Samuel Williams, of 
 Watseka. in the same line, this association being 
 maintained until his death in 1892. He thus 
 figured actively for many years in connection 
 with agricultural and conunercial interests in 
 Iroquois ct)unly. His political allegiance was 
 given to the democracy. 
 
 W . A. Rosenberger, who was one of a fam- 
 ily of ten children, was educated in the common 
 schools and in the Terre Haute Commercial Col- 
 lege at Terre Haute. Indiana, from which he was 
 graduated in 1894. He tlien occui)ied a positioii 
 as public accountant in Chicago for two vears. 
 after which he ^])ein ime year in California, on 
 the expiration of which ])eriotl he returned to 
 I'apineau. In the year 1899 he jjurchased the 
 grain and implement business n\ William Sievert. 
 and conducted the same for three and one-half 
 years, after which h.e sold out to the R. F. Cum- 
 mings ( irain Company, of Clifton. Illinois, but 
 held a position as buyer for a vear. After sever- 
 ing his connection with the firm he removed to 
 Martinton. Illinois, h^or two and a half vears 
 he has been connected with the lumber aiul coal 
 business which was established hv ](>\m Lee 
 Sage in .Martintmi ten years ago and which wa- 
 pnrcliasrd i)y .August Rosenberger & Com]i:uiv, 
 \\ . A. Rosenberger of this review being a mem- 
 ber of the firm. ( )n the 2'itli df August, U)o6, 
 the firm \\:is changed to Rosenberger & .Miller 
 and they cnnduct a general lumber business, also 
 <leal in brick, lime, cement, tile, wire fencing, 
 farm imi)lements and coal of all kinds. The\ 
 occ'.i])y a large building sixty-two bv one lunidred 
 ar.d fifty feet, in which they store all their Iinuber. 
 The trade has cimsiantlv increased since .Mr, 
 
 Rosenberger became a member of the firm and 
 has long since reached profitable proportions. 
 
 On the 17th of December, 1899, occurred the 
 luarriage of Mr. Rosenberger and ]\Iiss Emma 
 Perrault. who was born in Papineau township 
 in 1880. Tiiey became the parents of three chil- 
 dren but only one daughter is now living — 
 Thelma Inez. Mr. Rosenberger is a stalwart 
 democrat, prominent in the local ranks of the 
 party, and is now a member of the county central 
 committee. In his fraternal relations he is con- 
 nected with il-,e -Masons, the Odd Fellows and 
 the Alndein Woodmen. He is ?.n enterprisnig 
 and up-to-date business man. energetic and ])ro- 
 gressive and carries forward to successful com- 
 pletion whatever he undertakes. 
 
 GEORGE P. STEPHEX.S. 
 
 .\rtesia township has its full share of enter- 
 prising agriculturists who have converted the 
 once wild |)rairie into rich and productive farms. 
 the yield of which is misur])assed in other sec- 
 tions of the state. ( )ne of the thriftv and en- 
 ergetic farmers of this townshi]) is George P. 
 Ste])heiis. who lives on section (\ and whu owns 
 one huiidred and forty-two acres of land, while 
 altogether he farius three hundred acres. More 
 than four decades have come and gone since he 
 arrived in this county in 1863. He was Imrn in 
 Tuscarawas countw ( )hio, .Se]itembcr 24, 1849, 
 and In a son of John ."-^teijhens. a native of Eng- 
 land, in which country he was reared. Com- 
 ing to the new world in 1842. he established his 
 home in Ohio and was married there to Miss 
 Susan Mc.Mur])hy. a native of Delaware. On 
 leaving Tuscarawas comity .Mr. ."-^teijliens took 
 H]) his alinik- in Licking cminty, ( )hio, in the 
 year 1853. He was a shoemaker by trade and 
 followed that pursuit in carl\- life but afterward 
 concentrated his energies upnn farm work. In 
 1865 he c:inu tn Iroquois coiTfrtv, Illinois, set- 
 tling upon a farm u])on which he spent his re- 
 maining days, iiassing away Ajjril id, i9or). He 
 had survived hi> wife for about two years, her 
 death having oecin-red .August 12. i<;o4. 
 
 (itorge 1'. Ste]ihens is one of a faiuilv of six 
 snns and a diughler and with the excejjtion of
 
 (ii:( )K(ii". r. sTi-:i'iii:.\"s.
 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS
 
 IRUQL'OIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 .?-"^ 
 
 one brotluT all arc ycl living, lie was a yiuith 
 ui fifteen vears when lie came to lr<K|iiois C'Hinty 
 and his minority was s]K-nl as that of most farm 
 lads. The public-school system atTorded him his 
 educational privilej^es and after altendini; the dis- 
 trict scluHils he became a student in lluckley hiy;li 
 school. After he put aside his text-books he 
 assisted his father in the work of the homestead 
 farm until he attained his majority, after which 
 he conducted a meat market in Buckley. Subsc- 
 ipiently he purchased a hardware and j^rocery 
 business in that town and carried on the enter- 
 prise for about four years. Throufjhout his life 
 he has manifested close application and keen 
 business discrimination — f|ualities which are al- 
 ways essential to success. 
 
 Mr. Ste])hens was married on the farm where 
 he resides N'ovember 13. 1879. the lady of his 
 choice lieinj.; Miss I'lora Majors, a dau.i;;hter of 
 S. M. Majors, who is represented elsewhere in 
 this work. In 1881 Mr. Stephens removed to 
 the farm and has since enj^ajjed in i;eneral asjri- 
 cultural pursuits. He located first on the Ma- 
 jors farm and afterward i)urchascd one hundred 
 and forty-two acres adjoinini;. lie now has a 
 UoikI and well im])roved ])roperty and in addition 
 to this he owns four hundred and eiijfhly acres 
 of land in Mercer county. North Dakota, which 
 his son Raym(5nd is now operatiuji;'. Mr. ."^te- 
 I)hens lost his first wife in i8<;5 and her reniains 
 were laid to rest in the lluckley cemetery. 
 There were five children: Raymond, mentioned 
 aliove; I'rank M.. of Chicago; John 1!. and 
 Harry, at home: and Hazel, who has resided 
 with her maternal ji;rand|)arcnts from the age of 
 three years. Mr. Stei)hens was ajjain married 
 December 20. 1<;(/). the la<ly of his choice liciuiT 
 Miss Laura M. Ilurllmtt. of Chicago, who was 
 reared in Inxpiois county. 
 
 Mr. Stephens exercises, his right of franchise 
 in support of the men and measures of the re- 
 jmblicin i)arty. which he has supported since at- 
 taining his majority. He has never sought nor 
 desired office and the only ])ublic jxisition that he 
 has ever filled has been that of a memlK-r and 
 |)resident of the school board. He holds mem- 
 bership in the Methodist Episcopal church at Del- 
 rey. in which he is serving as an officer, and he 
 is an earnest worker in the Sunday-sclK ol, in 
 which he is superintendent. He started out in 
 
 life a poor man at the bottom <>( tin ladder. Ik- 
 today owes no man a dollar ami is the possessor 
 of good farming property which is the visible 
 evidence of his life of thrift and energy. He 
 has lived in lrr«|uois county for more than forty 
 years and is respected and honore<l as an active 
 and industrious citizen, who while i)rom(iting 
 his individual interests has also helped to make 
 and imjirove the county. A man of exemplary 
 habits, of high principles and of upright conilucl, 
 wherever he is known he comniands the good 
 will and trust of those with whom he is 
 associatetl. 
 
 S. k. W Al.KI'.R. .\1. 1). 
 
 Dr. S. 1\. Walker, who is engaged in the prac- 
 tice of medicine and surgery along modern scien- 
 tific lines at Chebanse. was born August 30, 1863,. 
 in Kingston township, in the province of (^ntaria. 
 Canada, his ])arents being ( ieorge W. and ICliza 
 ( Heaty ) Walker, who were farming people of 
 Canada and were of I'-nglish and derman ex- 
 traction. His father died in i<i03. while the 
 mother is now living at ( ilenvale, (Ontario. 
 
 Having mastered the elementary l)ranclus of 
 learning. Dr. Walker continued his studies in the 
 Syclenham high school at !\ingst<in. Canada, 
 and determining to make the practice of medicine 
 his life work he began ])re|jaration for that call- 
 ing by matriculation in (Juecns L'niversity at 
 Kingstiin. He there pursued the regular four 
 years' course and was graduated with the de- 
 grees of M. D. and (.'. .M. In i88<j he came to 
 Chebanse. where he has since engaged in active 
 ])ractice with growing success, his ])rofessional 
 duties calling him into nian\ nf the leading homes 
 of the town and surrounding country. He has 
 been a close and discriminating student of the 
 science of medicine, keeping in touch witli the 
 trend of niodern thought and investigation, ana 
 he is identified with the l>i-County Medical So- 
 ciety, the .State Medical .Association and Amer- 
 ican Medical .\ssociation. He assisted in or- 
 ganizing the Kankakee Comity Medical Society 
 and was identified therewith until the I'.i-County 
 Medical Society was organized. 
 
 ( )n the ijth of July, i8:;0. at Kankakee, Dr. 
 Walker was married to Miss Hertha W'ulfTe. of
 
 33° 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 that place. He holds membership witli the Mctli- 
 odist Episcopal church of Chebanse. while his 
 wife is a member of the Lutheran church of 
 Kankakee. In politics he is a stanch republican 
 and about 1895 was chosen president of the vil- 
 lage board, serving for one term. He lielongs 
 to Chebanse Temple lodge. Xo. 429, .\. !•". & A. 
 M., in which he has filled all of the <iffices. and 
 likewise affiliates with the Knights of Pythias, 
 the Modern Woodmen of .\nierica. tlie Royal 
 -Krcanum and the Loyal Americans. To him 
 there has come tlie attainment of a distinguished 
 position in connection with the |)ractice of med- 
 icine and surger\- in Iroquois county, for he has 
 manifested an ability which shows comprehensive 
 understanding of the science of medicine and a 
 conscientious regard for the duties and obliga- 
 tions that devolve upon him in this connection. 
 
 THOMAS WILLIS. 
 
 The life record of Thomas Willis is an ex- 
 cellent iIlu>tration of the fact that in America 
 "labor is king" — that earnest purjiose and ])erse- 
 verance can conquer difficulties and obstacles and 
 secure a measure of success which places the in- 
 dividual ami.ing tlie men of affluence in his com- 
 munity. .Mr. Willis is one of the well known 
 residents of Loda. where for twenty years he has 
 made his home and is. moreover, classed with 
 the old settlers of the county. He dates his resi- 
 dence in the state from 1853 and thus his memory 
 compasses the period of pioneer development as 
 well as later progress in this portion of Illinois. 
 He was born in .^-Somersetshire. Englan<l. June to. 
 1829. His father, i'eter W'iih's, was also a native 
 of England, where he spent the jjericid of his 
 minority, lie was married there to Sarah 
 Cooms, also a native of that countrv, and the\ 
 reared their family there. I'.otli the father and 
 mother have long since passed awaw 
 
 Thomas Willis was the youngest of their four 
 cliilrlren. the eldest being deorge Willis, \\ ho 
 sjiint his einire life in I'^ngland. while the second 
 son, Robert Willis, was the first of the family 
 to emigrate to the new world. He sjient a few 
 \ears in Xew ^'ork state and thence went tn 
 Wisconsin, locating ,at I'ond i\\\ l.ae, wliere his 
 
 last days were passed. The only daughter, P'liza- 
 l)eth Willis, became the wife of John Hopkins, 
 and crossing the .Atlantic to the I'nited State.-, 
 they settled in Illinois. A few years latter they 
 removed to Wisconsin, where Mr, Hopkins died. 
 
 Thomas Willis was reared to adult age in Eng- 
 land and was granted fair school privileges there, 
 lie is, however, a self-made man, owing his 
 prosperity entirely to his well directed efforts. 
 ISefore leaving his native countrx he was married 
 on the 26th of March, 1851, to Miss Ellen Sal- 
 vage, a native of England, and soon afterward 
 they took sliip at liristol, crossing the Atlantic 
 on a sailing vessel which eventually reached the 
 harbor of Xew York in safety, .After spending 
 about two \ears in that state they came to the 
 middle west in 1853, and, locating in Chicago, 
 Mr. Willis entered the employ of the Illinois Cen- 
 tral Railroad, being engaged at track-la\ing an.d 
 in other work. He dug the foundation for the 
 depot at Chelianse, and later he was pronToted 
 to foreman and had charge of the men laxing the 
 track and building the road as far south as 
 Paxton. For ten years he was in the eiuplov of 
 the railroad coni]iany, and. saving his earnings, 
 he made his first purchase of land in 1863, be- 
 coming owner of eighty acres in Pigeon (irove 
 township. With characteristic energy he l^egan 
 its development, put u]) the necessary buildings 
 tilled the soil, and in the course of time bought 
 more lai;d until he Ix'came the owner of two 
 hundred acres, constituting a well improved and 
 valuable farm which is still in his possessi(_)n. 
 In his agricultural life lie displayed much capa- 
 bility in developing tlie fields, was .systematic and 
 energetic in his work and ke]it in touch with the 
 trend of miMkrn ])rogTess as manifest in farm life, 
 lie continued to operate his land until i8Sf). 
 when he rutted the farm, removed to Loda, and 
 ])urehasi.d residence propertw He was after- 
 ward engaged in the agricultural imjilement bitsi- 
 ness here for a few years but has now lived 
 retired for some \ears in the enjovment ot a rest 
 which he has truly earned and richh' merits. 
 
 L'nto .Mr. and .\lr>. Willis ha\e been born 
 eight children: I''. I'., a resilient of Hammond, 
 Louisian;i ; .Mrs. I'hebe Webber, of .Montana: 
 b'lkii, the wife of CTarles ( )athoiit, a fanner of 
 I'igeon ( lro\-e townsliip ; Sarah, the wife of H, 
 Stro.in, who carries on agr;c'.ilt.ir,al pursuits i:i
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILI.IXoIS. 
 
 .Ui 
 
 Art'.'sia inwnsliiii : .\il:i I'., wlin is private sccrc- 
 tarv to t:U' president of the Detroit City ( ias Co:u- 
 pauv : Iteriiice, who is tlie wife of Ivii^ene Met- 
 ers, of Detroit, Michifjan: Thomas, who died 
 when a yoimji man of twenty years; I'anny. 
 who hicame the wife of W'ilHam I lockiidry. ancl 
 removed to N'eliraska, where she died in |S</). 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Willis are memlnrs of the Chris- 
 tian chnrcli of I'a.xton. with which he lias lieeii 
 identit"ie<l for thirty-three years, lie iias lieen 
 without aspiration for jxihlic office. The cause 
 of e<lucation. however, tiiids in him a warm and 
 stalwart friend and he has <loiie effective service 
 in its behalf while actini; on the school hoartl 
 in his district when living; on tl'.e farm and also 
 on the Loda school hoard. A review of his life 
 shows tint he has advanced from a lumihle finan- 
 cial position to one of al'tluence, that his methods 
 have always heen honnrable. and that his success 
 has Come as the sure reward of earnest and un- 
 faltering labor. At the same time he is nt that 
 class of citizens who. while |)ronioiini,r in<lividMal 
 interests, yet find opportunity to aid in public 
 proj;ress. and during the tifly-three years of hi: 
 resilience in Illinois he has heen much interested 
 in the tjrowth and ini|)rovement (jf the county 
 ai!d to the extent of his ability has aided in its 
 substantial ileveloijuunt. Led to seek a home in 
 .\mer;ca by the ho])e of enjovinj; better opjior- 
 lunities than were afforfled Jiim in Jiis native 
 land, he was not disap])ointed in the conditions 
 which he foimd here, for he realize<l that ojjpor- 
 tnnity was open to the ambitions encrjj;etic man. 
 He has never feared that laborious attention to the 
 details (if business so necessary to success and in 
 former years lalxired persistently and nnremit- 
 tingly until his work |)lace(l him in comfortable 
 circumstances, beinjj now the owner of a jj^ood 
 home and valuable farm returninj^ him a jjrati- 
 fvinsr income. 
 
 CM AKLI-..-^ R. SllCHXi mi. 
 
 Charles K. Stichnoth. who is successfully car- 
 rying on general agricultural jnirsuits in Stock- 
 hm\ township, his farm being on section 34. 
 where he owns and cultivates one hundred and 
 sixty acres of arable land, is a native son of this 
 .- pi 111' for his birth occurred upon the farm 
 
 which is uiiw hi> home, his nafil <lay being Sep- 
 tember 7, \X(>-,. His father. ( ieorge Stichnoth. 
 was a native of Hanover, (iermany. and came to 
 America when eighteen years of age. He made 
 his way direct to Illinois, settling first in Danville, 
 where he worked out by the month for several 
 xears. He was married there to .Miss .Mary Jane 
 I'^ndsley. a native of X'ermiliou conntx. .\fter 
 his marriage he opcrateil rented land in .Milfonl 
 township for several years an<l his first i)ur- 
 chase made him owner of one lumdred and sixtv 
 acres in Stockland township, where he built a 
 house ami made a home. 1 ie imjiroved the i)lace. 
 devel(i))ing an excellent farm, the well tilleil fields 
 annually returning to him rich harvests. Later 
 he bought one hundred anil sixty acres adjoining 
 and resided thereon until iSi^j, when he removed 
 to Alabama. There he owned a i>each orchard 
 containing twelve hundred trees, and his atten- 
 tion was given to horticultural jjursuits uji to the 
 time of his death, wliich occurred in 11/33, when 
 he was seventy years of age. His wife died 
 in i8(>i. when fifty-six years of age. 
 
 Charles R. .siiilnuith is one uf seven children, 
 five of whom reached years of maturity. He was 
 reared u])on the home farm and the educational 
 jirivilcges which he enjoyed were those afforded 
 by the common schools. When twenty-eight 
 years of age he went to \ermilion county and 
 was there employeil for two years. In i.Si>4 he 
 returned to the homestead farm, purchased the 
 interest of the other heirs in the ])roperty and 
 now has one lumdred and sixty acres which is 
 rich and productive, re.s|)onding readily to the 
 care and labor he bestows u])on i?. In addition 
 to cultivating the fields he has heen a breeder 
 and dealer in shorthorn cattle. 
 
 ( )n the 23d of September, iSi>(), Mr. .Stichnoth 
 was united in luarriage to Miss I'jiima lironsing, 
 a native of X'ermilion county and a daughter of 
 .\ugust lironsing. a native of (iermany. who came 
 to Illinois when a young man. .Mr. and Mrs. 
 Stichnoth have become the ])arents of three chil- 
 dren: .\ugust. luldie and Robert. 
 
 The family home is noted for its warm- 
 hearted and generous hospitality and both Mr. 
 and .Mrs. Stichnoth have a wide circle of friends, 
 politically he is a good democrat where the issues 
 that divide the two ]>arties are involved but at 
 local elections docs not consider parte lies. Ffe
 
 332 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 has served as highway commissioner for three 
 years and for one year was assessor, filling out 
 an unexpired term. lie has been school 
 director and trustee fur ten years and 
 has fraternal relatiiin> with the Knights of 
 Pythias of Milford and the .Modern Woodmen 
 camp at Stockland. Having spent his entire life 
 in this ciiunty. he has a wide acquaintance here 
 and has been a most interested witness of its 
 growth and progress, manifesting a public- 
 sijirited devotion to the general welfare. That 
 many of his warmest friends are those who have 
 known him from his boyhootl days to the present 
 is an indication that his life has been hdnoraljle 
 and straight f( irward. 
 
 CHARLES A. CALKIX. 
 
 Charles A. Calkin, who carries on general 
 farming interests on section 20 and 29, Iro(|uois 
 township, traces his ancestry back to an early 
 Xew England family. He is a descendant of 
 Oliver Calkin, a son of Dr. John Calkin, who 
 was a physician of considerable skill and came 
 to this country from Wales in 1750, settling in 
 Salem. Xew York, and a descendant of Hugh 
 Calkin. Representatives of the family took an 
 active part in the Revolutionary war as advo- 
 cates of the cause of independence. James M. 
 Calkin, the father of our subject, is one of the 
 oldest settlers of Iroquois county. He is now 
 retired and lives upon the farm with his son 
 Charles two miles north of Crescent City, lie 
 was born January 18. 1813. in Sullivan count\ , 
 Xew York, and is a son of Moses Calkin, who 
 was a native of the same locality. His grandfa- 
 ther built the first house in that settlement. 
 JVIoses (^alkin, the grandfather of our subject, 
 was a fanner by occu])ation and serveil in the 
 war of 1812. 
 
 James M. Calkin removed from the F.mpire 
 state to Will county. Illinois, in i8_^(), trawling 
 by canrd to Ihiffalo and thence to Chicago on a 
 boat which was named l);miel Webster. .\t that 
 time the metropolis of the west contained a iiopn- 
 lalion of oidy two hundred ami there were two 
 ta\-erns in the little village. It was all swamji 
 land at that time. .Mr. Calkin made lii> wa\ to 
 
 Will county and there resided until 1850, when 
 he went overland to California, leaving his fam- 
 ily in that county. He spent two and a half 
 years on the Pacific coast engaged in mining 
 most of the time and made some money while 
 there. He then returned to Will county, where 
 he carried on farming, owning a good tract of 
 land there. He had been engaged in agricul- 
 tural pursuits in that locality before he made his 
 westward trip and continued his residence in 
 Will county until 18O5, when he removed to Iro- 
 (juois county and purchased the farm upon which 
 he yet resides. He and his stin Charles own 
 three hundred and forty-seven acres of land on 
 sections 20 and 29. Irinjuois township. The fa- 
 ther improved the place, erected buildings, put 
 u]) a fine home and carried forward the work 
 of development and cultivation with gratifxing 
 success.- 
 
 ( )n the i3tli of May, 1838. James M. Calkin 
 was united in marriage to ?kliss P. F. Harris and 
 they have now traveled life's journey together 
 for more than sixty-eight years. Thev are two 
 of the oldest settlers living in Iroquois county 
 today. ^Irs. Calkin was born December 4, 1820, 
 in Massachusetts, and is a daughter of Shadrach 
 I larris. who went from Massachusetts to \'er- 
 ninnt and thence to Erie county. Xew York. 
 He afterward came to Illinois with his familv. 
 settling in \\'ill county in 1834. \Miey they 
 arrived in Chicago it was nothing but swamps 
 and Mrs. Calkin walked through or waded the 
 swamps on the journey from Chicago to their 
 destination. The last two nights befoie they 
 arrived in Chicago from the east they slept on 
 the sand and after reaching the future western 
 metropolis, which then contained but small huts, 
 she had to slec]) on the hay. then called prairie 
 feathers. There were more Indians in Chicago 
 at that time than were white people and the red 
 men were likwise \ery numerous in Will county. 
 Her father continued to live in Will cinmtv until 
 iSf)4. when he removed to Irtjquois count\' and 
 bought tile farm upon which our subject now 
 resides. 'There he lived for two years, after 
 which he sold oiu and returned to Will county, 
 where he s|)ein his subsequent davs. 
 
 Cnto .Mr. and .Mrs. James M. C'alkin were 
 born six children, of whom two died in early 
 life. The others are: .Marv, the wife of Robert
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVEKSnV Of ILLINOIS
 
 MR. AXn MRS. I. M. CALKIX.
 
 MR. WD MRS. C. A. CALKIN. 
 
 19 
 
 ' I
 
 u: ,rlE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUXTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ii7 
 
 jarvis. a risitlciit of Texas ; Xewill. an olil 
 soldier residing in MiifonI: Kiilli. \vli«> marrici! 
 Sanford Oldham and lives in I'.Iaine county. Xc- 
 braska ; and Charles A. 
 
 In his political views James M. Lalkin has 
 heen a rejuihlican since the orj^anization of the 
 party and has served as assessor of Iroquois 
 township for five years, lie has voted at every 
 presidential election from the time he cast his 
 first ballot for Martin \ an I'.nren to the present, 
 and he also voted for the first ;;overnor of Cali- 
 fornia. He and his wife are both faithfnl mem- 
 bers of the .Methodist I'!])isco])al church and were 
 amonjj the first representatives of that denomina- 
 tion in this county. .Mr. Calkin united with 
 the church at the age of twenty-five years and 
 his wife when a little maiden of ihiiteen years. 
 He has been steward and class-leader in the 
 church and has been one of the most prominent 
 and worthy members, contributin}^ ijenerously of 
 his means to its su]i])ort and doing all in his 
 power to advance its jjrowlh and extend its in- 
 Huence. He and his wife each have a .gold medal 
 awarded them at the ( Hd Settlers' Reunion. Mr. 
 Calkin has now |)assed the ninety-third milestone 
 on life's journey, while lii> wife is but little 
 yinuij;er. They are amonj; tiie most venerable 
 residents of the count\- and are most respected 
 ])eople. They have intimate ])ersonal knowledy;e 
 of many of the events which have left their im- 
 press u|ion the state and wliich to other people 
 are merelv matters of history, (ireat have been 
 the changes that have la-en wrought since they 
 arrived in Illinois. The red race has long since 
 been supplanted by the white ))opulation and the 
 Indian wigwams have given way before the at- 
 tractive liomes that now ilot the county. Wild 
 land which was uncultivated or else was used 
 by the Indians for raising only a little patch of 
 Corn, has been converted into rich and pro<luctive 
 fields, and all this broad countryside is cultivated, 
 bringing forth rich cro|)s of cereals or fruit. The 
 Calkin family in the early days lived in true pio- 
 neer style and they aided in laying broad and 
 dee|) the foundation upon which the jjresent 
 growth and prosperity of the county rests. 
 
 Charles .\. Calkin was educati^l in the common 
 schools of IriHjuois county and also s|)ent one 
 year as a student at IlliMHuJngton, Illinois. He 
 lias alwavs lived at home and as his vcars and 
 
 strength have increased has aided more and more 
 largely in farm work, long since assiuning con- 
 trol of the farm. .\s slaletl. with his father he 
 owns a valuable tract of land of three hundred 
 an<l forty-seven acres on sections jo and 2t). Iro- 
 • piois township, and none of the accessories or 
 conveniences of a mo<lcl farm are lacking upon 
 this place. 
 
 -Mr. Calkin was married .March 12. 1S83. to 
 .Miss Jennie Stire, who lived in the vicinity of 
 Lacon, Illinois, and they have si.x children: 
 I'ersis. Morris S.. Ilulda \ .. Ruth .\.. .Mary 
 Melle and Xewell (i.. all at home. The children 
 have been educated in ( )narga and in LSushnell, 
 Illinois. 
 
 Charles .\. Calkin carries on general farming 
 and stock-raising, making a specialty of the rais- 
 ing of sheep, cattle and thoroughbred Jersey 
 hogs. He also figures in connection with finan- 
 cial circles, being vice president of the First Xa- 
 tional I lank of Crescent City. He is independent 
 in his political views, supjiorting men and meas- 
 ures rather than party, bor eighteen years he 
 served as clerk of the school boanl and he has 
 been township collector. He and his wife and 
 all of their family are memlK'rs of the Methodist 
 L])iscopaI church, the work of which has been 
 greatly promoted through their etTorls and co- 
 o|)eration. Mr. Calkin has served for twenty- 
 three years as superintendent of the Sunday- 
 school and has also been steward and trustee of 
 the church. He is a member of Standard lodge. 
 .\'o. Tk)/. I. ( t. ( >. I-"., and of Crescent cam]). Xo. 
 I42(). M. \\ . A. lie has met in his business life 
 with a measure of success that is indicative of his 
 ability and enter])rise. of his careful management 
 and keen discriminati(jn. and he is now classed 
 with the sub.stantial residents of Irocpiois county. 
 
 CLAl'nE X. SAUM. 
 
 In ])rofessional circles Claude X. Sauiu has 
 gained an enviable ])osition. being accounted one 
 of the able members of the bar in Iroquois coun- 
 ty. He resides in W'atseka and. is a member of 
 the law firm of Kay, Saum & Kay. .\ native 
 son of the county, his birth occurred March lO, 
 1875. His father. Cicorge W. Saum, was born
 
 338 
 
 PAST AXD PRKSKXT OF 
 
 in De Kalb county, Illinois, and when twenty-one 
 years of age removed to Irofjuois county, where 
 he engaged in farming for many years, retiring 
 from active business life in 1892, since which 
 time he has resided in Oilman. In early man- 
 hood he wedded Maggie \. P.irchfield, a native 
 of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Claude X. Saum was educated in the country 
 schools of this county and in the Oilman high 
 school, from which he was graduated with the 
 class of 1893. Following the completion of his 
 literary education he worked upon the home farm 
 for two years, but thinking to find professional 
 life more congenial he took up the study of 
 law in Oilman in the office and under the direc- 
 tion of Spencer S. Cone. Subsequently he con- 
 tinued his studies in Dixon (Illinois) Law School 
 and was graduated in the class of 1897. The 
 same year he was admitted to the bar and com- 
 menced practice at Oilman, where he remained 
 until 1902, when he removed to Watseka and 
 formed a partnership with James H. Carey, the 
 firm of Carey & Saum having a continuous ex- 
 istence until September, 1905, when Mr. Saum 
 became a member of the present well known and 
 prominent law firm of Kay, Saum & Kay. Al- 
 though a young man his years seem no bar to 
 his progress and he is accounted an able member 
 of the Iroquois county bar, a position to wdiich 
 he has attained by reason of his wide and ac- 
 curate knowledge, his correct application of legal 
 principles and his devotion to the interests of his 
 clients. 
 
 Mr. Saum was married in 1901 to Miss Olive 
 Mather, a native of Jackson,- Mississippi, and 
 they are accorded a prominent position in the 
 social circles of the city in which they make 
 their home. Mr. Saum is identified with Oilman 
 lodge of the Knights of Pythias and is also a 
 popular and valued member of the Iroquois Club. 
 
 IRA H.\MILTON OILLUM, :\I. D. 
 
 Dr. Ira Hamilton Oillum, who died at his 
 home in Milford, March 6, 1906, was for years 
 one of the leading and well known physicians of 
 Iroquois county. He became a resident of Mil- 
 ford, August I, 1883, and the high character of 
 
 his professional service and of his individual 
 worth made him a man whom to know was to 
 esteem, and honor. Corn in Indiana on the 18th 
 of September, 1843, '^^ ^^'^'^ reared to manhood 
 in th;it state and acquired a liberal education 
 at P)loomdale. In the period of his later youth 
 and early manhood there was great discussion 
 of the slavery question and the right of govern- 
 mental interference. Party feeling ran very 
 high and old political organizations ceased to ex- 
 ist, while new ones took their place, their or- 
 ganization caused by the momentous questions 
 of the period. Dr. Oillum watched with interest 
 the progress of events in the south and in 1863, 
 when not yet twenty years of age, he offered his 
 services to the government, becoming a member 
 of Company H, Sixty-third Indiana \'olunteer 
 Infantry. Thoroughly patriotic in spirit and 
 faithful in his service, he continued at the front 
 throughout the remainder of the war and partici- 
 pated in a number of important engagements, 
 including the battle of Franklin, Tennessee. Be- 
 coming ver_\- ill with typhoid fever, he was in the 
 hospital for a considerable period, recovering his 
 health toward the close of the war. He was 
 honorably discharged at Indianapolis after the 
 cessation of hostilities in 1865 and returned home 
 with the boys in blue who had so faithfully de- 
 fended the old flag and the cause it represented. 
 
 When the country no longer needed his aid 
 Dr. Oillum returned home and resumed his 
 studies at lUoomdale, completing a course there. 
 Subsequently he engaged in teaching in Foun- 
 tain county, Indiana, and afterward at Newport, 
 that state, and thus he entered upon active busi- 
 ness life, atlhough in later years he transferred 
 his allegiance from the teacher's profession to 
 that of the physician's. 
 
 .\t Newport, Indiana, Dr. Oillum was married 
 on the 14th of August, 1867, to Miss Sarah 
 Richardson, a daughter of Benjamin and Eliza- 
 lieth Richardson. Her father was one of the 
 pioneer residents of the Hoosier state, to which 
 he removed with his father, Joseph Richardson, 
 who entered land from the government and 
 cleared and developed a farm, upon which he 
 spent his remaining days. Following their mar- 
 riage Dr. and Mrs. Gillum resided near. New- 
 port and he took up the study of medicine there, 
 pursuing his first course of lectures in Rush
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 339 
 
 Medical College in Chicago in i8<.>S. lie located 
 at Ivesdale, Chainpaigii county, Illinois, wIkto 
 lie entered actively ii]x>n the ])ractice of niedicine 
 and surgery, .\inbitioiis to attain the greatest 
 jHrrfcction possible, in 1872, he again entered 
 Rush, where he coni])leted tlie regular course 
 and was graduated in the class of 1S73. He 
 then practiced in I'arke county, Indiana, opening 
 an office in Sylvania. where he continued in the 
 active and successful prosecution of his profes- 
 sion for ten years. Thinking to find a still more 
 favorable opening at Milford. Illinois, he re- 
 nittved to this city in 1883 and soon demon- 
 strated his ability to successfully cope with the 
 difficult problems which continually confront the 
 physician. Witiiin a short space of time he had 
 secured a liberal patronage and liis practice stead- 
 ily increased in extent and importance. He be- 
 canie the loved family physician in many a house- 
 hold and his skill and ability were demonstrated 
 on various ixrcasions. He held membershi]) in 
 a number of medical si>cieties and kejjt abreast 
 with his profession in the onward march of prog- 
 ress through the ])erusal of meilical and scientific 
 journals and other medical literature, l)eing a 
 great reader and student. 
 
 Dr. and Mrs. (lillum became the i)arents of 
 si.\ children, of whom four are yet living: Mrs. 
 Frank W'ideman. of Milford: Mrs. James .\Ilen, 
 who is living in Eureka, Illinois: Mrs. Fleet Gil- 
 luni Thompson, of Peoria ; and William Jcnner, 
 who is a professor of music, living in Sheldon, 
 Iowa. They also lost two children, one d_\ing 
 in infancy and the other in early childhood. 
 
 Politically the Doctor was identitied with the 
 rei)ublican party and after coming to Milford he 
 served on the national board of examiners for 
 twelve years. In Indiana he was recognized 
 as one of the standard bearers of his party and 
 was elected and servetl in the state legislature 
 as representative from Parke county. He always 
 stood for good government, placing the general 
 welfare before partisanshiji or self-aggrandize- 
 ment. He regarded it as the duty as well as 
 the privilege of every .\merican citizen to keep 
 well informed oi\ the issues of the day and ex- 
 press his preferences regarding political princi- 
 ples. His public life, professional and political, 
 was characterized at all times by a sense of con- 
 scientious obligation and a faithful performance 
 
 of duty. There was a considerateness and kind- 
 liness in his manner that won confidence and 
 made him a cheery presence in the sickr<x)m, 
 and when he was called from this life his death 
 came as a personal bereavement to many who 
 knew. res]K'Ctefl an<l honored him and wIkj were 
 bound to him in the strongest ties of friendship 
 as well as of professional service. The poor 
 and needy always found in him a friend and he 
 would as readily answer a call from those from 
 whom he could expect no remuneration as froin 
 his well-to-do patients. He tiM>k great interest 
 in schools and educational affairs and materially 
 assisted in establishing the library at Milford. 
 Being an active member of the Masonic frater- 
 nity and the Grand Army of the Republic, be 
 was laid to rest bv those orders. 
 
 LOUIS J. li:mfn.\ger. 
 
 Louis J. Lemenager, the present supervisor of 
 .\slikum township, now serving for the second 
 year, is engaged in farming and stock-raising, 
 making a specialty of the breeding of fine short- 
 horn cattle. His farm comprises two hundred 
 and forty acres of land and has been his place 
 of residence for the past nine years. He is one 
 of the native sons of Iro(|uois county, his birth 
 having occurred in .\shkum township, June 16. 
 181)7. 
 
 His parents were Eugene and .\ntoinette 
 ( .\ucremaime) Lemenager. The mother, a na- 
 tive of llelgium, came to the L'nitcd States when 
 thirteen years of age. The father, who was also 
 born in P>elgium. died October 27, 1899, at the 
 age of sixty years and nineteen days. He was 
 born Octol)cr 8, 1839. and came to .\merica in 
 the s]iring of 1856, locating in .\sbkum town- 
 shi]), where he secured a farm, u])on which he 
 resided until his death. He owned at that time 
 four hun(lre<l and eighty acres of land all im- 
 proved. His life demonstrated what could be 
 accomplished by determined purpose and mi- 
 faltering energy. He was at one time supervisor 
 of his townshi]) and he was justly regarded as 
 a prominent farmer and highly respected citizen. 
 His wife, who was liorn October 31, 1842. came 
 with her ])arents to Invpiois cminU in iS!;;. the
 
 340 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 family home being establislied in Ashkum town- 
 ship. She was a daughter of Joseph Ancre- 
 maune, who was a brick manufacturer and spent 
 about eight years in that line of Ijusiness in Chi- 
 cago, while subsequently he removed to a farm 
 near Green Day, Wisconsin, residing there until 
 his death, which occurred about 1890. It was 
 on the 23d of September. 1861, that his daughter 
 Antoinette gave her hand in marriage to Eugene 
 Lemenager. In the family w-ere six children : 
 Jules, a resident of Ashkum township : Arthur, 
 who is living in the same township near the 
 village of Ashkum : Mrs. Eugene Poskin, of Ash- 
 kum township: Louis J.; Hubert, of Ashkum 
 township; and ^Irs. Alexander Petit, of Dan- 
 forth township. 
 
 Louis J. Lemenager was reared upon the home 
 farm to the age of seventeen years and during 
 that period spent the w^inter months as a pupil 
 in the Plato school, this county. He afterward 
 spent one year at Grand Prairie Seminary, in 
 Onarga, and throughout much of his life he has 
 carried on general farming. He also devotes 
 considerable time to civil engineering and has as- 
 sisted in several important surveys for drainage 
 and other improvements in this section of the 
 county. During the past nine \ears he has re- 
 sided upon his present farm, owning a valuable 
 property of two hundred and forty acres in .\sh- 
 kum townshi]). which is well tilled and brings 
 forth abundant harvests. In all of his farm 
 work he is progressive as well as practical and 
 excellent results have therefore attended his 
 labors. 
 
 When twenty-two years of age Mr. Lem- 
 enager was married to .Miss .\ugusta Poskin, a 
 daughter of August Poskin, an early resident 
 of Iroquois county, now deceased. Four chil- 
 dren grace this miion, .\ugust, Albert, Stella and 
 William, aged respectively sixteen, thirteen, nine 
 and seven vears. 
 
 Mr. Lemenager exercises his right of franchise 
 in sujjport of the men and measures of the de- 
 mocracy and has served for five years as school 
 trustee in Iroquois townslii]i and has been school 
 director in .\shkum township nine \cars. So- 
 cially he is connected with the Independent Order 
 of Odd Fellows and the family attend the Catho- 
 lic church. His entire life has been passed in 
 Iroquois county, where he has manifest the 
 
 strong and .sterling qualities that have gained 
 for him a place among the substantial citizens 
 and have also won for him the favorable regard 
 of his fellowmen. 
 
 GEORGE A. WEEKS. 
 
 It is seldom that death brings genuine sorrow 
 to so manv liearts as it did when George Au- 
 gustus Weeks was called from this life on the 
 24th of September. 1Q04. He had been reared 
 in Sheldon and from his boyhood days had dis- 
 ])layed many sterling traits of character which 
 endeared him to those who knew him, and no 
 resident of the city was more widely known than 
 he. His birth occurred in ^ilonticello, Indiana, 
 on the ii)th of July, i86!j, and he was the second 
 son of William Augustus and Annie E. (Moore"! 
 \\'eeks. Mention is made of his parents on an- 
 other page of this work in connection with the 
 history of his brother. Paschal B. Weeks. 
 
 George .\. Weeks spent the first six vears of 
 his life in the place of his nativity and then ac- 
 companied his parents on their removal to Shel- 
 don, where he continued to reside U]) to the time 
 of his death. He was known here as boy and 
 luan, joyous and free-hearted in youth, and when 
 tlie age of discretion and responsibility came he 
 took up the duties of life bravely and manfully 
 becoming recognized as one of the leading repre- 
 sentatives cif business life in the town. His 
 father established a grocery and provision busi- 
 ness in .Sheldon and later began dealing in dry 
 goods and groceries. .After his death the busi- 
 ness was continued by ^Irs. Weeks and her two 
 sons. Paschal and (leorge. and for sixteen vears 
 tlu' latltr was prominently identified with com- 
 mercial interests in Sheldon, being recognized as 
 one of the most ])rogressive and energetic busi- 
 ness men of the town. After his father's death 
 he largely had the management of the store and 
 through his capability, keen foresight and in- 
 domitable pur])ose he increased the volume of 
 trade until the store became one of the largest in 
 this part nf the county. Xew lines were con- 
 linuall\- added and finally the business developed 
 into .-i department store. George .\. Weeks not 
 only worked for the upbuilding of the trade but
 
 (•.EORr,!-: A. WKKKS.
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 34J 
 
 extended his efforts into otlicr lines. I le invented 
 a lace curtain cxhibitur. for which there was 
 a wide sale, and siibse(|iieiitly he bejjaii the manu- 
 facture of couches, meeting with gratifying suc- 
 cess in that undertaking. Mis busy mind was 
 continually evolving new ideas and in all of his 
 work he wrought along modern lines, keei)ing 
 in touch witii advanced thouglu and methotis. 
 
 ( )n the jSth of December. \i)i)2. .Mr. Weeks 
 was united in marriage at Little Rock. Arkansas, 
 with Miss Winifred Strickler. a daughter of Mr. 
 and Mrs. I. X. Strickler. who were at that time 
 living in Hunter, .\rkansas. but had formerly 
 been residents of Sheldon. Mrs. Weeks' early 
 girlh(X(d days were here passed, so that she did 
 not come as a stranger to Sheldon when brought 
 to the city as a liride. The young couple at 
 once took pnjminent place in the social life of 
 the town and the hospitality of their own home 
 was greatly enjoyed by all wiio knew them, so 
 warm-hearted, generous and free was it. 
 
 .Mr. Weeks belonged to Davy Crockett camj). 
 No. 55J. .M. W. .\.. which he joined on its or- 
 ganization and served as its tirst escort, ami when 
 he was called to his final rest the interment was 
 conrlucted umler the aus])ices of that cam]). 
 Those who knew .Mr. Weeks recognized in him 
 strong and salient characteristics which were 
 worthy of emulation and of high commemlation. 
 He was devoted to the best interests of his city 
 and his aid and co-operation were always a factor 
 in promoting the plans and movements for the 
 general good. He held friendship inviolable, 
 recognized the jjcrsonal obligation in all of his 
 relations with his fcllowmen and in his home life 
 was known as a most devoted son. hu.-iband and 
 father. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Weeks had been 
 born a little son, George .\. Since the death 
 of Mr. Weeks the mother and son have returned 
 to Hunter, .\rkansas. where her parents reside. 
 
 WILLIAM 1!.\R()X. 
 
 <')n a farm on section 7. Iroquois town.ship. re- 
 sides William Haron. jvhose capable management 
 in agricultural inter^ts is widely recognized. 
 He has. moreover, been a factor in financial cir- 
 cles since the organization of the I'irst National 
 
 Hank at Crescent City in i«>o3, when he became 
 one of its directors. .\ native son of the county, 
 his birth occurred in I'apineau township, on the 
 I2th of February, 1871, and he comes of French 
 ancestr>-. His father, Moses Baron, was born 
 in Canada and came to this country when a 
 boy of five years with liis mother. He was 
 reared in Papineau township, the district being 
 then a frontier settlement. He worked for 
 James Martin for eight years and later began 
 business on his own account. I'ros|)ering in his 
 undertakings, he made judicious investnients in 
 real estate, buying land from time to time until 
 he was one of the largest landowners of the 
 comity, his possessions aggregating sixteen hun- 
 dred acres. He has since disposed of a portion 
 of this but he now owns about one th<:)usand 
 acres and is living retired in St. .\nne. his ex- 
 tensive possessions returning him a very grati- 
 fying income that supplies him with all of the 
 Comforts and the luxuries of life that he may de- 
 sire. His wife has passed away. In their fam- 
 ily were thirteen children, and theirs is the re- 
 markable record that all are yet living. 
 
 William Raron was rearetl in I'apineau town- 
 ship, and no event of special imi)ortance oc- 
 curred to vary for him the routine of farm life. 
 He worked in the fields from the time of early 
 s])ring planting until crojjs were harvested in the 
 late autumn. In the winter months he attended 
 school and continued to assist his father until 
 twenty-five years of age. when he started out 
 u])on an independent business career. He con- 
 tinued actively in farm work until i<kx). when 
 he purcha.sed his present place of one hundred 
 and twenty acres on section 7. Irocjuois township. 
 He also owned an interest in one hun<lred and 
 seventy-six acres which he sold recently. He is 
 an enterprising farmer and carries on general 
 agricultural inirsuits and stock-raising, having 
 a fine herd of thoroughbred polled .\ngus cattle. 
 Me also raises gCMid grades of draft horses. The 
 farm is well equipped with substantial buildings 
 and the latest improved machinery, and in fact 
 none of the accessories of a model farm property 
 of the twentieth century are lacking. 
 
 Mr. r.aron was married to Miss .\nna Raboin, 
 a daughter of Joseph Raboin. one of the old 
 French settlers of .\shkum township. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Uaron have four children. Blanch. Milton,
 
 344 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 Rernice and Luverne, all of whom are yet at 
 home. The parents are devoted and devout 
 communicants of the Catholic church at L"Erabk-. 
 His political views endorse republican principles 
 and his fraternal relations are with the Modern 
 Woodmen of America at Papineau. Without 
 havinjj assistance at the outset of his career Wil- 
 liam P.aron has labored enersjetically and per- 
 sistently, realizing: that in America "labor is king" 
 and it is the rule of this sovereign that gains the 
 tribute of success and pro.spcrity. 
 
 DA\TD BEESOX. 
 
 David Beeson, police justice of Pigeon (irove 
 township and a resident of Cissna Park, starteil 
 in life in this county as a renter and is now 
 living- retired from business cares, having through 
 years of former activity and toil won a com- 
 fortaljle com])etence. Pie came to the county in 
 1868 and has since resided within its borders. 
 His birthplace was Randolph county. Xorth 
 Carolina, and his natal dav December 27, 1840. 
 His father. Isaac Beeson, was likewise born in 
 the same county and was married there to Re- 
 becca Lamb, a native of Xorth Carolina. Mr. 
 Beeson was a blacksmith by trade and also a 
 miller and farmer. He possessed much natural 
 mechanical ability and ingenuity and was able to 
 turn his hand to almost any kind of mechanical 
 work. In 1845 'ic removed with his family to 
 Parke county, Indiana, where he engaged in the 
 conduct of a gri.stmill. spending his remaining 
 days in that locality. He was not long permitted 
 to enjoy his new home, however, for his death 
 occurred in 1846. His wife survived him for 
 a number of years and also died in Parke county. 
 
 David Beeson of this review was a lad of but 
 six years at the time of his father's death. He 
 was reared in Parke county, but as the family 
 were left in somewhat limited financial circum- 
 stances his educational privileges and other op- 
 Ijortunities were meager and it has been through 
 reading, e.xperience and observation that he has 
 broadened his knowledge and become a well in- 
 formed man. 
 
 The ])eriod that tested the loyalty and valor 
 of .\merican citizens found Mr. I'.eeson to be a 
 
 brave and stalwart champion of the Union cause. 
 On the 28th of July. 1862. he enlisted as a mem- 
 ber of Company A, Eighty-fifth Indiana \'olun- 
 teer Infantrx'. with which command he went to 
 the south, the regiment being attached to the 
 Army of the Cumberland. He participated in a 
 number of engagements, the most important be- 
 ing that of Franklin. Tennessee. He w^as fre- 
 quently on the skirmish line and in scouting ex- 
 peditions and for a time he was ill in the hospital 
 at Danville, Kentucky, with typhoid fever. Sub- 
 sequentlv he was transferred to the hospital at 
 Nashville, Tennessee, and afterward to the con- 
 valescent barracks in Louisville. Before his re- 
 covery he was sent to the Soldier's Home in 
 Indianapiilis but as soon as he had sufficiently 
 recuperated he rejoined his regiment and served 
 until the close of the war. being mustered out at 
 Nashville and honorably discharged at Indian- 
 apolis. Indiana. Jtily 5, 1865. He then returned 
 home and for two years thereafter was engaged 
 in farming. 
 
 Mr. Pieeson had been married on the 20th of 
 November 20. 1860. to Miss Nancy E. Morgan, 
 who was burn in Indiana, where her girlhood and 
 her school days were passed. She was a daugh- 
 ter of Wyatt Morgan, a native of North Caro- 
 lina and a pioneer settler of the Hoosier state. 
 
 For a few years after the war ended Mr. Bee- 
 son remained in Indiana and in 1868 came to Iro- 
 quois county, Illinois. The first year he rented 
 land and afterward bought in Artesia township 
 a place of forty acres, on which few improve- 
 ments had been made. He began the further de- 
 velopment and cultivation of the place and later 
 added twent}' acres adjoining the original tract. 
 He built there good farm buildings, secured 
 modern machinery to work the fields and c.ire 
 for the crops and continued in active farm work 
 until 1890. when he sold his ])lace and removed to 
 Cissna Park. 1 lere lu- purchased a residence 
 and two acres of land. 
 
 L'nlo Mr. and Mrs. iieeson have been burn 
 two sons, jdlni, wlm is married and lives at 
 Cissna Park, has a son, l'"loyd Beeson. Sylvester 
 is at home, and both he and his brother are em- 
 ])loyed on the rural mail mute. The father has 
 been a life-long repulilican. casting his first vote 
 for .\braham Lincoln in 1864 while a member 
 lit the army. ICver\' four vears at the polls he
 
 IRCjgLdlS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 345 
 
 has jjiven ciulorscmi-nt U< the staiulanl bearers 
 of the ]>any and lie al.so takes an active interest 
 in liMTal elections, never niissinjj but one. Since 
 coniinR to Cissna Park be was elected and served 
 on the town board and he is now servin}.; tor 
 two terms as police niajjistrate, ])rovin}j a caini- 
 ble officer, who in the discbarj^e of his duty is 
 swerved by neither fear nor favor, lie and his 
 wife are faithful members of the Methodist l{i)is- 
 copal church, in which be is scrvin!.j as trustee aTul 
 l)rcsident of the btard. while hi.s wife belongs to 
 the missionary society. I'raternally he is con- 
 nected with lluckley lod«je. \o. (>^4. A. I-'. & A, 
 M.. and he maintains i)leasant relations with his 
 old army comrades lhrou}j;h bis membersbii) in 
 the ( Irand Army ])ost at Cissna Park. Thirty- 
 eipht years have come and .y;one since he arrived 
 in this coiuUy. tindin}^ here much wet and swampy 
 land, the work of reclamation havinij scarcely 
 been betjun in some districts. lie has seen the 
 best farms made and towns built up and can re- 
 late many interesting incidents of earlier days 
 and of the changes that have occurred to bring 
 aboiu the present develo[)ment. 
 
 .\II-.L\ l.\ L. MILI.I.U. 
 
 Melvin L. .Miller is the junior member of the 
 tirm of Rcj.senberger & .Miller, dealers in lumber. 
 omI. building materials and farm machinery at 
 Martinton. The attractiveness of Iroquois comi- 
 ty as a place of residence is indicated In the lad 
 that many of her native sons have remained with- 
 in her borders, enjoying the advantages here 
 otTered and by improvement of the opportunities 
 which surround all. working their way upward 
 to success. To this class belongs .Mr. .Miller, 
 who was born .\pril H). 1870. in .\fartinton town- 
 ship, and is a son of .Mvin and .\ddie M. ( Pear- 
 son) Miller, .\lvin .Miler was born in I'ord 
 county. Illinois, bis father having come to this 
 state at an early day. Removing to .Martinton 
 townshi]). .Mr. .Miller purchased two hundred 
 acres of land which he broke and improved, 
 making his home there continuously until 188'). 
 when he removed to Cbebanse. where he resided 
 for five years. On the expiration of that pe- 
 
 riod he went to Nebraska, where be has since 
 made his home. 
 
 .Melvin L. .Miller was educated in the country 
 schools and in Cbadron .\cademy. Through the 
 period of his boyhood and \outIi he live<l at home, 
 assisting his father on the farm until twenty-one 
 years of age, when be entered the railroad ser- 
 vice and for live years was thus engaged in the 
 west. In 181/) he took up bis abixle in Martin- 
 ton township, where for ten years he followed 
 farming, operating his fathers tract of three hun- 
 dred and twenty' acres, which he brought under 
 a high state of development, annually harvesting 
 rich crojis. In August. Kjof), however, he be- 
 came a factor in commercial life in Martinton by 
 forming a ])artnershi]) with William Rosenberger 
 as a dealer in lumber, coal. lime, cement, tile 
 and brick. The firm enjoys a good patronage 
 which is constantly increasing, and as the years 
 li.ive i)assed bv .Mr. Miller has in his business 
 life won a creditable measure of success. I'or 
 one year he traveled for the International Har- 
 vester Companv . 
 
 In his |)olitical views .\lr. .Miller i> a repnl)- 
 licaii and be affiliates with several fraternal or- 
 ganizations, including the Masons, the .Modern 
 Woodmen and the Knights of Pythias. He was 
 married in llemingford, Nebraska, in i8(>i. to 
 .Miss (irace Schaffer, a native of Iowa, and they 
 became the jiarents of two children, Russell and 
 Irene. In Martinton they have gaiiie<l many 
 friends, who esteem them because of their gen- 
 uine ])ersonal worth and many good traits of 
 character, and Mr. .Miller is making for himself 
 an honorable jilacc in trade circles and winning 
 that measure of success which comes as the re- 
 ward of i-liise and pirsist'ent application. 
 
 ARTIICk NOCRIF. 
 
 .\rtluir Nciurie. carrying on general agricul- 
 tural pursuits in Concord t<nvnsliip. was born 
 in P.eaver township. Ir<X|uois county, in 1883. 
 His father, ( ielos Nourie, was a native of Canada 
 and was only si.x years of age when brought by 
 his parents to Illinois, the family home being 
 established in Reaver township, Inxiuois county, 
 in pioneer days. There be was reared to agri-
 
 34*5 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 cultural pursuits and as a life work followed 
 farming and stock-raising. His wife, who bore 
 the maiden name of .\melia Labric. was al.so a 
 native of Canada. 
 
 No event of special importance occurred to 
 vary the routine of farm life for Arthur Xourie 
 in the days of his boyhood and youth. At the 
 usual age he entered the public schools and there- 
 in mastered the common branches of English 
 learning. When not busy with his text-books he 
 assisted in the work of the home farm and early 
 gained practical experience in the best methods 
 of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. He 
 came to his present place of residence in Con- 
 cord township in 1902. settling upon his father's 
 farm of two hundred and sixty-seven acres on 
 sections 3 and 4. He has since tiled twenty 
 acres of the land and has made other substan- 
 tial improvements and as the years pass by he 
 is carefully conducting his farming interests with 
 good success. He is a man of industry and de- 
 termination and is meeting with good success. 
 
 In 1902, in Beaverville. Illinois. Air. Xourie 
 was united in marriage to ]\Iiss Anna Lafond, 
 who was born in Beaver township, and they 
 have three children, .\nita, Clifford and Isabella. 
 ]\Ir. Nourie was reared in the Catholic faith and 
 is a communicant of that church, while in his 
 political views and affiliation he is a republican 
 but has never been an aspirant for office, pre- 
 ferring to concentrate his time and energies upon 
 his business interests. 
 
 SAMUEL C. liL'R.M.sdX. 
 
 .\niong the prominent and well-to-do agricul- 
 turists of Iroquois county is numbered Samuel 
 C. Hurnison, who owns and ojierates an excel- 
 lent property comjjrising four hundred and fortv 
 acres, situated on section 29. Lovejoy township, 
 his postoffice being Plooiieston. The family was 
 founded in .\merica about 1831, at which time 
 the i)aternal grandfatlicr of our subject came from 
 England and settled in Pennsylvania. The fa- 
 ther. William I'.urnison, was born in the father- 
 land in 181 1 and when a young man of about 
 twenty years accompanied his ])arents on their 
 emigration to the new world. After residing in 
 
 the Keystone state for a number of years. \\'il- 
 liam Burnison. in 1853. brought his family to 
 the west, thereby hoping to enjoy better advan- 
 tages in this new and rapidly growing country. 
 They drove across the country with a four-horse 
 team and were four weeks upon the road, flak- 
 ing his way to Illinois, ^Ir. Burnison settled first 
 in Dcwitt county, near Clinton, where he made 
 his home until 187 1, when he removed to Iro- 
 quois county, owning and operating a farm here 
 throughout his remaining days but his death oc- 
 curred while he was on a business trip to .\1- 
 legheny City, Pennsylvania. His wife survived 
 for a number of years, when. she. too was called 
 to her final rest. 
 
 The son, Samuel C. Burnison. was born in 
 Pittsburg. Pennsylvania. November 15. 1840, 
 and was a youth of thirteen years when he ac- 
 companied his parents on their removal to this 
 state, the family home, as stated, being estab- 
 lished in Dewitt county. His education, begun 
 in the common schools in the east, was continued 
 in the district schools of Dewitt county, and 
 there he was reared to manhood, assisting his 
 father in his farm work until he was twenty- 
 four years of age, when he established a home of 
 his own by his marriage. C)ctober 15, 1865, to 
 IMiss Catherine Ann Acken, who was born in 
 Morris county. X'ew Jersey, a daughter of \\"\\- 
 liam Acken, one of the early settlers of Dewitt 
 county, this state. Later he removed to Iro- 
 (juois ciiunty. and thence to Lincoln. Xebraska, 
 where his death occurred in 1900. His widow, 
 however, still survives and makes her home with 
 her children, numbering three sons and four 
 daughters. The sons, Joseph H., \\'illiam 
 (George and John X'aughn, are all brick and stone 
 masons. 'i"he daughters are Mrs. Martha Large, 
 Mrs. Hattie League, Airs. Ella Ferguson and 
 Mrs. Burnison. 
 
 Following their marriage .Mr. and Mrs. P.urni- 
 son took up their abode on a farm in Logan coun- 
 ty, which he ojK'rated for eight years, subsequent 
 to whicli period he removed to Iroquois county, 
 where he purchased one hundred and sixtv acres 
 of land, which has continued to be his home to 
 the present time. For this tract he paid twenty- 
 two and a half dollars ])er acre. This was all 
 wild and unimproved when it came into his pos- 
 session, but with a determined spirit Mr. Burni-
 
 MR. AM) MRS. S. C. BL'RXISOX.
 
 OF THE
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 i4') 
 
 son iiiulcrtiK'k till' artluous task of Itrcakinj,' tin- 
 laiul. which Ik- divided into liclds .it onivciiiciit 
 size bv buiUhnjj siil)staiitial Icnccs. Ik- hkc- 
 wisc ort-cU'd a small house, in which the family 
 made their luHiie for many years, shariny in the 
 hardships and trials incident to eslal)li>hin.u a 
 home on the frontier, lie has at dilTereni tinie.- 
 added to his original purchase uniil hi> home 
 place now emliraces a fine tract of three hundred 
 and twenty acres, and in addition to this owns 
 another tract situated on section 30. lie luis re- 
 placed the little jnoneer home hy a fine ci>untry 
 resilience, in the rear of which .stands a good 
 liarn and other outhuildings for the shelter of 
 grain and stock. His home is surrounded by a 
 fine grove containmg one thousand catalpa trees, 
 and altogether his pro|)erty is one of the finest 
 in this section of the stale. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. I'.urnison have eight living chil- 
 dren — four sons and four daughters: (ieorgc 
 L.. who is married and resides on a farm in 
 Lovejoy townshi]); Thomas A., who assists his 
 father in the operation of the home farm; Robert 
 L. and lienjamin II.. also under die parental 
 roof; Anna Jane, now the wife of (ieorge I lart- 
 man. a resident fanner of I'rairie (Ireen town- 
 ship; Xellie C. the wife of Cassius Hall, who re- 
 sides in Danville. Illinois; and Harriet l^liza- 
 beth and Myrtle I-'dith. both \oung ladies at 
 home. They have also lost three children; 
 Mary, who died at the age of thirteen years; 
 William .S.. when two \ears of age; and Matilda. 
 who died at the age of three years. 
 
 .Mr. I'.urnison gives his ])olitical support to 
 the republican party, casting his first presidential 
 ballot in i8<)4. in support of .\braham Lincoln, 
 and has never missed an election since that time, 
 always casting his ballot for the men and meas- 
 ures of the |)arty in which lie so firmly believes. 
 He is a believer in good schools, and has servetl 
 for fifteen years as a member of the school board. 
 but aside from this has never held other jiublic 
 office. I'.oih he and his wife ;ire devoted mem- 
 bers of the Methodist l^piscopal church. 
 
 Having lived in the county for more than .'i 
 half centnrx- Mr. I'.urnison is familiar with the 
 great changes which have here been wrought, 
 and he has been an active partici])ant in much of 
 the development and ]irogress that has here been 
 iindf ill .■ivriciilmv.il liiu'- lb- 1im< led ii \(r\ 
 
 active and busy life and in addition to his farm- 
 ing interests, for many \ears owned and oji- 
 erated a threshing machine, and his eldest son 
 still carries on ojjerations along that line. He 
 h;is workiil diligenllv in the ac(|uiremenl of a 
 goiicl property and a coiiiiieteiice and today his 
 fine farm is evidence of his success, and in ad- 
 <lition to this pro])erty he also owns a section 
 of land in North Dakota, and he is today ac- 
 counitd one of the iirospenms and highly es- 
 teeiiud citizens of Iroi|nois comitx. 
 
 .\SIIKIM |( »rk.\Ai. 
 
 .\slikum is fortunate in being re])resented by 
 one of the best countrv weeklies in the state. 
 The firm who jnit out this thriving paper is com- 
 posed of Harry C (iili)in. editor and business 
 manager, and his sister, Mrs. Stella M. Little, 
 r.oth are ex]ierienced newspajier ])eo|)le, as is 
 evidenced liy the \im and energy they |)Ut into 
 every issue of their paper. That the peo])le of 
 the community appreciate their etTorts is jirovcn 
 by one of the largest and best paying lists of sub- 
 scribers and the best advertising and job patron- 
 age ever given a jiajicr in a town of like size. 
 
 jOHX A. MII.LKR. 
 
 John .\. Miller, who conducts a general store 
 in I'ittwood, is a son of Uriah and Uatherine 
 Miller, who were pioneer residents of Kankakee 
 county. John Miller — he objects to the title .Mr. 
 — was born near Momence. h'ebrnarv 1. iSod. 
 bill when he was only two years old his jiareiits 
 removed to Middleport township, Iro(|uois coun- 
 ty, where his father died in .Sejitember. 1S72. 
 leaving his mother with the responsibilitv of 
 rearing the family. He had one sister. Lida. 
 and two brothers. William anil Lharles. Wil- 
 liam (lied when twenty-one years of age. The 
 mother is now making her home in Watsek.i, 
 Illinois. 
 
 When J, A. .Miller was nine years of age he 
 began working for other peo])le and through his 
 own e\iTtion> he has .iiiiiilti'd a lucrative biisi-
 
 350 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 ness and accumulated considerable property, 
 owning his own business house, the residence 
 adjoining it and other property in the town. 
 He opened his store in the winter of 1893 and 
 has worked untiringly and continuously in build- 
 ing up the splendid trade which he now enjoys. 
 He has also been postmaster for several years, 
 managing the office in connection with his general 
 mercantile interests. 
 
 On the loth of September. 1890, was celebrated 
 the marriage of J. A. ]\liller and ^liss Maud 
 Dixon, who belongs to a pioneer family of 
 Plato, being a granddaughter of John Wilson, 
 one of the early surveyors of Iroquois county, 
 who settled on the Iroquois river while there 
 were many Indians in this part of the state. 
 !Many of his original field notes are still in ex- 
 istence and his labors were an element in the early 
 reclamation of the county. Four sons have been 
 born into the ^ililk-r household: Durward \\\, 
 June 22, 1891; William, August 29, 1894; (Or- 
 lando, February 22, 1897; and Uriah James, who 
 bears a family name and was born April 20, 1904. 
 
 John A. Miller votes the republican ticket and 
 is interested in the growth and success of the 
 party. He belongs to the Pittwood Christian 
 church, to the Masonic fraternity, the Odd Fel- 
 lows lodge at Martinton and to the Modern 
 Woodmen camp at Pittwood, in wliich he has 
 been a constant worker and officeholder since 
 he united with the order. He is third vice presi- 
 dent of the Illinois State Detective Association 
 and is acquainted with all the social and political 
 movements of Iroquois county, while his co-op- 
 eration along various lines has been of decided 
 advantage to the county in its dcvelnjjmcnt and 
 progress. 
 
 WlLLl.VM HECKER, M. D. 
 
 William Hecker, a physician of Watseka, who 
 in his i)ractice is making a specialty of surgery, is 
 possessed of most accurate scientific knowledge 
 and in the practical work of the profession has 
 demonstrated his ability to accurately apply the 
 princi])les of the medical science to the needs of 
 his patients. By broad reading and discriminating 
 investigation he has kept fully abreast of the 
 progress of the times as manifest by the medical 
 
 fraternity and has a patronage which manv an 
 older physician might well envy. 
 
 Dr. Hecker was born in Cambria, Wisconsin, 
 ^larch 17. 1873. His father. Christopher Heck- 
 er, a native of Germany, came to the United 
 States when a young man and settled in \\'is- 
 consin, where he followed farming until his re- 
 tirement from active business life a few years 
 ago. The mother, ilrs. Augusta (Krebs) 
 Hecker. was also a native of Germany and they 
 became prominent residents of the section of 
 ^^'isconsin in which they established their home, 
 Mr. Hecker taking an active part in public affairs 
 as well as in agricultural life. The family num- 
 bered five children, two sons and three daughters. 
 
 Dr. Hecker, the oldest, began his education in 
 a countrv school and afterward attended Law- 
 rence L'niversity at Appleton, Wisconsin, from 
 which he was graduated with the degree of 
 Bachelor of Arts in 1898. Determining upon 
 the practice of medicine and surgery as a life 
 work, he began preparation for that calling and 
 won his degree at the time of his graduation 
 from the Northwestern ^Medical College in 1902. 
 He located for practice in Watseka in June of 
 that year and has remained here continuously 
 since, but in the meantime has pursued many 
 e.xtra courses of study in Chicago, making a 
 specialty of surgery. The periods of vacation 
 have largely been devoted to study and investi- 
 gation and to the acquirement of broad practical 
 e-xperience through hospital work. He has al- 
 ways been extremely proficient as a surgeon and 
 in his study and practice has kept fully abreast 
 with the times, being ambitious to advance in his 
 proficiency that his labors may be of still greater 
 benefit to mankind. Added to his laudable de- 
 sire for success and his love of scientific research 
 there is manifest in his work a humanitarian 
 spirit that is most commendable. 
 
 On the 5th of November, 1902, Dr. Hecker 
 was married to Miss Jessie E. Leatherman, a 
 daughter of John E. Leatherman, a prominent 
 resident of Watseka and a veteran of the Civil 
 war. Dr. Hecker is identified with the Indepen- 
 dent Order of Odd Fellows and with the Iro- 
 quois Club of Watseka. and also holds member- 
 sliip in the Methodist Episcopal church. His 
 interests are thus varied. He is not so abnor- 
 mally developed in any one direction as to be-
 
 IROgLULS COUNTY. II. 1. 1 \( MS. 
 
 35 « 
 
 cnmc a K<-""'>'^ '^I'l '^^ ■' yii'iJ^ "i;i" >>f well 
 rc>nn<lf(l characti-r. j^iviiij.; due |)riimiiu'ncc to tlu- 
 various iiiti-rots cpi" life wliicli wnrk for j^jood 
 citizcnslii|) and for coiiiinendahlc social relations 
 as well as for business success and ])roniiiience. 
 
 THKuDokl-: 1-1.\( II 
 
 Theodore I'incli. living; on section jj^. I'rairic 
 Cireeii township, not far from Hoopesion. is a 
 pro)j;ressive and substantial farmer and four hun- 
 dred acres of land p.iys tribute to his care, labor 
 and careful manajjrement. lie has one hundred 
 and si.xty acres in his home place, constitiuiii).,' a 
 very attractive farm. He was born in this town- 
 .ship. March 14. 1S34, and is a son of Robert 
 Finch, a native of ( )hit>. in which state he was 
 reared. In l-'ountain county. Indiana, he married 
 Sarah .\. Crawford, who was born in ( )bio. and 
 in 1X52 .Mr. I'inch removed to Iro(|uois countv. 
 Illinois, purchasinfj land in Prairie (ircen town- 
 ship, upon which he located. He entered al- 
 together about seven hundred acres from the 
 government. It was raw and undeveloi)ed but 
 he opened up a new farm, erected substantial 
 buildings there and in course of years developed 
 an excellent pro])crty. which constantly increased 
 in value and productiveness. He resided con- 
 tinuously upon that farm until i8<)3. when he re- 
 moved to Colfax. Indiana, where he purchased 
 a tract of land upon which he \et makes his home. 
 being now a hale and hearty old man of eighty- 
 seven years. His wife is also living and they are 
 a most esteemed and worthy old couple. eTijoving 
 in large measure the friendship .ind kindly regard 
 of all with whom they have come in contact. 
 
 I heodore I-"inch was one of eight sons and 
 three ilaughters. all of wIkmu are yet living and 
 with the exception of one son all have reared 
 families of their own. Theodore was reared 
 U|)on the old home farm in I'rairie ( Irecn town- 
 ship, which he now owns. .Vo event of sjiecial 
 importance occurred to vary the routine of farm 
 life for him in his boyhood days, for in the sum- 
 mer months he worked in the fields and in the 
 winter seasons atteiuled schoil. He remained 
 with his father until he had attained his majority 
 20 
 
 and made preparation for having a home of his 
 own by his marriage. 
 
 It was in InKjuois counl_\. on the 51I1 of April, 
 1877. that TheiKlore 1-inch wedfled Miss Ijiretta 
 Handy, who was born in l-"ountain county. In- 
 diana, but was reared in lro<|uuis county, Illinois, 
 having been brought to this .state when a child 
 of four years, .\fter acquiring her ])reliminarv 
 education in the di.strict schools .she continued 
 her studies in lloope.ston and afterward success- 
 fullv engaged in teaching for live years |)rior to 
 her marriage. The \oung couple located upon a 
 farm on section 26. I'rairie ( Ireen township. — 
 a place of two hundred an<l fiftv-six acres. — 
 which Mr. I-'inch cultivated for a number of 
 years. He built a good barn and house there, 
 laiil many rods of tile aiul fenced the farm, also 
 planted fruit trees and in other ways im|)roved 
 the proi)ert\. In ii)02 he rented that and located 
 on his present farm on section 23, I'rairc (ireen 
 township. With farming he raises good stfick 
 and he also feeds and fattens a large mnnber of 
 hogs for the market annually. His lainled posses- 
 sions are now extensive and valuable and be 
 derives therefrom a financial return which as the 
 \ears have passed has made him the pos.sessor of 
 ;i most comfortable com])etence. 
 
 I'nto .Mr. and Mrs. l-'inch have been born 
 nine children: Kohert W.. a farmer of I'rairie 
 (ireen township, who is married and has two 
 children. Ciordon and .\lmyra : (ioldie. the wife 
 of James I'ield. a resident farmer of the same 
 township: Mabel, the wife of Chester Field, who 
 follows farming in I'rairie (Ireen township: Ray- 
 mond J. and (^harles .\.. at home: Jamie an<l 
 Ruby K.. twins, but the former died at the age 
 of seven years: and .McKinley and Hobart. twins. 
 The p(5litical views of .Mr. l-'inch are in har- 
 mony with the |)rincii)les of the republican party. 
 He has served on the school board and as town- 
 shi]) school trustee, also as highway connnissioner 
 for three years, and is remiss in none of the 
 iluties of citizenshi]). His wife is a member of 
 the I'nited Brethren church and Ixith are w'orthy 
 pe<i))le of the community, with many friends who 
 esteem them highly. Mr. Finch has been a resi- 
 dent of Prairie drcen township throughout his 
 entire life. He broke the virgin sod. driving ox 
 teams to the breaking plow, and has herded 
 stock all over the prairies here. He has lived
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 to see the advance of modern development and 
 improvement and rejoices in what has been ac- 
 complished, for although he lias many pleasant 
 memories of the "good old days" he yet knows 
 that substantial advancement has been made in 
 many ways and he has kept in touch with the 
 trend of modern improvement. 
 
 JOHN L. .AIULLER. 
 
 John h. }iluller has for seventeen years re- 
 sided on section 17, Iroquois township, where he 
 operates eighty acres of land. He has been a 
 director in the First National Bank of Crescent 
 City since 1904 and is thus closely associated 
 with the business life of this part of the county. 
 It was in this township that his birth occurred 
 on the 23d of December, 1858, his parents hav- 
 ing located here the previous year. The father, 
 John F. ^fuller, was born in Mechlenberg. (ier- 
 many, and in 1857 crossed the Atlantic to the 
 new world, locating the same year in Iroquois 
 county, where he has since made his home. He 
 was a farmer by occupation and became the 
 owner of two hundred and forty acres of rich 
 land, which he improved and brought under a 
 high state of cultivation. He also placed sub- 
 stantial buildings on the farm and diligently en- 
 gaged in tilling the soil and raising stock. Thus 
 he prospered year after year and in 1902 he re- 
 tired from active business life and removed to 
 Crescent City, where he is now living at the age 
 of seventy-six years, while his wife is sixty-nine 
 years of age. They became the parents of five 
 children, of whom two sons and two daughters 
 are yet living: John L. ; Lewis, who married 
 Erma Harris and lives in Iroquois townslii]^ ; 
 Carrie, the wife of August Ritter, living in Iowa : 
 and Sophia, the wife of Frank Caveney, a resi- 
 dent farmer of Iroquois township. 
 
 John L. Muller is indebted to the public-school 
 system of the county for the educational privi- 
 leges afforded him in youth and when not busy 
 with his text-books or the pleasures of the play- 
 ground his attention was largely devoted to the 
 work of the farm. He is now residing on his 
 father's farm on section 17, Iroquois township, 
 where he has lived for seventeen vears. He 
 
 carried on the work of raising the cereals best 
 adapted to the soil and climatic conditions and 
 he also raises stock. In this work he annually 
 adds to his income and is now a prosperous 
 farmer. 
 
 Mr. Muller was married in 1890, to Miss Reka 
 Kahlmetz, a native of Germany, and they have 
 five children : Lula, Charles, John, Eddie and 
 Harry, all yet under the parental roof. Mr. and 
 ^Irs. Muller are worthy members of the Lutheran 
 church and are highly esteemed people. He 
 affiliates with the Modern Woodmen camp at 
 Crescent City, and his political views are in ac- 
 cord with the principles of democracy. He has 
 acted on the school board, but has never sought 
 or desired office as a reward for party fealty, 
 feeling that his time and attention are fully oc- 
 cupied w'ith his business interests. He has been 
 one of the directors of the First National Bank 
 of Crescent City since 1904. A man of good 
 business ability and much native force of charac- 
 ter, he is industrious and enterprising and has 
 achieved well merited success. He is also a high- 
 ly respected and valued citizen, and his aid is 
 never withheld from anv movement or measure 
 calculated to upbuild or benefit the community. 
 
 FRED A. CRANDALL. 
 
 The spirit of thrift and enterprise which domi- 
 nates Fred A. Crandall in his business life has 
 made him owner of an excellent farm of two 
 hundred acres on sections 21 and 22. Loda tow'u- 
 ship. It adjoins the cor])oration limits of the 
 village of Loda, so that the ])rivileges and ad- 
 vantages of town life as well as those of a rural 
 existence are easilv secured. The farm which 
 is his home was his birthplace and his natal day 
 was May 9, 1862. 
 
 His father, Erastus R. Crandall, was a native 
 of Lockport, New York, and a man of good edu- 
 cation. He came west to Illinois about 1854 
 with his father, David S. Crandall, who was 
 editor and publisher of the first daily newspaper 
 ever issued at Lockport, New York. Erastus R. 
 Crandall came w-est to enter the field of jour- 
 nalism here and published the Garden State, the 
 first jiaper at Loda. He and his brother after-
 
 .MRS. I\ .\. CR.-\ND.\1.L. 
 
 ^rRS. E. R. CR.-\\'D.ALT,. 
 
 H. R. IRA.XD.MJ, 
 
 F. .\. t K.W D.M.I..
 
 ! 
 
 UNIVERSiVt Uh ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 353 
 
 ward >tartiil a pajnr in I'rbana, llliiiois. wliicli 
 tlux |>ul>li>lutl for two years. Kcturiiin;j to 
 L«xla. tile falhtr <>f mir subject was here mar- 
 rieil t"> .Mary }. Smith, a native of New \\>Tk 
 city, who cante to Inx|iiois county with her 
 brother, .\ilaui .^niith, wlio was the owner of 
 the land u|Kin wlticli the town of I>i<la now 
 stands. l"or a time .Mr. Craudall en^afjed in the 
 real-estate business and later turned his atten- 
 tion to farniin};. lie broke the prairie and opened 
 U|> a new larni, bccomin^j eventually the owner 
 of live hundred acres, lie enclosed this with 
 a fence, added many modern impr(,)vements and 
 tnmsformed a wild tract of land into one of rich 
 fertility. I'.arns. sheds an<l a comfortable dwell- 
 iufj were erected by him and in iSf)^ he set out 
 the trees which now constitute a tine prove. 
 loiter he removed to southern (.'alifornia. goinij 
 to .San Diepo. where he resided for a number of 
 years and while on a visit at his home in Lo<la 
 he passed away in .'September. i<)03- He never 
 Sought nor would he hold public office, but was 
 well known as a most iniblic-s))irited man and 
 one whose devotion to the general jjood stood 
 as an nni|uestione<l fact in his life. His widow 
 survives him and still resi<les in California, and 
 their only daujj;hter. Ada. is tlie wife of Charles 
 M. I'ickard, a lawyer of Chicaj^o. 
 
 bred .\. Crandall. the only son. was reared 
 upon the old honie farm and was educated in 
 the LiKla schools and in Champaij^jn University. 
 Keturninj^ home, he tiKik charge of the farm for 
 his father, who was in poDr health, and later 
 succee<led to the ownersbi]i of this place. In the 
 meantime, however, he had gone to Iowa and 
 had purchased three hundred and twenty acres 
 of land in Ihiena \'ista county, where he opened 
 up and develojjed a gond farm. 
 
 .Mr. Crandall was married in that county, on 
 Christmas eve of l)<<^*<. to Miss Sarah !•". Clem- 
 ens, who was born, reared and educated in Iowa. 
 .Mr, (. randall farmed in Iowa for five years anil 
 then sold his property there, returning to Iro- 
 <|Uois county to take charge of the old home- 
 sti-ail and care for his father. He has kept 
 everything about his place in a good condition 
 of rc])air and imjjrovement and the farm in all 
 of its departntents indicates his careful super- 
 vision and ])rogressive methods. In addition 
 to this priipiTl\ bi- iiwn^ ;i Ii.ili" sciiiim nf land. 
 
 Constituting a well im|)roved farm, which he 
 Ixjugbt in I'aulding county, ( >hio. Me is a man 
 of good business ability, systematic in all that 
 he ilix'S, accurate in the management and con- 
 trol of his business atTairs and reliable in all 
 of his transactions. 
 
 L'nto .Mr. and .Mrs. Crandall have been born 
 three children. Steven .\., .Mice .M. and .\da L. 
 The ])arents hold memlK-rship in the I'.aptist 
 church, in which .Mr. Crandall is .serving on the 
 board of trustees and as church treasurer. He 
 is also connected with the W'ooilmen camj) at 
 Loda and in his |>olitical views is a stalwart 
 republican. The con.sensus of public opinion 
 regarding hint is favorable, for bis life has been 
 characterized by activity and reliability in busi- 
 ness, by loyalty in citizeusbi]) and by those traits 
 in S(xrial life which win warm friendships. 
 
 LV.MA.X A. l;l'..\JA.MI\. 
 
 Lyman .\. lienjamin. wh<i for almost a third 
 of a centiu\v was comiected with agricultural 
 interests in Iroipiois county, departed this life 
 August iJ. i8<;7, and in his death the conmiunity 
 lost a representative citizen and an active and 
 honorable business man. He was born in JetTer- 
 son county. .\ew York. jiiK iS. i82<). and was 
 descended from an old colonial family that was 
 established in .\ew I'"ngland at an early period 
 in the colonization of the new world. Jonas 
 lienjamin. the grandfather, was a native of 
 WoiMlstock. X'ermont. and served as a drummer 
 l)oy and scjldier in the war for independence. 
 .\fter the establishment of the re|)ublic he re- 
 moved from the (Ireen MountHin state ti) JetTer- 
 son county. New N'ork. settling in the midst of 
 what was then a wilderness, for that section of 
 the Country was a frontier <listrict, in which 
 the work of improvement ami ]>rogress had 
 scarcelv birn begini. 
 
 There in a pioneer home William lienjamin, 
 father of our subject, was born July 8, 1800. and 
 untler the parental roof the days of his child- 
 hood and youth were ])assed. Having attaiiutl 
 his majority, he wedded Charlotte Welch, a na- 
 tive of JetTerson county .'uid a daughter of John 
 Welch, oiii- iif till' piniiitr M-ltlii-. lit the cnntilv
 
 356 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Her brother, Charles Welch, Jr., was the first 
 white child born in Jefferson county. The 
 young couple began their domestic life upon a 
 wild tract of land, which Air. Benjamin, how- 
 ever, cleared and broke, transforming it into a 
 good farm which continued his place of his 
 residence throughout his subsequent years. He 
 passed away in February, 1867, at the age of 
 sixty-seven years, and his wife departed this life 
 about ten years later. Their family numbered 
 four sons and two daughters, who reached adult 
 age: Lyman A.; Charles \\'.. a farmer and 
 contractor of Cook county, Illinois; Anson, who 
 is a farmer of Smith county, Kansas; John, who 
 served for three years in the Civil war and after- 
 ward died of disease contracted in the army; 
 Addie, the deceased wife of William Hart ; and 
 Libbie, who is the wife of Byron L. Penn\-, of 
 Adams, Jefferson county. New York. 
 
 There occurred no event of special importance 
 to vary the routine of farm life for Lyman A. 
 Benjamin in the days of his boyhood and youth, 
 save that he was enabled to supplement his com- 
 mon-school education by several terms' attend- 
 ance at Jefferson County Institute and thus ac- 
 quired a good education. Later he engaged in 
 teaching throughout the winter months and in 
 the summer seasons devoted his energies to farm 
 work. The possibilities for agricultural devel- 
 opment and progress in the middle west attracted 
 him and in the fall of 1855 he arrived in Illinois, 
 purchasing a farm in Dupage county, upon which 
 he took up his abode. He continued its improve- 
 ment and development until November, 1864, 
 at which time he sold the property and came to 
 Iroquois county. He then made investment in 
 forty acres of raw prairie land in Dan forth town- 
 ship and at once broke the fields, planted his seed 
 and in due course of time harvested good crops. 
 Necessary farm buildings were erected and as 
 financial resources increased he extended the 
 bnundaries of his property until his farm em- 
 braced one hundred and twenty acres of rich and 
 arable land, the fields he responding readilv in 
 golden harvests to the care and labor which he 
 bestowed upon them. The buildings which he 
 erected were commodious and substantial and he 
 carried on !iis farm work with um-emiiting dili- 
 gence and toil until his place Ijccame one of tlu- 
 valuable properties of Danforth township. 
 
 As a companion and helpmate for life's jour- 
 ney Mr. Benjamin chose Miss Phoebe Ann 
 Webb, to whom he was married in Jeft'erson 
 county. New York, January 24, 1854. She was 
 born in Washington county, that state, but was 
 reared and educated in Jefferson county. Her 
 father, Darius \\'ebb, was a prominent citizen of 
 his locality and for many years followed the 
 millwright's trade. He died in Oswego county, 
 New York, April 20, 1901, when almost ninet\-- 
 six years of age. Air. and Airs. Lyman became 
 the parents of five children : Fred, who married 
 Aliss Alelissa J. Parker and resides in Watseka, 
 is now circuit clerk of Iroquois county. He has 
 three children: James, who is employed in a 
 store at Forrest, Illinois ; Fred P.. a student in 
 the State University ; and Madge, who is attend- 
 ing the university at Ada, Ohio. Rev. \\'illiam 
 D. Benjamin, the second of the family, is a minis- 
 ter of the Alethodist Episcopal church, now lo- 
 cated at Bushnell, Illinois. He wedded Rose 
 Clark, and they have two children : Ona, who 
 is attending Hedding College, at Abingdon, Illi- 
 nois : and Harry, at home. Edwin N., a farmer 
 of Sedgwick countv, Kansas, wedded Katie 
 Critser, and they have four children: Ilda. who 
 is engaged in teaching in Sedgwick county ; 
 Roy. Rebecca and \'era, all at home. Ida. who 
 spent eight years as a successful teacher of Iro- 
 quois county and two years as a teacher at Cissna 
 Park. Illinois, is now the wife of Henry J. 
 Landis. a resident farmer of this county, who for 
 eight years was engaged in the drug business at 
 Cissna Park. Charles W.. who completes the 
 family and is a farmer of Onarga township, mar- 
 ried Aliss Lydia Alitchell. 
 
 The parents were devoted members of the 
 Methodist Episcopal church, contributing" gener- 
 ously to its support and taking an active part in 
 its work. Air. Benjamin served as one of the 
 church stewards. When age confered upon him 
 the right of franchise he cast his ballot f<")r the 
 candidates of the whig party and later he joined 
 the ranks of the new republican party which he 
 continued to support until his demise. He 
 served as assessor for a number of years and in 
 other positions of honor and trust, in which he 
 was ever found as a faithful and capable official. 
 The cause of education received his earnest sup- 
 port and endorsement and his labors as a member
 
 IROQUOIS COUXTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 357 
 
 of the scliool board were cffcclivf and far-nacli- 
 iiig. He looked at lite from a broad standpoint, 
 recufjnizcd its possibilities and its ohlii^ations, im- 
 proving the former and conscientiously met the 
 latter. He continued to reside u])on his farm 
 until called to his final rest August 12. 181)7. '" 
 his family he was a devoted husband and father 
 and he left a record which is well worthy of em- 
 ulation. Mrs. Benjamin still survives her hus- 
 band and yet lives in Danforth townslii]). 
 
 FRIEDRICH BRKYMFAER. 
 
 Friedrich Breymeyer is accortlcd a position of 
 prominence in agricultural circles because of his 
 extensive farming and stock-raising interests. 
 He owns three well improved farms in Ash ( irove 
 township, and his success is the merited reward 
 of his capable management, diligence and pro- 
 gressive spirit. He came from Germany to try 
 his fortune in the new world and has never had 
 occasion to regret taking this step, for here he 
 found good opportunities, which, by the way, 
 arc aUvays open to ambitious young men, and 
 in this country where labor finds its just reward 
 he has advanced to a place among the foremost 
 representatives of agriculture in a district where 
 progressive farming meets with success. 
 
 Mr. Breymeyer was born in Schaumbcrg 
 Li|.'pe. (.jennany. May 18. 1847, his birthplace 
 being the little village of Meerbeck. opening his 
 eyes to the light of day in the same house where 
 his father, (iotlieb Breymeyer. was born. The 
 latter spent the days of his childhood and youth 
 there and in early manhiwd wedded Marie 
 Schoenbeck. who was likewise born in the vil- 
 lage of Meerbeck. The father was a farmer by 
 occupation and also engaged in the manufacture 
 of oil on a small scale with horse-])uwer, his 
 dual business providing him with funds neces- 
 sary for the sujiport of his family, which num- 
 bered five sons and three daughters. In i8^>2 he 
 made the voyage to the new world, coming direct 
 to Illinois. In Will county he joined a sister 
 and brother-in-law, who had previously located 
 there and Mr. Breymeyer took up his abode upon 
 a farm which remained his home until 1871. 
 when he reniovcd to Kansas, settling west of To- 
 
 peka. There he opened up a new farm, ui)on 
 which he spent his last days, his death occurring 
 there about i8<>7, when he was in his eighty- 
 third year. His wife passed aw.i\ in i8<):;. at 
 the age of seventy-eight years. 
 
 I-'rie<lrich Brexiueyer is the elijesl .surviving 
 member of the fanuly, the others being: Henry, 
 who is president of the Wamego State Bank and 
 owns nearly three thousand acres of land ; Caro- 
 line, the wife of William Seggebruch, of .\sh 
 Grove township; Gotlieb, who is a farmer and 
 also a stockholder and director in his brother's 
 bank in Kansas; Engel, the wife of Henry Saol- 
 ter. a farmer of Kan.sas ; and William, who car- 
 ries on agricultural ))ursuits in the same neigh- 
 borhood in the Sunflower state. Sophia died at 
 the age of seventeen years, and Ernest at the age 
 of fifteen years. 
 
 Friedrich Breymeyer was a youth of fifteen 
 when the family left the fatherland and became 
 residents of Will county, Illinois. He was liberal- 
 ly educated in select schools in Germany but only 
 attended a private evening school for one month 
 after coming to the L'nited States, but he soon 
 mastered the language and by reading and obser- 
 vation has become a well informed man. He 
 came to Iroquois county in 1872. when a young 
 man of tw'cnty-five years, having purchased land 
 here before his removal. He became owner of 
 one hundred and eleven acres which was raw and 
 uncultivated but he soon broke the prairie and 
 began farming. 
 
 I'.uilding a shanty on his place he kept bache- 
 lor's hall for a year, after which he luarried, 
 on the 9th of February, 187,^, Miss Sophie 
 Lucke, who was born in Will comity, Illinois, 
 anil was of (ierman parentage. They began 
 their domestic life in a ])rimitive home upon the 
 farm and thus lived until al>out 1883, when Mr. 
 Itreymeyer, having |)ros[iere<l in his undertak- 
 ings, erected a commodious and substantial two- 
 .story frame residence, making one of the at- 
 tractive homes of the county. He likewise 
 built a large barn and provided shelter for his 
 grain and stock. He was one of the first to tile 
 the land, early realizing the value of such a 
 niiive in draining the fields and thus |)romoting 
 their fertility, .\dding to his original holdings, 
 he became the owner of two hundred and sixtv- 
 tu.. :irr.v ,tt' !;ui(l ill (Hic farm and was cnntimi-
 
 358 
 
 FAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 ously and successfully engaged in its cultivation 
 until i8<j4. when he was elected count)- treas- 
 urer and removed to W'atseka in order to enter 
 upon the duties of the office. He filled the posi- 
 tion for four years, and during that period 
 bought another parm near his homestead prop- 
 erty, comprising one hundred and sixty acres, 
 which was already improved. In 1899 he re- 
 sumed agricultural pursuits on the old home- 
 stead. Realizing that there is no better invest- 
 ment than Illinois real estate. He has since 
 purchased another tract of land of one hundred 
 and forty-eight acres, also in Ash Grove town- 
 ship, so that he now owns altogether five hun- 
 1 dred and seventy acres of valuable farm land. 
 He likewise purchased six acres in W'oodworth, 
 in the midst of which stands a good residence, 
 and in the spring of 1906 he removed to the 
 village, where he now resides. His time is 
 devoted to the supervision of his farming in- 
 terests, which are valuable and return to him a 
 splendid income. 
 
 Unto Air. and Mrs. iJrcymever have been 
 born four children, who are yet living but they 
 lost their first born, Fred, at the age of three 
 years. Those who still sur live are : Sophie, 
 the wife of Adolph Munstermann, a farmer of 
 this county : August, who is married and lives 
 upon line of his father's farms: John, who is 
 married and is engaged in operating a portion 
 of the old homestead and also in breeding and 
 dealing in shorthorn cattle : and William, a 
 farmer at home. The sons have all been given 
 good educational privileges and ha\e been stu- 
 dents in Llie high school at Watscka. 
 
 In politics Mr. lireymeycr is a true blue re- 
 publican, unfaltering in his allegiance to the 
 l)arty. In 1906 he was a delegate to the congres- 
 sional convention to boom Joseph Cannon for the 
 presidency. He was elected and served on the 
 school board for eighteen years and for a long 
 period was its president, lie was likewise com- 
 missioner of highways two terms and assessor 
 for four terms, and was elected to fill out an 
 unexpired term as township treasurer, to wliicii 
 office he has been three times elected. He has 
 now filled that position for five years, ami i>\er 
 the record nf his official service tliere falls no 
 shadow of wrong nor sus])icion of evil, inv he 
 has been most loyal to the trust reposed in him. 
 
 1 1 e has frequently been a delegate to the county 
 conventions and -twice to the state conventions 
 and assisted in nominating Governor Deneen. 
 For a long period he has been regarded as a 
 leading citizen of Ash Grove township — a man 
 whose word is as good as his bond and whose 
 fidelity in all life's relations is above question. 
 The trust reposed in him is indicated by the fact 
 that he has been chosen to serve as guardian of 
 minors and as administrator of estates. He was 
 reared in the Lutheran faith and was one of the 
 promoters of the movement toward securing the 
 establishment of the present church at \\'ood- 
 worth. He served as trustee at the time of the 
 erection of the house of worship and has been a 
 most generous contributor to the support of the 
 churcli. 
 
 .Mr. r.reymeyer has traveled very extensivelv 
 north, south, east and west, and has thus gained 
 an intimate knowledge of his adopted land. 
 \ iewed in a personal light he is a strong man, 
 strong in his honor and his good name and in his 
 success, and in the principles wliich have guided 
 his actions. The nobility of his character is above 
 question and is conceded by all. I lis labors have 
 been of direct benefit to his comnumit\- in manv 
 ways and all acknowledge his personal worth. 
 Such is the record of a man who has worked his 
 wa\- upward from an obscure ]iosition to one 
 of eminence in the communitv where he has so 
 long resided. 
 
 TACOI! I. WISE. 
 
 Jacul) J. Wise is one of the e.xttnsive land- 
 owners and successful agriculturists of b'ountain 
 Creek township, his home being on section 1 1 , 
 where he has three hundred and twenty acres, 
 lie is numbered among the early .settlers of the 
 county. f(ir he took up his abode within its bor- 
 ders in 1S55. The work of development and im- 
 prnvement had scarcely been begun then and 
 there were various evidences of the jjrimal con- 
 ditions of things. The land was wet and 
 s\vam])y, the native liirests were micnt, the 
 streams were unbridged and there were few 
 roads made. Here and there a hardy frontiers- 
 man with the hope of making for himself a good
 
 I. WISE.
 
 Or I HE 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 .1^" 
 
 home in tlie west had established himself on a 
 farm and thus the foundation for the present 
 jjTowth and prosperity of the county was heinj;: 
 laid. Mr. Wise cast in his lot with the early 
 settlers and aided in the work of primitive devel- 
 opment and in the passinij years has ke])t in touch 
 with the trend of modern progress. He has now 
 readied the age of eighty years and is a vener- 
 able and respected citizen. 
 
 He was born September 15, iSj(». in what is 
 now (irant county. West \irginia. althought at 
 that time a i)art of the < )ld Dominion, 'lliere 
 he was reared upon a farm and in Randolph 
 county, that state, he was married June 19. 1H55. 
 the lady of his choice Ix-ing .Miss Elizabeth 
 Moore. The succeeding autumn he started with 
 his young bride for Illinois. He had first visited 
 the state in 1851. at which time he purchased 
 one hundred and si.xty acres of government land, 
 upon which he now resides. It was wet and 
 swampy but he believed that he recognized pos- 
 sibilities for development that would lead to suc- 
 cess and in the fall of 1835 'i*-' i^-'me to his western 
 possessions. Soon he broke some i>rairie and 
 put in a cro|). He built a little cabin and began 
 to farm and as the years jiassed a great change 
 was seen in the place. Some years later he 
 bought more land, but in the early days he and 
 his wife exiierienced great hardshijis and jiriva- 
 tions. Thev and their children were ill all one 
 summer an<l ihey lost one child, but they ])erse- 
 vered and Mr. Wise eventually placed his land 
 under the plow an<l converted it into jiroductive 
 fields. He also built another dwelling, together 
 with barns and sheds. He put out an orchard 
 and upon his farm he raised the timlx;r which 
 was used in building the bam. .\s his financial 
 resources increased he bought more land from 
 time to time, adding in forty-acre tracts until he 
 is now the owner of three hundred and twenty 
 acres in the homestead. He also has another 
 farm on section 15. Fountain Creek townshi]). of 
 one hundred and sixty acres, eighty acres on sec- 
 tion 10, one hunilred and sixty acres on section 
 4. save that six acres has been taken off "for rail- 
 road purposes, and one hundred acres on section 
 12. I'ountain Creek township. He also Iwught 
 two hundred and forty acres in Stockland town- 
 ship. He owns altogether more than one thou- 
 s;uid ■Airn-i of vrilnable Illinois land, embraced 
 
 in i\w iuiproved farms. For about ten nionths 
 after his arrival here in 1851 he made rails at 
 fifty cents per hundred in order to get money to 
 buy his first land. 
 
 Mr. Wise was called upon to mourn the loss 
 of his wife in 1877. her death occurring on the 
 4th of December of that year. They were the 
 parents of eight children: .Mrs. Rebecca lllake. 
 who is living in Watseka : Susie, the wife of L. 
 E. Jones, of Stockland town.ship : Samuel .\.. a 
 resident farmer of Ash drove township: .\rabell, 
 the wife of Klias Fruitt, of Lrbana ; Amanda J., 
 the wife of William ['. .McCray, a farmer of 
 Fountain Creek township: and Linnie .May, the 
 wife of Kdward Heebee, of Claytonville. Illinois. 
 They also lost two children : Fmma V... wiio 
 died when eight months old : and Amos, who 
 died when a young man of nineteen years. ( )n 
 the 131)1 of .\ugust. i8t)<), Mr. Wise was again 
 married, his second union being with Mrs. Mar\ 
 M. Peddicord, the widow of T. J. I'eddicord. 
 who died in i8<>7. Mr. and Mrs. I'eddicord had 
 a son. William H.. who was drowned when nine- 
 teen years of age. Mrs. Wise was born and 
 reared in Kentucky and was married there, her 
 son being ten years of age when they removed 
 to Iro(|uois. 
 
 In his political views Mr. \\ ise has long been 
 an earnest republican, giving unfaltering support 
 to the ])any since he cast his first presidential 
 vote for .\braham Lincoln in 1864. He has never 
 desired nor filled i)ublic office, save that he was 
 highway commissioner for six years and school 
 trustee of his townshi]) for several years. He 
 and his wife hold niembershi]) in the I'nited 
 r.rethren cinircli of 1-ountain Creek, of which 
 they are charter members, and he has been a most 
 liberal contributor to the church and a public- 
 spirited citizen, whose efforts have been far- 
 reaching aiiil beneficial in behalf of general im- 
 provement and progress. He has seen the whole 
 county change from a wilderness and swamp and 
 has himself |>ut thousands of dollars into ditching 
 and tiling. He has seen the la-st farms made 
 from land which was once regarded as utterly 
 worthless and as the years have gone by all the 
 eviileiices of a modern and progressive civiliza- 
 tion have Ix'en introduced anil lro(|Uois county 
 is toda\' peopled with a ])ros|)erous and contented 
 l>opulation, who have made this one of the rich-
 
 ^f^2 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 est fanning districts of Illinois. Mr. Wise lias 
 advanced in line with the trend of general prog- 
 ress and although in his early days here he siif- 
 ferred the hardshijjs and experienced the ])riva- 
 tions of pioneer life he is today one of the most 
 ])rosperiius citizens and extensive landholders. 
 .\'or has his pathway heen strewn with the wreck 
 of other men's fortunes. (_)n the contrary he has 
 been honi)ral)le and straightforward in his busi- 
 ness dealings and his success is the legitimate 
 outcome of his labor and careful investment. 
 
 TOHX WIEXRA.XK. 
 
 John W'ienrank. whnse farming interests em- 
 brace an excellent tract of land of one hundred 
 and fifty acres on section i. Ash Grove town- 
 ship, is numbered among the ])ioneer residents 
 of this portion of the state, having taken up his 
 abode in Illinois in 1853. He was born in Han- 
 over, Germany. Deceniljer 2, 1840, and when a 
 lad of about thirteen years accompanied his ]iar- 
 ents on their removal from the fatherland to the 
 new world. The family home was established 
 in Peoria county and there he w-as reared, re- 
 ceiving instruction in both the German and Eng- 
 lish schools, while in farm work he was am]ily 
 trained under the direction of his father, with 
 whom he remained until he had reached man's 
 estate. He afterw'ard worked by the month for 
 several years as a farm hand and thus made his 
 start in life. His record therefore proves what 
 can be accomplished bv determined energv and 
 unfaltering purpose, for although a farm hand 
 at the outset of his career he is now the owner of 
 a valuable propertw 
 
 Mr. W'ienrank was married in \\ imdhird emm- 
 t\-, Illinois, in 1S71. to .Miss .\ntje Duitsman. a 
 native of (iermany. l-'ollowing their marriage 
 he carried un farming for several years in Wood- 
 ford county and in 1X77 came to Iroquois coun- 
 ty, where he purchased the farm u]ion which he 
 Udw- resides. He has since greatly impro\ed the 
 dwelling and everything about his place jiresents 
 a neat and well kept ap])earance. for the work of 
 re])air is being constantly carried furward .-ind 
 thus everything is kept in first cla.ss condition, 
 lie has ])lanted considerable fruit upon his jilace 
 
 and has employed the most mo<lern methods of 
 farming and tilling the fields, so that large crops 
 are annually harvested. He also owns an ad- 
 joining farm of one hundred and sixty acres 
 which is likewise well improved, and he has a 
 third farm in lielmont township, comprising a 
 quarter section. 
 
 In K-po -Mr. \\ ienrank was called u])on to 
 mourn the loss of his wife, who passed away in 
 .March of that year and was laid to rest in the 
 Lutheran cemetery of W'oodworth. They were 
 the parents of six children : Jacob, a resident 
 farmer of lielmont township: John 1!.. who as- 
 sists his father in carrying on the home farm : 
 Christ, who is married and is a farmer of .Vsh 
 Grove townshi]i : Albert, who is associated with 
 his father and brother; I'ulke. the wife of Jacob 
 \'an Haven: and Hea. the wife of .'-^imon lUihr. 
 a resident farmer of Crescent township. 
 
 -Mr. ^\'ienrank and his family are members 
 of the Lutheran church of W'oodworth. In poli- 
 tics he is a democrat and has been elected and 
 served .as township collector and as justice of the 
 ]:eace of Ash (jrove township. He has likewise 
 been a delegate to county conventions and is 
 much interested in the ])art_\' and its growth. He 
 has made a splendid record in business circles, 
 for although he started out emj)t\-handed he is 
 today the owner of three valuable farm projjcr- 
 ties, from which he derives an excellent income. 
 Investigation into his historv shows must hnii- 
 orable methods. He has been watchful of his 
 opportunities for judicious investment and 
 throughout his life has shown that close a])])lica- 
 tion without which success cannot be achieved. 
 
 1( )11\ I-.. W ILLS, 
 
 John L. Wills. sui)ei"inten(lent of the Iroquois 
 county farm, in which ca|)acity he has charge of 
 the operation of three hundred and ninety acres 
 of land. -is gi\-ing the utmost satisfaction in this 
 office. He so capably manages the business of 
 the institution that the farm is almost self-su])- 
 ])orting and the lax for the maintenance of the 
 poor is lower in this county than in an\' county 
 in the state. In his childhood (la\s he came to
 
 IROOIOIS eOrXTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 3''3 
 
 Illinois with his parents am! has ci>miimal!v n-- 
 siilctl in lr<K|u«)is cniinly since 1871. 
 
 He was hum l-"ohrnary 20. iS^i'i. in _|iiiniiiL;> 
 cutuiiy. Indiana, a son uf John and Amanda 
 ( I'.wan I Wills, who were likcwisf natives of thai 
 state, the lornuT horn in Dearborn county and 
 the latter in jeiniinys county. John Wills. .*>^r.. 
 was a c<H)]>er h\ traile. His wife was a daiii,'h- 
 ter of Iose|)li I'.wan. who came to lro(|ui>is conn- 
 tv in iS/o and was almost a centenarian at the 
 time t>f his death, lackinjj hut a lew months of 
 attainini; the one hundredth auniversar\ of his 
 hirth. Previous to his marriaj.je John Wills. 
 .*>r.. had removed to Jenninj;s count>. Imliana. 
 and later took up his almde in Xewton county, 
 that slate, where he remained for five years. He 
 then removed to Iro(|uoi.s county, settling in W ai- 
 seka in 1871. He conducted a car|)enter shop 
 and c«x)perage business for many years, beinj; 
 thus closely associated with the industrial life of 
 the town. He remained a resident of Watseka 
 initil called to his final rest in September. i<;02. 
 when seventy-six years of age. while his wife is 
 still living in her eighty-first year and makes her 
 home with her son John. Their family numbered 
 nine children, eight of whom reached years of 
 maturity. 
 
 John li. Wills was the youngest of tiie family 
 and was reared in Watseka. enjoying the ailvan- 
 tages offered by the city schools. When a young 
 man he began earning his own living by farm 
 work, being em])loyed by the month. He worked 
 on the county farm under Isaac W. Cast, who 
 conducted the farm for twelve years, and during 
 the last year of that time Mr. Wills was in his 
 .service. Mr. Cast then died but his widow re- 
 tained the superintendency of the farm and .Mr. 
 Wills remained her chief assistant for four years. 
 
 On the iQth of .Vjiril. i8<^i. was celebrated 
 the marriage of John L. Wills and Miss Ola 
 Cast, a daughter of Isaac W. Cast, who 
 was a native of ( )hio and in 1S50 be- 
 came a resident of N'ermiliun county, Illinois, 
 whence he removed to IriMpiois county in 1857. 
 I'ollowing his marriage Mr. Wills learned the 
 blacksmith's trade. siMin became the owner of a 
 shop and conducted business in that line for 
 fourteen \ears. In f.ict he still owns this shoj) 
 but his attention is now given to agricultural 
 interests. In .March, kki^. he was elected to the 
 
 superintendency of the cotmty farm, the work of 
 which he conducts in a most able manner. He 
 had Ik-ch j)ractically at its head for four years 
 inider .Mrs. Cast, who died in i<;00. at the age of 
 fifty-four years, lie thoroughly understands the 
 business necessary to its successful conduct, and 
 in addition to tilling the soil he raises fine stock, 
 keeping imported Scotch shorthorn cattle from 
 the \\ ithers herd. 
 
 I'nto .Mr. and .Mrs. Wills have been liorn six 
 children, of whom on« died in infancy, while 
 Clara passed away at the age of six years. 
 Mar\-. the eldest, is now a student in Watseka. 
 I'.ertha. Leslie and John are all under the parental 
 riHif. Mr. Wills Ijelongs to IriKpiois lodge. No. 
 74. I. o. ( ). [•'.. of Watseka. of which he is a 
 \ahie<I representative. He is a past gran<l (.)f 
 the order and has been a member of the grand 
 lodge, representing the local organization at 
 .Springfield in HXM- He is likewise a member of 
 Watseka camp of the Mo<lern Woodmen and 
 he and his wife attend the Christian church. 
 I'Vom his boyhood days he has resided contin- 
 uously in this county and the consensus of jiublic 
 opinion regarding hiiu is altogther favorable. 
 
 |( »IIN .MdNTVRI-:. 
 
 The gentleman whose name intnxluces this 
 review is one of the citizens of foreign birth 
 who has been a valuable factor in the development 
 and upbuilding of Iroquois county. He owns 
 and operates a fine farm of two hundred acres, 
 situated on section 3^1, Lovejoy townshi]). all of 
 which has been actpiired through his own well 
 directed labor and careful management. .\ na- 
 tive of the Emerald isle, he was l)orn in June. 
 1840. and was there reared and educated, the 
 common .scIkjoIs of that country afFonling him 
 the advantages which he enjoyed in his youth. 
 He remained in his native country until he had 
 reached the age of twenty-two years, when, hav- 
 ing heard favorable re|Kirts concerning the ad- 
 vantages to be enjoyed across the water, he ac- 
 cordingly sailed for the I'nitnl States in i8()8. 
 arriving in New York on the '>th of June of that 
 year. He secured emi>loyment at .Mbany, that 
 state, where he remained for about one vear.
 
 364 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 subsequent to which time he went to Canada, 
 where he spent a short time, after which he made 
 his way to Chicago, Illinois, where he was em- 
 ployed on the construction of a railroad for a time 
 and then secured employment on a farm near that 
 place, working for one man for more than five 
 years. Having carefully husbanded his re- 
 sources, so that he felt justified in engaging 
 in business on his own account, he made his 
 way to Iroquois county in 1875, and jjurchased a 
 farm of one hundred an^ sixty acres, situated in 
 Lovejoy township, and this has continued to be 
 his place of residence to the present time. ( )nly 
 a small clearing had been made when this prop- 
 erty came into his possession, but Mr. Mclntyre 
 at once look up the arduous task of clearing and 
 develo])ing his land and in due course of time the 
 fields brought forth rich harvests as a result of 
 the care and labor which he bestowed upon the 
 land. He further improved the place by the 
 erection of suitable buildings and a good home 
 and took up his abode thereon in 1876. He has 
 tiled his land, built good fences and altogether 
 has a well improved and valuable property. As 
 his financial resources increased he added an 
 additional tract of forty acres to his original pur- 
 chase and now has altogether a tract of two hun- 
 dred acres all in one body. 
 
 On the i8th of February, 1880, was celebrated 
 the marriage of Mr. Mclntyre and Miss Isabella 
 Davis, likewise a native of Ireland, where she 
 was reared to the age of seventeen years. They 
 have become the parents of three daughters, all 
 of whom have been liberally educated. Gertrude 
 is a teacher in Iroquois county. Margaret is 
 with her parents. Daisy, the youngest of the 
 famil}-, is now the wife of William Mclntyre, a 
 business man of Chicago. 
 
 Mr. Mclntyre is a true blue republican, and 
 cast his first presidential vote in 1872 in support 
 of General Grant, and has since that time sup- 
 ported the candidates of that party. He has 
 never sought or desired public office, preferring 
 to give his undivided time and attention to his 
 private business affairs, in which he has met with 
 very gratifying success. Although Mr. Mcln- 
 tyre was reared in the faith of the Episcopal 
 church, he now holds memliership with the Pres- 
 byterian denomination at Wellington, to which 
 his wife also belongs. 
 
 Mr. Mclntyre has been a resident of Iroquois 
 county for the past thirty years and during that 
 period has been active and helpful in the agri- 
 cultural development of this part of the state. 
 
 Taking up his abode in the new world when a 
 young man, he soon adapted himself to the 
 changed conditions of the new and rapidly de- 
 veloping country and by his energy and economy 
 has worked his way ujjward from a poor boy to 
 a citizen of worth and afifluence, who enjoys the 
 favorable regard of a large acquaintance, and 
 he and his familv have manv warm friends. 
 
 tho:mas lo\'eless. 
 
 Thomas Loveless, who is familiarly known as 
 Squire on the streets of }\IiIford. is one of the 
 popular men of the town and an old settler of the 
 state, whose life record has been creditable to the 
 commonwealth, for he has ever upheld the legal 
 and political status of his community and given 
 hearty co-operation and support to those meas- 
 ures which have direct bearing upon the welfare 
 and improvement of a commuiTity. He has lived 
 in Illinois since the 28th of September, 1858. 
 
 His birth had occurred nineteen years before 
 in Pickaway county, Ohio, his natal day having 
 been Alay 4, 1839. I'^ his youth he accompanied 
 his parents on their removal to Tippecanoe coun- 
 ty, Indiana, where he was reared and his educa- 
 tional privileges were those afforded by the com- 
 mon schools, but he manifested a special aptitude 
 in his studies and his reading in later years has 
 constantly broadened his knowledge, making him 
 a well informed man, so that in early manhood 
 he was well qualified for the profession of teach- 
 ing, which he followed first in Indiana and later 
 in Illinois. 
 
 Mr. Loveless was married in Tippecanoe 
 county. Indiana, in July, 1858, to Miss Harriet 
 Funk, a native of that state, where her girlhood 
 days were passed. In the fall of 1848 they 
 removed to Iroquois county, settling on a farm 
 near Milford. Mr. Loveless had visited the state 
 in 1854 when a youth of fourteen years. After 
 bringing his bride to the new home he engaged 
 in farming and in raising and feeding stock. 
 His first purchase of land made him owner of
 
 MR. AND MkS. THOMAS LOVELESS.
 
 Or SHE 
 UNIVERSir* Of ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. H.I.IXolS. 
 
 Zf>7 
 
 fiftv-one acres, wliicli he brouRht uiuler a hi^h 
 state (if cultivation, lie built a house there and 
 continued the active work of farniinjr until liis 
 lields had returned to him abundant harvesi>i. 
 He also eiifrajred in buyintj, feeding and shi]>])ini; 
 stock, carrvinj;^ on that business for thirty years. 
 lie was one of the well known dealers and ship- 
 pers of lriK|uois county, for his business steadily 
 increased in volume and importance. Ik-ini;- an 
 e.scellent jud^e of stock he was enabled to make 
 careful purchases and i)rotitable sales and he 
 eventually became one of the extensive shi])pcrs 
 of the county. .\s his financial resources per- 
 mitted he bought land from lime to time and he 
 now owns alxnit seven hundred acres in Iroquois 
 County, and also a farm of three hundred acres in 
 Tippecan<x* county. Indiana, and three hundred 
 and twenty acres in Arkansas. Mis farm was 
 for many years a scene of great business activity 
 but eventually he put aside agricultural interests. 
 and in 18S3 located in Milford. where he erected 
 a pleasant and attractive home. He is much 
 interested in the upbuilding and improvement of 
 the town, and his labors have had direct bearing 
 upon its growth and development, and in the 
 advancement of those interests which are a mat- 
 ter of civic virtue and of civic pride. In K/J5 
 Mr. Loveless was called upon to mourti the loss 
 of his wife, who in that year was laid to rest in 
 Maple ( irove cemeter\-. There are six living chil- 
 dren by this union : ( ieorge, who is married and 
 follows farming in Tijipecanoe county, Indiana : 
 Mrs. Lydia Dalstnnii, who is a widow and re- 
 sides in Ilooix'Ston : William \\ .. a resident farm- 
 er of this county; Emma, the wife of W. T. 
 Caldwell, a photographer of Milford : ( )llie. the 
 wife of Charles McMillen. of Tippecanoe coun- 
 ty. Indiana; and Thomas I!.. wIk) is ojjerating the 
 old homestead farm. They also lost two chil- 
 dren, Elizabeth and Jacob, who died in early 
 youth. 
 
 Mr. Ij)veless has the honor of belonging to 
 that great band of young men who in iSTio cast 
 their first vote and thereby supported Illinois' 
 greatest statesman, .\braham Lincoln, lie has 
 since voted for each nominee on the republican 
 ticket with one e.xception. When on the farm 
 he served as highway commissioner and also as 
 township schcH)l trustee and since removing to 
 Milford has Ix'cn elected and re-elected to the 
 21 
 
 niVice of justice of the peace, so that he is now 
 serving for the tenth consecutive year in that 
 jjosition. His decisions are strictly fair and im- 
 partial and no higher testimonial of capable ser- 
 vice could be given than the fact that he has 
 ag'ain and again been chosen by popular suffrage. 
 ■ He has frequently been a delegate to county and 
 state conventions and at all times is a faithful 
 and efficient officer, richly meriting the trust re- 
 l)nsed in him. Strong and positive in his re|)ub- 
 licanism, his parly fealty is not grounded on 
 liartisan prejudice and he enjoys the respect an<l 
 confidence of all his associates irres])ective of 
 ])arty. He is identified with that class in the 
 movement toward higher jjolitics which is com- 
 mon to both parties and which constitutes the 
 most hopeful ])olitical sign of the period. 
 
 He has been identified with the Masonic fra- 
 ternity since i8<i7 but is now a demilted Masun. 
 He also joined the Odd P'cllows lodge in 1867, 
 served through all the chairs and is a past grand 
 of Milford lodge, which he lias likewise repre- 
 sented in the grand lodge of the slate. He was 
 also identifie<I with the encampment and is a 
 grand past ])atriarch. I'or forty-eight years he 
 has live<l in Irotpiois comity and has seen much 
 of its growth and develojiment as the swamps 
 anil sloughs have been drained and the ])rairie 
 cleared and cultivated. There has been no 
 more gratifying nor substantial progress made 
 than in agricultural lines in this direction an<l 
 Mr. Loveless has borne his full share. He has 
 a wide ac(|uaintancc in W'atseka and throughout 
 the county where he is known as a man of in- 
 tegrity and worth, and the success which has 
 crowned his efl'orts has made him one of the sub- 
 stantial citizens (if tlif i-iimmunitv. 
 
 H.\R.M sen AlMl'.URG. 
 
 Harm Scliaumburg. now living in Milford, was 
 for years one of the active and jjrosperous farm- 
 ers of Milford township aiul one of the earlv 
 settlers of Illinois, where he has resided from 
 early l)oylio<id days. More than fifty-one years 
 have been added to the cycle of the centuries 
 since he took up his abode in this state and from 
 childhood to earlv manhood, from earl\- manhood
 
 368 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 to the prime of life, lie has so hved as to ,i;aiii 
 the favorable regard of a lartje circle of friends 
 and acquaintances. A native of Germany, he 
 was born in Prussia. February 19. 1846. and 
 came to the new world with his mother and her 
 family when a lad of nine years. The family 
 home was established in Peoria county. Illinois,- 
 and subsequent removals took them to Tazewell. 
 Woodford and L!vin,s:ston counties. 
 
 Thus it was that the subject of this review 
 was reared to manhood in this state. His school 
 privileges were limited and his youth was large- 
 ly a periotl of earnest and unremitting toil. He 
 was but eighteen years of age when he responded 
 to the country's call for aid and in May. 1864, at 
 Quincy, Illinois, joined the boys in blue of Com- 
 pany B, One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Illi- 
 nois Volunteer Infantry. He was sent south 
 with his regiment to Memphis and served on 
 picket and guard duty. He participated in the 
 battle at Memjjhis. Tennessee, where two hun- 
 dred of his regiment were killed or taken prison- 
 ers. While at the front he became ill and was in 
 the hospital at Memphis, Tennessee, for a short 
 time. He served until after the expiration of 
 his term of enlistment and was then sent home 
 and honorably discharged at Springfield. Illinois. 
 His brother, Franz, who was one of three sons 
 to come with the mother to the new world, was 
 a soldier of the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry and 
 served throughout the war. He now resides at 
 Cruger, Illinois, while the younger brother. John. 
 makes his home in Nebraska. 
 
 From his youth Harm Schaumburg was de- 
 pendent upon liis own resources not only for a 
 living, but also had to assist his mother in sup- 
 port of the family. They had to endure many 
 hardships and privations in the early years of 
 their residence in the new world because of their 
 limited financial condition. When the war was 
 over Mr. Schainnburg i>f this review resumed 
 work as a farm hand by the month and was 
 thus employed for several years, after which 
 he was married and thus made arrangements for 
 having a home of his own. It was in Woodford 
 county, in 1871, that Miss Anna Lucht, a Ger- 
 man lady, became his wife. In 1874 he removed 
 with his little family to Milford township and 
 with the money he had saved from his earnings 
 purchased eighty acres of unimproved land which 
 
 Ik- broke and cultivated. He also placed the 
 necessary l)uildings upon his farm and there suc- 
 cessfuUv carried on general agricultural pursuits 
 for nine vears. after which he sold that jjrdjjerty 
 and bonglit a place of one hundred and si.xty 
 acres constituting a farm upon which are fair 
 improvements. He later bought one hundred 
 acres adjoining. He has led a life of industry 
 and activity and as the years have rolled around 
 he has acumulated a goodly measure of success. 
 .\11 of the buildings upon his place stand as mon- 
 uments to his thrift, labor and enterprise. He 
 has set out fruit and shade trees, which aild 
 much to ihc value and attractive appearance of 
 his farm, and in the fields he has annually raisetl 
 good cro])s. which have come to him as the re- 
 ward of the care and labor he has bestowed upon 
 the fields. He has also raised good stock, mak- 
 ing a specialty of horses and hogs. Thus his 
 life was passed in imremitting diligence and ac- 
 tivity until 1902, when he put aside the more ac- 
 tive duties of the farm and pinxhased a neat and 
 a substantial residence in ^Milford which he has 
 since occupied, enjoying there a well earned re- 
 tirement from further labor. He also purchased 
 nine acres of land in Milford, which he divided 
 into lots. This tract was called Schaumburg's 
 first addition to ^Milford. He has sold about one- 
 half nf these lots. 
 
 ;\Ir. and Mrs. Schaumburg have a family of 
 six sons and three daughters, as follows : Wil- 
 liam, who is farming the old homestead : Wirtje. 
 who also carries on agricultural pursuits ; Jonas, 
 who follows farming on the old home place : 
 I'ranz and Louis, who give their attention to 
 general agricultural ]nn-suits : John, who is with 
 his ])arents in Alilford; Ann E., the wife of 
 Jose])h \"an H(i\-eln : Perteke. the wife of Dick 
 Casper ; and Anna, the wife of Sebo Frederick, 
 a resident farmer of Crescent township. Thev 
 also lost three children. Frank Mnd Harm meet- 
 ing death by accident, being instantly killed, and 
 Alma, who died in her second vear. 
 
 [n community afifairs Mr. .Schaumburg has 
 manifested a spirit of devotion to the general 
 welfare that is most commendable. He votes 
 an independent local ballot but supjjorts the re- 
 IMililican ])arty on state and national issues. 
 While on the farm he was elected and served 
 fnr fourteen consecutive vears as highwav com-
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 Z^*) 
 
 missiiincr and was lar).;il_v iiiMnimi'iUal in i-s- 
 tal>lishin^ jjimhI matls. IK' also si-rvi'd nn tlu- 
 m:1h">1 biiani ami thai lie has thi- (.ntirc (.niiti- 
 diiici- and trust ni" his fclltiwincn is indii'iitcd hv 
 the fact that he lias several times been chosen 
 as ailininistratiir tn settle estates. His life is in 
 haniiiHiy with his (.'hristian faith and i»n>fcssi<)ns. 
 Itotli he and his wife wen reared in the Lutheran 
 church and are imw CDniniunicants thereof. In 
 retrospect one can see Mr. Schaunihurfj a |)oor 
 Ixiy, dependent \\\nn\ his own resources for a 
 livinj.,'. He had to start out early to ti<,'ht the 
 battles of life but has come olT victor in the 
 strife. Today he is the owner of a valuable and 
 desirable farm property and a s.;ood home in 
 Milford and moreover he possesses an un- 
 tarnished name, for in all of his business dcaliiiiis 
 he has been slraiijbtforward and reliable. His 
 e.xample is indeed well worthy of emulation by all 
 who have true re.irard for character and who wish 
 to win prosperity throuiih straijihtforwanl 
 methods. 
 
 .VLIIKKT II. TAl.l'.l'.k' 
 
 .\lbert H. Talbert, who carries on gereral at;ri- 
 cultural pursuits on section 6. ( )nars:a townshi]). 
 is one of Iroquois county's native sons. In fact 
 the farm which is now his place pf residence was 
 his birthplace, his natal <lay beinij .\pril 23. 185S. 
 He is a son of (ieorj^e W. Talbert, who was born 
 in Indiana and was reared and married there, 
 the lady of his choice beinji Miss Catherine Deyo, 
 a native of that state. .Mr. Talbert was a farmer 
 of Indiana and on removing to Illinois became 
 one of the early residents of Iroipiois county. 
 Much of the land here was still in jiossessioii of 
 the government and he entered two hundred and 
 forty acres, which he broke and cultivateil. trans- 
 forminj,' the raw prairie into a richly improved 
 farm. His work in the fields was continuous 
 save for the period of his service in the Civil 
 war. His i)atriotic spirit beiiiK aroused by the 
 attempt i>f the south to overthrow the Union, 
 he joined the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, of which 
 he Ixcame sergeant, and wliile at the front he 
 became ill and died in the fiebl hospital in Mis- 
 souri in \^^2. He survived his wife for only a 
 brief period, her death having occurred in i8<')i. 
 
 In their family were three children who were 
 thus left orphans an<l were reared by friends. 
 < liie son, I'.dward I). Talbert, died at the a^je of 
 si.xteen years, while II. N. Talbert is now liviii); 
 retired in ( )iiarj,'a. He is married and has three 
 children and is mentioned on another \yA\n: of this 
 w I irk. 
 
 Albert II. I albert, whose name introduces this 
 review, spent the (ia\ s of his boyhood and youth 
 in this county and is indebted tit the common- 
 school system for the educational privilejjes 
 which he enjoyed ;md which fitted him for the 
 jtractical duties of life. Haviii;,'' arrived at years 
 of maturity, he chose a com])anion and help- 
 mate for life's journe\' ;ind was married in Kan- 
 kakee. Illinois, May i, 1SX4. to .Miss Laura Case, 
 who was Ijorn and reared in Kankakee county, 
 :i daughter of ( ). .N. Case of that county. I'ol- 
 lowiui^- their marriage they located on the old 
 homestead farm, which Mr. Talbert began to cul- 
 tivate and inii)rove. He erected a good residence 
 which was afterward destro\eil by fire, and sub- 
 .se(|uenl to that clisastcr he built a two-story 
 dwelling which he now occupies and which is one 
 of the substantial and comfortable homes of the 
 township. I le has also built a gowl barn and 
 cribs, has laid many rods of tiling and has divide<l 
 his place into fielils of convenient size by well 
 kept fences. He has altogether a neat and well 
 im])roved farm, on which stock-raising is a fea- 
 ture. He makes a specialty (jf hogs of the York- 
 shire breed and has also high grade cattle and 
 horses, Ix'ing recognized as a successful stock- 
 man and one who is seldoin, if ever, at error in 
 matters of judgment concerning the value of 
 stock. In addition to his home property he also 
 owns a residence in Onarga. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Talbert are the parents of sev- 
 en children : George D.. Lawrence O., Alva L.. 
 Clyde A. aiul Harold, who are still living ami 
 they have lost two chiklren : Stella, who died 
 at the age of nine years ; and one son, Frank, 
 who died in infancy. The parents have a wide 
 and favorable acquaintance in Onarga township 
 and this part of the county. Mr. Talbert is a 
 member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Onarga and 
 he and his wife are connected with the Rcbekali 
 degree. He votes with the republican party, 
 having proudly cast his first presidential ballot 
 for lames A. (uirfield in 1880. while his last
 
 3/0 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 vote was given in snpport of Theodore Roose- 
 velt. A stanch friend of the cause of education, 
 he believes in good schools, has done effective 
 service along that line as a member of the school 
 board and is now acting as president of the 
 district board. Always a resident of Iroquois 
 county, he is classed with its industrious and 
 prosperous farmers and in the conduct of his 
 business affairs he has displayed a reliabilil_\- and 
 progressiveness that have gained him admiration 
 as well as success. 
 
 GEORGE ^\'. ALEXANDER. 
 
 George W. .Mexander, living on section 14, 
 Ash Gro\-c township, was born in Sangamon 
 county, Illinois, June 18, 1856. His father, Asa 
 Alexander, was also a native of that county, 
 which fact indicates that the family was estab- 
 lished in Illinois at an early day. There he was 
 reared and in early manhood he wedded Mary 
 Tabor, likewise a native of this state. For sev- 
 eral years thereafter he engaged in farming in 
 Sangamon count}- and in 1876 removed to Iro- 
 quois county, settling in Ash Grove township. 
 His last days were spent in Milford, where he 
 died in 1895, his wife passing away about a 
 year later in 1896. Their son, George W.. was 
 the eldest of their three sons and three daugh- 
 ters, all of whorn are yet living, the others be- 
 ing: ^Irs. Rose Seward, who resides in Indi- 
 ana; Mrs. Clara Dixon, of Sheldon, Illinois ; Mrs. 
 Julia Crink, of Milford township : Samuel Alex- 
 ander, a resident of Goodwine, Illinois; and Wil- 
 liam, who is living in Springfield, this state. 
 
 George W. Alexander was reared in Sangamon 
 and Ford counties. He had fair school advan- 
 tages and received practical training in farm 
 work. After reaching man's estate he rented 
 land and engaged in farming on his own account 
 for several years in .\sh Grove and Crescent 
 townships and also in Milford township. 
 
 On the loth of October, 1888. in Ash Grove 
 townshi]), was celebrated the marriage of Mr. 
 Alexander and Miss .Vgnes Hislop, a daughter 
 of Ninian Hislop and a native of inxiuois 
 countv. where she was also reared and educated. 
 The home of Mr. an<l Mrs. .Alexander has been 
 
 blessed with foiu" children: Glenn. Mary, Ruby 
 and Katie. 
 
 Mr. Alexander's first purchase of land made 
 him owner of eighty acres in Milford township 
 and after his marriage he located thereon and 
 engaged in farming for four years. C)n the ex- 
 piration of that period he sold the property and 
 pui"chased where he now resides, becoming own- 
 er of one hundred and sixty acres on section 14, 
 .\sli Grove township. Taking up his abode 
 thereon in 1893. he at once began its further de- 
 velopment and has tiled the greater part of the 
 land. He broke some of the original sod and 
 now has a cultivable farm, the soil being very 
 productive. He has likewise planted fruit anjJ 
 in connection with the raising of cereals he also 
 raises good grades of stock, so that his busi- 
 ness is bringing him a good financial return. 
 
 Politically Mr. Alexander is a democrat. He 
 served on the school board for a number of years 
 and has always been a believer in good schools 
 and the employment of good teachers, so that 
 while on the school board he did effective serv- 
 ice in behalf of the cause of education. For six 
 vears he acted as drainage commissioner and was 
 instrumental in the establishment of some of 
 the big ditches of the county which have been 
 of so great benefit to the district, draining the 
 wet lands and reiidering hitherto low and 
 swampy tracts cultivable. 
 
 For thirty vears Mr. Alexander has resided 
 in this part of the state and has seen great 
 changes as the wild, wet land has been trans- 
 formed into fine farms equipped with all modern 
 conveniences, so that it is today one of the rich 
 agricultural districts of this great state. 
 
 SETH W. BOUGITTON. 
 
 Selh W. Houghton, regarded as one of the 
 leading business men of Crescent City, where he 
 is engaged in buying and dealing in grain, coal 
 and seeds, is a native of Iroquois county, his 
 liirlli having occurred in Iroquois township, three 
 miles north of Crescent City, on the 13th of- 
 June, 1870. Flis father. Orris Horatio Bough- 
 tun, came to Will county, Illinois, in 1842. from 
 tJK' state of New York, where his birth occurred
 
 G. \v. ALi':.\.\.\iJi:k.
 
 I 
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 373 
 
 I'cljniary <>. iSj;. lie rtsiilcil in Will cminty 
 until 1830. wlu'ii. with tliri-c brothers, he went ti> 
 California by way of the overland route, niakiuj; 
 tlie long journey across the hot plains, tiie sandy 
 stretches and throujjjj the mountain passes to ilu- 
 ( iolden state. ( )ne of his brothers died in Iowa, 
 while on the trip. The other brothers and our 
 sul)ject's father reinainetl in California about a 
 year, and then returned to Will county, Illinois. 
 
 ( >n the jd of July. 185,^. at LockiM)rt. Will 
 county. Orris II. Iloufjluon was united in mar- 
 riaj;c to Miss Caroline E. Passnier. who was 
 born at North .Scriba, < )swcjio county. New 
 York, January J3. 1S3O. and on the 2,vl "f Oc- 
 tober, i8<)4. they removed to Irocjuois county, 
 locatiufj in Iro<|uois township near the home of 
 James M. Calkin, one of the old settlers here. 
 Mr. IJoujjhton resolutely undert<M)k the task of 
 further developing and cultivating his farm, 
 which comprised one hundred and twentv acres 
 of good land that in course of time brought forth 
 rich and aliuudant harvests, owing to the care 
 aufl labor lie bestowed upon the fields. Tlnis he 
 l)rosperefI in his business and he was, moreover, 
 regarded as a go(Ml neighbor, well liked by all 
 who knew him. ( )n the 4th »>f March. 1SX4. 
 he removed to Marion cmmty, Illinois, and located 
 near Salem, where his wife died on the 28th of 
 the following .May. being laid to rest in Mast 
 Lawn cemetery. Salem. May 30. 18S4. She was 
 an earnest and consistent memlK-r of the Congre- 
 gational church at Crescent City. .Mr. Hough- 
 ton still makes his home in Salem, being now 
 eighty-one years of age. His family numbered 
 four children : Harry, who is engaged in car- 
 pentering in Salem: Juniata, the wife of ( i. W. 
 Leckrone. a resident of Salem: Warren, who is 
 engaged in the grain busine-s at I larri-^ville. Illi- 
 nois : and Seth W. 
 
 The commcpu schools atfonled Setli \\ . Hough- 
 ton the cflucational (irivileges which he enjoyed 
 and he began business life on his own account 
 when eighteen years of age. being emi)loyed at 
 farm labor until he attained his majority. He 
 afterward worked at the caqHMitcr's trade for a 
 year and then turned his attention to the grain 
 business in the employ of T. Mctiill, of Watseka. 
 with whom he remained for two years. He was 
 afterward in the em|)lo\ of Mr. Mc( iill in Mil- 
 ford for a \i-;ir and .1 li.ilf .mil •.iib-.i-nni nth >.|M'nt 
 
 si.\ and a half years in the .service of L. T. Hutch- 
 iiis, a grain dealer of .Milford. ( )n the expira- 
 tion of that ])eriiMl he came to Crescent City in 
 n;oi and entered into partnership with Harlan 
 Urothers and has since been engagetl in the grain 
 trade under the firm name of Harlan & Itough- 
 ton. They have an elevator with a ca|)acity of 
 fifty thou.saud bushels, and in connection with 
 grain they also handle seeds, coal and other com- 
 modities and have a finely e(|uipped office. Mr. 
 lioughton owns one of the finest residences in 
 Crescent City. 
 
 The lady who presides over tin> .iitraciivc 
 home was in her maidcnh<MKl Miss .Matie I*'. 
 Roberds, of Milford, to whom he was married 
 June iS. i8</). She is a daughter of Sanford 
 .\. Roberds. who became one of the pioneer resi- 
 dents of Iro(|uois county but is now living in 
 Colorado. I'oth Mr. and Mrs. Houghton hold 
 membership in the Metlnxlist Episcopal church 
 and in its work take an active and hel|)ful 
 interest. 
 
 Mr. Houghton belongs to the Masonic lodge. 
 No. U,H. .\. v. & A. .M.. at Milford: to Stamlard 
 IfKlge. .No. («7. I. (I. ( ). F., of Crescent City: 
 and to Crescent cam]), .No. 1425, .M. W. .\. He 
 is in symi)atliy with the distinguished elements 
 of these organizations, which recognize the 
 brotherhood of luankind and inculcate nuitual 
 helpfulness and kindliness among the members. 
 Mr. Houghton's interests e.xtend to those lines 
 of life which affect the welfare of the people at 
 large ami he gives hearty endorsement to all 
 movements which tend to advance the material, 
 intellectual and moral welfare of a citv. 
 
 W ll.l.l AM A. C.\U.\I AN. 
 
 W illiam A. Carman, a practical and progres- 
 sive agriculturist living on section 3. Fountain 
 Ireek township, his ])ossessions embracing two 
 hundred and thirty-three acres, is a native of 
 ln<liana. He was Ixtrn .\[)ril <>. 18/V), and the 
 following year was brought to Illinois bv his 
 father, .\lonzo Carman, who was likewise born 
 in the Hoosier state am! was there reared, lb- 
 was a farmer by occupation, anrl in Indiana 
 vMiMf.l MiT.v \ Lunger, who was likewise
 
 374 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 born in that state. Soon afterward they came to 
 Illinois, settling in Iroquois comity, where Mr. 
 Carman purchased one hundred and sixty acres 
 of land. After living upon that property for a 
 few years he bought another farm a mile south 
 of Goodwine, comprising three hundred and 
 twenty acres. His time and energies were then 
 devoted to the development of the soil and the 
 improvement of the fields and he made there 
 a good farm. His family number three children. 
 
 William A. Carman, the eldest, was reared 
 under the parental roof and enjoyed good school 
 advantages. \\'hen he was twenty-one years of 
 age his father gave him one hundred and sixty 
 acres of land, which he has since cultivated, and 
 as the years have passed he has won a place 
 among the representative and successful agri- 
 culturists of his part of the county. He made 
 further preparations for having a home of his 
 own b\- his marriage, on the i8th of October, 
 1893, to ^liss Jennie Kesterson, who was born 
 in this county and is a daughter of William 
 Kesterson. who is now living in Ash Grove town- 
 ship. Mr. and .Mrs. Carman have become the 
 parents of three children, Mattie Florence, Rosa 
 .\delaide and Hearsel. 
 
 With the added stimulus of having a family 
 for whom to provide, William A. Carman reso- 
 lutely took up the work of the farm and has 
 carried it forward with unfaltering diligence and 
 perseverance. The buildings upon his place are 
 monuments to his enterprise and labor and in- 
 clude a two-story dwelling, two good barns, cribs 
 and other outbuildings. There are also three 
 flowing wells n])on the place and the fields have 
 been drained Ijy tlie judicious use of tile, while 
 fences have divided the farm into fields of con- 
 venient size. TTe has altogether one thousand 
 rods of tile on liis place. TJu- cereals planted 
 bring forth rich harvests because of the practical 
 progressive methods he follows in caring f(jr the 
 fields, and lie is also engaged in raising thomngh- 
 bred Xorman horses and is the owner of an im- 
 ported stallion for breeding purposes. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Carman attend the Methodist 
 Episcopal cJiurch at Goodwine. of which the lady 
 is a member, while he holds membership rela- 
 tions with the Modern Woodmen camp of Good- 
 wine. His political views accord with the ]irin- 
 ciples of the republican party and at local elections 
 
 he casts an independent ballot. With the assist- 
 ance received from his father, which enabled him 
 to gain a good start in life, he has made steady 
 advancement on the high road to prosperity and 
 is now one of the substantial citizens of the 
 communitv. 
 
 JESSE R. EASTBURX. 
 
 Jesse R. Eastburn is numbered among the 
 native sons of Concord township, having been 
 born on section 32 in 1870. His father. Jesse 
 R. Eastburn, Sr., was a riative of Adams county, 
 Ohio, bom in 1815, and by wagon he journeyed 
 across the conntrv from the Buckeye state to Illi- 
 nois in company with his father, Hezekiah East- 
 burn, This was about 1830. The grandfather 
 then entered one hundred and sixty acres of land 
 from the government, the tract being situated on 
 section t,2, Concord township. He built a log 
 cabin and there made his home, living in pioneer 
 style and aiding in laying strong and deep the 
 foundation tipon which has been builded the 
 [present prosperity and progress of the county. 
 He died a few years later, at which time his son. 
 Jesse R. Eastburn, .Sr., took the farm, which he 
 improved, building a house, barn and fences upon 
 it. He also did considerable tiling and thus 
 added much to the productiveness of the fields. 
 On the 1 6th of September, 1848, he married 
 Tobitha Crichfield. who died Xovember 9, 1854, 
 at the age of twenty-seven years. By that tmion 
 were born two children, Anne and Ellen. He 
 was married Mav i. 1856, to ^liss Margaret 
 Howry, of Indiana, and unto them were born 
 four children, of wlmni three are living: Jesse 
 R.. Laura J. and Mattie. The mother of these 
 cjiijilren was born Xovember 13, 1840. and died 
 Xovember 16, 1898. 
 
 The surviving son, Jesse R. Eastburn. lived 
 at home witji his jiarents during the period of his 
 l)oyhood and youth, and when twenty-four years 
 lit age started out in life on his own account, 
 farming nn sections 31 and ^2. The tract of land 
 eom])rises two hundred and seventy acres. Mr. 
 ICaslburn has purchased his sisters' interest in 
 the old homestead and has made some substan- 
 tial im])roveiuents thereon. He follows farming 
 and stiick-raising and everything about the place
 
 IROQL-OIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 .?75 
 
 iiulii:at(.-> lii> careful siipcrvisioii aiul jiraciical 
 iiicthixls. Ml- lias carefully systfinatizal his 
 wiirk ami he is always interesteil in anything; that 
 tends to primiote the welfare of the ai;riculturisi 
 through the improvement of niachinery or the 
 acceptance of scientific knowleilj^c which has di- 
 rect bearinjj ujxjii the best methods of tillinij the 
 soil and pHniucinj^j jjood crops. In comiection 
 with jjcneral farmintj Mr. I-^astl)uni has also 
 enjiajjed in raisinj; stock and finds this a jirofit- 
 able source of income. 
 
 < )n the 13th of Seinemher. iStj^, occurred the 
 marriaj.;e of Jesse K. Lasiburn and Miss I'.ertha 
 Clark, who was born in Concord townsbi]) in 
 1S7J. They have become the parents of seven 
 children. Hazel L.. Marjjuerite E.. John L.. Jesse 
 V... Walter Clifford. I'reeman 1'. and I'.ernard 
 R. -Mr. Kastbnrn has served as school director 
 and he jrives his jiolitical sup])ort to the democ- 
 racy. Having always lived in Concord town- 
 ship, he has a wide acquaintance within its bor- 
 ders and his good qualities have won him f.Tvor- 
 able regard and warm frieiidshi])s. 
 
 CLARK 
 
 M \k l'l\. 
 
 Among the residents of I^)da now living re- 
 tired is numbered Clark H. .Martin, who in 
 former years was identified willi agricultural and 
 commercial interests bin who is now enjoying 
 rest from all labor, save the su])ervision of his 
 invested interests. He was born in ( )neida countv. 
 N'ew York. .May 17. iS^c;. and comes of Lnglish 
 ancestry, the family having Ixen founded in N'ew- 
 Kngland during the pioneer ei)ocIi in its history. 
 The grandfather. Lbenezer .Martin, was a native 
 of Connecticut and became one of the first set- 
 tlers of ( hieida County, N'ew York, where oc- 
 curred the birth of his son, .\lfred Martin, fa- 
 ther of our subject, in 1800. The latter was 
 reared in that county ami there married Rhfida 
 Dennison, a native of Xew York. To provide 
 for his family he followed agricultural pursuits 
 in Oneida county and spent his entire life there, 
 I)assing away in 1850. He was a soldier in the 
 war of 1S12. entering the army when a lad of 
 onI\ twelve >>r thirteen years, and his widow was 
 
 afterward pensioned by the government because 
 of that service. For years he filled the office 
 of justice of the peace, his decisions being strictly 
 fair and impartial and he was known throughout 
 the conununily as Stjuire Martin. 
 
 Cnlo him and his wife were born fourteen chil- 
 dren, thirteen of whom reached >ears of ma- 
 turity — five sons and eight daughters, but the only 
 surviving sons are Clark H., of this review, and 
 Lyman. There are four sisters living, three be- 
 ing residents of the state of N'ew York and one 
 of I-'Iorida. Two of the brothers enlisted for 
 service in the I'nion army during the war of the 
 Rebellion. Lyman joined the < )ne Hundred and 
 Seventeenth N'ew York X'olunteer Infantry and 
 served for three years. He was wounded and 
 still sulTers from the effect of that injury. His 
 home is in Rome, N'ew York, where he is en- 
 gaged in business as a contractor. Charles J. 
 .Martin, of the same family, enlisted when but a 
 lad of f(5urteen years, jfjining the army in the 
 fall of 1861 in an independent company. He 
 was ke])t at the head(|uarters of tieneral Mc- 
 L'lellan antl his successors for special (lut\' and 
 served until the close of the war, when lie ])artici- 
 ])ate(l in the grand review at Washington, 1). C. 
 He beame a ])rominent and inllueiuial resident 
 of Siloam Spring. Arkansas, where he lived for 
 a nimiber of years, and was cashier of a bank 
 there at the time of his death in the spring of 
 
 Clark H. Martin s])ent the days of his boyhood 
 and youth in the countv i>f his nativity, was 
 reared to farm life and was educated in the 
 |)nblic schools. He. too. was a soldier of the 
 Civil war. enlisting on the 1st of .Ma\. 1861. in 
 response to the president's call for troojis. He 
 had watched with interest the trend of events 
 in the south and had resolved that if a blow was 
 struck to overthrow the I'nion he would stand 
 loyally in its defense, .\ccordingly he joined 
 Company C. of the Fourteenth N'ew York N'ol- 
 imteer Infantry, which was assigned to the .\rmy 
 of the Potomac under (ieneral (Jeorge B. Mc- 
 (.'lellan. He partici|)ated in the following battles: 
 r.idl Run. July 24. iWti : I'.ig Hetliel : Yorktown, 
 April 4, 18^12: Williamsburg. May 5; Hanover 
 Courthouse. May 27: .Mechanicsville. June 27; 
 Ciaines Mills. June 28: Fair ( )aks. June 30; 
 Malvern Hill. July 18-20: Bull Run, August 30:
 
 3/-6 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Antietani, September 17 ; Shepherdstown. Sep- 
 tember 20 ; Fredericksburg, December 1 3 ; and 
 Chancellorsville, i\Iay 4. 1863. While at the last 
 named place his term of service ex|)ired and he 
 was mustered out and honorably discharged at 
 Utica. New York, ^lay 24, with the rank of cor- 
 poral. Although he was never wounded he was 
 ill with txphoid fever during the early part of 
 his service and saw much arduous military duty, 
 experiencing the usual hardships of the soldier 
 who engages in actual warfare. 
 
 After recuperating for a time Mr. }klartin 
 entered the railroad station at McConnellsville, 
 New York, where he remained for four years as 
 agent. About the time of the close of the war 
 he was married there, on the 9th of October. 
 18O4, to Aliss Harriet Hicks, a native of Xew 
 York state, who, for several years prior to her 
 marriage, had engaged in teaching. In 1867 
 they removed to Illinois, and Mr. .Martin pur- 
 chased land in what is now Pigeon tirove town- 
 ship, becoming owner of three hundred and twen- 
 ty acres of raw land, which he broke and fenced 
 developing a new farm. He also put up good 
 buildings, including a house, barn, cribs and 
 sheds, and he carried on the active work of the 
 farm until 1889, when he sold that property and 
 removed to Loda, where he erected a dwelling. 
 For three or four years he conducted a meat mar- 
 ket in the town and then sold out. since which 
 time he has lived retired. In the meantime, how- 
 ever, he purchased a farm of one hundred and 
 sixty acres of improved land in IJarton county, 
 Missouri, and from this he deri\es a gratifving 
 income. 
 
 Unto Mr. and .Mrs. Martin have been born 
 two children. ( iertrude. a music teacher : and \\'il- 
 liam C, a farmer. Ixith at home. Mr. Martin 
 exercises his right of franchise in sui)]iort of the 
 republican party, having been one of its stalwart 
 champions since casting his first presidential bal- 
 lot for .Vbraham Lincoln in i860. When living 
 on the farm he served as township treasurer for 
 fourteen years, being the first to be elected after 
 the organization of the townshi]), and continuing 
 in that office until he removed to Loda. He was 
 also township clerk for three terms. His wife 
 is a member of the fhrislian church and he 1k- 
 l(jngs to the (irand .Army jjosl at Loda. in which 
 he is a past commander. During the thirty-nine 
 
 years of his residence in Iroquois county he has 
 so lived as to win the esteem and friendship of 
 those with whom he has come in contact and he 
 deserves mention in this volume as a representa- 
 tive citizen and as a veteran of the Civil war. 
 
 A. T. CARTER. 
 
 A. J. Carter is a retired farmer living in 
 Ashkum. He still owns one hundred and sixty 
 acres of finelv improved land on section 22, 
 Ashkum township, together with a modern home 
 in the village where he resides. He represents 
 one of the old pioneer families of this part of the 
 state. His parents, S. O. and Lorena (Thorn- 
 ton ) Carter, removed to La Salle, Illinois, 
 from Alorristown, St. Lawrence county. Xew 
 York, in 183C). In 1849 S- ^'- Carter went 
 to California, attracted by the discovery of 
 gold on the Pacific slope, and turned the manage- 
 ment of the farm over to his son, A. J. Carter, 
 then a boy of fifteen years. He remained in the 
 far west until 1855, ■^^li^n 't? rejoined his family 
 in Illinois. There were three sons, of whom .A, 
 J. is the eldest. The others are H. H. Carter, a 
 retired farmer now living in Earlville, Illinois ; 
 and foel Carter, who has likewise retired from 
 the work of the farm and makes his home in 
 Earlville. 
 
 A. J. Carter was born in M<_>rristown. St. 
 Lawrence county. Xew A'ork, August 9, 1833, 
 and was therefore but three years old when 
 brought tbv his parents to this state. His early 
 education was somewhat neglected on account of 
 the ])oor school privileges in Illinois at that early 
 period. His training at farm labor, however, 
 was not meager, for he early began to assist 
 in the work of the fields, taking his place be- 
 hind the plow almost as soon as large enough to 
 reach the |iIo\\ liaiidles. L'or many ye.'irs there- 
 after he was closeh- associated with .igricidtiu'al 
 interests and, as stated, assmned the management 
 of the home farm when a xouth of fifteen years, 
 .\s time passed by he saved his earnings and at 
 lent;th purchased a farm of his own. Coming 
 to lro(|uois count\ in iSdS, he invested in one 
 hundred and sixty acres of land on section 22. 
 Ashkum townshii). This is now a splendidly
 
 •y. 
 
 ■/. 
 
 7:
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUXTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 37" 
 
 improvi-il propcrt} fmin wliicli lie 'Icrivcs a guixl 
 income, ami lie continued to carr\ nij tlie work 
 of the farm until iS(i«). wlien lie took uj) liis 
 alxxic ill the village. 
 
 Mr. Carter was married in l-larlville Decem- 
 lier 17. iSd-. to Miss Mary .\nn Jactihs. of that 
 l>lace. Tliex hecanie parents of a son and dauf^h- 
 ler Itut the forn-.er, .\rtluir Wells, ilied at the 
 ape of nineteen years. The daughter, Jennie 11., 
 after attemlinjj the public .schools of .\shkinii, 
 entered the Ciraiid I'rairie Seminary at <~)iiarKa, 
 from which she \< as jiraduateil. She has 
 taupht school in .\shkum townshiji f<ir the past 
 six vcars an<l in connection therewith slu' now 
 manages her father's home since the death of 
 the wife and mother, which occurred on the 
 _Vl of Xovemher, i()Oi. 
 
 .Mr. Carter has supported the <lemocrac\ 
 throughout his life, although he has hecome 
 somewhat nKle])endeiit in jiolitics in later years. 
 He cpves to the support of local churches, al- 
 though he docs not hold memliership with .-my 
 denomination. His life has been honorable ami 
 uprisjht and the success which he enjoys ha- 
 come as the leiritimate result of earnest I.ilii>r 
 and close application. 
 
 THOMAS T. WESSELS. 
 
 Thomas T. Wessels, engaged in general farm- 
 ing and also operating a threshing machine and 
 corn sheller, resides on section 33, Iroquois town- 
 ship, where he has one of the finest and best 
 improved farms in the county. With unfalter- 
 ing determination and laudable ambition he has 
 worked with this end in view and his prominence 
 and pros|)erity as an agriculturist are well 
 merited. 
 
 Mr. Wessels was l)orn in the town of Middles, 
 in the county of .\uricli, Hanover, (jermany. in 
 i8'>4. a .son of l-Vederick Wessels, also a native 
 of that locality. The father, who was a me- 
 chanic, worked in a brickyard and also followed 
 farming. He married (lesche Reinholz. likewise 
 a native of Hanover, ar.d in iSfx) they came with 
 their family to .\nierica. making a location in 
 Washington. Tazewell county, Illinois, where 
 Mr. Wessels engaged in farming for a few years. 
 
 He then removed to this county, settling in .\sh- 
 kum townshi]!, where lie resided for two years 
 and then removed to Crescent township. His 
 last years were spent in Crescent Lity, where 
 he lived retired until I'.is death, which occurred 
 in H)oi. His wife has also passed away. The 
 tamily of this worthx couple numbered four 
 children, three of whom are \et living: Thomas 
 r. : (ierd. a successful farmer of Crescent town- 
 ship: and lieike, living in .\rkansas. 
 
 The father wisely decided to bring his family 
 to .\merica and thus Thomas T. Wessels has had 
 tlie bmader opportunities of the new world. Ik- 
 was only live years old at the time of the emigra- 
 tion and in the common schools of this state 
 he ac(|uired his education, assisting in the work 
 of the farm when not busy with his text-books. 
 He has always followed farming. Having been 
 ie:ired to that occupation he has never desired 
 to change and has found ample opportunitv in 
 this deiartnieiit of labor for the exercise of close 
 application, keen discernment and capable man- 
 agement. These (|ualities have shown forth in 
 the results that he has achieved. He first bought 
 one hundred and twenty acres in Crescent town- 
 ship, which he later .sold and bought three hun- 
 dred and thirteen acres of fine land on section 33. 
 Inxpiois township where he now resides. He 
 has one of the finest farms in the countv, in the 
 midst of which stands a large commodious resi- 
 dence, built in modern style of architecture. In 
 the rear of this is a large barn, which he has 
 recently built, and the fences and all of the build- 
 ings upon the jilace present a well kept appear- 
 ance. .Modern methods of farming are utilize<l 
 and he is sy.stematic in all that he docs. Drain- 
 age, rotation of cro|)s, the u.se of the latest ini- 
 I)roved machinery, all contribute to the success 
 of the business which he is making his life 
 work, and stock-raising is no unimportant branch 
 of his interests. In i8<;<; he began threshing 
 and corn shelling and he now owns two fine 
 threshing outfits and two corn shellers and does 
 nnich work with these, ojierating extensively in 
 the county. 
 
 .Mr. Wessels married Miss Jennie Renken, of 
 lro(|uois county, a daughter of Renke .\. Renken. 
 a very early .settler of the county who came from 
 Ciermany and died in M/yT,. VnXo .Mr. and Mrs. 
 Wessels have been born five children: Fred-
 
 38o 
 
 PAST AM) rRKSRXT OF 
 
 erick, Herman. Leia. Waller and Kditli. all yet 
 at home, the family circle remaininj; unbroken 
 by the hand of death. The parents arc mem- 
 bers of the Lutheran church. Mr. We.ssels i.s 
 independent in political thought and action. He 
 has spent much of his life in this county, which 
 has been the scene of his business activity. 
 Early in life he became imbued with a strong de- 
 sire to attain affluence and acquire good farming 
 property and bent his energies toward securing 
 this result. He has made good use of his op- 
 portunities, turning every advantage to the best 
 accoiml, in accordance with honorable business 
 principles, and his life is an illustration of what 
 may be accomplished by persistent etTort and tin' 
 practical use of one"s native talents. 
 
 I r LI rs K1I".TZAL\XX. 
 
 Julius Kietziiianu. Hving on section 5, ( )narga 
 township, is one of the active and prosperous 
 farmers of Troc[uois county, his place embracing 
 two hundred acres of Illinois' rich soil. He has 
 been a resident of this state since 1866 and ot 
 the count)- since 1872. He was born in Prussia, 
 April 12, 1846, and was reared to manhood there 
 upon a farm. He had varied eonininn-schodl ad- 
 vantages in the (Jerman language but is self-edu- 
 cated in English, having mastered the latter 
 tongue since coming to the new wurld. The 
 year of his emigration was 1866, at whieli time 
 he took passage on a sailing vessel at 1 lamburg 
 which was eight weeks and three da\s on the 
 broad ,\tlantic ere the voyage was coni])leted by 
 drojjping anchor in Xew "N'ork harbor on the 1 ith 
 of June. .Mr. Kietzniaini wurked at Albany for 
 two months, earning seventeen dollars, after 
 which he made his way westward to Lhicago. 
 His cajjital at the time he arrived in .\ew Vnvk 
 was but twenty-five cents and he also had only 
 a quarter when he reached the western metro])o- 
 lis. Going to Will county, Fllinois, he there 
 worked for three years as a farm han<l in the 
 employ of one man antl thus made a start in busi- 
 ness life in this state. 
 
 Mr. Kietzmann was married in Will county. 
 October 9, 1870, to Miss .\mclia I-uckow, a na- 
 tive of Germanv. Tie then rented land in \\\\\ 
 
 county, which he operated for two years, after 
 which he came to Iroquois county and again 
 carried on farming on rented land for two years. 
 With the capital he had managed to save from 
 his earnings he afterward purchased eighty acres 
 on which he took up his abode, there carrying 
 on general farming for six or seven years. 
 When he had disposed of that property he bought 
 another farm of one hundred and twenty acres, 
 which he cultivated for several years, and as his 
 financial resources permitted he added to his 
 holdings from time to time until he owned four' 
 hundred acres in that tract. There he carried 
 on farming until 1899, when he sold his property 
 there and bought two hundred acres where he 
 now resides on section 5, Onarga township. 
 This has since been his place of residence and 
 in the meantiine he has purchased another tract 
 of one hundred and sixty acres about two miles 
 to the east, so that he now owns altogether three 
 hundred and sixty acres. Here he has put up a 
 good residence and also substantial outbuildings 
 for the shelter of grain and stock. Though he 
 started out in life empty-handed he is now in very 
 comfortable financial circumstances and the se- 
 cret of his success is his good management, his 
 enterprise and his unfaltering perseverance. 
 
 Mr. Kietzmann lost his first wife about 1881. 
 There are four living children by that union: 
 ( iotlieb, who is married and now owns and op- 
 erates a farm : Theodore, who is married and fol- 
 lows farming in this county: Ida. the wife of 
 Hcnrv l-'roehling, an agriculturist of Onarga 
 township : and I'jnil. who is likewise married and 
 engaged in farming in this county. Mr. Kietz- 
 mann was again married in February. 1883, in 
 Chicago, his second union being with .\nna 
 W'endtland. a native of Germany. They now 
 have seven children : Charles, .\ugust, Martha, 
 Henrv, Minnie, Rosa and Lillie. 
 
 I'lilitiealh' .Mr. Kietzmann is a true blue demo- 
 crat, having stanchly supported the party for a 
 number of years. He was reared in the Lutheran 
 faith anil his wife is a communicant of the 
 Catholic church. His residence in Illinois covers 
 a period of four decades, during which time he 
 has been a most industrious man. He worked 
 hard to gain a start and as the years have gone 
 by he has made judicious investment in property 
 luuil he now owns two well improved and valu-
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 .^«' 
 
 al>Ii' farms. His ri-innl is an Imiior to tin- laii<I 
 of his nativity ami tlic land of his aclo])lion and 
 proves what may 1k' acoomplishi-d in a conntrN 
 wluTt- ilTort is not hampirid hy cast or class. 
 hut where the road U) snccess is the hii^hway of 
 nsefulness and ijenernl activitv. 
 
 IK.WKI.IX 
 
 ZrMW Al.l 
 
 l-'ranklin i*. /.unuvalt. of Sheldon, is nnmhereil 
 among Irotjuois county's native sons and is a 
 representative of one of the old pioneer families 
 of tile state, while in 1S47 his lather hecanie a 
 resident of this county, casting in his lot with the 
 early >ettlers who were reclaiminj.; the wild land 
 and iniim))roved rtfjion for the purposes of civili- 
 zation. It was ui)on the old farm homestead in 
 Shrlilon township th:U .Mr. Zumwalt of this re- 
 view was horn, j-'ehruarv 3. i.S<iS. Mis ])arints 
 Wire Christian and .Salimla ( l )der ) /luuwah. 
 The father was horn in Lexint;ton. Harrison 
 County. Kentucky. .Sei)lenil)cr S. 1SJ4, and was 
 the younj,'csl in the family of cin'u children l):irn 
 nnto I'hili]) and Leah (I'owell) Zumwalt. who 
 wire likewise native of the iilue (irass state. In 
 183,^ when their son Christian was a lad of 
 nine ^ars they removed with their familx to 
 Indiana. seUlinti in l"ountain county, where I'liilij) 
 Zumwalt c nducted a grist and saw mill but he 
 was not long permitted to enjoy his new h<inie. his 
 death occurring in i^j^J. 
 
 Christian Zmnwalt jjursued his education i.i 
 the common schools and remained at hoiue until 
 he attained his majority. In 1842. with his 
 widowed mother, he removed to Illinois, settling 
 first in \'ermilion county, where he carried on 
 general farming. His mother died while on a 
 visit in Fountain county, Indiana, in 1840. In 
 the meantime, in 1847, Christian Zumwalt had 
 removed to Iro(|uois comity hut after his mothers 
 death returned to Vermilion ciHinty. Later he 
 took up his abode in Iowa and subscf|uently es- 
 tablished his home in Tazewell county. Illinois, 
 but lived at each (dace for only a brief iicrioil. 
 He came again to Iroquois county in 1855 and 
 l)igan farming here. Prosperity attended his well 
 directed elTorls and he made judicious invest- 
 
 ments in property until his farm land embraced 
 two hundred and forty acres. This he brought 
 under a high state of cultivation and improve- 
 ment and in the course of years the fields returned 
 him a gratifying income in bounteous harvests. 
 Mr. Zumwalt secured a jiortion of his land from 
 the government. Not a furrow had been turned 
 iior an improvement made u|)on that tract but 
 he resolutelv set to work to convert it into pro- 
 ductive fielils and bis labors in course of time 
 wrought the desired transformation. He also 
 erected goo<l buildings and added the various 
 e(|uipuients which are elements of a model farm. 
 Without desire for oftice Mr. Zumwalt gave a 
 st.alwart sii])])ort to the republican i)arty and its 
 principles. The only offices he would ever con- 
 sent to holil were in connection with the schools 
 ami the roads and he did this, realizing their 
 value as factors in the liest develo])ment of the 
 county. He and his wife were consistert mem- 
 bers and active workers in the C"liristian church 
 and were highly rispected in the communilv. 
 
 I )n the i8tli of I'ebruary. 184(1. Christian 
 Zumwalt was married to Miss .Salinda ( )dir. a 
 native of Illinois aiicl a daughter of Joseiib < )ili.r. 
 h'ight children blessed this union, .seven of wb.'m 
 are now living. The father died in W'atseka in 
 i8</i. at the age of seventy-one years, while his 
 wife survived until H)02 and passed away at the 
 age of seventy-four. 
 
 l-ranklin I'. Zumwalt at the usual age became 
 ;i student in the district schools and mastered the 
 various branches of learning tlierein taught. 
 \\ hen not occupied with the duties of the scliool- 
 r: oni or t!ie pleasures of the ])layground his at- 
 tention was claimed by the farm work and thus 
 be became familiar with all of the tasks neces- 
 sary to the successful cultivation of the fields. 
 When twenty-one years of age lie started out in 
 life on his own account, and whatever success 
 he has achieved is due entirely to his own labors. 
 He has made farming his life work and is today 
 the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of 
 land in Shelilon township, whereon he raises both 
 grain and stock. I le has made a specialty of 
 I'ercheron horses and high grade cattle and hogs, 
 and he employs men to assist him in carrying on 
 the work of the farm. In KjOj he retired and re- 
 moved to .Sheldon, where he purchased a beauti- 
 ful residence that be now occupies. He has ten
 
 382 
 
 PAST AND PRESEXT OF 
 
 lots in town and his home is one of the most at- 
 tractive residences in Sheldon. 
 
 Mr. Zumwalt was married in 1891 to Miss 
 Delia Waity, a daughter of Xelson II. \\'aii>. 
 who was one of the pioneer residents here but is 
 now deceased. He was born in Norway, in Au- 
 gust, 1824, and there spent the first twelve years 
 of his life, after which he accompanied his par- 
 ents on their emigration to the new world, the 
 family home being established at Beaver Creek. 
 Illinois, where his parents dietl. He li\ed there 
 but few months, when he went to Monticello, 
 Illinois, where he spent one year. He afterwartl 
 returned to Pieaver Creek and for six years was 
 employed by the month at farm labor. He then 
 engaged in farming on his own account, and in 
 1854 he bought a farm, to which he added until 
 he owned four hundred and thirteen acres in 
 Iroquois county, all of which property was pur- 
 chased w'ith the money he himself earned and 
 is the visible evidence of his life of thrift and 
 industry. On the 13th of September. 1849. he 
 married Miss Elizabeth Enslen. who was born 
 in Indiana and died August 3. 1868. Having 
 lust his first wife Nelson H. Waity was married 
 February 13, 1870, to Miss Rosanna Coughe- 
 nour, who was born in this county. They be- 
 came the parents of five children, three of whom 
 are yet living: Delia E.. now Mrs. Zumwalt: 
 Charles X.; and Frank. Both Mr. and ^Nlrs. 
 W^aity have now passed away. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Zumwalt have four children. 
 Mabel. Hirschel. Kenneth and Freda. Mr. 
 Zumwalt is unfaltering in his support of the re- 
 publican party, his study of the questions and is- 
 sues of the day leading him to the opinion that 
 the platform of that party contains the best ele- 
 ments of good government. He is a member of 
 the Masonic lodge, at Sheldon, and also of the 
 Woodmen camp there. 
 
 ELWTN TICLl.. 
 
 It has been said thai the history (if a country 
 is best told in the Hves of its pcoi)le. and it is tlie 
 enterprise and jniblic spirit of the citizens who 
 enrich and ennoble a commonwealth through 
 their enterprise, their high standards of conduct 
 
 and their public spirit. As one of the represen- 
 tative iren of Artesia township Elwin Hull cer- 
 tainly deserves mention in this volume, for he is 
 the oldest settler of the township and has been a 
 resident of the county from the age of ten years. 
 For almost two decades he has resided upon the 
 farm which is now his home and his agricultural 
 interests are extensive and imjiortant. for he 
 owns and cultivates four hundred and fifty-three 
 acres of land. His home is situated on section 
 13. Artesia townshijj. and stands in the midst of 
 a highly developed farm. 
 
 Mr. Hull was born in Delaware countx', Ohio, 
 on the 27th of March. 1843. ^"<^1 ^^'i* one of a 
 family of five children born imto Japheth and 
 Betsy ( Lusk ) Hull. The father was born in 
 Crawford county, r)hio, ^larch 3, 1821. and was 
 there married on the twenty-first anniversary of 
 his birth to Miss Lusk, a native of Genesee 
 county. New York, born Xoveiuber i. 1822. and 
 a daughter of Seth Lusk. The young people 
 began their domestic life in Delaware county, 
 Ohio, where they resided until 1853. when they 
 came to Iroquois county, settling in what is now 
 Onarga township, although the township organi- 
 zation had not then been effected. A year later 
 they removed to what is now Artesia township 
 and took up their abode on a farm of one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres near Buckley, where they 
 resided for twenty-one years. Throughout his 
 active life ]Mr. Hull carried on farming and the 
 secret of his success was found in his close appli- 
 cation and unfaltering diligence. At the time 
 of his death he owned six hundred and thirteen 
 acres of well ini[)r()ved land, and he passed away 
 on the 25th of October, 187^, at the age of fifty- 
 five years. 
 
 He exerted a widefelt influence in political 
 circles and in early days his opposition to slavery 
 led him to become a stanch abolitionist, while he 
 was known as a conductor on the famous undcr- 
 ,ground railroad and in this wav assisted many a 
 poor negro on his way to freedom in the north, 
 lie joineil the freesoil party on its organization 
 and when the republican party was formed to 
 l^revent the further extension of slaverv he be- 
 came one of its advocates and remained one of 
 its faithful followers until his demise. At difi'er- 
 ent times he was honored with positions of pub- 
 lic trust. He acted for several terms as a mem-
 
 'ui irit 
 UNtVEWLil^ Of ILLINOIS 
 
 22
 
 MR. AND -MRS. ELWIN' HULL.
 
 lAI'HICTH HILL.
 
 Ur irtt 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQL'DIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 387 
 
 her of the hd.inl <>i supervisors and fur sixteen 
 \cars was justice of the peace, remlering dcci- 
 si<iiis which were strictly fair and impartial. Fra- 
 ternalK he was a Master Mason and in his life 
 exemplified the heneficcut spirit of the craft. Mc 
 was also amonj; the California arjjonauts, for in 
 1850, attracted In the discovery of gfold on the 
 coast, he went to the far west, where he worked 
 hy the niontli and mined. He met with <;ood suc- 
 cess, hut lost ei!.;hl thousand dollars hy loaniiiij 
 it to a man in whom he had such confidence that 
 he took his individual note, .\ftcr spentlini: al)ont 
 three years on the coast Mr. Hull returned by 
 way of Cape Horn and New \'ork city and the 
 same _\ear came on horseback to lro(|Uois ci unity. 
 liK-.itinij on the farm which he owned at the time 
 oi his death. He then returned to Ohio and 
 bronjjbt his f;imily by team t<i Illinois, castinjj in 
 bis lot with the pioneer settlers. All was wild 
 and unim])riived in tlii- part uf the state. His 
 nearest nei,!,dibor l<> the north was four miles 
 away, mi the east live miles, on the west ei.nbteeii 
 and on the .south thirty-live miles, all of wiiicb 
 indicates bis isulaled iiosition. but he bravely took 
 up the work of pioneer life and in course of time 
 developed a good farm. The postoffice was at 
 Middlei)ort. a distance of tweiit\-five miles. Piotli 
 parents have now passed away. In their famil) 
 were two sons and three tlaufjbters, of whom 
 four are yet liviiij;. F.Iwin, l-".lmer. Alice and Al- 
 wilda, while Alma, the third in onUr <'\ birtli, 
 died March 3. 1872. 
 
 Llwin Hull spent the first ten years of lii> lile 
 in the i)lace of his nativity an<l then came with 
 his parents to Irocpiois county, where he has since 
 maile his home. I*"ew settlers have more intimate 
 knowle<ljje of the changes that have occurred 
 and the transformation that has been wrought 
 fluring this peri<xl. His home was a frontier set- 
 tlement anrl the schools of the district were 
 very primitive. .Ml around stretched the un- 
 broken |)rairie, over which one might ride for 
 miles without coming to a fence or habitation to 
 im|)ede his progress. Mr. Hull early became iii- 
 niired to the hardships of frontier life and was 
 trained to the work of the fields, a.ssisting in the 
 arduous task fif developing a new farm. He re- 
 niainecl with his father until his thirty-fir.-t \ear 
 and is now the owner of the old family home- 
 stead. 
 
 On the iJth of N'ovenibcr, 1873, Mr. Hull was 
 united in marriage to Miss Sadie R. Kerns, a 
 native of I'ennsylvania, born in Giester county, 
 Septeml>er 7, 185J. She is one of eight children 
 born unto Jacob and Hannah ( Lntrekin ) Kerns. 
 The father was born in the same county, Feb- 
 ruarx 12, 1JS15, and was of German parentage, 
 while his wife was likewise a native of Chester 
 county, I'ennsylvania, born January 7. 1819. In 
 an early day they removetl to La Salle county, 
 Illinois, and in |8<)S liecame residents of IriKjUois 
 county, where Mrs. Kerns died December 21, 
 iSStj. while the death of .Mr. Kerns occurred De- 
 cember 1, i8nj2. He i)rospered in his undertak- 
 ings and Ixcime one of the large landowners of 
 the lo(-;i!nv. Hoth be and his ife were active 
 mem! le Metliodist church, doing all in 
 
 tlieir pr wtr to advance its growth and extend 
 its irtUieiice. 
 
 ]"or .1 miniber of years after his marriage Mr. 
 Hull located upon ;i part of the old home farm 
 and upon his father's death came into possession 
 of a portion of it. lie continued to reside there- 
 on until the spring of 188S, when be removed to 
 his present place of residence on section 13, .\r- 
 tesia township. He owns four hundred and fifty- 
 three acres of land, which be li.is brought under 
 a high state of cultivation. He now lives retired, 
 his sons operating the farm. He has -always been 
 a breeder of sliorthoni cittle and Norman horses 
 and tb'"^ lir.infb of his biisiiR-s b.i~ Dfoxcd prof- 
 itabb 
 
 I'nlo .\|r. ami .\!r>. Hull have liceu born dvc 
 children: (ieorge. who lives on his father's 
 farm, married Rosa F. Conard. a daughter of Jo- 
 seph Conrad, and they have three children: 
 b'erii, llernice :nid Flwin. I'rank, who is also 
 married and resides on the home farm, wedded 
 .\I. I'.lanche Hollingswortb. and they have one 
 child. \ erna L. Cora 1'.. is the wife of Jesse A. 
 Singleton, a tile manufacturer of I'ucklcy. Leo 
 U. is a Miuiig man and operates a part of the 
 home |)lace. Jay L. is also assisting in carrying 
 on the home farm. The mother jjassed away in 
 i^ji), at the age oi forty-six years, after having 
 been an invalid for seven years. 
 
 Politically Mr. Hull is a stalwart republican, 
 having given unfaltering support to the princi- 
 ples of the party at each presidential election 
 since he cast his first vote for .\l)rab;im Lincoln.
 
 388 
 
 PAST AND PRESEXT OF 
 
 He has held the office of highway commissioner 
 for eighteen years, has been treasurer of the 
 board for a number of years and has been school 
 treasurer for sixteen years. He was also town- 
 ship assessor for nine years in succession and 
 has been a delegate to various conventions of his 
 party. A Master Mason, he belongs to Buckley 
 lodge, No. 634, A. F. & A. M., arid to Mount 
 Olivet commandery. No. 38, K. T., of Paxton. 
 
 Mr. Hull is regarded as one of the foremost 
 agriculturists of Iroquois county, having under 
 his personal supervision fifteen hundred acres of 
 land. In addition to his own property he leases 
 and operates the Ann C. Searls farm of seven 
 hundred and fifty acres. The occupation to 
 which he was reared he has always made his 
 life work, nor has he desired to change in this 
 particular. He has found therein ample oppor- 
 tunity for the exercise of his industry and perse- 
 verance — his dominant qualities — and as the 
 \ears have gone by he has labored so effectively 
 and discerningly in well directed channels of ac- 
 tivity that his success has long been assured and 
 he is now one of the most prosperous residents 
 of Artesia townshi]i. 
 
 JOHN C. GILES. 
 
 Nature has been lavish of lier gifts in almost 
 all sections of this great country but particularly 
 in Illinois, which constitutes a part of the richest 
 farming belt of America. It remained to the 
 residents of this locality to claim and improve 
 the opportunities offered, bringing practical and 
 scientific knowledge to meet the conditions that 
 would transform Iroquois county from a wilder- 
 ness and swamp into most productive farms. 
 Among those who have labored earnestly, ener- 
 getically and successfully along that line is num- 
 bered John C. Giles, who today owns valuable 
 farming property on section 2, Douglas town- 
 ship. His life record began in North Peoria, 
 Illinois, December 29. 1844, and he comes of 
 English ancestry. His grandfather, Thomas 
 Giles, was an English soldier wlm acted as one- 
 of the British guards during the trip nf the 
 banished Napoleon to the Island of St. Helena. 
 Plis wife. .\nn Giles, was also of English birth. 
 
 and on leaving the military service of his coun- 
 try he also left his native land, becoming a resi- 
 lient of America in 1827. After four years 
 passed in Utica, New York, he removed to Rich- 
 land, that state, and in 1836, came to Illinois 
 with his family, purchasing eighty acres of land 
 now included in North Peoria. In order to fence 
 his land he placed a broad sack on his pony's 
 back, on which he balanced rails, thus transport- 
 ing them to the desired place. With a mattock 
 he dug up three acres for his first crop, and as 
 the years passed he continued the further work 
 of developing and improving the farm, which he 
 at length brought under a high state of cultiva- 
 tion, making his home thereon until his death. 
 
 His son, William Giles, was born in 1818, on 
 an English ship then in American waters. He 
 accompanied his parents to Peoria in 1836, and, 
 having arrived at years of maturing, wedded 
 Louisa .Anna Kiser. who was a native of Louis- 
 iana, and of German extraction. She was left 
 an orphan in early girlhood and had gone to 
 Peoria with friends. Mr. and Mrs. Giles began 
 their domestic life upon a farm, and in connec- 
 tion with general agricultural pursuits he engaged 
 in brick manufacturing, being the first brick- 
 maker at Peoria. Many of the substantial struc- 
 tures of that city were erected from brick from 
 his kilns and he continued in business with con- 
 stantly increasing success for many years, while 
 the industry that he established is still carried 
 on. He voted with the republican party and 
 filled the oftice of collector of Peoria, serving 
 also as school trustee. His wife died when but 
 thirty-three years of age, while Mr, Giles long 
 surviving, passed away in 1903, at the venerable 
 age of eighty-five years. In their family were 
 four sons and two daughters, three of whom 
 yet survive, namely : John C. : Thomas, a mer- 
 eliant of Nortji I'coria: and Nathan, a retired 
 farmer of Peoria, Illinois. After losing his first 
 wife the father wedded .Ann I'phoff, a native of 
 Germany and tuilo them were born five sons 
 and three daughters. 
 
 John C. Giles spent the days of his boyhood 
 and youth in his ])arents' home and when not 
 busy with his text-books in the acquirement of 
 a common-school education. Iiis time and ener- 
 gies were devoted to work ui)on tlie farm, or 
 in his fatlier"s brickvard. (")n attainin"' his ma-
 
 lUiKjUUlS COUNTY. ll.l.lN' '\' 
 
 38<> 
 
 jority he started out in life on his own accomil 
 as an agriculturist and lias made steady progress 
 in tlic business world, .\lter renting land for 
 ., time he operated his fathers farm for three 
 years and then nuide purchase of eighty acres 
 in Princeville township, I'eoria county, where 
 lie carried on general agricultural pursuits until 
 18S7. In that year he made investment in two 
 hundred acres of land on section 2. Douglas 
 township. Ir<x|Uois county, aiiil hcgan the devel- 
 opment of what is toilay one of the finest farms 
 in this portion of the state. He has placed <n'er 
 fiftv thousand tile on the farm and has thus re- 
 claimed the land from a swamii. converting it 
 into fields of richest fertility, from which he 
 annually harvests large crops. .\one of the ac- 
 cessories and e<|uipments of a model farm are 
 lacking and the latest imi)roved machinery is 
 used to facilitate the work of the fields. 
 
 On the 17th of December. iSoS. Mr. (iile> wa> 
 united in marriage to .Miss .\lm\ra Russell, 
 who was born in IVoria county. Illinois. 
 Her father. I'benezer Rus>eli. was a native 
 of Lawrence comity. 1 Vnnsylvania. born Xo- 
 vcmber 15. iSii. and when a youth of eighteen 
 years he left his parents' home and removed to 
 Fredericksburg. ( )hio. He was married in 1834 
 to Edith Emery, alscj a native of the Keystone 
 state, and they resided upon an ( )hio farm until 
 their removal to Illinois, becoming residents of 
 Peoria county, where Mr. Russell passed away in 
 October. i8</>. while his wife died in 11^17. 
 They had a family of thirteen children. 
 
 Unto .Mr. and Mrs. Giles have been born four 
 children: Emery W.. who was born September 
 25, i86<), and is a carjjenter of I'eoria. married 
 Florence McTier. of Oilman, in 1895. and they 
 have two children. Gladys I!, and Htnvard. Hat- 
 tic May. born July 10. 1874. is the wife of 
 Thomas Scott, a farmer near Gilman and they 
 have two children. Phillip (iiles and ( ilenn 
 .\rthur. .\rthur Ebenezer, born .\ugust 27, 1877. 
 assists in the operation of the home farm, and 
 John Ernest, who was born July 30. 1882. is en- 
 gaged in breeding registered collie dogs, sending 
 them throughout the United States. 
 
 Since 1S87 Mr. (iiles has resided continuously 
 in Iroquois county and his eflforts have been a 
 potent element in promoting the agricultural 
 progress and political and fraternal interests of 
 
 the county. He lia» been a stalwart supporter of 
 the republican party for many years and has been 
 commissioner of the D. D. and .\. ditch for the 
 past eleven years. He has ever been active in 
 party work yet not as a politician in search of 
 olttce and has fret|uently been a ilelegate to the 
 county and state conventions. His wife is a 
 member of the Methodist Episcopal church at 
 Gilman and he is identified with the Modem 
 Wixximen of .\merica. IJy i)er.<everance. deter- 
 mination and honorable effort he has overthrown 
 the obstacle which barred his path to success and 
 reached the goal of prosperity, while his genuine 
 worth, broad mind and public spirit have largely 
 made him a leader of public thought and action 
 in his connnunity. In everything he has been 
 eminently practical and this has been manifest 
 not only in his business undertakings but also 
 in social and jirivate life. 
 
 JACOP. SCHI'R1.\(.A. 
 
 Jacob Scluiringa is a farmer located on section 
 5. Dan forth township, where he owns and culti- 
 vates a finely improved tract of land of eighty 
 acres. He was born in the Netherlands. January 
 I. 1840. and is a son of John and .\ngia (Hesse- 
 ma* .^churinga. who came to .\mcrica in 1868, 
 bringing with them their son Jacob and their 
 two daughters, .\rriviiig on the western shore 
 of the .\tlantic. they made their way at once to 
 Iro(|uois county, where they took up their abode 
 in the month of May. establishing their home 
 on section 6. Danforth township, where the fa- 
 ther purchased eighty acres of land. With char- 
 acteristic energy he began its development and 
 improvement and subse(pientiy he bought one 
 hundred and sixty acres of land on section 5 of 
 the same township. He was among the first of 
 the Holland setters in Iroquois county and he 
 brought to the new world the thrift and perse- 
 verance so characteristic of people of his national- 
 ity. He continued actively in farming until his 
 life's labors were ended in death in 1876 and he 
 is still survived by his wife, who is now living in 
 Grand Rapids. Michigan, at the age of more than 
 eighty years. The daughters of the family are 
 Trinkia and Dena. The former is the wife of
 
 39° 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 Geridge Hessema, a gardener residing at Dauphin 
 Park in Cook county, Illinois, and Dena is now 
 the widow of Albert Cooper, a resident of 
 Chicago. 
 
 Jacob Schuringa spent the days of his boy- 
 hood and youth in his native country and when 
 a young man of about nineteen years came to 
 America with his parents, reaching Iroquois 
 county, as stated, in ;\Iay, 1868. A part of the 
 old home farm of one hundred and sixty acres, 
 which his father purchased and improved, is 
 now in his possession. He resided upon the 
 old homestead for thirteen years and afterward 
 spent twelve years in Cook county, being en- 
 gaged in gardening near Chicago. When his 
 father died in 1876 he returned to the old home 
 farm and in 1880 he removed to North Caro- 
 lina, where he spent two years. It was after- 
 ward that he passed twelve }-ears in Cook 
 county but since 1892 he has resided continu- 
 ouslv at his present place of residence and has 
 operated the farm with good success. All of the 
 improvements here have been made by him 
 and are in keeping with ideas of modern agri- 
 cultural progress. T'Te broke the first land upon 
 the place and he has tiled ihe fields, which ow- 
 ing to the drainage and the cultivation he has 
 bestowed upon them arc in e.xcellent shape. Here 
 he carries on general farming and his labors 
 are meeting with gratifying success. 
 
 Air. Schuringa was married in 1874 to Aliss 
 Cornelia P)aker. who was born in tlie Neth- 
 erlands and is a daughter of William Liaker, 
 who never came to this country and both 
 he and his wife are now deceased. I'nto 
 Air. and Airs. Schuringa have been born 
 three children who are yet living, and they have 
 lost five. Those who yet survive are as follows : 
 John, a farmer residing at Lansing, Cook county. 
 Illinois, married Philopena Keescn and has two 
 children. William, who resides al llluc Island. 
 Cook county, wedded Emma Kraa and has two 
 children. Jacob, fourteen years of age, is at 
 home. The parents are members of the Holland 
 Reformed church of Dan forth and are interested 
 in the intellectual and moral as well as mate- 
 rial development of the comnnuiity. In ])olitics 
 Air. .Schuringa lias always been a republican, 
 giving unfaltering su])])ort to the ]:arty since 
 becoming a naturalized .\merican citizen, vet 
 
 never seeking or desiring office for himself, as 
 he has preferred to concentrate his energies upon 
 his business interests, in which he is now meet- 
 ing with gratifying success. 
 
 I. ^\■. WILSON. 
 
 The productive and well developed farm is the 
 rule in Illinois, for all but ten per cent, of the land 
 in this great state is cultivable and the soil is 
 ])articularly rich in those qualities which produce 
 the cereals which constitute the basis of our 
 food supply and the greatest source of wealth 
 to the country. Nevertheless it is individual 
 labor and merit that wins success. Indolence 
 and idleness would result in farming circles in 
 Illinois as they do in other sections of the coun- 
 try, while diligence and enterprise bring most 
 desirable results. The latter traits are manifested 
 in the life of Air. Wilson, who lives on section 22. 
 Ridgeland township. He owns a farm of two 
 hundred and forty acres pleasantly situated a 
 mile from the village of Ridgeland and within 
 two miles of Onarga. Aloreover he is entitled 
 to distinction not only as a successful agricul- 
 turist but also as one of the earliest settlers of the 
 cotmt\'. his residence here covering a period of 
 more than a half century, for he took 'up his 
 abode in this locality in April. 1856. 
 
 He was born in \\'arren county. New Jersey, 
 April 27,, 1824. and was there reared to farm 
 life with common school advantages such as were 
 afforded to most youths of the period. His fa- 
 ther, William Wilson, was likewise a native of 
 New Jersey, where he was reared and married, 
 the l:ulv of his choice being Aliss Alary I'robasco, 
 a native of New York. Air. Wilson died in 1824 
 and thus upon his widow devolved the task of 
 rearing their family of ten children. The sons, 
 [ohn. William, Thomiison, (Seorgc and I. \\'.. all 
 reached manhood, while the daughters, Eliza- 
 beth, Sarah and Catherine, also attained to adult 
 years. The mother performed her full duty by 
 the little ones left to her care and I. W. Wilson 
 remained with her and assisted lier to the best 
 of his ability until he had attained his majority. 
 He and his brother, George \\ilson. are now the 
 nnl\- surviving: members of the faniilv. lie left
 
 I. W. WII.SOX.
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROOIOIS CUUXTV. ILlJVi 'I 
 
 yj3 
 
 New Jersey in 1845 •"'*^ went to Aiiltiirn, New 
 York, wlierc lie learned the inouKlers trade, 
 which he followed for ten years in different places 
 in the Mmpire state. 
 
 On the I St of Uecemlxr, 1S47. in Syracuse. 
 New York, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. 
 Wilson and Miss Sarah < iaylord, a native of 
 Xcw York. They resided in Syracu.sc for a 
 year and afterward spent five years in Seneca 
 I'alls. Mr. Wilson working at his trade in both 
 I»laces. In the spring of 1856 he came with his 
 family to the middle west. He had made a trip 
 to California in 1S53 by way of the isthmns 
 route and was absint from home f<ir nine months. 
 While on the coast he devoted his time to min- 
 ing the yclliiw metal and the return trip was 
 made by the Nicaragua route. He then worked 
 at his trade in Xew York until coming to the 
 west in 1S56. He had previously visited this 
 locality and had purchased eighty acres of raw 
 land, on which not a furrow had Ix-en turned or 
 an improvement made, .\fter building a house 
 here he returned for his wife and their house- 
 hold effects and removed to the new home which 
 he had prepared. Witli characteristic energy 
 .he began breaking the i)rairie and in the course 
 of years oiiened up a farm. Later he bought 
 more land and he now has two hundred and 
 forty acres in one tract. The farm buildings are 
 in keejjing with nindern ideas of progress. Til- 
 ing has added to the productiveness of the fields 
 and fences have divided the land into fields of 
 convenient size or into pastures as the need has 
 been. He has likewise planted iruii upon the 
 |)Iace and made the farm a valuable pro])erty. 
 living a life of industry aiid close a|)|)lic;ition for 
 many \ears. 
 
 In 1883 Mr. Wilson was called upon to mourn 
 the loss of his first wife. The following year 
 he was married again to Mrs. Julia .Munson. a 
 native of Franklin. Xew York. She had two 
 children by a former marriage. She was reared 
 in the Kmpire state, came west to Illinois and 
 married Ransoiu Munson. They settled at Wat- 
 seka. where Mr. Munson. a carpenter and joiner. 
 worked at his trade until his death in 1871. The 
 children of that marriage arc John F. Munson. 
 a resident of Denver, t'olorado. who is married 
 and has three children : and Mary, who is with 
 her mother. 
 
 Mr. Wilson voles wiiii the democracy and was 
 elected and served for two terms as supervisor. 
 He acted on some of the important committees 
 on the Ixiard. including the roads and bridges 
 and finance committee. He also served as com- 
 missioner of highways for some years and was 
 apiK)inted by the county commissioners as bridge 
 commissioner. I-'raternally he is coiuiectetl with 
 the Masonic lodge at ( >narga. His life has been 
 one of activity and industry and his excellent 
 farm is priHif thereof, for it was a tract of wild 
 land when it came into his possession. He is 
 one of the few remaining early settlers and can 
 relate from memory incidents which occurred 
 here a half century ago and events which consti- 
 tuted the early history of the county. He is well 
 known in ( )narga and throughout this part of the 
 stale and is one of the venerable citizens, having 
 now passed the eighty-second milestone on life's 
 journey. 
 
 Tlli:( )!)( iRI'. CII.C 
 
 1ST. 
 
 Theodore tiilchrist. supervisor of Crescent 
 township and a resident of Crescent City, was 
 born in Iroquois township on the 2 1st of July. 
 1859. his parents being Daniel and Sarah Jane 
 (Lawhead) Gilchrist. The father, a native of 
 Xew York, came to Illinois at an early day and 
 cast in his lot with the pioneer residents of Iro- 
 rpiois township. He became the owner of one 
 hundred acres of land there and was very pros- 
 l>erou> in the conduct of his farming interests, 
 lie died I'ehruary 2. 187J. leaving three chil<lren: 
 Theodore. .Mice an<l Ivva. The elder daughter is 
 the wife of Jo.se|>li Sturdevant and Eva is the 
 widow of .\ndrew Long and a resident of Wat- 
 seka. .\fter losing her first husbancl the mother, 
 Mrs. Ciilchrist. became the wife of Daniel Waters 
 anil is living in Watseka at about the age of sev- 
 entv years. There was one child by that mar- 
 riage. Rachel Waters, also in Watseka. 
 
 The public schcmls afl'ordcd to Theodore tiil- 
 christ the etlucalional [)rivileges which he enjoyed 
 in his youth. He was trained to farm work and 
 has always given his attention to that calling 
 since attaining his majority. In 1882 he made 
 his first purchase of land. l>ecoming owner of 
 eighty acres, and in June. i8</>, he bought an-
 
 394 
 
 FAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 other eisjIUy-acre tract, ^o tliat lie now owns a 
 quarter section in Crescent townshi]). In igoi 
 he removed to Crescent City, where he bonght 
 a fine home antl thirty acres of land one mile 
 south of the town, and upon this place he has 
 since lived. He gives personal supervision to 
 the care and management of his farming inter- 
 ests and from this source derives a good income. 
 
 On the 22d of Xovember, 1882, Mr. Gilchrist 
 was joined in wedlock to Miss Nettie V. Cast, 
 of Crescent City, a daughter of .\quilla C. Cast, 
 of that place, and one of the early settlers of 
 the county, whose sketch appears elsewhere in 
 this volume. Unto Mr. and ^Irs. Gilchrist have 
 been born three children : Grace. \"ernice and 
 Theodore. The mother and two daughters are 
 members of the Methodist Episcopal church. 
 
 Mr. Gilchrist is connected with the ]\Iodern 
 Woodmen camp at Crescent City and in politics 
 is a democrat. He was elected mayor of Cres- 
 cent City in 1905 to serve for two years, and 
 was elected supervisor of Crescent township in 
 1895, i" which office he has served continuously 
 for eleven years. Fie was also collector for 
 four years and assessor two years and has been a 
 most capable official, over whose public record 
 there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of 
 evil. On the contrary he has been loyal to the 
 best interests of the community and does every- 
 thing in his power to advance the welfare of town 
 and count}'. In everything that he does he has 
 been eminently practical, which trait is manifest 
 in his public as well as his private life. 
 
 \\ILLIAM M. DAWSON. 
 
 William 'SI. Dawson is now living retired at 
 Dawson Park but for many years was closelv 
 associated with agricultural interests in this 
 coimty. and is still the owner of four Inmdred 
 and eleven acres of valuable land on section iq. 
 Stockland township, and two hundred acres on 
 sections 7 and 8. These farms class him with 
 the large landowners of the county and with 
 the men of ariluence. Tlis business record well 
 entitles him to representation in this volume and 
 he moreover deserves mention by reason of the 
 fact that lie is one of the veterans of the Civil 
 
 war. and in citizenship in days of peace has been 
 equally loyal to the best interests of the com- 
 munity. .\ resident of the cotinty since 185 1 
 he has watched its development as it has 
 emerged from pioneer conditions and taken on 
 all of the advantages and improvements known 
 to the older east. Born in Warren county. Indi- 
 ana, on the i8th of March. 1842, he is a son of 
 Elisha D. and Folly R. (Davis) Dawson. The 
 father was born at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, not 
 far from Cincinnati, Ohio. He was there 
 reared and subsequently removed to Warren 
 countN- with his parents when a young man. 
 There he followed farming and was married in 
 that locality to Miss Folly Davis, a native of 
 Warren county. They began their domestic life 
 there and remained residents of that countv un- 
 til 185 1, when they came to Iroquois county 
 with their family, settling on Sugar creek. .\s 
 yet comparatively few settlements had been 
 made in this part of the state and Mr. Dawson 
 entered land from the government, securing one 
 hundred and thirty acres, which he developed 
 and improved, converting it into a good farm. 
 As the years passed he continually carried on the 
 farm work until his place greatly increased in 
 value. There he resided until 1879. when he 
 was called to his final rest, at the age of eighty- 
 two years. His widow still survives him and 
 has now reached the very advanced age of 
 ninety-si.x years, making her home with a niece 
 in the old homestead. 
 
 William M. Dawson, who was one of a fam- 
 ily of twelve children, was but nine years of age 
 when he came to Iroquois county with his ]iar- 
 ents. Fie was reared u])on the home farm and 
 in the winter months attended the public schools 
 for a few weeks, wliile in the summer seasons 
 he aided in the work of the fields. Watching 
 with interest the j^rogress of events that marked 
 the opening year of the Civil war. his ])atriotic 
 spirit was aroused by the contiiuied attempt of 
 the south to overthrow the L'nion. and in the 
 l;ill of ]S()2. win 11 twenty years of age. he be- 
 came a member of Compaiu- E. Seventy-sixth 
 Illinois X'ohinteer Infantry, j\)ining the anuy at 
 Kankakee, llis regiment went south to .Missis- 
 sipi)i. and participated in the engagements at 
 Yazoo C'iiy. N'icksburg and Jackson Cro.ss 
 Roads. At the last naiued place .Mr. Dawson
 
 IKOOLulS COUNTY. II.I.IXoIS. 
 
 395 
 
 was wduiulfd and left on tlu- ticlil fur <lca(l but 
 it was fiiniul that life was not i-xliiK-t. Ik- was 
 tlu-n in tlic hospital for thirty tla\s. and he still 
 carries the scar of a rebel bullet that ti>re away 
 a part of the skull. Subse(|ucntly he was in the 
 battle of Mobile, .\labania. lie served for the 
 full term of three years, beiii}; honorahlv dis- 
 charfjed and mustered out at (."hicaijo, Illinois. 
 He participated in a number of imi)ortant en- 
 yajfements and was always most faithful to the 
 olil llaj; and the cause it represented. \\ hen the 
 war was ended he returned to his home and be- 
 ^nn farmin.tj. at first purchasiuji; forty acres of 
 land and subsequently an additional tract of 
 forty acres. 
 
 ( )n the I si of March. 1807. .Mr. Dawson was 
 united in marria.uce to .Miss l-".liza J. L'olTelt, a 
 rative of Warren county. Indiana, and a 
 daiijjliter of Michael C'offelt, a native of 
 ( )hio. who settled at Kentland. Indiana. l"ol- 
 lowinjj his marriage he purchased land on 
 section i<). Stocklaiid township, which he im- 
 proved. makinjLT it a valuable ])ropcrty. It is 
 now called Dawson I'ark. and is situated on the 
 Chicago & Mastern Illinois Railroad, .\fter car- 
 rying on farm work for some time .Mr. Dawson 
 rented his land and went to Missouri, whore he 
 remained for two years, after which he returned 
 to Illinois. He has improved three farms and 
 has thus contributed in substantial measure to 
 the agricultural develo])ment and ui)l)uilding of 
 this section of the C(nmty. With his farmini; 
 he has been a breeder of and dealer in draft 
 horses and at one time was the largest breeder 
 in the county, his business reaching mammoth 
 |)roi)<irtions. lie also made a s])ecialty of Poland 
 China hogs. He still hol<ls extensive and val- 
 uable farming interests, having four hundred 
 and eleven acres of land on section 19. Stock- 
 land township, and two hundred acres on sec- 
 tions 7 and 8. Having put aside the more active 
 Work connected with farming and stock-raising, 
 he makes his home in Dawson I'ark. which was 
 nametl in his honor. Here he has lived for two 
 years in comfort and case, enjoying the fruits 
 of a well sjient and active life. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Dawson have become the par- 
 ents of three children: Flora I'.elle. the wife of 
 .'Stephen .\. Webster, who is operating one of 
 Mr. Dawson's farms; Charles R.. who married 
 
 Jennie Jaggcrs and is living on the home place: 
 and Jennie, the wife of James .S. Wright, who is 
 also living on one of her father's fanus. .Mr. 
 Dawson and his estimable wife have a fine home 
 in Dawson I'ark. and are most couifortablv sit- 
 uated with their children around them. They 
 are members of the L'nited llrethren church, in 
 which Mr. Dawson is serving as a trustee. He 
 is independent in politics nor has he ever sought 
 or held office. .\ witness of niucb of the growth 
 of the county he remembers the time when 
 wolves were almost as mnncrous in this ]):irt 
 of the state as farm animals. It was the day of 
 the swamj) and the wild i)rairie and uncut tim- 
 ber. Many hardships and jirivations fell to the 
 lot of the early settlers but as the work of recla- 
 mation was carried forward all this was changed 
 and the jjresent high state of devlopment ami 
 |)rosperity has been secured thr(»iigh the efforts 
 of such men as William .M. Daw.son. In his 
 business life he has manifested the spirit of en- 
 terprise that has brooked no obstacles which 
 ct)uld be overcome by resolute, determined and 
 honorable effort, and in the control of his busi- 
 ness he has disiilayed an aptitude for successful 
 management that has resulted in winning for 
 him a place among the men of aOluence in the 
 comit\. 
 
 1 1 i:\KV l-.I.Ml-.k K( )( ).\, 
 
 N'inet\ |)er cent of the land in Illinois is arable 
 and there is no finer agricultural state in all the 
 I'nion. for climatic conditions are such that we 
 seldom have late frosts in the s|)ring or early 
 frosts in the autunni and thus the cereals which 
 are most essential for food are easily produced. 
 Mr. K(x>n is one of the active and enterprising 
 farmers of ( )narga townshi|), living on section 
 5. where he owns and cultivates two hundred 
 and forty acres of land. He is one of the native* 
 sons of Illinois and has had no reason to change 
 his |)Iacc of residence, for the excellent o|)])or- 
 tunities offered by this state have been sufficient 
 inducement for him to continue his labors here 
 and gain through his industry and enterpri.se a 
 creditable measure of success. 
 
 Mr. Koon was Ixirn in Kankakee county. Illi- 
 nois. June 22. 1862, and is the youngest son of
 
 396 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 O. W. Kooii. a well kiujwii sltjck dealer and 
 shipper of (Jnarga. The family is a remarkable 
 one in that although the parents have celebrated 
 their golden wedding there has never been a 
 death among its members. The father was born 
 July 31, 1832, and the mother August 8, 1835. 
 Their four children are: James Harvey, born 
 November 11, 1854: Nettie. May 2, 1857; 
 Emma J., April 11, 1859; and Henry Elmer, 
 June 22, 1862. Besides these there are sixteen 
 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 
 
 When but six months old Henry E. Koon was 
 brought to Iroquois county by his parents and 
 was here reared and educated, continuing his 
 studies in the Onarga high school and in Onarga 
 Commercial College. Through the period of 
 his boyhood and youth he remained with his 
 father, who was dealing in and shipping stock, 
 and after he had attained his majority he located 
 on a farm seven miles east of Onarga, begin- 
 ning there with two hundred and forty acres of 
 rented land. After residing for a year upon 
 that place he removed to the farm which is now 
 his home, commencing here with two hundred 
 and forty acres of land, in the midst of which 
 stood a small house. Later he replaced the little 
 dwelling by a more commodious and substantial 
 residence and he now has an excellent farm prop- 
 erty. The drainage system which he has insti- 
 tuted has made his land tillable, for he has laid 
 many rods of tiling on the farm. He has like- 
 wise fenced the place and set out fruit and now 
 has a well improved property. 
 
 Mr. Koon was married in Onarga. April 3, 
 1882, to Mary Robinson, a native of this county, 
 who was reared and educated in the city of 
 Onarga. Her father was Thomas Robinson, 
 formerly of Belfast, Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Koon now have four sons and a daughter. Ar- 
 thur W., who is married, is engaged in breed- 
 ing and dealing in high grade saddle horses in 
 Kankakee. George H. is associated with his 
 brother Arthur in business. Robert !•". is now 
 living in Chicago. Thomas William and ( ier- 
 trude B.. the younger members of the familv, 
 are at home. 
 
 Mr. Koon exercises his right of franchise in 
 support of the men and measures of the repub- 
 lican jjarty, of which he is a stanch advocate. 
 He believes in good schools and has done effec- 
 
 tive service in behalf of education as a member 
 of the school board. He was district clerk for 
 several years and whether in office or out of it 
 does everything in his power for the welfare 
 and improvement of the community. He and 
 his wife are members of the Onarga Methodist 
 Episcopal church and he belongs to the Inde- 
 pendent Order of Odd Fellows, while both are 
 connected with the Rebekah degree. During the 
 vears of his residence here he has seen the coimty 
 change from a wilderness and swamp, the work 
 of reclamation being carried forward until it 
 is one of the rich and great agricultural districts 
 of the state. His own farm was at one time a 
 swamp and frog pond. He has seen the best 
 farms made through the drainage of land and 
 the cultivation of the soil according to modern 
 methods, and he has long been recognized as a 
 leader in agricultural progress. A man of in- 
 tegrity and worth, he has the confidence and 
 esteem of the community and well deserves men- 
 tion in this volume. 
 
 CHARLES VOGEL. 
 
 Charles \ogel is a prosperous agriculturist of 
 Loda township, making his home on section 35. 
 In connection with his sons, William Herman 
 and Carl H., he farms the tract of land of three 
 hundred and twenty acres and he also owns an- 
 other farm of eighty acres on section 34 of the 
 same township. His residence in the county 
 covers a half century, for he took up his abode 
 within its borders in 1857, and through the in- 
 tervening years he has watched with interest the 
 changes that have been wrought and the trans- 
 formation that has brought the county forth 
 fnim a wilderness and swamp and made it a 
 rich agricultural district, 
 
 Mr. Vogel is a native of Germany, born Sep- 
 tember 27, 1838. His father, John Vogel, was 
 born, reared and married in Germany, and in 
 1852 emigrated with his family to the new world, 
 settling in Hartford county, Connecticut, where 
 he spent four subsequent years. In 1857 he 
 came westward to Iroquois county, Illinois, where 
 he made a location and purchased land. It was 
 wild and unimproved Init his energv and activity
 
 .MR. AM) MRS. (, I1.\RI.I-:S VOCEL.
 
 OF I HE 
 UNIVERSITY 0^ ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. IMJNt )IS. 
 
 3W 
 
 scKin cliaiiRi-d this and coiivi-rtctl the tirritory 
 intu priHiiictive fields. TIktc lie made a nood 
 liiimo and in it s]>fnl his last years, passinj: away 
 in i.*«>o. His wife survived him fur alxnit fiflten 
 \ears and died in 1S75. Their family niimhered 
 three sons and four davifjliters. of whont Charles 
 is the eldest, the others hein^ liuj.jo, who was 
 fonnerly a farmer and supervisor of Liwla town- 
 ship, and is now a resident of l-'ullerlon. Ne- 
 braska; Julius, who tilled the office of supervis<jr 
 here for three years and is now livinjj in Mams- 
 ton. Nebraska: Matilda, who departed this life 
 September 24. H;o5 ; .Mrs. .\u;iusia i-utz. of Terre 
 Haute. Indiana: Mrs. Mary Kosenbaum. also of 
 Terre HatUe : and luifjene Cunnintjliam. who 
 lives in I'a.xton. Illinois. 
 
 Charles \'ojjel spent the days of his boyhood 
 and youth in the usual manner of farm lads. Ik- 
 was educated in the ( ierman schools and was a 
 youth of fourteen when, in company with his 
 parents, he emij^rated to the new world. He ha<l 
 no knowltdf^e of Mnj,'lish when he arrived in liii> 
 country but masteretl the tonijue ihrou>;li contact 
 with friends and neij^hbors and tiirouj.jli rea<lin.i; 
 the i>apers and periodicals published in that 
 lanjruane. In 1S71 he married .\mia Wanner, a 
 native of Switzerland, and brou^jht his bride to 
 his farm on section 34. Loda townslii]). which he 
 had ])reviously [)urchased. The work of |)low- 
 in>; and plantiu).; was bejjmi and carried steadily 
 forwanl. and in due cour.se of time the summer 
 sun ripened the tjrain and tjood crops were 
 gathered. Thus the work of improvement was 
 carried on year after year and };ood buildint^s 
 were added to the place. Mr. X'ogel carried on 
 farming on that tract of land until iS<;S. when 
 lie rented that and removed to his present place 
 of residence on section 35. I le has since farmed 
 an excellent tract of land of three hundred and 
 twenty acres with the assistance of his sons, and 
 is an enterprising agriculturist, whose business 
 ability is manifest in the excellent results which 
 have attended his etTorts. 
 
 .Mr. X'ogel lost his wife when they were livin^; 
 on the old homestead. May 17, 1SX5. Seven 
 children had Ix-en Ixirn unto them: lunma. who 
 is acting as her father's housckeeficr ; William, 
 at home: Herman: I'ertha. who was formerly a 
 teacher but is at home: larl H., who is connected 
 with his father in farming operations : and .\ima 
 2.^ 
 
 autl Mar>. Ix'th of whom are engageil in teach- 
 ing. The father and sons are all advocates of 
 the republican party, never failing to vote that 
 ticket. I'or several years Mr. N'ogil lias servitl 
 on the school l)oard and has jnit forth effective 
 etTort in behalf of the system of i)ublic instruc- 
 tion here. In the forty-nine years which have 
 come and gone since he arriveil in the county 
 great changes have occurred and the county to- 
 da\ Ixars little resemblance to the district into 
 which he made his way as a (ierman emigrant. 
 He has borne his share in the work of agricul- 
 tural development an<l has seen the wild land 
 reclaimed and converted into rich fanns, while 
 his own place is evidence of the fertility of the 
 soil when cultivated according to modern 
 methods. 
 
 W ll.l.l AM 11. (■AM-ll-.l.l). 
 
 William II. (jaffield. living in Concord town- 
 ship, is a native of Sheldon tiwnship. Ir(M|uois 
 countv, born Se])leml)er 29, 1867. His father, 
 John (iaffield, was a native of Clark county, 
 ( )hio. and came to Illinois with his father, .\sa 
 (iaffield. the journey being made by wagon 
 across the country. They settled on section 27, 
 Concord township, about iSl'xj. and the grand- 
 falluT entered land from the government which 
 he purchased for a dollar and a tpiarter [)er 
 acre. He had three hundred and nine acres in 
 all and was one of the leadin;.: farmers at an 
 early day. 
 
 John (iaffield. the father of our subject, bought 
 two Innnlreil and forty acres of land in .^^heldmi 
 township, investing capital which he saved from 
 his own earnings. He built a house of walnut 
 lumber, si.xteeii In twenty-four feet, and con- 
 taining two rooms, and in this ])rimitive little 
 home all of his eleven children were born. Five 
 of that number are still living. Mr. (iaffield 
 was a man of energy and determination and of 
 unfaltering industry. He tiled and fence<l his 
 land and in every way im])roved his place, mak- 
 ing it a valuable fann property, from wliich he 
 g.ithered rich anmial harvests. The only inter- 
 ruption to his active business life was his service 
 in the Civil war. for he was in hearty sympathy
 
 400 
 
 PAST AND PRESEXT OF 
 
 with the Union cause and in i80i he responded 
 to the country's call for aid. enlisting in Com- 
 pany C. Fifty-first Illinois Infantry, with which 
 he remained until 1865. He then returned to 
 his farming pursuits and died upon the old home 
 place in 1897 — one of the respected and hon- 
 ored pioneer farmers of the community. His 
 wife, Mrs. Charity Montgomery Gaffield, was 
 born in \\'arren county, Indiana, and became 
 one of the early pioneer women nf Iroquois 
 county. 
 
 William TI. (iafficld lived at home until he 
 attained his majority and the work of the farm 
 earlv became familiar to him. He then started 
 out in life on his own account and was employed 
 at farm labor by the month until 1890, when his 
 uncle gave him a farm of one hundred and thir- 
 teen acres on section 37, Concord township. It 
 was mostly improved but he has since continued 
 the work of tiling and has added many other 
 modern equipments. He has also further ex- 
 tended the boundaries of his property by the 
 additional purchase of fifty acres and has a good 
 and well developed farm at the present time. 
 
 Mr. Gafiield was married in Belmont township, 
 on Christmas day of 1894, the lady of his choice 
 being Miss Josephine .\. La Page, who was 
 born near St. Anne, Kankakee county, Illinois, 
 Februarv 14, 1870. Both our subject and his 
 wife are highly esteemed by many friends and 
 their hospitality is greatly enjoyed by those who 
 know them. Mr. Gaffield affiliates with the 
 Masonic fraternity and he exercises his right 
 of franchise in support of the men and meas- 
 ures of the republican party. 
 
 AIAA T;. THOMAS. 
 
 -Mva B. Thomas, living on section 22. Ridge- 
 land township, where he t)wns and controls two 
 hundred acres of land, is one of the native sons 
 of the locality, for his birth occurred in this 
 township, June 19, 1862. His father. Edwin 
 Thomas, was a native of New York, and, coming 
 to Illinois in 1861, settled in Ir(i(|U(iis county. 
 where he purchased land. ITerc he carried on 
 farming, improving a good property and rearing 
 his familv. Going to Indiana, however, he there 
 
 became ill and died in that state about 1867. He 
 had been married in Indiana to Xancy ( Wear ) 
 Dinwiddle, a native of Kentucky, in which state 
 her girlhood was passed. 
 
 .\lva 1!. Thomas of this review, reared on the 
 old homestead, has engaged in farm work from 
 the age of fourteen years, depending entirely 
 ui)on his own resources for a living. At that 
 time he started out for himself, but has made a 
 hand in the field since the age of ten years. 
 Thus his vouth was a period of earnest and un- 
 remitting toil and his life has been a strenuous 
 one. Few men have displayed greater energy or 
 aclivitv, and as a result of this he is now one of 
 the prosperous and prominent farmers of his 
 native township. Following the acquirement of 
 a good common-school education he pursued a 
 commercial course in the Onarga normal. For 
 nianv \-ears he was associated with his mother 
 in the management and conduct of the home 
 farm and lived with her until her death, which 
 occurred in June, 1903. He was one of five 
 children who reached mature years. His broth- 
 er, James Thomas, was a soldier of the Civil 
 war, becoming a veteran of that strife. He is 
 now an invalid and lives with his brother, Alva 
 
 B. Thomas, .\nother brother, John Thomas, is 
 a lawyer at Bourbon, Indiana, and is regarded 
 as a ])rominent representative of the bar. 
 
 In 1891;, in Onarga, .\lva B. Thomas was mar- 
 ried til Miss Carrie D, Page, of Washington, D. 
 
 C, in which city she spent her girlhood and ac- 
 quired her education. Her father was a real- 
 estate dealer and manufacturer of flour there. 
 I'nto Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have been born three 
 children : Adele L.. A. Harve\' and George F. 
 
 In addition to his farming interests Mr. 
 Thomas has extended his efforts into various 
 lines of activity. He built a store at Ridgeville 
 and carried on business there for seven years 
 as a dealer in dry goods, lumber, groceries and 
 li;u"<lwaro. His trade was verv extensive and the 
 enterprise provetl profitable. His was the first 
 business house built in the village and he now 
 owns three good business blocks there. He still 
 deals in pianos and organs. He built a large. 
 neat residence, two stories in height with basc- 
 nuiit. ;ind thoroughly modern in its equii^ments, 
 being heated with furnace and supplied with hot 
 and cold water on every floor. The house is
 
 IROQIOIS (OINTV. II.I.1\()IS. 
 
 4ui 
 
 linhli-il by j^as thronnliont and iIktc In :i j^is 
 fiipinc for laiin<lry work, clnirninn and inini])- 
 iiiR. There arc also iX"<<<\ <intl>uil<liiii;s ni)ciii ilu- 
 place and i-vcry fciiiipinint of a niudil farm 
 is Ihtc to be ftnnid. Mr. 'I'bnnias likewise owns 
 a farm of one bundred and forty acres at .Mount 
 N'ernon. Illinois. .Ml that lie iH)Ssesse.s ha.s been 
 ac(|uire<l throu)j;b his own labors and his exten- 
 sive business has btvn develo|)ed thrnu^h his 
 perseverance, energy and keen foresight. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Thomas arc active members of 
 the I'rcsbyterian church, in which he served as 
 >te\vard for fifteen years. I'oliticnlly a ])rohibi- 
 tionist, he has long Ik-cu a stalwart advocate of 
 the temperance cause. In i8<)i he was elected 
 justice of the peace and by re-election has been 
 continued in the office for fifteen years. His de- 
 cisions are strictly fair and im|)artial as indicated 
 by his retention in the position. Me has also 
 served on the school board and as president of the 
 district board. Whatever he imdertakes he car- 
 ries forward to successful comjiletion and he 
 readily recognizes and imjjroves opportunities, is 
 quick to plan and perform and manifests a spirit 
 of detennination and keen executive force that 
 never fail to accomplish the ilesired result. I Ic 
 certainly deserves much credit for what he has 
 done and bis is a record which might well serve 
 as a source of emulation and encouragement to 
 others, showing what may 1k' accomplished when 
 one has the will to dare and to do and |)niviiig 
 that success is ambition's answer. 
 
 (;.\S.\\V.\V l!R( nilKRS. 
 
 History is no longer a record of wars atul 
 con(|uc.sts, of the attack of a clan or of a countr\ 
 upon other peoples, but is the account of busi- 
 ness activity and of ])rogress in the field of art 
 and letters. It is pre-eminently a utilitarian age 
 anfl the real founders and promoters of a town 
 or city arc the active business men who estab- 
 lish and successfully control business interests 
 which prrjinnte the industrial and commercial 
 life and add to the general ])ros|H-rity. In this 
 connection the firm of Gasaway I'irothers well 
 deserve mention. They arc cngagifl in the farm 
 im|>lement and harness business at Milford, 
 
 where they are conducting a well ai)pointed es- 
 tablishment and they also handle hardware, 
 waguns and carriages. ISoth are natives of Iro- 
 i|Ui>i> ciiunty. Mdwaril I. ( iasaway was Ixirn 
 at ( Hd Town. Sei)tember lo. i86<j, and his 
 briither's birth occurred there 1 )eceinl>er 3, i><y\. 
 They are sons of Dr. \. II. t iasaway, a native 
 of Kentucky and a son of David Gasaway, who 
 on leaving the Mine (jrass state removed with 
 bis family to Indiana and settled at Old N'ernon. 
 He was a blacksmith by trade and carried on 
 that business in Indiana. Dr. (iasaway was 
 reared at X'ernon, was educated there and at 
 the time of the Civil war enlisted as assistant 
 surgeon in the L'nion army, being assigned to 
 l.'om])any K of the Twelfth Indiana \'oIuntcer 
 Infantry, for one year. He .served out his term 
 and then resigned after which, in i8<>2. he came 
 to Illinois, establishing his home at Old Town. 
 Ir<H|u<iis county, where be entered actively upon 
 the practice of medicine, in which he continud 
 for a number of years. He afterward removed 
 to ( )klahoma, where he engaged in practice for 
 three years. He then returned to Milford and 
 spent his last years on the farm, his death oc- 
 curring in October. H)04. when he had reached 
 the ripe old age of seventy-eight years. His 
 widow is still living and her home is now in 
 Chicago. 
 
 Rdward (jasaway and his brother Walter were 
 reared in Iroquois county and at the usual age 
 entered the common schools, [)assing through 
 successive grades, while later they pursued a 
 course of study in I^igansprot (Indiana) Com- 
 mercial College. They were, however, reared 
 upon the home farm, carried on general agri- 
 cultural pursuits and from youth became famil- 
 iar with all the work connected with the tilling 
 of the soil. They also raised and dealt in horses 
 and cattle but, thinking to find a still more profit- 
 able field of labor in commercial life, they en- 
 gaged in business in Milford about 1893 and 
 have since been factors in business here. They 
 first estal>lished a restaurant, wliich they con- 
 ducted for several years, after which they turned 
 their attention to the harness and implement 
 business. They deal largely in farm implements 
 and they also carry an extensive line of buggies, 
 carriages and wagons. .\t the same time they 
 conduct a harness shop and make o\ti.iisivc .ui-
 
 402 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 nual sales in all the deparlinents of their busi- 
 ness. They have built up an excellent trade and 
 are among ^lilford's most progressive and 
 prosperous business men. 
 
 Edward Gasavvay was married in Milford in 
 March, 1903, to Miss Estella Morris, who was 
 born in Blanchester, Ohio, a daughter of Georgo 
 W. Morris, who about 1901 came to Iroquois 
 county. Walter Gasaway was united in mar- 
 riage in Milford in 1901 to ^liss Mary Jane 
 ^lorris. a sister of his brother's wife, and they 
 have two children, Clyde E. and Armilda. 
 
 The brothers are prominent in local political 
 circles, stanchly advocate the principles of the 
 republican party and their opinions have fre- 
 quently been decisive factors in settling ques- 
 tions of local importance. Edward Gasaway 
 was elected and served for three years on the 
 town board and he is a member of Milford lodge, 
 I. O. O. F. They and their families are promi- 
 nent socially being highly esteemed in the com- 
 munity where they reside. Their entire lives 
 have been passed in Iroquois county and they 
 have seen the growth of Milford from an insig- 
 nificant village to a thriving little city, domi- 
 nated by a spirit of enterprise and progress. 
 They give their support to every worthy enter- 
 prise calculated to prove of public benefit and 
 are men of unblemished character and sterling 
 worth. Investigation into their life record but 
 serves to heighten their good qualities and win 
 for them still higher regard among the many 
 who already give to them warm friendship. 
 
 H. S. COMPTOX. 
 
 Scientific investigation and tests have slidwii 
 that there is no richer farm land in all America 
 than is found in Illinois, where soil and climate 
 are most conducive to the raising of good crops. 
 Many fortunes have been made by those who 
 have taken up agricultural work, for rich returns 
 are secured for the care and labor which are 
 bestowed u]3on field and meadow. Mr. Comp- 
 ton is among the number who in Iroquois county 
 has met with a gratifying measure of prosper- 
 ity through his farming operations and he now 
 owns and conducts a farm of two hundred and 
 
 twenty-four acres on section 20. Onarga town- 
 ship. He is numbered among the early settlers, 
 for he dates his residence in the county since 
 1869 and has lived in Illinois since 1855. 
 
 A native of Ohio, he was born in Union 
 county. April i, 1851. and came to this state 
 with his parents in 1855, locating first in Mar- 
 shall county near Big Shanty, where the family 
 resided for a few years, subsequently removing 
 to Livingston county. .\t a later date they took 
 up their abode in La Salle. The subject of this 
 review largely spent his boyhood days near 
 W'enona. where he enjo\'ed common-school ad- 
 vantages. He is to some extent, however, a self- 
 educated man and reading, observation and ex- 
 perience have greatly broadened his knowledge. 
 He worked by the month at farm labor for 
 about fifteen years, dependent entirely upon his 
 own resources from the age of eighteen years. 
 He bought his first land in ^IcLean county, Illi- 
 nois, commencing with eighty acres, and farmed 
 that property for six years, when he sold out 
 and purchased one hundred and sixty acres just 
 east of his present place. This he tilled for 
 some time and on selling out came to Iroquois 
 county in 1895, making investment in two hun- 
 dred and twenty-four acres of land, upon which 
 he now resides. He at once began the further 
 development and improvement of this property 
 and has since added to and remodeled his resi- 
 dence, built a large granary and corn crib with 
 elevator, and has now all of the modern equip- 
 ments and accessories of a model farm upon his 
 property. He has since bought one hundred and 
 sixty acres of land near Onarga known as the 
 Matthews farm and it too is under a high state 
 of cultivation. He produces splendid crops of 
 the cereals for which the .soil is best adapted and 
 he also raises and feeds stock, keeping high 
 grade cattle and hogs and also high grade Per- 
 cheron horses. 
 
 ( )n the 29th of December, 1882, Mr. Comp- 
 tou was married to Miss Lucy Wick, who was 
 I)orn and reared in McLean county, Illinois. 
 They now have five children : Clara Belle, the 
 wife of Pearl Mcintosh, a farmer of this county; 
 George W.. u\ion the home farm: Edward M., 
 Maud, and Major McKinley. The family are 
 wi(lel\ and favorably known and the hospitality 
 of tile best homes of the localitv is freelv ac-
 
 II. S. COMI'TOX.
 
 v. ;HE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IR(0QUOIS COUNTY. ILIJNOIS. 
 
 405 
 
 corded thoin. Mr. Conipton has been an earnest 
 republican since his first presidential ballot wa.-; 
 cast for L'. S. Grant and he has since stanchl) 
 supported the men and measures of the i)arty. 
 He has j^erved on the school board and as road 
 commissioner but has never sought or desired 
 public office. He starti-d out in life on his own 
 acannit eini)ty-handed. but diliRence and reso- 
 lute purpose have iK-en the stronj.; elements in 
 his successful career, raisinjj him from a humble 
 financial position to one of affiuence. 
 
 EUGEXK H. I'KKRV. 
 
 liugene H. I'errv. a representative of the 
 farniinj; interests of Iroquois cmmty and a res- 
 ident of Crescent City, was horn in Niagara 
 county. Xew York. I'ebruary 12, 1866. His 
 father, Rolxrl Hoy I'crry. was born in the Em- 
 pire state February 17. 1830. and came with his 
 family to Grundy county. Illinois, in 1877. In 
 1882 he removed to IrtKpiois county, settlinfi on 
 a farm in Crescent township, which is now tlie 
 property of his s<jn. F.. H. Perry. The father has 
 departed this life but the mother is still living 
 in Watseka and further mention of them is made 
 on another pape of this w<jrk-. 
 
 In the common scho<jls Mr. l'err\ ac(|uired 
 his early education and later attended Grand 
 Prairie Seminary at ( )narga, Illinois. He was 
 early trained to the work of the farm, becoming 
 familiar with all the duties and labors that fall 
 to the lot of the agriculturist. He did not seek 
 to change his occupation when he entered busi- 
 ness life but has always been identified with 
 fanning interests and is today the owner of one 
 hundred and sixty acres of goo<l farm land a 
 mile and a quarter from Crescent City. He does 
 general farming, hiring a man to take charge 
 of the farm but giving personal supervision to 
 its management and further <levelopment. In 
 1901 he removed to Crescent City, where he pur- 
 chased property and has since made his home. 
 
 Mrs. Perry, who presides over their pleasant 
 home, was in her maidenhood .Miss Emma Plow- 
 man, a native of Carroll county, Maryland, born 
 June 6, i8r»5. When only four years of age she 
 was bnnight to Iro<iuois coimty by her ])arents. 
 
 She is a daughter of George \V. Plowman and a 
 sister of .\mon Plowman, deputy circuit clerk. 
 Iloth are now deceased. .Mr. and Mrs. Perry 
 have four children: .\da. who at the age of 
 eighttx-n years is teaching school : ( ieorgia, si.\- 
 teen years of age. a graduate of the scIkhiIs of 
 Crescent City; Koln-rt and Homer, aged re- 
 spectively eleven and five years. 
 
 Politically Mr. Perry casts an independent 
 ballot. He. however, keeps well informed on 
 questions and issues of the day and votes as he 
 thinks the best interests of the city, county ami 
 state demand. He served as collector for one 
 year but has never been a politician in the sen.se 
 of oflice seeking. His memlxr.^hip relations arc 
 with the .Mixlern Woodmen camp at Crescnt 
 Cit\' and his wife is a member of the Cogrega- 
 ti(jnal church. There has been no esoteric phase 
 in his life record. On the contrary he has 
 worked persistently and energetically in the con- 
 trol of his business and his capable management 
 and cIo.se application have made him prosperous. 
 
 I'. H. LUEBCHOW. 
 
 I". H. Luebchow is a general merchant carry- 
 ing on a large and growing business in the vil- 
 lage of Martinton. He was born in Germany, 
 February 28. 1868. and was brought to .\merica 
 when three years of age by his parents. His 
 father, .\ugust Luebchow. was also born in Ger- 
 many and came to the new world in 1871. For 
 a year he resided in Will county. Illinois, and 
 then settled in .\sh (irove township. Iro(|uois 
 county. Later he purchased one hundred and 
 sixty acres of land in .\rtesia township, which 
 he broke and cultivated, making his home there- 
 on continuously since and carrying forward his 
 farm work along progressive and substantial 
 lines. His wife, Mrs. Louisa Luebchow. is also 
 a native of Germany. 
 
 In the common schools F. H. Luebchow ac- 
 (|uired his education and livcrl at home until sev- 
 enteen years of age, during which time he be- 
 came familiar with all the work of the farm. 
 He then started out upon an independent busi- 
 ness career by securing a clerkship in the employ 
 of Mr. Frechette in Martinton. In March. J8<^^.
 
 4o6 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 he purcliased the store of Mr. Kauti'inaii. who 
 had been engaged in merchandising in this town 
 for about twelve years. The store biiikhng was 
 thirty by sixty feet and lie has increased the 
 length sixteen feet by the building of an addi- 
 tion. Hf carries a full line of general merchan- 
 dise, including groceries, boots, shoes, furnish- 
 ings and dry goods. The business has greatly 
 increased since he assumed the management and 
 he now carries a stock valued at about seven 
 thousand dollars. The wise system of indus- 
 trial economics which he has followed and his 
 enterprising spirit challenge the admiration of 
 all, and he is thus making substantial progress 
 as a factor in the business life of Martinton. 
 
 ^Ir. Luebchow was married in Martinton to 
 ^liss Ida Laughlin, who was born in Parke 
 county. Indiana, in 1868, and they have become 
 the parents of two children, Kenneth and Evelo. 
 aged respectively six and four years. The par- 
 ents are highly esteemed, occupying an enviable 
 position in social circles. Mr. Luebchow is a 
 valued representative of the Independent Order 
 of Odd Fellows and the ^Modern Woodmen 
 camp, while his political allegiance is given to 
 the republican party. 
 
 IIFXRV P. WEBBER. 
 
 Henry P. Webber, whose time and energies 
 are given to general agricultural pursuits and 
 stock-raising interests, makes his home on sec- 
 tion 27, Lovejoy township, his farm embracing 
 eighty acres of land there. He also operates an 
 adjoining tract of eighty acres belonging to his 
 ijiother. He has resided continuously in this 
 county for thirty years, arriving in 1877. al- 
 though the father purchased the farm in 1875. 
 
 Mr. Webber is a native of Illinois, having been 
 born in .^tark county. Decenibcr 11, i86f). He 
 was one of four children born unto Philii) and 
 Caroline (DeGroft) Webber. The father, a na- 
 tive of Kentucky, was born in 1817 and when 
 a young man removed to Indiana. He was mar- 
 ried that state and lost his first wife there. 
 Subsequently he removed to Stark county. Illi- 
 nois, and opened up a farm near Wyoming. 
 There he carried on general agricultural pur- 
 
 suits for several years, after which he disposed 
 of the property and in 1877 removed to Iroquois 
 county, having purchased one hundred and sixty 
 acres of land in 1876. There were only slight 
 improvements upon the farm at that time but 
 he at once began the further development and 
 cultivation of the property and added to it a good 
 set of farm buildings, including a comfortable 
 residence and barns and sheds entirely adequate 
 for tlie shelter of grain and stock. He drained 
 the land by placing many rods of tile on the farm 
 and he also fenced the fields. Following his re- 
 moval to Stark county he was married here to 
 Mrs. Caroline (DeGroft) Ames, a widow, who 
 was a native of ( )hio and tliere spent her girl- 
 hood days to the age of twelve years, when she 
 came to Illinois with her father. James De Groft. 
 who was one of the early settlers of Peoria ci mn- 
 t\'. -\fter removing to Iroquois county, Mr. 
 Webber continued to reside within its borders 
 until called to his final rest on the 21st of Jan- 
 uary. i8()6. He was a resident of the state for 
 more than a half century, helped to improve it, 
 drain the swamps and make the country a rich 
 and fertile tract. He was well known as a law- 
 abiding citizen and a man of genuine integrity 
 and sterling worth who deserves prominent men- 
 tion among the pioneers, for he assisted in lay- 
 ing broad and deep the foundation upon which 
 has been erected the superstructure of the coun- 
 ty's present pros])erity and progress. His widow 
 survives him and is now living on the old home- 
 stead at the age of seventy-eight years. 
 
 Three children are living of the father's second 
 marriage but Henry Webber is the only son. 
 ( )ne son, James E., died at the age of twenty- 
 eight years. He was reared to manhood on the 
 old homestead farm and pursued a ])ublic-school 
 education. Through the period of his youth 
 he remained with liis father and aided as his age 
 and strength jiermitted in the care and develop- 
 ment of the fields, .\fter he had .-ittained his ma- 
 jurily he bought eighty acres of land from his 
 father and the house, barn and granarv upon this 
 l)lace ha\'c all been erected 1)\- him. lie has also 
 put up a windi)ump, has tiled the land and en- 
 closed the fields with a neat woven wire fence. 
 The farm ])resents an attractive and well kept 
 appearance and owing to his systematic labors 
 and jirogressive methods he has become a valu-
 
 IRooroiS OU'XTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 407 
 
 al>lc pruiKTty. Hf annually harvests jjcmhI crops 
 ami he is also raisiiij; hi>;h fjradc i'oland China 
 hofjs, shorthorn cattle and good horses. Lvery 
 year he fattens hogs for the market. shii)pin(i 
 (piite a large nnniher. 
 
 ( )n the nth of January, i8i;3. in \ ennilion 
 county, Illinois. Mr. Wehher was married to .Miss 
 Ida l". Hunt, who was born and reared near 
 I^ifayette. Indiana, hut was left an orphan at 
 the age of three years and was reared hy an aunt 
 in Indiana. I'nt.i .Mr. and .Mrs. W'lhlier have 
 l>een born six children: Arthur II.. Ral])h .S., 
 Waiter II., F.mma ()., Mert 1'.. and Harry i:. 
 
 .Mr. Webber exercises his right of franchise 
 in sui)port of the men and measures of the rc- 
 public:in party, lie is a believer in good schools 
 and the employment of com])etent teachers and 
 has done effective service in behalf of education 
 while a member (jf the .school board through a 
 number of years. His wife is a member of the 
 Hoopestoti I'niversalist church an<l he belongs 
 to the ( )dd I-'ellows society at Wellington. A 
 resident of the state throughout his entire life, 
 he has hel])ed to turn the sod. to drain and ditch 
 the land and to carry forward the work of im- 
 provement, the county being benefited thereby, 
 while his individual resources have been in- 
 creased. He has recently improved his own resi- 
 dence and is comfortably situated in life as the 
 result of his unfaltering diligence and his keen 
 discernment as manifested in the management 
 of bis business interests. 
 
 FKKDKRKK W. ( iULiCNiaRc i. 
 
 I'Veilerick W'. (ireenl)urg. living on section 24, 
 Prairie (ireeii townshij), is one of the progressive 
 fanners of Irof|uois county, and his holdings of 
 .seven hundrerl and twenty acres include five 
 well imi^roved farms with two hundred and 
 forty acres in the home place. Upon this farm 
 arc many modern e<|ui])ments and accessories, 
 and in all its departments the farm indicates the 
 spirit of progress^ which has dominated the 
 owner in his business career. liorn in Prussia, 
 January 24. 1833, he was there reared, and in 
 that country followed sheei)-raising as a shep- 
 
 herd and tender of sheep. In 1855. when a 
 young man of twenty-two years, he came to the 
 new world, taking jjassage on a sailing vessel 
 at Hamburg, which, after encountering heavy 
 seas and severe weather, reached .\'ew ^'ork har- 
 bor after a voyage of five weeks. 
 
 Mr. (ireenburg at once made his way to Mil- 
 waukee, Wisconsin, where he sjjcnt one summer 
 on a farm and in the winter worked in the lum- 
 ber woods. He then went to Racine coinity. 
 Wisconsin, and for two seasons was eniployed 
 at farm labor there, .\bout i8«jo he removed to 
 ripi)ecanoe county, Indiana, where he was em- 
 ployed at farm work until 18(17, when he came 
 to Iro(|uois county. Illinois, and traded a horse 
 worth two lunulred dollars for eighty acres of 
 raw land, u]wn which he resides. The jjlace was 
 almost entirely destitute of improvements save 
 that there was an old shell of a house. He at 
 once began the development and cultivation of 
 the land and with the assistance of his sister and 
 his father's family continueil the farm work. He 
 bought more land from time to time, broke the 
 pritirie. fenced the fields, erected necessary 
 buililings and made the farm a good ])roperty. 
 Toilay he is the owner of more than .seven hun- 
 ilred acres an<l the honie farm comprises a tract 
 of rich and arable land of two hundred and forty 
 acres, in the midst c)f which stands a comfort- 
 able and Commodious two-story residence. He 
 has also built a go<id barn, put out an orchard 
 and tiled ;Mid fenced the ])lace and altogether 
 the farm |>resents a most attractive appearance. 
 
 ( )n the JDtli of .March. i8'k». in lihKimington, 
 Illinois, by his m.irriage to .Miss .Maggie Smilii, 
 .Mr. (Ireenburg .secured a heli);nate and compan- 
 ion for life's journey. She was born and rearetl 
 in llavaria. ( iermany. and has indi'cd been of 
 much assistance to him as the years have passed 
 by through the capable management of the 
 household and in other ways. Six sotis and a 
 (laughter have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. 
 (ireenburg: John, who is now married and has 
 two children. Reed and Bessie, their home being 
 in .\ml)ia. Indiana ; I'red, who is married and 
 lives in I Ioo])eston ; Louis, who is married and 
 has two children, Cora and Ina, their home be- 
 ing upon a good farm in this county ; Fannie, 
 the wife of Charles Fields, who is operating one 
 of her father's farms; James, who lives on one
 
 4o8 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 of his father's farms ; Wilham, who is married 
 and carries on the farm ; and Lester, at home. 
 In politics Mr. (jreenbiirg and his sons are all 
 stanch republicans. He has served as road com- 
 missioner and has been a member of the school 
 board for a number of years, believing in good 
 schools and the employment of competent teach- 
 ers. He was reared in the Lutheran faith and 
 his wife in the Catholic church. He is one of 
 the well known and substantial fanners of Prai- 
 rie Green township, and his labors have been 
 an element in the substantial development and 
 improvement of his section of the county. He 
 started out in life empty-handed and in fact 
 when he came to this country he borrowed the 
 money with which to get him from Xew York 
 to Wisconsin. He soon displayed a spirit of 
 willingness and industry, however, that secured 
 him good employment and as the years passed 
 he carefully saved his earnings until he was at 
 length enabled to purchase land. Adding to this 
 as opportunity has offered he is today the owner 
 of five well improved farms and his record is 
 alike honorable to the land of his birth and .the 
 land of his adoption. 
 
 FREDERICK LOCKWOOD. 
 
 At the present date, iqoj. Mr. Lockwood may 
 be found at his home in Onarga enjoying in a 
 well earned rest the fruits of his former toil. At 
 an earlier period he was clos^' associated with 
 agricultural interests in Onarga township and 
 was the owner of an excellent farm of two hun- 
 dred and seventy-six and a half acres within a 
 mile and a half of Onarga. For fifty years he 
 has lived in this county, so that his fellow towns- 
 men are familiar with his history, which in its es- 
 sential features has won for him the respect and 
 good will of all with whom he has been asso- 
 ciated. 
 
 He has now passed the eighty-second mile- 
 stone on life's journey, having been born in Wa- 
 sisco county in Lower Canada. August 14, 1824. 
 He was there reared tn the age of twelve years, 
 when he went to Franklin county, Xew York, in 
 company with his father, Walter Lockwood, and 
 the faniiU. A residence of eiq;ht vears there 
 
 was followed by a reinoval in 1844 to L^nion 
 county, Ohio. His educational privileges were 
 those aflorded by the common schools and un- 
 der the parental roof he was trained to habits 
 of industry, economy and integrity — habits which 
 have characterized his entire life and have been 
 strong features in his success. 
 
 He was first married while living in L'nion 
 county, Ohio, Miss Emily Avery becoming his 
 wife in X'ovember, 1848. She was a native of 
 Saratoga countv, X"ew York, and was there 
 reared, her father being Lewis Avery, who be- 
 came one of the early settlers of Ohio. In 1856 
 the voung couple removed from the Buckeye 
 .state to Illinois, ]\Ir. Lockwood having purchased 
 land here in 1854. Upon his arrival in April, 
 1856, he located upon the farm that he had pre- 
 viouslv secured but which at that time was a 
 tract of unbroken prairie land. He at once be- 
 gan to turn the sod and he built upon and opened 
 up his farm, commencing with one hundred and 
 twent\- acres of land. His first house was a log 
 cabin, in which he lived for five years. As his 
 financial resources increased he extended the 
 boundaries of his farm from time to time until 
 it embraced two hundred and seventy-six acres, 
 in the midst of which he erected good, sul^stantial 
 farm buildings. He also placed over three miles 
 of tiling on his land, thus draining it and making 
 it very productive. He likewise planted an or- 
 chard and shade and ornamental trees and thus 
 added much to the attractive appearance as well 
 as to the value of his place. The years consti- 
 tuted a period of earnest and persistent toil but 
 his labors at length brought him success and en- 
 abled him in 1887 to retire from active farm life 
 and take up his abode in the city of Onarga, 
 where he is enjoying a peaceful and prosperous 
 existence. 
 
 \\"hile living upon the farm Mr. Lockwood lost 
 his first wife, who died March 2^. 1863. There 
 were four children by that union : Eugene, who 
 is married and resides in the state of Washin.g- 
 ton, where he owns a section of land, his home 
 being in Spokane : \\'illiam L., who now owns 
 the old home farm and is married and has two 
 daughters, Junie and Gertrude ; and Emily, the 
 wife of O. L. .Skeels. of Mimieapolis, Minnesota, 
 by whom she has one son, Charles, now a young 
 man. She also lost one son. Fred, who died
 
 Mk. AM) MKS. l-kl".l)|-.KK K l.( iCKWOOIl
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLlflUlS
 
 IKogi'olS CUUXTV. ILLI.\(»IS. 
 
 4H 
 
 June II, K^i'). al lliL- ajic ul iWL'iily years. Mr. 
 and Mrs. LocKwi-hkI also lost a >uii, .Mfrcil A., 
 wlu> was killed bv lijiluiiinj; in iSi'S wh.n :iK. .m 
 Iwiiity years nf a).;e. 
 
 Having lust liis first wife .Mr. i,i>ek\\uod was 
 married again in t >narjja in .\])ril. 1870. to Miss 
 Maliala Ilvans. a native i>f this county ami a 
 daughter of Lovead Evans, who was horn in 
 \ erniont and in early life removed westward to 
 ()hi<>. There he was married to Mahala Kirk, 
 a native of that .state, lie became an early set- 
 tler of Iro(|ui>is co«nt\, where he reared his fam- 
 ily, and later he went to Kansas, where his last 
 days were passed. I'our children have been 
 born of the second marriage of Mr. Lockwood : 
 .\lnia. now the wife of ICdward l-'verett, of lien- 
 ton county, Arkansas, by whom she has two chil- 
 dren. I'Vederick and Marion; Cirace. who is the 
 wife of Charles llildebrand. of < )narga. by whom 
 she has one son, Harold: and two. wlm dieil in 
 infancy. 
 
 .Mr. and .Mrs. Lockwood are members of the 
 Presbyterian church, in the work of which they 
 are .ictively aixl helpfully interested. Theirs is 
 a pleasant residence which was erected by Mr. 
 Lockwood an<l which is noted for its warm- 
 hearted and gracious hospitality. I'or many 
 _\cars Mr. Lockwood gave his political support to 
 the republican party but now votes with the pro- 
 hibition partv. For several years he served on 
 the school board ami the cause of education has 
 ever found in him a warm and stalwart friend. 
 In the half century which has been added to the 
 cycle of time since he took up his .-ihode in Iro- 
 quois county he has witnes.sed many changes 
 here and a marvelous transformation. He has 
 in fact helped to imi)rovc and make the county 
 what it is today and an old barn which he built 
 in iWxD with hard wood heavy sills and a dwell- 
 ing which he erected in iSTii are still standing. 
 Since 1868 Mr. Lockwood has kept a diary of 
 all the important local events and throughout the 
 years he has also kept a cash bo<:>k, showing his 
 receipts and expenditures of money. In his busi- 
 ness interests he has been systematic and method- 
 ical which, combined with his energy and perse- 
 verance, have made him prosperous. He is now 
 a well preserved man for one of his years and 
 though well advanced in age in spirit and interest 
 seems yet in his prime. He keeps in touch with 
 
 the general advancement and progress antl with 
 the trend of modern thought, conversing cnter- 
 t;iiningly ujion the (|Uestions of the day and cur- 
 rent events as well as relating many interesting 
 reminiscences of the past. 
 
 MLL.NT K MI"I".\TS. 
 
 The specific and distinctive oftice of biography 
 is not to give voice to a man's modest estimate of 
 himself and his accomplishments but rather to 
 leave a perpetual record, establishing his charac- 
 ter by the consensus of opinion on the part of 
 his fellownien. That .Meint R. Meents occupies 
 a notable position in business circles in IriNjuois 
 county is a uniformly accepted fact, and that 
 his labors have been of a character that have 
 contributed to general progress and prosperity as 
 well as to individual success is also known. He 
 is the senior partner of the firm of M. K. Meents 
 & Sons, bankers, and tlealers in grain, lumber. 
 Coal and seeds at .\shkum and Clifton. The firm 
 has also extended its activities to other localities. 
 and the business interests of the house are of 
 direct benefit to the community. 
 
 Mr. -Meents was born in t )stfriesland, (ier- 
 many. June 15. 1S51. the family home being on 
 the shore of the .\orth sea. His jiarents wore 
 Remmer H. and ( )cke M. (I'lfers) Mtrnts. both 
 of whom died in ( iermany about twenty or twen- 
 ty-five years ago. The father was a farmer there 
 and was also an c)verseer on the dykes — an hon- 
 orary position. -Mr. .Meents of this review has 
 two brothers in IriMpiois county. I'rank I{. and 
 ( ieorge 1!.. while one brother, R. II. Meents. is 
 living in .Nebraska, and another brother, Corne- 
 lius Meents, resides on the old homestead in 
 ( iermanv. Two sisters, however, have |)assed 
 away. 
 
 Meent R. .Meents was reareil ini<ler the paren- 
 tal roof to the age of seventeen years, and in .\la\ , 
 iWk). he crossed the .\tlantic to the new world. 
 He attended school in both his native land and 
 in this Country. He may well be termed a self- 
 made man, for his success is the direct outcome 
 of his own labors. His residence in Iroquois 
 county dates from the winter of iSfx;. ami in 
 1S71 he came to .\shkum. where for thirteen
 
 412 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 vears he was connected with .Mr. Comstock in 
 the grain business. On the expiration of that 
 period he embarked in business on his own ac- 
 count. The present tirni. which includes his sons. 
 Richard R. and Frank W. .Meents, was organized 
 in August. i8</j. They are carrying on a bank- 
 ing business and are also well known as grain, 
 lumber and coal merchants. The son. Richard, 
 manages the bank, which is a private institution. 
 while Frank Meents is the manager of the branch 
 bank and of the grain trade at Clifton, where the 
 lirm are successors of S. B. \\'aklen. He 
 formerly acted as manager of the grain trade 
 at -\shkum and his ])lace is now ably filled b\- 
 Arthur T- Aleents. The father has been dealing 
 in grain, coal and lumber in Ashkum since 1884 
 but the bank was not organized until 1896. when 
 the present firm was formed. The institution 
 was capitalized for twenty-five thousand dollars, 
 and the working capital of the combined institu- 
 tion owned by the firm is not less than seventy- 
 five thousand dollars. They are enjoying an ex- 
 tensive trade as dealers in the commodities which 
 thev handle and the banks which they control are 
 a most important element in the financial life of 
 the comnumity. Mr. Meents is also the owner 
 of the famous Rossland Park farm, comprising 
 about eight hundred acres. This farm is stocked 
 with blooded animals, including English shire 
 horses, polled Durham cattle and Shropshire 
 sheep. He owns two English mares, Ringsand 
 Lass and Ringsand Lady, that took ribbons at 
 the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis 
 and also at the various state and county fairs. 
 likewise at the Iowa State Fair and the Chicago 
 International .Stock Show, where they won first 
 and second ribbons, competing against each other. 
 In all his business life Air. Meents shows keen 
 discernment and has managed his varictl inter- 
 ests with an ability that has brought him a goodlx' 
 measure of success. 
 
 Mr. Meents was married in Iroquois county 
 to Miss Philadelphia Cloke. a daughter of Rich- 
 ard and Mary (Stoppcls) Cloke, who were na- 
 tives of Kent, England. The daughter was born 
 in New Jersey and accomijanied her parents to 
 Cham])aign county. Illinois, where they remained 
 but a short time, removing to Ashkum in the late 
 '50s. The mother died here, and the father 
 passed away in England l)nt his remains were 
 
 brought back to .\shkuni for interment. 
 Through many years he was actively and suc- 
 cessfully connected with farming interests but in 
 the later vears of his life he lived retired, and 
 during that period made several trips to his na- 
 tive country. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Meents have 
 been born five sons and five daughters, who 
 are vet living and they also lost two children in 
 infancv. Those who still survive are as follows: 
 Richard R., who married Miss Hulda Carpenter, 
 of Piper City. Illinois, and has five children, is 
 a member of the firm and manager of the bank 
 at Ashkum. He is also prominent and infiuen- 
 lial in jKilitical circles, is chairman of the repub- 
 lican central committee and was a candidate for 
 the state legislature. Frank, now managing the 
 interests of the firm at Clifton, married Aliss 
 Frieda Muehlenpfordt, of Ashkum. Annie is the 
 wife of John J. Ruckrigel. a merchant at Ash- 
 kum, and they have two sons. Grace Olive, who 
 has taken advanced work in elocution and music 
 at the Xorthwestern L^niversity at Evanston, Illi- 
 nois, is now at home. Walter H.. a graduate of 
 the CJnarga Seminary and of the literary depart- 
 ment of the X'orthwestern University, is now a 
 student in the R.ush Medical College at Chicago, 
 from which he will graduate in the spring of 
 1907. and he has already won the degrees of .\. 
 B., .\. M. and AI. D. Arthur J., a graduate of 
 Onarga Seminary and afterward a student in 
 Leland Stanford I'niversity of California, is now 
 manager of the grain department of the business 
 at -\shkum. Delphia C. who was graduated 
 from Onarga Seminary in the spring of 1906. 
 is continuing her nmsical education in that in- 
 stitution. Mildred R. will graduate from Onar- 
 ,ga Seminary in the spring of 1907. -Mta is a 
 student in the high school at Ashkum, and W'il- 
 lard is attending school in this village. 
 
 Politically the family are all republicans and 
 the father has been a member of the board of 
 review for the past four years. He has always 
 taken an active interest in local politics and has 
 ever kept well informed on the cpiestions and is- 
 sues of the day. For the past twelve years he 
 has served as chool treasurer, as township clerk 
 for seven years, and has held various other offices 
 in the township and village. Socially he is con- 
 nected with the Modern Woodmen of America 
 as is his son Richard, who also belongs to the
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 41.^ 
 
 Masonic frattriiitv . in wliidi lu- has attainul tin 
 Royal .\rcli ilcjircc. wliilc l-'rank Mccnts is a 
 nu-nilKT III the Knif^lits i>i I'xthias fr.ittriiily. 
 The I'aniilv arc niiinlKTs <<i thi- Mi-ih"i(li>i cluirch 
 at Ashkinn. i>i which Mr. Miints has hci-n a 
 lihcral and faithful >ni>ix>rt(.r. 
 
 Ainunj; those \vlii> have conio from forcij;n 
 lands to hi'conie iinmunent in hnsincss circles 
 in Illinois he is ininihered. His success in all 
 his underiakiiij^s has Ix-en so marked thai his 
 methods are of interest to the commercial \v<irld. 
 and investijiation iiuo his history shows thai he 
 has based his business principles and actions 
 upon .strict adherence to the rules which j^overn 
 industry, economy and imswervinj.; intet;rity. 
 His enterprise and ])ro!j;ressive spirit have made 
 him a typical American in every sense of the 
 word. liy conslanl exertion associated with 
 jjood jntlirment he has raised himself to the 
 prominent position which he now holds, havinsj 
 the friendship of nianv :uid tlie rcs])(.ct of all who 
 know him. 
 
 HL.XRV C\. \\ I \SL. 
 
 Henry L'lay Case, livinjj; on section <•. < )narija 
 township, is one of ihe few remaining: of the 
 early settlers of Illinois and also one of the few 
 survivors amonji the veterans of the Civil war. 
 He has lived in this state since 1834. ( )nly two 
 years before the I'lack Hawk war had been 
 fouj^ht and the Indians still linf;ered in various 
 sections, althoujjh their rei!4;n on the bro^id 
 prairies of Illinois was a waning: '^"e. The land 
 was lar>;ely covered with the native |)rairie 
 prasses anfl here an<l there alonj^ the hanks of 
 the streams would be tracts of timber land, while 
 the rich soil invited the efforts of the agricul- 
 turist, the fields rcspondinp readily to the care 
 and labor bestowed ui>on them in rich crops. In 
 the marvelous transformation which has been 
 wroupht Mr. Case has borne his part as a pro- 
 moter of aj^ricultural development and has ever 
 been an interested witness of the t^rowth and im- 
 provement alou),' other lines. 
 
 .\ native of Chautan<|ua county. New York. 
 he was lx)m June 29, 1829, his father being 
 Cicorgc W. Ca.se. who was familiarly called 
 Wash Case bv his manv friends. He became 
 
 a resident of Will county. Illinois, in 1854 ami 
 thence removed to IriKpiois county in i83<i. Lo- 
 cating in what is now Kankakee comity, he 
 opened nj) a farm there. i>urchased land ami 
 reared his family. The place is still owtuil li\ 
 his descendants. 
 
 Upon that farm Henry (."lay Case was reared, 
 early assistinjj in the arduous toil incident to the 
 developnient and im])roveinenl of a new farm. 
 In 1S53 he made the journey overland to Cali- 
 fornia, drivinjj an o.\ team. He spent one winter 
 in the gold mines and remaine<l on the Pacific 
 sloj)e until 185(1. farming; ami herding cattle for 
 two years. In 185^1 he returned to Illinois, mak- 
 ing the entire journey across the jjlains on the 
 back of a nnile. He was married in Kankakee 
 county. Inly 3. 1838. to .Miss Sarah I'latt. who 
 was born and reririd in ( )hio. Tbi-y began their 
 ilomestic life in Kankakee county, where Mr. 
 Case carried on farniinjj until .\ujjnsl. 1862, 
 when his spirit of jiatriotism was aroused and he 
 enlisted as a member of Company I', .'^eventy- 
 si.xth Illinois Infantry, in defense tif the CniMii. 
 He went to the south, where he <litl active d'.Uy 
 with the army of .Mississipi)i. iiarticipatinj^ in the 
 battle of X'icksbur}^, of I'ort I'lakely and Cham- 
 pion Hills. He was on detached duty and drove 
 a team a considerable |K)rtion of the time and for 
 a ])eriod was ill in the hospital at Natchez, for 
 a few weeks. I le jiarticipated in a number of 
 skirmishes in addition to the rejjular pitched bat- 
 tles and he served until the close of the war, being 
 mustered oiu in (ialveston. Texas, and honorably 
 discharg'ed in Chicago. 
 
 When the country no longer needed his aid 
 .Mr. Case at once returned to his home in Illinois. 
 In i8f)7 he removed to t )narya townshij) and 
 purchased an interest in the old I'rceman farm. 
 He broke and fenced the land and has ma<le the 
 farm what it is today. He now has a good resi- 
 dence property and other substaiuial buildings 
 uijon the place and in connection with the tilling 
 of the soil he raises stock, making a s|)ecialty of 
 hogs. 1 le likewise raises small fruit in abund- 
 ance and produces .some of the finest berries in 
 this part of the state. 
 
 Unto Mr. and Mrs. Case have been lK>rn two 
 sons. fJeorge IL. who resides in Kankakee, has 
 been married twice and by the first imion had a 
 son and daughter, Ernest and (iertie Ellen. Ixnh
 
 414 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 of whom were reared by their paternal grandpar- 
 ents. The latter is now a young lady and has 
 been a member of her grandfather's household 
 since a little child. Eli H. Case, the younger 
 son, resides with his father and assists in carry- 
 ing on the home farm. 
 
 In his political views Mr. Case is a republican 
 but his first presidential vote was cast for General 
 Winfield Scott in 1852. In i860 he voted the 
 rei)ul)lican lickel and has ever since deposited 
 his ballot in favor of the candidates of that party. 
 He has been without aspiration for office for 
 himself and has never served in positions of. pub- 
 lic trust save as school director for some years. 
 His son, Eli, who is a graduate of the commer- 
 cial college at Onarga, is of much assistance to 
 him in the farm work. He belongs to the ila- 
 sonic fraternity, being a Pilaster ^Mason of the 
 blue lodge at Onarga. For seventy -two years 
 Henry C. Case has resided in Illinois, coming to 
 the state when Indians still lived within its bor- 
 ders and when there were many wild deer and 
 other kinds of wild game. He has watched tlie 
 reclamation of the county from a swampy dis- 
 trict and unbroken prairit and timber land into 
 a great agricultural state with splendidly de- 
 veloped farms and extensive stock-raising inter- 
 ests. His memory compasses the period when 
 many of the homes were log cabins and when 
 the greater part of the farm work was done b\ 
 hand. The plow was guided in the furrow b\ 
 the man who tramped behind it driving a single 
 horse. The grain was cut with scythe and the 
 corn was shocked by hand. All this meant ar- 
 duous and continuous labor for the farmer, who 
 now has in his fields fine machinery, relieving 
 him of much of the hard work. Mr. Case has 
 kept in touch with the trend of general progress 
 and im])r(jvement and has long been numbered 
 among the representative agriculturists of the 
 communilv. 
 
 ROBERT ROBERTS. 
 
 An excellent farm pr(j|)eity of nearl\- four hun- 
 dred acres on section 6, Onarga township, is in 
 I)ossession of Robert Roberts, who in its care and 
 improvement indicates a spirit of jirogress and 
 enterprise and who, moreover, is practical in all 
 
 that he undertakes. There are two sets of good 
 farm buildings upon the place and this farm con- 
 stitutes one of the attractive features in the land- 
 scape. The owner, a native son of Illinois, was 
 born near the present town of Crandall in Taze- 
 well county, March 3. 1846. His father, Robert 
 Roberts. Sr., was a native of New Jersey l)ut was 
 reared in Hamilton county, Ohio, where he was 
 married to Miss Charlotte Jones, a native of that 
 state and a daughter of John Jones, who was a 
 farmer bv occupation and for a number of years 
 had cliarge of the farm of General William 
 Henry Harrison, About 1S35 Robert Roljerts, 
 Sr.. removed to Illinois, settling in Tazewell 
 count V among its earliest residents. He entered 
 land from the government, broke the prairie and 
 opened up a farm, spending his life thereon. He 
 lived to a ripe old age and both he and his wife 
 died on the homestead property. Their family 
 numbered five sons who reached adult age and 
 three daughters. Of this number three sons and 
 tw<i daughters are yet living. 
 
 Rcjbert Roberts of this review w'as reared upon 
 the old homestead farm in Tazewell county and 
 acquired a common-school education. He was 
 trained to the work of field and meadow, assist- 
 ing in the task of plowing, planting and harvest- 
 ing. Until twenty -one years of age he remained 
 witli his father and then he and his brother Wil- 
 liam went to Livingston county, where they broke 
 a half section of land, each having one hundred 
 and sixty acres. Robert Roberts improved and 
 built upon his farm and made a good property 
 there, continuing its cultivation for eighteen 
 years, when he sold the property and bought his 
 present farm of two hundred acres on section 6, 
 Onarga township. He has since added to and 
 remodeled the house, has Iniilt two corn cri1)s and 
 has tiled and fenced the place. The drainage 
 adds nnich to the fertilitv of the fields and the 
 rotation of the crops also insures good harvests. 
 Sometime after coming to this county Mr. Rob- 
 erts purchased an adjoining place of two hundred 
 acres and has further continued its development 
 and improvement. He now has eighty acres of 
 that farm rented. FIc has been raising, buying 
 and feeding stock and is widely recognized as a 
 successful farmer and business man. 
 
 In 1872 was celebrated the marriage of Rob- 
 ert Rol)erts and ]\Iiss ^'irginia \\'atts, ;i native of
 
 
 
 • .u 1 
 
 WW 
 
 '*- ntup^pp^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 R0I5F-:RT ROliHRTS AND l-A.MH.Y 
 
 2A
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COL'XTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 4'; 
 
 Tazewell county, ihe wetliliufi:. luiwcver. takiiiij 
 place in McLean county, Illinois. I lor fatlier. 
 RolKTt Watts, was one of the early settlers of 
 Tazewell county. Seven children iiave Ixen born 
 of this union and the family circle yet remains 
 unbroken by the hand of death. In order of birth 
 thcv are as follows: Chester, who is now in Can- 
 ada, wliere he has homcstcaded one hundred and 
 sixty acres of land: Liitlier, a merchant of Del- 
 rev: Joseph, who assists in the work of the home 
 farm; Cora, at home; Archie, who is farming in 
 Indiana: and lulna and .\lma, who are under the 
 parental roof. 
 
 Mr. Rol)crts hoUls membership in the Delrey 
 .Methixlist Kpiscopal church and gives his politi- 
 cal allegiance to the rei)ul)lican ]iarty, which he 
 lias continuously supported since casting his first 
 presidential ballot for L'. S. Grant in iS'iS. He 
 seized as township trustee in Livingston county, 
 was a member of the school board for over 
 twenty years and is now highway commissioner 
 of Onarga township. His entire life has been 
 passed in this portion of Illinois and, starting out 
 in life for himself at the age of twenty-one years, 
 he has made steady progress in the business 
 world, being recognized as a man of strict integ- 
 rity and worth and one whose success in life has 
 iK'en honorablv gained. 
 
 GEORGE SPIES. 
 
 The name of George Spies was an honored one 
 in Chebanse and lrt«|uois county, for at all times 
 the principles which guided his life were those 
 which command uniform confidence, respect and 
 admiration. Never neglectful of the duties of 
 citizenship and manifesting toward his associates 
 a most kindly and considerate spirit, his death 
 therefore came as a source of deep and lasting 
 regret to all who knew him. 
 
 Mr. .Spies was born in Geimbshein. Darmstadt. 
 Germany. May 2, 1843. ^nd in 1848 he was 
 brought by his parents to .\merica, the family 
 home being established in Syracuse. New V<irk. 
 where they lived for three years, removing thence 
 to Troy, Xew Vcjrk. where two years were 
 passed. In 1853. with his parents, he removed to 
 
 Hudson, • Hiio, and there resided until 1856. when 
 the family went to Chicago. In that city George 
 Spies was in the employ of his father, who was 
 foreman of a coalyard for three years, and at 
 the conclusion of this time they removed to Clif- 
 ton in October, 1859, where they occu|)ie(I a farm 
 adjoining the town on the north. In these va- 
 rious localities George S|)ies lived a busy life, 
 assisting his father in various ways. 
 
 .\fter the outbreak of the Civil war he desired 
 to join the army but was rejected on account of 
 a lameness causc<I by falling from the rtKtf of a 
 house. On the 6ih of Eebruary. i8<^5, however, 
 he was accepted and remained with the army 
 imtil lanuary ifi. ii<fii>. at which time he received 
 an honorable discharge from Company D, One 
 Hundred and Fiftieth Illinois X'olunteer Infantry. 
 
 When the war was over Mr. Si)ies spent a 
 short time at home and then began to work on the 
 Lake Erie & N\'estcrn Railroad. .\t a later date 
 he went to I'iqua. Ohio, where he was again in 
 railroad service, but he thought the ]iay inade- 
 quate to the amount of hard work demanded 
 and returned home, remaining upon the farm 
 until i8fx;. In that year he again went to Chi- 
 cago, where for a year he was employed at the 
 painter's trade, after which he again took up his 
 abode on the old homestead three miles south 
 of Chebanse, where he remainetl until 1875. In 
 that year he hx-ated in the town of Chebanse and 
 in partnership with Louis Falter purchased the 
 business of Moses Eyerley. In 1878 he assumed 
 control of the entire business, which he continued 
 to manage until 1900. when he retired from com- 
 mercial pursuits in order to give his undivided 
 attention to his farming interests. As a mer- 
 chant he was alert and enterprising, watchful of 
 all the opportunities and indications pointing to 
 success, and as the years passed by he enjoyed 
 a large and profitable trade, which he well 
 merited by reason of his honorable methods and 
 his earnest efforts to please his patrons. In the 
 meantime he had made judicious investments in 
 farm property, from which he derived an ex- 
 cellent income and in later years of his life his 
 attention was given solely to the supervision of 
 his farming interests. His financial position in 
 his later years was in marked contrast to his 
 moncved resources at the outset of his business
 
 4i8 
 
 PAST Axi) i'Ri-:si':x r of 
 
 life, for he started out empty-handed, dependent 
 entirely upon his own labors for all that he 
 achieved. 
 
 In 1879 Mr. Spies was united in marriage to 
 Miss Caroline Falter, of Kempton, and as their 
 mutual love and confidence increased as the years 
 went by theirs was largely an ideal married re- 
 lation. They became the parents of three chil- 
 dren: Lillie M.. the wife of George Wakeman. 
 of Momence, Illinois, who operates two hundred 
 and ninety acres of land and by whom she has 
 two children. Earl S. and Louis ( ). : Louis G.. 
 a prominent young business man of Chebanse ; 
 and Jiihn II., wlnj is attending high school in 
 Chebanse. 
 
 The death of Mr. Spies occurred September 
 30, 1906. wlien he had reached the age of sixty- 
 three years, four months and twenty-eight days.. 
 He was a man of generous nature and of public 
 spirit, who contributed liberally ti> many en- 
 terprises for the benefit of the community. He 
 regarded no personal sacrifice on his part as too 
 great if it would ])romote the ha]:)piness or en- 
 hance the welfare of his wife and children, lie 
 held membership with the ( irand Army of the 
 Republic and greatly delighted in its camp fires. 
 He did all in his ])ower to advance the interests 
 of the onler and frequently attended the state 
 and national encampments. The funeral services 
 were conducted by the Grand .Vrniy post to 
 which he belonged. His life was crowned with 
 a gratifying measure of success because of his 
 laudable ambition, his fertility of resource and 
 his well directed labors, and he left to his family 
 an honorable name as well as a handsome prop- 
 erty. ^Trs. Spies still survives her husband and 
 occupies a pleasant home in Chebanse. 
 
 The elder son, Louis G. Spies, who was made 
 administrator of the estate, was born February 
 28, 1883, at Chebanse, and is a graduate of the 
 high school. He pursued a commercial course in 
 Dixon, Illinois, and connected himself with the 
 firm of Eyerley & Hennesey. bankers of Che- 
 banse, on the 1st f)f January, 1902. He has 
 since been a factor in the active business inter- 
 ests of the bank and is regarded as a representa- 
 tive 3'oung business man. He was married to 
 Sophia Sirois, at St. .\ime, Illinois, May 1 1 , 
 1904, and they have one child, George Francis. 
 In his political views Mr. .Spies is a stalwart 
 republican, and in the local ranks he takes active 
 
 and helpful interest in the work of the party. 
 He is a valued member and the secretary of Che- 
 banse lodge, Xo. 429. A. F. & A. M.. also be- 
 longs to Chebanse lodge, Xo. 924. 1. ( ). ( ). F.. 
 is captain of Williams camp, Xo. 16. Sons of 
 N'eterans. and both he and his wife are members 
 of the Eastern Star chapter at Chebanse. He is 
 likewise one of the trustees of the Methodist 
 Episcopal church and is thus closely associated 
 with the business, political and moral development 
 of the conimunitv. 
 
 HEXRY X. THEESFELD. 
 
 Henry X. Theesfeld. who is farming on >cc- 
 tion 5. Onarga township, was born in Germany 
 (in tile igth nf January, 1843. '^"'1 '" t'^'-' father- 
 land the days of his boyhood and \outh were 
 ])assed. He had good common-school advan- 
 tages in the ( lernian tongue bin his knuwledge 
 of English has been acquired entirely since he 
 came to the United States and although his un- 
 familiaritx- with the tongue was somewhat nf a 
 handicap during the early years of his residence 
 here he has long since largely mastered the 
 language and also become acquainted with the 
 manners and customs of the people, so that he 
 is not only a successful business man but also a 
 rei)rcsentati\e citizen, unfaltering in his hiyalty 
 to the stars and strijies. 
 
 llefore leaving his native land Mr. riieestcld 
 was married in Germany to Miss Anna .Siiiens. 
 who was born in that country. In September. 
 1869, the young couple started for the new world, 
 taking passage on a vessel which weighed anchor 
 at llremen. This was a sailing ship and nearly 
 seven weeks had elapsed before the voyage was 
 completed and the passengers landed at I'.alti- 
 more. Maryland. Mr. Theesfeld did not tarry 
 liiug on the .\tlantic coast but came at once to 
 Illinois, settling first in Woodford county, where 
 he joined his brothers who had previously come 
 to the I'nited States. For three years he worked 
 by the month at farm labor, after which he rented 
 land and thus engaged in farming on his own ac- 
 Cdimt for eight years. Lie came in Iro(|U(iis 
 cinnUy in 1880 and in 1889 bought one hundred 
 and sixty acres of raw land, upon which he tmik
 
 IK' It JL ' M> Ct )L .\ M . II.I.IM i|>. 
 
 410 
 
 up his alwiili-. I 111- proinTlN wliicti came iiitci 
 liis I'osscssioii si'vciUtrn ycar> agn hears little re- 
 semhlaiice tu his i)RseiU well (levelii|)e(l farm. 
 There was a house aiul stahle upmi the place 
 anil a small portion of the laml had been broken. 
 Mr. Tlursfelil re.solntel) undertook the work of 
 further developinjj and im]irovin>r the farm and 
 afterward he luiilt a more commodious home, ti^- 
 jiether with Mil»tantial oiuhuildiuus for the siiel- 
 tcr of prain and stock. Ihe land was low and 
 Wet orijiinally I)ut the modern .system of tiling 
 has entirely done away with that condition and 
 the fieUls are now splendidly cultivated. IVnces 
 have heen built and all modern e<|uipments added, 
 and the capability which he dis|)lays in his busi- 
 ness affairs has made .Mr. Theesfeld one of the 
 sub.stantial ajjricidturists of his commimity. To- 
 day he has two sets of jjood farm buildin!.;s u])on 
 his place and his tract of land of one hui;drecl 
 and si.Nty acres responds readily to the care and 
 cultivation which he bestows upon it and annuall\ 
 returns to him rich harvests. 
 
 I'nto .Mr. and .Mrs. Theesfeld have been !). >rn 
 cipht children. Lrick. a farmer of .Minnesota, 
 is married and has four children. Simon, who 
 carries on aj^ricuhural |)ursuits in Kiinkakee 
 county, is married and has three children. 
 diaries, who ojierates the home farm, is marrie<l 
 and his children are I'red. .\nnie. I.eo. William 
 and Klsie. .Martin is marrie<l and is a resident 
 farmer of this county. Henry, the youniiest 
 .son. remains upon the home farm. Tena. the 
 eldest daujihter. is the wife of Jacob derken. a 
 carpeiUer and joiner of this county, by whom she 
 has six children. .Ma).j);ie is the wife of Cor- 
 nelius Hershberjj;er. a farmer of IriMpiois oountv. 
 and they have three children. Zena is the wife 
 of Carl Keiners, an agriculturist of this county. 
 and they have two children. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Theesfeld are mcml)crs of the 
 Lutheran church, in the faith of which they were 
 reared. Since becoininj,' a naturalized American 
 citizen he has jjiven stalwart support to the re- 
 publican party and its principles. The (icrman- 
 .\merican element in our citizenshiji has ever 
 iK'en a valued and important one and of this 
 Mr. Theesfelil is a representative. The hope 
 that led him to .\merica has been more than 
 realized, for in this country where labor is un- 
 hampered by ca-ite .r class he has made substan- 
 
 tial advancement in tlie business world and al- 
 thoujjh he came to the United .States practically 
 penniless he is now one of the uiII-Im-iI,, f.irnurs 
 of ( tnarjia township. 
 
 WILLI. \.M L. .McCLoLD. 
 
 The commercial interests of Sheldon find a 
 worthy re|)resentative in William L. .McL'kiud. a 
 dealer in farm im])lements and machinery. He 
 was born in l-'ranklin couiUy. ( )hio, September 
 ]<). il^5<>. and is a son f>f James .'^. and Rebecca 
 ( McCutchan I McCloiid, Ixith of whom were na- 
 tives of ( Hiio and caiue of ancestry strictly .\mer- 
 ican in its lineal and collateral lines, .\boul 
 iS<i7 James -S. McCloud came with his family 
 to Illinois, settlinj; near Joliet but subse(|uently 
 removed to IriH|Uois county. He had previously 
 been eufjagcd in the oi>eration of a llax mill in 
 this county but he later turned his attention to 
 coinractiuf,' and buildin.v;. He afterward went 
 upon the road as a salesman f<ir a coal firm and 
 has since followed that jiursuit. His wife died 
 .^^eptember 19. \i)Ol>. while on a visit in Miiuie- 
 sota. She was a member of the Presbyterian 
 church and was a woman welt liked by all who 
 knew her. In manner she was pleasant and 
 j.jenial and the circle of her friends was only lim- 
 ited by the circle of her act|uaintance. I'nlo 
 Mr. and Mrs. .McCloiid were born eit;lit children. 
 si.\ sons and two dau^'hters. namel\- : William 
 L. : Charles, who is livinj.^ at Matterville. .Minne- 
 sota: Robert resides at .Stillwell. Indian Terri- 
 tory: James, livinj,' in St. Paul. Mimiesota: I'M. 
 of Randolph. .Minnesota; and Harry, who makes 
 his head<|uarters in SheUlon. 
 
 William L. McCloud was a youth of seven 
 years when he accomi)anied his |)arents on their 
 removal to Illinois and after completiiijLr a com- 
 mon-school education he worked to some extent 
 on the railroad, thus enterin).j business life. He 
 next enj;a),'eil in clerkinij for a time and after- 
 ward went ujxm the road sellin;;: coal for a Peoria 
 firm for twelve years. In ii)<x) he enj;a;.'ed in the 
 implement business and has met with excellent 
 success in this undertakinjj. He deals in plows, 
 harrows, seeders, mowers, rakes, tc<lilers and in
 
 420 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 fact everything in the iniplement line, also han- 
 dling machine oils, cream separators, Louden's 
 feed and litter carriers, wagons, buggies, surreys, 
 runabouts and cutters. His stock is very exten- 
 sive and he has a constantly growing patronage, 
 his business already having reached a large vol- 
 ume, which renders it a profitable enterprise. 
 
 ^Ir. ^IcCloud was married to !Miss Anna D. 
 Forsythe, a daughter of Rev. James P. Forsythe, 
 a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, 
 well known throughout the county, who died in 
 1906, leaving behind an honored memory. Unto 
 Mr. and ^Irs. McCloud has been born a son, 
 James, now eleven years of age. The parents 
 are both consistent members of the ^Methodist 
 Episcopal church. Politically Mr. ilcCloud is 
 a republican and has served as school director, 
 while fraternally he is connected with the Ma- 
 sons and the Modern Woodmen of Sheldon. 
 Only the advantages which come to all were his 
 in his boyhood and youth and that he has pros- 
 pered is owing to his well directed labors in later 
 years. He possesses a spirit of determination 
 that has allowed him to brook no obstacles that 
 could be overcome by honorable effort and as 
 time has passed his close application, keen busi- 
 ness sagacity and diligence have made him a 
 prosperous merchant. 
 
 JOSIAH DARROUGH. 
 
 Josiah Darrough, a retired farmer making his 
 home in ^Nlilford, is one of the worthy citizens 
 that Kentucky has furnished to Iroquois county. 
 He was born in the Lllue (irass state, August 15, 
 1845, '' ^'^'^ "f Samuel V. Darrough, a native of 
 \^ifginia, who was reared in the Old Dominion. 
 With his parents he removed to Kentucky and 
 was married in that state to Miss Riceanna 
 Quaintance, who was born near Lexington. They 
 began their domestic life upon a farm and in 
 1852 removed from Kentucky to Iro(|uois county, 
 Illinois, where Mr. Darrough purchased two 
 hundred acres of wild prairie land near Sheldon. 
 Soon afterward the mother was left with the care 
 of eleven children and an indebtedness on the 
 farm, which she at length paid, being a woman 
 of good business ability and excellent judgment. 
 .She carefullv reared and educated her children. 
 
 all of whom reached adult age. She was an 
 earnest and consistent member of the Methodist 
 Episcopal church and died in this county at the 
 age of sevent} -two \ears. 
 
 Josiah Darrough was reared on the old home- 
 stead and at the usual age began his education in 
 the public schools, but his advantages along that 
 line were limited. He remained at home until 
 twent_\-two years of agei. and in that period 
 gained an intimate practical knowledge of farm 
 work in all of its departments. On the nth of 
 February, 1869, he chose a companion and help- 
 mate for life's journey, wedding }iliss Emeretta 
 Slife, a native of Indiana and a daughter of Dan- 
 iel K. Slife, one of the old-timers, who came to 
 this countv in the pioneer days and died here in 
 1902. 
 
 Following his marriage Mr. Darrough re- 
 moved to a farm which he purchased in 1874, 
 though he went in debt for the same. It com- 
 prises three hundred and eighty acres, in the 
 midst of which he built a comfortable residence, 
 and has converted it into a good farm. He now 
 has two sets of farm buildings upon it and for his 
 own use he erected a comfortable and commodi- 
 ous two-storv house. He made a model farm, his 
 place being ecjuipped with all the modern con- 
 veniences and accessories, and there he lived and 
 labored until 1885, when he removed to Sheldon, 
 where he resided for three years. On the expira- 
 tion of that period he returned to the farm, where 
 he continued until 1890, when he took up his 
 abode in Chicago. There he was actively en- 
 gaged in the real-estate business and was a mem- 
 ber of the real-estate board for five years. On 
 the expiration of that period he returned to the 
 farm, which he improved and made his home for 
 three years, after which he removed to Milford 
 in 1S98. Here he has since lived retired and has 
 a comfortable and commodious home on Jones 
 street, two blocks from the business center of the 
 town. 
 
 yir. and Mrs. Darrough have no cliiklren of 
 their own but liave reared three to maturity. 
 They are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
 church and ]\Ir. Darrough is serving as a trus- 
 tee. In the work of the chiuTh they are deeply 
 interested and do all in their power to promote 
 its growth and insiu-e its iqibuilding. Mr. Dar- 
 rough votes the repulilican ticket, being a stanch 
 advocate of the principles of the party. Tie is
 
 lOSlAIl DAkROL'GH.
 
 mm? iLUNOis
 
 IR()Ql< US O )rN I V, II. I. I.N. N- 
 
 4-'.^ 
 
 now ihk:»>;i<I in tlii^^ rcal-oslatc busincs!; and at- 
 IcikIn ti> the iipcratioii nf liis two farms. His suc- 
 cess in life has cutiic tn hini because of his care- 
 ful nianageiiieiit. keen discriniinatiim and the e\ 
 celieiit use that he has made of his o|)i)(irtimities. 
 toj;ether with the assistance of hi> estimable 
 wife, who has in<lee<l been a faithful com|)anion 
 and heliimate to him. beiiij;: very industrious and 
 enerj.;etic. .Mr. I)arroui;li is a man of ijood busi- 
 ness ability, saj^acious and far-si.i;htcd. and by 
 his well directed efforts has achieved success. 
 Throuijhout the commimity he is widely and fa- 
 vorably known and the coiilidence and jjjood will 
 of all are freely extended him. so that he is 
 classed with the representative residents of Iro- 
 <|Uois County. 
 
 (ii:()R(;r. r. wrilii 
 
 • uMryc k. \\ ri).;ht. deceased, was throuKhoui 
 bi.s residence in lro(|uois county connected with 
 ajrricultural interests in L'onconl township, where 
 he is still remembered by nianv as a citi/en who 
 ranked hij;h in the estimation of his fellownien. 
 He was Ixirn in Cham|)aifjn county. ( )hio. June 
 2~. 1841, and was there reared and educated. 
 He was a xouny; man of twenty-three years, 
 when, in iS(»4. he accom])anied his ])arenls. Itcn- 
 jamin and .Marj^arct (Hodj;ei W'ri.yht. both t>f 
 whom were natives of N'irginia. on their removal 
 to lr(N]U(iis comity, the family home beinjj estab- 
 lished in Concord township, where the father 
 purchased three luin(lre<l and fifty-five acres of 
 laiul. This tract was undevelojied when it came 
 into his pos.scssion. but he laid many rods of til- 
 ing, divided the land into fields b\ building' 
 fences, and in <lue course of time brou;..;bt the 
 soil mider a high state of cultivation. He like- 
 wise erected a house, barn and other outbuild- 
 ings, and continued his resi<lence there imtil his 
 death, which occurreil in iS7<). 
 
 < ioirgc R. Wright was one of a family of 
 seven children, all of whom are now dccca.scd. 
 I'ollowing his father's death, the son iidieritcd 
 the homestead prwpertN. whereon he continued 
 the work of development and improvement that 
 hail iK-en l)egun by the fornier. He was success- 
 ful in (lis unrlertakings aiul throu-'h his labiirs 
 
 and careful managenieiu added to his financial 
 resources, st> that upon his death he left to his 
 widow a valuable estate. 
 
 .\ftcr a n-sidencc of two years in lriK|uois 
 comUx. -Mr. Wright returned to his nativi' slate, 
 where, .\pril 17. iS(><). he was united in marriage 
 to Miss .\nna .Salkckl. who was likewise a native 
 of thampaign county, born December j'l. 1841. 
 and a daughter of Samuel .niid I-iveline ( West ) 
 .Salkeld. who were na; iie liuckeye state, 
 
 where they were farmui;; pcuplc. 
 
 Mr. Wright gave his political allegiance to the 
 democratic party and servetl as justice of the 
 peace and as road connnissioner. while his fra- 
 ternal relations connected him with the .Masonic 
 order. He was a tliorough business man, giving 
 careful supervision to his ])rivate interests, and 
 he was ever>\vherc known as a man of high prin- 
 ciple, conscientious and ujiright in liis dealings 
 with others, so that in bis death the county lost 
 one of its valued and worthy citizens. 
 
 .Since the <leath of her husband. Mrs. Wright 
 has contiimed to make her home on the farm 
 and has. with the assistance of others, carried on 
 farming and sti>ck-raising interests, raising polled 
 .\ngns cattle as well as horses and hogs. She 
 now owns three hnndreil and fifty-five acres of 
 land and is a very competent business woman, 
 managing her business affairs in a cai)able man- 
 ner. She has a wide acc|uaintance in Iroquois 
 coimtx' and the ho.s|)itality of her ])leasant home 
 i- gviaib enjoved b\ manv warm friends. 
 
 WII.I.IA.M Sll"\\ \RT 
 
 W illiam .*^lewart. eugage<l in market garden- 
 ing in .Martinton township, his i)lace. however, 
 being within the corporation limits of I'ittwood. 
 was Ixirn in tuyaboga county. ( )hio. June J4. 
 1S40. and there s]ient the first twelve years of his 
 life, during which period he ac<piiretl a public- 
 schofil education. He then accompanied his jiar- 
 enls, David and Jane .*>tewart. on their removal 
 to lro<|uois county, the family home being es- 
 tablishe<l on .Spring cnvk. at the present site 
 of Crescent t'itx. While living there he enlisted 
 in the arnn and during his term of service his
 
 424 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 parents crossed the Iroquois river and upon his 
 return from tlie front he found them living in 
 ■Middleport township. 
 
 His military service covered almost the entire 
 period of the war from 1861 until 1865, although 
 for twelve months he was with the invalid corps 
 on account of a gunshot wound which he had 
 sustained in battle, and because Jie was somewhat 
 incapacitated by his injuries he is now granted a 
 pension by the United States government. 
 While wearing the uniform of the nation he 
 served as a guard at Lincoln's tomb in Spring- 
 field and at one time he had a picture taken in 
 uniform, while he was on guard duty. It has 
 since been lost much to the regret of Airs. Stew- 
 art, who is a lady of strongly marked patriotism, 
 so much so that she chose Independence day as 
 the date of her marriage. After his return from 
 the war Mr. Stewart rejoined his parents in Mid- 
 dleport township, where for many years he car- 
 ried on agricultural pursuits with marked suc- 
 cess, continuing to live upon the farm until 1904. 
 when he removed to Pittwood. He is still in 
 business life, although for several years he has 
 lived in semi-retirement in Pittwood. He de- 
 votes his attention, however, to the cultivation of 
 garden products, making a specialty of growing 
 lettuce under glass, and finding a ready market 
 for it without the necessity of sending it to out- 
 side markets, although at one time he had to de- 
 pend upon Chicago for sales. He also has a 
 fine trade in asparagus in season and his garden 
 is a source of profit to liini, as well as of pleasure, 
 for, enjoying good health, he is not content to 
 pass his time in idleness, and this affords him 
 with pleasant as well as a prosperous occupation. 
 
 Mr. Stewart was married. July 4, 1869, to 
 Miss Isaljella r)randenburg, who was born in 
 Fountain county, Indiana, January 5, 1853. and 
 tlie\- have become the parents of the following 
 named : Mrs. Ada Ash, who was born March 
 27, 1870, and is now a resident of Watseka ; Mrs. 
 Elizabeth Smith, who was born September 28, 
 1871 and died May 10, 1906; Mrs. Laura Phelps, 
 who was born August 15, 1873, and lives in 
 Fountain Creek township ; Mrs. Grace Carver, 
 who was born January 21. 1875, and lives in 
 Fort William, Canada ; Maud, who was born 
 July I, 1880, and died when three years of age; 
 ami N'ene l'.randenl)urg, the onlv son, who was 
 
 born August 4. 1882, and died when twenty years 
 of age. The three married daughters were suc- 
 cessful school teachers and all of the family, with 
 the exception of Mrs. Carver, who lives with 
 her husband in Canada, are residents of Iro- 
 quois county. 
 
 Air. Stewart is a charter member of the 
 Alodern ^^'oodmen camp and his wife of the 
 Royal Neighbors, while in the United Brethren 
 church she also holds membership. They are 
 greatly esteemed in the community where they 
 make their home, and although never demanding 
 public attention their own genuine worth has 
 gained for them the favorable regard of those 
 with whom they have come in contact and made 
 them representative citizens of the county. 
 
 JACOB VAN HO\'ELN. 
 
 Jacob \'an Hoveln is actively engaged in farm- 
 ing and the breeding of pure blooded English 
 shire horses and has gained desirable reputation 
 as one of the leading stockmen of Iroquois coun- 
 ty. His home is on section 2, Ash Grove town- 
 ship, where he has a farm well equipped for the 
 pur])ose to which it is utilized. Air. \'an Hoveln 
 was born in Peoria county, Illinois, Alarch i, 
 1866, and was only five years of age when 
 brought to Iroquois county by his parents, the 
 family home being established in Ash Grove 
 townshi]), where he was reared in the usual man- 
 ner of farm lads of the locality and period. He 
 attended the common schools and remained with 
 his father until he had attained his majority, 
 during which time he gained practical knowledge 
 of the best methods of carrying on the farm 
 work. 
 
 Starting out in life for himself he purcliased 
 one hundred and twenty acres where he now 
 resides, and locating thereon began the improve- 
 ment of the propert}', which is now an excellent 
 farm, forming one of the attractive features of 
 the landscape, because of its well kept appear- 
 ance. He has erected a pleasant home of two 
 stories, large barn, granary, cribs and elevator, 
 and has tiled and fenced the place. He has also 
 extended the boundaries of the property by the 
 purchase of an additional tract of forty acres,
 
 IROQL'UIS LDL.NIV, ll.LlXtilS. 
 
 425 
 
 so that lie now has a valuable farm of one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres which is unc of the best 
 improved in the township. In connection with 
 the task of tilling the soil he has also made a 
 business of raising good stock and in 1905 he 
 purchased a pure blooded Knglish >hire stallion 
 for breeding purposes. This is one of the best 
 horses of the kind in the county and he also 
 owns some high grade mares. He likewise has 
 fine cattle and hogs and is very successful as a 
 sttick-raiser and breeder, this branch of his busi- 
 ness proving to him a prolilable source of income. 
 
 Mr. \'an Hoveln was married in .-Xsh Grove 
 township in i8<>i to Miss l-alka W'ienrank. a 
 daughter of John \\ ienrank. one of the old set- 
 tlers and prominent farmers of .\sh lirove town- 
 ship, who is mentioned on aiuither page of this 
 volume. Si.x children have lieen born of this 
 marriage: Frank, Anna. Maggie. John, Henry 
 and Alvena. Mrs. \'an Hoveln is a member of 
 the Lutheran church, in the faith of which she 
 was rearetl. 
 
 Mr. \'an Hoveln gives his political allegiance 
 to the democracy and although lie has never 
 wanted office he is now serving on the school 
 board and is one of its directors. Throughout 
 his entire life he has been a resident of Illinois 
 and of Iroquois county from his youth. He has 
 seen the swamps and sloughs drained and the 
 best farms made from land which a few decades 
 ago was regarded as almost worthless. In the 
 work of reclamation he has borne his full share 
 and has helped to improve and make Iroquois 
 county what it is today, a thriving center of the 
 great agricultural belt'. In all of his business he 
 has shown keen discernment and marked enter- 
 prise, allowing no obstacle to brook his jiath that 
 could be overcome by determined and honorable 
 purpose and effort. 
 
 W. S. P.\RCEL. 
 
 .\ctive and e?Krgetic in his work and thor- 
 oughly ui)-to-date in his methoils of farming. \V. 
 S. Parcel, living on section 24. ( )narga town- 
 ship, now owns and cultivates a well improved 
 property, embracing one hundrerl and twenty 
 acres. He has lived in IriX|uois county for al- 
 
 ntost a half century, having taken up his abode 
 within its borders in 1S57. He was at that time 
 a youth of thirteen years, having been born in 
 Ohio. September 15, 1844, His father, Daniel 
 Parcel, was a native of Pennsylvania, whence 
 he removed to Ohio and was there married to 
 Miss I^titia Tharp, who was likewise born in 
 the Keystone state and had become a resident of 
 < )hio in her girlhiwd days. They lived for some 
 time in Ohio and in 1851 became residents of 
 Indiana, while the year 1857 witnessed their 
 arrival in Iroquois county, Illinois. The father 
 purchased land upon which not a furrow had 
 been turned nr an improvement made and at once 
 began the arduous task of developing a new 
 farm. loiter he sold his original pro]>erty and 
 bought the land upon which his son, W. S. Par- 
 cel, now resides, becoming owner of cightv acres. 
 He opened up this farm, erected substantial 
 buihlings ujwjn it and continued the task of de- 
 velo])ing and cultivating the fields until the land 
 became very productive and good crops were an- 
 nually gathered. Mr. Parcel continued to en- 
 gage in general agricultural pursuits here until 
 his life's labors were ended in death, September 
 2, 1871. His wife survived him for a number of 
 years and then she too passed away, March 26, 
 i8<>9. In their family were seven sons and three 
 daughters. 
 
 \o event of special importance nccnrred 10 
 vary the routine of farm life for W. .^. Parcel in 
 the days of his boyhood and youth. He remained 
 in his father's home and acquired his education 
 in the public schools. He acciimpanied the fam- 
 ily on their removal to Illinois in 1837 and re- 
 mained on the old homestead farm here. ])ur- 
 chasing the interest of the other heirs after his 
 father's death. He has since bought forty acres 
 of land adjoining the original tract, so that he 
 now has a good farm of one hundred and twenty 
 acres. It is well developed and improved and 
 his work is carried forwartl along those lines 
 which receive the endorsement of all progressive 
 agriculturists. He raises good horses and hogs, 
 while the production of the cereals best adapted 
 to soil and climate constitute for him an im- 
 portant source of revenue. 
 
 Mr. Parcel was married in this county, Decem- 
 ber 23, 1873, to Miss .Mary I'.urkhalter, who was 
 born in Indiana but was reared in Iroquois conn-
 
 426 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 ty from the age of five years. She is a daughter 
 of Joseph and Rosa (Miller j Burkhalter, who 
 came to Onarga township in 1858. Four chil- 
 dren bless the union of our subject and his wife: 
 Frank, who is married and now resides in north- 
 eastern Missouri ; Grace, Lloyd and Elsie, all at 
 home. Politically ^Nlr. Parcel is a republican, 
 his first presidential vote being cast for General 
 Grant in 186S. He has never failed to support 
 the nominees at the head of the ticket since that 
 time and is in thorough sxmpathy with the prin- 
 ciples which constitute the special features of the 
 republican platform. He has served as town- 
 ship school trustee and school treasurer but has 
 never been active as a politician in search of 
 office, for his Inisiness cares and interests have 
 fully claimed his time and attention. He and his 
 wife are members of the Congregational church. 
 in which he is serving as deacon, and the moral 
 development of the community is a matter of 
 interest and concern to them. From his youth 
 to the present time ]vlr. Parcel has made his own 
 way in the world and in his life of continuous 
 activity he has been accorded due recognition of 
 labor, winning the success which always crowns 
 consecutive effort when guided by sound judg- 
 ment and practical coninion sense. 
 
 JOSEPH G. \\ITHERS. 
 
 Jose])ii G. W'itlKTs. who is operating the Dono- 
 van farm of eight hundred acres five miles east 
 of ^Nlilford, having devoted his time and ener- 
 gies to tliis work for the past seventeen years, is 
 one of the ])ii;neers in Illinois in the fine stock 
 business and has gained much more than local 
 reputation in this connection. He has today 
 upon the farm some of the finest .specimens of 
 stock to be found in tlie county, the value there- 
 of is demonstrated by the fact that he has carried 
 off many ])reminms at cnunty. state and national 
 exhibits. He has made his hinue in Illinois 
 since the .spring of 1876 and in Iniqunis cnunly 
 for the jiast seventeen years. 
 
 A native of luigland. he was jxirn in Hamp- 
 shire. July 16. i8,v>. and was one of the five 
 children of .Vanm and Sarah F. (Saunders) 
 \\ itlifrs. TIk ])arLnls WL-re likewise natives of 
 
 Hampshire and there the father followed farm- 
 ing and stock-raising. All of their children 
 reached years of maturity and both Mr. and 
 ^Irs. Withers spent their entire lives in the land 
 of their nativitx'. 
 
 Joseph f;. Withers acquired a good educa- 
 tion in the public schools of his native country 
 and was for four vears a college student. When 
 a lad of eighteen years he went to work for an 
 uncle in the slock commission business, remain- 
 ing in that employ for five years. Favorable 
 reports which he had heard concerning .Amer- 
 ica and its opportunities awakened in him a 
 desire to try his fortunes in the new world and 
 in 1862 he started for the United States, mak- 
 ing the voyage on a sailing vessel wliicli was 
 twenty-one days in crossing the .\tlantic owing 
 to the heavy seas. Landing at Xew York city. 
 he at once went to Dutchess county. Xew York, 
 where he entered the employ of an extensive 
 farmer as manager of the live-stock interests 
 upon that farm. For two years he filled that 
 position and subsequently removed to Hartford. 
 Connecticut, where he took charge of an estate 
 of seven hundred acres, supervising the raising 
 of croj)s and live stock. He remained there for 
 seven \ears, after which he went to Kentucky, 
 where he liecame manager of the Clay estate of 
 six thousand acres, having charge thereof for 
 seven years. He displayed his ability in the 
 successful management of e.xtensive farming 
 interests, for under his care these different farms 
 proved a source of gratifying profit to the own- 
 ers. For two years he had charge of a stock 
 farm in Kankakee county.' Illinois, and in 1880 
 he removed to Cook county, where he followed 
 farming, renting land near Richton for nine 
 years. In 1889 he came to Iroquois county and 
 at once took full charge of the John Donovan 
 estate of eight hundred acres. Upon this place 
 he has since remained, covering a period of 
 seventeen years — a fact which indicates his thor- 
 ough trustworthiness as well as his business 
 capacity and enterprise. He has always had 
 charge of extensive estates and throughout his 
 life has made a sjiecialty of the raising of Scotch 
 shorthitrns. keei>ing ini])oried stock. i Ir has 
 registered animals and with his fine stock enters 
 all of the big fairs. He has exhibited at the 
 International Live Slock .'~^liow and has carried
 
 MR. AM) MRS. I. (i. WnilKRS.
 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. IIJ.IXOIS. 
 
 42<» 
 
 oil >ovcr:il hr>l ami ijliainpion prciiiiiim>. lU' 
 also has txliibitcil at all tho principal fairs in 
 the I'nitcd Stalis. his stock rankinj; favorably 
 with the finest in the land. In km**' Mr. With- 
 ers traded si.\ty-four head of cattle, vahied ai 
 sixti-en thousand dollars, for a farm of three 
 hinidred and seventy- four acres in Muchanan 
 comity, Iowa, and his son I-" red will niana.i,'e that 
 j)lace. 
 
 Mr. Withers was married ( ictohcr 3. iS*",^. to 
 Miss Sarah .\nn .\rcher. Makin.ij a visit to his 
 old home in Kn;;land, he there renewed the 
 ac<inaintance which they had formed in cliild- 
 ho<«l days and their friendship rii)ened into love, 
 which was consummated in marriajjc. She is 
 a daughter oi Charles Archer aiul a representa- 
 tive of an old En}j;lish family. They have become 
 the parents of nine children, but they lost their 
 third child, a daughter, (irace. at the ago of five 
 years. The oldest living is Charles .\., who 
 remains at home with his j)arcnts and assists in 
 o|xrating the farm. I'lizabeth is the wife of 
 J. .\. I'eterson. a resident farmer of \'ermilion 
 county, Illinois, and llu-y have three chililren : 
 Susan. John and Irene. William j. marrie 1 
 Catherine I'ields and is a resident farmc- of 
 Stockland township. Walter S.. living in Stock- 
 laixl. is married and has two children, llessie 
 an<l .\rthur. l-'red. who married Rose I'arks 
 Edricks, is living in Michigan. Rnili. Jane aivl 
 Susan, the yomiger members of the family, ar.- 
 all at home. Mr. and Mrs. Withers and their 
 family attend the Methodist ICpiscopal church. 
 They are communicants, however, of the I''pis- 
 co|)al church, but there is no congregation of 
 that denomination in their immediate vicinity. 
 
 Mr. Withers votes with the democracy at 
 state and national elections and casts an inde- 
 pendent local ballot. He has held various town- 
 ship offices in Cook county and has served as 
 highway commissioner and also as township col- 
 lector, lie has likewise been school director 
 for fourteen years. lie belongs to the < )dd I'el- 
 lows society, has filled all of the chairs in his 
 lodge and has been noble grand and ])ast grand. 
 r.'>th he and his wife are widely and favorably 
 known in the county and have a large circle of 
 friends almost co-extensive with the circle of 
 their ac(|uaintance. Mr. Withers is a man of 
 resoiin-i fill business abilitv and there is in him 
 
 a weight of character and a native sagacity thai 
 renders him a leader in agricultural circles, 
 where he has operated extensively and success- 
 
 i'mIIv 
 
 1 1 .r niriii V \. f-i i'-* 
 
 ORMLLK K. DIX. 
 
 ( )rville E. Uix, a farmer and stock-raiser re- 
 siding on section 32, Inxjuois township, was 
 born Decemljer 27, 1852, in tirundy county, Illi- 
 nois, and is a representative of one of the old 
 families of Xew York that was established there 
 when the state was largely a frontier wilderness. 
 Richard Dix, the grandfather of our subject, 
 was born in Xew York and dietl when his son 
 Oliver, the father of our subject, was a small 
 boy, after which the grandmother married again 
 and removed with her family to Illinois alwut 
 1833, making the journey from the Empire state 
 with team and wagons. .\t that time there was 
 not so much as a trading post at Chicago. 
 
 ( )liver Dix was lx)rn in ( )ncida county. Xew 
 York. Jamiary 5, 1821, and was therefore a lad 
 of alxiut twelve years at the time of the removal 
 westward. The family made a settlement in 
 Kendall county, and it was upon that frontier 
 farm that ( )liver Dix was reared to manhood, 
 sharing in all the hardshi|)s and privations inci- 
 dent to life on the frontier, lie was twice mar- 
 ried. In Kendall county he weilded Lydia 
 Wing, an aunt of Judge Wing, a distinguished 
 attorney of Chicago. She was a native of Lhau- 
 tau(|ua county. Xew York, and her death oc- 
 curred when her son Orville was only four years 
 old. It was still an early |)eriod in the devek>ii- 
 ment of Illinois when Oliver Dix removed to 
 (irnndy county, becoming one of its first resi- 
 dents. He settled on wild land and from the 
 raw jjrairie (levelojjcd a good farm, which he 
 yet makes his home. He is a republican in his 
 |)olitical views and affiliations and has held a 
 mimbcr of positions of public honor and trust, 
 lie was one of the founders of the Methodist 
 I^jjiscopal church near his home and has always 
 been <jne of its most active and faithful mem- 
 bers. The honorable, upright life which he has 
 liviil li.iN u, 111 f, ,r him niain frii ikU .nul he has
 
 430 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 ihc unqualitiiil cniifukiicc and esteem of all who 
 know him. 
 
 Orville E. Uix is the younger of two sons. 
 Jlis brother, Asa \V. Dix. is an enterprisinsj and 
 progressive farmer of Xettlc township. (Irundy 
 county, and is quite prominent locally in po- 
 litically circles. Orville E. Dix was reared to 
 manhood upon the old homestead, no event of 
 special importance occurring to vary the routine 
 of farm life for him in his boyhood days. He 
 remained with his father until he reached his ma- 
 jority and in the meantime acquired a good edu- 
 cation in the common schools, the academy and 
 the Newark high school. After completing his 
 studies he engaged in teaching for a time and 
 displayed considerable ability in imparting clearly 
 and readily to others the knowledge that he had 
 acquired. He afterward rented a farm, which 
 he operated until 1882, and in that year he re- 
 moved to Iroquois county, where he purchased 
 one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 
 32. Iroquois township, where he now makes his 
 home. He has put all of the improvements 
 upon the place and has tiled the land, which, well 
 drained, is a model of high production and is now- 
 all under cultivation. In the midst of the farm 
 stands a pleasant and comfortable residence and 
 the property is one of the desirable and valuable 
 farms of this locality. The work of repair and 
 improvement is well kept up. good farm niacliin- 
 ery is used to facilitate the labors of the fields 
 and everything is done in accordance with pro- 
 gressive ideas concerning agricultural life. He 
 al.so raises stock and in his jjastures are found 
 .good grades of horses, cattle and hogs. 
 
 In October, 1874. occurred llie marriage of 
 ^Ir. Dix and Miss FJizabeth Riggs, the wedding- 
 being celebrated in (irnndv county, Illinois. The 
 lady is a native of \\\st \ irginia, and in her 
 early girlhood days she was brought b\- her 
 father to Illinois, being reared and educated in 
 (!rundy county. 'I'hrer cJiiKb-t'n have coine to 
 bless this union: Lettic. the wife of M . 1'. 
 Hilchin. a resident of Loda, Illinois: Ida. the 
 wife of W.-dter Curtis, of Loda. by whom she 
 has one daughter, .Marie ; and Eugene, who is 
 at home. The wife and mother passed awav in 
 1SS4. and in October. 18S7. Mr. Dix was again 
 married, his .second imion being with Mrs. Ma- 
 tilda (Anderson") TIarvev, a widows who is a na- 
 
 tive of Sweden but was reared in America. 
 Four children grace this union, Oliver. Mildred 
 Pearl. Hazel and Elsie. All are living at home. 
 Mr. Dix votes with the republican party and 
 is a strong advocate of its principles and policy. 
 He regards it the duty as well as the privilege 
 of every American citizen to stanchly uphold his 
 views in regard to political ((uestions and he is 
 an active worker in the local party ranks. The 
 cause of education also gains his stalwart sup- 
 port. for he believes in good schools and compe- 
 tent teachers and while servin.g for six years as 
 a member of the school board in his coninnmity he 
 did effective work in behalf of public education. 
 He and his wife are both consistent members 
 of the Methodist Episcopal church and labor 
 untirin.gly in its cause. His fraternal relations 
 connect him with the Modern Woodmen of 
 America. Mr. Dix is truly a self-made man and 
 as the architect of his own fortunes has budded 
 wisely and well. By his industry, enterprise and 
 perseverance he has made steady progress until 
 he now ranks with the county's substantial farm- 
 ers and is well known and well liked in the 
 communitv. 
 
 MARTIN TOTHEROH. 
 
 Martin Toiheroh is a worthy representative 
 of the agricultural interests of Iroquois county, 
 owning and o])erating a well in-iproved farm of 
 one hundred and fifty acres, situated on section 
 i<). i'rairic Creen township, on the Indiana state 
 line, his postoffice address being Anibia of the 
 latter state. His birth occurred in Readin.g. 
 Pennsylvania. August 9, 1838. a son of Joseph 
 Totheroh, who was born in Berks county of the 
 Keystone state, and was there reared and married 
 to .Miss Catherine Richards, also a native of 
 I'.erks county. The father followed farming in 
 the east until 1854. when he removed to Indiana, 
 the family home being established in Benton 
 county, where the father continued his farming 
 operations, and there met his death by accident 
 in the fall of the same year. His wMdow then 
 reared their family, numbering five sons and two 
 dau.ghters, all of whom reached mature years, 
 and those surviving are : Joseph, a resident
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 43" 
 
 farmer of I'rairie Green towiisliip; Daniel, wlio 
 follows farming in Benton cmmty. Indiana : Mar- 
 tin, of this review; and Catlurinc. the wife of 
 George Willis, a resident of I-'owler. Illinois. 
 
 Mr. Totheroh was reared to farm life in his 
 native state, and was there edncatcd in the ci)m- 
 mon schools to the age of si.xteen years, when 
 he accompanied the family on their removal to 
 the west, the family home being establishe<l in 
 Menton connty. Indiana, where the son worked at 
 farm labor. His patriotic spirit being aroused 
 at the outbreak of the Civil war. in i8*>J. he en- 
 listi-d for service in the Union army, becoming a 
 member of Company F, Seventy-seventh Indiana 
 X'olnnteer Infantry. Going south, he participated 
 in the battle of Chiekaniaugua. and wa> on scout- 
 ing duty most of the time. After the first nine 
 months he was with Wilson's corps and was on 
 detached duty the greater portion of the time. 
 His entire service covered a period of three years, 
 when he was honorably discharged at Xashville. 
 in iW)5. 
 
 After the war he returned home, and was then 
 engaged in herding cattle in licnton and Iro- 
 quois counties, being employed in this way for 
 about thirteen years, having as high as four hun- 
 dred head of animals in a herd. Establishing a 
 home of his own. Mr. Totheroh was united in 
 marriage in Benton county, Indiana, in Septem- 
 l>er. 1871. to Miss Mary Alice De Witt, who was 
 born in the state of New York, where she was 
 reared and educated. 
 
 Following their marriage the young coui^le 
 located on a farm in Iroquois county, which he 
 rented for one year, after which he located on 
 the farm which is his present iKune. first renting 
 the land, but he later purchased the property. 
 which comprised eighty acres, but as his finan- 
 cial resources increased he extended the bound- 
 aries of his land until it now embraces one hun- 
 dred and fifty acres. He has cleared the land 
 and has added many improvements, having 
 erected a good residence, in the rear of which 
 stand a good barn, cribs and other outbuildings 
 which have also Ijcen placed here bv the present 
 owner. He has laid many rods of tiling, thus 
 aflFording good drainage to his fields, from which 
 he annually harvests rich an<l bounteous crops. 
 He has also set out two good orchards, which 
 contain a great variety of fruit, and altogether he 
 25 
 
 has here one of the valuable and well improved 
 farms of Irotjuois county. In addition to carry- 
 ing on the work of the fields, Mr. Totheroh gives 
 considerable attention to the raising of stock, 
 and this is proving a good source of revenue. 
 
 Unto our subject and his wife have been born 
 nine children : Kd, who is a young man and 
 now resides in .\mbia. Indiana; .\nna. the wife 
 of Miner Chafee. als<3 of .\mbia; Charles, who is 
 married and resides on a farm in Prairie Green 
 township; Mattie, the wife of Bert Hallock, a 
 resident farmer of this township ; Cora, a young 
 lady at home; Lottie, who makes her home in 
 Chicago; and Benjamin and Alice Ruth, alx) 
 at home. 
 
 Mr. Totheroh has always given his political 
 allegiance to the republican party, casting his first 
 presidential ballot in i860 in su|)port of Abraham 
 Lincoln, and he has supjiorted each i)resi(k'ntial 
 candidate of that party since that time. He has 
 never sought or desired office, preferring to give 
 his undivided attention to his private business 
 interests. Mrs. Totheroh and her children are 
 all identifieil with the Christian cluirch. Mr. 
 Totheroh has resided on his present farm since 
 the year 1878 and by his industry and cajjable 
 management has made it a well unproved prop- 
 erty. Having lived for a long period in Irocjuois 
 county and in Benton county of the neighboring 
 state of Indiana, he has a wide and favorable 
 acquaintance for he has ever been as loyal in 
 citizenship as he was during his service in de- 
 fense of the Union, and is today numbered among 
 the valued and highly esteemed risidents of this 
 portion of the state. 
 
 TOSEI'lI JOHNSON. 
 
 Joseph Johnson is the owner of a fine farm 
 of three hundred ami twenty acres, situated on 
 section 1 1 . Martinton township, this property 
 having been developed and improved by him in 
 an early day, for it has been his home contin- 
 uously for almost a half century. He is a native 
 of Champaign county, Ohio, born December 5. 
 1810. His parents. Joseph and Lvdia C. (Cook) 
 Johnson, were both natives of Rhode Island, 
 whence thcv made their wav to Ohio at a verv
 
 432 
 
 I'AST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 early day, the journey being made with a one- 
 horse wagon, the trip requiring forty-one days, 
 for that was before the era of railroad trans- 
 portation. 
 
 Joseph Johnson was reared and eilucated in 
 the lUickeye state, and while his school privi- 
 leges were somewhat limited owing to the prim- 
 itive system of instruction in a new countrx'. his 
 training at farm labor was not meager for he 
 was at an earlv age assigned to the duties of 
 developing and cultivating new land, it was 
 during his residence in Ohio that he was united 
 in marriage to Miss ^iary A. Transton, who 
 was born and reared in that state, the wedding 
 being celebrated in the year 1840. 
 
 Taking up their abode in their native state, 
 they there remained until tJ>5t^, when thinking 
 to enjov better advantages in the new western 
 country, the father came with his family to Iro- 
 quois county, the family home being established 
 in Martinton townshi]). Here the father bought 
 tliree hundred and twenty acres of land, on 
 which stood a small frame house, in which the 
 family took up their abode. The land was raw 
 and iincullivale<l but .Mr. Johnson immediately 
 undertook the task of developing the jiroperty, 
 for he was not unfamiliar with such labor. He 
 broke the prairie, prepared the land for the ])low. 
 planted the seed and in due time gathered rich 
 harvests. A jiortion of the land was low and 
 swam])y but he made this prcxluctive by digging 
 ditches and laying tile, having laid altogether an 
 amoimt reaching a mile and a quarter. The 
 familv endured many inconveniencies at that 
 early day for the homes of the settlers were 
 widely scattered, and the products of the farm 
 had to be conveyed by wagon to Kankakee, wliich 
 was their nearest market. Mrs. Johnson had 
 lived in this locality for six luonths before she 
 saw another white woman, so few were the set- 
 tlers who had here established homes. As titne 
 has ])assed and Mr. Johnson has prospered in 
 his work he li.as bein enabled to add man\' 
 modern improvements to his place. In 1871 he 
 replaced the ])ioneer home with a modern and 
 substantial frame dwelling, and he has likewise 
 erected many outbuildings, has set out many 
 shade and ornamental trees, and his place is kept 
 in an excellent condition, presenting a neat and 
 attractive appearance. In former years, in ad- 
 
 dition to carrying on general agricultural i)ur- 
 suits, he raised considerable stock, which added 
 materiallv to his financial income. In 1881 he 
 l)urchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, 
 situated on section 12, Martinton townshii). and 
 from this he derives a good annual rental, so 
 that he and his wife are now able to s])end the 
 evening of their days in honorable retirement, be- 
 ing [irovided with all the comforts of life. 
 
 L'nto our subject and his wife have been born 
 eight children as follows: John B., Julia, P. P., 
 Lewis C, Lizzie, Charles L., J. \\'. and Mary A. 
 In his political views and affiliations .Mr. John- 
 son is a stalwart republican, and has served as 
 school director. He and his wife have spent 
 sixty-six years of happ\- luarried life together. 
 Coming to Iroquois county at an early day they 
 are faiuiliar with the progress and advancement 
 that has here been made, and Mr. Johnson has 
 not only been an interested witness but an activi 
 ])articipant in the agricultural develo])ment of 
 his section of the state for he has iiuproved a 
 farm and made it a valuable and productive 
 property, from which he derives an incoiue suffi- 
 cient to enable him In enjny a well earned rest. 
 He has now passed the eighty-seventh milestone 
 on life's journey but is still a hale and hearty ol'l 
 man. giving his personal supervision to his busi- 
 ness affairs. His wife has reached the iige of 
 eighty-two years. They arc highlv esteemed 
 residents of the count\ and have a host of warm 
 admirers among Ijoth young and old, rich and 
 poor. 
 
 OSCAR .\PPLEGET. 
 
 Oscar .\ppleget, well known in connection with 
 his stock-raising interests in Concord township, 
 was born in Indiana, November 6, 1845, and w as 
 onlv six \ears old when brought to lro(|uois 
 county bv his father, P.enjamin Applegct. who 
 was a native of Kentucky. The family home was 
 established in Concord township, where the fa- 
 ther remained until 1861, when he offered his 
 services to the government in defense of the 
 Union cause and became a member of Company 
 I. ( )ne Hundred and Thirteenth Illinois Infan- 
 try. He went to the front and died of fever
 
 .MR. .\.\l) .MR.S. O.^C.XK AI'I'I.RCKT.
 
 iiwnfFt 
 
 ^^ il.MNOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 435 
 
 at Corinth, Mississippi. His wife, who bore the 
 maiden name t'f Sarah Ann Wade, was a native 
 of Indiana. 
 
 Uscar Appleget started out in Uic wlien four- 
 teen years of age and assisted in the support of 
 the family. He was employed at farm labor un- 
 til i8<)5. when he could no lon,!j;er content him- 
 self to remain at home while the Union cause 
 was still imperiled and accordingly when eight- 
 een years of age he joined the army as a mem- 
 ber of Company I-'. ( )ne Hundred and Fifty-fifth 
 Illinois Infantry. His father had given his life 
 for the cause and the fires of patriotism burned 
 bright within his l)reast. He went to the front 
 and was with his command until after the war 
 was over. Returning to his home, he again 
 worked by the month as a farm hand until about 
 18/J9, when, desiring that his labors should more 
 directly bcTiefit biniscif, he rented a farm and at 
 once began cultivating the fields. As soon as his 
 financial resources permitted he invested in 
 eightv acres of land and kejjt adiling to his prop- 
 erty from time to time imtil be is now the owner 
 if fiuir hundred and five acres on sections 29 
 and ji2. Concord township, three hundred and 
 ninety acres being in the home farm. All of 
 the improvements upon this place were put there 
 by him and are as monuments to his thrift and 
 enterprise. He erected all of the buildings, 
 fenced the fields and tiled the land, and in addi- 
 tion to this ])roperty he owns one hundred and 
 thirty-five acres in Indiana. He has always fol- 
 lowed general farming and likewise raises polled 
 Angus cattle and Chester White hogs. He and 
 his sons farm the entire place and as the result 
 of their care and labor the farm is richly culti- 
 vated and good crops are annually gathered. 
 
 In 1868, in Concord township, Mr. Appleget 
 was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Hoagland. 
 who was born in Ohio, and they have three chil- 
 dren : James and Orie, both at home, assisting 
 in the care of the farm; and Mrs. Hannah Wil- 
 liamson. 
 
 Mr. .\ppleget is a republican in his political 
 views and has served as pathmaster and school 
 director but has not been active as a politician, 
 preferring to concentrate his energies upon his 
 business affairs. Socially he is a member of the 
 Grand .\rniy post at Sheldon. He may truly be 
 called a self-made man. for starting out in life 
 
 at the age of fourteen years he has depended en- 
 tirely upon his own resources and has made 
 steady progress along those lines which demand 
 close application and unfaltering perseverance 
 but which eventually lead to success. 
 
 MAJOR ROBERT WOODARD FOSTER. 
 
 .Major Robert Woodard Foster was for many 
 years a leading merchant of Sheldon and so ac- 
 tive and honorable was he in his business career 
 that the most c-nvious could not grudge him his 
 success. Moreover, he rendered valiant service 
 to the Union at the time of the Civil war and 
 in all matters of citizenship has been loyal to the 
 best interests of the community. His life, actu- 
 ated by high principles and honorable motives, 
 has made him one of the best loved citizens of 
 Sheldon and no history of the town would be 
 complete without mention of Major Foster. 
 
 IJorn in Xorthampton county. North Carolina, 
 .\\)r\\ 3. i82<). lie was one of a family of ten chil- 
 dren, whose parents, James and Sarah (Hicks) 
 Foster, were also natives of that state. He 
 comes of an ancestry noted for longevity and 
 his i)atcrnal grandfather reached the very remark- 
 able old age of one hundred and eight years. 
 James Foster was reared in the state of his na- 
 tivity and served his country as a soldier in the 
 war of 1812. By occupation he was a farmer 
 and in 1830 he removed from the south to Ohio, 
 establishing his home near Zanesville in Logan 
 county, where his subsequent days were passed, 
 his death occurring when he was fifty-si.\ years 
 of age. 
 
 Major Foster was only alx)ut a year old at the 
 time of the removal of the family to the Buckeye 
 slate and to its public-school system he is in- 
 debted for the educational privileges that he en- 
 joyed. He remained at home until 1836 and 
 then came to Iroquois county, casting in his lot 
 with the early settlers. For a half century he 
 has lived within its borders — an interesed witness 
 of its development and an active participant in 
 much of the growth that has brought about its 
 present condition of progress and prosperity. He 
 first settled upon a farm of one hundrefl and twen- 
 ty acres which he purchased on Sugar creek in
 
 436 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 Stockland township near .\lilford, and with 
 characteristic eiierg)- he took up the task of con- 
 verting raw land into richly cultivated fields. As 
 the years passed he made his farm a valuable 
 property and won a gratifying degree of pros- 
 peritv in his agricultural interests. He had 
 driven across the country from Ohio and when 
 he arrived in Iroquois county his possessions con- 
 sisted only of his team and twenty-five dollars 
 in money. Thus from a very humble financial 
 position he has worked his way steadily upward 
 to affluence, continuing to engage actively in 
 farming until 1875. when he removed to Shel- 
 don, where he worked in a lumberyard for a 
 year. In partnership with Richard Carroll he 
 then bought the lumber business, which they 
 conducted for a year. At the end of that time, 
 however, they sold out and Major Foster estab- 
 lished a grocery, flour and feed store, which he 
 carried on until 1879. In that year he opened 
 his furniture store, which he conducted for over 
 twenty years. He carried a large and well se- 
 lected line of goods and in that business pros- 
 pered, but he invested in the Novelty Works and 
 through mismanagement of others lost most of 
 his wealth. While engaged in the furniture 
 business every year he gave to the widows of 
 Sheldon a nice turkey as a Thanksgiving pres- 
 ent and his generosity has always been one of 
 his marked characteristics. The poor and needy 
 have ever found in him a friend and he responds 
 readily and liberally according to his means to 
 the demands of those who are in distress. In 
 1901 he retired from the furniture business and 
 has since enjoNcd a well merited rest in his 
 pleasant little home in .Sheldon. 
 
 Major Foster proved his loyalty to the L'nion 
 cause at the time of the Civil war, enlisting on 
 the 7lh of August, 1862, as a member of Com- 
 pany E. Seventy-sixth Regiment of Illinois 
 Infantry, under Captain .\bram Irvin. He 
 served for three years and was with ( irant on 
 his march to \ icksburg and was at Holly 
 .Springs at the time of \'an Dorn's raid upon that 
 place. I'^rom there he went to .Memphis, Ten- 
 nessee, where he remained until the siege of 
 ^'icksburg. In .Vugust, iS()j,. he returned home 
 on a furlough, his leave of absence being grant- 
 ed him on account of illness, which developed 
 into a .severe attack of typhoid fever, necessitating 
 
 his remaining at home for about si.x months. 
 As soon as able, however, he rejoined his regi- 
 ment at IJlack River bridge east of \'icksburg, 
 where he remained during the siege, after which 
 he was sent to Mound City hospital in the fall of 
 1864. He participated in the siege of Vicks- 
 burg and in the engagements at Jackson and 
 Denton, together with others of importance. 
 Three weeks after he was sent to the hospital 
 he was ordered home on account of disability 
 and he received his discharge and was mustered 
 out of service in Galveston, .\ugust 2, 1865, 
 being paid off in Chicago on the 25th of the same 
 month, .\lthough he was never wounded he 
 still feels the effects of his army service and has 
 never been quite the man physically that he was 
 before he experienced the privations and expos- 
 ures of army life. When the war was over he 
 returned home and resumed farming, which, as 
 stated, he followed uiuil he became comiected 
 with commercial interests in Sheldon. 
 
 Major Foster had been married in Ohio, 
 ?ilarch 20, 185 1, to Miss Hulda Inskeep, who was 
 born in the Buckeye state and was educated in 
 the public schools there. She is a daughter of 
 Job and Sarah ( Sharp 1 Inskeep. Her mother's 
 parents were natives of Pennsylvania and were 
 pioneer residents of Ohitj. Job Inskeep was born 
 in \'irginia and s])ent his boyhood and youth 
 as a farm lad. pursuing his education in the ])ul)- 
 lic schools and working in the fields when not 
 busy with his text-books, .\fter attaining his 
 majorit} he wedded ^[iss Sarah Siiarp. a native 
 
 of ( )hio. and unto them were born nine chil- 
 
 • 
 
 dren. of whom only one is now living: Levi. 
 John, Isaac, .\mos, Eliza, Hulda and .^arah Aim 
 are deceased. ]Vlajor and Mrs. Foster have one 
 daughter. Amietta. the wife of Mahlon Inskeep. 
 of Watseka. and they have two ciiiidren. l^'rank 
 and .Mary, aged res])ectively fifteen and twelve 
 \ ears. 
 
 .Major l-'oster cast his first jjresidential vote 
 for (leneral Winfield Scott and was a supporter 
 of the whig ]iarty until the organization of the 
 new republican ]iarty. whi-n he joined its ranks 
 and has since been one of its stalwart advocates. 
 I lis fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and 
 ability, have several times called him to public 
 office. lie served as justice of the peace in 
 Stockland township, was ciimmissioncr of high-
 
 IROQUOIS COUXTV. ILMNOIS. 
 
 4.17 
 
 ways and also supervisor of that lownsliip for 
 thrif years. He was likewise sii])ervi.sor of ."^liel- 
 ilon township for ten years and has tilled other 
 Itical jKisitions. the <luties of whieh have heen 
 di.scharRcd with proni|>tness an<l tidelit). lie be- 
 longs to ."^lieldon lodfje. N'o. <>oi>, .\. I". & A. .\I.. 
 and to A. 1'.. I'lrown ]iost, \o. i3t. (i. .\. R.. also 
 to the Patriotic ( )rder of Sons of .\nierica. Hoth 
 he anil his wife are nienihers <»f the .Methodist 
 church and for fifty-five ye:irs they have travelctl 
 life's journey toijether. shariiisi its adver.sitv and 
 |)ros|)erity. its joys and sorrows. .Mtosjether 
 .Major l'"oster's career has Ix'en a prosperous one 
 owini; to his well directed efforts, his industry 
 and enterprise. He also attributes nnich of his 
 success to the aid of his faithful wife, whose 
 counsel and arlvice have been of jjreat benefit to 
 him. She has nobly done her full part and her 
 words of encouragcTiieut have often been his in- 
 spiration. .Major l-"oster is a man of broad hu- 
 manitarian i)rinciples and many there are who 
 have reason to rememl^cr him with trratitude. 
 Instead of hoarding up his |)ossessions he has 
 considered himself but the steward of a trust 
 placed in his care and has given lilxrally of his 
 means to aid others, for the sup])ort of churches 
 and f(jr the welfare of the conmnmity at large. 
 Me is a man of pleasant, genial disposition and 
 kindly manner — <|ualities which endear him to all 
 wlu) know him. and both lu' and his wife have 
 a host of warm friemls. lie has now ])assed 
 the seventy-seventh milestone i«n life's journev 
 and there is no more respcvted or worthy citizen 
 in Sheldon that .Major RoIhti W'oodard I'oster. 
 
 MICH.VKL I.KOXARI). 
 
 -Michael Leonard has lived retireil from active 
 busitiess since iS"/) InU is still the owner of good 
 farm pro|)erty and makes his home on section 
 15. Ashkum township, where he has one hundred 
 and twent\ acres of land. His resiflence is sur- 
 roiuided by a fine grove of trees which were 
 Jilantcd by him in 1855. a fact which indicates 
 that he was one of the ])ioneer residents of tlii< 
 part of the stale. More than a half century has 
 come and gone since he located in Illinois, and 
 he is theret'iir.' l,Tri:iU faiuiliar with the historv 
 
 of this County, where he has labored energetically 
 and with strong jnirpose in the acquirement of 
 a Competence that now enables him to |>ut aside 
 the luore arduous cari> of biiNJiuss .ind rr^t in 
 comfort and case 
 
 He was b(trn in (.ountx .Meatli. Ireland. .\u- 
 gust ji, i^i*. and spent the first twenty years of 
 his life in that cotuitry, when, determining to 
 establish his honie in the new world he started 
 from l)ublin. Ireland, on the 6th of .\])ril. 1S52. 
 and made his way to Liverpool. England, whence 
 he embarked for the L'nited States, landing at 
 -Vew York on the i6th of .May. He did not 
 tarry long in the east, however, but made his way 
 at once westward, to (."hicago. Illinois, where he 
 was employed in various ways until 1S55. He 
 then became a grader on the Illinois Central Rail- 
 road, which was then under course of construc- 
 tion but after a brief period he left the railroad 
 company at Clifton, and pre-emi)ted eighty acres 
 of land in .\shkum township. He is one of the 
 few men of Inxpiois county who are still living 
 on the land which they pre-empted from the 
 government in those early days. He has im- 
 proved his ])ropcrty with comfortable buildings 
 and all of the land is well drained and therefore 
 tillable. His home stands in the luidst of a 
 beautiful growth of trees of his own planting, 
 which he set oiu a half century ago.- In all of 
 his farm work he has been methodical, sy.stematic 
 aufl enterprising, keeping abreast with the trend 
 of modern improvement as manifest 'u agricul- 
 tural lines. 
 
 Mr. Leonard was married at L'l'.rable. Illinois, 
 in 1S57. to .Miss Rosanna .Mulloy. and they be- 
 gan their domestic life ujjou the farm where they 
 have resided continuosly since. Mr. Leonard be- , 
 ing actively- concerned in the work of the fieUls 
 until I Si/ 1, when he retire<I from business, turn- 
 ing over the care of the farm to others, while 
 he has since enjoyed a well earned rest. Itoth 
 he and his wife hold meiubershi|) in the Catholic 
 church, at Clifton. In politics he is a stalwart 
 ilemocrat. emphatic in his advocacy of the prin- 
 ciples of the party since casting his first presi- 
 <IentiaI ballot for James lluchanan. He has been 
 school director and jiathmaster at various times 
 an<l all imblic duties reposed in him have been 
 faithfully and i)roniptly discharged. He has 
 I.iTij 1m III recognized as a representative anrl
 
 438 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 valued citizen of the community and in agricul- 
 tural circles has made a creditable name. In ad- 
 dition to his home property he owns forty acres 
 of land on section lo, Chebanse township, and his 
 property returns to him a good income enabling 
 him to secure the necessities and many of the 
 luxuries of life without recourse to further labor. 
 
 ED HARPER. 
 
 Ed Harper, who is engaged in general farm- 
 ing on section 20, Onarga township, this being 
 the old family homestead property, was born 
 here, March 25, 1857. Plis father, Samuel H. 
 Harper, was a native of Pennsylvania but was 
 reared in Ohio and remained a resident of that 
 state until he came to Illinois in early manhood 
 in the fall of 1837. He was one of the first set- 
 tlers of Iroquois county and entered land from 
 the government and also purchased other tracts 
 until he owned more than four hundred acres. 
 He set out many cottonwood trees upon the 
 place, broke the prairie, fenced the fields, erected 
 good buildings and otherwise improved the farm 
 until it became a well developed propertv. He 
 was married here to Miss Mary Lehigh, a native 
 of Virginia, who was reared, however, in Illi- 
 nois. I\Ir. and ]Mrs. Harper reared their own 
 family upon what has since been known as the 
 homestead and he carried on farm work here 
 up to the time of his demise, which occurred 
 April 21, 1889, when he was seventy-five years 
 of age. His wife survived him for several years, 
 passing away .\pril 24, 1894. In the family were 
 two sons and five daug'hters, who are yet living, 
 the brother of our subject being Alexander Har- 
 per, a resident of St. Joseph, Missouri. His 
 sisters are Alvira, wife of Charles David, of 
 Onarga tow-nship; Harriet E., wife of Orrin 
 Hull, of Kirkw-ood, Missouri; Ella F., wife of 
 William .S. Barnes, of Onarga township; Mar- 
 garet J., wife of S. C. Moore, of Onarga; and 
 Eva, who is the twin sister of Ed and acts as his 
 housekeeper. 
 
 Ed Harper was reared upon the farm where 
 his birth occurred and after acquiring his early 
 education in the common schools he continued his 
 studies in Grand Prairie Seminary in Onarga. 
 
 \\'hen not busy with his text-books he aided in 
 the work of the home farm and after completing 
 his education he took charge of the farm, thus 
 relieving his father of much of the active work 
 of the fields. At a later date he purchased the 
 interest of the other heirs in the old home prop- 
 erty and became owner of this farm, which com- 
 prises two hundred and forty-six acres of rich 
 and arable land on section 20, Onarga township. 
 He has since built to and remodeled the house 
 and has also built a barn. He has likew'ise tiled 
 and fenced the land, has set out fruit trees and 
 has carried forw-ard the work of improvement 
 along modern lines of agricultural development 
 until he now has a splendid farm property. He 
 uses the latest improved machinery in carrying 
 on the work of the farm and in cultivating his 
 crops, and in addition to the raising of cereals 
 he also gives considerable time to the raising 
 of pure blooded Hereford cattle, Percheron 
 horses and Cotswold sheep. He is a practical 
 farmer and stockman and his business interests 
 are attended with a measure of success that in- 
 dicates his careful management and executive 
 force. 
 
 Politically Mr. Harper is a republican and has 
 served on the school board and in other local 
 positions. He holds membership in the Onarga 
 Methodist Episcopal church and this relation is 
 indicative of the principles which have permeated 
 his life and guided his conduct. He has been a 
 resident of the county from his birth to the pres- 
 ent time and has progressed with its development 
 and growth, while in agricultural circles he now 
 occupies a prominent place. 
 
 • Wir.I.lAM E. KXIRLOE. 
 
 William E. Knibloe is numbered among the 
 pioneers in the work of drainage in Iroquois 
 county, whereby a wilderness and swamp has 
 been reclaimed and converted into a rich agricul- 
 tural district. With keen foresight and sagacity 
 he recognized the possibilities for development 
 here and put forth his efiforts along practical 
 lines, whereby the county at large has benefited, 
 while his individual success has also been greatly 
 l)romoted. He is now one of the venerable resi-
 
 ED HARPER.
 
 UNIVEKi^llV Of ILLINOIS
 
 IROQrOIS CofXTV. II.I.IN'oIS. 
 
 44' 
 
 dents of the cuuiily, liviiij; n-lircd in (iilmaii. hm 
 for a long period was closely assiK-iated witli 
 ajiriciiltiiral interests in Doufilas towiislii]). lie 
 lias long since passed the I'salniists sjian <ti three 
 score years and ten. having attained his eiglity- 
 seventii year, for his liirtli occurred I'ebrnary 17. 
 1820. The place of his nativity was Shamn 
 township, Litchtiehl ctnnity, t'onnecticut. and Iiis 
 parents were 'IhonipstHi and Keziah (W'ingi 
 Knibloc. Descended from Scotcli ancestry, the 
 founder of the family in America was the great- 
 grandfather of our subject, who was a Presby- 
 terian minister and emigrated from I-Miiiburgh 
 prior to the Revolutionary war. He remaiiie<l 
 active in the work of the church throughout his 
 entire life and his son, the grandfather, devoted 
 his time and energies to agricultural pursuits. 
 Thompson Knibloe, who was born in Litchtiehl 
 county, Connecticut, was also a farmer and when 
 he arrived at years of maturity he wed<led 
 Keziah Wing, who was horn near Cape Cixl and 
 with her parents reniovetl to Litchfield county, 
 where she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. 
 Knibloe. The fatlier died when his son William 
 was about twelve years of age and the muther 
 afterward became the wife of nenjamin .M\ers. 
 who removed tu Allegany county. Xeu \'<irk. 
 where she s])ent her last days. 
 
 William Knibloe is the only surviving repre- 
 sentative of the family of the fathers first mar- 
 riage, numbering four children, and is the eldest. 
 His youth was divided between attendance at 
 the early schools and work upon the Imme farm 
 until si.xteen years of age. when he entered upon 
 a five years" ap])renticeship to tlic cabinet-maker's 
 trade. He worked through the summer months 
 from sunrise to sunset and from Se|)tember until 
 March his labors continued until nine o'clock at 
 night. His youth and early maidiood were 
 therefore a period of inost earnest and imrcmit- 
 ting toil and it was in tlic hope of bettering his 
 financial condition that he .sought a home in the 
 middle west in 1843. spending a year in Chicago. 
 
 In the meantime .\Ir. Knibloe had been marrieil 
 on the "th of .\pril. 1842, to .Miss Mary A. 
 Dakin, who was born in Dutchess cininty, N'ew 
 York, December 22. 1821. a daughter of Talm.ii 
 and Clarissa ( Yerrington ) Dakin, who were na- 
 tives of the i'jiipire state. I ler |)atcrnal grand- 
 father was a llaptist minister of I'.nglish descent. 
 
 Her parents spent their entire lives in Xew York 
 and there reared their family of seven children. 
 .\ year after her husband had come to the west 
 .Mrs. Knibloe joined iiim in Chicago, which was 
 at that time a comparatively small town of about 
 seven thousand inhabitants. Much of tiie dis- 
 trict upon wiiich the now popuhuis city stands 
 was a veritable swam]> and the city gave little 
 promise of the rapid and marvelous changes 
 which were to take |)lace. transfonning it into 
 one of the world's metropolitan centers. With a 
 partner .Mr. Knibloe established and conducted a 
 cabinet-making shop in Chicago, where he re- 
 mained until 1838. when he came to Iroquois 
 county and in com))any with Mdward Silver pur- 
 chased a half section of land in Douglas town- 
 shi]). With characteristic energy be iK-gan the 
 work of development and improvement and in 
 course of time had reclaimed the wild land and 
 converted it into a productive farm. ( )n selling 
 tl)at pro|)erty he operated the .^turgis farm for a 
 ([uarter of a century or niore and he is today the 
 owner of valuable farming i)ro|)erty. but since 
 i8<M has lived retired, iiaving in that year re- 
 moved to (lilman, where he has since resided in 
 the enjoyment of a rest which he has truly 
 earned and richly merits. 
 
 The home of Mr. and Mrs. Knibloe was 
 blessed with two daugiiters and a son. of whom 
 Anna died after reaching adult age. Harriet is 
 the wile of X. J. Henry, a resident of Chicago; 
 and Walter, who married .\ddie Clark and is a 
 graduate of the state university at Champaign, 
 has devoted his life to educational work, lieing 
 now located in Jacksonville, l-'lorida. 
 
 Mr. Knibloe gave his early jiolitical allegiance 
 to the democracy but since the organization of 
 the republican |)arty has been one of its stalwart 
 chamiiions and has served as highway and ditch 
 commissioner. In the latter jiosition and as a 
 private citizen as well he has done nuich for the 
 reclamation of the county, draining and im])rov- 
 ing it so that die once swam|)y land has been 
 converted into rich and |)roductivc fields. He 
 readily recognized the value of im])rovements of 
 this character and ])nt forth streiuious and 
 etTective effort in behalf of drainage. He was a 
 member of the first ( )dd l'"ellows society of Chi- 
 cago called the Cnion lodge, and his life has ever 
 been an exemplification of the beneficient sjjirit
 
 442 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 that underlies that organization. His residence 
 in the state covers a period of ahnost two-thirds 
 of a century and marvelous have been the 
 changes which have occurred within his memory. 
 In manner he is kindly and genial and while he 
 has ever been a man firm in support of his hon- 
 est convictions he has never manifested bittter 
 partisanship nor been abusive of others who hold 
 opposite opinions. On the contrary he is broad 
 minded, according to others the right of their 
 views and commanding uniform confidence and 
 respect b}' reason of his upright life and sterling 
 worth. Both he and his wife have during their 
 residence in Iroquois county had a circle of 
 friends almost co-extensive with the circle of 
 their acquaintance and today \\'illiam Knibloe is 
 one of the most honored as well as one of the 
 most venerable citizens of Oilman. 
 
 ISAAC HILLS. 
 
 The home farm of Isaac Hills is situated on 
 section 13, Onarga township, and embraces one 
 hundred and ten acres of good land. L'pon this 
 place he carries on general farming and stock- 
 raising. He is numbered among the early set- 
 tlers of the state, having located in La Salle 
 county in 1850. A native of Maine, he was 
 born near Belfast, December 6, 1849. His fa- 
 ther, Isaac Hills, was also born in the Pine Tree 
 state, his natal year being 1811. There he was 
 reared and following his marriage he removed 
 westward in 1850, settling in La Salle county. 
 He was a man of good education and engaged 
 to a considerable extent in teaching. By trade, 
 however, he was a ship carpenter and he fol- 
 lowed that pursuit in early manhood. He re- 
 moved to the west in order to keep his son from 
 going to sea and settled upon a farm in La Salle 
 county, where he lived until his removal to Otta- 
 wa, where he followed carpentering. In 1867 
 he came to Iroquois county, where he purchased 
 land and here he was identified with educational 
 interests. His farm was situated near La Hogue 
 and he bought the land for seven dollars per 
 acre. Today it is worth one liundred and fifty 
 dollars per acre, owing to the improvements 
 which have been placed upon it an.l the rise in 
 
 land values consequent upon the settlement of the 
 state. In 1871 he removed to Frankfort, Mich- 
 igan, where his remaining days were passed, his 
 death occurring in 1886. His wife survived him 
 for about five years and passed away in 1891. 
 In their family were seven children who reached 
 adult age: Nathan F., who died in Oilman in 
 i8g6, leaving a family; Isaac H., of this review; 
 John \\'.. who for twenty years has engaged in 
 the practice of law in Chicago ; C. W., also a 
 lawyer of Chicago; Henry A., superintendent of 
 the Soldiers' Home at Orand Rapids, Michigan ; 
 Berton N.. who is a member of the Chicago bar ; 
 and Mrs. Mary A. Welsh, a widow who resides 
 in Frankfort, Michigan, where her husband was 
 engaged in the manufacture of lumber. 
 
 Isaac Hills came to Iroquois county when a 
 young man of eighteen years. Although born in 
 the east the greater part of his \'outh was passed 
 in La Salic county and his education was mostly 
 acquired in Ottawa. After arriving at years of 
 maturity he learned the carpenter's trade and 
 for fifteen years carried on business as a con- 
 tractor and builder, being in jiartnership with 
 his brother, Nathan. Subsequently he devoted 
 a similar period to the dredging business in In- 
 diana and siHithern Illinois until lyoo. when he 
 took up his abode at his present residence. 
 
 Mr. Hills was married in 1878 to Miss Oeneva 
 Harper, who was a native of Indiana, in which 
 state her girlhood days were passed. There are 
 two children by this union : Laura O., who was 
 a teacher in Iroquois county for six years and 
 is now the wife of Benjamin F. Brown, a pro- 
 fessor in tlie Petoskey, Michigan, schools ; and 
 Lester Flarper, who is a student in the North- 
 western Medical School, of Chicago. 
 
 Mr. Hills, the father, is now giving his time 
 and attention to agricultural interests and stock- 
 raising. \\"hile he and his brother Nathan were 
 engaged in contracting and building they erected 
 many residences and other structures in Iroquois 
 and Ford counties and were well knnw n as repre- 
 sentatives of the builder's art in this part of the 
 state. They eidarged their acquaintance and 
 their sphere of usefulness when they engaged 
 in the dredging business through Indiana and 
 southern Illinois. Now Isaac Hills is concen- 
 trating his energies upon general agricultural 
 piu-snits and has a well ini|>riived farm pr(i])erly
 
 UNIVtKSllt UF ILUNOIS
 
 MRS. SAMUEL llARl'KK
 
 S.\.Mli:i. IIAKI'KR.
 
 wnmm of iwW 
 
 J
 
 IROQUOIS cuLMV. II. 1. 1 .\( "IS. 
 
 447 
 
 of OIK' luiiulrcd and icii acres on scciiuii i_^. 
 ( )narga tuwnshi]). This land is valnaWc and 
 prixiuctive and the liclds liavc been hmuLjlu under 
 a high state of cuUivatiun. 
 
 I'.dth Mr. and Mrs. Hills are nienihers cji tjii- 
 .Methodist cinirch and were reared in that faith. 
 Politically he is a stalwart republican but has 
 never asked for office as a reward fur i)ariy 
 fealty, lie affiliates with the Masonic fraternity. 
 havin}; joined the organization in the blue lodge 
 at (iilnian. and he is also connected with the 
 Independent ( )rder of Odd Fellows, with the 
 Modern Woodmen of .\incrica and with the 
 Fraternal Insurance Order. He iias seen this 
 county change from a wilderness and swamp into 
 a splendidly improved district and through his 
 business interests has been an imi)ortanl factor 
 in growth anti progress here. He is widely 
 recognized as a man of sterling worth, justly 
 meriting the trust and confidence which are uni- 
 formly extended him. and his life is also an ex- 
 cellent illustration of the fact that success and 
 an honorable name may be won simultaneously 
 and that earnest, persistent labor constitutes an 
 excellent foundation upon which to build the 
 su])erstructure of prosperity. 
 
 TII( ).MA.^ r.. I'AKRI.^^II. 
 
 Thomas L. Farrish. living on section i. Love- 
 joy township, raises and feeds stock in connec- 
 tion with the work of tilling the soil. His landed 
 interests in this county embrace two hundred 
 acres in the home farm and an eighty-acre tract 
 in .Stockland townshi]). .\ native son of Illinois. 
 .Mr. Parrish was horn in Logan county, Decem- 
 Ikt 19, i860. His father. Captain Lemuel Par- 
 rish, was a native of .\rkansas. born near Little 
 Rock, in 1SJ7. In his childhood days he was 
 brought h> Illinois and was reared in Jersey 
 county. He served as a soldier throughout the 
 Mexican war. being a member of a cavalry com- 
 l>any. He niarried Miss .\mi Hampton and for 
 many years followed farming in Logan county 
 but in later years removed to Iroquois conntv, his 
 last days, however, being ])assed in Hoopeston. 
 Illinois, where he departed this life in HJ03. He 
 had long survived his wife, who died alxjut 1871. 
 26 
 
 This worthy couple were the parents of a family 
 of four Sons and two daughters, of whom three 
 sons and a daughter are yet living. 
 
 Thomas L, Parrish was reared in I^gan coun- 
 ty, earlv becoming familiar willi the work of the 
 farm, while in the public schools he ac(juired his 
 elementary education and contiinied his stu<Iies 
 in the high schcx)l at Latham, .\bout 1887 he 
 came to Irixiuois county, then a young man of 
 twenty-seven years, and purchased forty acres of 
 land where he now resides. He Ix'gan the im- 
 |)rovement of the farm and upon the |)lace where 
 lie now resides he was married on the 21st of 
 December. 1887. to Miss Matilda R. .\dsit. who 
 was Ijtirn and reared here and acquired her edu- 
 cation in liloomington. where she pursued a lit- 
 erary and musical course. She also attended the 
 normal there and was a teacher for four years. 
 I ler father was D. C. .-Kdsit, a prominent farmer 
 of this county, who died in Ikx)peston, Illinois. 
 
 Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Par- 
 rish located where they now reside and he at 
 once began the further development and improve- 
 ment of the property. They experienced the 
 privations and hardships of life on the frontier 
 but resolutely met these and in the course of 
 years prosperity came as the reward of earnest, 
 unfaltering efT(jrt. When his financial resources ' 
 permitted of the purchase of more land he added 
 to his original tract until he now has two hundred 
 acres in the home farm, and the buildings upon 
 the place have been erected by him and stand as 
 moinunents to his thrift and enterprise. He has 
 ditched and tiled the i)lace and has enclosed it 
 with a woven wire fence. He has also set out a 
 great variety of fruit trees and his farm is 
 equippeil with all of the conveniences and acces- 
 sories which go to make u]) a model farm prop- 
 erty of the twentieth century. He also bought 
 an eighty-acre tract in .St(X"kland township but 
 has rented the place. He is farming a half 
 section at the present time and he also breeds 
 and deals in ])(>lled Durham cattle, having a 
 pure-blooded male at the head of his herd. He 
 also has other ijure-blooded and high grade stock 
 anil he also breeds and raises I'.erkshire hogs. 
 
 VnUt Mr. and Mrs, Parrish have been born 
 two children: Perry C, who is now a student 
 in the Wellington high school : and Ruth .\.. 
 at home. The parents belong to the W^elling-
 
 448 
 
 AST AXD PRESEXT (Ji- 
 
 ton .Mtlhodist Episcopal cluirch. in which .Mr. 
 Parrish is serving as a trustee and steward, wliile 
 his wife is one of the active workers in the churcli 
 and Sunday-school, serving as a teacher. Pjoth 
 are deeply concerned in various movements for 
 the benefit of the church and the advancement 
 of the cause and their lives are in harmony with 
 their profession. Politically Mr. Parrish is a 
 republican but has never had time nor desire for 
 office, preferring to concentrate his energies upon 
 his business affairs. He put up the T\-irrish tele- 
 phone line to \\'ellington, it being now owned by 
 j a stock company. He commenced life in this 
 I countv a poor man without capital. His wife in- 
 herited eighty acres of land and with this as a 
 I start their possessions have been continually in- 
 creased until they now embrace two hundred and 
 eighty acres of rich and valuable land, and the 
 comforts of life which were once denied them be- 
 cause of their limited financial resources are now 
 bv them easilv secured. 
 
 WllJJA.M il. CRAWPt )RD. 
 
 William H. Crawford is actively connected 
 with farming interests about two miles from Mil- 
 ford, where he owns and cultivates a good tract 
 of land of one hundred and sixty acres. His 
 birthplace was a farm in ]\Iilford township and 
 his natal da\ .September 7, 1867. He is descended 
 from one of the old families of Mrginia that 
 was established there at an early day. David 
 Crawford, the father, was born at 1 larpers l\rry. 
 \'irginia, Se])tcmbcr 10, 1825, and was a sou of 
 Thomas Crawford, who became the founder of 
 the family in Illinois, settling in Ir()(|uois comity 
 in 1835 when there were few white residents 
 within its borders. Only three years before had 
 the white people of the state disputed the (l(jniain 
 of the red man at the point of the bayonet. The 
 seeds of civilization, however, were being planted 
 and the wild land was beins^' converted intci rich 
 fields for the use of the while people. Thomas 
 Crawford purchased a farm on which slight im- 
 pnivemenls had been made and began its further 
 development and cultivation. It was amid pio- 
 neer surroundings and environments that David 
 ' Crawliird was reared u])on this farm, sharing 
 
 with the family in the hardsliijjs and privations 
 of pioneer life at a time when most of the set- 
 tlers lived in log cabins and waged a relentless 
 warfare against the unfavorable conditions 
 caused bv the swamps and the sloughs and the 
 uncut forests. When a young man he went to 
 ( )liio and there learned the cooper's trade, which 
 he followed for a few years. While in the Uuck- 
 eve state he married Lydia Judy, who was born 
 Xovember 29. 1829. in Clark countv. ( )hio, and 
 subsequently returned to Iroquois county, locat- 
 ing first in Milford. After spending the winter 
 in the town he removed to a farm, purchasing 
 land thereafter from time to time until he was one 
 ni the most extensive landholders of the county, 
 his possessions aggregating nearly fourteen hun- 
 dred acres in Stockland. Milford and Lovejoy 
 townships. He also had land elsewhere in the 
 state and he bought and sold lands, his operations 
 being extensive and profitable. He was widely 
 known as a prominent farmer and business man, 
 watchful of his opportunities and so conducting 
 his etTorts that success resulted. Seldom was he 
 at error in matters of business judgment. He re- 
 moved from his farm to Milford, where he spent 
 his last days, passing away October 17, 1904, at 
 the ripe old age of seventy-nine. His wife is 
 still living and makes her home in Milford. The 
 famil\- of this worthy couple numbered eight 
 children, si.x sons and two daughters, the eldest 
 of whom is John Crawford, a resident of Mil- 
 ford. The others are James, who is living in 
 Ambia, Indiana: Anna, the wife of T. A. Lyons, 
 a farmer of ^^lilford: Charles, a business man of 
 Ambia : Edward, a resident farmer of Stockland 
 t(>wnshii> : W'illiam H.. of this review : Emma, the 
 wife of W'illiam Caldwell, of Chicago: and 
 Frank, a resident farmer of Milford townshii). 
 William H. Crawford, nne of the county's na- 
 tive sons, was educated in the schools of Mil- 
 ford and remained with his father through the 
 |K'rind of his boyhood and vouth. being reared 
 in a cultured home, while lessons of industry, 
 perseverance and economy were earl\- instilled 
 into his mind. The lady who now bears his 
 name was in her maidenhood ]\liss Clara Kelly 
 and their marriage was celebrated on Christmas 
 day of 1892. She was also reared in Iroquois 
 county and following their marriage they es- 
 tablished their home ui)on a farm, Mr. Craw-
 
 IROQLOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 449 
 
 forti conciiitratinj,' liis ciurf,'ii> upmi tiic ilevtlop- 
 iiiciu and improvcniciu cf a tract of laiui oi 
 oiif luiiulrcil ami si.xty acris. .\s tiiiic passed lie 
 brmi^ht liis tieMs under a iii!,'li state of cultiva- 
 tion and annually gathered tlierefrom rich crops. 
 With the laruiinj.; he also raised uood stock. In 
 i<XK). however, he removed to Milford and \n\T- 
 chascd one of the most attractive residences of 
 the town. He has not abandoned farm work, 
 however, but jjoes back and forth to attend to 
 the duties of the farm, which is carefully man- 
 aj^ed under his immediate supervision. 
 
 The home of Mr. and .Mrs. Crawford has been 
 bles.sed with three children. Daphne, .\ubrey and 
 -Madijc. .\ stalwart democrat. Mr. Crawford 
 has never sought or desired office but is inter- 
 ested in the success and growth of his party. 
 He and his wife take a deep and Iieli)ful inter- 
 est in the work of the Christian cluucli. 
 of which they are members and in which 
 he is serving as an officer. They contribute gen- 
 erously to the support of the church and do 
 everything in their power to advance its inter- 
 ests. Mr. Crawford is also connected with the 
 Knights of I'ythias lodge at Milford. Strong 
 in his honor and his good name, his whole life 
 has been passed in or near Milford and he has 
 borne an unas.sailable reputation for integrity in 
 business as well as for activity and progressive- 
 ness in his farming operations. Many are his 
 go«xl qualities and both he and his wife are 
 greatly esteemed by those who know them, their 
 circle of friends being almost co-extensive with 
 the circle r>f their acquaintance. 
 
 E. A. WESTOVER. 
 
 The life lecortl of E. A. VVestover. of Che- 
 banse, should put to shame many a man of young- 
 er years who, grown weary of the struggles and 
 labors of an active business life, would relegate 
 to others the burdens that he should bear. .Mr. 
 Westover, although now seventy-five years of 
 age. is still actively concerned in business in 
 Chebanse as a stone-mason and in former years 
 was accounted one of the able educators of this 
 part of the state, devoting a quarter of a century 
 to the profession of teaching. He came to Che- 
 
 banse in 1S37 and has here since made his home. 
 He is a son of Linus \\ . and Sally (Thomas) 
 Westover. who were natives of Connecticut and 
 of Welsh extraction on the father's side. The 
 original ancestors in .\merica, however, came 
 from the Isle of Wight. 
 
 The birth of E. .\. Westover occurred in 
 Litchfield county, Connecticut. .\\>v'\\ 13. 1831, 
 The greater period of his manhotid has been 
 passed in Chebanse. where he has made his home 
 for almost a half century. Securing a school in 
 this locality, he engaged in teaching for twenty- 
 four terms anil during the periods of vacation he 
 worked at the stone-mason's trade. He took up 
 his abode in Chebanse township before Milks 
 ("irove townslii[) had been set otT, the two being 
 under one organization and known as Chebanse 
 township. He became a giMjd workman at the 
 stone-mason's trade and has assisted in the con- 
 struction of many of the important buildings of 
 the county, including the courthouse at W'atse- 
 ka. His life has been one of tireless activity and 
 enterprise and as the years have passed he has 
 met with a creditable measure of success. 
 
 On the 18th of June, 1862, Mr. Westover was 
 united in marriage to Mrs. Jane Brady, and 
 unto them was born a son, Linus E., who is lo- 
 cated in Chebanse. 
 
 Mr. Westover has long been recognized as 
 one of the prominent democrats of this locality. 
 He cast his first presidential vote for James 
 P>uchanan and has supported each candidate at 
 the head of the ticket since that time with the 
 e.xception of the year 1864, when he voted for 
 Abraham Lincoln, for he believed in the war 
 policy and thus upheld the administration. Mr. 
 Westover has been called to various offices. He 
 has been road commissioner for three years, was 
 constable for four years, marshal of Chebanse 
 for two years and school director for ten years. 
 He has also acted as judge of election since 
 the Australian ballot system was inaugurated. 
 He is the only survivor of the three democrats 
 in Chebanse township when he arrived here and 
 he has been a most faithful adherent to the 
 principles of the party. He holds membership 
 in the Methodist Episcopal church in Chebanse 
 and his life has been in harmony with his pro- 
 fessions. He has always endeavored to live at 
 p)eace with his fellowmen, acknowledging the
 
 45° 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 rights of others, and has manifested a spirit of 
 consideration and kindhness that has gained him 
 a warm place in public regard. 
 
 ADA.M WA.MIJA. 
 
 Adam \V'amba is now living a retired life at 
 Martinton and perhaps no citizen of the village 
 has done more for its substantial upbuilding and 
 commercial development, by reason of which he 
 certainly deserves honorable mention in this vol- 
 ume as one of the prominent and representative 
 men of Iroquois county. He was the real founder 
 and promoter of the town of Martinton and 
 although now living retired from business has 
 never ceased his efforts in its behalf. 
 
 JMr. Wamba was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, 
 Germany, September 30, 1828. In 1849 ^^^ ^"' 
 tered the German army, and on the 19th of Xo- 
 vember, 1852. his military service being ended, he 
 set sail for New York, where he arrived after a 
 long, tedious and stormy passage in February, 
 1853. He then made his way to Trenton. Xew 
 Jersey, and worked in the rolling mills until the 
 following vear. 
 
 In 1854 Mr. Wamba made his way westward 
 to Chicago and to Green Bay, Michigan, where 
 he worked in a sawmill for a time. He then 
 returned to Chicago and assisted in building the 
 first water works of that city. He was offered 
 a building lot for a day's work, but did not con- 
 sider the lots worth anything and so took one 
 dollar per day for his service instead. In 1857 
 he came to Chebanse township, where he lived 
 for fourteen years, following the occupation of 
 farming. At the time of the June flood in the 
 year 1868 he went out and flagged a train on the 
 Illinois Central Railroad, carrying with him the 
 lamp from the table. He thus stopped the train 
 frnni plunging into the creek where the bridge 
 had been washed away and thus saved many 
 lives. In 1870 he came to Martinton township 
 and bought one hundred and sixty acres from 
 John Cobb for eighteen dollars per acre, and 
 six acres on section 16. It was raw land, being 
 I entirely unimproved. U])on this ])lace Mr. 
 Wamba built a small frame dwelling, in which 
 he lived for a number of years. Later he pur- 
 
 chased two hundred and twenty more acres in 
 the same section. He has tiled the entire farm 
 himself, has fenced and improved it, and in 1898 
 he erected a large twelve-room residence, which 
 he now occupies, it being one of the attractive 
 homes of this part of the county. In 1871 he 
 gave forty acres to the Chicago & Eastern Illi- 
 nois Railroad Company for a depot and track 
 site to start a town. The town was established 
 and called ^lartinton. Mr. Wamba bought hay 
 and grain there for a number of years and built 
 the first elevator in the town. He also built a 
 switch two hundred and ten feet in length, pay- 
 ing for the same himself, in order that he might 
 load cars at his elevator. He has raised corn 
 on the land on which the business center of the 
 town now stands. He has also laid out six addi- 
 tions to the town and sold lots and was one of 
 the organizers of the town in 1871. It would 
 be difficult to find any one who has done more 
 for Alartinton or contributed in larger measure 
 to its substantial progress and development than 
 has Mr. Wamba. who from the beginning has 
 been an interested witness of its growth and in 
 every possible way has aided in its advancement. 
 In Chicago, in 1857. Mr. Wamba was united 
 in marriage to Miss Mary Coolon, who was born 
 in Canada, and they have become the parents of 
 nine children : A. G., Philip, Peter, Joseph, 
 Henry, Frank, Mrs. Libby Alexander, Mrs. 
 Mary White and Mrs. Philipina ]\Iary. Of this 
 number Peter and Henry are now deceased. The 
 wife and mother died in 1896 and Mr. Wamba 
 was again married in Martinton in 1898. his sec- 
 ond union being with Mrs. Fredericka Mack, 
 who was born in Germany and was the widow 
 of G. Mack, who died in 1890. By her first mar- 
 riage she had four children: .\ndrew C. ; Anna, 
 who is married and lives in Chicago; Sophia Au- 
 gusta, a resident of Seattle. Washington ; and Otto 
 G.. of Chicago. Mr. \\'amba has bought over four- 
 teen hundred acres of land in the state of Wash- 
 ington, which he has divided among his sons, 
 who are now operating it. He has also bought 
 and shipped to them a considerable amount of 
 houseliold goods, a well drill, engines and all 
 outfils and farm implements. He has been one 
 of the most successful as well as one of the most 
 iniblic-si)irited citizens of ATartinton township 
 and, having acquired a handsome competence, he
 
 MR. AM) MRS. ADAM W AMIIA.
 
 (^r inc 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS
 
 IKOQL'OIS COl'NTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 453 
 
 has for the past tew years heen hviiip a retired 
 life, occupying the beautiful lioiiie wliicli he built 
 for himself on the farm. This farm he broke 
 fmm the raw prairie ami by hard and uiiremit- 
 tiii.v; effort has transformed it into one of the 
 parden spots of tiie county. He deserves much 
 credit for what he has accom])lished ami his 
 s|)len(lid prosperity is well merited. 
 
 lUA .M. LLXDSKV. 
 
 Ira M. Lindsey. livinjj on section 3(1. I )narga 
 township, is an active and energetic business man 
 operating the c>ld Lindsey hoinestead of two hun- 
 drecl and twenty-seven acres, lie was born on 
 the farm which is now his place of residence 
 I'ebruary 3. ii«^~. and his father. 1!. l". Lindsey, 
 was likewise born on this farm, which is one of 
 the old settled places of the county. Thepatcrn.il 
 grandfather. Ira Lindsey. was a native of \'ir- 
 ginia and one of the first settlers here, arriving 
 in the district when it was a wilderness, the 
 prairie being covered with the native grasses, 
 while in certain districts there were forest 
 growths and much of the land. to4), was very 
 wet and swanijiy. He entered several hundred 
 acres and upened up the farm which has since 
 lieen the family homestead. His son, B. F. Lind- 
 sey. was reared under the ])arental roof and 
 having arrived at years of maturity he wcddc<l 
 l-Vances Wiswell, a native of Illinois, who was 
 born in Morgan county. .\s the years passed 
 by M. F. Lindsey became a prominent, active 
 and prosperous farmer and stock-raiser, owning 
 alKuit six hundred and forty acres of valuable 
 land. He carried on general agricultural jnir- 
 suits successfully for a number of years and 
 eventually removed to ( )narga, where his last 
 years were jjassed. his death occurring there in 
 Jinie. ii>oi. He was always reliable and active 
 in his business interests and therefore left to his 
 family not only a goodly estate but also an im- 
 tarnished name. His wife survives him and now 
 resides in ("ham|>aign. Illinois. 
 
 Ira M. Lindsey spent the days of his youih 
 in the usual manner of farm lads, early becom- 
 ing familiar with the duties of field and meadow . 
 His preliminary education was sup|)leniented by 
 study in Champaign high school and when his 
 
 father removed to ( )narga he took charge of the 
 hon)e place and has further improved and de- 
 vclo|K;d it, making it a valuable farm property. 
 He carries on the work of tilling the soil and 
 also raises and deals in stock, and Ixjth branches 
 of his business are proving profitable. 
 
 Mr. Lindsev was married in ( )narga. .March 
 jij. 1891, the lady of his choice being Miss Carrie 
 Capen, who was born in Michigan Inu was reared 
 in this county. They now have three children: 
 ()sa. Leon and .\nita. Mr. Lindsey exercises 
 his right of franchise in sup])ort of the men and 
 measures of the democracy at state and national 
 elections but ca.sts an indei)endent local ballot. 
 He is ni)w a member of the school board and he 
 affiliates with the .Masonic fraternity. Ix-longing 
 to ( )narga lodge, liilman chapter. Watseka coun- 
 cil. Paxton commandery and the Mystic Shrine 
 of Peoria. He is now senior deacin in the blue 
 lodge and he has filled all of the chairs in the 
 Knights of Pythias lodge at Onarga. of which 
 he is a past chancellor. His wife, a most esti- 
 mable lady, holds membership in the Methodist 
 Episcopal church and both are highly esteemed, 
 occuj)ying an enviable ]insition in social circles 
 where true worth and intelligence serve as pass- 
 ports into good society. .Mr. Lindsey is well 
 known in Watseka and lro(|uois county and in- 
 vestigation into his life record shows much that 
 is commendable, while his example in the man- 
 agement of his business interests might be profit- 
 ably foUoweil 1)\ .'iH who desire to gain honorable 
 ]3rt)sperity. 
 
 L\MI-:S lit )A(iL\Xn. 
 
 James Hoagland is now living retired in .Shel- 
 don but for many years was closely associated 
 with farming and stock-raising interests in Iro- 
 (|uois county, and he so directed his labors and 
 managed his business interests that there ac- 
 crued therefrom an extensive competence that 
 now enables him to rest in the enjoyment of the 
 fruits of his former toil. He was born .\pril f>. 
 1S51. and is a sf)n of James and Hannah ( I'ox 1 
 Ht«gland. 
 
 The father, a native of Clark townshi]). Co- 
 shocton county. ( )hio. was Intrn March ,^1. 1S18, 
 and his parents were Lsaac and Polly (Carpenter)
 
 454 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Iloagland, both of whom were natives of \'ir- 
 ginia. The latter was a daughter of John Car- 
 penter, one of the first settlers of the north side 
 of the Ohio river in the fjuckeye state. He was 
 probably a soldier of the Revolutionary war and 
 one of his sons was for seven \ears connected 
 with the colonial army, doing valued service as 
 a spy. Thomas Carpenter, son of John Carpen- 
 ter, is said to have been the first white child born 
 in Ohio. The great-grandfather of our subject, 
 was at one time taken prisoner by the Indians 
 and held for eighteen months before he was able 
 to make his escape. In the meantime, his people, 
 supposing him dead, returned to Mrginia. 
 When he managed to escape he took a horse 
 which had been captured with him. and, swim- 
 ming the Ohio river, he made his way to his par- 
 ents' home. While held captive the Indians were 
 camped between Owl creek and IMahicken river, 
 near the junction of the two streams, and Mr. 
 Carpenter was so pleased with that country and 
 its possibilities that subsequent to his marriage 
 he removed with his wife and children to that 
 locality, h was still a frontier district and a 
 mimber of families built and occupied a fort in 
 order to secure protection from the red men. 
 One day while Mr. Carpenter and his wife were 
 hoeing in the garden he was sliot 1)\- an I?idian. 
 The ball entered his body and he fell. The red 
 men thought to capture Mrs. Carpenter but she 
 ran screaming to the fort an<l thus made her es- 
 ca])e. Mr. Carpenter recovered and lived for 
 many years afterward. 
 
 The Hoagland family also Ix-came residents 
 of Ohio in pioneer times, Isaac Hoagland, the 
 .grandfather of our subject, settling in that state 
 at a place just across the river from Wheeling. 
 \\'est \'irginia. He married Polly Carpenter, 
 and they began their domestic life upon a farm, 
 undergoing all of the jirivations and trials of 
 fnmtier life. He served as a soldier in tlie war 
 of 1812, and after his death, which occurred in 
 the fall of 184S. when he was seventy-three years 
 of age, his widow obtained a land warrant in 
 recognition of his military service. I^he sent 
 the paper to her son, James Hoagland, wlm was 
 then living in Iroquois county, Illinois, but it 
 was not proptTly signed and he returned it but 
 never heard of it again. Mrs. I'nllv Iloagland 
 died in Coshoctnn county, CJhin, in 1X5,^ in the 
 
 seventy-fourth year of her age. I'.y her mar- 
 riage she became the mother of ten children. 
 
 Of this family James Hoagland was the sev- 
 enth in order of birth and upon his father's farm 
 he spent the days of his boyhood and youth, as- 
 sisting in the arduous task of clearing and de- 
 veloping new land. His educational opportuni- 
 ties were very meager, ov^ing to the poor condi- 
 tions of the schools in that pioneer community. 
 \\'hen ei.ghteen years of age he was married in 
 Clark township, Coshocton county, Ohio, on 
 Christmas day of 1836, to Miss Hannah Fox, 
 who was born in Muskingum county, that state. 
 October 4, 1819. and was a daughter of Eli and 
 Lavina (.\ndrews) Fox, who were natives of 
 Connecticut, and removed to Ohio at an early 
 day. 
 
 At the time of his marriage, Mr. Hoagland 
 had but little capital with which to start out in 
 life but he rented land and thus en,gaged in 
 farmin,g in Ohio until 1845. He then came to 
 Illinois, accompanied by his wife and four chil- 
 dren, bringing with them a few household goods, 
 which they loaded into a wagon and thus drove 
 across the country to Iroquois county, reaching 
 their destination on the 28th of September, 1845. 
 James Hoagland's actual capital at that time con- 
 sisted of but twenty dollars. During the first 
 three years of his residence in that county he 
 rented land of Squire Courtright, and in 1848 
 In- entered forty acres from the government, reso- 
 lutely undertaking the task of developing a new 
 farm, for he was not unfamiliar with such a 
 wiirk. having been engaged in a similar enter- 
 prise in ( )hio. His life was a busy one, and his 
 um-emitting diligence and persistency of purpose 
 gained liiin prosperity. As his financial re- 
 sources increased he added to his laud until at 
 (ine time he owned eleven hundred and ninety- 
 ime acres in Concord township and owed no man 
 a dollar. 
 
 His wile dietl i'ebruary g, i8gj, at the age of 
 seventy-two years. She was a faithful member 
 nf the I'nited brethren church and for fifty- 
 fivf years had been a loving wife and true hel])- 
 male to licr husband. 'i"lK-\- had tra\eled life's 
 journey to.gether throu.gh that long period and 
 on Christmas day of 1886 was celebrated their 
 .golden wedding. Tlieir union was blessed with 
 ten children. F.li, who was born in Coshocton
 
 IKOorolS ^ > il .\ I V. ILLINOIS. 
 
 433 
 
 couiitv. dhio, Xovciiiber 8. 1837. is now livinj,' 
 retiri'd in Sheldon aiul lias seven children. 
 Marv. born in Coshocton county. May 31. i8,v^ 
 hccanu- the wife of Lyman Mather and died 
 June 2. 1871, leavinj^ four children. Isaac, horn 
 in I'osluicion county. I )ctober 14. 184J. was a 
 soldier of the Civil war from iS<ii until 18(12. 
 servini; under I'remont. hut was taken ill on 
 the tirst march after I'rice and died near ( )tter- 
 ville, .Missouri. January 3. i8<j2, his remains be- 
 in>; l)nnii;ht hack \o iro(|Uois county by his father 
 and interred in the .Sheldon cemetery. Lavina. 
 who was born in Coshocton comity, t )hio. May 
 10, 1844. is the wife of James .Xshbury Clarke, 
 of Concord township, and they have hve children. 
 Sarah, Iwrn in Concord township. Iroquois coun- 
 ty. Illinois. June 18. 184(1. is the wife of ( )scar 
 Ajiplejiet, and has three children. Ira, born 
 Xovcnibcr 15, 1848, resides in Concord town- 
 ship and lias five children. James is seventh of 
 the family. Hannah, horn Au.niisl 20. 1853, died 
 October 6. 1855. Xaiicy. horn December 3, 
 1855, became the wife of (ieorfje Slirim])liii and 
 died .\pril 23, i88»;, leavmjj tjiree children. 
 Charles, born July ij. 1858. is married and has 
 one child. 
 
 James Hoafjland, Sr.. altlioufjli reared in the 
 faith of the democratic party, became a stalwart 
 advocate of whijj principles and cast bis first 
 presidential vote for William Henry Harrison. 
 On the organization of the republican party be 
 joined its ranks and remained one of its stalwart 
 advocates until his demise. He lived an uprifjlit. 
 honorable life, devoted his time and energies to 
 his business interests and his dealinj^s were ever 
 characterized by u])rijjhlness and lionor. so that 
 be not only gained a'comfortable comjietence but 
 also won the respect and confidence of all wit'i 
 whom he was brought in contact, an<l his death, 
 on the 3d of .April. i«/)i. was the occasion of 
 sincere and widespread regret. 
 
 James Hoagland. whose name introduces this 
 record, has spent his entire life in IriKjuois coun- 
 ty and acquired a district-school education. 
 When not busy with his text-hooks his attention 
 was given to farm labor, and he early became 
 an assistant in the fields. He bought his first 
 land — a tract of one hundred and sixty acres — 
 in 1875. and he still owns that i)ro])crty hut his 
 holdings have become much more extensive as 
 
 the years have passed by and be now has five 
 hundred and twenty acres in this county. He 
 gave his energies to the work of tilling the soil 
 and the raising of stock until 1887, when he re- 
 moved from the iild homestead to a place near 
 .Sheldon, and in 11J03 retired permanently from 
 farm life and took up his abode in the city of 
 Sheldon, where he iiurchaseil a beautiful resi- 
 dence, standing in the midst of a fine lawn. Here 
 he is living retired, surrounded by all of the 
 comforts and man\ of the luxuries wliich go to 
 make life worth living. 
 
 .\lr. Iloaglanil was married to Miss .Martha 
 .\. Crowl. of Iroquois county. llliiKjis, a daughter 
 of John I'., and .Mary (Moore) Crowl. The 
 father was horn in .\enia. ( )hio. I-'ehrnary <j. 
 1822. and was a son of Jose])h and .\letlia 
 ( r.isliop) Crowl, who were natives of .Maryland 
 and X'irginia respectively. They went to ( )hio 
 in early life and were married there. Mr. Crowl 
 clied in hebruary, 1852, his wife surviving him 
 for iwtnty years, or until ( )ct()her, 1872. John 
 I'.. Crowl. the father of .Mrs. Hoaglaiul, lived 
 in ( )liio until 1831;, when with his parents he 
 removed westward to Indiana, settling five miles 
 east of llunkum. Illinois, which was their post- 
 office. -At the age of twenty-one years he crossed 
 the line into this state and engaged in farming 
 near lUinkum on the land which he purchased 
 from his father. He was married December 20, 
 1843. to .Miss Mary Moore, who was born in 
 ( )liio and came to Illinois at an early day. He 
 owned three hundred and sixty-three acres of 
 land in this county, which he won by his own 
 labor and very cajiable management. His wife 
 died .\ugust 28, iWk). and he passed away in 
 ii^oi. Their family numbered eight children. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Hoagland have but one child, 
 lohn C'.. who was liorn February 20, 1876, and 
 married Harriet .Mct'Ioud. They live in Shel- 
 don, where he is conducting business as an op- 
 tician and jeweler. 
 
 Mr. Ibiagland belongs to Shehlon lodge, Xo. 
 Ticx), .\. I". & A. .M.. and al.so to the Mo<Icrn 
 WiMidmcn camp. His wife holds membership in 
 the Presbyterian church, to which he is a lilxr.d 
 ctMitributor. He has manifested many good 
 (|ualities that have gained him favorable regard. 
 In his business he was alert ami enterprising and 
 has so utilized bis opportunities that the years
 
 456 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 have brought him goodly success. His name 
 is honored by reason of the straightforward 
 methods he has followed, while his personal char- 
 acteristics, geniality, cordiality and good will 
 have made him popular with those who know 
 him. 
 
 WILLIAM A. .MOXTGOMERY. 
 
 William A. .Montgomery, living on section 28. 
 Belmont township, his life of well directed activ- 
 ity leading to success in agricultural lines, owns 
 and cultivates a farm of one hundred and eighty- 
 five acres. He is of Iroquois county's native 
 sons, his birth having occurred in Concord 
 township. April 27. 1849. His father, Samuel 
 ^^'. Montgomery, was a native of \"irginia. but 
 was reared in Indiana and was married there 
 to Sarah Harriman. a native of Ohio. He fol- 
 lowed farming in Indiana and reared his family 
 there until the spring of 1849, when he removed 
 to Illinois. Here he owned une hundred and 
 sixty acres in Concord townshii) at the beginning 
 of his residence in Iroquois county and eventu- 
 ally added to his holdings until they embraced 
 four hundred acres. In the spring of i860 he 
 removed to Bclnionl townshij). where he died 
 September 29. 1893. in his seventy-eighth year. 
 Ilis wife died January 14. 1894. '" lier seventy- 
 fifth year. 
 
 William A. Montgoniery was one of a family 
 of ten children and was reared upon the honie 
 farm. In the winter months he attended school 
 and in the summer seasons aided in the labors 
 of the fields, reiuaining with bis father until bis 
 marriage and carrying on the business in ])art- 
 nershi]) with him. ( )n the 1st of February, 1882, 
 he secured a coni()aiiion and bel|)inate for life's 
 journey by his marriage to Miss Melissa I. Hur- 
 gett, a native of this county and a daughter of 
 Elias lUirgett. who was born in ( )hio. Follow- 
 ing their marriage the young coujile took up 
 their ab(xle upon the farm on section 28. liel- 
 mont townshi]). Mr. Montgomery having ])re- 
 viously purchased one hundred and twenty acres 
 of land, to which he has since adtled until his 
 farm now embraces one hundred and eighty-five 
 acres. The comfortable Iwo-storv (Uvi.lling. 
 
 which is one of the leading features of the place, 
 was erected by him and he has also put up a 
 good barn, forty by sixty feet, together with 
 corn cribs and (Outbuildings for the shelter of 
 grain and stock. The place is well tiled and 
 fenced and his labors have made this a good 
 farming property, on which he raises large crops 
 and also high grade stock of various kinds. 
 including Durham cattle and Poland China hogs. 
 In October, 1906, he purchased one thousand 
 and ninetv acres of land in Dickey county. Xorth 
 Dakota, which is partially improved. 
 
 Unto Mr. and Mrs. [Montgomery have been 
 born nine children: [Maud O.. Samuel E.. Guy 
 A.. Certha E.. William Harrison. Sarah M.. 
 ]^Iabel \\'., Clarence E. and Charles Ray. The 
 parents attend the Christian church and are 
 highly esteemed people, who have a large circle 
 of warm friends in the county. In his political 
 views [Mr. Montgomery is a republican, but at 
 local elections where ho issue is involved he casts 
 a vote independent of party ties. For three years 
 he served as school director, but he has never 
 sought or cared for office, preferring to concen- 
 trate his time and energies upon his business 
 interests, which are well conducted and enable 
 him to add annually to his income, so that lie 
 is now comfortably situated in life. Havmg 
 always lived in Iroquois county, he has a wide 
 acquaintance and the fact that his friends are 
 many is an indication that he possesses genial 
 (|ualities and many sterling characteristics. 
 
 MEXRV DILLOX. 
 
 llenrv Dillon, a highly respected citizen and 
 an honored veteran of the Civil war. now living 
 retired in Sheldon, is a native son of Illinois, his 
 birth having occurred in \ ermilion county, Se]i- 
 tember 13, 184 1. His father, .Solomon Dillon, 
 was born in I^ast Tennessee, in 181'), and in 1830 
 accompanied his parents on their removal from 
 the south to this state. The year 18C10 witnessed 
 the arrival of Solomon Dillon in Iro(|uois coun- 
 ty, at which time he purchased a farm of one 
 hundred and twenty acres, situated on sections 
 17 and 18, .\sh Grove township, lie liad been 
 reared as a I'riend. or ( hiaker, and was one of
 
 Mk. AM) MRS. W. A. .M( iXICi ).\II-:RV
 
 IHE 
 , Oh ILLINOIS
 
 IKoQlOlS CUL'NTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 459 
 
 ihc organizers of the clnircli of that dcnoinina- 
 tion at Ash lirove, and in later years some of the 
 c<pnj;rej;atioM went to Watscka, where they or- 
 ganized a church, in the family of Solomon 
 Dillon were six children, of wiiom four are now 
 living, namely : Amos, who was educated at 
 Indianapolis, Indiana, and at one time engaged 
 in teaching hut later practiced medicine and is 
 now ilecea.<ed ; llenrv. whoso name introduces 
 this record; William, who i>ursued his studies at 
 Cincinnati antl is now engaged in the practice of 
 medicine at L'rhana. lilimiis; Mrs. .Mary Morris, 
 a resident of ( ioodland, Indiana: FJizaheth, also 
 a resident of t'lOodland : and tiarrett. formerly a 
 resident of this county, died in i<S<>), in Kansas. 
 
 Henry Dillon began his education in the com- 
 mon schools of X'crmilion county, and later |)nr- 
 sni-d a course for si.\ months in an academy in 
 I'arkc county, Indiana, in which institution the 
 Hon. Josejih ('•. Cannon was also educated. Mr. 
 Dillon was reared in much the usual manner of 
 farm lads, assisting in the work of tiie fields 
 when not engaged with his studies, and thus 
 gained practical knowledge which fitted him for 
 the more arduous and responsible duties of life 
 when he started out ui)on an indei)endent busi- 
 ness career. In i860, when a youth of nineteen 
 years, he accompanied his father on the removal 
 from X'ermilion county to Iroquois county, where 
 for twelve years he was engaged in the profes- 
 sion of teaching, and here he has since continued 
 to make his home. 
 
 Loyal to his country, on the 11th of .May, 
 1864, he enlisted for service in the Civil war. 
 becoming a member of Company I'.. One Hun- 
 dred and Thirty-fourth Illinois \olunteer In- 
 fantry, which was mustered in for one hundred 
 days' service on the 3d of June of that year. He 
 was mostly engaged in guard duty, being at 
 Columbus and Mayfield. Kentucky, from which 
 place he went to Chicago and from there to St. 
 Louis in pursuit of Price, being mustered out 
 Xovember 4, i«64. He was ill for two weeks 
 during his army service. 
 
 Following the close of hostilities .Mr. Dillon 
 returned home, where he resumed farming oi)era- 
 tions, having previously made purchase of a 
 tract of forty acres in .\sh (irnve township in 
 1863. On selling that place be bought forty 
 acre more to which, in 1866. he adde<l an addi- 
 
 tional forty-acre tract. Disposing of this prop- 
 erty, in 1872 he purchased another farm of eighty 
 acres in the same township, on which he took 
 up his alx)de and continued the further develop- 
 ment and cultivation of the jilace for about ten 
 years. He then bought another farm of one hun- 
 dred and si.\ty acres where he lived until 1892. 
 when he removed to .Sluldon township, where 
 he followed farming for ten years, or until h/jj. 
 when, feeling that his former labors justified his 
 retirement from the more arduous labors of farm 
 life he took uj) his abode in the village of Sheldon. 
 
 .\s a companion and helpmate for life's jour- 
 ney, Mr. Dillon chose .Miss Rachel Wagner, a 
 native of Milford, this county, and a sister of the 
 laie John \\ agner, of Walseka. This union has 
 been blessed with six children, of whom the 
 third. Helen, died in I'ebruarv, n>oi. The others 
 are: Gertrude, William, Ruth, .\nna and Lee. 
 
 Mr. Dillon's study of the ])olitical questions 
 and issues has led him to give st;iKvart support 
 to the re])ublican party, and he has served as 
 justice of the i)eace and as notary jiublic in .\sh 
 (.jrove. He is connected with the (irand .Vrmy 
 of the Rei)id)lic. at Sheldon, and when a young 
 man of twenty-five years he became identified 
 with the Masonic fraternity, of which he has 
 since been a loyal and devoted member, while 
 both he and his wife hold membership with the 
 Methodist K])iscopal church at Sheldon. 
 Through almost a half century Mr. Dillon has 
 been interested in the develo])nient aiid progress 
 of InHjuois county, where in former years he 
 labore<l earnestly and persistently to acquire a 
 competence, so that he is now well situated in 
 life, enjoying a well earned rest in a comfortable 
 diome in Sheldon. 
 
 WILLI A.M A. wi:i;sti:r. 
 
 William .\. Webster is a native son of Im- 
 (|uois county, his l)irth having occurred Jaiuiary 
 30, 1 8^)2, in Concord — the townshii> in which he 
 has alwa\s made his home, owning and o])eral- 
 ing at the present time alxuit two hundred and 
 twenty acres of well improved land on sections 
 27 and 28. He is a son of John Webster. He 
 was reare<l to the occupation which he has al-
 
 460 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 wavs made his life work and acquired his ethtca- 
 tion in the schools near his father's home. He 
 remained with his father until he attained his 
 majority, when he started out in life on his own 
 account, renting from his father a tract of one 
 hundred and thirty acres, situated on section 28. 
 Concord township. Through his industry and 
 economy he accumulated a sum which, in Decem- 
 ber, 1894, enabled him to I'urchase a farm of 
 seventy acres, to which he has since added from 
 time to time until he is today the owner of two 
 hundred and twenty acres, situated on sections 
 27 and 28. Since taking up his abode here he 
 has made many substantial improvements, laying 
 tile and building fences, and he likewise erected 
 a modern countr\- residence, in the rear of which 
 stand good outbuihlings. He is practical and 
 progressive in hi,> work and keeps abreast with 
 the times in carrying on his business alTairs. 
 In addition to raising the cereals best adapted 
 to soil and climate, he is also engaged in raising 
 Poland China hogs, and this branch of his busi- 
 ness is proving a profitable source of revenue. 
 He is also engaged to some extent in the poultry 
 business, raising buff cochin chickens of high 
 grade, and he expects to make this an important 
 branch of his business. 
 
 On the 1 2th of March, 1884, occurred the 
 marriage of Mr. Webster and Miss Tirzie Ab- 
 bott, who was born in iSfxj. in Adams county. 
 Ohio, where she was reared to the age of seven 
 years, when she was brought by her parents, 
 James'and Mary (Johnson) .Xbbott, to Iroquois 
 count}-, the family home being established in 
 Middleport townshi]), where the daughter's mar- 
 riage was celebrated. I'mlh her father and 
 mother were natives of the lluckeye state, and 
 the father followed farming llierc and subse(iiienl 
 to his removal to lni(|Uiiis county. I'nto nur 
 subject and his wife have been l)nrn ihree sons 
 and three daughters: lu-nest, a young man <if 
 twenty years, who is assisting his father in the 
 operation of the home f;irm : Winnie 1'-.. who is 
 a young lady of eighteen years and is with her 
 parents: Ray, I.ena, Edna and I-ial])!!, aged re- 
 spectively thirteen, nine, three and two years. 
 
 Mr. Webster is a republican, stanch in support 
 of the party, and he has served for three years 
 as road commissioner, while for the ])ast fifteen 
 years he has been school director, being deepl>' 
 
 interested in the cause of education. He is al- 
 ways interested in the development and progress 
 of his Jocality along the line of agricultural ad- 
 vancement and supports every movement that 
 tends toward that end. He is well known in 
 the county as an energetic and progressive farm- 
 er and his circle of friends is an extensive one. 
 
 WILLIAM HARNEY RUSH. 
 
 William Harvey Rush has for thirty years been 
 engaged in breeding and dealing in line cattle 
 and hogs, in which connection he has become 
 known as one of the leading stockmen of Iro- 
 quois county. His home is on section 6. Milford 
 townshi]). and a farm of two hundred and sixty- 
 six acres pays tribute to the care and labor which 
 he bestows upon it. Born upon this farm .\u- 
 gust 12. 1851, he is a son of Samuel Rush. Jr., 
 a native of Pennsylvania, and a grandson of 
 Samuel Rush, Sr., who was born in Mrginia, 
 whence he removed to the Keystone state, where 
 he resided for a number of years. In 1830 he 
 went with his family to Ohio and later came to 
 lllintiis, casting in his lot with the pioneer resi- 
 dents here. He entered a quarter section of land 
 from the government and began the develop- 
 ment of a farm, for not a furrow had been turned 
 nor an improvement made upon the place when 
 it came into his possession. It was therefore on 
 this farm amid jMoneer surroundings that he 
 reared his family. 
 
 Sanniel Rush. Jr.. enjoyed only such common- 
 school advantages as were affored at a very 
 early day but his training at farm labor was 
 not meager, as he assisted in the development and 
 care of the fields upon the old homestead through 
 the period of his boyhood and youth. He did 
 not choose lo make a change in his occupation 
 when manhood came but always followed farm-« 
 ing and stock-raising. After his marriage he 
 began lo buv land as opportunity offered and 
 his financial resources permitted and thus he 
 added to his property from time to time until 
 he accumulated eighteen hundred acres, becom- 
 ing one of the most extensive landowners of this 
 part of the state. He was married in this coun- 
 t\' to Miss Annie West, a native of Indiana, who
 
 lK(»yL()|S (OlMV, ILLINOIS. 
 
 461 
 
 (licil SKint.' years later, leavinjj tlinc diililiiii. I ..r 
 his siCdiul wife lie chuse Nancy Martin, a na- 
 tive of Pennsylvania and a ilaiifjliter of l-'|iliraini 
 .Martin, who l)ecaine one of the early settlers nf 
 Ir»x|nois county. There were eij^flu children by 
 this niarria.ije. .\ most useful, active, lioiioralik- 
 and successful life was that lived by Samuel 
 Rush. Jr., and he lij^ured for many years as one 
 of the most intUiential and leading; ajjriculturists 
 of this part of the stale, lie died in 1875. while 
 his wife, lonij surviving him, passed away in 
 June, Kjo.T. 
 
 William Harvey Rush of this review was 
 reared on the old homestead farm and ac<|nired 
 a fjood education in the ])ul)lic schools, lie has 
 always remaineil on the farm and mi tile "th 
 of November. iSjo, he was married ti> .Miss 
 llattie (iarner. ;i native of Indiana, and a dan.nh- 
 ter of William S. and Mary (iarner, pioneeer 
 residents here. Kollowinjj his niarriajje he he- 
 pan the operation of one hundred and ten acres 
 of land. u])on which he still resides, and in its 
 midst he erected a two-story dwelliuij. in the rear 
 of which stands a pood barn and other omlmild- 
 inps that are monuments to his thrift an<I labor. 
 Me has transformed this into a very valuable 
 place and has laid over one thousand rcxls of 
 tile, beinp amonp the first to bepin the i)rocess 
 of draininp the land in tliis maiuier. l-'verv ))(><- 
 sible elTurt has been put forth for the further 
 development and improvement of the farm alonp 
 lines that would enhance its ])rodnctiveness and 
 value. He now has two pood artesian wells 
 upon the place, topether with the latest improved 
 machinery for the cultivation of the fields and 
 the care of the crops. Moreover, he has f'^r 
 over thirty years been a breeder and dealer of 
 hiph prade cattle and hops, makinp this an im- 
 ixirtant branch of his business. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Rush are the jiarents of a dauph- 
 ter and son. The former. .May. is the wife of 
 I'erry Saylor, a farmer of Jackson county, In- 
 diana, and they have three children. Wilbur 
 is still attenilinp school and also aids in the oj)- 
 cration of the home farm. The parents arc 
 worthy Christian people, actuated in their lives 
 by hiph principles in harmony with tlieir pro- 
 fessions as members of the MctluMlist Episcopal 
 church. In politics Mr. Rush is stronp in his 
 republicanisin thouph not bitterly partisan. He 
 
 has served on the school board for twelve years 
 but is without desire for jjublic office, as he pre- 
 fers to concentrate his time and enerpies upon 
 his business interests wherein he has made a 
 poodly measure of success, and where he finds 
 opportunity for the exercise of perseverance and 
 dilipence — his dominant (pialities. 
 
 11. \V. Ill iLLINCSWORTH. 
 
 11. \\ . Ilollinpsworth, one of the larpe land- 
 owners of ( )narpa township, his possessions ap- 
 prepatinp more than four lunidred acres, lives on 
 section 1. and his farm is a well improved and 
 valuable i)roperty. The house which he now oc- 
 cu|iies was his birthplace and his natal day was 
 .\upust z. 18^)4. His father. William Ilollinps- 
 worth, a native of Ohio, was twice marrieil. his 
 second union beinp with Sarah Weeks, whom 
 he wedded in l8<)4. Ilefore removinp to Illinois 
 he came to Irocpiois county and secured between 
 cipht and nine hundred acres of land. .\t lenplh 
 takinp uj) his abode upon this tract he bepan 
 farminp and further improved his property, 
 spendinp his remaininp flays upon the old home- 
 stead, which he develo])e(l. He jjassed away in 
 iSi)4 and his widow, who still survives him, now 
 resides with her son. 11. W . Ilollinpsworth, on 
 the home farm. In their family were three chil- 
 dren, of whom Jose|)h Ilollinpsworth is a resi- 
 dent of Chicapo. while the dauphter .Mice is the 
 wife of Dr. Mosher, of Havana, Illinois. 
 
 The yonupest is H. W. Ilollinpsworth of this 
 review, who was reared to manhood u|)on the 
 home farm and ])ursned a common-school edu- 
 cation. I le assisted in the work of tillinp the soil 
 and carinp for the cro|)s imtil his father's death, 
 after which he succeeeded to the ownership of 
 the jiropert)-. .Since that time he has built some 
 p<Mid outbuildinps and has tiled and fenced the 
 lanil. which is now a well improved propertv, ex- 
 emplifyinp in its fine appearance the spirit of 
 proprcss that has been so manifest in apriciil- 
 tural circles durinp the last three or four decades. 
 In Connection with the work of raisinp the ce- 
 reals best adapted to soil and climatic conditions 
 he also raises hiph prade stock, incliidinp horses.
 
 462 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 cattle and hogs, feeding hogs on (|uite an exten- 
 sive scale. 
 
 .Mr, iioUingsworth was married in Onarga. 
 J'ebrnary 2-], 1889. to Miss Katie Doyle, who 
 was born in McLean county and was reared 
 there and in Iroquois couiuy. They have three 
 children: \'ictor Earl. Eula .Ma\- and Cecil 
 Grace. 
 
 Politicall} Mr. Hollingsworth was formerly a 
 democrat but is now a republican, having cast 
 his last presidential ballot for Theodore Roose- 
 velt. He is a believer in good schools and teach- 
 ers and he served on the school board for a num- 
 ber of years. He and his wife were reared in 
 the Catholic faith. Fraternally he is connected 
 with the Knights of Pvthias lodge at Onarga. in 
 which he has tilled all of the chairs and is now 
 chancellor commander. He likewise affiliates 
 with the ^lodern Woodmen of ( )narga and with 
 the Fraternal Insurance Society. W'idelv recog- 
 nized as a man of good business ability and tried 
 integrity and worth, he has the confidence and 
 esteem of the community and is regarded as one 
 of its substantial and public-.spirited citizens. His 
 entire life has been passed in the count}' and he 
 feels a commendable local pride in its advance- 
 ment, while his efforts have been an element in 
 its develoi)ment and growth along various lines. 
 
 JOHN ALLISON. 
 
 In various avenues of usefulness John Allison 
 directed his labors, and from pioneer times in the 
 history of Iroquois county until his death re- 
 mained an honored and representative citizen of 
 this section of the state. He arrived in the 
 county in 1854. being at that time a young man 
 of twenty-nine years. His birth occurred in 
 P.eaver count)-. Pennsylvania, in 1825, and his 
 parents, Air. and Mrs. Alexander Alli.son, were 
 also natives of the Key.stone state, spending their 
 entire lives in Beaver county, where both passed 
 away. The father was a carpenter by trade and 
 also engaged in farming there in his later years. 
 
 The public schools of his native county af- 
 forded to John .Allison tlic educational iirivilcges 
 which equipped him to meet the d.iily duties of 
 life, and when he put aside his text-books be 
 
 began to learn the carpenter's trade under the 
 direction of his father, but he was always a lover 
 of machinery and his tastes naturally directed his 
 efforts into that line, so that he obtained a posi- 
 tion on a ferry-boat on the Ohio river at Wells- 
 ville. I'enn.sylvania. For a few years he devoted 
 his energies to that business, after which he 
 removed to Oxford. Indiana, where he lived for 
 a short time. He then came with an uncle to Iro- 
 quois county, arriving in 1854. and soon he be- 
 came a factor in industrial and business life in 
 this section of the state. He purchased a sawmill 
 near the town of Milford, and for eleven years 
 continued its operation, being thus closely associ- 
 ated with manufacture of lumber here. How- 
 ever, he sold out and removed to \\'atseka. where 
 for several vears he followed the carpenter's 
 trade, after which he began the drilling of arte- 
 sian wells. In this work he continued for a 
 number of vears or until his health became im- 
 paired in 1883. He suffered a stroke of paraly- 
 sis, and for fifteen years he was in an invalid con- 
 dition. 
 
 In 1851; Mr. .Mlison had been married in this 
 countv to Miss Alary Axtel. who was born here 
 in 1837, her parents being John and Mary ( \'en- 
 num ) Axtel. Her mother was well known all 
 over the southern part of the county as Aunt 
 Pollv. and was the eldest daughter of Colonel 
 Thomas \'ennum. an honored pioneer resident of 
 this part of the state. Mr. Axtel was born in 
 Washington county, Pennsylvania, and he and 
 the \'ennum family came to Iroquois comUy in 
 1834. Settling ujjon a farm three miles north of 
 the town of Milford, he was one of the first resi- 
 dents in that locality and aided in reclaiming a 
 wild and unimproved region for the purposes of 
 civilization. He purchased three hundred and 
 sixty acres of brush land, which he cleared and 
 cultivated, making substantial improvements 
 thereon. He split the rails for a fence, some of 
 which is still standing, having been in use more 
 than seventy years. He continued to engage in 
 genenil farming there throughout his remaining 
 da\s and led an active life until his labors were 
 ended in death, in i860. His wife had jiassed 
 away in 1852. In their family were two chil- 
 dren : Mary, now Mrs. .Mlison; and Thomas, who 
 resides in Woodland, this county, lie is a retired 
 farmer and carpenter .and at the time of the Civil
 
 JOHN ALLISON. 
 
 V

 
 II<()Ol-()IS CUUXTV. H.I.IXOIS. 
 
 4'>5 
 
 war was a defender of the I'nicni laiise. Four 
 children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Allis<jn : 
 JeiHiie died at the age of fifteen years. Stella 
 married tlrant Xifjhswronper. of tliis ci>unl\. and 
 is living in .\lva. \\'o<m1s county, ( >klali(inia, 
 where he is engaged in the implement business. 
 They have six children, Louise, Mary, l-"lorence, 
 \ene, ( )rba and Paul. Charles S. married Lydia 
 Cline and the} reside with his mother, lie is 
 a plumber and steamtitter by trade, but is now 
 in the em])loy of the Chicago & Mastern Illinois 
 Railroad Company, and travels most of the time. 
 Lizzie \". is the wife of ( )rma Leroy Clark, a 
 machinist, residing in I'ittston, I'emisylvania. 
 They have two children, Lawrence .\. and Dor- 
 othy Helen. 
 
 .\fter retiring from business Mr. AUisnu was 
 made tax collector for the county and filled the 
 office for three years, assisted by his daughter 
 Stella, but his health gradually grew worse and 
 he ])assed away February 7, 1898. He gave un- 
 faltering support to the democracy and took a 
 deep interest in political questi4ins. .S(x"ially he 
 was a charter member of the (Jdd Fellows lodge 
 at Milford, which he joined upon its organiza- 
 tion in 1H59, while his wife became identified with 
 the Rebekah degree there. He always attended 
 the Cnitefl I'reshyterian church, but Mrs. .\llison 
 and her family arc now members of the Mellu)- 
 ilist I-'piscopal church at W'atseka. He was well 
 known as a pioneer of the county and as a most 
 industrious an<l useful man, whose probity was 
 an un(|uestioned element in his career. His en- 
 ergy was often at the service of his comiuunity 
 and he had the love and res])ect of all among 
 whom he lived. In daily life and action he was 
 genial and alTable. In the highest and best sense 
 of the ti.nn he was ever ami essentially a gentle- 
 nian, of which fact his friends bear witness. 
 
 MOORF F.ROTHFRS. 
 
 The firm of Moore Brothers is classed with 
 the most ])rominent representatives of agricul- 
 tural interests and business life in Douglas town- 
 ship an<l IrfK|uois county, and in the control of 
 their interests they display much of that spirit 
 of enterprise and jirogress which have been the 
 
 dmiimiiiu linliir m ilic i.ipid and ^llbstanlMl up- 
 buihling of the middle west. 
 
 Parker Whitman Moore, the elder brother, 
 was born in Warren cuuiUy, Indiana, February 
 5. i85(>, and Sino l-Vauklin Moore was liorn 
 .\])ril 14. 18O0. Their parents were David and 
 FlizalK'th Moure, who came to Illinois in iS'/i. 
 The father was a native of ( )hio and the mother 
 of Kentucky. .\lr. .Minire was a farmer by oc- 
 cupation and followed that i»ursuil for some time 
 .'liter coming to this state, but on accouiU nf ill 
 health he had to abandon the active work of the 
 fields and the business was taken u|) by his sons. 
 I'arker W. and .Sino I"'. Moore, who ])ractically 
 ])rovided for the faiuily from that time on. The 
 father retained his residence here until his death, 
 which occurred when he was sixty-seven years 
 of age, and the mother afterward became a resi- 
 dent of (iilman, where she died at the age of 
 seventy-four years. The daughters of the house- 
 hold were as follows: Sarah I'lllen. who be- 
 came the wife of .Samuel Higginson and died at 
 tile age of twenty-five years: Rachel .\nna. who 
 married John Robertson, of Inrliana, and died 
 May 4, iip2 : Mary Jane, who became the wife 
 of Henry Whittaker, of Iuu|)oria, Kansas, and 
 died in 1874: Nancy Lavina, who married Ed- 
 ward Smith, of Indiana, and after his death be- 
 came the wife of William 1'. Whittaker. who has 
 also passed away, while she lives in I'armer City, 
 Illinois: and Hannah l'"tta. who resides with 
 her brothers. 
 
 The only sons of the family are the brothers 
 who constitute the firm. The elder, l^arker W., 
 was educated in the common schools and at an 
 early age started out in life for himself. In con- 
 nection with Sino I-". M(M>re he reiitetl land for a 
 number of years and as time has |)assed they 
 have prosiH'red in their undertakings. .Xs their 
 labor and diligence brought to them sufficient 
 ca|)ital they made investments in land, adding to 
 their property from time to time until bv hard 
 work and good management they are now the 
 owners of a valuable place of three hundred 
 and twenty acres in Douglas township, which 
 they purchased in 1895 at sixty-seven dollars 
 per acre. It is now worth much more and is 
 well improved. In fact it is one of the valuable 
 pro[)erties of the township, equipped with all 
 modem accessories and conveniences for carrv-
 
 466 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 ing on farm work along most progressive lines. 
 The fields yield rich harvests and they also raise 
 a high grade of horses, mostly of the Percheron 
 breed. For years thev have raised registered 
 stock and nntil recently have owned stallions. 
 JJoth are excellent judges of horses and there- 
 fore make judicious purchases and profitable 
 sales. 
 
 Sino Franklin ^loore. like his brother, ob- 
 tained a common-school education and in early 
 manhood started out in life for himself. Their 
 business interests have never been separated but 
 on the contrary have been carried forw^ard witli 
 mutual pleasure and profit. Working together 
 in utmost harmony, the labors of one supple- 
 ment and round out the labors of the other and 
 the firm of Moore Brothers is one of the strong 
 business combination of this localit\-. In con- 
 nection with their general farming and stock- 
 raising interests they have for some years op- 
 erated a threshing machine and corn sheller very 
 successfully. In matters oi business they display 
 keen discernment as well as marked enterprise 
 and are seldom at error in business judgment. 
 Both of the brothers have served as school ili- 
 rectors in their district and Sino F. Moore is 
 now filling that position. Community interests 
 awaken their attention and elicit their support 
 when the plan or measure seems to promise pub- 
 lic benefit. For four decades the family have 
 been residents of the county and investigation 
 into the history of the firm shows that they have 
 always employed only such methods as w'ould 
 bear the closest scrutinv. 
 
 F. D. PATMOR. 
 
 Dr. !•". I). I'atmor, engaged in the practice of 
 veterinary surgery, with a large business cover- 
 ing a wide territory, makes his home in Shel- 
 don. He was born at Sharonville, Hamilton 
 county, Ohio, May 22, 1858, and is a son of 
 .\lfred Patmor, who was likewise born in the 
 Buckeye state. The father was a mechanic in 
 his early days, and in October, 1865, removed 
 to Kentland. Indiana, whence he came to Illinois 
 in 1872. settling in the town of Iroquois. There 
 he lived until March, 1876, when he removed to 
 
 Sheldon, where his subsequent days were passed. 
 He served as justice of the jieace for fourteen 
 years and was also notary public for the same 
 length of time. His decisions were ever fair and 
 impartial, being based uiMn the law and the 
 e(iuit\- of the case and thus he won the commenda- 
 tion of all law-abiding citizens. He served in 
 the army during the period of the Civil war 
 for nearly five years, doing duty with Companies 
 .\ and B of the Seventy-fifth Regiment of ( )hio 
 X'olunteer Infantry under Colonel McLean. He 
 participated in twenty-six battles and on one 
 occasion was wounded, having a finger shot off. 
 EI is valor and loyalty were above question and at 
 all times he was most faithful to his country. 
 Socially he was connected with the Independent 
 ( )rder of Odd Fellows and with the Grand Army 
 of the Republic at Sheldon. He has passed 
 away. In his family were six children, all of 
 whom survive, namely : F. D. : Charles E., a 
 resident of Fairbury, Illinois; Mrs. Cora Shaw, 
 of Sheldon: Mrs. Emma Clawson. of Sheldon; 
 Mrs. Xettie Bilden, of Kankakee. lUimiis; and 
 J. I!., of Chicago. 
 
 Dr. Patmor acquired his early education in the 
 schools of Kentland, Indiana, and continued his 
 studies in Iroquois, Illinois. Entering business 
 life, he was made inspector for the Peoria, To- 
 ledo & Warsaw Railroad, at Sheldon, for ei.ght- 
 een years, and then took up the work of veterinary 
 surgery under the direction of L. D. Bi'own, of 
 Watseka, with whom he was connected for five 
 years. He began independent practice in 1891 
 and has since been a representative of this ])ro- 
 fession. He has had some of the most important 
 cases in the county and is regarded as one of the 
 most proficient veterinary surgeons in this part 
 of the state. 
 
 On the 15th of .Vpril, 1880, was celebrated the 
 marriage of Dr. Patmor and Miss Edith Chin- 
 borg. of Chicago, who was bom February 22. 
 1858. and was reared in Kentland, Indiana. The 
 Doctor and his wife now have five children, fom^ 
 daughters and one son. Harry, who w^as grad- 
 uated from the Sheldon high school, is now car 
 inspector for the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Rail- 
 road, at Oilman, Illinois, Eva, also a graduate 
 of the Sheldon high school, afterward pursued 
 a steno.graphic course in the Kankakee Business 
 College, and was employed in that capacity at
 
 IROQUOIS COUXTV. 1LI.I.\(»1S. 
 
 467 
 
 Kankakee. Slic i.s now ihc wile nt l-'icil Clarke, 
 of that city, by whom she lias a son and clau},di- 
 liT. l*"lorciice is llic wife of William Koss, a 
 farmer, residin;; near Shclilon. Bessie U.. who 
 likewise completed the hijjh-school course in 
 Sheldon, is now enj^aged in teachinsj; at l)an- 
 forlh. Illinois. She is a cornet i)layer of con- 
 si<lerablc ability, here services in this connection 
 iK-ini,' in demand at various gatherings in many 
 l)aris of the state. Lida. the youngest of the 
 t'amily, is at home. 
 
 Politically Dr. I'atmor is a rei)ublican atul has 
 served on the city council at Sheldon for two 
 terms. He is a member of the Odd b^ellows 
 lodge and the .Moclern Woodmen camp, and is 
 cajitain of the .'^oiis of \ eterans. In ctMimumity 
 afl'airs he is deepl_\ interested and his labors have 
 been an element in the general ])rogress in the 
 citv which he has so long made his home. 
 
 loii.v iii-:lli:r. 
 
 b>hn Heller, who for almost a half century 
 has made his home in Irotpiois county, while his 
 residence in the state dates from i85i>. is living 
 on section 35. Chebanse townshiii. where he owns 
 and o])eratcs a well imjjroved fann of two hun- 
 dred and seventy acres. His landed possessions 
 are valuable as well as extensive, owing to the 
 excellent improvements which he has made upon 
 the property, the well tilled fields bringing forth 
 rich cro])s annually, and in bis farm work he is 
 methodical, systematic and enterprising. 
 
 Mr. Heller is a native of Darmstadt. ( lermany. 
 where he was born February 8. 1842. His 
 father. Conrad Heller, was there born and 
 reared, and. having arrived at years of ma- 
 turity, he wcdiled Apolona Lucas, likewise 
 a native of that locality. In his native 
 coinitry he followed farming until 1852. when 
 with bis family of four sons and daughters. 
 he sailed from Rotterdam, and after a voyage 
 of fifty-two days on the broad Atlantic 
 reached the harbor of Xcw York. He did not 
 tarry in the east, however, but made his way at 
 once t(j Chicago. It that locality he engaged in 
 gardening, living there for seven years, after 
 which be came to Ir(H|uois county and renteil 
 
 land. He thus followed farming for a few years, 
 when he invested his savings in eighty acres, 
 constituting a part of the home farm. He built 
 a good residence there and spent his remaining 
 (lavs upon the farm, passing away in i88()^ at the 
 age of seventy-six years. His wife had departed 
 this life in 1875. when sixty-eight years of age. 
 
 b)hn Heller, whose name introduces this rec- 
 ord, was reared to farm life, lie had only com- 
 mon-school advantages but his training in the 
 work of the fields was not meager and he early 
 became familiar with the best methcKls of tilling 
 the soil and caring for the crops. I'ollowing his 
 father's death he purchased the interest of the 
 otlur heir- in the home property and at two 
 other times has purchased eighty-acre tracts of 
 land. His |)ossessions now aggregate two hun- 
 dred and seventy acres, embracing the old home- 
 stead on section 35. Chebanse township. Here 
 he has built a good residence, together with sub- 
 stantial barns, corn cribs and other structures for 
 the .shelter of grain and stock. He was among 
 the first to tile the land, and the entire farm was 
 thus well drained. He has two good artesian 
 wells upon the place, and he raises high grade 
 stock, also feeding hogs for the market. 
 
 ( >n the 2d of January. 1872. occurretl the mar- 
 riage of John Heller and Miss Carrie I'alter, a 
 native of C()lunibus. ( )hio. and a daughter of 
 Louis Falter. She was born October 20. 1852. 
 and remained in Columbus until thirteen years 
 of age. Her father. Louis I'alter. was born in 
 Ciermany and on removing from Ohio to Illinois, 
 settled in Joliet. .\fterward he went to I'ord 
 county and subsequently came to Iroquois coun- 
 tv in 1868. For several years he lived ui)on a 
 farm in Chebanse township but his last days 
 were spent in the village of Chebanse. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Heller have become the parents of five chil- 
 dren: Minnie and Xettie. who are at home; 
 Jacob, who assists in carrying on the homestead 
 farm : Charles, who is living on a farm adjoining 
 bis father's, and who married Carrie Chajiman, 
 b\ whom he has one child. Jester; and .Mice, who 
 is attending school in Clifton. 
 
 The parents attend the Methodist Episcopal 
 church at Clifton. Mr. Heller is a stalwart re- 
 public.ui. intlexible in his advocacy of the prin- 
 ciples of the party. He has been school director 
 for a number of \ears but has never been an
 
 468 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 office seeker. He is today numbered among the 
 valued pioneer residents of the county, for he has 
 lived within its borders for forty-seven years and 
 has witnessed its transformation from a com- 
 paratively wild and unimproved district into one 
 of the richest agricultural centers of this great 
 state. ^loreover, his has been a life of activity 
 and energy, and as the years have passed by he 
 has made steady and substantial advancement 
 until he has long since left the ranks of the many 
 and is todav numbered among the successful few. 
 
 JOHN L. WTXTERROTII. 
 
 John L. \\'interroth, living on section 30, Che- 
 banse township, is one of the enterprising and 
 progressive farmers, who gives his time and at- 
 tention to the cultivation of three hundred an.l 
 twelve acres of valuable land. He was born in 
 Salina township. Kankakee county, Illinois, Sep- 
 tember 5. 1S60. and is a son of J. W. Winterroth, 
 a native of Germany, who came to America in 
 1840. He was a shoemaker by trade and fol- 
 lowed that jnu-suit in Chicago for a few years 
 but gave much of his life to general farmini''. 
 He was married in Chicago to Miss ^lary M. 
 Ludwig, a native of Germany, and subsequentls 
 he purchased forty acres of land in .Salina town- 
 ship, Kankakee county, where he develcjpetl and 
 improved a farm, making it his hcjme until he 
 was called to his final rest in 1880. when fifty- 
 one years of age. In the meantime he had pros- 
 pered in his undertakings and had added to his 
 property until he owned two hundred acres at 
 the time of his death, llis widow is still living 
 in Kankakee at the age of sixty-nine years. 
 
 John L. Winterroth was the second in order 
 of birth in the family of eleven children. He 
 was reared under the parental roof and had but 
 common-school advantages. When nut busy 
 with his text-books his time was given tn the 
 work of the farm and he remained at licmii.' nnti! 
 after his father's death, working f(ir liis imillKr 
 for four years. He then rented the farm and 
 engaged in general agricultural ])ursuits nn bis 
 own account until 1895. when he renidved to Iro- 
 quois county and with the capital that he had 
 saved from his earnings purchased the farm upon 
 
 which he now resides. He has adikd to and im- 
 proved the house and has put up two good barns, 
 one forty-four by sixty-four feet and the other 
 thirty-six by eighty-six feet with nine foot base- 
 ment. He also has a crib with elevator, the di- 
 mensions being forty by twenty-eight. All of 
 the buildings are of substantial structure and the 
 farm is well tiled and drained. Mr. Winterroth 
 feeds stock and raises good grades of cattle and 
 Poland China hogs. He is living a life of un- 
 remitting activity and enterprise. He has put in 
 a sawmill on his place and cuts all kinds of native 
 lumber. He likewise has a planing machine and 
 sells considerable lumber. He bought poor land 
 but has brought it up to a high valuation by 
 reason of the care and labor he has bestowed 
 upon the fields and the improvements he has 
 made thereon. 
 
 Mr. Winterroth was married in Kankakee 
 county to Miss .Sophia Schwark, a native of 
 Germany, the wedding being celebrated March 
 18, 1886. They are now the parents of ten 
 children, nine sons and a daughter: John Jacob, 
 Louis P.. Albert A., Gustave A., (ieorge H., 
 Walter \Mlliam, Lambert F., Hannah Sophia. 
 William Julius and Claranca \\'.. all of whom 
 are at home. 
 
 In politics 'Sir. Winterroth is a stalwart re- 
 publican where national (juestions are involved 
 but casts an independent local ballot. He belongs 
 to the Modern Woodmen camp at Chebanse and 
 is a member of the Lutheran church. He is like- 
 wise a stockholder in the new State I5ank of 
 Chebanse and is a citizen whose varied activities 
 make him a leading resident of the comniunitx' 
 
 JOHN B. ANDERSON. 
 
 Jdhn I'.. Anderson is one oi the active, pushing 
 and up-to-date farmers of Stockland township. 
 His farming interests comprise twc^ hundred and 
 twenty acres of excellent land on section 31. 
 which he has brought uniler a high state of culti- 
 vation and which returns to bini bounteous har- 
 vests. His birth occurred in the south part i>f 
 Sweden on the 7th of May. i8()j, and he is a 
 son of Elias Anderson, a farmer, who was also 
 born in Sweden and who was married there to
 
 Mk. AM) MRS. I. I.. W l.\ ll'.Kkt >lll.
 
 Ui^lVERSnt U^ iLLlMOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINDIS. 
 
 Miss Jennie lienson. Tliey were tlie |):irems of 
 seven children, of whom John is the eltlest. Ik- 
 was reared u])'in tlie lumie farm and attendeil tlie 
 common scliools. remainiiijj with liis father in 
 the work of tilhnji the soil and ciiltivaiin.i,' the 
 crops mitil twenty-five years of aye. 
 
 Attracted by the hroader Inisiness opportuni- 
 ties of the new world, John I!. Anderson hade 
 adieu to friends and native land in 1887 and 
 sailed for the L'nited States. I le made his way 
 direct to Iroquois county. Illinois, locatinj; first 
 at W'ellinfjton. where he worked by the month 
 for three years. lie then rented two hundred 
 and forty acres of land and bejran farmins; on 
 his own account, liviufj ui)on that place for nine 
 years. He afterward rented five hundred acres 
 of land in Milford township and continued its 
 further cultivation and development for four 
 years, when with the capital he had saved from 
 his earninjjs he made investment in one hundri-d 
 acres of land on .section 31. Stockland township, 
 where he now resides. Subsec|uently he Ixiuj^ht 
 forty acres more and afterward eiijhty acres, so 
 that he now owns altogether two hundred aiul 
 twenty acres of jjood im])rovcd farminsj land. 
 In i(/33 he built a substantial two-story frame 
 residence, which represents an attractive st\le 
 of modern architecture and he has since init uj) 
 a fjood barn and outhuildinijs. The farm is well 
 drained and fenced and the fieltls respond in rich 
 harvests to the care and labor bestowed upon 
 them. Mr. Anderson also raises g'ood tirades 
 of stock and both branches of his business are 
 yieldiufj him a f^ratifying financial return. 
 
 < )n the 2d of .^ei)teml)er. iS<>i. Mr. Anderson 
 was marrie<l to Miss Jennie Peterson, a native of 
 !^weden, who was making her home with a 
 brother here. Five children have been Ixirn of 
 this union: Herman. Esther. Kllen. Arihnr and 
 .^eigel. 
 
 When he became a naturalized American cit- 
 izen Mr. .\nderson allied his interests with the 
 republican ])arty and has since been one of its 
 stanch advocates at state anti national elections 
 but at local elections does not consider himself 
 liouufl by party ties and considers only the capa- 
 bility of the canditlate. He hr^s never sought 
 or cared for office But has given his time and at- 
 tention to his fanning and business. He has. 
 however, been a school <lirector for three vears. 
 
 both of the district and of the lownshii> hiyh 
 schiKil, and he and his wife are consistent and 
 faithful members of the Lutheran church and 
 |>eo])le of the highest res|)ectability. He felt that 
 the reiKirts which he heard concerning o])i)ortu- 
 nities in .\merica were not exaggerated and as 
 the years have advanced he has also made prog- 
 ress, reaching a jjlace on the highway of life 
 where limited financial resources have long since 
 given way to attiuence. for he is now in pos- 
 session of a comfortable competence. 
 
 WILLIAM A. lit >LZ. 
 
 ( In a farm on section 7. .\rtesia township, re- 
 sides William .\. Holz and in the care an<l im- 
 provement of his farm he works with a will and 
 his resolute purpose and unfaltering diligence 
 have gained for him a ])lace among the substan- 
 tial farmers of the community. He was born 
 about a mile west of his present home <}n the 
 i<>th of March. 1865. His father. Matthew 
 Holz. was a native of Wurtemberg. I iermany. 
 having been Ixirn in Steimheim on the 1 ith of 
 June. 1828. his parents being (leorge and Mary 
 Holz. in whose family were four children. 
 .Matthew Holz was educated in the schools of 
 his native country, which he attended until four- 
 teen years of age. He then began learning the 
 weaver's trade and when a youth of fifteen he left 
 home to earn his own livelihood, for when but a 
 lad of eight years he had hist his father. He was 
 first emi)loye<l in a dye factory and his time was 
 thus ])assed vmtil he came to America in 1854. 
 The voyage across the ocean was made in a sail- 
 ing vessel and much severe weather was en- 
 countered, but after sixty-four days spent upon 
 the the deej) he landed safely at Xew York. He 
 did Hot tarry in the eastern metropolis, however, 
 but went at once to llerks coimty. Pennsylvania, 
 where he began work b\ the day. following any 
 occujiation that would yielil him an honest living. 
 His capital was extremely limite<l when he 
 reached .America an<l thus inuuediate employment 
 was a necessity. In i85<) he left Pemisylvania 
 and became a resident of Warren county. In- 
 diana, where he was em])loyed bv the month for 
 a short time and afterward rented land. r. -lilinu
 
 472 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 thereon until tlie spring of 18^)4, when he came to 
 Ilhnois. 
 
 In the meantime Matthew Holz was married 
 in 1859 to Caroline Knuar, wlio was born in 
 ^\'urtemberg, Germany, in February, 1830. On 
 removing to Iroqitois county Mr. Holz rented 
 land for several years and then invested his 
 savings in one hundred and twenty acres of 
 prairie land, which up to that time was still 
 unculti\-ated. He at once began its development, 
 however, and in the course of time brought the 
 fields under a high state of cultivation. Fie paid 
 twelve and a half dollars per acre for a tract of 
 eighty acres and he afterward bough one hun- 
 dred and twenty-four acres of timber land ad- 
 joining. .Still later he added forty acres and 
 subsequently one hundred and five acres and thus 
 from time to time he enlarged his holdings until 
 he ow-ned over five hundred acres. He made 
 good improvement upon his property and reared 
 his family on the farm. 
 
 Unto Mr. and Airs. Alatlhew Holz were born 
 five sons and a daughter: John, Lewis, Jack- 
 son. \Mlliam, Charlie and Emma. The daugh- 
 ter is now the wife of Robert McClave. The 
 father died January 11, 1893, at the age of sixty- 
 five years, while the mother still survives and 
 lives with her son Jackson on the old home farm. 
 
 William A. Holz was reared under the parental 
 roof and assisted in carrying on the farm work 
 when not busy with his te.xt-books. In fact he 
 ha<l little opportunity to attend school, for he 
 worked about ten months in the year, aiding in 
 plowing, planting and harvesting and in all of 
 the tasks which constitute the life nf an agri- 
 culturist. The training which he received at that 
 time proved, however, an excellent basis upon 
 which to build his success in later life, for when 
 he took up farm work on his own account he 
 brought to the business parctical experience and 
 sound judgment. 
 
 C)n the 27th of SeiJtember, 1893, ^^^- Holz was 
 united in marriage to Miss Ella Deitz, a native of 
 Irn(|iii]is Cdunty and a daughter of C. C. Deitz, 
 who was born in Pennsylvania and came to this 
 county at an early day. The young couple be- 
 gan their domestic life upon the farm of one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres where .Mr. Holz still resides. 
 He lias since erected a good two-stor\- residence 
 with basement un<kr?ieath, heated bv ftn-nace and 
 
 piped with water. There is also a good barn 
 and corn crib with elevator and other outbuild- 
 ings upon the place. Fences have been put up 
 and the fields well tiled. I'orty acres of the land 
 was still unbroken when it came into his pos- 
 session but his labors have wrought a wonderful 
 transformation in the place. He now has a good 
 orchard and much small fruit and he also raises 
 good gradeil stock and feeds hogs for the market. 
 When a young man he herded cattle on the 
 prairies over the county and he has since wit- 
 nessed much of the growth and development of 
 the locality. Long since all of the ground has 
 been taken up and converted into good farms, 
 which are the homes of a contented and pros- 
 perous people. So rich and productive is the 
 land that no other district of the country sur- 
 passes this in wealth of the cereals here raised 
 and ]\Ir. Holz is the owner of one of the good 
 farm properties which yield rich crops in re- 
 turn for the care and labor bestowed upon it 
 b\- the owner. 
 
 Unto Air. and Airs. Holz have been born 
 four children, three sons and a daughter : Lloyd, 
 Hazel, Glenn and Harold. The parents attend 
 the Presbyterian church of Onarga. Politically 
 Air. Holz is a democrat and in local affairs is in- 
 dependent. He has served as road and drainage 
 ditch commissioner for his township for two 
 years and his incumbency will contiilue for an- 
 other year. .\s one of the native sons iif the 
 count\' he is well known within its borders and 
 the fact that many of his stanchest friends are 
 those with whcim he has been acquianted from his 
 boyhood to the present is an intlication that his 
 strong characteristics are such as awaken con- 
 fidence and trust. 
 
 T. FR.VXK TYLER. 
 
 J. Frank I'xler, li\ing on section 13, t he- 
 banse townslii]i. has attained a prominence as a 
 ])oultry-raiser that has made him known not 
 only through Tro(|uois county and Illinois but 
 in various ])arts of the Cnion and in Canad;i as 
 well. He was born in Columbia county. Xew 
 A'ork, Xovember 19, 1857, a son of John J. Ty- 
 ler, who was likewise a native of that countv.
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILI.IXdIS. 
 
 473 
 
 The paternal graiulfatlii:r. Ji>lin Tyler, Sr., was 
 for some years a resident i)f L'oliintbia county, 
 and, having arrived at years of maturity there, 
 John J. Tyler, father of our subject, was married 
 to Miss Jeanette Ackley, a native of Massachu- 
 setts and a daughter of Daniel Ackley. .\fter 
 resiiling for forty-tive years in the Empire state 
 John Tyler, Jr.. brought his family to Illinois, 
 settling in Iroquois county. He i>urchased two 
 hundred and forty acres of land in Chebanse 
 township, built a home and began tn im|)rove 
 a farm, carrying on general agricultural imrsuits 
 here for several years. He died in iS<;3. at the 
 age of seventy years, and is yet survived by his 
 widow, who is now living in California with a 
 daughter, at the age of seventy-eight years. 
 
 J. I'" rank Tyler is one of six children, all nf 
 whtim reached adult age. and he is the fourth in 
 order of birth. lie was reared to farm life and 
 was afforded good school jirivileges. He alwa\s 
 remained at home, coming with his parents to 
 Illinois, anfl in later years he purchased eighty 
 acres of the estate. 
 
 On the 2d of .\pril. 1S71). Mr. Tyler was mar- 
 ried to Miss Lenora ( )verhue. a native of Han- 
 over, (iermany. and a daughter of Charles ( Iver- 
 hue. who in 1865 be came a resident of Kankakee 
 county, Illinois, where he spent his remaining 
 days, ])assing away at the age of seventy-seven 
 years, while his wife died at the age of sixty 
 years. Follnwing his marriage Mr. Tyler added 
 to the dwelling u])on the farm and dtherwise im- 
 proved the buildings there. He has erected a 
 g(M)d barn and has carried forward the work nf 
 developing and cultivating his farm, this claim- 
 ing his attention for several years. In 1880. 
 hijwever. he began raising fancy ])oultry and for 
 twenty-one years has made a specialty of barred 
 Plymouth Rock chickens. The business in- 
 creased so ra])idly that he has eliminated all other 
 business interests and concentrated his energies 
 upon his poultry-raising, having from fifteen 
 hundred to twij thousand birds each year, mostly 
 of very high grade. He is today recognized as 
 one of the foremost poultry men in Illinois and 
 has made exhibits throughout the state, where 
 he has won many premiums. He ships fine 
 birds all over the country, his trade extending 
 to all parts of the United States and to Canada. 
 He has received as high as three dollars for a 
 
 Setting of eggs and twenty-live dollars for a 
 single bird for breeding jjurposes. He has sold 
 as many as eighty thousand eggs in a single 
 season for hatching puri>oses. He annually 
 packs from one hundred and fifty to one hundred 
 and seventy-five cases of eggs, there being thirty 
 dozen to the case, so that his average sales yearly 
 are fifty thousand. His business has thus grown 
 continually imtil it has assumed very extensive 
 jiroportions and has long since become a most 
 profitable industry. 
 
 In politics Mr. Tyler was for many years a 
 su]i])iirter of democracy but in later years has 
 voted with the ])ri>hibition jiarly at national elec- 
 tions and independently at local elections. He 
 is without aspiration for office yet is not remiss 
 in the duties of citizenship. I'raternally he is 
 ccjunected with Chebanse lodge Xo. 994. .M. W. 
 A., and with the Court of Honor, Xo. 25. at 
 Springfield, liolh he and his wife are members 
 of the Congregational church at Chebanse and 
 are highlv esteemed residents of this part of the 
 comity. Mr. 'Tyler is recognized as a man of 
 excellent business ability and executive force and 
 is regarded as authority upon the subject of poul- 
 try-raising, his |)ractical ideas being denujnstrated 
 in his successful manageiuent of a business that 
 has long since reached extensive proportions. 
 
 A. f. \siii.i-:v 
 
 A. J. .\shley. a self-made man. dependent upon 
 his own resources and exertions for a livelihood 
 from his youth to the ])resent time, lives on sec- 
 tion 4. Onarga townslii(). on a farm of one hun- 
 dred and sixty-three acres and in connection with 
 his own jilace he also operates one hundred and 
 sixty acres, which he rents. He is a native son 
 of Kentucky. l)orn in Johnson county, in Octo- 
 ber. 18^)1. and since 1892 he has resided in Inv 
 (|nois county His father. James .\shley, was also 
 a native of Johnson comity and was there reared. 
 In early manhood he was married there to Susan 
 Server, a native of Pennsylvania. By occupa- 
 tion he was a farmer and stock-raiser and at the 
 time of the Civil war he put aside business and 
 ])ersonal considerations and offered his services 
 to the federal government. He also had two
 
 474 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEN'T OF 
 
 brothers who were soldiers of the Union arni\'. 
 while three others served in ilu- Confederate arni\ . 
 Thus were families often divided when they 
 lived upon the border. James Ashley served 
 throughout the war and after the cessation of 
 hostilities located in Edgar county. Illinois, where 
 he si)ent his last years, having for some time 
 survived his wife. C *f their family of five sons 
 and four daughters all reached adult age. name- 
 ly : John, who is a resident farmer of Edgar 
 county : Henry and Willard. who are also farm- 
 ers of that county: Jriardy. now of Indiana: A. 
 J., of this review : Mrs. Maggie W'ynn. a widow 
 living in St. Louis, Missouri ; Mary, a resident 
 of Indianapolis : Susan : and Ella, who resides 
 in Paris, Illinois. 
 
 A. J. Ashley spent his childhood and youth in 
 the state of his nativity and the educational priv- 
 ileges which qualified him for the practical duties 
 of life were those afforded by the common 
 schools. Hardships and trials early came to 
 him by reason of the fact that he started out 
 in life on his own account at a tender age. He 
 came to Illinois in i8q2 and worked as a farm 
 hand by the month for a time. In Onarga. in 
 1 894, he wedded Kate (jray, who was born. 
 reared, and educated in that city and success- 
 fully followed teaching prior to her marriage. 
 The young couple began their domestic life upon 
 rented land and thus he engaged in farming until 
 his labors had brought him sufficient capital to 
 enable him to purchase eighty-three acres. This 
 he farmed and improved and built thereon a 
 good residence and substantial outbuildings. 
 The land was low and wet and in order to do 
 away with this condition, which was detrimental 
 to crops, he placed many rods of tiling upon the 
 farm and also built fences to divide his acreage 
 into fields of a size convenient for cuUivalion. 
 He afterward added eighty acres more and fenced 
 and farmed that and also cultivated rented land 
 until he is now recognized as one of the most in- 
 dustrious and ])ros]jerous farmers of the county. 
 He came to this state only thirteen vears ago 
 empty-handed, and in the intervening period he 
 has accumulated a verv comfortable comiietence 
 and through the assistance of his estimable wife 
 has gained a place among the subst.mtial resi- 
 dents of this part of the state. He has one 
 daughter, Oma .Mav. 
 
 In his political views .Mr. .Vshley is a demo- 
 crat where national issues are involved but at 
 local elections casts an independent ballot re- 
 gardless of party ties. He has served as a mem- 
 ber of the school board, as overseer of roads and 
 in other local offices, the duties of which he has 
 discharged with promptness and fidelity. He is 
 a member of the Masonic lodge at Onarga and 
 also affiliates with the Woodmen of the World 
 and the Fraternal Insurance .\ssociation, while 
 his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
 churcli. Mr. Ashley has displayed strong force 
 of character in his business life, allowing no 
 obstacle to brook his path if it could be overcome 
 bv determination and honorable effort. .\n ap- 
 l^reciation of the value of industry and perse- 
 verance in early life led him to closely apply 
 himself to any duty that came to his hand and 
 as the vears have advanced he has made steady 
 progress on the highroad to prosperity. 
 
 DA\TD WHITE. 
 
 .\ large proportion of Sheldon's populatiiin is 
 made up of retired farmers, who in the active 
 and careful management of farming interests 
 have accumulated a competency and are now 
 numbered among the substantial residents of th'S 
 part of the stale. That Mr. White has pros- 
 pered is indicateil by the ownershi]) of a beauti- 
 ful home in .Sheldon, where he enjoys the com- 
 forts of life without further recourse to arduous 
 labor. He was in former years, however, a 
 most diligent and energetic man and thus won 
 his prosperity. 
 
 He was born in Ayrshire. Scotland. January 
 21. 1841, atid is a son of Thomas White. He 
 remained in the land of hills and heather until 
 he reached the age of seventeen years, but dur- 
 ing that ])eriod enjoyed ver\- limited advantages. 
 His education was meager, but his ambition was 
 strong and it was this which heljied him to seek 
 a home in the Inited ."^tiites. I'liddinu' adieu to 
 friends and native land, he sailed for .\merica 
 in 1858. settling first in Cuyahoga county. Ohio, 
 where he lived for three vears, working by the 
 month as a farm hand. He then became a resi- 
 dent of Whitlev count\-, Indiana, and was em-
 
 y. 
 
 ■f.
 
 0? tHE
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 477 
 
 pluvfd ill tlu- luinlxr wckhIs diKppinn; timlxr fnr 
 a vi-ar. He next wciit li> Warnii coiiiUy, Indi- 
 ana, wlicrc he engaged in fanning for a year. 
 
 It was dnring his residence there that Mr. 
 White was married, and in iH(M> he renntvcd tc 
 Ir«K|iiois county, wliere he invested his earnings 
 in fortv acres of land in Slieldon township. .\t 
 once he hegan farming liere. This land he still 
 owns, but It by no means represents his entire 
 acreage. He worked diligently and without 
 assistance to gain a good start and as his finan- 
 cial resources increased he made judicious invest- 
 ment in property until he now owns three hun- 
 dretl and eighty-six acres of gootl land that has 
 liecn rendered very productive by reason of th;; 
 tilling of the soil and also owing to the drainage 
 that has been done through the judicious use of 
 tile. The buildings upon the place stand as mon- 
 uments to his thrift and entcrjirise. having been 
 put there by him. and the fences are kept in a 
 good state of repair. In fact the farm gives 
 every evidence of careful supervision. Mr. 
 White engaged in the raising of grain, cattle and 
 hogs while on the farm and was very successful 
 in his business undertakings. .\t length he re- 
 tired to Sheldon in the fall of 1901 and Ixiuglit 
 the fine residence which he now occupies. 
 
 ( )n the 3d of January. 1X^)4, was celebrated 
 the marriage of Mr. White aiid Miss .\manda 
 I lemmilright. who was Ixirn in ( )hio. This 
 union has been blessed with eleven children : 
 William T.. who resides near ( >klahoma City, 
 Oklahoma: John D.. who ojierates a farm be- 
 longing to our subject; Nettie J., the wife of Lli 
 Conway, who resides on the old homestead proj)- 
 erty of her father: .\gnes, the wife of Hugh 
 .Vairn. a resident of Iowa; .\rtliur. who wedded 
 (jrace Hull and resides in .Sheldon; Emma L.. 
 deceased; Mary .\ima. the wife of William Wol- 
 verton. of Sheldon; i'aul .\.. living in Okla- 
 homa; May. the wife of I->nest McCoy, who 
 resides in Sheldon ; Jesse and ICthel. both of 
 whom are imder the jiarcntal roof. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. White and their family Ixlong 
 to the Methodist L])iscopal church and are ])rom- 
 inent socially, the members of the household 
 occupying an enviable position in society circles 
 in which they move. Mr. White's study of the 
 political conditions of the country has led him 
 to give loyal support to the demcxTacy, yet he 
 
 has never sought or desired fiftice as a rewanl 
 for ]»arty fealty. >erving only as >chiK»l direct<jr. 
 When he came to this county .SJieUhjn was a 
 very small town. He has assisted in the upbuild- 
 ing of the county and has watched with great 
 interest its develo|)nient and progress. He stands 
 for advancement and reform and has ever lx"en 
 an advocate of justice, truth and right in all his 
 relations with his fellowmen. 
 
 SA.MCKL M. .\l AJ( »K. 
 
 Samuel M. Major, a veteran in the Civil war, 
 has for the past twelve years resided in ( )narga 
 but prior to that time was for a long period a 
 prosperous farmer of Artesia and ( )narga town- 
 ship, when this county was emerging from ])io- 
 neer conditions and taking on the evidences of 
 modern civilization and im|)rovement. He took 
 up his abode here in 1S33 to become an active 
 factor in business life and general advancement, 
 especially along agricultural lines. He was born 
 in Tip|x'canoe county. Indiana. .\])ril 25. 1830. 
 His fattier, James H. Major, was born in Dear- 
 born county. Indiana, in 1802. and his father, 
 William Major, was a native of Pennsylvania. 
 When but a boy he joined the army for service 
 in the war of 1S12 and he became one of the 
 first settlers of Indiana, aiding in its reclamatitjn 
 from a swamp and wilderness and its conversion 
 into a rich agricultural state. James H. Major 
 was reared in Indiana and was married there 
 to -Miss .Mary Hartpence, a native of that state. 
 Locating u|)on a farm in Tippecanoe oumty. he 
 reared his family there and sul)se(|uentlv he joined 
 his son in Iro<iuois county. Illinois, spending 
 his last years here. He ])assed away in 1S82. at 
 the age of eighty years, while his wife dieil 
 about 1874. 
 
 Samuel M. Major was one of a family of ten 
 children, two sons and eight daughters, who 
 reached yeans of maturity, and is now the only 
 survivor. The days of his boyhood were passed 
 in Tii)pecanoe comity. Indiana, where he enjoyed 
 but common-school advantages. He is largely 
 self-educated and. possessing an observing eve 
 and retentive memory as well as ready adaptabil- 
 itv, he has learned inanv valuable lessons in the
 
 478 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 school of experience, while reading and investi- 
 gation have also largely broadened his knowl- 
 edge. He came west to Illinois in 1853, when 
 a young man, having purchased land in Iroquois 
 county in the previous spring. He was married 
 in the spring of 1853 to 2*liss .\niy l-". Lee, who 
 was born and reared in Indiana. In the fall 
 after their marriage they journeyed westward to 
 ( )narga and soon began their domestic life upon 
 a farm uf one hundred and seventy-two acres. 
 Their home was a log cabin, in which they liveil 
 for about four }ears, when ^Mr. Major built a 
 more modern residence. In 1855 he lost his first 
 wife, wild died leaving a daughter. In October, 
 1875, in this county, he was again married, his 
 second union being with Catherine Stephens, who 
 was born and reared in Licking count}-, ( )hio, 
 and was a daughter of John Stephens. The 
 family removed to Illinois in 1865, locating near 
 Buckley, and Mrs. Major was therefore largely 
 reared and educated in Iroquois county. 
 
 Mr. r^Iajor continued the work of the farm 
 and transformed wild land into productive fields. 
 He has built an addition to his house and further 
 remodeled it and now has a substantial resi- 
 dence, in the rear of which stand good barns, 
 cribs and granaries. .\n orchard adds to the 
 value and attractive appearance oi the place and 
 modern processes of tiling have been used to 
 drain the land, thus promoting its fertility. 
 Fences also divide the farm into jjastures and 
 fields of convenient size until today .Mr. .Majnr 
 is the owner of one of the valuable farm prop- 
 erties of this pari (if the county. He adcled to 
 his land from lime to time until he became the 
 owner of more than, five hundred acres but. wish- 
 ing to put aside the more arduous cares of busi- 
 ness life, he has since disposed of much of this, 
 although he still retains nm- hnmlrccl ;ind seventy- 
 two acres. 
 
 rile only interruption to his farm labur up tn 
 the time of his retirement came because of his 
 service in the Civil war. ( )n the lotli of Sej)- 
 tember, 1861, he enlisted in defense of the L'nion 
 as a member of Company .M, Xintli Illinois Cav- 
 alry, lie joined the army as a private but was 
 ]iri)miited on the field to the rank of .second lieu- 
 tenant and served until the close of the war. In 
 the s])ring of 1864 he veteranized and returned 
 h(ime (in a thirty days' furlough, lie wa.s in 
 
 numerous engagements, including the battles of 
 Salem. Tupelo, Guntown, Hurricane Creek, ^lar- 
 shall, hVanklin and Nashville. He lost no time 
 from duty on account of illness or other cause 
 and escaped all wounds, serving until the close 
 of the war, when he was mustered out and re- 
 turned home, receiving an honorable discharge at 
 Springfield in July, 1865. He made a creditable 
 record, never faltering in his allegiance to the 
 old fiag or hesitating in the performance of any 
 duty assigned him. 
 
 When the war was over Mr. Major returned 
 to the farm and again took up the active work 
 of the fields. Stock-raising and feeding became 
 an im]jortant feature of his business and was 
 continued in connection with the work of the 
 fields until he gave up active farm life in i8()3 
 and removed to C)narga, where he has since lived 
 retired. 
 
 .Mr. .Major had a daughter. Flora -\., who 
 reached mature years and became the wife of 
 George P. Stephens, who is mentioned elsewhere 
 in this work. They located in r)uckley, where 
 Air. Stephens engaged in merchandising, and 
 later they took up their abode upon the Major 
 farm, where .Mr. Stephens is still living. His 
 wife died, however. .-\j)ril 8, 1895, leaving five 
 children: Raymond L., who is now in North 
 Dakota, where his father purchased land ; Frank 
 .M., who holds a responsible business position 
 in Chicago ; John B., who is with his father ; 
 Marry W. : and Hazel (i. The last named has 
 had a home with her grandparents since infancy, 
 owing t(i her mother's death. 
 
 Politically Mr. Major has been a lifelong re- 
 ]niblican and cast his first ballot for John C. 
 ■•"reniont. Xo presidential nominee of the party 
 since that time has failed to receive his endorse- 
 ment at the polls and he has firm faith in tlie 
 ultimate triumph of the principles of the party. 
 While on the farm he served as director and 
 school trustee and as a member of the school 
 board, and he has also been highway commis- 
 sioner. He acted as township trustee for nine 
 or ten years and has been a delegate to numerons 
 county conventions. He and his wife are meiiil)ers 
 of the Methodist Episcopal church at Onarga, 
 in which he has served as trustee, and at one 
 lime was very active in Sunday-school work. 
 He became a member of the Odd Fellows so-
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 A7'> 
 
 cii'tv b_v juiiiiii}; tlic loUj^c ;il ( )i)arj;;i in 1X57. 
 He scrvcil throiigli all llic chairs and is now a 
 past firand, and 1k>iIi lie and his wilV arc identi- 
 fied with the Relxkaii lodjje. lie likewise lie- 
 lonj;s to the lirand Army post at ( )nar},'a. of 
 which he is a past cuinniander. ( )ne cpf the few 
 reniainiii}.; veterans of the Civil war, he deli.yhts 
 in uiectinj.; with his old army comrades at camp- 
 fires and in recallinij the inci<lents of the tented 
 fields when he valiainly battled for the Union 
 canse and followed the old ria.ij thronjjh the 
 south. He has lived an honorable and useful 
 life and is esteemed as a pioner settler, as a 
 reliable business man and a progressive citizen. 
 While he has never souy;ht to fijjure prominently 
 in public life, his example and influence have 
 ever Ix-en for the best and ntij^dil well be followed 
 b\ those who have true re,t;ard for ch.iracler 
 and fieiuiine pergonal worth. 
 
 s.\Mui-:i. w ASiiiuRxi;. 
 
 ."^amnei W'asiiburne. whose official service has 
 l>een of direct and i)ermauenl benefit and whose 
 varied business interests have likewise been an 
 elcTnent in the proijress and jirosperity of the 
 county in which he has long made his home, is 
 now livinir i" Milford. He has. however, active- 
 ly enjja^ied in farmin-j; in Ash ( irove township 
 for a lonj; period and is still the owner of three 
 Innidred and twentx acres of well improved land 
 there. To every duty that has come to him. 
 whether in business or public life, he has brought 
 a spirit of willinjrness and fidelity, so that his 
 record has at all times been characterized by hitrh 
 and honorable principles and faithful execution 
 of the tasks that have devolved upon him. 
 
 I'.cirn on a farm in < )swego county. New York, 
 on the <jth of .\ufrust. 183S. .Mr. Washburne 
 conies of an old family of the F.m])ire state, and 
 is more remotely of ICnfjlish ancestry. His 
 Rreat-Rrandfather with two brothers left Kng- 
 land, their native land, and .sought a home in 
 .\merican colonies. They located in the state 
 of New \ork and were therefore flefendcrs of 
 .\nierican interests duriu); the strujifjlc for inde- 
 IK-ndence. .Sanniel Washburne. ijrand father of 
 our subject, was Ijorn and reared in Westchester 
 28 
 
 county , New Vork. where he followed farming 
 throughout his entire life. His son, Willett 
 Washburne. was also a native of W estchester 
 county, his natal year being i~',>8. He became 
 a farmer, lumberman and contractor, and after 
 traveling through the wilderness with ox teams 
 to what was then the frontier, settled in Oswego 
 County, New York, where he spent his subse- 
 quent years, his death occurring in 1887, when he 
 had reached the rii)e old age of eighty-nine. His 
 wife bore the maiden name of Sarah llashford, 
 and was born in Westchester county, .New York, 
 but died in ( )swego comity. Unto this marriage 
 were born seven sons and five ilaughters, of 
 whom two sons and one daughter are yet liv- 
 ing. < )ne brother, |. M., is now a retired farmer 
 of Rock I'alls. Whiteside county, Illinois, while 
 the youngest brother, W'. I,. Washburne. now de- 
 ceased, was the originator of the emblematic sign 
 business. At the time President Lincoln was 
 murdered he was making clicks as signs for 
 jewelers in New York city, and placed the liantls 
 of the.se to mark the hour of Lincoln's assassina- 
 tion. Nearly all such signs have since been made 
 in the same way. 
 
 ( >n the home farm in his native coimty .Samuel 
 W aslibm-ne spent the days of his boyhood and 
 \outh. I )n attaining his niajorit't' he started i)ut 
 uiMin an independent business career and when 
 a young man of twenty-six years became a resi- 
 dent of Kendall county. Illinois, where for four 
 years he operated a rented farm. He then came 
 in 1868 to Inxpiois county, and made a pur- 
 chase of land on section 14. .\sh (irove town- 
 shiji. where he resided contiiniously until his re- 
 moval to .Milford. In connection with the active 
 Work of tilling the soil — and his labors resulted 
 in the harvesting of good crojjs — he engaged in 
 raising st(K'k from 1872. and for many years 
 made a s])ecialty of the breeding of Clydesdale 
 horses and shorthorn cattle. 1 le became well 
 known in this connection as one of the leading 
 stockmen of the Cf)unty. He raise<l. fed and fat- 
 tiue<l stock for the market and was also engaged 
 in the dairy and chec.se business and the manu- 
 facture of butter. In fact he found a ready sale 
 for all his dairy products and this branch of his 
 business proved very remunerative. .\s oppor- 
 tunity offered he entended his realty holdings in 
 this localilv until his farm embraced three bun-
 
 48o 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 drcd and twenty acres of rich and productive 
 land, and in connection therewith he also operated 
 another quarter section. He has, moreover, ex- 
 tended his activities to many other fields of busi- 
 ness, for he is a man of resourceful abilitv. He 
 is a dealer in real estate and has owned land in 
 Indiana and other states. Through trade he be- 
 came possessed of a stock of hardware and wood- 
 enware in Washburne, Woodford county, Illi- 
 nois, and for two years engaged in the conduct 
 of the business there. On the expiration of that 
 period he traded the store for a farm in Fulton 
 county, Indiana, which he still owns. In 1894 
 he bought a piece of ground and a residence in 
 Milford, and has since made his home in the city. 
 When he took up his abode in Ash Grove town- 
 ship the land upon which he settled was entirely 
 destitute of improvements hut he resolutely un- 
 dertook the work of preparing it for the plow 
 and in the course of time placed the entire amount 
 under a high state of cultivation, and erected 
 thereon substantial farm buildings. Though he 
 started out empty-handed he steadily worked his 
 way upward and his own labor and good busi- 
 ness management have enabled him to accumu- 
 late a very desirable fortune. 
 
 ( )n the 30th of December, i860, in Oswego 
 county, Xew York, Air. \\'ashhurne was united 
 in marriage to Miss Jane A. Lee, who was born 
 December 5, 1839. They became the parents of 
 the following named : Flora, who is the widow 
 of Frank Flutro, of Milford, was born in Xew 
 York and has five children : Lewis and Frank 
 S. Flutro, who are married ; Robert L., Mildred 
 E. and .-Xdell, who are at home. Jesse Lee 
 Washburne, born in Kendall county, Illinois, is 
 now living in Milfonl. Mary M. is the wife of 
 Thomas X. Sinderson, a resident farmer of Mil- 
 ford township and they have three children. Iva 
 W., Samuel L. and Leland. Charlotte E. is the 
 wife of T. X^ Willougliby, of Kewanna, Indiana, 
 and they have four children. Forest S.. Wilbur, 
 June W. and Gale X. Mr. and Mrs. \\'ashhurne 
 have also lost three children. 
 
 The political allegiance of Samuel Washburne 
 has been stanchly given to the re[)nblican partv 
 since he cast his first vote for president in sup- 
 port of Abraham Lincoln in i860. He has long 
 been recognized as one of the leaders in the local 
 ranks of the party and has done effective service 
 
 in its behalf and for the general welfare. He 
 has often attended its conventions and his opin- 
 ions have frequently been a decisive element in 
 its councils. He has never been utterly partisan, 
 however, and is interested in that progress which 
 both parties are making toward good govern- 
 ment and which is the most hopeful political sign 
 of the period. While on the farm he served for 
 eighteen years a shighwav commissioner and was 
 the first incumbent in that office to use a grader 
 and a twelve horse power machine on the roads. 
 He was also one of the first to lay tile for drain- 
 age along the roads and has thus contributed in 
 substantial measure to the making of good high- 
 ways. He has likewise served as township school 
 trustee for years and has been a member of the 
 school board for tvv'o decades, in every possi- 
 tion to which he has been called he has made a 
 faithful and efficient officer, discharging his duties 
 with promptness and fidelity and with a sense 
 of conscientious obligation. He has also been a 
 leading and honored member of the Farmers Mu- 
 tual Benefit Association. Men of merit are 
 everywhere recognized and as such Mr. Wash- 
 burne is well known. His residence in Iroquois 
 county covers a period of almost thirty-four 
 years and throughout the third of a century he 
 has been an active and progressive business man 
 and farmer. He stands for progress not only 
 in his individual business interests but also in 
 county and municipal afi"airs and In- uses ]iractical 
 methods in working toward the ideal. liis name 
 is synonymous with good citizenshi]), with hon- 
 esty and diligence in business and with Cdurtesy 
 and friendship in social life. His wife, a most es- 
 timable lady, shares with him in the high regard 
 in which he is unifornilx' held, and no more 
 worthy citizens of Iroc[uois county can be named 
 than Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Wash1)urne. of 
 -Milftird. 
 
 PASriT AT. r,. \\'FFKS. 
 
 Paschal B. A\'eeks. a retired merchant .-md cap- 
 italist of Sheldon, honored and respected by all 
 not only because of the success he has achieved 
 but also by reason of the straightforward busi- 
 ness methods he has ever followed, was born in
 
 PASCHAf, I!. WI'.I'IKS.
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ax.I 
 
 White county, liuliana. December 13, i^i'Jj, his 
 parents Iteinjj \\ ilhani A. aiul Anna Eliza 
 (Moore; Weeks. The latlier was born at Lock- 
 |M>rt, St. Lawrence county. New York, .\pril 17. 
 1S36, and lived there tor a short time, when lie 
 accompanied his parents on their removal to the 
 western part of New York, the family home be- 
 injj established near Holly. When he was twelve 
 years of au:e the family becanK- residents of 
 Monticello, White county, Indiana, where Wil- 
 liam A. Weeks rcmainctl untU 1871, and there his 
 father resided until his death. 
 
 t )n the 'ith of January. 185(1. William .\. 
 W ecks was married at Monticello, to Miss Anna 
 Mliza Moore, who was born in Morjjan county, 
 ( )hio, on the Muskintium river. l-'ollowin,tj his 
 marriajje he engaged in fanning in the Hoosier 
 state and was also in the hardware business in 
 Monticello for a part of the time for fourteen 
 years. In 1870 he removed to ( ioodland, Indiana, 
 where he conducted an elevator for six months, 
 and in March, 1871, he came to Sheldon, where 
 he established a grocery and provision business. 
 Later be began dealing in dry gcxxls and grocer- 
 ies and admitted Richard Walsh to a partnership, 
 this relation being maintained until his death, 
 when his widow bought out the interest of .Mr. 
 Walsh, and she and her sons conducted the busi- 
 ness tmtil the death of one of the sons, subsc- 
 qucnt to which time Mrs. Weeks sold out. Her 
 husband had departed this life April 28, 1888. 
 He was one of the most thorough business men, 
 systematic and methodical in all that he ditl. en- 
 terprising and active in the conduct of his busi- 
 ness and reliable and honorable in all de;dings. 
 1 le iKcame recognized as the leading merchant 
 of .'^heldon, carrying a large stock of hardware, 
 furniture, groceries. <lry goods and other com- 
 nnxlitics. When he came to .Sheldon his capital 
 amounted to about one thousand dollars, and 
 when he died he was worth between twenty an<l 
 thirty thou.sand dollars. The estate has since in- 
 crcascfl in value until it is now worth one him- 
 <lred thousand dollars. 
 
 I'nto Mr. and Mrs. Weeks were born three 
 children: I'aschal 1'.., of this review, however, is 
 the only one now living. ( )ne bnnher, ( ieorge 
 A., married Winifred Strickler and died Septem- 
 ber 24. i<X)4. leaving his wiclow and one son, 
 George A., who are now living in Hunter. Ar- 
 
 kansas, lie was a member of the Modern Wood- 
 men of .\nierica and was also a good business 
 man. who. associated with his brother I'aschal, 
 successfully conducte<l the store at Sheldon until 
 Iiis demise. The father, William A. Weeks, was 
 a stalwart republican in his jiolitical allegiance 
 and in citizenship was deeply interested in all 
 movements pertaining to the general welfare. 
 
 His widow is a member of the Methodist Epis- 
 co|)al church. She still resi<les in Sheldon and 
 is a most pleasant, entertaining lady, having a 
 nice home, which stan<ls in the midst of a large 
 and well kept lawn. She also owns two other 
 houses in the town, which she rents, and a num- 
 l;er of lots. 
 
 Paschal li. Weeks, brought to ."Sheldon in his 
 boyhiKKl days, was educated in the public schools 
 here, and when fifteen years of age, started out 
 in business life as a clerk in his father's store, 
 th>>roughly mastering the business in principle 
 and detail, as he aide<l in carrying on the mercan- 
 tile enterprise. L'])on the father's death he and 
 his brother took charge of the business, which 
 was conducted under the name of A. E. Weeks, 
 and after the death of George Weeks, I'aschal Ij. 
 Weeks and his brother reniaine<l at the head of 
 the concern until March. 1905. when the\ sold 
 .>ut. .Mr. Weeks has since concentrated his ener- 
 gies u])on the management of the estate and the 
 control of the property interests and is recog- 
 nized as a man of keen business discernment, sel- 
 dom if ever at error in matters of judgment. 
 
 ( )n the 7th of .\ugust, 181)5, was celebrated the 
 marriage of Mr. Weeks and Miss Cora May 
 .*>trickler. a daughter of .Newton .Strickler, now 
 of Hunter. Arkansas, but at one time a resident 
 of .'^lK•ldon. .Mr. and .Mrs. Weeks have on chibl, 
 Lester l.;iverne. born ( )ctober 21, KX14. The |)ar- 
 ents hold membership in the christian church, 
 contribute generously to its supjMirt and are in- 
 terested in its work. .\t one lime Mr. Weeks 
 served as church secretarv. In politics he is a 
 ri|)nblican and is a man of genial disposition and 
 corili.il manner, who recognizes true worth in 
 the individual and places a just valuation upon 
 character. He has never sought office. ])refer- 
 ring to concentrate his energies u|)on his busi- 
 ness interests, which have claimerl his time :mcl 
 attention and which are now extensive. He is 
 now Controlling an extensive est;ite. whidi has
 
 484 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 been greatly enlarged since the father's death, 
 having increased in value more than threefold. 
 This is due in considerable measure to the efforts 
 and ability of yir. Weeks, whose energies have 
 been discerningly directed along well defined lines 
 of labor and who in all that he has undertaken 
 has striven to achieve the highest degree of per- 
 fection possible. 
 
 WILLIAM A. AMOS. 
 
 William A. Amos, deceased, was an enterpris- 
 ing and respected agriculturist of Sheldon town- 
 ship for many years. He was born in Warren 
 county, Indiana, in 1844 and was a son of Ste- 
 phen S. Amos, who came to Iroquois county 
 about 1850, and with his family settled in Shel- 
 don township, where he broke the wild land and 
 improved a good farm of one hundred and sixty 
 acres, and successfully carried on general farm- 
 ing and stock-raising there for a long period. 
 He had four cliildren, of whom two are living. — 
 Mrs. Michaels and Edward M. Amos, both of 
 Chicago. 
 
 William A. Amos was a little lad of nine sum- 
 mers when brought to Illinois and was therefore 
 reared in Iroquois county, while his crliicational 
 advantages were those aflforded by the district 
 schools. When not busy witli his text-books his 
 labors were required on the farm and after reach- 
 ing man's estate he began fanning at home and 
 bought forty acres of land from his father in 
 Sheldon townshij), six miles south of the city of 
 Sheldon, to which he added as his financial re- 
 sources permitted until he owned three hundred 
 and twenty acres. He prospered by feeding stock 
 and he kept good grades of horses, cattle and 
 hogs. Whatever he undertook he carried for- 
 ward to successful com])Ietion and was one of the 
 progressive farmers, keeping in touch with the 
 advancement which is continuallv being made 
 along agricultural lines. 
 
 In 1867 Mr. Amos was married to Miss Delilah 
 Buckley, a sister of Samuel and .\lonzo Buckley, 
 who are mentioned elsewhere in this work. Her 
 parents were Stephen and Eliza Jane (Ilarjier) 
 Buckley. Tier father's birth occurred in Preble 
 county, Ohio. Jainiary 2. 1823. his jiarents being 
 
 James and Sarah (Lincoln; Buckley, the former 
 a native of North Carolina and the latter of 
 Ohio. The mother died in Tippecanoe county, 
 Indiana, in 1844. and James Buckley afterward 
 wedded ^Nlrs. Jacobs. In 1851 he became a 
 resident of Iroquois county, Illinois, but after 
 eighteen months removed to Carroll county, In- 
 diana, where he spent his remaining days. His 
 son Stephen Buckley, was only two years old 
 at the time of the removal to Tippecanoe county, 
 Indiana, where he lived until 1856, when he came 
 to Irocjuois county and settled on land which he 
 had purchased from the government in 1854. 
 He added to this until he owned at one time four- 
 teen hundred and sixty acres in this county and 
 his life was always devoted to general farming. 
 That he was very successful is indicated by his 
 extensive holdings which were acquired entirely 
 through his well directed labor and judicious in- 
 vestment. He was married June 3, 1848. to 
 Miss Eliza Jane Harper, who was born in Mont- 
 gomery county. Indiana, and they became the 
 parents of six children, five of whom are living, 
 as follows : Samuel, a resident of Sheldon ; De- 
 lilah, now Mrs. Amos; Mrs. Sarah A. Boatman, 
 a widow, residing in Chicago; Alonzo. a resident 
 of Sheldon ; and Mrs. Maria Elizabeth Roberts, 
 who resides in California. Stephen Buckley, the 
 father, died in Sheldon, Illinois, in June. 1904. 
 at the age of eight\-one year? and five months, 
 while his wife passed away at the age of sixty- 
 nine years. They had remained continuous resi- 
 dents of the county since locating within its bor- 
 ders in 1856. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Amos had two children. John 
 married Jessie Wingard, who died, leaving one 
 daughter. lone, now two years old. Florence 
 E. is the wife of Hobart Bissell. a ])racticing 
 physician at Edgerton. Wisconsin. 
 
 Mr. Amos was a defender of the Union cause 
 in the Civil war. and in .\pril. 1865. he enlisted 
 as a member of Company K. Forty-third Regi- 
 ment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry with which 
 he continued until discharged in December of the 
 same year. He lost his health while in the army 
 and was never again physically the same man. 
 He voted with the re])ublican party, which was 
 formed to prevent the further extension of 
 slavery and which was a champion of the Union 
 cause in the dark davs of civil strife. For some
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. IF.LINOIS. 
 
 485 
 
 time he was a member of tlie school board, ami 
 lie belonged to the Masonic fraternity and to the 
 Grand Army post, at Sheldon. He attended the 
 Methodist Episcopal church, to which his wife 
 bilongs. He died May 31. 181/-). respected and 
 honored by all who knew him, for in business 
 he was reliable, in citizenship loyal and in the 
 home and social life he displayed those sterling 
 traits of character which always win friendly 
 regard and confidence. 
 
 Mrs. Anios now resides in Sheldon, where she 
 has purchased a good brick residence. She still 
 owns one hundred and sixty acres of g<x)d land 
 in Sheldon township, together with two good 
 fanns which she inherited from her father. She 
 is a most estimable lady and has an extensive 
 circle of warm friends. 
 
 E. H. BROCKMANX. 
 
 E. H. Brockmann is now living a retired life 
 upon his farm in Danforth township. For many 
 years he was closely associated with agricultural 
 interests and the years brought him a gixjd finan- 
 cial return for his labor, so that he is now enabled 
 to enjoy the comforts of life without recourse to 
 further active work. He was born in < )st fries- 
 land, (Jermany. in 1833. a son of Herman aiul 
 .Mtje ( Deakon ) IJrockmann. who spent their 
 entire lives in the fatherland. There is one sis- 
 ter. Mrs. Annie Shipper, who for the past twenty- 
 three years has resided in Danforth township, 
 her husbantl being now a retired farmer of the 
 village of Danforth. where they make their home. 
 
 E. H. HriHrkmann was reared uixju the old 
 homestead farm in Germany and pursued his 
 education in the public schrxjls of that country. 
 He remained a resident of the fatherland until 
 1857, when he bade adieu to friciuls and native 
 country aufl crossed the .\tlantic to .\merica. 
 He resided for eight years in I'ekin, Illinois, and 
 after sjH-nding some time in other counties re- 
 moved to Iroj|uois county in 1875. Here he pur- 
 chasefl a tract of prairie land on section 4. Dan- 
 forth townshiji. and resifled thereon continuously 
 until 1897, when he removed to his present home 
 on section 8 of the same township. Here he 
 has forty acn-s <jf land and he owns altogether 
 
 two hundred acres of finely improved land in this 
 county. His farm, however, is operated by his 
 son and son-in-law, while he is enjoying a well 
 merited rest. 
 
 Mr. Ilrockmann was married first in IVkin, Illi- 
 nois, Decemlur i>), 1857. to Miss .\ima Eaden. 
 who was Ixirn in the same pan of (jermany in 
 which his birth occurred and who passed away in 
 |8<>4. at the age of sixty-two years, leaving five 
 children : Ix-na, now the wife of Ckorge Meents, 
 who owns and operates a farm on section 4, 
 Danforth township; Minnie, the wife of John 
 Ileideman, of Danforth township: Herman, a 
 prosperous fanner of Danforth township; Ed- 
 ward, who is operating the home farm and who 
 married Rena Habbinga, by whom he has two 
 sons : and Katie, the wife of Hugo Zacho, a resi- 
 dent of Ashkimi township, by whom she has 
 three children. Mr. Brockmann was again mar- 
 ried May 20. 1897. His present wife bore the 
 maiden nanie of Eliza Eaeken and was also born 
 in the province of Hanover. Germany, whence 
 she came to the I'nited .States in 1893. Her birth 
 occurred in 1847, her father being Enno Eaeken. 
 She was reared in Tlermany and was married 
 there in 1877 to Dick Habbinga. who died in 
 Xebra.ska in i8<j3. They had two children: 
 Rena. now the wife of Edward P.rockmann. sf)n 
 of our subject : and Margaret, wlvi resides at 
 home in Danforth township. 
 
 In his religious views Mr. Itrockmami is a 
 Lutheran and was the first to haul Itunber for 
 the building of the church of that denomination 
 at Danforth. He has always Ix^en interested in 
 church work and his efforts have been of value 
 in promoting the cause which he advocates. Po- 
 litically he has l)een an earnest republican since 
 casting his vote for .\braham Lincoln and he 
 has served for seventeen years as sch<x>l director 
 in his district. Xo native son of .\merica is 
 more loyal to the interests of this county or 
 more devoted to its welfare. While he has suc- 
 cessfully carried on private business interests at 
 the same time he has found opportunity to aid 
 in the promotion of tlirise plans aufl measures 
 which have iK-en of benefit to the county and at 
 all times he is known as one whose business and 
 politically integrity is above question. He de- 
 serves much credit for what he has accomplished 
 in life, f'"" ''•■ .-.n,.. t.. \,.,,ri'-ri rmpty-han<lr>l
 
 486 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 and has worked his way steadily upward through 
 the force of his character, his unrtagjjing de- 
 termination and his diligence. 
 
 JOSEPH V( )r.\(; 
 
 Joseph Young, a resident of Donovan, is op- 
 erating three hundred and sixty acres of fine 
 farming land in Beaver township. He was horn 
 in Delaware county, Ohio, September 5, 1852. His 
 father, Arzel Young, also a native of that county. 
 was born April 27, 1827. and brought his fam- 
 ily to Iroquois county in 1854. making the jour- 
 ney westward by wagon after the primitive man- 
 ner of travel at that early time. They were upon 
 the road for thirteen days but at length reached 
 Beaver township and Mr. Young located on one 
 hundred and sixty acres of land on sectipn 24, 
 which he had previously purchased, in 1853. hav- 
 ing come here and entered it from the govern- 
 ment. The land was raw and uncultivated and 
 in the midst of it he built a log cabin sixteen 
 by eighteen feet. With characteristic energy he- 
 began to turn the furrows and break the sod. so 
 that in the course of time he transformed the 
 wild uncultivated tract into fields of rich fertility. 
 He (lid all of his breaking with an ox team ami 
 as the years passed he successfully foillowcd 
 farming and stock-raising and made many sub- 
 stantial improvements on his ])lacc. sujjplying it 
 with all of the cqui])ments of a model farm. 
 There he made his home until his ikatii. which 
 occurred July 10, i8</). His political allegiance 
 was given to the rei^ublican ])arty and his reli- 
 ginus views were in harmony with tlie tLach- 
 ings of the Methodist church, in which he held 
 membership. His wife, who bore the maiden 
 name of .Sally Carver, was also a native of Dela- 
 ware county. { )hio. born July 26, 1827. She now 
 lives with her son, Joseph, and although eight\ 
 years of age still ,-itteiuls t.i tlie duties of the 
 household, being a remarkai)l\ well jjreserved 
 woman for one of her years. Since the age of 
 sixteen years she has been an (.ariiesl and cnn- 
 sistent meml)er of the .Methodist church, iier 
 daughter, Dora jane, the eldest of the faniiK'. 
 and (h.-iries. the \ounger son. are both deceased. 
 
 Joseph N'oung was educated in the common 
 
 schools of Iroquois county, having been brought 
 by his parents to Illinois when only two years of 
 age. He always remained under the jmrental 
 roof and has had charge of the farm for about 
 twenty years. He has added to the original tract 
 of one hundred and sixty acres until today he 
 and his mother own three hundred and sixty 
 acres of very valuable and productive land. He 
 has tiled it all and thus by judicious drainage has 
 enhanced its productiveness. He has also added 
 other improvements in the way of good buildings 
 and has erected a fine ten-room residence in the 
 town of Donovan. In ( )ctober, 1903. he and his 
 mother left the farm and removed to the village, 
 w^here llie\- now" reside, but he still gives super- 
 vision to the farm. 
 
 In 1880 ]Mr. Young was united in marriage in 
 Beaver township to Miss Emma McCurtain. who 
 was born in that township but died Januar\ 12. 
 igoi, her death being deeply deplored by many 
 friends, who had learned to esteem and love her 
 for her many good qualities. Mr. Young exer- 
 cises his right of franchise in support of the 
 men and measures of the republican party but 
 the honors and emoluments of office have had 
 no attraction for him. His religious faith has 
 made him a member of the Methodist church. 
 In his farming operations he has displayed ex- 
 cellent business ability and capable management 
 and the years have brought him, as the reward 
 of his labor, a C(5mfortable coni])etence that now 
 enables him to live retired. 
 
 IS.\.\C 1. (iARl)\"l-.R. 
 
 (.'liaracter and abilitv will come to the front 
 anywhere and the truth of this assertion is veri- 
 fied in the life history of Isaac j. (iardner. one 
 of the leading and re])resentative citizens of 
 Douglas townshi|>. who for many years has care- 
 fully conducted his business interests with the 
 result that jirosperily has attended his labors. 
 while the methods he has followed have gained 
 I'or liini the res|)ect and honor of all. I'or many 
 years he has been coimected with general agri- 
 cultural and stock-raising interests and has also 
 owned and operated threshing and corn shelling 
 machiiHs. lie has ever stood for ])rogress and
 
 MK. AXI) MRS. AKZi:i. VolXii.
 
 UNIVERSITY Of 1LL!^S0IS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 48.> 
 
 iinprovciuciit, keeping in toiicii with llic nnwanl 
 march that has revoliitionizcd the nii-thtKls cif 
 ai^ricultural lite in scarcely more than a 
 j;cneralion. 
 
 .Mr. Ciardner was Ixjrn in SMS(|iiehanna enmi- 
 ty, rennsylvania. on the I2tli of May, iS.^7. ami 
 is a representative of one of the oldest colonial 
 families of New Lnjjland. It is said that his 
 ancestors came to America on the Mayflower. It 
 is definitely known that the first white child born 
 in Connecticnt — in i()3<j — was a (iardner. while 
 Stephen (iardner. a direct ancestor of onr sub- 
 ject resided in Connecticut durinjjf the earliest 
 epoch in its colonization. lie had a family of 
 twelve children, of whoin the eleventh. Havid 
 fiardncr, became the father of five children. 
 The younpest of tliis family was Isaac (Iardner. 
 who was born in Connecticut. .Vovember 30. 
 17(11. and when the colonies atlemi)te<l to throw 
 off the yoke of Uritish oppression he joined the 
 army and foujjht for the independence of tiic 
 nation. He was twice married, his first wife 
 beinj: Martha Roj.;ers. by whom he had five chil- 
 dren. I'ollowinj; her death lie wedded Lsther 
 Palmer and to them were born nine children. 
 She became his wiilow and as such received a 
 pension in reccj^nition of the service which he 
 rendered in the Revolutionary war. 
 
 William 1'. ( lanlner. father of Isaac J. 
 Ciardner and the seventh child of the marriai^e 
 of Isaac ( ianlner and I-^sther Palmer, was iKirn 
 in New LoikIoh. (."onnecticut. December r; . iSij. 
 and was married Jul\ 5. iS.^5. to .Miss .^arah 
 F. James, whose birth occurred in (.'onnecticut 
 f>n the 30th of Septendjer. 1S15. Leaviiij^ New 
 England, he became a farmer of Gibson township. 
 Sus(|uelianna count v. Pennsylvania, where he re- 
 sided until 1857. when accompanietl by his son. 
 Isaac J., he came to Illinois in .search of a lo- 
 cation. Pleased with Iro(|uois county and its 
 possibilities, they became i)ioneer settlers of 
 Douplas township, building on the present site 
 of (iilman a house which was coustrucied from 
 the first carload of liunber mdoaded at (iilman. 
 The little dwelling was built in .\ugust. 1S57. 
 and in February. 1858. William P. (iardner 
 brought his family to the west. This district 
 was largely a wilderness and nnich of tlie land 
 was under water, but the possibilities of making 
 it a rich agriculH1r.1I district were there. \' 
 
 about the close of the Civil war Mr. (ciardner re- 
 moved to a farm near Chebansc. but after five 
 \ears returned to (iilman. where he continued to 
 make his home imtil his demise on the 2<jth of 
 May, i8</>. He built the fir.st house in (iilman 
 and he was a ]>romiueiit factor in the material 
 progress and im|irovemenl of the coimty along 
 agricultural lines, lie was ever ready to take 
 up any new methods whose practical utility he 
 recognized and for a long period was accounted 
 one of the prominent and leailing agriculturists 
 of Douglas township. Mis ])olitical allegiance 
 was given to the whig party in early manhood 
 and upon its dis.sohition he joined the ranks of 
 the republican jiartx. following its bamiers until 
 his death. He long survive<l his wife, who 
 passed awa\ in September. 187,5. '" their family 
 were five children, the surviving mendx-rs being 
 Isaac J., of this review : F. P... an agircullurist 
 of Nuckolls County. Nebraska: and William I)., 
 of Seattle. Washington. .\ daughter of the 
 family taught the first scIumiI in (Iilman. .\ftcr 
 losing his first wife William P. (Iardner wedded 
 Mrs. Lydia Hunt. He and both of his wives 
 were mend)ers of the P.ai»tist church and were 
 earnest Christian people, respected by all who 
 knew them. 
 
 The early e<lucationaI |)rivileges which Isaac 
 J. (iardner received were those afforded l)y the 
 district schools, but all through his life his mind 
 has been both receptive and retentive and in the 
 school of experience he has learned many valu- 
 able lessons, while reading and observation have 
 greatly liroadened his knowledge. He was 
 trained to habits of industry and economy upon 
 the home farm, w hieh w as situated in a timbered 
 and stony country and ar<luous toil therefore fell 
 to his lot. .\s stated, he came with his father 
 to lro(|uois county in 1857 and the family home 
 was established here the following year, so that 
 from pioneer times to the jiresent he has been 
 identifieil with the agricultural iiUercsts of this 
 |>art of the state and with its substantial improve- 
 ment. Soon after his marriage in i8f)2 he re- 
 moved to his present home. ]»urchasing eighty 
 acres of land at twelve dollars per acre, and 
 five years later he added forty acres more lioughl 
 at the same price. It was very low land, being 
 largely under water, but he recoj^nized its |iossi- 
 l.iliii.N f.ir development, improvement and culti-
 
 490 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 vation and he has since invested hundreds of 
 dollars in tilinjj and drainage, transforming it 
 into richly cultivated fields. At one time, in 
 connection with his farming operations, he car- 
 ried on a dairy and throughout the greater part 
 of his life he has owned and operated threshing 
 and corn shelling machines, having owned one 
 of the first machines of this port of the county. 
 In all of his farm work he has been intensely 
 practical as well as progressive and a glance at 
 his place indicates his careful supervision, for 
 the farm in every department is characterized by 
 neatness and thrift 
 
 On the 2ist of December, 1862, was celebrated 
 the marriage of Isaac J. (.lardner and Miss 
 Inverno Bennett, a daughter of Lewis J. and 
 Hannah (Green) IJennett. Descended from an 
 early New England family, her grandfather. 
 ■^zekiel Bennett, removed from X'ermont to the 
 state of New York during tlie period of its pio- 
 neer history. Me wedded .Mary High and their 
 son. Lewis J- liennctt. was born in tjie Empire 
 state, where he wedded Miss Hannah (Ireen, also 
 a native of New "^'ork. In 1856 they took up 
 their abode near Onarga in Iroquois county, 
 where Mr. Bennett carried on general agricul- 
 tural pursuits until his life's labors were ended 
 in death June 26. 1S77. when he was seventy 
 years of age. L'nto Mr. and ;\Irs. Gardner have 
 been born four children. I-"rank IX, a graduate 
 of the state university of the class of i8gi. was 
 formerly assistant professor of agriculture in 
 his alma iiialcr and also assistant agriculturist 
 at the e\|)erinient station at Champaign. After 
 many years thus passed he was sent to south- 
 western Te.xas and later placed in charge of the 
 I'nited States experimental station in Porto Rico, 
 which he established lliere for the government 
 and wliicli he conducted for three and a half 
 years. He is now assistant to the chief of the 
 department of soils at Wasliingti in. J). t'., and 
 is an e.\i)ert in his fii-ld of labor, having Ijroad. 
 com])rehensive and accurate scientific knowledge 
 concerniijg agriculture and all that bears upon 
 the priidnction of crops from the soil, lie mar- 
 ried Ellen ("rum. nf I'anner Citv. Illinois, a 
 daughter of .Mathias Crum. a l);mker. June (>. 
 i8(;4. and they now have three cliildren. Matliias 
 C. I''rank Easter and Raneit. Willi.nu L. 
 ( l;irdiKT. tlu- '<cr<ind son of the f;iniil\. w;is grad- 
 
 uated from the Metropolitan Business College 
 of Chicago and is now bookkeeper and manager 
 for the Nutriola Medical Company of Chicago. 
 He married Miss Jessie J. Chase, of Chicago, on 
 the 28th of May, 1892. May E., who is a grad- 
 uate of the Gilman high school, became the 
 wife of John Gruber. of Chicago. June 29. 1894, 
 and they have one child, Ethel Ma_\-. Carrie F... 
 wh(3 completes the family, became the wife of 
 William S. Kaufman, a salesman at Elgin, Illi- 
 nois, on the 3d of January. 1900. and they have 
 one child, Harold Duane. Mr. (iardner gives 
 his political allegiance to the republican party, 
 of which he has been a stanch advocat.e since 
 casting his first presidential ballot for Abraham 
 Lincoln. In April. 1SC3, he was appointed 
 school treasurer of township 2/. range 11. east. 
 Irotjuois county, and has continuously occupied 
 the position to the present time without the loss 
 of a dollar to the district. No public trust re- 
 posed in him has ever been betrayed in the 
 slightest degree. < )n the contrary he is most 
 loyal to the public welfare and his efforts have 
 been of material benefit to the county along 
 many lines of iiiiprovenient. His activity in busi- 
 ness has not only contributed to his individual 
 success but has also been an active factor in the 
 develo]Miient of the state and he is now accounted 
 one of the honored ])ioneer settlers and respected 
 business men of Douglas township. 
 
 J.\C()i; .\LLL\(il':R. 
 
 Jaciil) Allingcr. who carries on general farm- 
 ing on Section 1. Artesia townshi]i. where he owns 
 one hundred and twenty-four acres of good land, 
 was born in W urtemberg. Germany. Xovenihcr 
 10. 1848. an<l when a young man of twenty \ears 
 liecame a resident of Illinois, while three years 
 later he took up his abode in this county. I lis 
 father. 1 lenry Allinger. was also born and reareil 
 in ( lermany, and followed fanuing there, lie 
 married Elizabeth Ziegler. who was also of Gm- 
 man birth. In their famil\- were ei.ght children, 
 who were reared on the farm in the old country. 
 
 Jaciil) .XllingtT. when nineteen years of age. 
 sailed from I laere. I'"ranee. for tile new world.
 
 IRiKjrolS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 41)1 
 
 aitractcil l>v ilic (>i)|K>rtimilics Iktc nrt'cn-il I'nr 
 business advancciiK-tU. His aUicatioii had Ikcii 
 ac<niirccl in his nativi- c<)tiiur\ and lie liad ln'i-n 
 roared tn aj^ricuhural hi'c thi-rc. He landed al 
 New Vt)rk and went tirsl U> ISradford county, 
 IVtnisylvania, where he remained fnr ahuut three 
 niiinths. ( >n tlie e.\i)iration of iliat period lie 
 liHik up his abode in Loj^an county, Illinois, 
 where he was employed as a farm hand ;it twenty 
 dollars per month, workinj; in that way for three 
 years. He saved his earninf^s and in 1S71 eauK- 
 to lro(|uois county, investing; his capital in about 
 eijihly acres of lanrl near lloo|)eston in \'ermiliou 
 county. L'pon this ])lace he followed farmin).; 
 for twelve years and broujiht his land luider a 
 hi.i;h state of cidtivation. annuall\ jjiatlurins,' 
 therefrom s<"'*l crops. 
 
 .Mr. .\llinijer was married in lloo]>eston, .No- 
 vember Jt>, 1881. to .Miss Liizabeth Dinger, a na- 
 tive of .New York ami a daujjhter of I'eter Dinjier. 
 who was al.so liorn in the Lmpire state aii<l came to 
 lllinoi.s when a younjj man. Sellinjj his propertv 
 near Hi)o])eston. Mr. .Mlinj^er afterward took uj) 
 his abode upon his present farm on section 1, 
 .\rtesia township. He erected the two-story resi- 
 dence which adorns the [ilace and has also i)ut 
 up fjood cribs and sheds and has fenced and tiled 
 his land, transfonninjj it into a valuable farm. 
 In addition to the work of the fields he raises 
 full l)l(K3ded Morjjan horses and Poland China 
 lio!,'s and his stock-raising interests are an im- 
 p(jrtant branch of his business, brinirini.; to him 
 a good financial return. 
 
 I'nto .Mr. and Mrs. .Mlinger have been liiru 
 three children: William, who assists in carrv - 
 ing on the home farni ; .\rla and ('tis, who are 
 al>o under the parental roof. .\lr. .\llinger an! 
 his family atten<l the .Methodist l*".])isco|)al churc'i 
 of I'lucklcy. The wife and mother dietl in 11JO2, 
 at the age of fifty years, and her death was 
 ileeply de|>lored by manv friends as well as her 
 immediate family. 
 
 Where national (|ueslion> ami issues are in- 
 volved .Mr. .\llingcr votes with the democracy 
 but he casts an inde]K-n(lent local ballot. Thirty- 
 eight years ago \k- came to .\merica a \oung man 
 with little more capital than was necessary to 
 meet the cxpcn.ses of the trip, lie possessed 
 courage and determination, however, and a will- 
 ingness to Work thai was mmhi manifest in the 
 
 able service which he rendered difTereni em- 
 l)loyers. IScconiing more familiar with the coun- 
 try and the possibilities offered in dilTerent sec- 
 tions, he resolved to make his home in the middle 
 wcsi and has for more than a third of a century 
 resideil in Illinois. The hope th.it leil him to 
 make this change has been more than realized 
 and here he now has a gotnl home and many 
 friends, while in his business life he has gained 
 that success which is the measure of intlustry and 
 capable management and is the reward of earnest 
 lalxir. 
 
 U()|'.i:UT I-INC II. 
 
 Robert I'incli represents the agricultural life 
 of Irotjuois comUN. owning and o])erating a valu- 
 able and well improved farm of one hundreil and 
 sixty acres, situated on section 20. I'rairic (ireen 
 township, his postoftice being .Ambia, Indiana. 
 He is a native of Warren county. Indiana, born 
 in ( •ctober, 1852. and when two years of age 
 was brought by his parents to Illinois, the family 
 home being established in Irotpiois county, where 
 the son was reared and e<lucated. He remained 
 with his parents until he reachetl mature years, 
 when he started out in life on his own account, 
 his first purchase of land constituting a tract of 
 eighty acres, which he operated during the suc- 
 ceeding twelve years. .\s he prospered in his 
 imderiakings he e.xtended the boundaries of his 
 home place, and later (lis])oscd of that i)roi)erty 
 and invested tlie money in a farm of one hundred 
 and twenty acres situated in Crawford county, 
 which was located in the oil regions. Taking 
 U]) his abode there he further improved the land 
 by the erection of a good barn, and he likewise 
 set out a large orchanl covering thirty acres and 
 Containing many varieties of fruit, lie thus 
 made it a v.iluable property. 
 
 Renting that property Mr. 1-inch returned to 
 lriK|uois county and purch:ised the farm which 
 is his present home, comprising one Inmdrid and 
 si.xty acres situated on section 20. Prairie (Ireen 
 township. He has resided on this place since 
 i.S<)4. .Much of this land was a swamp but b> 
 the judicious n.se of tiling he has drained the 
 lami and maile the fields very productive. He 
 has built fences and otherwise improved the
 
 492 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 place and now has one of the best farms in this 
 section of the county. In addition to his farm- 
 ings interests he devotes much of his time to the 
 raising of stock, includinsr horses, cattle and 
 hofjs and this is proving to him a good source 
 of revenue, lie is ])ractical and methodical in 
 all his work and his labors are bringing him a 
 gratifying measure of prosperity. 
 
 In 1897. in Streator. Illinois, occurred ilu- mar- 
 riage of Mr. I'inch and -Miss .May Iloman, who 
 was born and reared in Iroquois county and was 
 a well educated and cultured young lady. She 
 became the mother of two daughters: Flossie, 
 who died Jnly 13. 1902 : and Mabel, a bright little 
 girl, who is with her father. In Xovember, 
 1904. Mr. l-'inch was called upon to mourn the 
 loss of his wife, whose remains were laid to rest 
 in a cemetery in Crawford county. 
 
 Politically ^Ir. Finch is a stalwart supi)orter 
 of republican principles but he has never been 
 active as an office seeker, for his private business 
 interests have always claimed his entire time and 
 attention. Having resided here from the age 
 of two years Mr. b'inch is well known, having a 
 large acquaintance in llenton county, Indiana. 
 as well as Iroquois and \'ermilion comities, and 
 he is ever reliable and straightforward in all his 
 business dealings and has thereby wim the con- 
 fidence and good will nf all with whom lie has 
 come in contact. 
 
 FRED ALl'.RI-XIIT. 
 
 I'red .\lbrecht is engaged in general farming 
 and stock-raising, his home being on section 32, 
 Iroquois township, and his systematic business 
 methods and enterprise constitute the strong fea- 
 tures in his success. He was born in Prussia. 
 Germany, December 3, 1849, 'i'"^' ^^-^s a young 
 man of nineteen years when in 1868 he came to 
 .\nierica, attracted by the favorable reports 
 which he had heard concerning the opjiortunities 
 aiifl advantages afforded in the new world. Mak- 
 ing his way to Will county, lllin(jis, he there re- 
 sided for a year and afterward went to Ne- 
 braska, where he remained for eleven months 
 looking over the country. In that time he be- 
 came convinced that Illinois offered better ad- 
 
 vantages than the state farther west and retmiied 
 to Will county, where he engaged in the opera- 
 tion of a rented farm. Saving his earnings, he 
 at length acquired capital sufficient to enable him 
 to purchase a farm in Concord township, Iro- 
 quois comity, in 1873. and he took up his abode 
 thereon. He is now the owner of three hundred 
 and thirty acres in the home farm in Iroquois 
 township, two hundred and ten acres in Middle- 
 port township and one hundred and seventy acres 
 in Concord township. He resided in Concord 
 township until 1900. His father had also come 
 to this country and after residing for a time in 
 Michigan removed to Iroquois county in 1874 
 and lived in Concord township until his death. 
 Fred Albrecht has been very prosperous and as 
 his financial resources have increa.sed he has 
 placed his money in the safest of all investments 
 — real estate — and is now the owner of many 
 farms. He has three hundred and thirty acres 
 where he resides on section 32, Iroquois town- 
 ship, which is devoted to general farming and 
 stock-raising. He rai.ses thoroughbred Durham 
 cattle and also hogs and other stock. He has 
 im|)roved his farms and all are in good condi- 
 tion and the investments have been very carefully 
 placed and have therefore returned to him a 
 gratifying income. 
 
 Mr. .\lbrecht was married January 27, 1870, 
 to Miss I-'redericka Kerchman, and they have 
 eight children : Charley W., who is a dealer in 
 general merchandise in Crescent City: Henry, 
 Paul. Robert and Otto, all at home ; Mrs. Minnie 
 \\'alkner, who is living on one of her father's 
 farms : Mrs. George Easter, also living on one 
 of her father's farms ; and Mrs. Samuel Salt- 
 kill, who resides on a farm east of Iroquois. 
 
 X'oting with the republican party since becom- 
 ing a naturalized American citizen. Mr. Albrecht 
 has been most loyal to its interests and is a 
 stanch champion of its principles. He has 
 served as commissioner of highways but other- 
 wise has neither sought nor desired office. P>oth 
 he and his wife arc members of the Lutheran 
 church and he is one of the prominent men of 
 his part of the county. He owns a fine store 
 building in Crescent City, where his son conducts 
 business and his property interests are now ex- 
 tensive and valuable. His business record has 
 been one that an\- man would be proud to pos-
 
 U: > ILUNOIS
 
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^H^ 0^^^ ^^^V^^^^^^^^^^^^^l 
 
 
 ^V Slk^ ^^1 
 
 ^tl.4 
 
 ^1 
 
 
 H 
 
 FRKD AI.I'.KI-.Cin
 
 MRS. FRED ALBRECHT. 
 
 29
 
 UNWERbU^ U^' iLUilOlS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 497 
 
 scss. Ucgiiiniiig at the very bottom round of the 
 ladder, lie has steadily advanced step by step 
 until he is now occupying' a position of promi- 
 nence. Through his entire business career he 
 has been looked upon as a model of integrity 
 and honor, never making an engagement that he 
 has not fulfilled and standing today an example 
 of what determination and force, combined with 
 the iiighest degree of business integrity, can ac- 
 complish for a man of natural ability and strength 
 of character. 
 
 JOHN C". \\ II.Ki:\i\(i. 
 
 J. C Wilkening. engaged in general farm- 
 ing and stock-raising on sections 20 and 29. .\sh 
 Grove township, where his possessions cover one 
 hundre<l and seventy-si.\ acres, was Ixjrn in Will 
 county. Illinois, September 4, 1859. N<> event 
 of s[)ecial importance occurred to vary the 
 routine of farm life ffir him in his boyhood 
 days. He attended the public schools and when 
 not occupied with his te.xt-books worked in the 
 fields, assisting his father on the home farm u]) 
 to the time of his majority and acquiring thereby 
 a practical knowledge of the best methods of 
 conducting farming and. stock-raising interests, so 
 that he was well qualified to engage in business 
 on his own account when he started out in life 
 for himself. 
 
 Mr. Wilkening was married in his native comi- 
 ty, .\pril 29, 1888, to Miss Sophia Lucke, who 
 was born and reared in that county. They re- 
 moved to Inxjuois county, where he had pur- 
 chased a farm tlie year before and ujxni which 
 they began their domestic life. He resolutely 
 umlertook the task of further developing and 
 improving this place and the present attractive 
 twtKStory residence, built in modern style of 
 architecture stands as a monument to his enter- 
 prise, for it was erected under his direction. He 
 has three good barns, one silo, and he keeps 
 everything alxiut his place in excellent repair. 
 He has inrhaps the only farm in this locality 
 with a silo and he puts up ensilege. He has all 
 of the modern farm machinery and thus the work 
 of his fields is greatly facilitated. He has set 
 out much fruit and has drained the I:md. In 
 
 connection with general farming he raises good 
 dairy stock and is engaged quite extensively in 
 the manufacture of butter, the product being of 
 excellent (juality that it finds a most ready sale 
 upon the market. Mr. Wilkening is an alert, 
 enterprising farmer and stock-raiser. He has 
 also bought land in Minnesota and though he 
 commenced life empty-handed he is today a sub- 
 stantial agriculturist with large, valuable and 
 profitable holdings. 
 
 Mr. Wilkening lost iiis first wile in iS<).?. her 
 death having occurred in the month of I'ebruary. 
 She had many friends and her loss occasioned 
 much .sadness to those who knew her. She left 
 two children, Lydia and Tholinda. 
 
 .Mr. Wilkening was married again in Will 
 county, < )ctober 23. 1894, to Miss Bertha Tatge, 
 a native of Will county, who was reared and 
 educated there. Following their marriage they 
 lived in Will county for about two years, as he 
 had his own place rented. I*"ive children have 
 been born of the second union. Amiel. Julia, 
 Tilla. Henry and Willie. 
 
 The i)areiits are members of the Lutheran 
 church, in the faith of which they were reared, 
 and Mr. Wilkening's political views are in har- 
 mony with reiniblican principles. He has 
 served as township clerk for five years and for si.x 
 years has filled the office of justice of the peace, 
 his decisions being strictly fair and impartial, so 
 that he is a most trustworthy official. He is 
 one of the well known public men of the county 
 and is a po])ular citizen, possessing a genial man- 
 ner and cordial disposition as well as public spirit 
 and business enterprise. These qualities have 
 gained for him favorable place in the regard of 
 those who know him. 
 
 CH.\RLES L. PRUITT. 
 
 Charles L. Pruitt is extensively engaged in 
 farming aiul stock-raising. He owns three farms 
 com])risiiig aliout six hundretl acres in Milford 
 :md Lovejoy townships, his home being on sec- 
 tion 3 of the latter tcnvnship. He was also born 
 in that township, his natal day being December 
 4. iS</>. His ])arents were Joseph and .\ugusta 
 (Hurd) I'ruitt. who are meirtioned on aiioiher
 
 498 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 page of this volume. Charles L. I'ruitl was 
 adopted by his uncle. Albert P. Hurd. when but 
 a child and by him was reared upon a farm, while 
 in the district schools he acquired his preliminary 
 education. Later he attended the high school in 
 Wellington and in Milford, and subsequently the 
 Onarga Seminary, thus being well fitted for life's 
 practical and responsible duties by a thorough 
 education. He remained with his uncle until the 
 latter's death and cared for his uncle and aunt 
 during their last days, thus requiting them for 
 the attention and love which they had bestowed 
 upon him in his bo_\'hood and youth. He early 
 became familiar with the work of the farm, as 
 he assisted in the labors of the fields and was 
 thus well prepared to manage a farm when he 
 started out in life for himself. 
 
 ^Ir. Pruitt was married in Sheldon, Illinois, 
 on the 1st of January, 1896, to Miss Alartha 
 B. Smalley, a native of Iroquois county and a 
 daughter of David Smalley, one of the early set- 
 tlers who came to Iroquois county in 1873 and 
 opened up a farm on section 3, Prairie Green 
 township, where he carried on general agricul- 
 tural pursuits for some years, after which he re- 
 moved to Sheldon, where he now resides, having 
 retired from active business life. Airs. Pruitt 
 w'as born and reared here and was educated in 
 the home schools and in the college at Eureka, 
 Illinois. 
 
 Following his marriage Air. Pruitt resided 
 with his uncle for a year and then located on his 
 own farm, wdiich adjoined his uncle's place. He 
 had two hundred and twenty-five acres of land 
 there and he resolutely undertook the task of its 
 further development and improvement. He 
 added to and remodeled the house, built a good 
 barn and large corn crib with elevator and made 
 a neat place. In the spring of 1906 he returned 
 to the old Hurd farm, where he now has a com- 
 fortable home. There is a fine walnut grove 
 on the place, together with much fruit and all 
 of the equipments and accessories of a model 
 farm of the twentieth century. In connection 
 with the cultivation of the soil he also raises 
 good cattle and hogs. He is very successful, 
 owing to his capable management and his long 
 experience. 
 
 Mr. Pruitt is a stalwart advocate of rcpulilican 
 principles, being thoroughly in sympathy with 
 
 the party and its platform. He was elected and 
 served as township school trustee for three years 
 while in Milford township, has likewise been 
 commissioner of highways for three years and 
 yet has never been a politician in the sense of 
 office seeking. His wife is a member of the 
 Christian church at Alilford and Air. Pruitt at- 
 tends its services and contributes liberally to its 
 support. He is identified through membership 
 relations with Alilford lodge. No. 211, K. P. 
 In a review of his life it will be seen that his 
 years have been fraught with earnest toil and he 
 early came to a realization of the fact that in 
 America "labor is king." He knew that to win 
 success he must work diligently and persevering- 
 ly and because of the qualities he has thus mani- 
 fested he has gained a place among the most 
 pros]jerous agriculturists of this part of the state, 
 his landed interests being very extensive and 
 valuable. 
 
 SAIITH S. SIAIPKINS. 
 
 Smith S. Simpkins, a son of .-Vbsalom S. and 
 Elizabeth (Bond) Simpkins and a native of 
 Alontgomery county, Pennsylvania, is living on 
 section 26, Fountain township, where he owns 
 and operates eighty-two acres of land and he is 
 also cultivating a tract of one hundred and sixty 
 acres which he rents. He was born July ly, 
 1853, and was therefore a _\'oung man of twenty- 
 five years when he came to Iroquois county in 
 1886. His parents were also natives of the Key- 
 stone state and the father, who was reared in 
 Alontgomcrv county, was a carpenter by trade. 
 With his family he removed to Brown county, 
 Ohio, in 1855, and, purchasing land there, he 
 engaged in farming until his death, which oc- 
 curred when he was fifty-five years of age. His 
 wife survived him for ten years and died at the 
 age of fifty-seven. 
 
 Smith S. Simpkins, the youngest of their fam- 
 ily of nine children, was reared on the home 
 farm and had good common-school advantages. 
 When fourteen years of age he began earning 
 his own livelihood and was employed at farm 
 labor up to the time of his marriage, which w"as 
 celebrated December 17, 1875, the lady of his 
 choice being Aliss Sarah E. Fr\-, a native of
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 499 
 
 llrowii county, Oliio. and a daiigliUr of Julm 
 Frv, wlio was also born in that state, lie after- 
 ward worked by tbe month for ciijhl years, wlien 
 he removed to Irocinois county, where he rented 
 land and carried on general agricultural pursuits 
 for fifteen years. When he had acijuireil capital 
 sufficient to justify his purchase of a farm he in- 
 vested in eighty-two acres on section 2(>. 1-oun- 
 tain township, where he now resides, and he has 
 since improved the buildings, put up good fences, 
 laid tiling and otherwise developed a good farm. 
 I'or the last tliree years he has also leased and 
 cultivated one hundred and sixty acres, and hi; 
 makes a specialty of raising thoroughbred Poland 
 China hogs. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Simpkins have become the par- 
 ents of two sons. Emmet married Tabitha Judv. 
 a daughter of Jehu Judy, and they have a daugh- 
 ter, Ldith. They live upon a farm in Fountain 
 township. Charles, who married Sylvia Reed, 
 is also an agriculturist of I'ountain townshijj. 
 The parents are members of the United IJrethren 
 churcli, of which Mr. Simpkins is a trustee, and 
 he has never missed an election since casting his 
 first presidential vote for Grant. He docs not 
 seek office, preferring his farming interests. 
 
 GEORGE RI\'.\RU. 
 
 George Rivard, in former years identified with 
 farming interests but now living retired in Clif- 
 ton, yet owns lw<> hundred and forty acres of 
 land in .\shkum township, together with other 
 properly interests that rank him with the sub- 
 stantial residents of Iroquois county. He was 
 the ninth in order of birth in a family of ten 
 children whose parents were .\. C. and ( Icneva 
 (Ern'l Rivard. and was born in Montreal. Can- 
 ada, on the iCt[h of .September, 1835. His edu- 
 cational i)rivileges were somewhat limited but 
 experience, reading and observation have added 
 greatly to his knowledge. He came to the I'nited 
 States in 1845. when a youth of ten years, and 
 took up his abode at P.ourbonnais Grove in Kan- 
 kakee county, Illinois. 
 
 There he remained until 185 1, when at llie 
 age f)f sixteen years he went to California to take 
 up a mining claim. Making his w.tv ■• k! w.nil 
 
 to New York, he thence proccced by boat <lown 
 the .\tlantic coast and crossed the isthnuis by 
 the Nicarauga route. While on the ship an epi- 
 demic of yellow fever broke out on board and 
 alxjut twenty of the passengers died. When the 
 vessel reached the San I'rancisco wharf Mr. 
 Rivard was laid out in one of the warehouses for 
 dead, but some one discovered that life was not 
 extinct and lie was taken to the government 
 hospital, where he was later laid out a second 
 time for dead. Again he revived and his strength 
 gradually returned, .\fter three and a half 
 months spent in the hospital he went to Placer 
 county, California, where he staked out a claim 
 and for five years he had the varied ex]x"riences 
 of a frontier miner of that period. In 1857 he 
 returned to his old home in Kankake county, Illi- 
 nois, but in 1858 he again suffered an attack of 
 gold fever and went to Pike's Peak, thus start- 
 ing west a second time to try his fortune as a 
 miner. On reaching his destination, however, he 
 did not like the looks of the place, so made his 
 way to Salt Lake City, Utah. He was no bet- 
 ter suited there and returned to Kansas, where 
 he homesteaded a quarter section of land, .\fter 
 acquiring a title to that property he returned to 
 Kankakee county, Illinois, in 1859. The follow- 
 ing year he purchased a farm in Ashkum town- 
 shi]). which he still owns and which he contin- 
 uously and successfully ci])crated until 1896, 
 bringing the fields under a high state of cultiva- 
 tion and adding many modern improvements. In 
 1896 he put aside the arduous duties inciflcnt to 
 cultivating the farm and removed to Clifton, 
 where he now resides. Here he has three and a 
 half acres of land and a comfortable residence 
 built in modern style of architecture. He also 
 owns two hundred and forty acres of land in 
 Lvon county, Kansas, in addition to his valuable 
 farm of two hundred and forty acres in Ashkum 
 township. 
 
 ( )n the 2''>th of July. 1862, Mr. Rivard was 
 united in marriage at St. .\nne. Illinois, to Miss 
 .\dclaide Drolet, and unto them have been born 
 twelve children : Ferdinand, Leona, Willie, 
 Lena, .\da, Josephine, Phillip, .Xdolph. Laura, 
 .\nita, Lizzie and .\ima. His own lack of edu- 
 cation and the disadvantages from which he 
 snlterod thereby led Mr. Rivard to provide his 
 children with ixiclli iit opiiortniiilies in th;it di-
 
 ;oo 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 rection and all have had the privilege of at- 
 tending good schools. 
 
 Since coming to the United States Mr. Rivard 
 has been loyal in his attachment to the country 
 and its interests and in 1862 he made application 
 for enlistment in the Union Army but was re- 
 jected on account of physical disability. In 1858 
 he was employed as teamster, hauling government 
 supplies on the frontier for a few months. He 
 cast his first presidential vote for James Buchanan 
 and has always been a stalwart advocate of de- 
 mocracy, and while on the farm he served as 
 pathmaster at various times but has not been 
 active as a politician in the sense of office seek- 
 ing. Both he and his wife are members of the 
 Catholic church of Clifton. 
 
 JAMES I. GORDON. 
 
 James I. Gordon is a retired farmer who re- 
 sides on section 21, Ashkum township, where 
 he owns one hundred and forty-four acres of 
 land. He is a son of James and Jennie Gordon, 
 who were of English and Scotch descent, and his 
 birth occurred in Cambridgeshire, England, July 
 29, 1829. He was the eldest in a family of four 
 children, the others being Henry and Joseph, 
 twins ; and Nancy. 
 
 James I. Gordon remained in his native coun- 
 try until twenty-one years of age, when, on the 
 20th of June, 1850, he sailed from England and 
 after a seven weeks' voyage landed at New York. 
 He lived in Livingston and Genesee counties, 
 that state, until 1857, when he came to Illinois, 
 settling in Kankakee, where he resided until 
 1865. He then removed to Ashkum township. 
 Iroquois county, and has since lived in this lo- 
 cality. His life has been devoted to general 
 agricultural pursuits and as the years have passed 
 he has gained a good financial return as the 
 reward for his enterprise and diligence. 
 
 Mr. Gordon was married to Miss Olive Hough- 
 ton, at Rockvillc, Illinois, November 18, i860, 
 and they have become the parents of thirteen 
 children : Nelson J., a carpenter by trade, living 
 in South Dakota ; Herrick J., who follows farm- 
 ing in Danforth township, Iroquois county; 
 Henry, deceased ; Frank E., an nttnrncv of Osce- 
 
 ola, Iowa; George S., who has departed this life; 
 Lizzie I., the wife of Frank A. Johnston, a resi- 
 dent farmer of Ashkum township ; Wilmer A., 
 deceased ; Minnie I., the wife of Charles Dusing, 
 of Pocahontas, Iowa ; Lillie B., the wife of 
 Alfred Bernard, a carpenter of Atlanta, \\"iscon- 
 sin; Clarence L., who married Viola Peters and 
 is a telegraph operator on the Illinois Central 
 Railroad, located at Irwin, Illinois ; Newton E., 
 who married ^liss Lizzie Houghton and is a 
 farmer of Ashkum township ; Walter E., who 
 married Anna Neubewer and is a farmer of Ash- 
 kum township ; and Fred A., who wedded Anna 
 Jacobs and operates his father's farm. 
 
 In politics Mr. Gordon is a very emphatic re- 
 publican, having supported the party throughout 
 his entire life. He has served as school director 
 for the past ten years and the cause of education 
 finds in him a warm friend. He belongs to the 
 Methodist Episcopal church in the village of 
 Ashkum and his life has been in harmony with 
 his professions. Mr. Gordon has now passed the 
 seventy-seventh milestone on the journey of life 
 and since attaining his majority has been a' resi- 
 dent of America. No native son is more loyal to 
 the interests of the country and in the new world 
 lie foimd good business opportunities and is today 
 enabled to live in comfort and ease, leaving to 
 others the arduous cares of the farm and its 
 business management. 
 
 GEORGE SOWERS IIU.MMER. 
 
 George Sowers Hummer is the leading hard- 
 ware merchant of Sheldon and one of the prom- 
 inent Masons of this part of the state. Since 
 1 881 he has been continuously connected with 
 the commercial interests of the town, and in Shel- 
 don his name has become known as a syuduym 
 for business enterprise and integrity. A native 
 of Pennsylvania, he was born in York county, 
 [uue ,^0, 1845, li's parents being John and Julia 
 Ann (Sowers) Hummer, the former a native of 
 Pennsylvania, while the mother came of Holland 
 ancestry. John Hummer was a merchant and 
 also followed farming for a time. He died in 
 Pennsylvania, where four of his children are yet
 
 MR. AXI) MRS. lAMKS I. GORDON'.
 
 Li: iHt 
 
 urgivERsnv of Illinois
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 503 
 
 living. Tlicrc wore six in tlic family, .nnd five 
 still survive. 
 
 Cieor^c J^mviTS llnmmer. the only ri-i>reM.nta- 
 tivc of the family in Illinois, was eilucaled in the 
 Keystone state and in early business life spent 
 one year in a hardware store at York, remisyl- 
 vania. Later he attended the Cumbcrlaml In- 
 stitute and afterward OJiuinued his education in 
 the York County Academy in rennsylvania. He 
 then went upon the railroad as conductor for 
 si.x years on a freight and traffic line, but think- 
 ing to enjoy still better business oi)portnnities in 
 the middle west he came to Sheldon in A])ril, 
 1881, and established a hardware store, which 
 he has since conducted. He is now the oldest 
 business man in the city in years of continuous 
 connection witii mercantile interests. He carries 
 a complete line of shelf and heavy hardware, and 
 his store is located in the central i)art of the 
 business district. All of tiie time he has con- 
 tinued in one building save for about three years, 
 when he occupied the adjoining building, and he 
 is known as the leading hardware merchant in 
 Sheldon. 
 
 Mr. Hummer was married in Pennsylvania to 
 Miss I-'rances A. Myers, who was born in .\dams 
 county, that state, and was a sister of Mr. Myers, 
 a shoe dealer of Sheldon. They had no children 
 but reared an ado])ted son from the age of seven 
 years. He is now a young man and has for some 
 years been associated with Mr. Hummer in busi- 
 ness. His proper name is P. Ingles Darnell but 
 he is everywhere known by the name of I. 1). 
 Hummer. He married ^liss Dora McKccver. 
 of .'^heldon, and they have one child. Mr. Hum- 
 mer lost his wife July 31. i<)0^. She was a de- 
 vout member of the Presbyterian church and a 
 lady of many excellent traits of heart and iiiind. 
 so that she endeared herself to a large circle of 
 friends. 
 
 Politically Mr. Hummer is a republican and 
 for two years has served as supervisor of Shel- 
 don tfiwnship. He has been a member of the 
 town board of .Sheldon since May 2, H;oO, and 
 is now clerk of the Ixjard. He is also city clerk 
 of .^hcldon and his eflforts in behalf of comnnmity 
 interests are far-reaching and bineficial. More- 
 over, he is one of the distinguished Masons of 
 this part of the state, having attained the thirty- 
 second degree of the Scottish rite. He belongs 
 
 to Sheldon lodge, No. Gcxj, .\. F. & .\. M., \an 
 Rensselaer lodge of Perfection, at Chicago and 
 the Ciiicago council of the Princes of Jerusalem, 
 (lorgas cha|)ter <.)f the Rose of Croix, at Chicago, 
 and Oriental consistory S. P. R. S.. at Chiaigo. 
 He is likewise identified with W'atseka cha])ter, 
 Xo. 114. R. .\. M.. Watseka council, R. & 
 S. M.. Mary commandery, No. 67, K. T., 
 at Watseka. and .Sheldon chapter. No. 485. O. 
 !•'. .^., together with the National \'eteran .\sso- 
 ciation. at Chicago. He has held many offices 
 in the blue lodge at Sheldon and was worshipful 
 master for six years. He has also been district 
 deputy grand master from this district and has 
 also been grand steward of the grand lodge. He 
 was one of the members of Fraternal C<iurtesy 
 commandery for four years. He took an active 
 part in the organization of the Eastern Star chap- 
 ter at Sheldon, to which his wife also belonged, 
 and he has always been nnich interested in lodge 
 work, being one of the best posted Masons in 
 the county, thoroughly in sympathy with the 
 teachings, tenets and purposes of the craft. He 
 holds membership in the Presbyterian church and 
 his life displays those traits which work for hon- 
 orable, upright character and which render the 
 life of the individual of benefit to his fellowmen. 
 
 FRANK M. CR ANCLE. 
 
 Frank M. Crangle. a lawyer ])racticing at the 
 bar of lro(|uois county as a member of the firm of 
 Crangle & \"cnnum. one of the strongest law 
 firms of Watseka. was born in ( irundy county. 
 Illinois. January 3. 1861. His father. James 
 Crangle. now living retired, at (iilman, was for 
 many years identified with agricultural interests 
 in .\sh Grove township. He was Ixirn in Coimty 
 Down, Ireland. March 17, 1832, on the farm 
 where his father, James Crangle. was born and 
 reared. His mother bore the maiden name of 
 Mary I'.rennan. and in 1840 the family sailed for 
 .\merica, the vessel on which they t<wk passage 
 weighing anchfjr at \\'arren Point, on the 23d 
 of .\])ril. and reaching the harbor of New York 
 on the 28th day of May. With his wife and 
 children James Crangle, Sr., m.ide his way to 
 (irundv countv, Illinois, ami worked <in the canal,
 
 504 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 but his death occurred about 1843, after which 
 his widow returned to Ireland. Both were iiieni- 
 bcrs of the Catholic church. 
 
 James Crangle, Sr., was only eight years of 
 age at the time of the emigration to the new 
 world, and when a youth of ten he began earning 
 his living as a farm hand, being in the employ 
 of one man for seven years. He carefully saved 
 his earnings during that period, and at length 
 his capital justified his purchase of eighty acres 
 of land, whereon he engaged in farming in 
 Grundy county until 1869, save for the period 
 of his services in the Civil war. On the loth of 
 August, 1862, he enlisted in support of the Union 
 cause, becoming a member of Company D, Sev- 
 enty-second Illinois Infantry, which was organ- 
 ized at Chicago, Colonel Fred .Starring being 
 in command. The troops were sent south to 
 Cairo, thence to Columbus, Kentucky, to Oxford, 
 Mississippi, and afterward to ^lemphis, Tennes- 
 see, where the winter was passed. In the spring 
 they started from Wilkin's Bend for \'icksburg 
 by way of Grand Gulf, participating in the battle 
 of Champion Hill under (jeneral Grant. In a 
 charge of \'icksburg Company D lost half of its 
 number but continued to participate in the siege 
 until the surrender of the city on the 4th of 
 July. With his regiment .Mr. Crangle went to 
 Natchez and spent the following winter in \'icks- 
 burg on provost duty. Jjecause of impaired 
 health he was brevetted to the \'eteran Reserve 
 Corps and for two or three months was stationed 
 at Fort Lincoln in Washington, while the re- 
 mainder of his service was in guarding prisoners 
 at Rock Island, where he was honorably dis- 
 charged July 17, 1863. 
 
 When the country no longer needed his aid Mr. 
 Crangle returned to his home in Grundy county 
 and was there extensively engaged in raising 
 stock. In 1869 he removed to Iroquois county 
 and purchased a farm of two hundred acres on 
 section 6, Ash Grove township, which he im- 
 proved and made his home until 1893, when he 
 retired to Gilman, where he is now residing in 
 the enjoyment of the fruits nf his former toil. 
 
 On the 29th of November. 1855, James 
 Crangle was married in Pirookfield townshiii. La 
 Salle county. Illinois, to Miss Bridget O'Farrcll. 
 a native of (Ottawa, and a daughter of Frank and 
 Marv CCarev') O'Farrell. Unto tliem were born 
 
 thirteen children, of whom ten are now living. 
 The seven youngest were natives of this county 
 and the others were born in Grundy county. 
 James Crangle and his family are all communi- 
 cants of the Catholic church and he has been 
 president of the Farmers Mutual Benevolent As- 
 sociation. In former years he held membership 
 with Williams post. No. 25, G. .\. R.. at Wat- 
 seka, and later became connected with Crescent 
 post. No. 717, G. A. R., and now the post at Gil- 
 man. With the exception of the \ear 1864, 
 when he supported Lincoln at the polls Mr. 
 Crangle has been a stalwart democrat since cast- 
 ing his first presidential ballot for James 
 Buchanan. He has held some local ofiices and 
 has frequently attended the conventions of his 
 partv, and is now, and has been for several years 
 alderman of his city. His residence in the state 
 covers a period of two-thirds of a century and 
 he justly merits the rest which he is now 
 enjoying. 
 
 Frank M. Crangle was reared upon his father's 
 farm. He early gave evidence of the trend of 
 his mind toward intellectual pursuits and logical- 
 ly entered upon a professional career. After 
 attending the district schools he spent one year 
 in Grand Prairie Seminary, at Onarga, and after 
 passing an examination in the spring of 1876 
 was awarded a teacher's certificate and taught his 
 first school in the following autumn in the Search 
 Underwood district, although not then seventeen 
 years of age. During the succeeding six years 
 he taught school and at intervals attended the 
 Grand Prairie Seminary. In 1886, he entered 
 u]K)n the service, which continued four years, 
 as principal of the graded schools of Crescent 
 City, and in i8i)o, after three months spent as 
 teacher of the Buckley schools, he resigned to 
 acce])l the office of couiUy su])erintendent of 
 schools, to which he was then elected. While the 
 usual republican majority in the county had 
 lirevinusK- been more than seven hundred, upon 
 the democratic ticket he received a majority of 
 five himdred and ninety-one votes, which indi- 
 cated his |)ersonal ])iipularily and the cunfidence 
 of his fellow townsmen reposed in his professional 
 aliility. \\'hile engaged in teaching his leisure 
 hours were devoted to the study of law. and after 
 securing admission to the bar he practiced for a 
 year alone in Watseka. He then formed a part-
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 505 
 
 nershii) with Robert Doyle, tin.- sajjc of tlic Im- 
 qiiois county bar and this tirin was continued for 
 three years when Mr. Doyle went to California. 
 He then became the senior member of the firm 
 of Crangle & \'cnnum, which is still in existence. 
 Thev have been comiectetl with litii;ated interests 
 in all the ditferent courts, includinji various 
 cases in the supreme court and Mr. Craiifjle is 
 recognized as a man who has dis|ila\eil broad 
 and accurate knowledge concerning the |)rincii)les 
 of jurisprudence, and is logical in his deductions 
 ami sound in his argument. He has won a ])osi- 
 tion of niore than local distinction at the bar and 
 his clientage is constantly increasing. 
 
 Mr. Cranglc's jKilitical affiliations have always 
 been with the democracy, and he is recognized as 
 one of the leaders of the party, having been elected 
 in i&X). aud again in i8<;4. to represent his dis- 
 trict in the state legislature and is at this ilate 
 chairman of the Irocpiois county democratic cen- 
 tral committee. Fraternally he is connected with 
 the Knights of Pythias, the Independent ( )rder 
 of Odd Fellows and the Modern Wocxlmen, while 
 his religious faith is that of the Catholic church. 
 He is a ready and fluent speaker and is the orator 
 for many fraternal meetings held in IriHiuois 
 county and elsewhere. Endowed by nature with 
 strong mentality, possessing a laudable ambition 
 to win success, he has so directed his labors that 
 he has made constant advancement in those lines 
 of life demanding honesty, intellectuality and un- 
 faltering activity. His life motto is. ".Never do 
 anything for which you have to apologize." 
 
 II. N. T.XLnERT. 
 
 H. N. Talbert, who is now living retired in 
 Onarga, was for many years an active and pros- 
 perous fanner and stock-raiser of Onarga town- 
 shi]) and is still the owner of a well improved 
 and valuable farm of one hundred and si.xty 
 acres. Moreover, he is a native son of the coun- 
 ty, his birth having occurred on the old home 
 farm I'ebruary 29. 1856, and as the years have 
 come and gone he has kept pace with the general 
 |>rogress which has converted a wild and un- 
 broken district into one of the riilii-»l .isjriciil- 
 
 tural counties of this great state. His father, 
 ( leorge Talbcrt, came to Illinois from Pennsyl- 
 vania. He was married in liuliana and located 
 in ( >narga township, where he secured a tract of 
 wild land and transformetl it into a fertile farm. 
 When the country became involved in civil war 
 and needed the aid of her loyal sons he joined the 
 army as a member of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry 
 and died in the field hospital in Missouri in 1862, 
 thus giving his life as a ransom for the cause 
 of the Union. His wife had died about i8<Jo. 
 Their family numbered three sons, of whom 
 Fdward died when a xouml; man of eighteen 
 years. 
 
 From early youth II. .\. lalbert has been 
 dependent uyinn his own resources. He was left 
 an ori)han when only six years old and his early 
 education was acquired in the public schools, 
 while later he attended a seminary at Onarga 
 for five terms. When he reached manhood he 
 sought a companion and hel])mate for the jour- 
 ney of life and was married in Onarga township, 
 Januar) 7. iS/t). to Miss .\nna Lyman, who was 
 born in Illinois and was reared here. She is a 
 lady of culture and refinement, having been pro- 
 vided with gixid educational privileges and siir. 
 rounded in her girlhood days with the environ- 
 ments of a ])leasant home. 
 
 Following his marriage Mr. Talbert resolutely 
 t(X>k up the work of cultivating and improving 
 his farm and as the years passed he ailded many 
 modern e(|uipments. He rected a gtKxl residence 
 and in the rear jiut up substantial barns and corn 
 cribs. He also added stock scales and a wind 
 pump to the ])lace, together with the latest im- 
 proved machinery for the work of the fields. 
 Many rods of tiling were jilaced upon his land, 
 thus draining it of the superlluous moisture and 
 rendering it much more productive. Fences ap- 
 portione<l the farm into fields of convenient size 
 and in connection with the work of raising 
 cereals Mr. Talbert engaged in raising and feed- 
 ing stock, finding this a profitable source of in- 
 come. He bred and raised a colt that won third 
 premium at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. 
 He made a specialty of standard-bred horses and 
 also good hogs, which he fattened for the mar- 
 ket. His time and energies were thus given to 
 general agricultural interests until 1901, when 
 he left the farm and removed to ( )narL'a. where
 
 5o6 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 he purchased a fine residence that he now 
 occupies. 
 
 The home of Mr. and Mrs. Talbert has, been 
 blessed with four children. Lyman, who is mar- 
 ried and operates the old home farm, has two 
 children, Helen and Ralph. Clara is the wife of 
 Charles Gray, a farmer of Onarga township, and 
 they have one son. Nelson. Jessie, the youngest 
 of the family, is at home. Mr. and ^Irs. Talbert 
 also lost one child, Z^Iyrtle, in infancy. 
 
 Politically !Mr. Talbert is a stalwart republican. 
 He served as a member of the school board but 
 otherwise held nor desired public office. He filled 
 all of the offices in the Onarga lodge of Odd 
 Fellows, of which he is now a past grand and 
 also the treasurer, and for two years he repre- 
 sented the lodge in the grand lodge, while he and 
 his w^ife are connected with the Rebekah degree. 
 Investigation into his life history shows much 
 that is commendable. Left an orphan at an early 
 age, without the guiding influence of a good 
 home to shape character and set an example for 
 business activity and upright living, he neverthe- 
 less has made good use of his opportunities and 
 with firm and unfaltering purpose he resolutely 
 accomplished the task which he set for himself 
 and gained a place among the substantial resi- 
 dents of his community. His business methods, 
 too, have been thoroughly reliable and trust- 
 worthy, and he is greatly esteemed in Onarga and 
 throughout the countv bv all who know him. 
 
 WILLIAM 
 
 [IMISOX. 
 
 William H. Jimison, a resident of Iroquois 
 county since 1872, is well known as an exten- 
 sive buyer and shipper of stock, shipping on an 
 average of about forty carloads per year. He 
 lives in Onargo township, owning a good farm 
 of two hundred and twenty-five acres on sections 
 35 and 36. His close application to his business, 
 his keen foresight and sagacity, have been the 
 salient features in his success and his life record 
 is one that might be profitably followed by others. 
 
 Piorn in Missouri, he first opened his eyes to 
 the light of day in Schuyler county, September 
 lo, 1858. His father, James C. Jimison, was 
 likewise a native nf that state, born in Pike coun- 
 
 i\, where the days of his boyhood and youth 
 were passed. There he wedded Mary Ashworth, 
 a native of Indiana, and subsequently he removed 
 to Schuyler county, where he carried on farm- 
 ing for a number of years. In 1872 he took up 
 his abode in Iroquois county, Illinois, making 
 the journev across the countrj- with a team. He 
 located on a farm at Ash Grove, where he carried 
 on general agricultural pursuits for several years, 
 but he is now li\'ing retired, his home being at 
 \\'atseka. Through a long period he carried on 
 the work of tilling the soil and harvesting his 
 crops and as the years passed he added annually 
 to his income until his competence is now suffi- 
 cient to enable him to rest from further labor. 
 
 William H. Jimison was a youth of fourteen 
 years when he accompanied his parents on their 
 removal from Missouri to Illinois. He was 
 afl^'orded good common-school advantages and 
 he received ample and practical training at farm 
 laljor, aiding his father in the improvement and 
 cultivation of the homestead property until after 
 he had attained his majority and started out in 
 life on his own account. 
 
 He was married in ( )narga township, on the 
 2r)th of January, 1881, to ]\Iiss Luary Crumrine, a 
 native of Ohio, who was reared, however, in this 
 ciiunty. where her father, Peter Crumrine, lo- 
 cated at a very early day, coming from Ohio. 
 Following their marriage the young couple set- 
 tled upon a rented farm in Ash Grove township, 
 where they lived for three years. They after- 
 ward rented the Grove place in Onarga town- 
 ship for four years and during that period lived 
 economically and frugally. The financial return 
 from the crops which they harvested was care- 
 fully put away for the purpose of some day in- 
 vesting in land and about seven years after their 
 marriage Mr. Jimison purchased one hundred 
 and fortv-fivc acres of the Boswell place in 
 Onarga township. Here he has since resided, 
 and with characteristic energy he began the task 
 of further developing and improving the prop- 
 erty. He keeps in touch with modern progress 
 along agricultural lines and a glance at his place 
 indicates his careful supervision and practical 
 methods. In the midst of richly cultivated fields 
 stand good farm buildings, which include not 
 only a comfortable residence but barns, cribs and 
 sheds for the shelter of grain and stock. He also
 
 W. H. JBIISOX.
 
 I 
 
 ILLIMOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 5oy 
 
 has stock scales and inaii_\ nuKlcrii «|uij)incnls 
 and much of tlic latest iinprnvcil macliiiury. 
 Since liis orifjinal purchase was made he has 
 added cijjhty acres to the farm, so tliat he now 
 has an excellent property of about two hun- 
 dred and twenty-five acres. Tiie tiling that he 
 has done has draineil his land and made the 
 fields very productive. He has also built fences 
 which divide the farm into fields of convenient 
 size or into pastures whereon his live stock 
 grazes, for he raises and feeds both cattle and 
 hops, shipping about a carload of cattle and the 
 same i>f hogs each year. In connection with his 
 brother. E. L. Jimison, he owns residence prop- 
 erty in W'atscka. Mis business is carefully man- 
 aged and his diligence and jjerseverancc havv 
 resulted in gaining for him a desirable place 
 among the substantial residents of the county. 
 In i8t>8 he suffered an accident, falling and 
 breaking his ankle. I'Vom this injury he has 
 never fully recovered. 
 
 Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jimison lias been born one 
 son. l^arl H.. still at home. Mr. Jimison is 
 prominent in their ranks of the ( )dd I'elows so- 
 ciety and has passed all the chairs in the local 
 lodge at Onarga and is now a past grand. He 
 has also been one of the representatives to the 
 gran<l lodge of the state and is a member of 
 Paxton camp, while he and his wife are C'ln- 
 nected with the Rebekah degree. .Mr. Jimison 
 likewise affiliates with the Modern W'ooilmen of 
 .\merica and the Code of Honor. Politically he 
 is a democrat. He believes in good schools and 
 the eniphnnient of competent teachers and dur- 
 ing fifteen years' service on the school board has 
 put forth effective effort in behalf of the system 
 of ])iiblic education. 
 
 It is a well known fact that imder the pressme 
 of a<lversity and the stimulus of necessity the 
 best and strongest in men are brought out and 
 developed and it is therefore natural that the rec- 
 ord which the .\merican citizen holds in greatest 
 hcjiior is the record of a self-made man. Mr. 
 Jimison deserves all the praise which that term 
 implies, for on attaining his majority he had no 
 capital save a strong determination and willing 
 hands. He eagerly embraced every opportunity 
 that was oflFcred. however, and as the years have 
 gone by has gained a creditable position in the 
 business world, where he is widelv known for 
 
 his activity and reliability. Through struggles 
 to success seems to have been his watchword and 
 at all events it is the epitome of his life reconl. 
 
 M.NRTIX IIEXKi:. 
 
 Martin Henke. living on section 1. .\lillord 
 township, possesses the spirit of enterprise and 
 determination that brooks no obstacles but car- 
 ries forward to successful completion whatever 
 he undertakes. He has been a resident of the 
 county since 1873 and was born in Prussia, (ier- 
 many. on the 3d of November, 1854. so that he 
 was about nineteen years of age when he t(X)k 
 up his abode here. His father, John Henke, was 
 also a native of (iermany. where he livetl and 
 died. He was a carpenter by trade and thus 
 provided for his family. His wife. Caroline 
 Kopinski. was also a native of (iermany. and 
 they became the parents of twelve children, of 
 whom Martin is the youngest. 
 
 Martin Henke earned his own livelihood when 
 quite young in (Germany, learning and following 
 the carpenter's trade. He had good school ad- 
 vantages and when in his twentieth year he came 
 to .\merica. sailing from Hamburg to Hull, h'ng- 
 land. thence proceeding to Liverpool, where he 
 embarkeil on a westward Imund steamer that 
 dro])]X'd anchor in the harbor of Philadeliihia. 
 Making his way westward to Chicago he after- 
 ward came to Inxpiois county, where he began 
 work as a farm hand, remaining in the service 
 of one employer for eight years — a fact which 
 indicated his capability and trustworthiness; but 
 desiring that his labors should more directly 
 benefit himself he rented a farm and has since 
 engaged in farming on his own account. He 
 was on the Logeman farm for fourteen years, 
 on the e.Ni)iration of which ])criod he took up his 
 abode on the farm belonging to J. ("lolrlstein. 
 where he lived for five years. In 1890 he rented 
 the Julia Scott farm of tiiree hundred and thirty- 
 nine acres, which he has since conducted, and 
 in addition to tilling the .soil he has engaged in 
 breeding and dealing in hor.ses, cattle and hogs. 
 
 .Mr. Henke was married r)ctober 8. 1882. to 
 Miss Mary .Ann Tiborski. a native of Germany 
 and a daughter of Felix Tilwr.ski. who was like-
 
 ;io 
 
 PAST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 wise born in tlic fatherland and who came to 
 Iroquois county in i88o. He died here, leaving 
 a wife who still survives him. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Henke are the parents of ten children : John, 
 who married Emma Xatschke and is living in 
 Milford; Anna M. and Frank, both at home; 
 Martha, who occupies a position in Chicago; 
 Lena ; Mary ; Carrie ; Justina ; Julia ; and ^lartin. 
 Mr. Henke is a republican and has served as 
 school director but has never sought office as the 
 reward of party fealty. He belongs to the 
 Modern Woodmen camp at ilillord and also to 
 the Masonic lodge there, and he and his wife 
 attend the Lutheran church. He has never had 
 occasion to regret his determination to seek a 
 home in America, for he has had good business 
 opportunities here and has made steady progress, 
 winning a goodly measure of success as a farmer 
 and breeder of stock. 
 
 WirJJAM MURPHY. 
 
 William Murphy, living on section 20, Che- 
 banse township, has extensive landed possessions, 
 owning and cultivating four hunded acres. He 
 was born in Hinsdale, Massachusetts, November 
 27, 1856, and is a son of James IMurphy, a native 
 of Ireland, in which country he was reared. He 
 there married Catherine Kirk, and in the '40s 
 they came to the United States. They were the 
 parents of four children. In 1857 they became 
 residents of La Salle county, Illinois, where the 
 father followed farming until his death, which 
 occurred in 1859, when he was thirty-two years 
 of age. Later Mrs. Murphy was married in La 
 Salle county to Frank Cooley, and they remained 
 in that locality until 1867, when they removed 
 to Iroquois county. Here Mr. Cooley purchased 
 a quarter section of land and turned his attention 
 to farming, spending his subsequent \ears in 
 Chebanse township, his last days being passed 
 in the village of Chebanse. wJurc his death oc- 
 curred in 1896. His wife had died the previous 
 year when seventy-four years of age. There 
 was but one child of that marriage. 
 
 William Muri)hy remained with his mother 
 and came with her and his stepfather to Iro- 
 quois county in 1867. The common schools 
 
 afforded him his educational privileges and he 
 was reared to farm life, early gaining practical 
 knowledge of the best methods of tilling the soil. 
 He was twenty-one years of age when he took 
 charge of the home farm, renting the land from 
 Mr. Cooley. His first purchase made him owner 
 of eighty acres, and five years later he bought 
 eighty acres more. 
 
 Having made arrangements for having a home 
 of his own ^Ir. Murphy was married un the 
 15th of January, 1882, to Miss Alary Lynch, a 
 native of Iroquois county and a daughter of 
 Philip Lynch, one of the old-time settlers of Che- 
 banse township. In 1892 Mr. Murphy built a 
 two-story house and barn and has added all other 
 equipments and accessories necessary to a model 
 farm. He has a large crib forty by forty-two 
 feet, with sixteen foot posts and this has an ele- 
 vator, he being one of the first in the county to 
 ])ut in an elevator. He has done a great deal of 
 tiling and the farm is lacking in none of the 
 modern accessories. He raises good grades of 
 stock and feeds his grain. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Murphy are the parents of five 
 children, William J., Louis Arthur. Burt J., 
 Frank and Irene, all of whom are still under the 
 parental roof. Mr. ]\Iurphy votes independently 
 at local elections but where national issues are 
 involved supports the principles of democracy. 
 For twenty years he has served as school director 
 but otherwise has filled no public offices. He 
 affiliates with the Knights of Columbus and he 
 and his family attend the Catholic church at 
 (."heljansc. His years have been characterized 
 b\- an unfaltering diligence and perseverance and 
 through this means he has acquired the 
 property which classes him with the substantial 
 agriculturists of the countv. 
 
 J. D. HAWK. 
 
 J. D. Hawk, of Pittwood, formerly a member 
 of the firm of Gregory & Hawk, is now local 
 representatives of the R. F. Cummings Grain 
 Company, which company operates a number of 
 elevators in this locality with the head office at 
 Clifton. Mr. Hawk is the eldest son of William 
 S. and Harriet (Reed) Hawk and was born
 
 MR. AND MRS. J. D. HAWK. 
 
 30
 
 (_■:■ .riE 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 5'.? 
 
 June 3. 1H04, ill Loda li>\vnslii|). bin wliilf Ik- 
 was quite youiifj his parents rcnioveil to .Middle- 
 |)i)rl. sii lliat almost his entire life has been passed 
 in Ir(H|nois couiit\. lie had one brother, Ld- 
 ward, and two sisters, Mrs. Clara ( iiltillan and 
 .Mi.ss .\land Hawk. 
 
 J. 1). llawk was at one time a resident farmer 
 of Middleport township and has a wide ac(|naint- 
 ance in the vicinity of Watseka. I'or a Ion,!.; 
 |)eriod he has Ix-en connected with the jjrain 
 trade, jmrchasinp grain in several localities. Ik- 
 was for a short time in .\ttica. Indiana, but has 
 spent the greater part of his life in Illinois, lie 
 .served as i)ostmaster for two years while locate<l 
 at Lodge, Illinois, and he was also engaged in 
 the grain business there. He located a second 
 time in i'ittwood in December, 1905. and now 
 occni)ies a cozy home in this town near the ele- 
 vator where he is em|)Ioyed. .\s a reiirescntative 
 o( R. 1'". Cnminings he hamlles a large grain trade 
 in this locality and is thoroughly conversant with 
 the grain business, so that his efforts are of value 
 to his employers and al.so a source of good income 
 to himself. 
 
 .Mr. Hawk was married on the 141I1 of .\pril. 
 n>oo. the lady of his choice being Miss Wealthy 
 Canady. who was born May 23, 1880, and their 
 children are Winifred May, who was born July 
 2j. i</)2: ( )ral Louise. l)orn .\])ril 11. ii)(J3: and 
 lulward Sydney, born l-'ebrnary 17, HjoCt. 
 
 .\Ir. Hawk has a wide circle of ac(|uaintances 
 and enjoys the confidence of the jniblic in a 
 business way. He votes the re])nblic:m ticket 
 and keeps well informed on the (|neslions and 
 issues of the day. I le is also a member of the 
 ( )dd I'ellows lodge ami of Iroquois encampment. 
 .\o. 81, at Watseka. He has great respect for 
 the institutions of the country and possesses in 
 marked <legrec all of the elements of gootl cit- 
 izenship and of honorable manhood. 
 
 •".Ill W ALLl-:.\. M. n. 
 
 I Jr. I.tjian Allen, who. jjracticing along modern 
 scientific lines, has been classed with the cajiable 
 physicians and surgeons of Sheldon since i8<w. 
 was born in I'ort Wayne. Indiana. .September 
 2. 1S71, his |>areiit-. being ( "\ rus W. ami ("vnthia 
 
 .M. ( l-"erris ) .Mien. The father was born near 
 I'.angor. Maine, ami was a S(jn of Lsaac .\llen, 
 also a native of the Cine Tree state. C\r\is W . 
 .\llen became a contractor and builder and in 
 1838 removed westward to I'ori Wayne, Indiana, 
 where he s])ent his remaining days, passing away 
 in i8<>8, at the venerable age of eighty-one years. 
 His wife, who was a native of .\'ew \'ork. died 
 in i8<ji, at the age of fifty-nine years. In tlieir 
 family were eight children, five of whom are now 
 living: hrank !•".. an architect, who resides in 
 I'Drt Wayne, Indiana: ( ieorge I., who is engaged 
 in the lumber business in .Mapleville, .Mabaina: 
 Albert, who is living in (,'hicago: Jennie M.. 
 who resides in l^irt \\a\ne, Indiana: and Dr. 
 Allen, of this review. 
 
 Reared in the cit\ of his nativitx Dr. .Mien 
 pursued his more specifically literary education 
 in the public schools of I-"ort Wayne and then 
 l)repared for his professionaj career in l-Ort 
 Wayne .Medical College, from which he was 
 graduated in the class of 18(^7. l*"or two years 
 thereafter he was assistant surgeon in the Sol- 
 diers' Home in Lafa_\ette. Indiana, and thus 
 gained a fair e.\|)erience. In i8»;(; he came to 
 Sheldon, where he has since been practicing, and 
 in 1903 he pursued a ])ost-gra<luate course in 
 Chicago. He is a member of the State and 
 County .Medical .Societies and t)f the .\merican 
 -Medical .Association, and has been a contributor 
 to medical journals. He has his office with Dr. 
 Horace ( libsoii, with whom he is associate<l in 
 practice, and he is regarded as an able young 
 physician, while in his chosen field of labor he 
 is making steady advancement. 
 
 Dr. Allen was married in i8i;8 to .Miss Le- 
 iiora Hoard, of \\ hitle\ count). Indiana, aiul 
 they have two children, Helene and Catherine. 
 Theirs is a beautiful residence two stories in 
 height, the interior finishings being in hard 
 wiMid. It is one of the attractive homes of .Slul- 
 doii, situated in the northern ))art of the town, 
 and it is. moreover, justly celebrated for its pleas- 
 ing social functions. 
 
 Politically Dr. Allen is ,1 republican, serving 
 at the present writing as president of the school 
 board of .Sheldon. He is also a member of the 
 Knights of I'ythias and Ma.sonic fraternities and 
 of the .Modern Woodmen camp. Xot so abnor- 
 inallv developeil in .iii\ rlinrli.m ,1^ to become a
 
 514 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 genius, he is nevertheless a young man of well 
 rounded character, giving due consideration to 
 the social as well as the business ide of life, and 
 to the political questions which effect the welfare 
 of state and nation. In fact he looks at life from 
 a broad standpoint and through reading and in- 
 vestigation keeps in touch with the thinking men 
 of the age. 
 
 JOHN BARD. 
 
 John Bard is one of the worthy citizens that 
 Germany has furnished to Iroquois county, his 
 birth having occurred in the fatherland in 1840. 
 He was but a small boy when brought by his 
 parents to the new world, the family home being 
 established in Pennsylvania, where the father en- 
 gaged in the manufacture of shingles in order to 
 provide a living for himself and family. In the 
 Keystone state the son was educated and there 
 remained to the age of eighteen years, when, 
 believing the west would ofTer better advantages 
 to young men of ambition and determination, he 
 accordingly, in 1858, made his way to Illinois, 
 being employed in Will county for four years, 
 subsequent to which time he came to Iroquois 
 county, purchasing one hundred and twenty 
 acres of land in Beaver township. This was an 
 unimproved tract when it came into his posses- 
 sion but he resolutely set to work to break the 
 land, which he divided into fields of convenient 
 size by building fences. He ditched antl tiled 
 his fields and thus made them very productive. 
 As time passed and he accumulated a compe- 
 tence he added to his original purchase until he 
 now owns three hundred and twenty acres, con- 
 stituting one of the valuable farm properties 
 of this portion of the state. He erected a house, 
 two barns, granary, corn crib, and other out 
 buildings usually found upon a model farm, and 
 he has through a long period been engaged here 
 in general agricultural pursuits, in addition to 
 which he raises live stock, having at the present 
 time thirty head of registered Hereford cattle, 
 and he likewise raises the best draft horses to be 
 found in this locality. He has placed his stock 
 on exhibition at various times and frequently 
 wins premiums. He is progressive in his farm 
 work, using only the latest improved machinery 
 
 in carrying on the work of the fields and he is 
 accounted one of the up-to-date and leading 
 farmers and stock-raisers of Beaver township. 
 
 In 1858 Mr. Bard established a home of his 
 own by his marriage in Pennsylvania to Miss 
 Barbara Allman, who was likewise born in Ger- 
 many but was brought to this countr\- when two 
 years of age. They have reared a family num- 
 bering eleven children, of whom they have every 
 reason to be proud, the record being as follows : 
 Joe, John, George, Fred, \Mlliam, Mrs. Mary 
 Emmert, Mrs. Barbara Johnson. Mrs. Anna 
 Freeburg, Mrs. Kate Freeburg. Maggie and 
 Mrs. Abbie \\'eiger. 
 
 Although coming to the new western country 
 when a young man. IMr. Bard adapted himself to 
 the pioneer conditions which here existed and 
 allowed no obstacle or difficulty to deter him in 
 his efforts toward advancement, so that he soon 
 worked his way upward and is now in posses- 
 sion of a valuable property which supplies him- 
 self and family with all the comforts of life 
 and permits him to be classed with the leading 
 citizens of Iroquois county. 
 
 DIRK H. MONK. 
 
 Dirk H. Monk is the junior partner of the firm 
 of IMonk Brothers, who own and cultivate one 
 hundred and twenty acres of land on section 28, 
 Ashkum township. He is. moreover, one of the 
 native sons of this township, his birth having oc- 
 curred here in 1872. He comes of German an- 
 cestry, his parents being Henry and Cassie Monk, 
 who crossed the Atlantic from Germany to the 
 United States in the early '50s and established 
 their home in Illinois. 
 
 Reared under the parental roof. Dirk H. Monk 
 acquired a good common-school education in 
 .\slikum township, and when not busy with his 
 text-books he received thorough training in the 
 work of the farm, early becoming familiar with 
 the task of plowing, planting and harvesting. 
 He was the youngest in a family of seven chil- 
 dren, the others being: Anna, the wife of John 
 Bushman, a resident farmer of Douglas town- 
 ship; Maggie, the wife of Ben Shoneman, a 
 farmer of Ashkum township; Richard, who is
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 o'.-> 
 
 the senior partner of tlie fimi of Monk Brothers ; 
 Hirani, a farmer of Ashkum township ; Atthic, 
 the wife of David Alberts, a resilient farnuT of 
 Aslikuni townsiiip; and Cora, the wife of Pliil 
 Hilpert. who follows farniinj;; in Ashkum town- 
 ship. 
 
 Mr. Monk of this review was reared under llie 
 parental roof and has always remained at home, 
 his mother now nianasjingf tlie household afTairs. 
 Joining his eliler brother in the formation of 
 the firm of Monk Brothers they have since con- 
 ducted farminy: interests totjether and are the 
 owners of one liundred and twenty acres of good 
 land on section 28, Ashkum township, whicii 
 they have greatly improved, the fields being 
 most highly cultivated, while all the accessories 
 of a model farm of the twentieth century are 
 here seen. Dirk H. Monk is a natural mechanic 
 and is an expert on engines and threshing ma- 
 chines. He gives his political allegiance to the 
 democracy and is a member of the German 
 Lutheran church. He has a wide acquaintance 
 in the locality in which his entire life has l)ecn 
 passed and is recognized as a good business man. 
 enterprising and of keen discrimination. 
 
 ALB1-:X I.. Br-K^UGHEI-i. 
 
 Progressive in all of his farming methods and 
 with a laudable ambition that is the stimulus for 
 active and untiring labor, Alben L. Bnniglier 
 now owns and cultivates four hundred and eighty 
 acres of land on section 20 and 21, Prairie Green 
 township. The farm presents an excellent ap- 
 pearance, being well improved with two sets of 
 good buihlings. while the fields are highly culti- 
 vated and bring forth rich crops. .\ resident 
 of the eountv since 1871, Mr. Brougher has 
 been a witness of various changes that have been 
 wrought in business metiiods and in life here, 
 for Iroquois county has ever kept in touch with 
 the trend of general improvement and is today 
 one of the rich agricultural sections of this great 
 state. 
 
 Mr. Brougher is a native of Penusylv;inia, his 
 birth having occurred near Harrisburg on the 
 fith of August, 1846. His father, John 
 Brougher. was born in the same county <>f IVnn- 
 sylvania. and tlu- uT.uuli.itlici-. T'llin BnniLrber. 
 
 Sr., was one of the pioneers of the Keystone 
 state. John Brougiier, Jr.. was reared and mar- 
 ried there, the lady of his choice being Mrs. 
 Rleanor Ann Lutz, nee (jregory. lie was a 
 fariuer and mechanic, in early life learning the 
 blacksmith's trade, which he followed for some 
 time. Later his energies were more largely 
 given to farm work and thus he provided for his 
 family. He spent his entire life in Pennsylvania, 
 passing away tlicrc in 1876, having for about 
 two years survived his wife, who died in 1874. 
 Their family numbered four sons and four 
 daughters and all are yet living save the eldest 
 son, Oliver, who after his marriage came to Illi- 
 nois and died in Chicago. 
 
 Alben L. Brougher was reared in the usual 
 maiuier of farm lads upon the old homestead in 
 Pennsylvania. His education was largely ac- 
 quired in the common schools and when eight- 
 een years of age he was married in the Keystone 
 state to Miss Mary Ann Messinger, who later 
 died in Pennsylvania when but a young woman 
 of eighteen years. There was one child of that 
 marriage. Miles Brougher, who is now a busi- 
 ness man of Stephenson, Pennsylvania. 
 
 In the year 1871 .\lben L. P.rougher made his 
 way westward to Indiana, locating first at AUer- 
 ton, where in 1872 he married his present wife, 
 who bore the maiden name of Nancy E. Brown. 
 She was a native of Indiana, born in Fountain 
 county, and pursued her education there. Fol- 
 lowing his marriage he located where he now 
 resides in Prairie Green township, his wife hav- 
 ing inherited one hundred and sixty acres of land. 
 This, however, was wild and uncultivated, but 
 Mr. Brougher broke the sod and carried forward 
 the work of improvement until he transformed 
 the once wild land into ])ro<luctive fields. He 
 opened up the farm and bought an adjoining 
 tract of one hundred and sixty acres in 1888. 
 It was also raw land but he soon brought it un- 
 der the plow and he likewise broke three hun- 
 dred and twenty acres of prairie sod. The hard- 
 ships and privations of pioneer life fell to his 
 lot but were liravely met and in the course of 
 years they were no longer experienced, fcir the 
 comforts of an advanced civilization were intro- 
 duced. Mr. Brougher, by ditching and tiling, 
 drained his land and he enclosed it with a hedge 
 fence, which has since been replaced with a w<-iven
 
 ;i6 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 wire feiici.-. lie also bought more land, invest- 
 ing in one Innulred and sixty acres adjoining 
 the original tract, and he now has a valuable 
 and well improved farm comprising four hun- 
 dred and eighty acres of very rich and productive 
 land. He has ])laced good buildings u])on it and 
 uses the latest improved machinery in the 
 care of the farm and the cultivation of the crops. 
 He likewise owns a farm of two hundred and 
 sixty-six acres in X'ermilion county. This is 
 also well equi])ped with modern accessories and 
 the fields have been brought under a high stale 
 of cultivation. 
 
 Unto Mr. and Mrs. i '.rougher have been born 
 si.x children: John R. and Merwin W .. who are 
 twins and are now married: .\lbeii J., at home: 
 \"elera .\nn. the wife of David Ilazner. a farmer 
 of Prairie (ireen township: Leah, the wife of 
 Edward I_)uiican, of Ellis Station, Illinois : and 
 Mary, the wife of George Dobson, of Stockland 
 township. 
 
 The parents attend the iMethodist Episcopal 
 church. In Masonry Mr. Hrougher has attained 
 the Knight Templar degree, belonging to the 
 blue lodge and chapter at Hoopeston and to the 
 commandery at Watseka. although he took the 
 degrees of chivalric Masonry in I'axton. Mis 
 political allegiance is given to the democracx 
 and although he keeps well informed on the 
 questions and issues of the day he has never 
 sought or desired office, preferring to concentrate 
 his time and energies upon his business inter- 
 ests. .\t an earlier dale he engaged in breeding 
 and dealing in Aberdeen .\ngns cattle and he 
 has also raised good horses, one team bringing 
 seven hundred and fifty dnllars, anoiiur live hun- 
 dred and fifty dnllars and a tiiird. five hundred 
 and thirty-five dollars, lie has thus raised some 
 of the best horses in the county and has gained 
 more than local re|)utatinn as a stock dealer. 
 .AltluHigh he had no money at the outset of his 
 career but was dependent upon his own resources 
 and labors for success, he has so directed his 
 work by sound judgment tiiat he is now owner 
 of seven lumdred and forty-si.x acres of tine land 
 in three well improved farms. llis name is 
 synonymous with business integrit\ as well as 
 enter|)rise and in all of his life he has never been 
 known to take advantage of the necessities of his 
 fi'llowmen in an\ trade transaction. In m;nuier 
 
 he is genial and cordial and liis good qualities 
 are such as have endeared him to those with 
 whom he has come in contact and brought him 
 warm friendships. 
 
 ORREX GEORGE XOSKER. 
 
 ( )rren ( ieorge Xosker was a resjjected business 
 man of Sheldon, whose genuine worth, aside 
 from his industrial interests, was widely ac- 
 knowledged, and it is therefore mete that men- 
 tion be made of him in this volume. He was 
 born in Iroquois county. Illinois, on the 27th of 
 .-\ugust, 1858, and his death occurred in Paris, 
 Texas, on the 3d of November, UJ04. when he 
 had passed the age of forty-six years. His par- 
 ents, (ieorge and Mary Jane (Markley) Xosker. 
 came to Illinois from ( )hio and for some time 
 lived in Iroquois county. 
 
 The son was a student in the public schools 
 of .Sheldon and there acquainted himself with 
 the common branches of learning, but early in 
 life was obliged to leave school, owing to the 
 death of his father which made it incumbent that 
 he provide for his own support. He became a 
 painter and decorator and did a contracting busi- 
 ness in that line. Many a business house in Shel- 
 don, together with many of the fine homes of the 
 town, bear evidence oi his artistic work in this 
 direction. The interior of his own home shows 
 his li;m<liwork and indicates that he possessed 
 much artistic ability and originality, the wood- 
 work and mantel being carved by himself after 
 bis own designs. 
 
 Mr. .Xosker was not only an excellent work- 
 man in t!ie line of painting and decorating, but 
 also possessed nnieh inventive genius and look- 
 out four patents, the latest obtained in 1902. 
 He was the founder of tlie business which for a 
 time was conducted under the name of the Per- 
 fection I'.ag Holder Comjiany, and which later 
 was incorporated under tlie name of the Slu-1- 
 dnii .Xnwlty Works. The business has since 
 been moved to Kankakee, Illinois, where it is 
 still carried on. Mr. Xoskcr's last jiatenl. ob- 
 tained Xovember 11, 1902, was an im]irovement 
 on the Perfection I'.ag Holder, and was patented 
 under the name of the Xosker P.asr Holder.
 
 ( »KKi;.\ ti. M >ski-:k.
 
 liNIVERSllY Qi iLL!^30IS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 S«9 
 
 On the 24th of May, 1883, Mr. Noskcr was 
 united in marriage to Miss Mvalinc Livionia 
 Mitclull. <lauv;litcr of Ix'wis and Ixal) Mitclicll. 
 and they liad two children, Irnia lla/cl and 
 Kenneth William. Following their marriage 
 Mr. and Mrs. Xoskcr continued to reside in 
 Sheldon until June. iix>'. when they moved to 
 Paris, Texas, where he continued actively in 
 business as contractor and painter until his death. 
 The remains were brought back to SluMon for 
 interment. 
 
 Mr. Xosker was a charter mcmlur ui iJavy 
 Crockett camp, Xo. 532. M. \V. .\., of Sheldon. 
 Illinois. Politically he was a democrat in the 
 broadest sense of the word. Me was thoroughly 
 trustworthy in all business transactions, his com- 
 mercial integrity being alx)vc question. To 
 those who knew him. he was warm hearted an<l 
 generous and held friendship inviolable, but 
 while he was a faithful and progressive citizen 
 and a true friend, his lK"st traits of character 
 were reserved for his own home and fireside, 
 where he was a devoted husband and a kind and 
 loving father. 
 
 ROBERT SAXrORD SIIRIMI'LIX. 
 
 Robert Saiiford Slirimi)lin. actively engaged 111 
 general agricultural pursuits in Concord town- 
 ship, was born in Knox county, (^hio, in 1879 
 and is a descendant of an old southern family. 
 His paternal great-grandfather. John .Slirimplin, 
 traveled on foot with gim and dog from Mary- 
 land to Knox county, ("^hio, in 1790. He foun<l 
 that the Indians were very numerous there but 
 this did not deter him from becoming a pioneer 
 resident of the state and in contributing to its 
 substantial improvement aM<l development at an 
 early day. In 1801 he built the first mill in Ohio, 
 making the machinery for its operation. He 
 traded and dealt with the Indians and became one 
 of the extensive lamlowners of the comity, hav- 
 ing several thousand acres. He also had a boat- 
 yard and owned a mnnl)er of flat lioats. on 
 which he shipped produce liought from the In- 
 dians to the Xew ( )rlcans market. His log cabin 
 was supplied with a trap door and he used every 
 precaution for protection such as was nee<letl 
 
 in those days, yet he had little trouble with the 
 red men. He belonged to that class of repre- 
 .sentative pioneer citizens whose lalnirs are still 
 manifest in the beneficial influences which fol- 
 lowed their efTorts in planting the seeds of civ- 
 ilization in a new district. 
 
 Hannibal W. Slirimplin, father of our subject, 
 was born in Knox county, Ohio, in 1852 and 
 came to Iro<|uois comity in May, 1S84, at which 
 lime he purchased one hundred and ninety-three 
 acres of land in Concord township from 11. J. 
 East. This was not improved and with charac- 
 teristic energy he began its cultivation and de- 
 velopment. In n>o4 he built a barn, sixty by 
 forty feet, with twenty foot posts. He has put 
 in twenty-five hundred rods of tile, has fence<I 
 his place an<l arlded all of the modern ec|uipments 
 and accessories. He also purchased the I'rown 
 farm, containing eighty-six acres of land on sec- 
 tion 31, Concord townshij). and from Jacob 
 Strickler bought two hundred and forty acres 
 on section 10. He has tiled and fenced his land, 
 built a new corn crib and added other evidences 
 of progressive fanning. In connection with the 
 cultivation of the soil he has also extensively 
 raised cattle and hogs but he now rents much 
 of his land to his sons. Hannibal .Slirimplin w-as 
 married to Miss Riene Keliren Happy, of I'eiin- 
 Nvlvania. and unto them were born three chil- 
 ilren. of whom all are yet living. The daughter. 
 Kehren. is at home. In his political views the 
 father has long been a stalwart democrat and 
 for three years he served as road commissioner. 
 His time and attention, however, have been prin- 
 cipally given to his farming interests, in which 
 he has pros|>ered. Hn the lotli of June, 1884, he 
 purchased his present farm with a cpj]) on it for 
 thirty-five dollars per acre and tixby it is worth 
 one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre. 
 
 RolxTt .Sanford Slirimplin, c<iming to IriKjuois 
 county with his father in 1884. lived at home until 
 about seven years ago ,ind in the jniblic sclii«ils 
 acquired his education, while in the summer 
 months he worked in the fields aiul became fa- 
 miliar with all the duties of farm life. Alxiut 
 i8<j<> he removed to a farm belonging to his fa- 
 ther on section 12, Concord township, where 
 he has since made his home. He has helped put 
 in a half mile of tiling on the place and made 
 other substantial improvements. He Ixnight
 
 ;2o 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 lliirty-unc acres fur himself in Concortl townsliii) 
 adjoining his father's land, and throughout his 
 entire life he has carried on general agricultural 
 pursuits and stock-raising, making a specialty 
 of Poland China hogs. Durham cattle and driv- 
 ing horses. I'luth brandies of his business are 
 proving profitable. 
 
 .Mr. Shrim])lin was married in Kentland, In- 
 diana, in .\i)ril. i8y8, to Miss Sarah V. Drnny. 
 who was born in that state in .Vugust, 1SIS3. 
 They have four children; Manfred. CliiUon. 
 Clayton and Frank Lester. The family are well 
 known in the county and .Mr. Slirimplin and his 
 wife have many warm friends who esteem them 
 for their genuine worth and man\' good (|ualities. 
 
 JK tX. IRA 1-. TAL.MKR. 
 
 Hon. Ira F. Palmer, who for eight consecutive 
 years has been mayor of Onarga and since 1872 
 has been an active practitioner of medicine in 
 this city, has performed for his fellow lownsmeti 
 a work scarcely ec|ualled. for in both professional 
 and official circles his labors have been of the ut- 
 most benefit. ( )narga owes her modern improve- 
 ments largely to his labors and inllnence, for 
 those interests and ])nblic utilities which are a 
 matter of civic virtue and of civic jiride had their 
 inception, in great measure, in the progressive 
 spirit and ])ractical plans of i)r. Palmer. 
 
 .\ native of St. Lawrence cmmty, .\'ew York, 
 he was born on the 23d of .May, 1845. His 
 paternal grandfather, Moses Palmer, was a native 
 of Connecticut, but Ins parents, Gordon and Lel- 
 sey (Kelley) Palmer, were born in the F.mpire 
 state. The father, whose birth occurreil Septem- 
 ber I'l, 181 I, arrived in Chicago with his family 
 on the first juissenger train tliat ran over the 
 .Michigan Central Railroad into Chicago arriv- 
 ing on the 2ist of .May, 1852, and went bv rail 
 to .-\nrora, Illinois, which was then the terminus 
 of the Chicago, llurlington & Ouincx' Railroad, 
 [•'riini there the faniih' jiroceeded to .Xewark. Ken- 
 dall count}-, by stage, the father having i)urcliased 
 a farm of two lumdred acres at llollenback's 
 ( irove. Upon the place was a log cabin trom 
 which the former occupants had been driven at 
 the time of the iilack Hawk war. While livinc;- 
 
 m this cabin the Palmers were often visited by 
 .•-^hahbona. a chief of the Pottawattamies. who 
 notified the white settlers of Fo,\ river valley of 
 their danger so that they were enabled to seek 
 safety at the forts of Joliet and Ottawa. .A. coun- 
 cil of war was held b\- the Indians under Black 
 Hawk at a point across the river and about three 
 miles from Hollenback's Grove, and Shabbona 
 proved his friendliness to the white settlers by 
 warning diiTerent families, including the Hollen- 
 backs of their danger. 
 
 The log cabin which became the home of the 
 Palmer family, had not a piece of iron in it. It 
 was a tvpical structure of pioneer times, such 
 as is utterly unknown to the younger generation. 
 Here the family lived from 1852 to 1853, when 
 they moved into a commodious frame house. In 
 1864 they removed to a farm of two hundred and 
 fifty acres at Yorkville, Illinois, on the north side 
 of Fox river, where Gordon Palmer built a fine 
 brick farm house, which is now owned and oc- 
 cupied bv b'recl (]. Palmer, ;i brother of the 
 Doctor. 
 
 Gordon Palmer was the father of three sons and 
 five daughters and the family was among the early 
 pioneers of this ])art of the state. The Palmers 
 came originall)- from Xew Lngland ancestry, 
 while in the maternal line they were descended 
 frnm the F.astmans. of Hopkinton. Xew York. 
 
 Dr. Palmer, the eldest of eight children, was 
 only seven years of age when brought b\ bis 
 l)arents to Illinois. He began his education in a 
 log schoolhouse near his father's home, his 
 teacher being the Hon. George .M. HoUenljack. of 
 .\nrora, novv judge, who was the first white child 
 born in Kendall counl\. Dr. Palmer assisted his 
 father on the farm when not in school. Later he 
 became a student in the l-'owler Institute. Xewark. 
 Kendall cnunty. lllir.nis. Whin eighteen \ears of 
 age he respondeil to his country's call for troops, 
 enlisting in January, 1864. He joined the ariuy 
 at Chattanoog-a, Tennessee, and w as mustered out 
 in l-'ebruary, 1866, Soon after he went to the 
 front he was transferred to the medical service, 
 with which he was cunnected during the cam- 
 paign of that year, and later became a member of 
 Company C, One Hundred and Forty-seveiUh Illi- 
 nois Infantry, and :n the close of the war was 
 in the Cnited States mail .service with head- 
 (|narters at .Macon, Georuia.
 
 y^4y\ s . J^<^. ■ a". f'Zjtt^i.tuyL
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 :>■':> 
 
 .Vt'tcT his return inuu the war Dr. I'aliiK-r 1m- 
 came a stiuknt in tlic I'liivcrsity of Chicajji). He 
 was always a thonnij^h stiident and possessed an 
 unfailing nicmory. These qualities made a pxid 
 foundation for the study of medicine which he 
 l)ej;an in Chica.tro. and afterward was ;,^raihiated 
 fmm the Cincinnati (()hio) Medical School in 
 I87J. He first l«x-ateil in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 
 hut in .\u}j;ust of the same \ear remove<l to ( )nar- 
 fja. illinoi.s, where he has since remained in the 
 active and successful practice of medicine. This 
 covers a period of more than a third of a century, 
 and almost from the hesinnin}; he has been ac- 
 corded a ]josition of prominence as one of the 
 most able and learned members of the ])nifession 
 in the county. He has been the recii)ient of an 
 extensive patronage, which he has well merited 
 because lie has kept in touch with the onwanl 
 mardi oi the profession. 
 
 ( )u the 27th of .November. 1S72. Dr. Palmer 
 wedded Miss Emma A. W'ooil, a dauj^hter of 
 Charles K. and .\L-iry .\. ((lilbcrt) Wood. They 
 have two children: I'aul I., burn December 27. 
 1874: and Clifford liordon. Ixirn .March 7. 1880. 
 The I>ictor and .Mrs. Palmer are members of the 
 .Methoilist Episco])al church and .Mrs. Palmer is 
 a la<ly of culture and refinement, and an enthusi- 
 astic Chautau(|uan. Slie has I)een president nf the 
 Woman's Relief Corps of ( )nar},fa. and was a 
 memlK.-r for nine years of the board of education 
 of ( tnarjja |)ublic schools. 
 
 Dr. Palmer exercises his riijht of franchise 
 in support of the men and measures of the re- 
 publican party, and has, in fact, been one of its 
 stalwart advocates since castiu},' his first presiden- 
 tial vote for (ieneral (jrant in 18^18 in the city 
 of Chicajjo. His father was a republican before 
 him, and Dr. Palmer, tlicn a small boy, accomjja- 
 nicd him when he cast his vote in 1856 for John 
 C. I'Vemont, the first presidential candidate of the 
 party, lie also ren:eml)ers the Lincohi-Dnu^las 
 debate in 1858. This was a year never to be 
 forjjotten in the political histi>ry of the state and 
 nation. Then occurred the most memorable cam- 
 ]>aign in the annals of Illinois. Dr. Palmer, who 
 rejjfards Lincoln with all the admiralinn. love, and 
 venerati(jn which are piven to the martyred presi- 
 dent by those who liave been close students of 
 the history of the nation. attende<l the joint-de- 
 Iwte Ix-tween Linculn and Dou>,das held in ( )tta- 
 
 wa. He was then a lad in his early teens but the 
 iK-casion made an indelible impression upon his 
 mind, l-nvu the time when he heard the debate 
 mentioned. Dr. Palmer became a slronj^ advocate 
 of Lincoln and years hav; not dimmed his preat 
 admiratiiin for the man who seemed destined by 
 a superior puwer for the place that he filled. 
 
 Dr. Palmer has been honored with several Uxal 
 otiices. havinj; filleil the office <if sujiervisor al- 
 t<if;ether for twenty years, beinj;; first elected in 
 1877 and in 1879 was elected chairman of the 
 Ixiard. His incumbency at that time continued 
 for five years and in 1888 he was ajjain chosen for 
 the office. He was pension examiner for four and 
 a half years, from 1889 to i8<>,v duriu},' the Har- 
 rison administration. He has been mayor of the 
 city for eijrht consecutive years and his retention 
 in office is the bijj^lHst ]roof of his ca|)ability au<l 
 fidelity. The modern improvements in the city 
 largely owe their existence to him. While in- 
 cumbent in a county office, he took no i)art in mu- 
 nicipal affairs but after his election to the mayor- 
 alty he made a close study of the needs of the city 
 and o])|)ortunities for advancement and develop- 
 ment. During his second term he installed on a 
 paying basis the waterworks and made other pub- 
 lic im])rovcments. both while acting as supervisor 
 and as mayor, and while his administration has 
 lK;en void of all useless or extravagant expendi- 
 ture of the ijublic funds, he has nevertheless stood 
 for substantial improvement and a<lvancement and 
 that his course receives uniform endorsement 
 from the Ix-st citizens, is evidencetl by the support 
 given him at the |X)IIs. 
 
 Dr. Palmer is a menibtr of P.abcock post. .\'<». 
 416, t;. A. R.. and has been jjost surgeon. He is 
 also a number of the Palmer I'amily Rcuiu'on 
 of .Stonington. Coiniecticut. He came to ( )narga 
 a young man of limiteil means, just out of col- 
 lege, but h\: had e<|uipped himself thoroughly 
 for his profession and .S(H>n demonstrated his abil- 
 ity in that direction. Patrons came to him. and 
 as the years [wssed he prospered. .\s his financial 
 resources increased he maile investments in prop- 
 erty and is now owner of several fine farms in 
 Illii:ois, besides land in Dakota. Missouri. Iowa 
 and Montana, while his home is one of the fine 
 residences of the coimty, supplied with all the 
 modern conveniences and tastefully and richly 
 furnished, but its chief attraction is its gracious
 
 526 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 and cordial hospitality. Dr. Palmer is a gentle- 
 man of genial disposition. The poor always find 
 in him a friend ready and glad to give his time 
 and effort for the assistance of those in trouble. 
 These qualities, combined with his native intel- 
 lectual force, have gained for him the position of 
 leadership which he now occupies in professional, 
 business and political circles in Iroquois county. 
 
 WILLIAM C. ESHLEMAN. 
 
 William C. Eshleman is one of the prominent 
 business men of Thawville, where he is conduct- 
 ing a wholesale and retail meat market. He is 
 also a public-.spirited citizen, whose efforts have 
 been of direct benefit in support of those meas- 
 ures which tend to promote the general welfare, 
 and he is the present assessor of Ridgeland town- 
 ship. He has made his home in Illinois since 
 March, 1866, and in 1869 took up his abode in 
 Iroquois county. He was born in Green Milage 
 in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, September 3, 
 1847. His father, J. W. Eshleman, was also a 
 native of the Keystone state, where he was reared 
 to manhood. He reared his own family there. 
 His wife, who bore the maiden name of ]Mary 
 Clark, was likewise a native of Franklin county, 
 Pennsylvania, and was a daughter of William 
 Clark, a pioneer settler of the Keystone state. 
 J. W. Eshleman became a business man of (ireen 
 Village and of Liverpool, Perry county, Penn- 
 sylvania, where he sold goods for manv years 
 and was thus a pnimincnt factor in the com- 
 mercial interests of those places. 
 
 ^Villiam C. Eshleman of this review was one 
 of a family of three chil(h\'ii and was reared to 
 manhood in the county of his nativity. Good edu- 
 cational privileges were afforded him but he left 
 school in order to join the army when si.xtecn 
 years of age, enlisting at Chambersburg, Penn- 
 sylvania, as a member of Company E. Twent\'- 
 first Volunteer Cavalry, with which he served for 
 two years. He served under General Sluridan 
 in the Army of the Potomac and nut the usual 
 experiences and hardsliiiis mclcd out to llu' 
 soldier. 
 
 After the war he came west t<i lUu-eau C'luntw 
 Illinois, where he engaged in farming, being em- 
 
 ployed in that way for a year. He spent the 
 vear 1867 in western Nebraska on railroad work, 
 assisting in the construction of the Cnion Pa- 
 cific Railroad. He then returned to Illinois and 
 in 1869 became a resident of Iroquois county, 
 where he invested his earnings in eighty acres 
 of land in Ridgeland townshii). He at once be- 
 gan to improve this tract and built thereon a 
 good residence and substantial barn. He owned 
 and cultivated that farm for about four years, at 
 the end of which time he bought where he now 
 resides, having one hundred and twenty acres 
 in his tract. He has since built a good house, 
 has also put up substantial barns and outbuild- 
 ings for the shelter of grain and stock, and has 
 a flowing well upon his ]5lace one hundred feet 
 deep. 
 
 In the fall of 1872 was celebrated the mar- 
 riage of Mr. Eshleman and Miss Emma Dier- 
 couff, a native of Germany and a daughter of 
 William H. Diercouff, who on coming to .Amer- 
 ica settled in ^\'oodford county. Illinois, and 
 subsequently became residents of Iroquois coun- 
 tv. Mr. and Mrs. Eshleman now have five chil- 
 dren: William J., who married Miss Gertrude 
 Gorley and is a business man of Thawville ; Kate, 
 the wife of Walter Lee, of Sheldon, Illinois; 
 John H., who is married and lives upon the old 
 home farm about four miles north of Thawville: 
 Lewis E., who is married and resides in the 
 village : and Bert, who is also married and lives 
 in the village. 
 
 The ])arents continued to reside upon the 
 home farm until 1902. when they took up their 
 abode in ■riiaw\ille. where Mr. Eshleman is con- 
 ducting a meat market in connection with his son 
 P.ert. Throughout his business career he has been 
 watchful of opportimities. which he has im- 
 proved, and owing to his business discernment 
 and keen enterprise he has advanced steadily to 
 a ])osition among the prosperous ;uid enterpris- 
 ing business men of the county. In politics he 
 is an earnest republican, having stanchly snp- 
 l)orted the partv since he cast his first presiden- 
 tial l)allot for I'. S. Grant. He has never failed 
 to v(^te at a presidential election since that time 
 ami in community affairs he has been active and 
 influential. For some years he served as road 
 commissioner and has been school director and 
 president of the school board. In 1903 he was
 
 Or I HE 
 UNIVEKStiV Of ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUN'TV. H.F.INois. 
 
 5^> 
 
 cli-ctol to the office of assessor and lu> iiuinn- 
 Ik'iic\ in that position will continue for two year> 
 longer. I loth he ami his wife are nieinher.- ot 
 the I'reshylerian church and Mr. l-"shlenian is a 
 past jirand of Thawville Iniif^e. 1. ( >. ( ). I"., 
 while both he and his wife are i<lentified with the 
 Kebekah liulfje. lie also holds membership in 
 llabcock post. (i. A. R.. of ( )iiarf;a. His interest 
 in the public life of the communit\ is the mani- 
 festation of a public-spirited citi/.en:.hi]i and at 
 all times his ai<l and co-operation can be counted 
 upon to further jjrojjressive public movements. 
 What he has accomplished in the business world 
 is an indication of stroiij; purpose and keen dis- 
 crimination and his record is one that has ijained 
 him uniform admiration and res|)ect. 
 
 |(>H.\ .\KI.S().\". 
 
 John Nelson is a self-made man dcservinj; of 
 much credit for the success that he has accom- 
 plished. He came to the L'nited States when a 
 youni; man of twenty years with limited ca|)ital 
 but an unboimded su])ply of enerjiy and determi- 
 nation, and upon those qualities to serve as a 
 foundation he lias builded the su]xTstructure of 
 his present prosperity. He is now enjja.ijed in 
 the grain trade in Donovan, where he owns an 
 elevator, and since the administration of Presi- 
 dent (iarfield has continuously servc<l as ])ost- 
 njaster of the town save for the periods of dem- 
 iK.Tatic rule under President (Icveland. 
 
 .\ native of Sweden. Mr. Xelson was born in 
 .\ugust. 1844. and is a son of .S. and Amia 
 (Johnson) Xelson, who were farminj,' |)eo|)le of 
 Sweden, where they spent their entire lives. In 
 his native land John Xelson ac<piired his educa- 
 tion and the favorable re)K)rts which he heard 
 concerning the new worhl intluenced him to seek 
 his fortune in this country. .\ccordingl\ he 
 crossed the .Atlantic in i8f>4 and made his way at 
 once to Iroquois county. Having no capital with 
 which to purcha.se land he hrst renle<l a farm in 
 I'eaver township, which he operated for two 
 years, subsequent to which time he engaged in 
 clerking in a store in Inxpiois. He ne.xt re- 
 move«i to Sheldon and was in the employ of Mr. 
 l-lager. but in 187,^ came to Donovan and 
 
 iiiuieu _i;eiKiai merchandising a-' a niember ol 
 the firm of John.son & .Xelson. in which he con- 
 tinued until 1878. He has been itlentitied with 
 the grain trade since i8<y). and in l8<;i> he built 
 an elevator with a cai)acity of fifty thousand 
 bushels. He also built an office and other biiilil- 
 ings. The elevator is e(piip|)ed with steam power 
 and all modern accessories and in fact is one of 
 tile best of the kind in tbi> part of tlie state. 
 .Mr. .Xelson buys and ships all kin<ls nf grain, 
 handling about three hundred thousand bushels 
 ainnially. His business has thus steadily grown 
 imtil he now handles a large part of the grain 
 raised in this district and as the years have 
 passed his name has become a most honored one 
 on commercial i)aper. In addition to his man- 
 agement of the elevator and grain trade Mr. 
 .Xelson has long served as postmaster, receiving 
 appointment to the office imder Presidents ( iar- 
 tield. Harrison. .McKinley and koosevelt. This 
 is a fourth class office and has three rural mail 
 routes in comiection therewith. sn|>|)lying one 
 thousand ])eople daily with their mail. His ca- 
 pable management of the office is indicateil by the 
 fact that he has so long been continued in the 
 jiosition. 
 
 .Mr. Xelson was niarried in W'atseka. in 1874. 
 to .Miss Anna .*^. Johnson, who was burn in 
 ( )stania. Sweden. June 24. 183,^ I hey became 
 the parents of five children: John \\"., who is 
 engaged in the Hardware business; C. A. Ernest, 
 who is depiit\ ]iostmaster; ( Iscar I... who is con- 
 nected with the operation of the elevator: Xeva 
 -S.. who is attending the Champaign L'niversity : 
 and .\lmeda C. at home. The family residence 
 is a large eleven-room dwelling, which was 
 erected by Mr. .Xelson and which he has sup- 
 plied with a hot water heating ])lant and many 
 other nio<lern accessories and conveniences, mak- 
 ing it a model home. .Mr. .Xelson has been called 
 upon to mourn the loss of his estim:ihle wife, 
 who after a nine ilays' illness ])assed to her 
 heavenly home January 4. KjO/. at the age of 
 tiftv-lhree years, si.\ months and ten days. She 
 was prepared to meet her Heavenly h'ather and 
 during iter illness she sweetly hummed and sang 
 those beautiful hymns: "Peace. Wonderful 
 Peace" and "'Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus." 
 In 1872 she became a memlK-r of the Swedish 
 church in lieaver. to which she belonged imtil
 
 530 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 the Angel of Death called her. Her last words 
 were to her son, asking if she was home yet. 
 She was tenderly laid to rest in the Swedish 
 cemetery at Beaver, Monday, January 7, 1907. 
 As his long continuance in the office of post- 
 master indicates, Mr. Xelson is a republican in 
 his political views and is recognized as one of 
 the stalwart champiions of the party in Donovan. 
 Various officials honors have been accorded him 
 and in the different positions which he has filled 
 he has always been recognized as one who well 
 merits the trust reposed in him. For two terms 
 he served as supervisor of Beaver township and 
 he has also been town clerk, collector and as- 
 sessor, while since 1877 he has been school 
 trustee. He is a member of O. H. Miner lodge, 
 No. 506, A. F. & A. AL, to which his three sons 
 also belong, and his religious faith is indicated 
 by his membership in the Methodist church. His 
 life exemplifies his belief, for he has ever made 
 it his purpose and effort to follow closely the 
 golden rule. A residence of more than forty 
 years in this county has made him widely known 
 and his enterprise in business, his fidelity in cit- 
 izenship and his loyalty to those with whom he 
 is associated have gained Iiim high regard and 
 warm friendship*. 
 
 AUGUST KAUFMANN. 
 
 Loda township has its full quota of wide- 
 awake, alert and enterprising farmers, whose 
 efforts have contributed to the reputation that 
 Iroquois county has gained as one of the richest 
 agricultural districts of this great state. Mr. 
 Kaufmann, following farming on section 2, Loda 
 township, owns and operates two hundred acres 
 of land, having here a well improved property 
 upon which are two sets of farm buildings. 
 Everything about the place is kept in a state of 
 good repair and the work is carried forward 
 along lines of modern progress. A native of 
 Germany, he lost his father in that country, after 
 which he and his mother came to the new world 
 in 1854. locating in Cook county, where they 
 joined the brothers of our subject, who had 
 already crossed the Atlantic. August Kaufmann 
 was afiforded good school privileges, being edu- 
 
 cated in both the German and English tongues. 
 He was reared in Cook county and in 1873 came 
 to Iroquois county, where he worked as a farm 
 hand by the month until the following spring, 
 when he rented land and thus engaged in farming 
 on his own account for five years. 
 
 On the 5th of Alarch, 1875, was celebrated the 
 marriage of August Kaufmann and Miss Fred- 
 erecke Schoenfeld, a German lady. With re- 
 newed impetus he took up the burdens of busi- 
 ness life and his first purchase of land made 
 him owner of eighty acres where he now resides. 
 He had formerly rented the place, had broken 
 prairie and had improved the farm, working it 
 for six years prior to the time when he acquired 
 the ownership thereof. At a later date he added 
 forty acres adjoining and subsequently another 
 tract of eighty acres, so that his farm now com- 
 prises two hundred acres on section 2, Loda 
 township. He 'has erected a comfortable dwel- 
 ing, a large barn, cribs and a granary, has put 
 in a wind pump and stock scales, also a feed 
 mill and the latest improved machinery. He has 
 likewise planted fruit, has fenced and tiled the 
 land and made the farm what it is today — valu- 
 able and productive property. He has also put 
 up a set of farm buildings for his son Fred, who 
 likewise lives on this farm. The father also 
 owns another tract of land of eighty acres on 
 section 12, Loda township. It was all new and 
 wild when it came into his possession and is now 
 well improved. He has still another tract of 
 land of one hundred and twenty-two and a half 
 acres on section 11 and sixty-four acres adjoin- 
 ing the town of Buckley, so that his landhoklings 
 are now quite extensive and their value has 
 been greatly increased by the modern equipments 
 and improvements he has placed upon them. 
 
 Unto Mr. and Mrs. Kaufmann have been born 
 eleven children : Fred, who is married and fol- 
 lows farming ; Lizzie, the wife of Gus Koschnick, 
 a farmer of Loda township ; William, a business 
 man of Buckley ; Clara, at home ; Allie, the wife 
 of Fred Preisel, of Kankakee ; Pauline, George, 
 Eddie Lillie, Alma and Martine, all at home. 
 
 The parents were reared in the Lutheran faith 
 and are now members of the German Lutheran 
 church of Buckley, in which Mr. Kaufmann is 
 serving as an officer. Politically he is inde- 
 pendent, supporting the best men regardless of
 
 IRUQroIS COUN'TV. 11.1 I\(il< 
 
 5.^' 
 
 jwrtv artilialion. lie has served as lii,i;li\\a\ cmmi- 
 inissioiKT lor four and a half years but has never 
 desired office, preferring to concentrate his en- 
 ergies n|iiin jiis business alTairs. He is truly a 
 self-made man. starting out in life empty-handed, 
 yet working his way steadily u]nvar<l \n the 
 j)lane of afiluence. "ICarn thy reward; the gods 
 give naught to sloth," was said by a (ireek 
 philosopher centuries ago, and the truth of the 
 admonition has been verified with the passing 
 ages. Realizing this Mr. Kaufmann has worked 
 with the persistency of purpose and a strong 
 dctennination that has enabled him to overthrow 
 the obstacles and difficulties which are always 
 encountered in a business career and gain a place 
 among the jirosperous residents and farmers of 
 Loda township. He has not only won a gix)dly 
 little fortune but has also gained an honored 
 name, and the methods which he has employed 
 in seeking success constitute an example which 
 is well wortliv of emulation. 
 
 IIEXRV W. wL-i.Fiq-:. 
 
 Henry W. W'ulffe. a representative of com- 
 mercial interests in Chebanse as a member of the 
 finn of Porch &- W'ulflfe. general merchants, was 
 born in Kankakee. Illinois. .'~;ci)tember 17, 187S. 
 and is a son of C. J. and Katherine (Walter) 
 WulfTe. who were farming people of Rib Lake. 
 Wisconsin. In their family of nine children 
 Henry W. was the third in order of birth. Those 
 older were Charles, a contractor, located in Iowa ; 
 and George G.. who follows farming at Rib 
 Lake. Wisconsin. The younger members of the 
 family are John J-, a resident farmer of rabir\ . 
 Illinois; Mary .\. and Lena 1'... both at Rib Lake, 
 Wisconsin; Lillian E.. who is a school teacher of 
 Chebanse townshi]) and makes her home with 
 her brother Henry; William (_). and Walter, who 
 are still in school and reside with their parents. 
 
 Henry W. WulfTe largely acfpiired his educa- 
 tion in the scIkkjIs of Kankakee, yet in the school 
 of experience, where all eventually become 
 students, he has learned many valuable lessons. 
 He started in business life as an employe of 
 R. F. Cummings, a grain dealer, whom he reiire- 
 sented at Chebanse and at Clifton for six years. 
 
 ['.\ llie careful husbanding of his resources dur- 
 ing that period he was then enabled to embark 
 in business on his own account and in 1893 
 entered into partnership with Carl I'orch under 
 the firm style of Porch & WullTe. opening a 
 general mercantile store at Chebanse. They have 
 since remained ])roprietors of this enterprise, 
 their business relation proving mutually pleasant 
 and profitable, and as the years have gone by 
 they iiave developed a small business into one of 
 gratifying proportions, carrying a good stock 
 and tinding a ready sale for those things which 
 they handle. 
 
 At Chebanse. on the 17th of June. 1903. was 
 celebrated the marriage of Mr. WidtTe and Miss 
 Xellie M. Porch, a daughter of James and Effie 
 Porch of this city. Her father is a banker and 
 general merchant and menti(jned elsewhere in 
 this volume. Mr. and Mrs. WullTe have two 
 children. Katherine Effie and Winifred Mable. 
 
 The parents hold membership in the Congrega- 
 tional church of Chebanse and are prominent so- 
 cially. In political circles Mr. WulfTe is a re- 
 publican and fraternally he is connected with 
 Chebanse lodge, No. 429, A. F. & .\. M.. and 
 with the Modern Woodmen cam]), Xo. c/)^. His 
 progress has been made continuously and in safe 
 lines and his business record has at all times been 
 in harmony with that of one whose commercial 
 honor is in like relation to his enterprise and 
 laudable ambition. Moreover, he is a public 
 spirited citizen and co-operates in those move- 
 ments that advance the general welfare and pros- 
 perity of the city which he makes his home. 
 
 LCCIVX P.OXAPARTE KKi )WX. M. D. 
 
 Lucian Ponaparte Brown, a i)h\sician whose 
 professional ability was widely recognized, was 
 born at Jamacia. \'ermont, on the 7th of June, 
 1S34. and died at Sheldon on the 24th of August. 
 1S80. His parents were David lirainard and 
 Louise (Barry) Brown, and his father as a life 
 work followed the occupation of farming. Both 
 parents were natives of Xcw luigland and the 
 ancestral history of the Doctor numbers several 
 distinguisiied names. To the family belonged 
 John S. Barry, governor of Michigan from the
 
 53^ 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 years 1842 to 1846; also the late General Wil- 
 liam R. Shafter, prominently known as a leader 
 in the Spanish-American war. His grandfather, 
 Samuel R. Barry, an early pioneer from his Xew 
 England home to northern Indiana, was a pro- 
 nounced leader in the anli-slavery cause and the 
 ])olitical issues of the time. His labors in that 
 direction, together with the upbuilding of educa- 
 tional measures, filled his active life. 
 
 Dr. Brown, whose name introduces this rec- 
 ord, acquired his literary education in his native 
 town, while his medical course was pursued at 
 the Rush Medical College in Chicago, from 
 which he was graduated in the year 1858 and 
 entered at once upon the practice of medicine, 
 in which connection he did a most important ser- 
 vice for his fellow townsmen. He remained 
 actively in the practice of his chosen calling until 
 1862, when he put aside all business and per- 
 sonal considerations and offered his services to 
 his country. He enlisted in the army and was 
 commissioned first assistant surgeon of the One 
 liundred and Thirteenth Illinois Regiment. In 
 1864 he was promoted to the rank of major sur- 
 geon of the regulars and on the 8th of March, 
 1865, was detached and assigned to the position 
 of surgeon in chief of the post of defense at 
 Memphis. Returning home on the 19th of June, 
 1865, he located in Sheldon, where he resumed 
 the practice of medicine, so continuing up to the 
 time of his death. 
 
 On the 14th of November, 1866, at Moore's 
 Hill, Indiana, Dr. Brown was married to Miss 
 Ella Soper, who survived him four years, dying 
 ]\Iarch 8, 1884. They lost two children, Harry 
 Mamie, while the living are: Nellie, Louise, 
 Grace Lee and Blanche Luella. 
 
 Dr. Brown was a member of the Masonic 
 fraternity, in which he attained the Knight Tem- 
 plar degree. l)eIonging to Ivanhoe commandery. 
 No. 33. He was prominent in commtmity affairs 
 and did much for the welfare of the village in 
 which he lived. When Sheldon township was 
 organized on the 7th of April, 1868, he was 
 elected its first supervisor. For five consecutive 
 years, from 1874 to 1879, he was a member of 
 the board of trustees of the village of Sheldon, 
 most of the time officiating as chairman, while 
 at all times he proved himself a careful and hon- 
 est member. .\t the time of his death he was 
 
 a member of the board of directors of the Chi- 
 cago, St. Louis & Cincinnati Railroad. The L, 
 B. Brown post at Sheldon is named in his horor. 
 Wherever known Dr. Brown was respected be- 
 cause his life was in harmony with high ideals 
 of mental, professional and civic virtue. He 
 was a most loyal advocate of his country at the 
 time of the Civil war and in days of peace was 
 as loyal to his nation as when he followed the 
 stars and stripes on southern battle-fields. In 
 his profession he made advancement by continued 
 reading, study and investigation and discharged 
 his professional duties with the utmost sense of 
 conscientious obligation. In his family he was 
 devoted to the welfare of his wife and children 
 and counted no personal sacrifice on his part too 
 great to promote their welfare and happiness. 
 
 lOHX H. LIXDGREX. 
 
 John H. Lindgren, who has been engaged in 
 agricultural pursuits in Beaver township 
 throughout his entire business career, comes of 
 Swedish parentage. He is a son of A. P. and 
 Louise (Sandell) Lindgren, who were bom in 
 Sweden, where they were reared and married, 
 after which they emigrated to the United States 
 in 1851, making their way to Lafayette, Illinois, 
 where the son was born February 14, 1864. 
 When he was six weeks old his parents took up 
 their abode in Iroquois county, where the father 
 ])nrcliased one hundred and twenty acres of raw 
 land on section 25, Beaver township, developing 
 and improving this until he made it a good jirop- 
 crtv. He followed farming throughout liis re- 
 maining davs and died on the farm in January, 
 1895. 
 
 John H. Lindgren was reared on the home 
 farm and in the winter months attended the coun- 
 try schools. Following his father's demise lie 
 remained with his mother for one year, assist- 
 ing her in the operation of the home farm. He 
 then bought a farm of eighty acres on section 25, 
 Beaver township. He has added many improve- 
 ments to the place, has tiled the land, .set out trees, 
 remodeled and Iniilt to the house, while in IQOI 
 he erected a good barn, thirty-fom- by thirty-six 
 feet. Tie is liere engaged in farming and stock-
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. 1I.I.1NH)1S. 
 
 533 
 
 raisintr. anil in addition to tlic cultivation of his 
 ■\vn projjcrty, he likewise operates one hundred 
 and twenty acres belonging to his mother. She 
 also owns eighty acres on section i. Concord 
 township, which she rents. He is practical and 
 progressive in the methods which he follows, 
 using only the latest improved machinery to fa- 
 cilitate the work of the fields, and through the 
 rotation of crops and the proper cultivation of 
 his land he annually harvests abundant crops. 
 
 Mr. J-indgren established a home of his own in 
 189O by his marriage to Miss Mary I'arnlund, 
 who is a native of the t(iwnshi]) in whicli she still 
 makes her home. Their marriage has been 
 blessed with two sons. Lloyd and Harold. Ixith of 
 whom are now attending sch(X)l. Mr. Lindgrcn 
 '(■serves great credit for what he has accom- 
 |ilished for he started out without ca])ita], and 
 through his industry and economy has workeil 
 his way steadily upward until he is now in ])os- 
 session of valuable property interests. In his 
 political views and affiliations he is a republican, 
 iiid he has served as constable of Deavcr town- 
 ship. His religious faith is indicated by his 
 membership in tiie Methodist church. 
 
 r. w. n A\ 1.^. 
 
 I". W. Davis is one of the active and up-to- 
 
 '.ite farmers of < )narga township, living on sec- 
 tion 30. where he owns and operates two lutndrtd 
 and seventy-four acres, constituting a well ini- 
 jirovcd and valuable farm that is known as the 
 old Davis liomestead. He is f)ne of the native 
 sons of the county, having been born upon the 
 farm where he now resides October 9. 1859. His 
 father. W. A. Davis, was a native of Dutchess 
 county. Xew York, born in 1818. and was there 
 
 lared, after which he wedded Susan M. West- 
 lall. also a native of that county. He followed 
 merchandising in the lunpirc state for a number 
 
 t years, later in the south and afterward in 
 Xew York city. In 1856, however, he removed 
 westward to Illinois, taking up his abode at 
 Onarga. He came originally for the benefit of 
 'his health, but. being pleased with the country 
 and its prospects, he later bought one hundred 
 
 ind fifty acres of land and opened up a farm. 
 
 Only two buildings stood in ( )narga at that time. 
 .Mr. Davis continued the work of developing and 
 improving the property and successfully carried 
 on general agricultural pursuits until 1886, He 
 is now living retired at the home of his son. F. 
 W. Davis, his wife having passed away I'eb- 
 ruary 13. 1892. 
 
 The subject of this review is the only surviv- 
 ing member of their family of four children and 
 was reared on tlie old homestead farm, acquiring 
 a common-school education when winter brought ' 
 a respite from the active duties of the fields. 
 From the time of early spring planting until 
 crops were harvested in the late autumn he 
 aided in the farm work and eventually took 
 entire charge of the place. He has since pur- 
 chased more land and now has two hundred and 
 seventy-four acres, all in one body. It is im- 
 proved with a good residence which stands in 
 the midst of a neat and well kept lawn, sur- 
 rounded by a wire fence. Ornamental trees and 
 shrubs adorn the place and there is also a good 
 orchard upon the farm. The fields pr<xluce ri'h 
 crops and in addition to the cultivation of cereals 
 he also raises and feeds stock for the market and 
 is widely known as a successful stockman. In 
 addition to his property in Illinois he owns a half 
 section of land in Nebraska and a small orange 
 grove in Florida, so that his interests are not con- 
 centrated in one place. 
 
 On the i6th of March, 1880. Mr. Davis was 
 married in Onarga to Miss Jennie Ford, who was 
 born in Columbia county, Xew York, but w'as 
 reared and educated in Iroquois county. They 
 now have four living children, Chester II., Palm- 
 er X'.. Frank T. and Amy L.. all at home. They 
 also lost three children: Susie, who died when 
 about six months old : I.aura, at the age of four 
 years : and Frankic, at the age of four months. 
 
 Mr. Davis has followed in the political foot- 
 steps of his father and is a stanch democrat, al- 
 though he cast his last presidential vote for 
 Roosevelt. His first vote was cast for Grover 
 Cleveland. He has been elected and served on 
 the school hoard and has been clerk for fifteen 
 consecutive years. He was also a member of the 
 township central committee for a number of 
 years, has been on the election board and has 
 served as a delegate to various county and state 
 conventions. He and his wife are members of
 
 534 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 the Methodist Episcopal church at Onarga, and 
 he belonjjs to Onarga lodge. No. 208, I. O. O. 
 F.. in which he has filled all of the chairs and 
 is a past grand. He has likewise been district 
 grand dei-nity. has been representative to the 
 grand lodge of the state, while he and his wife 
 are connected with the Rebekah degree of Odd 
 Fellows. Mr. Davis has always lived in the 
 county which is yet his place of residence and 
 upon the farm which is now his home, and his 
 -life record has been honorable and upright, win- 
 ning him the respect of his fellowmen and gain- 
 ing for him a measure of prosperity that now 
 classes him with the substantial farmers of his 
 communitv. 
 
 M )ll\ 1). ASH. 
 
 John D. Ash, a resident farmer of Middle- 
 port township, came to the Lyman settlement of 
 Iroquois county fifty years ago and with the ex- 
 ception of the time when he served in the Civil 
 war and a \'ear spent in travel he has lived con- 
 tinuously in one communitv and has been identi- 
 fied with all of its interests for a full half 
 century. 
 
 Mr. .\sli was born in Clark county. ( )lii(). June 
 8. 1834, and soon after attaining his majority 
 came to Iroquois county, Illinois, on a prospect- 
 ing expedition. He thought he would not re- 
 main three months but on the contrary he has 
 "grown up with the country" and now nothing 
 would induce him to leave it. He has been 
 prosperous and owns some of the best farming 
 land in Middle])ort townshijj. When he could 
 no longer do the active work on the farm he 
 did not retire to town but built another house 
 for himself where he could oversee the fai^m and 
 work as he wanted to, with the result that he is 
 always busy and there is something to show for 
 his industry. When he came to Illinois, Middle- 
 port was the county seat but while he was in the 
 army he had instructions from his friends to ad- 
 dress all letters to Watseka. "Old Town" is 
 
 * 
 
 very familiar territory to him and among the 
 family keepsakes is a ribbon badge bearing date 
 of October 6 and 7, 1858, given to him at the 
 
 first annual meeting of the Iroquois Countv .\gri- 
 
 cultural Society, which was held in the bend 
 of the Iroijuois river in tJld Town. The location 
 of the county seat was shifted a little when the 
 name changed. Mr. Ash has not missed a vote in 
 the township for fifty years and has been a con- 
 tinuous reader of the Iroquois County Times- 
 Democrat throughout the period of its existence. 
 
 In June. 1857, was celebrated the marriage of 
 Mr. .\sh and Miss Sarah Buck. The date of 
 their wedding had been delaxed. however, on 
 account of high water, for the minister lived on 
 the other side of the Iroquois river and it was 
 impossible for him to cross the stream. The son.* 
 born of this marriage were Noah. John and Wil- 
 liam, and their daughters were Mary and 
 Doretta. A\'illiam and Doretta died in early life 
 and the others are all now settled in homes ot 
 their own. The wife and mother passed away 
 in 1876. and on the 27th of ^larch, 1878. Mr. 
 Ash was again married, his second union being 
 with Mrs. Mary L. Buck, to whom he had be- 
 come related through his first marriage. Five 
 children were born of this union but George. 
 Lena and Charles died in childhood. The sur- 
 viving daughters, Eva .and Effie. twins, were 
 born November 10. 1885, and with their parent? 
 constitute the family circle. 
 
 A pioneer of the community. Mr. .\sh undtr- 
 weut all of the hardships of frontier life and did 
 much to reclaim the wet land and develop the 
 agricultural resources of the locality. He has 
 more than one mile of tile drainage and his farm 
 is all under cultivation. He dealt in live stock 
 extensively and made a success of both branches 
 of his business. He always handled a few car- 
 loads of cattle each _\ear and was a most suc- 
 cessful farmer and stock-dealer. He still resides 
 upon the old homestead and expects to end his 
 days where his active life has been passed. There 
 is a cemetery on one corner of his farm where 
 members of the family find their last resting 
 place. 
 
 \\'hile leading an active business life Mr. A.*li 
 put aside all agricultural interests and personal 
 dealings at the time of the Civil war, enlisting 
 in the L'nion army on the 9th of .August. 1862. 
 when the first call was made for volunteer sol- 
 diers from Iroquois county. Eighteen months 
 later he was discharged from the service in St. 
 Louis on account of phvsical disability, aTul M''
 
 ^A /7 d^ c ^xl
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 537 
 
 iiiiw draws a pt-iisioii from tlic govfnimciit bi- 
 C.1USC of disease wliicli he contracted while serv- 
 inj; tlic j.;overnmciit as a sohher. He lias always 
 been recoj;ni?ed as a good and worthy citizen 
 and he and his family enjoy the r(.si)cct of the 
 entire conminnitv. 
 
 I'JIII.I.Il- 11.11 XKi.kl- WF^. 
 
 I'hillip II. llargrcaves is the owner of one 
 hundred and sixty acres of excellent farm land 
 uii section 31. .Vshkuni township, and with the 
 exception of two years spent in the grain and 
 elevator business lias always been engaged in 
 agricultural inirsuits. He is the oldest member 
 of the family of John and -Margaret (Clifton) 
 Hargreavcs. and was born in W'aterfoot. Lng- 
 land, .\ngust 14. 1864. He was brought to Illi- 
 nois by his parents in 1865, the family settling 
 in Kendall county, where they remained for two 
 years and then removed to Iroquois county. 
 There were four children, the two brothers and 
 sister of our subject being: (ieorge II.. who 
 is now in the grain and elevator business at 
 Manhattan. Illinois: Mary, the wife of David 
 Nichols, proprietor of a furniture store in Kan- 
 kakee: and James, now deceased, who was for- 
 merly a member of the firm of Hargreaves Mroth- 
 ers, in which connection he was associated with 
 his brother (ieorge in the grain and elevator 
 trade at Manhattan and at Cullom, Illinois. 
 
 Phillip II. Hargreaves was only a year old 
 when brought by his parents to the United States 
 and was but four years of age when the family 
 liome was esta1)lished in Iroquois county. The 
 work of the farm early became familiar to him. 
 as he assisted in the task of plowing, planting 
 and harvesting, and his etlucational i)rivilcges 
 were those aft'orded by the public schools. Be- 
 sides his farm in this county he no\v owns one 
 lunvlrcd and sixty acres of land in Hughes coun- 
 ty. South Dakota. 
 
 Mr. Hargreaves was married in Clifton. Illi- 
 nois, on the 28th of January. i8<)i. to Miss Clara 
 Chapman, a daughter of C. C". and .\nna 
 ( Sturdy) Chapman, of .\shknm township. Mrs. 
 Hargreaves was the eldest daughter in a family 
 of till .-liildren. the others being: Mal)el. the 
 
 wife of Theodore Anderson, a mail carrier of 
 Aslikum township; Fainice. the wife of George 
 I'. Deiter, a weighniaster connected with the 
 board of trade, at Chiaigo ; Charles, who is train 
 dispatcher for the Illinois Central Railroad, at 
 Kankakee. Illinois; Mark, who is adjuster for 
 the Tobey I'lirniture Com])any, at Chicago; Guy. 
 auditor for R. I". Cummings, engaged in the 
 grain trade at Clifton, where he owns an eleva- 
 tor; ( )ra, the wife of Henry Rcken. a farmer of 
 Aslikum townshi]! ; Fern, Geneva and Olive, all 
 at home. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Hargreaves have seven children: 
 Mabel, born November 22. 1891 ; Harry. May 
 22. 1894; Ada. June i. 1896; Gilbert. May i. 
 i8<)9: Margaret. March 5. 1901; I'hillip. Feb- 
 ruary 5. 1903; and llernice. June 21. IC)05. 
 
 Mr. Hargreaves supports the republican jiarty 
 and has served as school director for four years, 
 while at the present writing he is a school trustee. 
 Fraternally he is connected with the Odd Fel- 
 lows and with the Modern Woodmen at Asli- 
 kum. and he supports the Congregational church. 
 Almost his entire life has been passed in this 
 county and for about four decades he has been 
 a witness of its growth and (levelo])nient, while 
 since attaining man's estate he has borne his full 
 share in the work of public improvement and 
 progress. At the same time he is carefully con- 
 ducting his business interests and in the opera- 
 ti(jn of the farm has gainetl a very desirable 
 competence. 
 
 SILAS BROCK. 
 
 I^ilas r.rock has for about seven years been 
 a |)rominent business man at Cissna Park, and 
 his career clearly illustrates the possibilities that 
 are open in this country t"i earnest, persevering 
 young men who have the courage of their con- 
 victions and are determined to be the architects 
 of their own fortunes. When judged by what 
 he has accomplished, his right to a first i)lacc 
 among the representative residents of Cissna 
 Park, and this jiart of Iro<|uois ci">unty cannot 
 be questioned. 
 
 Born in this county. December 12, 1841. he 
 is the son of Lewis R. and Mary .\nn (Bishop) 
 Bnx'k. His paternal grandfather who also bore
 
 538 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 the name of Lewis Brock, was one of the lirst 
 settlers of Indiana, and in the '30s he removed 
 with his family to Iroquois county, Illinois, cast- 
 ing in his lot with the pioneers who were just 
 laying the foundation for its later growth and 
 improvement. Few settlers had penetrated into 
 the forest districts or established homes on the 
 prairie and many years went by ere deer ceased 
 to be seen in the locality, while other kinds of 
 wild game were to be had in abundance. Lewis 
 R. Brock, father of our subject, was born in 
 Indiana and accompanied his parents to Illi- 
 nois, where he was reared amid the wild scenes 
 and environments of a pioneer existence. Hav- 
 ing reached years of maturity, he wedded ]\Iary 
 Ann Bishop, a native of Ohio, and he followed 
 farming in Ash Grove township, where he reared 
 his family and passed away in 1855. when in the 
 prime of life. His wife long survived him and 
 devoted herself to the care and education of her 
 children, of whom Silas was the eldest. The 
 others are : Charles, now living in Henrietta, 
 Indian Territory; Mary A., the wife of John 
 Cjilbert, of Onarga ; and Mrs. Sarah .\. Ruley, 
 also of Onarga. 
 
 No event of special importance occurred to varv 
 the routine of farm life for Silas Brock in his 
 boyhood and youth. He mastered the elementary 
 branches of learning in the common schools and 
 afterward had the advantage of study in Green- 
 castle, Indiana, attending what was then known 
 as .\sbury but is now DePauw University for 
 eighteen months. He enlisted in 1862 — the year 
 in which he attained his majority — as a member 
 of Company E, Seventy-sixth Illinois Volunteer 
 Infantry under command of Colonel A. W. 
 Mack, and later under Colimel S. T. Busev. Tiie 
 regiment was attached to tlie Western .\rmv 
 and participated in the siege and capture of \'icks- 
 burg and the batti. " '-■^on. He was also 
 
 with various scouting p,.... ' ' 'n a num- 
 
 ber of skirmishes and was subsequently in the 
 battle of Fort Blakely. He served throughout 
 the war and on one occasion was slightlv wound- 
 ed. He was mustered out at Galveston, Texas. 
 July 22, 1865, and was honorably discharged 
 at Chicago, having made a creditable military 
 record as one who was found faithful whether 
 on the firing line, on the lonely picket line or 
 on the tented field. 
 
 Mr. Brock returned on the 7th of August, 
 1865, and after the war engaged in farming sev- 
 eral years. He then worked in a drug store and 
 later in a general mercantile establishment. He 
 next embarked in the drug business on his own 
 account and conducted a general store at Ash 
 Grove for about fifteen years, after which he 
 closed out his business there and removed to 
 Cissna Park, opening a new store. Later he 
 bouglit the old Bundy store and a stock of drugs 
 and he now carries a large stock of drugs and 
 sundries, paints, oils, books and stationery. He 
 has built up a nice trade and his patronage has 
 steadily increased, so that he derives from his 
 business a very desirable income. 
 
 Mr. Brock has always been interested in po- 
 litical questions and issues and keeps well in- 
 formed on political conditions of the country, 
 as every true American citizen should do. He 
 proudly cast his first vote in 1868, supporting U. 
 S. Grant, and since that time has supported each 
 presidential nominee on the republican ticket. 
 He filled the office of justice of the peace, has 
 been township treasurer, township clerk, col- 
 lector and assessor. In these various positions 
 his duties have been discharged with promptness 
 and fidelity. He believes in honesty in public 
 office and efficiency in public service and has 
 thtis proven himself worthy of the trust reposed 
 in him in his election to office. 
 
 On the 7th of August, i860, at Ash Grove, 
 Mr. Brock was united in marriage to ]\Iiss ^laria 
 L. Aye, who was born in Indiana, and reared 
 in Vermilion county, that state. They now have 
 three living children : ]\Iary L. is the wife of 
 Austin Pierce, of Milford. Illinois. Bertha A. 
 died in early womanhood, in September, 1904. 
 'Sirs. Rose E. Bishop, a widow, is living with 
 her father. She has five children. Clarence, 
 A'irginia, Eunice, Dorothy and Buryl. The 
 youngest is ~Slavk \. Brock, of Cissna Park, who 
 is married and has one child. 
 
 'Mv. and Airs. Pirock and their daugliter are 
 members of the Methodist Episcopal church and 
 he is a valued representative of the Grand .\rmy 
 post, in which he has served as commander for 
 five or six years. His has been a creditable rec- 
 ord, characterized by honesty and enterprise in 
 business, by loyalty and progressiveness in cit- 
 izenship, and by fidelity in social circles. He is
 
 IKOOLUliJ LUUMV. lI.l.lMil>. 
 
 5.W 
 
 interested in all that ]H.>rtains to the general wel- 
 fare and has jjivcn hearty cii-'iperatinn l<> niaiiv 
 movements tenrlinj;; tu advance the material up- 
 building and the intellectual and moral progress 
 of Cissna I'ark. 
 
 1.I:\.\1)I:K StllNTKR. 
 
 Leander Schiiurr, en;;a,ycil in laiiinnj; and 
 st(H'k-raisinjj on section 7. Artesia ii'wnsliip. was 
 born in Majlen. ( iermany. Dctober 14. i><34. His 
 father. Michael Scl'.nnrr. was also a native of 
 that land, where he follnwetl lanniiifj. He mar- 
 ried Miss Rosa Mintz, who was also of licrman 
 birth, and they had a family of five children. 
 'I"heir son F-eander was reared on the linnie farm 
 and was educated in the common schools. When 
 eifjhtcen years of ajje he came to .\merica with 
 his two (jlder brothers: Ipnats. now of Scott 
 county. Iowa: and Daniel, who is living in N'ew 
 llampton. lnwa. The voyage was made on a 
 sailing vessel frnni Il;ivre. h'rance. and they 
 were fifty-four days nn the sea. enconnti-ring 
 some severe storms. They lan<led at N'ew 
 ( )rleans and jiroceeded In -1. ■•"•■r up the .Missis- 
 sippi river to St. I^niis. 
 
 Leaiuler Schiuirr at unci- fnuiid work in a 
 ciKiper shop and was thus employed fur three 
 years, after which he removed t(< \\'<Kidford coun- 
 ty, Illinois, settling at ("ongerville. There he 
 was again employed as a cooper for a year, at 
 the end of which time he secured a situation as 
 a farm hand and s|>ent two years in that way. 
 working the first yiar for eleven dollars ami the 
 second year for thirteen dollars i)er month. The 
 attempt of the s<julh to f)verthrow the I'liion 
 awakened his patriotic spirit and on the Sth of 
 May. ift>i. he enlisted at luireka. Illinois, as a 
 niemlKT of Company (j, .Seventi-enth Illinois In- 
 fantry. He was with fiencral (irant's forces |>art 
 of the time and was afterward under command of 
 (iiueral .Slu-rman. The regiment went into camj) 
 at IVoria and thence procce<le<l to Alton. Illinois, 
 to .St. (."harles. Missouri, anfl to Warrenton. Mis- 
 souri, after which they returned to St. Ix)uis and 
 thence to r.irds Point, Missouri, opposite Cairo. 
 Illinois. The next move took them to .Sul|)hur 
 Springs, thence to Fre<leriekstown and rtitor- 
 
 ward to Jackson. The first engagement in which 
 Mr. Schnurr jjarticipated was at I'ort Donelson 
 and later he was in the battles of Sliilnh, \ icks- 
 burg and Vazoo river. Then, after several small 
 skirmi>hes, he returned ti» Springfield and was 
 discharged in June. lS<i4. lii'i thrtc vear>' term 
 having expired. 
 
 .\lr. Schnurr then enjuyed a bnel >ea>.>n <ii 
 rest after his arduous military experience and 
 sub-seijuently took up farm work, being employed 
 in that wa\ for a year, but desiring that his la- 
 bors should more clirecil) iK-nefit himself he 
 rented land and t<Tok up farming on his own 
 account. 
 
 .Mr. .*^chmirr was marrictl ( (ctolK-r 1. iS<>5. to 
 Miss Mag<lalina Meyers, a native of Lorraine, 
 l-'rance. tiow (iermany. and a diuighter of (.'hri-;- 
 tian -Meyers, who came to llli'iois with his family 
 and settled in Woo<lford comity. After his mar- 
 riage .Mr. Schmirr continued to operate rented 
 land for thirty years and during that time he 
 also reared a large family. I'rom his earnings 
 he accumulated enough to come to InKjuois , 
 county and in i8<>4 jiurchased two hundred and 
 forty acres of land in Artesia township. whi*re 
 he now resides. There were no improvemeiUs 
 upon the place at the time but he has since erecte<l 
 a good two-story residence, two substantial barns 
 ;ind an elevator. He has also fenced and tiled 
 his place and made it a neat and valuable prop- 
 erty. He likewise has a young orchard of fifty 
 trees and in ad<lition to his horticultural ])ursuits 
 and the production of various cereals he like- 
 wise raises good grades of stock and also feeds 
 some for the market. 
 
 Cnto Mr. anci .Mrs. Schnurr have been liorn 
 ten children: \ictor hjiianuel, who die<l at the 
 age of sixteen years: I-Vank. who is living in 
 .Montana; .\nielia. at home; William, who is on 
 a j>lantation in Louisiana: '..rd. who is farm- 
 
 ing in Floyd county, Iowa; Charles, Albert. 
 Julius, Elina and Louis, ail of whom are at home. 
 
 Mr. .Schnurr hi>lds membership with the (irand 
 Army post at < )narga. He has voted continuous- 
 ly with the republican j)arty. never missing a 
 jiresidential election since he cast a ballot for 
 \braham Lincoln. His present abode and well 
 improved farm are the visible evidence of his life 
 of \nniring industry and thrift, together with 
 the assistance rendered him bv his wife ami his
 
 540 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 children. The family worked together stren- 
 uously and earnestly in order to gain a home and 
 are now comfortably situated in life. Mr. 
 Schnurr has resided in Illinois for more than a 
 half century and while he found that in America 
 it is as necessary to work diligently to procure 
 success as in any other land he has never had oc- 
 casion to regret his determination to seek a home 
 in this country, for here, where labor finds its 
 sure reward and where efifort is not impeded by 
 any class or caste distinctions, he has gradually 
 advanced and the years have at length crowned 
 his efiforts with prosperity. He has recently pur- 
 chased a home in Onarga, where he will soon 
 move and live retired from active labor. 
 
 JAMES H. EAST BURN. 
 
 James H. Eastburn is now living retired in 
 Sheldon. His is an honorable record of a consci- 
 entious man who by his upright life has won the 
 confidence of all with whom he has come in con- 
 tact. He has been closely associated with agricul- 
 tural and commercial interests and is justly num- 
 bered among the honored pioneers and leading 
 citizens of Iroquois county. In fact he is one of 
 the oldest native sons, having been born in this 
 county, January 2, 1838. His parents were Jesse 
 and Jane (Smedley) Eastburn. 
 
 The family is of English lineage and was es- 
 tablished in America by the great-grandfather of 
 our subject who, on coming from England, took 
 up his abode in jMaryland. There occurred the 
 birth of Jesse Eastburn, Sr., the grandfather of 
 our subject, in 1770. He married Abigail Phil- 
 lips, of Pennsylvania, and in 1833 they removed 
 westward to Iroquois county. Illinois, casting 
 in their lot with its earliest settlers. The coun- 
 try was very wild at that time. The lands were 
 undr;iine<l. the streams unbridged and the tracts 
 of ])rairie were uncultivated. Mr. Eastburn aided 
 in laying broad and deep the foundation for the 
 present growth and iirosjieritN' of the enunlN", 
 maintaining his residence here until his death. 
 He served his country as a soldier of the war of 
 T(SiT and because of this his descendants were 
 given a land warrant. 
 
 His son, Jesse Eastburn, Jr., was born in Ad- 
 ams county, Ohio, January 28, i8oy, and in that 
 state was reared and married. On the 7th of 
 April, 183 1, he wedded Jane Smedley, who was 
 born in Pennsylvania, January 18, 1809, and 
 was a daughter of George J. Smedley, who re- 
 moved from the Keystone state to Lawrence 
 county, Ohio, in which county was celebrated his 
 daughter's marriage. In 1847 ^^^ came to Iro- 
 quois county. Illinois, where he resided for two 
 years, and then returned to Ohio, where he spent 
 his remaining days. The year 1835 witnessed the 
 arrival of Jesse and Jane (Smedley) Eastburn in 
 Iroquois county. They located in Concord town- 
 ship, on the 25th of March of that year, and 
 from the government secured land, a part of 
 which is now in possession of their son James. 
 Prospering in his business undertakings, .Mr. 
 Eastburn became one of the extensive landowners 
 of the county, his possessions at one tinie ag- 
 gregating about one thousand acres. He was 
 one of the first settlers of Concord township, al- 
 though others came the first year. Both a me- 
 chanic and farmer, in connection with the culti- 
 vation of his land, he carried on a wagon shop 
 in the early days of the settlement and displayed 
 a spirit of industry and perseverance that prom- 
 ised well for success. He was reared in the faith 
 of the democrac}- and cast his first presidential 
 ballot for Andrew Jackson but his later study 
 and investigation of this important question led 
 him to become a stanch abolitionist, and in 1856 
 he voted for John C. Fremont, after which he 
 contiiiued to support the republican party until 
 his death. He was the first supervisor of Con- 
 cord townshi]) and served in that office for a 
 number of terms. A leading and inlluential cit- 
 izen he was very prominent in public affairs and 
 left the impress of his individuality for good 
 uiirm the history of the county. In 1S40 lie 
 united with the iMethodist Episcopal cluirch, 
 served as one of its officers, and his house was 
 the recognized home of the circuit rider. He 
 was never so hajipy as when entertaining a half 
 dozen ministers and he did all in his jiower to 
 ailvance the cause of his denomination. P.otore 
 his deatli he removed to Sheldon and assisted in 
 building the IMethodist church at that place. His 
 educational privileges were limited but by cx- 
 tensixT reading he made himself a well informed
 
 IROQLDIS COUNTY. II.f.lNoIS. 
 
 54 > 
 
 III. in. .111(1 while serving as schoitl diiiiu'i a-i a 
 luiinhcr of vi-ars he did effective service fur the 
 cause of education in this community. He also 
 did much to aitl in the ijrowth uf the comity and 
 lived to sec it take a front rank amonij the coun- 
 ties of the state. He was one of nature's noble- 
 men and his death, wliich occurred September 13. 
 1873, was mourned by niaiiv friends. I lis wife 
 passed away in i8<>3. 
 
 This worthy couple were llie pareius el nine 
 children, three of whom are now liviuij;, the eldest 
 being Isaac II. i-'astburn. who was born Decem- 
 ber 5. 1833. in Oiii(^ and is now livinjjf in Kan- 
 kakee. illiiKiis. The youngest is David J. ICast- 
 burn. who was born in this county. Mav 10, 1845. 
 and is now residing in Indiana])()Iis. Indiana. 
 
 Tlic common schools aff'orded James H. East- 
 burn liis early educational privileges, and in 1856 
 he entered Asbury University, at Greencastle. 
 Indiana, wiiere he spent two terms as a student, 
 while for one year he was at Battleground. In- 
 diana. The f)utbreak of the Civil war aroused 
 liis patriotism and he enlisted in the Union Army, 
 August 8, 1862, as a member of Company E. 
 Seventy-sixth Regiment of Illinois \"olunteers. 
 while his brother. Isaac II.. became a member of 
 the same company. George C. Harrington was ma- 
 jor of the regiment, which was in the west most 
 of the time. Mr. Kastburn served for three 
 years, was advanced from tlie ranks to sergeant, 
 then became first sergeant, afterward first lieu- 
 tenant and acted in that ca[)acity mitil nuistered 
 out. The troops went into cam]) at Kankakee 
 and after two weeks pr(Kee<led southward to 
 Columbus. Kentucky. Later they were sent to 
 Tennessee, subsequentlv to Mississippi, and were 
 afterward attached to the .\rmy of the (Julf. 
 They were in several skirmishes but Mr. East- 
 burn was first regularly under fire at the siege 
 of \icksburg. On the 7th of July. 1864. In- 
 participated in the battle of Jackson Cross 
 Roads, at Jackson. Mississippi, where his brother 
 Isaac was twice slightly wounded, once in the 
 right arm and once in the right band. The com- 
 man<l was later sent to Morgan/.a I'.eiul. Louis- 
 iana, and with his company .Mr. I-'astburn par- 
 ticipated ill the slirmishes at W ashington. Louis- 
 iana. White Rivt'r, and Du vails I'.luff, proceed- 
 ing tiience to Memphis, Tennessee. In the win- 
 ter of jHCt^-G^, the Sevcntv-si.xth Illinois was 
 
 iran-ierred to the .\rmy ol liie tiulf and went 
 from .Memphis to N'ew ( Jrleans and thence 
 started by Ixjat to Pensacola, I'^lorida. A storm 
 arising, the vessel was shipwrecked and they had 
 to throw overbi>ard two hundred and twenty-five 
 head of horses and mules in order to save them- 
 selves. They then marched across the country 
 from Pensacola to I'ort l'>lakely and took jjart 
 in its siege and capture, the Seventy-sixth Illi- 
 nois losing over one hmulred men in the assault 
 which took place April 9. 1865. Mr. I'astbmii 
 was afterward in no regular battles but was on 
 duty until mustered out at (iaivestou. Texas. 
 July 22, 1863, when the regiment was brought 
 to Chicago and finally discharged and paid oft'. 
 
 When the war was ended James H. East- 
 burn returned to Iroquois county, where lie be- 
 gan farming and soon bought land. His father 
 gave him eighty acres and he purchased an ad- 
 ditional tract of eighty acres, to which he lias 
 added from time to time as his financial re- 
 sources have permitted until he is now the owner 
 of three hundred and thirty acres of valuable 
 land in Concord township. He followed farming 
 actively and successfully until 1888. when he re- 
 moved to Sheldon and embarked in the lumber 
 business in connection with J. D. W'atkins. under 
 the firm style of Eastburn & W'atkins. This 
 partnership was maintained until 1895. when 
 Mr. W'atkins sold his interest to I*!vlan Clark and 
 the firm name was then changed to Eastl)urn 
 & Clark. Mr. l*!astburn continued in the lumber 
 Ijusiness for fifteen years but in 1903 sfild out and 
 has since lived a retired life in Sheldon. I le 
 owns one of the most beautiful homes in the 
 city, which he erected in i88(j. It is a two-story 
 residence, finished in oak and liard pine, and is 
 richly, yet tastefully furnished. .Mr. I'astburn 
 has one of the largi-st and best private libraries 
 to be found in this part of the state and has been 
 many years in collecting it. His b(«iks are all 
 finelv bound and embrace the best writing of all 
 ages. With the contents of his library he is very 
 familiar, finding jjleasant comi)anionship with the 
 master minds of the present and of the ])ast. 
 
 t >n ilu- 2f>th of ( )ctober. iW>3, occurred the 
 marriage uf .Mr. Eastburn and Miss .Martha I. 
 W.itkins. a ilaughter of Jonathan \\ atkins. .She 
 was born in .Montgomery comity. Indiana, in 
 1847. Since 1834 Jriualhan W'atkins has been a
 
 54^ 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 resident of Iroquois county and is now one of its 
 most venerable citizens, liaving passed the eighty- 
 sixth milestone on life's journey. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Eastburn had two children but lost their daugh- 
 ter, Edna, who was born ^larch 14, 1870, and 
 died on the 24th of July of the same \ear. The 
 son, Ernest, who was born September 21, 1869, 
 is at home. 
 
 Politically Mr. Eastburn is a republican and 
 has served on the town board of Sheldon and also 
 as school director. He has been a member of the 
 Masonic lodge here since 1875, and his wife is a 
 member of the IMethodist Ejiiscopal church. In 
 manner Mr. Ea.«tburn is free from ostentation 
 and display, but his intrinsic worth is recognized 
 and his friendship is most prized by those who 
 know him best, showing that his character will 
 bear the scrutiny of close acquaintance. He is a 
 generous-spirited, broad-minded man, a true 
 type of the American spirit and the embodiment 
 of that progress which in the last few years has 
 brought to this country the admiring gaze of the 
 nations of the world. 
 
 DR. D. L. lEWETT. 
 
 There is perhaps no one who comes into such 
 close contact w-ith humanity as does a physician 
 and if he be able and honorable in his chosen 
 calling and possesses sympathy as well as kindly 
 courage in the performance of his duties, there 
 is no man more uniformly respected and beloved. 
 Such was the case with I^r. D. L. Jewett, who 
 was ever spoken of as an honorable citizen and 
 physician of Watseka. He was called to his 
 final rest on the 4tli of June, 1006, and the news 
 of his demise was received with (lee]3est regret 
 throughout the community in which he had so 
 long made his home. Mis birth occurred at 
 North L_\-me, Middlesex county, Connecticut, on 
 the 22d of December, 1840, and he was given 
 the name of Daniel Lee Jewett. I lis ])arents 
 were Nathan and Eucretia Jewett. and in their 
 home upon a farm his earlv life was ])asscd, 
 while his literary cducatif)n was obtained at .Suf- 
 field, Connecticut. Determining upon the prac- 
 tice of medicine as a life wurk, he was graduated 
 
 in 1862 from the New York College of Physi- 
 cians and Surgeons and immediately afterward 
 offered his service to his country to aid in the 
 alleviation of suffering caused by the war. He 
 went to the front to minister to the wounded 
 and sick, joining the Twentieth Connecticut \'ol- 
 unteer Infantrv as assistant surgeon. He was 
 with that regiment in some of the greatest bat- 
 tles of the Civil war and never faltered in the 
 performance of any duty that devolved upon him 
 in a military way. 
 
 \\"hen the war was ended Dr. Jewett returned 
 to New' England, but in 1866 came to Watseka, 
 where he opened an office, continuing in the 
 practice of medicine in this place until his death. 
 He was married in Jamaica. A'ermont. in 1871, 
 to Isabella Prown, who survives him. He re- 
 turned to the east for his wife and brought her 
 as a bride to his new home, wdiere she shared 
 with him in the regard and good will wliich 
 were so uniformly accorded him. 
 
 Dr. Jewett took a deep interest in the affairs 
 of the community and withheld his support from 
 no movement or measure that he believed would 
 prove of public good. He served as a member 
 of the city council and as a school director and 
 was for some }cars trustee of the Presbyterian 
 church, acting in that capacity up to the time 
 of his death. For thirty-six years he had been 
 Cnited States pension-examining surgeon. He 
 was a prominent member of the Masonic fra- 
 ternity, attaining the Knight Templar degree, 
 being in thorough sympathy with J.ic teachings 
 of this craft. He belonged to the lii-Ctiunty 
 ^iledical .\ssociation and his prominence in his 
 profession is indicated by the fact that he was 
 at one time honored with its jiresidency. That 
 society at its meeting ;it ( iilman following his 
 death, passed resolutions extolling bis life work. 
 They paid the highest tribute to his carer as a 
 patriotic citizen who faithfully served his country 
 in w;ir and ]H'ace, ;uid who \\;is ;i wortlu- re|)rc- 
 scntative of all that is best in rhe medical jiro- 
 fession. They gave expression to their great 
 sorrow and their deep sense of ]-)ublic loss. 
 
 Perhaps no better indication of the life and 
 character of Dr. Jewett can be given than in 
 the words of M. II. Peters who said: — "'lie had 
 a marked indi\idualily. sometimes liordering on 
 eccentricity, but lu's peculiarities rather added to
 
 x) / A- 
 
 '-x^-cZ\
 
 "J
 
 IRoOfolS COUNT V. II.I.lXi "IS. 
 
 545 
 
 his personal aitractiveness than otherwise, in that 
 tliey spranj; from the earnestness of Iiis cliar- 
 acter and his mental ahsorptioii in his i)rofession 
 and in non-professional snbjccts which interested 
 him. ilis name has been a household word in 
 hnniireds of homes for over a third of a century, 
 lie united with the hi}.jhcst jirofessional skill, the 
 tendirest human feelinjj. He was always the 
 friend and symjjathizcr as well as the jirofcssion- 
 al adviser and his sjiirit was often wrung with 
 anguish at the suft'erings he was called to wit- 
 ness. His heart went out to \onng ])eoi)le, many 
 of whom he had attended all their lives and some- 
 times when the great destroyer claimed one of 
 these in spite of all that human skill and yearn- 
 ing care could do. he sorrowed and would not 
 be comforted. Tie was retired in manner and 
 reserved in disposition and only those who 
 learned to know him. understood how deep and 
 sweet were the springs of hunian sympathv that 
 lay at his heart's core. 
 
 "The death of his only son some years ago. 
 affected him intensely and he was never quite 
 the same man afterward. Yet his hold on life, 
 its recollections, its hopes and its infinite va- 
 riety, never flagged. While in later years his 
 interest in the ])ast deei)cned and he loved to re- 
 tail reminiscences of a varied experience es- 
 pecially in connection with his army life, he 
 never ceased to face the future and his look was 
 still forward when the summon came and he 
 was taken while yet his heart was young and his 
 natural ])owers not abated. 
 
 "Ife was the soul of honor, meeting life's 
 problems in a manly and unshrinking way. bear- 
 ing his full share in the labors and responsibil- 
 ities of life, a good citizen, a man whose loss 
 is mourned by thousands as that of a personal 
 friend. 
 
 ".Another comrade has fallen. — comrade, 
 friend and brother. He has heard the last tattoo, 
 nor will the bugle sounding the reveille awaken 
 him from his shmibers. to mingle again with 
 us, to share the tedium of the camp, the weary 
 march, or the wild tumultuous shock of battle; 
 his services to his country, his duties to his fel- 
 lowmen. are ended and O, what a loss has the 
 community and the country sustained. Our 
 hearts are rent, our tears will fall as we 
 contemplate 
 
 The venerable form once erect and so bold, 
 N'ow lifeless and cold. 
 
 "And \et how it S(X)thes the soul to feel and 
 know that as in life he was true and brave, he 
 was even so luito death, lie feared not the 
 King of Terrors, his only solicitude, as the dark 
 angel hovered over his cmucIi, was for the dear 
 comp;mion. the chosen of his heart, who for so 
 many ye;irs has walked at his side, and today, 
 the thirty-fifth anniversary of their marriage, 
 follows her beloved to the grave. ( lur loss is 
 great immeasurable, irreparable ; but what a 
 loss, () what a loss, is hers — how oiu- hearts 
 bleed in sympathy for the bereaved wife — the 
 Father in Heaven alone knows her sorrow and 
 He alone can comfort her. May He abide with 
 her anil give her fortitude and strength for this 
 terrible crisis. We mingle our tears with hers, 
 for as she loved the Dr)ctor as a husband, so we 
 loved him as a comrade, friend :uid brother. 
 
 "Dr. Jewett. S. C. Munhall and I came to 
 Watseka abi>ut the same time. We were close 
 friend.s — three comrades of the (irand .\rmy. 
 three brothers of the Mystic Tie. In iSf)/ we 
 had our pictures taken in a group. Last year 
 on Memorial day 1 exposed that picture in my 
 show window. Munhall going by saw it and 
 stopped to speak al»ut it. .\s we stood there 
 Dr. Jewett came along. Here we were together 
 again as we had been thirty-nine years before. 
 I'lUt. ( ). how changed, and the remark was 
 l)assed. "Who will be the first to break the trio?' 
 Today Dr. Jewett reposes in the embrace of 
 death. 1 write this tribute and S. C. Munhall 
 puts it into print. Munhall a. id I must follow 
 soon — it matters not who will be the next. 
 
 "Dr. Jewett was very near and dear to me; 
 we served in the same army during the last two 
 years of the Civil war — he in the Twentieth Con- 
 necticut and 1 in the Seventy-fourth ( )hio. We 
 first met at Tantalon, Tennessee, in the early 
 spring of 1864. served together through the 
 Atlanta cam|)aign. he in the Twentieth corps and 
 I in the Fcjurteenth. It was a strange co-inci- 
 dent that fate or goo<l fortune should bring us 
 both to Watseka soon after the close of the war, 
 and here we have dwelt to gcther for more than 
 forty years in the lx)nds of comradeship welded 
 in the fire of battle. Dr. Jewett loved the old 
 soldier ; all old soldiers were dear to him. and as
 
 546 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 love begets love he won the hearts of all who 
 came in contact with him. He was an exemplary 
 citizen, he held an exalted idea of his citizenship, 
 of his duties to his country in peace as well as 
 in war. He ranked high as a physician and 
 was very conscientious in his profession ; many 
 a heart will grieve for the lack of his ministra- 
 tion for he was so kind and tender. He has 
 gone to his reward, all is well with him : the sor- 
 row is ours — we who are left to mourn his 
 departure." 
 
 AMOS L. WHITE.MAX. 
 
 .\mos L. Whiteman, who carries on general 
 agricultural pursuits in Concord township, was 
 born in Aliddleport. August 5, 1853, and is a 
 representative of one of the old pioneer families 
 of the county. He is a son of Amos O. and 
 Lydia (Thomas) Whiteman. The father was 
 born in Greene county, Ohio, and, journeying 
 across the country by wagon in 1838, at length 
 arrived in Iroquois county. He entered land on 
 section 7, Concord township, at the land ofifice 
 in Danville, Illinois, and began transforming the 
 raw land into productive fields, for not a furrow 
 had been turned or an improvement made upon 
 the place at that time. His first home was a pio- 
 neer cabin, sixteen by twenty-four feet, and in 
 1854 he built a frame house there. He was 
 closely associated with the early pioneer develop- 
 ment of the county and further mention is made 
 of him in connection with the sketch of Harmon 
 .\1. Whiteman on another page of this work. 
 
 Amos L. Whiteman pursued his cducatiim in 
 the district schools of Concord township and 
 early became familiar with all tlie duties and 
 labors consequent upun the cultivatinn of the 
 fields and the care of the crops, lie was married 
 December 24, 1879. to ^liss ]\Iarv E. Savage, 
 of Inilton cmmly, Indiana. Their unU cliild. 
 Sidney, was born .May 25, 1S81. and died on the 
 8th of tlie following Decem])er. and Mrs. White- 
 man's death occurred April 20, 1882. Mr. 
 AMiiteman then returned tn his father's home. 
 ' )n the 2()lh of June. i8()5, lie reiudved to Con- 
 cinl townshiix settling on fractiniial section 7. 
 wliere lie bnill a liouse and l)ani. lie took up Ids 
 
 abode there on the 20th of August, and he has 
 thirty-one acres on section 6 and forty-eight acres 
 on section 7. which was part of his father's 
 estate. He has put three hundred rods of tiling 
 on the farm, has fenced the land and otherwise 
 improved the property. 
 
 After losing his first wife Mr. \\ hiteman was 
 married again in Concord township to Miss 
 Grace C. Strickler, the wedding being celebrated 
 June 29, 1895. She was born in 1869. Both 
 ^Ir. and iNIrs. A\"hiteman have a wide and favor- 
 able acquaintance in this county. In politics he 
 is a democrat and in 1889 he served as assessor. 
 His fraternal relations are with the Masons and 
 he is an exemplary representative of the craft. 
 For more than a half century he has lived in this 
 county and has therefore witnessed the greater 
 part of its development and growth as time and 
 man have wrought many changes. The wet, 
 swampy lands have been converted into rich 
 farms and the work of improvement and culti- 
 vation has been carried forward, !Mr. Whiteman 
 bearing his part by leading a life of agricultural 
 activity, wherein he has brought land under his 
 care to a high state of cultivation. 
 
 WILLIAM W. ROSEXBERGER. 
 
 ^^'illiam W. Rosenberger, who is engaged in 
 general farming and stock-raising in Sheldon 
 township, was born in Beaver townsliip. this 
 county, on Christmas day of 1865. His father, 
 \\'illiam Rosenberger, was a native of Germany, 
 and. coming to the new world, cast in his lot 
 with the agricultural population of Iroquois 
 comity. I'pon the home farm his son, W'illiam 
 ^^'. Rosenberger, was reared, and in his youth he 
 attended the district schools. \\"hen n(">t busy 
 with his text-books his time was largely given 
 to assisting his father in the work of the home 
 farm, and when twenty years of age he l)egan 
 farming on the Hoagland place, where he re- 
 mained for nineteen years. That farm comjirised 
 twn hundred and thirty-five acres, and in the 
 nianagement of the property he disi)la\ed keen 
 sagacity and marked enterprise, conducting his 
 luisiness affairs in a manner that brought him a 
 g(ind financial reward. In 11)03 'i^" removed lo
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. II.I.IXmIS. 
 
 547 
 
 liis prociil farm on section 30, Slicliliin town- 
 -liip, liaving piirchascd tliis ])lacc cijiht years 
 l)it'>ri'. lie lias liere a splendid tract of land of 
 three luuidred and twenty acres. lie iniilt a 
 house in 11J03 — a fine residence of cifjlil rooms, 
 lie has also built a corn crib and fenced the 
 land and has laid one thousand rods of tile. He 
 has likewise i)laced another set of farm liuild- 
 infjs nil the land, inchidinjj a five-room house. 
 \\liich he rents to a tenant, lie cultivates one 
 liundred and sixty acres of the laiul whilt liie 
 remainder he rents and he follows buih iieiieral 
 farmin;^ and stock-raisinsj. his business interests 
 olaiminji his undivided time and atlentinn. 
 
 Mr. [■iosenberjjer was married in Sluldun 
 lownshi]). in i8>>4. to Miss Minnie Webster, 
 whose birth occurred in Concord townshi]). this 
 i()unt\ . in 1875. a dauj^hter of Jnlin Webster. 
 .Mr. and Mrs. Rosenberger have two children: 
 luiima. twelve years of age: and Herman, a lail 
 i>f cis'it years. Mr. Roscnberfjer has served .is 
 schoiil director and is interested in |)rovi(lin}j; 
 iiood educational privilcjjes in his home district. 
 His ])olitical alkfjianco is jjiven to the democracy. 
 \ review of bis life shows that he lias been per- 
 sistent in purpose. encr>;etic in his actions and 
 determined in all that be has undertaken, and as 
 the \ears have passed by he has steadily advanced' 
 until be has left far l)ehind him on the his;hway 
 <">f life maiiv who started out ahead nf him. 
 
 i-ri:i)i:rick i.riiRsi:\". 
 
 I'rcderick Luhrsen. livinj.; on a farm on section 
 J4. ,\rtesia township, is the nwiier of one hun- 
 dred and si.vty acres of land which at harvest 
 season f;ives proof of the fertility of the soil and 
 the care that has been bestowed upon it. t'or .Mr, 
 Luhrsen annually jjathers pood cro|)s and <luriii}.j 
 the long years of his residence in this locality 
 has |>rospered from year to year until he is now 
 one of the substantial citizens of this part of the 
 state. 
 
 He came to Illinois in 1837 and to lro(|uois 
 county in 1869, being then a young man of twen- 
 ty-five years. He was born in Hanover, (ier- 
 niany. April 2<). 1844. a son of I'rederick I.ulir- 
 
 Sfti. Sr . ulio \vri< likiwisc- born in tb;it i-iiiiiilr\ 
 
 The father was a stone-mason by trade and thus 
 provided for his family in (lermany. He wedded 
 .Miss Charlotte Luhrsen and in 1837 came with 
 his family to the United Slates. .\ clnnge of 
 location is usually made with the hope of bettering 
 one's financial condition and thus it was in the 
 case of Mr. Luhrsen. who hoped to be able to 
 give his family a better liome and broader oppor- 
 tunities on this side of the .\tlantic. He landed 
 at Xtw York and thence made his way to the 
 .Mississippi valley, settling in Dupage county. 
 Illinois, where for twelve \ears he farmed rentnl 
 land. He also became the owner of a small tract 
 ill that county and, selling out there, he removed 
 to lro(|Uois county, settling about two miles west 
 of Uuckley. There be owned eighty acres of 
 land, upon which he resided for six years, when 
 be took up his abode in the village of lUickley 
 and made it bis home through bis remaining 
 da vs. passing away in i</)3, at the very venerable 
 age irf ninety-five years. Me had long survived 
 his wife, who <lie<l in 1882. at the age of sixty- 
 six years. 
 
 bVedcrick Luhrsen. Jr.. was one of seven chil- 
 dren, all of whom were reared on the home 
 farm. I le assisted iiis father until be had at- 
 tained bis majority save for the period which he 
 spent as a defentler of the Union cause. When 
 seventeen years of age be joined the army, en- 
 listing at r.ensenville, Illinois, .August 22. 1862, 
 ■IS a member of Coiii])any 1. ( )iic Hundred and 
 biflli Illinois X'oluiUeer Infantry. 'I'lie regiment 
 joined Cieiieral Sherman's force, .\fter being 
 mustered in at Dixon in September the command 
 ])roceeded to Chicago, went into camp there and 
 was later sent to Louisville. Kentucky. The first 
 battle in which Mr. Luhrsen |)articipated was at 
 Resaca. 1 Jeorgia. on the 13th of May, 1864. He 
 was also in the battle of Peach Tree Creek and in 
 \arious skirmislics and went with Sherman on 
 the celebrated march to the sea and from Raleigh. 
 North Carolina, marched to Washington. D. C. 
 when' he was mustered out in June, i8r)3. Ik- 
 then returned to Chicago, where the regiment dis- 
 banded. In the years whidi have since come and 
 gone he has ever remained loyal to the stars and 
 stripes which he followed through the south in 
 .111 arduous military experience. 
 
 < )n returning home Mr. Luhrsen worked for 
 Iiis f.itbii" on ilic f.irnt for four vcars. the f.ilber
 
 548 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 doing mason work during that period. In i86y, 
 with his brother August, he purchased one liun- 
 dred and sixty acres of land west of Buckley, 
 where he carried on farming for five years. He 
 then sold his interest in that place and purchased 
 his present farm on section 24, Artesia township. 
 The land was largely wild and the entire place 
 g-ave little evidence of modern progress or de- 
 velopment. All of the improvements which are 
 here today seen are the work of his hands or 
 the evidence of his progressive spirit. He has 
 erected a good dwelling, barns and outbuildings, 
 and modern methods of tiling have been used in 
 draining the place. The entire farm is fenced 
 and the property is altogether a valuable one. 
 attractive in its appearance and giving every evi- 
 dence of the care and supervision of a practical 
 owner. 
 
 On the 28th of February, 1870, ]\Ir. Lulirscn 
 was married to I\Iiss Emma W'alberdine, a native 
 of Illinois, and a daughter of Henry Walberdine, 
 who was born near Hanover, Germany. ]\Irs. 
 Luhrsen has been a most faithful companion and 
 helpmate to her husband and they are now en- 
 joying together the fruits of their former tod. 
 Nine children have been born to them but George 
 died at the age of one year and Fred when three 
 years old. Those still living are: August, now 
 of Minnesota ; Martha, the wife of Fred Rusk, a 
 farmer living near Buckley : Henry, who is with 
 the Northwestern Railroad Company in Chi- 
 cago; Paulina, the wife of Fred Sprehe. a car- 
 penter of Buckley ; George, who is carrying on 
 the home farm ; ^lartin and Regina, at home. 
 
 Mr. Luhrsen has led a life of activity and en- 
 terprise and has thus provided a good living for 
 his family. In connection with the cultivation of 
 corn and other cereals he has been raising good 
 stock and since twenty-one years of age has con- 
 tinuously operated a threshing machine and has 
 been the owner of one for thirty-five years. He 
 now has a good steam outfit and does work all 
 over the township. His sons, George and 
 Martin, now take charge of the threshing busi- 
 ness. The parents are members of the Lutheran 
 church of Buckley and i)olitically ^Ir. Luhrsen 
 has been a democrat since 1870. He has served 
 for twelve years as highway commissioner of 
 Artesia township and the duties of the office have 
 been faithfully .-nid capably performed. Mr. 
 
 Luhrsen is interested in political questions, as 
 everv true .\merican citizen should be, and while 
 not a politician in the sense of office seeking he 
 keeps well informed on the issues of the day. 
 He is, moreover, active in support of many of 
 the movements which have for their object the 
 promotion of the county's growth and improve- 
 ment and he has stood for progress in agricul- 
 tural lines and exemplified in his own life the 
 fact that industry and perseverance are the 
 measure of success. 
 
 G. C. CURBY. 
 
 G. C. Curby is a factor in the business life of 
 Donovan and the wise system of industrial eco- 
 nomics that he has followed has gained him a 
 place among the substantial residents of the town. 
 He has for several years engaged in blacksmith- 
 ing and he is also operating a feed mill. He is 
 one of the younger business men of the town, 
 having been born in Beaverville. April 25. 1878. 
 His father, Joseph Curby, was a native of Can- 
 ada and in 1861 became a resident of Beaverville, 
 since which time he has followed the occupation 
 of farming in this county. He married Miss 
 Matilda Belair, of Canada, and they are now well 
 known residents of the county, having for forty- 
 five years made their home within its borders. 
 
 G. C. Curby is indebted to the public schools 
 for the educational advantages he enjoyed. He 
 lived at home until sixten years of age and when 
 a young man of nineteen years he began learn- 
 ing the blacksmith's trade at Bradley. He after- 
 ward spent one year and three months at Papi- 
 neau and five months at Earl Park prior to lo- 
 cating at Beaverville, where he conducted a shop 
 in connection with his brother until about three 
 vears ago. He then came to Donovan, where he 
 opened a smithy on his own account. In the 
 spring of IQ06 he built a shop eighteen by fifty- 
 six feet an:l two stories in height, the upper story 
 being used b\- him as a paint shop. He does gen- 
 eral blacksmithing and repair work and also a 
 p;iinting business, and in the present year he has 
 been engaged in the grinding of feed and corn 
 meal, using a horse-power gasoline engine. He 
 is a man of unfaltering industry, not afraid of
 
 IROnUCMS COUXTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 549 
 
 work nor tliat close application to iklails su 
 necessary to success. 
 
 .Mr. Lurby was marrieil in Watseka in the year 
 iyo2 to Miss Rosa St. John, of Beaver town- 
 ship, and linring their residence in Donovan they 
 have trained many warm friends. Mr. Curby 
 gives his political allegiance to the rei)ublicati 
 party and although without aspiration for office 
 is interested in the success of the principles wliich 
 he advocates. 
 
 FRANK V. l!L"T/( >W. 
 
 Iraiik 1". liutzow. who has been connected 
 with the ( loodell liank at Loda for twenty years, 
 was born near \\"atseka, Illinois, July 14, iShj. 
 His father, Henry .\. Uutzow, was born in 
 Mecklenburg-Schwerin. (iermany, July 9, 1S34, 
 and was a son of Ludwig and Sophia (Wille) 
 P.utzow. who were likewise natives of the fa- 
 therland. Henry .\. llutzow was well educaleil 
 in his native language and became a teacher in 
 Germany, while his father also devoted his life 
 to that profession. In 1S54 the fcirmer crossed 
 the Atlantic. landing in New 'SOrk, and from 
 that city made his way to ( )neiila county. New 
 York, where he workctl at farm labor for luore 
 than a year. He then came to Illinois and en- 
 gaged in farming rented land in Kankakee coun- 
 ty from 1S55 until 1H5S. The latter year wit- 
 nessed his arrival in IrcKpiois county, at which 
 time he took up his abode upon a farm in Che- 
 bansc township, where lie carried on general agri- 
 cultural |)ursuits until iSdj. In March of that 
 year, with ])atriotic ardor, he offered his services 
 to the government and joined the boys in blue of 
 Company G. Twcnty-fiftji Illinois Volunteer In- 
 fantry for three years' service. He particijiated 
 in a nuiuber of important engagements, includ- 
 ing the battle of Perryville, Kentucky, and was 
 later in the .\tlanta canii)aign, taking part in the 
 siege and capture of the city of .\tlanta. He sus- 
 tained a gunshot wound in his left breast at 
 Peach Tree Creek but though the injury was 
 very painful it was not serious, .\fter spending 
 some time in the hospital he was put on detached 
 dutv at Louisville, where he served until the close 
 
 of the war, when he was honorably discharged 
 and returiuil hniiu- with .1 i-riilit:dili- iiiililar\ 
 record. 
 
 Mr. Hutzuw then visited for a few months 
 with a brother in St. Clair county, Illinois, and 
 in 18O6 returned to his old home in (jermany. 
 While there he was married to Miss Sophia 
 I'fudel and with his bride he again came to the 
 new W'Orld, taking up his abode on a farm in Iro- 
 quois township, Iro(juois county, Illinois. He 
 gave undivided attention to his agricultural inter- 
 ests until 1873, when he was elected county clerk; 
 in 1877 was re-elected by an increased majority: 
 and again re-elected in 1882, filling the ofiice for 
 thirteen years. In 1873 he removed to Watseka, 
 where he resided while holding the office of 
 county clerk, and in December, 1886, returned to 
 his farm, but in 1903 again took uj) his residence 
 in Watseka, where he now lives. He is well 
 known throughotu Iroquois county as a man 
 worthy the confidence of his fellowmen and of 
 ability that qualifies him for the discharge of 
 any political service that may be entrusted to 
 him. He has now been a resident of the county 
 for more than a half century and has been a 
 most useful and public-spirited citizen. He is 
 also one of the few remaining veterans of foreign 
 birth who fought for the Hag of the land of their 
 adojition. 
 
 I'rank 1". ilutzow was reared in W'atsek:i. 
 where he attended the public schools until 18S1. 
 When a youth of fourteen \vears he became an 
 assistant in the office of county clerk under his 
 father, receiving the appointment as de])uty in 
 February. 1884, remaining in the office 
 until the close of his father's term in December, 
 1886. ^ The following month he accepted a posi- 
 tion in the bank at Loda with Hon. Adilison 
 (ioodell and in January, i8<>8, was admitted into 
 the firm of .\. (ioodell & Sons Company as a 
 |)artner with the two sons of Mr. Goodell. W"ar- 
 ren .*>. and Nathan P. 
 
 < )n the i8th of June. i88<>. Mr. liutzow was 
 married to Miss Katharine M. l-'no. who was 
 born and reared in Crescent City, Illinois, a 
 daughter of J. P.. F.no, one of the early settlers 
 of Ford county, who came from Connecticut to 
 this state in 1858. There are now three children 
 in the Rutzow family: Frank E., Ernest H. and 
 Katharine A.
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Mr. Uutzow is a member of A. Jonas lodge, 
 Xo. 316. A. F. & A. M. : of Ford chapter. Xo. 
 114. R. A. M. ; and Mt. (Jlive comniandery. No. 
 38, K. T. ; and he and his wife are members of 
 the Congregational church. He has always taken 
 a keen interest in political affairs, especially 
 those relating to county matters, and has in bis 
 possession bound copies of the proceedings of 
 the board of supervisors of this county from 
 1880 down to the present time. In politics Mr. 
 Butzow was formerly a democrat, his first ballot 
 being cast for Grover Cleveland, whom he sup- 
 ported at two elections, but in 1896 he gave his 
 support to AMlliam McKinley, because of his 
 attitude upon the money question, and his last 
 presidential ballot was cast for Theodore Roose- 
 velt. He has served as president of the village 
 board of trustees for si.x years and by various re- 
 elections has been continued in the office of su- 
 pervisor of Loda township for eleven consecutive 
 years. His intimate knowledge of the method 
 and svstem of accounting of the various county 
 officers no doubt led to his appointment on the 
 auditing committee year after year by both demo- 
 cratic and republican chairman. He has always 
 insisted upon strict economy in public expendi- 
 tures and persistently advocated the policy of 
 fixing salaries and clerk hire of the county offi- 
 cers at one lump sum, which prevents any extra 
 allowances for clerk hire, which policy was in- 
 augurated through the efl:'orts of his father in the 
 year 1877 and has been adhered to since that time 
 with only two exceptions. 
 
 SAXFORD S. DAVIS. ' 
 
 Sanford S. Davis, of Midillepurt township. 
 was born in \\'ashington county, Indiana. .May 
 7, 1839, being one of the family of eiglit chil- 
 dren who were born to Solomon and Chloc .Vnn 
 Davis. He had a brother James, and his sisters 
 were Sarah, Catherine, Mary .\nn, 1 .ucinda. 
 Nancy and Jane. His father died at the home- 
 stead in Indiana and his mother died at the home 
 of her son in Middleporl. 
 
 .\fter spending the days of his childhood and 
 youth in the state of his nativity Mr. Davis came 
 to Iroquois county in Juh'. 1863. after visiting 
 
 for a brief period in Indiana, subsequent to being 
 mustered out of service in the Civil war. He was 
 a member of Company B, Sixty-sixth Indiana In- 
 fantry, in which regiment he enlisted in August. 
 1862. sensing until the close of hostilities. While 
 he was wearing the uniform of the nation his 
 mother had removed with her children to Iro- 
 quois county, the family linme being in Iroquois 
 township. 
 
 .\fter a brief residence here ^^Ir. Davis formed 
 the acquaintance of Miss Mary Lyman, who 
 was born October 14, 1848, and the friendship 
 ripening into love their marriage was consum- 
 mated January 28. 1868, at the home of the 
 bride, who was a representative of one of the 
 earliest families of the county. Her parents were 
 Daniel aiid Haimah Lyman, who had opened up 
 a farm in the midst of an unimproved district. 
 It is upon this farm that Mr. and Mrs. Davis 
 now live amid pleasant surroundings, and here 
 Airs. Davis has practically spent her entire life. 
 Her ancestors were sturdy pioneer people and her 
 parents were honest and industrious — respected 
 l)y all who knew them. When Daniel Lyman 
 first came to the cunnt}- in 1839 he selected a site 
 near the timber but on bringing his family to the 
 county to live in 1844 he located upon the o])en 
 prairie, realizing that it would be easier to de- 
 velop a farm there. A number of his brothers 
 and sisters were also living in the locality, which 
 has since been known as the Lvman neighbor- 
 hood, although the closing days of 1906 do not 
 find very many residents of the neighborhood 
 bearing the name thus honored. The Lymaiis, 
 however, bore their part in the hardships and ad- 
 ventures of frontier life, and there were wild 
 animals wherever there was timber land. They 
 lived in log cabins and aided in the work of 
 developing and improving this part of the state. 
 Mrs. Davis still relates many incidents of pio- 
 neer days, which were told to her in her child- 
 hood by her many relatives who participated in 
 the work of development and early progress in 
 Iroquois county. She had eight brothers : 
 David, Peter, .Vsa, Lewis, Joseph, William, 
 Daniel and James. Her three sisters were 
 Rachel, Arvilla and Sarah. There is perhaps no 
 better known pioneer family in Iroquois county. 
 The l,\m,in cemetery is near the Davis home, 
 once the Lvnian faniilv homestead, and here
 
 y. 
 
 ■/. 
 
 ■J. 
 
 32
 
 UNWtKSn^ OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 r>->^ 
 
 many >>i its mcmlK-rs have l)ccii laid to rest after 
 ably perforiniiit; life's duties and bearing- a part 
 in tlie work of devclopinfj and upbuilding (he 
 county. 
 
 Tbree sons were born unto Mr. and Mrs. 
 Davis: D. Alvin. wliose birth occurred March 
 17, 1870: J. iManklin, born I'ebruary 17, 1872; 
 and Pearl W., July 30, 1876. Tlicy also reared 
 Lottie Ficke. who was born December 2,v 1884, 
 as their own daufjbter. The eldest son was 
 married January i. iSi/), to Miss Ilattie Cadorc, 
 while J. I'Vanklin Davis was married August 
 28, i8<)7, to Miss Sadie Crawford. On the lOtb 
 of March. 1902, the adopted daughter became 
 the wife of Jesse R. Goodman. .Ml have the 
 greatest affection for the old home, around which 
 cluster many pleasant and hallowed memories 
 of Mrs. Davis and her children. 
 
 .Mr. Davis is a member of Williams post, (i. 
 .\. R.. in Watseka, and the family hold member- 
 ship in the Friends churcli at the same place, 
 although they often attend divine "service at other 
 churches near their home. Since coming to Iro- 
 (|uois county Mr. Davis has devoted his entire 
 life to agricultural pursuits and has now for 
 many years resided upon the old Lyman home- 
 stead, bringing the fields under a high state of 
 cultivation and adding all modern equipments 
 and accessories. He is highly esteemed as a 
 man of genuine personal worth and during the 
 forty-one years of his residence in this county 
 has made many warm friends. 
 
 GEORGE K. McIXTYRE. 
 
 George I\. Mclntyre, oi Middleport. the junior 
 member of the firm of Burkitt & .Mclntyre, op- 
 erating extensively in real estate and live stock 
 in the vicinity of Pittwood, has displayed keen 
 foresight and an aptitude for successful manage- 
 ment in control of all the varied interests with 
 which the firm has been connected and is classed 
 among the representative l)usiness men of this 
 part of the county. He was born in Old Middle- 
 port, July 2, 1864, being the son of Robert K. 
 and Sarah J. Mclntyre, at one time prominent 
 ])eople of that locality. When he was a small 
 lx\v his parents died, leaving a family of nine 
 
 children, some of whom, luiwever, were giown 
 and able to look after the needs of the younger 
 members of the household. The father was an 
 attorney and was active in the practice of law in 
 Watseka when iiis untimely death occurred. Me 
 was highly esteemed as an able niemlx;r of the 
 Iroquois county bar and was well known to all 
 of the pioneer citizens. During the administra- 
 tion of President Lincoln he served as postmaster 
 of his town. 
 
 The father and mother dying in the same year, 
 George K. Mclntyre, a boy of ten, found a home 
 with his sister, Mrs. Mary J. Rurkitt, who was 
 at once sister and mother to him. The other 
 members of the family were: Bennett J.; Mrs. 
 .'^arah A. Burkitt, whose husband was the broth- 
 er of her sister Mary's husband ; Mrs. Xancy 
 .M. Channell : William Robert ; George K. and 
 Mrs. Fanny M. Cooper. Of this number four 
 have passed away, leaving two brothers and three 
 sisters, all of whom except John are married and 
 all are living in Iroquois comity. 
 
 Mr. Mclntyre grew up in the I'.urkitt house- 
 hold, where he was trained to habits of industry 
 and enterprise and in the public schools he ac- 
 quired a good education. .\s soon as he attained 
 his majority he became a member of the 
 firm of Burkitt & Mclntyre, which has 
 been in existence for twent\-tive years, 
 W. R. Burkitt being the senior member. 
 In all f>f the years of the firm's exist- 
 ence one pocketbook and one bank account has 
 been sufficient, each working all the time for 
 their united interests. For some years they 
 traded in grain, coal and luml)er and operated a 
 general store for a number of years, doing a 
 very satisfactory business along all these lines, 
 but since 1900 they have confined their operations 
 to real estate and a general farming business, al- 
 ways controlling .several hundred acres in farm 
 and pasture lands. They have bought and sold 
 nnich real estate in the county, making many ad- 
 vantageous transfers of property. They keep 
 many horses and much farm machinery to be 
 used in the conduct of their agricultural inter- 
 ests and arc abreast of the times in the cultiva- 
 tion of their land, the control of their interests 
 and the placing of their investments. The firm 
 of Burkitt & Mclntyre is a strong one, the l.ibors 
 and abilities of one partner ably supplementing
 
 554 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 and rounding out those of the other, and they 
 have been very successful in their dealings, so 
 that they are now numbered among the ]ir(^s])er- 
 ous residents of the county. 
 
 On the 9th of October, i88«, .Mr. .Mclntyre 
 was united in marriage to Miss Sadie Smiley, 
 of DeKalb county, Illinois, who was born No- 
 vember 3, 1864, and their married life has been 
 spent in the vicinity of Pittwood. Their chil- 
 dren arc: Halcyon A., born September 13, 1889; 
 Hazel, May 18, 1892; Helen, July 23, 1895; and 
 Robert A.. December 15, 1898. All are now 
 students in the Pittwood school. Tlu' ^Iclntyrc 
 home adjoins the town. The improvements to be 
 seen thereon are of the best of the kind to be seen 
 in the farming community, and the well kept 
 appearance of the place indicates the careful su- 
 pervision and progressive .spirit of the owner. 
 
 W. I!. HANSON. 
 
 ^^'. B. Hanson, living on section Ji^. Ridgeland 
 township, is widely and favorably known in this 
 county and has the confidence and esteem of the 
 large majority of those with whom busine.'^s and 
 social relations have brought him in contact. Plis 
 attention is now given to the cultivation of his 
 farm of two hundred and forty acres and he 
 al.so works an eighty-acre tract which he leases. 
 One of Illinois' native sons, he was born in 
 Hancock county, in June, 1850. 
 
 His father, W. H. Hanson, was born in 
 Cherry \^allcy, Otsego county, New York, and 
 removed from the iunpire state to Michigan. 
 There he was reared and when he had attained 
 man's estate he married Miss Lydia .\nn Durkc, 
 who was born near Cleveland, Ohio. Thcv re- 
 moved from southern Michigan to Iowa and later 
 became residents of Hancock county, Illinois, 
 where the father opened up a farm. Subse(|uent- 
 ly he took his family to Cook county, Illinois, 
 and after a few years came, in the fall of 1868. 
 to Iroquois county, purchasing one hundred and 
 sixty acres of land on section 29, Ridgeland 
 township, where his son, W. B. Hanson, now re- 
 sides. He developed a good farming property 
 here, put up good buildings upon it, brought the 
 land under a high state of cultivation ;ind (lion. 
 
 enjoying well earned rest in the evening of life, 
 lived retired in Onarga for several years. His 
 death, however, ocurred upon the home farm, 
 in January, 1905, while his wife survived until 
 June. ujof). In their family were three children, 
 the living brother of our subject being E. B. 
 Hanson, a resident of Denver, Colorado, while 
 the other brother, Fred Hanson, died in Salt 
 Lake City, where he had been engaged in 
 business. 
 
 W. B. Hanson was a youth of about seventeen 
 years when he came to Iroquois county with his 
 parents and following the establishment of the 
 home in Ridgeland township he assisted in the 
 work of opening up and improving the farm. 
 There are elms, now thirty inches in diameter, 
 and also large maples upon the place which were 
 planted by him and which now aiTord most grate- 
 ful .shade in summer, and also add to the value 
 and attractive appearance of the place. Mr. 
 Hanson has tiled and improved the place and has 
 added tn the original tract by his purchase of 
 eighty acres, so that he now has an excellent 
 farm of two hundred and forty acres, in addition 
 to which he cultivates a rented tract of eighty 
 acres. He raises gcx)d stock and has fed consid- 
 erable cattle and hogs, while in the fields he pro- 
 duced abundant crops, owing to the practical 
 methods which he employs in the care and culti- 
 vation of the fields. 
 
 Mr. Hanson was married in Onarga, in 1878, 
 to Miss Plelcn Robbins, a ilaughter of F. D. Rob- 
 bins, a business man of Onarga, in which city 
 she was reared' and educated. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Ilanson have five children : John, who is married 
 and follows farming in Ridgeland township ; 
 .\nna, William. Maud and Nettie, all at home. 
 
 Politically Mr. Ilanson is an ardent republican 
 but without aspiration for office. He served, 
 however, for ten or twelve years as a member of 
 the school board and the cause of public instruc- 
 tion is one dear to his heart. He belongs to the 
 Onarga lodge of Odd Fellows, in which he has 
 filled all the offices and is a past grand. His son 
 also belongs and he and his wife and daughter, 
 Anna, arc members of the Rcbekah lodge, .\ctive 
 and industrious, trustworthy and reliable, W. 1'-. 
 Ilanson has made an excellent record as a busi- 
 ness man and imblic-spirited citizen and during 
 a residence of thirtv-eight vears in the count v
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 lie lias advanced far on the highroad to pros- 
 perity, hciiig now one of the substantial a;rri- 
 culturists of Ridgeland township. 
 
 SA.Ml 1.1. j. AUCUFN. 
 
 The farming interests of Chcbanse township 
 lind a worthy representative in Samuel J. Mc- 
 Uucn. and his excellent farm of two hundred 
 and thirty acres indicates in its splendid and 
 well kept appearance his careful supervision and 
 progressive methods. .V native son of Illinois, 
 he was horn in Cook county. March 7. 1839. and 
 is of Irish lineage, for his father William Mc- 
 Cuen. was born on the Iimerald isle, whence he 
 came to .\merica in 1849. making his way direct 
 to C(X)k county. For some years he was employed 
 in various ways, and with his savings he bought 
 forty acres of land in that county, this being his 
 first real estate. He was married in Ireland to 
 .Miss Jane Coiilcy. and they became the jiarents 
 of eight children, of whom seven reached years 
 of maturity. 
 
 ( )f this mimlier Samuel }. McCuen spent his 
 youth in the usual manner of farm lads of the 
 ])eriod. The limited financial resources of his 
 father rendered it impossible for him to enjoy 
 more than very meager school jirivileges. for he 
 aided in the labors of the fields and contimicd to 
 assist iiis father in that manner until his twenty- 
 fourth year. In ii^>4 William .McL'uen removed 
 with his family to InKjuois county, where he 
 ])urchased one hundred ar.d twenty acres of land 
 in Chebanse townshii). He there built a good 
 house, barns and sheds, and afterward extended 
 the boundaries of his jilacc by the additional jiur- 
 chase of forty acres. There he successfully car- 
 ried on general agricultural pursuits until 1H88. 
 when he retired from active business life and i.^ 
 now living in the enidxiiient of comfort and ease 
 in Chebanse. 
 
 Samuel J. McLueii on starling out in life lor 
 himself rented land for .several years, during 
 which time he carefully saved his earnings until 
 his capital justified his jiurchase of the old home 
 jilace in i8<;2. He has since added eighty acres 
 more and is today the owner of an excellent farm 
 of two hundred and thirty acres. His property 
 
 has been acquired entircl_\ ilirougli his tliriii and 
 industry, for he started out in life with nothing 
 save his strong purpose and laudable ambition. 
 His farm is well tiled and well fenced and he has 
 built a good crib with elevator anil also a sub- 
 stantial barn. In connection with the task of 
 cultivating the fields he raises registered Poland 
 China hogs and good grades of horses, together 
 with some cattle, and his live stock interests con- 
 stitute a gratifying source of revenue. 
 
 On the <jth of January. i88<;, Mr. McCuen was 
 married to Miss May I. Franklin, a native of 
 Iroquois county and a daughter of John [-"raiik- 
 lin. a pioneer business man of Iroquois county 
 but now living retired in Kankakee. Mr. and 
 .Mrs. McCuen have one child, Cdadys Maurinc. 
 
 Politically Mr. McCuen is a stalwart repub- 
 lican but the honors and emoluments of office 
 have no attraction for him. His ■ only public 
 service has been on the school board, his in- 
 cumbency covering three years. He is a member 
 of Chebanse lodge. No. 429. .A. F. & .\. M., in 
 which he is now serving as junior warden, and 
 lie likewise affiliates with the Modern Woodmen 
 camp at Chebanse. and Chebanse lodge. No. 924, 
 I. O. O. F.. while he and his wife arc members 
 of the Congregational church. .\ period of 
 earnest and unremitting toil in his youth brought 
 to Mr. McCuen a practical knowledge of the 
 value of labor and also taught him the worth of 
 perseverance and persistency of purpose. E.k- 
 amination into his life record shows that these 
 f|ualities are his strong characteristics, and as 
 the years have passed by they have enabled him 
 to triumi)li over difficulties and obstacles ami gain 
 a prominent |)lace among the leading farmers of 
 the count \. 
 
 KM ir.l'.K'l" C. Ti )1)1). 
 
 R<jbert C. Todd, now living retired in Sheldon, 
 was born in Hocking county, Ohio, January 14, 
 1841. His father. Israel 'J'odd, was a native of 
 \'irginia and in early life removed from the Old 
 Dominion t<'i ( )lii<i. where he .settled about 1821. 
 He had a farm of fifty-five acres in Hocking 
 county and he also followed the trade of wagon- 
 making there. He wedded Miss Mary Garrett,
 
 556 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 of Virginia, and they became the parents of seven 
 children, of whom three are still living, includ- 
 ing Robert C. 
 
 Robert C. Todd has been a resident of Iro- 
 quois county since 1876, — a period of thirty 
 years. His childhood and youth were passed in 
 a manner similar to that of other farm lads of 
 the neighborhood and his educational privileges 
 were afforded by the public schools. He was 
 thirty-five years of age when he removed from 
 Ohio to Illinois, establishing his home on section 
 9, Concord township, where he purchased eighty- 
 three acres from George \\'right. He built a 
 house on the place, made other improvements 
 and put in six hundred dollars' worth of tile. 
 Year after year he further developed the place, 
 residing thereon until 1887, during %vhich period 
 he successfully followed farming and stock-rais- 
 ing. In that year he removed to Chicago, where 
 he resided until 1895, when he came to Sheldon 
 and purchased a residence, in which he has since 
 lived retired, enjoying here a well earned rest 
 after many years of active and successful labor. 
 
 Mr. Todd was married in Ohio, in 1865, to 
 Miss Elizabeth J. Schlotman, who was born in 
 that state in 1846. They have one daughter, 
 Lucy May, now the wife of Louis Taylor, of 
 Chicago. 
 
 ]\Ir. Todd exercises his right of franchise in 
 support of the men and measures of the repub- 
 lican party but has never been a politician in the 
 sense of office seeking. He belongs to the In- 
 dependent Order of Odd Fellows and to the 
 Presbyterian church. His life has been well spent 
 and his many sterling characteristics have gained 
 him kindly regard and warm friendships. Dur- 
 ing his residence in Iroquois county he has be- 
 come widely known and wherever known is held 
 in hiffh esteem. 
 
 HARMON M. WHITEMAN. 
 
 Harmon i\I. \\'hiteman, a prosperous farmer 
 and stock-raiser of Concord, his native township, 
 was born December 12, 1858. His father, Amos 
 Whiteman, was a native of Greene county, Ohio, 
 and came to Iroquois county by wagon in 1838. 
 He entered land at Danville, thereby becominc: 
 
 owner of a tract on section 7, Concord township, 
 Iroquois county. The conditions of the county 
 were those of primitive frontier life. Few set- 
 tlements had been made in this section of the 
 state and all of the land was wild and unim- 
 proved. Air. Whitman took up his abode on his 
 claim and there built a log cabin sixteen by twenty 
 feet, in which he lived in true pioneer style for a 
 number of years. The cabin was heated by a 
 fire-place and the furnishings were very primitive. 
 He resolutely undertook the task of clearing and 
 developing his land and as the years passed by he 
 prospered. In 1854 he built a good frame house 
 upon the farm. He was prominent in community 
 affairs and in 1848 served as county surveyor, 
 also filled the position of justice of the peace 
 and in 1852 was elected county clerk. He fol- 
 lowed farming and stock-raising for many years, 
 breaking the raw prairie and converting it into 
 rich and productive fields. In every way he 
 improved his farm in accordance with ideas of 
 modern progress and he added to his original 
 holdings from time to time until he had five 
 hundred and fifty acres, thus becoming one of the 
 extensive landowners of the county. His death 
 occurred on the 5th of March, 1895. He was the 
 father of fifteen children, eight of whom are still 
 living. His first wife bore the maiden name of 
 Lydia Thomas and was born in ^"irginia. His 
 second wife was in her maidenhood Margaret C. 
 McCoy, a native of Fayette county, Pennsylvnia, 
 and his third wife was Miss Barbara A. Strick- 
 ler, a native of Sullivan county, Tennessee. 
 
 Harmon M. Whiteman was born of the second 
 marriage and acquired his preliminary educa- 
 tion in the public schools, while later he studied 
 at \'alparaiso. Indiana. \\'hen not busy with his 
 text-books he aided in the farm work, remaining 
 at home until his father's death. He had the 
 management of the farm during the last few 
 years of his father's life and after his death he 
 and his brother, A. L. Whiteman, were ap- 
 pointed executors of the estate. Since 1895 Har- 
 mon M. Whiteman has continuously carried on 
 general agricultural pursuits on the old home- 
 stead place on section 7, Concord township, 
 where he owns and cultivates a farm of one 
 hundred and twenty-seven acres. Here he feeds 
 ;ui(l raises considerable stock and in his business 
 is meeting with a large measure of prosperity.
 
 
 /ti^T/v^-L^^^i^ ^^^y\^^-^(-^ 
 
 i^ 
 
 M . ^
 
 AMOS WHITEMAN.
 
 ( 
 
 DNlVfRSllY OF ILLINOIS
 
 IROQLDIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 V>i 
 
 In H705 Mr. \\ liitiiiiaii was olcclud supervisrir 
 of Concord township and lie has for sonic years 
 Ix'cn recognized as one of the stalwart advocates 
 of democracy in this part of the cimnty. His 
 fraternal afHliation is with the ^L^sonic lod^e 
 and he is now serving as master of (.). IL Miner 
 lodge. Xo. 506, at Iroquois. 
 
 LKWIS M. sciiAi-i:k. 
 
 Lewis E. Scliafer. owning and operating one 
 hundred and sixty acres of farm land on section 
 20, Artesia township, is one of the native sons 
 of Illinois, having hecn born in Putnam county. 
 March 17. 1856. He, however, represents a fam- 
 ily of German birth .'ind in his life displays many 
 of the sterling characteristics of his Teutonic 
 ancestry. His father. Philip .'schafer. was a na- 
 tive of (iermany. where he was reared and mar- 
 ried. His wife bore the maiden name of Kath- 
 arine Baker and was also born in (iermany. 
 Three children were born unto them before they 
 crossed the Atlantic to America in the \ear 1842. 
 The father was a stonemason by trade and after 
 taking u|) bis alxxle in Dayton. ( )hi<). he worked 
 as a day laborer, oftentimes chopping wood for 
 a living. Two years were ]>asscd at Dayton 
 an<l he then removed with his family to Putnam 
 county, Illinois, where he worked as a farm hand 
 for eleven dollars per month, lie was thus em- 
 ployed for three years and during that time save<l 
 from his meager earnings m<iney eiiougli t<i buy 
 a horse and a |)l(iw. and he then began to grub 
 timber and for five or six years raised potatoes, 
 after which he reiUed land and engaged in gen- 
 eral fariuing for twelve years. On the expira- 
 tion of that period he came to Inx|uois county 
 and purchased the farm upon which his son Lewis 
 now resifles, becoming owner of one hundred and 
 sixty acres, for which he paid twelve dollars per 
 acre. It was raw land, destitute of improve- 
 ments, but he soon placed it under the plow. I)uilt 
 a substantial dwelling thereon and developed a 
 good farm, which continued to Ik- his home imtil 
 i8<)<). when he removed to Champaign. Illinois. 
 He then lived retired imtil his death, which oc- 
 curred in 1895. when he was seventy-three years 
 of age. His wife survived until 1903 and died at 
 
 the age of eighty-four years. Tite family num- 
 bered eight children, of whom two are deceased, 
 Ix)uise having died at the age of six years and 
 Margaret when seven years old. There are now 
 four living daughters and two sons. 
 
 Lewis L. Schafer was reared under the parental 
 roof and came with the family to Irocpiois county 
 when fifteen years of age. His educational priv- 
 ileges were somewhat meager, for his yoiuh was 
 largely a period of earnest toil. When he was 
 twenty-eight years of age he was married on the 
 24th of December, 1884, to Miss Minerva Drake, 
 a native of Marion county. ( )hio, and a daughter 
 of Joseph Drake, also a native of that state, 
 who came to Iroquois couiUy and was a neigh- 
 bor of the Schafer family. The year of his 
 arrival was 1836 and he lived in tlie c<nuity imtil 
 1885. when he went to Kansas, where he is now 
 farming. His wife died in that state in i8<v2. 
 at the age of fifty-seven years. 
 
 b'olli.iwing his marriage Mr. Schafer lived upon 
 the home farm for five years and then purchased 
 eighty acres on section 20. .\rtcsia township. 
 He tiled and imprfivetl the place, converted it 
 int<i a fruit farm and lived thereon for seven 
 \ears. when in 1<)03 be sold that property and 
 purchased the interest of the other heirs in his 
 father's old homestead. He has ^ince resided 
 thereon and has built a gixjd barn and outbuild- 
 iugs. Many nxls of tiling have been laid to 
 drain the land and fences divide it into fields of 
 convenient size. There is an orcharrl containing 
 all kinds of fruit and in fact none of the acces- 
 sories of a model farui are lacking. In connection 
 with the work of tilling the fields anrl raising 
 fruit Mr. .Schafer is giving considerable atten- 
 tion to the raising of Shropsiiire sheep. 
 
 The home of our subject and his wife has been 
 blessed with two children but duc tlie<l in infancy. 
 The surviving son, Roy, is a young man at home. 
 They have also reared two adopte<l children. 
 Mamie and Mlanche. The |)arents are members 
 of the MetJKxlist Episcopal church at I'lucklcy 
 and .Mr. Schafer served for a number of years 
 as trustee. His wife is a valued, earnest worker 
 in the missionary cause and is cio.sely identified 
 with the development of the church. In politics 
 .Mr. .*>chafer is a demrtcrat at state and national 
 elections but casts an independent local ballot. 
 He has served as drainage commissioner of two
 
 ^62 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 districts, also as road commissioner, and has 
 proved capable in these offices but is without po- 
 litical aspiration. He is a member of the Mod- 
 ern Woodmen of America. What he possesses 
 has been gained through his unremitting dili- 
 gence and careful economy. His opportunities 
 in youth were limited and he started out in life 
 on his own account empty-handed. He early 
 realized that he must earn if he would gain the 
 rewards of labor and his unabating energy and 
 industry that never flags have been the salient 
 features in his success. 
 
 JAMES H. CAREY. 
 
 James H. Carey, attorney at law at Watseka, 
 is connected with a profession which has long 
 been considered as conserving the best interests 
 of society at large by upholding the public sta- 
 bility and furthering the ends of justice, and in 
 his practice he has gained a measure of success 
 which comes only in recognition of ability and 
 merit. He was born in Kendall county, Illinois, 
 November 2, 1861. His father, Peter Carey, a 
 native of Ireland, came to the United States 
 when a boy of seventeen years and lived in 
 Natick, Massachusetts, where he was employed 
 in a shoe manufactory. In 1861 he came to Illi- 
 nois and settled at Plattville, Kendall county, 
 where he was engaged in farming until 1873, 
 when he removed to Iroquois county, where his 
 death occurred in 1876. His wife, Mary Kelly, 
 was also a native of Ireland, and was thirteen 
 years of age when brought to the United States. 
 She survived her husband for a number of years 
 and passed away in 1891 in Iroquois county. 
 
 James li. Carey was the third in order of 
 birth in a family of eight children, all of whom 
 are living. In the year 1873 the family came 
 to Iroquois county, and he continued his educa- 
 tion in the district schools here and in the North- 
 ern Indiana Normal College at Valparaiso. 
 Thus provided with a liberal education he en- 
 gaged in teaching school for four years in Iro- 
 quois county, and during that jjeriod devoted his 
 leisure hours to the study of law. reading private- 
 ly and also as a student in the law office of the 
 firm of Morris & Hooper, of \\'atseka. Ad- 
 
 mitted to the bar in 1897, he entered upon prac- 
 tice in Watseka in partnership with C. N. Saum, 
 a connection which was continued for two years, 
 since which time Mr. Carey has practiced alone. 
 Correct in his application of legal principles and 
 with comprehensive knowledge of jurisprudence, 
 he has won various notable forensic victories. 
 He prepares his cases with great thoroughness 
 and skill and always enters the courtroom well 
 qualified to parry the attacks of his opponent and 
 also present his case in a strong, clear, concise 
 manner, that seldom fails to impress court and 
 jury with the justice of his cause. 
 
 On the 22d day of May, 1901, Mr. Carey was 
 married to Miss Bertha Apgar, a daughter of 
 David Apgar, of Iroquois county, and they have 
 one child, Irene, who was born October 18. 1902. 
 ]\Ir. Carey holds membership in the Masonic 
 fraternity and is a communicant of the Catholic 
 church. His political opinions accord with dem- 
 ocratic principles and he is chairman of the 
 county central committee. He takes an active 
 part in the work of the local organization, doing 
 all in his power to promote the growth and 
 insure the success of the party and for one term 
 he has served as city attorney. His interests and 
 energies, however, center upon his profession in 
 which he is making steady and gratif\ing 
 progress. 
 
 CHARLES -M. SLIFE. 
 
 Charles M. Slife, engaged in general farming 
 on section 7, Stockland township, has for forty- 
 three years been a resident of Iroquois county 
 and is a native of the middle west, his birth 
 having occurred in Huntington county, Indiana, 
 October 2, 1862. His father, Daniel K. Slife, 
 was a native of Pennsylvania, where ho was 
 roared. He was a farmer by occupation and 
 when a young man he removed westward to 
 Indiana, wlioro ho purchased eighty acres of land 
 upon which he made a homo. He was married 
 in that stale to Miss Mary (uiod. whoso birth 
 (loourn-d in Huntington count)', and for ten years 
 after their marriage they continued residents of 
 tlie Hoosicr state. On the expiration of that 
 period Air. Slifo sold his proportv there and re- 
 moved to lr(i(|uois county, settling in Milfnrd
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ?63 
 
 township, where lie purchased one huiulreil .iiid 
 eighty acres of land that is still the Slife home- 
 stead. Upon the place he erected a good dwell- 
 ing and made other substantial iinpmvemeiits. 
 carrying on active farming there for a long 
 period and finding in the business a profitable 
 source of income by reason of his energy, per- 
 severance and capable management. The last 
 fifteen years of his life, however, were passed in 
 Milford, where he died in 1903. at the age of 
 seventy-seven years. Mrs. Slife still survives 
 and is now in her seventy-eighth year. She 
 makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. J. 
 Darrough. 
 
 Charles "SI. Slife was the youngest of six chil- 
 dren and was reared upon the home farm, lie 
 had good common school advantages and for 
 one year he engaged in teaching a di.strict school. 
 On reaching adult age he purchased eighty acres 
 of land and began farming on his own account. 
 He erected the necessary buildings upon his 
 place, turned the furrows in the fields and in 
 course of time gathered rich harvests. For nearly 
 twenty years, or until 1902. he lived upon that 
 farm but in that year purchased the Dawson 
 farm of one hundred and si.xty acres and has 
 since removed to the south side of the farm. 
 where he has a model country residence and 
 two tenant houses. A progressive spirit keeps 
 him in touch with advanced ideas of farming 
 and in all of his business he has manifested an 
 aptitude for successful management. 
 
 On the 22d of October, 1885, Mr. Slife was 
 united in marriage to Miss Ella Hanier. a native 
 of Iroquois county and a daughter of Cicorge 
 Hamer, who was born in Uayton, ( )hio. and 
 settled here about i860. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
 Slife have been born four children: llattie, 
 who is engaged in teaching school and resides 
 at home ; Russell and Fred, who are attending 
 school : and Helen, who completes the family. 
 
 In connection with his general farming inter- 
 ests Mr. Slife raises good grades of stiock and 
 also feeds for the market. He is a man of strong 
 purpose and unfaltering determination and these 
 (|ualities have enabled him to overcome all the 
 difficulties and obstacles in his path. Politically 
 he is an earnest republican and has served as 
 town clerk and tax collector for several years. 
 He has also been president of the board of 
 
 school trustees for a number of years and the 
 cause of education finds in him a warm advocate, 
 l-'raternally he is connected with the blue lodge 
 of Milford. with the chapter and the com- 
 mandery at W'atseka and has been a delegate to 
 the grand lodge of the state. He likewise affil- 
 iates with the Knights of Pythias of Milford 
 and with the Modern W'oodmen camp, and he 
 and his wife are members of the Eastern Star 
 chajjter. They also attend the services of the 
 Methodist F-jjiscopal church, to which Mrs. Slife 
 belongs, and in the locality where they make 
 their home they have a wide and favorable ac- 
 quaintance, while the hospitality of their own 
 household is greatly enjoyed by those who know 
 them. 
 
 GLEASON & MOREL. 
 
 The firm of < ileason & Morel, general mer- 
 chants and bankers have carried on business in 
 Iroquois county for almost a quarter of a century 
 and throughout this period have sustained an 
 unassailable reputation for the fairness and 
 ])robity of their methods and their entcr[)rise and 
 l)rogressiveness. The mercantile business at 
 Clifton was established in 1882, occupying a 
 building twenty by eighty feet, and fnjm the be- 
 ginning success attended the new enterprise. In 
 i8«)i they enlarged the scope of their activities 
 by ojK-ning a hardware, furniture and undertak- 
 ing business under the firm name of Heardslie, 
 Sanderson & Company. In 1895 the firm of 
 (ileason & Morel opened the first and only bank 
 in Clifton, conducting it as a |)rivate banking 
 institution until 1902, when it was converted into 
 a national bank. This has also proved a profitable 
 investment and is moreover of the utmost value 
 to the merchants of the town and the business 
 men of surrounding districts, furnishing a me- 
 dium for financial exchange. The firm jirobably 
 controls the most extensive interests in their 
 line in the county, occupying twenty-five thoii- 
 sand feet of floor space in a brick building which 
 they erected and own, and in addition to their 
 mercantile and banking interests in Clifton, they 
 are interested in a general mercantile enterprise 
 at .Xshkum. conducted under the name of H. 
 C. Morel & Company. The partners arc the
 
 564 
 
 PAST AND PRESEXT OF 
 
 firm of Gleason & :\Iorel and H. G. :\lorel, of 
 Ashkum, and comprise what is known as the 
 Doddsville Land & Mercantile Company, of 
 which J. C. Gleason is president and A. G. Morel, 
 treasurer. This company owns a plantation at 
 Doddsville, Mississippi, of twenty lumtlrcd and 
 fiftv acres, on which arc nine dwellings, while 
 eighteen hundred acres are under cultivation, the 
 principal crop being cotton, while the output was 
 
 one thousand bales in 1906, worth tifty di:Ilars 
 J. C. Gleason, the senior member of the firm, 
 is a son of John and Mary K. (Rice) Gleason, 
 who became residents of Bloomington. Illinois. 
 in the early "505, and who removed to this coun- 
 ty in the early '60s. Their family numbered two 
 sons and two daughters: Henry, of Sutherland. 
 Iowa; J. C., of this review: Olive and Mamie. 
 both deceased. 
 
 J. C. Gleason was born at Xormal, IlHn :-. 
 March 4, 1859, and following the removal of 
 the family to Clifton attended the public schools 
 here. He was twenty-three years of age when 
 he entered upon an independent Inisiness career 
 as a member of the firm of (ileason & Morel, 
 which has had a continuous existence of almost 
 a quarter of a century, bringing the success which 
 is the outcome of earnest, persistent and well 
 directed effort. In addition to his mercantile 
 and banking interests Mr. Gleason is the owner 
 of two hundred acres of land in Mills Grove 
 township, Iroquois county, a ([uarter section in 
 Arkansas and a small farm in western Kansas. 
 He is also one of the directors of the Federal 
 Life Insurance Company, of Chicago, in which 
 he owns some stock, and thus his cner.gies have 
 covered a wide field and represented varied inter- 
 ests in the business world, and his wise counsel 
 and sound judgment have been stimulatin.g 
 factors for continuous progress and prosperity. 
 In 1892 Mr. Gleason was united in marriage 
 to Miss Edith (). llalthis, a daughter <>t John 
 M. and .Susan < ). Malthis, of Clift(in. of wh<im 
 mention is made elsewhere in this volume. They 
 are prominent socially and the hospitality of their 
 own pleasant home is greatly enjoyed 1)\ lluir 
 manv friends. Mr. Gleason is ardent in his re- 
 ])ublicanism though not an office seeker. lie was 
 elected mayor of Clifton but after a year re- 
 signed. Fie is a member of the Congregational 
 
 church and endorses the many movements and 
 measures which are promulgated for the good of 
 the communitv in its material, intellectual and 
 moral progress. Almost his entire life has been 
 passed in Clifton and he has steadily advanced 
 through the \ears in harmony with the spirit of 
 modern business methods and ideas, and that 
 he has been enabled to pass others on the highway 
 of life is due to his close application, his watch- 
 fidness of all the details of his business, his keen 
 discernment and, moreover, his untiring industry, 
 which, no matter how much theorizing one may 
 do as to the causes of success, constitutes the real 
 basis of prosperity. 
 
 WILLIAM DEWIXG. 
 
 ( )n the roll of Iroquois county's honored dead, 
 appears the name of William Dewing, who for 
 some vears was closely associated with farming 
 interests here. He was born February 17, 1846, 
 in England, and died on the 25th of July. 1902. 
 llis iKirents were Robert and Susan Dewing 
 and lived at Coston, England, where the father 
 was a carpenter by trade. 
 
 In his native country, William Dewing pur- 
 sued a common-school education. After puting 
 aside his text-books, he learned the miller's trade, 
 which he followed in his native country until 
 he determined to trv his fortime in the new 
 world. Crossing the .Atlantic he did not tarry 
 long on the eastern coast, but made his way at 
 i>nce into the interior and settled in .Shledon 
 townshi]), Iroquois county. Illinois, where he 
 arrived in i8r)7. Here he gave his attention to 
 farming and secured a tract of land, which he 
 brought under a high state of cultivation, adding 
 to the ])lace all the modern e(|uipments and ac- 
 cessories of a model farm. Fie continued to en- 
 gage actively in farming up to the time of his 
 death :md was not only industrious and perse- 
 vering, but also progressive in his methods and 
 utilized his land to the best advantage. 
 
 .\lr. Dewing was united in marriage to Sophia 
 .\nn Xash, who was born September 3, 1851. 
 daughter of James and Xora Xash. the former 
 a native of luigiand, while the later was born 
 in this count\. I'lito Air. and Mr--. Dewing was
 
 wii I I \M i)i\\ i\(; WD I' win N"
 
 UNlVtKi>ilV U^ ILLii'iOlS
 
 IROyLUli COUMV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 507 
 
 Ixirii one son, whose birth (jccurrcil in Sheldon 
 townsliip. Aiijjnst 9. iSi<«^, and wlio is attending 
 ihc hi^h school at ShcKloii. 
 
 in his political views Mr. Dewinjjf was a re- 
 publican and served as road commissioner, but 
 cared little tor ])nblic ottice, preferring to de- 
 vote his time and attention to business affairs in 
 which he met with sisjnal success. lie was a 
 member of llic Masonic fraternity at Sheldon 
 and his life was ever honorabie and upright, l)c- 
 ing characterized by those princi])lcs wliich in 
 every land and clime gain confidence and com- 
 mand regard. lie recognized individual re- 
 siKinsibility and was ever just in his relations 
 with his fellowmcn. Thus he gained the good 
 will of those with wliom he came in contact and 
 his death was deeply deplored when at the com- 
 paratively early age of fifty years lie was called 
 to his final rest. 
 
 WiLiJA.M R( )Si-:xr.RRc,i;R. 
 
 William Rosenljerger. who since 18^18 has 
 made his home in iro(|uois county and is jiow one 
 of its venerable citizens, was born in (jermany, 
 November i, 1828. His parents were i'rcdericl: 
 and Sallie (Todare) Roscnberger. both of whom 
 were natives of (lermany, whence they came to 
 -America but at a later ilate returned to the fa- 
 therland, in tlieir family were five children. 
 
 William i'ioscnbcrger acquired his education 
 in the usual manner as prescribed by the laws 
 of his native country, and was in the army for 
 nine months, at the end of which time he left 
 (icrmany for the new world. He had heard fa- 
 vorable reports concerning the opportunities here 
 alTordcd and attracted by the greater lil)erties 
 and broader business advantages lie came to the 
 United States, stopping in Chicago in 1850. lie 
 was afterward em]>loyed in the butchering busi- 
 ness at frown i'oiiit. Indiana, for two years, and. 
 coming to Iroc|uois cininty, made his home in 
 Middleport. There he and his l)rother established 
 a brewery, which they conducted for three years, 
 and in 1868 they removed to Concord township, 
 Mr. Rosenbcrger purchasing sixty acres of land 
 from Mr. lUichaiian, on section 30. .\mbitious to 
 have stiil greater landed interests he extended 
 
 the Jwundaries of iiis farm as opportunity offered 
 until he is now the owner of two hundred and 
 fifty-two acres on section 30, and ten acres on 
 section 19, Concord township. This land was 
 entirely wild and uncultivated when it came into 
 his jxjssession but as the years jiassed he broltc 
 the sod. planted the seed, and in due course of 
 time gathered goo<i harvests, i ie likewise built 
 a house and barn, his home, liowever, being for 
 some time a log cabin, which was the typical 
 home u])on the frontier at that early day. .\s 
 time passe<l by he made a gotKl start in his 
 faj-ming operations, bringing his fields under cul- 
 tivation and raising stock, lie cleared one hun- 
 dred and seventy acres of lantl, which is well 
 tilled, while the remainder of his farm is pasture 
 lands. In former years he raised as many as 
 forty head of cattle annually. He still cultivates 
 the farm and has purchased a half section of 
 farm land in Canada. 
 
 Mr. liiiscnbcrgcr was married in Crown I'oint, 
 Indiana, in 1858, to Miss Catherine Ofcnlock, 
 who was born in Hesse-I3armstadt. (jermany, in 
 1839. They became the parents of six children, 
 John, Mrs. Christie Keene, .\lbcrt, William W., 
 t^.scar and Ceorge. 
 
 .Mr. Rosenbcrger has been called to several 
 local i)ositions of honor and trust. He has 
 served as school director for ten years and has 
 been patlimastcr. His ])olitical support is given 
 to the democracy for he believes that its [irin- 
 ciples as embodied in its platform will best con- 
 serve the interests of good government. His 
 religious faith is that of the i-utheran cliurcli. 
 \ iewed from a jiersonal standpoint his life has 
 l>een an honorable and upright one, and many 
 good (|iialitiis liave gained for him a j)lace in 
 ])ul)lic regard that makes him a respected and 
 value<l resident of Concord township. 
 
 .\RN'f)I.n G. BERNS. 
 
 .\rnold G. I'.erns is the owner of three hundred 
 and twenty acres of fine land in Milks Grove 
 township, of which one hundred and sixty acres 
 is coniprise<l in the home |)lace. He has inii)roved 
 this property from the raw prairie and an indica- 
 tion of his life of activitv is found in the ex-
 
 568 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 cellent appearance of the farm. Born in Verl, 
 Westphalia, Germany. July 17, 1849. he is a 
 son of Colon Henry Geruto Berns. who in that 
 country was married to Marguerite Ilagenheide. 
 They became the parents of five children, of 
 whom Arnold was the second in order of birth. 
 He was educated in the schools of the fatherland 
 and. in accordance with the laws of that country, 
 served for three years in the German army and 
 participated in the Franco-Prussian war. He 
 also learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade 
 in his native country and with the desire to im- 
 prove his financial condition he came to the 
 new world in the summer of 1875. sailing from 
 Bremen to Xew York. The fact that he had 
 relatives living in Iroquois county, Illinois, in- 
 duced him to make a location here and for a 
 season he was employed by them. During that 
 time he acquainted himself with American meth- 
 ods of farming and through the succeeding year 
 he worked by the month at farm labor. 
 
 I\Ir. Berns was then married in February. 
 1877, to Miss Mary Langhorst. a native of Ger- 
 many, who came to America to live with rela- 
 tives. Following his marriage he rented a farm, 
 which he operated for three years and on the ex- 
 piration of that period took charge of the D. K. 
 Pearson farm in Kankakee county. Two years 
 were devoted to its further cultivation and for 
 two years he was upon the Milks ^\'heelc^ farm. 
 He then removed to Chebanse, where he followed 
 the carpenter's trade for a year. Like all thrifty 
 German people, he saved his earnings as he could 
 until his capital was sufficient to enable him to 
 purchase the quarter section of land, upon which 
 he now resides. It is situated on section 36. 
 ]\lilks Grove tpwnship. and he became the owner 
 in 1885. It was all raw land at that time but 
 he converted it into rich and productive fields, 
 improving and making it a valuable farm. He 
 has erected a good two-story residence, a barn, 
 twenty-eight by sixty-four feet with eighteen 
 foot posts, good corn cribs and other structures 
 that furnish adequate shelter for grain and stock. 
 He was one of the first to tile his land in Milks 
 Grove township and he has built good fences 
 and carries on farm work along modern lines. 
 In 1898 he purchased one hundred and sixty 
 acres on section 2 of the same township and this 
 he has also improved, so that the well tilled fields 
 
 now return to him large annual harvests as the 
 result of the care and labor he bestows upon 
 them. 
 
 ^Ir. and Mrs. Berns have become the parents 
 of three children : Henry, who is operating the 
 home farm with his father ; Andrew, who is 
 cultivating the one hundred and sixty acre farm 
 on section 2, Milks Grove township; and Joseph, 
 at home. The second son married Linnie Sieden- 
 top, a daughter of Henry Siedentop, a pioneer 
 of Milks Grove township. They now have one 
 child, Mary. All of the family are communi- 
 cants of the Catholic church at Milks Grove. 
 
 Mr. Berns is independent in politics and has 
 always been without aspiration for public office. 
 For ten years he served as school director but 
 otherwise has filled no public position. He de- 
 lights, however, in the advancement made by the 
 county along various lines and has co-operated in 
 many movements for the general good. Com- 
 ing to America empty-handed, his life is an illus- 
 tration of the fact that success may be acquired 
 through close application and unfaltering purpose 
 in this land where labor is not hampered by caste 
 or class. 
 
 WEST BROTHERS. 
 
 The \\'est Brothers, who are numbered among 
 the prominent business men of Iroquois countv, 
 are engaged in the grain trade at Loda and 
 Thawville. The firm consists of John T. and 
 William West, who reside and carry on business 
 in Loda, and George E., who has charge of the 
 elevator and grain trade at Thawville and is also 
 a partner in the business at that place. John T. 
 and William West are partners in the electric 
 light plant and in the ownership of the green- 
 house at Loda and also own a third interest in 
 the greenhouse at Paxton, Illinois. 
 
 These brothers, who occupy positions of prom- 
 inence in business circles and belong to that class 
 of representative men who while promoting in- 
 dividual interests also advance the general wel- 
 fare, are natives of Iroquois coutity. John 
 T. was born July 24. 1863, and William April 3, 
 1866. They are sons of John \\'est, Sr.. who is 
 mentioned elsewhere in this work. They were 
 reared in Irciquois and Lake counties and are
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ^fX) 
 
 indcbti'd lo llic i)iil>lit.->cluMil >_vstfm <il tin- stale 
 for the (.(hicatioiial privik-^i-s llicy ciijovcd. 
 
 After putting aside his text-books John T. 
 West was employed by K. \'. Hiinj;erf<>rd, ol 
 I-^nla. in the )j;rain trade for ahont two years. He 
 then formed a piutiiershi]) witli J. .\. llill and 
 en^raged in trenenil merdiandisinj; lor two years, 
 wliiie William West remained in the employ of 
 Mr. Ilnn!.;erford until under the firm name of 
 West r.rothcrs they cmbarke<l in i.;eneral mer- 
 chandising; at the end of that time. I'or two 
 years they occn|)ied a rented store buildini; and 
 when that was destroyed by fire the_\ removed 
 their stock of gocnls to another l)uilding an<l re- 
 sumed operations tlie following day without loss 
 of any time. Suhsecjuently tlie\ built a business 
 house and continued in that line of trade until 
 Sei)tember I. i«;04, when both retired from gen- 
 eral merchandising and concentrated their efforts 
 upon other lines of business activity. It was in 
 i8<>8 that the firm of West brothers bought the 
 ♦.'levator at Loda and took charge of the business, 
 since wiiich time they have also purchaseil the 
 elevator and grain business at 'i'liawville. They 
 are numbered among the carefid and progressive 
 business men of the former place and are melt- 
 ing with excellent success as grain merchants, 
 while their business is also a valuable element in 
 the commimity, furnishing a market for many 
 l)roducers. John T. and William West also have 
 large landed interests in Iowa, consisting of ten 
 hundrefl and forty acres in Calhoun and Poca- 
 hontas counties. In their business lliey have man- 
 ifested a desire and effort to attain the highest 
 perfection ]>ossible. to give ])ublic service that 
 will render them worthy of a liberal ])atronagc, 
 and at all times they have conducted their inter- 
 ests according to a high standard of connnercial 
 ethics. 
 
 John T. West was married in Lotla. January 
 17. 1888. to Miss Leona West, who was born 
 and reared in Illinois, and they now have four 
 children: Ralph. Chester. Mabel ami Leona. 
 William West was al.so married in Loda. on the 
 J5th of .November. 1SS8. to .Miss l-'va .\ddems, 
 who was born and reared in Illinois, and to them 
 have Ix-en born three children: I-".dna. Clli and 
 Marion. 
 
 The iirothers are members of the Masonic fra- 
 ternity, affiliating with tiic lodge at Loda. and are 
 
 33 
 
 also connecteil with the .\lo<liTn WiMidiiun ol 
 .\merica. I'oth have filled various offices in these 
 lodges and are active in promoting the interests 
 thereof, being thoroughly in sym|)athy with the 
 ])rinciples and puri)oses of those organizations. 
 I'lotli gentlemen own neat residences in Ixnla and 
 have lieliK'd to build up and advance the interests 
 of the county. They enjoy in uiuisnal degree 
 the respect and confidence of the business com- 
 mimity and in social circles have gained e(|ually 
 favorable regard. Working in harmony, the la- 
 bors of the one aptly supplementing and rounding 
 out the efforts of the other, the West I'.rothers 
 ctmstitute a strong firm. Their success in life 
 is tine to no inherited fortune or to any hajjpy 
 succession of advantageous circumstances, but to 
 their own sturdy will, steady application, studi- 
 t>us habits, tireless industry and sterling integrity. 
 
 r.. 1". Sll WKLAXl). 
 
 1!. I". Shankland. ])ublislKT of the Watseka 
 Re])ublican. was born in Indiana, in iH4<^ but 
 was brought to Iroquois county by his parents 
 in 1854. His father. Kendall Shankland, a native 
 of ( )hio. tof)k up his abode in Prairie ( ireen town- 
 shi]) on coming to Illinois and bought and im- 
 proved a farm there. He became one of the 
 organizers of the republican i)arty in this county 
 and was receognized as a leader in molding public 
 thought an<l action. He served for some time as 
 a member of the board of supervisors. His wife. 
 .\manda Harris, was a native of Indiana, and it 
 was in that state that they were married, coming 
 at an early day to Iroquois county with their 
 family, including 15. F. Shankland. 
 
 The son supplemented his preliminary educa- 
 tion by study in tirand Prairie Seminary, at 
 ( )narga. He then tofjk up the study of law in 
 the University of Michigan, and following the 
 completion of liis course he practiced for some 
 time in Watseka. The law. however, was not to 
 his taste and he served as deputy comity clerk 
 for seven years, after which he entere<l the field 
 of journalism as publisher of the Watseka Re- 
 |>ublican. a weekly pa|)er. It was established in 
 .May. 1856. by J. .\. (iraham and I). T. Lindley, 
 anil was called the Iroquois Republican. It is
 
 570 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 an eight-page paper, which has a large circulation 
 throughout the county and is a well edited jour- 
 nal, imparting the spirit of modern progress as 
 manifested in the newspaper field. 
 
 In 1877 -Mr. Siiankland was united in marriage 
 to ^liss Xancy .Miskimen, of Lovejoy township, 
 who was born in Ohio. They have one son, 
 Kendall, who is assistant editor of the paper and 
 a graduate of Lake Forest (Illinois) College. 
 He is now secretary of the Iroquois Club and is 
 a Knight Templar Mason, belonging to the blue 
 lodge, chapter and commandery at Watseka. Fie 
 also served as secretary to the superintendent of 
 the reformatory at Pontiac, Illinois, an office 
 which B. F. Shankland also filled at one time. 
 
 In his political views ^Ir. Shankland is a stal- 
 wart republican and publishes his paper in the 
 interest of that party. This paper is now owned 
 by Mr. Shankland and Walter R. Higgins, who 
 is one of the oldest printers of the state, having 
 followed the business from early boyhood. Mr. 
 Shankland is filling the office of secretary of the 
 republican county central committee and his 
 opinions carry weight in the councils of his party 
 and his influence is widely felt. He belongs to 
 various branches of the Masonic fraternities, in- 
 cluding the Knight Templar commandery, and 
 his religious faith is indicated by his membership 
 in the Presbyterian church. 
 
 WESLEY V. BRUBAKER. 
 
 A well developed farm property comprising 
 eighty acres on section 10, Sheldon township, is 
 in jxissession of Wesley V. Brubaker, who in his 
 farm work has manifested a spirit of determi- 
 nation and progress that is most commendable. 
 He was born in Woodford county, Illinois, Sep- 
 tember 27, 1855. 
 
 His father, Joseph Brubaker, was a native of 
 Richland county, Ohio, born July 7, 1826. He 
 came to Illinois with his parents and settled in 
 Woodford county near Eureka at a very early 
 period in the development of this state. There 
 the grandparents of our subject were engaged 
 in farming. In 1853 Joseph Brubaker went to 
 Ohio and on the 22d of February of that vear he 
 
 was married there to ^Miss Anna M. Charles, 
 who was born in .\shland county, Ohio. He 
 afterward returned with his bride to Woodford 
 county, Illinois, and engaged in farming on his 
 own account. That he prospered is indicated 
 by his property interests, which were extensive. 
 for he became the owner of four hundred and 
 ninetv acres of valuable and productive land in 
 this county. He purchased three hundred and 
 twenty acres of IMrs. John Sheets and one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres on section 9, Sheldon town- 
 ship. All of the improvements were made by 
 him upon the farm and he continued to engage 
 actively in general agricultural pursuits until 
 about ten years prior to his death, when he re- 
 moved to the town of Sheldon, where his re- 
 maining days were passed. He died there in 
 1898. In matters of citizenship he was public 
 spirited and progressive and he gave loyal alle- 
 giance to the republican party until 1888. after 
 which he supported the prohibition party, for he 
 had firm faith in its principles. For four years 
 he served as road commissioner and for ten 
 years was school director, while his religious 
 faith was indicated by his membership in the 
 Methodist Episcopal church. L^nto him and his 
 estimable wife there were born four children, of 
 whom two are now living: Charles H.. and 
 Wesley Y. Frank A. and Jennie M. are 
 deceased. 
 
 In taking up the personal history of Wesley 
 V. Brubaker we present to our readers the life 
 record of one who is widely and favorably known 
 in this part of the county. No event of special 
 importance occurred to vary the routine of farm 
 life for him in the days of his boyhood and 
 youth. He was reared to agricultural pursuits 
 and on attaining his majority he began farming 
 on his own account, purchasing eighty acres of 
 land from his father about twenty years ago. 
 This is located on section 10. Sheldon township 
 and he has placed many of the im]irovcnients 
 upon it save the house. His father tiled tiie 
 place and Mr. Brubaker has further continued 
 its drainage and cultivation. He lias always 
 followed farming and stock-raising and his 
 thorough knowledge of the business in which he 
 has been engaged from his btnhood to the 
 present time has been one of the salient elements 
 in his success. He is now cultivating an entire
 
 - .'It 
 
 ^■.\T.'LJ<i,i]y uf ILLINOIS
 
 V. 
 
 X 
 
 /, 
 
 w
 
 y
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 .■'/J 
 
 half section of land and aiinuallx liarvist^ l.o".- 
 croi)S. 
 
 Mr. Crubakcr was married to .Mi>s .\lar\ Mita 
 Lcwellen, who was born in Di-lawarc county. 
 Indiana, and came to this state when twelve 
 years of a},a- with her motlicr. Ikr father, Jo- 
 sepluis Lcwellen. who was a carpenter by trade, 
 died when she was only three years old. Mr. 
 and Mrs. I'.rubaker have one child. Harry. 
 
 .Mr. Brubaker has served as a school director. 
 He gives his political support to the ])rohibition 
 party, for he has lonj; been a stanch advocate of 
 the cause of temperance. He is a member of 
 the Methodist Kpiscopal church and his faith 
 and belief find exemplification in his life and his 
 treatment of his fellownien, who know him t4 
 be a most honorable citizen, straightforward and 
 reliable in all of his business dealings. 
 
 ]ACOU ALLIIAXnS. 
 
 Jacob .Mlhands. living in Sheldon township, 
 dates his residence in the state from 1854. Me 
 was born in Montgomery county. Indiana, in 
 1853 and was brought to Illinois by his father, 
 William J. .Mlhands, a native of Butler county, 
 ( )hio, born December 22, 1821. The paternal 
 grandfather, Daniel . Mlhands. was a native of 
 X'irginia and for some years resided in the lUick- 
 eye state, after which he removed with his family 
 to Indiana, casting in his lot with its |)ioneer 
 .settlers. 
 
 William J. .Mlhands was at that time a lad 
 of eleven years and he was reared amid the 
 wild scenes and environments frontier life, lie 
 attended school during the winter seasons but 
 in the summer months his services were needed 
 upon the home farm and he performed the ardu- 
 ous task of developing and cultivating new land. 
 Remaining in Indiana until 1852. he then came to 
 Illinois on a prospecting tour, after which he re- 
 turned to Montgomery county but in 1854 made 
 a ]iermanent location here and for many vears 
 thereafter was closely associated with farnn'ng 
 interests in tliis county. He was married in 1849, 
 in Indiana, to Miss Martha A. Moore, a native 
 of Ohio, and they became the parents of eleven 
 
 children. Mr. .\llhantls cast his fir^t presidential 
 ballot for James K. Polk and continued to sup- 
 jwrt the candidates of deniocrac\. He was al- 
 ways a member of the United Brethren church 
 and his life was honorable and upright, lie 
 started out on his business career empty-handed 
 but he possessed resolute purpose anci unfalter- 
 ing energy and these qualities iiave enabled him to 
 steadily work his way upward until he is now- 
 numbered among the prosjjerous residents of the 
 county, having two himdred and eighty acres of 
 rich farming land in Belmont township. 
 
 Jacf)b .Mlhands began his education in the dis- 
 trict schools and afterward benefited by instruc- 
 tion received in tireen Hill Seminary of Indiana. 
 He was reared in Irocjuois county and for about 
 ten years engaged in teaching school, proving a 
 capable educator, who imparted clearly and read- 
 ily to others the knowledge that he had acquired. 
 .\fter about a decade devoted to educational 
 work he began farming upon the old home place, 
 where he remained for two years. He spent 
 one summer in Leadville, Colorado, and then 
 removed to Indiana, where he carried on genral 
 agricultural pursuits for two years, after which 
 he returned to Concord township and rented land 
 for about nine years. .Ml that time he made 
 good use of his opportunities and also carefidly 
 saved his earnings, so that with the capital that 
 he had acquired he bought a farm on section 29, 
 Sheldon townshi]), comprising one hundred and 
 si.xty acres. He made this purchase from .Mrs. 
 Lingle in 1893 and has since put many modern 
 and substantial improvements ujKJn the 
 land. He has laid one thousand rods of 
 tiling and has fenced his fields. In the 
 early spring time the plow is placed in 
 the furrows and the seed is planted. Through 
 a later period the work of cultivation is continued 
 and in due course of time good harvests are 
 gathered because of the practical, systematical 
 and progressive methods which .Mr. AUhamls 
 follows in carrying on his farm work. He like- 
 wise raises stock and this is no niiiniportant 
 branch of his business. 
 
 Mr. Allhands was married in t .■uiwnl town- 
 ship, in 1876. to Miss Rosetta Hoagland, who 
 was born in Concord township in March, 1S56, 
 and is a daughter of Isaac Hoagland. who came 
 from Ohio in an earlv d.iv .md s.iileil in Cnn-
 
 576 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 cord townshii). Mr. and Mrs. .\llhands haw- 
 two children, ^Irs. Cynthia Markley and George. 
 In his political views Mr. Allhands is a dem- 
 ocrat, interested in the success of the party and 
 its growth. He has served as school director and 
 as road commissioner, yet has never been active 
 as a politician in the sense of office seeking, al- 
 though he is always glad to see good men in 
 office and does everything in his power to ad- 
 vance the interests of his community along lines 
 of substantial development and improvement. 
 
 DWID CREPS. 
 
 The history of the L.yman neighborhood on 
 either side of the Middleport-Martinton line 
 would be incomplete without some mention of 
 David Creps, who is now the oldest person in 
 the Lyman relationship, and he bears a double 
 relation, being a stepson to one and a son-in- 
 law to another of the pioneers of that name. 
 David Creps, the son of Daniel and Mary Creps, 
 was born in Lancaster county. Pennsylvania, Oc- 
 tober 30, 1824, and has therefore passed the 
 eighty-second milestone on life's journev. He 
 was quite young when his father died and his 
 mother removed to Ohio, living in Wa\ne and 
 Stark counties. She was married in that state 
 to Samuel Lyman and in 1836, when her son was 
 a boy of twelve years, Mr. Lyman, with the 
 members of the household, came to Froquois 
 county, where Mr. Creps has since resided. It 
 was a pioneer community in the midst of a wild 
 and largely unsettled district. The work of im- 
 provement and progress had scarcely been begun 
 and the Lyman family in its various branches 
 were destined to bear an imijortant ])art in the 
 work of substantial im]jrovemcnt and ui:)buil(ling 
 here. Mr. Creps, as his years and strength in- 
 creased, more and more largely aided in the 
 arduous task of developing a new farm and 
 shared with the family in all of the experiences 
 and hard.ships of pioneer life. 
 
 ( )n the 24th of .\pril. 1854, he was married tn 
 Miss Samantha Lyman, a daughter of John and 
 Sarah Lyman. She was born November 14, 
 1833, and their marriage was celebrated in the 
 vicinity (jf the present familv homestead in .M.ir- 
 
 tinton township. AL". Creps built a log cabin 
 within a few rods of his present comfortable 
 home, wliere he has all of the modern conve- 
 niences of a model country property. His suc- 
 cess is attriljutable to his own exertions, for when 
 he staked off the claim on which he built his 
 cabin he had no money with which to pay for it. 
 He settled upon a tract of eighty acres of wild 
 prairie land without the formality of receiving a 
 deed for it and when the land office was, finally 
 opened at Danville, Illinois, he had saved enough 
 money to make the purchase. His capital at 
 the beginning of his active life as an agriculturist 
 consisted only of his two hands and a strong 
 determination. L'pon his claim he raised the 
 crops that enabled him to pay for the property — 
 an opportunity the present generation would 
 gladly embrace. It will thus be seen that the 
 pioneers certainly had some advantages together 
 with their hardships and there was, moreover, a 
 spirit of good cheer and hospitality among friends 
 and neighbors that is scarcely known today. Mr. 
 Creps broke the virgin prairie, driving seven yoke 
 of oxen to a plow that turned a two foot furrow, 
 and when the fields were cultivated he sold his 
 crops and, carefully saving his earnings, at 
 length accunuilated a sufficient capital to make 
 his purchase of land. As the years have passed 
 he has added to the original tract until he now 
 has a valuable proi^erty. He has never engaged 
 to any great extent in stock-raising but has made 
 his money through the cultivation of the cereals 
 best adapted to soil and climate. \Miile he was 
 turning the sod of the prairie, often working at 
 the breaking team for others, his wife was just as 
 busy in the household, spinning wool, tow and 
 Hax. and the implements of her handiwork are 
 still treasiu-ed in the household. 
 
 In recalling the ])ast Mr. Creps remarked, 
 "People nowadays don't know how we got along, 
 ^^'e had tallow dips and beeswax candles, lard 
 lani]is. and as a result everything was black with 
 smoke and soot." In the home are still retained 
 the old candle molds, spinning wheels and other 
 mementoes of pioneer life that were used by the 
 wile and mother in days when everything needed 
 by the family was made at hoiiie. In these days 
 of electricity and rapid transit it seems like a page 
 (oi-n from the histor\- of the past to talk with a 
 man who li;iil a ]iart in the development of the
 
 IRonti.is '-nrNTY. li.l.INtJiS. 
 
 577 
 
 ciiuntry. Mr. Crcps had tlic coiiram.- l.i ivinaiii 
 where he first settled and as tlie resiih of his la- 
 bors is now the owner of a comfortable home and 
 fine fariniiii; land. 
 
 The children hnrn unto Mr. and .Mrs. Creps 
 are as follows: Sanincl I-"., Allen, Daniel U., 
 Reuben L., and Cassic, who since the death of 
 the wife and mother on the "th of .\n>just. i8<)3. 
 has been her father's constant coinpanion as well 
 as manager of the householil. Reuben 1... the 
 yonngest son, lo.st his wife I)eceml>er <;. i!^><>. 
 and has since lived at home. heljiini.; 
 to care for the father. .\s state<l. Mr. 
 Creps has reached the age of eighty-two years. 
 He still keeps in touch with the progress of 
 events through persual of the daily papers and 
 not many men are better informed on current 
 toi)ics. When he first came to Iro(|uois county 
 it required four weeks for a letter to come from 
 Stark county. Ohio, but he has lived to see a 
 rural free delivery of the daily mail — a condition 
 of which he did not dream when he settled here. 
 -At that time his letters came to I'.unkum, later 
 to old Middkport, and today the mail is re- 
 ceived at his own door. When the family moved 
 from (3hio the boy of twelve walked all the way 
 and drove the cattle exceiit when there was so 
 much water that he must ride in the covered 
 wagon, and now as he watclies the heavy traffic 
 over the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroail in 
 sight of his own home he often contrasts the 
 present with the ])ast in lro<|Uois county and the 
 conditions and eviromnents of j)ioneer life. lie 
 is a i)lcasaiit and entertaining old gentlenian and 
 numbers among his friends and contemporaries 
 John D. .\sh, .Samuel Miller .iml ullur earlv 
 residents of the count v. 
 
 [( tll.\ II. i'.ARRITT 
 
 The man is fortunate whose lot has been cast 
 with the a>;riciilturists of Iro<|nois county be- 
 cause of the fertility of Illinois soil for farming. 
 There is no slate in the Union which has a 
 greater |)ercentage of arable land or yields richer 
 crops in return for the care aiul lalKir iK-stowerl 
 njxjn the fields, and it has been through the ini- 
 l)r(jvement of the opportiniitics here offered that 
 
 -Mr. Itarritt has won for himself a jilace as a 
 thrifty an<l ]rosperous agriculturist and stock- 
 raiser. He lives on section 5, ( )narga township, 
 where he has one hundred and sixty acres of good 
 land, and as his resitlence in the county covers 
 the period from 185O to the present lime he is 
 numbered among its old settlers. 
 
 .\ native of Champaign county, • >bio, he was 
 born June 21, 1852, a son of William .Milton Itar- 
 ritt, a native of the lluckeye state. Having 
 reached years of maturity William M. IJarrilt 
 married Miss Sarah Ki'gg. who was also 
 born and reared there. .\ carpenter by 
 trade, he also learned and followed shoe- 
 making and was thus closely associated 
 with industrial interests in < )hio until 1856, 
 when, thinking to enjoy In-tter business oj)portu- 
 nities in Illinois, he made his way to Iroquois 
 county and settled u|K)n a farm. Subswpiently 
 he t<Mik u]) his alxide in Onarga township, where 
 he jnirchased a tract of land and opened up a 
 farm which remained his place of residence 
 throughout his snbse(|ucnt years. His wife sur- 
 vive<l him about three years and in their death 
 the community lost two of its representative pio- 
 neer settlers, esteemed by all who knew them. 
 
 John II. I'arritt was one of ten chililren who 
 reached mature years. The family nimibercd 
 six sons and four daughters, of who five sons 
 and two daughters are yet living. The subject 
 of this review was only about four years of age 
 at the time of the removal of the family to this 
 county, so that he was reared within its Ixirders 
 and shared in the hardships and privations inci- 
 dent to life on the frontier. When fourteen 
 years of age he began ])roviding for his <iwn 
 sujjport by working as a farm hand by the month 
 and was thus employed for seven years or until 
 he attained bis majority, his father reciiviiiu' his 
 earnings during that period. 
 
 ( )n the J.Vl of N'oveniber, 1S7.?. in ( >narga 
 township, he was marrie<I to .Miss \ irginia .\. 
 Harper, who was born in Indiana and is a daugh- 
 ter of Alfred nar])er. whr> came to lroqu<iis 
 county from the Iloosier slate during the in- 
 fanc\- of bis daughter. The young couple began 
 their domestic life upon a rented farm and in 
 the succeeding aulunnt located at their present 
 place of residence on section 3. ( )narga town- 
 shi]). Mr. I'arritt at first renle<I lan<l but his
 
 578 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 diligence and careful management at length 
 brought him capital sufficient to enable him to 
 purchase eighty acres and with renewed impetus 
 he took up the work of tilling the soil and im- 
 proving the property. He has erected substantial 
 buildings thereon, including a good residence 
 and barn, cribs and granary. He has also planted 
 fruit and drained the place by laying man}' rods 
 of tiling. After some years he purchased an 
 adjoining eighty-acre tract, so tliat he now owns 
 a quarter section of rich and productive land. 
 Across the fields in the spring time is seen the 
 track of the shining plow, the seed is dropped, 
 the W'ork of cultivation continued and in the 
 autumn good crops are harvested. 'Sir. Barritt 
 is also engaged in raising thoroughbred cattle, 
 hogs and horses and keeps a good standard bred 
 Percheron horse for breeding purposes. His 
 stock-raising interests constitute an important 
 element in his success. 
 
 Unto Mr. and Airs. Barritt have been born four 
 children, of whom two are now living. Bertha 
 M., who was educated at Onarga and in early 
 womanhood engaged in teaching for several 
 years, is now the wife of John Cox, a farmer of 
 Onarga township, and has one child, Lawrence 
 Glenn. James W., at home, is assisting his fa- 
 ther in the work of the farm. Daisy and Frank 
 both died when about five months old. 
 
 The parents are members of Prairie Chapel 
 Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mr. Bar- 
 ritt is serving as steward. They are interested 
 in various church activities and do what they 
 can to promote the growth and extend the in- 
 fluence of this organization. In his fraternal 
 relations Mr. Barritt is an Odd Fellow and a 
 Woodman, belonging to both organizations at 
 Onarga. His study of ])olitical issues and ques- 
 tions has led him to give unfaltering support to 
 the republican ])art\-, his first ]5rcsidential vote 
 being cast for Rullicrford B. Hayes in 1876. 
 He is a believer in good schools and the employ- 
 ment of competent teachers and for some years 
 he served on the school hoard. \lv hllcil the 
 office of township trnslce for two terms and his 
 interest in public life and general progress is 
 manifest in the co-operation which he gives to all 
 measures for the general good, (ireat changes 
 have occurred in Iroc|uois countv since he took 
 U]) his abode here anil ihroughout the yi';irs he 
 
 has been recognized as a man of good business 
 capacity and unfailing integrit}- and of upright 
 character and worth. I\Iany events which are 
 to others matters of history were to him matters 
 of experience in the early days which constituted 
 the formative period in the history of the county, 
 wherein was laid the foundation for the present 
 prosperity and development of this portion of 
 the state. 
 
 GEORGE F. :\nLLER. 
 
 The farming interests of Concord township 
 find a worthy representative in George F. ]\Iiller, 
 who is successfully cultivating a rich tract of 
 land. He was born in Cook county, Illinois, in 
 1865. His father, Fred Miller, was a native of 
 Germany and came to America in 1856. making 
 his wav westward to Chicago. Ffe worked for 
 a time at Kankakee, Illinois. Subsequently he 
 purchased a farm in !Middleport township, Iro- 
 quois count}-, in 1887, thus becoming the owner 
 of two hundred acres of land, which he has 
 greatly improved and on which he has made his 
 home during the past twenty years. The farm 
 upon which his son. George F., now resides was 
 l)urchased by him from Fred Potter and is lo- 
 cated on section 3, Concord township. Through- 
 out the greater part of his residence in America 
 Fred ]\Iiller has been connected with agricultural 
 l)ursuits and he owes his success not to any in- 
 herited fortune or any fortunate combination of 
 circumstances but to his own determined purpose, 
 im faltering will and unabating energy. His wife 
 bore the maiden name of Mary Schroder and is 
 also a native of Germany. 
 
 George F. Miller was reared in the parental 
 home and at the usual age began acquiring his 
 education in tlie iniblic schools. He received 
 ample training at farm work under the direc- 
 tion of his father and during the past eight 
 \ears has operated his father's farm in Concord 
 township. He has also purchased scvcnt\'-fivc 
 acres on section 1 1 of the same township, and this 
 he cultivates. He has built a corn crib and 
 granary on the ])lace and his fields are now well 
 tilled and rctm-n to him generous harvests for the 
 eare and labor he bestows upon them.
 
 IROQUOIS COUXTY. IFJJXolS. 
 
 379 
 
 Mr. Miller was married in Martintrjii, in 
 March, 1892, to Miss Carrie I'rauiiel. a native 
 of Tazewell county, Illinois, and tluy have three 
 children: Henry. Clara and Mary Miller. .\lr. 
 Miller is connected with the Modern Woodmen 
 camp at Iroquois, and iiis political allej^iance is 
 given to the republican party but he is not a 
 politician in the sense of office seeking;, prcfcrriuj^ 
 to concentrate his time and energies upon his 
 business affairs, which arc no*v being capably 
 conducted and arc bringing to him a good finan- 
 cial return. 
 
 SAMUEL 11ULL.L.\XD. 
 
 Samuel Hougland, living in the town of Shel- 
 don, is interested in farm property in Middleport 
 township and also in Benton county, Indiana, 
 visiting each place at intervals. His property is 
 the visible indication of a life of well directed 
 effort crowned with success. He is a son of 
 Charles and .Susan Hougland. The mother died 
 in 1846 but the father lived to a very venerable 
 age, lacking only two years of completing a cen- 
 tury when in 1904 he was called to his final rest. 
 His parents came to Illinois in 1845 from Cos- 
 hocton county. Ohio, where the birth of Samuel 
 Hougland had occurred on tlie 1st of March. 
 1833. Thus he was twelve years of age when 
 brought to Iroquois county. His brothers and 
 sisters were : John. Isaac, Masa, Sarali. Jane, 
 Cynthia and James. The mother, who bore the 
 maiden name of Susan Clarke, died within a year 
 after the arrival of the family in the new coun- 
 try-. The father after\vard wedded Cynthia 
 Clarke, a sister of his first wife. Tiiere were three 
 children of that marriage. Knclul. Snsaii and 
 Charles. 
 
 No event of special impurlance occurred to 
 vary the routine of farm life on tlie frontier for 
 Samuel Hougland in his boyhood and youth. He 
 sliared with the family in the hardships and trials 
 incident to a settlement on the frontier and be- 
 came familiar with all the arduous work incident 
 to the development of new land. 1 le remained at 
 home u|) to the time of jiis marriage, which was 
 celebrated on the 8th of January, 1880. the lady of 
 his choice being Mrs. .\da M. Davis. Unto them 
 
 was born a .son. Samuel C. Hougland, on the 6th 
 of August, 1883, but legal separation from his 
 wife followed and now his interest in life centers 
 in the life of the son, who has gone to the frontier 
 to seek his fortune. Mr. Hougland has himself 
 been a great wanderer and would enjoy, were it 
 not for the weight of his years, traveling around 
 the country with his son. He crossed the plains 
 in 1852. driving an ox team, and remained on the 
 I^cific coast for nineteen years, after which he 
 returned to Colorado, bringing with him two hun- 
 dred and eighty-one head of horses and mules. 
 While in the west he owned several difTerent 
 ranches, always buying and selling stock, and as 
 time passed he accumulated a comfortable com- 
 petency. He is now living a life of ease and re- 
 tirement made possible by his industry in earlier 
 years. 
 
 In 1892 Mr. Hougland returned to Iroquois 
 county, where he expects to spend his remaining 
 days, .\lthough he has now passed the zenith of 
 life he is still a hale and hearty man with keen 
 interest in life. He greatly enjoyed his own ex- 
 periences on the frontier and takes delight in hear- 
 ing of those of his son, who has cast his fortunes 
 in Xew Mexico among the builders of an empire 
 in the southwest. He has had an eventful life 
 and his history if written in detail would fill a 
 volume and give an accurate picture of experi- 
 ences in the far west in pioneer days. 
 
 1!FXJ.\M IX SHONEMAX. 
 
 Henjanu'n Shoneman. engaged in general farm- 
 ing and in threshing in .Xshkum township, came 
 to Ir(X|uois county from Cicrmany about 1856. He 
 was born in that country and is the only meiuber 
 of his father's family that ever came to the new 
 world. Here he married Maggie Eliz.ibcth Monk, 
 a daughter of Henry Monk, a farmer of .\shkum 
 and imto them have been born ten children, 
 namely : Ike. Henry, Rena. Stena. Dick, Cassie, 
 .Anna, P.ennie, Willie and Jennie. The family 
 circle yet remains unbroken by the hand of death 
 and all of the children are still under the parental 
 rix>f. 
 
 While in Germany Mr. Shoneman heard favor- 
 able reports concerning business opportunities in
 
 58o 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 the new world and he therefore resolved to try 
 his fortune in this coiintr\ . He came to America 
 empty-handed hut has won a goodly measure of 
 success here and although he had no advantages 
 at the heginning" of his business life he is today 
 the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land 
 on section 21, Ashkum township. He likewise 
 owns and operates a threshing machine and corn 
 sheller, and is very busy during the harvest sea- 
 son. In his political views he is an independent 
 democrat, nor is he a member of any church but 
 has contributed to the support of various 
 denominations. 
 
 ROBERT LUMLEY. AL D. 
 
 Dr. Robert Lumley, the secretary of the Iro- 
 quois County Medical Society and a practitioner 
 at Watseka, was born in ilarkham, a suburb of 
 Toronto, Canada. November 21, 1870. The 
 Lumley family is a prominent one, connected 
 with the English and Irish peerage, and the 
 ancestry can be traced back to the time of the 
 Norman conquest, the name. Ralph Lumley. be- 
 ing found on the roll of honor at Battle Abbey. 
 The Irish title of the family is Viscount Lumley 
 and the English title is Earl of Scarborough. 
 George C. Lumley, father of Dr. Lumley, was 
 born in England and when a young man crossed 
 the Atlantic to New York. Some time later he 
 removed to Canada, settling at Toronto. He 
 wedded Isabella AIcMackon, a native of Canada 
 and of Scotch-Irish ]iarentage. George C. Lum- 
 ley departed this life in Canada in 1891. 
 
 In the public schools of his native town Dr. 
 Lumley acquired his preliminary education and 
 passed through successive grades until he had 
 completed the high-school course. He afterward 
 attended St. Thomas Collegiate Institute, the 
 state iniiversity of Michigan and then supple- 
 mented his more specifically literarv education 
 by study in Rush Medical College of Chicago, 
 where he prei)ared for the ])ractice of medicine 
 and surgery. He was graduated in 181^5 and 
 at once entered upon active practice in Chicago, 
 where he remained as a general pr.-ictitioner for 
 three and a half years. Subsequently he spent 
 a year and a half in Augustana Hospital of that 
 
 city, during which period he acquired valuable 
 experience in the treatment of all kinds of sur- 
 gical and medical cases. In igoo he came to 
 Watseka, where he has since been located and is 
 recognized as one of the most able members of 
 the medical fraternity in this part of the state. 
 He soon demonstrated his ability to cope with the 
 intricate problems that continually confront the 
 plnsician in his efforts to restore health and pro- 
 long life and the 'public trust is indicated by the 
 liberal patronage accorded him. He has for 
 three terms been secretary of the \\'atseka board 
 of health, filling the position at the present time, 
 and that he is accorded prominence by the med- 
 ical fraternity is indicated by the fact that he has 
 been chosen and is now secretary of the Iroquois 
 County Medical Society. He is a member of the 
 Illinois State Medical Society and holds member- 
 ship relations with the Iroquois Club and with 
 different fraternal organizations. 
 
 Dr. Lumley is the eldest of three children, hav- 
 ing one brother yet living in Canada, while his 
 sister, Miss Isabella M. Lumley. makes her home 
 with him in Watseka. He is popular and promi- 
 nent here, both socially and professionally, and 
 he keeps abreast with the spirit of progress as 
 manifest in the science and practice of medicine. 
 
 Dr. Lumlev is secretary of the Watseka board 
 of L'nited States pension examiners, appointed 
 by the commission of pensions of the department 
 of the interior, and is also state examiner of the 
 blind, appointed by Governor Deneen. 
 
 WARRLX S. CxOnnr.LL. 
 
 Among the earnest men whose depth of char- 
 acter and strict adherence to principle excite the 
 admiration of his contemporaries Warren Schick 
 Cioodell is ])rominent and his name is a most 
 honored one in financial circles, where his con- 
 servatism, his sound judgment and his enterprise 
 are widely recognized factors. Banking institu- 
 tions are the heart of the commercial liody, in- 
 dicating the healthfulness of trade, and the bank 
 that follows a safe, conservative business policy 
 does more to establish public confidence in times 
 of widespread financial depression than anything
 
 i)k. k()i:KKT i.r.Mi.i-:N'.
 
 { 
 
 UNIVEKSnV Of ILLINOIS
 
 IRonrolS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ^«.? 
 
 else. Such a course has the hank of A. < inmlell 
 & Sons Company l't>lli>\vc(l nnilcr the ahle niaii- 
 a.i;einent of its |)rtsi(lenl. the siihject nf this re- 
 view. For a long period he lias been one of the ac- 
 tive bnsiness men of Iroqnois connty but the e.x- 
 teiit of his laliors ami their far-reaching influ- 
 ence is not measured l)y the boundaries of this 
 section of the state. .\s an investment banker lie 
 has ill a quiet, unostentatious way done much for 
 the development of this stale and Indiana, where 
 the investments of the bank are larseiy placed. 
 
 Mr. (ioodell is one of the county's native sons. 
 His business history has been honored amonfj men 
 who are familiar with his record from his earliest 
 biiyhooil and the fact that his stancliest frieiuls 
 are numbered among his oldest accpiaintaiices is 
 an indicatiori of the commentlablc policy and 
 upright course that he has always followed. 
 
 lie is a direct descendant of Robert Cioodell. 
 who sailed from Ipswich. England, in the ship 
 l*'lizabeth of I])swicli, William .\iidrews. master, 
 in the last of .\pril. i'>34- H's age is given as 
 thirty, that of his wife, Katharine, twenty-eight, 
 and of his children as follows : Mary, four years ; 
 .\braham, two years; Isaac, one-half year. They 
 had a child baptized at Salem, May 31, 1640: 
 Jacob, on the <>th of January, 1641 or 1642: and 
 Hannah, .\ugust 6. 1645. Robert ( lootlell had a 
 grant of twenty acres in Salem perhaps as early 
 as 1636, to which, on the 21st of February, I'i.^S. 
 the town added twenty acres more in response to 
 his request for an "enlargement." liy 1651 he 
 had lx)uglit of others enough land so that his Ivild- 
 ings amounted to four hundred and eighty acres 
 and is allowed by the town twenty- four acres of 
 meadow in consideration of his discharging to the 
 town a grant of eleven hundred acres. This re- 
 cord is taken from the Salem iKiok of grants. 
 Isaac Goodell, son of Robert, was born in Eng- 
 land in 1633 and died at Salem in 1680. He was 
 married in February. 1668. to Patience Cook, who 
 afterward became the wife of a Mr. Stinipson. 
 They had seven children, including John Goodell, 
 who removed to VVoodstock. Coiuiecticut, where 
 he was married, NovcmlK-r ro. 1703, to Eydia 
 Titus, and in 1710 or 171 1 married Hannah Col- 
 bum. The eldest of his six children was John 
 B. Goo<lell, born Noveml)er 25, 1704. He was 
 married in Woodstock, May 25, 1731. to Mary 
 Bugbee, and the next in line of direct descent to 
 
 our subject also liore the luime of Jojin 1$. (;«Hid- 
 cll and his natal day was November 25, 1733. 
 ]]c was married in W<>wIst«H-k on the 7tli of 
 December, i~<>j;, to .Mary Warner, of Windham, 
 and their sixth child was Warner ( lOodell. 
 
 Warner t i<Midill, the great-grandfather i>f War- 
 ren Sellick Goodell of this review, was lK>rn in 
 1 7(18 and <lie<l .August 15, i8j6, at the age of fifty- 
 eight vnirs. He w:is a |)reacher of the gospel in 
 the Baptist denomination for eleven years. In 
 Woodstock, Connecticut, in June, 1792. he mar- 
 rieil Miss Phillips and on the 28th of April, I70,V 
 they iKcame [larents of a daughter, Phebe. who 
 married Ebenezcr Doty aiul removed to Knox- 
 ville, Illinois, and afterward to California. Thus 
 far the ancestral history of the family is taken 
 from old records of Connecticut. The entry con- 
 cerning the daughter is the last menlion made of 
 Warner Goodell on the Wootlstock records. Fur- 
 ther information was obtained at .Mentor, Ohio. 
 There Wanier Goo<lell died .August 15, 1826. He 
 removed from WVxxlslock to Cazenovia, New 
 ^'ork, where was liorn another daughter. Sallic, 
 afterward the wife of Isaac A. I'axter, of .\us- 
 tinburg, Ohio, and a son, William. Nathan 
 Phillips (ioodell was liorn November 1, I7g7, in 
 t'azenovia. New N'ork. and died I'ebruary 8. 1872. 
 lie married llanu.ih .Mead (iriswold. in Mentor, 
 Ohio, June ''>. 1820. Warner Goodell's second 
 wife was a sister of his first wife. His third 
 wife was Miss Patty Brown, who died in Mentor, 
 Ohio, .April 3, 1843. at the age of sixty-one years. 
 It is understoo<l that he had no children by either 
 his second or third wife. Nathan Phillips Good- 
 ell, gran<lfathiT <>f Warren S. Goo<lell, is men- 
 tioned at more length in the history of Addison 
 Goodell, his son aiul the father of our subject, 
 on another page of this work. 
 
 Warren S. Goo<lell acquired a high-school edu- 
 cation and later attended the .Albany .Academy at 
 .Allwny, .New York, in the years 1870 and 1880. 
 He left school in 1881 and made a six months' 
 trip abroad, visiting most of the European coun- 
 tries. I'pon his return home he pursued a com- 
 mercial course in a business college and then en- 
 tered the employ of his father, .Addison Goo<Iell, 
 in 1882. He w^s unable to complete a course in 
 college, partly owing to ill health but more par- 
 ticularly on account of the fact that he was 
 needed in the business bv his father, who felt that
 
 584 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 the son should assume some of the responsibiht}- 
 of a business that was developing rapidly and re- 
 quired close personal attention owing to the trying 
 financial crisis that came in the '80s. Entering 
 the bank which was established by his father in 
 1855, Warren Sellick Goodell has since been 
 closely associated with the business and after six 
 years spent as an employe in the institution, dur- 
 ing which time he thoroughly mastered the busi- 
 ness in every department and gained a syste- 
 matic and accurate knowledge of banking, he was 
 admitted to a partnership under the firm style of 
 A. Goodell & Son. On the ist of October, 1898. 
 the present firm of A. Goodell & Sons Company 
 was formed by the admission of Nathan P. Good- 
 ell and Frank F. Butzow. Warren S. Goodell 
 has served successively as bookkeeper, cashier and 
 president and at this writing, in the winter of 
 1906-7, is at the head of the firm of A. Goodell 
 & Sons Company, which has the largest capital 
 and surplus of any bank or financial institution 
 of the county and controls an investment of three 
 million five hundred thousand dollars on farm 
 lands in addition to its regular banking business, 
 with deposits of one hundred and sixty thousand 
 dollars. The firm has breasted all of the financial 
 storms of the last half century without the loss 
 of a dollar to a depositor and enjoys the full con- 
 fidence of the public in its financial liability and 
 fairness of dealing with customers. In the year 
 1897 Loda received the most severe financial blow 
 in its history in the failure of John S. .Sheldon, 
 .Sheldon's private bank, which resulted in the as- 
 signment of a number of business men who had 
 conducted their banking business with him. The 
 bank of A. Goodell & Sons Company passed 
 through the trying times following the failure 
 without a,sking depositors to wait a mumen.t for 
 their money and not a customer of the bank failed. 
 The capital of the bank at this time is one hun- 
 dred thousand dollars with a surplus of twenty 
 thousand dollars and a business of a million dol- 
 lars annually transacted in central Illinois and In- 
 diana, and represents four hundred private in- 
 vestors scattered over the United States. As in- 
 vestment bankers the firm has become most widely 
 known and in all of its business relations sustains 
 an unassailable integrity as well as a splendid re- 
 putation for the stability and correctness of its 
 methods. 
 
 Air. Goodell was married at Boston, Massa- 
 chusetts, to Miss Lucy W. Wendland, who was 
 born in Marietta, Ohio, but after the Civil war 
 the family removed to Helena, Arkansas. She 
 had several brothers wdio were soldiers of the 
 Union army. Going to Boston to study music, 
 Aliss \\'endland was there married on the 26th 
 of June, 1888, in Trinity church by Bishop Phil- 
 lips Brooks. Their children are Helen Elizabeth. 
 Addison, \\'arren Franklin and Phillips Wend- 
 land. 
 
 Mr. Goodell is a member of the Sons of the 
 American Revolution, identified with the chapter 
 in Chicago, and belongs to the Congregational 
 church. His political allegiance is given to the 
 republican party. He cast his first presidential 
 vote for James G. Blaine and is usually in sym- 
 pathy with the principles for which the Maine 
 statesman stood yet does not consider himself 
 bound absolutely by party ties. He has never 
 sought or held ofiice save in the village where he 
 makes his home but is deeply interested in secur- 
 ing men devoted to the best interests of the peo- 
 ple for public office and is a member of the county 
 republican central committee. Business interests 
 have largely absorbed his time to the exclusion 
 of outside work and yet no movement for the 
 public good fails to receive his endorsement and 
 co-operation. His life has been characterized by 
 extreme industry and by close application to the 
 imporant business interests of the banking house 
 of which he is now the head. This business, es- 
 tablished in 1855, is almost unique in its success 
 and in the extent and importance of its opera- 
 tions outside of regular banking- lines. The firm 
 furnished private money to farmers to improve 
 tlieir lands at the lowest rates of interest for 
 which capital could be secured for that purpose. 
 Very few foreclosures of mortgages have been 
 made by the firm and these only when absolutely 
 no other course was open to the company to pro- 
 tect its customers' interests. In this way the busi- 
 ness has been conducted not only with profit to 
 the members of the company l.iut with great bene- 
 fit to the farming community in Illinois and in 
 Indiana, and in the more direct lines of banking 
 the enterprise is one of great importance to Loda 
 and the surrounding locality. In all of his under- 
 takings Mr. Goodell has displayed an aptitude for 
 successful management, a keen penetration into 
 
 I 
 
 I >i 
 
 » 
 
 *■!
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 585 
 
 Inisiness coiulitic>ns and a ready understanding of 
 jjossibilities, together with a power of co-ordinat- 
 ing forces that has produced strong results and 
 made his business a power in financial circles in 
 Illinois. 
 
 X. \\ (;OODELL. 
 
 Well qualified by educational anil ijreliniinary 
 training for important service in business circles, 
 jN'athan P. Goodell has made good use of his tal- 
 ents and his opportunities and gained for himself 
 a place among tlic representative and valued res- 
 idents of Iroquois county. He is vice president 
 and attorney for the well known banking firm 
 conducting business under the style of A. Good- 
 ell & Sons Comi)any at Loda, an institution which 
 has had marked eft'ect on the business life of this 
 locality. 
 
 .\ native son of the county, Mr. Goodell was 
 born in Loda, May 9, 1866, and is a son of A. 
 Gooflell. who is mentioned elsewhere in this vol- 
 ume. He was reared in the place of his nativity 
 and at the usual age entered the public schools. 
 passing through successive grades until, having 
 mastered the course, he entered Graylock Insti- 
 tute, a prci)aratory school for Williams College. 
 in iS8_'. There be pursued a two years' pre- 
 paratory course and in 1884 matriculated in the 
 state university at Urljana, where he continued 
 his studies for four years, being graduated in the 
 ■class of 1888 with the degree of Bachelor of Lit- 
 erature. .\fter completing that cour.se he went 
 to Chicago, where he entered the law office of 
 Cratty Brothers & Ashcraft, under whose direc- 
 tion he pursued his law studies, also taking a 
 night course in Bryant & Stratton's Commercial 
 College, .'\fter a year spent in Chicago he went 
 to Paxton and became a student in the law office 
 of Judge John H. Moffatt. who directed his read- 
 ing for a \ear. and on the iQth of November, 
 1891, he was admitted to the bar after success- 
 fully passing an examination before the supreme 
 court at Mount \'ernon. 
 
 Thus well fiualificd for the onerous and respon- 
 sible duties of a business career, Nathan P. Good- 
 ell returned home to accept a salaried position in 
 his father's bank. He was thus employed for 
 34 
 
 seven years, during which time he a])plied himself 
 closely to the mastery of the banking business in 
 principle and detail, and in 1898 he was given an 
 interest in the business, at which time the firm 
 style was changed to A. Goodell & Sons Company. 
 .Nathan 1'. (rtxjdell devotes his time and' energies 
 to the banking business and is vice president and 
 attorney for the company, which conducts not 
 only an extensive banking business but also has a 
 large fann loan department, in which 
 connection Mr. Goodell Icwks up the titles 
 of real estate for parties and negotiates 
 loans. The operations of the loan de- 
 jiartment cover much of Illinois and Indiana, 
 where they have placed loans to the amount of 
 three million five hundred thousand dollars, and 
 in a period of fourteen years they have never lost 
 a cent for themselves or for an investor. Mr. 
 Goodell examining the title for most of the loans 
 before placed. In connection with his brother, 
 Warren S.. Mr. Goodell purchased and now con- 
 ducts the Loda brick and tile factory, of which 
 he is manager. In this has been installed modern 
 and improved machinery and the plant is first class 
 in every ])articular. They use a superior clay and 
 their output of brick and tile is of the highest 
 possible quality. 
 
 .Mr. Goodell was married in Paxton, March 6, 
 i.S(;4, to Miss Mary E. Gray, a sister of Mrs. 
 Judge Moffatt. of Paxton. She was born in Loda 
 but was reared in Paxton, and by her marriage 
 has become the mother of two children : Martha 
 Jane and Frances Warren, two bright and at- 
 tractive little girls. 
 
 Mr. Goodcll's political allegiance is given to the 
 republican party and he is much interested in 
 local i^olitics. desiring honesty in public office and 
 efficiency in public service. Tiie cause of educa- 
 tion finds in him a stalwart friend and he has 
 lx;en especially helpful in his support of the Loda 
 ])ublic schools, having for six years served as sec- 
 retary of the school board. Loda maintains a 
 school unsurpassed by any in the state, and Mr. 
 (ioodell has also been secretary of the Loda lec- 
 ture course for the past five years, where a lec- 
 ture course is maintained during the winter 
 months and many eminent speakers are thus an- 
 nually heard in the town. He is also one of the 
 trustees of the A. Herr Smith library :ui<l its vice 
 |)resident. and he and his wife hold membership
 
 586 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 in the Congregational church. He is a gentle- 
 man in whom learning and culture have vied in 
 making an interesting and honorable gentleman 
 and his life has at all times commanded the re- 
 spect of his fellowmen. In business he has not 
 relied alone upon the influence or financial ability 
 of his father to give him a start but has worked 
 his way upward through individual merit and may 
 properly claim recognition as a citizen of energy 
 and industry, whose salient traits of character 
 have been such as to gain him leadership and 
 splendid success in business life and have also 
 made him a potent influence over public thought 
 and action. His efforts in behalf of advancing 
 the intellectual progress of the community have 
 been particularly helpful and Loda owes much to 
 his public spirit. 
 
 C. PETER CHRISTENSOX. 
 
 C. Peter Christenson, of Sheldon, who for over 
 thirtv years has been connected in various ways 
 with business interests as a stock-buyer and 
 ship]:ier. a farmer and butcher, was born in Ger- 
 many, }ilay 5. 1847. 'i"fl the schools of the father- 
 land provided him with his educational privileges.. 
 He remained in that country until twenty \'ears 
 of age, when the hope of bettering his financial 
 condition led him to seek a home in the new 
 world and in 1867 he crossed the Atlantic, taking 
 up his abode in Chatsworth, Illinois, where he 
 worked at farm labor for a year and a half. 
 He was afterward employed at the butcher's 
 trade and later conducted a shop there for a time 
 prior to his removal to Sheldcjn. On coming 
 here he opened a butcher shop and soon after 
 began buying stock, in which line he has con- 
 tinued for twenty-eight \ears, being the only 
 shipper at this point. Pie sold his market in 
 1906 but still continues as a stock-buyer and 
 shipper and is also the owner of a valuable farm- 
 ing property, having invested in two hunch-cfl 
 acres of good land in Iroquois county and one 
 hundred and thirty-eight acres in Indiana. He 
 owns the building in which he C(Miducts his 
 meat market and also a fine home in Sheldon, 
 where he resides and which is located on one 
 of the best corners of the town near the busi- 
 
 ness section. His property is the visible evi- 
 dence of his life of well directed thrift and labor, 
 for he started out for himself empty-handed and 
 by judicious use of his opportunities and his 
 business enterprise and foresight he has become 
 one of the substantial residents of the county. 
 
 Mr. Christenson was married to ^liss Cath- 
 erine Hickleman, of Chatsworth. Illinois, and 
 they have two sons. George and Charles H. 
 The latter is a graduate of the Purdue L'niver- 
 sitv, where he was a student for four years. In 
 11J04 the brothers bought out the Independent 
 telephone and later the Hell telephone and artg 
 now controlling the entire telephone business in 
 -Sheldon. 
 
 Both Air. and IMrs. Christenson are faithful 
 members of the Alethodist EjMscopal church and 
 Air. Cliristenson and his son Charles affiliate with 
 Sheldon lodge, Xo. 6oy. .\. F. & A. M., while 
 he is likewise connected with Sheldon lodge. 
 Xo. 349, I. O. O. F. Plis political allegiance 
 is given to the democracy and he is now serving 
 as a member of the drainage commission of Iro- 
 quois coimty. For six years he has been on the 
 school board and in office and out of it has done 
 effective service for the public welfare, while in 
 his business life he has made that steady prog- 
 ress which is indicative of ability, resolution and 
 of strong purpose. He is a man of marked in- 
 dividuality of character and is one whose example 
 is well worthy of emulation, showing as it does 
 what may be accomplished in the business world 
 by }T)ung men who liave to start out empty- 
 handed. 
 
 HOUGARDY BROTHERS. 
 
 The finn of Hougardy Brothers of Clifton is 
 composed of Theophile and Eugene Hougardy. 
 sons of Joseph and Victoria (Morreau) Hou- 
 gardy, who came from Belgium to the I'nited 
 States in 1856, locating near Clifton, afterward 
 purchasing one hundred and forty acres of land 
 on section 2. Upon this farm the family were 
 reared. 
 
 Tlieophile Hougardy was born in Brobant 
 county. Belgium, September 27. 1849, ^"^ ^^'^^ 
 therefore onlv about seven vears of age when
 
 MR. AM) MRS. C. P. CHRISTKXSON.
 
 uNWtHsn^'oMUiNOis
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 389 
 
 Ijroiight by his parents to the L'liited States. His 
 educational privileges were limited but in the 
 school of experience he has learned many valu- 
 able lessons, fjaining a good knowledge of prac- 
 tical business methods. He is now associated with 
 his brother, Eugene Hougardy. in farming inter- 
 ests. The old home farm of the father. c<3mpris- 
 ing one hundred and forty acres on section 2, 
 Gielianse township, is now owncil and operated 
 by the sons and in connection with this they also 
 culivate eighty acres of land adjoining the estate. 
 They arc men of good business ability, watchful 
 (if opportunities pointing to success, and show 
 keen discernment and unfaltering energy in their 
 management of their interests. On the i8th nf 
 August, H)a6. Tlie<ii)liile Hougardy embarked 
 from N^ew York city for Relgium and while 
 abroad visited all the ])rinci])al cities of that coun- 
 try and visited relatives and the friends of his 
 early boyhood days. He is a member of the 
 Catholic church and a communicant in Clifton 
 parish. 
 
 Eugene Hougardy. the juninr partner of the 
 (imi, was born in this county, .March H). i86j. 
 and having arrived at years of maturity was mar- 
 ried to Lconie Looze, at Chebansc, October 15, 
 1S89. They have three children, Mabel .\., Jo- 
 .seph E.. and N'ester H.. all still under the parental 
 roof. 
 
 In bis political views Mr. Hougardy is inde- 
 pendeiU. He belongs to Park N'illage camp, \o. 
 J599, M. W. .\.. of Clifton, and is well known in 
 the town and throughout the surrounding coun- 
 try. The brolliers are recognized as representative 
 citizens, who while promoting their individual in- 
 terests likewise contribute to general progress and 
 improvement through the co-operation which they 
 give to many measures for the public good. 
 
 WILLIAM IIEXKY SHA.V.VOX. 
 
 W illi;uii Henry Shamion. who is eng;iged in 
 buying, selling and shipping live stock at Martin- 
 ton and is also a dealer in farm implenieiUs. is 
 one of the worthy citizens of Iro<|uois county that 
 Canada has furnished to this country. .Many 
 there are who, born across the border, have sought 
 liomes in the United .'states to enjoy the advan- 
 
 tages of its livelier competitimi an<l advancement 
 mt>re (piickly stcurcd. 
 
 .Mr. .'^hann<ln was Ixirn in ( intariD, Caii.ida, 
 .May ^o. 1844. His father, William Shannon, 
 was a native of Ireland and came to this country 
 at an early ilay. settling in Canada, where he re- 
 mained until 1856. when he came with his family 
 to Illinois, settling in Papineau township. He 
 purchased one lumdred and twenty acres of land 
 which at that time was entirely unimjjrovcd. but 
 he at once turned the virgin soil and cidtivatcd 
 the lields, continuing the work of imi)rovenK-nt in 
 every way luitil he had developed a splendid farm 
 property. Thereon he madq his home until about 
 1886. when he removed to Pittwood, where he 
 spent his subse(|uent years. i)assing away in i8<)0. 
 
 William 11. Shannon remained at home with his 
 parents until iSr>8 and then stiirted out in life on 
 his own account, being at that time a young man 
 of twenty-four years. He had been reared to the 
 occn|iation of farming and, thinking to make that 
 pursuit his life work, he ]iurchased one hmidred 
 and si.xty acres r>f land in Pajjineau township, 
 which was partially imjjroveil. I'pon this i^lace 
 he lived and followed farming and stock-raising^ 
 until 1887. when he removed to a farm on section 
 7. .Middleport township, that he had previously 
 purchased. He has tiletl, fenced an<l improved 
 this property, and he resided thereon until about 
 ten years ago, when he Ix night a lot and built a 
 home in Martinton. where he has since lived. 
 Here he has engaged in buying, selling and ship- 
 ping stock and Is one of the well known live stock 
 dealers of the county, doing a large and profitable 
 Inisiness. He has also been in the farm im])lement 
 business, whereby his material resources have 
 ]Kcn greatly increased. 
 
 Mr. .'^hannon was married on the 11th of 
 March, 1868, in Papineau township, to Miss Sarah 
 E. Jones, who was born in that township in 1851 
 and is a flaughter of Henry Jones, whose birth 
 occurred in Meigs county. Ohio, January 17. 
 181 1. He married .Sarah Hester, and with their 
 .son, William ."^eth. they left their old home in 
 Ohio on the 23d of March, 1835, 3"'' proceeded 
 by boat down the Ohio river to the Wabash river, 
 after which they forced their boat nj) that stream 
 to the ferry and crossed to \'ermilion county, 
 where they remained until the following year. 
 .\t that time they came to the Iroquois river in
 
 590 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Iroquois county and located on section 34, Pap- 
 ineau township, where Mr. Jones built a log cabin 
 and made his home. He was the first permanent 
 settler in Papineau township and as such deserves 
 honorable mention in. this volume. In 1847 ^^^ 
 hauled lumber for a house from Chicago to Iro- 
 quois county and was closely and honorably as- 
 sociated with the material development and up- 
 building of this portion of the state. He died 
 Alarch 4, 1859. Unto I\Ir. and Mrs. Shannon 
 have been born six children : ^Mrs. Alay White, 
 John, George, IMrs. Mina Jane Ash, Arthur and 
 Maud. 
 
 j\lr. Shannon holds membership with the Mod- 
 ern Woodmen and with the Independent Order 
 of Odd Fellows. His political allegiance is given 
 to the democracy and he served as constable from 
 Martinton township. Toward the close of the 
 Civil war, although he had not yet attained his 
 majority, he became a member of Company D, 
 One Hundred and Fiftieth Illinois Infantrv serv- 
 ing from February, 1865, until the close of hostili- 
 ties. He has always been a loyal, patriotic and 
 public-spirited citizen and his residence in the 
 county covers more than a half century, during 
 which time he has been an interested witness of 
 the changes that have occurred as the county has 
 emerged from pioneer conditions and taken on 
 all the evidences of an advanced and progressive 
 civilization. 
 
 CHARLES H. MIXER. 
 
 Charles H. ]\Iincr. who owns and operates a 
 farm of two hundred and forty acres on section 
 13. Onarga township, was born in Cook county. 
 Illinois. April 28, 1865. His father, Forbes FI. 
 IMincr. was a native of New York, born in Oneida 
 county in 1810. There he was reared and in early 
 life learned the trade of a carpenter and joiner. 
 When a young man he came westward to this 
 state and was identified with Iniilding operations 
 in Chicago, assisting in building some of the first 
 dwellings of that city. He was twice married and 
 had children l)y both marriages. There were four 
 children by the first wife. For his second wife 
 he chose Miss Nasezee Scho(|uettc, a Frencii 
 lady, whom he wedded in Chicago. In i8r)4 he 
 came to Iroquois county, locating on a farm, and 
 
 eventually he was the owner of thirteen hundred 
 acres of land, owing to his careful investment. 
 He tilled the soil and continued the work of im- 
 provement, being long recognized as one of the 
 able and representative agriculturists of this part 
 of the state. His death occurred here on New 
 Year's day of 1893 and he is yet survived by 
 his second wife, who now resides in Watseka. 
 
 Charles H. ^liner is one of a family of four 
 sons and two daughters yet living of the father's 
 second marriage. He had good school advan- 
 tages, supplementing his early education by study 
 in Northern Indiana Normal College at Valpa- 
 raiso, Indiana, where he spent five years. He was 
 a member of the senior class when he left college 
 to join his father on the farm, since which time 
 he has been closely and actively associated with 
 agricultural interests in this part of the state. He 
 farmed his father's land for three or four years 
 and then located on the place where he now re- 
 sides, beginning here with one hundred and five 
 acres. He worked diligently and persistently to 
 make his farm a profitable one and as his labors 
 brought to him a good financial return he bought 
 more land from time to time and now owns two 
 hundred and forty acres, in the midst of which 
 he has erected a comfortable and well arranged 
 residence. In the rear thereof stand good barns 
 and outbuildings and he has placed many rods of 
 tiling on the farm, the drainage greatly enhancing 
 its fertility. He has also built fences and thus 
 divided the farm into fields of convenient size. 
 He has likewise set out much fruit and now has 
 a neat and valuable property. FIc uses the latest 
 improved machinery in carrying on the work of 
 tile fields and he also has upon his place stock 
 scales, a windmill and a mill foj- grinding feed 
 for stock. He is thoroughly in touch with the 
 spirit of progress and enterprise which have dom- 
 inated agricultural circles througli the jiast quar- 
 ter of a century or more and which have com- 
 pletely rcvolutioui/.ed the work of the agricul- 
 turist. 
 
 'Mv. Miner was married in Onarga, October 17. 
 1897. lo Miss Isabella Heddon. wlio \vas born, 
 reared and educated in Crawford county, Indiana. 
 Tlircc children have graced this union : Gladys. 
 F.tliel L. and ilnmer. I'olilically Mr. INIiner has 
 been a life-long republican and he is also an ad- 
 vocate of the jirinciples of prohibition, support-
 
 IR()QL-(1IS COUNTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ?'^> 
 
 ma the cause of tcmin-rance IxHli In piivoi)! ami 
 ixamplc. He is a stockliolikr in the I'anners 
 Klcvatx>r Companv. of which he lias l)cen presi- 
 dent for several years, and he is also a sur\evor 
 of pood ability, w ho has helped make surveys and 
 establish many of the drainage ditches of the 
 county. Ill this work he lias become widely 
 known and his labors have been of the utmost 
 benefit to his fellowmen, while in his individual 
 farming interests he has displa\ed a capacity for 
 successful management that has made him one of 
 the ])rospcrous agriculturists of Onarga township. 
 
 CH.XRLES EASTnrRV. 
 
 Charles Eastburn is extensively and sncces.-"- 
 Inlly engaged in farming and stock-raising. In 
 the latter connection ho is particularly well known 
 as a breeder and raiser of I'erchcron and coach 
 horses, having produced uprm his place some of 
 the finest horses to be found in this part of Il- 
 linois. He is. moreover, entitled to rei)resenta- 
 tion not only as a successful business man but 
 also as a prominent representative of a worthy 
 I)ionccr family of the county, for the name of 
 Mastburn has long hetii closely and honurably 
 associated with the history of this part "f ''"■ 
 state. 
 
 Mr. Eastburn was horn February 12. 1X50. in 
 Sheldon township, a son of William Lloyd I'ast- 
 bnrn. now of W'atseka, who was Iwrn Eebruary 
 22. 183^). in Concord township, being the first 
 white child born in Iroquois county. The oUl 
 homestead farm was on section 31, Sheldon town- 
 ship. The paternal grandfather of our sni>ject 
 came in early ]jioneer days to Illinois and pur- 
 chased one hundred and si.xty acres of land in 
 Concord township at the usual government price 
 of a dollar and a nuarter i)er acre. William Lloyd 
 Eastburn was reared amid pioneer scenes and en- 
 vironments, sharing with the family in all the 
 hardships ami trials inci<lent to a settlement upon 
 the frontier. He al.so aided in perfoniiing the 
 difficult task of breaking raw land and convert- 
 ing it into rich and productive fields. After ar- 
 riving at years of maturity he wedded Massa 
 lloagland, of (.'oslKxrton, ( )hio. who was educated 
 in the common schools and has proved a most 
 
 valuable hei|)niate and companion to her Inisband 
 Oil life's journev, Ix-in^c a kiiul and loving wife 
 and devoted mother, in his business affairs Mr. 
 I-'astburn has prospered, owing his success en- 
 tirely to his well directed lalxjrs an<l sound busi- 
 ness judgment. He ma_\ truly be called a seK- 
 made iiuin, deserving all of the praise which that 
 term implies. He is today the owner of si.x hun- 
 dred an<l eighty acres of very valuable land and 
 his life record should serve as a source of ins|)ira- 
 tion and encouragement t(j others, showing what 
 may Ix; accomplished by determined, persistent 
 and honorable effort. He belongs to the I'nited 
 llnthren church and has been a stalwart ailvocate 
 of democracy since casting his first presidential 
 vole for James nuchai.an. For several \ears he 
 hlleil the office of school director. Unto him and 
 his wife were born ten children: Charles, Josqih, 
 James, Minnie, i-'lla. .Maggie, Ccorge, Cynthia. 
 I'arker and Susie, but the last named died at the 
 age of si.x months. 
 
 t"harles Eastburn remained at home with his 
 parents through the pi.-iiod of his minority, was 
 educated in the jiublic schools, and on reaching 
 ailiilt age began farming on the place where he 
 now lives on section .">, Sheldon townshij). He 
 rents this farm from his father — a tract of land 
 of al)out five hundred acres — and in 1902 he pur- 
 chased ninety-five acres from I'rank Kyiians and 
 forty acres fmm Peter Christenson on section 7, 
 .'^lieldon township. He has ])laced about five hun- 
 dred dollars" worth of tile on his fami and in con- 
 nection with the cultivation of the soil he is ex- 
 tensively and successi'ully engaged in breeding 
 and raising fine stock, making a specialty of coach 
 and I'ercheron horses, having from fifty to sev- 
 enty head upon his place. He breeds and raises 
 these and also buys and sells .some. Mr. Ea.st- 
 bnrn has the honor of having sold the highest 
 priceil team which ever left this county, the pur- 
 chasers lx.'ing .Mandel Hiothers, the well known 
 merchants of Chicago. He also won first prize 
 at the Louisiana Purchase Expf>sitioii in St. Louis 
 in n;o4 on a carriage t<am. which team he now 
 has. It is a fine matcheil team of .seven vear olds. 
 .Mr. Ivasfburn is an excellent judge of horses, 
 being .seldom, if ever, at fault in his valuation of 
 any specimen of llic noble steed, and he is justly 
 accounted one of the |)romincnt stock breeders 
 and ilealors of this part of the state.
 
 592 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Air. Eastburn was married February 14, 1877, 
 in Concord- township, to Miss Parthenia McKim- 
 son, who was born in Laporte county, Indiana, in 
 1856. Her father, James ilcKimson, was a native 
 of Ohio and became a resident of Concord town- 
 ship. Iroquois county, at an early day, following 
 general agricultural pursuits here. His wife, who 
 bore the maiden name of Martha Barnett, was 
 born in Ohio. Mr. and I\Irs. Eastburn have be- 
 come the parents of fom children : George Bur- 
 ton, A. ]\Ierle, Mrs. Cloa Bowton and Charles 
 Homer. 
 
 I\Ir. Eastburn exercises his right of franchise 
 in support of the men and measures of the re- 
 publican party and has been called to some local 
 offices, serving for eleven years as road commis- 
 sioner and for several years as school director. 
 He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and to the 
 Modern Woodmen cainp and is popular with his 
 brethren of these organizations, for in his life he 
 exemplifies the spirit of the fraternities. The 
 name of Eastburn has been closely associated 
 with the agricultural development of this countv 
 throughout the entire period of its growth and im- 
 provement and Charles Eastburn, like others of 
 the family, has made a creditable record bv his 
 activity, enterprise, integrity and success in his 
 chosen field of labor. 
 
 \\"II.LIA.\1 A. WF.FKS. 
 
 The history of a community is JK'st told in the 
 lives of its people and those wlio reflect hnnor 
 and dignity ujion the locality, town or citv, arc 
 tlic men who are active and honorable in business 
 and will I upJKilfl the legal and political status. 
 Such a one was William A. Weeks, who for 
 some tnne was a merchant at Sheldon. lie was 
 born at [.ockjiort, St. Lawrence county, New 
 York, .\pril 17, 1836, and in his boyhood days 
 was taken by his parents to the western part of 
 New York, the family home Ix-ing established 
 near Holly. When he was twelve years of age, 
 he became a resident of Monticello, White coun- 
 ty, Indiana, where his father resided until his 
 deatli and where William A. Weeks remained 
 until 1870. 
 
 In the meantime, on the 6th of January, 1856, 
 Mr. Weeks was united in marriage at M»nti- 
 cello, to Miss Anna Eliza Moore, who was born 
 in IMorgan county, Ohio, on the Muskingum 
 river. The young couple began their domestic 
 life upon a farm in the Hoosier state and in 
 connection with agricultural pursuits !Mr. Weeks 
 engaged in the hardware business in Monticello 
 for a part of the time during the fourteen vears 
 which followed his marriage. In 1870 he re- 
 moved to Goodland, Indiana, where he conducted 
 an elevator for six months. The month of 
 March. 1871, witnessed his arrival in Sheldon, 
 where he established a grocery and provision 
 business. Later he dealt in dry goods and gro- 
 ceries and admitted Richard Walsh into the 
 partnership, this relation being maintained until 
 his deatli, when his widow bought out the inter- 
 est of Mr. Walsh. She and her sons conducted 
 the business until the death of one of the sons, 
 subsequent to which ]\Irs. Weeks sold out. Her 
 husband had departed this life .April 28, 1888. 
 
 He was one of the most thorough-going busi- 
 ness men, systematic and methodical in all that 
 he did, enterprising and active in the conduct of 
 his business and reliable and honorable in all of 
 his dealings. He became recognized as a leading 
 merchant in Sheldon, carrying a large stock of 
 hardware, furniture, groceries, dry goods, cloth- 
 ing and other commodities, increasing his stock 
 as the growing trade demanded. When he came 
 to Sheldon his cajiital amounted to about one 
 thousand dollars and when he died he was worth 
 between twenty and thirty thousand dollars. 
 The estate has since increased in value until now 
 it is worth one hundred thousand dollars. ?ilr. 
 Weeks deserved much credit for what he accom- 
 plished as he won his ])rosperit\', not through 
 speculation or through am- fortunate combina- 
 tion of circumstances, but as a result of close 
 ap])lication and imfaltering industry. 
 
 I'nto Mr. and Mrs. Weeks were l)oru three 
 children, but Paschal B. Weeks, of Sheldon, who 
 is represented elsewhere in this volume, is the only 
 one now living. .Mention is also made on an- 
 other page of this work of another son, George 
 A. Weeks. The father, William A. Weeks, was 
 a stalwart republican in his political allegiance 
 and his aid and co-operation could always be 
 counted upon to further any cause that ]iromised
 
 u^ ill;
 
 *u,„ 
 
 m 
 
 
 
 -MRS. A. E. WEEKS. 
 
 I
 
 \\i I.I.I AM .\. \\i-:kks.
 
 l!^' 
 
 'lis
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 ^')7 
 
 to i)ri)Vf of public vaiiK'. Ik- was li<>ii(>rc<l ami 
 rcs[H.'ctC(l wIktcvit known ami ni<jsl of all where 
 Ik-si known. Mrs. Weeks is a nienilKT of tlie 
 Methodist Lpiscopal church. She still resides 
 in Sheldon and is a most pleasant, enlertaiiiinjj 
 lady, havinj; a nice home which stands in the 
 midst of a larj^e and well-kept lawn. .She also 
 has other really in the town and from her prop- 
 erty interests derives a good income. 
 
 the nutlluT. conducted the husiness in the name 
 of .Mrs. Weeks and were very successful in this 
 enterprise u|» to the time of the death of (Jcorgc. 
 The motlur then cl>)scd out the husiness and is 
 now giving her time to settling uj) accounts of 
 long standing. I-'or fifty-five years Mrs. Weeks 
 has iK'en a <levoted member of the Metlvxlist 
 church, and her life has Ix-en in harnwny with 
 her professions. She has Ix-en a sincere, earnest 
 Christian woman, and wherever known is 
 esteemed. 
 
 MRS. .\x\.\ LLi/A wi:i:ks. 
 
 The history of Sheldon would be incomplete 
 without s|)ecial reference to Mrs. .\nna Lli/;i 
 (Moore) Weeks. I^or some years she was her 
 husband's assistant in carrying on a mercantile 
 enterprise, while after his death, she and her sons 
 took charge of the business which was carried on 
 under her own name, .^he is. moreover, well 
 known socially in the city and her many good 
 (|ualities have won for her a large circle of 
 friends. 
 
 Mrs. Weeks was Ixjrn in McConnellsville, 
 Ohio. May ly, 1837. Her father. James .Moore. 
 was born at Royalston. Massachusetts, while her 
 mother, Mrs. Marie (Lui)ardes) M«iore. was a 
 native of Marietta, Ohio. l!oth were members 
 of the Methodist church and Mr. Moore was a 
 stalwart republican in politics. Throughout bis 
 life he followed the occupation of farming. 
 
 Mrs. Weeks was educated in eastern ( )hio, ac- 
 quainting herself with the common branches 
 lit llnglish learning. At the age of si.xteen she 
 accompanied her parents on their removal from 
 the Huckeve state to Monlicello. Indiana, and 
 after comjdeting her education there, began 
 teaching in the district schools. \\'hen nineteen 
 years of age she married and made it her duty 
 and object in life to make a hap|)y home for 
 her husband and children and to rear her sons 
 to Ik- gocKl men. This object she accom])lisbed 
 and it may well be sai<I of her "Her children rise 
 up and call her blessed." When her husband em- 
 barked in merchan<lising in Sheldon, Illinois, she 
 became his assistant in the store, giving her time 
 and energies to the business and contributing in 
 large measure to its success. After her husband's 
 • leath her sons. I'.isch.d :ind Geon.'!-. Ii.i'iiIut uilb 
 
 F. C. LAKi:. 
 
 I*". C. Lake is a resident fanner of Chebanse 
 townshij), cultivating one himdred ami sixty acres 
 of land on section 15. known as the William S. 
 I^ke homestead. Here he carries on general ag- 
 rictdtural pursuits, although the principal feature 
 of his business is sheep-raising, in which connec- 
 tion he has iK-conie very widely known. 
 
 His father, William S. Lake, who retired from 
 active business life in \?*)T, and removed to Kan- 
 kakee, was for a long jieriod a prosperous farmer 
 of lr«K|uois coimty and in addition to his agri- 
 cidtural interests here he likewise owns one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres of land in Kankakee county 
 and one huiulred and forty acres in the county 
 northwest of Kankakee, one himdred and si.xtv 
 acres in Chelnnse township, IrtKiuois county, to- 
 gether with eighty acres near Ironton, Minnesota, 
 and three dwellings in the city of Kankakee 
 valued at from three to five thousand dollars each. 
 His exten.'ive realty holdings have come to him 
 as a reward of earnest, persistent labtir. He 
 startetl out empty-lianded and as the architect of 
 his own fortunes has builded wi.sely and well. 
 
 F. C. Lake was Ik mi in Marshall county, Illi- 
 n<iis. July 4, i8<'»8, and ac(iuired a common-school 
 e<lucation in his youth. Throughout his entire 
 life he h.is followcil fanning, having been reared 
 to that occupation. He early became familar with 
 the work of plowing, planting and harvesting, 
 and as the years have gone by he has concen- 
 trated his energies more and more largely on 
 sheep-raising. He is the most e-vtensive sheep- 
 raiser of Chebanse township and in the month 
 of OctoluT, hk/I be sli;;,|i,-,I In Clucago eiglitv-
 
 598 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 six head of sheep, fifty per cent of which topped 
 the market. He keeps oiil\- high grade sheep and 
 his opinions upon the subject of sheep-raising are 
 largely regarded as authority. 
 
 In 1895 ^^^- Lake was united in marriage to 
 Miss Alta 'M. Sirois, at St. Anne. Illinois, and 
 they now have two children. Donald C. antl Lee 
 \'erne, both at home. In politics Mr. Lake is 
 a republican, keeping well informed on the ques- 
 tions and issues of the day and having hearty 
 sympathy with the principles of the party. He is 
 a member of Modern Woodmen camp, Xo. 994, 
 at Chebanse. and is also affliated with the Sons of 
 A'eterans there. Both he and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the ^Methodist Episcopal church at Che- 
 banse. At the time of his marriage he brought 
 his bride to the old homestead farm, where he has 
 since resided. Both are well known in the cuunt_\- 
 and the hospitality of many of the best homes is 
 freely accorded them, while their friends are al- 
 ways sure to receive a cordial welcome at the 
 Lake home. 
 
 C. E. BARl'.ER. 
 
 C. E. Barber, of Donovan, who since 1882 
 has been engaged in the sale of Deering farm 
 machinery and since 1896 has also dealt in bug- 
 gies, carriages and harness, was born in the state 
 of New York ni August, 1843. He has lived in 
 Iroquois county since 1861. in which year lie 
 was brought to Illinois by his parents. His 
 father, David C. Barber, was born in JMassachu- 
 setts and came to Indiana in 1856. There he lived 
 for about five years, after w-hich he removed to 
 Iroquois county and in Beaver township pur- 
 chased one hundred acres of land in the raw state. 
 He made this his home until 1866. when ho re- 
 moved to Knox county, Illinois, and alter two 
 years there he went to Missouri. He was mar- 
 ried in early manhood to Miss Louisa Schumway, 
 a native of \''ermont, and they became the parents 
 of six children. 
 
 C. !'".. I'liirljcr was a ynuth of eigjiteen vears 
 when he accompanied his parents on their re- 
 moval to Iroquois county. During the dark davs 
 of the Civil war he entered the army, serving fn >ni 
 Februarv, 1862, until Mav, iSri;. When his f;illur 
 
 left for Knox county he purchased from him the 
 farm, comprising the northeast quarter of section 
 34, Beaver township. This he further improved 
 and developed. His father had built a small 
 house and Mr. ISarber but up a barn, corn crib 
 and sheds. He has laid tiling to the value of two 
 thousand dollars and paid one thousand dollars 
 in ditch taxes. He was actively and successfully 
 engaged in general agricultural pursuits until De- 
 cember, 1874, when he removed to Donovan, 
 renting the farm. Plere he began oper- 
 ating a threshing machine and corn sheller 
 and was thus engaged until about 1888. 
 In the meantime he gradually worked into 
 commercial interests. Since the year 1882 he 
 has sold Deering machinery, plows and cultiva- 
 tors, etc. In 1896 he purchased from Tomquist 
 & Swanson a one-story building, twenty b\- fifty 
 feet, and a stock of buggies, harness, whips, robes, 
 machine oil, etc. He has since carried on the 
 Ijusiness with excellent success and he also 
 liaiidles gasoline engines and grain dumps. His 
 business has constantly increased with the growth 
 of the communit}- and he now receives a very 
 liberal share of the public patronage. 
 
 In 1866 ]\Ir. Barber was united in marriage, 
 in Beaver township, to Miss Sarah E. Perrigo, 
 a daughter of .\rtemns C. Perrigo and a native 
 of Marion conr.ty, Ohio. They liecame the par- 
 ents" of three children but only one is now living 
 — Mrs. Myrtle \\'inslow. The wife and mother 
 died in April, 1894, and her loss was a matter of 
 deep regret to her many friends, for her excellent 
 traits of heart and mind had endeared her to those 
 who knew her. Mr. llarbcr had liuilt a home in 
 Donovan in 1874 and has since rebuilt and added 
 to the same, making it a comfortable modern re- 
 sidence. His daughter, Mvrtlc, was married in 
 January, 1902, to William Winslow, who was 
 Imrn in Beaver township, January 25, 1879. He 
 was educated in the common schools and lived at 
 home with his parents until four years ago. when 
 he began farming on his father-in-law's farm of 
 one hundred and sixty acres, since which time 
 he has carried on general agricultural pursuits 
 and stock-raising, making a specialty of short- 
 horn cattle and Percheron horses. He has in- 
 stalled a gasoline engine on the place, with which 
 he operates a corn elevator and washing- machine, 
 ptnnps water and does the churning. His politi-
 
 IROOl'OIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 59«J 
 
 cal allegiance is given to the uiuiu;il;iii i>;irty 
 and his fraternal relations are with the .M.ilirn 
 Wooilnieii. L"iUo Mr. and .Mrs. Winslow has 
 been born a daughter, \"era. 
 
 Mr. liarber is also a stanch advocate of repub- 
 lican ])rincii)les. havinif supported the |)arly since 
 attaining his majority. He has been called to 
 various positions of public Irusi, serving as jrs- 
 tice of the peace for eight years, as collector fovr 
 terms, as assessor two years and as school di- 
 rector. He has givcit cnpable strvice in these 
 various offices and his worth as a man. as a citi- 
 zen and as ;i factor !n business life are widely 
 acknowledged. 
 
 HI CO XACH(;0. 
 
 lingo Zachgii. a prominml representative of 
 the farming interests of .\slikum township, has 
 •ne hundred and sixlv acres of land on section 
 >J and the farm is well improved. He is. ninre- 
 'Ver, prominent!)' known as a stock breeder and 
 lias some higli grade animals on his place. .\ 
 native of Illinois, he was born in Wood fi ml coun- 
 ty in 1869 and is a son of I'rederick and Maria 
 (Jacobs) Zachgo. The-r fjimily numbired eleven 
 children: .\ntpne. Xicholas. .\braliam. Marion. 
 Hugo, Maria. Catherine, Louise. I'red. ArnoM 
 and Jeanette. 
 
 Hugo Zachgo spent the fir-t six years of bis 
 life in the county of his nativity, after which be 
 accompanied his parents on their removal to Iro- 
 quois county, the family home being established 
 in Danforth township ir 1875. He has since lived 
 in this county. .\t the usual age he iR-gan his 
 (viucation in the ]>ublic schools and therein 
 gained a good practical knowledge of the com- 
 mon branches of learning. His training at farm 
 labor was not meager, for at an early age he 
 began assisting in the work of the ficlils and 
 when he started out in life on his own account 
 he bad intimate and accurate knowledge of the 
 best metho<Is of farming. .\s stated, be owns a 
 quarter section of land in .\shkum township, con- 
 stituting a well improved fann, and he also has 
 a house and three lots in the village of Asbknm. 
 He is likewise sole owner of Kruger. No. 48.270. 
 a thoroughbred Percheron stallion, valuetl at eigh- 
 
 teen Inmclred dollars. He also owns three colts, 
 two. three and four yetirs old respectively, sircl 
 b\ Kruger, whose aggregtite value will reach six 
 hundred dollars. He keeps his horse for breed- 
 ing purposes and has bred some of the fine stock 
 of the county. I le has a tine apiary of sixty rfivc 
 stands ami now tievotes considerable attention to 
 his bees, securing al)otit three thoiis.-iniI pounds 
 of honey in f/yCu 
 
 ( )n the ,J4th of I-'ebruarx. iiSy5. Mr. /achgo 
 was tmited in n.arriage to .Miss Katie Urockmann, 
 a daughter of K. H. Iirockniann, a prominent 
 fanmr of Danforth toAHshi]>. They have become 
 tl'.e i)areiits of three children : I'rederick Edwanl, 
 born May 11, i8ij6: Jeanette Tracy, December 3, 
 i8<>8; and Le.ster Charles, June 14, 1901. The 
 wife and mother died .May J2. 1903, and her 
 death was deeply regretted by many friends 
 thronghoiit the eomnnmity. 
 
 Mr. Zachgo supports the republican party and 
 is a member of the (jeniian Lutheran church at 
 Danforth. His entire life has been passed in Il- 
 linois and the greater part f>f it in Iroquois county, 
 (mil tlte fad that many of his stanchest frien<ls 
 art those who have known him fnjm his boy- 
 b.o.iil to the i)resent time is an indication of an 
 honorable, upright career. 
 
 ZoK All K. I'ATRICK. M. D. 
 
 Dr. Zor.di I". Patrick, for fourteen years a 
 practictiomr in .Sheldon, was lx)rn October 18. 
 1830, in Washington, Illinois, his i)arents being 
 I-'li and Mary .\. Patrick, the former a farmer 
 by occnu'ition. His eariy education was acquired 
 in the public schools of Washington an<l his more 
 sjK'cifically literary course in ICureka College. 
 He prepare<l for the practice of medicine and sur- 
 gery as a stuilent in Rush .Mediad College in 
 Chicago, froiu which he was graduated in the 
 class of 1872. and later he took more advanced 
 work in Ilellevue Hospital Medical College, of 
 which he is a graduate of the class of 1877. 
 After winning his degree he practiced for four 
 years at Plainfield. Illinois, and then took an 
 Kuropean triji, after which he liecame a student 
 at IVIlevuc. Locating in Sheldon in the spring of 
 1877, he was an able representative of the pro-
 
 6oo 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 fession there until i8yi. when on account of ill- 
 ness he removed to Chicago, where he has since 
 resided. He has since abandoned the practice of 
 medicine and devotes his time to other pursuits. 
 On the 24th of May, 1877, Dr. Patrick was 
 married to Carrie H. Danforth, of Washington, 
 Illinois. 
 
 JUDGE CHARLES O. CLEA\'ER. 
 
 Judge Charles O. Cleaver is a resident of Mil- 
 ford and is influential in its public life and com- 
 munity interests. He is now serving for the six- 
 teenth consecutive year as police magistrate and 
 his public record hasi been at all times commend- 
 able. A half century has come and gone since he 
 took up his abode in the county, so that his mem- 
 ory compasses the period of early pioneer devel- 
 opment as well as of later day progress. He was 
 born near Lafayette. Indiana, October 10, 1835, 
 and was there reared, whiJe his elementar}- edu- 
 cation, acquired in the coiumon schools, was sup- 
 plemented by study in the higher schools. His 
 father, Charles Cleaver, was a native of Balti- 
 more, ^Maryland, and was there reared and mar- 
 ried. He wedded .Anna Aladden, also a native 
 of Baltimore, and, removing to the west, they 
 located in Indiana, where i\Ir. Cleaver departed 
 this life in 1842, while his wife died about 1839. 
 
 Thus Charles C). Cleaver was left an orphan at 
 the early age of seven years. After his father's 
 death he went to live with a bachelor uncle, Mah- 
 lon Cleaver, and his sister, Lydia Cleaver, by 
 whom he was reared to farm life. The public 
 schools afforded him his educational privileges and 
 he was trained to all the duties and labors that 
 fall to the lot of an agriculturist. .After attaining 
 his majority he came to Milford, Illinois, and ac- 
 cepted a clerkship in the drug store of Dr. C. 
 Secrest, with whom he remained for two years. 
 
 On the 17th of October. 1858, Mr. Cleaver was 
 imited in marriage to Aliss Charlotta Davis, the 
 third daughter of Jonathjin and El'zabeth ( lirit- 
 ton) Davis. In i860 the\' returned to Indiana, the 
 removal being made that Mr. Cleaver might take 
 charge of his uncle's farming interests. He car- 
 ried on the farm until November 7. 1861, when 
 he enlisted and joined the TetUh Indiana Ilatterv 
 
 of Light Artillery. He went south with the 
 Army of the Cumberland and participated in the 
 battles of Pittsburg Landing. luka, Perryville, 
 -Stone River, Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain and 
 Missionary Ridge. Later he was on a gunboat 
 that patrolled the Tennessee river from Bridge- 
 port, Alabama, to Alussel Shoals, Tennessee. Be- 
 coming ill, he was in the hospital and later he did 
 hospital service. He was on detached duty in the 
 medical department for some time but later re- 
 joined his regiment at Bridgeport. Once during 
 the service he was granted a furlough and in Jan- 
 uary, 1864, made a visit to his home. Through- 
 out the time he spent at the front he was wounded 
 but once and then only slightly. He was mus- 
 tered out and honorably discharged in Indianapo- 
 lis. January 10, 1865, and with a creditable mili- 
 tary record returned to his home, for he had 
 been most loyal to the cause he espoused, 
 
 iMr, Cleaver for some years after the war was 
 in Milford and was employed as a clerk in the 
 drug store of Dr. Ira Brown. Again he went 
 to Ind'ana to take charge of his uncle's business, 
 remaining there until the death of his uncle, but 
 he had strong attachment for Milford and in Xo- 
 vember, 1889, returned. For a year thereafter 
 he was engaged in the conduct of a restaurant 
 and was then elected to the office of police magis- 
 trate, in which position he has been continued by 
 re-election for si.xteen consecutive years. No 
 h'tjher testimonial of his capability and fidelity 
 could be given than the fact that he has so often 
 been re-elected for the office. He served as post- 
 master of Milford prior to the war for two years 
 and then resigned on removing to Indiana. Subse- 
 ([uenl to the war he again filled the position for 
 two years, being appointed to serve out an unex- 
 pired tcTm. He was likewise postmaster at Col- 
 l)urn. Indiana, for four years, was justice of the 
 peace in that state and notary ]niblic. He is also 
 notary iniblic in Milford. His official record is 
 one over which there falls no shadow of wrong 
 or suspicion of evil. He has manifested honesty 
 in pulilic office and efficiency in public service. 
 
 I'nto .Mr. and .Mrs. Cleaver have been born 
 fotu- children who are yet living: Ernest, who is 
 is married and resides in Milford ; .Vrchibald, who 
 is married and makes his home in Orange county, 
 California: Henry Ward Beecher, who is mar- 
 ried and lives in Chicago ; and Barton R,, who is
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 6ot 
 
 a resident of .\!ilfi>r<l. Tliey also lost three cliil- 
 ilreii. of whuni Mlla died in 1862, at the age of 
 tliree years. Winifred was married in Indiana to 
 A. P. Cialey and died at their home at 1 tattle- 
 ground, Indiana. February 27. ii^)S. leavinj; two 
 sons and two daughters. The daughters, Ruth 
 and Xaomi, reside with their grandparents, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Cleaver, while dtxidwin Galey is with 
 his uncle in California and Raymond is living 
 with a family near I'.attleground. 
 
 .Mr. Cleaver has always voted with the democ- 
 racy on national issues. He is a Master Mason 
 and cha])lain of the lodge, having joined the order 
 at Mil ford in 1S57. being one of the two surviv- 
 ing members of the lodge at that time. He be- 
 l<ings to Wnnum ])ost, Xo. 471. G. A. R., of 
 which lie is the present commander, and he has 
 ser\ed in that office several terms. He and his 
 wife are members of the Order of the Eastern 
 Star and he is now worthy patron of Gold chap- 
 ter. Xo. 56, and his wife is a member of the 
 Woman's Relief Corps. In days of peace as in 
 days of war, Judge Cleaver is loyal and patriotic, 
 manifesting the same fidelity to the old flag that 
 he displayed when on battle-fields of the south. 
 His justice and impartiality in office have "won 
 him golden opinions from all sorts of people" and 
 he is widely known as a man of tried integrity 
 and worth. 
 
 EDWARD 1:. WEP.STER. 
 
 Edward K. Webster, who is cultivating a good 
 farm of one hundred and twenty acres on sec- 
 tions 33 and 34, Concord township, was born in 
 this townshij). September 5. 1874. His father. 
 John Webster, a native of England, was born 
 Xovember n. 1827. and is a s<in of William and 
 .\nna CSmitlD Webster. The mother died wlien 
 he was a lad of only twelve years an<l he was 
 left an orphan by his father's death when a youth 
 of fourteen. Reared to manluiod in his native 
 country he determined to seek a home in the 
 new world, believing that he would have better 
 business opportunities on this side the Atlantic, 
 and when twenty-three years of age he crf)ssed 
 the briny deep. It was in 1850 that he bade 
 goodby to friends and native country and sailed 
 
 with his brother for the new world. They located 
 in Clark county, Ohio, where both secured work 
 as farm hands. John Webster has made his home 
 in Iroquois county for half a century and in the 
 spring of 1857 built a little log cabin which is 
 still standing and is one of the few landmarks of 
 pioneer days that yet remain. He matie further 
 preparations for having a home of his own by 
 his marriage in the spring of 1858 to Miss Jane 
 ,\. Hill, of Clark county, Ohio, and the young 
 couple l>egan their domestic life in the little cabin 
 which he had prepared. Mr. Webster concentrat- 
 ing his time and energies u])nn the task of cidti- 
 vating and improving his farm. Three children 
 were born unto them, of whom two sons are liv- 
 ing. Hoth are married and reside in Concord 
 township. The wife and mother died in the fall 
 of 1865 and in 1867 John Webster was again 
 married, his second union being with Miss Emily 
 .Murrav. who was Ixirn in Concord township. 
 September 30. 1840. There were twelve chil- 
 dren by this union, of whom eight still survive, 
 namely: .Anna E.. Sarah J., Minnie F.. Clara M.. 
 Ora E., John S., Edward E.. Mary M., Ida P.. 
 Margaret G.. Emma IT. and Letta E. 
 
 John \\'ebster prospered in life and becanie the 
 owner of a valuable farm of three hundred and 
 seventy-two acres on section 33. Conciird town- 
 ship. The greater part of this was brought un- 
 der a high state of cultivation and the place is 
 improved with good buildings, well ke])t fences 
 and other modern equipments. He laid consid- 
 erable tile and was recognized as one of the rep- 
 resentative and successful farmers and stock- 
 raisers, for in his pastures were found good 
 grades of stock and his annual .sale of farm ani- 
 mals added not a little to his income. His first 
 presidential vote was cast for John C. Fremont 
 in 185^) and during the greater part of the time 
 he supported the republican party but twice voted 
 for Grovcr Clevelaiul. He served as school di- 
 rector for twelve consecutive years and then after 
 an interval for six years more. He held mcm- 
 lH>rshiii in the Methodist Episcopal ch\irch at 
 .'^heldon, of which his wife is also a member. He 
 died March 4. 1904, and is still survived by his 
 wife. 
 
 Edward E. \\"ebster always live<l at home and 
 the educational privileges which he enjoyed were 
 those afforded bv the district schrxils. When
 
 6o2 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 twenty-two years of age he began farming on 
 his father's land and during the past two years 
 has been cultivating two hundred and twenty-two 
 acres of land. He has made substantial improve- 
 ments on the place and keeps everything about 
 the farm in excellent condition. He is thoroughly 
 practical and at the same time progressive in his 
 methods and his labors are liringing to him a 
 merited success. He owns one hundred and 
 twenty acres of land on sections 2,3 a"fl 34- t-"on- 
 cord township, all of which is improved, and he 
 makes a specialty of raising Poland China hogs. 
 In his fraternal relations Mr. \\'ebster is a Knight 
 of Pythias, while his political support is given 
 to the republican party. He represents one of 
 the old pioneer families of the county, the name 
 of \\'ebster having long figured honorably in 
 connection with the agricultural development of 
 this section of the state. 
 
 ISAAC TIK )MAS. 
 
 The residence of Isaac Thomas in Iroquois 
 countv covers more than seven decades, dm'ing 
 wliicli time he has witnessed many changes as 
 the work of progress and advancement has been 
 carried forward in the line of agricultural, in- 
 dustrial and commercial development. l\lr. 
 Thomas was born near Newmarket, N'irginia, 
 September lo, 1S26, a son of Marcus AT. and 
 Nancy (Strickler) Thomas, buth of whom were 
 natives of the Old Dominion, the former born 
 March 18. 1705. aufl the latter November 4. iSoo. 
 Their marriage was celebrated in iSiO, after 
 which thev remained in tlieir native state until 
 the year 1834, when, with a ])arty of friends, 
 they made their way by wagon to Frankfort. 
 Indiana, this being at that time considered the 
 far west. The father there ])lanted and harvested 
 one crop, and in 1835 continued his journey to 
 Iroquois county, Illinois, where he purchased 
 four hundred acres of land in Concord town- 
 ship, of which but ten acres had been cleared. 
 He broke and cultivated the 1;uid. making all the 
 improvements which were placed thereon. He 
 built a hewed log house, which was sui)i)lie(l 
 with glass for windows, this being considered 
 quite modern for that day. P>oth he and his 
 
 wife worked diligently and energetically in the 
 establishment of their home on the frontier, and 
 while he managed his farming interests his wife 
 carefulh- looked after her household duties, in 
 addition to which she spun tlax which she wove 
 into cloth from which to make garments for 
 the family. They, however, were not permitted 
 to long enjoy their new home, for the mother 
 passed away October 9. 1838, while the father 
 survived her only a short period, his death oc- 
 curring Augi.ist 25, 1840. 
 
 Isaac Thomas was reared in his native state 
 to the age of eight years, when he accom])anied 
 his parents on their removals to Indiana and 
 Illinois, acquiring the greater part of his educa- 
 tion in the latter state. He remained with his 
 parents until they were called from this life. 
 being a little lad of twelve years at the time of 
 his mother's death, and he was left an orphan at 
 the age of fourteen. In early life he entered 
 one hundred and sixty acres of government land 
 in Beaver township, but never resided thereon 
 and finally traded with his brother for his present 
 farm. He continued to live on the old homestead 
 imtil 1870. when he removed to his own farm 
 in P>eaver township. This was all wild prairie 
 lanrl when it came into his possession but with 
 ox teams and a twenty-two-inch plow he began 
 the work of breaking the land and cultivating the 
 fields. He laid many rods of tiling, built fences, 
 set out trees and erected a house and outbuild- 
 ings. As time passed and his financial resources 
 increased he made more modern and substantial 
 im])rovements, in 1895 replacing his first homo 
 by a large ten-room residence, which is supplied 
 w itli all the conveniences and accessories for the 
 comfort of the inmates. In 1886 he built a fine 
 barn thirtv-four by forty feet, and all of the 
 improvements which are here seen have been 
 ])laced by the present owner. I le has always 
 followed farming antl in addition to those inter- 
 ests he al.so raises shorthorn cattle, lie now 
 owns one hundred and sixty acres of land. 
 
 Mr. 'I'homas has been three times married. 
 His first union was with Fannie Kinney, their 
 marriage being celebrated on JieaNer creek in 
 1866. She was born in Illinois and died in 1870. 
 This marriage was blessed with two children: 
 Pernard, deceased ; and Mrs. Cora Smart. In 
 1872 Mr. Thomas was married a second time in
 
 MK. AND MRS. ISAAC Tllo.MAS.
 
 •JNIVERSI 
 
 U;
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 O05 
 
 Newton county, Indiana, to Miss Sarali Ella 
 Buswell, who was born in Virginia, and her 
 death occurred in 1881. The children of this 
 marriage were: Ira and Mary I-"., deceased; 
 George M., at home; Mrs. Blanch Sanders; and 
 May, who is with her father. I"or his third wife 
 .Mr. Thomas chose Mrs. Fannie (P.oyd) I'eebles, 
 a widow of James Peebles, their marriage being 
 celebrated in M.Trtinton, Jnne jo, i8S,V ^^'h-' W'Is 
 born in Martin county. Indiana, and when nine 
 years of age accompanicil her parents on their 
 removal to \'ermili(in count v, this state. She 
 was married in Georgetown, that county, in 1853, 
 to William Hubbanl and in 1857 came to Iro- 
 quois couiUy, where he dietl in 1861. 
 
 Mr. TlKjmas has always been a strong advo- 
 cate of democracy, and he holds meml)ership 
 relations with the Christian church. Me is now 
 eighty years of age but is still carrying on agri- 
 cultural interests, being assisted by his son, 
 George M. He has a fine farm of one hundred 
 and sixty acres in Heaver township, on which 
 he located thirty-six years ago, and this has con- 
 tinued to be his place of residence since that time. 
 He is well kown not only in his own locality but 
 throughout the county and is highly esteemed In- 
 all with whom he comes in contact, having won 
 the confidence and good will of all by reason of 
 the reliable and straightforward methods he has 
 ever followed in trade transactions. 
 
 JOHN .\. FLEMING. 
 
 John A. Fleming, whose activity, consecutive 
 and well directed, has been the si-cret of a desir- 
 able success, now owns three himdred and twenty 
 acres of land on .section 21. Chebanse township. 
 It is a valuable ])roi)erty equii>i)ed with good nuxl- 
 ern improvements, a substantial two-story resi- 
 dence standing in the midst of a well-kept lawn, 
 while in the rear arc gofKl barns, sheds and cribs. 
 The land is well drained by the judicious use 
 of tile and well kept fences apportion it into 
 fields of convenient size. Everything about the 
 place presents an air of neatness and thrift and 
 Mr. Flenn'ng is justly accoimtcd one of the rej)- 
 resentative agriculturists of the comnnmity. 
 
 A native of Cook county, Illinois, he was born 
 at Chicago Heights. August 22. 1863. His fa- 
 ther, James I-'lcming, was a native of Scotland 
 and when a young man came to .\merica. set- 
 tling in I'cnn.sylvania, at wiiicli time he was thirty 
 years of age. On removing westward to Illi- 
 nois, he took up his abode at Chiaigo Heights 
 and followed farming in that locality. He was 
 married there to Miss Margaret .\dams, a native 
 of Ohio and a daughter of Samuel .\dams, who 
 came to Illinois in the '.sos. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Fleming made their home at Giicago Heights 
 until 186), when they came to Irofjuois county 
 and bought two hundred and forty acres of land, 
 upon which their son John uow resides. Here 
 the father developed an excellent farm and made 
 a good home. Three children were added to the 
 family as the years passed by. 
 
 John .\. Fleming, the eblcst, was reared upon 
 the old home farm and had pood common-school 
 advantages. When twenty-two years of age he 
 went to Dakota and Montana, traveling in the 
 west for two years. He then returned home and 
 took charge of his father's farm. James Flem- 
 ing retired in i8qo and is now living in Kanka- 
 kee at the age of seventy-four years. His wife, 
 however, passed away in i8<)7. at the age of 
 seventy-eight years. 
 
 John Fleming purcha.sed the estate of the other 
 heirs and started out in life on his own account. 
 He built his present residence in 184)5 and has 
 carried on general farming along the most pro- 
 gressive lines. He raises good grades of stock, 
 feeding most of his grain, and he now has thirty- 
 two head of cattle upon his place, which he is 
 feeding for the market. 
 
 On the 25th of December. 1804. Mr. Fleming 
 was imited in marriage to Miss Li/zie Fstelle 
 T-nke, a native of Iroquois county and a daughter 
 of William Lake. One child has been born unto 
 them, Howard Edward Fleming, who is attend- 
 ing school. Politically Mr. Fleming is a stalwart 
 republican, being thoroughly in sympathy with 
 the principles of the party but at local elections 
 he supports candidates without regard to party 
 affiliation. He has never sought or cared for 
 office himself and the only position in which ho 
 has consented to serve is that of school director, 
 in which office he has remained for seven years. 
 IJc is a member of the Masonic fraternity, be-
 
 6o6 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 longing to Oiebanse lodge, No. 429, and he also 
 belongs to Chebanse camp, M. W. A. He and 
 his wife attend the Methodist Episcopal church 
 and are highly esteemed people, enjoying in large 
 measure the good will and friendship of those 
 with whom they have come in contact. With 
 the exception of the period spent in the west 
 John A. Fleming has continuously been a resi- 
 dent of Illinois and during much of his life has 
 made his home in Iroquois county. The spirit 
 of enterprise and steady progress which has ever 
 been manifest in this section of the country finds 
 exemplification in him and in his business life he 
 is watchful of opportunities and through the im- 
 provement of the advantages which have come 
 to him he has made a creditable place in business 
 circles. 
 
 GEORCtE O. r.OTITWTJ.L. 
 
 George O. Bothwell, engaged in general farm- 
 ing on section 28. Artesia township, about two 
 miles from P)Uckley, was born upnn this farm, 
 October 22. 1869. His father. Elijah IT. Both- 
 well, was born at \'inton. Ohio, in 1S34 and 
 when a young man came to Illinois, settling first 
 in Knox county, opening up a farm near Ciales- 
 burg. He was married there to Miss Sarah 
 Young, a native of Ohio, who in her infancy was 
 taken to Knox county. Illinois, liy her parents. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Young. Following his 
 marriage Mr. Bothwell engaged in farming in 
 Knox county for a nunil)er of years and then 
 sold liis property there in 1867, removing to Iro- 
 quois county, where he purchased one hundred 
 and twenty acres of raw land. He settled upon 
 tJie farm and soon the track of the shining plow 
 was seen across the fields. He built a little shed, 
 in which he lived for a few inontlis. when a l)etter 
 dwelling was erected. Fencing and breaking the 
 land, he opened up tlie farm and in due course 
 of time had transformed the raw prairie into jiro- 
 ductive fields. He afterward Iniilt anotlier resi- 
 dence, also good barns and outbuildings, and 
 made the farm a valuable property. 1 le planted 
 walnuts and thus raised trees, which are now of 
 good size, from the seed, so that today he has 
 a nice walnut grove upon his jilace. There arc 
 
 also cottonwoods and other trees and the farm 
 is attractive in its appearance and gives every 
 evidence of the care and supervision that has 
 been bestowed upon it. Tile was laid to drain 
 the fields, fences were built and the work of im- 
 provement was carried forward along modern 
 lines, ]\Ir. Bothwell thus remaining actively in 
 business imtil his death, which occurred Febru- 
 ary 28. 1899. His wife survives him and now 
 resides with her son George upon the home farm. 
 
 Mr. Bothwell of this review was reared on 
 the old homestead and pursued his education in 
 the district schools. There are but two surviving 
 children of the family, the sister being Susan, the 
 wife of Sidney Camp, who is now living near 
 .'Spokane, ^^'ashington. Through the period of 
 his youth George O. Bothwell aided in the work 
 of the home farm and upon his father's death 
 succeeded to the property and has continued the 
 further development and cultivation until it is 
 now a splendid farm, lacking in none of the 
 accessories of a model property. 
 
 On the 1st of January. 1890. was celebrated 
 the marriage of George O. Bothwell and Miss 
 Jennie -Singleton, who was born and reared here 
 and is a daughter of A. P. Singleton, who is 
 mentioned elsewhere in this Mork. They now 
 have three children living. Claude. Ethel and 
 Grace, and they also lost a son and daughter.: 
 Albert, who died in infancy: and ^labcl. who 
 died at the age of nine months. 
 
 In politics ;\Ir. Bothwell has been a life-long 
 democr;it l)ut without as]Mration for office. He 
 was elected, however, and served as assessor of 
 .\rtesia township. He and his wife hold mem- 
 lursliip in tlu' Methodist Episcopal church and 
 he belongs to the ^^'oodmen cam]i. His entire 
 life has been passed upon the farm which is now 
 his home and he is well known in Iroquois and 
 Ford Counties as a representative agriculturist. 
 
 I. S. Br)rDRF\T' 
 
 T. .S. Boudreau. who without invidious dis- 
 tinction may be termed one of the foremost citi- 
 zens of Pn'averville. is serving as president of 
 the \illriL;e. in which coiniection he has done ef- 
 fectix'e service for tlic ])ublic wcll'are. He is.
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILI.IXOIS. 
 
 607 
 
 liuirocvcr. aclivi'lv C"iimcU<i willi K.rimni^ iiitii- 
 ests in the county, in the control «>t which he 
 displays rockI business ability and executive 
 force. Me was born in Heaver township. May 
 II, iSf/). His lather. Musis IWiidreaii, now 
 deceased, was for many years a prominent mer- 
 chant of ileaverville. born in Montreal, tanada. 
 September 1. 1839. His parents were Nelson 
 and Rose ( Colewalt ) i'loudrean, both of whom 
 were natives of Canada and of French descent. 
 Xelson Jloudreaii was a farmer wIk) owned and 
 operated land in Canada, whence he removed 
 with his family to Aurora. Illinois, in 1848. 
 After two years spent u])on a rented farm he 
 went to Kankakee county, where he rented lan<l 
 for a year and then took up his abode in Papi- 
 neau townshij). Iroquois county, where be jnir- 
 cbased a farm. 
 
 In his early Iwyhood Moses I'oudreaii attend- 
 ed the French schools of Canada and in Illinois 
 became a student in the English schools. He 
 was the eldest in the family of eight cliildren and 
 was only fifteen years of age at tlie time of his 
 father's death, when the support of the family 
 largely devolved upf>n him. for they were left 
 in limited financial circumstances. He worked 
 upon the home* farm and also in the em|>loy of 
 others. On the 5tb of .\ugust. iS5«>. at the age 
 of nineteen years, be wedded Miss Maria Cote, 
 of Papine.-iu township, who was born in Onebtc. 
 Canada. March 16. 1839. and came with he- 
 parents. Cenny and Tict (Martin) Cole, to this 
 state when about thirteen years of age. For two 
 years after their marriage Closes P.oudreau con- 
 tinued t<i operate his moilier's farm aiul be also 
 improved and cultivated forty acres of land, 
 which he had previously purchased in P.eaver 
 township and which remained in his possession 
 throughout his subsequent years. As bis finan- 
 cial resf)urces increased he added to his pro()erty 
 until he had large land holdings in Heaver town- 
 ship. He ])lacc<l bis farm uuiler a high slate of 
 cultivation and also engaged in stock-raising, 
 handling cattle on an extensive scale. In 1882 
 he established a store in Hcaverville. placing it 
 in charge of his son. and two years afterward re- 
 moved to the village in order to give personal 
 attention to the business. They fle:dt in general 
 merchandise and also in agricullnr.il im)>KMnents 
 and from the Ix-ginning the enterprise prospered. 
 
 .Mr. r.oudreau gave ir.s p.iiitical allcgianc..- i" 
 the democracy from the time when be cast his » 
 first presidential vutc for Stephen A. Douglas. 
 He was a communicant of the Catholic church 
 and contributed generously to its support. He 
 filled several local offices, serving as highway 
 commissioner, as school trustee and as .school 
 director, and was Irmg recognized as a prominent 
 and intliiential citizen of his comnnmity, being 
 honored by all for the success which he achieved 
 and the methods whicli he followed in his busi- 
 ness career. He <lied fVtober 3. K)03. and is 
 still survived by bis widow, wlm is living in 
 Heaverville. In their family were thirteen chil- 
 dren, of whom three died in infancy, while ten 
 reached mature years. 
 
 J. .'^. Houdreau. whose name introduces this 
 review, acciuired his education in .St. \iateur's 
 College at liourbonnais, Illinois, and entered ui)on 
 his business career as a clerk in the employ of 
 the firm of lioudreau & .Son. composed of his 
 father and brother. He remained with then) as 
 a salesman for thirteen years, after which be 
 bought out the business and conducted it alone 
 for eight ytars. During that period he carrie'l 
 a well selected stock of general merchandise and 
 enjoved a go<-)d trade by reason of his careful 
 management, executive force and keen business 
 discernment. He also acted as postmaster during 
 President Cleveland's administralion. .\t length 
 he sold his store to f., L. Francour. who is still 
 engaged in the business. Mr. lioudrean still 
 has extensive anri valuable farming interests, 
 owning two himdred and forty acres of land in 
 Tro(|nois county. He bought eighty acres from 
 .\ Pelion on section ^2. lleaver township, after- 
 ward purchased eighty acres additional and at 
 two ditTerent tinu's tracts of fortv acre*, while 
 from his father he inherited eighty acres on sec- 
 tions 29 and 30, Heaver township. He has done 
 some tiling, has added to the improvements on 
 his property and has valuable farming interests, 
 from which he derives a gofnl annual income. 
 He purcba.sed a residence in Heaverville. which 
 be has since repaired and improve<i :iiiil ti..\v lii* 
 a very comfortable lK>me here. 
 
 Mr. Houdreau was married in l!ravi-r town- 
 ship, in i8i)0. to Miss N'elda Nourie. who was 
 1)orn in Heaver township in December. 1869, 
 and who died in 189.'?, leaving a daughter. Ro-
 
 6o8 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 sella, who is now attending a convent. On the 
 15th of July, 1895, Mr. Boudreau was again 
 married in Beaverville, to Mis^ Dulcinia M. 
 Xourie, who was born in Beaverville. September 
 25, 1876. They became the parents of four chil- 
 dren but two have passed away. Those living 
 are Emery A. and Leona, both of whom are stu- 
 dents in a convent. 
 
 Mr. Boudreau and his wife are communicants 
 of the Catholic church and he belongs to the 
 Catholic Order of Foresters. In politics he is a 
 democrat and has served as president of the vil- 
 lage board. At this writing, in 1907, he is mayor 
 of Beaverv'ille, having been elected in the spring 
 of last year. He gives a public-spirited and pro- 
 gressive administration characterized by a spirit 
 of business enterprise and diligence that has 
 proven of much value to the city in the control 
 of municipal interests. He is highly esteemed 
 in this part of the county, where he has a very 
 wide acquaintance, the strong and salient charac- 
 teristics of his life being such as have endeared 
 him to all who know him. 
 
 X. C. BOUDREAU. 
 
 N. C. Boudreau, serving as postmaster of 
 Beaverville, was born in this town, June i, i860. 
 He was educated in the district schools and was 
 also for two years a student in St. Viateur's 
 College, which he entered at the age of sixteen 
 years. When eighteen years of age he began 
 clerking in Beaverville and was also thus employed 
 at Kankakee. He began general merchandising 
 with his father in i88t and the partnership was 
 continued until t8o8 imdcr the lirr.i style of 
 Boudreau & Son. In the latter year he sold out 
 to his brother, J. S. Boudreau, and for two years 
 was out of business. He then again engaged in 
 general merchandising and has since continued 
 in this line. He began his connection with busi- 
 ness interests in this town with a store valued 
 at two hundred and seventy-five dollars and that 
 he has prospered as the years have gone by is 
 indicated by the fact that lie now carries a stock 
 worth eight thousand dollars. His store is care 
 fully appointed and he has a well selected line 
 of goods puch as is demanded bv a general trade. 
 
 Moreover, his fair dealing and earnest desire to 
 please his patrons have secured him a constantly 
 growing trade. Mr. Boudreau is also serving 
 as postmaster, having first been appointed during 
 the Harrison administration. He also served un- 
 der President McKinley and now under Presi- 
 dent Roosevelt. He has a fourth class office and 
 has established a rural route which extends into 
 four different townships. He has likewise been 
 president of the village board of Beaverville for 
 two terms, clerk for three years in both town 
 and township, and has likewise been village trus- 
 tee. He also held the office of town clerk for four 
 }ears and has been assessor for three years. His 
 public service has been characterized by unfal- 
 tering devotion to duty, a ready recognition of 
 the needs and possibilities of the city and hearty 
 co-operation in any movement for the general 
 welfare. He is a stalwart republican, recognized 
 as one of the local leaders in the ranks of the 
 party, and for twelve years has served as a mem- 
 ber of the county central committee. 
 
 Mr. Boudreau was married in Beaverville in 
 1881 to Miss ]\Iary Ellen Teresa Gernon. who 
 was born in Canada. They have become the 
 parents of six children: Haydee, who is attend- 
 ing a medical college : Gernon, who is engaged 
 in the practice of dentistry : Teresa, who assists 
 in the postoffice; Evelyn, a student in the high 
 school ; Larena, who is attending a convent ; 
 and Ellen, also in a convent. 
 
 In 1890 Mr. Boudreau erected a fine residence 
 in Beaverville and his home is noted for its 
 warm hearted and gracious hospitalitw The 
 members of the household occupv an enviable 
 position in social circles and are greatlv esteemed 
 by those wlio know tliem. In addition tn his resi- 
 dence propertv ATr. Boudreau owns eighty acres 
 of land on section 30. Beaver township, which 
 has been tiled and is now a productive tract of 
 land that brings to him a good rental. He also 
 owns .some town lots in Leola, the county seat 
 of McPherson county. South Dakota, and lots 
 in Oklahoma. Tn his fraternal relations Mr. 
 Boudreau is connected with the Catholic Order 
 of Foresters and with the Knights of Colunihns. 
 and he belongs to the Catholic church. The name 
 of Boudreau has long figured prominentlv and 
 honorably in connection with agricultural and 
 commercial interests in Iroquois coniitv and the
 
 IR(iorniS COUNTY. ILMN'OIS. 
 
 llOi) 
 
 record of X. C. Doudrcau lias aii<au irw i\i>ui 
 thereto. 
 
 HENRY BROCK.M.XNN. 
 
 Ik-iiry llrockniaiin, wlio has r<.x"eiUly retired 
 from farininp and is now living in Mucklcy, is 
 nuniljcred among those who during the Civil 
 war flocked to the standard of the Union and 
 vaHantly followed the stars and stripes through 
 the battles and on the long hard marches in the 
 south. He is. moreover, one of the early settlers 
 of this part of Illinois, having Ix-comc a resident 
 of Dupage county in 1856. He was then a 
 youth of sixteen years, his birth having occurred 
 in Germany. September 21. 1840. Goo<l school 
 advantages in his native tongue were afforded 
 him but he is self-educated in English and has 
 depended upon his own resources since coming to 
 the new world. His father, Henry Brockniann. 
 with his family, numbering wife and seven chil- 
 dren, crossed the .\tlantic in 1856. taking pas- 
 sage at Bremen on a sailing vessel which after 
 six weeks reached the harbor of New York in 
 the month of September. They made their wav 
 directly westward to Chicago, arriving there on 
 the anniversary of the father's birth. 
 
 Henry Brockmann of this review worked at 
 farm lal^ir both prior to and after the war. re- 
 ceiving sixtv dollars for his first year's wage. 
 He enlisted in .\ugust. 1862. as a memlwr of 
 Company I, One Hundred and Fifth Illinois \'ol- 
 untecr Infantry, and going to the south was under 
 command of General Sherman. He participated 
 in the tattle of Resaca and was altogether in twen- 
 ty-seven important liattles, including the engage- 
 ments of the .\tlanta campaign, .\fter the sur- 
 render of the city of Atlanta he went with Sher- 
 man on the celebrated march to the sea. which 
 proved that the strength of the Cunfcderacy was 
 almost exhausted and that the men had Ix-en 
 brought from the interior to defend the border. 
 Then came the campaign through the Carolina? 
 and on to Richmond and to Washington, where 
 Mr. Brockmann participated in the grand re- 
 view, the most celebrate*! military j)ageant ever 
 witnessed on the western hemisphere. He was 
 mustered out and honorably discharged in Chi- 
 cago in Tune. \9^>^. 
 
 Without delay Mr. Brockmann returned at 
 once to his home and for se\'eral years thereafter 
 was employed at farm labor. In connection with 
 his brother Fred he fiwned and ojx'rated a thresh- 
 ing machine for eight or ten years and thus made 
 a start in life. In 1887 he removed to Iroquois 
 county and purchased one hundred acres of raw 
 land on sccti«in 28. .\rtesia township. This he 
 broke, putting in the seed that in due course ot 
 time brought forth rich harvests. Trees were 
 planted and the work of develoj)ment and im- 
 provement was carried steadily forward and to- 
 day Mr. Brockmaiui. who on coming to .\merica 
 started out in life empty-handed, is one of the 
 substantial agriculturists of his community. 
 
 In this county, on the 13th of .\pril. 1887, oc- 
 curre<l the marriage of Henry Brockmann and 
 Miss Mcna Engehousen. a native of Germany. 
 They have become the parents of seven children 
 who arc yet living: Martha, the wife of Ora 
 Thecsfcld. a fanner of .Artesia township ; August, 
 who aids his father in carrying on the home 
 farm ; Fred, who is engaged in farming on his 
 own account : Ix>uis. who was married July 20. 
 1006, and is engaged in teaching at Chicago 
 Heights; I-ouisa, Otto H. and Netta, all at home. 
 They also lost one son. William, who died in 
 infancy. 
 
 The parents are meml)ers of the Lutheran 
 church, in which they were reared, and Mr. 
 Brockmann is a stanch republican and his sons 
 are also supporters of the same party. He has 
 made a business record which any man might 
 lie proud to possess, for, depending upon his own 
 resources from the age of sixteen years, he has 
 macle .steady progress and his life record is an- 
 other illustration of the fact that under the pres- 
 sure of necessity the liest and strongest in men 
 is brought out and developed. 
 
 FREDERICK MIM.ER. 
 
 Fre<lerick Miller is one of the venerable citi- 
 zens of Iroquois county, for he has reached the 
 age of eighty-one years. His birth fK-curred in 
 Prussia. Germany. November 5. 1825. He spent 
 his youth and early manhoofi in the land of his 
 nativitv and the vear i8/V> witnessed his arrival
 
 6io 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 in Iroquois county, Illinois, at which time he 
 took up his abode in ilartinton township, where 
 he invested in forty acres of land which he pur- 
 chased from Mr. Porveley. He also bought two 
 hundred acres on sections 5 and 6 and there he 
 lived for about twenty years, during which time 
 he brought the farm under a high state of culti- 
 vation and placed all of the improvements upon 
 it, for it was wild and uncultivated land when 
 it came into his possession and was entireh' 
 destitute of modern buildings. Mr. Miller 
 drained his land by laying manv rods of tile and 
 has also divided it into fields of convenient size 
 by building fences. He lived upon that farm 
 for a considerable period and in the year 1887 
 removed to his present farm. ]nnxhasing two 
 hundred acres of land from Mr, I.atterman. lb; 
 also bought eighty acres more at a later date 
 and has since tiled and otherwise improved the 
 property. \\'hen the residence was destro\-ed 
 by fire in 1902 he immediately rebuilt a fine large 
 dwelling. He also bought one hundred and sev- 
 enteen acres of land from Fred Porter. It was 
 improved save that there was no house upon it, 
 so that his son George ]\Iiller erected a dwelling 
 there. He has always carried on general farm- 
 ing and stock-raising and he now rents his land 
 to his sons, who have had charge of it for six- 
 years, while he is living in comfort and ease, cn- 
 ioyinc the fruits of his former toil. 
 
 In Xovcmlxr. 1858. Mr, Miller was united in 
 marriage, in Cook county. Illinois, to Miss Mar\- 
 Schroder, who was born in ^^'est Sprin.eel. Cer- 
 many. and. coming lo .\merica in 1856. settled 
 in Cook 'county. Unto Mr. and ^Irs. Miller have 
 been born ei.ght children: :\frs. Minnie Faupel ; 
 ^Irs. Mary llrantz; Joseph, wlm follows farm- 
 ing; I'red: Cenrge: Otto, at home: Henry: and 
 Herman, at home. 
 
 Mr. Miller exercises his right of francliise in 
 support of the men and measures of the rejiub- 
 lican ]iarty and has served as school director but 
 otherwise has never sought nor filled public of- 
 fice, preferring to give undivided attentiiin to his 
 business afl'airs. He is a member of the Luth- 
 eran church and in all life's relations has been 
 honorable and upright. Coming to .\merica with 
 the hope of bettering his financial condition, he 
 has found here the opportunities that he sought 
 and by l1u- in<lici(ius use nf his advantas-es has 
 
 made steady progress on the highroad to success. 
 His business methods, too, have been honorable 
 and straightforward and his labors have brought 
 him a gratifying competence. He is, moreover, 
 one of the venerable citizens of the county and 
 receives the respect and good will which should 
 ever be accorded to one who has advanced thus 
 far on life's journey. 
 
 .\TRlCIx MrivI'llV. 
 
 I'atrick ]\Iurphy is proprietor of a .general 
 mercantile store in Chebanse, where for man\- 
 years he has figured as a leading business man. 
 He is a son of James and Catherine ilurphy 
 and was born March 17. 1851. in County Kil- 
 kenny. Ireland. In 1853 his parents crossed the 
 Atlantic to the United States, locating in Hins- 
 dale. Berkshire county, ^Massachusetts, where he 
 remained until 1858. In that year he came to 
 Illinois, settling first in La Salle county, where 
 he remained for about nine vcars. when he re- 
 moved to Chebanse. Throughout his life he was 
 connected with general agricultural pursuits until 
 1874. first in the emplov of his father and later 
 on his own account. For a time he clerked in the 
 general store of McKee & liard until 1875. when 
 he established a general mercantile store in Che- 
 banse. contiiuiing the business alone until 1880. 
 when he formed a ]iartnership with James M. 
 Porter, as dealers in general merchandise, ilk' 
 firm continued in business for ten x'ears, at the 
 end of which time Mr, Murphy withdrew and 
 acce])ted a clerkship in the store of L, D, Garlick. 
 of Joliet. Illinois, where he remained for two 
 years. In 181)2 he returned to Chebanse and 
 again embarked in general merchandising in 
 Milk's block, where he remained until 1004. 
 when his stock was destroyed by fire, lie then 
 temporarily located in the (Irand Army luill tor 
 a few months, or until the building which he now 
 occupies -was \-acated. lie owns this building, 
 which is valued at twenty-live hundred dullars 
 and in which he carries a large and carefully 
 selected stock of general merchandise, for which 
 he finds a readv sale, so that his gross receipts 
 are large and his net ])rofits (|nite gratifying.
 
 I'ATUKK Ml KI'IIN
 
 IRr>OlTOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 '•'3 
 
 III- also has two hmulrcd aim i.'m\ .kh> "i lui- 
 ablc land in Mrown county, South Dakota. 
 
 Mr. Murphy was married on tlic ist of May 
 1876. at Clifton. Illinois, to Miss ISridRct Clabby 
 and unto ihcni have been born three children: 
 James Francis, an attorney at law l<Katc«l in 
 Rock Island, Illinois : Mary Loretto and l-'lor- 
 cncc C, who are at home. The wife and mother 
 died October 7, 1883, since which time Mr. Mur- 
 phy has lived with his sister. Mrs. MarRaret 
 Myron, in Cliebanse. 
 
 In his political views Mr. .Murphy is indc- 
 ])endent. He has been a niemlK-r of the sclvvil 
 lx>ard for twelve years and is still tillinf^ that 
 office, the cause of public education finding in 
 him a stalwart champion. He is a memlK-r of 
 the Catholic church, Ikmuj; connected with St. 
 Mary's and St. Joseph's parish in Cliebanse. He 
 is likewise a member of the Royal Arcanum. No. 
 1070. of Chebanse, the Knijjhts of L'olumbus, No. 
 745, at Kankakee, and the Catholic Order of For- 
 resters, No. 485. at Chebanse. His life has been 
 one of untiring activity, his diligence forming the 
 basis of his present prosperity. There is in him 
 a weight of character, a fertility of resource and 
 a far-sighted judgment which have made hiiu a 
 successful merchant and at the same time have 
 made him recognized as a leader and representa- 
 tive citizen in Chebanse. 
 
 P.VRKER WILLI.\M E.XSTnURN. 
 
 Parker William Eastburn was lx)rn on the 
 12th of October, 1878, on section 6, Sheldon 
 town.ship. and has spent his entire life within the 
 borders of this township, always following the 
 occupation to which he was reared. lie is a son 
 of William Lloyd Eastburn, whose sketch ap- 
 pears on another page of this work. In his lioy- 
 hood and youth Parker W. Eastburn was trained 
 to the work of the farm in its various depart- 
 ments and when not busy with his text-l)ooks his 
 time was largelv occupied with the tasks of the 
 fields. He has never feared that laborious atten- 
 tion to detail which is so essential an element in 
 success. He Ix-gan farming on his own account 
 on the old home place, which was improved and 
 built upon by his father. Mr. Eastburn of thi- 
 
 usiew took up the task of further development 
 seven years ago and has since given his time and 
 energies to farming and stock-raising. He is 
 justly accounted an enterprising, successful agri- 
 culturist, for his methotls are i)raclical and arc 
 in keeping with tiic spirit of substantial advance- 
 ment and im]>rovemeiit. 
 
 In Watseka, I'ebruary 26. 1902, was celebrated 
 the marriage of Mr. I\a.stburn and Miss Myrtle 
 Wolverton. who was l)orn in Sheldon. February 
 28. 1882. They now have one son. Kenneth. 
 The y.Muig couple are highly esteemed in the 
 community where they reside and the hospitality 
 of many of the In-st homes of the neighb<^)rhoo<l 
 is freely accorde<l them. Mr. F-astburn votes 
 with the republican party and keeps well in- 
 formed on the (|uestions an<l issues of the day 
 lint lias neither time nor inclination for public 
 office, as his attention is fidlv occupied by his 
 business interests, in which he is meeting with 
 good success. 
 
 r.EORCE R. SHAFFER. 
 
 George R. Shaffer was the first white male 
 child l)orn in I-o<la. his natal day being Xovem- 
 l)er 4. i85f>. while the place of his birth was the 
 old hotel of which his father. George .\. Shaffer, 
 was proprietor. The latter was a native of 
 Schoharie Flats. New York, and in that locality 
 was reared, after which he married Eleanor E. 
 Smith, a daughter of William Smith and a sister 
 of .\dam Smith, who made the first extensive pur- 
 chase of land for the Illinois Central Railro,id. 
 buying ten thousand acres adjacent to the pres- 
 ent town of I.n<la. Mr. Shaffer removed west 
 to Iro<|uois county and was one of the earliest 
 settlers of Loda. where he established a home 
 and locatetl there. I.ater he engage<l in the dry- 
 gcxKls business for several years. In 1881 he re- 
 moved to Hoopeston, where his death occurred 
 but the wi<low still survives and now makes her 
 home with her son George. 
 
 Mr. Shaffer of this review was reared to man- 
 hfMxl in Loda and is indebted to the public schools 
 for the cdticational privileges he enjoyetl. He 
 afterward went to Cliicago and was in the rail- 
 road ser\-ice on the Illini>is Central ro.id for twelve 
 vears. He met with an accident on the i;th of
 
 6i4 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 June, 1892, when an engine backed over him, 
 catching and crusliing his foot and ankle. Sul)- 
 sequently he was made agent at one of tlic sta- 
 tions of the Lake Street Elevated Railroad Com- 
 pany in Chicago, where he remained for about 
 two years. He afterward secured other employ- 
 ment and continued in the city until 1902, when 
 he returned to Loda and has since engaged in 
 ■ farming. He now^ cultivates seventy-seven acres 
 of land and is quite successful in his agricultural 
 pursuits, his mother acting as his housekeeper. 
 
 Politicallv Mr. Shaffer has always been a re- 
 publican, where state and national interests are 
 involved but casts an independent local ballot. 
 He belongs to the Congregational church, while 
 his mother is one of the three surviving members 
 of the Loda Baptist church. Tn her family were 
 three children, but \\'illiam died at the age of 
 four years, and Harry, who grew to manhood 
 and was in the railroad service for some years, 
 passed away in Chicago in 1894, leaving George 
 R. the onlv surviving child of the family. Al- 
 though he has not resided continuously in Iro- 
 quois county, he has witnessed much of its prog- 
 ress and development and has seen the prairie 
 converted into well improved farms, while Loda 
 has developed from a hamlet into ,i jiro^jjcrous 
 little citv. He can remember when there were 
 large numbers of deer and other wild game in 
 the locnlil\'. and when many evidences of frontier 
 life were still seen here. 
 
 iiarhi:rt Dins. 
 
 Harbert Duis, whose farming interests com- 
 prise one hundred and eighty acres in the home 
 place on section 2, .Ash Grove township, and who 
 in connection wdth his sons also owns other farm- 
 ing land, aggregating .seven hundred acres, has 
 resided in Illinois since 1855, at which time he 
 took up his abode in .Xdams county. He was 
 then a lad of only eight years, for his natal day 
 was October 20, 1847. T^e was born in Han- 
 over. Germany, and his jiarents, John C. and 
 Katie ("Keisser) Duis. were also natives of Ger- 
 many. Tn 1855 they bade adieu tn friends and 
 fatherlan<l rnid sailed for the new world with 
 
 their famil}-, becoming residents of Adams coun- 
 ty, Illinois. They located three miles north of 
 Ouincy near Golden and there Mr. Duis devel- 
 oped a new farm, which he continued to culti- 
 vate for some years, but eventually he sold that 
 and came to Iroquois county in 1875. Here he 
 bought raw land upon which his son Harbert 
 now resides, and the following year his life's la- 
 bors were ended in death. His wife survived him 
 for some time and passed away in 1900, at the 
 age of eighty-four years. Their son Harbert 
 was one of a family of four sons and five daugh- 
 ters, of whom one daughter died in Germany, 
 while three sons and two daughters are yet liv- 
 ing. 
 
 Harbert Duis grew to manhood in Adams 
 county. His educational privileges were exceed- 
 ingly meager and it has been in the school of ex- 
 perience that he has learned his most valuable 
 lessons. He is not only self-educated but also a 
 self-made man and whatever success he has en- 
 joyed or gained has come as the reward of his 
 own labor. In 1868. when twenty-one years of 
 age. he went to Livingston county, Illinois, and 
 there bought eighty acres of land, upon which 
 he engaged in farming for si.x years. Selling 
 lliat property in tSjC^. he came to his present 
 farm, beginning here with two hundred anfl forty 
 acres of raw prairie land. The furrows had not 
 been turned nor had the land been drained or in 
 any way improved. The breaking plow, how- 
 ever, was soon at work rmd year after year more 
 of tlu- land was cultivated and developed. He 
 carried on agricultural jiursuits according to most 
 modern and iirogressive ideas and the home farm 
 is now e(|uii)ped with all the modern accessories 
 of a model property. Lie planted an orchard, 
 also set out many shade trees and has thus add- 
 ed to the value and attractive appearance of the 
 place. In the midst of the farm stands a nice 
 home and the outbuildings are in keeping there- 
 with and include a large barn, a tool house, gran- 
 ary, corn cribs and eU'valor. He has set out 
 nuich fruit, which adds much to the richness of 
 the familv table, and altogether he has made one 
 of the best improved farms of the township. All 
 this is the visible evidence of a life of unremit- 
 ting diligence that Mr. Duis has lived. He has 
 also purchased l;nul in Noble connlv. Minnesota, 
 h.aving seven hundred acres in one tract. His
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 «.i; 
 
 son John is rcsiiliiig liicn-on and brijiKinc: it un- 
 der a high state of cultivation. 
 
 Mr. Duis was niarricd in .\(iain> c<>iiii;\ hi 
 iS<(5. when a ynunj; man of eighteen vears. \n 
 .Miss Elsie Garrclls, who was of Gerinan birth, 
 and they have iK-cunie liie jiarents of nine chil- 
 dren: llaiuiali, tlie wife of Henry .'^ievens. of 
 Minnesota: Katie, the wife of William A. Lmi- 
 get, a resident farmer of .\sli (irove township. 
 John, who is married and carries on agricultural 
 ]>ur.suits in Minnesota: (Iracc. who is married 
 and lives in Mimiesota; Carlson, who is mar- 
 ried and assists in the operation of the home 
 farm : Carl, wh<i is with his brother in .Minne- 
 sota: Jordan, a young man at home: and Stina. 
 who is also with her fKirents. They lost one 
 child. I'ranka. who was married and died in Liv- 
 ingston county. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Duis were n-ared in the Luilier- 
 an faith and became charter memlKTS of St 
 John's church. His ))olitical endorsement at the 
 polls is given to the republican party and he has 
 l)een honoretl with some local offices, serving on 
 the school board and as highway connnissioner 
 for ten years, during which time he has done 
 much to build ami establish good roails and 
 grades. .\ rcsicicnt of Illinois from his youth 
 to the present time, his life has Ikhmi iH-rmeated 
 by the spirit of substantial ])rogress which ha« 
 led to the upbuilding of this great state. He has 
 made a fortune and reared a family who are a 
 credit to his name, and his life shrnild serve as a 
 source of enmlation and inspiration to others 
 who have to start i.ut ;i> he did empty-handed. 
 Realizing the value of industry, he has pl.iced 
 his dependence ui)on this cpiality and his diligence 
 has been supplemented by a sound iudgment that 
 has enabled him to place his money in >afe in- 
 vestments. 
 
 CIIARI.F.S CASSF.LL. 
 
 Cliarles Cassell. proprietor of a general store 
 in .Sheldon, in which he carries a goofi line of 
 <lrv giwls. groceries and men's and ladies' fur- 
 nishing goods. sIkx'S. nigs. cariH-l* and wall pa- 
 per, has an establishment which wouhl lie a credit 
 to a town of much larger sire. Here he has car- 
 r(.-.i ..11 1.11. 111. v. ..;m.-.- iRgj and his place i< knovMi 
 
 as the "IJijf St«)n-." It was built by Strickler 
 Itrothers. but was purchasi-d by .Mr. Cas.scll's 
 father, .\. Cassell. of ."^heldon, who came here 
 on the 7th of May. 1X77, from ( hicago. He had 
 fornterly Ix'en engaged in business in the me- 
 tropolis but hail sulTered heavy lo>!.es there 
 through lire and he >tarted out to JK-gin business 
 life anew. He o|K-ne<I a sntall stock of giMMJs 
 at Sheldon and as his patronage iucreasinl he en- 
 larged his facilities initil he became one of the 
 foremost merchants of this place, continuing ac- 
 tively and successfully in business until iftj.S. 
 when he retired to Ik- succeeiled by his son 
 Charles. Mr. Cassell met with gratifying pros- 
 ]»erity iluring his residence in l^hehlon and in the 
 control of varitius business iiUerests accumulated 
 a handsome com|K'lence. la-ing worth now ap- 
 proximately alxmt two hundred thousand flollars. 
 He still owns several business houses in the town 
 and much valuable farm pro|KTty in the cotrnty. 
 having made judicious investment in real estnte. 
 He yet occupies i>ne r>f the In-autiful homes in 
 Sheblon anri is accounted one of the capitalists 
 of the city. 
 
 Charles Cassill. a native of Xew York city, 
 wa< taken b> his parents to Chicago in early life 
 aiul in 1877 came with them to .Sheldon, at that 
 time a youth of nine years. Me was therefore 
 largely educated in the public schools here and 
 from his boyhoo<l to the present time has main- 
 tained a warm place in the affections of his many 
 friends anrI at all times has enjoyed the trust 
 and gofMl will of those with whom he has been 
 .Tss<H-iated. He is regartled as cine of the most 
 successful men of his age in this part of the 
 county. It is true that he entere<l ui>on a busi- 
 ness alreaily established but in enlarging this 
 many a man of less resolute purpose would have 
 failecl. He has. however, extended its scope and 
 as the years have gone by has controlled a busi- 
 ness of great volume for a town of this size. 
 His business methods are such as will Ivar rigid 
 examination and close scrutiny and his n:mie has 
 iK-come a synonym for commercial inteL'rii\- wher- 
 ever he is known. 
 
 Mr. Cassell was married in iS<)7 to .Miss .^.idie 
 .Swartz. of Chicago, and they have one son. 
 Maurice. The parents are very prominent so- 
 cially, the hospitality of the I>est homes l>eing 
 frii Iv .iiiil Cordi.ilh' exiciidid them wliili- llieir
 
 6r6 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 own home is the center of many a delightful so- 
 cial function. 
 
 Feeling the public-spirited interest in politics 
 which every true American citizen should do, Mr. 
 Cassell's study of the questions and issues of the 
 day has led him to give his support to the repub- 
 lican party. At one time he served as city treas- 
 urer of Sheldon and at the present writing is a 
 member of the school board. No plan or meas- 
 ure calculated to benefit the community or ad- 
 vance its material, social, political, intellectual or 
 moral interests seeks his aid in vain, but on the 
 contrary receives his endorsement and hearty co- 
 operation. Fraternally he is connected with the 
 Masons, the Knights of Pythias and the Alodern 
 \N'oodmen, all of Sheldon, and is popular in these 
 organizations as one whose life conforms to their 
 beneficent teachings. .\s the leading merchant 
 in Sheldon, as a prominent citizen and as a man 
 of genuine personal worth, he well deserves men- 
 tion with the representative residents of Iro- 
 quois county. 
 
 MARK RANDOLPH DI SOS WAY. 
 
 Mark Randolph Disosway. who for thirty 
 years has been a resident of Iroquois county. 
 makes his home in Sheldon and is classed with the 
 retired farmer? who in former years have dem- 
 onstrated the ])ossibilitics of the county for the 
 agricultural development and the acf|uircment of 
 success through the careful conduct of farming 
 interests. r)Orn in Mrginia on the tSth of Janu- 
 ary, 1 8^13, he is a son of M. R. Disoswav, whose 
 birth occurred in N'ew York city in 1818. After 
 living for a time in New Jersey the father became 
 a resident of the Old Dominion, where he fol- 
 lowed the occuixation of farming until after the 
 outbreak of the Civil war, when he espoused the 
 cause of the Confederacy. He served imtil the 
 clo.^e of hostilities and then returned to his home 
 in Virginia but in 1867 sought a home in Illinois, 
 maintaining his residence in Marshall county tm- 
 til 1876. His subsequent years were passed in 
 Iroquois county upon a farm of one hundred and 
 sixty acres in Sheldon township, which he pur- 
 chased and cultivated mitil he retired from ac- 
 tive business life in 1889. He then took up his 
 
 abode in Sheldon, where his death occurred in 
 February, 1901. His widow is living in the vil- 
 lage, at the age of eighty years. Of their fam- 
 ilv of seven children, six survive, as follows: 
 Charles D., a retired farmer living in Sheldon, 
 who is mentioned on another page of this work: 
 Mrs. Mary E. Gantz, residing in \\'enona, Illi- 
 nois : ^Irs. ^^"^llie A. Wright, living at \'arna. this 
 state: Mrs. Letitia B. Slife. residing near Mil- 
 ford : Mark R.. of this review : and Mrs. Louisa 
 Turner, living at Piper City. The democracy re- 
 ceived the strong and stalwart support of Mr. 
 Disosway and his personal popularity was indi- 
 cated by the fact that he was the only democrat 
 in many years elected to the office of supervisor. 
 He also served on the school board and was deep- 
 ly interested in the cause of public education. 
 Pioth he and his wife lived a life in harmony 
 with their professions as members of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal church, and their many excellent 
 traits of character brought to them a circle of 
 friends almost co-extensive with the circle of 
 their acquaintances. 
 
 Mark R. Disosway. who.se name introduces 
 this record, was but four years of age when 
 brought from ^'irginia to Illinois and his educa- 
 tional privileges were thus afforded by the com- 
 mon schools of Marshall and Iroquois counties. 
 His training at farm labor was not meager, for 
 at an early age he began work in the fields and 
 assisted in the improvement of the home farm 
 until he had reached the age of twenty-six years. 
 Tie then bought seventy acres of land and re- 
 ceived eighty acres as a gift from his father. 
 He then began farnu'ng for himself and he still 
 owns his original purchase, to which he has add- 
 ed from time to time until he has three hundred 
 and seventy-five acres south of the village of Shel- 
 don in ."^tockland and Sheldon townships, to- 
 gether with three acres in the town, where he 
 resides. The productiveness of his land has 
 been greatly enhanced through judicious use of 
 tile, and he cleaned out all of the sloughs, ditched 
 his land and now has a very valuable farm. Upon 
 the home place he erected new buildings, set out 
 all of the trees upon his land and carried for- 
 ward the work until the place is now one of the 
 best farming properties of the county. In 1004 
 he purchased a homo in Sheldon, where he now 
 resides, and from his farms he receives a s^nnd
 
 IRUQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 (.i; 
 
 riiital. lie paid fifty dollars for his first piece 
 of land and in connection with the tilling of the 
 soil he raised stock. 
 
 The lady who now bears the name of .Mrs. M. 
 R. Disosw-ay was in her maidenhood Miss liliza 
 H. (ilenn. a native of Pntnam county, Illinois, 
 and a danjjiiter of .\llen liicnn, wlm was reared 
 there, becoming a resident of that county in pio- 
 neer times. Her parents are still living and her fa- 
 ther yet follows agricultural pursuits in Putnam 
 county. Mr. and Mrs. Disosway have four chil- 
 dren: .\llen, who was born June 20, i8<)o; Wil- 
 lie, October 8, 1891 ; Eugene. May 2, 1893; and 
 Fred, who was born June 17, 1896. 
 
 Their home is an attractive and valuable resi- 
 dence and upon his place Mr. Disosway also has 
 a fine garden and much fruit. He kce|)s two 
 horses for driving purposes and is enjoying life 
 in well merited rest that has come to him after 
 long years of active, honorable and successful 
 connection with the agricultural interests of the 
 county. His vote is given the republican party. 
 He was school director for nine years while on 
 the farm and is now on the school board of Shel- 
 don and also one of the school trustees. He and 
 his wife hold membership in the Presbyterian 
 church, to the support of which they contribute 
 liberally, and in the work of which they are ac- 
 tively interested. Roth arc highly esteemed and 
 Mr. Disosway is recognized as one who in busi- 
 ness life has made a creditable record. Genial in 
 manner, social in disposition, kindly in feeling, 
 his personal qualities are those which make him 
 personally popular. 
 
 HENRY C. BERNS. 
 
 Henry C. Berns, one of the most prominent 
 fanners of Cheba.isc township, is the owner of 
 an excellent farm of three hundred and fourteen 
 acres situated on section 18. It is all tillable 
 land, well improved, and none of the accessories 
 and equipments of a model farm are lacking. In 
 addition to this property Mr. Bems owns one 
 hundred and sixty acres in Kankakee county 
 and in connection with his brother he owns and 
 operates a threshing mm-liinc. corn •^liellcr aii<l 
 
 36 
 
 other machinery of that character, doing much 
 work in those lines for neighboring fanners. 
 Moreover, he figures prominently in financial 
 circles as vice president of the new Slate Hank 
 of Chebanse, in which lie is a large stockholder. 
 His intense and well directed activity constitutes 
 him a re|>resentative business man, and his sound 
 judgment and wise counsel arc recognized by 
 those at all familiar with his business record. 
 
 Mr. Berns is a son of Henry and Christina 
 ( Byri.se) Berns, who came to the United States 
 in 1854 and located in Kendall county, Illinois. 
 They were natives of (jermany anil Henry Benis 
 followed farming in the fatherland. On reach- 
 ing the new world he resumed that occupation 
 and was thus engaged up to the time of his 
 death, which occurred in 1897. 
 
 Henry t'. Berns of this review was born in 
 Kendall county, Illinois, January 29, 1857, and 
 at the usual age l)egan his education in the pub- 
 lic schools. During the perioils of vacation he 
 worked in the fields and soon gained practical 
 knowledge of the bi-st methods of carrying on 
 fanning interests. Throughout his entire life he 
 lias been connected with agricultural pursuits and 
 is justly accounted one of the foremost and en- 
 terprising residents of Chebanse township. His 
 possessions are now quite extensive, for in the 
 home farm he has three himdred and fourteen 
 acres of very rich and productive land. The 
 place is situated on section 18, Chebanse town- 
 ship, and forms one of the attractive features of 
 the landscape, for it is supplied with good build- 
 ings and modern improvements and the fields 
 give promise of rich harvests. Mr. Bems also 
 owns an excellent farm in Kankakee county and 
 his threshing and corn-shelling interests are no 
 iun'm|)ortant branch f»f his business, returning to 
 him annually a good income. His well known 
 business ability and integrity caused his co-oper- 
 ation to Ix" sought in the organization of the new- 
 State Rank of Chebanse and he became a heavy 
 stockholder in the institution and was chosen its 
 vice president. 
 
 On the 29th of .Xpril. 1R84, Mr. Berns was 
 united in marriage in Chebanse to Miss Nfarv 
 Shafcr. and tmto this marriage seven chiUIren 
 w-ere bom : May, now the wife of E. Allen, who 
 operates her father's farm in Kankakee coimtv : 
 \iiii.T T. .T tinrliiT in tile ?n<-nl i.-lu,. lU- W'lllinm.
 
 6i8 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 deceased; Frank. IJcniard. lA-stcr and Cecelia, 
 all of whom arc at honii.'. 
 
 At local elections .Mr. Herns casts an independ- 
 ent ballot but when casting a presidential vote 
 supports the candidates of the democracy. Ih 
 has been school director for fifteen years and is 
 still in the office, the cause of education finding 
 in him a stalwart chani|)ion. He and his wife 
 are members of the Catholic church, being con- 
 nected with St. Joseph's and St. Mary's parish 
 at Chebanse. They have a wide acquaintance in 
 this section of the state and nearly all who know 
 them entertain for theiu warm friendship and 
 kindlv regard. 
 
 J A.MI'IS \V. KENNEDY. 
 
 James W. Kennedy is the owner of a valuable 
 farm property of three luuulred and sixty acres, 
 constituting one of the fine farms of Martinton 
 township, and his success is an indication of what 
 may be accomplished by determined and persistent 
 efifort guided by sound judgment and character- 
 ized by unfaltering business integrity. .Air. Ken- 
 nedy was born in White county. Indiana. June 
 5. 1845, and is a son of (iraham Kennedy, a 
 native of ( )hio. who at an early day settled in 
 Indiana, where he purchased a farm anrl spent 
 his subsequent years. In early manhood he wed- 
 ded Theresa McLean, also a native of Ohio. 
 
 James W. Kunudy was rtarc-d in his jxireiUs' 
 home and at the usual age entered the public 
 schools where he ac(|uircd a fair luiglish educa- 
 tion. .\t the outbreak nf the Civil war he tried 
 in vain to enlist but was not accepted mitil iSf)^. 
 when he joined Company D. One Hundred and 
 Sixteenth Indiana N'dhniteii- lnfantr\, being mus- 
 tered in at Lafayette. Indiana, for si.K months' 
 service. lie jarticipated in the engagements at 
 Walkers Ford. Clinch River, Tazi'well. Tennessee, 
 and Pdue Springs, and at the enil of eight months 
 re-enlisted, joining the Si.xtcentb Indiana Light 
 Artillery, win'ch was stati(.ned in the defense of 
 \\'ashington, D. C. lie served his country valiant- 
 ly and well as a i)rivate service and was at the 
 capital city when the war ended, lir is now an 
 honored member of tlie Cnuid .\nn\ Post at 
 ^\'atseka. 
 
 -Mr. Kennetly was twenty-two vears of age 
 when he came to Iroquois county and settled on 
 section 36, Martinton township, where he pur- 
 chased one hundred acres of land of Mr. (jrcen. 
 
 This land had Iteen partially placed under the 
 plow and a log cabin had been begun but had not 
 been com])letcd. He finished the work on the 
 primitive dwelling and occupied it for a number 
 of years. He also broke the rest of the land, tiled 
 and fenced it and continued the work of ini- 
 [u-ovement. so that as the years passed bv the 
 fields brought forth rich and abundant harvests 
 and his labors were crowned with success. In 
 
 1899 he built a seven-room house, also a barn 
 fort\- 1)\ thirty-two feet, and he has added corn 
 cribs and other buildings necessary for the shelter 
 of grain and stock. He also has another set of 
 improvements upon the place and has added tn his 
 original purchase until he now owns three hun- 
 dred and sixty acres, constittuing one of the 
 valuable farms of the county. He has secured 
 many modern equipments and accessories and the 
 farm altogether is one of the best improved 
 and most attractive properties in this section of 
 the county. He has always voted with the re- 
 l)ublican party, yet the honors and emoluments 
 "f ofliee have had no attraction for him. 
 
 In the year in which he caine to the count\ 
 -Mr. Kennedy was luarri^il in Martinton town- 
 ship tej Miss Edna Shaw, who was born in Tip- 
 IK-canoe county. Indiana, in 1845. Thev now 
 have three children : Grace, Cora and liertha. 
 
 FREDERICK K( )RST1':R. 
 
 I'rederick K'cjcster is li\-ing on section 13. .Vsh 
 (.rove township, and is classed with the prosper- 
 ous agriculturists of the locality, for his fanning 
 interests embrace four hundred and eighty acres 
 ol rich land contained in four well imi)roved 
 farms. ( ienuany has furnished quite a large ])er- 
 centage of the substantial citizens to Iroquois 
 comUy. among which number is .Mr, Koester, 
 who was born in Hanover, :\Iay 2, 1836. He re- 
 mamed in that country until a young man of eight- 
 een years and enjoyed good common-school ad- 
 vantages during that period. Leaving the father- 
 land in 1854. lie went to Londdii, where lie was
 
 MK. WD MKS. JAMES \V. KKXNKD\
 
 :ssiiv Of iiiiiiois 
 
 \
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLIXOIS. 
 
 (>2l 
 
 employed in a sugar factory for two years. Ai 
 London he embarked on a sailing ship bound for 
 Australia and was upon the water for one hun- 
 dred and forty-five days, during which time thev 
 encountered some very severe storms. The ship 
 leaked badly and the passage was altogether a 
 very hard one, but at length they safely arrived 
 at Melbourne in July, 1858. 
 
 Mr. Koester at once made his way to the gold 
 mines and engaged in the search for the precious 
 metal, spending five years in the mining district. 
 In 1863 he returned to London and thence to Bre- 
 men, where he visited for a time. Tic was mar- 
 ried there in 18(^4 and subsequently purchased 
 land in Hanover, where he engaged in farming 
 imtil 1 88 1. Believing that it would prove ad- 
 vantageous to come to the new world he sold his 
 property in the fatherland and crossed the At- 
 lantic, taking up his abode in Iroquois countv. 
 Illinois, where he purchased one hundred and 
 twenty acres. There was a little house upon the 
 place and some of the land had been broken. 
 He joined his brother, Henry Koester. who had 
 settled here four years before. Frederick Koes- 
 ter at once began to farm and improve his prop- 
 erty and from time to time he added to it. pur- 
 chasing mostly swampy land, but he ditched, 
 drained and tiled the place and converted the low, 
 wet land into fields of rich fertility. He also 
 erected a good residence, barns, a milk hou.se. 
 sheds for his hogs and in fact added all modern 
 equipments. He likewise put in stock scales, set 
 out an orchard and forest trees and has made the 
 farm a very valuable and attractive property, it 
 being one of the pleasing features in the land- 
 scape. A\'hen he started to .\uslralia he was a 
 poor young man and landed there in debt. Since 
 that time, through his labor and enterprise, he 
 has worked his way steadily ujiward and is to- 
 day the owner of four valuable farms, from which 
 he derives a very gratifying inconie. 
 
 !Mr. and Mrs. Koester have Tive sons and one 
 daughter: Dietrich, who is married and is a 
 farmer in Wbraska ; Henry, who is married aufl 
 follows farming on section TO. Ash Grove town- 
 ship : Fritz, who is married and is an agricultur- 
 ist living on section 11. .\sh flrove township; 
 John, who is married and operates a farm on sec- 
 tion 13. .\sh Grove township; Herman, who is a 
 student of theolog}' in St. Louis Lutheran Col- 
 
 nm ; and Dora, at home. They also lost two 
 children: Gretchen, who was married and at 
 her death left si.x children ; and William, who 
 died at the age of twenty-one years. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Koester were reared in the Luth- 
 eran church and are members of St. John's 
 church in Ash Grove township. Since becoming 
 an .\merican citizen Mr. Koester has given his 
 allegiance to the democracy. His residence in 
 the county covers a quarter of a century and he 
 is well known in W'atseka, Onarga and through- 
 out this portion of the state as a man of intrepid 
 honesty, whose fidelity to his word has gained 
 him the confidence of all. He has had a wide 
 experience and has led a life of varied activity 
 on three continents. His history if given in de- 
 tail would prove a most entertaining and interest- 
 ing volume because of its diflferent phases in the 
 fatherland, in Fngland. in the mines of .\ustralia 
 and in the new world. He bears a most honored 
 name in the land of his adoption and has here 
 accumulateil a goodly fortune. 
 
 MICHAFL KIXG. 
 
 Michael King, whose time and energies are 
 given to farm work, is now one of the extensive 
 landowners of the county, his possessions aggre- 
 gating four hundred and eighty acres, of which 
 two hundred and forty acres lies on section 16. 
 .\shkum township, and two hundred and forty 
 acres in Milks Grove town.ship. His parents 
 were Thomas and .\nne CFlancry") King, and 
 in their family of six children he was the young- 
 est, the others being John. Timothy. Martin. 
 Bridget anil Anne. 
 
 Michael King was born in County Connaught, 
 Ireland, in 1840. He had but limited privileges 
 and rippnrtiniities in youth for acquiring an edu- 
 cation and for securing his financial advance- 
 ment and thus it was that he was led to seek a 
 home in the new world, to which he came in 
 i8<>ii when a young man of twenty years. Mak- 
 ing his way to Chicago he there worked as a day 
 laborer for several years, after which he went to 
 La Salle county, Illinois. He was employed in 
 various ways until he came to Iroquois county 
 in 1804. In the meantime he had saved his earn-
 
 622 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 ings and by economy and industry had acquired 
 a goodly capital, which he here invested in land. 
 He has since engaged in general agricultural pur- 
 suits and to this vocation he owes his present suc- 
 cess. He invested judiciously in property and 
 is today the owner of two hundred and forty 
 acres on section i6, Ashkum township, and a sim- 
 ilar amount in Milks Grove township. His prop- 
 erty is the visible evidence of his life of thrift 
 and industry and shows what can be accomplished 
 by a young man who possesses determination and 
 strong purpose. 
 
 It was while living in La Salle count\- that Air. 
 King was united in marriage to -\Iiss Marv ^^'ha- 
 len, and unto them have been born six children : 
 John, a resident farmer of Ashkum township : 
 Tom. still at home: ^Martin, who died in iS8i. at 
 the age of three months : Anna, the wife of Timo- 
 thy Cassidy. a farmer of Danforth township : 
 ^layme. who died in iS86, at the age of one year 
 and three months : and James, at home. 
 
 In politics ]\rr. King is a democrat but is some- 
 what independent in his views and affiliation. 
 In religious faith he is a Catholic, connected with 
 the Ashkum parisli. In the years which have 
 come and gone since he left his native land and 
 sought a home in the new world he has led a 
 life of strenuous effort and his diligence has re- 
 sulted in winning for him a place among the pros- 
 perous farmers of Iroquois county, where he is 
 now numbered among' the representative citizens. 
 
 inilV DEAXER. 
 
 John Deaner is a retired farmer and business 
 man of Sheldon. His life record began in Leb- 
 anon county. Pennsylvania, on the 5th of .Au- 
 gust, 1842. He is a son of Jacob F. Deaner, who 
 in 1850 removed westward to La Salle countv. 
 Illinois, settling south of IMendota, where he 
 followed farming. There he made his home for 
 twenty-seven years or until he was called to his 
 final rest. He was of German lineage, and bis 
 family numbered five children, of whom three 
 are now livin"': John, of this review: Jacob, of 
 ^Fendiita: ;md T-cvi. also a resident of La Salle 
 coinitv. 
 
 John Deaner was educated in the common 
 schools of La Salle county, having been but 
 seven years of age at the time of the removal of 
 the family to the middle west. Through the 
 periods of vacation he a'ssisted in the work of the 
 home farm and after putting aside his text-books 
 he was employed at farm labor until he had ac- 
 quired a capital sufficient to enable him to pur- 
 chase one hundred and twenty acres of land. 
 He was then identified with genera! farming in- 
 terests until the nth of October, 1864, when 
 he went into the army as a substitute for his 
 brother Jacob, becoming a member of Company 
 E, Thirtieth Regiment of Illinois \'olunteers. 
 He served until Julv 17. 1865. and was then 
 mustered out. He had been stationed most of the 
 time at Louisville. Kentucky, doing guard dutv, 
 and had also been on the march after Hood to 
 Xashville. Tennessee. Becoming ill with the 
 measles, he was in the hospital at Xashville for 
 three months, after which he was sent to X'ew 
 York and placed as guard on a steamboat, serv- 
 ing in that way until mustered out. 
 
 A\'hen the war was ended and the countrv no 
 longer needed his aid Mr. Deaner returned to his 
 home in La Salle county, where he followed farm- 
 ing until the sjjring of 1876. He then sold his 
 property in that county and removed to Iroquois 
 county. Illinois, where he bought a farm of two 
 hundred and thirteen acres in Stockland town- 
 ship. To this he added until he owned four hun- 
 dred and thirteen acres which lie improved, 
 bringing it under a high state of cultivation. He 
 now owns two hundred and sixty-two acres of 
 land in Stockland township, twenty-two acres in 
 Sheldon township and fourteen lots in the city 
 of Sheldon, where he resides and has a nice home. 
 He left the farm in 1888 and removed to Sheldon, 
 where he engaged in the implement and hard- 
 ware business for fmu- years. He then sold out 
 and removed to ^^'ayne county, where he re- 
 mained for two \ears but on the expiration of 
 that ]ierio(l he returned to Sheldon. For two 
 years thereafter he was not connected with any 
 business and then engaged in the implement busi- 
 ness, but when annther two years had jins^ed be 
 disposed of his store and has since lived a retired 
 life. 
 
 Mr. Deaner ni;irried (';itlierine NX'dr-'lex'. of La 
 Salle countv. Illinois, a daughter of ^^'illiam
 
 lR()OrOIR rOl'NTV. ILI 1\'()IS. 
 
 <>^.\ 
 
 \\'(>r?lo_v, an carl\ M-ilkr then-, «1ii»l- i.iilur U><>k 
 iij) his al)iKle in La Salic county in iS^,^ whtn 
 this section of the state had hardly l)een reclaimed 
 I'roin tl'.e di!n)ain of the red men. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Deaner became the i>arents of 
 ^cven sons and one daughter : William, wlio is 
 n-sidini; in Li'adville. Colorado; L'larLiice. of Mcn- 
 dota. Illinois; (k-orj^e, who died in U)04, leavinj^ 
 a family ; Cliarles, who is dealing in cement and 
 rock in Xebraska : May. the wife of Janits Cooper, 
 a resident of Karl I'ark. Indiana; John, in 
 Indian Territory ; .\rchie. in San l-'rancisco, Cali- 
 fornia ; and ( )tto, wiio is attendinj^ the state col- 
 lejje at Fort Collins, Colorado. In iSi(H Mr. 
 Deaner was called ii|)on to mourn the loss of hi> 
 wife. She was a member of the t'hristian 
 church and an estimable la<!y. nuicli esteemed 
 for her ijood ([ualities of heart and mind. ( )n 
 the 17th of January. 1</W Mr. Deaner was mar- 
 ried to Mrs. Marjiaret Kee.u;an. nee Collins, the 
 widow of Michael Keii;an. an old settler of tltis 
 county. 
 
 I'olitically Mr. iKaner is a pniliiliitionist in 
 princii)le but frer|uently casts an independent iril- 
 lot. lie is, however, a stanch ailvocate of the 
 cause of tcm])erance and desires to see tlie time 
 when the li(|Uor traffic will be done away with. 
 His wife is a member of the Chri-tian church. 
 Tie has been (|uite successful in his business life 
 here, makinjj money as the years have gone by. 
 and is now in comfortable circumstances. His 
 worth is widely rec<iij;nized and be is accounted 
 one of the re|)resentative citizens of Sheldon. 
 
 jAMI-.S II. ACSTIX. 
 
 The home farm ni' |anK> II. Austin is nii see- 
 lion 27. Rids^eland township, not far from the 
 city of (^narga. and a busy life is that which the 
 owner leads. He has one himilred and sixty 
 acres and as he carries on his farm work aloni,' 
 modern lines of profjress his ])lace makes con- 
 st.HUt demand u]>on his time an<I attention. He 
 came to this comity in 18^15. beinj,' then only 
 about three years of ajje. for his birth occ\irred 
 in Madison comity. \ew York. July 15. iX6j. 
 
 His father. James K. .Austin, was a native of 
 Connecticut and in earlv life became a resident 
 
 i.l .Ww ^urk. where he was reared. He there 
 learned and followed the carjienters trade, and 
 he was married in the limpire state to Miss Helen 
 .Main, also a native of New York and a daunb- 
 tir of Thomas Main. Soon after their niar- 
 riajje the yomifj couple removed westward to 
 Ir(K|uois county, Illinois, and .Mr. .\ustin engaKcd 
 in carpentering near ( )narga. He also jinr- 
 cbased forty acres of land where he now resides 
 and as he found it possible to make other invest- 
 ments he kept adding to his iiroperty until he 
 now owns one lunulred and sixty acres of vain- 
 able land, the well tilled fields returning to him 
 golden harvests as a reward for his care and cul- 
 tivation. He likewise reared his family upon the 
 old homestead here, having three daughters and 
 two sons. 
 
 James H. .\ustin. whose name introduces this 
 record, spent the days of his boyhood and youth 
 in his father's home and bore his i)art in the ar- 
 duous task of develo|)ing and cultivating a new 
 farm. His educational ))rivileges were those af- 
 forded by the common schools, and he continued 
 to assist his father until he attained bis majorits, 
 when he began farming on his own account on 
 rented land. There he carried on general agri- 
 cultural pursuits for ten years, after which he 
 bought forty acres of land and later another forty. 
 His next purchase a<liled eighty acres to the tract 
 and lie now owns altogether a (piarter section, 
 which constitutes a well improved and very de- 
 sirable |)ro|)ert\'. It is lacking in none of the 
 modern e<|uipments, for Mr. .\uslin has built a 
 good house an<I two l)arns. He has also put up 
 sheds for the shelter of grain and strurk, has laid 
 maiiv rods of tiling and built many rods of fence. 
 He raises thoroughbred Percheron horses, hav- 
 ing on hand over sixl_\- head of valuable animals. 
 He sold a i>air of mares t(3 a Xebraska firm for 
 one thousand ilollars in July. ntnCy He also 
 raises Dnroc Jersey hogs and his business in both 
 of its branches is proving profitable. 
 
 Mr. .\ustin was married .\pril 11. iXST), t<i 
 Miss I-jnma Hess, a native of X'irginia and a 
 daughter of .Scott Hess, who. coming from the 
 ( )ld Dtiuiinion, settled in Ridgel.'Uid township. 
 Irixpiois county. Their only child. James Aus- 
 tin. Jr.. died in infancy, and tlu\- are now rearing 
 two adopted sons, the children of Mrs. .\ustin's 
 sister, who were left motherless in earlv life.
 
 624 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Politically Mr. Austin is a good republican, 
 ever interested in the work of his party, and in 
 community affairs he is interested to the extent 
 of giving hearty and helpful co-operation. Al- 
 most his entire life has been passed in this county, 
 for which he has a deep and strong attachment, 
 rejoicing in what has been accomplished here. 
 In all of his work as a farmer he has displayed 
 a practical nature and at the same time has kept 
 in touch with the onward march of progress as 
 manifested in agricultural life, carrying on his 
 work in accordance with the ideas which science 
 and experience have demonstrated to be the best. 
 
 CHAUNCEY A. THRASHER. 
 
 It is a noticeable fact in the history of busi- 
 ness enterprise and progress that it is young men 
 who are controlling the traffic and exchanges of 
 our country and who are pushing forward the 
 wheels of progress. Every town and city has 
 manv such — young men who are rapidly wrirk- 
 ing their way to the front and who have become 
 important factors in the industrial and commer- 
 cial enterprises. Of this class C. A. Thrasher, 
 of Thawville, is a prominent representative, be- 
 ing connected with the banking business, with 
 real-estate operations and with the coal and lum- 
 ber trade. 
 
 He was born in Thawville. ]\lay 16, 1875, "^ son 
 of William J. Thrasher, a native of La Salle 
 county, Illinois, and a grandson of Jesse S. 
 Thrasher, a native of A'ermont. The latter be- 
 came the founder of the family in this state and 
 his son ^^'illiam was reared and educated in La 
 Salle county. He came with his parents to Iro- 
 quois county, settling at Thawville when in his 
 twenty-first year, and here Jesse .S. Thrasher 
 built and conducted the first grain elevator of the 
 town, ^\"i!liam J. Thrasher was also engaged 
 in the grain business at that ])lace and on selling 
 the elevator there he conducted an elevator at 
 Roberts, Illinois. He was an active and enter- 
 prising man. who carefully controlled his b'lsi- 
 ness interests until his death in September. iS8(). 
 winning success by his sound judgnienl and ca- 
 pable management. His wife survived him for 
 about twelve years, passing a\vay at ^^'alseka in 
 
 1901. They had been married in Iroquois coun- 
 ty, the lady bearing the maiden name of Luella 
 G. Skeels. She was bom in this county and by 
 her marriage became the mother of three sons : 
 Chaunce\- A.. Roy and Frank. 15. FI. Skeels, 
 the father of Mrs. Thrasher, was born in Colum- 
 l)us, ( ihio, in 1835, and came to Onarga, Illinois, 
 about 1859. Here he bought a farm ;uid in ad- 
 dition to its cultivation he taught school. AMien 
 the Civil war broke out he enlisted in May. 1861, 
 in the Twenty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry 
 and was made first lieutenant of his company, 
 but on account of illness was honorably dis- 
 charged in 1863. He then returned to Onarga 
 and continued farming until 1871. when he re- 
 moved to Thawville, acting as station agent at that 
 place for five years. He was next engaged in 
 the elevator and grain business with P. Risser 
 & Son, and in 1884 started a bank. He was one 
 of the first settlers of Thawville and served as 
 countv supervisor for nineteen years, being chair- 
 man of the board two years of that time. He 
 died in iqoi. honored and respected by all who 
 knew him. 
 
 Chauncev A. Thrasher was educated in the 
 public schools, pursuing the high-school course 
 in Roberts, and entered upon his business career 
 at the age of sixteen years as an employe in the 
 banking house of B. H. Skeels in Thawville. 
 There he remained in various capacities for about 
 a decade, during which time he thoroughly mas- 
 tered the business in principle and detail. At that 
 time he purchased a half interest and a general 
 banking business has since been successfully car- 
 ried on, a liberal patronage being accorded the 
 institution, which occupies an enviable position 
 in iinancial circles by reason of the thorough reli- 
 abilitv of its owners and the interests which they 
 have back of them. They not only conduct the 
 bank but arc also dealers in lumlicr and coal, in 
 which they enjoy a good trade, and they like- 
 wise conduct a real-estate business, handling con- 
 siderable valuable prnperty and negotiating many 
 important real-estate transfers. 
 
 Chaunccy .\. Thrasher was married on the 8th 
 of .\pril, 1896, to ^Tiss Phoebe Townsend, a na- 
 tive of England and a daughter of Frederick 
 Townsenfl. who was likewise born in that coun- 
 trv ;nid wlin in carlv manhood came \o Thaw- 
 ville. Further mention of Mr. Townsend is made
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 r.2; 
 
 on another page of this work. Mr. and .Mrs. 
 Thrasher have become the parents of three sons: 
 Delias F., Jesse and Cliauncey A. The parents 
 attend the Congregational church, of which Mrs. 
 Tlirashcr is a nienihtT. and they are interested in 
 community affairs to the extent of giving liearty 
 co-operation and support to many movements for 
 the general good. 
 
 Politically Mr. Thrasher is a stalwart repub- 
 lican and has served as tax collector for three 
 years or since the incorporation of the town of 
 Thawville. He is quite prominent in Masonry, 
 belonging to the blue lodge, the chapter and 
 commandery. and is also identified with Mo- 
 hammed Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Peoria. 
 He further affiliates with the Independent Order 
 of Odd Fellows at Thawville. of which he is a 
 past grand. From his boyhood days he has been 
 a resident of this part of the county and has a 
 wide acquaintance here, so that his history is 
 largely familiar to the readers of this volume 
 and his good qualities have gained him a favor- 
 able place in public regard. His unfaltering dili- 
 gence has made him worthy of the success which 
 has crowned his efforts and as "the merit sys- 
 tem" is the one which secures advancement in the 
 business world the capability of Mr. Thrasher is 
 indicated by the creditable place which he now 
 occupies in financial aufl commercial circles. 
 
 WILLIAM FLAXIC AX, 
 
 The home farm of William Manigan is a tract 
 of fertile land of two hundred acres, situated on 
 section 32. Artesia township, and the care and 
 labor which he bestows upon it result in bringint; 
 forth rich crops, for which he finds a good annual 
 sale. Mr. Flanigan was born in Scotland. Janu- 
 ary 23. iR'V). and was one of the four children 
 of William F. and Catherine Flanigan. who were 
 likewise natives of the land of hills and 
 heather. The father was reared in that ci>untry 
 and l)ecanie a sailor. Two years after his mar- 
 riage he crossed the .\tlantic with his little fam- 
 ily to the new world, landing at Xew York, 
 where he remained for two years. He then made 
 his way westward to Jji .Salle county. Illinois, 
 where he was engaged in mining coal for sev- 
 
 eral years, after which he rented land and en- 
 gaged in farming. In 1890 he removed to this 
 county and bought eighty acres of land in Loda 
 township near the village of Ijxla. where he 
 made his home for some time, but he and his 
 wife are now residing in Chicago. .Ml of their 
 four children reached adult age. 
 
 William Flanigan. whose name introduces this 
 record, was brought to America in his infancy 
 and was reared upon the home farm in I^ Salle 
 county. .\t the usual age he entered the public 
 schools, and when not busy with his text-books 
 his time was occupied with farm labor, with 
 which he became familiar in all its departments. 
 When he was nineteen years of age he began 
 earning his living by working as a fami hand by 
 the month and was thus employed for three years, 
 after which he went to Chicago, where he worked 
 in a pipe factory for some time. Subsequently 
 he was a teamster there and upon his return to 
 Iroquois county he cultivated rented land for 
 four years. Carcfullv saving his earnings, he 
 was at length enabled to purchase one hundred 
 and sixty acres of land and thus became the owner 
 of a farm upon which he now resides on sec- 
 tion 32. Artesia township. 
 
 Mr. Flanigan was married in this county. Jan- 
 uary 22. 1888. to Miss Mary Ilindman. a native 
 of Iroquois county and a daughter of Joseph 
 Ilindman. who was l>orn in Pennsylvania. Her 
 father became an early settler here and contin- 
 ued in the county until his death. The home of 
 Mr. and Mrs. Flanigan has been blcsseil with 
 friur cbiMren. Leroy. Flla. William and May. 
 and in social circles in the community the par- 
 ents occupy an enviable position. 
 
 Mr. Flanigan is independent in politics but has 
 never l)ecn remiss in the clutics of citizenship in 
 support of those plans and measures which were 
 instituted for the general good. He has scr^•ed 
 as school director and as president of the Ixiard 
 for nine years. He and bis wife are members 
 of the Catholic church at I-oda. The cause of ed- 
 ucation finrls in him a warm friend and his ef- 
 forts in it' Ii.li-ilf Iinvi- bii 11 far-reachi""' mid 
 beneficial. 
 
 The family Imme is a good two-story resi- 
 dence, which was erected by Mr. Flanigan. who 
 has also built corn cribs, sheds and other build- 
 ings for the shelter of grain and stock. He has
 
 626 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 a good orchard upon the place and the land is 
 well drained and fenced. Since making his orig- 
 inal purchase he has added forty acres to the 
 farm, so that he now has a valuable property of 
 two hundred acres. He raises good grades of 
 stock and Norman horses, and his business is 
 successfully conducted. He has cverv reason to 
 be proud of his success and may truly be called 
 a self-made man, for he is the architect and 
 builder of his own fortunes. \\'ithout special 
 advantages at the outset of his career he has 
 worked so diligently and persistently that pros- 
 perity has rewarded him and his life record com- 
 mands for him the admiration and good will 
 of those who are familiar with his historv. 
 
 HENRY KNOCKE. 
 
 Henry Knocke is the owner of a fine countr\- 
 home on section 28. Ridgeland township, and his 
 landed possessions aggregate six hundred and 
 forty acres. He is now engaged in the breeding 
 of Aberdeen Angus cattle and for manv vears 
 stock-raising has been an important feature of 
 his extensive agricultural interests. f-Je came 
 to this county in 1864, when a youth of fifteen 
 years, his birth having occurred in St.- Francis 
 county, near Iron Mountain, ]\Iissouri, in June, 
 1849. 
 
 His father, Christ Knocke, was a native of 
 Frankfort. Germany, where he grew to mature 
 years and was married to Elizabeth Knocke, who 
 though of the same name was not of the same 
 family. They emigrated to the new world in 
 1848 and settled in St. Francis county, Alissduri. 
 where Mr. Knocke was employed in the iron 
 works at Inm Alountain for a few vears. He 
 later invested his earnings in land and began 
 farming, which he followed in .Missouri until the 
 battle of Pilot Knob was fought in 1864, when 
 the Confederate troo])s under General Price raid- 
 ed his place and he thought best to leave the 
 state. He then purchased three hundred and 
 twenty acres of land where his son IKnrv mnv 
 resides. This he further improved and develoiied 
 and later purchased more land until he had six 
 hundred and forty acres in Ridgeland township. 
 His attention was given h> its cultivatidu t'or a 
 
 nuiuber of years but at length he removed to 
 Unarga. where he spent his last years in retire- 
 ment from active business cares, passing away in 
 that city in 1893. His widow still survives him 
 and lives with a daughter in Onarga. 
 
 Henry Knocke, through the days of his boy- 
 hood and youth, remained on the home farm 
 with his father and later took charge of and 
 carried on the farm, which has since been under 
 his supervision. He has built to and remodeled 
 the house, which is now a most modern and at- 
 tractive hoiue, heated with furnace and ])iped 
 with hot and cold water. In fact it is supplied 
 with all modern conveniences. There is a flow- 
 ing well u])(in the place with a great abundance 
 of water for the stock and for some years Mr. 
 Knocke was engaged in breeding and dealing 
 in graded shorthorn cattle. Xow. however, he 
 has a herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle and is a 
 well known breeder of that strain. Since 1882 
 he has owned imported standard bred Percheron 
 horses and luares and now has twenty-five head 
 of Percheron horses upon his place. Pie is one 
 of the leading stock farmers of the couiUy. con- 
 ducting an extensive and profitable business 
 aiuuially. 
 
 Mr. Knocke was luarried in Onarga. Illinois, 
 in 1886, to Miss Lucy A. Ramsey, a daughter of 
 J. C. Ramsey, one of the old settlers of the coun- 
 ty and a veteran of the Civil war, who was held 
 as a prisoner at Andersonville for some time, 
 after which he was paroled and returned home, 
 being honorably discharged while at home in 
 1865. Air. and Airs. Knocke now have a family 
 of three sons and a daughter: Roland P.. Grace 
 .\gnes, John C. and Hcm-\- W. 
 
 .\ believer and advocate of the cause of tem- 
 perance and the principles of prohibition, Mr. 
 Knocke gives his political support to the jiarty 
 which embodies his views u]5on that (|uestion but 
 has never been an aspirant for ofiice. He is a 
 believer in education and good schools and for 
 over thirty years has served on the school board 
 and is also a meml)er of the Onarga Seminary 
 board. He and his wife are members of the 
 ( inarga Presbyterian clutrch. in which he is serv- 
 ing as a member of the board of trustees and as 
 steward, and his infiuence is a potent element in 
 the ititercsts of the church and in those utove- 
 ments that tend tci uplift humanity. Tie has al-
 
 iRonrois rnrvTY. ii.liN()IS. 
 
 fijij 
 
 w.iys iiiaiiilcsti.'<l ;i siiisf i>i ciin>cii.iuii.ii.-. oldij^a- 
 tion in relation to his tliitics to his fcllownu-n and 
 in all life's relations he has eununandeil ami re- 
 ceived the respect and trust of those with whom 
 he has been .i^siuiMlrd llirMii;^li lniNintsx iir M.ri.d 
 relations. 
 
 (i. \V. SAIM. 
 
 <]. W. Sanm, to whom has heen vouchsafed 
 honorable retirement from active farm labor, has 
 resided at (iilman for the ])ast thirteen years, 
 and the comi)etence acquired throujjh earnest toil 
 is sufficient to supi)ly him with all of the necessi- 
 ties and many of the comforts of life. Me came 
 to Iroquois county in Xovember. 1866. and for 
 a lonj; period was closely associated with jjeneral 
 atrricultural ])ursuits and stock-raisin.y;. 
 
 His birth occurred in DeKalb county. Illinois, 
 near what is now Kinjj^ston, in 1S45. his i)arcnts 
 being Nicholas and Kittie (Russell) Sauni. who 
 came to this state in 1S44 and resided in DeKalb 
 county until the death of Xichola.'' Sanm. He 
 was born in Siicnandoah county. Nirginia. in 
 iSij, and. Icavinjj the Old Dominion, took up his 
 alxide in Ohio. .\s a young- man he went to 
 Indiana and was married at West Lebanon, or 
 Williamsport. to Miss Kittie Russell. He resid- 
 ed at those two jilaces until 1844. when he re- 
 inoved to Illinois. Ix^cominjj one of the ])ionecr 
 residents of DeKalb county. He was then close- 
 ly associated with general agricultural interests 
 for many years and passed away there in 1S81. 
 lie always took an active |)art in politics though 
 not an office seeker, and throughout the commu- 
 nity he was recognized as a valued citizen and a 
 man of genuine ])ersonal wrtrth, |Hiblic trust be- 
 ing re])o<ed in him on various occasions. He 
 acted often as administrator of instates, for he 
 was a man of sound judgment as well as busi- 
 ness integrity. In the condtict of his own busi- 
 ness interests be was quite successful. His un- 
 feigned cordialit\' and his geiuiine worth made 
 him very popular and he was affectionately 
 known througliont the comnninity as "I'ncle 
 Xick." For about six years he survived bis 
 wife, who died in March. 1R75. In their family 
 
 were four sons and three daughters, and one of 
 the daughters is now deceased. L'ntil a few years 
 prior to her death slic had been .1 resident of 
 DeKalb comity but passe<l away in I'.elvitlere, 
 I'.oonc county, Illinois. < )ne sister of our sub- 
 ject resides in Foley, .\labama : a brother in .Mo- 
 bile, that .stale; one l)rother in Maywfiod. Ne- 
 braska: one in W'oodworth. Iowa, and a sister 
 in Spokane, Washington. 
 
 Ci. W. Saum was reared u]«in the old home- 
 stead farm in DeKalb county, early becoming fa- 
 miliar with the wtirk of plowing, ijlanting and 
 harvesting as he assisted his father in the labors 
 of the fields through the spring, summer and au- 
 tunni months. When winter brought a respite 
 from farm labor be attended the public sclnmls. 
 He continued in the county of his nativity initil 
 after he attained his majority, when he started 
 out in life on his own account in Irof|uois cminty. 
 taking up his abode uixrn a farm about six miles 
 southeast of ( )iiarga in November. iS^Vi. There 
 for a long period he tilled the soil and cultivated 
 his cro])s. He also handled stock, making a 
 specialty of imported Norman and Percheron 
 horses for years. He gave close and imremit- 
 ting attention to his business and deriveil tlure- 
 from a gratifying an<l satisfying income, which 
 in course of years accumulateil until he was in 
 jxissession of a very desirable comiu-tence. I Ic 
 then sold his farm and removed to (Iilman, where 
 for thirteen years he has lived a retired life. 
 
 Mr. Saum was first married in I'lclvidere. Illi- 
 nois, to Miss Margaret P.irchfield. of DeKalb 
 county, who died December 14. i8<>4. at the age 
 of fifty-one years. They had two sons. Claude 
 N.. a i)racticing attorney of Watseka. Illinois, 
 of the firm of Kay, Saum & Kay ; and Roy f ;., 
 twenty-one years of age, who is now attending 
 the College of Physicians an<l Surgeons at Chi- 
 cago, as a member of the class of i<)o8. In De- 
 cember, i8<K>. Mr. Saum marrie(\ his present wife, 
 who bore the maitlen name of .\nna Green and is 
 a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred (ireen. for- 
 merlv of this county, but now residents of Indi- 
 ana. l"or several years, however, they resided 
 upon a farm nine miles west of .\shkum. and on 
 selling that property Mr. ( "ireen ))urchase<l a 
 farm near .\mboy and t'onversc. In<liana. Mrs. 
 Sainn is a n:uive of this state and was reared 
 within its Ijorders.
 
 630 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Politically Mr. Saiim has always supported the 
 principles of democracy but has never accepted 
 office. He belongs to the ]\Iasonic lodge at 
 Onarga and in his life exemplifies the beneficent 
 spirit of the craft, being in hearty sympathy with 
 its tenets and teachings. He justly merits the 
 rest which he is now enjoying and his life is an 
 excellent illustration of the fact that success 
 comes as the outcome of clear judgment, expe- 
 rience and untiring labor. 
 
 EDWIN S. HERRON. 
 
 Illinois with its great agricultural possibilities 
 affords a splendid field of labor to those who en- 
 gage in the grain trade and to this line of activity 
 Edwin S. Herron has devoted his energies for 
 about eight years. He is a native son of Illinois 
 and possesses the spirit of enterprise and deter- 
 mination which has been a dominant factor in 
 the growth and upbuilding of this great state. 
 His birth occurred in Piatt countv, April 11, 
 
 1873- 
 
 His father, the Hon. William (1. Herron, was 
 born, reared and educated in Ohio, and about 
 1850 removed to Illinois, establishing his home 
 in Monticello, Piatt county, where he was en- 
 gaged in business for about twenty-five years. 
 Subsequently he removed to Vermilion coimty, 
 Illinois. He was married, however, in Piatt 
 county, to Miss Eveline Robinson, who spent the 
 days of her girlhood in her native state — Ohio — 
 and who accompanied her husband on tlie re- 
 moval to Vermilion county, where her death oc- 
 curred in 1895. ^ft"- Herron is now living retired 
 in Vermilion county but for many years led a 
 mo.st active and useful life. and. moreover, exert- 
 ed a wide and beneficial influence in public affairs. 
 A .stalwart champion of the republican partv he 
 was elected to a number of positions of public 
 honor and trust and was chosen to represent 
 ^''ermilion county in the state legislature, serving 
 in the forty-fir.'st Illinois general asscmblv. \^'hile 
 a member of the house he was on a number of im- 
 portant committees. His opinions have often 
 been decisive factors in matters relating to the 
 general welfare. In both Piatt and ^^ermilion 
 counties he is recognized as n prominent and 
 
 valued citizen and he is now living in honorable 
 retirement in the latter. 
 
 Edwin S. Herron is one of a family of eight 
 children, six sons and two daughters, who are 
 yet living: George N., who follows farming near 
 Osceola, Iowa ; William H., who is in the gov- 
 ernment employ on the geological survey of Illi- 
 nois, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Iowa, and 
 is a man of splendid educational qualifications, 
 who was graduated from Columbia University 
 and has been in the government service for twen- 
 ty-two years ; John H., who is a man of excellent 
 business and executive ability and is now a grain 
 commission merchant in Chicago : Edwin ; T. C. 
 who is living in Milford ; and Alfred, who is 
 engaged in the grain trade at Sidell, Illinois. 
 One sister, Mrs. F. W. Martin, is the wife of 
 Dr. ^lartin, professor of chemistry in the 
 Woman's College, at Lynchburg, Virginia, and 
 the younger is the wife of J. ^I. Keeney, of Dan- 
 ville. 
 
 Edwin S. Herron was reared in Vermilion 
 county, and after acquiring his preliminary edu- 
 cation in the public schools he became a student 
 in Chaddock College, at Ouincy, Illinois. Sub- 
 sequently he spent a year in Spencerian Brothers 
 College, at Washington, D. C. where he received 
 thorough and practical business training, and when 
 he had completed his education he accepted a po- 
 sition in the bank at Allerton, Illinois, where he 
 remained for five years. In 1899 he came to Mil- 
 ford and purchased an elevator, which, however- 
 was soon destroyed by fire. In fact it was burned 
 before Mr. Herron took possession. He soon re- 
 built the elevator and has since engaged in the 
 grain trade with very gratifying success. The 
 rich farming land of this ]iart of the country 
 brings forth bounteous harvests, and the work 
 of the fields gives ample opportunity for activ- 
 il\- in the line in which he is now operating. 
 I'rom the beginning of liis connection with the 
 business life of the town Mr. Herron has en- 
 joyed constantly growing success, his liusini'ss in- 
 creasing annually in volume and importance. 
 
 In commimity affairs he has also figured prom- 
 inently and has wielded a wide intluince. For 
 two years he has been jiresidcnt, or mayor, of the 
 town and has given a public-spirited and business- 
 like administration that has been of material 
 benefit in numicipal life. For a still longer pe-
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 Oil 
 
 riod he has Ix-cn coiuK-cli-tl witli the tuvvn hoard 
 and his election to tliese offices has come as a 
 canthdate of tlic rci)iihlicaii |)arty. Ho is promi- 
 nent socially, belonging to the Masonic frater- 
 nity, in which he is now serving as njaster, and he 
 has also been rc])resci)tative of his lotlge to the 
 grand lodge, lie is likewise connecteil with W'at- 
 seka chapter and has attained the Knight Tem- 
 plar degree in the cominandery. 
 
 Mr. Herron was married in Danville. Illinois, 
 October lo, 1901, to Miss Grace Southworth, 
 who was born and reared in \'erniilioii count) 
 and was educated in the Champaign high school. 
 They have one son, Horace S. Herron. Mrs. 
 Herron is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
 church and the family are prominent .socially, 
 having a circle of friends almost coextensive 
 with the circle of their acquaintance. The influ- 
 ence which Mr. Herron has wielded over public 
 affairs has shown him to be a loyal citizen and 
 one who has the best interests of the community 
 at heart. While cherishing high ideals, he util- 
 izes the practical mctliofls at hand and is a man 
 of action rather than thcorv. 
 
 FREDERICK TOWXSEXD. 
 
 Frederick Townsend, who owns and conducts 
 a valuable fruit farm and nursery a half mile 
 east of Tliawvillc, has sixty acres utilized for this 
 purpose and is regarded throughout this part of 
 the state as authority on horticultural matters. 
 He was born in Oxfordshire. England, July 20. 
 1852, a son of John Townsend, who was also a 
 native of England and a farmer by occupation. 
 On the "merrie isle" he wedded .Miss EIiz;i .\lobly 
 and they became the parents of twelve children. 
 
 Their son Frederick was reared in the land of 
 his nativity and was educated there, enjoying 
 good school advantages. He also learned the 
 butcher's trade in that country and followed it for 
 about five years. He was married there in the 
 spring of 1874 to Miss Margaret Welsh, a na- 
 tive of luigland and a d;iughter of .'Stephen Welsh, 
 who was of Scotch-Irish descert. I'ollowing his 
 marriage he continued to engage in butchering 
 for some years ere he detennincd to seek his 
 home in America. 
 
 Crossing the Atlantic, Mr. Townsend made his 
 way to Qiicago, where he was employed in .1 
 
 p.ickiiig house for alwut six months, subswiuent 
 to which time he came t<j Thawville. Here he 
 wurketl out by the month for two years, after 
 which he rented land and engaged in farming on 
 his own account for four years. He next pnr- 
 cliased the old Hutler pbce of one iiuntlred and 
 fifty acres, which he further im|)roved and de- 
 velo|Kd, carrying on farm work there f<ir two 
 years, when he sold out and with his family re- 
 moved to ( )regon. He s|»ent five months in that 
 state, but not liking the climate or country he 
 returnetl to Ir<K|Uois county and again took up 
 his .ilMxIe at Thawville, purchasing a |)lace u|M>n 
 which he made his home. There were no im- 
 provements ui)on it at that time and he at once be- 
 gan t(» cultivate the land and add the e<|uipments 
 of a mo<lel farm. He erected a go<Hl dwelling 
 and also built a gocKl liarn and other substantial 
 outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. 
 The farm is totlay well improved and indicates in 
 its excellent apj)earance the careful supervision 
 and progressive practical methods of the owner. 
 Mr. Townsend also began dealing in nursery 
 stock and later put in his own nursery. He has 
 now been conducting business along this line 
 for fifteen years, in which connection he has a 
 lilx-ral and well merited patronage, disposing of 
 hundreds of trees aimually. He also raises much 
 small fruit, having l)erries of all varieties, to- 
 gether with njany varieties of peaches and plums. 
 He is likewise making a specialty of the raising 
 of full blmidetl liarred Plymouth Rock chickens 
 and has raised registered birds for twelve years, 
 exhibiting his stock annually at the poultry shows 
 and winning many premiums. He has the best 
 stock in Iroquois county and is well known in this 
 connection. He has recently divided four acres 
 of his fann into town lots, for which he is find- 
 ing a ready sale, and las erected a nice residence 
 in the village, where he is now living. 
 
 Mr. and .Mrs. Townsend arc the parents of 
 three children : riioelK", the wife of C. A. 
 
 Thrasher, of Thawville, wlio is mentioned else- 
 where in this work ; Nellie, at home : and George, 
 
 who assists in the nursery. 
 
 Mr. Townsend is a member of the IiuiipeiKlent 
 Order of Odd Fellows at Thawville, in which he 
 is a past grand. He is likewise connected with 
 Thawville camp, M. W. A., and his wife is a
 
 632 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 member of the Congregational church. In poHtics 
 he is a democrat where state and national issues 
 are involved but at local elections votes independ- 
 ently. He has served as highway commissioner 
 for nine years and has been on the town board 
 for three years or since its organization. Ho is 
 much interested in all that pertains to the growth 
 and development of the village and his co-opera- 
 tion can always be counted upon to further any 
 movement for the public good. He has never had 
 occasion to regret his determination to come to 
 America to enjoy the better business privileges 
 and opportunities of the new world, for here he 
 has made steady progress and occupies now an en- 
 viable place in business circles in Iroquois county. 
 
 WILLIAM H. HUDSOX. 
 
 William 11. Hudson, living on ^section 18. 
 liclmont townshij). his fanning interests em- 
 bracing four hundred acres of arable, productive 
 land, was born on the farm where he resides 
 December 16. 1855. His father. Jnhn Hudson, 
 is a native of Delaware, born Xovember 6, 181 4, 
 and is a son of John Hudson, Sr.. who brought 
 his family to Illinois in 1830. the tri]j being 
 made by team, with one horse hitched to a light 
 wagon and three to a large wagon. He was ac- 
 companied by iliree sons and three dau.ghters and 
 the four children of one daughter, who was then 
 a willow. The family settled in Iroquois county 
 in 1834 and tlie .grandfather erected the first 
 frame building on his side of the creek. Seven- 
 ty-two years have come and gone since the Hud- 
 son family located here. brin,ging nian\- chan,ges, 
 for at that ])eriod Indians still lived in this sec- 
 tion of the state and there had l)een few set- 
 tlements made. Here and there was a little iiatcli 
 of ground cultivated, showing that the fir.st seeds 
 of civilization had been iilanted. The homes 
 were mostly log cabins and all of the conditions 
 of ])ionecr life were to be met. 
 
 Amid such environments John Hudson. Jr.. 
 was reared and when he had arrived at years of 
 maturity he married Rebecca Horner. wIki was 
 a widow with six children. I'ollowing his mar- 
 ria.ge he turned his atlentinn to merchandising 
 in .\Iilfiird, wlure lie carried cm business for sev- 
 
 eral vears. He then sold out and jnirchased rail- 
 road land on section 18, liclmont township, 
 where he still resides. He built a house there 
 and has continued upon the farm since that time 
 with exception of a few years spent in W'at- 
 seka. He is today one of the most venerable 
 citizens of the county, having reached his ninety- 
 second year, and, moreover, he is one of its old- 
 est settlers, for the period of his residence here 
 covers more than the Psalmist's allotted span of 
 three score years and ten. He cast his first 
 presidential vote for ^^'illiam Henry Harrison. 
 His wife died in 1885. There were but two 
 children in the family, the elder being John, who 
 died in infancy. 
 
 William H. Hudson was reared upon the home 
 farm and had but common-school advantages. 
 For many years he has been in partnership with 
 his father and has long since relieved him of all 
 active work and care of the farm. He has lived 
 a life of industry and enterprise and has added 
 man\- modern ecjuipments to the farm. He has 
 made additions to the dwelling, has built a .good 
 barn and shed, has tiled and fenced the place 
 and has e(|ui])ped it with all modern accessories. 
 He has likewise raised good graded stock and 
 he annually harvests large crops. In T(P4 he 
 bought a steam-threshing outfit and corn-sheller 
 and now does threshing over a considerable 
 territory. 
 
 ( )n the lOtli of A])ril. 1883, .Mr. Hudson was 
 united in marriage to Miss l'"rances Smith, who 
 died eight vears later, leaving two children, while 
 one had passed away in infancy. Those still 
 living are Jessie I'l.. who is now married; and 
 Porter Ray, at home. In hebruary, 1897, Mr. 
 Hudson was again married, his second union 
 being with Mrs. Matilda Metcher. a widow, who 
 had two children: Laiu'a, now the wife of John 
 I lurd ; and May, the wife of Harry Kissick. 
 Lnto Mr. and Mrs. Hudson has been born one 
 son, William, whose natal day was January 18, 
 1902. 
 
 Mr. Hudson belongs to the Modern Woodmen 
 camp at Watseka, and he and his wife are con- 
 nected with the Royal .Xeighbors. They attend 
 the Methodist Episcopal church at Woodland 
 and in politics he is an earnest republican where 
 the issues of the countrv are involved but at local 
 elections casts an indeix-ndent ballot, nor has he
 
 |i >ll\ lllDSdN.
 
 •^SITV Of ILLIKOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 f>ii 
 
 ever soiij^ln or ilcsircil i)ffico as a reward idr 
 |)art\' feally. llis life has been active ami his 
 (lilij^eiice aiul capable discernment in business 
 affairs have br(iiif;lu him a jjimkIIv measure of 
 success. In the county where he has always lived 
 he enjoys to the fullest extent the confidence and 
 gCKxl will of those whi> know him and has made 
 a creditable record in business circles as a 
 straightforward, trustworthy man. The work 
 instituted by his jjrandfather and continued by 
 his father is now beinjf carried on by him anil 
 he is a worthy re])resentative of one of the oldest 
 and most honored pioneer families. 
 
 LY.M.VX DARLlXt;. 
 
 Lyman Uarliufj. a retired farmer living in Shel- 
 don, was born in Coshocton county. Ohio, Feb- 
 ruary 6. 1840. His father. Jacob Darling, was a 
 native of Hardy county. West \irginia. anil in 
 1806, only a few years after the admission of 
 Ohio into the I'nion. he was taken to that stale 
 by bis parents. His birth bad occurred in 1800. 
 so that he w-as a little lad of only alx)ut six years 
 at the time the family home was cstablislieil in 
 the Uuckeye state. There be was reared to man- 
 hood and engaged in fanning, having two hun- 
 drefl and twenty-five acres of land in Coshocton 
 county, which he tleveloped into a good farm. He 
 married Temperance Evans, of that county, and 
 tbe_\ became the jiarents of eight children, of 
 whom four are now living. 
 
 Of this number Lmian Darling is now a resi- 
 dent of Iroijuois county. The days of his lx)yhood 
 and youth were passed in the state of his nativity 
 and he early became familiar with all the duties 
 and lalxirs that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. 
 His education was acquired in the public schools, 
 which he attended through the winter nronths, 
 while in the summer seasons be worked on the 
 hon)C farm. In the year i8<'i7 he removed from 
 Ohio to Illinois, making the journey by wagon — 
 a distance of four hundred miles. He was ac- 
 companied by his wife and after traveling for 
 eleven days they arrived in Iroquois county. Mr. 
 Darling then purchased one hundred and twenty- 
 three acres of land on sections 2. 11 and 13, Con- 
 cord township, from B. Fry. He paid thirty dol- 
 37 
 
 lars per acre for this pn>pert\. which is today 
 worth one Innnlred and fifty dollars per acre. 
 There was a small house u|Min the place, to which 
 be afterward added, making a CDn)fort;d)Ie and 
 commodious residence. He aNo built barns and 
 put up corn cribs and other outbuildings for the 
 atlei|uate shelter of grain, stock and farm ma- 
 chinery. He likewi.se fenced the fields and put 
 in four miles of tiling. He now owns one hun- 
 dred anil si.Nty-three acres of land on .section t^. 
 Concord township, and has eight and a half acres 
 in timlK-r. Day after day, month after month and 
 year after year he continued the work of the farm, 
 bringing his land under a high state of cultivation 
 and adding to tlie |)Iac^' many nxidern equipments. 
 He tilled the fields and also raised hogs and cattle 
 and was thus actively engaged with farming inter- 
 ests until i8<>8. when he put aside the active 
 duties of business life and removed to Sheldon, 
 l)urchasing a home on l-irst and Center streets. 
 I le has remodeled and added to this property and 
 is now very comfortably situated in life. Since 
 leaving the farm his .son Frank has operated it. 
 
 On the 22(\ of Xovember. 1866, in Coshocton 
 county. Ohio. .Mr. Darling was united in marriage 
 to Miss Xancy E. Crouch, who was born in that 
 state in 1846. They liavc become the parents of 
 two children but the elder son, William J., is now 
 deceased. In his ])olitical views .Mr. Darling has 
 long been a stalwart democrat and served as road 
 commissioner for one term. He also filled the 
 office of school director but his business interests 
 claim the greater part of his time and attention 
 to the exclusion of active |)articipation in political 
 interests. He belongs to the Presbyterian church 
 and his life has been honorable and upright, in 
 strict conformity with his professions. He has 
 won lx)th succe.ss and an honorable name and 
 well deserves mention in the history of this comi- 
 ty, having for many years Ix-en closely associated 
 with its agricultural interests. 
 
 I< )HX I). W IIITR. 
 
 John D. \\hite. a worthy representative of the 
 farming interests of Sheldon, his native town- 
 ship, was here l>orn January 6. 1868. His father, 
 David White, is a native of Scotland, whence he
 
 636 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT ( )r 
 
 emigrated to the United States in i860 and made 
 his way to Sheldon township, this county, in 
 1867, where he purchased a tract of forty acres, 
 situated on section 28. tie, however, added to 
 his original purchase from time to time, owning 
 at present two hundred and fourteen acres on 
 section 2?> besides another tract of one hundred 
 and sixty acres on section 32. He made all of 
 the improvements which are today seen on the 
 place and continued in agricultural pursuits un- 
 til 1900, when he retired and removed to Sheldon, 
 where he has since made his home. He was 
 married to Miss Amanda Himelright, and of 
 their eleven children ten are now living. 
 
 John D. White supplemented his early educa- 
 tion, acquired in the country schools, by a course 
 in a business college at Onarga. He remained 
 with his father on the home farm until he had 
 attained his majority, when he started out upon 
 an independent business career by renting land in 
 Prairie Green township, carrying on general ag- 
 ricultural pursuits there for several years, or un- 
 til 1903. wlien he took up his abode on the farm 
 belonging to his father, the place comprising one 
 hundred au'l sixty acres on section 32. Sheldon 
 township. He has made many improvements 
 since coming to this place and is successfully en- 
 gaged in farming and stock-raising. 
 
 ^Ir. ^^'hite was married in Chicago, in 19OT. 
 to Miss Pearl Goodland. who was born in Simcoe. 
 Norfolk county. Canada, in 18S2. and by her mar- 
 riage she has become the mother of three chil- 
 dren. Ada ATay. John Wilber and Elmer Eugene. 
 Mr. White gives his political support to the dem- 
 ocratic parly. TTc is progressive in carrying on 
 his business interests, in which he is meeting with 
 good success, and no doubt the future holds in 
 store for him still greater success. 
 
 CHARLES C. SHRIMPLTN. 
 
 Charles C. Shrimplin is one of the voung and 
 enterprising farmers of Concord township, who 
 has a wide circle of warm friends and is popular 
 with those who know him. PTe was born in Knox 
 county. Ohio. September 23, 1880. and is a brother 
 of Robert Sanford Shrimplin. who is mentioned 
 on another page of this work, and in connection 
 
 therewith is given a history of the family. 
 Charles C. Shrimplin, reared under the parental 
 roof, was educated in the district schools. On 
 attaining his majority he began farming on his 
 own account upon land belonging to his father, 
 and he has since devoted his time and energies 
 to the work of tilling the soil and raising stock. 
 He now farms three hundred and fifty acres of 
 land which under his care and supervision is 
 highly cultivated, and for two years he has also 
 owned and operated a threshing machine, doing 
 a good business in this way through the harvest 
 season. He owns and raises nothing but very high 
 grade horses and has some fine animals upon his 
 place. He believes in attaining the highest degree 
 of perfection possible in all of his work and has 
 kept in touch with the progressive spirit of the 
 times as manifested in all lines of business life. 
 His political allegiance is given to the democracy 
 but he has never sought or desired office, prefer- 
 ring to concentrate his time and energies upon his 
 business afifairs, and although a young man he 
 has made a creditable name for himself as an 
 enterprising farmer and one thoroughly reliable 
 in all business transactions. He is a member of 
 Sheldon lodge. No. 609. A. F. & A. M.. and 
 when he joined the organization he was its young- 
 est member in Sheldon. 
 
 JOSEPH SCHAFER. 
 
 Joseph .Schafer, a very successful farmer, who 
 for the past thirteen years has cultivated two hun- 
 dred and forty acres of land on sections 16 and 
 17, Chebanse township, was born in Kendall 
 county, Illinois, Februar\- 9. 1S64. and is a son 
 of Anton and Katie (Eong) Schafer. The father 
 was born in Westphalia. Germany, and on com- 
 ing t(i the new world in 1851, settled in Bristol. 
 Kendall county. Illinois. He was married in 
 Aurora. January 12. 1856. to Katie Long, a 
 daughter of M. Long, and in 1856 they came to 
 Iroquois county, locating on a farm of one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres. Mr. Schafer subsequently 
 I)urchased another tract of eighty acres and still 
 later bought one hundred and sixty acres in 
 Kankakee county. In connection with general 
 farming he gave considerable attention to the
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINCJIS. 
 
 637 
 
 raising :iiul feeding of stock and in his business 
 undertakings was very successful, so tliat he was 
 able to retire from active labor in i8«ji. He 
 spent his last years in t'helwnse, where he ilied in 
 June, 1906, ami where his widow is still living;. 
 Although he voted for Abraham Lincoln, he 
 afterward became a democrat and held the offices 
 of road commissioner, school director an<l trustee. 
 He was one of the founders of the Catholic 
 church of Chebanse, of which he was a faithful 
 member, and was honore<l and respected wherever 
 known. 
 
 .\t the usual aj;e Joseph Schafcr entered the 
 public schools and therein mastered the branches 
 of learning that qualified him for the <luties of a 
 business life. He received ample training in 
 farm work on the old homestead and has always 
 enpajjed in general agricultural pursuits though 
 for the period of ten years between 18K4 and 
 i8<>4. he also devoted considerable attention to 
 the manufacture of tile in the village of Che- 
 ban.sc. On the expiration of that jieriod he re- 
 tiretl from the latter pursuit and is now success- 
 fully devoting his time and energies to the task 
 of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. 
 
 On the otli of February. iS«)2. in Kankakee. 
 Illinois. Mr. Schafer was united in marriage to 
 Miss -Xnna Clark, and unto them have birn lK>rn 
 five children : Harry \\'.. Florence C, N'ellie, 
 Joseph and Hazel. The parents are communi- 
 cants of the Catholic church at Chelianse and 
 ^^r. .Schafer is a meml)er of the Modern Wood- 
 men camp, Xo. c)f)4, in that village. His study 
 of the political issues and f|uesiion'; >>f thi- rlay 
 has led him to give his allegiance to the demo- 
 cratic party but he has never been a i)olitician 
 in the sense of office seeking, preferring to devote 
 lii< tttnf .niid fiK-rrriis tn Ills 1iii<inf^s .TfT.iir^ 
 
 T. G. WILLIAMS. 
 
 J. G. Williams, president of the Citizens' State 
 IJank of Walseka. has througliout his entire busi- 
 ness career l)een connected with financial inter- 
 ests, so that bankin.j is entirely familiar to him 
 in its various branches. He was instrinnental, 
 with his associates, in establishing the institution, 
 of which he is now the head, on a safe, substan- 
 
 tial basis, which las awakened unifunn confi- 
 dence, and in his business life has commanded 
 the nnc|ualihed trust and goiMl will of all. 
 
 A native of Irotjuois county, .Mr. Williams was 
 bom in Itclmont tuwn&hip. July 11. iiM9. a son 
 of .Samuel and L'atharine Williams, who came 
 U) Ir»K|Uois county in the early '40s and entered 
 lantl from the government, making their home 
 thereon until the death of the father in iK«/). He 
 took an active and helpful part in public affairs 
 of the county, asitle from his agricultural inter- 
 ests, and was county judge for one temi. He 
 was also president of the h'irst Xaiiciual Hank 
 for ciglnecn years and later was connected with 
 the Citizens' Hank. The extent and imixTlance 
 of his business interests made him one of the 
 substantial citizens of the county and in all life's 
 relations he sustaine-.l an unassailable reputation, 
 that made him valued in business, in public and 
 in social life. In the family were fcMir sons, all 
 yet living: J. Ci.. of this review; (ieorge M.. at 
 Wixxlland, this county ; John S., at < )narim : and 
 I'rank L., at Guthrie, Oklahoma. 
 
 .\fter mastering the comnion brauiiics ut 
 learning in the district scIkxjIs, J. (j. Williams 
 became a student in Graml Seminary and Com- 
 mercial College, at Onarga, his education being 
 'afong practical and business lines. He was 
 graduatetl in 1869. His early boyhooti days ha<l 
 been sjn-nt u|M>n his father's farm, where 
 through the siunmer months he assisted in the 
 labors of the fields, but after his graduation he 
 was given a |'Osition in the I-'irst National I^ink 
 of Watseka. as lx)okkee]K-r. while later he was 
 assistant cashier, remaining in the employ of the 
 iKink for eighteen \ears. In 18A) he took an in- 
 terest in the Citizens' Hank of Watseka, in con- 
 nection with his father. W. M. Coney and F. 
 I*. .Martin. The strong financial combination 
 and the wide acquaintance of the meml)ers of the 
 firm soon built up a large business and in 1904 
 the institution was nicor]K)rate<l imder the laws 
 of the state ami is now the Citizens' State Rank 
 of Wat.seka, with J. G. Williams as president. It 
 is now one of the strongest and most reliable 
 moneyed concerns of the county, the policy which 
 has ever In-en followe<l conmicnding it to the con- 
 fidence and support of a!! In addition to his 
 Innking interests Mr. Williams owns several 
 himdre<I acres of gootl farm land and is also in- 
 terested in live-stock raising, especially in pure-
 
 638 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 bred shorthorn cattle, of which he owns a fine 
 herd. 
 
 In 1871 Mr. W'ilUanis was united in marriage 
 to Miss Orra A. Benson and they are most widel}' 
 and favoraliy known in the county. Mr. 
 Wilhams belongs to the Masonic fraternity and 
 to the Methodist Episcopal church. He has 
 taken an active part in its work and for many 
 years has been superintendent of the Sunday- 
 school. While loyal to his church and his pastor, 
 he is not sectarian, believing that there is much 
 good in all churches and manifesting at all times 
 the liroad humanitarian spirit which does not ad- 
 mit of harsh criticism of those who differ from 
 him. 
 
 In politics Mr. \\'illiams is a republican but is 
 not an aspirant for office. He served, however, 
 for one term on the board of county supervisors 
 and two terms in the city council. He is also a 
 member of the public library board and is one of 
 the trustees of the Welles estate for the estab- 
 lishment of a school for poor boys. He has had 
 a large experience in the settlement of estates 
 and enjoys the unlimited confidence of the public 
 who have placed in his care a large amount of 
 property. Thoroughly reliable, broad minded 
 and liberal in his views, and living up to high 
 ideals concerning man's relations to his fellow- 
 men, there is no citizen of Watseka more hon- 
 ored and respected than J. G. Williams. 
 
 CARL THEESFELD. 
 
 A good farm of one hundred and sixtv acres 
 on section 25, Onarga township, is the property 
 of Carl Theesfeld, who since 1868 has lived in 
 Iroquois county, coming to this state immediately 
 after crossing the Atlantic from Germany, his 
 native country. He was born in the fatherland, 
 September 22, 1840, and the years of his boyhood 
 and youth were there passed, while his education 
 was acquired in the public schools. Having 
 heard favorable reports of business conditions 
 here and the opportunities which were open to 
 ambitious, industrious young men, he resolved 
 to seek his fortune in the new world and bade 
 adieu to friends and native cnuntrv. He then 
 
 secured passage on a sailing vessel at Bremen 
 and after eight weeks on the broad Atlantic 
 landed at Baltimore in December, 1868. He did 
 not pause in his journey there, however, but con- 
 tinued on his westward way until he had arrived 
 in Illinois, making his first settlement in Wood- 
 ford county, where he joined some friends of 
 his own nationality. He then worked by the 
 month as a farm hand for a year, after which he 
 joined another man in cultivating a rented farm. 
 They were together for a year, after which Mr. 
 Theesfeld began business independently. 
 
 He was first married in Woodford countv in 
 1870 to [Nliss Anna Jansen, after which he 
 rented a farm and carried on general agricultural 
 pursuits on his own account in Woodford countv 
 for several years. He carefully saved his earn- 
 ings during that period, living as economically 
 and frugally as possible and when his capital had 
 become sufficient to justify his purchase of land 
 he bought one hundred and sixty acres. The 
 fact that the farm was his own was an impetus 
 for renewed effort and a stimulus for closer ap- 
 plication. Accordingly he at once began to break 
 the soil and fence the fields. He also built a 
 house on the property and carried forward the 
 work of development and improvement, placing 
 many rods of tiling upon the farm and thus 
 draining the land. As the years have advanced 
 he, too, has progressed in his methods of farm 
 work in keejiing with the spirit of modern ad- 
 vancement and now has a well improved prop- 
 erty, his richly cultivated fields surrounding sub- 
 stantial farm buildings. In the rear of the house 
 stands a good barn and windpump, together with 
 sheds and the latest improved farm machinery. 
 The fields annually return rich har^'ests and in 
 addition he raises good horses, cattle and hogs. 
 
 In 1882 Mr. Theesfeld was called upon to 
 mourn the loss of his first wife, who died leaving 
 two children: Maggie, now the wife of Dan 
 Hasburger, a farmer of Onarga township ; and 
 John, who has started out in business for himself. 
 Afr. Theesfeld was married again, his second 
 union being with .-Xnna Defrecse, a German lady, 
 who was reared in the fatherland. There were 
 five children by this marriage and the four sons, 
 Ulrich, Harm, Henry and Herman, are still liv- 
 ing. They also lost a daughter, Mary, who died 
 in infancv.
 
 IkdOfom COUNTY. ILLIN'om 
 
 •.V» 
 
 Since lit'oimiii)^ a naturalucil Ana in an 1iti7.cn 
 Mr. TIktsIcIiI lia.s Ik-hi an larncsi npulilican and 
 ha.-i kc|>t well infonniil on tho political sittiatiun 
 of the country and the i.>.snes which diviile the 
 two great parties. He has served lor some >ears 
 as a school director, acting in that ca])ucit) alto- 
 gether for si.Meen vears, and at this writing he 
 is president of the txiard. He and his wife are 
 nieinlxTS of the Lnlheran chnrch, in the faith of 
 which they were reared. Thirty-eight years have 
 come and gone since .\lr. Iheesfeld tonk np his 
 alxKle in Illinois and while carrying forward his 
 own i)nsiness interests he has at the >ame time 
 ailvanced the jjro.^perity <»f the community 
 through his farm work. There have come 
 ])eriods of hardship and discouragement to him 
 and he has suffered many privations and trials in 
 estahlishing his home here and in gaining a start 
 in Imsiness. hut he has persevered and in the 
 end has triumphed over adversity until his posi- 
 tion among the prosperous farmers of Onarga 
 township is now as-^urcd. 
 
 CH.XRLF.S C. HROCK. 
 
 Charles C. Brock is a general farnier. devoting 
 his time and energies to the cultivation of two 
 hundred acres of land on sections t^2 ami ^^. Che- 
 l>an>e township, and in addition to tilling the tieids 
 he makc-s a specialty of the raising of Poland 
 Oiina hogs. He is a son of Samuel and Sarah 
 (Brock) Brock, who came fnnn Kngland to the 
 United States in 1S54 and scttletl at Plainfield, 
 Will county, Illinois, where they remainerl until 
 1870. In that year they came to Chekinse town- 
 ship. Iro<iiiois county, and followed fanning un- 
 til i88<;. the father giving his attention to gen- 
 eral agricultural pur.-uits until he put aside busi- 
 ness cares altogether, lie is now living retired 
 in Clifton. The family numlxTed six children, 
 of whom Charles C. is the third in order t>f hirth. 
 the record being as follows: William F.. a resi- 
 dent of Clifton: (ioirge .\l.. who is mayor of 
 Clifton and also deputy sheriff of the county; 
 Charles C: .Mfred S.; Richard H.; and Kdith. 
 the wife of Charles Trimble, who is principal of 
 the sclux^ls at Clifton. 
 
 The birth oi Lhark> C Brock occurred m 
 I'laintield. Will county, llhnoi.s. on the i ith of 
 NoveniIxT, 1859. and at the usual age lie entered 
 the public schools, where he ac(|niriil his educa- 
 tion. He was ri*ared to the occupation of farm- 
 ing and throughout almost his entire life lias fol- 
 lowed that pursuit. At one time he engage<l 
 <|uite exten'>ively in shipping slcxk bm in more 
 recent years has given up that business and now 
 devotes his imdivide<l attention to the operation 
 of the farm, which he lias brought tmder a high 
 state of cultivation, so that he annually gathers 
 therefrom rich and aliuntlant harvests. He is 
 ]>ractical in his methods, systematic in all that 
 he does and displays an aptitude for successful 
 management thai is manifest in the pros|HTity 
 that has .Utended him. Asitle from the tilling of 
 the soil he now makes a specially of the raising 
 of Poland China Ikv^s. 
 
 .Mr. Brink was happily married on the loth of 
 l"ebruary, itjo^, at Clifton, the lady of his choice 
 iK-ing Miss ,\dda K. Bosley. and unto them has 
 Ixen Ixim a daughter. Kdith F. .Mr. Bn)ck is 
 recognized as a stalwart advocate of republican 
 ]>rinciples and in if<«;j he serve<l as marshal of 
 tlillon. He attends and supjxirts dilTerent local 
 churches and is interested in the general improve- 
 ment and upbuilding of the county aUmg ma- 
 teri;tl. intellectual. |x)lilical aiul moral lines. The 
 spirit of enterprise which has l»een the dominant 
 factor in the upbuililing of the middle west is 
 manifest in his life and has maile him a substan- 
 tial and representative farmer of Chelxnnse town- 
 shi]). 
 
 FRKl) W. SIEDKNTOP. 
 
 F'red W. Sii*dcnlop. one of the leading and 
 promineiU farmers of Milks (irove township, is 
 the only son of Henry and !'"li«alKtli .Siedentop. 
 who came to the l'nite<! States from (lermany in 
 the early Yos an<l locatetl in Livingston county, 
 Illinois, where the father followe*! ihe occupation 
 of farming until 1871. He then brought his fam- 
 ily to .Milks (irove township. IriKjuois county, 
 and purchased land on si-ction j<>, which he still 
 owns. 
 
 The birth of I'red W. .Siedento|) ttccnrrcd in 
 SunlK-rry township, Livingston county, on the
 
 640 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 lotli of January, 1872, and his education was 
 acquired in the common schools. He worked in 
 the fields when not busy with his text-books and 
 has never sought to change his occupation but 
 has always continued in that line of business life 
 in which he was reared. As the years have gone 
 by he has met with creditable prosperity and is 
 now the owner of an excellent farm of three hun- 
 dred and twenty acres on section 24, Alilks Grove 
 township. The land is very arable and productive, 
 responding readily in rich harvests to the care 
 and labor which he bestows upon it. In the 
 midst of the fields stands good farm buildings, 
 including a pleasant residence and substantial 
 barns and sheds. Everything is kept in a good 
 state of repair, the latest improved machinery is 
 used to facilitate the work of the fields and the 
 stock raised is of good grades. 
 
 Mr. Siedentop was married, March 5, 1899, 
 upon his father's farm in Milks Grove township, 
 to Miss Mary Hintz, and unto tliem have been 
 born two children : Walter, born May 27, 1901 ; 
 and Ilda, April 28, 1905. The family are mem- 
 bers of the Lutheran church and Mr. Siedentop at- 
 tends its services. He votes with the republican 
 party and keeps well informed on the questions 
 and issues of the day but has never been an as- 
 pirant for office, preferring to concentrate his 
 attention upon his business affairs, in which he is 
 meeting with signal and gratifying success. In 
 manner he is pleasant, genial and cultured and his 
 good qualities have made him a favorite with a 
 large circle of friends, while in business circles he 
 sustains an unassailable reputation for enterprise 
 and integrity. 
 
 JOHN CROUCH. 
 
 John Crouch is numbered among tlie leading 
 farmers and stock-raisers of Iroquois county, 
 owning and operating about one hundred and 
 fifteen acres of well improved and valuable land 
 in Concord township, his home being situated on 
 section 8. He is a native of Coshocton county, 
 Ohio, born January 22, 1838, a son of William 
 and Sarah (Lyons) Crouch, both of whom were 
 natives of the Buckeve state. The father fol- 
 
 lowed farming both in his native state and after 
 coming to Illinois, the year of his arrival here 
 being 1881. He is now deceased, his death hav- 
 ing occurred in Iroquois county February 24, 
 1895. when he was in his eighty-fifth year. His 
 family numbered seven children, of whom one 
 is deceased. 
 
 John Crouch was educated in the common 
 schools of his native county and was reared to 
 farm life, which occupation he has always made 
 his life work. He was married in Ohio, Novem- 
 ber 16, 1865, the lady of his choice being Miss 
 Nancy E. Carroll, who was there born October 
 20, 1843. Following their marriage they took 
 up their abode in Coshocton county, where they 
 remained during the succeeding five years, when, 
 believing that he might better provide for himself 
 and family in the new and growing west, in 1870 
 he removed to Iroquois county, Illinois, and rent- 
 ed a farm in Concord township, whereon stood 
 a log house, in which the family took up their 
 abode. This building had previously been used 
 as the courthouse of Iroquois county. 
 
 In the following spring Mr. Crouch removed 
 to the Fowler farm near Iroquois, on which he 
 made his home for ten years. He worked hard 
 and energetically to acquire a competence, and 
 through his economy and careful management 
 of his business interests he saved a sum sufficient 
 to enable him in 1873 to purchase a tract of 
 eighty acres, situated on sections 8 and 9. Con- 
 cord township. This tract was the property of 
 lohn White, and was entirely unimproved when 
 it came into possession of the present owner, who 
 at once set to work to break the land, plow the 
 fields and cultivate his croiis. He also erected the 
 buildings, tiled and fenced the land, and in 1887 
 erected a comfortable residence, and a good barn 
 thirty-six by thirty-two feet, with shed. As his 
 financial resources increased he added to his land 
 from time to time until he now owns altogether 
 one hundred and fifteen acres, which constitutes 
 a good farm. He was formerly engaged in buy- 
 ing and shipping stock ofif and on in Iroquois for 
 about twenty years, and now in addition to carry- 
 ing on general agricultural pursuits he is quite 
 extensively engaged in the raising of polled An- 
 gus cattle, and he also raises some horses and 
 hogs for the market. He has recently become in- 
 terested in the industry of raising Shropshire
 
 %0 
 
 MR. AND MRS. JOHN (.Roll II.

 
 IRDQl'OIS COUNTY. II.I.I\"( )IS. 
 
 'M? 
 
 sluf|>. iiiiil in all liis liii>.tiK>s ;iii,iir> Ik- i> iiiccl- 
 iny: with very (lcsiral)lc and pralilvinjj micccss. 
 
 In his |M)litical views and affiliations Mr. 
 Cnnicii is a deniucrat, and his wiirth and ability 
 l)eiiij,' rec<)>,nnzed he has been ealled by his fellow 
 to\nisnicn to fill a number of public offices, hav- 
 injr served as siii)ervisor fur ten years in ('uncord 
 townsinp. He was likewise collector for one 
 year and has been road conunissioner. scIuhiI di- 
 rector an<l school trustee, all of which |>osiiions 
 he has filled in a capable and acceptable manner. 
 Both he and his wife hold memlx-rsbip with the 
 Methodist Kpisco|)al dmrch. The two children 
 Inirn to them. Willie ami X. IC, are Iwith dc- 
 cea.sed. They have reared a boy, Roy A. Hamil- 
 ton, who has made bis home with them from the 
 a^e of seven years and is now nineteen. 
 
 .Mr. Crouch has always Iwen fountl reliable anii 
 trustworthy in all his business dealini;s. ami to 
 his honesty, industry and ecotinnu is diir the >inc- 
 cess which he has achievefl. 
 
 FR.WK niZKNT.KRKV. 
 
 Every community has a luimlx'r of men who 
 stand at the head of its business interests and are 
 the real ])rumoters and upbuilders of town or city. 
 In this class in Donovan is numbered Frank Du- 
 zenl>erry, who is enj^aj^'cil in dealing in IuuiIkt, 
 building; materials and coal, and his etTorts are 
 so concentrated upon the substantial development 
 of his business as to win for him gratifyinp suc- 
 cess in the undertakiufj. He was iKirn in 
 I leaver township, Se]-temlx-r 5. 1873. and was a 
 son of (larrett I"), nuzenberry. a native of < )lno, 
 who came to IJeaver township at an early peritxl 
 in the tievclopment of Iro(|uois c<ninty. He 
 IhiukIu a farm on siction 36 and ma<!e that his 
 home until eij;ht years ago. He had three hun- 
 flred and sixty acres of land there, which he 
 transfonned front a raw tract into richly de- 
 veloped fields. He tiled and fenced the land, 
 built a comfortable residence there and carried 
 on peneral farminp and st<Kk-raisinfj with |.;iKid 
 sticccss. Kifjht years ago, however, he lH)UKht 
 eiphty acres of land in Concord township near 
 the villape of InN|uois. where he has built n home 
 and now resides. His wife liore the maiden 
 
 name oi Latlitriiie Karr and unt<i them have In-en 
 Imrn seven children. 
 
 i<'rank DuzenlH-rrv snpplrnicnted his early 
 education, aci|nirei| in the district schools, by 
 stutly in the \ al|>araiso itusiness College. He 
 live<l u|Min the home farm initil ten years a^o and 
 from early youth has Ix-en familiar with the Ix-st 
 metho<ls of tilling the soil and cnrinj; for the 
 crops. I le has fol|owe<l general fanuin^. stock 
 raisin}; and shippiu);. .Mxiut six years aj^o he 
 came to Donovan and liouf>ht out the lumlx-r 
 business of Jo.seph Ix'jjara. who hail established 
 the eiUerprise a <|uarter of a century In-fore. He 
 handles all kinds of Ijuildin).; materials and sup- 
 plies, lime, cement an<l coal, and has recently 
 erected a large hnnlKT shed, one huntlred by 
 fifty-eight feet. He has develo|ied his business 
 along legitimate lints of trade and in keeping 
 with the spirit of modern progress and a liln-ral 
 patronage is accorded him. He also engages in 
 the purchase and shipment of live stock at Ixith 
 Donovan and Irotpiois and is thus controlling ex- 
 tensive and imporlaiU iiUirests. 
 
 .\lr. Duzenln-rry takes a public-spirited inter- 
 est in political affairs and gives loyal sup|)ort to 
 the repulilicm parly, for he I)elieves its principles 
 contain the best elements of good govenimer.t. 
 In the .Masonic fraternity ho lias attained the 
 Royal .\rch degree. He was married in Heaver 
 township. December 27. iK»>7. to Miss Maln-I 
 Clark, a native <tf Concord township, an<l they 
 n<iw have four children: Roy. six years of age; 
 Leslie, five years old : and .Vmlrey and .\ubrey. 
 twins, three years of age. .Mr. and .Mrs. Dnzen- 
 l)erry have spent their entire lives in tliis county 
 and the circle of their friends has increased as 
 the circle of their ac(|uaintance has lK(-r- 
 tended. 
 
 OTTO JOHNSON". 
 
 ( >tto Johnson, deceased, was one of ilu- higbl> 
 resiKcletl .Swedish-.Nmerican citizens of InKjUois 
 coimly, where for many years he was engaged in 
 agricidtural |>ur<uits. He was l>orn in Sweden 
 in iS.'Sand was there reartd and educated. When 
 a >tHing man of twenly-sevcn years he mnigrated 
 to the I'nited Stale*, making his way <Iirect to 
 Ir<M|Uois c<nmt\. thi \ear of his arrival being
 
 644 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 1855. He purchased a farm of one huiKlred and 
 twenty acres on section 18, Beaver township, 
 which is still owned and operated b}' his widow. 
 The land was a tract of raw prairie when it came 
 into his possession but with the energy and in- 
 dustry, so characteristic of the Swedish race, he 
 undertook the task of developing and cultivating 
 new land. He broke the prairie, plowed the 
 fields, planted his crops, and in due course of 
 time gathered good harvests. He continued his 
 farming operations here until his death, which 
 occurred in 1883. 
 
 Lojal to the best interests of his country, i\Ir. 
 Johnson defended the Union cause by six 
 months' service in the Fifty-first Illinois Regi- 
 ment, and one year's service in the One Hundred 
 and Fifty-iirst Illinois Infantry. He was a re- 
 publican in his political views and affiliations. 
 
 Mrs. Johnson bore the maiden name of 
 Johanna C. Johnson, and by her marriage she 
 has become the mother of four sons and three 
 daughters, namely: Mrs. Emma Anderson; 
 Frank F. ; Mrs. Minnie Maurits ; Ellida, who 
 resides with her mother ; Lawrence, also at home ; 
 Clarence, who is practicing law in Chicago ; and 
 Arthur, at home. Since the death of her hus- 
 band, Mrs. Johnson and her children have con- 
 tinued to operate the homestead property, thus 
 carrying forward the work of cultivation and im- 
 provement which was instituted by the husband 
 and father. They have drained the land by the 
 judicious use of tiling and have erected all of the 
 buildings upon the place with exception of the 
 residence which was built by Mr. Johnson. Mrs. 
 Johnson is an estimable lady, well liked by her 
 neighbors and friends, and through the careful 
 management of her business aiTairs she is en- 
 abled to provide herself and family with a good 
 living. The family has lived in Beaver township 
 for a long period and is therefore widelv and 
 favorably known. 
 
 JOHN E. AMOS. 
 
 and fifty acres in Sheldon township, of which 
 he is the owner of ninety-two acres, situated on 
 section 33. He likewise engages in breeding 
 and raising Norman and Shire horses, making 
 this an important branch of his business. The 
 family was founded in Illinois by the paternal 
 grandfather, Stepheii Amos, who located here at 
 an early day. The father, William A. Amos, 
 was born in Warren county, Indiana, and his 
 sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. 
 
 John E. Amos, as stated, was born in Iroquois 
 county, February 8, 1869, and pursued his educa- 
 tion in the common schools and the public schools 
 of Sheldon. He remained under the parental roof 
 until he attained his majority, when he started 
 out in life on his own account by engaging in 
 the business of breeding and raising Norman 
 and Shire horses, giving this his entire time and 
 attention until about seven years ago, when in 
 connection with handling horses he also engaged 
 in general agricultural pursuits, taking up his 
 abode on the old homestead property, situated on 
 section 28, Sheldon township. He has since bought 
 and improved a tract of ninety-two acres, Iving 
 on section 33, and now operates this in connection 
 with his father's land. He is a capable business 
 man and is meeting with excellent success in his 
 work both as a farmer and a breeder of horses. 
 
 Mr. Amos was married February ri, 1903, 
 the lady of his choice being Miss Jessie Wingard. 
 She died December 19, 1904, leaving a little 
 daughter, Jessie lone. Mr. Amos is a republican, 
 stanch in support of the principles of his party. 
 Having spent his entire life in Iroquois county 
 he has a very wide acquaintance, and this section 
 of the state has become endeared to him through 
 the associations of his boyhood and youth, as 
 well as those of later manhood. 
 
 ALFRED W IX SLOW. 
 
 Among the native sons of Iroquois countv who 
 are now carrying on the agricultural develop- 
 ment of this part of the state is numbered John 
 E. Amos, who operates a farm of two hundreil 
 
 A finely improved farm of one hundred and 
 sixty acres on sections 2 and 3, Beaver township, 
 is the home of Alfred Winslow, who was born in 
 Sweden in i860, a son of Peter and Mary Wins- 
 low, who always remained in that country. .Mr. 
 \\'inslow emigrated to the United States in 1885, 
 making his way at once to the state of Iowa,
 
 IR(»Ol'(1IS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 '<A' 
 
 wluTc lie remained for uin- \c;tr, aiiii ilicn came 
 to Inxiiiois county, locatinfj in Heaver township. 
 He was here employed until 1889, when he pur- 
 chased one hundred and sixty acres of land which 
 was all wild and unimproved when it came into 
 his possession. He has tiled the land, thus mak- 
 ing the fields very productive. He luis als<i huilt 
 fences, erected a residence an<l substantial out- 
 buildings, and altogether his is one of the valuable 
 farms of this section of tiie state. In ad<lition to 
 his own paiperty he cultivates a rented tract of 
 oi>c hundred and sixty acres, thus operating al- 
 togetiier three hundred and tweitty acres. 
 
 In 1886. the same year of his arrival in I?eaver 
 township, .Mr. Winslow was married to Miss 
 Minnie Mo<ire. a native of Irmjuois county. 
 TJieir marriage has Ikcu blessed with four daugh- 
 ters. Pearl. .Mary. Laura and Ruby. .Mr. Wins- 
 low has one brother and one sister who came to 
 this country, the former making his home in 
 Donovan. Illinois, while the latter resides in 
 Chicago. 
 
 Mr. Winslow came to the L'nited States twenty- 
 one years ago without capital, and with no 
 knowledge of the language or customs of the 
 American people. He. however, soon acquired 
 the English tongue and adapted himself to the 
 changed conditions of the new country and has 
 through the years which have since come and 
 gone worked his way steadily upward until he is 
 today in jjossession of a comfortable property, 
 which supplies himself and family with all the 
 comforts of life and ranks him with the leading 
 citizens of this community. 
 
 WILLI.^M FIDLER. 
 
 .\mong the native sons of Irocpiois county who 
 have made fjirming their life work is numlK.'red 
 William Fidler, whose birth occurcti in Iro<]uois 
 township, March 14. 1839. His jarents, (leorgc 
 and Harriet (Parker) Fidler, were l)olh natives 
 of Indiana, whence in 1581 they came by wagon 
 ti' IriKjuois county, the father entering a tract of 
 OIK' hundre<l and sixty acres in lriM|Uois town- 
 ship. The land was all wild and unimproved, 
 not a furrow liaving l>ccn turned, but he at oikc 
 set to work to perform the duties neccs.sary to 
 
 the develo]iment of a new lann. lie broke the 
 land, plowed the lields, planted tiie seed and in 
 due course of time gathered rich harvests, and 
 he likewise erected a Ik"»usc an«! substantial ' ' 
 buildings. Hie family there lived and lal" 
 through many years, sharing in the hardships 
 and privations incident to life on the frontier. 
 Ijy good manageuKitt the father was able to |)ur- 
 chasc one hundred and twenty acres on section 5, 
 Iroquois township, which he likewise improved 
 and cultivated until his death, which occurred 
 December 10, 1882, and thus passed away*one of 
 the i)rominent and iiiHuential pioneer farmers of 
 this section of the state. 
 
 William I-idler was one of a family of nine 
 chililren iHirii of his father's marriage. He was 
 reared in much the usual manner of farm lads, 
 being assigned to the duties of the fields as his 
 age and strength jxTmitted, ami during the win- 
 ter months he pursued his studies in the district 
 schools near his father's home, thus acquiring the 
 knowledge that fitted him to later carry on busi- 
 ness on his own account. He remained with his 
 parents until he attained his majority, when he 
 rented a farm in Iroquois township, cultivating 
 the same during the succce<ling five years. In 
 the meantime his father died and in the division 
 of the estate he re<:eive<i forty acres, this being 
 lixated in IriMjuois township. He later added a 
 tract of eighty acres to his original forty, this 
 giving him one hundre<l and twenty acres. He 
 made many improvements thereon, which greatly 
 enhanced the value of his property, so tliat he 
 later dis|K)se<I of it to good advantage, and in 
 K/x) came to Martinton township and bought 
 front .\. M. I^roche a fami of one hundred and 
 sixty acres of lanti, lying on section 18. He has 
 laid two carloads of tiling on his place, tints giv- 
 ing good drainage to his farm, whereby the .soil 
 has Ixren made very productive. In lyoi he 
 erectecl a mo<Ierii country Itome, containing seven 
 r<Mims, built a barn thirty-six by thirty-eight 
 feet, and his place i>< also supplied with com cribs 
 and other outbuildings necessary to a farm prop- 
 erty. In addition to carrying on general agricul- 
 tural pursuits he also raises horses, cattle and 
 lK>gs of good grades, and l)oth branches of his 
 business arc yielding him an excellent return. 
 
 In Iroquois township, in 1880, occurred the 
 marriage of Mr. I'idler and Miss .\melia J. Ort-
 
 646 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 mail, who was burn in Lajjorte, Indiana, in 1838. 
 riu'ir union lias been blessed with a son and 
 daut^hter: George E.. who is now a college stu- 
 dent at Ann Arbor. Michigan; and Bernice A., 
 a student in the Martinton schools. 
 
 Mr. Fidler has served as school director for 
 fifteen years but aside from this has taken no 
 active jiart in public office, preferring to give his 
 entire time and attention to his private bvisiness 
 interests, which enables him to provide a com- 
 fortable home for himself and family and like- 
 wise ^ive to his children good educational priv- 
 ileges. In his fraternal relations he is connected 
 \\ith the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and 
 the Modern \\'oodmen of America. Mr. Fidler 
 and his family are highly esteemed in the local- 
 ity where they reside, and the hospitality of their 
 ])leasant home is greath- enjoyed bv their mam- 
 friends. 
 
 C. O. SHA\^■. 
 
 C. ( ). Shaw, representing the agricultural inter- 
 ests of Iroquois county, owns and operates a 
 farm on section 35. Martinton township, which 
 has been his home continuously since 1865. He 
 was born in Tippecanoe county, Indiana. June 2, 
 1863. where his father died in 1864. our subject 
 being then only a year old. His mother was 
 then left with the care of eleven children, of 
 whom three sdns and three daughters still survive. 
 In 1865 the mother removed with her family 
 to Iroquois county, where she purchased from 
 .\. Rush a farm of eighty acres, situated on sec- 
 tion 35. Martinton township. This tract had 
 few improvements upon it Inn with the aid of her 
 elder sons she cultivated and improved the land, 
 to whicli she added an additional tract of forty 
 acres. When C. O. Shaw was a lad of twelve 
 years lie and his elder brother. S. P.. who was 
 two years his senior, took charge of the farm for 
 their mother, operating the land for twelve or 
 fourteen years, when the latter went to Colorado. 
 The mother maile her home <in her farm until 
 her death, which occurred in March. UJ04. 
 She was a woman of e.xcellent business abilitv. 
 capably managing her private aiTairs. while at 
 the same time she carefuUv reared and educated 
 
 her children. In her death the community lost 
 a kind neighbor and friend and her family a 
 devoted and loving mother. 
 
 C. O. Shaw was reared and educated in Mar- 
 tinton township, and has been engaged in farming 
 throughout his entire business career. He pur- 
 chased the interest of the other heirs in the old 
 home property and has since bought land on 
 sections i and 2. Middleport township, so that 
 his landed possessions now aggregate two hun- 
 dred and forty acres. About four years ago he 
 erected a modern nine-room house, a good barn 
 thirty-six by fifty feet, wdiile corn cribs and other 
 outbuildings furnish ample shelter for grain, 
 stock and farm implements. He has laid consid- 
 erable tile and thus his fields have been made 
 very jjroductive. In addition to his farming 
 interests he is engaged quite extensively in rais- 
 ing stock for the market, where he always re- 
 ceives the highest prices. 
 
 Air. Shaw was married in iSyo to Miss Rosie 
 Pearce. the wedding being celebrated in Concord 
 township. Her birth occurred in Milford in 
 1864, and by her marriage she has become the 
 mother of a daughter and son : Clara, who is 
 now eight years of age; and Elmer, a little lad 
 of five years. 
 
 Mr. Shaw gives his political support to the 
 democratic part\- but has never been active as an 
 office seeker, preferring to concentrate his time 
 upon his private business interests which are 
 now extensive and thus claim his entire attention. 
 He is a worthy and highly esteemed citizen of 
 Martinton township and is known among his 
 luisiness associates as a man of upright principles 
 and honest dealing. 
 
 RCJUERT C. HITCTIIXGS. M. D. 
 
 Dr. Robert C. Hitchings. who for seventeen 
 years has been engaged in the jiractice of medi- 
 cine in Donovan, was born in N^ewton county, 
 Indiana, in 1865, and is a .son of John C. Hitch- 
 ings, a native of Maine, who, removing west- 
 ward to Indiana, cast in his lot with the early 
 settlers of that state in the year 1840. He was 
 always a farmer and became the owner of four 
 hundred acres of good land. He wedded Mary
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 (.47 
 
 *>\vi{;iTt, of .M;ir\ Intnl. ;iiim nm.. ilnm wi-ri- Uirn 
 
 even children. 
 
 Rol)crt C Hitcliiiif;s Nvas ciiiicatcd in llic coni- 
 nion schixils and in X'alparaiso and l>:invillc, 
 Indiana. When ho liad completed his literan 
 nirse he entered uiMin the stndy of medicine 
 .md in iS8«> was j^'-idnated from the Kcntncky 
 School of Medicine at Lonisville. When he had 
 com[)leled a fnll conrsc he entered npon the prac- 
 tice of his chosen profession at Donovan in the 
 year iS<>o and iMinyht out Dr. l-Twin. For sev- 
 enteen years he has continued in active practice 
 in this county and has been accorded a liberal 
 patronage in rect)j^iition of his skill and ability. 
 He makes the best possible use of remedial agen- 
 cies, understands the uses of diet, of rest and. 
 hygienic appointments and kee])s in touch with 
 
 nodern progress in his profession by perusal of 
 the leading medical journals and Imoks of refer- 
 ence. In additinn to his i)ractice he is conduct- 
 ing the drug store which he purchase<l from K. 
 I,. Jiniison. carrying a full line of drugs and kin- 
 dred goods. He purchased the building in which 
 this store is located. It is a story and a half 
 structure, twenty-two by sixty feet, and in addi- 
 tion to drugs he also handles a full line of wall 
 paper, paints and oils, a lilx-ral patronage being 
 accorded him. 
 
 Dr. Hitcliings is a mcmlx-r of the Modern 
 Woodmen fraternity. He gives his political alle- 
 giance to the democracy and has served for one 
 term as supervisor of Heaver township. F.nter- 
 inp upon a profession in which advancement dc- 
 I)ends entirely upon individual merit, he has 
 made steady progress and his knf»\vle<lge and 
 skill, combined with the conscientious perform- 
 ance of the duties that devolve upon him. have 
 gained him rank among the able medical practi- 
 tioners in Donovan and this locality. 
 
 ALONZO C.\RM.\N. 
 
 Alonzo Carman is accounted one of the prom- 
 inent farmers of Fountain Creek township, where 
 he owns and cultivates an excellent tract of land 
 of two hundred acres adjoining the village of 
 Goodwnnc. Since the fall of 1868 he has con- 
 
 tuiuuusly made his home in this county, ami he 
 is a western man by birth, training and exi^vri- 
 ence. His birth LK'curred in I'erry.sville, \'cr- 
 milion county, Indiana, IkveniU'r i, 1H43, and 
 there the days of his boylnxMl and wuih were 
 passed. His father. Jacob (.arman. ilieil in that 
 county in i8«>i, and in the f.ill of 1X4^ the mother 
 nwrrietl again. .\t that time .Mon/o Cannan 
 went to Montgomery, Indiana, and worked at 
 farm lalxir for liftei-n dollars |K-r month in the 
 employ of his uncle I'hilip Limger. He after- 
 war<l engaged in raising crops on the shares on 
 his uncle's farm and remainetl n|Hin that jiiace 
 for some time, continuing its operation after the 
 death of his aunt and his imcle and also their 
 son, who joine«l the I'nion .\rmy, was captured 
 and died in .\ndersonvillc pri-son. All three died 
 within a year and there was left a family of five 
 ilaughters. 
 
 Mr. Carman continued to engage in farming 
 on his uncle's place until 1868. In the meantime 
 he was marrie«l in .Montgomery county, .May 10, 
 18^16, to Miss Mercy .\nn Lunger, a native of 
 Indiana, who. prior to her marriage, engaged in 
 te.iching. They l)egan their domestic life u|ion 
 the farm which had Ix-longed to Mr. Cannan's 
 imcle and there live<l for aliout two years, when 
 they came to Iroquois county, here purchasing 
 three hundred and twenty acres of land on sec- 
 tion 9, Fountain Creek township. I^ter he 
 Ixnight forty acres more and continued the work 
 of improving his farm, which he ilitched anil 
 drained, residing there until 1875. .\t length 
 he sold that pro|K-rty and iHuight another 
 fann nearer .Milford, of four hundreil 
 and twenty .icres. making his home there for 
 alKiut a year, after which he miM out. He next 
 |iurcha.sed the William lioiHlin fann of three 
 hnndretl and twenty acres and continue<l the work 
 of improvement and <leveU)pmcnt there. .As 
 time passed he a<lded to his land by additional 
 jiurchases until he owned seven lumtlred and 
 twenty .ncres. The tiling which he did converted 
 the swampy land into fertile tichls and he con- 
 tinued the tilling of the soil until alxnit |8<^. 
 I^tcr he s|K'nt two years on another farm, and 
 in icjcx) he built a gixnl residence in the town, 
 since which time he h.is resided in ("KKxIwine. 
 He was one of the stockholders and directors of 
 the Farmers elevator, in which he still owns 
 an interest Hi- ttn< Inid "ff .-ui addition to the
 
 648 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 town and his son Frank has also recentl\- made 
 an addition. 
 
 Unto Mr. and Mrs. Carman were born three 
 sons: ^\■i^iam, who is married and follows 
 farming near Claytonville, having two himdred 
 and forty acres of land ; Frank, who is married 
 and owns a farm of two hundred and seventy 
 acres adjoining Goodwine; and Lewis W., who 
 is married and owns about three hundred acres 
 of land. He, however, occupies the old home- 
 stead. 
 
 Politically Mr. Carman is a stalwart republican 
 but has never been an office seeker. He served 
 as highway commissioner for eleven years and 
 has been township trustee for a few years but 
 has always attempted to avoid office and only 
 at the solicitation of his friends and fellow cit- 
 izens has he consented to accept positions of 
 political preferment. His wife is a member of 
 the Methodist Episcopal church and they are 
 a most worthy couple, who enjoy in large meas- 
 ure the good will and esteem ol all v/ho kmiw 
 them. Mr. Carman has been the architect and 
 builder of his own fortunes and though he com- 
 menced life empty-handed he is now one of the 
 prosperous residents of the county, having ac- 
 quired large real-estate interests. The utilization 
 of the opportunities which surround all, com- 
 bined with close application and unfaltering dili- 
 gence, constitute the foundation upon which he 
 has buikled tlie superstructure of his success, and 
 his life record, too. proves that a competence and 
 an honored name mav be won simultaneouslv. 
 
 ORREN G. SAHTH. 
 
 Orren G. Smith, a prominent representative 
 of commercial interests at Sheldon, wdiere he is 
 engaged in the grain trade, was born in Iroquois, 
 January 9, 1854. His father, William Smith, 
 was a native of \'irginia and came to this county 
 when seventeen years of age. He entered into 
 general merchandising with Mr. Donovan in the 
 village of Iroquois, where he remained for a 
 number of years, but in 1859, when the Toledo, 
 Peoria & Warsaw Railroad was built, he re- 
 moved his stock of goods to Sheldon and erected 
 the first building of that town. It was a two- 
 
 story frame structure, twenty-four by sixty feet. 
 The lower floor was used for a store' and the 
 second floor as a dwelling. ^Ir. Smith then fol- 
 lowed general merchandising at* Sheldon up to 
 the time of his death, which occurred in 1861, 
 and he was an enterprising, wide-awake and pro- 
 gressive business man, who met with success in 
 that town. In addition to his commercial inter- 
 ests he owned several tracts of land, together 
 with town property. In his political views he 
 was a Douglas democrat. He married Malie 
 Ketchum, of New York, and they became the 
 parents of two children but one has passed away. 
 The maternal grandfather of our subject was 
 ]\Iajor George P. Ketchum, who served in the 
 war of 181 2 and was in charge of the troops at 
 Fort Erie for a time. 
 
 Orren G. Smith, whose name introduces this 
 review, was educated in the common schools 
 and began work in the employ of the Toledo, 
 Peoria & Warsaw Railroad and the old C, L. & 
 C. Railroad, with which he remained for a num- 
 ber of years. He then entered the grain business 
 in the employ of R. G. Risser and was with him 
 for about seven years. In 1889 he formed a 
 partnership with a Mr. Hutchins and they now 
 own two elevators at Milford w'ith a capacity of 
 one hundred and fifty thousand bushels, one at 
 Donovan with a capacity of sixty thousand 
 bushels and one at Iroquois with a capacity of 
 ninety thousand bushels. They buy all kinds of 
 grain of the farmers and also other dealers and 
 have their head office at Sheldon. They are among 
 the most extensive grain dealers of the county 
 and their business is of benefit to the district, 
 furnishing an excellent market for the producers. 
 At the same time they are meeting with very 
 gratifying success, having made steady progress 
 since the organization of the firm. Mr. Smith 
 also bought a farm of eightv acres in Concord 
 township from John Sheets and Joseph McNear. 
 He placed all of the improvements upon it to the 
 value of about three thousand dollars, and in 
 1 87 1 he erected a substantial residence there. 
 
 On the 1 6th of October, 1879, Mr. Smith was 
 united in marriage to Miss Inez Potter, who was 
 born in llcaver township and was a daughter of 
 M. G. Potter, a native of New York, wlio came 
 to Iroquois county at an early period in its de- 
 velopment and entered land from the governiuent
 
 \\ U.l.lAAl ■-.Ml 1 II.
 
 :!S
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 ^^51 
 
 ill I5iavcr township, wlicrc lie dcvcl<ijx-«l a farm 
 and narwl liis family. L'nto Mr. anil Mr;.. 
 Smith have been born five children: Ilarrv. 
 Hazel, linicc, (icrtnule and William l^wrcnce. 
 Mr. Smith gives his political allegiance to the 
 republican i)arty. 1 le has served on the school 
 board of Sheldon but has never sought or de- 
 sired |)ublic office, for his business interests fully 
 claim his time and attention. lie has shi.wn a 
 genius for devising and executing the right thing 
 at the right time, combiiud with that substantial 
 quality which for want of a better term has been 
 called common sense. He is smuid in business 
 judgment, progressive and alert, and in all his 
 undertakings endeavors t<> reach the highest 
 point of perfection attainable. 
 
 SILAS IK •l(.I..\.\I). 
 
 Silas Hougland. who is engaged in the op- 
 eration of a tract of land comprising one luni- 
 <Ired and sixty acres in Sheldmi tuwnshi]). was 
 lx>rn in Concord township. .\i)vember 30, iHjU. 
 His paternal grandfather. James Hougland. come 
 by wagon frum ( )hio t<> lro(|uois county. e>lab- 
 lishi!ig his home in Concord township. The father. 
 Eli Hougland. was born in ( )hio. November 8. 
 1837. and in his native state .nc(iuiri'd his educa- 
 tion. He accompanied his father's family t(» this 
 state, remaining under the parental roof until he 
 attained man's estp.te. when he located on a farm 
 on section 33. Sheldon township, whereon he has 
 made his home for the past twenty-seven years. 
 He was united in marriage. Janu:iry i'>. i8<>j. 
 to Miss Adelia .Mantor. who was born in Ham- 
 ilton county. Ohio, and who survive<l her mar- 
 riage but little more than a year, her death oc- 
 curing May 19, 1863. 
 
 Soon after his marriage Kli Houglaixl enlisted 
 for service in the Civil war. on the nth of Au- 
 gust. iiV>2. joining Com])any !•!. .Seventy-sixth 
 Illinois Infantry under command of Colonel A. 
 W. Mack. Mr. Hougland participated in no 
 regular battles but saw service in Kentucky. 
 Tennessee and Mississippi under Hcneral Hurl- 
 but. f)n the i''>tli of ( Ktober. 18/1J. Mr. Houg- 
 land was taken ill with measles, after which he 
 had an attack of jaundice and rheumatism. Iwing 
 
 confined in a ho>pital at .Memphis, Tennessee, 
 until he was honorably discharged <»n tlic J5t!i 
 of March, 1W13, for hi-, illness had iiica|>acitated 
 him for further service in the arnn. 
 
 Ketiiniing home Mr. Hougland s|K-nt the suc- 
 cee«ling year in recuinTating his health, subse- 
 <pient to which lime he began farming on his 
 father's lan<l. continuing its o]KTation for alxjut 
 four years. In the meantime, having lost his first 
 wife while absent in the war, he was married 
 to Mi.ss Helen .M. liariies. their marriage iK-ing 
 celebrated in Concord township, <in the Sth of 
 Novemlier. iHitit. .She was a native of Kochester, 
 I'ulton county, Indiana, Ixirn Ncivemlwr 24, 1849, 
 a daughter of Klijah and .Sarah Manies. Ixith 
 of whom <lie«l during the earl\ girlho<K| of .Mrs. 
 Hougland. Her farther was a car|>enter and 
 joiner by tratie. .Mrs. Houglan<l was edu- 
 cated ill the scho<ils of Indiana ami Illinois, 
 ami by her marriage she became the 
 mother of seven sons: Ira, Ivlgar. diaries 
 and James Oscar, all of whom were Imihi 
 in I'.ates county, .Missouri; Silas, of this 
 review : and I'rnest and F.arl, twins, w lir> were 
 born in Concord township. Inxpiois coiintx. .Mr. 
 and .Mrs. Kli Hougland made their home in Iro- 
 <|Uois county for almut a year after their mar- 
 riage. subse<|tient t<> which time he purchased a 
 farm of one hundriil and sixty acres in I'.ates 
 county. .Missouri, and removing to that place 
 made his home there for alx'Ut eight vears. when 
 he again returneil to Iro(|Uois county, having 
 traded his property in Missouri for one hundred 
 and fifty-four acres in Concord township. This 
 has since been his home to the present time 
 and he is numbered among the prominent farmers 
 of this section of the state. His first presidential 
 vote was c.nst for .\braham Lincoln in i8f>o, 
 and he and his wife are meml)ers of the Cnited 
 r.rethreii church. 
 
 Silas Hougland was early trained to the lalxirs 
 of the farm, and during the winter months he 
 pursue<l his education in the comuKin schools 
 near his father's home. He remained uiuler the 
 ji.-irental riM>f until he had reacheil man's estate, 
 when he st.'irted out in the business world on his 
 own account by operating land which lK"longe«! 
 to his father and graiulfather in i8<>i>. On the 
 30th of January. l«jno. he and his bride com- 
 menced hfMisekecping on his father's farm, where
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 they still live. He keeps everything about the 
 place in good condition, while his fields have been 
 placed under a high state of cultivation, so that 
 he annually gathers good crops therefrom. In 
 addition to Itis general farming interests he like- 
 wise engages in raising stock for the market. 
 
 On the 3d of January, 1900, occurred the mar- 
 riage of Mr. Hougland and Miss Mary E. Goosey. 
 who, like her husband, is a native of Iroquois 
 county. Their marriage has been blessed with an 
 interesting little son and daughter, George Leslie 
 and Mabel Alarie. Both Mr. and Airs. Hougland 
 are popular young people and have a wide circle 
 of friends in this county, where they have spent 
 their entire lives. 
 
 GEORGE \\'. BRAINARD. 
 
 George \\'. lirainard, a representative of the 
 grain trade in Donovan, was born in Kankakee, 
 Illinois. July 13, 1853. He is a son of William 
 Brainard, a native of Cuyahoga county, Ohio, 
 born in Cleveland, whence he came to Illinois 
 at an early day, settling at Kankakee before 
 there were any railroads in this part of the state. 
 He married Lydia Jane Woods, who was born 
 in Kalamazoo county, Alichigan, and came with 
 her parents to Kankakee, Illinois. Her father 
 was Alonzo Woods, who entered from the gov- 
 ernment a half section of land, upon which the 
 Kankakee hospital now stands. The farm which 
 he bought for a dollar and a quarter per acre he 
 afterward sold for one hundred and twenty- 
 five dollars per acre, and he owns lots in 
 Donovan. 
 
 No event of special importance occurred to 
 vary the routine of farm life for George W. 
 Brainard in his boyhood and youth. At an early 
 age he became familiar with the task of plowing, 
 planting and harvesting, and he remained at 
 home until 1877, when he came to Donovan, 
 where he has since been identified with shipping 
 interests. For six years he was engaged in the 
 purchase, sale and shipment of poultry, which he 
 bought and dressed and shipped to New York, 
 buying as high as ten thousand dollars worth in 
 a single year. On the expiration of that period he 
 
 formed a partnership with a Mr. Johnson in a 
 general merchandise venture and on selling out 
 bought lots, upon which he erected a building 
 twenty-two by fifty feet. He carried on general 
 merchandising there for five years and about 
 five years ago he took charge of the elevator for 
 L. T. Hutchins & Company, since which time he 
 has built on a clipper room. He handles corn, 
 oats and other cereals and is controlling an 
 extensive trade at this point. He has bought lots 
 and built a fine home in Donovan. 
 
 The lady who bears the name of Mrs. Brainard 
 and presides over his attractive home was in her 
 maidenhood Aliss Alary Alta Donovan. She 
 was born in Kankakee, Illinois, in 1876 and is a 
 daughter of Frank Donovan. The\- now have one 
 child, Leslie True. Both Mr. and Airs. Brainard 
 are quite prominent in fraternal circles in this 
 town. Air. Brainard belongs to the Alodern 
 ^^'oo<lmen camp and to the Alasonic fraternity 
 and his wife is Oracle Woodman and matron in 
 the Eastern Star chapter. Pie holds inenibership 
 in the Alethodist church and his political support 
 is given to the republican party. He helped to 
 organize and was one of the first members of the 
 board of trustees, has been township clerk, was 
 supervisor of Beaver township for eight years, 
 and cliairnian of the board of supervisors for two 
 terms. Plis public service is commendable be- 
 cause of his fidelity to a high standard of con- 
 duct in office, and in the business world he has 
 attained a creditable measure of success, while 
 throughout his entire life he has manifested those 
 sterling traits of character which endear man to 
 his fellowmen. 
 
 TPIOAIAS ASKEW. 
 
 Thomas Askew, deceased, commanded the re- 
 spect, good will and confidence of all who came in 
 contact with him. He was bom January 10, 
 1822, in Westmoreland, England, his parents be- 
 ing Richard and Elizabeth Askew, also natives of 
 England. His father was a farmer with whom 
 he spent his boyhood days, assisting him in the 
 work of the fields when not in school up to the 
 lime of his marriage, which occurred in 1846.
 
 IRDOUOTS rnUNTY. If.I.IN'olS. 
 
 '^'5.^ 
 
 Mr. Aski'w was united in iii.uii.il;' i" .mi>^ 
 Isabella Taylor ami ilicn tuRaKol in I'arniinK un- 
 til the fall of 1849, when, thinking that he inight 
 enjov better business opportunities in the new 
 world for he hail heard must favorable reports of 
 the conditions here, he sailed for America. Mak- 
 injj his way into the interior of the coiuitry he 
 was en}.ja{jed at farm lalior in Kankakee until 
 i85'>. In the meantime he had saved his earn- 
 ings and made arrangements for his wife and 
 two children to join him in the L'liited States. Ac- 
 cordingly they left their native country in the fall 
 of 1851 and, after landing on American shores. 
 Mrs. Askew and her children journeyed as far 
 west as Buffalo, New York, but found that the 
 lakes were frozen over and traffic had ceased so 
 she could not join her luisljand until the spring of 
 1852. In 1856 Mr. Askew rented a farm in 
 ]>eavcr township. Iro<|uois county, and in 1859 
 took up his abode in the tirst house he had ever 
 owned, it standing in the midst of forty acres 
 which he had purchased. He then resolutely took 
 u]) the task of improving the pro|;erty, working 
 from early morning until late evening anil i)Utting 
 forth earnest and strenuous effort to ac(iuire suc- 
 cess. He carefully cultivated his fields and, as 
 the years passed by, was enabled to add to the 
 property from time to time, until he Ix'came the 
 owner of a good farm of two hundred and eighty 
 acres. Me certainly deserved much credit for 
 what he accomiilished as his success was honor- 
 ably won and his life record may well serve as 
 an example and source of inspiration to others, 
 showing what may be accomplished 1>\ do- 
 termined and honorable purpose. 
 
 The marriage of Thomas .-\skew ami IsalK-lla 
 Taylor, which was celebrated in Westmoreland, 
 England, on the 6th of May. 1846. was blessed 
 with a family of nine children, namely : Richard 
 (;. : John ; John T.. Jr. ; Dion .-\. ; Wellington C. ; 
 Kdward; .\gnes E. ; Maud M. ; and George C. 
 'Hie second son. John, died during .Mrs. .Xskew's 
 stay in New York in 1852, while (leorge l". 
 passed away in 1884. The others are still living 
 and Wellington C. now owns and operates the 
 old homestea<l farm which l)elonged to his 
 father. The mother died in the year 187W. and 
 Thomas .Xskcw jiassed away in i88<j. after a 
 residence of forty years in Illinois. His fellow 
 townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, fre- 
 38 
 
 <pu"iili\ i.iiu'i II11I1 I'' jiimiu ' tilt t' .iiiti in- ^ti\i-i| 
 
 as supcrvi.scjr, highway commissioner, justice of 
 the |K'acc, school trustee and school director. He 
 was a democrat in fiolitics and was loyal to the 
 lK;st interests of his community and the institu- 
 tions of his adopted country. He held member- 
 ship in the Christian church and his life was 
 upright and honorable. 
 
 WII.IJ.\.\I E. ALr.KKiHT. 
 
 William E. .Mbright, who i> engaged in gen- 
 eral farming and in the raising of |)olled .\ngxis 
 cattle and Norman horses, making his home on 
 section .^4, .Martinton township, was Ijorn in Kan- 
 kakee. Illinois, .\ovember i,^, iHdy. His father, 
 Charles I". .Mbright. a native of ( lermany. came to 
 America in 1853. settling first in ( Hiio. where he 
 resided until iHiitt. when he removed ti> Kan- 
 kakee. Illinois. He big:in farming here and lived 
 in the vicinity of .Martinton until alK)ut three 
 years ago. when he removed to Waldron. Illinois. 
 His wife, who bore the maiden name of So- 
 phronia Nabb and was born in ( )hio. died in 
 K/33. In their family were nine children, all of 
 whom are yet living. The father holds memlK-r- 
 ship in the Masonic lodge, also the Inile|)endent 
 ( )riler of Odd I-'ellows and the .Modern WtxNlmen 
 camp. 
 
 William E. .Mbright acquired his education in 
 the city schcnds of Kankakee and came to Iro- 
 (juois county alxnit 1887. settling in .Martinton 
 town.ship. I le was engaged in fanning by the 
 month for two years and then began farming on 
 his own account i)y renting land in .Xshkum 
 townshi]! for .seven years. He afterward settled 
 in -Martinton township. Kankakee county, where 
 he lived for one year, since which time he has 
 rentc<l two hundred acres of lan<l on section 34. 
 .Martinton township, Iro<|nois county, which is 
 llie pro|erty of William Scoon. Mr. .Mbright 
 owns a residence antl other property in .Martinton 
 townshi)). which he rents. His time and energies 
 are given to gmeral agricultural |:ur>uits and 
 stock-raising and he has brought his fielils under 
 a high state of cnltivatinn. In connection with 
 the raising of the cereals best adapted to soil 
 and climate he als,) raises [x»Iled .Xngiis cattle.
 
 >54 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Norman liorses and a liigli ,t;"'"'"lc of hogs, and he 
 tinds tliis a profitable source of income. 
 
 -Mr. Albright was married in ^lartinton town- 
 ship, in 1893, to Miss Lena E. Scoon, who was 
 born here in 1868. Her father. James Scoon, 
 came from New York at an early day in the 
 development of Iroquois county, took up his 
 abode witliin its borders, broke the land and 
 built a home. His wife, who in her maidenhood 
 was ]\Iarv Thompson, was born in \'ermont. 
 
 Mr. .\lbright gives his political allegiance to 
 the republican party. He served as collector of 
 Ashkum township for one term and in April. 
 T906, was elected supervisor of Martinton town- 
 ship, so that he is now filling the oiifice at the 
 present time. He is an energetic farmer, of good 
 Inisiness capacity, thoroughly conversant with liis 
 line of work and meeting therein a creditable 
 measure of success. 
 
 F. FRONVILLE. 
 
 F. I*"roiiville is a retired agriculturist living in 
 the village of Clifton and a representative of one 
 of the pioneer families of Iroquois county. His 
 parents. Joseph and Catherine (Theiry) Fron- 
 ville, were natives of Belgium and became resi- 
 dents of this county in 1856 when the work of 
 settlement and develojjment had scarcely begun 
 here. Their son, the subject of this review, was 
 l^orn in I'.onefYe, Belgium, April 12, 1838, and 
 was therefore a youth of eighteen years at the 
 time of the emigration of the family to the new 
 world. 1 Ic had acquired only a limited educa- 
 tion in his native land and since 1856 he has re- 
 sided continucfusly in this county, being actively 
 associated for manv years with its agricultural 
 'nterests. 
 
 In 1862, at Clifton, he married Miss Rosalie 
 Ponton and unto them ten children liave been 
 bf)rn : Rosalie, now the wile of .\lfrcd Cailtue.x, 
 a farmer of Clifton townshi]) ; Louise, the wife 
 of Joscpli Detour, a resident farmer of .\shkuni 
 townsliip; Mary, the wife of Louis .Schultz, a 
 farmer living near Watseka ; Eugene, a mail car- 
 rier of .\slikum township; Malina, deceased: 
 Fmile, wiio oijeratcs his father's farm in Clifton 
 township : .\millia, at hoiue ; Louis, who married 
 
 Eugenie Petit and rents one of his father's farms 
 in Chebanse township ; Josephine, the wife of 
 George Prault, a farmer of Ashkum township; 
 and Eliza, the wife of Emile Matby, a farmer of 
 Ashkum township. After losing his first wife 
 I\[r. Fronville was again married on the 21st of 
 July, 1902, at L'Erable. Illinois, his second union 
 being with Clementine Mazy, a daughter of 
 Henry and Catherine jNIazy, of Clifton. 
 
 Mr. Fronville is an independent democrat and 
 has filled various local offices in creditable man- 
 ner, serving as highway commissioner for six 
 years, as school director for a similar period and 
 as pathmaster for eleven years. He is a member 
 of the Catholic church of Clifton and has made 
 his home in the town since 1902. Throughout 
 his active business life his time ^nd energies were 
 devoted to general agricultural pursuits and the 
 years witnessed his accjuirement of a comfort- 
 able competence, for he i^now the owner of two 
 hundred and thirty acres of land in Clifton town- 
 ship and one hundred and sixty-two acres near 
 Elreno, Oklahoma. He likewise owns his resi- 
 dence on Second avenue in Clifton, two houses 
 on Third avenue in Clifton and one in Ashkum.. 
 His property interests are thus valuable and are 
 as a monument to his life of thrift and enterprise. 
 
 EDWARD M. LYON. 
 
 Edward M. Lyon, a resident farmer of Ridge- 
 land town.<hip, started out in life on his own ac- 
 count when fourteen years of age and has since 
 l>een dependent u]ion his own resources, so that 
 he well deserves the praise that is implied in the 
 term "a self-made man." All through his life he 
 has worked diligently and persistently and he is 
 now successfully cultivating the Lyon liomcstead 
 farm of one hundred and sixty acres. A native of 
 this countv. he was born in (")narga township, 
 ( )ctol)er 17. 1866, and is a son of Lloward Lyon, 
 a native of \"ermont, who came to Illinois in 18^14 
 and who is mentioned on another page of this 
 work in connection with the sketch of his son. 
 James A. Lyon. 
 
 lulward M. Lyon was one of five brothers and 
 was reared in the usual manner of farm lads of 
 the locality and period. At the usual age he liegan
 
 MR. AM) MRS. I'. IR( iW II.I.K.
 
 . .HE 
 i^!;VhRS!!V Of ILLINOIS
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 ''•57 
 
 attciulinp the district schools ami when a youtli 
 of fourtw-n he worked out as a fann hand for 
 thirteen dollars per month. He was employed in 
 that capacity for eleven years, at the end of 
 which time he was married on tiic 8tl> of October, 
 |8<>I. to Miss Sadie Heller, a native of Irrxjuois 
 comity and a dauKliter of (ieorge llellcr, wlio 
 was bom m Missouri, whence he came to Illinois. 
 He lived for some time in Inxjiiois county but is 
 now residing: in Hlooniin!.jton. 
 
 Following his marriage .\lr. Lyon located upon 
 a rented fann, which ne cultivated for three years. 
 He then worked out by the month for a year, at 
 the end of which time he took up his al)o<le upon 
 his father's farm. On the expiration of that ]k'- 
 riod he removed to his present i)lacc of resiclcnce 
 and it has since been his Ijome. The lalxjr tliat lie 
 has Ijestowed upon the place is manifest in the 
 g;<x>d results which have followed it. He has 
 erected some substantial buihlings here and has 
 tiled the fields, thus draining them of all sujier- 
 fluous moisture and greatly adding to their pnv 
 ductiveness. Altogether he lias a valuable farm 
 and he raises good grades of stock as well as rich 
 crops of corn and other cereals. 
 
 I'nto Mr. aand Mrs. Lyon have been bom four 
 children: Howard K., Mildred. Esther and Mer- 
 rill. Mr. Lyon has been a meniIxT of the ( >dd 
 Fellows lodge at Onarga since 1895 and in politics 
 he is an unfaltering advocate of democratic prin- 
 ciples. While his life history is not marked by 
 events of unusual occurrence but on the contrary 
 has been passed on the more quiet plane of busi- 
 ness life, he has nevertheless manifested a spirit 
 of willingness, of persistency anil of tliligcnce, 
 which are most worthy of emulation and which 
 have proved to him the source of a gratifying 
 success. 
 
 W. F. OKTM.W. 
 
 \V. F. Ortman is a wxirthy representative of 
 the agricultural interests of Martinton township, 
 where he owns one hundred and sixty acres of 
 land. He was born in I-a|)orte count), Indiana. 
 August I, 1864. a son of William Ortman, who 
 was Ijorn in (iemiany, and after coming to the 
 I'nited States followed farming lx)th in Indiana 
 
 and in this stale, where he ownc<l one hundred 
 and sixty acres of land in .Martintnn tciwnsliip. 
 making that his hume until a few years prior to 
 his lUath. which occurred in l^joy He made all 
 of the improvements u|>on his fami and was 
 always a hard ' ' '. nwn. His 
 
 wife l)orc the 1 ime Itackus. 
 
 She was \r>rn in Holland and by lier marriage 
 iKvame the mother of twelve children, all of 
 whom still survive. 
 
 W. I'. ( )rtman was a little lad of eight years 
 when he acci>in|Kinie<l his parents on their re- 
 moval from Indiana to Iro<iuois county. He was 
 reared to agricultural life, assisting his father in 
 the develojiment and improvement of the home 
 I'lace, while through the winter months he at- 
 tended the tlistrict scIwxjIs, thus acquiring the 
 education which fitted him for an independent 
 business career. He remained with his parents 
 until he reached the age of twenty-two years, 
 when he started out to make his nvm way in the 
 world. iK-ing eini>luyed by other-; during the 
 four succeeding years. Carefully huslianding 
 his earnings he was at length enabled to begin 
 business on his own account J)y renting the Gad- 
 <lis farm for two years, subsetpient to which time 
 he ojx'rated his father's property for two years. 
 He prospered in his work and accumulated the 
 competence which enablecl him thirteen years ago 
 to purchase land, Ix-coming owner of eighty acres 
 on section 24. .Martinton township. He tiled the 
 land and made many other improvements in the 
 way of fences and buildings, and has since lieen 
 engaged in famiing and stock-raising, making a 
 specialty of Jersey red hogs. He has since added 
 to his original jnirchase <ine eighty-acre tract 
 located on section 23. He laid alvnit four hun- 
 dred rods of tile on this land and made many 
 substantial improvements, and is now leasing the 
 pn>perty. which brings to Imui a givxl annual 
 rental. 
 
 .Mr. t )rtnian was married in this township in 
 181^4 to .Mi'is Libb Kdison. who is a native of Iro- 
 <|uois county. J)orn in 1873. The marriage has 
 iK-en blessed with two children: Lester, eiglit 
 years old. and Lyie. three years of age. In his 
 |)olilical views Mr. Ortman is a democrat, and 
 Ivis served as commissioner of district No. 4, 
 while he lias likewise Ix-en drainage commis- 
 sioner. .Mr. Ortnun started out in tlie business
 
 658 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 world without capital but through his honesty, 
 industry and economy he has worked his way up- 
 ward until he is today one of the substantial land- 
 owners of IMartinton township and is numbered 
 amonsf its best citizens. 
 
 RICHARD GILBERT ASKEW. 
 
 Richard Gilbert Askew, deceased, was for 
 many years one of the prominent and influential 
 citizens of Iroquois county, connected with the 
 agTJcultural development of Deaver township. 
 He was born in England in 1847 ''"d wdien a little 
 lad of four years was brought to the United 
 States by his mother, his father, Thomas Askew, 
 having come two years previously. Landing in 
 New York, the family there spent the winter of 
 1851-2 and then proceeded to Kankakee, Illinois, 
 by lake after navigation opened in the spring. 
 They remained there one year and then took up 
 their abode in Beaver township, Iroquois county, 
 on a farm comprising one hundred and sixty 
 acres, which has since remained in possession of 
 the Askew family. 
 
 Our subject remained with his father during 
 the periods of his boyhood and youth, accompany- 
 ing the family on their various removals after the 
 emigration to the new world. He commenced 
 farming on a forty-acre tract adjacent to his 
 father's fann and made many improvements 
 thereon by tiling the land, fencing the fields and 
 erecting substantial buildings, lie also added 
 to his property until he became the owner of two 
 hundred and forty acres. In 1893 he built a mod- 
 em residence, containing seventeen rooms, sup- 
 plied with every convenience and accessory for 
 the comfort of the occupants. Through a long 
 period Mr. Askew engaged in carrying on gen- 
 eral agricultural pursuits and stock-raising, hav- 
 ing good grades of hogs as well as Durham cat- 
 tle, which he raised in large numliers. He was 
 a very successful business man, accomplishing 
 whatever he undertook, so thai when called from 
 this life he left to his family a v.ihi;d)le est.ile. 
 
 While conducting extensive Inisiness interests, 
 Mr. Askew also found time to devote to public 
 affairs, serving as supervisor of his township for 
 two terms and also as road commissioner for a 
 
 time, while for thirty years he filled the ofifice of 
 school director, the cause of education ever find- 
 ing in him a warm and stalwart friend. He gave 
 his political support to the prohibition party, thus 
 indicating his views on the temperance question. 
 He held membership in the Christian church, 
 which he joined at the early age of eleven years, 
 and he lived a consistent and upright life, adher- 
 ing to high and noble principles. He died sud- 
 denly January 29, 1905, being struck by a pas- 
 senger train, and in his death the county lost one 
 of its valued and honored citizens, his family a 
 devoted husband and father, and his associates a 
 kind friend. 
 
 In Newton county, Indiana, in 1872, ]\Ir. 
 Askew was united in marriage to ■Miss Emma 
 Griffith, who was likewise a native of England, 
 born in 1853, whence she came with her parents 
 to America in 1856, being a little maiden of only 
 three years. Her father, Thomas Griffith, fol- 
 lowed fanning in Indiana, where he owned two 
 hundred acres of land, making his home in that 
 state until he passed away. His widow, who bore 
 the maiden name of Eliza Bartholomew, was born 
 in England and is still living at the very advanced 
 age of ninety-one years. I\Irs. Askew was reared 
 and educated in Indiana, where she made her 
 home until her marriage. She is the mother of 
 five children : Cora, who is engaged in teaching 
 school ; Orren E., who operates the old home- 
 stead farm ; Arthur, at home ; Myrtle, who is also 
 engaged in teaching; and Bernice, at home. In 
 1903 Mr. Askew erected a beautiful residence in 
 Donovan, containing thirteen rooms, supplied 
 with every modern convenience and accessory. 
 Here Mrs. Askew is now residing with her chil- 
 dren, surrounded by a large circle of friends. 
 She is an estimable lady and presides over her 
 pleasant home with gracious hospitalitv. 
 
 ORREN E. ASKEW. 
 
 ( h-rm E. .Askew, the eldest son of Richard G. 
 and Emma (Griffith) Askew, was born in Beaver 
 townsJiip, September 28, 1875. He was reared on 
 the homestead fann, wdiere he remained through- 
 out the period of his boyhood and youth. He at- 
 tended the common schools and later obtained a
 
 IKuyUOIS COUNTY. ILLIN(JlS. 
 
 liberal college training. In njoj. lie was uiar- 
 rii-(i at I'.urika. Illitu)is, to Miss C"arric ^•■ 
 
 who was born in Mci.can county, tbis statt 
 
 they bavc bcfonic the parents of three children, 
 W-rnon. Tbolnia and \ocl. 
 
 Alter their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Askew took 
 up their alKnIe upon a farm of eiuhty acres Iw- 
 lonyinfj to bis mother, and after the diath of his 
 father he took charjje of the honiestead. In con- 
 nection with its cultivation he is enjja>;ed to some 
 extent in the raisinjj of ^joo*! jjrades of stock and 
 Ixith branches of his business are yielilinj; profit- 
 able returns. He is an energetic and cnterjirisinR 
 •^ man. justly meritinj; the snc^ li he 
 
 'vv eiijoyiiij^. l'"ollowin}i in tlit ;■> of 
 
 bis father .Mr. .\skew >;ivcs his political sui)|K>rt 
 to the i>rohibition party and is a member of the 
 Christian church. He and his wife are jKipular 
 yoHUK people and the hospitality of their pleasant 
 home is ffreatly enjoyed by many friends. 
 
 I'1".I"1.U Kr.SSKL. 
 
 IVler Kns^el v. .i> \'<r m.inv years a k ; 
 and respected re|iresentalive of farminj; inti- 
 in .\rtesia to\vnshi]i. his honie bein>^ on .section 
 J.V He came to this ciamty fmrn C'bicaijo in 
 iWk). His birth occtirred in lierm:m-. ^l;lrcl1 
 8, i8jS. and there he spent the da\ - liild- 
 
 IiimhI anil youth, receivinj; lilteral t ' 
 
 advar.tai^es. ><• that he (gained ;i ji;in«l ki 
 of Ixith the (ierman and Kn^lish toni;ne-<. Ac- 
 conlinn to till ' f his ciinntr\ ' ! his 
 
 time in the '. '■n;\ l:el' re . ; tn 
 
 the new world 
 
 The xear 1^55 wiinoed lii>. arri\al m the 
 I'nitetl ."states and. traveliii)^ westward, he joined 
 his brothers in C'hicajjo, where for three years 
 bf \\.-is coiniected with them in business. He then 
 t Mil c- to IriMjuois County ;uid invotetl in land, 
 liecomin^; owner of a raw tract of three htmdred 
 and twenty acres in Artesia township. ."siMin, 
 however, the wikl prairie was converted into 
 Rno*! fields. He turned the furrows, planted the 
 ■ ■ ' an<l in due course of time gathered rich 
 -. There he followed farmiu); for :d;out five 
 years, after which he soUl that |iro|KTiy and 
 l)oU(;ht the pl.ace where his family now resides — 
 
 a tract of four tiunilrcd acres on smtiIoii j^\, 
 .1 township. It. t iiid 
 
 It came into his ;. v.. ^ uly 
 
 destitute of impri*vements, but so«in tlie breaking! 
 
 plow hail done its work, fences 
 
 dicate the lioundaries of hi^ '' • 
 
 the land mto fii-lds and ii- 
 
 had jilaced the yrciler part ..1 the In 
 
 cultivation. The land i- n 'in. ill' • , • i.l 
 
 when opcrate«l acconlin 
 
 farmini^ res.MMnU readilv .iiid miHom-l, n. ..u 
 
 care and labor l;e-i">M ■' ii • n ■• N'- k.i-.l 
 
 built a conurodiou- 
 
 put uf> barns and >■■ .ill 
 
 a tenant linn-i :i;irl .u- 
 
 erty. He 
 
 pl.uttin^j uiilil iiojo iveic iMi\c-.li.d lit til Lite 
 
 antuir.n and in connection with ibc !'lliii' ..f the 
 
 soil he raised and fe«l piMid (;ra"l He 
 
 ^7iined a wide acijtiaintance in ImiiIi InHiii''!-- and 
 
 l-"ord comities and his last years were s|K'nt in 
 
 Artesia township, his death •■ccurrinii .\u5iust 
 
 fi. iS<,o. after which his rem.iins were laid to 
 
 rest in lincMiA iriritrrx.a snbst.inlial ii;oiiii'i-.i-nt 
 
 markiu); li iterment. 
 
 Mr. Kn>^il \\.i> married in ('bica^;o, ( V-tober 
 jj, iWo. to .Miss Kllen Smith, who was Imihi 
 in Miami county. Ohio, and was there reared, 
 .•she was a dauiibter of Kdw.ard Smith, an earlv 
 scttl. r ..f tb< I'.nckexe state, and afterw;ird a resi- 
 (1. imty, Illinois. .Mr. and .Mrs.Kns- 
 
 ^el I.H..1M.C i!h- paretits of a son and ilanj:hter: 
 W . U. Knssel, who is ennaged in the har<lw<>iKl 
 IuuiIkt business in (Irani! Rariids. .Michigan, and 
 is married and has three children, Carlisle, 
 Dorothy (iertrude and .Marjorx ; and .Mary .\.. 
 who is a \omiv; lady of gnrMl education. iK'iiig a 
 jrraduate of the Women's Colleiie of ISaltimore, 
 Maryland, of the class of 1171)4. .She possesses 
 excellent bm^iness aliility and is of much assist- 
 atJce to her mother. .*she is a j;reat lover of 
 flowers, shrubs and plants and most iKMUtiful 
 specimens of floriculture a<lorn their place. 
 
 After her husband's death .Mrs. Knssel took 
 ch:ir;;e of the f,'irm and has manifested excellent 
 ability in its ninnaf;ement . Mr. KusscI was a 
 republican in |M>litics but without aspiration for 
 office. He was rearetl in the l.uther.-m faith but 
 attende<l the Metluxlist |-'pisco|>.-il church of 
 Itncklex with his family .md he k-avc neneronsly
 
 6fx. 
 
 PAST AXD PRESKXT OF 
 
 ill sii|)])c)rt of otlier churclies. His co-operation 
 and assistance could always be counted upon to 
 further progressive ])ublic movements. He was 
 a gentleman of lilx-ral education and broad mind 
 and became a most loyal American citizen, mani- 
 festing- deep attacliment for the stars and strijies 
 and for the various institutions of our republican 
 government. In his business life he prospered 
 and to his family he left a valual)le jjroperty. for 
 there is no better investment than Illinois farming 
 land. 
 
 ()CTA\E PETIT. 
 
 Octave Petit, an active, energetic farmer who 
 owns and CHlti\ates one lumdred and sixty acres 
 of land on section kj, Ashkum township, and also 
 has thirtv acres on section 36 of the same town- 
 ship, where he resides, was born October 2^ . 
 i8C)6, and is the eldest .son of Adolph and Ma- 
 tilda ( Pasken ) I'etit, both of whom were natives 
 of Belgium. They came to the United States 
 in 1856 and located near Clifton, Illinois, where 
 they resided until iS^t, when they removed to 
 Ashkum township, settling on section 36. Upon 
 the old homestead farm the widow still resides, 
 but Mr. Petit passed awa\- in igo5. In their 
 family were the following named: Octave, of 
 this review ; Alexander, a farmer living on sec- 
 tion I, Danforth township; Zilia, the wife of 
 James Sousie, a farmer living on the old Petit 
 homestead ; .\ntoinette, the wife of J. D. Lanone, 
 a genera! merchant of .Marshall, Minnesota; Ma- 
 tilda, who is with her mother; and Joseph, a 
 farmer living on section 30, .\shkum township. 
 As the years passed by the father prospered, be- 
 coming a substantial farmer, .\lthough he was 
 in limited financial circumstances when he crossed 
 the Atlantic he was possessed of a handsome 
 competence at the time of his dcatli. 
 
 ( )ctave Petit received good educational priv- 
 ileges and was amply trained in farm labor upon 
 the old homestead, gaining thereby a practical 
 knowledge that has been of much benefit to him 
 in later life. He has always followed farming 
 and, receiving some assistance fnnn his father, 
 is now in very comfortable circumstances. He 
 lives on section 36, .Ashkum townsliiji. where 
 he owns thirty .acres of land, and he also has 
 OIK' hundred ;ind sixty acres on section it), which 
 
 is well developed and cultivated and brings to 
 him a good financial return. 
 
 Mr. Petit was married Februarx- 3, iSyi. at 
 L'Eralile. Illinois, to Regina Lenione, a daughter 
 of David and Celina ( Desseau ) Lemone. Three 
 children grace this marriage : Lucien, Dorcna 
 and Adolph, all yet under the jiarental roof. 
 
 Mr. Petit casts an independent ballot, although 
 he is somewhat in sympathy with the democracv. 
 He has served as school director for the past 
 nine years and is still in the olifice. He belongs 
 to Ashkum lodge, Xo. 2782, .M. W. A., also 
 to the k'orresters cam]3 of L'Erable. and he is a 
 zealous and faithful communicant of the Catholic 
 church at L'Erable. 
 
 JAMES WILSOX KERX. 
 
 James Wilson Kern, engaged in the practice of 
 law at Watseka. was born near Bedford. Indiana, 
 September 24, 1865, his parents being Alvin 
 Green and Elizabeth E. Kern. The father was a 
 farmer by occupation and was a veteran of the 
 Civil war. The son acquired his earlv education 
 in the common schools of Indiana and pursued 
 his more advanced literary course in Eureka Col- 
 lege at Eureka. Illinois, matriculating in the fall 
 of 1883. He pursued the classical work and was 
 graduated in June. 1887. with the degree of P)ach- 
 elor of Arts. Preparatory to entering upon the 
 profession which he has made his life work he be- 
 came a student in the law school of the Universitv 
 of Michigan in the fall of i88y and was graduated 
 from that institution in June, i8go, with the de- 
 gree of Bachelor of Law. In Xovember follow- 
 ing he entered u])on active practice in W'atseka, 
 where he has since remained and a distinctively 
 rei)resentativc clientage has been accorded him, 
 connecting him with nincli important litigation 
 tried in the courts of the district. A clear thinker, 
 a logical reasoncr. careful in his anaKsis and 
 thorough in the i)re]>aration of his cases, he i)re- 
 sents his cause in court with a power that never 
 fails to impress court or jury and seldom fails 
 to win the desired verdict, .\fter serving for one 
 term as city attorney he was elected state's at- 
 torney for Iro(|uois countv in i8y6 to serve for 
 a term of four years, and was re-elected to the 
 office in T(;oo.
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 66i 
 
 On the 30tli of June. 18S7. Mr. Korn was mar- 
 ried to Miss Caddie A. Davidson, of luireka, Illi- 
 nois, and tlie\ now have two sons, .Mnrrcl .\. ami 
 Lowell n., the fonuer ntiw in Seattle, Washin^j- 
 toii. .Mr. Kern helongs to the Modem Woothnen 
 camp, the Knitjht- of I'vtlnas fraternity :ind to 
 Mary commandery. His politic.il alle;;iance is 
 }.jiven to the repiihlican ]iarty and few men who 
 are not active in jmlitics are lietter informed con- 
 cerning^ the iKilitical status and the issues before 
 the people, yet he has never been an aspirant for 
 office outside the strict path of his profession. 
 
 In politics, as in iiis chosen calling, lie ha-- an eye 
 to practical results and not glitteriiifj generalities. 
 He is public spirited in citizenship, especially in 
 that movement towar<l bijjher jjoliiics which is 
 common to lioth jwrties and which constitutes the 
 most hopeful |)olitical sig" "f the |KTiod. He 
 is regarded as an alJe. faithful and conscientious 
 minister in the temple of justice, while his i)rivate 
 life has brought him a circle of friends that causes 
 him to be classed with the popular citizens of 
 tile countv.
 
 z. 
 
 7~ly%
 
 ISTOI^IC/M.. 
 
 INTRODL'CTORY. 
 
 In tlic preparation of this historical sketch of 
 lnM|iiiiis county. \vc have not hcen cniharrassed 
 by the ileartli. hut llie abundance of material, 
 extant. There are many' pha.scs of the past and 
 present of the county \vc have been unable to 
 inncii for want of time and space, in present- 
 ing; this sketch \vc make no claim to originality, 
 but have assimilated dat.'L fi>un<l in tlie autol)ioL;- 
 raphy of (iurdon .">. ilubbard, lli-tury of Iro- 
 c|uois County, published by 11. W. lleckwith & 
 Son in 1880, the county records an<l the file-. 
 of the Watseka Republican. 
 
 We desire also to express i)ur j^ratitude for 
 the valuable ciintril)Utions of Major M. H. 
 I'eters and Honorable I-'rank 1. Mann and iIk- 
 assi.stancc reinlered l»y Major Gctirpe C. llar- 
 rinj^'rti and others. J. W. K. 
 
 rHAI'Tr.R I. 
 CirRDi i.\ ."-. iiL i;i;.\kiJ. 
 
 .■\t the threshold of the civilization of Ir<H|nois 
 county stands (iurdon S. Hubbard. .\n ex- 
 tcn<led sketch of his life may seem out of place 
 within the narrow limits of a county history. 
 I)nt the stnry nf his life is worthy of a place in 
 ail) volume which records the dcetis of men 
 worthy of ennilation an<l my only regret is that 
 space com|iels me to make it all Uto brief. 
 
 • 1111 111 Ml .'>.iiUTi>t.ni i iiwiiiaru \\ ii~ m iri: m \\ iml- 
 
 sor, X'ermont, .\uj,'u>t jj. iK«ij. His father was 
 a lawyer who, having li>st his pro|)erty in ill 
 advised si)eculation, nrnved his family to .Mon- 
 treal, Can.ula, in 1K15. Here he fmmd th.it he 
 could not pr.ictice his profession until he had 
 resided in the Dominion for a perioil of five 
 years. To help win fur the family a bare exist- 
 ence the lK>y tnrneil peddler, buying from the 
 fanners the reninants of their load- of produce 
 and peddling it ibruugh the tuwn. The ca)>ital 
 with which he embarkeil in this enterpri.se was 
 twent\-five cent>. which he Imrroweil from a 
 kindly dis|H.se<l neighlmr. \vl in one winter 
 he realized one hundred dollars, which went 
 into the family treasury. In i8i<>. he went t<i 
 work in a hardware store where he reniaincd 
 until the spring of 1818. W hen he leanietl that 
 ;i .Mr. .Matthews, agent for The American l"ur 
 C"om|i;iny. had been instructed to employ a dozen 
 young men as clerks and i>ne hundred voyagers 
 anil rejtort at .Mackinaw, .Michigan, yomig Hub- 
 bard <lelennined if ]iossible to join the exjiedi- 
 tion. 111' \\:is but sixteen years of age and 
 though no one was to be employed who was not 
 eighteen \e;irs old or more, yet he nianaged it 
 so cleverly that he not only obtained his par- 
 ents' consent but secured the |>ositioti without 
 any deception. He was engaged for a term of 
 five years at a salary of one lumdred and twenty 
 dollars a year. 
 
 The ex|K-i|ition started on the i.^h of .May 
 and arrive<l at .M.ickinaw July 4th. Ilnis forty- 
 seven days were rc<|uire<l to bring the heavily
 
 668 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 crabapples, but they now came to tlu- Muskegon 
 river and Dufrain again got his bearings. They 
 waded the river, the water being waist deep and 
 full of floating ice. They soon came to an old 
 abandoned Indian camp where there was a 
 scaffold containing some old mattings. Pulling 
 these down they hastily constructed a rude shelter 
 and gathered wood for a fire when it was dis- 
 covered that Dufrain, who carried the flint and 
 steel, had lost them. 
 
 Dufrain immediately gave up in despair and 
 began to cross himself and to say his prayers, 
 and indeed there seemed nothing left for them 
 to do. for death by freezing seemed inevitable. 
 Their clothing was frozen stiff upon them, they 
 were exhausted and almost famished. But the 
 true test of courage is to refuse to acknowledge 
 defeat imtil every means has been exhausted. 
 Young Hubbard refused to give up. He cut 
 hemlock boughs, got more of the old matting, 
 rijjped open their packs of goods and used 
 everything in the way of cloth for a covering, 
 then lying down close to each other and covered 
 with their blankets and cloth, he was soon over- 
 joyed to find the ice melting from their cloth- 
 ing from the warmth of their liodies. (ireatly 
 reassured, they fell asleep and did nut awaken 
 until sunrise, ^\■hat followed is belter told in 
 Air. Hubbard's own words. "W'e did not feel 
 hungry but were very weak and neither felt in- 
 clined to move. W'e knew the Indians could not 
 be far away but we were not capable of making 
 the effort to save ourselves. .My rnvn reflections 
 of the responsibility resting upon me and 
 tlioughts of my widowed mother and of mv 
 brother and sister linalU nerved me to make tlie 
 effort. I told Dufrain that we must get up and 
 go to the camps. With great difficulty T aroused 
 him and put on his snow shoes and then after 
 ])utting our packs upon the .scaff'okl, started on 
 the marcii. About noon we struck a fresh snow 
 shcje track. I knew it iiad been made b\- a Inmlei 
 and by following the liack track we should reach 
 the lodges. Dufrain was not in the least moved 
 1)y this good fortune, but was stupified and in- 
 clined to stop. Intent on my progress and for 
 a time forgetting my comrade, 1 advanced as 
 rapidly as possible and on looking back I found 
 he was not in sight, k'nr a moment I deliberated 
 whether to return m- \<t cnntinne on ni\ wav. 
 
 Aly own strength was fast failing and I feared 
 delay would be certain death. I resolved, how- 
 ever, to make a last eft'ort. I turned back and 
 found him lying asleep in the snow. I tried to 
 arouse him, but finding my attempts useless, I 
 dug away the snow, wrapped him in his blanket, 
 with mine over him and started on, conscious 
 that I might soon be in the same condition. I 
 felt no hunger but was very weak. Still I moved 
 on, reeling like a drunken man. Xew tracks and 
 the barking of a dog told lue I was nearing a 
 lodge, which gave me new strength to advance. 
 Soon I was gladdened by the sight of a solitarv 
 hut and in a few minutes more I was sitting 
 on a bearskin within. It was occupied bv 
 a middle-aged Indian who had his arm bandaged, 
 his squaw and four children. I sat and waited, 
 the usual custom of the Indians being to set before 
 ■Strangers something to eat, but seeing no move 
 in that direction, I told the squaw that I had not 
 eaten for four days and nights. She exclaimed, 
 "W'e, too, are hungry. Aly husband broke his 
 arm."" But she immediately opened a sack and 
 took out a small portion of pounded corn which 
 she stirred into a kettle of water and placed over 
 the fire to boil. As soon as it was ready she gave 
 lue a small quantity. Supping a little I found it 
 was difficult for me to swallow. This fright- 
 ened me and I lay down and slept. I was 
 awakened by the sipiaw who gave me more soup. 
 I wanted more but she told me to lie down and 
 sleep, that she would wake and give me more 
 after while, which she did. 1 was awakened 
 again after dark. I was very much refreshed 
 lint very sore and lame. ( )n my telling them 
 of Dufrain's sitnati<.)n the squaw parched what 
 corn she had left, pounded it and we maile preji- 
 arations to go after him, though I had no idea 
 of lni<ling him alive. \\'hile we were getting 
 ready the l!ulian"s ohlest son, who was away 
 Inmting, came in bearing a cub. Preparations 
 were at once made for a feast. Upon learning 
 who I was and that Dufrain had been left be- 
 hind, the boy offered to go with me. and ;d>out 
 midnight, when the moon rose we started. W'e 
 reached Dufrain in aI)out an iiom-. lie was 
 warm but apparently lifeless. Ily much eft'ort 
 we aroused him, but he insisted in remaining 
 where he was and closed his eves and went to 
 slee]) again. It reciuircd our utmost effort to get
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. II.I.IN'OIS. 
 
 U»t 
 
 liiiii ii|)i>i) his iivt ami b_v >li<>ri sta^;i> Im j^ii 
 him to the cani|i jusl as the sun rose. \\c mailc 
 liiin as ci>iiifortal)lc as |><>ssihlc ami hy feoiliii^j 
 liim a little even few niiiiutes. revived him. Me 
 fjaiiietl sIdwIv ami it was a week lK-lnr< lu \\:is 
 able to sit up. Durinjj my ten cla\ 
 eaii).jhl from one to a dozen |)artri<lj;e^ in ti.ips 
 each (lay which, tojjether with what the 1mi\ 
 ha<l killeil. furnisheil us a sufficiency of fixxl. 
 I felt that 1 could remain no Ioniser. 1 con- 
 structed a sled u]M>n which to draw i)ulrain and 
 with the yoiuiR Indian to assist mc. wc started. 
 .\fter three da\s of the most severe toil, over hills 
 and thr^>uj;h thick uiiderj^'rowih, we reached our 
 tradini; house, our invaliti having liorne the 
 journey remarkably well." 
 
 Diifrain never left the cabin a^aiii tuuil they 
 carried him to a canoe to return to Mackinaw. 
 He ilied ami was buried on the way. 
 
 The next winter Hubbard had char^je oi an 
 outfit with heail(|uarters on the Kalamazoo river 
 o[>iM>site to where the city of that name now 
 stands. Nothinj; unusual <>ccurred at his post 
 that winter. He visited a week at Mr. Kinzie's 
 home at I'hicajjo and made a call on his nearest 
 nei(;hi>or, .Mr. Robinson, who was a trader on 
 (jrand river. This visit is an illustration of how 
 impossible it was for Mr. Hnhb:trd to relin(|uish 
 p. ]>ur|)ose once forme<l. He reacheil the south 
 branch of (irand river to find the bottoms tliH)ded 
 but frozet; over. The river was hi^h ;md tilln! 
 with tloatinR ice. There was notbinj^ to do one 
 would think but to return home, but not so with 
 him. L'ndressinj;. he made his clothes in a 
 bundle, fastened them to his neck and swam 
 across. Dressing (piickly he slarte<l on a run 
 and was soon (|uite warm ajjain. 
 
 Arrivin^j at .Mackinaw Hubb:ird ;ij,'aiii ten- 
 tiered his resi^^iation and was a^ain refused. He 
 wanted very imich to return to his mother and 
 there was nothing; to keep him exccj>i ''i- "'ird 
 hut with him that was sufficient. 
 
 The followinj; winter he had char>;e of a |h'sI 
 on the Illinois river at a |xiint souk- distance Ik- 
 Ii'W Peoria. Here he s|Hrnt a sticccssful winter 
 and a;jain returned to Mackinaw. The follow- 
 ing winter, .Mr. I'lulK-au haviiiR clied. he was 
 given the jKtst at I'nreau Point, where he a^ain 
 met his Indian friends. Waba anrl ShaulK'uee. 
 This vear was exceedingly j;ih>«I and he collected 
 
 »i man\ Imi'% th.it he id to m.tke tuo 
 
 trips to (.'hicano to tr-n , iiem. This year, 
 
 for the first time, a portion of their furs were 
 shipped in a small •>.!;■ -el. In the fall 
 
 .Mr. ilul>l)ar<l w.is dit.i ike cliarj-e of the 
 
 lriM|U')i> c<iiinir\ ami instead of going by the 
 way of Chicajjo they went by the way of St. 
 Joseph river to a |H>int near where Sotith Mend, 
 lixliana. is locateti. inade the portage of a few- 
 miles to the Kankakee river, down the Kanka- 
 kee to the lro<|uois and up the IriMjuois to a 
 lK)int near where W'atseka now stands. The 
 first winter sjunt within the present limits of 
 IriMjuois Comity seems to have Inren si>ent with- 
 out an incidents which .Mr. Hubltanl thought 
 worth ri*cording. I-'or Ix'yond s|i-:iking of 
 his friendly relations with an op|K)sition trader 
 by the name of Uhabare and of a week s|icnt in 
 (1uca(.jo, he inciilenta!l\ mentions the fact that 
 his business was i|uite satisfactory. 
 
 He returned again the follow itig autmiui ami 
 loc.'ited at or ne;»r the present site of the village 
 of lrix|Uoi?.. He had succeeded .Mr. Ueschamp 
 as su|>erintendent of the Illinois trading |iost« 
 of the .\merican I'lir Company. He tleterminc<l 
 to trans|Mirt his gcniils from Chicago on pack 
 horses direct to the Indians at their htniting 
 groumls instead of carrx them from posts along 
 the waterwjiys on the backs <if his uk'H. .Mr. 
 Hubbard says that in iKj2 he established a 
 direct i)ath from IriM|uois |>osl to Hanville and 
 "1 now exteufleil it to a |K>int aUnit one humlred 
 and fift) miles south of Danville. This trail 
 iKvame the regularly traveled mute and was 
 tlesignated on the old maps as I lublartl's trail." 
 
 .Some have thought that .Mr. Hubbard is in- 
 correct as to Iun dales, he not having locateil 
 at his "old Ir(K|uois post, now called liunkum," 
 until 1H24. Hut in iHjj, as we have related, 
 he was liK-ated Ik-Iow Peoria on the Illinois river. 
 His trade that \ear was with tbe Delaware and 
 KickaiMHi Indians and the Kicka|>oo Indians 
 were Imateil on the Wabash river. Mr. Hnl>- 
 kird made many journeys to that country of 
 which he makes no mention.' and a trip to the 
 KickajMHi counlr> by water to the Irotpiois |>ost, 
 thence south over the mnv historic Hublkird's 
 trail, would not ap|K-al to bint as being a matter 
 of s|Kvial interest to the readers of his memoirs. 
 
 Ill ibi- uiiiiii' III" i.Vi! i| llu' ( iiMU'ral \--
 
 670 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 sembly located a state road from \inceiincs to 
 Chicago and from Danville to Chicago. The 
 commissioners adopted Hubbard's trail most of 
 the way. The route through this county is b>- 
 the way of Monieiice to Beaverville, Iroquois 
 and Hoopeston. 
 
 In the spring of 1825 it became necessary for 
 :\lr. Hubbard to go to Chicago. He decided to 
 go on horseback to the mouth of the Iroquois 
 river and there swim the Kankakee. He started 
 with two Indians. All went well until they came 
 to a small stream which had overflowed its 
 banks upon which a new covering of ice had 
 formed during the night. The Indians laid 
 down and slid themselves across. He rode his 
 horse to the stream and reaching forward with 
 his tomahawk broke the ice ahead of him, the 
 horse walking on the under ice until he reached 
 the middle of the stream when his hind feet broke 
 through, the girth gave way and the saddle 
 slipped off behind carrying him with it. Before 
 he could regain his feet he was carried by the 
 current between the two coverings of ice and was 
 carried swiftly down the stream. In vain he tried 
 to regain his feet and was almost ready to give up 
 hope when his hand came in contact with a willow 
 bush, ^^■ith this for a support, he stood up and 
 bumping the ice with his head broke through. 
 ''The Indians," he says, "were greatly astonished 
 at seeing me come up through the ice. I recovered 
 my horse and saddle and returned to my trading 
 house with no worse results than wet clothing 
 and a bruised head." 
 
 He and one of his men then took a small 
 canoe and paddled down the Iroquois to the 
 Kankakee river and started on foot for Chicago. 
 It was a misty, foggy day and they became lost. 
 They at last met an Indian who gave them the 
 right direction. The Indian had a muskrat. 
 which they lx)ught of him and it was all the 
 two had to eat for two days. He tells a story 
 which illustrates the rude humor of these early 
 times. "We were in a state of semi-starvation 
 that spring, having to live almost entirely on corn. 
 I had a large domestic cat which enjoyed the 
 freedom of the store. I discovered that he had 
 been gnawing the ends of scjme valuable furs, 
 so I took my rifle and slu)t him. 1 took him to 
 the Indian cook and tuld biin that llu- skin wnuld 
 
 make him a nice tobacco pouch. Just before 
 dinner I went out and asked the cook what he 
 had done with the cat. He answered by point- 
 ing to the kettle in which the corn soup was 
 boiling for the men's dinner. I laughed but said 
 nothing. At dinner I declined to eat and said_ 
 that they might have it all. They ate with great 
 relish and when they had finished I asked them 
 if they knew what they had eaten. "Yes," they 
 said, "wildcat.'' When I told them they had 
 eaten old Tom one of them said, 'It made no 
 difference, it was good,' but the other tried hard 
 to rid himself of what he had eaten by thrust- 
 ing his finger down his throat but without suc- 
 cess; the old cat would not come up." 
 
 After the expiration of his five years' con- 
 tract with the American Fur Company, ?klr. 
 Hubbard received a salary of thirteen hundred 
 dollars a year. During the five years he sent 
 to his mother each year eighty dollars or two- 
 thirds of all he earned. He was now able to 
 provide for her more liberally, which he did. 
 At the end of the seventh year he was made a 
 special partner, which added greatly to his in- 
 come. He still continued to occupy his post at 
 Iroquois but made frequent excursions to other 
 points. 
 
 I cannot refrain from giving one or two more 
 stories as recounted by himself for they, as do 
 those I have already recorded, give an insight 
 into the character of the man. 
 
 "One cold day in March, 1827, I went to 
 Beaver lake for a hunt. The fall previously I 
 had hidden a canoe in the vicinity of the lake 
 about thirteen miles from my trading house. I 
 hunted until nearly dark and thinking it too 
 late to return home 1 camped for ihe night on 
 a small island in the lake. Sometime in the 
 night I awoke in great pain and found my fire 
 had nearly gone out. I replenished it but the 
 ])ain ct)ntinued being more severe in my legs 
 and b\' morning was so severe that 1 could not 
 I'each in\ canoe. About two o'clock an Indian 
 came down the lake. 1 called to him and with 
 his assistance reached the main land. I sent 
 the Indian to lro(|uois with instructions for my 
 men to bring a hor.se and harness, which they 
 did. I liad l!u' horse hitched to the canoe and 
 myself placed witliin. I soon found I could not
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILI.INOIS. 
 
 r.71 
 
 stand the jarriiij^ cif tlic caiuic as it was ilranj;c<l 
 oviT till- ruujjli f^niiiiul. I sent a(;:iin Id IriH|uois 
 I'lir two MKiri- nx-n. ( )n tlioir arrival tlu'v cim- 
 structcd a sort of litii-r of polls and Mankcts 
 upon which tlu-y Ixirc nii- safely antl (juilc coni- 
 fiTtahly home. 1 was contined to the house for 
 three or lotir weeks with a severe attack of in- 
 tlaniatory rheuniatistn and from which I did not 
 fully recover for eighteen tihuiths." 
 
 I hink of a man walkin;.^ from irminois to 
 Heaver lake for a day's hunt exi)ectin>j to return 
 on f<Kit the same day! Distance seemed to hold 
 no dread for this man. lie was known amon^ 
 the Indians as I'a-pa Ma-ta-he, the swift walker, 
 .md it is recorded that at one time he covered 
 -eventy-fjve miles in one day on foot. 
 
 While slowly recovering from his attack of 
 rheumatism and awaiting the return of some 
 Indians who owed him lor pHids. two white men 
 appeareil with a wa^jon-load of corn meal and 
 whiskey. Hubbard warned them that the In- 
 <!iaiis would ;;et drunk ami wouM rob anil prob- 
 ably murder them but they refused to listen. 
 Hubbard had his men watch for the Indians and 
 when they came he jjave them their dinner and 
 look them into his storer<M)m, collected what they 
 owed him and traded for their furs. He says: 
 "The Indians soon discovered the camp of the 
 two men and commenced tradin;.; the j^ihmIs they 
 had got of me for whiskey. .Vs 1 had antici- 
 pated, the Indians soon got drunk and lieing 
 .•ingry because they had nothing more to ir;ide, 
 they began to take back their blankets ami gcMxls. 
 The white men became greatly frightened and 
 came to me. I rcfusetl to interfere but sent two 
 of my men to empty the remaining kegs of whis- 
 key. The Indians Ix'came enraged an<l stabbed 
 one of my men in the back though not .severely. 
 The Indians got back all their goo<ls and the 
 white nieu made their escajH? with their horses 
 .ind wagon. The Indians came to my house and 
 demandeil niore whiskey, which of course was 
 refused them. They all lay <lown and went to 
 sleep except their leader. Yellow lleail. He 
 came to me .several times coaxing anil threaten- 
 ing. He finally said he w< uld break into my 
 storehouse and take as mtich as he wanted. I 
 said. "Xerx well, go on.' I (jot up. tiM)k my rille. 
 thrust it through the paper which served for 
 window glass, and as he reacheil the store, drew 
 
 39 
 
 a k^id on him and called to him to go 011 and 
 break in. lie changed liis mind and walked 
 awa\. I again la> down and in a few minutes 
 he returned verj angry and walking up to my 
 bunk attempted to stab nic. Kiit I was t<Ki quick 
 lor him. Lame ;is I was I jumped up. seizeil 
 bis arm, took the knife away and pushed him out 
 of doors. Outside the <Io«>r was a large mortar 
 with a heavy iron-wooil [lestle. 1 leaned on one 
 crutch against the mortar willi my hand on the 
 IX'Stlc. Yellow Head felt in his leggin.s for 
 anotluT knife, when I said to a squaw. '< iive the 
 old woman a knife.' She did .so but Yellow Head 
 ItMtking at the pestle silently de|:artei| with the 
 s<|uaws." 
 
 In i«-v«. .Mr. Hubbard settled at Danville. Illi- 
 nois, where he resideil until 1H34, though he 
 still retained his trading jiost at Iriwiuois. .At 
 Danville he conducteil a general store and also 
 tnided in hogs, gathering them up and driving 
 them to Chic.igo. Me continued his annual tri|>s 
 to Mackinaw, making in all twenty-six. Dur- 
 ing the summer of 1S30 he for the first time 
 visited his mother and family at .Middletown, 
 Connecticut. He brought his two sisters. .Mary 
 and .\bby. back with him to his home in Dan- 
 ville, where they resided until ha|)pily married. 
 He himself was married in 1S31, his wife dying 
 in 183S. He was again married in 1843. to .Miss 
 .Mary .\nn Hubbard, who still survives him 
 though now past eighty-six years of age. In 
 iS,^4 .Mr. Ilubb.ird moved to Chicago and was 
 one of the first trustees of that still insignificant 
 town. 
 
 It would be worth while to record his busi- 
 ness ventures, his misfortimes and successes, but 
 space will not j)ermit. He engaged successfully 
 in the packing business but lost heavily by tlu' 
 destniction of his packinghouse by fire. The 
 great fire of 1H71 ilestro\eil nnich of his property 
 and crippled him financially but left him snfliciiiit 
 for a comfortable ol<! age. 
 
 In May. iHS.v he lost the sigbi i-i ms u ii i\i:. 
 In the succeeding .\pril it was found necessary 
 to remove the cyelwll. though cight>-two years 
 old without an.Tsthetics or any one to hold his 
 liands. the sti-ady nerve and self-control en.ibled 
 him to lie down and have his eye cut out. In 
 Julv. 1X85. he lost the sight of his remaining 
 eye. but his counige and fortitude never forsook
 
 672 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 him. Attended by his faithful and loving wife, 
 he was always patient and cheerful and with an 
 inner vision looked beyond this earthly life and 
 with an unfaltering faith awaited the summons 
 which came at the age of eighty-four. 
 
 I feel tliat I have all too imperfectly repro- 
 duced in condensed form the life sketch of this 
 remarkable man. 1 would that every youth in 
 this countv could read the full history and ponder 
 well the lessons it would teach. There is hardly 
 a virtue he did not possess and he was a stranger 
 to vice. It does not seem possible that a man 
 who had spent his life in the wilderness could 
 in an\" great degree be looked upon as a man of 
 culture, but he was a born gentleman. He was 
 genial, svmpathetic, sociable, charitable and 
 tolerant, and always courteous and dignified but 
 approachable. He was a good neighbor and a 
 true friend. Such was the man who blazed the 
 wav for civilization to follow and take posses- 
 sion of this beautiful county of ours. All honor 
 to his memory and peace to his ashes. 
 
 CHAPTER H. 
 
 ORGAXIZ.VTIUX UP THE COUNTY. 
 
 Iroquois county is the only county in the United 
 States having the name "Iroquois." a name 
 originally applied to a confederation of tribes 
 of North American Indians, the "Iroquois." 
 According to tradition, a band of Iroquois In- 
 dians were once surprised and defeated upon 
 the banks of the river now known as the Iro- 
 quois, by a war party of Illinois Indians, hence 
 the name of the river ami ci)\mty. 
 
 Another story which is said to have been re- 
 lated to Gurdon S. ilul)l)ard by the Indians, not 
 only explains why the name "Iroquois'' became 
 associated with the river ;md cuuntv, hut gives 
 the origin of the name "W'atseka:" 
 
 "Many years ago tlie Iroquois attacked an 
 Indian village situated on the b;niks of the river 
 a few miles below the old county seat. Middle- 
 port, and drove out the occu])ants with great 
 slaughter. The fugitives were collected in the 
 night time some distance away, lamenting their 
 disaster. A won.ian, possessing great courage, 
 
 urged the men to return and attack the Iroquois, 
 saying the latter were then rioting in the spoils 
 of the village and exalting over their victorv ; 
 that they would not expect danger from their 
 defeated enemy, and that the darkness of the 
 night would prevent their knowing the advance 
 upon them. 
 
 The warriors refused to go. The woman then 
 said she would raise a party of squaws and re- 
 turn to the \-illage and fight the Iroquois; add- 
 ing that death or captivity would be the fate of 
 the women and children on the morrow, and that 
 they might as well die in an effort to regain 
 their village and property as to submit to a more 
 dreadful fate. She called for volunteers and the 
 women came forward in large numbers. Seeing 
 the bravery of their wives and daughters the 
 men were ashamed of their cowardice and be- 
 came inspired with a desperate courage. A plan 
 of attack was speedily formed and successfully 
 executed. The Iroquois, taken entirelv una- 
 wares, were surprised and utterh- defeated." 
 
 The heroine of this story is said to have borne 
 the nan;e W'atch-e-kee. and that in honor of her 
 bravery, the tribe in council ordained that at her 
 death the name "\\'atch-e-kee" should be he- 
 stowed upon the most accomplished maiden of 
 the tribe, and thus from one generation to 
 another. 
 
 Be this as it may, certain is it that this part of 
 Illinois was early known to the Coureurs de hois 
 and Indian traders as the "Iroquois Country." 
 
 Iroquois county is bounded on the north Ijy 
 the county of Kankakee, on the east bv the State 
 of Indiana, on the south by \'ermilion and h'ord 
 counties and on the west by Ford county. Iro- 
 quois comity in area ranks thirds in the state, 
 being thirty-five miles long by thirty-two miles 
 wide, and containing one thousand one hundred 
 imd twt'uty square miles, having in area but one 
 hundred and thirty square miles less than the 
 state of Rhode Island. It contains twenty-five 
 ti.wnships. thirty-three election ])recincts and 
 twenty-one incorporated cities and villages and 
 about fourteen villages and hamlets not in- 
 corporated. 
 
 The territory embraced within its ])resent 
 lidundaries has been sulijected to various stages 
 of ])olitic;d evolution imtil the ])re^ent county 
 organization was perfected. Under the charter
 
 IIKST I'KESIIYTKKI.W t lllKC II IN OXAKr.A.
 
 UNWERSITV OF ILLINOIS 
 
 *
 
 IROQl'OIS COUNTY. HJ.IN'OIS. 
 
 of 1609 supportetl liy (icncral i,i.iiK~ ...miin^j 
 \ir}4;iiiia laid claim U) all llii: c<>uiili\ in.rili aiul 
 west of the ( )hio river and organized it as tlic 
 county of Illinois. In the vcar 1784. \ir>^nia 
 surrcndercil her claims to the territory ti) the 
 government of the United States. This vast 
 domain afterward became kimwn a< the North- 
 west Territory. While the Illinois country was 
 still a part of the Northwest Territory, in the 
 year 1790. we find the Iro<|uois country a part 
 of the county of Knux and so omtinued until 
 I'ebrnary 3, 1801. when it became a part of the 
 county of St. Clair, belonj^ini; tu the Indi.ina Ter- 
 ritory, liy act of conj^ress ajipnived l-ebruary 3, 
 1S09. the Illinois Territory w.as established. Said 
 act provides: '"That from and after the first 
 day of March next, all thai ])art of the Indiana 
 Territory which lies west of the Wabash river 
 and a direct line drawn from the .said Wabash 
 river and past \ incennes due north, to the terri- 
 torial line between the L'nited States and Canada, 
 shall for the i)urpose of temporary jiovernment. 
 constitute a separate territory ami bi' called 
 "Illinois." 
 
 This county continued to be a part of .^t. 
 Clair county until the 14th of September, 181J. 
 when upon a reorganization it became a ]).irt of 
 Madison county and remained a i)art of the 
 oiunty of Madison until the 28th of .November. 
 1814, when it became a part of Edwards county. 
 In the year 1816 the Iroquois country JK'camc 
 a ])art of Crawford county and there remained 
 until Illinois was admitted into the L'nion in 
 1818. 
 
 When Illinois was ailmitted as a state she had 
 but fifteen organized counties and Crawford 
 county embraced all that part of the state ly- 
 ing north of a line running east and west near 
 the i)rescnt site of Louisville, Illinois, the county 
 seat of Clay county, an<l east of the third prin- 
 cipal meridian, which runs due north from the 
 mouth of the Ohio river. 
 
 .March 21. 1819, the territory embracctl within 
 the present limits of Inxjuois county became a 
 part of Clark county. In 1823 Kdgar county 
 was organized and what is now Inxpiois counl> 
 was attached to Kdgar, .ind it remained thus 
 until the county of \erniilion was organized in 
 i82r>. after which it was attached to N'ennilion. 
 where it remained until Iroquois county was 
 organized. I\-bruary 2(^. 1833. 
 
 <iur.il ill ^. ilubliard was :t rep!' irom 
 
 X'crmilion county in the eight g. -embly 
 
 of Illinois, 1832-1834. At tlial session he was 
 instrumental in pnK-uring the jwssage of ti>e .net 
 creating lro«|uois comity. The couiuy en>brace<l 
 all that territory lying north of its present south 
 line and east of its west line as now established 
 and extended north, in the form of a rectangie 
 taking in the greater |x>rtion of what is now 
 Kankakee county an«l almnt one-third of the ter- 
 ritory embraced within the present iMiumlaries 
 of Will county. .\s then established !ro(|nois 
 county extended from the north line of \cr- 
 niilion to the then >outh line of C'ook county. 
 Will county was create<l in the year l83'>, an<l 
 extended south to the Kankakee river, which 
 river, excei)t li>r a short distance at the north- 
 west corner of the coimty, Ix-came the n<jrthern 
 lx)undary of !ro<|uois county. 
 
 In the year 1833 Kankakee c<nnity was 
 cre.ited, carved in the main, from territory there- 
 tofore belonging to the counties of IriKpiois and 
 Will and thus Irtxpiois count \ was liuiiteil to its 
 present Ixiundarics. 
 
 In the years |83<> to i85t> incluMve a strong 
 efTort was niade to detach the southwest corner 
 of IriKpiois county an<l annex it to that part of 
 \ ermilion which is now a part of Ford omnty. 
 The scheme originate<l in I^nla, the object U-ing 
 to make the village of Linla the county seal of 
 a new cminty ( l"ord). 
 
 The imdertaking met with determincil opposi- 
 tion both in Inxpiois county and in prospect city, 
 now I'axton. the c<ninty seat of Fonl county, 
 and consequently failcil. 
 
 The latter part of .\ngust, 1821,* Gurdon S. 
 Mubbard. accompanied by his faithful com- 
 panion, Noel Vasseur, and others, left Mackinaw, 
 their destination lieing the InKjuois country. 
 They coasted I-ike Michigan in boats, and canw 
 bv way of the St. Joseph river, across the por- 
 tage of the Kankakee, down the K.mk.nkee river 
 to the mouth of the !r<Kpiois, thence up the lr«v 
 (|Uois river to the mouth of Sugar creek.* • .\ 
 vhort distance east of the mouth of Sugar creek. 
 
 • IluTP IH dnlJi Klv«'n In Mr. lliihbardH nulobloK- 
 ruiili.v IndlciilliiK that Iho dntp wim Aummi. 1S23. but 
 lh<' wcliilii <>f (be «>vld«'nc«' Ih oh »liitod In tho text, 
 
 •• It him iHH-n KBld thnt Mr llnbbiird camo via 
 
 ChU-nKo rIviT pn-xln!; the [KirtaKo l<i l>oi< I'lnlncii 
 rly,.r . . <• und InHjiuilB rlv<»r«. but 
 
 thU Is
 
 676 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 jMr. Hubbard built a trading house and erected 
 a fur press. This building stood within the pres- 
 ent limits of old ^liddleport. otherwise known 
 as West Watseka. This was the beginning of 
 civilization in Iroquois county. At this time 
 Htibbard was employed by the American Fur 
 Company, of which John Jacob Astor was the 
 leading spirit. Stories of the great wealth of 
 the Iroquois country in fur bearing animals had 
 reached Mackinaw, where were located the ware- 
 hotises of the American Fur Companv. Mr. 
 Flubbard says he came here to establish a busi- 
 ness in opposition to a trading house owned by 
 the Messrs. Ewing, then of Fort Wayne. This 
 post was located on the south bank of the Iro- 
 quois river, near the present village of Iroquois 
 and was in charge of one Chabare. 
 
 A\'hen Mr. Hubbard and his party landed at 
 the mouth of Sugar creek, they found nearbv, 
 located on the north bank of the Iroquois river, 
 a Pottawattamie village. They were well re- 
 ceived by the Indians. Colonel Hubbard occa- 
 sionally visited his friends, the Kinzies, in Chi- 
 cago. He also made excursions to the Indian hunt- 
 ing grounds as far south as the Little Wabash. 
 
 Later, perhaps about the year 1825, he estab- 
 lished a new trading post about a half a mile 
 north of "Bunkum," the present site of the vil- 
 lage of Iroquois. Like many others, who found 
 themselves beyond civilization and among sav- 
 ages, Colonel Hubbard deemed it prudent to ce- 
 ment his friendship with the Indians by marrying 
 an Indian woman, according to Indian custom. 
 For a wife he selected Watch-e-kee, a niece of 
 the Pottawatamie chief, Tamin/'Writing of this 
 circumstance he says : "I have no wish to deny 
 the fact of her being my wife, given me by her 
 uncle when she was about ten. in the place of 
 his own grown daughter whom he presented to 
 me, and whom I declined. This little girl was 
 to take her place, and was, under my pledge to 
 make her my wife, brought to me by her mother 
 at the age of fourteen or fifteen. She bore me 
 a daughter who died at about eight months old. 
 I lived with this Indian woman about two years 
 in harmony. Our separation was by mutual 
 agreement, in perfect friendship, and because I 
 was about to abandon the Indi.-ui tr.ule. and of 
 course mv connection with her tribe. 
 
 "Both thought each other's happiness would be 
 promoted by separation, as it doubtless was."* 
 
 COUNTY SIC.\T. 
 
 After the organization of the county, the next 
 year, February 24, 1834, a special election was 
 held to elect county officers. At that election 
 Samuel M. Dunn was chosen for the office of 
 sheriff, having received thirty-three votes. 
 Henry Eusleu received twenty votes for the same 
 office. John Hougland, \\"illiam Co.x and 
 Samuel .AIcFall were elected countv commis- 
 sioners, receiving fifty-one, forty-seven and 
 thirty-one votes, respectively. John S. Moore 
 was defeated, having received but twenty-four 
 votes. 
 
 Forty-four votes were cast for Micajah Stan- 
 ley for coroner. 
 
 The county commissioners on the 17th of 
 March following convened at the house of 
 Robert Hill near ]\Iilford, fixing that place as 
 temporary seat of justice. Hugh Xewell was 
 apjiointed county clerk, Samuel Rush assessor 
 and treasurer. 
 
 The county was divided into three road dis- 
 tricts. The first embraced all that part of the 
 county lying south of the line running east and 
 west between townships 26 and 27, or substan- 
 tially all that part of the county lying south of 
 the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad. The 
 second district contained all that territory be- 
 tween the first district and Beaver creek, and a 
 line extending from the mouth of Beaver creek, 
 
 * This Indian girl. Watch-e-liee. was born near the 
 present site of the village of Iroquois about the year 
 ISIO. She is said to have been a woman of superior 
 intelligence. About 1S2S she married Noel Vassuer, 
 who remained in charge of the post. After her tribe 
 left tor the west, she, with Vassuer, moved to Bour- 
 bonnais Grove. She was the mother of several chil- 
 dren. In 1837 she went west with a remnant of her 
 tribe and located near the present site of Council 
 Bluffs, Iowa, where she married a Frenchman by the 
 name of Bergeron. About 1S()3 she returned to Illi- 
 nois to visit Mr. Vassuer at Bourbonnais Grove, and 
 from there on foot and alone she journeyed to Iro- 
 quois county to visit the scenes of her girlhocKl. 
 "Sadly she left, as the last Pottawattamie to set foot 
 on the soil of Iroquois county." She died at the Pot- 
 tawattamie reservation in Kansas about the year 
 1S78.
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. II.I.IN'oiS. 
 
 '^1 
 
 wi-si t<i the Claims iiin.'. i iic unrd di^tiicl i\- 
 toiulcd from llic iii>rtli lim- nf tlic >ii-iin<l ^li^t^icl 
 t(i tlie Kankakee rivci 
 
 In Jmu'. 1S34. tlirir cIccUdu i<riciiutN wire es- 
 tal)lislK-(l witli the same l)<>im<laries as the road 
 districts. The south i)recinct was called "Snuar 
 creek precinct." with ))ollin^ ])lace at the )t<'nse 
 of John Xilson, late residence of Koherl Hill. 
 The north ]>recinct was called "Kankakee pre- 
 cinct" and the |H>llinj; ])lace was at the lionse of 
 William I'.aker near the ))resent site of Kankakee 
 city. The middle was called "lnH|iiois precinct" 
 and the house of David .Meij^s at .Montjjoinery. 
 was desif^nated as the pollinjj place. 
 
 r.\ an act approvetl Kebruary 10, 18.^5, Wil- 
 liam IJowen and Jose])h Davis, holh of \ ermilion 
 County, and l'hili|) Stanford, of Chami)aij;n 
 county, were appointed commissioners "to locate 
 the ])ermanent seat of justice of Inxpiois comi- 
 ty, and give it a name." The.se men neglected 
 to perform said duties. Isaac Courtright. of 
 near "liunkum." was a representative and a 
 memher of the tenth general assembly, iSj(t- 
 1838. He favored "liunkum" for the county 
 seat and secured the passage of an act naming 
 Noel X'assuer, of Will county, George Scar- 
 Ixirough and George Harnett, of X'ermilion comi- 
 t\, commissioners to locate the county seat. 
 
 April II, 1837, two of the ctnnnlissioners, 
 \'assuer and Darnett. met at the house of Wil- 
 liam Ariustrong in Montgomery and selected 
 twentv acres adjoining Montgomery on the 
 southeast as the site for the ])ernianent seat of 
 justice of the county. 
 
 This tract was accordingly i.oii\r\i-d to the 
 count \ commissioners and their successors, by 
 Amos White and William .\rmstrong. and the 
 site was called "Inicjuois." The county seat was 
 destined to remain at "Iro(|uois" but a short 
 time. No c«junty buildings were erected there, 
 hut offices were rented for the use of the 
 county officials in .Montgomery, and there the 
 courts were held and the county business trans- 
 acted so long as "InKpiois" remained the county 
 seat. 
 
 In 1838 Isaac Courtrigbt was agiiin a candi- 
 date for re-election to the legislature. He was 
 a man of strong char.icter and one of the leaders 
 of the democratic |)arty, hut tbronghoiit the 
 county there was general dissatisf.Ktion with 
 the location <>f the cnmitv seat at Montgomery. 
 
 and .Mr. Lourtnght was recognize«l as a strong 
 advocate of "lroi|uois," or in the event of a 
 removal, then he was known to favitr old Texas. 
 The County se.it (piestion became the issue in 
 the cam|iaign, and l.ouis Kola-rts, a whig of 
 .\sh (irove townsliip, was l^ecte<l over .Mr. 
 (ourt right to the eleventh general assembly of 
 Illinois. It may Ik- noted in passing that the 
 seconil session of this general as.semlily was the 
 first session ever helil at .Springfield, the present 
 capital. .Mr. Roberts j)rocure<l an enabling .-ict 
 for the re-location of the county seat, and a com- 
 mission was apjHiinted for that |)ur|xise. 
 
 .\boul the year 183O, it is said that s|)eculation 
 ran rife. Great schemes for public improvement 
 were |iromulgated. Several towns in the county 
 were laid out and platted and each one had its 
 advocates, urging its s|K'cial advantages for the 
 county seat. Concord, Milford. I'l.ito. Savana, 
 .Middleport, Point I'lia.sant and Inxjuois City 
 were aiming the applicants. I'lato was adver- 
 tised as being at the head of navigation of the 
 IrcMjuois river. The jirospectus sent east to in- 
 duce jK'ople to make investments in I'lato, showed 
 the picture of a broad river, leenung with shi|>- 
 ping and commerce. 
 
 .•Havana was located alRnit two miles n<jrth of 
 the present site of the village of Milford. Iro- 
 (piois City was laid oflf on the north bank of 
 the Iroquois river opposite Old Texas. Texas 
 was also a com|)etitor. Point Pleasant was li>- 
 cated on the lro(|Uois river at the mouth of 
 Sjiring creek, in the angle iK'tween the creek an<l 
 river. In an early <lay it was the site of an In- 
 dian village. Still another eligible site was dis- 
 covered alH)ut two miles south of Milford. 
 
 June 13, 1839, the commission eovrncd at 
 Mifldleport and on the 17th of the same month 
 submitted their re|x)rt to the county commission- 
 ers, declaring the county scat rem<»ved from 
 "Iroquois" and |iermanently located at ".Middle- 
 ]>ort." 
 
 Within the next few years a jail and court 
 house were erectetl in .Mifldleport. and there the 
 comity .seat remained until i8<i5, when it was 
 renujveil to its present location. The county seat 
 fight between Middle|Kirt and Watseka, or South 
 Middle|H)rt, was a long cirawn out and stublxirn 
 contest and one of the noteworthy events of the 
 county. 
 
 The In-ginning of Middleport dales from the
 
 678 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 landing of Gurdon S. Hubbard and the improve- 
 ments which he there made. It was an ideal 
 location, in the angle between the Iroquois river 
 on the one hand and Sugar creek on the other. 
 
 At the request of Hugh Newell and Jacob 
 Whiteman, Middleport was surveyed and platted 
 in December, 1836. It was incorporated as a 
 village April 16, 1859. 
 
 John Hogle, Wilson S. Ka\', B. F. Barnum, 
 D. B. Gardner and .\lfred Torrey constituted 
 the first village board. 
 
 Doubtless the count}- seat would have remained 
 at JMiddleport, and it would today be the fore- 
 most town in the county, had it secured the rail- 
 road, now known as the Toledo, Peoria & 
 Western. 
 
 The original line for this road was surveyed 
 through Middleport but some disagreement arose 
 as to depot grounds. 
 
 ]\Iicaiah Stanley, who was financially inter- 
 ested in the present site of Watseka, saw his 
 opportunity and was quick to take advantage of 
 the situation. He made a proposition to the 
 railroad ci)nipany which was accepted and the 
 road was built, on its present line, leaving Alid- 
 dleport off to the right. This sounded the death 
 knell of .Middleport as a county seat town, al- 
 though the actual removal of the cotinty seat 
 did not occur until some years later. 
 
 The county seat contest between the old and 
 new town was bitter. Strange as it may seem 
 to the present generation, familiar with existing 
 conditions, the passions of opposing factions ran 
 high in a contest, which fmm the verv nature 
 of things must inevitably finally be decided 
 against ]\Iiddlc]Jort. The people of Middleport 
 maintained that in as much as the county seat 
 had Ix'en permanently located there, and the 
 ciJimty had accepted one hundred town lots as 
 a consideration that it was inc(iuitable to renioxe 
 it, but finally the leaders of the fight for Middle- 
 port seeing nothing ahead but defeat, sought a 
 compromise location but here again thev failed. 
 
 The county seat was removed from Middle- 
 port to .Watseka in April, 1863, and the old 
 part of the present courthouse was erected in 
 i8f)f) at a cost of twenty-eight thousand dollars, 
 including the jail in the basement, on lots do- 
 nated for th;it purpose l)y Micajah !-^laule\-. 
 The contractor was .\mzi C Mantor, and it ma\' 
 
 be said to his credit, that his work still stands 
 as one of the best pieces of masonry in Iroquois 
 county. 
 
 .\s the business of tiie count}' increased from 
 \car to year, the courthouse was found to be 
 too small and steps were taken during the year 
 1881 to build an addition thereto. 
 
 .\ committee of the board of supervisors, com- 
 posed of J. G. Williams, W. B. Simonds, C, W. 
 Brown and E. Hitchcock on the 14th of Sep- 
 tember, 1881, submitted to the board three plans 
 for said addition. The third plan proposed was 
 the one adopted by the board. It provided for the 
 building of said addition on the south side of 
 tlie main building, the length of which from cast 
 to west, should be twenty-eight feet greater than 
 the width of the main building, or to extend out 
 fourteen feet either way from the sides of the 
 main building. The height, material and archi- 
 tecture to conform to the main building. I'ire 
 proof vaults for the county records were to be 
 built, additional room for the circuit and county 
 clerk's office, and upstairs a grand jury room 
 and a room for the board of supervisors. On 
 the 24th of October of the same year, this com- 
 mittee on behalf of th.e county entered into a 
 contract with William I'epperdine for the con- 
 struction of said addition, which was completed 
 the next year. The contract price was twelve 
 thousand seven hundred and seventy-five dollars, 
 with the exception of a few unimportant 
 changes, the court house remains today as it 
 was wlien this addition was completed, the base- 
 ment, however, is no longer used as the cjounty 
 jail. During the year 1893, the county erected a 
 new county jail and sheriff's residence, about 
 one block east of the courthouse at a co.st of 
 twent}-three thousand eight hundred and eight- 
 een dollars and forty-eight cents, which is a 
 credit to the count}-. 
 
 .\bont 2 o'clock of the mornirig of October 16, 
 i8fi6, manv of the records of the comity clerk's 
 ofiice were destroyed b}- fire. .\t that time tlic 
 county offices were tL'm])orarily located in build- 
 ings in the saute block and east of the present iMrst 
 Xational I'ank building in Watseka, awaiting the 
 building of the courthouse. This fire occurred 
 after the renioval of the count}- seat from Mid- 
 dlepdrl and was thought to be of incendiary 
 oritrin.
 
 IROnmic; COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 679 
 
 .\>;aiii on Suiulay alU-riiooii, Apiil 3. "jo.v 
 thf present cuurllitiuse was seriously ilaniancd 
 by a tiro whicli orijiinatcil in the counly clerk's 
 office. l-"i>rtnnalely llie vaults were closed and 
 no important records were destroyed. The 
 vigorous work of the city fire department doubt- 
 less saved the buildinij from t«)tal loss, as it was 
 ii cost the countN the sum of si.\ thousand one 
 hundred and seven dollars and fifty-two cents to 
 repair and refurnish the courthou.se. 
 
 The county received from insurance companv 
 on account of the fire the sum of one thousand 
 two hundred and eighty-one dollars and thirtv- 
 eiglit cents. 
 
 TIIK COLNTV I'AR.M. 
 
 The county farm is located about two and 
 three-fourths miles southeast of Watseka. ll 
 originally consisted of a two-hundred-ainl-thirty- 
 acre tract, purchase<l from II. I!. Ctjberly in 
 January. 1857, for tlir^c thousand one hundred 
 dollars. In December. 1887. an additional tract 
 of land of one luuulred and sixty acres was 
 purchased from Mrs. Mary James for five thou- 
 sand six hundred dollars. I'rior to March 24. 
 1875, it was the custom to rent the county farm 
 to a keeper and pay him a stii)ulatcd sum for 
 the care and keeping of the jjatients. This 
 method proved unsatisfactory and it is said the 
 board of sui)ervisors looked upon the county 
 farm with so little favor that they wnuid have 
 st'ld it. could they have found a i)urchaser. 
 
 ( )!i .March 24. 1S75. Isaac Cast took charge 
 of the county farm. He was the first sujjerin- 
 tiiulent to receive a salary. I'nder his manage- 
 ment the place became a valuable a.sylum for the 
 County's insane and unfortunates. Mr. Cast diei! 
 in 1886 and his widow, .Mrs. .Mary Cast, with 
 the assistance of Mr. John Wills, managed the 
 farm until .Man-h, i8<;i. when J. W. .Miller was 
 api)t)iiUed as her success<»r. .Mr. Miller w;is 
 succeeded in .M.irch, I'^o.i, b> John Wills, the 
 present superintemlent. 
 
 Mr. Wills niarrie<l the daughter of Mrs. Cast, 
 and by reason of his long exiK-rience is well 
 qualified for the d|itic.; of superintendent. 
 
 The keepers of the county farm have been 
 Samuel Porter. Thomas .Mason, Joseph Moore, 
 
 John .\sh. Isaac Ca.st, Mary Cast, J. W. Miller 
 and John Wills. 
 
 In 1871-7J a frame building of sixteen DMinis 
 was erecteil at the county farm and in 1877 a 
 brick building two stories high, twenty-five by 
 forty-eight feet, was constructed for the insane 
 patients. 
 
 .\t the sjiecial l-'ebruary session of the board 
 of supervisors in np2. on motion of F. F. lUt- 
 zow. of Loda. the count) farm oimniittee w;is 
 instructed to receive plans and sjK'cifications for 
 a new building to cost not to exceeil ten thou- 
 sand dollars. .\t the regtdar .SeptemlxT session 
 of the board, of the same _\ear, Richard K. 
 Mecnts. chairman <if the committee, rejiorted the 
 litting of the contract for the building to S. 
 Strader. of Danville. Illinois. The contract price 
 was eleven thousand eight hundred and forty- 
 eight dollars. He al.so reported thai the heating 
 contract had been let to I'rank II. I'urnhani at 
 one thousand seven hundred and five <lollars and 
 that the plumbing had been awanled to Joseph 
 I'ickens at four hundred dollars. 
 
 These ;tmouuts. with necessary extras made 
 the improvement cost fifteen thousand nine hun- 
 ilred and ninety-nine ilollars and twenty-nine 
 cents as shown by a re])ort of the conuiiittee to 
 the i)oard under date of I'ebruary 10, 1903. This 
 buihling is well adapted for the purpose autl 
 lakes the |)l;ice of the old frame building which 
 has been razed. 
 
 Lver since M.irch J4. 1S75. the cnumy has 
 pai<l the superintendents in ch;irge of the county 
 farm a .salary, and has hired the necessary as- 
 sistance to ojierate the farm. 
 
 During the last few \ears this expen.se has nut 
 from two thousand to two thousand two hun- 
 dred .'uuuiallx. .\ strict :tccount is kept of every- 
 thing raised on the farm and Iwiughi and sold, as 
 well as what is consumed an<l itemized rc|K>rts 
 arc submitted to the bt>ard. During recent \ears 
 the expense to the county of maintaining the 
 paupers, over and above the income of the farm, 
 h.is been from sixty to eighty cents for each 
 p.itient. The ninr.l)cr of inmates run from fift>- 
 five to seventy-five. .\t present there arc seven- 
 teen in-ane patients at the coimty farm. returne<l 
 from the Lastern Illinois Hospital for the In- 
 sane at Kankakee. Illinois, as incurable.
 
 68o 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 This farm with its equipment and under the 
 present efficient management of Mr. Wills is said 
 to be one of the best institutions of the kind in 
 the state of Illinois. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 EARLY TRAILS. 
 
 Transportation and distribution of commod- 
 ities it as essential to the well-being of man, as 
 production. The blazing of the trail is the fore- 
 runner of civilization. It is interesting to note 
 the evolution of the trail into a highway of com- 
 merce. Great transcontinental railroads have 
 been constructed along famous trails of the 
 pioneer. 
 
 In considering the oarlv events of Iroquois 
 county, two different trails deserve mention, the 
 one known as "Hubbard trail" and the other 
 "Butterfield's trail." (kirdon S. Hubbard in his 
 autobiography says : 
 
 "During the year 1822, I had established a di- 
 rect path or track from Iroquois post to Dan- 
 ville and now ( 1824) extended it south from 
 Danville and north to Chicago, thus fully opening 
 "Hubbard's trail'' from Chicago to a point about 
 one hundred and fifty miles south of Danville. 
 This trail ran through the counties of Cook, 
 Will, Kankakee, Iroquois and \'ermilion. pass- 
 ing the present towns of Blue Island, Home- 
 wood, P)loom, Crete, Grant, Alonicnce, Beaver- 
 ville, Iroquois, Hoopeston and Myersville to 
 Danville.'' 
 
 From Danville it extended southwest through 
 Vermilion and Champaign counties to Bement in 
 Piatt county ; "Thence south through ^Moultrie 
 and Shelby counties to lUue Point in Effingham 
 county." 
 
 This trail crossed the south line of Iroquois 
 county about three-fourths of a mile west of the 
 place where the Chicago & Eastern Illinois 
 Railroad now crosses the same line. 
 
 From the south line of the county the trail 
 extended north to a point a mile south of the 
 north line of the present townshi]) of .\lil- 
 fcjrd, tiiencc it angled to the ea.st following the 
 ridges until it reached .Montgomery (I'.unkuni). 
 
 From Montgomery, it extended in a north- 
 westerly direction passing near the present site 
 of the village of Donovan, near which was lo- 
 cated the famous Buckhorn tavern, an early day 
 wayside inn. 
 
 Another tavern was located near where this 
 trail crossed Beaver creek. 
 
 In 1834, the Illinois legislature caused a state 
 road to be laid out from \'incennes to Chicago, 
 and the commissioners appointed to locate the 
 road, in the main established it on the old Hub- 
 bard trail. 
 
 For some distance this trail followed the di- 
 viding ridges, separating the water-sheds of the 
 Illinois and Wabash rivers. Hubbard's trail af- 
 terward came to be known as the State road. 
 It is said from this circumstance, "State street, 
 Chicago, received its name. 
 
 Mr. Hubbard in his autobiography writes 
 feelingly of the last look he had of his well 
 worn trail. He says: "Through constant use, 
 bv horses and ponies and men, the path became 
 worn so deeplv into the ground that when I last 
 visited the vicinity of my old Iroquois post ( now 
 called Bunkum ) in the fall of 1880, traces of it 
 were still visible, and my grand-nephew, a lit- 
 tle lad of fourteen years, who accompanied me 
 on the trip, jumped out of the carriage and ran 
 some distance in the trail where I walked fifty- 
 eight vears before.'"* 
 
 In the midst of these familiar scenes, recol- 
 lections of other days, doubtless crowded in ufion 
 his memor\-. He would remember the pleasures 
 as well as the hardships of those years, when he, 
 in vears a mere boy, blazed his w-ay through the 
 wilderness and those companions who had 
 passei] on before him.** 
 
 About the year 1830, Ben Butterfield. who. 
 prior to that time liad resided near Danville, 
 Illinois, selectd a new location for a home near 
 the present site of Lockport in \M11 count\-. The 
 followinsr spring he again went to Danville to 
 
 * •■.■\t Crete a fence has been built ,iro\uul a por- 
 tion of this trail to in-escrve it as an old landmark 
 and relic of early roads and times." 
 
 ** Noel Vasseur died at Ijourbonnais Grove De- 
 cember 15, 1.S79, the year before .Mr. Hubbard made 
 his last visit to Iroquois. Mr. Vasseur's correct name 
 was probalily ".N'ool I^e Vasseur" but in as much as 
 Ml-. Hubbard uses the form "Vasseur" we have re- 
 tained it in these pages.
 
 IROQLOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 (»i 
 
 get his stock, ami rctiirneil to liis iumic near 
 Lockport by a new trail which afterwards Ikt- 
 canic kni)wn as ■■|!utterfield's trail." 
 
 This trail is said to have left the lluhhard trail 
 at a place called llicknel's point and hearing to the 
 west crossed the south line of the county aUiut 
 three miles west of the present site of the city 
 of Iloopeston, thence extending northwesterly, 
 crossed Spring creek at a point alM>ut two miles 
 northeast of the present village of lUickley. 
 thence following the general course of Sjiring 
 creek to a point near the range line, when the 
 creek turns in an easterly direction, thence 
 nearly north leaving the present sites of I'lato 
 and L'Erahle to the right, crossing I'r.iirie creek 
 west of the i)resent village of L'Krable, thence 
 north to Liingain creek, which was then called 
 ■'White Woman." The trail then followed the 
 south bank of l^ingam creek up stream to a 
 point about a mile east of where the Illinois Cen- 
 tral Railroad now crosses Langam creek, where 
 it crossed the creek. 
 
 The trail there extended in a nortlierly direc- 
 tion to what was known as Sammoiis Point. 
 The Kankakee river was forded at Hawkins. 
 
 It is said that for twenty years lollowitig the 
 close of the Black Hawk war. HulterJield's trail 
 was the greatest route for cattle and hogs in the 
 state of Illinois. .Much more might be said of 
 these two early trails, as well as of others of 
 minor importance, but sufficient has already been 
 stated to give the reader a general notion of 
 the early routes across the county, one of which 
 is now paralleled by the Chicago & l-iastcrn Illi- 
 nois Railroad, and the other by the Illinois Cen- 
 tral Railroad. 
 
 II.LI.VOIS CEXTR.\L K.\II.KO.\I>. 
 
 r.y an act of September jt), 1830, (g Statute 
 at large p. 466) congress ma<le certain grants 
 to the state of Illinois for railroad pur|Mises. 
 
 Section 1 provides: "The right of way 
 through public lands be and the same is hereby 
 granted to the state of Illinois for the construc- 
 tion of a railroatl from the southern terminus of 
 the Illinois and Michigan canal to a [Miint at or 
 near the junction oi the ( )hio and .Mississippi 
 rivers, with a branch t>f the same to Chicago, on 
 Lake Michigan, and another via the town of 
 
 (ialcnn in said state, to I)ubu(|ue in the state of 
 Iowa, with the right also to t;ike necessary ma- 
 terial of earth, stones. tiniU-r etc.. for the con- 
 struction t!ieret)f." 
 
 -Mso provides that the right >'i ».i.\ ^ii.ill not 
 excee«l one hundred feet on each "side of the 
 length thereof. 
 
 The second Neitmii i>l tin- .itt im'Mho that 
 there be granteil to the state of Illinois for the 
 |iuq)ose of aiding said railroa<l and branches, 
 every alternate section of lan<l designated by 
 even nmnbers, for six sections in width on each 
 side of said roa<l and branches, provided that 
 the lands shall in no case Ik; further than fifteen 
 miles from the line of the road. .\iid further, 
 that the work of construction should iK-gin sinnil- 
 taneously at its northern and southern termini 
 and contimied from each of saiil points until 
 complete* 1. 
 
 The fourth section of the act provides, that 
 said road and branches shall be and remain a 
 jiublic highway for the use of the governntent 
 of the Cnited States free from toll or other 
 charge u|xjn the transportation of ain i>ro)Krl\ 
 or troojis of the L'nited States. 
 
 It was further provided that if the road sliould 
 not be comi)leted within ten years the grant 
 .should be forfeited: that the L'nited States mail 
 should be transiMirted on saiil roail under the 
 direction of the jxtstoftice department, at such 
 price as the congre.ss may by law direct. 
 
 To Senator Stephen .\. Douglas more than 
 t(> any other man are we iiulebted for this legis- 
 lation which made the Illinois Central Kailroa<l 
 possible. The grant was accejited and the legis- 
 lature of Illinois by an act passe<l I-'ebruary 10. 
 1851. incoriMirated the Illinois Central Kailro;id 
 Company and in return for the grants ami fran- 
 chi.ses the company was b\ law reipiired to |>ay 
 into the slate treasury .senii-ainiuall> a sum of 
 money e<|ual to seven \kt cent. <if tlte gross 
 receipts of sai<l coq»oration. which was to lie 
 a|)plied to the interest Ixraring indebtedness of 
 the state until it should lie extingtiishe<l. 
 
 ( I'ar. .V>3 ch. ijo U. S.). 
 
 The peo|>le fearing that this arrangement with 
 the Illinois Central Railroa<l Company might 
 sometime Ik- abrogated, by the constitution of 
 1870 made it a |KT|K-tual obligation. The con- 
 stitution provides:
 
 682 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 "Xo contract, ohlisjaticin or lial)ility whatever, 
 of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, to pay 
 any money into the state treasury, nor any lien 
 of the state upon, or right to tax property of 
 said company in accordance with the provisions 
 of the charter of said company, approved Feh- 
 ruary lo, 1851, shall ever be released, suspended, 
 modified, altered, remitted, or in anv manner 
 diminished or impaired by legislation or other 
 authority ; and all moneys derived from said 
 company, after the payment of the state debt, 
 -sliall be appropriated and set apart for the pay- 
 ment of the ordinary expenses of the state gov- 
 ernment, and for no other purposes whatever." 
 
 From March 24, 1855, to October 31, 1904, 
 the total amount paid into the state treasury b\- 
 the Illinois Central Railroad Company was 
 twenty-two millions seven hundred and twent\- 
 tvvo thousand eight hundred ninct\- dollars and 
 sixty-four cents. 
 
 It is said that at the time of the first annual 
 meeting of the Illinois Central Railroad Com- 
 pany in .March, 1851, there were but ninety- 
 eight miles of railroad in the state of Illinois, 
 and the rails were strap iron. 
 
 ^lay 21, 185 1, the first engineering party was 
 organized in Chicago for the purpose of making 
 the necessary preliminary surveys for the road, 
 but by the middle of the summer seven other 
 surveying parties were in the field. 
 
 According to the Chicago Daily Press, of No- 
 vember, 1856, several sections of the road were 
 opened for traffic as follows : From Chicago to 
 Calumet. .May 15, 1852. Calumet to Kankakee, 
 July 14, 1853. Kankakee to Spring creek, De- 
 cember 2, 1853. Spring creek to Peoria, May 28, 
 1854. Peoria to Champaign, July 24, 1854. 
 Chamiiaign to Mattoon, June 2^. 1855. Ahu- 
 toon to Centralia, September 2~, 1856. The 
 main line from Cairo to La Salle was completed 
 January 8, 1855. 
 
 The Galena branch fmm La Salle to Dimleith 
 was ojjened for traffic June 12. 1855. The Chi- 
 cago branch of the Illinois Central traycrses the 
 western portion of the county, diagonally from 
 northeast to southwest, and through a very fertile 
 country. The stations in the county along the 
 line of tin- road ;«.re as follows: Cheban.se. Clif- 
 ton, Ashkum, IXint'orlh. (lilman. Onarga, Del- 
 rey. I'.uckley and Lod;i. Thf building of the 
 
 road contributed much to the development of 
 the county. 
 
 What is now known as the Springfield branch 
 of the Illinois Central extends from the Chicago 
 branch at Liilman and runs southwesterly 
 through Ridgeville and Thawville. This road 
 was completed in September. 1871. and was 
 known as the Gilman, Clinton & .Springfield 
 Railroad. 
 
 The Gilman. Clinton & Springfield Railroad 
 Company was chartered in 1867. Like many 
 other companies during the period, it had finan- 
 cial difficulties. This road is now an important 
 branch of the Illinois Central system. 
 
 The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad has 
 also been an important factor in the develop- 
 ment of the county. It is the only line crossing 
 the county from^ east to west. 
 
 It was first known as the Peoria & Oquawka 
 Eastern Extension Railroad. Later in 1859 it 
 was styled ""Logansport. Peoria & Burlington,"' 
 and afterwards was called Toledo, Peoria & War- 
 saw. The road was completed to Gilman Sep- 
 tember 21, 1857, and completed across the coun- 
 ty, the first train running over the road through 
 the county the last days of the year 1859. 
 
 The main line and Ijranches were not fully 
 completed until 1871. This line of road crosses 
 the Illinois Central at Gilman, the Chicago & 
 Eastern Illinois at W'atseka. the Chicago South- 
 ern between Eastburn .Station and .Sheldon and 
 the Big Four at Sheldon. Other stations lo- 
 cated along the line of the road in the county 
 are : La Hogue, Leonard and Crescent City. 
 This road was also constructed luider adverse 
 circumstances. 
 
 The Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad was 
 completed through the county during the sum- 
 iner of 1871. This road was formerly known 
 as the Chicago. Danville cS; N'incennes Railroad. 
 
 The line was originally surveyed through 
 .Sheldon and C(.)ncord and doubtless would have 
 been constructed along the east side of the coun- 
 ty, had it not been for the vigorous efforts of 
 the citizens of Walscka. 
 
 The road enters the countx' on the north at 
 St. .Vnne, and crosses the comity's south line at 
 Hoopeston. Between these points along the line 
 of the road are Papineau, Martinlon. Pittwood, 
 Watseka, Woodlatid. Milford and Wellington.
 
 lR()(jUuli LUUMi. ILLINOIS. 
 
 <*3 
 
 Tlie road now has a d<nil)lc track thmugh the 
 count), with a coahng; station at Coaler. li<att<| 
 about one and a half miles south ot Watscka. 
 
 W hat is now known as the Cissna Park branch 
 of the ChicaRo & I-:.isterii Ilhnois Railroad was 
 com|)letc<l in January, 1SS2. 
 
 Tiiis line was projected under the name of 
 Strawn & Indiana State Line Uailmad but was 
 actually constructed only from the main line of 
 the Chicaj^o & Eastern Illinois Railroad at a 
 point near Wellington to Cissna I'ark. 
 
 AnotlKT sinir of the Chicaj^o & l^asteru Illinois 
 railriiad in this county was built in ujoi, >iart- 
 iujT from the main line a short distance south of 
 Mil ford and extcndin.!.^ east through the town 
 of Stockland to l-'rceland I'ark. Indiana. Since 
 this road was built, the thriviuj; vill;ij,'e of Stock- 
 laud has been built up near the point where this 
 branch is crossed by the Chicajjo Southern, ihe 
 last few years have witnessed much activity in 
 railroad buildinrr in lro(|uois county. 
 
 The Eastern Illinois & St. Louis branch was 
 completed early in the year i</)4. This road 
 extends from the main line, from a |)oint thereon 
 about one-half mile south of W'lKidland. in a 
 southwesterly direction to the city of .'st. Louis. 
 In the county it passes throutjh ilu- vilLnires of 
 IJryce and Cioodwine. 
 
 Tlie Cincinnati. I^ifayette & Cliica^^o Railroa<l 
 was built in 1871-72. and ])ut in operation a 
 year later. It enters the county in Sheldon 
 township near the village of Sheldon anci ex- 
 teufls across the northea.st corner of the county, 
 in a northwesterly direction, cro.ssinp the north 
 line of the county near St. .\mie. The stations 
 along: the line in this county are .Sheldon. Iro- 
 quois. Donovan, St. Mary. ( Meaverville). It is 
 an important link in the Mip Four s\slein and 
 affords a direct line from Chicago to Cincinnati. 
 
 The work of building the Cliicago Southern 
 Railroad through this county is of recent date. 
 The right of way was secured by ])urchasc and 
 condemnation during the spring an<l sununcr of 
 1905. The roadl>ed has been graded through the 
 county and much of the steel lias been laid. 
 The construction was arrested l>y the financial 
 difficulties of John R. Walsh, the promoter. 
 The road traverses the county due north and 
 south, throus^h the townships of Hearer. Con- 
 cord. Sheldon, St<ickland :ind I'niric Green. 
 
 The rcKid was designed to connect with the 
 .Southern hxliaua R.iilroad and to nfTord tran<»- 
 |)ortati<in facilities into Chicago fnun the stone 
 cpiarrics and coal fields of southern Indiana. 
 
 Time and space will not |Krrniit a iletailed 
 statement of the various difficulties attending 
 the building of the railroads through Iroquois 
 county, the issuing of lionds by various nuniici- 
 palities in aid of railroad construction and the 
 litigation which followed. The history ai Iro- 
 <inois county in these res|)ccts is similar to that 
 of many other parts of our country. Necessarily 
 many obstacles nuisl Ik* met and overcome in 
 building these highways of connnerce. 
 
 ( 11 M-II-K- I\- 
 rul'ijijK.M'HV. 
 
 (by frank I. MA.NN.) 
 
 Iro<iuois is situated on the east Ixjrder of the 
 state. an<l has an area of 1,120 scpiare miles, being 
 cxccc<led in size only by McLean and La Salle 
 counties. Watseka. the county scat, is located 
 a few miles cast of the center of the county. The 
 drainage of the county is almost entirely through 
 the Inxpiois river and its tributaries. At Wat- 
 seka the river receives its principal tributary. 
 Sugar creek, and l)elow Watseka there enters 
 Spring creek. Langum creek and I'.eaver crci-k. 
 In the lower five milts of its course before join- 
 ing the Kankakee river, considerable descent is 
 made, but alwve this the stream is generally slug- 
 gish as arc also the tributaries. The Ircxjuois 
 river also drains a large sandy area in In<!iana 
 that lies south of the Irocpiois moraine. The 
 river passes through this moraine before reaching 
 Watseka. .'^ugar cretk drains the outer f.tce of 
 the Irotpiois moraine southeast of Watseka, and 
 Heaver creek drains the outer face northwest of 
 Watseka. S[>ring creek drains the H' m 
 
 till sheet that lies south of the Onarg;i 
 Langunj creek drains the «Miler face of the Mar- 
 seilles moraine in northwest i>nrtion of the county. 
 That part of Iro<|uois county titat lies north of 
 the Onarga sand ridge and extending to within 
 a short distance of the northern boundarv. and
 
 684 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 that lies west of near Eastbuni and extending to 
 near the west county Une, constitutes the major 
 part of the glacial lake known as the Iroquois 
 lake. From the manner of its formation not 
 much variation in altitude could be expected. It 
 will be seen from the table of altitudes that the 
 extreme variation in elevations within this region 
 is but about thirty-two feet, the low point beings 
 where the T. P. & W. R. R. crosses Sugar creek, 
 625 feet above sea level, and the liigh point being 
 at Clifton with elevation of 657 feet. Such uni- 
 form elevations over so large a territory has made 
 artificial drainage of utmost necessity, but of 
 serious difficulty, and requiring the working out 
 of almost new problems in drainage engineering. 
 That part of the county not included within 
 the lake basin lies principally in the southern 
 and eastern portions, though there is a strip along 
 the western and northern boundaries. These por- 
 tions are largely moraine fomiation and the ele- 
 vations are higher than in the lake basin. The 
 table shows that the highest elevation is at Loda, 
 being 774 feet, and very few observations give an 
 elevation of much less than 700 feet. 
 
 With slight exceptions the north, west and 
 south boundaries of the county lie in the divide 
 of the water shed. Very little water falls within 
 the county lines that does not find its way to the 
 general outlet of the county — the Iroquois river. 
 The following table of altitudes is furnished 
 by Prof. C. W. Rolfe of the State University, 
 under whose supervision they were prepared : 
 Geodetic Stations. 
 
 Sec. II, T. 26 N., R. 13 W. The 
 N. E. corner of Sec. 2 lies 2,174.4 
 M. N. 3 degrees, 39 minutes and 26 
 
 seconds E 668 . 85 
 
 Sec. 3, T. 28 N., R. 14 W. The 
 N. E. corner of the Congregational 
 church lies 251 M. S. 45 degrees. 
 
 54 minutes E 661 .08 
 
 Sec. 35, T. 25 N., R. 13 \V. The 
 N. E. corner of this section lies 
 1,003.8 M. N. 87 degrees, 43 min- 
 utes E 665 . 78 
 
 Sec. 6, T. 25 N., R. 14 W. The 
 middle of the south side of Sec. 31 
 lies 1,588.9 M. N. 26 degrees and 
 
 28 seconds E 665 .48 
 
 Ashkum I. C. R. R 656 
 
 Belmont T., P. & W. R. R.. . . 681 
 
 Buckley I. C. R. R 
 
 Chebanse '' 
 
 Cissna Park C. & E. I. R. R.. 
 
 Cissna Junction " 
 
 Claxtonville " 
 
 Clifton I. C. R. R 
 
 Crescent City T., P. & W. R. R 
 
 Danforth I. C. R. R 
 
 Donovan C, C. C. & St. L. R 
 
 Del Rey I. C. R. R 
 
 Effner T., P. & W. R. R 
 
 Oilman " 
 
 Goodwine C. & E. I. R. R. . 
 
 Hickman " 
 
 Iroquois C, C, C. & St. L. R 
 
 Loda I. C. R. R 
 
 La Hogue T., P. & W. R. R 
 
 Martinton C. & E. I. R. R.. 
 
 Milford 
 
 Wellington 
 
 Onarga I. C. R. R 
 
 Papineau C. & E. I. R. R. . 
 
 Pittwood 
 
 Ridgeville I. C. R. R 
 
 St. Mary C.,C:C.& St. L. R 
 
 Sheldon 
 
 Spring Creek T.. P. & W. R. R. . 
 
 State Line C, C, C. & St. L. R 
 
 Sugar Creek T., P. & W. R. R. 
 
 Thawville I. C. R. R 
 
 Watseka T.. P. & W. R. R. 
 
 Woodland C. & E. I. R. R. . . 
 
 L'Erable R. M. Hood 
 
 Plato 
 
 Schwer " 
 
 Stockland 
 
 'Woodworth " 
 
 Sec. 36, T. 29 N., R. 13 W... 
 
 " 36, T. 29 N., R. ID E.... 
 
 " 26, T. 28 N., R. 10 E.... 
 
 " 23. T. 29 N., R. II W... 
 
 " 25. T. 28 N., R. II W... 
 
 " 27, T. 26 N., R, II W... 
 
 " 24, T. 25 N., R. II W... 
 
 " 23, T. 24 N., R. II W... 
 
 GKOI.OGV. 
 
 R. 
 
 R. 
 
 R. 
 
 R. 
 
 698 
 663 
 
 674 
 
 695 
 668 
 
 657 
 645 
 647 
 672 
 665 
 683 
 650 
 674 
 673 
 673 
 774 
 668 
 629 
 666 
 700 
 676 
 635 
 645 
 671 
 667 
 688 
 630 
 694 
 625 
 692 
 638 
 
 639 
 640 
 
 635 
 
 655 
 700 
 
 67s 
 660 
 
 655 
 640 
 630 
 720 
 710 
 720 
 710 
 
 Iroquois county seems to have been covered 
 by three great ice sheets, as indicated by well 
 borings made in different parts of the county.
 
 IROQUUi:> LUL.Mi, lULKNUlS. 
 
 (»s 
 
 TIk- Ixirinps sliow for the upper or Wisconsin 
 drift a depth of 50 to Cx> feet, and for the middle 
 drift a thickness of 20 to 40 feet, and a lower 
 drift that has rarely lx;en penetrated. Lcvcrett 
 thinks it can not be decided from present daUi, 
 whither the two lower drifts arc lowan and II- 
 linoian, or arc Illinoian and pre Illinoian. The 
 upper drift is the early Wisconsin except in the 
 eastern portion where the late Wisconsin left 
 some evidence. Where drifts are frecpiently 
 found having: a black soil division between tiiem 
 and the lower drift has^ been known to iiave a 
 tlejwsit of peat several feet in thickness. The 
 uiijK-r drift is composed principally of a soft 
 bluish clay that is easily i)enctrated with aujjur 
 or spade, but the two lower drifts are a hard 
 fjravelly clay very difficult to penetrate. The ar- 
 tesian sand seems to be just below the toj) of the 
 lower drift. The Wisconsin ice sheet made a de- 
 cided chanjie in the contour of northeastern Il- 
 linois. I'lcfore the passage of this drift water 
 flowed from Lake Michifjan throufjh the Des 
 Plaines an.l Illinois rivers to the .Mississippi. 
 With the disappearance of the ice sheet I^nke 
 Michigan water took an eastern outlet, the .Mar- 
 seilles moraine actintr as a Ixir to the passage of 
 the waters of the IX\s I'laincs and Kankakee rivers. 
 With the holding back of these waters came the 
 fonuation of the Kankakee lake, as well as the 
 Irotpiois lake whose outlet was into the former. 
 Tlie condition of Inxiuois county then, after the 
 recession of the last ice sheet was that a large 
 portion of it constituted the Inxpiois lake, and 
 this lake being bounded on nearly all sides by 
 moraine formations. That this lake existed for 
 considerable time is evidenced by the ileep de- 
 posits of ])eat fretpiently found. With the ctU- 
 ting of a channel through the Marseilles moraine 
 near the ti>wn of .Marseilles by the Illinois river 
 came drainage to the Kankakee lake, and per- 
 mitteil tlic Irocpiois river to chaiuiel through the 
 eastern end of the same moraine am! ;,'iving drain- 
 age to the Iroquois lake. 
 
 .\ moraine on the east side of the imuiiin i- con- 
 sidered to be the oldest of the late Wisconsin 
 series. It forms the divide iK-fween the Iroquois 
 and Kankakee rivers in Indiana, and enters this 
 county near its northeast corner with a curvO 
 to the south, crossing the Injquois river between 
 Wat.seka and state line, tlu-ii ci:rving toward 
 the .southeast and again enierin!.,' Indiana. From 
 
 this ridge Icailing to the northw est is a belt where- 
 in IkIU ' .||.<i. 
 
 1 h« nc is iIjc iiiort rxtcndml 
 
 in its area in the county. Thiis ridj»c having a 
 
 width of fi I . five ni' '-vation 
 
 <»ver the si. - countr. to lOO 
 
 feet, extends in a southeast direction front Mar- 
 seilles. It takes an easterly . " ks 
 Grove and follows near ti> !)!• .st 
 across the county, until it is lost in the Iroquois 
 nioraiiii ' ■ .\;in. This moraine is of the 
 early \ , a>. 
 
 .\ weak moraine connected with the Hlooining- 
 ton .systeuj is ilu- ridge ■ -t and west 
 
 in the county and on w i in siluale<l. 
 
 This ridge is only about a mile wide and not 
 usually more than forty feet in liei^ht. and west 
 of Sugar creek is rarely more than twenty-live 
 feet higher than the plains on I'flch side. 
 
 .\ crest of one section of tl: '" s in 
 
 niorainic system leads from Livin. to 
 
 the southeast, and into the southwest corner of 
 this county, where it tenninates in tlw vicinity of 
 Loda. 
 
 liitween the sliglit Onarga ntorainc and a sec- 
 tion of the niouinington moraine ■ ' sotith- 
 ern county line, lies a sheet of 1 ;..n till. 
 .\ section of hilly countr> lying northerly from 
 Watseka might be mistaken for moraine forma- 
 tion, but clo.ser examination shows that tlie hills 
 are sand dunes, formed by the wind from the 
 dry lake bed. 
 
 I III 
 
 The > .11 .1 li There 
 is no industry ii rest di- 
 rectly np<in the i>ro.luction of the soils. The soil 
 
 ought to l>< • • • • • -^i^ 
 
 ly, that it . :e- 
 
 tnnis. as well as to prevent any inifuinnent of 
 the capital. The .soils of the county ;i- 'ly 
 
 very fertile. 'Ilio.se found within ti tke 
 
 l»sin are richer in organic matter tlun the soils 
 of the moraines, but they latl 'n tlicir 
 
 (juality, and vary grejitly will . nee in 
 
 elevation. This indicates that water remained at 
 low level for a ! ' ■ • • .,,. 
 
 lion priMluced l; ;it 
 
 found in lower strata. The s<iil of the HUximing- 
 ton till sheet tlial lies through tl > ' '-idc of 
 
 the C(»unty is the most unifonn ir. it, and
 
 686 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 is also a very rich soil, though having somewhat 
 less organic matter than in the lake basin. The 
 soils in the eastern part of the lake basin seem to 
 have been greatl\- modified by the outwash from 
 the morainic formation to the east, which distri- 
 buted sand quite generally in the soil. 
 
 The soils of the moraines on the south, west 
 and north sides of the county are quite fertile, 
 though generally somewhat deficient in organic 
 matter and the elements of plant food, nitrogen 
 and phosphorus. The moraine on the east side 
 of the county is quite sandy, and like all sandy 
 soils are apt to be deficient in all elements of plant 
 food. 
 
 The types of soil found in this county and re- 
 cognized in the state soil survey, are as follows : 
 
 Upland Types — Brown silt loam, black clay 
 loam, gray silt loam, yellow silt loam, sand, sandy 
 loam, dune sand. Swampy Types — Sand, sandy 
 loam, shallow peat on sand, shallow peat on clay, 
 medium peat on sand, medium peat on clay, peat 
 on stone, deep peat — over 30 inches — peaty loam, 
 loam, muck. 
 
 The brown silt loam is the ordinary soil of the 
 corn belt. It will vary from light brown to dark 
 brown according to the amount of organic matter 
 included. This is by far the most abundant type 
 found in the county. The gray silt loam is the 
 ordinary timber soil and the yellow silt loam is 
 the timber soil eroded. 
 
 The following is the result of a chemical analy- 
 sis of samples of brown silt loam from this 
 county made by Dr. C. G. Hopkins : 
 
 Stratum sami.ded 0.7 in 7.18 20.40 
 
 Total Nitrogen 261 .186 .066 
 
 Total Phosphorus 050 .049 .039 
 
 Total Potassium 2.065 2. 131 2.571 
 
 Organic Carbon 3.161 2.186 .468 
 
 Calcium Carbonate 
 
 present 000 .000 3.392 
 
 Calcium Carbonate 
 
 reepiired 002 .001 .... 
 
 Insoluable in II. C. L. 
 
 SP- Sr. I.I 15 79.684 79.459 74.538 
 
 Soluable in il. C. L. 
 
 Potassium 648 .651 .990 
 
 Calcium 443 .431 1.750 
 
 Magnesium 430 .490 .530 
 
 Iron 2.143 2.301 2.417 
 
 Sulphur 027 .021 .009 
 
 Sodium 036 .059 .074 
 
 Aluminum 3.391 4.135 5.694 
 
 The small amount of phosphorus shown in 
 above table would indicate a soil that is below 
 normal in this element. The experiment field at 
 Bloomington located on the same type of soil re- 
 ports that when phosphorus was added to the soil 
 a gain was made of thirteen bushels of corn to 
 the acre. The experiment field at Urbana on 
 the same type of soil reports about the same gam 
 from phosphorus. Several private experiments 
 made in this county report about the same gain 
 for this element. Some of the more highly situ- 
 ated and longest worn soils are perhaps as much 
 below normal in nitrogen and organic matter as 
 they are in phosphorus, and both elements nuist 
 be added to bring it to higher state of fertility. 
 
 An analysis of peaty land shows it much be- 
 low normal in its amount of potassium, and the 
 experiment field on peaty land near Momence re- 
 ports gains of fifty to sixty bushels of corn per 
 acre from the addition of this element to the soil. 
 
 The sandy types of soil are usually deficient in 
 organic matter, as well as the principal elements 
 of plant food, and the desirability of such soils 
 depends a great deal on the physical abilities it 
 possesses to withhold such fertilizers when ap- 
 pHed. Some of the sandy types offer an excellent 
 opportunity for the building up of a very rich and 
 fertile soil. 
 
 -sp. gr. 1. 115. 
 Phosphorus . . . 
 
 .048 .038 .029 
 
 CHAPTER \-. 
 
 IROOCOLS. 
 
 The following lyric, adapted to the tune of 
 ■'.Maryland. .My .Maryland," was written bv 
 Major M. H. Peters, of Watseka, at the sug- 
 gestion of Honorable S. C. Rutherford, who 
 was at that time county superintendent of 
 schools; the idea being that it should he used 
 in the public .schools throughout the couiitv. It 
 was first sung at the cotuitv teachers' institute.
 
 1R()QU(JIS COUNTY. II.I,I\« )•*;. 
 
 rt*7 
 
 lulil ill \\ ;it>cka. Jamiarv, njoJ. The pur|>oM: 
 of the »»nK is to inspiri- tlic jmith with a love 
 ot home, to inculcate n >|iirit of local |iri<tc ami 
 veneration for those who endured the privations 
 and hraved the dangers and hanlships of pioneer 
 life — felled the forests, reclaimed the swamps, 
 transforminj; a wilderness (the haunts of siivayc 
 men ami wild Inasts ) into a land of fertile tields, 
 green pastures and happy homes — a heritjifjc of 
 peace and plenty, fraujjht with still ijreatcr 
 promise for jjenerations to follow. 
 
 May we appreciate and enjoy these lJlessin^;s 
 vouchsafed to us. and forever cherish the mennirv 
 of those who "through their couraj^e, toil and 
 tears lK-<|ueathed to us this fair ilomain." 
 
 lkl)gi( lis. 
 
 I.N'St'KIIliU) TO Uo.V. .S. C. Kl'tiiekfokd, 
 
 Superintendent of Schools of Iro(|uois county, 
 
 Illinuis, at whose sungi'stion and request 
 
 these lines were written. C>. 
 
 My own Inrloved lrtM|Uois, 
 
 lro<|uois, dear lro<|uois — 
 Of all the earth land of my choice, 
 
 Irrx|uois, ilear lr<M|uoi.s — 
 Beneath thy gniteful sun and shade, 
 Within thy lM>som jjenlly laid. 
 Repose the ashes of our dead, 
 
 IriMjuois, dear lro<|uois. 
 
 The meinVy of thy pioneers, 
 
 lriK|uois. <lear Irutjuois — 
 Who thro' their couraRe. toil and tears, 
 
 iriK|uois, dear IgHpiois — 
 I'e(|ueathed tu us this fair domain. 
 Inspiring in our souls this strain — 
 Their names linked with the sweet refrain, 
 
 IriN|Uois. dear Ir<H|uois. 
 
 When treason with it.s impiini.t hand. 
 
 lro<|uois. tlear IrcMpiois — 
 Assaile<l the tlag of our free land. 
 
 IriN|U<jis. dear IriKjunis — 
 40 
 
 TTiy sons i>l)cyc<J the hipli decree, 
 .\nd liore the lianner of the free 
 Thro' bliMHl and (;lorious victory, 
 IriMjuois, dear lr<M|uois. 
 
 Ami while thy sons in kittle iroiit, 
 
 Ir<i<|uois, <iear IriKpiois — 
 Like heroes Ixre the sluvk and hrunt, 
 
 Irmiuois, dear lr<K|Uois — 
 Thy noble daughters, true and brave. 
 Cheered on their brothers wlmin they gave 
 To free«lom, I'nion, an<l the grave, 
 
 Iro<|uois. clear Ir<M|Uois. 
 
 .\ly heart with proud emotion swells, 
 
 lro<|uois. dear IrcKjuois — 
 In rapture on thy story dwells, 
 
 Iro<|uois, tlear lr«K|Uois — 
 Thy placid streams and flowing wells, 
 lintrance me with their magic spells — 
 lilach scene I view my song im|)cls, 
 
 IriKjuois, dear Ir«M|Uois. 
 
 On hill an<l plain where'er I gaze, 
 
 Iro<|uois, dear Inxpiois — 
 Contented herds serenely graze, 
 
 lriH|uois. dear IriK|uois — 
 While warbling birds from bush and tree 
 I'our forth their joyous melody 
 To join my song in praise of thee. 
 
 lriK|Uois. dear lro<|uois. 
 
 Home of my heart, iiiiim. <■! my pride. 
 
 Irocpiuis. dear Ir«K|u<iis — 
 Thro' grief or joy, whate'er betide, 
 
 InM|uois. dear Ir<K|Uois — 
 Still would I revel in thy charms, 
 Sing of thy f<irests. (ieUls and fanns. 
 And rest at last within thine arms. 
 
 lr<HH)oi«. fl«-;ir lro<|uois. 
 
 < '. i< I in\ ••l■l,^ t xnltant rise, 
 
 lr<N|uois, dear lriM|Uois — 
 I'ntil it reach the vaulted skies, 
 
 lro(|uois, dear InKjuois — 
 Where angels 'ro«ind the throne rejoice 
 Anil listen while my ardent voice 
 Proclaims thy charms, dear lr<K|uois — 
 
 lriM|uois, dear lro(|Uois.
 
 688 
 
 [•AST AXD PRESEXT OF 
 
 CHAPTER \ i. 
 
 .\I1L^^AR^■ history oe iroul'ois 
 
 COL'XTV. 
 
 i!V MAJdK M. il. I'KTICUS. 
 
 PART 1. 
 
 The history of Iroquois county would be sadly, 
 lamentably, incomplete without mention of the 
 honorable and conspicuous part borne by her sons 
 in the greatest of all wars waged in modern 
 times. We of the north speak of it as the \\'3.r 
 of the Rebellion cr the \^'ar for tl-e Union : the 
 southerners call it the War for Southern Inde- 
 pendence or the War between the States. With 
 the cause or causes which led to this bloody 
 conflict we, as local historian, have not to deal: 
 they were national, or more jjroperly speaking, 
 sectional : it was the united north arra\ ed against 
 the united south. Still there were those in the 
 north who sympathized with the south and some 
 in the south whose sympathies were with the 
 north : but these factors in the struggle were an 
 insignificant minority in either section and had 
 little or no influence in shaping the course of 
 events. 
 
 It is the pride and boast of every state, of 
 every county in each state, north and south, to 
 point to the quota of men contributed to their 
 respective armies, and to applaud the valor and 
 lieroism of their sons. This is natural, it is laud- 
 al)k, it is patriotic. In this spirit we ])ro])i:)se to 
 record the achievements of tlie gallant sons of 
 Iroquois county who so freely and ])romptly re- 
 sponded to their ei;untry"s call in its hnur nf peril. 
 The task has its inspiration, Init we realize how 
 illy cqui])ped we are for the task and how futile 
 must I'rove our efforts to do the subject justice. 
 
 .\t the beginnin.g of hostilities (April 14. 
 1861 ). when South Carolina hurled Iter shrieking 
 missiles upon Eort Sumter in Cli;irie>tiin Har- 
 bor. Iroquois county was largely in a state of na- 
 ture, a vast undeveloped expanse of prairies. 
 s\\ani])s and said ridges, witii ni> cities within 
 her Ixiunds and but few small villages : farm 
 houses were scattered here and there and far be- 
 tween e.\ce])ting in a few favored localities 
 wlure settlements were made b\- connnunitios 
 
 who had immigrated from the east, principally 
 from (Miio and Pennsylvania. 
 
 Although large in area (larger than the state of 
 Rhode Island in land surface) and one of the 
 largest counties in Illinois, it was sparsely in- 
 habited, the population according to the census of 
 iSfio being only 12,285, comprising males and 
 females, adults and infants. The enrollment of 
 those liable to military service, made by the gov- 
 ernment in 1862, was 2,204, and her quota 1,460. 
 I'lUt such was the supreme loyalty and devotion of 
 her citizens to the Union that she gave an excess 
 of 153 above the quota assigned — being over 
 thirteen per cent of the entire population ( count- 
 ing men. women and children) and nearlv seven- 
 ty-five per cent of the able-bodied men subject to 
 service on call. This certainly is a record to 
 be jiroud of — a record to which their posterity 
 may refer with glowing hearts. 
 
 Eet us remember, however, that these brave 
 mett of the prairies did not enter the service of 
 their country with any thought of achieving dis- 
 tinction or making a record for themselves or for 
 the future. Their souls were animated by one 
 su]M'eme purpose — to save this country and to 
 avenge the insult to their flag, a lofty, a holy 
 purpose. They were patriots as had been their 
 pioneer fathers and revolutionary ancestors : they 
 went forth from their peaceful homes, like Cin- 
 ciimatus of old, leaving their plows in the fur- 
 rows, and Ijared their breasts to the fury of battle 
 for the land they loved, for liberty, and union — 
 primarily, to save the nation from disruption ■ ind 
 secondly, to wipe out the curse of hunran slavery 
 which was the fruitful cause of contention and 
 t)f final secession. 
 
 The volunteers who went forth tn perl'nrm this 
 service were not hirelings who fought for i)ay : 
 tbev were not paupers from the almshouses : they 
 were nut criminals let l^iose from jail to enlist 
 I in tile promise of immunity from punisliment. 
 Xnl \n! they were the truest, bravest, noblest 
 si)ii> lit the soil, without a stain upon their smils : 
 they were the hope and dependence of devout 
 and devoted mothers, of fond and doting fathers, 
 sons true to the home instinct and who never fal- 
 tered in any crisis, preferring death to dishonor. 
 They were well .skilled in the use of the ax and 
 the rille but not in tile arts of war; they were ni>t 
 trained to military service with its discipline and
 
 IROgUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 («>) 
 
 tactics; llu-rc was not. and never had Iktcii. a 
 regular organizatiim of militia in the county. 
 Hut it is the r|ua!ity nf patrioiisui that nnkcs the 
 true soldier, and lhi> i|ualit\ tlux inherited from 
 an humhie. sturdy, law-ahidiii};, lilK-rty-loving an- 
 cestry. The free air which the> ' ' ' >n(| the 
 halmy hreezes which swept lui- 1 over 
 
 their hroad and rolling prairies e\|>ande<l their 
 inanh(K)d and intinsified their love <>f home and 
 country. 
 
 Such were the men. chietiv young men still in 
 their teen>, wHio went forth from Inxniois ownty 
 to do Intlle for the I'nioii and aviiige the assault 
 made n|)on the flag whirii they revered. They 
 met the enemy u|-oii every field from iW>i to 
 i8«i5 until the triumpliaiii vhout of victory re- 
 souniled throughout the land. They fought at 
 Donelson and here won the first great victors, 
 capturing I5.cK)0 L"on federates, ( ieneral (irant of 
 Illinois, refusing to accept any other terms than 
 "immediate ami unconditional surrender": they 
 fought at .^iiilcrli. luka. Corinth. \ icksluirj;. 
 Stone River. Chickamauga. .Mission Ridge. Look- 
 out Mountain. Keuesaw. Atlanta, marched to 
 the sea with Sherman, through the (."arolinas to 
 the surrender of the Confederate General John- 
 ston, near ( ireenville. North Carolina, and parti- 
 cipated in the last hattle of tlu- war at Fort 
 r.lakcly. .\!al>ama, on the ^th of April. iS^>5. 
 
 They marched the length and hreadth of every 
 state in reiieluon ; they fought u|>on cverv great 
 hattle-field «)f the war from the ( )hio river to the 
 gulf of Mexico, from the Atlmtic coast to the 
 hanks of the Arkansas: they suffered in south- 
 ern prisons and languished in loathsome hospi- 
 tal>. or |)erished exiwusted h\ the roadside. With 
 their lives they sealed their loyalty and devotion. 
 
 Today hut a remnant of tliat (irand Army of 
 the Republic remains to remind us of the awful 
 struggle and lo re|K-a( to us the story of liovv their 
 comrades fought and fell. It is mM in the power 
 of tongue to tell, or of pen lo write. <^r of hand 
 to paint, the liorrors emlnred hv the men who 
 fought to preserve lis a nation: tlwse l>oys of 
 1861. the grizzly old veterans of IimLin. them- 
 silves shrink from the recital of the story lesi ii Ik- 
 thought too horrible lo admit of Ix-licf. 
 
 ( )f tlK" I.f»l3 nu-i who served from lroi|uoi» 
 county 51 were kille I oiuright in lultle : j!,2 ijied 
 from wounds received or of diseases contracted 
 through exposure and hardships incident to con- 
 
 tinued and incessant campaigning. Twcnt> |)cr 
 cent (in round numbers) or one out of every 
 five gave up his young life. What .i 
 was this laid u|Nin the altar of duly and 
 ( )f those who returned to their homes many were 
 maimid. Inaring ui>on their Uxlies the scars of 
 war which hrought them to premature graves, 
 while others who still survive suffer from 
 woimds. Some with an arm or a leg gone, or 
 from disease contracte<l in the service. 
 
 Such is the sad story as recorded : l)ut what 
 of those brave l)oys wlio went forth with l>ouyant 
 hearts an<l high ho|)cs only to find unmarkeil 
 and unknown graves beneath the southern skies, 
 of whom the records can give no accomit. They 
 were re|M(rted "missing" when the sun went down 
 u|M>n a scene of blood am! carnage — never to Ik- 
 sein or heartl of more. Their comrades knew 
 tiMi well that s<'>mewhere u|'on that fatal field the 
 "missing" Ixxlies lay unidentified only to \k rolled 
 over into shallow trenches by the enemy and cov- 
 ered with a few inches of soil — "missing" to 
 their comrades, "unknown" to the enemy. 
 
 What of those tven more unf<^rlm>ate re- 
 |>orted as "taken ])risoner." who were never ex- 
 changed, never seen or ln-ard of afterward — they 
 died .)f broken hearts in I.ihby or at Anderson- 
 ville or s<ime other southern prison, but no rec- 
 ord tells us when or where. Still, their chums 
 with whom they roni|H-d over the prairies or 
 around the modest log cabin at the ed^e of the 
 limlxT in InN|uois county ami with whom they 
 enlisted in the army knov. too well the fate 
 which had l>ifallen them. 
 
 Scarcely more tlun one-half of those who lx>re 
 the bnmt of Iwtlle returiu^l unscathed from the 
 field, to their an.viously waiting families. I'ut 
 great was the joy in many a log cabin and vil- 
 la;:e home at the sight of their loved oius freed 
 from danger and safe <iiice more in the embraces 
 of mothers, sisters and sweethearis. W-i tiiere 
 was also many a home where there was none lo 
 Ik- welcom.'il back. That their love<l ones hail 
 In-en slain in Inttle was sorrow enough surelv : 
 but what was the uiguish of thon- wtv»s<- hns- 
 Iwnds. fathers, brothers and sons perished in the 
 liands of the enemy from whom no riflings Inve 
 ever ci>me. How many such there were will 
 never l>e known, the records fail us. 
 
 The fathers and nnUhers of Inxjuois county 
 nude a |-recious. priceless sacrifice — ihcy jjave of
 
 690 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 their flesh and blood noble sons who were as 
 dear to their hearts as life itself. 
 
 Here, in our feeble way, let us express our 
 gratitude for the great service they rendered to 
 posterity in preserving our county undivided and 
 indivisible, for the service rendered to all man- 
 kind ami to all future ages in the cause of human 
 freedom. All honor to their names and fame. 
 Iroquois county glories in her soldier sons and 
 in this volume enshrines their names that her 
 children and children's children to the remotest 
 ages may read them and feel their hearts heave 
 and their blood (the blood of their fathers) thrill 
 through their veins with rapture of delight in the 
 proud reflection "such was my ancestory." 
 
 As we ourselves in youth read the story of 
 our revolutionary forefathers in our school read- 
 ers and histories and felt the blood coursing hot 
 in our veins so will the generations who come 
 after us read the story of those who preserved 
 the Union and made possible the great heritage 
 bequeathed to them. 
 
 Such is the military history of Iroquois county 
 briefly, all too briefly, told ; and this is our poor 
 tribute to the patriotism of her citizenship. How 
 futile are mere words to express our admiration 
 and gratitude for her unswerving loyalty, and 
 our deep appreciation of the great service she 
 rendered to our common country, contributing 
 even more than her allotted share to the record 
 that has made Illinois illustrious in the sisterhood 
 of states. 
 
 PART n. 
 "I HA\E DONE MY DUTY." 
 
 DEATH OF COI.. THO.S. D. WII.r,I.\MS. 
 
 It is not i)ossible within the scope of this work, 
 and the space allotted, to record the individual 
 deeds of heroism performed by the volunteers 
 from Iroquois county — the long list of her slain 
 is their testimony. But two cases may justlv be 
 cited as illustrating the bravery and lofty spirit 
 which animated them all. 
 
 Wlu'ii the Civil war began Thomas 1). Williams 
 was station agent of the Illinois Central Railroad 
 at Chebanse. He had served during the war with 
 
 Mexico in the regular army and rose to the rank 
 of sergeant. His intelligence and bravery at- 
 tracted the attention of Capt. George B. McClel- 
 lan, who commanded the battery, promoted him 
 to sergeant, and after the close of that war 
 recommended Sergeant Williams for a catletship 
 at West Point. WilHams, however, declined the 
 proffered appointment preferring to accept the 
 position of foreman on the Illinois Central which 
 was then in the course of construction under the 
 supervision of Capt. AlcClellan, who was chief 
 engineer of the road. On the completion of the 
 road Williams was made its agent at Chebanse. 
 
 When the second call for volunteers (in 1861) 
 came trembling over the wires he at once set 
 about to recruit a company which in a short time 
 was accomplished. The members being permit- 
 ted to select their own officers from their ranks 
 W'illiams was chosen captain and the company 
 was assigned to the Twenty-fifth Regiment as 
 ■'Co. G." This regiment was being organized at 
 Champaign where Captain Williams reported 
 with his men according to orders from Governor 
 Yates. William N. Coler, of Urbana, was its 
 first colonel but resigned after one year's service, 
 .\ugust 31, 1862. When this occurred some of 
 the most influential officers of the regiment, hav- 
 ing recognized the superior qualities of Captain 
 W'illiams, petitioned Governor Yates to appoint 
 him to fill the vacancw In response to this peti- 
 tion Williams was promoted colonel : as such he 
 commanded the Twenty-fifth at the battle of 
 Stone River (or Murfreesboro as it is sometimes 
 called), one of the fiercest and most bloody bat- 
 tles of the whole war not excepting Chickamauga 
 and Gettysburg. 
 
 On the first day of this battle (December 30, 
 1862) Colonel Williams was wounded, being- 
 struck by a fragment of shell, causing a ghastly 
 wcnmd in his right thigh. But he did not sur- 
 render his command nor desert his bovs as the 
 exigencies would have justified: he liouiid \ip 
 his wound with a handkerchief and remained 
 upon the field. The battle raged for several da\s, 
 with fearful slaughter on ImHIi sides, when Gen- 
 eral Bragg, the confederate commander, finally 
 gave up the field and retreated to Tullahoma. 
 riie severest fighting during this engagement 
 occurred on December 31. 1862. which was r 
 disastrous dav for General Rosecrans, who com-
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 6yi 
 
 niaiidcd the L'nion forces. In tlie early iiiorniiiK 
 of tluit day before our men liad time ti> eat their 
 scanty breakfasts (ieneral Itrafjjj luirled his choic- 
 est battalions, which lie had concentrateil during 
 the nipht, with desperate fury upon the right 
 wing of the L'nion army which was forced back 
 amid terrible confusion. It seemed impossible to 
 stay the impetuosity of the enemy who seemed 
 delirious with their success. Seeing tlie other 
 regiments of the brigade retiring JK'fore this furi- 
 ous onslaugiit, while his "boys" were falling 
 around him, the color bearer shot down and the 
 colors lying on the ground. Colonel Williams 
 amid the shower of shot and shell picked up the 
 flag and waving it on high before the regiment 
 shouted. "We'll i)lani it here. Ixiys. and rally tlie 
 Twenty-fifth around it. and here we will die." 
 
 It was a lieroic act well calculated to inspire 
 his boys with renewed courage and determination 
 — a sublime exhibition well worthy the song of 
 poet and pen of the realist in literature. Hut 
 Colonel Williams had no sfK)ner uttered this e.\- 
 liortation than a bullet pierced his breast while 
 he was still holding the starry emblem aloft; he 
 fell, and on that field he died. His last words, 
 spoken to Dr. Myron S. Brown, regimental sur- 
 geon, who rushed to his relief, were: "i n.WE 
 DoNK .MV Di'TV." Is there recorded in history 
 anywhere an example of loftier patriotism, 
 greater bravery, or more heroic confluct ? 
 
 The brigade commander. General Woodruff, in 
 his official repcirt of the engagement s|>eaks of 
 this tragic incident in the following eloquent and 
 sympathetic language : ".\mid the glorious re- 
 sults of a battle won it gives me pain to record 
 the names of the gallant men who gave up their 
 lives on the altar of their country. Rut we must 
 drop a tear of sorrow over their resting places 
 and offer our sym|)athies it) their relatives and 
 friends, trusting that God will care for them 
 and .soothe their afflictions. .\nd while we re- 
 member the noble dead let us pay our tribute of 
 respect to the gallaiU Colonel T. D. Williams. 
 Twenty-fifth Illinois Regiment, who died in the 
 performance of his duties; he fell with the regi- 
 mental colors in his liands. exclaiming. 'We'll 
 plant it here Ixjys, and rally the old Twenty-fifth 
 around it, and here we will die." Such conduct 
 is alxive all praise: words can utter no eulogium 
 worthy of the subject." 
 
 l!y direction of the bi-reaved, heart-stricken 
 widow, then still residing in Chebanse, llie re- 
 mains of Colonel Williams were taken to Troy, 
 .Vew York, her fonner home, where the) were 
 married, and here tlie lifeless body was laid to 
 final rest in Oakwood cemetery. .\iid it may lie 
 mentioned as an interesting finale that the remains 
 of General George H. 'Ilinuias. whom the sol- 
 diers under his command affectionately called 
 "Old Pap Thomas" lie interred in the same ceme- 
 tery aiid but a few steps from the grave of our 
 noble Colonel Williams. .Mrs. Williams con- 
 tinued to reside in Chebanse until she died a few 
 years ago, when her bcnly was taken to Troy and 
 ])laced Ix'side the com|«nion whom she mourned 
 for over forty years. 
 
 Williams Post No. 25, Grand Army of the Re- 
 public, headquarters in Watscka, conunemorates 
 the name of Colonel T. U. Williams and bears 
 the number of his legiment — a poetic, historic 
 combination. 
 
 1K( KJlt US C( )LNTY 
 
 i.v riii; 
 
 L.\ST GRR.VT IVXTTLK ol-' TIIF. W.\K. 
 
 I'AKT 111. 
 
 .\s has been said above two incidents exempli- 
 fying the patriotism and lofty courage of Inxjuois 
 county's volunteers nuist suffice as examples of 
 the services and sacrifices of her entire contin- 
 gent, owing to the limited number of pages al- 
 lotted to this ])orlion of the work. We have told, 
 too briefly, the story of the death of the gallant 
 Colonel Williams of the Twenty-fifth Illinois. 
 Our secoiKl story will Ik- of the .Seventy-sixth 
 Illinois at F<^rt Blakely, .Mabama : not tliat this 
 incident recites the only instance of heri>ism ex- 
 hibited by this regiment but rather that it jirovcs 
 its valorous conduct u|K)n every fiehi in which it 
 participated. 
 
 It may Ik- of interest to state that the capture of 
 Fort lUakcly was the last liattle of the war for 
 the l'nion. an important historic fact. General 
 RolK-rt v.. Lee. commander-in-chief of the confcd-
 
 692 
 
 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 erate forces, surrendered tlie arm\' of Xdrthcni 
 \'irginia to General U. S. Grant on tlie morning 
 of April 9, 1865. the charge on Fort Blakely oc- 
 curring that same evening after Lee's surrender, 
 neither being aware of the events transpiring in 
 other parts. 
 
 The capture of Fort Dlakely affnrds a thrilling 
 story, but as we are not writing a general history 
 we must confine ourselves to the part acted by 
 the Seventy-sixth Regiment in which we are par- 
 ticularly interested. One is inclined to sa-y that 
 the Seventy-sixth Illinois was Iroquois county's 
 favorite regiment, but that would be unjust to all 
 other regiments in which the count)' was repre- 
 sented, especially so to the Twenty-fifth. Forty- 
 second, Fifty-first and One Hundred and Thir- 
 teenth, all of which had a large contingency from 
 Iroquois, not to mention Ninth and Twelfth 
 Illinois Cavalry and various companies of ar- 
 tillery in which the county was represented. It 
 would also be unjust to the patriotic people of 
 Iroquois county to say that they discriminated in 
 favor of any particular company or regiment. 
 But we are warranted in saying that as the county 
 was more largely represented in the Seventy-sixth 
 than in any other regiment, and because 
 of its peculiar service and gallant conduct 
 throughout the war it attracted and commanded 
 more general interest than any other regiment, 
 and especially so in consequence of its grand cli- 
 max of heroism at Fort Blakely where it made 
 a most desperate and the very last charge which 
 closed the war. eighteen of their number being 
 killed outright and eighty-two wounded ( some 
 of whom subsequently died) out of its depleted 
 ranks of little more than three hundred men who 
 were engaged — all this in less than half an hour 
 — driving the foe before them, forcing their way 
 through the abattis. leaping into the trenches, 
 scaling the parapets, springing into the fort, caj)- 
 turing those within, hauling ddwn ilu' unbleni of 
 secession and hoisting in its stead the banner (if 
 Union and victorv. 
 
 It was during the-e suul-slirring events, nn the 
 eve of that memorable day, that occurred one of 
 the most touching and tragic episodes of the en- 
 tire four years of bloody war. It is this incidt'Ut 
 we feel impelled to record and enshrine, aItlK)ugh 
 we realize how feel)le nuist be our endeav(ir to 
 dci justice to this heroic event. 
 
 The order came : "Get your men into line 
 and be ready to make the assault at 5 o'clock." 
 
 Officers and men were loitering about the camp, 
 some of them on guard, others performing police 
 duty. The bugle sounded the "assembly." Im- 
 mediately there was ;•. rush to quarters for equip- 
 ments. It re(|uired but a moment to buckle on the 
 waist-belt and cartridge box and seize the gun. 
 The orderly sergeants shouted "Fall in, boys, fall 
 in!" The companies were fcirnied as if by magic 
 and hastily assumed their position in the regi- 
 mental line. "Forward, march !" was the com- 
 mand, and the Seventy-sixth advanced with firm, 
 determined step. Well the "boys" knew what 
 havoc confronted them, but on they moved "quick- 
 step," resolved to do their full duty — to win or to 
 die. The flag in the center of the line, radiant with 
 color, inspiring, invincible symbol of Union, was 
 bravely, proudly borne by Sergeant Hussey ; it 
 snapped in the breezes as the column hurriedly 
 advanced. On, on they moved with lengthening 
 strides and increased momentum. 
 
 The confederate line of forts to be assaulted 
 were nine in number, located in a semi-circle ex- 
 tending from river to river and connected with 
 heavy breastworks covering a distance of two 
 miles or more. The earth from which the breast- 
 works were constructed left a ditch or trench ( in 
 military parlance "a moat") in front. About two 
 hundred yards in front of these forts and breast- 
 works were a series of rifle-pits covering the en- 
 tire line : in these ]iits were sheltered the enemy's 
 sharpshooters. Still m front of these about fifty 
 yards was the abattis consisting" of trees felled 
 outward with their branches woven together and 
 wires vround through to hold these branches 
 firmly in ])lace. l)etA\een the rifle-pits and abattis 
 the timber hail been cut down and left a tangled 
 mass of stumps, logs and Innbs. the purpose being 
 to obstruct passage and give the sharpshooters in 
 the pits a better opportunity to repulse ar.y attack 
 iqiiin the forts. 
 
 It was obstacles such as these which the 
 .^cvcnty-siNth li.-id to encounter while facing a 
 nuu'derous fire from the artillery in the forts and 
 the sharpshooters in the rifle-pits. Think of it, 
 rellect upon it. What a situation! 
 
 It so ha|)peiieil that the .Seventy-sixth Illinois 
 occupied the most difficult and dangerous 
 I)ortion of the line. Fort No. ;, which
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 i*Ji 
 
 llii- coil III Urates tlaltcn-tl ihcmsclvis to 1)C 
 inviilnoralilt.-, Irowncil Ix'forc tlicni like a 
 tliick black cloml fallen to earth sending; 
 sliafts of lijjhtninj; into tiieir midst. The lirst 
 ohstruction, the abatlis. was riache«l ; it nionieii- 
 tarily checketl the i)rogress of the rejjinieut in its 
 impetuosity ; Init "the Ixns" tore it to pieces 
 in their frenzy or crushetl it beneath their weight 
 as they ciamboreil over it ; on they went fnrionsix . 
 .•^o fonnidable. >o fearless, so iniijetiions was tlie 
 charjje there was no resisting their progress. On 
 they went, \ven«ling their way through the l)nish, 
 leaping over the logs and slumps ; on, on. leaving 
 their dead and wountled comrades Inhind them. 
 The fire of the confederates was terrillic and 
 many a i)ravc l»oy fell under it. killed or maimed; 
 but there was no such thouglit as "halt," much 
 less "retreat." 
 
 Forward the\ move, donbleqnick. "I'orwanl ! " 
 was the order: there was not even an inclination 
 to look back. < )n. on, they sweei', halting an in- 
 stant here and there t(j discharge their guns which 
 they again reloaded on the run. Their advance 
 was irresistible, and the occupants of the ril'e-pits 
 deserteil their cover and lU<l ratlur than sub- 
 mit to impending death or ca]>ture. I'lie ritle-pits 
 are reached and ;i shout of triumph rends the air. 
 mingling with the ilumders of a hundred can- 
 non which iielch forih their wild and murderous 
 fire. 
 
 lint here brave Hussey fell — dead, his lifeless 
 hands still grasjing the flagstaff, his botly and 
 the Hag in the ritU'-pit. (. Sergeant Henry I!. 
 Hus.>ey enlisted from .\sh (jrove township where 
 he workeil upon a farm.) Corporal Ciiarley (iohl- 
 wiMxl of Company I seized the prostrate colors, 
 raised them on high, and bore them on shouting 
 as he ran : head toward the fort amid the rain- 
 jxiur of graje antl canister. 
 
 l-'ort .\<». 3, the real point of attack, tiie last 
 stronghold, was yet to be gained. The Seventy- 
 -ixth charges across the intervening space; 
 the\ enter the trench ; they scale the ram- 
 parts by lifting (or climbing over) each 
 •! I r to the top. (ioldwixxl, the \outhful 
 .•!■■! -bearer, being among the first on the 
 works; and here, while stooped over to 
 plant the llag — the first Hag on the line — a btdlet 
 fri'Ui the revolver of .in artilkry ifficer insiile the 
 fort pierces his l)rain and he falls at the feet of 
 
 his etiemy, the foUls of the tlag winding alxut his 
 ba<ly as he falls. 
 
 Sergeant .Major S. C. .Munluill (the l>o\> called 
 him "I'rchin ' lie-cause of his youth and dimimi- 
 tivc stature) as he leaps into the fort near tinld- 
 wiHxl stops for a moment ti> view the prostrate 
 form of his beloved comrade and by an irresistible 
 impulse attem])ts to rescue the flag, but in his 
 haste secures only a fragment which he forces 
 into his iHicket as he hurries on to join the fight 
 within the fort. James 15. Fleming of Captain 
 .\ndrew"s company (he enlisted in Middleport), 
 however, gently removes the Ixxly of (ioldwood 
 from the colors and bore them triumphantly into 
 the niidst of the contending forces, for the fight 
 still rages within the fort. Jiand to hand, with 
 revolvers and "club muskets" : there is no time 
 nor opportunity to reload lluir weapons. 
 
 While the left and center of the Sev- 
 enty-sixth made a direct charge upon the 
 fort the riglit wing of the regin.ent un- 
 der the immediate eye of Colonel S. T. 
 I'.Hsey cliargetl upon a jxiint farther north with 
 e(|n;d intrepidity and success. As Colonel I'usey 
 kai ed from the ramparts into the fort two shots 
 were directe<l at him. one of which t(X»k effect, but 
 he kille<l both assailants with his revolver. He 
 was wounded in the hip brt ignored the injury 
 and continued to cheer on and encourage his brave 
 boys as if nothing had happenecl him. i'inally. 
 the confederates realizing the futility of further 
 resistance surrendered. ( )vtr three hundred fell 
 into the liamls of the Seventy-sixth as 
 prisoners of war. The battle was ended. 
 the fort was theirs, the stars ami bars 
 were hauled down and replaced by the stars 
 and stripes which gracefully waved in the 
 ivening air gleaming in the rays of the 
 .setting Sim. It was now. after the culmination 
 of this bloody contlict, that Col. liiisey drew off 
 his b«-Kit to pour from it blo<Kl that issued from 
 his wouikI, gathering and clotted in the boot leg, 
 or did his hoys know that he had la-en woundeil 
 until they saw bin) perform this act. Such was 
 ihe Courage and conduct of C'olonel Ihtsey in 
 this crisis. 
 
 There were man> other thrilling incidents 
 transpiring upon various parts of the field dur- 
 ing this brilliant assault on I'ort Mlakely : but 
 I'.one perhaps more |)alhetic than the following
 
 694 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 episode : While Corporal Goldwood was lying 
 dead within the walls of the fort Private Fred 
 Heppenheimer, who w-as excitedly rushing by the 
 lifeless form of the young colorbearer, noticed 
 his prostrate comrade with a bullet hole in his 
 forehead, the blood still oozing from the fatal 
 wound ; he suddenly stopped and bent reverently 
 over the dead body, tears bursting from his eves : 
 the face was ghastly pallid save where crimson 
 blood had discolored the features ; he tenderly 
 bowed down his head and pressed a kiss ui)on the 
 bleeding brow, exclaiming as he did so, "Poor, 
 poor, poor Charley!" Slowlv he arose as if re- 
 luctant to leave his cherished comrade thus alone, 
 then suddenly dashed away to resume his place 
 among the fighters, ' with bitterness in his soul, 
 resolved to avenge the death of this exemplarv 
 _\outh and brave young soldier. 
 
 The government some }ears afterward estab- 
 lished a national cemetery near Mobile ; the 
 dead of Fort Blakely were transferred to this 
 cemetery. The survivors of the Seventy-sixth 
 took it upon themselves to place here a memorial 
 to their comrades slain, and a very substantial 
 granite monument has been erected bearing the 
 name of every comrade who fell at Fort Blakely 
 — a lasting tribute of the living to the dead. 
 
 The Grand Army of the Republic at Mobile 
 also commemorates the event and honors the 
 Seventy-sixth Regiment of Illinois by adopting 
 the title, Goldwood Post. 
 
 It was General F. M. Cockrell who com- 
 manded the confederate forces at Fort Blakely. 
 After the war he became distinguished as a 
 statesman, aljly and honorabl_\- representing the 
 state of Missouri in the United States senate. 
 At the national democratic convention held in 
 St. Louis in 1904 Hon. Wm. J. I'.ryan in a glow- 
 ing si)ecch ijresentcd General Cockrell's name as 
 a candidate for president of the United States. 
 
 Ai.iMi xmrncAL R( ).^ti':r. 
 
 PART T\'. 
 
 .Alien, Orange F., Middleport, July 24, 1862, 
 Co. .A, 76th Inf.. ID mos. i:)iscliarged Mriv 11. 
 1863, disability. 
 
 Anderson, Aaron, Belmont, July 24, 1862, Co. 
 
 A, 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1865. 
 Anderson, George W., Belmont, July 24, 1862, 
 
 Co. A, 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 
 1865. 
 
 Allhands, Erastus J., Belmont, July 24, 1862, 
 Co. A, 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 
 1865. 
 
 Ash, Nelson, Concord, Aug. 4, 1862, Co. E, 
 76th Inf., 34 mos. Discharged May 21, 1865, 
 disability. 
 
 Atkinson, William, Loda, Aug. 5, 1862, Co. 
 K, 76th Inf., 30 mos. Discharged Feb. 7, 1865, 
 disability. 
 
 Anderson. Myron, Middleport. August 10, 
 1862, Co. C, 88th Inf., 21 mos. Killed in At- 
 lanta campaign May 17. 1864. 
 
 Ash, John, Middleport, Aug. 9, 1862. Co. B. 
 113th Inf., 16 mos. Discharged Dec. 2, 1863, 
 disability. 
 
 Ash. \\'illiani W., Martinton, Aug. 9. 1862. 
 Co. B, 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out as cor- 
 poral June 20, 1865. 
 
 Ammerman, William C. ( )narga. August 12, 
 1862, Co. D, ii3tli Inf., 34 mos. Clustered out 
 as Sergeant June 20. 1865. 
 
 .\sh. Lorenzo 1).. Middle]Kirt, August 13. 1862. 
 Co. I, 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June 
 20. 1865. 
 
 Appleget, Benjamin, Middleport. Aug. <). 
 1862, Co. I, 113th Inf.. I yr. Died at Corinth, 
 Miss., Aug. 17, 1863. 
 
 Atkins, John, Ash Grove, Ma\- 14, 1864, Co. 
 
 B. 134 Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out C)ct. 23. 1864, 
 Corporal. 
 
 Arm lid, Daniel W., I\Iiddleport, May 14. 1864, 
 Co. B. 134th Inf., 3 mos. Mustered out Oct. 
 23, ],Sf.4. 
 
 Axtell, Thomas, Mil ford, Jan. 8. 1865. Co. D. 
 150th Inf.. I yr. Mustered out Jan. ifi, 1866. 
 
 -Anderson. .Martin. Onarga. Sei)t. 13. 1862, 
 Co. F, ()th Cav.. 7, vrs. Mustered out Sept. i^. 
 1865. 
 
 .-Vvery. Jnlm II.. ( hiarga. ( )ct. 18. 1862. Co. 
 AL (;th Cav.. 3 vrs. Mustered out Oct. ^i. 
 1865. 
 
 .•\sa_\-, William, ( )narga, .\'ci\-. 10. iSdi, Co. 
 M. 9lh Cav.. 4 yrs. Re-enlisted as veteran — 
 prnniotul _'(l Lieut. .Mustered out Oct. 31, 1865. 
 
 Asa\. William P.. Onarga, Nov. 10. 1861.
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS. ^h)5 
 
 Co. M, yth Cav., 4 >rs. Mustcrc<l out as 2(1 .\lliii. Martin \. 11.. ( )narKa. June 4. iS(ji. 
 
 Lieut. Oct. 31. iS<>5. C<>. !•". 25th Inf.. n; nios. Killed in battle of 
 
 Alexander, Henry, * )nar>j:i. Dec. 1. iXiti, Co. Stone River, 'lenu.. Dec. 31, |W)2. 
 M. <>tli Cav., 3 nios. Died at hoiue on sick leave. .\yres, Robert \\'., .\slikun), June i, 1861. Co. 
 
 .March 8, iWij. ( i. 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out Sept. I. 18^)4. 
 
 .\njilc, David, ( inarjja. Oct. 1. iS/^. Lo. — . .\yres, .Monzo D., .\slikuin, < )ct. 30, iW>i. Cn. 
 
 gtli Cav. Ina.ssinncd recruit. Ci, 25th Inf., 3 yrs. .\o ilata. 
 
 .\nderson. Josiah, I-oda, Se|>t. 15. iH<>i. Co. .\very, lulward I*'.. Middle|K>rl, .\u^. 21. iS<n. 
 
 C, 10th Cav. Discharged on account of wounds. Co. C, 23th Inf., 3 yrs. IX-tailed for duty with 
 
 No data. 8tli Wisconsin liattery. 
 
 .\nderson. J.icob. Loda. Sejit. 15, iX<>i. Co. .\>li, .\lonzo D., .Mi<ldle|>ort. .Sept. 20. iS^n. 
 
 C. 10th Cav.. 31 nios. Died in service, .\pril 3. Co. C. 5i.st Inf.. 7 nios. Discharged April 24. 
 
 t8()4. 1 8^.2. 
 
 .\dams, William H.. Loda. Jan. 4. 18^14, Co. .Mien. John II.. ( )narga. Sept. 24, iH(>i. Co. 
 
 C, 10th Cav.. 11 inos. Died at Urownsville. C. 5~tli Inf.. 3v mos. Mustered out Dec. 29. 
 .\rk., Nov. II, i8<i4. 18^)4. 
 
 .\iulerson, Ellis. Middleport. Jan. 12. 1864. Co. .\ndrew, .\dani. .Middle])ort. June 24. 18^^12, 
 
 D, 1st .\rtillery. Co. .\. 7')th Inf. .Mustered out July 22. 18(15. 
 .\rnold, T. .S.. Middleport. Jan. 4. 18/13. C'<. as Sergeant. 
 
 I. 113 Inf., 20 mos. I'.utzow. Ilenrx .\., .\shkuni, March 2, 1862, 
 
 .\rhart. Samuel !•".. .Milford, .\ug. 1. i8^)2. Co. Co. (i. 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. Wounded in battle of 
 
 E. 76th Inf. .Ab.sent sick at muster out of rcgi- Peach Tree Creek. 
 
 mcnt. I'.axter. Thomas. Chebanse. March 14. 1863, 
 
 .\ndrew. .\braham. Middle|K)rt, July 24, iHI>2. Co. 11. 58111 Inf. 
 Co. .\. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Served in Co. 1'.. io!h I'.randeiiburg. I-Vancis. .Middleiiori. Jiil\ 24. 
 
 Indiana, from April 23 to .\ug. '>. i8<>i. I'ro- i8<i2. Co. .\. 70th Inf.. 3 yrs. 
 moted Captain. I!ou<lreau, (iodfrcy, I'apineau, March 6, i8<j5. 
 
 .Mien, James. Milfonl, Jan. 24. 1863, Co. D. Co. H. 5Rtli Inf.. i yr. Mustereil out March 
 
 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. if>. 1866. <>, i8<i(). 
 
 .\nderson, .\aron, Innpiois county, Jul\ 24. I'.ishop. Kdwanl W.. .Mi<ldleport, June 4, i8^>i, 
 
 1862, Co. .\, 76tli Inf., 3 yrs. Co. F. 25th Inf.. 30 mos. Womided in right k-g 
 
 .\nderson, ( leorge \\'.. Itelniont, July 24, i8<)2. at battle of .^tone River, Dec. 30. i8(«2. 
 Co. .\, 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. No data. Ilutcher, ."^amucl, Chebanse, March 14, 1865, 
 
 Axtell, Thomas I'., Milford. .\pril 22. 18/.1. (,, \\ -sth Inf., 6 mos. Died at Montgomery, 
 
 Co. I. 20tb Inf., 3'/. yrs. No data. Ala.. Sept. 2j. i8r.5. 
 
 .\xtell, Thomas I'.. Ian. 8. 1865. Co. I), i v'lli 1. 1 t i m- 1 n . c . o/- ^- 
 
 •^ • r.ailey. Ivan L.. Middleport, Sept. 20, 1801, Co. 
 
 ^"f- ' >■'■• C. 51st Inf.. ^ 1-4 vr.s. Wounded at battle of 
 
 .Mien. David L.. .\ug. 7. >W.2. Co. K. M3th ,.-„;,kii„. ,);,;, M.rch 7. yS.,7. 
 
 Inf.. ^ vrs. No data. ,., , ,. , ,. ,,.,,, 
 
 ■ ■ ,, ... ,, ., ^, l-lailes. Iranklin. .Middleport. .\ug. 22. i8<>2. 
 
 .\fidrews, Rav W .. ( )narga, .Mav 2;. iSoi.t.... , , , ,....,.. 
 
 ^ ,1/0 ij • 1 ' , • V surgeon, 70tb inf.. it) mos. Discharged .March 
 
 F. 25th Inf., 18 iiios. Resigned as t aptam Nov, or 
 
 21, 1862, •^'' '■*• 
 
 Anderson. Isaac 11., ( Miarga, iune 4. '8<.i. ''""-gett. Hlias II., .Mid.lleporl, .May 14. i8<.4. 
 
 Co. F, 25th Inf.. 5 mos. Die.l at JelTersoii liar- C'.. |!. ,34th Inf.. 5 mo>. No records. Joined 
 
 racks. Mo.. Oct. 2.^. iSTm, <■• \- '<• ^'^rch (>. iHHi,. Died July 21, i8<).). 
 
 .Alexander. William T.. Onarga, June 4, 1861, HaUock. William .\.. ( )narga. .\ug. 22. 1W.2, 
 
 Co. F. 251)1 Inf.. 3 vrs. Discl'arue.l Sept. 5. surgeon. 7<^)th Inf. 
 18/14. I'.radrick, I'.orter, .Middleport. Nov. 28. 18(13, 
 
 Abreiie, Joseph. ' >narga. June 4. 18/11, Ci>. Co. I-', Ii3tli Inf. 
 I". 25tli Inf.. 3 yrs. Discharged Sept. 5. |8<)4. I'oweii. Horace M.. Mi<lill. p.it . Inn. 7. 18(12,
 
 696 PAST AXD PRESENT OF 
 
 Co. A. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. liall, James, ^lilford. .March 29. 1862. Co. 1, 
 
 i<S65. Promoted Lieutenant. 20th Inf.. 3 yrs. Discharged .Ma\- 21, 1865. 
 
 r>rayton. Comfort. Ashkum, June 13, i80j, l!i,y:elo\v, Xelson. Iroquois, July 24. 1862. Co. 
 
 Co. I. 20th Inf. A. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22, 1865. 
 
 P)0\vcn. 'ilionias .M.. .Middlejjort. Jan. 7. 1863. ISritton. James, -\shkum. July 15. 1863. Co. 
 
 Co. .\. 76th Inf. I, 20th Inf.. 4 mos. Killed at Edward's Station. 
 
 ISrayton. Joseph, .\slikum. June 13, 1861. Co. Miss., May 6, 1863. 
 
 I. 20th Inf.. 3 mos. Died at .Mound City. Xov. Prnwn. Thomas. Middle]}(jrt. Dec. 2, 18O3, 
 
 8. 1801. C(i. .\, 76th Inf. Transferred to 37th Illinois 
 
 liender. ."^amuel. .Middleport, Jul\- 24. 1S62. Infantry. 
 
 Co. .\, 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out Julv 22. lUakely. Thomas, ()nar,y:a, June 4, 1861, Co. 
 
 1865, as Sergeant. I-", 25th" Inf., 18 mos. Discharged Xov. 29. 1862, 
 
 Baily. William, Middleport, Juh- 24, 1862, L"o. as principal musician. 
 
 I, 20th Inf., 3 yrs. Discharged at exi)irati()n of I^rown, Thomas, Middleport, July 7, 1862, Co. 
 
 enlistn-.'-nt. .\, 7i.';t Inf., 3 mos. Mu-stered out Oct. 29, 1862. 
 
 liishopp, Weller, IJelmont, Jnly 24, 1862, Co. liowen, James, Middleport, Dec. 2, 1863, Co. 
 
 .\. 76th Inf. Promoted Lieutennnt in 5th V . S. .\, 76th Inf., 10 mos. Died at Cairo, III., Oct. 
 
 C. H. .v., .\ug. 16, 1864. 7. 1864. 
 
 lUake, -Alfred, Middleport. July 24, 1862, Co. lirandcnburg, .\lbin, Middleport. Dec. 2. 1863. 
 
 I, 20th Inf.. 4 yrs. Re-enlisted as veteran. Co. A, 7(:)th Inf., 10 mos. Died in .Middleport, 
 
 liowen, William, Middleport, July 24, 1862. Xov. 12, 1864. 
 
 Co. .A. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. I'.ray, Thomas S., Chehanse. March 14. 1805. 
 
 1865. Co. H, 58th Inf., 46 mos. .Mustered nut Jan. 
 
 Mraydon. \\'illia)ii. Middleport, July 24, 1862, (^. 1866. 
 
 Co. I, 20th Inf., 15 mos. Discharged for disa- Ilernsan. Lewis, Ash (irove. Ji:ne 4. i8r)i, Co. 
 
 bility Sept. 6, 1862. F, 23th Inf., 3 yrs. Discharged Sept. 3, 1864. 
 
 Brandenburg. Francis, Middleport, July 24, l!anl, Charles, Chebansc, March 14, 1865, Co. 
 
 1862, Co. A. 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 11. 38th Inf., 6 mos. Died at Montgomery. .\Ia., 
 
 22, 1865. Sept. 2T,. 1865. 
 
 P.artholic, Edward, Middleport, July 24, 1862, Pratton, \\'illiam, .\sh Grove, June 4. iSoi. 
 
 Co. I. 20th Inf.. 8 mos. Killed in battle at Co. F. 23th Inf. 
 
 I'ort Donelson, i"eb. 13, 1862. liorge, .\rmenius J., .\shknni, Xnv. 7. 1801, 
 
 r.urgess. Thiimas. Concord, July 24, 1862, Co. Co. C. 38th Inf. Discharged June 17, i8()2. dis- 
 
 .\. 761I1 Inf., 3 yrs. Mu.stered out July 22. 1863. ability. 
 
 P>randenhurg. James. .Middleport. Jnly 24, Mlanchanl, J. P.. Ashkum. Jrue i. i8(,i, Co. 
 
 1862. Co. 1, 20th Inf., 23 mos. Killed at Ray- c _,-t], |,,f Missinsj. 
 
 mond. Miss., Mav 12. i86r hit 1 \- \ t i x- ^ ^r n 
 
 „. , , . ," liradv, Joseph \ .. .Ashkum, Nov. 7, 1S61, Co. 
 
 Rigclow. Jnsiah, Iroquois. July 24, 1862. Co. ^- -sth i„f ^i.sing 
 
 A. 7r,th inf., 3 yrs. .Mustered out Julv 22, 1863. ,",, , , „ i^,,, , , ^. „, ,, 
 
 i,-,. 1 ,1 w \i-iii .. T 1 ' or , ■' halland, Eugene, L Eraiile, .\ov. 7. iSoi, Co. 
 
 Iiird. lulm W .. .Middleport, Tulv 24, 1862, (, ■>. . , , , ' ,, , / 
 
 T , ,, "1 .- r^• 1 •",'•,, , '". 23th Inf., ? vrs. Mu.stcrec out Sept. 1, 18O4, 
 
 I. 20th Int., 13 mos. Died ni hospital, |ulv 3, .->■-•>. i -t 
 
 iSr,2. ' " lieaver, .Xdam. Aliddlei)ort, Sei)t. 2H. 1864, 
 
 r.urgess. Jacob, Concord, |ulv 24, i8f)2. Ox ^'"- ^"' •^''' '"'- ^-'^ '""'■ 'l>ansferred tn W 
 
 A, 76th Inf., I yr. Discharge.l July 8, 1863. '^- ' '' -^'"^t^''"^''' ""l ' '^-f- '-'■ '^''S- 
 
 r.eck. William, Middleport, |ulv 24, 1862, Co. r.arnett, Jonas, .\shkum. .Marcli 3. 1802. Co. 
 
 t, 20th Inf.. 4 yrs. .Mustered out at close of war. '■'•• -S^'i ^'if- Transferred to Co. II. 
 
 iJarker, Elijah, Middleport. July 24, 1862, Co. Barnes, Charles H„ Onarga, Sei)t. 21. i86r. 
 
 A. 7f)th Inf., 17 mos. Died at Vicksburg, Dec. Co. C, 37th Inf. Discharged .May 8. 1S02, ili.s- 
 
 2^1- I'^^'M- ■ abilitv.
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. (*)7 
 
 I'.ariKtt. Jolin. Ashkuni. March 5, iS/'u. (.".1. r,.iiit;liti)ii. Thomas A.. Ashknni. Jul> 2y. i*>i. 
 
 (i. 2:th Iiii. Transferred to Co. H. Cd. I*', 421! Inf.. 20 mos. Transferred to \'. R. 
 
 Itowin. John. .MiddleiKirt. Se])t. 2S, 1N.4. Co. C.. April 6. iW»4. 
 
 C 51st Inf.. 10 MMs. Miistirnl .mt jniu- 1'). I'mwen. James ('.. Mid<!leiK)rt, Sept. 20. 1861, 
 
 l*<^>.s;. ('<>. t . 51st Inf. .Mustered out Sept. 25, 18*15. 
 
 Menjaniiii. Andrew, .\slikum, Auji. 2'>. \^\\. I'.akir. Charles W .. .Mi<ldlep<>rt. Nov. O. iWii. 
 
 Co. (i. J5tii Inf.. i^ davs. ni-sertod Stiii. S. Co. K. I2tli Inf.. '> mos. .Missing .\])ril 17, i8'>2. 
 
 1861. l!i>lio]). Wallace. Sheldon. Sept. 20. iWu. Co. 
 
 I'irin;,'er. Jnhn. .Middlepurt. .>ept. Ji>. 1N.4. \^y). {J, 51st Inf. l)ischar>,'ed Dec. 2(i. iS'^. disaliiliiy. 
 
 L". 5i?t Inf.. 3 mos. Died at Nashville of wmumiI I'.i>:).;am. Leroy. .Milford. .\i»ril 4. iX'>5. Co. 
 
 Dec. 13. iW>4. K. 43d Inf.. g mos. Mustered out Nov. 30, 
 
 llritton. Khenezer. .\shknni. ( let. 30. i.S/u. Lo. iKfi,. 
 
 ( i. 25th Inf. rransferre<l to (,0. H. I )isi-liari;od I'.amer. Thomas. .MiddlejHirt. ."^ept. 20. l8<'»!, 
 
 Jan. (». i8<i5. 1 (", 51st Inf.. 4 yrs. .Mustered out Sept. 25, 
 
 P.liss. John. .Middlejiort. < »ct. 7. i.S/14. Lo. t. . i.^sd^. 
 
 51st Inf.. 13 mos. Mustered out .^ept. 25. iW»4. Itijjj.;am. .Mexamler, Milford, .\pril 4, i8'>5, 
 
 rirooks, Joel L.. .\shkum. Oct. 30. 1861, Co. Co. K. 43d Inf.. 9 mos. Mustered out Nov. 30. 
 
 (i. 25th Inf.. 27 mos. Died at .Nashville. Foh. \9i\^. 
 
 22. iS'>4. r.ailey. Ivan 1... Middleport. ."Nept. 20. iS/.i. 
 
 r.rown. William. Miildleport. ( )ct. 2~. iS'14. Co. C. 51st Inf. Promoted Lieutenant. 
 
 Co. C. 51st Inf.. 1 yr. Mustcrerl out Sept. 25. Mustered out Sept. 2^. iS*!;. Wounded at 
 
 i8^>5. l-ranklin. 
 
 IJlackwell. ThiMuas. Ashkum. Jan. 2S. 1P62, liryant. Krancis .M.. Mi<ldle])ort. Dec. i. iS/ii. 
 
 Co. (i. 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. Co. C. 51st Inf.. 4O mos. .Mustered out as Cap- 
 
 Ltryant, Charles. Middle|)ort. Apr. 13. iiS'>5. lain ."^ept. 25. 1805. 
 
 Co. C. 51st Inf.. 5 mos. Mu.stercd out -Sept. 25. Iturt. I'.enjamin .\.. .Milford. .\ni:. 12. iH(i2. 
 
 i8^»5. Co. I". ii3tli Inf.. <> mos. Died at .^t. Louis. 
 
 liowen. Jeremiah. < )narj;a. March 18. iS<)2, Feb. 8. iS«)3. 
 
 Co. C. 42d Inf.. 2-; mos. I^)St one leg an<l dis- Bcvis. John. I'.elmont. .Vup. 12. i8f')2, Co. F. 
 
 charged June I. i8^>4. 113th Inf. Dischar>;ed for disability. No dale 
 
 Maiky. (ieor>.je W'.. .Middlejiort. .March 17, ^iven. 
 
 i8f>4, Co. C. 51st Inf. Transferred to \'. R. C. Kri<I;,'es. John Ci.. Belmont. Jan. 4. i8<i4. Co. 
 
 I'eh. 8. i8<>4. 1". 113th Inf.. <> mos. Discharged for disabliiiy, 
 
 ISurrounhs, Isaac, InM|Uois. .\u^j. 24. i8«ii. L"o. Sept. 2<>. i8<j4. 
 
 II. 42(1 Inf.. 4 yrs. Re-enlisted as veteran. 15ra<lrick. Ilorter. Middleport. Nov. 28. i8<)3. 
 
 Mustered out with rcKiment. Co. I". 113th Inf.. 18 nms. Musteretl out May 
 
 ISishopp. Wallace. .Sheldon. Dec. 2^. i8<)3, Co. 2-;. i8/)S. 
 
 C'. 51st Inf.. I yr. DischarRcd Dec. 20. 18*14. Ilrelsford. Ca.ssius .\l.. ( )narna. t )ct. ig. |8<>3. 
 
 disability. Co. I". 113th Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to 120th 
 
 liyres. .\yres. IriMjUois. .^ept. 15. iS<ii. ( •■ II Illinois. 
 
 42(1 Inf.. 20 mos. .Xpjiointed Coriwral. liarmr. John, .Middleport, Jan. 15, 1864, Co. 
 
 I!ur>ress. William. .Middleport. Sept 20. i8(ii. ]•". 113th Inf.. 18 tnos. Traiisfered to 120th 
 
 Co. C. 51st Inf \I.i.t.t..i .„,! ,. ("Mrporal, Illinois. 
 
 .'^ept. 25. i8*>5. I'.arner. Joseph. Middleport, Dec. <j. i8('(3. C"o. 
 
 liarrctt. C^harles. Chehanse. .\u>i. 3. 18*11. Co. I'. 1 I3tli Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to i2<Mh 
 
 D. 42(1 Inf.. 141110$. Discharged ( )ct. 10. i8<»2. Illinois, 
 
 for disability. I'.eschanl. Thelis. Middleimrt. Jan. 15. i8<»4. 
 
 I'.urntraner. (ieorRe 11. . .Middleixirt. Sept. 20, Co. F. 113th Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to 120th 
 
 18*11. Co. C. 51st Inf. Promoted Sergeant. Illinois. 
 
 .Mustered out .Sept. 25. 1865. P.eiuler. Lyman, Melmont. Dec. 13. 18*13, Co.
 
 698 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 F, 113th Inf., lu mos. Died in Andcrsonvillc Blakelv. Frank. Onarga, Oct. i, 1861, Co. M, 
 
 Prison, Oct. 10. 1864. 9th Cav.. 49 mos. Mustered out as veteran. Oct. 
 
 Bender. Nathaniel L.. :\liddleport. Aug. 8, 31, 1865. 
 
 1862, Co. 1. 113th Inf., 10 mos. Discharged Brown. Wilham H., Onarga, Sept. 10, 1861, 
 May 15. 1863. Co. M, 9th Cav., 6 nius. Discharged ^larch 5, 
 
 Baker, WiUiam, Middleport, Aug. n, 1862. 1862. 
 
 Co. I, 113th Inf. Returned to 12th Ilhnois from Burns, Barney. Onarga, Sept. 10, 1861. Co. 
 
 which he had deserted. M, 9th Cav., 29 mos. Died of wounds at 
 
 Black. Alexander, Middleport. Aug. 11. 1862, Memphis. Feb. 12, 1864. 
 
 Co. I, 113th Inf.. 4 mos. Died at St. Louis. Dec. Barnes, Anson H., Onarga, Aug. 1, 1862, Co. 
 
 20. 1862. M. 9th Cav.. 33 mos. Mustered out Oct. 31, 
 
 B.arr. Harvey. Middle])ort, Aug. 15. 1862. Co. 1865. 
 
 I. 113th Inf.. 5 mos. Killed at Arkansas Post. Brewer, Sanuiel E., Onarga, Aug. 1. 1862, Co. 
 
 Jan. II. 1863. .M. gth Cav.. 35 mos. Mustered out June 16, 
 
 Blaw. Thomas. Middleport. Aug. 14. 1862, 1865. 
 
 Co. I. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June Brown. Jacob E., Onarga, Aug. i. 1862. Co. 
 
 20, 1865. M, 9th Cav.. 21 mos. Discharged x\pril 21, 
 
 Ihirns. Thomas, Middleport, Aug. 14, i8fi2, 1864, disability. 
 
 Co. T. 113th Inf.. II mos. Deserted July 12. Brelsford. Horace Al., Onarga. Jan. 12, 1864, 
 
 1863. Co. M. 9th Cav.. 17 mos. Mustered out June 8, 
 Black, Quincy .\., Middleport, Dec. 11, 1863. 1865. 
 
 Co. I, 113th Inf., 18 mos. Transferred to i2otli Bills, Charles F., Onarga, ^larch 5, 1864, Co. 
 
 Regiment. M. qth Cav.. 16 mos. Mustered out July 8, 1865. 
 
 Barnier, Joseph, Middleport, .\pr. i, 1865, Co. Bickerton, Joseph, ^Middleport, Jan. 11. 1864, 
 
 — . 113th Inf., 3 mos. IMustered out June 20. Co. — .9th Cav. Unassigned recruit. 
 
 1865. Beedle, Jonathan M.. Beaver. Aug. <). 1862. 
 
 Bookless, William J.. Middleport. A|iril i, Co. E, 76th Inf.. 9 mos. Died in Memphis, .\pril 
 
 1865. Co. — , 113th Inf. Rejected. 12. 1863. 
 
 Beers, John W., ^liddleport, ^May 14. i8')4. Brock, Charles. .\sh (irove. Aug. 15. 1862, 
 
 Co. B. 134111 Inf., 5 niiis. Mustered out Oct. Co. E, 76th Inf.. 3 mos. Discharged for disabil- 
 
 25, 1864. ity Nov. 25, 1862. 
 
 Bigelow. ClintDU. Middleport, May 14, i8C)4, Brock, Silas, .\sh Grove, .\ug. 8. 1862, Co. 
 
 Co. B, 134111 Inf.. 5 nms. Mustered nut ( let. E, 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 25. 1864. Barber. Delorain C, Beaver, Aug. i, 1862, Co. 
 
 Boullette. Francois, Middleport, Alay 14, 1864, E, 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. ^Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 Co. B, 134th Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out Oct. Black. John, Beaver, Aug. 4. 1862. Co. E, 
 
 25, 1864. 7r,th Inf., 3 yrs. Mu.stcrcd out July 22. 1863. 
 
 Bourassa, James, Middleport. iNIay 14, 1804. Barrett, Jasper N., Crabapple. .\ug. 11. 1862, 
 
 Co. B, 134th Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out Oct. Co. E. 76t!i Inf.. 3 yrs. Absent sick on mu.ster 
 
 25. 1S64. (lilt of regiment. 
 
 Bidwell. Charles W"., Chelianse. Jan. 25, 18(15, Bennett, Joseph, Concord, .\ug. 4, 1862, Co. E, 
 
 Co. D. 150th Inf., I yr. .Mu.-tered dut Jan, 1(1. 7()ih Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 18'')''). lUirroughs. .\bel. Concord, .\ug. 9, 1862, Co, 
 
 Benjamin, George, Clifton. Jan. 11, 1865. Co. Iv 7f)th Inf., 2 yrs. Died at \'icksburg of wounds 
 
 D, 150th Inf.. I yr. Mustered cut Jan. 16, 1866. July 22. 1864. 
 
 Birflsley. iM-ederick. Onarga. Sept. 10. 1861. B.ratton, Benjamin, .\sh Grove, Aug. 1. 1862, 
 
 Co. .M. 9tli Cav.. 42 mos. Mustered out Feli. Co. F.. 7fit]i Inf.. 10 mos. Died at l.;igrangc. 
 
 28. 1865. Tenn.. May iS. 1863. 
 
 Ilarrick. (ieorge H.. Onarga, Sept. to, i8r)i, lltlt. Joel. Ash Gnne. Aug. (<. iSdj. Co. E, 
 
 Cu. M, 9th Cav.. 45 mos. Mustered out June 7f)th Inf., 3 > rs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 'I. 1865, prisoner of war. as Corporal.
 
 IRi'ULuii LUUNTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 0<>; 
 
 IJcst, Jiiliii II.. Crabjipplf, Dec. 17. iWij. Co. 
 K. -'>th Inf., S nios. Died at Morj;anzia, Ln., 
 Auii. III. iS'14. 
 
 r.ratton, lllijali, Ash (irnvi-. .\\m. 1. i8<ij. I.11. 
 K. 7(>lh Int., 2 NTS. Killctl. Jackvin, .Mi.ss.. Inly 
 7. iS«4. 
 
 Honnell, William R.. Miikllcix>rt. .\np. 13, 
 itVu, Co. C. SSth Inf.. (> nios. l)iscliar^;c(l .March 
 2. iiS<>3. (li.sal)ility ; rank. Scrj^c-ant. 
 
 I'.nrr Ilirani. I'lUcklcy, .\np. 10. iS<»2, Co. C. 
 SSth Inf.. 34 niKS. Mustincl onl Jnnc i), iW>5. 
 
 linmctt. F.Inn C. .\shknni. .\n^. 10. iS<ij. 
 Co. C. 88th Inf.. 1 yr. Died at .Mnrfrif.slxmi. 
 Ti-nn., .\uii. 3. iS<\v 
 
 r.nnkir. ( )livi'r. Clifton. Auj,'. lO. iWu. Co. 
 n. 8«/h Inf. Captnrcd at battk- of Miirfrccs- 
 boro. 
 
 Hrown. Lncian 15.. Shcldnn, Oct. 1. iS<)j. 
 Snrgeon, 113th Inf.. 33 inos. Mustered ont June 
 JO. i8<')5. 
 
 Ikcket. .\ndn.\v W.. .Martinton. ( )ct. i. i8<»j, 
 Co. H. 113th Inf.. T^^ man. MnstcrctI out June 20. 
 1865. as Captain. 
 
 Mrandenburj;, Henry. Middleiwrt. .\uii. 18. 
 1862, Co. B, 113th Inf.. 10 inos. Died at X'icks- 
 bnrfj. June 18. i8*>3. 
 
 Buck. N'oah. .Middle()ort. .\u},'. i). i8<)2. Co. 
 I!. 113th Inf.. 13 nios. Died at Corinth. .Miss.. 
 Sept. 17. i8<>3. 
 
 I'.icklc. John C, .\shkum. -Xu^. *). i8<v.', (\>. 
 Ii. 113th Inf.. 8 mos. Discharged .\pril 22. 
 18/^13. disability. 
 
 Uartholoinew, J<ihn. .Martinton. .\u^. w. i8<>2. 
 Co. I'.. 113th Inf.. 13 mos. Died at Corinth, .Sept. 
 
 5. '8"3- 
 
 r.rooks. Edward M., (Jnarjja. .\u^. 6, 18^)2, Co. 
 I). 1 13th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out as Serjeant 
 June 20. 1863. 
 
 r.riden. Jcihn .M.. ( Inar^a, July 30. 18/(2, Co. 
 D. 113th Inf.. 7 mos. Died at Del Key. .March 
 5. i8<>3. Home on sick leave. 
 
 r.eers, ( leor^e W.. Onar^a, .Vu^. 7. i8<>2, Co. 
 D, 113th Inf.. 6 mos. Discharged !*"eb. 20, iW>3, 
 disability. 
 
 hrown. .'^amuel. Onarjia. .\uj;. 7, i8<i2. Co. D. 
 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Muslereil otit Jnly 1. i8<»5. 
 prisoner of war. 
 
 Mishop, CieorKC, .\sh drove, .\uj;. 12. i8r»2, Co. 
 D. 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 20, 
 iSTis. 
 
 Itoweii, John l'"„ IJnarna, Jan. 14. 18^14, Lo. 
 I). Ii3tli Inf., 18 mos. Transferred to i2i)th 
 Illinois. 
 
 r.ridnes, William J.. Melnuml, .Vufj. 12, i8<)2. 
 C'li. I', n.Vb Inf., (1 n»i>s. kesinne<l as Captain 
 Feb. 13. i8<>3. 
 
 Main. William. Middle|x>rt, .Xu^. 12, i8f)2. Co. 
 I", 113th Inf., 34 mos. .Mustered out June 20, 
 |8<>5. as isl Lieutenant. 
 
 ISolin, William. .MiddUixirt. .\n>,'. 12. i8«i2, Co. 
 I'. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. .Mustered out June 20. 
 as .Serjjeant. 
 
 liarden, Calvin. .Middleport, -Xufj. u. 1862, Co. 
 I", ii3tli Inf.. 34 mos. Mustere<l out June 20. 
 i8'>5. as (."orporal. 
 
 I'arden. (jeorjje, Middleport. Anv.- i-. 1862, 
 Co. F, 113th Inf.. 5 mos. Killed at .Arkansas 
 I'ost, Jan. 1 1, 1863. 
 
 Bowman. Isaac M., Middlc|>ort. Aug. 12, 1862, 
 Co. I". 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out Jmie 
 20. 18(15. 
 
 r.ell. John. .Middleixirt. .\u^i. 12. i8<)2. Co. I". 
 113th Inf.. 5 mos. Dischargetl Jan. 10. 18/13. 
 di>al)ility. 
 
 Bourassa. James, Middleport. .\\\n. 12. i8ri2. 
 Co. I'". 113th Inf.. 4 mos. Discharjjed Dec. 25. 
 i8/'>2. disability. 
 
 Itelair, I'rank. Beaver. .\up. 12. i8/t2. Co. I*", 
 113th Inf.. x^ """*• Mustered out .May 25. 18/15. 
 
 I'.arstow. Ilirani F.. Loda. Sept. 15. i8/)i. Co. 
 C. loth Cav., 16 mos. Left service April 20. 
 18^.3. 
 
 Baker. Hiram. L«Hla. .'^ept. 15. 18/11. Co. C, 
 loth Cav., 51 mos. Ke-enlisted as veteran. 
 
 I'.r.idlex. (iillK-rt M.. l.oihi. Sept. 15. |8/>I. Co. 
 C. lolh Cav. Discharj^ed for disability. 
 
 Burns. Nathan. Ixnla. Sept. 15. iW)i. Co. C, 
 loth t'av. Di.scharjjed for promotion in ist .\rkan- 
 sas Infantry. 
 
 Itenway. Na|)oleon. Uxla. .Sept. 15. i8/»i. Co. 
 C. loth t'av. Re-enlisted as veteran. No date. 
 
 Baker. C;irlos, Lo<l;i Sept. 15. 18/11. Co. C. 
 loth Cav 
 
 Bousall. \\ illiam W.. L4Hla, ."^ept. 15. i8(>i. Co. 
 C, loth v.'av. Discharged for disability. .No date. 
 
 Bitlcney, I^wis. Uxla. Se|»t. 15, iW>i. Co. 
 C. loth Cav. Dischar^:ed for disability. No date. 
 
 Brown, .\nderson, L<Kla. .Sept. 15. i8/>i. l"o. 
 C. lolh Cav., 22 moii. Discharged for disability. 
 July 2,^. i8/'i3.
 
 700 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Ilailev. Hcnjamiii. Loda. Dec. 28. 1861. Co. Co. E. jOtli Inf.. 9 inos. Died at Memphis. May 
 
 C, loth Cav. Xo data. 4, 1863. 
 
 Beach. Julius. Loda. Jan. it). 1864, Co. C. loth Canada. James. Middleport. Dec. 30. 1864, Co. 
 
 Cav.. 23 mos. Mustered (nit Nov. 22. 1865. I. 20th Inf.. 6 mos. Xo data. 
 
 veteran. Clark, llvlan. I'.eaver. Aug. 8. 1862. Co. E, 
 
 Burtner, John W., Luda. Jan. 19. 1864. Co. C'. ^Oth Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out as 1st Sergeant, 
 
 lOth Cav.. 2^ mos. Mustered out Xov. 22. ii>(>^. July 22. 1865. 
 
 veteran. Chalfant. Jolm. Milford, April 22. 1861. Co. 
 
 Bross, John, Loda. Jan. 12. 1864, Co. C, loth L 20th Inf.. 3 yrs. Xo data. 
 
 Cav.. 2^ mos. Mustered out Xov. 22. 1865, Childs. Henry. Ash Grove, .\u.i;. 1, 1862, Co. 
 
 veteran. K. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1865. 
 
 liartholomew. I'eter. Danfnrth. Xov. 10. i8f>i. Clemans. William. Milford. Jan. 22. 1863. Co. 
 
 Co. E, nth Cav.. 47 mos. Mustered out SLpl. I, 20th Inf.. 2 yrs. No. data. 
 
 30. 1865, veteran. Clements. Noble. Concord. Aug-. 12, 1862. Co. 
 
 I'.erland, Joseph. L'Erable. Dec. 19. iSdi. Cn. F, 113th InC, 9 mos. Discharged May 20. 1863, 
 
 F, 12th Cav. No record. disability. 
 
 i'.rault, Timothy, L'Erable, Dec. 19. i8fii. Co. Clark. James M., t )nnrga. June 4. 1861. Co. 
 
 E, i2ih Cav.. 2/ mos. Died at St. Louis. March ]•_ 25th Inf.. i yr. Died at Clear Creek. Tenn., 
 26, 1864. June 2;^. 1862. 
 
 I'.riggs. Eli 1'.. Loda. I'eb. 13. 1862. Co. L. Coberly. James. Middleport, Aug. 12. i8()2. 
 
 2(1 .Art'ly.. 42 mos. Clustered out Aug. 9, 1865. Co. F. 113th Inf.. 7 mos. Discharged March 4. 
 
 Hurt, Morris L.. Loda, Feb. 20, 1862, Co. L. 1863. disability. 
 
 2(1 -Vrt'lv.. 41 mos. Mustered out -Aug. (;. 1865. Campbell, John. ( )narga. June 4. 1861, Co. F. 
 
 liurkc. James, Loda, I*"eb. 25, 1862, Co. L. 25th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out Sept. 5. 1864. as 
 
 2(1 .\rt'ly.. 4 mos. Discharged June 25. 1862. Sergeant. 
 
 Coberly, James, Middleport, Aug. 2. 1862. Co. Clem. Peter, Effner, .\ug. 12. 1862, Co. F. 
 
 F. 113th Inf.. 7 mos. Discharged for disability. 113th Inf. Mustered out June 20. 1865. 
 Re-enlisted in Co. \'>. 134th Inf. Mustered out Canadv, Solomon. Martinton, June 4, 1861. 
 Oct. 25,. 1864. Co. I'", 25th Inf.. 31; mos. .Mustered out Sej)!. 5, 
 
 Coberly, James, .Middleport. May 24, i8()4, Co. 1864. 
 
 r.. 134th Inf.. 5 mos. Died Oct. 20, 1889. Crabb. Jarrett. .Middleport. .\ug. 12. 1862, Co. 
 
 Canady, Solomcin !■'.. .Midillepoit. June 4. iSfn. !•". ti3th Inf., 7 mos. Discharged March if). 
 
 Co. F, 25th Inf. 1863. 
 
 Clemens, Samuel. Concord, .\ug. 4, 18(12, Cn. Carson. Thomas !'■., Ashkuui, Au.g. 18. i8()i. 
 
 v.. jfAh Inf., 6 mos. Died at .Moscow. Tenn.. Co. (i. 25th Inf., 3 yrs. .Mustered out Sept. 5, 
 
 l'"eb. 2. 1863. 1864, 
 
 Claire, Hypolite. I-"el). 29. 18^)4. Co. I-'. 3i)th L'aviit, W illiam. Helincmt. Dec. 13, 1863. Co. 
 
 Inf., 22 mos. I'. M3tli Inf. Xo data. 
 
 Cleaver. Joseph W,, Milford, Aug. 12, 1862. Clark. ( ieorge A.. .Sheldon, Sej^t. 28, 1 861, Co. 
 
 Co. E, 76th Inf.. 13 mos. Died at Cairo. 111.. F, 3<)th Inf., 51 mos. Mustered out Dec. 6, 1865. 
 
 Sc])t. 3. 1863. as Sergeant. 
 
 Cadore. Leander. .Middkpnn. Xnv. 26, i8fii, Canady. Thomas .A., Helmont, Xov. 28, 1863, 
 
 Co. E, 1st .Art'ly.. 11 mos. Co. 1". 113th Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to 120th 
 
 Cleaver. Clinton. Milford. Aug. (;. 1862, Co. Illinois. 
 
 E, 76111 Inf.. 17 mos. Died at 'I'.illabatchie. La.. Campbell. Jacob H.. .Milford, .Aug. 2~,. 1861. 
 
 Jan. I. 1863. Co. ('.. 42(1 Inf., 9 mos. Discharged May 7, 1862. 
 
 Comcgys, .Samuel T,, .Middleport, Jmu' 13, disal)ility. 
 
 1861. Co. I. 2()tli Inf., mos. Died at Cairo. Cutler, (leorge. Chebanse. .Aug. 12, 1862, Co. 
 
 Nov. 21. 1861, 11,1 I ^th Inf.. 3 yrs. Transferred to \". R. Corps, 
 
 Caldwell. Is.iac .M., C"oncord, ,\u.g. 11. 1862, ( 'ct. 12. 1863.
 
 IRt)QU01S COUNTY. ILLINUIS. 701 
 
 Carltiiii, Lharlis. I.tnla. Jan. 1. iS«i4. i,. (,. C . 571I1 Inf., 5'"- I">i. -1 .it I'l.'n. .Ii k\ l"cb., 
 
 4.'i| Inf., J \r>. I'n»ni<)tfil Scrncant Major. iWii. 
 
 Mnstcnd mil IVc. U>. i8(>5. Casi-. .Mlnrt. t li».li.in»c. .\..v. 7. i.S<»i. 1. 1>. C 
 
 t'i>l)b. IIiiclI M.. Mi«l(ilc|Kjrt, .\nn. id. iS<ij. 38111 Inf. Dcscrtcil wliili- at Camp Douglas. 
 
 C«i. 1. ii3tli Inf.. 7 mi)!;. iJi.scharniMl .Mart-h 7. L'haiiin. Cliark-s «i.. Clifion, Nov. 7. i8<>i. Co. 
 
 1^)3. ( , 5«tli Inf.. 5 mos. Dicil .Xpril 13. 1W12. of 
 
 Clianiilcr. William. .\sli timvc. (let. iS. iS<i| ^^,,1n.I^ ri-oi-ivcil at Shnoli. 
 
 Co. K. iJth Inf.. 9 mos. Mnsti-n-d out July r <k. Mi-lvin U.. Chchansc. I'ch. J~. iW»5. Co. 
 
 18(15. II. 581I1 Inf.. I \r. I'romotctl Lieutenant. 
 
 Courtrisilit. jovcpli I'... .\liililU|)<irt. Aw^i. <<. Mn>tiri-tl out .March j. i8*><». 
 
 i8<)J. Co. 1. I i^tli Inf.. 7 mos. I)i.>icliarj;i«l Manh ConnviT. William .*^.. Chcliansc. .March 13. 
 
 7. 18/13. 18*15. Co. 11.58111 Inf.. 1 \r. .Mustered out March 
 
 Carlson. Miles \ .. .\shkum. leh. _'8. 18(15. Co. 2. i8</<. 
 
 K. 431I Inf.. 48 tiays. Mustered out .\pril 16. Comerford. Michael. Chel»anse. March 14, 
 
 iW>5. 18^.5. Co. n. 58th Inf.. 6 mos. Died at Mont- 
 
 Cari)enter. John. .Middleport. .\un. 15. i8»ij. >jonier>. .\Ia.. Sept. d, i8^>5. 
 
 Co. I. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June Chamlx-rs. James K.. Middleport. July 24. 
 
 20, 18*15. 18*12. Co. A. 7fith Inf.. 34 mos. Uischarned May 
 
 Carr. William. .Middleport. Sept. 20. i8<ii. Cm. 21. |8*»5. 
 
 C. 51st Inf.. 4*1 mos. Mustered out June 2'i. Crozier. William. .Midille|)ort. Jnl\ 24. 1W12. 
 
 i8*>3. as Corporal. I o. A. 7*1111 Inf.. 3 mos. Dii-il at Columbus. Ky.. 
 
 Canaila. Horace I'.. .Mid<lle|)ort. .Sept. 2^). i8fii. Oct. 8. 18(12. 
 
 Co. C. 51st Inf.. 8 mos. Died at Famiinpton. Clark, .\hraham. Middleport. July 24. 18*12. 
 
 Mi.ss.. May 28. 18*12. i". A. ,~'ilh Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. 
 
 Camp. Frederick W .. .Middleport. ( )ct. 24. 18(15. 
 
 1861, Co. C. 51st Inf. .\'o data. Col.son. Mln-nezer W .. Irocpiois. l-"el). 2. 18(14. 
 
 Canada. Mathew. Mitldleixirt. Nov. 15. i8(ii. Co. .\. 7'itli Inf.. 3 yr.-. Transferred to \'. R. C. 
 
 Co. C. 51st Inf., 45 mos. .Mustered out June *•. Nov. 8, 18(13. 
 
 1865. Cox. .\iidre\v J.. .Middle|>ort. Jan. 12. 18(14. 
 
 Chamberlain. .\u>;ust .\.. .Midilleport. Nov. 20. Co. .\. 7(ith Inf.. 2 yrs. Transferred to 37th Illi- 
 
 l8r>i. Co. C, 51st Inf.. 7 mos. nie<l at Farminj;- nois. July i«>. 18(15. 
 
 ton. Miss.. June 24. 18(^12. (.'ourtrijjht. Isaac I).. Middle|)ort. .\i\)X. 14, 
 
 Curry. William. .Middleport. .Se]>t. 20. i8(ii. i8Ci», Co. I. 7rith Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 
 
 C<J. C. 51st Inf.. «) mos. Died at l-'armiiiKton. 22. 18(15. 
 
 Miss.. May 28. 1862. Carter, .\iidre\v I... .\.sh (irove, July 22. 18*12. 
 
 Crawford. Robert I".. Mid<lleport. ( let. 2. i8(^>i. Co. K. 7(>ih Inf.. 3 yrs. rrtmioted Lieutenant. 
 
 Co. C. 51st Inf. Re-enlisted as veteran. .Mustered out July 22. l8(^>5. 
 
 Crow. James. Midilleixirt. Oct. 10. 18*11. Co. Claw.son. Jonathan. .\sh (Irove. .\uj;. 5. 18(12. 
 
 C. 51st Inf.. 13 mos. Discharneil Sept. 27, 18(12. Co. K. 7(>th Inf.. 4 mos. Died at I-ajjranne. 
 
 disability. Tenn.. Dec. 4. i8('i2. 
 
 Carl. Henry. Middle|Kirt. .March 17. 18(14. Co. Clay. Henry. L<Mla. .\uj;. 1. 18(^12. Co. K. 7(ith 
 
 C. 51st Inf.. 18 mos. Mustereil out Sejrt. 25. Inf.. 25 da\s. Missing .\un. 2^1. 18^12. 
 
 18(15. Clark. Calvin R.. .\sh (irove. .Xuj;. i. 18*12. 
 
 Carl. tJoliah. Middleport. .March 17. 18^14, Co. Co. K. 76th Int.. 3 yrs. Mn-ilered <iut Julv 22. 
 
 C". 51st Inf.. 14 mos. Mustered out May 18. 18(15. 
 
 18^15. ' vrraiis. William. Mid<llepi>ii. ( lu. u. i.-m.), 
 
 Connell, CicorKe. .Middle|xirt. Fel). 27. 18*.. i\. 7*iili Inf. Rejected. 
 
 Co. t". 51st Inf.. 4 mos. Killed at Kenesa« Crawford. RoU-rt < ).. .\shkum. .\ui;. *i. 18^^12. 
 
 Mountain. June 27. 18(14. Co. C'. 88tli Inf.. 34 nms. Mustered out Jtiiu 
 
 Clark. William. Onar^a. .Sept. 24. i8^)i. Co. <>. 18(15. ist Lieutenant.
 
 702 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Caswell. Edwin F., Clifton, Aiitj. lo, 1862, Co. 
 C, 88th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 9, 
 1865. 
 
 Crawford, Isaac, Ashkum. Aug. 10, 1862, Co. 
 
 C, 88th Inf., 8 mos. Missing May, 1863. 
 Caswell. Arthur D.. Clifton. July 30, 1862. 
 
 Co. C. 88th Inf., 34 mos. ^Mustered nut June 9, 
 1865. 
 
 Correll. Samuel S., Belmont, .\ug. 11. 1862, 
 Co. C, 88th Inf., 7 mos. Discharged March 3, 
 1863. ^^'ounded at Perry ville, Ky. 
 
 Cook, Wilson, Onarga, Aug. 14, 1862. Co. D, 
 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 20. 1865, 
 as Corporal. 
 
 Curtis, Alonzo W.. Onarga, Aug. 14. 1862. 
 Co. D, 113th Inf., 6 mos. Died at Young"s Point, 
 La., Feb. 10, 1863. 
 
 Chandler, Joseph W., Onarga. Aug. 14, 1862, 
 Co. D, 113th Inf., 35 mos. Mustered out July i. 
 1865, prisoner of war. 
 
 Conklin, Benjamin F., Onarga, Aug. 20, 1862, 
 Co. D, 113th Inf., 3 wrs. Transferred to Vet. 
 Reserve Corps. 
 
 Courtright, Joseph, Middleport, Oct. 24, 1863, 
 Co. D, 113th Inf., 19 mos. Mustered out May 
 28, 1865. 
 
 Crowder, Wiley, Middleport, Aug. 12, 1862, 
 Co. F, 113th Inf., 13 mos. Discharged Sept. 3, 
 1863. disability. 
 
 Cottrell, John, Middleport, Aug. 12. 1862. Co. 
 F, 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 20. 
 1865. 
 
 Campbell, William H., Middleport, Jan. 30, 
 1865, Co. D, 150th Inf.. I vr. Mustered nut Jan. 
 16, 1866. 
 
 Cadore, Joscjjh, Middleport, Jan. 30, 1865, Co. 
 
 D, 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 Cameron. Thomas, Middleport, Feb. 8, 1865, 
 
 Co. D, 150th Inf., I vr. .Mustered out [an. 16, 
 1865. 
 
 Council, Hiram T., Milford. Jan. 13. i8C)5, C'<i. 
 D. 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Crowder, Kilburn. .Milfor<l. Jan. 21. 1865, Co. 
 I). 150th Inf.. 1 yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Crowder. Joseph, Milford, Jan. 21. 1865, Co. 
 n. i5otli Inf.. I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Crocket. .Mien M.. .Miildle])(irt, I'eh. 6. 1865, 
 Co. D, 150th Inf.. 1 vr. .Mustered out |an. 16, 
 1866. 
 
 Case, Levi, ^liddleport, Jan. 2^. 1865, Co. D, 
 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Cook, David B., Oilman, Jan. 30, 1865, Co. 
 D, 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Cook, Asa P., Onarga. Sept. 10, 1861, Co. 
 ;\I. 9th Cav., 49 mos. Mustered out Oct. 31, 
 i8f)5, as 1st Lieutenant. 
 
 Clark, Daniel P., Onarga, Sept. 10, 1861, Co. 
 M, 9th Cav., 49 mos. ^ilustered out Oct. 31, 
 1865, as Corporal, veteran. 
 
 Chenewoth, Riley, Onarga, Sept. 10, 1861, Co. 
 ;\I, 9th Cav.. 6 mos. Died at Reeve's Station, 
 Mo., March 22. 1862. 
 
 Coffin, John W., Onarga, Sept. 10, 1861, Co. 
 M, 9th Cav.. 46 mos. Mustered out July 8, 1865, 
 veteran. 
 
 Cook, Asa P., Onarga, Sept. 10, 1861, Co. M, 
 9th Cav., 49 mos. Mustered out Oct. 31. 1865, 
 veteran. 
 
 Cast. Ephraim, C)narga, Nov. i, 1861, Co. M, 
 9th Cav., I mo. Rejected Dec. 8, 1861. 
 
 Craig, John, Onarga, Sept. 10, 1861, Co. M, 
 9th Cav., 41) mos. Mustered out Oct. 31. 1865, 
 veteran. 
 
 Crow, Thomas N., Onarga, .\ug. i. 1862, Co. 
 M. 9th Cav., 35 mos. Mustered out June 16, 
 1865. 
 
 Crawford, George B.. Onarga, Aug. i, 1862, 
 Co. M, 9th Cav., 39 mos. Mustered out Oct. 
 31. 1865, as hospital steward. 
 
 Cooper, George H.. Onarga, Aug. i, 1862. Co. 
 M. 9th Cav., 2 yrs. Killed at Oxford, Miss., 
 Aug. 13. 1864. 
 
 Crinunins. David, Onarga, March 26, 1864, 
 Co. .M, ()th Cav.. 19 mos. Mustered out (let. 
 31, 1865. 
 
 Caswell. Charles I)., ( )narga. ( k't. 1, 1862, Co. 
 — . 9th Cav. I'nassigned recruit. 
 
 Cassells. Lowrey. ( )narga, Sept. 15. 1861, Co. 
 C, 10th Cav., 50 mos. Re-enlisted as veteran. 
 Mustered out Nov. 22. 1865. 
 
 Chidsey, Daniel. Onarga, Se])t. 15, 1861, Co. 
 C. loth L'av., ^^j mos. Died at Memphis. ( )ct. 15. 
 1864. 
 
 Clark, Robert I'... Onarga, Sept. 15, uSC)!. Co. 
 C. lotli Cav., 50 mos. Veteran. Mustered out 
 Nov. 22. 1 865. 
 
 C'annon. William. ( )narga. .Sept. 15, i8()i. Co. 
 C, loth Cav.
 
 IKoyUOIS COUNTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 7^i 
 
 Calligliati, Jolin, Oiiarjja, Sept. 15, i8<ji, In. 
 C, loth Lav. 
 
 CIiiit;liaii, (Ictirtjc, ( )narKa, .Sipi. 15. iS<)i, Co. 
 
 C, loth Cav., yj iiiKS. Mustered out Dec. 30. 
 1804. 
 
 Cnuinin;liani, lieorgc 1'.. Midilk]H>rt. Jan. 19, 
 
 1863, Co. 1), isi .\rl'l>., 31 luos. .Mustered out 
 July 28, i8<>5, Captain. 
 
 Crow, Williani, .\IiddleiH>rt, Dec. .'4, 1WJ3. Co. 
 
 D. 1st .\rl'ly., 20 nios. .Mustered out July 28. 
 i8<'»5. 
 
 Cavitt. William R.. .Middli|Mirt, .\u^;. 13. iS<)2. 
 Co. D, ii3tli Int. Died in .\ndersonville Pri.son. 
 .\up. J4. 1804. 
 
 Clark. Kzekiel D.. Middleport, .\up. 11. i8<j2. 
 Co. I, 1131I1 Inf., II) nios. Discliarged .March 
 15. 18(14. 
 
 Cobb, .Mfrcd, Middleport, Aug. 15, i8<>2, Co. 
 1, 113th Inf., 7 mos. Discharged .March 7. 18(13. 
 
 Coverdale, William S., Middleport. .\uv,'. 8. 
 iW)2. Co. I. 113th Inf. l)i sella ri:vil at Cain)! 
 Ikitler. Xo date. 
 
 Carpenter, Abraham, Middki)ort, An;^. 7, iS<)_'. 
 Co. I, 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mii>terrd out Iiuk' 
 20. i»)4. 
 
 Clark. ( )scar, Middlepori, .\\\^. 9, i.V).-, * •>. 
 I. 113th Inf. Di.scharKcd at St. Louis. Xo date. 
 
 Clark, William. .Middleport, .Vufj. 11, i8<)2, 
 Co. I. 113th Inf.. 1; mos. Discharjjed May 15. 
 1863. 
 
 Chadwick, .Monzo D., .Middleport, .\ufj. 13. 
 1862, Co. I, 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mu.stered out 
 June 20, 1865. 
 
 Carpenter, Geor^je, .Middleport. .\ug. 7, i8()j. 
 Co. I, 113th Inf.. 34 mos. .Musteretl out June 
 20, 1805. 
 
 Carpjcnter, Friend J.. .\Iiddle|)ort, .\uK. 15, 
 1862, Co. I. Ii3lh Inf. Discharjjed at Memphis. 
 .Xo date. 
 
 Carjxnter. Thomas, .\Iiddle|)ort. Auj;. 8, i8<>2, 
 Co. I. 1 13th Inf., 4 mos. Died at .Memphis. Dec. 
 15. 1862. 
 
 (.'(Mik. David I!., tiilnwn, .May 14, i8<>4. i . . 
 Ii. 134th Inf.. 5 mos. Mustered <«it Oct. 25. 
 
 1864. as 1st Sergeant. 
 
 Callahan. William K.. .Milford, .Max 1 j, is>,^. 
 Co. 15, 134th Inf., 5 mos. .Musten-d out < >ct. .'5. 
 18(14, as C'orporal. 
 
 Conoway, .'\doIphus, Ash Grove, May 14, 1864. 
 41 
 
 Co. 1!. 134th Inf., 5 mos. .Mustered out « )ct. 
 25. i8(>4. 
 
 Carroll. Richard, Miildlejiort, Jan. 7, 18(15, *-"• 
 D, 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, i86(i. 
 as 2d Lieutenant. 
 
 Collett, John 15., Clifton. Jan. 7, 1865. Co. D. 
 150th Inf.. I yr. Mu.steri-d out Jan. i(>, 18(1(1. 
 
 Chandler, Isaac. Milford, -Sept. 2(j. i8(j4, Co. 
 D. 1st .\rt"ly. Xo other data. 
 
 Cojip, Uriah, Jr., Loda. Jan. 2^, 1862. Co. L. 
 2d .\rt"ly. 
 
 Cresley. Henry. Loda, Jan. 10, 1863, Co. L, 
 2(1 .\rlly., 31 mos. Discharjied .\up. 9. 1865. 
 
 ClilTord, William, .\sh Grove. Di-c. 3, 1863, Co. 
 L, 2d .\rt'ly., 21 mos. Discharged .\ug. 9, 1865. 
 
 C'aldwell. James, Clifton, Jan. 1. 1862, Co. E, 
 35th Inf., Jj mos. Missing Xov. 7, 1863. 
 
 Darrough, John S., Middleport. .\ug. 12, iS(t2, 
 Co. F. 113th Inf., 34 mos. Congressional medal 
 awarded for bravery. 
 
 Dawson, l^-wis S., Milford, Jan. 20, 1865, Co. 
 D. 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. i6, 186C. 
 
 Dewey, John, Middle|)ort, .\ug. 23, 1862, Co. 
 I), 104th Inf.. 1 yr. Discharge*! for disability. 
 Died in 1885. 
 
 Denning, William, Onar:;.i. \ i\. -n, iN.i. * i. 
 M, 9th Cav., 3 yrs. Mustered out Dec. 10, 18(14. 
 
 Davis, .\sahel S.. .Middleixirt. May 24. i8(ii. 
 Co. I, i3lh Inf., 3 yrs. Xo data. 
 
 Dillon, Xewton, Onarga, Sept. 10, 1861. Co. 
 M, 9th Cav., 38 mos. Died at Columbia, Tenn.. 
 of wounds. Xov. 24. i8(>4. N'eteran. 
 
 Dawson. Mahlon M., Middleport, Jan. 2, 18(14. 
 Co. I, 113th Inf., 16 mos. Died .April 12. 1903. 
 
 Daniels. William, Onarga. F'eb. i. 1862, Co. 
 M, <;th Cav.. 1 mo. Died at St. Louis, March i. 
 i8r.2. 
 
 Duffieltl. James, .\IuldU-port, jimc 13. iS"i. 
 Co. I, 2olh Inf. Xo returns. 
 
 Dunn. I5ernard. Onarga, Oct. 1, 1862, Co. .M, 
 <>th Cav. Mustered out Oct. 31. i8()5, as 
 Sergeant. 
 
 Dwyer, Patrick. Middle|K)rt, June 13, 1861, 
 Co. I. 2otli Inf. .Vo data. 
 
 Dopps. John, Loda, Sept. 15, 1861, Co. C, loth 
 I'av. Discharged for dis;ibility. Xo date. 
 
 Davis, William J.. .Milfonl. April 22. i8()i. Co. 
 I. 20lh Inf., 22 mos. Died .March 10. 1863. 
 
 Dunn, John, Loda, Jan. 3. 1864, Co. C. 10th 
 ("av. .Mustered out Oct. 22. 1865.
 
 704 
 
 AST AND PRESEXT OF 
 
 Dalton. Kobtrt 11.. Ash Cirove. June 4. 18O1. A, 71st Inf.. 3 nios. .Mustered out V)ct. 2y. 1862. 
 
 Co. F, 25th Int.. 2 \TS. Discharged .April 2. 1863. Daw.son. William .M.. Crabapple. Aug. 9, 1862. 
 
 Deneese, Thomas, Middle])ort. .\i;irch 5. 1864. Co. E. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 
 
 Co. D. 1st .\rt'ly. 1865. wounded. 
 
 Dunn, Giles, Ash Grove, June 4. 1861, Co. F. Dawson, Anderson. Crabapple. Dec. 17. i8'>3. 
 
 25th Inf., 30 mos. Cor])nral. Killetl at .Missinn Co. E, 76th Inf.. i mo. Discharged Jan. 12. 
 
 Ridge, Nov. 25, 1863. 1864, disability. 
 
 Durand. Octave. L'Erable, Aug. 14, 1862. Co. Davis, Joseph, Ash (Irove. Aug. 22. i8C)2, Co. 
 
 E. 89th Inf. Mustered out June 10, 1865. K. 7fitli Inf., 30 mos. Discharged Feb. 24. 1865. 
 
 Davis, Stephen. ?iIiddleport, March 1. 1862. as Captain. 
 
 Co. C. 42d Inf., 19 mos. Killed at Chickamauga. Duke. William T.. Ash Grove. Aug. i. 1862. 
 
 Sept. 20, 1863. Co. K. 76tii Int.. 3 yrs. .\bsent at rnusttr out. 
 
 Durand, Brazil, L'Erable, Sept. i. 1861. Co. wounded. 
 
 E, 35th Inf.. 40 mof. Mustered out Jan. 2. i8()3. Dille. John 1!.. Loda. .\ug. 9. 1862. Co. K, 
 
 veteran. 76th Int., 28 mos. Discharged Dec. 10. 1864, 
 
 Dod.ion, 1{. \\ ., Chchanse, .Aug. 15. i8f)i. Co. as Lieutenant. 
 
 D. lOth Inf.. 4 yrs. Re-enlisted as veteran. Degans, Jacob E.. Milford. .Aug. 6. i8'')2, Co. 
 
 Driscoll. Martin. .Ashkum, I-"eb. 28. 1863. Co. K, 7r)th Inf.. 3 yrs. On furlough at time of 
 
 K, 43d Inf. 10 mos. Mustered out Xov. 30. muster out. 
 
 1865. Dellibac, Louis, Loda, .Aug. i. 1862. Co. K, 
 
 Dennett. \\'illia)ii J., .Middleport. .\ov. 15, 7rith Iiif.. 2 yrs. Killed at battle of Jackson, 
 
 1861. Co. C, 51.-1 Inf. .Mustered out June I'l. Jul\ 7. lSri4. 
 
 1865. 
 
 Downing. Solomon .M.. .Midddlejiurt. ( )ct. 2i\ 
 l86i, Co. C, 51st Inf.. () nins. Disclniged .Ajjril 
 26, 1862, disability. 
 
 Di.xon, John J.. .Mid(lle])i)rt. SejJt. 20. (Sf)!. 
 
 Deagan, John. .Middleport. Feb. 13. i8f)4. Co. 
 K, 76th Inf. Xo data. 
 
 Darner, Xelson, llucklcx, Aug. i, 1862, Co. 
 C, 88th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 9. 1865. 
 
 Darner. Austin. lUieklex . Aug. I. 1862, Co. 
 Co. C. 51st Inf.. 13 mos. Di-eharged ( )et. 13. C. 88th Inf.. 3 yrs. Transferred to \'eteran Re- 
 
 1862, disability. 
 
 Davis. George. Chebanse. .\|-irch 1. iSf>5. Co, 
 H. 58th Inf.. I yr. Mustered out .March 3. i86f). 
 
 Dimick. Harmon. Martinton. .March fi. i8(>3. iSf^^v disabi!it\-. 
 
 serve Corps in 1864. 
 
 Dalton. Dexter X.. ( )narga. .Arg. 7. 1S62. Co. 
 I). 113th Inf.. 7 mos. Discharged March I7. 
 
 Co. H. 58th Inf.. 7 mos. Died at .Montgomerx. 
 Ala.. Oct. 25, 18A3. 
 
 Dulogues, Francis. I'ajjineau. .March f.. i8r,3. May 28. 18^13. disal)ilit\. 
 Co. II. 58th Inf.. 3 mos. Died at .Montgon 
 
 Denning, Isaac .Xewton. ( )narga. .Aug. 12. 
 1862, Co. D. 113th Inf.. 10 mos. Discharged 
 
 iiery 
 .Ala., .Aug. 1 1. 1863. 
 
 Disnoyer. .Antoine, I'apineau, .March d. 18C)-. 
 Co. H, 3Sth Int.. I w. Mustered out .\iarcli 3. 
 1866. 
 
 Dutcher. l-'rancis C. Martinton. h'eb. 17. 181)3. 
 Co. H. 58th Inf., 3 mos. Mustered out Jnlv 21, 
 1865. 
 
 Dafriemeyer. Jonathan. L'hel)anse, .March 14. 
 
 Dewew Julius L.. ( )narga. .Aug. 20. iS()2. 
 Co. 1). 1:3th Inf., 8 mos. Discharged .\pril 2-. 
 i8C)3, disability. 
 
 Doad. IIenr\-, lieawr. Dec. 11. 18^)3. Co. 1). 
 1 13th Int.. 18 mos. Taken |)risoner. exch.anged 
 and transferred to 120th Illinois. 
 
 Daltou, James K.. Del Rey, Jan. 4. 1864. Co. 
 I). 113th Inf.. I mo. Died in Camp Ilutler. I'"el). 
 
 1865. Co. H, 38th Inf.. 7 mos. .Mu>tere.l out ''^^ '''^''+ 
 
 Oct. 9, 1863. Davis. (Ireenbury. ( )narga. Jan. 14. i8fi+. di^. 
 
 Donovan. Thomas J.. Concord. .\ug. 1. iS(>2. 1^- 'L^'li Inf-. 9 mos. Died hi .Andersonville, 
 
 Co. E. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. < ''•"'• i"- '8'>4. 
 '^^v Dalton, Isaac. Onarga. Jan. 28. 1864, Co. D. 
 
 Dunn. I'.ernard. .Middleport. July 7. iSf.j. (",1. 113th Inf.. 10 mos. Deserted Xov. t8. 1864.
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ll.I.I\n|S. 705 
 
 Drillin^jt-r. Iliiirv. MiddUport. (let. jH. i8<>,v Kjjla-rl. Jaiiu-s, Miil(llq><>rt. Ma> 14. iWij. (<<. 
 
 Co. !•". ii.^th Int. Rejected. 15, i.Wtli Inf.. (> mns. Rc-cnlistc<l. 
 
 !)rl■Ilin^;l■r. Jiilni I'... .\li«l<IU-|ii>ri. Dec. 1 1. iS/>v Kdwanis, Samuel H.. .\li<ldle}»<>ri. .\iik. 12. 
 
 Co. V. n^tli Int.. iS luos. Traiisferretl to ijcnli |W>2. lo. I', ii.^th Inf.. .^ yrs. Mustered out 
 
 Illinois. June 20. i8<>5. 
 
 Daniels. Harrison. C luhause. Anj;. 1. iS'ij. iCdwards. Jes.se J., Middleiwrt. ( krt. 18, i8Cn. 
 
 Co. II. ii.^tli Inf.. .^3 mos. .Mustered out Jiuie Co. C. 51st Inf.. 4 \rs. I'ronioied .SerKeanl- 
 
 20. 18^15. 1st Lieutenant. .Major. 
 
 Duell. .Silas K.. Chehanse. .Vug. 11. iS<.j. ("<>. Kvans. Wiliard. .\sli ( irove. June 4. l>«il. Co. 
 
 II. ii.^ili Inf.. .14 nins. Mustered out June 5. I". -'5tli Inf.. 14 nios. Disdiarned .\n>;. <>. iSf.j. 
 
 i8<i5. I'ldwanls. I'.elijainin. ( )narKa. June 4. \>*'>\. 
 
 Davidson. William .\.. .MidilK|Nirt. Auv;. <>. Co. I-'. 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out Sept. 5. 
 
 1W12. Co. I. u.^tii Inf.. .^4 mos. .Musieied out 18(14. 
 
 June 20. 18^)5. as Ser>;eant. l-"llistoii. (iei>r).;e \ .. .Milford. .Xpril 4. 18*15. I o. 
 
 Davi^. Leonard. .Mirldle)Mirt. \x\\i. 14. i8<i2. (i. 4<<tli Inf.. '1 mos. .Mustered out .*sipt. <;. 18*15. 
 
 Co. I. I i.^lli Inf.. ^.^ in.is. .Mustcre<l out Ma> 17. l-"lIiston. Robert. .Milford. .\pril 4. 18*15. Co. 
 
 1W15. (i. 4i>tli Inf.. '1 mos. .Mustered oiu ."^ipt. ^^ i8'i5. 
 
 Dovan. .Mattliia>. .MiddUpurt. Aui:. <i. i8''2. Lastburn. .\llen .M.. .Mid<lleport. ."Nept. 20. i8'ii . 
 
 Co. I. ii_^lli Inf.. 34 mos. .Mustered « ui Jiuie Co. C. 51st Inf., 4 yrs. .Mustered out Sept. 25. 
 
 2«i. 18*15. 18*15. as .s^erj^eanl. 
 
 Dnsenlierry. tiarretl. .Middleport. \u}4. 11. Ldwards. Levi. .Middleport. .March 3. i8<i2. 
 
 1862. Co. I. I l.Vh Inf.. 3 mos. .Mustered out Ji'ly Co. C. 51st Inf.. 8 mo.s. Died at .\aslivile. .Nov. 
 
 10. 18*15. prisoner nf war. 2. l8^>2. 
 
 Di-cker. J<ihn. .Middleport. .\u\i. i.v 18*12. Co. Klls. Joseph. .Middleport. < >ct. 4. 18*14. Co. C. 
 
 I. 113th Inf.. 7 mos. Discharged .March 7. 18*^13. 51SC inf.. 2 mos. Died IX'C. 14. 18*^14. at I'rank- 
 
 Decker. Isaac. .MicMleport. .\uir. 13. 18*12. ('<>. lin. of wounds. 
 
 I. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mnstered out June 20. i-x-kstrand. John II., .Middleport. .Sept. 20. 
 
 18*^15. as C"or|Hiral. i8<ii. Co. C'. 5isi Inf. i<e-enliste<l as veteran. 
 
 Dawson. Sniile). .Milford. Dec. o. i8''3. C^. woundeil and discliar;^ed. 
 
 I. 113th Inf.. «> mos. Died in Cahawhi. Ala.. l^lliolt. Thomas. Clulianse. Nov. 10. 18111. Co. 
 
 prison. Sept. 8. 18*14. C". 58th Inf.. 13 m..s. Di,-,! at Memphis. Dec. 
 
 Dawson. Mahlon M.. .Miildleport. Jan. 4. 1814. 17. 18*12. 
 
 Ci\ I. 113th Inf.. 17 ni'iS. Dischriruerl Ma-. 18. Lllis. .\hraham 11. .S.. Chehanse. March 14. 
 
 i8*^>5. i8*>5. Co. II. 58th Inf.. 1 yr. .Mnstereil out .March 
 
 Denny. William ."^.. .Millonl. Dec. <). 1^*13. Ci'. 14. i8*i<i. 
 
 I. 113th Inf.. 18 niii'. Tnii-fcrrcd to 120th l-.l!ioi, Janu> l\.. Middleport. .\\\ii. 22. 18*12. 
 
 Illinois. (11. .\. 7*>th Inf.. 17 mos. Discharijeil I'eh. 17. 
 
 Decker. JackMiii. .Milli.nl. I >i.c. >). 1N13. Co. 18*14. 
 
 1. 1131I1 Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to i20tli K.astl>nrn. deorjie W. Concord. June 24. 18*12. 
 
 Illinois Co. A. 7*ith Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out Jnl> 22. 
 
 Dillnii. Ilcnrv. .\sh Cirove. .Ma\ 14. 18*14. Co. 18*15. as Corixiral. 
 
 1'.. 134th Inf.. ; in.is. Mustered out < >ct. 2^. l-lasthurn Henry II.. Concord. July 24. 18*12. 
 
 18*14. Co. \. 7*ilh Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. 
 
 Devore. DaMd. .Milli.nl. .\1 i\ 14. I.'«i4. t.o. 18^15. 
 
 11. 134th Inf.. 5 mos. Mustered out * >ct. j;. F.asthurn. David C'.. C"onconl. July 24. 18*12. 
 l8*^>4. Co. .\. 7*ith Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out Jul\ 22. 
 
 Dillon. William C .. t »na^^;a. ."^ept. in. iNii. 18*15. 
 
 Co. .M. <)th Cav.. 41) ntos. Mustered out *'ci. \\ . I'.asthnrn. Walter S.. Ctincord. Jnl\ 24. 18*12. 
 
 18^)5, as 1st Lieutenant. Cd A. 7*ith Inf.. 10 mos. Discharged .\pril 31. 
 
 K^jlnrt. James. Middleport. .\uy. 12. iS<i_'. I .. t8fi3. disahility. 
 
 '•' 113th Inf.. 5 mos. Discharijed for disa'>ilit\. FuidsleN. lames C. Sr.. Middleimrl. Aoril 1.
 
 7o6 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 iS^f>4. Co. A, 70th Inf.. 3 yrs. Transferred to Edint^s. Charles. Loda. Jan. 12. 1864, Co. C, 
 
 37th Regiment Illinois N'olunteers, July 19. 1865. 10th Cav.. 23 nios. Mustered out Xov. 22. 1865. 
 
 Endsley, James C. Jr., Middleport. April i, Etherington. James. Middleport. ( )ct. 17. 1861, 
 
 1864, Co. A, 76th Inf., I yr. iKIled at Fort Co. D. ist Art'ly.. 14 mus. Discharged Dec. 16. 
 Blakely, April 9, 1865. 1862. 
 
 Eastburn, James H., Concord, .Aug. 7. 1862, Eno, l-'rank ii., Loda. Feb. 3. 1862, Co. L. 2d 
 
 Co. E. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered nut July 22. Art'ly., 15 mos. Died on steamer Champion, 
 
 1865, 1st Lieutenant. May 6, 1862. 
 
 Eastburn, Isaac H., Concord, Aug. 8. 1862, Ely, William \\'csley. Concord, Sept. 28. 1861, 
 
 Co. E, 76th Inf., 3 yrs. .Mustered oat Jul\- 22. Co. F. 3<)th Inf.. 31 mos. Mustereil out Dec. 6. 
 
 1865, 1st Sergeant. ' 1865. 
 
 Eastburn, Joseph F., Concord, Aug. 7. 1862, Fleming, James B., Middleport. July 24, iS'jj. 
 
 Co. E, 76th Inf., 28 mos. Died in Sheldon. Dec. Co. .\. 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Distinguished for ■;Z^\- 
 
 9, 1864. lantry at Fort Blakeley, April g. 1865. 
 
 Eastburn, Thomas F., Concord. .\ug. 4, 1862, Fowler. Charles. Middleport. Jan. 13, 1865, 
 
 Co. E, 76th Inf.. 2 yrs. Died at Mem])his, Sept. Co. D. 150th Inf., i yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 
 
 28, 1864. 1866. 
 
 Early, Daniel T., .Martinton. Aug. 9. 1862, Co. Frith, John, Chebanse, July 7, 1862, Co. II. 
 
 A. 113th Inf.. 4 mos. 113th Inf., 4 yrs. Promoted 1st Lieutenint Co. 
 
 Evans, Owen L., Onarga. .\ug. 7. i8r)2, Co. I. 52d I'. S. C. T. 
 
 D, 113th Inf., 2^ mos. Killed at .Arkansas P(jst, I'ry, William K., .Middleport, Xnv. 24, i8f)2, 
 
 July II, 1864. Co. I. 113th Inf., 5 mos. Died at Cam]) llutler, 
 
 Edwards, Samuel, P.elmont, Aug. u, iS(i2, .VjM-il 10, 1863. 
 
 Co. F, 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered nut June Flesher, Henry, Iroquois County. Xov. 1. i8()3, 
 
 20, 186=;. Co. F, 113th Inf., 22 mos. 
 
 Egbert, James, Middleport, .\ug. 12, 18(12, Co. Francis, ^Michael, Middleport, Jan. 7. 1864, Co. 
 
 F, 113th Inf., 5 mos. Discharged Jan. 12, 1863, I, 113th Inf., 18 mos. Transferred to i20'Ji 
 
 disability. Illinois. 
 
 Edwards. Charles H.. Middleijort, .\ug. 11. Fry. Benjamin, Concord, Jan. 1. 1864, Co. I, 
 
 1862, Co. I. 113th Inf., 34 mos. .Mu.stered o;it ii3tli Inf., 18 mos. Transferred to 120th Illinois. 
 
 June 20, 1865. Friel, George, Middlc])ort. June 13, 1861, Co. 
 
 Empie, John II., .Middleport, May 14. 1804. I, 20th Inf., 2 yrs. Killed in battle of Champion 
 
 Co. IS, 134th Inf., 5 mos. .Mustered out ( )ct. 25. Hills, May 16, 1863. 
 
 1864. Friel, William :\I., Concord. Aug. 6, 1862, 
 
 lily, David. lro(|U(iis, .May 14, 1864, dK !'., Co. E, 7r,th Inf. Mustered out |ulv 22. 1865. 
 
 134th Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out ( )ct. 25, 1804. ,-is Corporal. 
 
 Ely, Anthony M„ Iroquois, May 14. "864, Co. j.-,.;^, j^„,^.^^ Middleport, |une 1 ^ i8r., Co I. 
 
 P.. 134th Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out Oct. 25. 1864. ^oth Inf., 4 vrs. Re-enlisted as veteran. 
 
 ICd wards, Jesse H., Middleport, Mav 14, 1864, , ,■ nr-,„ 
 
 , , . \, ■, , , T Frances, Saniiul I'., Middleport. .March ?o. 
 
 Co. Ii. 1 U'h Inf.. 3 mos. .Musterec nut > )ct. or r- ^ . 1 .- ,r , 
 
 „, -^ • 1865, Co. I, 113th Int., 3 mns. Mustered out 
 
 •^ . [une 20, i8o^. 
 
 Elzroth, Wiilard. Millnr.l. .Mav 14. 18(14, Co. " -^ 
 
 B, M4tl, Inf.. ; mn>. .Mustered nut Oct. 23, '''='-'^'''- I-e-^nard \ ., Middleport, June 13. 
 jgj- 18C11, Co. I, 2otli In I.. 4 mns. Died at Cairo, 
 
 Ewins, William L., .Milfnrd, Jan. 20. iSCs, "^'t- 22, 1861. 
 
 Co. D, 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16. l''-v. Jolm, Middleport, March 30. i8(.5, Co. I, 
 
 1866. -"^'' '"*•• .^ "■"'■'^- -Mnstered nut June Jn. 1865. 
 
 lildridge. Jnlm 11.. l.nda, Sept. 15, 18(11. Co. I'riel, James I-"., Middlejiort, June 13, 1861, 
 
 C, lotb Cav., 40 mos. Mustered out Dec. 3). Co. I, 20th Inf.. 4 yrs. Mustered out as Ser- 
 i8('i4. geant.
 
 IRl)QU()IS COUNTY. ILIJN"!- 
 
 7^7 
 
 I'ostcr, riicodorc, 1-oda. Ma\ 14, i>««4. In. 
 li, 134th Inf., 5 mos. \lii.i. I..! ..Ill I 1. 1 .'■- 
 1864, as Corporal. 
 
 Fricl, Robert R.. Midilk-j.-urt. March .^i. iSi'm. 
 Co. 1, Jolh Inf. .\ol imistcrcd. 
 
 I'aniiin);, James. Kiliiiuiit, Ma\ 14. i8(t4. 1 
 C. i.Uth Inf., 5 nios. .MusU-rttl onl « Krl. ^5. 
 18^14. 
 
 IVisbic, Jolui R.. OnarRa, June 4. iWn. C<>. I . 
 25tli Inf., 3 yrs. Discharged July 5. if<<«4, ac- 
 count of wounds. 
 
 Friel, Robert R.. Mid<llei>ort. Jan. 10. 1865. 
 Co. D, isotli Inf.. I vr. .Mustered nut Jan. Hi, 
 
 Freeman, .Mmizo T.. Ash drove. June 4, 1861. 
 Co. F, 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out Sept. 5. 
 l8^^. 
 
 Follett. John \\ .. ( inari^a. Sept. 10. i8^»i. Co. 
 M. 9lh Cav.. 4<) nios. .Mustered out ( >ct. 31. 
 18^)5, veteran. 
 
 Foster. Robert, t liebanse. \\\^. 2<>. |8<>1. Co. 
 ( i. J5th Inf.. 15 ni(». Discliarned Nov. 24. i8f»2. 
 disability. 
 
 I'ellows. James C. ( )narjja. Nuv. 15. iX<>i. ( ••. 
 M. i)th Cav.. 3 yrs. Di.scharKed Dec. 10. 18(14. 
 
 Flowers. .\. ].. Sheldon. Sept 's: i^^'.' ' •■ 
 E. 3<)th Inf. 
 
 I'reeman. James I!.. ( )nar;;a. .^ept. lo, 1801. 
 Cii. M. i)\\\ C:iv.. 3 mos. Rejected Dec. S. iSdi. 
 
 Freeman. Sanniel G., Milfonl. Aup. 25. 1861, 
 Co. (i, 42(1 Inf., 3 yrs. 'iVansferred to X'eteran 
 Reserve Corps Feb. 26, 1864. 
 
 I'uller. I'rank. Mnarj^a. .Vur. i. i8<i2. Co. .M. 
 i)th Cav. 
 
 Foster, I'hilandi-r II.. lr<K|U<jis. .Xuf:. 17. iS*'!. 
 Co. H, 42(1 Inf.. 4 mos. Died at Tipliin. .Mn.. 
 Dec. 25, i8<>i. 
 
 Fcely, James. Onarga, .\iik i. iSi-j. » ■■. .\l. 
 <;th Cav.. 3<) mos. .Mustered out < )ct. 31. \9i\i,. 
 
 Fry, Klijah M.. Iroquois, .Vujj. i. i8<>2. Co. II. 
 42(1 Inf.. 46 mos. Mustered out June ih. |8<>5. 
 
 I'oland. RolHTt. I^Hla. Se]>t. 15, iR'*!, Co. C, 
 loth Cav. 
 
 Frazce. John T.. ( >narnn, Sept. 24. ^'^•i. Co. 
 C, 57th Inf., 10 mos. Discharged July 11. 1862. 
 
 Frederick. Conrad, F^a, Sept. i, i8rti. Co. 
 C. loth Cav. 
 
 Frazee. I-ouis D.. f )narKa, Sept. 24, 1861, Co. 
 
 C, 57th Inf.. 3>7 nios. .Mustered out iHx". V). 
 
 I'ord, John J., .Milford. Jan. ji. iW>5. Co. D. 
 I5()tli Inf.. I yr. Mustered out Jan. id. i8fi<j. 
 
 I'reeman. James 15., Oiiar^a. l-'eb. 8, i8<(2, Co. 
 57th Inf.. 35 mos. Mustered out Dec. *>, 
 i8<J4. 
 
 I'rizon, I^iurant. I'apineau, .March <>. i8(»5, to. 
 II. 5Sth Inf.. I yr. Mustered out .March <>. iR^rfi. 
 
 Frizon, Cornelius, Papiuean, .March 6. i8<)5. 
 Co. 11, 58th Inf., I yr. Mustered out .March 6, 
 1866. 
 
 Fr.ier. Harvey, MiddleiHirt. July 2. 1W12, Co. 
 .\. 71st Inf.. 4 mos. Mustered out ( >ct. 2<^. |8<«2. 
 
 1-ruil. Jeremiah. Mi(l(lle|Mirt, July 24, 18^12. 
 Co. A, 70th Inf.. 3 yr.s. Mustered out July 22. 
 1865. 
 
 Fleminp, James B.. MiddleiM)rt, July 24. iWi2. 
 Co. \. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 
 1865, as Corporal. 
 
 Fleminn, Thonws R. W'.. Midd!c|K»rt, July 24. 
 1862, Co. A. 76th Inf., 8 mos. DiscliarRed March 
 10. 1863, disabilitN. 
 
 French. Frank \V. H., Innpiois, July 24, 1862. 
 Co. .\. 76th Inf.. 37 mos. Mustered out .\ug. 
 10. 18^15. Wounded. 
 
 I'ennimore. Richard E., Crabapple. July 24. 
 18/.2, Co. .\. 7^'th Inf.. iR mos. Died at \icks- 
 burp. Jan. 30, 1864. 
 
 Free-man, James O.. C"ral)ap|>Ie. .Aur. 9. 18C12. 
 Co. E, 7^>th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 
 i8^»5. as Coqtorai. 
 
 Foster, RoUrt W.. Craliapple, .\ug. i. 1862. 
 Co. F., 7''>th Inf.. 3 \rs. .\bsent. sick at muster 
 out of rcfiinient. 
 
 I'Vazier. Cicorjic W . Concord. .Aur. i>, 1862, 
 Co. I-'. 7^>th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. 
 1865. 
 
 Fry. Martin, Concord, .\ur. q. iW>2, Co. E, 
 7''>th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out Jul\ 22, iW)5. 
 
 I'ord, Claries R.. Lxla. .\ur. 22. i8^>2. Co. K. 
 Tftth Inf., 2 yrs. Resipncd as ist Lieutenant. 
 .XuR. (», 18^14. 
 
 I'rancis. Cliarles I.., l.txLi. .\ur. i. i8<i_. ' 
 C. 88tli Inf.. 3 yrs. Proniotc<l. rank not stated. 
 
 Fronville. Ix>uis T.. Clifton, .\ur. 14. 1862, 
 Co. D. 8»ith Inf.. 3 mos. Died Xov. 14. 1862. 
 
 Fickle. Cleortje B., Onarpa. Oct. 1, i8^>2. Co.
 
 7o8 
 
 PAST AXl) PRESENT OF 
 
 D. U3th Int.. 4 nios. Resigned Feb. 13. 1863, 
 as 2d Lieutenant. 
 
 Frisbie. Henry L., Onarga, Aug. 4, 1862, Co. 
 D. 113th Inf., 35 mos. Mustered out as 2d Lieu- 
 tenant June 20, 1865. 
 
 Fuller, Delos T., Onarga, Aug. 15, 1862, Co. 
 D. 113th Inf., 34 mos. .Mustered out as Sergeant 
 June 20, 1865. 
 
 Frazee, FredeiHck S., Onarga, Aug. 6. 1862. 
 Co. D, 113th Inf., 8 mos. Discharged .^pril 10. 
 1863. disability. 
 
 Frazee, James T., Onarga, .\ug. 7. 1862, Co. 
 D, 113th Inf., I yr. Dischargcil .\ug. 18, 1863, 
 disability. 
 
 Frazee. William H., Onarga, Aug. 14, 1862, 
 Co. D. 113th Inf., 26 mos. Died at Camp Butkr. 
 Oct. 8, 1864. 
 
 Frame, James T., (3narga, Aug. 9. 1862, Co. 
 D, 113th Inf., 4 mos. Discharged Dec. ig. 1862. 
 disabilit). 
 
 Foy, Samuel, Gilmun, Aug. 21. 1862, Co, D, 
 113th Inf.. 5 mos. Discharged b\-l). 10. 1S63. dis- 
 ability. 
 
 F'rost, Hasoii (j.. ( )iiarga. ( )ct. 7, 1862, Co. D, 
 113th Inf.. 1 m;i. 
 
 Flesher, .Alonzo, Iroquois. Jan. 14, 1864. Co. 
 D, 113th Inf.. 8 nin>. 
 
 Fletcher, .Alfred. Iroquois. Aug. 12. 1862, Co. 
 l\ 113th Inf., .^T, mos. Discharged .May 15. 1865, 
 as 2d Lieutenant. 
 
 Fayer. Henry, .Middleiwrt, Aug. 12. 1S62. Co. 
 F, 113th Inf.. 9 mos. Discharged May 12, i8r)_^. 
 disability. 
 
 Fleck, .Michael, .Middleport, -Aug. 12, 1862, Co. 
 F, 113th Inf., 34 mos. .Mustered out June 20, 
 1865. 
 
 Flesher. Manfred. Iroquois, .Aug. 12. 18(12, Co. 
 I', 1 13th Inf., 14 mos. Died at home on sick leave 
 Oct. :3. 18(1:5. 
 
 Mesher. Henry, ( iilman. Dec. 1, 1863. Co. !•", 
 I 13111 Inf., 18 mos. Transferred to 120th Illinois. 
 
 Freberg, John, ISeaver. .\ug. 12. i8r)2. Co. I", 
 113th Inf.. 34 mos. .Mustered out Jime 20. 1865. 
 
 breberg, I'eter, I'.eavcr, .Aug. 12, 1862. Co. I". 
 113th Inf.. r, mos. Died ill .Mi'mphis. I'eb. 2(>. 
 1863. 
 
 I''ry. Sanniel, Concord. .\ug. 7, 1862. Co. 1. 
 1131I1 Inf., 34 mos. .Mustered out June 20. 18(15. 
 
 I'ry. I Icmy. Conco/d, .Aug. 13, i8(')2, Co. j, 
 I 13th Inf., 17 mos. Died at Camp Yates, Jan. i t,. 
 18C4. 
 
 Fry, William, Concord, Aug. 9, 1862. Co. I. 
 1 13th Inf., 34 mos. Alustered out June 20, 1865. 
 
 1>> . John, Concord, Aug. 9, 1862, Co. L 1 i3ih 
 Inf., 34 mos. Alustered out June 20, 1865. 
 
 Foos, Henry, Aliddlcport, Aug. 7, 1862, Co, 
 I. 113th Inf. Discharged. Xo other data. 
 
 Fever, Henry, Loda, Sept. 15, 1861, Co. C, 
 10th Cav.. 51 mos. Alustered out Nov. 22, 1865. 
 
 Fever, Delphin, Loda, Sept. 15, 1861, Co, C, 
 10th Cav., 51 mos. Mustered out Xov. 22,. 1865, 
 
 Finn, Michael, Loda, Sept. 15, 1861, Co. C, 
 loth Cav., 51 mos. Alustered out Xov. 22. 1865. 
 
 Frink. William, Aliddleimrt. Sept. 15, 1861. Co. 
 D. 1st Art'ly. Xo data. 
 
 Fink. James, Aliddleport. Sept. 15, 1861, Co. 
 D, 1st Art'ly. X'o data. 
 
 Forbes, A. AL, Loda, .March 1, 1862, Co. L. 
 2d Art'ly. Discharged Dec. 15, 1863, <Iisability. 
 
 Graham, Joseph A,, Aliddleport, June 4, 1861, 
 Co. F, 25th Inf.. 9 mos. Discharged for disabilitv. 
 Died Dec. 2. 1888. 
 
 Gralo, Peter, Iroquois, July 24, 1862, Co. A. 
 76th Inf., 25 mos. Died at Port Hudson, La.. 
 -Aug. 30, 1864. 
 
 Gilbert, Christian C, Aug. 18. 1861. Co. C, 
 47th Inf., 38 mos. Wounded in right thigh at 
 Corinth, Aliss., Oct. 3, 1862. 
 
 Gaskill. William H.. P.elmont. July 24. 1862. 
 Co. A, 76tli Inf.. 3 yrs. Absent, sick on muster 
 out of regiment. 
 
 Gardiner, George i>„ Aliddleport, Oct. 4, 1864. 
 
 *-'o- ^-- ?,?i^^ Iiif-. IS nios. Died .Vovember 19, 
 1 8)8. 
 
 Gravelot, Hypolitc, lro(|nois, July 24. 1862, Co. 
 -A, 7r)th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1865, 
 
 Gubtill, Lucius, Hehnont. Aug. 9, 1862, Co. 15. 
 I I3tli Inf.. 3 yrs. 
 
 (iravelot, Louis, Iroquois, July 24, 1862, Co. 
 A, 7(')th Inf. .Mu.stered out July 22. 1863, as 
 Coqioral. 
 
 Gubtill, Ini, Middlejiort, I'Vb. 28, 18(15. Co. l\ 
 I5(ith Inf., 7 mos. 
 
 (iarlaiid. John W., Crabapple, Aug, 3. 18(12. Co, 
 I-:, 76ih Inf., Id mos. Dic-d at .Milford, 111. Dec 
 7. 1863. 
 
 Gamash, l-rank. I .'iMalile, Aug. 1(1, 1S62. Co, 
 I), 8i)ili Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out June 24, 1865. 
 
 Gniv. b'.li. Craliajiple .Aug. 9, 1862. Co. E, 
 7(.th Int.. 8 m,w. Discharged .\pril 7, i8ri_^ 
 disaliilit\ .
 
 IROOroiS COUNTY. II.IJNOIS. 
 
 70.J 
 
 (■ravelin. I'cicr. .\li«l<IIti)ort. St-pl. J<>. i>«>j. C<i. 
 I. 1st .\rtl\.. J5 yrs. 
 
 (iiIlH.'rt. SinKlclnii, Coiicor«l. Auk- '.S. >>*'>-*. 
 Co. K. 7(Hh Inf. Mustcrtil wii July .jj, iS*!.:;. 
 (iraffiiis. John. .Miil<lli|><>rt. Juiu- 13. |S<>1. (<>. 
 
 I. 20th Inf.. 8 mos. 
 
 tiillKrt. John S.. A.sh (Jrovc. July 22. iW>.>. Co. 
 K. 7MI1 Inf. 
 
 (iarrisiin. (itiirKf W'., .^sh (irovc, July _•_'. 
 iWu. Co. I. _»oih iiii.. 4 yr«. Ue-i-nlisicd a.-* vct- 
 iran. 
 
 (irinini. Clark I".. Midtliiport. Sept. 10, i8<ii. 
 Co. I). 1st .Xrt'ly.. 3 yrs. .Miisii-rcil out as .Scr- 
 jltaiit, ."^cpt. 10. l^<'>4. 
 
 (iilmorc, Cliarlis .M.. .\sli (irove. Jnl\ jj. i><'>2. 
 Co. 1, jotli Inf.. 10 nvjs. 
 
 (irayhani. Tildcn. .\sh (irnvc, Jiil\ .'j, iS<ij. 
 Co. I. 2<)th Inf.. 3 yrs. 
 
 (larri.son. (icorKC \\'., Ash (irove. Jan. 5. |X(>4. 
 Co. I joth Inf.. 18 nios. 
 
 Ijray, Jaii:i-s, Ltnla. June 4. i8<ii. Co. I-". J5th 
 Inf., 3 yr>. .Mnsicreil out Sept. 5, 1864. 
 
 (aihl. Joseph. .Martinton. June 4. i8*>i, Co. I*". 
 25th Inf.. ly nios. .Mortally wonndeil at Stone 
 River. Dec. 31, i»)2. DictI Jan. 8. i8*.3. at 
 Murfreislxmi. 
 
 (lallaway. Klijah C. < )narj;a. June 4. i8<)i. Co. 
 r. 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out .<ept. 25. l8(>4. 
 
 < ireen. Alonzo .\|.. ( Jiarya. June 4. i8<ii. Co. 
 1". 25tli Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out Sept. 23. i8<i4. 
 
 (ireen. John (j.. ( )narjpi. June 4. 1861. Co. I-', 
 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out Sq>t. 25. 1W15. 
 
 (iihson, Willian). Crisccul. .\u>;. 30. i8'^»i. Co. 
 K. 37th Inf.. jij n.os. .Mustered out ( )cl. 4. i8<'i4. 
 
 (iilhert. William. InHU'.ois. .\uj:. 24. i8'ii. Co. 
 
 II. 42rl Inf.. 2 1-2 mos. Died .Nov. II. iX'ii. 
 (iravel. (iiorfje. .Middleport. Sept. 2«j. i8(>i, ' 
 
 C. 51st Inf.. 3 yrs. Died in .\ndersonvillc l'ri>..ii. 
 Oct. 16, i8f)4. (irave .No. lo.w.?- 
 
 Cohhie. Francis. Lo<la. .Sept. 1. i8()i. C. 
 loth Cav. No date. 
 
 ( ireen. Ltwis. .Miildle|>ort. ."^-pi. 18, iWn. Co. 
 C. 51st Inf., .^4 in".>. Died ai I.ouisville. July 
 6, 18/14. '*f wninds. 
 
 (iaftield. John. Middleport, .Sept. 2(\ 18*11. Co. 
 C, 51st Inf.. 40 iro-. .Mi'slercd out Jin. ifi. iW>5. 
 
 (iriffiih. Franklin. Clu'ban.ic. .\pril 1. iW>5. Co. 
 M. 58th Inf.. I yr. .Mustered out .\pril 1. |8/V>. 
 as C'aptain. 
 
 (iilunn. John, < ' ■ ' .Manh 13. 18*15. » . 
 
 H. 58th Inf., 7 mos. .Mus«ere<l twit Oct. 12. I»>5. 
 
 (iarLind. Fdward. LFrable. Jan. 24. 1W12. Co. 
 I-". 12th Cav. .No ri-ctjrd. 
 
 (ioldtrap, John V., Chelanse. I-eh. 2~. l8<)5. Co. 
 II. 38tli Inf. 7 mos. .Mustered out Oct. y. 1A15. 
 
 (iildea. Dennis. Clifton, July 28. i8<.2, Co. C. 
 88tli Inf., 34 mos. .Mustereil «>ui June <). l8'>5. as 
 .S«.r)4eant. 
 
 darnexh. .\lfrcd. Clifton, Auj;. lO. l8ri2. Co. 
 D, 8yth Inf., 34 mos. .Mustered mit Jtuu- 10. 
 18*15. as C"ori>oral. 
 
 ( iuhlail. John, .\shkuin. .\u>;. <>. l8*>2, Co. IJ, 
 113th Inf.. 34 mos. .Mustered out June 20. i8'>5. 
 as C"ori>oral. 
 
 (iuhtail. Lucius, .\slikum. Mm- 9. 1862. Co. 15. 
 I 13th Inf., .^4 mos. .Mustered out June 20. i8*>5. 
 
 ( ial>le. (ieiir^e \\'.. • )uart;n. .\u>j. i<». l8')2. (A>. 
 D. ii3ih Inf.. 4 mos. Diid at Vazoo River. Jan. 
 2. 18*13. 
 
 (iihiMins. William !■".. ( )nar>;a. .Xuj;. 1. i8<i2. 
 Co. D. Ii3tli Ir.f.. 35 mos. MiiMered <iut July 1. 
 l8<t5. prisoner of war. 
 
 (iardr.er. l-'arlis IS.. ( iilmaii. mil;- '-'• i8'>2. Co. 
 I', ii3tli Inf.. 7 mos. Discharged .March 4. 18*13. 
 disaliility. 
 
 ( lallatjher, Tliomas. Chelwu.se, Ana. *>. i8<i2. 
 Co. II. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. .MustertHJ oni June 
 20. 18*15. 
 
 (ioldtrap. Jeremiah. ChchaiiM. .Xiii.;. --. i.^... 
 (."o. II. 1 131I1 Inf.. 34 mos. .Mustered out June 20. 
 18*15. 
 
 (iilU-rt. (ieor^e W'., .Middlep"ii. .\u-..-. 1.. ■•'■j. 
 Co. I. 113th Inf. Dischargid at Memphis. No 
 date. 
 
 (iilln-rt. ( )\ven, .MiddiejMirt. .May 14, i)>^>4, ( ■•. 
 r.. i.yth Inf.. 5 mos. .Mustered out ( >ct. 25. 18*14. 
 
 < iilhert. William. .Ash (irove, .May 14, 18*14, 
 I o. I'., I34lh Inf.. 5 mos. .Mtistired <iut ( )i-t. 25. 
 18*^.4. 
 
 'iravel. Joseph. .\liddle|)ort. .May 14. 18*14. Co. 
 .;. 134th Inf., 5 mos. .Mustered out ( let. 25. 18*14. 
 
 (ileason, Jostph C., Clifton, I'Vh. *». 18*15. Co. 
 D. 150th Inf.. I yr. .Mustereil out Jan. 1*1. i8*)*>. 
 
 (iossard, William II.. .Middleport. Jan. 14. 
 18*15, Co. I). 150th Inf . I yr. .Mustered out Jan. 
 1*1. 18*1*1. 
 
 (iaIiaKher, IXnnis. Clifton. I-Vh. *». 18*15. Co. 
 D. 150th Inf., I yr. .Mustered out Jan. 1*1. i8*)*^i. 
 
 (iordon. Daniel, C'hel.anse. l-'eh. *i, 18*15, Co. 
 1>. 150th Inf.. I ' •■ ^ItiMereii out |au. 1*1. 18*1*').
 
 no 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Goldtrap, David, Clifton, Feb. 6, 1865, Co. 
 D, 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Guiles, Nelson, Onarga, Sept. 10. i86i. Co. 
 M, 9th Cav. 49 mos. Mustered out Oct. 31, 
 1865, veteran. 
 
 Gable, George, Onarga, Sept. 10. 1861. Co. :\I. 
 9th Cav., 3 mos. Rejected Dec. 8, 1861. 
 
 Greer, William, Onarga, Aug. 10. 1862, Co. 
 M, 9th Cav., 35 mos. Mustered out June 16. 
 1865. 
 
 Gable. Alfred .\.. ( )narL;a. Au.^ust 1. iS^u, Co. 
 M, 9th Cav., 35 mos. Mustered out June 16, 
 1865. 
 
 Graves, Franklin W., Onarga, Aug. i. 1862. 
 Co. M, 9th Cav.. 35 mos. Mustered out June 16, 
 1865. 
 
 Grover. John A., Loda, Jan. 5. 1864, Co. C. 
 loth Cav., 23 mos. Mustered out Nov. 22, 1865. 
 
 Glover. David, Loda, Sept. 15, 1861, Co. C. 
 loth Cav. Missing. No date. 
 
 Grider, Henry, Loda, Sept. 15. i86r. Co. C, 
 loth Cav., 51 mos. Clustered out Nov. 22, 1865. 
 
 Harroun. Alvin D.. Middleport, June 24, 1862. 
 Co. A, 76th Inf.. 3 vrs. Mustered out lulv 22. 
 1865. 
 
 Hoel. Adolohus, Belmont, July 24, 1862, Co. 
 A. 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1865. 
 
 Harrington, George C, Middleport. June 24, 
 1862, Co. A. 76th Inf.. II mos. Captain. Pro- 
 moted Major. Resigned on account of sickness 
 June 2y. 1863. 
 
 Hogle, Austin \\'.. .\liddlei)ort. June 24. 1862. 
 Co. A, 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Lieutenant. Mustered 
 out July 22, 1865. 
 
 Hickman, Sylvester, Ash Grove. Sept. i, 1861, 
 Co. C, 1 2th Inf., 3 yrs. 
 
 . Hogan, Amaziah. P>elmont, July 24. 1862, Co. 
 A, 76th Inf., 14 mos. Discharged Sept. 16, 1863, 
 for disability. 
 
 Hammond, Isaac W., Aug. 9, 1862, Cn. I. 1 i.^ih 
 Inf.. 3 yrs. Died April 21. 1899. 
 
 Hundley, Nehcmiah, Middleport. jul\ 24. 1862, 
 Co. .\, 76th Inf., 17 mos. Died at St. Louis, 
 Dec. 18. 1863. 
 
 Hoyt, Peter C., Middleport, Sq)t. jo, iH<>\. 
 Co. C. 51st Inf., 14 mos. Discharged fur disabil- 
 ity. Died Nov. 7, igor. 
 
 Harwood, James F., Middleixul. Inly 24, ]HG2. 
 Co. A, 76111 Inf., 3 vrs. Mustered out lulv 22, 
 1865. 
 
 Holly, Samuel, Ash Grove. Oct. 2j. 1864. Co. 
 
 D. 1 2th Inf. 
 
 Harroun. Alfred S.. Middleport. July 24, 1862, 
 Co. A, 7r)th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 
 1865. 
 
 High, l->ank M., Middleport. April 22, 1861. 
 Co. I, 20th Inf., 4 yrs. Mu.'^tered out as Hospital 
 Steward. 
 
 Hudson, Oliver. Middleport, Dec. 16, 1863, Co. 
 I. 20th Inf., 2 yrs. Missing. Supposed to have 
 been killed at battle of Bentonville. N. C. 
 
 Hi.gh. Samuel Y.. Middleport. July 24. 1862, 
 Co. A. 7f'>ili Inf.. 3 vrs. Mustered out Julv 22. 
 1865. 
 
 Harrison, Scott, Aliddleport. June 13, 1861. Co. 
 
 I, 20tb Inf., ID mos. Killed at battle of Shiloh, 
 April 6. 1862. 
 
 Hix)p. Joseph, Middleport. Feb. 10, 1864. Co. 
 A, 76th Inf. Transferred to 37th Illinois In- 
 fantry. 
 
 Hart, John G., Middleport. June 13, 1861. Co. 
 Co. I. 2otli Inf., 18 mos. Discharged Dec. 5. 
 1863, disability. 
 
 Hogle. Langdon. Middleport. Dec. 31, 1863. Co. 
 A, 76tli Inf., mos. Died at Memphis, Sept. 22. 
 1864. 
 
 Hastings. Samuel, Onarga, June 4, 1861. Co. 
 F, 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out Sept. 5. 1864. 
 as Sergeant. 
 
 Hogle. Cornelius. Tlcaver. Aug, 22. 1862. Co. 
 
 E, 76th Inf. Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 Horner, John. Martinton, June 4, 1861, Co. F, 
 
 25th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out Sept. 5, 1864. 
 
 FloUoway. Phillip, Crabapple, Aug. 11. 1862, 
 Co. E, 76th Inf. Absent, wounded, at muster out. 
 
 Hamilton, George T., Chebanse, Aug. 26, 1861, 
 Co. G. 25th Inf., 6 mos. Discharged Feb. 25. 
 1863. disability. 
 
 ila.skins. Addison. Milfi.rd. Aug. 8, 1862, Co. 
 E. 7(ith Inf. No data. 
 
 Horner, Elam, Middleport, Sept. 12, 1861, Co. 
 
 II. 25th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out Sept. 12. 1864. 
 Ilerrinian. John S., Crab .\pple, Aug. 9, 1862, 
 
 Ci>. I'., jCnh Inf.. 6 mos. Discharged Feb. 18. 
 18(13. disability. 
 
 llaynes. Charles. Milford. .Vug. 29, 1861. Co. 
 ('.. 4_'d Inf., \(i mos. Discharged Dec. i8. 1862, 
 disability. 
 
 Handy. Thomas I'.. I'rairie Green. Aug. 2.
 
 IRooroIS COUNTY. II.I.I.VOIS. 711 
 
 i8f>j. Co. E. 76th Inf., 4 nios. Diwl at Columljus. Hall. Sylvc-stcr, Conconl, .\ur. 11. 1H62, Co. 
 
 Ky.. Nnv. J3. iS6j. H, -<<\h Inf.. _> yrs. Dicil July 24. \>V^. of 
 
 lltKi^lnnd. I>;iac. Iro<iuois. .\iifj. I~. 1861, Co. wounds. 
 
 H. +2(1 Inf., 5 mos. Died at Smitlitoii, Mo.. Jan. Hojjio. Sylvotcr, Concord. Nov. 26, iW>i. Co. 
 
 3. iW)2. C. 51st Inf., 2 njos. Disclurm-t! Jan. 23. iS'ti. 
 
 Ilaufjhu. John T., Concord, .\ug. «). l8<>2, Co. Huss<?y. Henry It., .\sli (irovi-. Jul\ j.». iS'u. 
 
 K. t^hIi Inf.. 18 nios. Discharged Feb. 3, 1864, Co. K, -6tli Inf.. 33 nn>s. Killed with the colors 
 
 disability. at the battle of l"t>rt lilakely, .April <». l8«>5. 
 
 Howard. Phillip S.. .\shkum. .Xuj;. 13. i8<ii. ilojjle. I.eauder, Concord, Se|>t. jo, i8(>i. Co. 
 
 ' I). 10th Inf. Corporal. Kc-enliste<l as C, 51st Inf., 4 yrs. Rc-enliste<l as veteran. Mus- 
 
 \cur:m. tered ont Sept. 25. 1865. 
 
 IIatti>n. JauK'^ W .. I'rairic (ireen. .Vuj;. Q- Hoiiii. Lnrenzn. .\>h (imve, .\up. 1. iWii. Co. 
 
 iW>2, Co. F. 7')th Inf.. J yrs. Mustered out July K. 7'>th Inf., 34 nios. DiM-harfied May 31. 1865, 
 
 22. 1863. on accovuit of womids. 
 
 Hardin, William, .\shkuin, Feb. 28, 1865, Co. Ho>;le, Michael, Concord, .Sept. 20, |8^>I, Co. 
 
 K. 43(1 Inf.. Id nios. Mustered out Nov. .^O. C. 31st Inf.. 6 inos. Died in .Shehlon. .March 26, 
 
 i8<>3. 18/. J. 
 
 liaxton. James \V.. Milford. July 28. 1862. (■. Iluiry. Willciin k.. I.cMla. .\u},'. (>. 18*12, Co. 
 
 E. 76th Inf.. 3 yis. Mustered out July 22. iW)3. K. 7<ith Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 Wounded. Hoover. luhan. Concord, Sept. 20. 1861, Co. 
 
 Hettield. .\dam S.. .\liddle|xirt. .^e]t. 20. i8<ii. C, 51st Inf.. 40 nios. Musteretl out Jan. 16, 1865. 
 
 Co. C. 51st Inf., 4 yrs. Mustered out as Quarter- Hickman, William. .\sh (imve. .\un. >). 18/12, 
 
 master, Sept. 23, i8/')5. Co. K. 7''>tb Inf.. 3 yr-. Mustere<I out July 22. 
 
 Hammond. Tliubill. .Middleport, SejU. 20. ifWti. 18^13. 
 
 t ( , 31st Inf.. 7 mos. Discliarf;ed .\pril 24. Hoover. Harvey W., Conconl, Sept. 20. 1861, 
 
 if^'2. ilisability. Co. C. 31st Inf.. 4 \rs. .Mustered out Sept. 23, 
 
 Hciatjland. Eli, Concord, .Aug. 9, 1862, Co. E. 1863. 
 
 76th Inf., 8 mos. DischarReil March 23. 18^13. Harris, lliram I!., .\sh Grove, July 25. 1862. 
 
 disability. Co. K. 76th Inf., 5 mos. Died at ( )xford, .Miss.. 
 
 H.Trri';. Nathaniel R.. Middler>ort. Sept. 20. Dec. 17. i8/'>2. 
 
 C. 51st Inf.. 4 mos. Died in Chicago. HtK>ver. Michael. Concord, Dec. i, 1861, Co. 
 
 Jar. -'". 18A2. C, 31st Inf.. 4^1 mos. Mu.fterc<I out as Sergeam, 
 
 Haughn. .<amuel II.. Concord. Dec. 23. |8''»3. Sept. 23. 18*13. 
 
 Co. v.. 76th Inf., II nK>s. Discharged .Nov. 12. Hayes, Lewis. Lo<!a, .Aug. t), 1862, Co. K. 
 
 i8*')4. 7'ith inf. Mustered out July 22. i8r>3. 
 
 Hess, .\ndrew, .Middle|Mirt. Oct. 17. l8f>i. Co. Hoel, (ie.irge W., Concord, Jan. i, 18/12. Co. 
 
 C. 31st Inf., r> mos. Discharged .Vjiril cj. i8/'>2. C. 31st Inf.. ^2 mos. Died at Chattano«iga, Sejit. 
 
 dis.ibility. 14. 18/14, of wounds. 
 
 Hill. Sidney H., i'.i-aver, .\ug. 11, i8/>2, Co. Hull, William I,., Loda. .Aug. 3. 18/12. (n. K. 
 
 E. 76th Inf., 8 mos. Discharged .April 10, 1863. 7fith Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22, 18/13. 
 
 (hsability. Hoagkin«l, Isaac. Concord, Jan. 16. 1862, Co. 
 
 Hess. Joseph, Middlep<irt, Dec. 1. i8/'ii, Co. C, 31st Inf.. 43 mos. Miisitred out Sept 23. 
 
 C. 51st Inf.. 3<) mos. Mustered out .March <). 1863. 
 
 lHf>s,. Hawkins. l-.Ji-ii.i, A^U (ir<>ve. Dec. <). i."«i3. in. 
 
 Higginson, James W.. Ash Grove. July 28. K. 7/ith Inf.. 8 mos l)i,.(I July 7. 18/14. nf 
 
 i8/>2. Co. E. 76th Inf., 13 mos. Died at Natchez. Wfiunds. 
 
 .Nov. 2Ti. 18/13. Ilogan. Thciiii.i^. i .in.. id. .March 3. i.s«>j. L'>. 
 
 Hill. Wallace, .Middlc|K>rt, .Nov. 3. 1861, Co. C, 31st Inf.. 42 mf»s MtiMercd out Atii;. 16, 
 
 C. 51st Inf.. 30 mos. Traiisferrcil to \eteran i8/'i3. 
 
 Ri'ser\e Corps, .\pril lO. 18/14. Hart, .Miles. .Ash tunve. Jan. 3. 1.S1.4. i .,, K.
 
 712 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 76th Inf.. 2 yrs. Transferred to 37tli Illinois l). ii^tli Inf.. 16 nios. Discharsrcd Xov. 17, 
 
 Regiment. i!^>.?. disahilitv . 
 
 Hutzler, David, Concord, Sept. 30, 1862. Co. Hull. ( )rin. .Spring Creek. Aug. 12. 1862. Co. 
 
 C, 51st Inf., 17 mos. Transferred to X'eteran \), 1 i^tli Inf.. 3 vrs. Transferred to U. S. C. T. 
 
 Reserve Corps, Feb. 8, 1864. for ijnimotion. June 27. 1864. 
 
 Hawkins, Lewis, Middleport. 1\1). iS. 1865. 1 iarris. Silas A., Asn Grove, Aug. 15. 1862, Co. 
 
 Co. K. 76th Inf.. 3 iios. Discharged .May 14. !). 113th Inf.. 5 nms. Discharged Jan. 12, 1863, 
 
 1865. disahility. 
 
 Hopkins, Jerome. Onarga. Se|)t. 24. 1861. C©. Heuston. Alfred L., 1 Jnarga, Oct. 23, 1863, Co. 
 
 C, 57th Inf., 9 mos. Discharged June 11, 1862. D. 113th Inf.. iS mos. Transferred to 120th 
 
 Hurd. Xelson K.. Buckley, Aug. 10, 1862. Co. Illinois. 
 
 C, 88th Inf.. 34 mos. I'.Iustered out June 9, 1865. Hall. Dwight 1'... Onarga, Jan. 4. 1864, Co. D, 
 Hilloe, George, Chebanse, Xov. 5, \P<C>\. Co. C, 113th Inf., 18 mos. Transferred to 120th Illinois. 
 
 58th Inf. Xo data. Hall. Thomas P.. Onarga. Jan. 4, 1864. Co. 
 
 Howard. Francis B., Buckley, July 2S. 1862. D, 113th Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to 120th 
 
 Co. C. 88th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out \vvx (;, Illinois. 
 
 1865. Harris. I-rank H.. t)na;ga. Jan. 29. 1864, Co. 
 
 Heam. David J., Clifton. Xov. 7. 1861, Co. C, D. 113th Inf.. 16 mos. Mustered out May 31, 
 
 58th Inf.. 39 mos. Mustered out Feb. 7, 1865. '^^^5- 
 
 Hollowav. Martin \\'.. Martinton, Aug. 9. 1862, Harrison. Luke. ( )narga, Jan. 4. 1864, Co. D, 
 
 Co. II. 113th Inf., 6 mos. Discharged I'eb. 20. M3th Inf., 3 mos. Died in Memphis, June I, 
 
 1863. disability. 18O4. 
 
 Harris. William. Onarga. May 28, 1862, Co. Hooker, Waller, Middkport. Au,g. 12. 1862. 
 
 G, 69th Inf., 4 mos. Mu.stered out Sept. 2J. Co. F, Ii3lh Inf., 30 mos. Died at home, Feb. 
 
 1862. 20. 1865. ]iaroled prisoner. 
 
 Hyatt, Jo.seph. .Middleiiort. May 14. 18(14. Co. Hooker, Tolman, Middlejinrt. .\ug. 12, 1862, 
 
 B, I34tb Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out ( )ct. 25, 1864. Co. F, 113th Inf.. 13 '>;i)s. Discharged Sept. 3. 
 
 Hail, ."Samuel G., Onarga, Aug. 12. 1862. Co. 1863. disability. 
 
 D. 113th Inf.. 6 mos. Died at Young's Point. Hawks. Sanuiel. Concord, Aug. 12. 1862, Co. 
 La.. Feb. 13, 1863. I'. 1 13th Inf.. >) mos. Discharged May 16. 1863, 
 
 Hosmer. George, Onarga, Aug. 18, i8f)2. Co. disahilitx. 
 
 D. 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out Tune 20. Henderson. IK'ury .\.. Middleport. .\ug. 12, 
 
 1865, as Sergeant. 1S62, Co. F, 1 131I1 Inf., 7 mos. Died at Young's 
 
 Harper. John, Onarga, July 29, 1862, Cn. I), Point, La., .March iS, 18(13. 
 
 113th Inf.. 26 mos. Killed Sei)t. 30. iSrq. C,,r- Hostin, Rich:n-d I\, llolmonl. Dec. 11. 18(13, 
 
 PO""*!'- I'll. ]■'. ii3th Inf., iS mos. Mustered out June 2. 
 
 Harper, .Andrew S., ( )narga, Aug. 16, i8()2. Co. 1895. 
 
 D. ii3lh Inf.. 5 mos. Died ;il Holly Springs. Ilazlett, Geovgv W., .Middkport, Jan. 4. 18(14. 
 
 Miss., Jan. n. 1863. C,,. \.\ i,,,', |„f^ id mos. .Mustered out .May 28. 
 
 Harper, Samuel J.. Onarga. Au,g. 4. 1892, Co. i8()5. 
 
 D. 113th Inf., 7 mos. Died at St. Louis, Feb. 25, Iliekory, Isaac .Middleport, Jan. 15, 18(14, Co. 
 
 ''^'.V I". 113th Inf., 13 mos. Discharged Feb. 7, 1865. 
 
 HariHT, .\le.\ander. Onarga, .\ug. 7, 1862, Co. disability. 
 
 I). ii3lh Inf., 34 mo';. .Mustered out June 20. Henry, Charles A.. .\Iiddleiirirt, Jan. 4. 18(14, 
 
 1865. as Corporal. Co. |.\ 11:5th inf.. 18 r.i.is. Transferred to 120th 
 
 Hopkins, James (i., Onarga, .\u.g. 9. i8()j. Co. Illinois. 
 
 D. 113th Inf., 8 mos. Died at Onarga. Ainil (>. Hooker. Alhn. I'.elniom. Xov. 28, 18(13, Co. 
 
 18(13. Home on sick leave. I'. 1 1 :;ih Inf., iS mos. Transferred to I20th 
 
 Hoyt, I'ldw.ird. Onarga, .\ug, 12, 1862, (.'o. Illinois.
 
 IKOQLOIS C<)L"\TV. ILLINOIS. -■? 
 
 Hart. |;inK> II.. .\|iiUllc|Kirt. IXc. j, i»«ij. Co. I o. I). I5«mIi Int.. l \r. .Mustered out Jan. |(>, 
 
 !•". il.vl' '"•' '•'^ '""^ 'IVaiwfi ifiil III i.'iiiii iWif>. 
 
 Illinois. HoIiDos. Hcnr>. ( Jiiar^a. Sq)t. lo. 1861. Co. 
 
 Hickon. .Muliacl. ." litUll<.i».ri. Jan. 15. iS^q. M. <jil) t av.. 43 inos. .Mii.-tircd otit .Xpril 5. 1W15. 
 
 Co. I-". ti.vli I'll' iX in.is riiii-firrnl In I .'oili llcniirlcks, Charles. ( )iiarKa. Sept. to, iM<ii, 
 
 Illinois. Co. .\l. yth Cav.. 43 nios. Miisiereil out .ApiHI 5, 
 
 Manna. IvKlianl Jainc.>.. ClulahM. Aw^. I. iJV>.S. 
 
 i8<>-'. Co. H. ii3tli In:' rr.mi .till (aiitain d . Haft. Claii!<. Onarj^a. Dec. 1, lS«i|. Co. .\I, 
 
 K. 5i.st C. S. C. T. i;ih Cav., 47 nios. MusliTcd out ( )ct. 31. 1865. 
 
 IlaJKlit. Matthew, elitl)an>e, .\u«. 11. iS<ij. i.... limit. I). \V.. ( hiarjja. .\nj;. 1. iS<>.'. Co. M, 
 
 I. ii.^ih ii:f . 14 iii..~ MiKiiTiil lint June 20, <jth Cav.. 45 da>s. Rejected Sept. 15, l>^iJ. 
 
 1865. Hahn, Thomas. < hiar^a, .Aug. i, 1862, Co. M, 
 
 Hii|ikwi>, Jeioinc. .MiiUilepurt. .\iij;. 15. i8(')j. ijlh Cav. .\"o <hta. 
 
 Co. I, I I vh Inf. .^4 nil-. Mn si .red out June 20. Howard, Uavid I!.. I )narj;a. I"eh. 1, l8<>3. Co. 
 
 18^)5. .\l. >fih Cav., a nios. .Mustered out Oct. 31, 
 
 Hoj^le. IKnr\. .Mi(l.|li|)'.n. .\ll);. II. iJVij. Co. |S(>5. 
 
 I. .I3tli Int. Rejected. Howard. Ueiijaiiiin. L<i<la. Sept. 15. iS<»i. I o. 
 
 Hill. John. .Middlepi.rt. .\up. «>. |8/>J, Co. 1, C, loth Cav.. 50 nios. .Mustcreii out .Nov. 22, 
 
 ii.vli Inf.. 10 nios. l)ischnr;;e<l May j8. 18^)3. 1805. 
 
 Haniniond. Charles, MiddleiMjrt, .\n;;. 11. iS6j. H<«hI. l-'lisha S.. Loda, Sept. 15. iS<ii. tlo. C. 
 
 Co. I, 113th Inf.. 34 nios. Mustere«l out June 20. mtli Cav.. 30 mos. Discharged .March 4, |8<>3. 
 
 i.*Vi.S. di>aliiliiy. 
 
 Halderiitin. Clans. .Mid<lle]Kirt. .\ng. 10, i8<>J. Hanson. Henry. Loila, Sej)!. 15. iX*!!. Co. C. 
 
 Co. I. 113th Inf., 2 mos. Died at Camp Han- loth Cav., 28 mos. .Mustered out Dec. 30, 1863. 
 
 cock. Oct. n^ 1862. Hyde. Jn.sephus l\. Loda. Sept. 13, 1861. Co. 
 
 Harilestv. .Martin. Sheldon. .\ug. 9. i.S/)2. t^u. l . lolh (.'av.. 51 n\i». .Mustered imt Nov. 22. 
 
 I. 1 13th Inf., 34 uHis. .Mustered out as Sergeant, i8<'i5. 
 
 June 20. 1865. Ilainiin, William J., i.oda, Sept. 15. iS/n. (.0. 
 
 Henston. Wallace I-'.. Onarga. .Mav 14. 18/14. C . loth Cav. Died. Date lun given. 
 
 Co. 1'. 134th Inf.. 5 mos. .Mustered out Oct. Hammond, William, Ij^nla, Sept. 15, i8r>i, Co. 
 
 2^. 18/14. C. loth Cav. Discharged for ilisahility. Date 
 
 Haviland. James. .\lidd!e|)ort. .May 14. 18/14, not given. 
 
 Co. IS. i.^4th Inf., 5 mos. .Mustered out Oct. Harris. Simon. Loda. Sept. 15, 1861. Co. C, 
 
 25. i8/>4. loth Cav. Killed in i, attic, time and place not 
 
 Harwood. Lewis. Crescent, .May 14. 1S/J4. C<j. given. 
 
 I!, 134th Inf., 5 mos. Mu.stercd out Oct. 25. Haley. John. Lo<la. Sept. 15. iS/.i. ( 
 
 '''^'4- loth Cav.. 2 yrs. Died at Little KtHrk, .\rk.. Sept. 
 
 Horner, John, .Middleixjrt. Jan. 12. i8/)5. Co. i«, im,\. 
 
 D. 150th Inf.. 1 yr. Mustered out Jan. iC. iST/,. Howar.I. ISeniamin. L.Kia. Jan. ?, 18^.4. („. l . 
 
 Hall. Kohert S.. Onaiga. Jan. 30. 18/^.5. Co. I). ,p,,, ^v,^. ^^ ,„^,^ .Mustered out as Sergi-airt. 
 
 150th Inf.. I yr. Mustered ont Jan. i'>. 18/1^1. >^-|,^. ,^ ,j^^,, 
 
 Henderson, William A.. .Middleptirt, Jan. 2s,. ,, , ,, v i 1 i ^, ,■ ,- 
 
 ar ,' ,^ u 1 / M ■ . Hawks, Henrv N., Lo<la, Jan. 3. 18/14, <^ "• •^ • 
 
 18^13. Co. D. isoih Inf.. I \r. Mustered out Ian. ., ,, \i . 1 . v ^, u, . 
 
 •„ • • loth Cav.. 23 mos. Mustircd out Nov. 22. i8<)^. 
 i/>. i8/)/>. 
 
 Hanson, Janus H.. .Milford. Feh. 7. i8<^s. I -. "'"*'• •'^■"""'''- '""''• ''■"'■ '^- '**^'*- ^''*- ^'• 
 
 1). 150th Inf.. I yr. Mustert.l out Jan. ir,.',8/./.. ""'' ^■=»^- "3 '""*• -^'I'stered out Nov. 22. iHC^S- 
 
 Hanson. William .\.. .Milford, Jan. 30, 18/15. Havens, .\le.\ander, Danforth, Oct. 3. 1861. Co. 
 
 Co. D, 150th Inf.. I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16. '"• ' "'' <-'av.. 12 mos. Discliargc.I Oct. 5. i8r,.'. 
 
 i}</V', disahilily. 
 
 Ilmiston. l<<i|K-rt .M.. L.m!.i. Pan. Vi iX/i?. I Kiiderson. Sidne\ . .MiddU'iMirt. Sept. 14. |8(>|.
 
 714 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Co. D. 1st Art'ly.. 2 mos. Died at Cairo. Xov. 23. Jacobs. .Adam. .Middleport. Aug. 14. 1862. Co. 
 
 i86i. I". ii3tli I"f- 3 ys. 
 
 Hoyt, Henry J- -Middleport. Sein. 14. 1861. Jackson. Frank. Belmont. July 22. 1862, Co. 
 
 Co. D. ist Art'ly. 7 mos. Discliarsjcd May 2. A. 7C>th Int.. 22 mos. Died at Vicksburg. May, 
 
 1862. 1864. 
 
 Henry, Thomas J., Middleport, Sept. 16, 1861, JefYerson, Thomas. Middleport, June 13, 1861, 
 
 Co. D, 1st Art'ly., 17 mos. Missing Feb. 21. Co. I. 20th Inf.. 3 yrs. Discharged at expiration 
 
 1863. of enlistment. 
 
 Hamilton. Dickson. Middleport. Oct. 27, 1861. Jamison, Thomas. Middleport. June 13. 1861, 
 
 Co. D, 1st Art'ly., 45 mos. Mustered out July Co, I, 20th Inf., 3 yrs. 
 28. 1865. John, David, Middleport. June 13, 1861, Co. 
 
 Hammond. Andrew J., Loda. Jan. 23. 1862, 1. 20th Inf., 4 yrs. Re-enlisted as veteran. 
 
 Co. L, 2d Art'ly., 9 mos. Discharged f )ct. IQ. Mustered out as Sergeant. 
 1862. Jewel. William A., Middleport. Jan. 5, 1864, 
 
 Havens, Albert T., Loda, Feb. 10, 1862. Co. Co. I. 20th Inf.. 14 mos. Killed at Fayetteville. 
 
 L. 2d Art'ly.. 42 mos. Mustered out Aug. g. X. C. March 11. 1865. 
 1865. Jones, riiillii). Onarga. June 4. 1861, Co. F, 
 
 Igney, Frank, .\shkuni. Xov, 7. 18^11. Co. C. 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. Discharged Sept. 5. 1864. 
 58th Inf., 41 mos. Re-enlisted as veteran. Jarrctt. John. Middleport. June 4, 1861, Co. 
 
 Mustered out April i, 1866. F. 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. Discharged Sept. 5. 1864. 
 
 Izzard, George W., Middleport. Jan. 24. i8(')2, Jnlmscm, James, Martinton, June 4, 1861, Co. 
 
 Co. A, 76th Inf. Killed at Jackson. .Miss,. July F, 25th Inf.. 30 mos. Killed at Mission Ridge. 
 
 7, 1864. Xov. 25, 1863. 
 
 Irvin, Abram, Concord, Aug. 22, 1862, Co. Johns, William, Martinton, June 4, 1861, Co. 
 
 E, 76th Inf.. 28 mos. Discharged Dec. 10. 1864. F. 25th Inf.. ig mos. Killed at Stone River, 
 Isljester, William, Onarga, Aug. 7, 1862. Co. Dec. 31. 1862. 
 
 C, 88th Inf., 34 mos. Promoted Captain, but Jones, John ii., .Maitinton. June 4. 1861. Co. 
 
 mustered out as Sergeant, June 9, 1865. I", 25th Inf., 5 mos. Died at Springfield. Mo.. 
 
 Isler, George, Middleport, Aug. 12, 1862, Co. Xov. 11, 1861. 
 
 F, n3th Inf.. 5 mos. Discharged Jan. 12, 1863, Johnson, David W., Middleport. Feb. 29, 1864. 
 disability. Co. C, 12th Inf.. 17 mos. Mustered out July 24, 
 
 Isler, X'athaniel. Middleport, Oct, 27, i86i, iWi;. 
 Co. D, 1st Art'ly. Missing, supposed dead. Xo Janies, Benjamin F., Middleport. Sept. 20, 1861, 
 ''''^*'''- Co, C, 51st Inf,, 4 vrs. Promoted to Quarter- 
 James, George W., Middle])ort. July 24, 18^,2, Master." 
 Co. A. 7r,th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, j„,^„^„„^ ^tto, Middleport, Sept. 20. 1861, Co. 
 
 T^' ^^ ^ C. Tist Inf.. 7 mos. Di.scliarged April 19, 1862, 
 
 Jones, Henry L.. Middleport. July 24. 1862, disabilitv 
 
 Co. A, 76th Inf., 9 mos. Died at Memphis, April ' ',' . ^r-,„ ^- --,. .- 
 
 - jgg ' Joly, Robert A.. Middleport, Xov, i, 1861, Co. 
 
 Toiler,., T-.,,,.- AT -vfin . \ o/- ^- 5'^t Inf., 7 mos. Died near Corinth, Miss., 
 
 (onn.son, James .M.. .Middleport. Ant;'. 11. i8ri2, t „^ 
 
 ^„T ,,,^, T r Tune 12, 1862. 
 Lo.I, 113th Inf., 3 yrs. 
 
 Jones, Alexander C„ Middleport, fulv 24, 1862, Johnson. John W., Middleport. Feb. 27. 1864. 
 
 Co. A, 76th Inf., 3 vrs. Mustered" out Tulv 22. *^"- "^^ ^i^t I"f- 1/ mos. Mustered out Sept, 25, 
 
 1865, ■ ■ i8fi5. 
 
 Johns, Flisha, Middleport, .\tig. <). 1862, Co, Jaquith, James II,. Chehaiise, .\pril i, 18C15, 
 
 B, I [3th Inf,, 3 yrs, Co. II. 58th Inf., 7 mos. Captain. Died at Mont- 
 Jacobs, Daniel G., Concord, jnlv 24. 1S62, Co. .goniery, .\la.. ( )ct. 15, 1865, 
 
 .•\. -Ctih Inf.. 7 mos. Died at Mrmphis. I'\b. ij. Jarvis, Joseph. .Martinton. March t. 1865, Co, 
 
 '8'''3- 11, 38lh Inf., i yr. Mustered out March 1.1866.
 
 luoorois rniiVTV iii in'ois 
 
 JiiiK-.s, llciir\. Martintiiii. Icli. JJi, iJ^'.S. Co. 
 H. 5Sili Inf.. I yr. Miisurcil mit l-ili. J4, lAi'i. 
 
 Jackson, John, Clifton, .Auk. '•^. i^^'J-J. Co. (1, 
 -jil Inf., 35 nios. .Mustered out as .Sirrtjcant, 
 July 13. I8<J5. 
 
 Jenkins, Nelson S.. Ash Grove. Aujj. i, iX'jj. 
 Ci>. K. 7»rtli Inf., II nios. Discliarjjcd June io. 
 i8<j3, disability. 
 
 Jones, Seth, Chelnnse, .\ug. 9, i86j, Co. 11. 
 I i.^tli Inf.. 34 nios. .Mustered out Jiuie jcj. i.S<>5. 
 
 J' "lies. Klislia. .Martintoii, .Vufj. v- i>^>-. t-o. 
 It. H3th Inf., 34 nx)s. Musterc<l out Jtuie jo. 
 l^<^»5, as .^er^;eant. 
 
 Jones. \\ illiani R.. .Middkport, .\ujj. 15, |S(>J. 
 Co. D. I i3tli Inf., 2 nios. Deserted ( )ct. 12, 1862. 
 
 Jones. James .'^.. ()ru»r>;a. .\uj;. 15, 1862, C«). 
 I). 1 13th Inf., J2 mos. Killed June 30. iS<i4. 
 
 Jacob, Adam. Middlcport, Aug. 12, 1862, Co. 
 I". ii3tli Inf.. 34 niDS. .Mustered out June 20. 
 1865. 
 
 Johnson, Patterson .M., .Middleport. .\u>;. u, 
 iX'iJ. Co. F, 113th inf., 7 nios. Discharj,'cd 
 .March 16, 1863. 
 
 Jones. I'"rank .\.. .Miildleport. .\»ii. <>. i8fjj. 
 Co. I, 113th Inf.. 7 nios. Dischar;;eil .March 7. 
 18^.3. 
 
 Johnson. James. .Mitld!c|)ort. .\\\\x. 11. iS/u. 
 Co. I, 1 13th Inf.. 34 nios. .Mustered out June jo, 
 i8r>3. 
 
 Johnson, John P>., Middle|>ort, Aua. 11. i8<)j, 
 Co. I. 113th Inf. Dischar(j;ed at .Memphis, no 
 tlate {jiven. 
 
 Jones, Joseph, Middlei)ort. May 14. 1864. Co. 
 n. 134th Inf., 5 n»s. Mustered out Oct. 25. i8/»4. 
 
 Justus. .\(|uilla, < )narjja, .May 14. i8<'>4. L". 1!. 
 134th Inf.. :; mos. .Musteretl out Oct. 25. 1864. 
 
 Jones. Calvin C, .Middleport. Jan. u. i8<>5. 
 L'o. P. !:'>•'' Till* I >r \(m.i,.,-. ,1 mil (;,„ |(, 
 i8<irt. 
 
 Jones, liarrison. -Middleport, l-eb. 6, 1865. Co. 
 1), 150th Inf., I yr. .Mustered out Jan. \C}. 18^/1. 
 
 Jones. William S.. Chebanse, Feb. 6. 1865. Co. 
 D, 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 18/16. 
 
 Joins. Joseph W., Onarjpi. March ft. iW>5, Co. 
 .M. <;tli Cav.. 8 mos. Mustered out Oct. 31, 18/15. 
 
 Jones, diaries H., Lo<Ia. Sept. 15. 1861. Co. 
 C. iJtIi Cav.. 39 mos. Mustered out Dec. 30. 
 1864. 
 
 Johnson, James 1... .Middiqiort, ( >ci. 7. i8«.i. 
 Co. D, ist Art'ly.. 4 mos. Missinp Pel). 8. i86j. 
 
 KiiiK, ij«.or^;c K., .Mid<lli|M>rt, April jj, if«Ji, 
 Co. I, joth Inf.. I) nios. (. apiund at (iuntown, 
 escaiKHl from pri.son. returned to his company and 
 mustered out as Captain. June jo, 1865. 
 
 Kiiijr, (leorvje K., .Middleport. .\up. u. i8/'>j. 
 Co. F, Ii3:h inf., 34 mos. 
 
 KiiiK. Charles N".. .Middleport, .May 14, i8()4, 
 Co. 1!, 134th Inf., 5 niiiS. Miisltred out Tlct. 2^. 
 
 18/^.4. 
 
 Keen. .Marceleus. .M.ddliport. -Xuj;. I J, i.SdJ. 
 Co. I". II31I1 Inf.. 5 mos. Died ,.u sieamer < VA 
 Walsh). Jan. 2 J, 1863. 
 
 Kniit/. John I'.. < in.irna. June 8. i!^»3, Co. 1". 
 J5tli Inf.. 15 nios. .Mii>tiri-d out Scjit. >. iS/'m, 
 as 1st Lieutenant. 
 
 Kaudt. r.cniard, .Midtllciiort. Aiij,'. u, i8<jJ. 
 Co. 1". 113th Inf.. 34 m<i<. Mustered out hiin- Jo. 
 1865. 
 
 Kimler, Tlioinas. l.oil.i. June 4, iNdi. to. I', 
 J5tli Inf.. 31 mos. .Mortally wouinlcd at Mission 
 Kidfje. .Nov. 25. 1863. Dic<l Jan. 11. 1864. at 
 Cliattanoopa. 
 
 Kelly. Jacob, Middleport, Au)j;. 16, 1862, Co. 
 I, 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustere<l out June 20, 
 i8r,5. 
 
 Karr. Klisha, Sheldon, Oct. j8. i8<)i. Co. K, 
 3»Uh Inf.. 30 mos. Re-cniistcd as veteran. Killed 
 at Drury's HlufT. \'a.. May 14. i8/')4. 
 
 Kenilall, I'.dwiii. .\siikuiii, .March 3. i8(j5. Co. 
 K. 43d Inf., 7 mos. .Mustered out Sept. 10, 1865. 
 
 Kane, Jiilin C, Concord. .\uK. 8. 18/12. Co. 
 I, ii3tli Inf., 7 11XIS. Discharged .March 7. 1863. 
 
 Kirk. Joseph. .Ashkuni, Feb. 11. 18/15. Co. K. 
 43d Inf., 10 mos. Mustered out Nov. 30, i8/')5. 
 
 Kelly. Isaac. Concord, Aup. 8, 1862, Co. I, 
 I i3tli Inf., 33 mos. Musteretl out May 22, 1865. 
 
 Korn. Francis M., .\shkum, Feb. 11, i8/>5, Co. 
 K. 431I Inf.. H) mos. .Mnstereil out \.iv. 30. 
 i8/')5. 
 
 Kane. 'I'honias, Concord, .\un. 14. iNij, Co. 
 1. 1131I1 Inf.. 14 mos. Died at Camp Miitler. Oct. 
 
 I.?. iW'i.V 
 
 Kelcham, Nelson. .Ashkuin, (kt. ji. i.S<ii. Co. 
 C". 51st Inf.. 47 mos. Mustered out Sept. 25. 
 18/15, as Coqioral. 
 
 Karr. John. Concord. .\iij;. 11. iS/ij. Co. 1. 
 113th Inf.. 35 mos. .Mustered out I11K jj. 18*.;. 
 jirisoner of war. 
 
 Kellx. Thornton .\.. ( iiiar^;.i. ( let. i<;. i8''3. <■ o. 
 1. Ii3tli Inf.. 18 mos. Trausferreil to ijoth 
 Illinois.
 
 7i6 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Kemp. John 1)., Lo'la. Aug. 14. 1862. Co. (■. (;tli Cav.. 41 mos. .Mu>icre(l out .April 10. i8f)3. 
 
 721] Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustertd out Aug. 7. 1865. veteran. 
 
 Keath, George C. Ash (jrove. Feb. 6. 1865. Kent. Edward D., Onarga. Xcv. i. 1861. Co. 
 
 Co. D, 150th Inf.. I \ r. .Mu.stered out Jan. rf). .M. yth Cav., 7 mos. Discharged June i. 1862. 
 
 1866. Knight. Curtis L.. Onarga. Dec. 3. 1863. Co. 
 
 Kinney, Isaac .M.. Heaver. July 24, i8<'j2. Co. .M. (;th Cav.. 8 nios. Discharged July 24. 1864, 
 
 .\. /C)\h Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, i8C)5. sick. 
 
 Knight, E. R.. Onarga. Sept. 10. i8f)i. Co. M. Kemp, John. Danforth. Xov. if>. 1861. Co. F, 
 
 9th Cav.. 39 mos. Mustered out Xov. 30. 1864. iitli Cav.. 49 mos. Mustered out Sept. 30. 1863. 
 
 Karr. John H., Coiicord, July 24, 1862. Co. Lee. Davicl. Onargi. May 14, 1864. Co. B, 
 
 .A, 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. 1865. 134th Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out Oct. 25, 1864. 
 
 Karr. .Marion. Concord, .\ug. 9. i8()2 Co. .\. Long, Enoch, .Miih'k-iiort, Oct. 3, 1863. Co. 
 
 7Ath Inf. .Mustered out JuiK- 20. iSfi^. as Cor- C, 2(1 Art"ly.. 22 mos. 
 
 IKiral. Lindsay, Alden, Onar.ga, ( )ct. 22. 1863. Co. D, 
 
 Kendall. Elisha .M . Uelmont. July 24. 1862. i I3tli Inf., 10 mos. Died iu Andersonville Prison, 
 
 Co. A, 76th Inf., 26 mos. Died at Middleixirt, Aug. 23, 1864. 
 
 Sept. 27. 1864. Loveless, Henry 1).. .Middleport, June 13, 1861, 
 
 Kane, .\aron \\. Concord. .\ug. 7. 1862. Co. Co. I. 20th Inf.. 14 mos. . 
 
 I, 113th Inf.. 34 mos. .Mustered out as Captain Lanahan, Michael J., Onarga. Jan. 29, 1864, 
 
 June 20, 1865. Co. D, 113th Inf. Transferred to 120th Illinois. 
 
 Kay. James W'.. .Middleixirt. July 24. 1862. Co. Lewis. George \\'.. .Mi(ldle])ort. Jmie 13. 1861. 
 
 A. /C)ih Inf., 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. 1863. Co. I. 20th Inf., 3 yrs. 
 
 Kline. James .M.. lieaver. .Aug. 9. 1862. Co. E. Leathennan. John E.. Middleport. -Aug. 12. 
 
 76th Inf., I yr. Died at Jefferson Barracks. .\ng. 1862. Co. !■', 113th Inf. Taken prisoner at (nm- 
 
 18, i8<')3. town. Alu.stered out June 20. 1863. 
 
 Keady. John I'.. .Ash Grove, Aug. 1. i8ri2. Co. Lyman. Jacob A., .Middleport. June 13. 1861, 
 
 E. 761I1 Inf.. 8nio>. Discharged .March 30. 18(13. Co. I, 20th Inf., 3 yrs. 
 
 disability. Lister. John C, Middleport, Aug. 12, 1862, 
 
 Kinney, William G.. I'.eaver, .\iig. 11, 1862, Co. Co. 1", 113th Inf., (> mos. Discharged Feb. i6. 
 
 I-".. 76th Inf.. 34 mo.s. Discharged May 21. 1863, 1863. 
 
 disability. Leeds, John. Middleport, Jime 13. 1861, Co. I, 
 
 King, William II., Loda. .\iig. 3. 18^2, Co. 20th Inf.. 3 yrs. 
 
 K. 7Gth Inf., 4 mos. Dit'd at Holl\ Si>riiigs. Longshore. Richard, .Middleport, .Aug. 12, 
 
 -Miss., Dec. 10. 18(12. 1862, Co. P. 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out 
 
 Keath, (labriel, I'lelmont. ( )ct. 10. 1864. Co. K. June 20, 1865, as Cori)oral. 
 
 76th Inf., 16 nif>s. Transferred to 37th lllinoi-. Lentz. George F., Middleport, Jtme 13. 1861, 
 
 Kelton, Edward, Clifton, .Aug. 10. 1862. Co. Co. 1. 20th Inf.. 3 mos. Discharged for (hsability. 
 
 C. 88th Inf., 13 mos. Discharged Sept. 1 1. 1863. Leathennan. .Abritham, Concord, Au,g. 12, 
 
 Kingman, Charles A.. Clifton, July 29, 1862, 1862, Co. F, 113th Inf., 34 mos. .Mustered out 
 
 Co. C. 88th Inf., 34 mos. .Mustered out June c». Jmie 20, 1865, Corporal. 
 
 ■^''5- Large, John W. M., .Middle]X)rt, Jan. 5. i8r)4, 
 
 Kitson, George A.. Clifton. .\ug. 1. 18^)2. Co. Co. [,20th Inf., 18 mos. 
 
 C. 88th Inf., 7 mos. Discharged .March 4, 18(13. l.;irrow, Edward, Beaver, .\ug. 12, 1862, Co. 
 disai)ihty. 1\ 1 13th Inf. Deserted. 
 
 Keyser. David M., Onarga. .Aug. 13, 1862, Co. I eek. Henry, Mi(ldle|iort, June 13, i8(,i, Co. 
 
 D. r 13th Inf., 4 mos. Deserted Xov. 10. i8r)2. I. 20th Inf., 2 vrs. Killed at .\tlanta. lulv 22. 
 Knight. Curtis L., Onarga. Sept. 10, iSf)!, Co. 1864. 
 
 M, i>ih Cav.. 13 mos. Mustered out Oct. 17. Lealhernian. Ronianzo. Concord. Oct. i6. 186^, 
 
 '^^'7 ^'"- I''. ii.Vli Inf. Die. I in Camp Ihitler. date not 
 
 Kiser, Samuel, ( )narga. Oct. 20. iHCu . Cn. M. given.
 
 IROQl-OIS COUNTY. ILI.IXOIS. 717 
 
 I^ikf. Andrew J.. .\>hkuin. Jnnt- 1. iNii. Ln. (.<■. I. 51st Inf.. .V "«>•' I^'f^'l a' Kiclinioiul. 
 
 (i. J5th Inf.. 14 ni.'s. Serjeant -.Major nf ri-Ri- .March i-'. I«'i4. 
 
 HMrnt. ji\ LieulcnaiU of Co, G. Rcsi)jm-<1 \\tg. I.onp. Janu-s. .Milfonl. May 14. 1W14. Co. 11. 
 
 4. iW)j. i.U'l' '"f-- 5 '"">■ .Miislorol out « >ct. J5, 1W14. 
 
 Lyons, .^xlvistcr. Clularsc. .\un- '3. i*^>^. t"- l.ynns. Daniel \\ .. .Miililli'ixirt. .^ipt. jo. iS<>i. 
 
 II. 113th Int.. 8 mos. I)ic<l at Younp's I'oint. Co. C. 51st inf.. 7 mos. Dischar^c'l .\pril 24. 
 
 .\pril «j. iWi.V i)^>j. (lisaliility. 
 
 Lyman. Jnhn I).. ( Hiar^a. June 4. iWm. Co. I-', Lannhlin. \\ illiani. ( )narKa. < >ct. i.v |8^>I. Co. 
 
 25th Ir.f.. i; iiK>s. Dicil at Camp Cooper. .\rk.. C. 57th Inf.. 1 \r. Kiilal at Corinth. .Miss.. Oct. 
 
 .March 5. ilV..'. .V iW.j. 
 
 I.eathennan. William. MitI<lleiH>rt. .\»k. ~. Leifjliton. .Xn.hrose. .Mi(l<lleix>rt. .\ujj. <>• i^'iJ. 
 
 1862. Co. I. I i.^tli Inf., 7 mos. Died at Camp Co. it. ii.^th Inf.. 1,^ mos. I)ie<l at Corinth. Sept. 
 
 r.utler. March 14. iS^..v 27. i8/>.v 
 
 Little. John. .Mii|<l!e|K>rt. June 4. iS«ii. Co. F. Lash. Jonas. ( )nart;a. Sept. J4. lS<ii. Co. C. 
 
 25th Inf.. 30 mos. Killed at .Mission Riilpe. N'ov. 57t!i Inf.. 7 mos. D!e<l at I'ittshiirp l^mdin);. 
 
 23. ifV\^. .\pril 15. 18^12. 
 
 Lister. Riley. .Middle|>ort. .\n},'. 7. 1862. Co. I. Lee. William. ( Miarfja. .Vufj. 9. i8r»2. Co. D. 
 
 113th Inf.. 14 mos. Die<l at Camp Uutler. ( )ct. Ii3lh Inf. ri mos. Diid at \ ickshurp. June 2C). 
 
 28. i8r>_v 1863. 
 
 Lee. .Milo. .Martintun. June 4. l8<i|. Co. I'. Lyons, Edward. Chelianse. Xov. 7. 18^11. Co. 
 
 25th Inf., 6 nws. Died at Jeflfcrson I'.arracks. C\ 58th inf. 
 
 .Mo., .\'ov. 27. i8r>l. Lewis. l"raiKi> .\|.. .\sli iirove. .\u^. !<. iS/iJ. 
 
 I-avender. (Icorye J.. .\liddIe|)ort, ( )ct. 28, i8<ij. C'o. D. Ii3lh Inf. .Mustered out June 20. iS/.j. 
 
 Co. I. 113th Inf.. 3 mos. Dc.serte<l Feb. 10. i8^»3. Lock. John. Clifton. Nov. 7, i8^)t, Co. C. 58th 
 
 I^shley. Samuel. .Mi(h!lcj)ort. June 4. 1861. Co. Inf. Re-enlisted in I'.atterv 11. 1st .\liss<pnri 
 
 Co. v. 25th Inf. 3 yrs. .Mnstereil out Sept ;;. Lij^ht .\nillery. 
 
 iS/^. I-ovctt. .Michael, Onarjra. July 30. i8/'>2. Co. 
 
 fx'ijjfhdy. J.iines .\., .Milfnrd. Dec. <>. i*''^^ L o. I). 113th Inf.. 13 mos. DischarRcd .\np. 28. 1W14. 
 
 I. 113th Inf.. <; mos. Died in .\n<lir<niuille Lock. .Simuel. .\shkum. Nov. 2. iS^^M. Co. C . 
 
 Prison, Sept. y. 18/^4. 58tli Inf. 
 
 Lyon. James .\.. Fast I'lend. Jime 4. iJ^'i. L o. Lacy. Thomas. ( )narna, |ulv 30, 18/12. Co. I). 
 
 F. 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out Sept. 5. 1^*4. 113th Inf.. 8 mos. Died at .Mound Citv. March 
 
 Lee, William (i.. .Middle|K)rt. .\up. 15, i8r>2. 20. 18*13. 
 
 Co. I. 113th Inf., j^T^ mos. Discharged May 15. I-iw. Joseph .\.. I hehanse. .March 14. 1N13. 
 
 l8^>5. Co. 11. 58th Inf.. I vr. Mustered nut March 13. 
 
 Lyman. .Alfred. Ilelmont. June 4. iSTn. Co. iSTrfS. 
 
 I-". 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out Sept. 5. 18^15. Lucas. Roliert l!.. ( )nar^,Ti. ( »ct. 1. i8<)2. Co. 
 
 Lewis, .\ndrew J.. MiddIe|)ort. l"et). J\. |8^>4. D. 113th Inf.. t^t^ mos. .Mustered out June 20. 
 
 Co. — , Il3lh Inf. Rejected. tWiS. as Captain. 
 
 Lawhea<l. Rolnrt. Chehanse. .March i. |8<>2. Laj;ranj;e. Thaver. Middleport. July 24. 18/.2. 
 
 Co. (i, 25th Inf.. 3 XT'". Transferred to t o. II. Co. .\. 7''ilh Ir.f.. i) mo<. IVoniotcd Sertrcani- 
 
 I>eek, Cornelius .M.. .MiddKr|)«irt. .May 14. 1864, Major. 
 
 Co. 15. 134th Inf.. 5 mos. Mustered out dct. 25. Lauphlin. James. .Mid(i!cp<tri. July 24. i8(>2. 
 
 1864. Co .\.. 7f)th Inf.. 3 yrs Absent, sick on nnisier 
 
 Luce. Ira. .Middle|H)it. Mtfi. 2^). iW>i. Co. (i. out of regiment. 
 
 25111 Inf. .No data. Lyman. John. Helmont. June 24. i8/^>2. Co. .\, 
 
 I.enfj. William. ( )nari,'a. May 14. 18/14. Co. 1*.. j<>tU Inf.. ~ mos. Dischari;eil March IJ. i8<i^ 
 
 134th Inf.. 5 n»>s. .Mustered out Oct. 2-i. liV^. disabilitx 
 
 Lyman. Joseph W'.. Mi<ldlq)orl. Oct. 1. |8/'.|. I.esco. Joseph. irtH|uo|s. |uK J_^ iSi,j_ to. .\.
 
 7iS 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 76th Inf., 1 yr. Discharged June 30, 1863. 
 disability. 
 
 Laney, Henry S., Belmont, July 24, 1862, Co. 
 A, 76th inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out as Sergeant, 
 July 22, 1865. 
 
 Lesco. Joel. Iroquois, July 24, 1862, Co. A, 
 76th Inf.. ^2 mos. Died of wounds, April 16, 
 1865, at Fort lilakely. 
 
 Lyman, Andrew. .Middlei)ort. July 24, 1862, 
 Co. A. 76th Inf.. 3 vrs. ]\Iuslered out July 22, 
 1865. 
 
 Lovett, George U., Ivliddleport. July 24, 1862, 
 Co. A. 76th Inf., 3 vrs. Mustered out July 22, 
 1865. 
 
 Lagrange, Thayer, Middleport, July 24, 1862, 
 Co. A, 76th Inf. Promoted Sergeant-AIajor. 
 
 Laplante, Philip, Beaver, Aug. 8, 1862, Co. 
 
 D, 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out as Sergeant. 
 July 22, 1865. Promoted Lieutenant. 
 
 Lcard, Robert H., Milford. Aug. i, 1862, Co. 
 
 E, 76th Inf., 7 mos. Died at Memphis, .March 
 II, 1863. 
 
 Longnecker, Harvey B.. Ash Grove, -Vug. ir, 
 1862, Co. E, 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Died at Mobile. 
 June I, 1865. 
 
 Longnecker, Charles J., Ash Grove, July 11, 
 1862, Co. E, 76th Inf.. 9 mos. Discharged April 
 8, 1863, disability. 
 
 Lyman, Jackson, Milford, Dec. 17, 1863, Co. 
 E, 76th Inf.. 2 yrs. Transferred to 37th Illinois. 
 
 Linball, John, Ash Grove, July 24. 1862, Co. 
 K, 76th Inf., 7 mos. Discharged March 20. i8'^3. 
 disability. 
 
 Lutz, George, Loda. .Vug. 9, 1862. Co. K. 7''ith 
 Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1865. 
 
 Ludden, Fred M., Loda, July 27. 1862, Co. K. 
 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Transferred to Veteran Reserve 
 Corps. 
 
 Ludden, Henry M., Loda, July 27, 1862, Co. I\. 
 76th Inf., 34 mos. Discharged May 20. 1863. 
 
 Lenaive, Joseph. Loda. .\iig. 1. 1862, Co. K. 
 76tli Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1863. 
 
 Lakcy. John W., .-Vsh Grove, Feb. 3, 1864. 
 Co. K, 76th Inf., 13 mos. Discharged Mav v, 
 1865. 
 
 Legg, Isaac V'., Loda, Aug. 10. 1862, Co. C, 
 88th Inf., 22 mos. Discharged June 4. 1864. 
 disability. 
 
 Lynn, John, Clifton, July 29. 1862, Co. C. 88lh 
 Inf., 4 mos. Died Dec. 8, 1862, of wounds. 
 
 Lourant, Leon J., L'Erable, Aug. 16, 1862, Co. 
 D, 89th Inf., 2 yrs. Died in Andersonville Prison 
 Sept. I, 1864. 
 
 Lyman, Jonathan W., ^iliddleport, Aug. 9, 
 1862. Co. B, 113th Inf., 3 mos. Died at Jef- 
 ferson Barracks. Jan. 21. 1863. 
 
 Lyman, Andrew J., Middleport, Aug. 9. 1862, 
 Co. B, 113th Inf. No data. 
 
 Lyman, Jacob X., ^liddleport, Feb. i, 1863, Co. 
 D, 130th Inf., I yr. Clustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Lively, James, Beaver, Feb. i, 1865, Co. D, 
 130th Inf.. I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16. 1866. 
 
 Lyman, John, Middleport, Feb. i, 1865, Co. 
 D, 130th Inf.. I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Little, William F.. Middleport, Jan. 16, 1865, 
 Co. D, 150th Inf., I yr. Clustered out Jan. 16, 
 1866. 
 
 Laroche, Theophile, Middleport, Jan. 14, 1865, 
 Co. D, 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 
 1866. 
 
 Larmeree. Edward, Onarga, Jan. 30, 1865. Co. 
 D, 130th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Lasco, Cliftord, Middleport, Feb. 6, 1863, Co. 
 D, 130th Inf., I yr. JMustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Lyman, Lewis, Middleport. Feb. 7, 1863. Co. 
 D. 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Long, David, Onarga, Nov. I, 1861. Co. F, 
 9th Cav. No data. 
 
 Lowe, John \'., Onarga, Nov. i. 1861, Co. M, 
 9th Cav., 47 mos. Mustered out Oct. 31, 1863, 
 Sergeant, Veteran. 
 
 Letts, Edward N., Onarga, Sept. 10, 1861, Co. 
 M, 9th Cav., 49 mos. Mustered out Oct. 31, 1865, 
 veteran. 
 
 Lewis. Cavalry, Onarga, Sept. 10. 1861, Co. 
 .\l. gth Cav.. 39 mos. Mustered out Dec. 10. 
 i 8()4. 
 
 Lewi.^. 'i'lKiinas, ( )narga. .^e])l. 10. iSfu, Co. 
 -M, ijth Cav., 43 mos. .Mustered out .Ajiril 24, 
 iSr)3. 
 
 Lipi)inciiti, jaciil), Onarga, Nov. 30, 1861. Co. 
 -M, 9tli Cav., 41 mos. Mustered out April 24, 
 
 isr,5. 
 
 Langston, Patrick. Onarga. Sept. 10, 1861. Co. 
 -M. i;th Cav., 8 mos. Dropped from rolls April ^o. 
 1862. 
 
 Lowe. John B., Onarga, .^ug. i, 1862, Co. AI, 
 
 <)th Cav.. 35 mos. Mustered out July 8, 1863. 
 
 I .(ickwdiid, l-lilas. ( )narga. .\ug. 1. 1862, Co.
 
 IKiMjr* lis L«)LM V. ll.l.iN. U.S. 71V 
 
 .M. «/h Cav., 35 mos. Miistcrv<l om Jiim- i«>, .Mclmltio. John M.. Ash Cirove, June 4. iW>i. 
 
 i8<>5. Co. 1\ 25tli liiC, 3 yrs. Miisti-rctl out Sept. 5. 
 
 I.fwis. William, Onarjja. .\iit;. 1. i>«>-*. C\>. M. 1864. 
 
 Vth Cav.. 35 mos. Mustered out June id. 1805. .Morey, William. Lcxla. .\un.' «J. 1862. Co. K. 
 
 1j«ii. Kilward L.. Onarj^a, .<ei>t. 15. i8<»i. Co. p>ih Int.. 3 yrs. .\lustcre<I out July 22. |8*>5. 
 
 C". loth Cav., 31 ""- \|nvi,,.,l ,,.ii V,.v 2J. .Miller. Jacoli. Middle|K)rt. June 13. 18'Ji. Cc 
 
 ii«)5. veteran. I. -!otl« Inf., 4 n>os. Died at Cairo, Oct. 19, 1861. 
 
 I.incau. J'hn. < >nar).;a. ."n.|U. 15. iS<.i. (\: C. .McCoy. (leorRe, .\sh Cirove. .Auj;. 7. iR6j. Co. 
 
 loth Cav :■ •• • - \!n-i. r.,1 ..tii V.,v .._> i!<(.c I). ii3tlt Inf., y mos. Deserted M.iy 6, 1863. 
 
 veteran. .Martin, James P., Martinton. May 29. i8<')i. 
 
 I^nip, John. Uaniorili. .\ov. <<. i8<>i, C<>. I . lo. I', J5tlt Inf., 2 yrs. Kesi),jned as 1st l.icu- 
 
 I ilh Ca\ |- "'..- \liivi. r.,1 ..ni v.ni 1. 1 I .v^ , ; iciiant, Juue 8, i8<)3. 
 
 veteran. .McCoy, James. .Ash Grove, .Vug. 15, i8f>2, Co. 
 
 I.eydeu, John, I.oda. Jan. 23. i8(t2, Co. 1.. jil I). 1 r3th Inf.. 2<) inns. IK->triol Jan. 2<>. 18*15. 
 
 .\rt'ly., M ■""> T>\.-lnri.'c.l • Vt ij iSi'u .Morgan, George M., Sheldon, Sept. 25, i8<>i. 
 
 disabilit> ' o. E. 39th Inf. .Mustered out Ttb. 2, 1865. 
 
 I.i>nvir;;nun, .\1.. L'llralik-, .\uji. 10, i8<i2, Co. Was a prisoner of war. 
 
 I). 8«>th Inf., 6 n>>« Wounded at Stone River .MclTunl. .Miraham. .Milfonl. .\u>,'. 13. i8<(.», 
 
 and discharged. Co. D, 113th Inf., 31 mos. Died at Memphis. 
 
 .\lunhall. S. C, Crhaiia. Auj;. 4. \»f>2. Co. 15. March 12. 1865. 
 
 7<>th Inf., 3 yrs. Sergeant .Major. .Miller. Charles, Chebanse, .\ug. 25. 1861, Co. 
 
 Montgomery. Samuel W.. Ash Grove. .\ug. 6, G, 25th Inf., 3 yrs. Musttrc<l out Sept. 5, 1864. 
 
 i8')2, Co. ]•'.. 7"th Inf.. .> \rs. Died of wounds. Miller, Joseph. Belmont, -Aug. 12, 1862, Co. 
 
 July II, 1864. I'. 113th Inf., 26 mos. Died in \ii.!. r^iinJn.- 
 
 Montgomery J. .\., (")narga, Sept. 4, 1861, Co. IVison, Oct. 18, 1864. 
 
 M, «7th Cav.. 40 mos. Prisoner of war, captureil .Matthews. William H., C^narga, March 8, i8<')2, 
 
 at Pleasant Hill. .Miss., Jan., 1864. Co. C", 4-''' I'"' ?- '"■ - "\histercd out .\pril 
 
 Marklcv, .Vmos W., Concord, .\ug. 4, 1862. 17, iSC^^. 
 
 Co. K, 7'ith Inf.. J yrs. Killed at Jackson. Mi<~.. .Moore. J..lni Wtslty. lleimont. .Xug. 12. 18/12. 
 
 July 7. 181J4. Co. F. 113th Inf.. 5 mos. Discharged Jan. 12. 
 
 ^fcKeever. Patrick, Middkport, Nov. 18. 1863, i8r>3. disability. 
 
 Co. I, 56th Inf.. 20 mos. Mustered out with .McReyuoUls, Henry, Iroquois, Sept. 12. 1861. 
 
 regiment. Co. H. 42d Inf., 20 mos. Discharged May 4. 
 
 .Mitchell. Edward. Middleport, .\ug. 9, 1862. 1863, for disability. 
 
 Co. E. 76th Inf.. 1 yr. Died at \'icksbnrg, .\ng. .Murray, Xelson, Beaver, .\ug. 12, 1862, Ox 
 
 8. 1863. F, 113th Inf., 34 mos. .Mustered out June 20. 
 
 .Ma\etti. EuselK'. .MiddlepDri. .March 14. 18/14, 18^15. 
 
 Co. P.. i,^4th Inf., 5 mos. .McManigall. John. .Ash Grove, Oct. 18. 18/14. 
 
 .Marvin, James, .\sh (irove, .\uj:. 1, 1862, Co. Co. K i,?)li Inf o m.is Mustered out Julv lo. 
 
 E. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22, 1865. 18/15 
 
 .Mixiney. William R.. Belmont. .\ng. 9. i8/>2, .Mc.Maiiiis. J.inics. Belmont, -Xug. 12. 1862. 
 
 C"o. K, I22d Inf.. ? r^ r'i.nl!mii',l in riL'iu.ir Co. F, 113th Inf., 2') irn-; Hi" •' I" Tr.yin,"''; 
 
 army until 1884. -ounly, Jan. 15, 18/15. 
 
 .Myers. Ix-wis, .Mill .r>l. IXc. 17, if</»3, C. .. I",. .Mitten, Thomas. .\sh (irove, Oct. 24, 18/14. 
 
 7'>th Inf., 2 yrs. TransiV-red to 37th Regiment. Co. K \jiU Inf S m,.< Mmtcrcd out June 20, 
 
 Money, .\be W., Jan. 1. 1864. Co. H. 17th 18^15 
 
 <"av.. I yr. McCuliocli, Solonutn B.. Iroquois, Aug. r2, 
 
 Mitchell, .Stephen P.. Concord. .Aug. 7. 1862. 1S/12. Co. F. n3th Inf : m.^ Discharged Jan. 
 
 Co. E. 7/ith Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out May 31. 12, 18/13, disability. 
 
 18/15. .Mason. John, Mi<ldU|>..ri. 
 42
 
 720 
 
 PAST AND PRESEXT OF 
 
 C. 31st Inf., 45 mos. Mustered out Sept. 25, 
 1865. prisoner of war. 
 
 .Mc.Xally. William James. Belmont. Aug. 12, 
 1862, Co. F, ii3tli Int.. 34 mos. .Mustered out 
 June 20. 1865. 
 
 Mason, Pleasant R., Middleport, Oct. 15, 1861, 
 Co. C, 51st Inf., 46 mos. Mustered out Sept. 25, 
 1865. 
 
 McClintock. W. I'... :\liddleport, Aug. 12, 1862, 
 Co. F, 113th Inf.. 3 mos. Died in Chicago, Xov. 
 15. 1862. 
 
 ;\latlhe\vs. William. Middleport. (let. 15. 1<%I, 
 Co. C, 51st Inf., 5 mos. Died at Mound L'ity. 
 March 25, 1862. 
 
 Murray, .Aaron, iielmont, Aug. 12. 1862. Co. 
 F. 113th Inf., 26 nios. Discharged Oct. 27, 1864. 
 
 Miller, Charles W'., Middleport. Sei)t. 20, 1861, 
 Co. C, 51st Inf., 4 mos. Died in Chicago, Jan. 
 7. 1862. 
 
 Montgomery. William, Middleijort, Sept. 20, 
 1861. Co. C, 51st Inf., 2 yrs. Killed at Chicka- 
 mauga, Sept. 20, 1863. 
 
 Miller, William H., Onarga, Aug. 14, 1862. 
 Co. D, n3th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out lune 20. 
 1865. 
 
 ]\Ioore, Jasper X., Middleport, March 3. 1862, 
 Co. C, 51st Inf., 26 mos. Died at Annapolis, ^Id., 
 jNlay 8, 1864. 
 
 Mar.shall. William, Onarga, Aug. 14. 1862. Co. 
 
 D. 1 13th Inf.. 18 mos. Died at Camp Butler, Feb. 
 22. 1864. 
 
 McDermit, William J.. .Middleport, Xov. 15. 
 1861, Co. C. 51st Inf.. 38 mos. Mustered out 
 Jan. 16, 1865. 
 
 Meflford, Andrew J.. Milford. .Aug. 11. i8r)j. 
 Co. I). 1 1 ^th Inf.. 1^ mos. Discharged Sept. 10. 
 
 i8r,3. 
 
 .McOuigg, Silas. .Ashkum, .Vov. 7, 1861. 'Co. 
 
 C. 58th Inf., 42 mos. Re-enlisted as veteran. 
 .\leizger. David H., Onarga, ( )ct. 1. 1X62. Co. 
 
 D, 113th Inf.. 33 mos. Clustered nut June 20. 
 1865, as 1st Lieutenant. 
 
 Mc.Xall, James M.. Plato. Jan. i, 1H62, Co. C. 
 58th Inf., 5 mos. Died June 3, 1862. 
 
 -Maggce, Calvin, Martinton. -Aug. 9, 1862. Co. 
 B, 113111 Inf. .Mustered out June 20, 18^)5. 
 
 Mam'ng, Leonard, Cheban.se, Xov. 9, 1863, Co. 
 II. 38th Inf., 3 mos. Mustered out .April i, i8fi6, 
 1st Lieutenant. 
 
 McLean. W^illiam .A . Middleport. Oct. i. 1862. 
 
 yuartermaster, 113th Inf.. 22 mos. Discharged 
 for promotion, Aug. 12. 1864. 
 
 Alurry, John, Ash Grove, Dec. 3. 1864. Co. 
 II, 37th Inf., 7 mos. Mustered out July 7, 1865. 
 
 ^Montgomery, John, Concord. Aug. 10, 1862, 
 Co. C, 93d Inf., 26 'mos. Died of wounds at 
 Rome. Ga., Oct. 21, 1864. 
 
 Merrill, Henr>- X., Chebanse, March 14, 1865, 
 Co. H, 58th Inf., I yr. Mustered out March 13, 
 1866. 
 
 Aliller, Charles H., CHfton, July 29. 1862. Co. 
 C, 88th Inf., 18 mos. Died Jan. 30. u%4, of 
 wounds. 
 
 Mercier. Leander, Papineau, ;\Iarch 6, 1865, 
 Co. H, 38th Inf., 4 mos. Died at Montgomery, 
 Ala.. July I, 1865. 
 
 Morey. Andrew. Buckley, Aug. 4. 1862, Co. 
 C, 88th Inf.. 1 yr. Discharged Aug. 29. 18^)3, 
 sick. 
 
 McGrath, Thomas, Chebanse, ^larch 3. 1865, 
 Co. H. 58th Inf.. 1 yr. Mustered out March 2, 
 1866. 
 
 Aliller. George, Iroquois, July 24, 1862. Co. 
 A, 76th Inf., 2 yrs. Killed at Jackson, ]\Iiss.. July 
 7, 1864. 
 
 Moore, Peter, Belmont, July 24, 1862. Co. A, 
 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1863, 
 as Sergeant. 
 
 IMorris, John, Middleport, July 24, 1862. Co. 
 A, 76th Inf., 2 yrs. Corporal. Died at Memphis, 
 July 7, 1864. 
 
 Alorgan, Philander. Middleport, July 24, 1862. 
 Co. .A, 76th Inf., (; mos. Discharged M;i\ 1, 
 1863. 
 
 Mc.Atee, W'illiam, Middleport, July 24. 1862, 
 Co. A. 76th Inf., 3 mos. Died at liolivar. Tenn., 
 Oct. 28, 1862. 
 
 Mc.Atee, James W.. .\li(ldli])i)rl, Julv 2\. 1862, 
 Co. .A. 76111 Inf., \ \rs. .Mustered out lulv 22. 
 1863. 
 
 AFonre. John A., Belmont. July 24, 1862, Co. 
 .\. 7(illi Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1863. 
 
 Moore, George W., Belmont, July 24. 1862. 
 Co. .A, 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Absent with wounds when 
 regiment was mustered out. 
 
 Moore, Ezra, R„ Belmont. Jnl\ 24. 1S62, Co. 
 A, 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1863. 
 
 Mason, Calvin, Middleport, Jan. 6, 1864. Co. 
 .A. 7r)th Inf.. I yr. Died at Middleport. 111., [an. 
 
 2, i8r)3. 
 
 /
 
 jivN i( )!•( )i^ ("( irv IN' ii.i.ixtiis ■ -_M 
 
 MoiilKonuTV. II. C. lidiiicm. Dec. i. iNi^. .M.iil.mi. Lhaiii]). i:., L.mcunl. .\u>;. II. iS<>J. 
 
 Co. .\, -f.tli Iiif, ? \r>. 'rraiisfcmil t.. ijxh Ci>. I. i ntli Inf.. j^ mn-. Disi-harirol Sf))t. .V 
 
 Illinoi.- i>^ . 
 
 Mcxjrc. William .\.. licIiiuMil, Die. i, iX<»3, M.irj;.iii, J. T., Coiicunl, .\uj,'. <;. iS<jJ. l <.. 1, 
 
 Co. .\, jOlii Inf iS 111..-, ni>cli.ir-».! Ma\ 11. I i^tli Int.. f) mos. OcscrUvl Feb. 1. iWi.V 
 1865. .Murj^an. Saimicl, Concord, M^. 11. iXi>2. Co. 
 
 Moore, Micajali .^.. Kiliiiwni. lili. ii>. i.S4>4. I. 1131I1 liil.. J~ mos. Diet! al .Meiiiphis. .\o- 
 
 Co. A, 76tii Inf.. 17 nios. Diiil .it Moliili'. Iiih 2^. vcmiIkt J<i. lS<>4. 
 1865. Inrjian. I!. 1'., Conconi, .\pr. 7. 18^)5. Co. I, 
 
 Mercer. William, Crab Apple, .Xn;;. 9. iJ«)-', 1 i.^tli Int.. iiuis. Translerreii to until Illinois. 
 Co. K, 7<>tli Int.. 3 yrs. ("or|H.ral. .il»iiil -iik at .Miiry;an. Cornelius, Concord. .\n>;. ij, iS^u, C<k 
 
 muster out of regiment. I. m_v'i I'"-. S i"os. Died .il Young's i'oint. 
 
 Mover. Samuel, Milford. .\u),'. 11. i.S()_'. Cu. La., .\pril 5, 18/^13. 
 E, 7<itli Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1865. Marcier, Moses. Middlcport, .Xur. 14. iS'ij, 
 
 .Mover, Lewis, Milford, Dec. 17, 1863. Co. E, Co. I, 113th Inf., 7 nios. Discharped .March 7, 
 
 7<>ili Inf.. 2 yrs. Transferred to 37tli ReKiiiient. I863. 
 
 .MurraN'. Menry S., Heaver, .\up. «j, i86j, Co. M<K>re. William 1 1., .Mid<lleport. .\ii^;. 15. 
 
 E, 76th Inf.. I yr. Died at Memphis. .Vur. 16, 1862. Co. I. 113th Inf. No record. 
 
 1863. Moncher. X'alentine. Middleport. Awa. 7. iS'>_'. 
 
 Mantor, Thomas \V'., Concord. .Xujj. <;. iS<)j, Li>, I. ii.^tli Inf.. ?4 m(i<. Mustered i>ut hme 
 
 Co. E, 76th Inf., 15 mos. Died at Cairo, 111., 20, iST);. 
 Nov. 13. 1863. Mason. riii>nia>. .Mi<lillepciri. .\la\ 14, i.Siq. 
 
 .M<K>re. William l .. .\liddle|)orl, ( )ct. 31). |S<>3. C"o. I!. I34tli Inf.. ■; nios Mnstered out ( )it j^. 
 
 Co. I". M3th Inf., 18 mos. Transferred to 120th i8<>4. Corporal. 
 Illinois. Morse. .Xhraham, Keaver. .May 14. 18(14. to. 
 
 .Mullen. David C. Martinton. IXc. 28. 1863. I!. 134th Inf. ^ mos. Mnstired .mt ( Vt j;. 
 
 Co. V, 113th Inf., 18 mos. .Mustered out June. 18^14. 
 1865. M(Mire. 1 liMiint; R.. .Middlepurt. .\l,iy 14. iS/q, 
 
 Miller, James. .Middleport, I\c. 4, !8<'i3. Co. Co. 15. 134th Inf. ^ in.iv Mn-len-il .mt ( Vt j^. 
 
 F, 113th Inf., to mos. Died in .\iulcr.sonville i8<'i4. 
 
 Prisf.n, Oct.. 1864. .Mayette. Ln.-eie. .Muldlqurt. .Ma> 14. iS<.4. 
 
 .Miner, Henry .\.. Chelwuse. .Vuj;. u. 18/12. Co. It. 134th Inf. 5 m.s Mnst.ivd out ( Vt. 
 
 Co. II. 113th Inf.. 13 mos. Died at lorir.th. 25. i8<i4. 
 Miss., Sept. (>. i8'>3. .McOuade. .Muliael. .Mid.lleix.rt. .\la\ 14. 
 
 -Markley. .Xhraham. .Middleport. .\u),'. 1 _'. |8'>4. Co. 1!. 134111 Inf. :; mos Mnstcnd out 
 
 1862. Co. I, 113th Inf., 4 mos. Died at .Memphis. Oct. 25, 1864. 
 Tenn.. Dec. f\ iW.j. McClure. llark. ( Inarga. .Ma\ 14. t>ii>^. to. 
 
 .McNier. Josei>h W .. .Mi.lilleport. .\uj,'. <;. 1!. 134th Inf. ; in. ■< Mn-lni-.l ..nt ( ).l ■; 
 
 i8<>2. Co. 1. 113th Inf.. 7 mos. Disiharj^'ed 18^)4. 
 •March 18. 1863. Montj.;..mer>. l),ivid, .Mdior.l. .\I,n 14. i.><(.4. 
 
 Markley, Thom.-is. Concord, .\un. «>. 18/12, Co. Co. I',, 134111 Inf.. 5 ni..s Mnstrn-.I ..m ( Vi 
 
 1, 113th Inf.. 7 mos. Discharpeil March 7. 25. 18^14 
 lf^>3- Mackne\. llenrv. .Midilleji. .rl. .\l.iy 14. i.S<i4. 
 
 McCuIloujjh. Isaac, Conconi. .Xug. <), 1862, Co. D. i^tth Inf. ; \w«. Miistere.l .mt (Vt _>;. 
 
 Co. I. 113th Inf.. 1; mos. Discharge*! .May 14. 18/^14 
 ^^>^■ Ma.x.son. lienr\ .\.. ( iilman. J.in. 30. i>U,^. 
 
 .Marrey. C>nis, Coiic<ird. .Vug. 10. 18/.2. C.i. Co. D. i;.,ili Inf. 1 \r Mii-tire.l ..m Ian i^i. 
 
 I. ii.V'i '"f- 4 "'OS. Die<l in .Memphis. Dec. 7, iW.<. 
 "'*'•-■ .Matthews. lh<.ma>. .Middlejiort. Jan. 17. ii<i>^.
 
 722 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Co. D. 150th Inf.. I yr. Mustered iiut Jan. Hi, .Mills. James -\.. L<»da. Jan. 30. 1862, Co. L, 
 
 1866. 2d Art'ly., y] nios. .Mnstercd out l"eb. 2"/. 1865. 
 
 Martell, Albert. Middleport. Jan. 2(>. 1865, ^Martini, William. Ash Grove, Dec. 3. 18O4, 
 
 Co. D, 150th Int.. 1 yr. .Mustered "Ut Jan. 16, Co. L, 2d Art'ly.. 8 mos. .Mustered out .\ug. 9, 
 
 1866. 1865. 
 
 JMartell, .Merti. .Middleport. Jan. 20. i8(>5. Co. Morey. I'rederick, Clifton, Sept. 1, i8()i, Co. 
 
 D, 150th Inf.. 1 yr. .Mustered out Jan. 16. E, 35th Inf., 40 mos. .Mustered out Jan. 2. 1863. 
 
 1866. Morijan, George .M.. Sheldon. Sept. 25. i8(ii. 
 
 Martell, Peter, Middleport, Jan. 26, 1865, Co. Co. E, 39th Inf., 3 mos. Died at Williamsport, 
 
 D, 150th Int., I yr. .Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. Md., Dec. 9, 1S61. 
 
 .Mahon. John. .Middleport. Jan. 20. 1865, Co. Marcpiat, William, .Milford, Jan. 2-j. 18O4, Co. 
 
 D. 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16. 1866. .M. 17th Cav., 22 mos. Mustered <iut Xov. 23, 
 
 ?klajors, Samuel, Onarga. Sejrt. 10, 1861, Co. 1865. 
 
 M, 9th Cav., 39 mos. Diseh.irged Dec. 28, 18^14. ilarlow, Henry J., ( )narga, Aug. 1. 1861. Co. 
 
 as 2d Lieutenant. M, 9th Cav.. 47 mos. .Mnsteied out June i6'. 
 
 ^lontgomery, James .\., ( )uarga, Sept. 10, 1865. 
 
 1861, Co. M, 9th Cav., 4 onios. Mustered out McMullen. James. ( )narga. .\ug. I. 18O1, Co. 
 
 Jan. 3, 1865. .M. 9th Ca\-.. 47 mos. Mustered out June 16, 
 
 Murdough. William 1!., Unarga, Sept. 10, 1865. 
 
 1861. Co. M, 9th Cav., 41; mos. Mustered ci\it Miller, Joseph, Onarga. .Aug. 1. 1S61. Co. .M. 
 
 Oct. 31, 1865, as veteran. 9th Cav., 47 mos. Alu-stered out June 16, 1865. 
 
 .Mc.Mahon, Owen, Onarga. Sept. 10, i8()i. Co. .Mead, Lucien P., Onarga, Aug. i. i%i, Co. 
 
 .M, 9th Cav.. },-; mos. Mustered out Oct. 13. >r, 9th Cav., 47 mos. .Mustered out lune \Cx 
 
 1864. 1865. 
 
 Mendall. Lucian. Onarga. Sept. 10, i8(.i. Co. Marquat, William, Milford, |an. i-j . 1864. Co. 
 
 .M. 9th Cav., I yr. Discharged Sept. 29. 1862. m. x-\\\ Cav. .Mustered out Xov. 2},. 1865. 
 
 McMullen, \\'alter, Onarga. Xov. i, 1861, Co. Montgomery, Chri.stopher. Onarga. Jan. 4. 
 
 M. 9th Cav.. 40 mos. Mu.stercd out .Marcli 11, ,864. Co. .M. ()th Cav.. 22 mos. .Mustered .ut 
 
 1865. Oet. 31. 1865. as Corporal. 
 
 Mason. Jonailian. Onarga, Sept. \U. i8()4. Co. McCroy. Hugh. Onarga, |an. 4. 181)4. Co. .M. 
 
 — , 9th Cav.. 13 mos. Mustered nut Oct. 31. 9th Cav., 19 mos. Mu.stcred out .\ug. 5, 18C5. 
 
 ^ ^^,' , , , X^'eighbor, Morris, .-\sh Grove, June 4, i86i, 
 
 ^ McGowau, .-aun,el. Loda .Sept. , ^. ,80,. Co. ^o. F. 25th Inf., 9 mos. Killed at' battle of Pea 
 
 C. 10th Cav.. 33 uios. D>ed at Huntsvdle. .\rk.. j^i^,„^ ^^^ _ ^j^^^,^ g ^^^^_ 
 
 [unc 3. 1864. >-■ , , T^ ■ 
 
 ■w^'r^r.* T. TIC. - tv I' n -Nicholas, Daiuel, Onarga, lune 4. 1861, Co. F, 
 
 .McCartv. |ohn. Loda, Sept. i t. iSfu, Co. C. , t r t^- . , 
 
 .„.i I- ' 't\- \ \ : 1- 1 -i-. \- 1 . -5"^ '"'•• 10 mos. Discharged April 27, 1862. 
 
 loth Cav. Di.scharged for disai!ilit\. No date &!/•""• 
 
 n-iveu. Norton, Wm., Belmont, July 24, 1862, Co. .\, 
 
 '" .McD.m.dd. Jo-,ei.l,. Loda. ScjU. 15. i8(,:. Co. 76th Inf., 3 mos. Died at Bolivar, Tenn.. Oct. 26. 
 
 C. loth Cav., 2-j mos. I)ie<l at L<»la. Dec. 4. '^^■^■ 
 
 1863. Xewton. James, Middleport. Xov. 4. 1863, Co. 
 
 .Morlan. I'.urr. Loda. Jan. 12, 18(14. Co. C, ^- '■*' Art'ly.. 48 mos. Mustered out July 28, 
 
 if)th Cav.. 23 mos. Mustered out Xov. 22, 1865. 1865. 
 
 Mcl'"arland. Robert, Danforth. Dec. 2. i8<>i. Xo.sker, Sanuiel T., Concord, . Vug. 4, i8()2. Co. 
 
 Co. F, nth Cav., 46 mos. Mustered out Sept. i'.. 76111 Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22, 18(^)5. 
 
 30. 1865. Xobles, John C. .Middleport, Sept. 10, 1861. 
 
 McClisIi, l<:ii, .Middleport, .Nov. 12. 18(13, C'l. Co. D. ist .Art'ly.. 50 mos. Mustered out July 28, 
 
 D, 1st .Art'ly.. i8 mos. Mustered out May 17, 1865. 
 
 '8C15. Xeal, Green H., .\sh Clrove, July 25, 1862, Co.
 
 IRogiDIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 r-i.\ 
 
 K. 7«)th Inf.. S inos. niM-liarmil .\|iiil ii. rSii?. 
 Disability. 
 
 Nail. ( )Iivtr I'., Asli drove, .\u^. i. i.s<>J. L>'. 
 K, T'rth iiil.. J mix. Hii.I ;it Cnliitnlui^. K\.. ( Vt. 
 5. 1862. 
 
 N'l'wtiiii, c li;ii!i>. ( )i)ar).;a. .Xcj.;. i-', iJ^u, Ln. 
 S. ii.^tli Int., 34 iiios. .Mu>tiri<! nnt limr .m. 
 18^)5, as Com. StT^jcaiu. 
 
 .Vice, David, ( iilninn, Jan. ."1. iN>4, C >i. 1), 
 ii,Vl> I'll-. 18 nn)!s. 'iransli-rriil in uo tli Ills. 
 
 Nov. Will. IL, Oiiarga, Jan. 14. iS^q, Co. D, 
 li^tli Inf.. iS ntos. TransiVrriil to ijotli III. 
 
 Noiirio, ( ioiizali-s, I'apiiiau. Jan. 233. 1865, Co. 
 D, 150th Inf.. I yr. .Miislcrcd out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Xailc. Daniel. ( )iiarjj3. Nov. 2. 1861, Co. .M, 
 ytli Cav.. 4C1 iiios. .MiistcTe<l out July 8, 1865. 
 
 .\onall. John U., Onarga. Nov. Jan. 4, 1864, 
 Co. M, 9th Cav.. 22 nios. Mustered out Oct. 31, 
 i8/>3, as Cor|ioral. 
 
 .NorN-all. Geo. W., Oiiar^a. Jan. 4, 1864, Co. 
 M, <>lh Cav.. 18 nios. Mustered out July 13. 
 i8'>5. prisoner of war. 
 
 .N'owell, Josejjli. ( )narjja, Jan. 30, i8f>5. Co. D. 
 150th Inf.. I yr. .Mustered out Jan. t(>. i8<W). 
 
 Ni.xon. John J.. I^wla. Sept. 15, 1861, Co. C, 
 intli Cav. Disclnrged for disability; no date 
 given. 
 
 .Newell. .Valh.iniel I*'.. Loda. .Sept. 15. iSiu. 
 Co. (. . loth Cav., DischarRed for ilisability ; n.i 
 date giver.. 
 
 O'Connor. John, .Mid<llef)ort, Nov. 30. 1861. 
 51^1 Inf. Died at Louisville. Ky.. <late 
 I kit ;;iven. 
 
 ( )verall, Joseph. ( )narg;i. Sept. 10. i8<ii. Co. 
 .\l. <;lh Cav.. 5 nios. .Mustered out Oct. 31. 1865. 
 veteran. 
 
 Oppy. David A.. Middle|)ort. .March 20, 18^)4, 
 Co. C. 51st Inf.. 9 nios. Die<l Dec. (•. 18/14. of 
 woumls. 
 
 < )wen, William, Onarga, .\ug. i, 1862, Co. M. 
 tjth Cav.. 7^y nios. .Mustered out Oct. 31. |8(>5. 
 
 ( )weu. James. ( )narga. Sept. ^4. iS^ii. Co. ('. 
 5~th Inf., 37 rnos. Mustered out Dec. JO. lW>4. 
 as Corporal. 
 
 O'Donnell. .\nliur. I.<j(la, .^ept. 15. iN.i, Lo. 
 C. loth Cav. Discharged ; date not given. 
 
 Owen. John, Onarga, Sept. 24, iS/fn. Co. C, 
 57th Inf.. 4'i mos. Mu.stered out Julx 7. i8r>5. 
 
 Odin. James. Loda. Jan. ij. 18^14. Co. C', loth 
 Cav., 23 mos. Mustered out Nov. 22, 1863. 
 
 ( )gle. .Mirahani 1'... Cliel>an>.e. .March (>. iW>5. 
 Co. H. 58th Inf., 4 mos. Died at .Montgomery, 
 .\la.. July 9. 1865. 
 
 ( )'r.rien, James IL, Concord. Jul> .'4. |8«>2. 
 to. .\. 7f)th Inf.. 17 mos. Died at \ icksburg. 
 Decemlier 2(>, iW>3. 
 
 Oppy, D. A.. Itelmont, July 24. iW>2. Co. .\, 
 76tli Inf.. 6 mos. Dischargc<l .March 11. i8<')3. 
 disability. 
 
 ( )lena. .\ladore. Clifton. Aug. l^. |8'>2. Co. D. 
 8»;th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out as sergeant 
 June 10. iSi't^. wounded. 
 
 Owen, James, Onarga, .\ug. 6. 1S62. Co. D, 
 113th Inf.. 35 mos. Mustered out June 20. 1865. 
 
 ( )dell. .Nathan I!.. Uelniont. .\ug. 12. 18^12. 
 Co. F, 113th Inf.. 6 mos. Discharccd Teh. 22. 
 1863. disability. 
 
 OslKini. John, (jiiarga. Sept. 10, iS«)i. Co. .\1. 
 9th Cav., 39 mos. .Mustered tnit Dec. 10. i8<')4. 
 
 Price. lienj. F., Lcwla. .Aug. i. 1862. Co. M. <)ih 
 Cav.. 3 \rs. I>ist left arm at Guntown. Died 
 .Xjiril 28, ii)02. in Watseka. 
 
 Payton, Henry .\., Middle]>ort. July 24. i8^)2. 
 Co. .\. 7fiih Inf.. 3 yrs. .\l)sent. wounde<l. when 
 . regiment was mustered out. 
 
 Purtill. Henry. .Middle|xirt. Jan. 31. 18*15. C^i. 
 D. I5nth Inf.. I yr. Mustereil out with regiment 
 Jan. If), \^V,. 
 
 Peltier. Francis, Middle|x>rt, July 24. lW>2. Co. 
 .\. 7''ith Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 18^)5. 
 
 I'earce. .Marion. lr(M|u<>is, Dec. 24. iJ^^V Co. 
 I". 1 13th Inf.. 9 mos. Transferred to Co. I. 120th 
 Illinois Infantrx. 
 
 Palmer. Henry H., Beaver, .\ug. 7. 1862, Co. 
 R. /fith Inf., 4 mos. Died at Holly prings. Miss.. 
 Di-c. i.». i86j. 
 
 Peltier. |-'r;incis .\., lri>i|Uois. Jul\ 24. |8<I2. 
 Co. .\. 7fith Inf.. 3 yrs. Died March 15, 181^). 
 
 Pier. Mason. Milford, .Vug. 10. 1862. Co. E. 
 7(ilb Inf.. I \r I'r. wiicil .11 Natclie/. Aiil;. 14. 
 l8r..V 
 
 Pruiit. Jciliii 1;., .\sli timve. .\ug. 31. iSin. 
 Co. (1. 421I Inf.. 3 vrs, Mustered out with regi- 
 ment. 
 
 Pierce. .Sanuiel. i^'onconl. .\ng. 11. 1862. Co. 
 I"', 7r»th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustereil out July 22, 1865. 
 
 Paro, Thomas, Iro<|uois. .Xug. 8. i8r»2. Co. D. 
 7<')th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 Potter. Henry M.. Concord, .'\ug. 4. i8r>2. Co. 
 I'-. T'lth Inf.. 3 yr>. Mustered out July 22. 1865.
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Parker, James, Iroquois, July 24, 1862, Co. A. 
 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1865. 
 
 Perigo, Warren, Beaver, Aug. 2. 1862. Co. E, 
 76tli Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1865. 
 
 Perry, Dan'l. C, Indiana, March 18. 1864, Co. 
 D. U3th Inf.. 18 nios. Mustered out Sept. 10. 
 1865. 
 
 Powley, Joseph C, Papineau, Aug. 9, 1862, 
 Co. B. 113th Inf., 34 nios. Mustered out June 
 20. 1865. 
 
 Pugh, Edward, Middleport. June 13, 1861, Co. 
 I, 20th Inf., 4 yrs. Re-enlisted as a veteran. 
 
 Peebles, Ezra, Martinton. Aug. 9, 1862, Co. 
 B. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June 20, 
 
 1865. 
 
 Pugh. Edwin. Middleport, Jan. 5. 1864. Co. I, 
 20th Inf., 18 mos. Mustered out as Sergeant. 
 
 Ponto. Francis. Chebanse. .\i\<^. 9. 1862, Co. 1'., 
 113th Inf.. 9 mos. Killed at X'icksburg. May 19, 
 1863. 
 
 Page, Elam M.. Middkport. June 4, 1861. 
 Co. F, 25th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out Sept. 5, 
 1864. 
 
 Phelps, Charles S., Concord, .\ug. 12, 1862, 
 Co. F, 113th Inf., 9 mos. Discharged May 22, 
 1863, disability. 
 
 Peckham. Joshua, Middleport. June 4, 1861, 
 Co. F. 25th Inf., 9 mos. Discharged Feb. 5. 1862. 
 disability. 
 
 Patterson, Thomas, Middleport, Aug. 12, 1862, 
 Co. I*". 113th Inf.. 9 mos. Discharged ;\Iay 12. 
 1863, disability. 
 
 Peebles. James. Martinton. June 4. 1861, Co. 
 F. 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out Sept. 5. 1864. 
 
 Pierce, Marion, Middleport, Dec. 4, 1863, Co. 
 F, 1 13th Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to 120th Ills. 
 
 I'helan. .Mark, Middlep(jrt, March i, 1862, Co. 
 F. 25111 Inf.. 3 mos. Died at Batesville, .\rk., 
 June 10, J 862. 
 
 I'nllan. Ocdrge W'., .Mi(l(llc]>i)rt. Dec. 4. i8()3, 
 Co. !•". I i^tli im'.. iS mos. Transferred tn uoth 
 llliniiis. 
 
 Peebles, Thomas, Martintmi, June 4, iSru. Co. 
 F. 25th Inf., 28 mns. Killed at Chickani;uiga, 
 Sept. 19, 1863. 
 
 Pugh. James O., Middleport, Dec. 28. i8(')3, 
 Co. F. 113th Inf., fi mos. Killed at Gunlown. 
 Miss., June 10. 1864. 
 
 Patterson. David, r)iiarga, June 4, 1861, Co. 
 
 F, 25th Inf., 3 yrs. }klustered out as Corporal, 
 Sept. 5, 1864. 
 
 Pruitt, Isaac \Vm., Papineau. Aug. 22, 1862, 
 Co. H, 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 
 20, 1865. 
 
 Powley, George H., Aliddleport, Jan. 11, 1863, 
 Co. I\ 25th Inf.. 20 mos. Transferred to Co. H. 
 Mustered out Sept. 5, 1864. 
 
 Packard, Isaac Z., Onarga, ^Nlay 14, 1864, Co. 
 B. 134th Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out Oct. 25, 
 1864. 
 
 Prewett, Thomas, Chebanse, Aug. 16, 1861, 
 Co. G, 25th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out with regi- 
 ment, Sept. 5, 1864. 
 
 Peck, Amos M., Onarga, May 14, 1864, Co. B, 
 134th Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out with regiment 
 Oct. 25, 1864. 
 
 Pruit, Daniel, Milford, Aug. 25, 1861, Co. G. 
 42(1 Inf., T,/ mos. Mustered out as Corporal, 
 Sept. 16, 1864. 
 
 Pittinger. Samuel, Milford, Aug. 25. 1861, 
 Co. G, 42d Inf. Missing. 
 
 Petticord, Lewis, Concord. Aug. 12, 1862, Co. 
 F, 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Clustered out June 20, 
 1865, Corporal. 
 
 Polmater, Ellis, Iroquois, Aug. 17, 1861, Co. 
 H, 42d Inf., 8 mos. Discharged April 19, 1862, 
 for disability. 
 
 Pugh, William, Concord, Aug. 12, 1862. Co. 
 F, 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Alustered out as Corporal 
 June 20, 1865 ; prisoner of war. 
 
 Peterson, Martin, Ashkum, March 3, 1865, Co. 
 K. 4^d Inf., 10 mos. Clustered out Nov. 30. 
 1865.' 
 
 Perry, Albert W., Onarga, Jan. 4, 1864, Co. 
 D. 113th Inf. Transferred to 120th Ills. 
 
 i'eterson, Chas. G.. .\shknm. I'eb. 28. 1865. Co. 
 K, 43d Inf., () mos. .Mustered out Xo\-. 30, 
 18^.5. 
 
 I'inr.e\-. Wm. T.. ( )narga. .March 15. 18(13. Co. 
 I). 113111 Inf., iS mos. Transferred to 120th 
 
 Petts, Nathaniel 1'... Middlqjort, Dec. 24, 1861, 
 Co. C, 51st Inf.. 1 1 mos. Resigned as Captain 
 Nov. 17. 1862; .May 14, i8ri4. joined I34tli Ills, 
 as Cai^tain. 
 
 Pierce, Charles S., Onarga, .\ug. 6, 1862, Co. 
 1). I 13th Inf., 4 mos. Deserted Dec. 21. 1862. 
 
 Parker, Henry C, Middleport, Dec. 10, 1861,
 
 IkDOLOIS COUNTY. II.I.I.VDIS. 
 
 /-.•) 
 
 Co. C, 51st Inf.. 4 luos. Discharge*! .\pril 24. 
 iS<>.», (lisabiliu. 
 
 I'arcdl. tleo. AV.. Onar>pi. July j8, i}<0_', Co. 
 I), iijjtl) Int., 17 inos. Dioil at M«iiii>his, I'l-nn.. 
 l)cc. 31. liUty 
 
 I'icrson. l-llijali. .\li<Ullc|». i .. i>-. _^. i>'<.i. ^ >■. 
 C. 51st Inf.. I nw. Deserted Jan. 4, 1862. 
 
 i'oiiton. .Manluirc. Clifton. .\n|i. 17, iX<t2. C<>. 
 1). S<^tli jti!' > • •- '>'.il at Loui>viilc. Ky.. Sept. 
 
 3- '»<'»3- 
 
 I'nrcell. Henry K., Unarga, Sept. 24. i8<ji. Co. 
 C. 57th inf.. ^ nios. Killeil at Shiiuli, .\pril <i. 
 
 |W>2. 
 
 Pinef-ar. James. Clilton. .\uj^. 12. iS'>2. Co. 
 I". SXth inf.. 30 nH)s. DisclKir-^'-i ' • '• ^' iS<.5. 
 iii.sability. 
 
 Pijr>;ott. John H., .\shknni, .\ov. 7. ii>ni, Co. 
 C. 58th Inf.. 5 nios. IX'serted .\pril 2. 18^)2. 
 
 Pratt, .Monzo M.. Midilleiwrt, July 7. i8<»2. Co. 
 .■\, 71st int.. 4 nios. .Mustered out ( )ct. 3). i8'>2. 
 
 i'latt, John, C^K'ljanse, Nov. 5. i86r, Co. C, 
 38th inf. .\o data. 
 
 I'latt. Harvey. Clielianse, Nov. 5. 1861. Co. C. 
 58th Inf. No date. 
 
 i'atricli. John, (.lieljanse. .Marcii 14. 1W15. Co. 
 H. 58th Inf. .MissiuR. 
 
 I'echin, Kdw. D., .MiddIe|>ort. .\\^ii. 7, 1862. 
 Co. I, 113th Inf., 34 inos. Mustered out June 20. 
 18^15, Coqnral, prisoner of war. 
 
 Finneo, .Mattiiew, Midilleport, .\ufj. 13. 1862, 
 Co. I, 113th Inf., 7 nios. Died at Vounp's I'oint. 
 La., March 14, 1863. 
 
 I'arl<er. D. K., .Middlcport. .\u>j. y, 1862. Co. 
 I. 113th Inf.. 9 inos. Discliarj,'etl May 18. 1863. 
 
 IMunimer, Jacoli I".. .Middlcport. .Xng. I2. l8^>2. 
 Co. I. Ii3tli Inf.. 5 nios. Died on steamlmat. 
 Jan. 2^. 1863. 
 
 i'arks. J..lin. Milfr.rd. .May 14. ifif^. Co. IV 
 134th Inf.. 5 inos. .Mustered out Oct. 23. i8r>4. 
 
 I'iercc. Coinmlnis, .Mil ford. May 14. 1864, Co. 
 r.. 134th Inf.. 5 inos. .Mustcreil out ( )ct. 25. 
 1 8^.4. 
 
 Pratt, Charles C. .Middlcport, .May 14, 18^.4. 
 Co. I'., i.^th Inf.. 5 nios. Mustered out Oct. 23, 
 1864. 
 
 Pratt. .MauMin .M.. .Middlep.rt. .May 14. 1S/.4, 
 Co. 11. 134th Inf.. 3 nios. .Mustere<l out Oct. 25, 
 
 Pnttry, .\un«stus, I>Kla, May 14, i8r>4. Co. 11. 
 134th Inf.. 3 nios. .Mustered out CJct. 25. 1864. 
 
 Pariccr. Jesse, Milford, Jan. 21. 1865, Co. D. 
 1301I1 Inf., I yr. .Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Price, (jeorge .\., (3narga, .Nov. 5, 1861, Co. 
 M, 9th Cav., 48 nios. Mustereil out Oct. 31. 
 i8'>3, Onarterniaster Sergeant. 
 
 i'utnam, IDavi<l II., < hiarga, .Sept. 10, 1801, 
 Co. .M. 9tli Lav., 31 inos. Died at Memphis, 
 .\|)ril 10, 1W14. 
 
 Powell, Will. H., (Jnarga, X"\ > '^ 
 .M. i>th C av. .No <lata. 
 
 Pope. Hobert .\., Onarga, .\ug. 1, i8<>2. Co. .M, 
 yth Cav., 34 nios. .Mustered out June 16. i8<J5, 
 as Sergeant. 
 
 Phelps, Henry. (Jnarga, .\ug. 1, 1862. Co. M, 
 9th Cav.. 35 nios. .Mustered out July 8, 1865. 
 
 Peters. William, Onarga. .\ug. i. 1862. Co. M, 
 9tli Cav., 34 inos. Mustered out June 16. 1865. 
 
 Price. Win. H., (Jnarga. .\ug. i. 1862. Co. M, 
 yth Cav., 34 inos. Mustered out June 16. 1865. 
 
 Post, I'rancis, Lo«la. .Sept. 15. 1861. Co. C, 
 loth Cav., 2 yrs. Died at I'.rownsville. .-\rk., 
 Sept. 13. 1863. 
 
 Parker, .Mbert, i.oda, Sept. 15, 1861, Co. C, 
 loth Cav. Di.scharged ; no date given. 
 
 Plumnicr, Tlios., Loda, Sept. 15, 1861, Co. C, 
 loth Cav.. 3(1 nios. Mustered out l)eceinl)er 30. 
 
 Perry. Lewis, L'Kral)le. Aug. 17. iW>2. Co. I). 
 8<>th Inf., 3^ mos. .Mustered out June 10. |S(>3, 
 Coq>orai. 
 
 Oueer. Henry, .Middlcport. June 4. i8^>i. Co. 
 F, 23th Inf.. 3 mos. Discliarged .Sept. 12. 1861. 
 
 (Juire. Levi. .Marlinton. I'eb. 20. 1863. Co. H, 
 38th Inf., I yr. .Mustered out Feb. 24. iHf/i. 
 
 (Juire. Henry. .Martinton, .\ug. 9, 1862, Co. U, 
 113th inf.. i) ini>-,. Discharged f.ir disabilitv, 
 .\pril 22, iWt3, Corixjral. 
 
 Rush. Llias, Nov. 17, 1861, Co. K, ist .\rt'Iy., 
 7 mos. Discharged for disabtlit\. Died I-'eb. 6, 
 
 Rush. .Madison. .Middlcport, July 24. 1862, Co. 
 .\. 7(itli Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 Roach. John, .Middlcport, July 24, 1862, Co. A, 
 Jinh Inf.. 3 \rv Killed nn I". P \\ . Rv. April 
 20. i8<>8. 
 
 Rockliold. l-.zikul. .MiddKp(.rl. July 24. i8/)2, 
 C"o. .\. 7rith inf.. 11 mos. Killiij li\ ^n.-rilliv 
 June 2. i8<'i3. 
 
 Rineliart. John. .Middlcport, July 24, i8<»2, Co.
 
 726 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 A, 76th Inf., 2 yrs. Died at Halfway Station. Rankin. Thompson, Loda. Sept. 15. 1861. Co. 
 
 July 24, 1864. C. loth Cav.. 51 mos. Mustered out Nov. 22, 
 
 Richardson, David P.. Middleport. April 22, 1865. veteran. 
 
 1861, Co. I, 20th Inf.. 4 yrs. Promoted Corporal. Rockfield, \Vm. H.. Milford, Aug. 13. 1861. 
 
 Sergt., Lieut, and Captain. Co. G, 42d Inf.. yj mos. Mustered out Sept. 10. 
 
 Raynor. John S.. Middleport, July 24. 1862, Co. 1864. 
 
 A, 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1865. Reardon, John. Loda. Sept. 15. 1861, Co. C. 
 
 Romine. James, :Middleport, June 13. 1861. Co. loth Cav. Deserted, date not given. 
 
 I. 20th Inf., 4 yrs. Teamster, re-enlisted as vet- Restler. W'm. B.. Middleport,, Nov. 15, 1861. 
 
 eran ; prisoner. Co. C, 51st Inf.. 46 mop. Mustered out Sept. 
 
 Roberts. Samuel. Middleport. July 24. 1862. 25, 1865. 
 
 Co. .\. 76th Inf.. 18 mos. Died at \ icksburg. Rogers. James. Loda. Dec. 12. 1863, Co. C. 
 
 Jan. 8, 1864. loth Cav., 23 mos. Mustered out Nov. 22, 1865. 
 
 Riddle. Joseph. Middleport. June 4. 1861. Co. Rohhins, Cornelius. Middleport. Nov. 15. 
 
 F. 23th Inf.. Ci mos. Died at St. Louis. Dec. 18. 1861. Co. C. 51st Inf.. 45 mos. Re-enlisted as 
 
 1 861. veteran. 
 
 Reed. Matthew P... Crab .\|)ple, .\ug. 11. i8(.2. Rowland, George, Milford, April 4. 1865, Co. 
 
 Co. E. 7'ith Inf.. 3 yrs. Ab.scnt. sick at muster E. nth Cav.. 5 mos. Mustered out Sept. 30. 
 
 out of regiment. 1865. 
 
 Riddle. Lewis. .Middleport. .\ug. n. 1862. Co. Rott. Clinton D., Onarga. Sept. 24. 1861, Co. 
 
 F. 25th Inf.. 6 mos. Died at St. Louis. Dec. 10. ^'. .vt'' l"' - !^ "">s- l^^'^d at Or.incy. May 21. 
 
 1861"! 1S62. 
 
 Roberts, George W.. -Milford. .Aug. 9, 1862. Rowland. Andrew, Milford. April 4. 1865, Co. 
 
 Co. E, 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. E. nth Cav.. 5 mos. Mustered out Sept. 30. 
 
 1865. ^ ' " ^^^-> 
 
 Reeves, Isaac, Milford. Aug. n. 1862, Co. F. Rounsaville. Thos. H.. Onarga. Sept. 24. 1861. 
 
 25th Inf.. 25 mos. .Mustered out Sept. 3. 1864. Co. C. 37th Inf.. T. mos. Killed at Shiloh. .\pril 
 
 Robinson, John, Onarga, .Aug n. 1862. Co. M, 6. 1862. 
 
 9th Cav., 22 mos. Killed near Fish Creek. Miss., Rush. Daniel, Middleport. Sept. 10, 1861, Co. 
 
 Tunc n. 1864. D- ist .Art'ly., 9 mos. Died at Louisville. Ky.. 
 
 Rogers. William. .Milford. .\ug. n. 1862. Co. Jimc 17. 1862. 
 
 F. 25th Inf. Rejected — not eligible. Reguicr. P.aptiste, Papineau. March 6. 1863. 
 Robinson, James. Onarga, Aug. n. 1862. Co. Co. II. 38111 Inf., 1 yr. Mustered out March 6. 
 
 M. ijth Cav.. 3; mos. Mustered out Juno t6. 1866. 
 
 1865. Richardson, Dwight F., Beaver. July 24. 1865. 
 
 Russell, i,cwis. .Martinton. .Aug. n. i8()2. Co. Co. .A. 76th Inf. Mustered out July 22, 1865. 
 
 1". 23th Inf.. 37 mos. Mustered out Sept. 3. Robins. Henry 11., I'rairie (irecn. .Vug. 9. 1862, 
 
 i8('.4. Co. E. /full Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. 
 
 Reynolds, William, Onarga, .\ug. n, iS()2. Co. iSA^. 
 
 M. 9th Cav.. 33 mos. Mustered out Juno if). Robins, William, .\lilfonl, Aug. (>, i8()2. Co. E, 
 
 1865. 7')lli Inf.. 3 yrs. .\liiskred out July 22. 1863. 
 
 Robinson, llenr\. C hebanse, .\ug. 23. i8fii. Roberts. Thos. II.. .\sli ( irove. lulv 22. i8()2. 
 
 Co. G, 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. Promoted Coqioral : Co. K. ~(A\\ Inf.. 3 yrs. Promoted 1st Lieut, 
 
 sick when nuistcred out. .Mustered out July 22. 18^13. 
 
 Ronk, John M.. Lorki. .'^ept. 15. iSTir. Co. C. Ronvillo. Louis. |,<ula. .\ug. 8, i8()2. Co. K. 
 
 loth Cav.. 31 mos. .Mu-tored out N'ov. 22. 18^)3: 7MI1 Inf.. 3 \ rs. Transferred to veteran resiTve 
 
 veteran. , .i|.- 
 
 Rol)inM n. Roliorl. I hcbanse. Sept. 3. i8<)i. Co. Rinvillo. .N'apoloon. Loda. .\ug. 8. 1862. Co. 
 
 G. 23th Inf., 17 mos. Died of wounds at Knox- K. 7(>tti Inf.. 2U luos. Discharged on .-iccourt of 
 villo. Tenn.. l'\-b. 7. 1863. wound- Od. 13. 18^)4.
 
 1KU(JL()1> LiiL.\l\. ll.l.lXi )1>. 
 
 Koiivillc, Nicholas. I.txla, Aiij;. S. iW>j. L"<>. K. 
 7'>tli Inf.. _^4 inus. I>isch;ir);c<l .M:i\ _>_v '*'5- 
 
 Kussill. Aaron, .\<h Cirovc. Aiij;. i. i><«jj. Co. 
 K. "rith Inf.. 4 nios. Died at Lagrange. Tcnn.. 
 Nov. K'.. iST.j. 
 
 Rowley. Sanim-l T., Ash drove. Jnl\ J5. if<i>2. 
 Co. K. 7<ilh Inf.. J \ rs. Killed at Jackson. Miss., 
 July 7. iS'>4. 
 
 Kainillen. Nelson. I.oda, .\ujj. S. \H(>j. C<>. K. 
 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July jj. i8(>3. 
 
 Koliinson, James C. (iilnian. .\ug. 15. iSiu. Co. 
 .\. S8tli Inf.. 3 inos. WuA ii i;, mlln.. < ;r..,-ii. 
 K\.. Ni>v. 10. 18'ij. 
 
 Radway. Williani. .MitUlkpori. .\uji. 7. iS(ij. 
 Co. C. 88th Inf.. 22 ••■- Oiei! at .\a.shville. 
 Tenn.. June 13. 181(4 
 
 K<Kl,y:ers. .\lfred. Kiickiev. .\u^. 5. 18/^12. ("•.. 
 
 C. 88lh Inf.. I yr. .Missinj;: .Vnj.:. 1. i8<>,V 
 Re.\. Jose|)h. Iro(|nois. .Xny. 1.^. 1862. Co l'". 
 
 88th Inf.. 34 nios. .Mustered out June ij. i8f>5, 
 x\ou;;ded. 
 
 Rohandou, .M.. Clifton. .Xuj,'. id. i8/)_'. (. u. H. 
 8<^th Inf.. 4 mos. .Missing Dec. 31. ii*f>2- 
 
 Ramsey. John C. ( )narga. .\u.u:. 7. 1862. Co. D. 
 113th Inf.. 35 mos. Mustered >>nt Ji'ly 1. 18(15. 
 prisoner of war. 
 
 Roderick. W". I'... ( Miari;.-!. jul\ 311. iSo.', Cu. 
 
 D. Ii3tli Inf.. I) itios. Dischari;ed M'ly 15. i8'i3. 
 disabilitv . 
 
 Raynmrd. Jnlin. .Middleport. .\uj.;. 15. 18112. 
 Co. I). 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Disch.irj^ed M.i\ 30. 
 i8r.5. 
 
 Richardson. Irankiin. .MiddlejuTt. 1 )ec. 3. 
 i'*^>.V *-<•• n. 113th Inf.. 18 mos. Trai^sfrrnil t' 
 120th Ills. 
 
 Relyea. ( ieor^e. « tnarj^a. Jan. 11. 1<S()4, Ln. I ). 
 113th Inf.. 18 mos. 'iransferrcd to i2otii Ills. 
 
 Rogers, Joseph. Middleport. .\ug. 12. 18(12. 
 Co. I-". Ii3lh Inf.. (1 mos. I)ischari;ed as i.st 
 Lieutenant. I'eli. 12. 18^13. 
 
 Rees. Robert, lielmont. Aw^. 12. 1862. (.d. !•". 
 113th Inf.. 15 mos. Discharged Nov. 4, 18(13, 
 disability. 
 
 Reeves, John, Mi«Idleport. .\ug. 12. i8<>2. Co. 
 l". 113th Inf.. 34 nius. .Mustered out June 20. 
 1865. prisoner of war. 
 
 Rusli. John. Middle|>ort. March 4. i8<>4. Co I'. 
 113th Inf. Diet! at Springfield. 111., date not 
 given. 
 
 RfKit. Krastus. Chelanse. .\ug. 1 1. 18(12. I >. II. 
 
 113th Inf., (1 mos. Discharge<I i'eb. 18. i8<)3. 
 di>.il)ility. 
 
 k'«th. l-rank, Chebanse. .\ug. 13. iWj2 Co. II, 
 ii3tli Inf., 22 mos. Died near Ri])ley, Miss., 
 June 10. 18(14. 
 
 Ru.sh, William. .Mid<lleport. Aug. 8. iW)2. Co. 
 I. 113th Inf.. ft mos. Died at St. Louis. Feb. 17, 
 18^13. 
 
 Riimine. .Ximrod, Middleport. .\ug. 11. i8<i2. 
 Co. I. 113th Inf.. 7 mos. Died at Young's Point, 
 La.. .March 13. i8<.3. 
 
 Reynolds. Thnnias. .Middleport. .\ug. 11. 18(12. 
 Co. I. ii3tli Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June 20. 
 i8r.5. 
 
 Rush. Jesse, Middlei)ort. .\uj4. 14. i8(.2. Co. 1. 
 1 13th Inf.. 34 mos. .Mustered out }uv.v 20. 18(15. 
 
 kiinliart. John 1'... \jn\n. May 14. 18^^14. Co. I!. 
 1341I1 Inf.. 5 mos. .Mustered out < )ct. 2^. 18^14. 
 
 Rigg'.e. John T.. Middlejjort. .May 14. 18(14. Co. 
 I*.. 134 Inf.. 5 mos. Mustered out (let. 2^. i8()4. 
 
 Royce. .Nathaniel C.. Middlejiort. Jan. i). 18(15, 
 Co. D. 150th Inf.. I yr. Mustered oni Jan. 1(1. 
 i8^rf.. 
 
 Riner. Jacoli, < M;ari;.i. .■^(.|il. ki. iShi. i i >. .\|. 
 (jth Cav.. 7 mos. Resitjred March 27. 18(12. as 
 2(1 Lieut. 
 
 Robinson. Tho.N. i ,.. 1 iiKirija. ^^.•pI. lo. iNoi. i o. 
 M.<jthCav.. 40 mos. .Mustered nut Jan. 3. 18^15. 
 as sergeant. 
 
 Robinson. .Nelson J.. • inari;a. .Nov. 1. i8(ii. Co. 
 M. <)th Cav.. 8 mii=. Drowred in I'llack river June 
 
 22. l8()2. 
 
 Robin.son, \\ ni.. ( )narj;a. .Nov. 1. i.Sdi. i o. .\l. 
 Qth Cav.. 38 mos. Mustered out as serireant Dec. 
 10. 18(14. 
 
 Riner. William. Onarga. Nov. 20. i8(ii. (.0. .M. 
 i)lU Cav.. 40 mos. Mustered out March 1 1. 18^15. 
 
 South. Iienjamin R.. .\sli (irove. July 2^. 18(12. 
 Co. K. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Transferred to veteran 
 reserve corps. 
 
 Silencer, .\sher .\. 
 
 Stewart. David A.. ( >ct. (p. 18(12. C<i. C. 13111 
 Inf.. 3 yrs. 
 
 .'^outh. .\lex. II.. .\sh drove. June 4. l8(ii. Ln. 
 V. 25111 Inf.. 3 yrs. I'romoted sergeant, then 
 Lieut. Mustered out .^ept. 5. 18(14. Died at 
 Watsek-a. Dec. 28. i()</). 
 
 .^napp. (leorge \V.. M.ay 14. 18(14. Co. I',. 134th 
 Inf., 5 mos.
 
 728 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Siory. L-a-ri^a- W.. Spring Crct-k, June 4, icS6i. 1862. Co. A. j(>lh Int.. 3 > rs. Mustcreil <nn 
 
 Co. F, 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. Discliarc:(.-cl Sept. 5, July 22, 1865. 
 
 1864. Shockley. IJenj. F.. Middleport, June 13. 1861. 
 
 Smith. Wni.. .\u.i;. 11. 1862. Cn. E. /Otli Inf.. Co. I. 20th Inf., 4 yrs. .Missing, supposed to 
 
 ^ yrs. be killed in North Carolina. 
 
 Sapp, George. Chebanse. Feb. 2, 1862, Co. C, Spencer. Chas. W'.. Middleport. July 24, 1862. 
 
 58th Inf. .Mustered out with regiment. Co. A, 76th Inf.. u mos. Died at \'ick.sburg 
 
 Sweeny. James, June 4. i8()i, Co. F. 25th June 23. 1863. 
 
 Inf.. 3 yrs. Wounded, mustered out with icgi- Slunkvant. Abel. Middleport. June 13. 1861. 
 
 ment. <- ". 1. 20th Inf.. 3 yrs. 
 
 Saind<in. .Marcelius. I'apineau, March 0. 18^)5, Savoie. Edward. Beaver. July 28. 1862. Co. D, 
 
 Co. H, 58th Inf.. I yr. .Mustered out March 6, /fjth Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 1866. Scott. Harrison. .Middleport, June 13. 1861. 
 
 Sweenv. joseiili. Julv 20. 1862, Co. D, j(Ah Co. I. 20th Inf.. 10 mos. Killed at Shiloh .\pril 
 
 Inf.. 3 yrs. 6. 1862. 
 
 Simmons. Charles. .Martintou. Feb. 25. 1865, Savoie, .^zarie. Reaver, .\ug. 7, 1862. Co. D, 
 
 Co. H, 58th Inf., I yr. ^Mustered out March 6, 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Transferred to \'. R. corps 
 
 1866. Ai)ril 2. 1864. 
 
 St. John. Louis. Nov. 15. 1861, Co. E. ist Sleeth, E. P... Middleport. June 13. 1861. Co. 
 
 .Art'ly., 3 yrs. I, 20th Inf., 3 \rs. Promoted to sergeant. 
 
 Skeels, Irvin P., .Ash Grove, .March 6, 1865, .Schrine, Justus, Onarga, Aug. i, 1862, Co. 
 
 Co. H. 58tli Inf.. I yr. Mu.stered out .March h. M. 9th Cav., 35 mos. Mustered out July 8, 1865. 
 
 i8C)6. Smart, John, Onarga, Nov. 21, 1862, Co. F, 
 
 .Smitii. Madison .\., Dec. 19. 1861. Co. 1". 54th 25th Inf.. 21 mos. Mustered out Sept. 5. 1864. 
 
 Inf.. 4 yrs. Sindon. Fredrick. Onarga. March 20. 1864, Co, 
 
 .Sallee, John S., lleaver, July 24. 18(12. Co. .\, .\]. 9th Cav.. 18 mos. Mustered out Oct. 31. 1865. 
 
 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. cor- Skeels. Bellas H., Onarga. May 29, 1861. Co. 
 
 poral. F. 25th Inf.. 15 mos. Resigned as 1st Lieut, and 
 
 Sear. Edward. .Middleport. July 24. 18O2. Co. afterward joined 9th lUiniiis Cavalry. 
 
 .\. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. Slusher. Michael. .Milford, June 4. 1861. Co. F, 
 
 Sapp. .\sa. -Middleport. July 24. 1862. Co. .A. 25th Inf.. 5 mos. Died at Otterville. Mo.. ( )ct. 
 
 76th Inf., 26 mos. Died at Memphis Sept. 7, 15. 1861. 
 
 1864. Spain, Moses, .\sh (irovc. .\ug. i, i8(>2, Co. 
 
 Shultz, John, Middleport, .\ug. 9, 1862, Co. 1!, ]•:. jOth Inf., 31 mos. Died at .Memphis, Tcnn., 
 
 113th Inf., 6 mos. March 7. 1865. 
 
 Stearman. Marion. Ik'lmoiu. Jul\ 24. 1862. Co. Stifflebcani. I'rancis. Milford. inne 4. 1861. 
 
 .■\, 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. Co. 1". 25th Inf.. 28 mos. Killed at Cbicka- 
 
 Savoie. Eli J.. Jan. 2;^. 1865. Co. D. 150th Inf.. mauga Sept. 19. 18A3. 
 
 I \r. .Sclioolex, Joseph P.. A>li (irovc, Aug. 5, 18(12, 
 
 Strickler. Henry, Concord. July 24. i8r)2. Co. Co. .\, 76th Inf., 4 yrs. i'mnidtcd captain 4th 
 
 .\, 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out Julv 22. 1865. .Miss. .\rt"ly. Jul\ 13, iSi>4. 
 
 .Schonberg, William, Milfort. May 24. i8(')i. Sweeney. Jas. II.. .\lid(lle])ori. June 4. iS()i. 
 
 Co. I, I3tli Inf. Co. F, 25th Inf.. 3 yrs. Wounded .Mission 
 
 Stewart. David .\.. lro(|uois, July 24, i8()2. Co. Ridge. .Mustered out Sept. 5. i8r.4. 
 
 A, 76th Inf., 32 mos. Discharged March 7, i8(')5. Shottenkirk, Onarga, .\ug. 14. i8(>2. <j mo^. 
 
 on account of wounds. Died near \ icksburg .Mav i). i8()3. 
 
 .Stadel, .\<lam, Milford. M;iy 24. 1861, Co. I. Schanahoni, l-Mward, Martintou, June 4. 1861. 
 
 >3tb Inf. Co. F, 25th Inf., 6 mos. Died at Holla, .M<... Dec. 
 
 Strain, Thomas .Me., Middlejinrt, Jul\ 24. 7, ]HC)\.
 
 IRoorms COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
 
 7-'*» 
 
 SllottCllkirk, j.nn-. « m„iij;.i, \nK- /• l'*^*-. t"o. 
 
 K. 7J1I Inf.. 15 iiuis. I)if<l i)f \voiiii<l< rci-<-ivr<l 
 al I'raiikliii, Tcnn.. Nov. 30, i8<>4. 
 
 .*^trllll<l. Nathaniel, .Middk'port, Jihr 4. iSoi. 
 Co. I-'. 25111 Inf.. 3 yr<. Mnstcrod ><M Stpt. 5, 
 18*14. 
 
 Starkt-y. Win. .\., vjii^-n, Aii;^;. 14. i.'^u. < ■>. 
 (i. 7J<1 Inf.. 17 nil's, niivl at Ko<iknk. Inn. j.\. 
 
 Shields, tiiiir).;i'. .Miildlii-nn. Juiu- 4. i.'vu, i ■■. 
 V. J5th Inf., 3 yrs. Diccl at Kfuknk. Jan. J4. 
 
 Shiitti-nkirk. Dan'l.. t )nar).;a, linu- H). i.Sfij, 
 Co. ( ;, (H;th Inf., 3 nios. .\ln--ti-ri-<l .mt Sejit. j~. 
 1862. 
 
 Slijjht. John. .\li(l<lli|)(>rt. Jma- 4. iN>i. L". i , 
 25th Inf., 15 nios. Musti-rcd ont Sqt. 27. i8<)2. 
 
 Saindoii, Joseph. I'apinean. March 4. i8<)5, 
 Co. II. 5Sth Inf., I yr. Mustered ont March 3, 
 iW/.. 
 
 Shultz. Henry, Milford, Awa. 25. 18^)1, Co. Ci, 
 42d Inf.. 6 nios. Dischar(.jed I'eh. 11, i8<i2. for 
 disahility. 
 
 Slinn, Joseph, Chelianse, March 4. 1865. Co. II, 
 58th Inf.. I yr. Mnstered out .March 3. ti^tVi. 
 
 .StnfilelK>ani. John ]•'... Milford. .\ii};. 25, i8f)i. 
 Co. (i, 42(1 Inf.. 16 nvis. Discharged Nov. 21. 
 1862. 
 
 Smith, William, Chelianse. I'eh. 2y. 18^)5, Co. 
 II, 38th Inf., 5 mos. Died at Montgomery. .Ma.. 
 July 17. 18/15. 
 
 .*^herrill. Joshua, IriH|uois. .\uj;. 27, 1861, Co. 
 II, 42rl Inf.. ^2 mos. Killed at Resaca. (ia.. May 
 14. 1864. 
 
 Sims, .\lemuel, Onarga, .March 3, i8<>2, Co. C. 
 51st Inf.. 3 yrs. Mnstered out .March 0. 1865. 
 
 Sims. Guilford D., .MiddleiH>rt. .March H). 
 i8<>2. Co. C", 421I Inf., 3 yrs. Woundid .it (l\i. k- 
 amauga and transferred to \'. R. ( 
 
 .Sims. Rmanucl. Onarga. March 3. iS<.2. to. 
 C. 5i.st Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out .March 9, i8r>5. 
 
 .She|)liard, Joseph, .Milford, June 13, 18^(1. Co. 
 .\. 2!st Inf., 16 mos. .Missing ( )ct. i. 18/12. 
 
 .Streeter. I,ouie. Chelxinse, .March 14. 18^15. C'o. 
 II. 38th Inf., I yr. Mustered out March 13. i8r/t. 
 
 .Smith, Is.Tac F.. .\shkuni. March 1. \i^>$. Co. 
 K. 43d Inf.. 5 >"..>. Oi.d nt Little Rock, .\rk.. 
 July if). i8r>5. 
 
 Stratton. Natlian < •.. C helanse. .March 14. 
 18/15, Co. II. 58th Inf., I yr. Mustered out as 
 sergeant March 13, i8/Vi. 
 
 .Sevan, Thomas .\., Chelianse. .\pril 7. 18/15, Cn. 
 K. 43d Inf., 8 mos. Mustered ont .Nov. 30, 18/15. 
 
 Streeter, .Vdelherl, Cheh.inse. .March 2. 18(15. 
 i 0. IL 58th Inf., I yr. .Mustered out .March 13. 
 18//,. 
 
 Sallee. Philip N., .Middleport, .Sept. 20. 18/1I. 
 » ■'. C, 51st Inf., 4 yrs. Re-enlisted as veteran. 
 
 Sallee. Wni. T.. .\lid<lle|Hirl, l-"eh. 2«). 18/14. Co. 
 C". 51st Inf.. 4 nios. Died June 2«>, 18/14, 
 woniiiled. 
 
 Smith. Ldward. .Middleport. Dec. 31. l8/)l, Co. 
 C. 51st Inf.. 42 mos. .Missing June 13. 1865. 
 
 Smith, Theodore .M., .March 3, 18/12. Co. C. 
 5i<t Inf., 43 mos. .Mustered out Sept. 25, i8/')5. 
 
 Smith. Win. Ci.. .Middlqiort. Sejit. 20. 1861, Co. 
 ( , 51st Inf.. 44 mos. Transferred to \'et. Res. 
 Coqjs .May 4. 1865. 
 
 Stewart. William. Middle|Kirt. Dec. 2. 18/11. 
 Co. c", 51st Inf.. 45 mos. .Mustered out Sept. 2^, 
 18/15. 
 
 .Smith. ( )liver .V. Onarga. Sept. 24. 1861. Co. 
 C. 57th Inf., 40 mos. Mustered out Feh. 2. 1865. 
 
 ."^keels. ( )rvis, Onarga, Sl^)t. 24, 18/11. Co. C. 
 57th Inf.. 3<> mos. Musteretl out Dec. 2(). 1864. 
 
 .S|)ain. James, .\sh (irove. .\ug. 1, i8/>2, Co. E. 
 7/ith Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered ont July 22. 1863. 
 
 Smith. William. .\sh CIro^•c. .\ug. 11. 1862. Co. 
 v.. 7/pth Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1865. 
 
 Sp.iin. Hamilton. .\sh (irove. .\ng. 3. 1862, Co. 
 L. 7/ith Inf.. 5 mos. Died at Lagrange. Tenn.. 
 I\c. 17. i8r.2. 
 
 .Stalon. Josejih. Sheldon. .\ug. 11. 18/12, Co. I''. 
 76th Inf.. 7 mos. Discliargvd March 25. 1863. 
 disahility. 
 
 Staton, Tlvimas. Sheldon, .\ug. 1 1, 1862, Co. I"-, 
 7/itli Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 Smith. .\lva D. Milford. .\ug. 9. i8ri2. Co. K, 
 7(itli Inf., y nios. Discharged May 25. 1863. dis- 
 ahility. 
 
 ."^lutler. Kli, Prairie dreen, .\ug. 11. 1862. Co, 
 K, 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 SwojK". (ieorge J.. Concord. .\ug. 1 1. 18/12. Co. 
 K. 7rith Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22, 1865. 
 
 Sallee. Joseph W., licaver. .\ug. 11, 1862, Co. 
 K, 7/)th Inf.. 15 mos. Died at I'eaver .Nov. 22. 
 1 8/13. 
 
 .*>tiles. I'"d\vard. liraver. .\ug. 11. 1862. Co. I*'. 
 jC'th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered ont July 22. i8/)5. 
 
 Senx. William S.. Cral)ai)]ile. .\ug. 11, 1862, 
 Co. K. 7fith Inf.. ^ vrs. Mnstered out Inlv 22,
 
 730 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 StockwcU. John. .\sli Grove. July 25. 1862, Co. Scooii. W illiam W".. Martinton. .\ug. 9. 1862, 
 
 k. 76111 Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. Co. B. 113111 Int. .Mustered nut June 20. 1865. 
 
 Syiiies, Edwin. I.oda. Aug. 5, 1862. Co. K. Sliowbar. l-raiik. Clicbause. Aug. 9. 1862, Co. 
 
 76tli Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. 1865. I!. 113th Inf.. 30 nins. Di.-^charged Feb. 7. 1865. 
 
 South, Benj. R.. Ash Grove. July 25. 1862. Co. disability. 
 
 K. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Transferred to X'eteran Re- .^cmccy. Irank. .Martinton. .\ug. 9. 1862. Co. 
 
 serve Corps. B. U3th Inf.. S nios. Discharged :\Iarch 31. 
 
 Schofield. \\m. K.. Loda. July 31, x'^Uz. Co. K. 1863. disability. 
 
 76th Inf.. ID nios. Died at .Meinjiliis. .May 18. Statler. Francis W., Onarga. July 30. 1862, Co. 
 
 1863. D. ii3tli inf.. 6 uiDS. Discharged Jan. 15. 1863, 
 
 Schooley, Josej)h P.. .Ash Grove. .\ug. 3. i8C)2. disability. 
 
 Co. K, 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. I'romoted sergeant Sylvester. Jeremiah. Onarga. .\ug. 13, 1862, 
 
 major. Co. D. 113111 Inf.. 4 mos. Deserted Dec. 31. 
 
 Stamp. Edward. Buckley. .Aug. i. 1862. Co. C, 1862. 
 
 88th Inf.. 34 mos. :\lustered out June 9. 1865. Shaw. Hiram. Onarga. July 30. 1862, Co. D, 
 
 corporal. 1 13th Inf.. 3 mos. Died in Chicago Oct. 17. 1862. 
 
 Sheldon. Chauncy H.. I'.uckley. Aug. 10. 1862. Skeels, W'm. L.. Onarga. .Aug. n. 1862. Co. D. 
 
 Co. C. 88th Inf.. 8 nios. Discharged .March 2, 113th Inf.. 33 mos. Clustered out July i. 1863. 
 
 1863. disability. prisoner of war. 
 
 Slyvester. .Alonzo. Clifton. .\ug. 11. 1862. Co. Sanders, Samuel. Loda. Sept. 13. 1861. Co. C, 
 
 C. 88th Inf.. I yr. Discharged .Aug. i. 1863. di.s- loth ( av. Kilkd in battle, time and place not 
 
 ability. stated. 
 
 Santo. Theodore. AIiddle])ort. .\ug. 13. i8(>2. Sperry. (iilbert. I.oda. Sept. 13. 1861. Co. C. 
 
 Co. C, 88th Inf.. 34 mos. Mu.stered out as cor- (otli Cav. Died, no data, 
 
 poral June 9. 1863. ."^eaniau. Sylvanus. Loda. Sept. 13. iS'u. Co. C. 
 
 Shaflfer, John \'. T.. .Ashkum, Aug. 14. i.S(>2. lotli Cav.. 23 mos. Discharged Oct. 28. 1863. 
 
 Co. K. 88th Inf., 4 mos. Died at (kdlatin. Tenn.. Scott, Madison M.. Loda, Sept. 13. 1861. Co. C. 
 
 Dec. 26, 1862. sergeant. loth Cav., 31 mos. .Mustered out Xov. 22, 1865. 
 
 Simmons. Henry H.. Ashkum. Aug. 14, iX(i_', .Sliarlzer. John. Loda. Sept. 13. 1861. Co. C, 
 
 Co. K, 88th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June 9. lotli Cav. Discharged, no date given. 
 
 1863. Smith. Robert. Loda, Sept. 13. 1861, Co. C. 
 
 Shure, Hans. .Ashkum, .Aug. 14. i8()2. Co. K. loih Cav. Di.scharged, no date given. 
 
 88th Inf., 34 nios. Mustered out Jur.e 9. 1863. as Smith. Francis C, Loda. Sept. 13, 1861. Co. C. 
 
 corjioral. loth Cav. Discharged, no date given. 
 
 Storms. Hezekiidi. Onarga. .\ug. 14. iSfu. S. Syrus, John, Loda, Dec. 12. 1863. Co. C. loth 
 
 ,M. 113th Inf., 34 mos. Alustered out Jmie 20. Cav., 23 mos. ATustered out .Nov. 22. 1863. 
 
 1863, as sergeant majrir. Smith, Lewis, Loda, Jan. T2. 1864. Co. C. 10th 
 
 Scoon, James, Martinton. Aug. g. i8()j. C<>. B. t'.'iv.. 22 mos. Mustered out Xov. 22. 1863. 
 
 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 20. 1863. Sprague. I-'lijah. Middleixut. Sei)t. 10. i8'it. 
 
 as .sergeant. Co. D. ist .Vrt'ly.. 3 \rs. Mustered out Sept. 16. 
 
 Shultz. John, Middleport, Aug. <». iSf.j. Cm. I',. 1864. 
 
 113th Inf. Clustered out June 13. iS()3 Scluenipf. John. Ashkum. Feb. i. 1863. Co. D, 
 
 Shultz, .\braham. Middle|>ort, Aug. t;, i8()2, 130th Inf.. 1 \ r. Mustered out Jan. 16. 1866. 
 
 Co. B. 113th Inf. Mustered out. Shannon. Henry. I'apineau. l"eb. 6. 1863. Co. 
 
 Smith, Joseph C, Chebanse. .\ng. <j. 1862. Co. D. 130111 Inf.. 1 \ r. .Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 B. 113th Inf.. 17 mos. Discharged Jan. 18. iSr^. .'^mitli. .\lonzo. .\shkum. I'eb. Ti. 1863. Co. D. 
 
 disabilitv. 130th Inf.. 1 \r. .Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Scoon, John \\".. Maitinton. Aug. 9, 1862, Co. Shankland. IKnr\ 11.. .\sh ( Iruve. I'eb. 7. 18^)3. 
 
 B. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. .Musleri'd out June 20. Co. D. 130111 Inf.. 1 yr. Mustered out Jan. 16. 
 
 1863. corporal. N^r/i,
 
 iRoorms cor\TY. ir.i.ixois. 
 
 ni 
 
 Sn.i|>|>. «io>. W .. A>ii <ir<,>vc. I ill. 7. iN'5. t ■ 
 I). i5otli Inf.. I vr. MuMirctl out Jan. id, iS<<>. 
 
 Spain. I'-lijah K.. .\sli drove. I"cl>. 7, 18^15. Co. 
 n. i-;oth Inf.. I \r. MM>tirriI out Ian. Kt. iWrfi. 
 
 .'^piiN, tk-orRC. L'lilton, i\l>. (». i84>5. lo. I). 
 150111 Inf.. I _\T. Muslcrrtl out Jan. i<». i8fi6. 
 
 Sli<:ir. I;i.-.Ji C . < Inari^.i. Sipl. H). iS^H. t"o. M. 
 ■ ;i!i I .i\ . ;; • - l\i --.^lu-il jiini- JO. iS<i.4. :i< :i 
 IM Lie- 
 s' ^cpt. 10. 1,S<>I. ». .'. 
 M -.i-d ( ii-t. iS. iS/).'. 
 .1- .'"1 Lieut. 
 
 ■^I'.ii klf\. I lark. < Miar^a. ."^rpl. 10. i.S/.i. v,i". 
 M. Mill Cav.. 51 tnov. .Mii«tiTi<l nut < K-t. ^1. 
 i8^<5. veteran 
 
 Sit'i r». .\n«lri\v j.. < "iiarj^a. .^ipl. 10. iNn. (, o. 
 .\|, v'li Cav.. ;i mii>. .\ln«itr..| nut < >ot. ^1, 
 iWi.S. vctenii 
 
 Simlou. l-ri-ilcrKk. < iiuir^.i. ."^ipi. 10. iNii. I <■. 
 .N|. <;tl> Cav., 12 nios. ni>cliarur«-il .'-^cpt. >). i.*^!-'. 
 on account of wounds. 
 
 Sclvi'v. William. < Inarj^a. Sipt. 10. iS/ii. ( <i. 
 -M. Mill Cav.. X iii.x. Dicil at l.itiU* I'.la.k Rivir. 
 .May 2. i8r.2. 
 
 SIi.ipli-v. C"iiarli-». < tnarj^a. < >cl. iw. iNii. Co, 
 .M. >)tli Cav. 4 \rs. .Mustiroil out ( Vt. ^i iS'i; 
 veteran. 
 
 Sutton. .Maniii. ( >iiar;.;a. < kt. H). i.Sfu. Cm. .\l. 
 <;tll Cav.. .^4 iiios. Died in .XiiiliTsonviUi Pri^c.n. 
 .\up. i.V i»l4. 
 
 Smith. .Manson. ( Miar;;:!. .Nov. 1. iWii. (. o. .\l. 
 i/li Cav.. ,\H nios. .Mustered out Jan. ,v 1^(5. 
 
 Sims. Lemuel, Onarya. N'ov. x>, i86t. Co. .M. 
 •)tli Cav.. 4 yrs. Mustered out Oct. ji. i*>5. 
 vetcrati. 
 
 Sims. F.manuel. < )narj;a. Nov. 20. 1861. Co. M. 
 <;th C""av.. 4 yrs. Mustered out Oct. ,^I, l8^>5. 
 veteran. 
 
 Shackley. Cliarles. < hiar^a. Jan. 1. iS^ij 
 .M. «>tli (av.. iR mos. Mustered out July 1 1. iN>5. 
 prismcr of war. 
 
 Slierman. RoU-rt H.. Onarga. .\un- 1. i^*^'^. 
 Co. M. ifih Cav.. 39 mos. Mustered mil Oct. .v. 
 i».5. 
 
 Sutton. Roht. M.. Onarga, .Vur. i. iW)2. Co, 
 .M. <;th Cav.. 3: Musiereil out June !<». 
 
 1865. 
 
 Sketls. \Vm. X.. Onarj-a, Jan. i. 1*..^ Co. M. 
 <)th Ca\ Died at N'ashville. Tenn.. Dec. 
 
 24. iJV-, 
 
 .^Mn-i. <ie"rj:i-. {.(mLi. .-^ipi. 13. l^<'n. L". ». . 
 loth Cav., 51 mos. .Mustered out .Nov. 22. iW>5. 
 
 .Savoie. Mli. Clifton. Jan. .}3. iWjs. Co. I). 1501I1 
 Cav.. I yr. .Mustered out Jan. lO. iW/). 
 
 .Smith. David. .Milford. .May 14. iS<i4, Co. 15. 
 134th Inf.. 5 mos. .Mustere<l out « )cl. 25. 18^14. 
 
 .^^napp. (iii>. \V.. .\sh (irove. .May 14. 1W14, ( 'o. 
 I'l. i.?4tli Inf.. 5 mos. .Mustercil out ( )i-t. 25. iS<.4. 
 
 Spain. Robt. T.. .\sh (irove, .May 14. iHTq. Co. 
 I!. i.U'li '"f- 5 ""JS- .Mustered <iut ( >ct. 25. 1XI14. 
 
 .Spain. John. .\sh (irove. .May 14, i8''i4. Co. 11. 
 i34tli Inf.. 5 mos. .Mustered out Oct. 23, 1864. 
 
 ."^lieer. r.cnj. II.. .\sh (irove, .\la\ 14. 18/14. Co. 
 I'.. i.^4th Inf.. 5 nios. .Mustered out ( )ct. 25. |8<>4. 
 
 .Smith, (jeo. C, .\sh (irove. May 14. 18^14, Co. 
 I'l. i.U'li I'>f- 5 '"'"*• Mustt r»d out ( )ct. 2-i. iS<i4. 
 
 .Stc-eley. James M.. .Middieport, .May 14, 18(14. 
 to. I'l, i34tli Inf.. 5 mos. .Xliistered out Oct. 2-,. 
 1W.4. 
 
 Sinitli. Richard. .MiddIe|)ort. .May 14. 18(14. Co. 
 !'.. i.^4th Inf., 5 mos. Mu.stercd out ( )ct..23. 18(14. 
 
 Snyder. Michael. Middieport. May 14, i8<i4. 
 ("o. I'.. I34tli Inf. ^ iiin- Miislcnil mil ( )rl. _•; 
 |K*)4. 
 
 .*steadmaii. Milir.iiiid 1).. .\>Il (irovc. I'd). 7. 
 l8(>5. Co. 1). l.?4lll Inf.. I \ r. Mii>lered •■lit Ian. 
 16. "1866. 
 
 Streaii. John (i.. IJehiionl. 1-eli. o. i8()5. Co. D. 
 150th Inf.. I yr. .Mustered out Jan. id. i8rir>. 
 
 Sweeney. Owen. Chclianse. Jan. 24. i8(>5. ( >.. 
 D. 150th Inf.. I yr. .Mustered out Jan. iCi. |8(')(>. 
 
 .Snyder. .Michael. .Middieport. Jan. 14. 18(15. Co. 
 D. 150th Inf.. I yr. .Mustered out Jan. 16. 18C/). 
 
 Smith. Saml. I'... Cliehan.se. IVh. 1. 18(15. Co. 
 D, I50tli Inf., I yr. .Mustered out Jan. id. i8(/i. 
 
 .ShieUls. Charles. .Mitldleport. Jan. 1 1. 1865. Co. 
 n. 150th Inf.. I yr. .Mustered out Jan. i<>. i8dd. 
 
 .^hook. Jeroiiu'. .\liddle|)iirt. Jan. 13. 1865. Co. 
 n, 150th Inf., I yr. Musterc<l out Jan. 16. iSTi/i. 
 
 Solomon. John. .Miildle|>ort. l-Vh. 8. 1865. Co. 
 D. 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16. 18C/1. 
 
 .■^trickier. Isa.ic .N.. .Milfonl, }nn. 13. 18/15. ^"■ 
 n. 150th Inf.. I \r. .Mustered out Jan. id. i8(y>. 
 
 .Sims. Itliiel. Onarjja. .\up. h. i8C>2. C'o. 1). 
 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June .'o. 18(15. 
 
 Skeels. Trnmaji H.. .Ash Cirove, .\ui;. 13, l8r'>2. 
 Co. D. 113th Inf.. 2 >rs. Discharned Aup. 28. 
 i8('i4. dislionorahly. 
 
 Smith. \\\<'. Fdw in. (~>narLTi \iiu. 1.1. i8d2. Co.
 
 71^ 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 D. ii3tli Inf.. I yr. Discharged Aug;. 18. i8<)3. 
 disability. 
 
 Search. Laiulrum, Onarga. Aug. 20. 1862, Co. 
 D, 113th Inf., 7 mos. Died on hospital boat. 
 March 29, 1863. 
 
 Strain, Harvey, ^lilford. .Kiig. 13. 1862, Co. D. 
 113th Inf.. 4 nios. Died at Meniphis. Dtc. 17. 
 1862. 
 
 Stufiflebeani. Henry. Spring Creek. Aug. 15. 
 1862, Co. D, 113th Inf., 3 nios. Deserted Nov. 
 13. 1862. 
 
 Swank, David, Ash Grove, Aug. 7. 1862. Co. 
 D, 113th Inf., 2 mos. Died at Onarga. Oct. 2. 
 1862. 
 
 Smith, Charles D.. Midtllci)ort. Feb. 1. 18^4. 
 Co. D. M3th Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to i2olh 
 111. 
 
 Sherrcll, W'm.. .Middlcpcirt. Dec. 30, 1863. Co. 
 D. 113th Inf., 18 mos. Transferred to 120th 111. 
 
 Shook, Simeon T.. Middleport, Dec. 9, 1863, 
 Co. D, 113th Inf.. 10 mos. Died in Andersonville 
 Prison. Sept. 15. 1864. 
 
 Smith, llenj. R.. Iroquois. Jan. 14. 1864. Co. 
 D. 113th Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to 120 111. 
 
 Stufflebcam. John. Onarga, Jan. 4, 1864, Co. D, 
 ii3tli Inf., I mo. Died in Camp lU'.tler. I'eb. 13. 
 1864. 
 
 Sweeney, Joseph. Middlcport, Aug. 12, 1862. 
 Co. F. 113th Inf., 33 mop. Mustered dut June 
 2, 1865. 
 
 Shultz, Henry, Belmont, .\ug. 12. i8r)2, Co. ]■". 
 113th Inf., 33 mos. Mustered out June i, 1865. 
 
 Stewart. James. Iroquois. Aug. 12, 1862. Co. I", 
 113th Inf., 34 nios. Mustered out June 20. 1865. 
 
 Sturdevant. Win. N., Iroquois. Aug. 12. 1862. 
 Co. F, ii3tli Inf.. 8 nios. Died in Iowa, .March. 
 1863. 
 
 Shejiard. .\bijali, Iro(|uois, Aug. 12, 1862, Co. 
 F, 113th Inf., 7 mos. Died at Young's Point. 
 La., Feb. 10, 1863. 
 
 Spencer, .Monzf). Uelmont. .\ug. 12, 1862, Co. 
 F, 113th Inf. Discharged for disability, dntc not 
 given. 
 
 Stmud. Silas, .Middlepurl, .\ug. 12. i8()2. C'n. 
 I'". 113th Inf., mos. Discharged May 12. i8r)3. 
 disability. 
 
 I^milh, kolierl. Middlei)orl, .\ug. 12, 18(12, C'n. 
 F. 113111 Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 20, 
 1865. Corpciral. 
 
 Smith, Wni. L.. Middleport, Aug. 12. 1862. Co. 
 F, 113th Inf. Rejected. 
 
 Smith, Benjamin, Middleport, Aug. 12. 1862, 
 Co. F, 113th Inf. No data. 
 
 Stroud. Fayette, Middleport, Aug. 12, 1862, 
 Co. F, 113th Inf. Rejected. 
 
 Shepherd, Moses, ^liddleport, Aug. 12. 1862. 
 Co. F. 11 3th Inf. Xo data. 
 
 Shepherd. Thomas. Middleport, Aug. 12, 1862. 
 Co. V . 1 13th Inf. Xo data. 
 
 .Spaulding, George, Chcbanse. Aug. 14. 1862. 
 Co. H, 1 13th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 
 20. 1865. 
 
 Stiftles. George. Chebanse, Aug. 14. 1862. Co. 
 H, 113th Inf., 6 mos. Died at Young's Point, 
 La.. Feb. 18. 1863. 
 
 Stuni]), George. Chebanse. Aug. 22. 1862. Co. 
 H, 113th Inf.. 6 mos. Discharged Feb. 9. 1863. 
 disability. 
 
 Simmonds, Richard, Chebanse. Aug. 12. 1862. 
 Co. H, 113th Inf., 2 mos. Deserted Oct. 4. 1862. 
 
 Shortridgc, \\'m. E., Sheldon, .Aug. 7, 1862, 
 Co. I, 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out as 2d 
 Lieut. June 20. 1865. 
 
 Sullivan. Thomas. Middleport. Aug. 13, 1862. 
 Co. I. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June 
 20, 1865. 
 
 i^hrum. Elias. Concord, Aug. 13, 1862. Co. I. 
 
 I i3tli Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June 20. 18(15. 
 
 Sheets. Henry, Concord, Aug. i). 1862. Co. I. 
 
 113th Inf.. },}, nuis. Mustered out June 5, 1865. 
 
 Sypert, .Arnold M.. Concord, Aug. 9, 1862. Co. 
 
 I. 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 20. 
 i8r)5, as Corporal. 
 
 i^liruui, John, Ccncurd, Aug. 7. 1862, Co. I. 
 
 I i3tli Inf., 34 niiis. Mustered out Jiuu- 20. 1865. 
 
 .'-^wini. Ilenry. .Midillepurl. .\ug. 14. 1864. Co. 
 
 II, i.Utli Inf.. 5 nios. Mustered out Oct. 25. 1864. 
 Simiison, John R.. Del Rey. May 14. 1864, Co. 
 
 1'., i34tli Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out Oct. 25. 1864. 
 
 Taxlor, Samuel C, Middleport, .\ug. 8, 1862. 
 (11. I. 1 13th Inf.. 3 yrs. Mustered out as sergeant 
 June 20. 18(15, died July 2'i^. i8()4. 
 
 Tiionias, John M., Milfonl, Ma\ 14. 18(14. Co. 
 1'., 1341I1 Inf.. 5 mos. Mustered out Oct. 25, 1864. 
 
 Tourney. Charles. .\sh (m-ovc. Dec. 3. 18(14. 
 lotli Itif. 
 
 Tlionias. George \V., Milford, M:u 14. i8(')4, 
 
 /J
 
 IROQL'OIS COUN'TV. IIJ.IN'DIS. 
 
 7ii 
 
 I I. I., i.s^ii n:i . -, ut<<-. Alu^uiiil out (let. J5. loth Cav. .Mii.-tircil i.iu NOv. jj. i}«j5. as _'<1 
 
 Tobias, J»iliM C. .Mithllqxirt. April 2.', i8<ii. TmttiT. James W.. Middlqwirt. Aiij;. 9, i8(>2. 
 
 Co. I. jiitli Inl. to. n, 51th Int.. 1.^ iiids. Killed at ihickamafja. 
 
 TriinmiT. Charli-s. Mi.ldlqH>rt. Mav 14. iS*.4. Sept. ^J. iS<>.V 
 
 Co. I'l. i.uili li'i. 5 "los. .Miistentl out ( >i-t. ^3, Taylor RoIkti .M.. I,(xla, Sept. 15, i8^»i. Co. 
 
 iJVi^. as ehaplain. <- • '"''' Cav.. yj inos. .Mustereil «nit Dec. lo. 
 
 Taylor. ». Iiarles. .\lid(llq)ort. .\pril 2-'. iS^u. Co. i8<.4, o.r|}oral. 
 
 I. .ioth Inf. Died July i(». 1865. of wounds. Thayer, .\llx-rt. Middlcport. Oct. 1. iW)l. Co. 
 
 Thompson. Jasper \".. (lihuan, .May 14. i8r»4. C. 51st Inf.. 38 mo.s. .Mustered out IX'c. j8, 1864. 
 
 Co. I'., i^itli inf.. ^ inos. Mustered nut < Vt -'5 Trickel. Francis .M.. I.oda. Sept. 15. 18*11. Co. 
 
 I».4 
 
 Tlioir.a.-.. iant. I... IriK|uois. .\pril jj. iNi|. Lo. 
 I. joth Inf. 
 
 Thoinp.son. William. .Miildleport. Jan. 7. 18^15. 
 Co. D. I5<)th Inf. Resii;ned a-- 1st Lieut. Co. D. 
 I >(>lh Illinois. Dec. 18. i8'i^. 
 
 C. loth Cav.. 51 mos. .Mustered out \ov. 22, 
 
 Tenjjley. Daniel D., .\>hkum. Nov. 7, i8<^)i, 
 Co. C, 58th Inf.. 42 mos. Re-enlisted as veteran. 
 
 Thom|)son. .Sylvester, Lnda. IXc. 12. 18^)3. Co. 
 C . loth Cav.. 23 mos. .Mustered out Nov. 22, 
 
 Thompson, James II.. (lilman. Jan. 7. 18*15. Co. 18^15. 
 
 I. 20th Inf. 
 
 Tutlie. Keukn. Chehaiise. Nov. 5, iNji. L u. C. 
 
 Test. William. ( hiar^a. Jan. 2<>. 18(15. Co. D. S^^th I r.f.. 47 mos. Discharj^ed ( )ct. 3. 18/S5. ( di>- 
 
 150th Inf., I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16. 18*/!. 
 
 Thompson. William, .Middleixirt. Jan. 13. 
 i8<ii. Co. I. 20th Inf. 
 
 Tuttle. William C. Chehause. Jan. 21. 18(15. 
 C'o. I), 150th Inf.. 1 yr. .Mustered out Jan. i<i. 
 
 Temple. Clautle. .Middli|)ort. Jan. 4. i8<>i. Co. 
 
 ability), from Co. H. 58th Re(,n. 
 
 Tarbet, Daniel. .Mi(ldle|>ort. .Nov. 12. 1.^13. Co. 
 D. 1st .Xrt'Iv.. 21 mos. .Mustered out lulv 28. 
 18^15. 
 
 Tiickwood. John, ( )nari;a. June (>. l8<i2. Cn. li. 
 CK;th Inf.. 3 mos. .Mustered out .^ept. 27. 1862. 
 
 Thayer. DanT. Lotla, Feb. 8. 1862. Co. I„ 2d 
 
 1". 25th Inf., 30 mos. Di.sch;ir).;ed ( let. 15, 18(13. Art'Iy.. 42 mos. .Mustered out .\uj.r. <). 1865; 
 
 Townsley. James L.. .MidilKi)ort. Jan. 30. 18(15. transferred to \'. R. C. 
 
 ( o. D. 150th Inf.. I yr. Mustered out Jan. i(t. Troup, Fdwanl. Middleport, July 24, 1862. Co. 
 
 i8(i(). .\. 7Cith Inf.. I yr. Died at Jacksoii. .Miss.. July 
 
 Tarlxix, Wm. I'... Onarya. Jan. 4. i8(ii. Co. 1-. 11. 18(13. 
 
 25th Inf.. 14 mos. Discharged .\i\n. i). liVu Talbert. Wm. II.. IriKpiois. July 24. 1862. Co. 
 
 Tomlitison. John. ( inartpi. Jan. 30. 18C15. I o. .\. 76th Inf.. 3 yrs. Discharged July 22. 1865. 
 
 I). 150th Inf.. I yr. .Mustered out Jan. 16, i8<)6. Taylor. David. Irof|uois, July 24, i8r)2. Co. A, 
 
 Taylor, Amos W., C >nars:a, June 4. 1861. Co, V. 7^1, |„f.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. l8()5. 
 
 2^th Inf., I vr. I)ischarere<l |une 28, 18(12. t 1 1 1. \ 1 <• » n^ 
 
 ^ • Tavlor. fames I'... .\sh drove. Auix. 11. i8(>2, 
 
 rallx-rt, deoree W .. ( Inarira, Sept. 10. i8(ii, ,• .- _/-,, i ./ , m . • 1 
 
 „ ,, , , '^ ... - . *-*'■ '- "''•" '"'•• 3 ^i^*- Absent, sick on nuister 
 
 Co. M., 9th Cav.. 7 mos. Died at Reeves Mation. ^,„ ^f regiment. 
 
 March 31. 18C12. 
 
 Thomas. William, .Milford, .Nu^. 2-,. i8(ii. Co. 
 
 Trickey, (Icorpe M., .\sh drove. .\u}j. 11, 
 
 ,^ ..I I f /- rv- I . -I- . M I 18*^12. Co. F. 7fith Int.. 3 vrs. Mustered out lulv 
 
 d, 42<I Inf., n mos. Died at I ipton. .Mo., aii. o^ 
 
 o^ ^2. 1865. 
 24. 18*^2. 
 
 Thaxer. Li-ster, « )narKa. .Xug. i. i8(.2. Co. .M. 'l"^^*^'''- '<"''^'"'- •^'•'' ^'rovc, .\»n. 1. 18(^.2, Co. 
 
 0th Cav.. 2 mos. Died at .Memphis. Tenn.. Oct. ^- "'"'' '"f- ^ '"'"^ Hischarne.l .\pril 11. 1863. 
 
 I, i8r>2. Thomas. Samuel. .\sh drove. Awa. I i8*>2. Co. 
 
 Townsley. .Saml. IJ.. Milford. Mm. 25. i8(.i. K. 7''th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 Co. G, 42d Inf., 3 mos. Died (at home on sick Thomas, Cico. W., .\sh (rrovc. .Xup. 5. 1862, 
 
 furlouph^ Xov. 26, \fV>\. Co. K. 7C)th Inf.. 4 mos. Died at Lapranpc. 
 
 Taylor, dcorpc IS.. I.oda. .'^ept. 15. i8(ii. ( • Tenn.. Dec, 3. 1862.
 
 734 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Thrasher, Geo. W., Behnoiit, Jan. 4, 1864, Co. 
 F, 113th Inf., 18 mos. Mustered out July 12, 
 1865.' 
 
 Tuttle, Reuben, Chebanse, Aug. 14, 1862, Co. 
 H, 1 13th Inf., 6 mos. Discharged Feb. 9, 1863, 
 disability. 
 
 Tykr, Andrew, Sheldon, Aug. 7, 1862. Co. I. 
 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out as ist Lieut. 
 
 Thomas, Asa B, .\sh (.Jrove, Dec. 9, 1863. Co. 
 K. 76th Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to 37th 
 Illinois. 
 
 Thompson, Harlan C, Middleport, Aug. 10. 
 
 1862, Co. C, 88th Inf. Discliarged for disability, 
 date not given. 
 
 Trow. William, Middleport. Aug. 10, 1862, Co. 
 C, 88th Inf., I yr. .Missing .\ug. i, 1863. 
 
 Tanner. Frank G., Middleport, Aug. 6, 1.S62. Jan. 20, 1865. 
 Co. C, 88th Inf., 9 mos. Discharged May 6, Thomas, Win., Concord, Aug. 7. 1862, Co. I, 
 
 1863. disability. 113th I"f-. 34 mos. Mustered out June 20, 1865, 
 Taylor, Robert, Middleport. .\ug. 14, i&j2. Co. as corporal. 
 
 C, 88th Inf., 15 mos. Missing Dec. 2. 1863. Torbet. Wm.. Concord, Aug. 7, 1862, Co. I, 
 
 Tibault, Jno. B., Clifton, Aug. 16. 1862, Co. D. 113th Inf., 7 mos. Discharged :\larch 7, 1863. 
 
 89th Inf., 18 mos. Died at Louisville, Ky.. Feb. Torbit, Wm. S.. Concord, Aug. 7, 1862, Co. I. 
 
 _j, 1864. ii3''i J^'if-- 34 'i-os- Clustered out as corporal 
 
 Taylor, \\"m. IL, Middleport, Aug. 14, 1862, June 20, 1865. 
 
 O. M. 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June Torbit, .\dolphus. Concord, Aug. 13. 1862. Co. 
 
 20, 1865, as quarter master. 
 
 Tunks. George E., Martinton, .\ug. 9, 1862. 
 Co. 15, 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June 
 20. 1865, corporal. 
 1865, corporal. 
 
 Thomas, Samuel L., Onarga. Aug. 12, 1862. 
 Co. D, 113th Inf.. 7 mos. Died at St. Louis 
 March 11, 1863. 
 
 Thomas, Lewis, Onarga, .\ug. 12, 1862, Co. D, 
 113th Inf., I yr. Died, prisoner at Richmond, 
 Aug. 19. 1863. 
 
 Thomas. James. Onarga. .Vug. 11. iiShj. Co. 1). 
 113th Inf.. 10 mos. Discharged June 7. 1863. 
 disability. 
 
 Tarbett. Thaddeus. Concord. -A.u.g. 12. i8r)2, 
 Co. F, 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 
 20. 1865. 
 
 Tullis. Jonah, Belmont, -Vug. 12, 1862, Co. I'', 
 i 13th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 20. 1865. 
 ser.geant. 
 
 Tyler. Selden, .Middleport, .\ug. 12. 1862, Co. 
 F. 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out lune 20. 
 1865. 
 
 Tyler. William. .Middleport. .\ug. 12. iSf)2, Co. 
 I'", 113th Inf.. 5 mos. Died Die, 31. i8f)2. al 
 Chickasaw Bayou. 
 
 Tullis. Geo. \\'., lnM|uois. Jan. 12. 18(14. Co. 1-". 
 113th Inf.. 15 mos. Discharged .\pril 13, i8c'>5. 
 disability. 
 
 Tullis. Isaac, Inninois. Jan. 4. 1864. L'u. b", 
 113th Inf.. 2 mos. Died at Camp I'ntler. .March 
 18. 1864. 
 
 1. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June 20, 
 1865." 
 
 Taylor. Wm. H.. Concord, Aug. 11. 1862. Co. 
 I. 113th Inf., 34 mos. Clustered out as quarter 
 master June 20, 1865. 
 
 Thompson, James, ^ililford. Dec. 9, 1863. Co. 
 1. 113th Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to 120th 
 Ills. 
 
 Treadway, Daniel C, Middleport. Jan. i. 1864, 
 Co. I. 113th Inf., 18 mos. Transferred to 120th 
 Illinois. 
 
 Treadway. Arom M., Concord, Jan. 15. 1864. 
 Cm. 1, n3th Inf., 18 mos. Transferred to 120th 
 
 Ills. 
 
 Taylor, Robert, Milford, May 14. 1864. Co. B, 
 i34lh Inf., 3 mos. r^Iustered out Ot. 25. 1864. 
 
 Taylor, Wni. M.. Milford. May 14. 1864. Co. 
 ii. I34t!i Inf.. 5 Hios. Mustered out Oct. 25. 
 1864. 
 
 Tullis. Amos K.. Loda. May 14, 1864, Co. 1'.. 
 1,54th Inf.. 5 mos. Mustered out (X't. 2^. i8C)4. 
 
 Crmston, Stc])h. I... Middleport, March 31. 
 1863. Co. 1. ii.itli Inf.. 13 mos. Transferred to 
 120th Ills. 
 
 N'eyette. llerlK-rt. .Middleport. Aug. 22. 1862, 
 Co. F, II31I1 Inf.. 3 yrs. 
 
 \'an \\'ess. Geo. J.. (Onarga. ."^ept. 10. iSiii. 
 Co. .\l. ()th Cav.. 13 mo-. Died at Keokuk. I>iwa. 
 Oct. 8. 1862. 
 
 \liet. .\ndrew }.. Helnmnt. July 7. i8()2. Co. 
 K. 77lh Inf.. 3 yrs. Died at Woodland Jidy 21. 
 1899.
 
 IKOOLOIS COUNT V. ILLINOIS. 7.^3 
 
 \ .iiij^lin, |(k1. t'l.ii.i;.!. A'H. I.'. i}«ii. Ci). .\L \ fil.kr. IIitIkti A., I.oda. Ma> 14. liV,^. (.... 
 
 <)tli tav.. h iii.x IVniiiHil I'nim rolls April 30. I'>. i34<li l"f-- 5 ""•^- Mnsti-rcd mu ( )ct. 25. i8r»4. 
 
 i}<^,j \ an \ lilt, i-.dwanl. MicUlkport. May 14. iW>4, 
 
 \c\ctti-. I'.iiijamm. Mi.i.llii...it. Doc. Kj. iWi^. Co. I!, i.^t'' l"l'. 3 """*• -Miistcn-d out ( kt. .'3. 
 
 Co. I-", 113th Inf.. Ji mos. |nl\. iS'>3. i**'M- 
 
 \aufrhn. Joseph. Onargn. Nov. 12. iX^.i. t V. \crnink-. Cornelius. ( hiarjia. Dec. 1 1. iW>i. Co. 
 
 .M. -ith Cav.. (> mos. nrojipcd from mils Ai>ril -M. '^th Cav.. 4^ mos. Musti-rcd .nit < kn. 31. 
 
 30. 18/.J. '^•3- viliran. 
 
 Ncnnum. Hiram I'... .\liddlci>ort. Jinu- 13. Waldo. Janus \\.. .Milford. Jan. _'i. 1W.5. Co. 
 
 |8<>I. Co. I. jolh Irf.. \ vrs. .\lustircd out as I'. 130th Inf.. 1 \ r. .Miistin-d out Jan. 16. iJV/). 
 
 captain l"o. I). 130111 Illinois. Jan. i(>. iSfif>. Wray. ICdward S.. .Middk-port. Jan. 31. iS(>3. 
 
 \innum. John I'.. .Milford. Jan. 13. iS'.3. Co. Co. I). 130th Inf.. 1 \r. .Mustered ont Jan. 16. 
 
 I). 130th Inf.. r yr. Mnsten-d out as scrjjeant 18^16. 
 
 Ian. \<i. iW/). WashinfTton. ISnshrod I).. .MiiUlleport. < kt. 22. 
 
 \enmmi. John S.. Miiklk'iH.rt. Jmie 13. iS(m. 18^.1. Co. D. i.st .\rt'ly.. 45 mos. Woundid at 
 
 Co. I. 20lh Inf.. 4 yrs. Rc-inlisted as vitinin. Xickslmri,'. Kenesaw and .\tlanta. 
 
 \alkncniirt. Jasper. Clifton. Jan. iS. 1W.3. Co. Wood. W illiam. Coniord. .\n.ir. .;. iS<i2. Co. 
 
 I). I50tli Inf.. I yr. .Mustered out Jan. i(.. I'-- 7''tli I'lf . 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. 1W15. 
 
 iSfrC). West. ( ieoru^e. .\liddIe)>ort. .Xui;. 7. 1W12. Co. 
 
 X'cnnuin. 1'. H.. .Middlcport. Jrne 4. il^hi. C'<. 1. n^th Inf.. 10 mos. Kesijrned on account of 
 
 I'. 25th Inf.. 23 mos. Transferred to veteran sickness, died .Nov. 24. i Sip. 
 
 reserve cor])s julv 1. 18^13. \\ aldraj). Wni. T.. Cral)a|)ple. Ava. 11. i8C>2. 
 
 \eyttte. Louis. .\liddIe])ort. Jai'. 18. i8(.3. Lo. Co. |-:. 7f>tli Inf.. S mo>. |)iscliart;ed .\pril 8. 
 
 0. 150th Inf.. I yr. Mustered out Jan. i(>. i8ri(>. iS^M- <lisnl)ility. 
 
 \'an Wirt. Wm.. Cluhanse. Ncv. 3. iS/n. C Wilkin-^on, Win. M.. Cheljanse. June 13. iST)!. 
 
 C. ;Stli Inf. No data. Cl (I. 20tli Inf.. ^) n:os. Ditd a' .M iind Cii>. 
 
 \es.ser. William. I.oda. .May 14. 1.S/.4. Co. I'.. Hcc. <>. 1861. 
 
 134th Inf.. 3 mos. Mustered out ( kt. 23. i8<.4. Williantson. Allen I-.. C raliapple. .\nii. <;. i8'.2. 
 
 \an Kuren. Jair.es. Chel;anse. .March 14. 18*13. Co. \'.. 7()th Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustere.l out July 22. 
 
 Co. H. 58th inf. Di.*charge<l for disal.ility Oct. iW>3. 
 
 3. 18^.3. Walser. ( ieo. IL. .Middleport. .\pril 22. iS<ii. 
 
 \an Kuren. J. (... CliehansL-. .March 14. Co. I. 20th Inf.. 7 mos. Kcsiy^iud Nov. 3. iSfu. 
 
 Co. H. 58th Inf. .Mustered out March 3. i8^»'. captain. 
 
 Xankiiriii. Roliert. Cluhante. .March 14. iHli;^. Williamsoii. Ja-. K. I'.. .Milford. l)e.-. 17, iS<)3. 
 
 I.S/)5. Co. M. 58tli Inf. nischart;e<l for fli-ahiliiv Co. ]■'.. 7<'.tli Inf . iS ni..-. Traii-tVrred to 37th 
 
 (k-t. 3. 1W15. Ills. Inf. 
 
 \'ansicle. Johnson. L(«la. .\un. 3. i8<i2. Co. K. Waslijnyton. S. .\.. .Middle|iort. June 13. |8<>|. 
 
 7«>tli Inf.. 10 mos. Missing June fi. 18(13. Co. 1. 2(ith Inf.. 7 mos Hiscliaryed for di>a- 
 
 \ auphn. Joel. .\sh ( imve. .w^. 10. 18' .2, Co l)ilit\. 
 
 K. 7(>th Inf.. 8 mos. Died at St. Louis .V-iril .. W ey;;.indt. H. I'... .Middkpnrt. .\u},'. 8. i8f>2. 
 
 18/13. I o. 1. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out .-i-; i>;t 
 
 X'eyette. Herbert. Middleport. .Xiij,'. 12. i8(i2. sirj;eanl June 20. 1863. 
 
 Co. F'. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June White. Charles W.. Middle|)ort. June 13, 18(11. 
 
 2f». 18(15. Co. I. 20th Inf.. 3 mos. Died at liird's I'oiiit. 
 
 W-Nelte. Menjamin. .Mi(klle]Mirt. Dec. n;. Nov. 1;. i8C>i. 
 
 18(^)3. Co. I". ii3tli Inf.. 18 mos. Transferred to Wajjiier. ( leorue. .Midilleport. .\uj;. 13. 18(12. 
 
 120th Ills. Co. I. ii3tli Inf.. 34 mos. Mustereil out June 20, 
 
 \'ennum. ( iillxrt. .Milford. May 14. i8(>4, to 18(13. 
 
 1;. 134th Inf.. 3 mos. Mu.stered out Oct. 23. Williams. Thos. D.. Chelanse. .\u>;. 7. 1861. 
 
 i8C>4. C'o. ( i. 23th Inf.. 17 mos. Served in war with 
 43
 
 736 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 .Mexico, Capt. Co. G, killed Dec. 31, 1862, at \\'ads\vorth, Henry S.. .Milford, Aug. 25, 
 
 Stone River, Colonel. i86i, Co. G, 42(1 Inf. Discharged for promotion 
 
 W'il.'ion, John, Middleport, Aug. 11, 1862, in the V. S. colored troops. 
 
 ii3tli Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June 20. 1865. Willis, George C, Milford, Feb. 8, 1865. Co. 
 
 Wolf. Jacob, .Middleport, June 4. 1861, Co. F, D. 150th Inf.. i yr. Mustered uut Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 25th Inf., II nios. Discharged May 20, 1862. Woods. Roland. Iroquois, Aug. 7, 1861, Co. 
 
 Wines. Henry C, .Middleport. Jan. 14, 1864, H. 42d Inf. Missing Dec. 5, 1861. 
 
 Co. I. ii^tli Inf.. 18 nios. Transferred to 120th Watson, Frank P>., Chebanse, Feb. 6, 1865, Co. 
 
 Ills, D. 150th Inf.. I yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Waldcn. AiitlKiny B.. (Jnarga, June 4, 1861, Co. Wivel. Levi. Iroquois, .April 7, 1865. Co. K, 
 
 F, 25th Inf. .Missing, last heard from in hos- 4^d Inf.. 8 mos. ^Mustered out Nov. 30, 1865. 
 pital at .Xashville. Williams. Harry F., Middleport, Jan. 21, 1865. 
 
 Winston, Stejdien L.. .Middlep'irt. Ajiril 5, (_'o. D, 150th Inf., i yr. Mustered out Jan. 16. 
 
 1865. I 131I1 Inf., 2 mos. Mustered out June 20, 1866. 
 
 1865. \\'ade, Oscar, Middleport. Nov. 2. 1861, Co. C, 
 
 Wilson, Thomas, Onarga, .\pril 5, 1865. Co. F, :;ist Inf., 34 mos. Died near Atlanta Sept. 20, 
 
 25th Inf., 3 yrs. Wounded, mustered out Sept. 1864. 
 
 5- 1864. \\'illoughby. \\'. S.. Ash Grove, Feb. 7, i8(>5, 
 
 \\'ilson. l-'rank .\1.. .Vsli (inive, .May 14, i8()5. Co. D, 150th Inf., i yr. Mustered out Jan. 16, 
 
 Co. I'l, I34tii Inf.. 5 mos. Mustered out Oct. 25, 1866. 
 
 1864. as sergeant. \\'illard, Henry C, Middleport, Sept. 20, 1861, 
 
 \\'We\. Levi, Onarga, .\pril 5, 1862, Co. F, 25th Co. C, 51st Inf., 3 yrs. Mu.stered out with regi- 
 
 Inf., 30 mos. Mustered out as corporal Sept. 5, nient Sept. 25, 1864. 
 
 1864. Whitaker. Geo. W., Middleport. .\ug. 10, 1862, 
 
 Washington, James P.. .Middleport, .May 14. (Jq c. 88th Inf. .Missing .\ug. 3, 1863, supposed 
 
 1864, Co. P). 134th Inf., 5 m<is. .Mustered out deserter. 
 
 Oct. 25. 1864. Wilson, George C Ashkum, May 10. 1862, 
 
 Williams. Eugene E.. Onarga, June 5, 1861, Co. Qq_ q 28th Inf., 2t, mos. Resigned as 2d Lieut. 
 
 I". 25th Inf., 5 mos. Deserted Xov. 6, 1861. .\pril 20, 1864. 
 
 Wilson, James, Middleport, May 14, 1864, Co. Weaver. XClnev. Loda, .-\ug. i, 1862. Co. C, 
 
 i;, 134th Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out Oct. 25, ggtli Inf., 7 mos. Discharged Alarch 3, 1863, 
 
 '8''>4. disability. 
 
 Walcutt, (korge, A.shkum, Aug, 26, 1861, Co. Warner, Charles. Chebanse, -Nov. 7, 1861, Co. 
 
 G, 25th Inf., 21 mos. Discharged June i, 1863, (• .^j], j„f _^2 „.,qs. Re-enlisted as veteran, 
 disabilitv . 
 
 I 
 
 Web.<;ter. .\bel, Middleport, .\ug. 4, 1862, Co. 
 
 Williams, Harry P., Middleport, May 14, 1864. (^ gg^,^ j„f , ^, Discharged Aug. i, 1863. dis- 
 
 Co. I'., I ■?4th Inf.. 5 mos. Mustered out Oct. 25, , •,•. 
 
 '" ^ ■■ abdity. 
 
 ,',,' ,,,.,.,,, , o^ , ■ Webster, Timothv. Onarga, )une 10, 1862. Co. 
 
 1 Walsh, Robert. .A.shkum. .\ug. 17, 1861, Co. _ ^ , ^ ' - , • ■ ,, ^ „^ 
 
 ' / ■ , T r .. 11 1 f^. 6()th Inf., T. mos. Mustered out Sept. 27, 1862. 
 
 1 (r. 25th Inf., ^ vrs. I romoted corporal, nnistered . . ,, . ,-, n,- r- 
 
 ' •. , .■ • ,. „, ' Wolcott, Charles, Ashkum. Aug. 8. 1862, Co. 
 
 nut With reirnnent Suit. 5, 1804. ,, , . 
 
 ,,..„ r..-,,. M-;,, . ,, o,- P.. 88th nf., U nios. .Mu^trred out lunc Q, 
 
 ] W illciii. William, .Middleport. May 14, i8()4, ■ .i-t 
 
 Co. 11, I ylli Inf.. 5 iiKis. Mustered <iut ( ")ct. ' '■"" 
 
 25, 1864. Wright. Peter, Clifton, .\ug. 12. 1862, Co. G, 
 
 I Wilks, l-.dwin. Aslikum. Aug. 17, 1861, Co. Ci, /^'l T"*- 3 .vrs. Mn.stered out .\ug. 7. 1865. 
 
 25th Inf., 3 vrs. .Mustered mit Sept. 5. 18^,4. Wright, Robert, Middleport, Julx 24. 18O2, 
 
 with rcgimenl. *■""• -^^ /'''^'^ ''i'- -7 '"o*- ^^^^^ ^^ ^lemphis Oct. 
 
 1 Worthington, Chas.. Loila. .May 14, 1864. C>\ 6. 1864. 
 
 P. 134th Inf.. 5 mos. .Mustered out ( )ct. 2~,. Watters. Dan'!., lnK|uois, July 24, 1862, Co. 
 
 1864. .\, 76th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out July 22. 1865. 
 
 [
 
 IROQUOIS COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 
 
 7i7 
 
 \\ri(;ht. Lie. IrtKjuois. July -'4. i8<>.'. Co. .\, 
 76tli Inf. 31 mos. Discharncd .March 7, 18^)5. 
 as coriKiral, wiHiiulcd. 
 
 WriRht. Jonatlian. (lilnian. |iil> -'4. it^'iJ. Co. 
 .\. jdili Inf.. 3 >Ts. .Mustered out July 22. i8<)5. 
 
 Wilson. William T.. IVImont. July .'4. iWo. 
 Co. .\. Tfith Int.. 2J mos. Died at \ icksburK 
 May 2», i8<>4. 
 
 \\csUy. John. I'.elmont. July 24. iWij. Co. A. 
 7^ith Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out July 22. ii<tt$. 
 
 Watkins. William .\.. .\sh ( irove. .Vu^- 1. 
 i8<>2. Co. K. T^rth Inf.. 3 yrs. .Mustered out as 
 captain July 22. iSii-,. 
 
 Watkins. John. L<Mla. .\up. 10. 1862, Co. K. 
 7f>th Inf.. 3 >rs. Aliscni. sick on muster out July 
 22. iJV>5. 
 
 White. Silas I'... Loda. Jan. 14. i.S/,4. Co. K. 
 ^^ith Inf.. 18 nios. Transferred to 37th Ills. 
 
 Weaver, .\hram. Loda. .Xur. 10. i8'>2. Co. C, 
 88th Inf.. 5 mos. KilU"<l. battle Stone River. 
 Tenn.. Dec. 31. 18^)2. 
 
 Wixnly. Knos IL. .MidilleiMirt. Au>;. 18. iW>_'. 
 Co. n, 113th Inf.. 35 mos. Transferred to \'. R. 
 
 C. mustere<l out July 13. 1865. 
 
 Wise. Samuel. Martinton. \vii. w. i8<i2. Co. 1'.. 
 
 1131!) Inf.. 34 mos. .Mustered out June 20. 1865. 
 
 Webster. Timothy. Onarpa. July 30. 1862, Co. 
 
 D. 113th Inf.. 2 \rs. Died of wounds at Mobile. 
 Ala., July 4. i8r>4. 
 
 Webb. Wells (i.. Onarga, .Vug. f\ i8<')2, Co. D. 
 113th Inf.. 35 mos. Mustered out Jiuie 20. 
 1W.5. 
 
 WockI. Jolin. Onar>;a. .\ufr. 7. iW>2, Co. I). 
 113th Inf.. 30 mos. DisclBrged I'eb. 1. 18^15. 
 ilisability. 
 
 Wray. Merriman. Sprinp Creek. .\\.\^. 15. 18*12. 
 Co. D. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. .Mustered out June 
 20. 1865. 
 
 Warren, Henry. .Middleport. .\up. 12, iW>2. 
 Co. F, 113th Inf.. n mos. Died at C"am|) llutler 
 May 21. 1863. 
 
 Wookey, William. Middlefxirt. .Vu^. 12. 1862. 
 Co. F. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. .\Iusteri"<l out June 
 20. 18^)5. 
 
 WriRht. William. Middlci>ort, .Xiig. 12, i8fi2, 
 Co. F. 113th Inf.. 14 mos. Discharged Oct. 3. 
 l8^>3. <lisability. 
 
 Wa.shinfjton, Spotswooil. Middle|)ort. .XiiR. 12. 
 i8r>2. Co. I". 113th Inf.. 5 mos. Discharged Jan. 
 12. i8^»3. disability. 
 
 Whitcman, Joshua. C<»nconl. .\up 12. 18^12. 
 
 Co. !•. 113th Inf.. II nios. Died at Si. Louis 
 July 7. i»)3. 
 
 Warren. Wesley, .\lid.lle|Hjrt. .Xug 12. i8<j2. 
 Co. I'". 113th Inf., 34 nids. Miisiered out a> ser- 
 geant June 20, 1865. 
 
 Warren. Joseph, Melmoiu. IXc. 11. 1.^13. Co. 
 1". 113th Inf.. 14 mos Diiil .It Mtinplti- .M;irili 
 22. 1865. 
 
 West. (Jeorge. .Middle|K.i i. .\iig. 7. i8<>2. Co. 
 1. 113th Inf.. M> mil- Kcsii;iii-i! M.i\ .•; 18/13. 
 as captain. 
 
 Weston. Daniel, .\liddle|)<irt. .\ug. w. iS<>2. Co. 
 1. 113th Inf.. 34 mos. .Mustereil out June 20. 
 1865. 
 
 Weygandt, llymenius, .Mi<ldIeport. .\ug. *j, 
 i8<>2. Co. I. 113th Inf., 7 mos. Dischargeil March 
 18. 1863. 
 
 Wagner. ( ieorge. .MiddlqMirt, .\ng. 13, 1862. 
 to. I. ii3tb Inf.. 34 mos. Mustered out June 20. 
 18^,5. 
 
 Wilson. John. .Middleport. .\ug. 11. iS('>2. Co. 
 I 113th Inf., 34 mos. Mustered out June 20. 
 18^.5. 
 
 Worlhington. R. M.. Onarga, Sept. 10. 1861. 
 Co. .M. <>tb Cav.. 4<> mos. .Mu.stered out ()ct. 31. 
 18^,5. 
 
 Wilson, Asa W., Onarga. Sept. 10. i8^>i. Co. 
 M. <)th Cav., 10 mos. Died near Jackson])ort. 
 .\rk.. June 26. 1862. 
 
 Worthington. SamT S.. Loda. Oct. 25. iS/u. 
 Co. M. <)th Cav.. 37 mos. Mustered out Ww _'. 
 18/ .4. 
 
 Wilson, Edward, Onarga. .\ug. 1. iW>2. Co. 
 M. <;th Cav.. 3^1 mos. .Mustered out June \f>. 
 i8r>5. 
 
 Wyman. (iilbert. Onarga. Sept. \C>. 18^)2. ijtb 
 Cav.. 13 mos. .Mustere«l out ( )ct. 31. i8^>3. 
 
 Wood. Levi S., I^Kla. .^epl. 15. i8^>i. Co. C. 
 loth Cav.. 19 mos. Di.scharged .\pril 15. 1863. 
 as (luarter nuister sergeant. 
 
 Webster. John H.. Loda. Sept. 15. i8<.i. C<>. 
 C. 10th Cav., 31J mos. Mustered out Dec. 30. 
 i8r.4. 
 
 Wizard. Jacob. I^.da. Se|)t. 15. iS<ii. Co. C. 
 loth Cav. Discharged, no data. 
 
 Winner. Phillip. Loda. Sept. 15. iW)i. C" t. 
 lotli Cav. Discharged, no data. 
 
 Webster. Kdward. Loda. Sept. 15. 1861, Co. 
 C. loth Cav. Died. <late not given. 
 
 Webster. Theodore. I^xti. I'eb. 2<>. i8<»4. lo. (. . 
 loth Cav., 9 mos. Discharged Oct. 21. 18^)4.
 
 738 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT OF 
 
 Washington, rJushrod 1).. .\li<lillc]K)rt. Dec. 8, 
 
 1863. Co. D. i-L Art'ly.. K^ iiios. .Mustered out 
 July 28, 1865. 
 
 Whiteman, j. \V.. Omconl, Sep. 2S. 18O1, 
 Co. E, 39tli Inf.. 3 yrs. Discharged Sept. 5. 
 1864. 
 
 Young. Paul. Crescent. l"eh. 6. 1865, Co. D. 
 150th Inf.. I yr. .Mustered out Jan. 16, 1866. 
 
 Young, Joseph, L'Erahle. Dec. 19, 1861, Co. E, 
 1 2th Cav. Discharged for disabihty, date not 
 given. 
 
 Young, Hi)sea W.. Phito, Feb. 10. 1864. Co. C 
 37th Inf., 28 mos. Mustered nut May 15, 1866. 
 
 Yates, Jame.s. ^lilford, Aug. zj. 1861, Co. (I. 
 42d Inf., 5 mos. Discharged Jan. 24, 1862, for 
 disabihty. 
 
 Yates, Geo. AN'., A.shkuni, .\ug. 15, 1861, Co. D. 
 loth Inf. Discharged July 5. 1863. and re- 
 enlisted in .Miss. Marine llrigade. 
 
 Yeakev, Edward, .\shkuni. Xov. 7. 1861, Co. 
 C. 58th inf. 
 
 Yeakey, Win.. .Xshkuni. Xov. 7. 1861. Co. C, 
 58th Inf. Re-enlisted in I'.atty. H, ist .Mo. Light 
 Art'ly. 
 
 Young, jdhn. I'apineau, .March C). 1865, Co. 
 H. 58th Inf.. I yr. .Mu.stered out .March 5, 1866. 
 
 Young, William. .Middleport, .\ug. 11, i8(')2, 
 Co. I, I 13th Inf., 34 mos. 
 20, 1865. 
 
 'S'ates. James T., .Milford, .May 14, 1864. C". 
 B, 134th Inf., 5 mos. Mustered out ( )ct. 25, 
 
 1864, as sergeant. 
 Young. John 1)., Clifton. j;ni. 31, iS'15. Co, I). 
 
 130th Inf., I yr. .\lustt-red onl Jan. 15. iXdfi. 
 
 Zunnvalt, William II.. .Middlejiort. June 4, 
 ]86l, Co. b", 25th Inf., 3 yrs. Mustered out 
 Sept. 5. 1864. 
 
 Zumwalt, Ahs.-ilom. .\l iddle|iort. Aui;. 13, iSiiJ. 
 Co. E, 7()th Inf., 7, \ rs. .\lustere<l out lid\ jj. 
 1865. 
 
 Dll'.l) l.\ I'KI.SO.X. 
 
 'llie ff)llowing dird in Andersonxilk' I'rison 
 which was in direct ch:irge of the infamous Capt. 
 W irz, who after the close of the war was 
 arrested, tried, rondemned and executed for his 
 brutality : 
 
 Tile names of thosi> who ilii'd in \arion> other 
 southern prisons will never he known — no record 
 seems to li;ive heen kept. Let ns re\erentl\ rt'ad 
 
 the list of those whose names we are fortunate 
 enough to have and tenderly place upon the hal- 
 lowed gromid which embraces their mortal re- 
 mains a wreath of immortelles. 
 
 Corporal i'j. Cravel, Co. C. 51st Ills. Died 
 ( )ct. 15. 1864. 
 
 Private Leon J. Lourant, Co. D, 8yth Ills. Died 
 Sept. I, 1864. 
 
 Private Wm. R. Cavitt, Co. ]•". 1 13th Ills. Died 
 .\ug. 24, 1864. 
 
 Private Levi Gearhart. Co. F, 113111 Ills. Died 
 ()ct. I, 1864. 
 
 Private .Mdeii Lindsay. Co. D. 113th Ills. Died 
 .\ug. 23, 1864. 
 
 Private A. .McCrea. Co. D, 113th Ills. Died 
 .\ug. 6, 1864. 
 
 Private James Miller, Co. F, 113th Ills. Died 
 Oct. — , 1864. 
 
 Private Simeon T, Shook. Co. D, 113th Ills. 
 Died Sept. 15, 1864. 
 
 Private Greenbury Davis, Co. D, 113th Ills. 
 Diedi .\ug. 22, 1864. 
 
 Private Lyman Ijender, Co. F. 113th Ills. Died 
 ( )ct. lo, 1864. 
 
 Private Josejjh Miller. Co. F. 113th Ills. Died 
 ()ct. 18. i8<'h. 
 
 Private James .\. Leighdy. Co. 1. 113th Ills. 
 Mustered imt June Died .Sept. 18, 1864. 
 
 It would indeed be something remarkable if in 
 the above roster somebody did not discover va- 
 rious inaccuracies — errors in names or dates or 
 facts. It would be .still more remarkable if 
 there were not something even more to be de- 
 plored than a misspelled name, or here and 
 tliere an incorrect date. 1 ret'er to the 
 possiliility, aye the great probability, of the 
 omission of man\- an honored name. 1 am 
 fnlK convinced that there are a miniher of 
 the case, lint that 1 have with most scruinilous 
 care comjiiled the above list from such authora- 
 tive material and data as I was able to command 
 1 will assert, for it was my earnest desire to make 
 the record of lr(X|Uois county's part in the Great 
 Kehellion as comprehensive, com].)lete and cor- 
 rect as critical researcli would enable me vo do. 
 It was for me a lahor of love due to the memory 
 of lur heroes; f\\K- to their children and the gen- 
 erations who in the future shall occupy the soil 
 which their feet have trodden and where reposes 
 all that is mortal of her heroic sons. 
 
 .M. 11. Pktkks.
 
 1 N L)i:>^ 
 
 l;l(K.UAl'ill(. A].. 
 
 Albrecht. Fred... I!t2 
 
 All.rldit. W. E 653 
 
 AlfxantUT. G. W 370 
 
 Allin. Dr. Kthan 513 
 
 Allhiinds. Jacoli 575 
 
 Alllncor. Jacob 49u 
 
 Allison. John 4<;2 
 
 Amos. John K 644 
 
 Amos, W. A 4S4 
 
 AniliTson, Charles \V 17i 
 
 Anderson. Class 208 
 
 Anderson, F. W 173 
 
 Anderson, John H 46S 
 
 Anderson, Milton Ifi2 
 
 AppleKel. Oscar 432 
 
 Ash, John 534 
 
 Ashknni Jonrnal 349 
 
 Ashley, A. J 473 
 
 Askew, O, K 658 
 
 Askew, R. G 658 
 
 Askew, Thomas 652 
 
 Austin, J. II H23 
 
 Balthls, John M 300 
 
 Itarber, C. K 59S 
 
 Hard, John 514 
 
 Uaron, William 343 
 
 Harrltt. John H 577 
 
 l«each, F. H 220 
 
 llL-elK>. K. R 265 
 
 Ileeson, David 344 
 
 llenjamln. U A 355 
 
 Itenson. Ixmla 281 
 
 Herns, Arnold G 567 
 
 Herns, Henry C 617 
 
 Helz.r. 1. S 178 
 
 Hlsho|i|i. Harton 34 
 
 HIanken, (SeorRe 312 
 
 Hln, James 269 
 
 HoKwirt. Dr. H. S 121 
 
 Holhwell. George 606 
 
 Ihiiidrean, J. S 606 
 
 Houdreau. X. C 608 
 
 Hoiif, Dr. T. N 24 
 
 UoMKhton, S. \V 370 
 
 Hovl.-, SO 62 
 
 Hralnard. Georjfe W 662 
 
 Hrenner, J. H 313 
 
 Hr<-.vmeyer. Friedrlch 357 
 
 Hr<K-k, Charles C 639 
 
 Hn>ck. Silas 637 
 
 Hrockmann, E. H 485 
 
 Hrockniann, Henry 609 
 
 Hrockway, A. V 284 
 
 HrouKher, A. L 515 
 
 Hi-own, Or. I.,. H 631 
 
 Hriibaker, \V V 570 
 
 Hriiinbark, David '.Mi 
 
 Huckley, Alonzo ls<i 
 
 Hnckley. Samuel 156 
 
 Hiirnison. S. C 346 
 
 Hnry, Georne 27ti 
 
 Hush, Dr. Orlando 4o 
 
 Hiitzow, Frank F 549 
 
 Caldwfll. Robert 122 
 
 Calkin. Charles A 332 
 
 Carey, J. H 562 
 
 Carman. Alonzo 647 
 
 Carman. \V. A 373 
 
 CarrinKton. W. 2.')" 
 
 Cnrnm, Alphonse 323 
 
 Carter, A. J 376 
 
 Case, H. C 413 
 
 Cassell, Charles 61". 
 
 Cast. A. C 290 
 
 Caveney, Frank A 69 
 
 Chapman. AS 67 
 
 Child. Henjamiu 171 
 
 Christenson. C. P 686 
 
 Cissna. Stephen 197 
 
 Clark. Evian 74 
 
 Clark. G. H 264 
 
 Clarke. Franklin 27o 
 
 Cleaver, Charles 6oo 
 
 Clements, O. A 233 
 
 Clifton, Roliert 260 
 
 Clifton, Thomas L 82 
 
 Cobb, E. J 318 
 
 Compton. H. S 402 
 
 Cx)nard. J. W 106 
 
 Cowan. H. P 206 
 
 Cox. M. H 251 
 
 Crandall. F. A 352 
 
 Crani;le. Frank M 6o3 
 
 Crawford. W. H 448 
 
 Creps. David 576 
 
 Crink. James 282 
 
 Crouch, John 640 
 
 Curby. G. C 548 
 
 DarlinK. Frank 257 
 
 Darling, Lyman 63.') 
 
 DarrouKh, Josiali 42u 
 
 Davis, F. \V 633 
 
 Davis, Sanford S 560 
 
 Dawson, Jeremiah 21s 
 
 Daw son, \V. M 394 
 
 Dean, David 193 
 
 IK-aner, John 622 
 
 Decker, Henry C 217 
 
 IH'W iiiK. William 664 
 
 Dial. Robert H 232 
 
 Dietr, C. C 17H 
 
 DilUm, Henry 456 
 
 Disosway, CD 84 
 
 Disoswav, M. R 616 
 
 DIx. O. E 429 
 
 D«Killttle. Elkanah 249 
 
 Downey. T. J 319 
 
 Duls. Harbert 614 
 
 Duzenlierry. Frank 643 
 
 Eastbiirn. Charles 591 
 
 Eastbiirn. J. H 540 
 
 East burn. J. R 374 
 
 Eastbiirn. P. \V 613 
 
 Eastbiirn. W. L 136 
 
 Echard. E. G 283 
 
 Eckei, Albeit 112 
 
 Edwards. S. H 226 
 
 Eliiiiim. Edward 94 
 
 Eshelman, \V. C 626 
 
 Fldler. George 289 
 
 FIdler, William 646 
 
 Finch, Robert 491 
 
 Finch, Theodore 361 
 
 KlaniKan, William 625 
 
 Fleaner, W. B 188 
 
 FleminK. John 287 
 
 Fleming. John A 605 
 
 Foster. R. W 436 
 
 Freeman. .1. 56 
 
 Frobish. John 83 
 
 Fronville, F 654 
 
 (iaffleld. W. H 399 
 
 Oannim. T. .M 59 
 
 Gardner. 1. J 486 
 
 Garner. Peter 234 
 
 Gasaway Hrothers 401 
 
 (;eiard. Victor 313 
 
 Gerber. Theopbile 119 
 
 Gibson, Dr. Horace 131 
 
 Gilchrist. Theodore 393 
 
 Giles. John C 388 
 
 Gillum. Dr. I. H 338 
 
 Gleason & .Morel 563 
 
 (ioodell. .\ddlson 5 
 
 Goodfll. .Nathan P 686 
 
 Goodell. Warren S 680 
 
 (;iM)dyear. A. F 296 
 
 Goosiy. William 206 
 
 Gordon. James I .'lUO 
 
 Graham. J. A 224 
 
 OreenburK. F. W 407 
 
 Hall. Alonzo J 159 
 
 Hall. James A 302 
 
 Hamilton. G. 11 33
 
 -40 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT (3F 
 
 Hamilton, J. L 73 
 
 Hanson, \V. B 554 
 
 Hargieaves, P. H 537 
 
 Harper, Ed 43S 
 
 Harrington, G. C 52 
 
 Harvey, H. B 263 
 
 Harwood, James F 246 
 
 Hawk, J. D 510 
 
 Hecker, Dr. William 350 
 
 Heller. .John 467 
 
 Henderson, Dr. H. C 174 
 
 Henke. Martin 509 
 
 Herron, Edwin S 630 
 
 Hickey, W. M 70 
 
 Hills, Isaac 442 
 
 Hilscher, Robert \V 30 
 
 Hislop, W. S 214 
 
 Hitchings, Dr. R. C 646 
 
 Hoagland, James 453 
 
 Hogle, A. W 231 
 
 Hollingsworth, H. W 461 
 
 Holmes, John 277 
 
 Holz. William A 471 
 
 Hooper. F. L 271 
 
 Hotaling. H. H 245 
 
 Hougardy Brothers 586 
 
 Hougland, Samuel 579 
 
 Hougland. Silas 651 
 
 Hudson. \V. H 632 
 
 Hull, Elwin 382 
 
 Hummer. G. S 500 
 
 Hutchins. L. T 105 
 
 Irelan, W. T 1.52 
 
 Jewett, Dr. D. L 542 
 
 Jiniison. W. H 506 
 
 John, Thomas 90 
 
 Johnson, Joseph 431 
 
 Johnson, Otto 643 
 
 Jones, A. M 9 
 
 Kaufmann. August 530 
 
 Kay. James W 194 
 
 Kay. W. S 240 
 
 Kennedy, J. W 61S 
 
 Kern, J. W 660 
 
 Kern, Owen 320 
 
 Kidd, J. T 295 
 
 Kietzmann, Julius 380 
 
 King, Michael 621 
 
 Knibloe, W. E 438 
 
 Knocke. Henry 626 
 
 Koester. Frederick 618 
 
 K(H)n. H. E 395 
 
 Kussell, Peter 659 
 
 La Bounty, A. R 140 
 
 Lake, F. C 597 
 
 Leggott, Thomas 207 
 
 Lemenager, L. .r 339 
 
 Leonard. Michael 437 
 
 Levie, John 299 
 
 L'Hote, Eugene 265 
 
 Lindgren, John H 532 
 
 Lindsoy. E. J 160 
 
 Lindsey, Ira M 453 
 
 lyockwood, Frederick 408 
 
 Loveless, Thomas 364 
 
 Luebchow, F. H 405 
 
 Luhrsen. August 281 
 
 Lubrsen, Frederick 547 
 
 Luniley, Dr. Robert 580 
 
 Lyon. E. M 654 
 
 Lyon, Howard 305 
 
 Lyon, James A 306 
 
 -vlcCloud. W. L 419 
 
 McCuen, Samuel J 555 
 
 McCurtain, John A 166 
 
 McDermott, Peter 152 
 
 McDougall, W. J 237 
 
 Mclntyre, George K 553 
 
 Mclntyre, John 363 
 
 Mc.Mahon. J. E 45 
 
 McMahou. T. J 89 
 
 -vlcSorley. Thomas 192 
 
 Main, George S 307 
 
 Major, S. M 477 
 
 Mallory, Charles, Jr 177 
 
 Marquis, D. M 244 
 
 Marsh, L. C 314 
 
 Martin, Clark H 375 
 
 Martin, William H 50 
 
 Maurits, Gust 61 
 
 Meents, M. R 411 
 
 Meier, J. W 126 
 
 Meyer, H. L 12i) 
 
 Miller, Frederick 609 
 
 Miller, G. F 578 
 
 Miller, John A 349 
 
 Miller, M. L 345 
 
 Miller, O. M 130 
 
 Miller, William 142 
 
 Miller, Dr. W. R 289 
 
 Miner, Charles H 590 
 
 Monk, Dirk H 514 
 
 Montgomery, W. A 456 
 
 Moore Brothers 465 
 
 Morgan. C. S 306 
 
 Morgan, O. F 16 
 
 Morris. F. P 213 
 
 Muchlenpfordt. Dr. August 1II4 
 
 Muller. J. L 35J 
 
 Murphy, Patrick 6I11 
 
 Murphy, William 51ii 
 
 Myers, Solomon 276 
 
 Nation. William lOii 
 
 Nelson. .lohn 529 
 
 Nightingale, \V. R 233 
 
 Nolin. W. T 211 
 
 Nosker, Orren G 516 
 
 Nourie, Arthur 345 
 
 Oathout, C. F 173 
 
 O'Brien. Peter 13u 
 
 Ortman. W. F 657 
 
 Overacker, John !< 1 
 
 Owen, J. E 27 
 
 Pacey, H. E 73 
 
 Pallissard. J. P 212 
 
 Palmer. Dr. 1. F 520 
 
 Parcel. \V. S 425 
 
 Parker. David L 95 
 
 Parrish, T. L 447 
 
 Patmor, F. D 466 
 
 Patrick, Dr. Z. E 599 
 
 Pearoe, A. L 78 
 
 Peltier, J. H 185 
 
 Perry. E. H 405 
 
 Perry. R. H 49 
 
 Peters, M. H 10 
 
 Petit. Octave i;t;ii 
 
 Pierson, \V. P 20 
 
 Porch, .lames 161 
 
 Powell, .\lmet 99 
 
 Prultt, C. L 497 
 
 Pruitt, Joseph, Jr 238 
 
 Pruitt, J. A 29 
 
 Prutsman. Alford I9s 
 
 Ranton. W. L 278 
 
 Ranz, F. W 149 
 
 Riggs, J. D 132 
 
 Ripley, Frank J 325 
 
 Rivard, George 499 
 
 Roberts, Robert 414 
 
 Roberts, Dr. W. R 213 
 
 Rosenberger, William 567 
 
 Rosenberger, W. A 325 
 
 Rosenberger. W. W 546 
 
 Rundle, Abraham 141 
 
 Rush, M. J 288 
 
 Rush, W. H 460 
 
 Sammons, G. M 115 
 
 Saum, C. X 337 
 
 Saum. G. W 629 
 
 Sayler, J. B 259 
 
 Schafer, Joseph 636 
 
 Schaf er. L. E 561 
 
 Schaumburg. Harm 367 
 
 Schnurr. Leander 539 
 
 Schuringa, Jacob 389 
 
 Shaffer. G. R 613 
 
 Shankland, B. F 569 
 
 Shannon, W. H 589 
 
 Shaw. C. 646 
 
 Shedd. W. H 46 
 
 Sbonenian. Benjamin 579 
 
 Shrimplin, C. C 636 
 
 Shrimplin, R. S 519 
 
 Sibbitt. J. M 38 
 
 Siedentoi). F. W 639 
 
 Simpkins, S. S 498 
 
 Singleton, A. P 192 
 
 Slite, C. M 562 
 
 Sloan, S. J 239 
 
 Smith, Elias B 308 
 
 Smith. John 69 
 
 Smith. O. G 648 
 
 Snow. H. W •. 186 
 
 Snow, L. D 145 
 
 Spies. George 417 
 
 Steiner, G. C 311 
 
 Stephens. G. P 326 
 
 Stewart. William 423 
 
 Stichnoth. C. R 331 
 
 Stoutem.ver. L. T 258 
 
 Stricklei-. P. B 272 
 
 Swartz, George 51 
 
 Sykes, H. P 219 
 
 Talbert, A. H 369 
 
 Talbert. H. N 505 
 
 Tegge nrotb(>rs 135 
 
 Temple. Thomas 103 
 
 Theesteld. Carl 638 
 
 Theesfeld. H. N 418 
 
 Thomas. A. H 40(1 
 
 Thomas. Isaac 602 
 
 Thrasher. C. A 624 
 
 Todd, R. C 565 
 
 Totheroh, Martin 43ii 
 
 Townsend, Frederick 631 
 
 Tyler, J. F 472 
 
 Vanderpoorten. E. C. and S. I. 19 
 
 Van Hoveln, Jacob 424 
 
 Venuum. F. 1) 172 
 
 V'eunum. Thomas 150 
 
 Vogel. Charles 396
 
 IKOOUDlS COL XTV. ILLINOIS. 
 
 74' 
 
 / 
 
 w 
 
 w 
 w 
 \\ 
 w 
 w 
 w 
 w 
 w 
 w 
 \v 
 w 
 \v 
 w 
 w 
 w 
 
 lly. (". N H'i 
 
 alty. Kraiik 149 
 
 alker. Dr. S. R SL'SI 
 
 arab;i, Adam 450 
 
 and, Thonuis 26t> 
 
 ard. \V. T -'5-' 
 
 ashbiirne. Samuel 47y 
 
 iuison. Jamos 317 
 
 atseUa First Natioual Hank. 55 
 
 eblHM. H.'nrv P 40B 
 
 eber. Kred 60 
 
 ebsttr, Kdward E 601 
 
 ebstt-r. John D !•:! 
 
 ebster. \V. A 45!i 
 
 eeks. Mrs. A. E 597 
 
 «-f ks. (J. A . . . . ?Ai< 
 
 Weeks, R U 4.sii 
 
 Weeks, W. A 59:; 
 
 WesEels, T. T 379 
 
 West Brothers Sii.s 
 
 West, Georfie 116 
 
 We.si. James 3:i4 
 
 We.sl, John 16.", 
 
 Westover. E. A 449 
 
 While, David 474 
 
 While. John D 635 
 
 Wliili-inan. A. 1^ 546 
 
 Whilenian. H. .\1 556 
 
 WIenrank, Jacob J 1,=>9 
 
 Welnrank, John 362 
 
 Wilkening, J. C 497 
 
 Williams. G. .M 200 
 
 Williams. J. G 637 
 
 Wlills, Thomas 330 
 
 Wills. John E 362 
 
 Wilson. I. W 390 
 
 Wilson, T. F 251 
 
 Wlnslow, Alfred 644 
 
 WIntorroth, J. L 468 
 
 Wise, J. J 35S 
 
 Withers, J. G 426 
 
 WriKht. G. R 423 
 
 WiillTe, H. W 531 
 
 Young, Joseph 486 
 
 Zachgo, Hugo 599 
 
 Zea, J. W 37 
 
 yCiiniwalt. F. P 3S1 
 
 IllSK )RICAI. 
 
 I iitn KJuctory fi'^'S 
 
 Oiaptcr L (Jurilmi S. I hil)l):ir(l f^t^ 
 
 Chapter II. ( )rganization of ilit- Comity (^72 
 
 Chapter 111. Karly Trails f>8o 
 
 Giapter 1 \'. Topography 683 
 
 Oiapter \'. lr<K|iiois 68'> 
 
 Chapter \ I. .Military History <)8X
 
 »l